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I'm on the market for a small (room level only) tube amplifier for blues but mostly metal. I'm guessing 15 watts should be good? I don't expect a metal tone straight out of it since it won't happen with most amps but since I'll have to put it quite loud to get a large enough amount of gain and tone, I'd like it to be very small. I'll probably use a boost pedal like an MXR micro amp to boost the sound and maybe buy a cheap powerbreak on the bay if I find one, but only the pedal amp is sure. I'm looking for a very thick overdriven tone, a bit as if Zakk Wylde's distorsion meets Children of Bodom's overall tone.
I do not have access to boutique or ultra expensive stuff, and I already have a POD 2.0 so I am not interested in modelling stuff really, but suggest away. I do not have a budget yet so I'll compare later. Mostly what I had in mind was the Fender hot rod deluxe's 15 watter brother (if it has full EQ), the Laney LC15, and er... pretty much that's it. I'm affraid that if I get 30 watts it'd have to be too loud to get a good metal tone out of it.
Thoughts?

Here's my call - I have a Fender Pro jr. It's a 15 watter. Only two knobs - volume and eq. It sounds really good for everything up to, but not including metal. My main thing is it's just a killer little tube tone box, and the eq works well enough on my pauls to brighten/darken as necessary.

If you run a good overdrive (higher gain, think turbo screamer) or a straight out distortion/metal box that doesn't color too much, with maybe an eq pedal for the tone control (scoop mid I assume) I think it would be awesome.

When I run a TS9 into it, I just leave the pedal on and lower the level to actually drop the amp volume! I keep the tube-y-ness, and get some great distortion.

The amp is awesome for blues! It just has an quot;airinessquot; about it that makes it almost not need a touch of verb sometimes (I can't live without rerverb, and use a EH Holy Grail pedal, and usually a stamps drive o matic for a faux three channel setup).

Maybe I could use an eq pedal and a clean boost? Like an MXR micro amp and any EQ pedal... Would that color the sound much?

The Fender Blues Jr. is an awesome little amp. It runs about 15 watts, I think, and sounds amazing. I have only played through them, but the are a lot of guys on here who play through them, I'm sure they'll chime in here. The Blues Jr. has a few more knobs, too.

Aaron

I like knobs. To me, the more knobs the better. My amp has a lot, my POD has a lot, my guitar has 3 and also 3 mini toggle... MMMHmmmm knobs *drool*

Wait or is there something about knobs that I missed...

I had a blues JR and it works great for just about anything.....full eq....you might want to try the SD pickup booster and a dedicated distortion box
in my opinion....
the pickup booster and the blues junior will give you a really nice blues tone. and with a good distortion box (muff pi, boss sd-1 ect) you can get some good metal tones but you have to be carefull of the bass....perhaps a different speaker would round it all out...
.ask the guys on here they know tons on speakers.....
chris

Is the pickup booster a cleanboost like the mxr micro amp?
Also, how about the Laney LC15R?
A Fender Blues Junior is more than 100 pounds more expensive. But the Laney only has 2 EL84s. What difference will this make? EDIT: apparently it also has 3 ECC83s... the website doesn't say it but an auction pictures on ebay show 5 tubes and websites say it has those too.
I also got suggested the Crate V15something... Another 15 watts all tube combo. Any thoughts?

V1512 or V16(Guitar Center Exclusive that comes with an upgraded speaker(so I hear) and metal shaft(not plastic shaft pots)) nice size amp, 15 watts , one channel and very Marshall 18 Watt in character. Stock speakers are decent; can get great OD and roll back guitar volume and it cleans right up!

Reverb is poor, perhaps worse the the Blues Jr. and it may benefit from a lower gain tube like a 5751 who want more clean headroom.

Brent

Check out the Hughes amp; Kettner Tube 20. I got one and is extremely happy with it as a practice amp. Even used it at smaller gigs. Great overdrive. It got reverb as well. It got 12ax7 and el 84 tubes, and sounds great even at lower volume.

