software

i know we've all discussed this before, but i'm looking for a small tube amp in the $300 - $400 price range (used of course) from 15 to 50 watts after i get my Schecter out of layaway here this week or next. so what should be on my list of amps to definitely check out. i want to eventually get a nice cab and some heads, but i don't have the patience right now to save that much...so a combo will due fine until then...but i do want it to sound as good as possible of course...LOL!

Peavey Classic 30 (i've tried before and liked)

Traynor YCV (haven't tried-opinions?)

and what else...?

thanks in advance,
mike

My cousin has one of those Traynors and loves it. It's a great sounding amp and would probably be right up your alley.

I like the Classic 30, too. I almost bought one used instead of my Blues Jr. I think I was still stuck on the quot;newquot; thing.

well, its 15 watts but i love my LC15R!^-^
its more geared towards vintage sounds, but i can get pretty high gain when i boost the amp with my sd-1. clean settings are great too. very chimey and sparkly with a strat! key is to eq it right!

benji

groove tube amps are pretty nice in that range..

what sound are you looking for?

the classic 30 dimed and volume at 4 will get you a kickass ac/dc sound

i like rock...classic and modern (from Petty to Chevelle)...and i like good cleans with some verb. i know that one tube amp won't get me everything by itself so i'm open.

any other suggestions?

I liked the Delta Blues over the Classic from Peavey. The two 10quot;s give ti a bit more depth to the sound, I think.

Don't pass up the Ampeg J12T Jet Reissue. 2xel84. Good llittle amp. Also, the Crate V30 would be a nice choice in that range as well. If you could bump that up to 500, you can often find a used Rivera Knucklehead (non-reverb) head.

I'd pass on the blues junior route. You can sometimes find a used Tweed Deluxe 5E3 that someone built in that 4-600 range.

I know it's not all tube, but don't pass up the Valvetronix series. It's the best swiss army knife amp I've run across.

ampegs and tweed deluxes sound good!

anyone else have any experience with those Groove Tube amps...they look interesting too!?

I had a Blues Jr that I bought used. Someone had *amp;%# ' ed with it at some point and it just never came back. What a mess.

I have some really awesome small amps that are worth big bucks but I think I can still add something useful to the discussion.

I had a Rivera R30, or Thirty Twelve or something. They don't make them anymore. I saw in a buyer's guide that they can be found for $400 or less. It was really nice, had tons of options for an amp that size ( 30W ), and could hold it's own in a studio or small club if asked. However, out of curiousity, I looked online in dealers shops and they were over 400, so look on eBay 1st if interested.

Go the Laney LC 15 mrk 2!!! Perfect amp for finding your ' sound '

MIke, I know you're looking for tubes, but you know I highly recommend the TM60.....and the Vox Valvetronics sound like a great option!

Maybe grab the Vox Tonelab floorboard w/headphones amp; then save up for a TECH21 Power Engine. 60watts of any set-up ya' want.

For tubes, I did try one of those Peavey Delta Blues amp; yes, the 2 10s sounded fat amp; full.

As a general rule I do not care for PV amps but I have to say the Delta 2x10 was a pretty damn good sounding amp!

hmmm...a Rivera in my price range...i wouldn't have expected that?

sounds like i definitely need to try out the Delta blues too!?

so which one of these mentioned is the most flexible (obviously the Techs amp; Vox's and i may still go that route) but of the tube amps...which one combines really good cleans with nice crunch!?

When I tried out the Delta Blues, I didn't really check out the quot;crunchquot;....I dialed in a nice clean amp; then dirtied it up a bit. Very nice bluesy tone with a Strat...I would imagine a Tele would sound super thru it too.

When you get your PT, take it with you amp; plug into everything you can find. Doing it at the shop where you got the guitar would be nice....seems like the guy hooked you up a bit, so throwing him the business would be cool!

i'd LOVE to buy an amp from Jeff (the store owner) but he only has Fender, Crate, Rivera amp; Genz-Benz...if had Peavey i would definitely buy one from him!

and you're right...i need to take my pt and follow the advice i give people and play it through any amp i'm considering...

so my leads so far are

Classic 30
Delta Blues 210
Traynor YCV40
Rivera thirty-twelve
Ampeg jet
Laney LC15r
Tweed Deluxe

anything else i have to try in that range?

You don't have any speaker cab right?

PT into a POD into one of those new Crate Powerblocks would be an inexpensive set up.

Do you still have a multi-effects box or any pedals???

That Powerblock is like $200.00....you can get a nice Avatar for a little more than $200...used POD or something like that ?????

Just ideas my Brutha!

nah...i have zilch...no cab, no pedals, nada.

i eventually want a nice cab and a couple choice heads...so i'd like to find decent sounding combo right now that maybe could power a 2x12 cab someday too?!

right now i'm really crossing my fingers that i can get my Schecter tomorrow out of layaway!

i think i'm also gonna put in the nickel covered 59n and CustomCustombr in it and depending on what's underneath the nickel covers i may leave them covered?

WELL...........the upside to starting over is you know what you want this time!

With that said, I think you could probably find a nice Blues Jr. or something small to get you by amp; then just save up for what you really want.

That way, you're not out a ton of dough amp; the resale on the Blues Jr's stay pretty constant, if you wanted to sell it later on.

First things first......get that PT !!!!