Affordable & Good Tube Amp?

Hec · 01-23-2005, 08:03 PM

Hi everybody,

I'm looking to upgrade & hopefully move into a tube amp that won't break me. Is there anything of quality in the $200-$300 range?

I've also been looking at the line6 spiders......

If I can't have tubes, I'll get a modeler that sounds like it!!

Thanks in advance!

Skydirt · 01-23-2005, 08:18 PM

Im no amp guru but, The Peavey Classic 30 might be a good choice. I think it is a little more expensive than $300 though. I tried one at GC and thought it was great for the price.

Rythameen · 01-24-2005, 03:39 AM

I've got a Peavey Classic 20, and love it. Also you might want to take a look at the Roland Cube 30 or even the new Cube 60.

metalnick · 01-24-2005, 04:00 AM

Try looking around the pawnshops and mom+pop music stores for old, used tube amps. They are usually killer sounding and dirt-cheap. Try the flea-markets too...

kevlar3000 · 01-24-2005, 11:20 AM

If you can go loud old Traynors will knock you teeth out. A Silvertone 1483 or 1484 is also one hell of a vintage rock head. All sit around that price range. All are tonally equal to much of the boutique stuff made today. The new amps copy these old circuits ( which are great sounding) and sell em for big dollars. Vastly superior to much of the stock factory stuff currently out there.

On the modern front the discontinued Duoverb line from Line 6 is very cool and quite affordable. I would pick that over a Spider.

GuitarsAndTacos · 01-24-2005, 03:54 PM

My personal experience of the spider 2...

Yeah, at first it sounds like a dream, you'd think that it is extremely great and no other amp would be better fitting..... But after a while, the amp just begins to sound way too "digital". Apparantly my dad doesn't mind so I gave it away to him and I ordered a Carvin Legacy half stack, thus destroying my savings

lol but anyhow if you want really good amp modelling save up for a Vetta, I hear those are unequaled in amp modelling, but since its tubes you want in the first place, save up for one

**VHF** · 01-24-2005, 07:11 PM

An all tube head in the 2-300 range is not going to be easy to find. The Carvin Legacy is about the cheapest new one you can get.

I now have a Vetta (as was mentioned above) and have since sold all my tube amps and effects......it's meeting my current needs just fine. In fact I may never buy another tube amp.

metalnick · 01-25-2005, 09:29 AM

What kind of idiot would sell their tube amps???

01-25-2005, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by metalnick

What kind of idiot would sell their tube amps???

a broke one

Hec · 01-25-2005, 05:04 PM

Awesome advice, everybody. Thank you!

I'm not really looking for a head, but more of a compact/practice type a la the Vox Valvetronix. Also looked at the AVT's, but I think I'm going to try something other than Marshall.

Good call on the pawn shops, nick. I've been thinking about scouting those out.

PEACE!!

grant · 01-25-2005, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rythameen

I've got a Peavey Classic 20, and love it. Also you might want to take a look at the Roland Cube 30 or even the new Cube 60.

I have the Cube, It works wonders. Sounds par on Marshall, even though it is Solidstate.

**VHF** · 01-25-2005, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by metalnick

What kind of idiot would sell their tube amps???

Well let's see....there's me for one, and many many many other Vetta owners. Tube amps are great (and for the most part sound better than solid state amps).....but Vetta's are better for my current needs....go try one and see for yourself. I have personally owned and played loads of tube amps.....so I believe I am qualified to speak on the subject.

If I thought there was a tube amp that I would like better than my Vetta...I would buy it....money (or lack there of) is not the issue in this case.

metalnick · 01-26-2005, 04:42 AM

sorry.

I thought that you meant you were being a dum*ss. I have not tried the Vetta, but I really like my 5150 and hate tuning down to D or lower. I'll only go down to Eb, and that's it. The 5150 works extremely well for the kind of stuff I do (Hard-Rock-Wylde-Metallica-stuff).

The TikiBar · 01-26-2005, 05:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hec

Awesome advice, everybody. Thank you!

I'm not really looking for a head, but more of a compact/practice type a la the Vox Valvetronix. Also looked at the AVT's, but I think I'm going to try something other than Marshall.

Good call on the pawn shops, nick. I've been thinking about scouting those out.

PEACE!!

What about the valvetronix then?

**VHF** · 01-26-2005, 03:57 PM

I have only played the VOX stuff in stores....it's not for me personally becasue it has more of a ZZ Top type vintage blues tone (which you may like) and I tend to want more gain and modern sounding stuff.

I had an AVT at one time and I liked it, but always used a distortion pedal of some type to get the tone I wanted...I sold it and got something else. I tend to change out my stuff all the time...just to try new things.

I can't offer any advice on any combos as I moved away from them long ago...however I will say I have spent (and still spend) time stopping by Pawn shops and to this day I have never found anything that I would remotely say even comes close to a good deal in any one of them.

E-bay, on-line stores, or clearance sales at GC are going to be your best bet.

VHfan: selling your tube amps!?!