Amp help.

[Kaizen]

Just saw Jgomez's thread and noticed all the helpful comments. Thought i'd throw out a similar problem I have. I too am looking for a valve combo, I'm looking to spend around the 300 mark. Would need to be loud enough for gigging, but i live in a flat so it would also have to be able to be played at an acceptable level and still sound half decent with that taken into account. Would be used for everything from Twin atlantic/Jimmy eat world up to As I lay dying type stuff, but I'd rather sacrifice the heavier end than the lighter end.

Any help would be appreciated! Cheers.

[Kaizen]

I heard the Bugera V22 has a switch to allow it to run at 11 watts rather than the full 22. Anyone happen to know if the V55 has a similar option as this could be the answer to my problems...?

[Sam 45]

I heard the Bugera V22 has a switch to allow it to run at 11 watts rather than the full 22. Anyone happen to know if the V55 has a similar option as this could be the answer to my problems...?

Im not sure about that model, just google it but i know a lot of valve amps have this feature. You have an option on a Twin to run at 1/4 power.

[britheguy]

I don't think 25watts (1/4 power Fender Twin) is even suitable for a house, unless you live in the country or something. I have a HT5 which is too loud when it's cranked. It would all depend in if you are going to use pedals for drive etc. I suppose you could use a 100 watt combo in the house if you used a drive pedal to adjust the overall sound.

[Old Gold]

I don't think 25watts (1/4 power Fender Twin) is even suitable for a house, unless you live in the country or something. I have a HT5 which is too loud when it's cranked. It would all depend in if you are going to use pedals for drive etc. I suppose you could use a 100 watt combo in the house if you used a drive pedal to adjust the overall sound.

You're right in that at flat dwelling level, cutting the wattage on a Twin is pretty much unnoticeable. Getting cranked tone out of a small valve amp is still a pretty noisy endeavor.

[Kaizen]

So the over all conclusion is... Buy 2 amps? =(

[Sam 45]

So the over all conclusion is... Buy 2 amps? =(

You could just buy one and deal with the fact it won't be totally amazing in your house, but will still be good.

[Kaizen]

The problem is, will I be able to play it without getting an ASBO due to complaints from the folk downstairs?

[Old Gold]

You could just buy one and deal with the fact it won't be totally amazing in your house, but will still be good.

+1

If getting supreme tone in the bedroom is of utter importance, there's always the option of a power attenuator.

[HateEvent]

I have a big fancy ass ENGL E670 SE EL34 for gigging and recording with and use a Line 6 Spider IV 15 for playing in the flat as I'm practicing my chops rather than honing a sound.

Given the way that valve amps work, it'll never have that sound I use for gigs/recording if used at anything other than that volume. Even with an attenuator, it's - obviously - not the same.

Maybe it's me taking money into account nowadays or thinking more about what a bedroom amp's purpose is for me that I don't feel the need to go all out.

The other reason I have the 2 different amps is that I don't want to (albeit very slowly) wear out preamp valves by using my ENGL at home.

Personal preference and all that at the end of the day. You can get stuff that will do fine at lower levels (the ENGL has a brilliant preamp section and does "bedroom volume" fine) that has enough power to handle itself at a gig but - depending on how picky and such you are - I'd rather opt for exactly what I want for gigging and recording as to me this is where the tone I'm displaying actually matters and make do with something else for messing around with.

If I tried to get something to cover all bases ideally, I'd be making a compromise on the part that I deem important.

[britheguy]

The two amp idea is an interesting one. However, I have a different slant on the idea. For quite a while now, I've been thinking that the only time I hear the good tone of a valve amp is when I'm at home. When I'm playing with the rest of the band I think that the small things that make a valve amp sound better than a SS amp are lost in the mix. So with this in mind, it might be worthwhile considering a really good sounding small amp, and have it mic'd at a gig. The added advantage of this idea is that the soundman at the gig will like the fact that you're not blasting out your 100 watt amp all over the rest of the mix. I think is these days of decent PA's, there's no real need for a high wattage amp.

