TeiscosRock

In that case it's definitely an option, especially because of the low price tag on the Bay.

In that case, how well does the Deuce take distortion/overdrive pedals?

The Deuce looks nice, but I doubt I'll be needing a 120w tube amp any time soon o.O I'd imagine the house would explode before I got the best tone it has to offer.

I wouldn't mind going for a head unit, but I need a cheap but relatively good cab to go with it too. Like a 212 or 112 or something - I doubt I'd need a 412. . . Though I'd love a nice tube head with a 410

Spazzyone, I'd absolutely love to take you up on that eBay offer, however, I simply don't have any money right now :D Won't have any kind of money until about the 20th of next month. . . and even then I'm not sure exactly how much I'm getting. I may get enough for some kind of nice tube amp. And I'm also real unsure now about what I actually want. . . I was ready to settle for something like a Spider or a normal SS amp, but this thread has got me thinking!

I see. For some reason I wasn't picturing 15 watts cutting through in a band situation. . . but I know absolutely nothing about tube amps. Thanks for the info!

Well for right now I just need something for band practice, something thats loud and powerful enough for me to hear myself over drums, the trumpets/trombone, and the other guitarist. I think by the time we're ready for any real gigging (local club downtown), I should be able to afford something a little bit more powerful. . . I'm not sure if there's a PA there or not, honestly :\ So I guess what i need for now is just something to cut through during band practice.

I want a fair bit of clean headroom - we're a ska-punk band, so there's a lot of clean regae-ish guitar in it, but we lean toward the heavy grinding punk more often. The clean doesn't necessarily have to be Fender-omg-*** clean, but I'd like cleanliness nonetheless - so I'm guessing I would need somewhere around the 30 mark. And again, as far as headroom and loudness goes, would a single 12 be enough, or should I shoot for a 212 (the difference, say, between a Carvin Nomad and Belair)

Wow, lots of great things mentioned! Gives me alot to think about! Just a question, as it's really hard to find any real information on this - on average, how many watts of tube power do you need to cut through in a full band situation, punk rock and such? I know watts doesnt necesarily reflect the volume, as there are some VERY loud amps out there, but could anyone give me a general idea of what to shoot for? I don't want to pay for wattage that I'm really never going to need, lest i start demolishing houses with my playing! [edit] Also, is a 212 combo really a necesity, or can I get by with a single 12" speaker and still be able to cut thru my band? [/edit]

Hmm. . . looks like i need to find this guy and see what he has once i have the cash in my pocket.

Well I guess I could give eBay a shot. My main consern though is buying a TUBE amp thru eBay. . . If I were to spring for something like a vintage Music Man I would want to get the tubes rplaced and rebiased, yes? How much does this cost on average for you guys? I would do it myself, but I do NOT trust myself around tube amps quite yet. However Peavey sounds nice, too, however all i can find are Stereo Choruses, not Super Choruses. . . And just for kicks, any thoughts on SS?

Carvin has been on my mind for a while now, as I've been contemplating the SX212 - seems like a very good deal. I would definately shell out $400 for an MTS 3212, but I'm not sure I would be entirely comfortable purchasing something like that on eBay. . . lots of horror storeis. . .

So some friends and I are planning a band. All fine and dandy, but theres a catch - I'm still running through my first amp, a little 15w Behringer. This means I need to step it up or go home! What I'm asking for is some advice on an inexpensive amp to step up to from my little practice amp. I'll be playing a nice mix of heavy and light distortion, as well as clean ska-ish stuff. What would also help is some personal experience - what was YOUR step up amp, when you finally got away from using a little low-powered practice amp of questionable quality? BTW, I know its a tall order, but I'm also looking for somewhere between $300-$400 as far as price goes. Thanks!

More questions, this time having to do with switching. . . THe thing is, I'm operating on a tight budget here, and am also wanting to build a Bassman Ruby to use as a practice amp. Sooooo Does the on/off switch for the sustainer circuit need to be DPDT (is true bypass necesary in an onboard circuit)?, or can I use a simpler, cheaper SPDT? Also, I'm thinking of taking the push-pull pot out of my Tele to use as the phase switch/volume control for guitar - there shouldn't be a problem with this, correct? I believe push-pulls are DPDT. . .

It's a conspiracy