We don't have guitar centers here, I'm in Europe...
I've never seen any Hamp;K amps here in the UK either... I'll see what they have in the shops, but so far in small combos I have seen only the Fender Blues Junior. I can order the Laney online easily though. Not the crate nor any other brands.
Would the Laney be better you guys reckon...?

Anymore help on that? Or is my quest hopeless...?
Are there any cheap but decent powerbreakers out there that I could crank up the amp with, get the good tube tone, and then lower the volume from it?

I'm definitely a tube lover but, to be honest, I don't think a tube amp is the right answer for quot;roomquot; volume.
First, there's the issue of pushing the tubes. Even a 10W amp can get pretty loud. I used a 10W amp in a two guitar band with a loud drummer. Secondly, the speakers are part of cranked amp tone so even with an attenuator, the tone tends to be lacking at low volume.
The only tube amp I've played (including my 10W Peters) that quot;gave up the goodsquot; at family-friendly volume was a 1.5W Doberman Amp (same as the Hi-Octane model on AX84.com). That amp could do AC/DC at loud TV volume. Unfortunately, Chris Hurley doesn't sell pre-built amps anymore.

Mhm... ok... then it seems like I'm better off buying a SS combo, modelling or not... dang... Ah well thanks for the help.

For Jamming i have been using the Peavey Classic 30.... The amp is dirty but not quite so dirty for metal players thru the OD channel.... The OD Channel really comes alive with the volume over half way so do not be surprised if it sounds really clean-ish at low volumes. But with a few Boss pedals at low volumes it is fine thru the clean channel

The clean Channel is amazing! For most jams with this amp i use Boss pedals thru the clean channel for distortion..... I like pedal distortion for the heavy stuff! I use the Boss Line Selector pedal and in one loop i have the Boss DS1 for Rythym sounds and in the other loop i have a louder and more distorted Dano Fab Tone for solos....... If i want the clean sound i just turn off the Distortion pedal that is on. It's like having a 3 channel metal amp..... Clean, Rythym Dist, and Solo! In the Classic 30's loop i add a Chorus and sometimes a Delay.... Sometimes i add a wah to the board as well.

The Classic 30 has 2 channels, real spring reverb and can be bought used for a deal! Search one out! it will do the blues and then some metal as well. For the cost they are good amps and loud enough to gig with..... the ext cab out comes in handy for gigs.....

WhoFan

I won't gig... I just want a good tone at low volumes. I won't ever need more than 30 watts in a flat, and especially tube, it may even be too loud. Basically I want something different and more authentic then my POD Peavey SS right now.

Ya depending on how quiet you have to be no Tube amp may work for you..... But i live in my parents house still..... i own many amps including stacks and stuff and i mostly practice thru a chappy old Fender Princton Chorus amp..... They suck at any high volume playing, the speakers crap out and it seems it was just meant for bedroom practice low volume stuff...... Most people when they try a Princton Chorus amp out they say the same thing.... quot;it's too fuzzyquot; well yes it has a hell of a lot of gain to it but for some reason people do not roll it off and check it out at a better level of dirt..... lots of controls to play with and i can play it with a metal type tone with my dad sleeping next door.... The Chorus FX on the older non DSP models sound amazing and the reverb is great as well! But the down side is the speakers crap out if you try and crank it.

But the Classic 30, is a good amp and may work for you..... try one anyways.

WhoFan

i would go with the Laney LC15R, excellent amp, lovely tones, decent price. :P

Yeah it seems that the Laney is a winner.
Laney LC15R Marshall Jackhammer for the gain mxr micro amp/ SD pickup booster to make it less bassy at low volume. Seems like a good idea or would I also need a power break like a hot plate or a marshall PB?

If you do get an attenuator, get a weber mini mass. If you try and get a powerbrake it will cost you as much as the amp, and i hear they suck compared to most other attenuators.

Oh... I guess I just don't know the difference. I'll if they sell those around here.