[jgomez]

I've done a good 2 weeks worth of research into the 300 valve amp scene, and granted although our needs are slightly different, hopefully some of what I've learned from my research can help you too. If you're looking to purchase new you essentially have 3 choices... Blackstar HT-5 combo, Laney VC15-110 and Bugera V22. If you're buying 2nd hand, this opens up quite a few more options, for example, an Orange Tiny Terror head + seperate cab, Peavey Classic 30, Peavey Valveking 112 (50w), Fender Blues Junior. The latter three are pretty damn loud I believe.

So, cleans are most important for you first of all? If that's the case I'd leave the Blackstar as the clean channel is supposedly so-so, but you can go try one for yourself in Bruce Millers, they have 1 left @ 299 (319 RRP) as it's on display and has been used for testing guitars etc. I'll be able to tell you for sure what the Blackstar is like on wednesday when I get mine.

So, if you're looking to buy brand new, I'd take a serious look at the Laney VC15-110 along with the Bugera, dv247.com pricematched the Laney for me to 279.99 (they have a four year store warranty policy too). I've seen the Bugera going for 259.99, again I'd ask dv247.com to price match this and take it from them for the warranty.

I've heard alot of people say that although they love the sound of their Bugera, they just wouldn't gig with it as it has had alot of historical reliability issues. These have supposedly been sorted out with the most recent batches, but alot of the damage to it's reputation has set in already. I think that although not quite as flexible as the Bugera, the Laney might be a great alternative. Not sure if anyone stocks these in town though...

Alternatively, I actually do quite like the 2 amp idea, could get a decent solid state bedroom practice amp for now and save up for a good amp head. Planning on starting to gig any time soon, or is it a speculative idea for the future? I've just read up on the Fender G-Dec 3 (solidstate 15 or 30 watt), and if I hadn't purchased the Blackstar already, I'd be taking a serious look at it as well.

[britheguy]

I've done a good 2 weeks worth of research into the 300 valve amp scene, and granted although our needs are slightly different, hopefully some of what I've learned from my research can help you too. If you're looking to purchase new you essentially have 3 choices... Blackstar HT-5 combo, Laney VC15-110 and Bugera V22. If you're buying 2nd hand, this opens up quite a few more options, for example, an Orange Tiny Terror head + seperate cab, Peavey Classic 30, Peavey Valveking 112 (50w), Fender Blues Junior. The latter three are pretty damn loud I believe.

So, cleans are most important for you first of all? If that's the case I'd leave the Blackstar as the clean channel is supposedly so-so, but you can go try one for yourself in Bruce Millers, they have 1 left @ 299 (319 RRP) as it's on display and has been used for testing guitars etc. I'll be able to tell you for sure what the Blackstar is like on wednesday when I get mine.

So, if you're looking to buy brand new, I'd take a serious look at the Laney VC15-110 along with the Bugera, dv247.com pricematched the Laney for me to 279.99 (they have a four year store warranty policy too). I've seen the Bugera going for 259.99, again I'd ask dv247.com to price match this and take it from them for the warranty.

I've heard alot of people say that although they love the sound of their Bugera, they just wouldn't gig with it as it has had alot of historical reliability issues. These have supposedly been sorted out with the most recent batches, but alot of the damage to it's reputation has set in already. I think that although not quite as flexible as the Bugera, the Laney might be a great alternative. Not sure if anyone stocks these in town though...

Alternatively, I actually do quite like the 2 amp idea, could get a decent solid state bedroom practice amp for now and save up for a good amp head. Planning on starting to gig any time soon, or is it a speculative idea for the future? I've just read up on the Fender G-Dec 3 (solidstate 15 or 30 watt), and if I hadn't purchased the Blackstar already, I'd be taking a serious look at it as well.

Good post.

I've got both the HT5 and a G-Dec 15. To be honest I prefer the Blackstar, but the Fender is a great wee amp with loads of sounds and backing tracks to boot. I think you could gig with a mic'd Blackstar, but not the Fender though. Played a Vox Night Train last week, through a Vox 2x12. Great sounding amp, and loud enough to gig no problem, but it is getting up in the price bracket.

[Soda Jerk]

Buy a second hand Roland Cube for the house. Bedroom tone isn't too important, and even then - the Cube's sound awesome anyway.