mattharris75 Posted May 23, 2007 Report Share Posted May 23, 2007 OK guys, basically what i'm wondering is what you all think of any amps at this general price point. I'm not a gigging musician, and have no aspirations to be so. I don't need a $2000 amp, because i'll only be playing around the house. I'll probably do a little home recording with it and that type of thing. It doesn't need monster volume. And obviously i'd like for this to be a combo amp. (most that i've seen in this price range are anyway) I'd like for it to be relatively flexible, because I like to play a fairly wide variety of music, from AC/DC to Green Day to Guster to Jack Johnson. I know that no single amp, especially an inexpensive one, will be able to get me all those tones, but I would like to at least have some flexibility to the sound, something that may at least get me into the ballpark of a couple of them. So, anyone that may have some experience with any amps in the $300-350 range feel free to give me your comments and opinions as to what models I should check out. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorecki Posted May 23, 2007 Report Share Posted May 23, 2007 Look at Line 6 Spider Series. I have their little 30w combo and it's a great little amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksound Posted May 23, 2007 Report Share Posted May 23, 2007 Pignose G40V. Tubes, loud as you want, compact. $320. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crafty Posted May 23, 2007 Report Share Posted May 23, 2007 Roland Cube series, Fender G-DEC... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdinand_Oconner Posted May 23, 2007 Report Share Posted May 23, 2007 (edited) fender fm 212 good clean sound, very loud, 100 watts, and cheap $300 Edited May 23, 2007 by Ferdinand_Oconner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattharris75 Posted May 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2007 Thanks guys, all these sound like good options. The tonal flexibility of the Line 6 sounds like it would be fun. The pignose being a tube amp makes it more enticing... I've read good things about the Crate Palomino V16 tube amp as well, slightly on the high end of the price range though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted May 23, 2007 Report Share Posted May 23, 2007 The epiphone valve junior series are great, but they are very limited (ie they only do one sound, but they do it fairly well considering the price) I have one and I'm very happy with it. If your going the modeling route, I've been pretty impressed with the Line 6 stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted May 23, 2007 Report Share Posted May 23, 2007 Get the biggest line 6 spider you can afford. They're great. I have a marshall JCM900 head and a 4x12 and a 2x12 cab for it. And I still find myself using the spider sometimes. It's a great little amp. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattharris75 Posted May 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2007 Sounds like I'll have to give the Line 6 a serious look. It sounds like it would be a great solution for home recording and just playing around. However, there is something really appealing about a small tube amp, the synergy it has with the guitar. I may have to eventually buy something like the Valve Junior, or perhaps build my own. This amp would be a birthday present for me (end of next month) I'll let everyone know what I end up with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drawknife Posted May 24, 2007 Report Share Posted May 24, 2007 For $300 it is tough to beat the Line 6 Spider III 75. In fact, I can't think of an amp I'd rather have that costs less than twice that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acousticraft Posted May 24, 2007 Report Share Posted May 24, 2007 Have a look at the Vox Valvetronic range. Some killer sounds in them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted May 24, 2007 Report Share Posted May 24, 2007 I like the Line 6 for live.... but it's recording out is CRAP. If you wanna record with it, you're gunna have to mic it. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattharris75 Posted May 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2007 Ehh, i've got a decent mic if it becomes necessary for recording. I listened to some sound smaples of the Line 6 Spider III 75 on the Musicians Friend website. Sounds really good to me. Think i'll probably go with that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crafty Posted May 24, 2007 Report Share Posted May 24, 2007 There's nothing like demoing an amp yourself before buying it. To me, every amp, pickup, or guitar sounds the same on the interweb. Find a Line6 dealer 'round your area and check it out yourself. If they'll match MF, buy it from them and you'll get a lifetime of support. My two cents. Oh, and when you start getting serious, Go Mesa! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince-o-caster Posted May 24, 2007 Report Share Posted May 24, 2007 (edited) Hmmmmm crafty.... Mesa didn't fit into this post but somehow you managed to "Plug" it. I bet your Mesa has a glory hole.... Roland Cube is a good solid state modeling amp that fits into the low volume home recording scene great. A tube amp in your price range usually has to be cranked pretty high to get a good drive on it since features will be limited. Roland, Line 6, or even Behringer all fit the bill pretty good for what you are looking for.... Edited May 24, 2007 by Vince-o-caster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acousticraft Posted May 24, 2007 Report Share Posted May 24, 2007 (edited) Go test drive some. I know from the Vox sites I go on, many have set out to buy Line 6 and been disappointed after comparing with the Valvetronic. I have an AD50VT which has 11 amp types and 11 effects. Some of the blue VTX 60 and 120 Valvetronics are going out cheaply as they are being discontinued which is a shame as they are a true giiging amp which can be used with a VC12 floor board. Edited May 24, 2007 by Acousticraft Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samba Pa Ti Posted May 24, 2007 Report Share Posted May 24, 2007 i like the epiphone amps (bit bland as somone said earlier) if you want a different sound its best to use a pedal (distortion for instance) ive got a behringer amp which is ok but a bit boring... maybe i should sell it for a smaller more interesting amp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crafty Posted May 24, 2007 Report Share Posted May 24, 2007 I personally like the Roland stuff. Jazz Chorus is probably the cleanest and toughest gigging amp ever made. The Cubes have a great sound and no-nonsense controls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logical Frank Posted May 24, 2007 Report Share Posted May 24, 2007 If you're spending three hundred bucks, I say go on eBay and find yourself a nice silverface Fender Champ or Vibro Champ from the seventies. Absolute tone monsters, especially if you upgrade the speaker or plug it into a cab. I got mine for about two-hundred not too long ago. Those Epiphone Valve Juniors are nice too. I owned one for a while and it's a good amp and very cheap but when you have a Champ sitting right next to it, it becomes a doorstop so I sold it. Those Line 6 Spiders are fun to tool around w/, I agree, but you have a choice between one of those and a American-made, hand-wired, point-to-point amp tube amp and... well... I know what I'd pick ten times out of ten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mista SCARY Posted May 24, 2007 Report Share Posted May 24, 2007 (edited) Crate GLX212...FOR ONLY $250!!! It comes with a lighted faceplate, lighted footswitch, 4 caster wheels. It's loud as hell, and has nice effects, too. You can't go wrong with this one. You won't be dissappointed. I bought mine from ZZsounds. It only took a couple of days, and HAD FREE ground shipping. http://a330.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/image...74d874a46e9.jpg Doug Edited May 24, 2007 by Mista SCARY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GodBlessTexas Posted May 25, 2007 Report Share Posted May 25, 2007 Another vote for the Spider III 75. Tons of presets, very versatile, and about the best practice amp you can buy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazed Posted May 31, 2007 Report Share Posted May 31, 2007 I like the Carvin's! http://www.carvin.com/products/group.php?CID=SX - solid state amps (I use an SX300H) http://www.carvin.com/products/group.php?CID=VINT - if you up your budget a bit and want tube Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted June 1, 2007 Report Share Posted June 1, 2007 A second-hand Rivera for twice the price, clearly. Seriously though, go play some. I don't get along that well with solid state amps or modelling amps as amps (I do like my GuitarPort, mind), but that's likely because the Rivera's spoiled me. Roland's Jazz Chorus is a wonderful amp if you like clean tones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattharris75 Posted June 5, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2007 I went looking for a few of these amps the other day. Used a Godin LG with only the bridge P90 on to most acurately simulate the guitar i'm building. Played the Crate, and it wasn't bad. I also played a used Fender Blues Junior. I wasn't impressed with it, but then again I didn't crank it up that much, so I'm sure I missed out on its strengths. But given the fact that it's not as flexible as some of these others, it wasn't really a serious contender to begin with, so I wasn't as concerned with giving it a full test drive. There's a store in town that sells Roland, Vox, and Line 6, so i'll head there next. I checked out the sound clips from a Vox Valvetronix online, and really liked that. So we'll see which I like best head to head in the next few weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keegan Posted June 5, 2007 Report Share Posted June 5, 2007 Yeah, a line 6 spider 3 75 watt is what I've got. Great stuff on that amp, and it should be only $300 if you find a good store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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