Jump to content


Please note: You can easily log in to MPN using your Facebook account!

OK :Pickers and grinners, need small amp for road trips


Recommended Posts

I would like something that sounds similar to a tube amp with a stereo input for backing tracks as well as the guitar input. With separate volume control for the BT's that I will play using my MP3 Player or laptop. The amp can be small (The smaller the better) no need for high wattage. Must have a full tone stack, and channel switching. And Inboard Reverb is Ok too.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • Replies 25
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

I have two options for you:

Fishman Loudbox Mini has all the features you want except the tube tone. It also sounds great and includes a mic input. I have friends who gig with one in a small room. You could use a pedal for tube tone - Tech 21 pedals are my personal favorite for simulating tube amp tones, they can do the clean tones as well as the dirty. The built in DI could come in handy sometimes.

 

You might have to control your BT volume from the source. It also has Bluetooth connectivity. This would be my first choice.

 

 

I think you will need to control the volume going into the amp but the Peavey Vypyr VIP 1 has a stereo 1/8" aux input for playing your tracks. Careful dialing will yield great tube amp tones, beware of the presets!!! They mostly seem to be Ultra Death Metal. They will get nice clean tones too.

I think you would want a 10" speaker installed, I am currently doing that to one. Open back so the 8 just doesn't quite cut it, especially for backing tracks. Used can be found pretty inexpensive, I got mine for $40. I think these are under-rated because the speaker is not that great.

 

Both of these offer reverb. I can't keep track of everything so there are probably other options out there. It will be interesting to see what others bring up. Cheers, Kuru

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've never seen or heard one of these but I love my Cube 40gx (which doesn't meet all your requirements).

 

I bet it's awesome. Probably not cheap though...

 

https://www.roland.com/global/products/cube_street_ex/

 

+1 The Roland Cube Street EX is a great little amp. I have had one for quite a few years and it has worked perfectly. I use it just about every day. They are expensive (i.e. $499). They weigh in at 22lbs. You can plug your guitar in one channel, your mic in the mic channel and your Mp3, Lap top, looper, etc. It also has out puts you can run to FOH and use it as a monitor. Makes a great little PA and has reverb on both the mic and guitar channels. Two 8" speakers and a couple tweeters. Fits on a speaker stand. Runs on 8 double A's or 120v AC. Comes with AC adapter. Runs 10 25 or 50 watts. I used mine at an outdoor wedding last month as a PA and it worked great...can be used at camp outs, deck parties, etc. Great sounding amp.

 

Take care, Larryz
Link to comment
Share on other sites

ZT Lunchbox Jr is what I use for that, DBM... it's small, you can power it with a battery pack if need be, 15 watts that's plenty for my uses... my only complaint would be that there's no separate channel for the aux in, so if you want that clean you have to set the "gain" on the amp low, which means you have low gain on the guitar. I usually just throw a battery in one of my dirt pedals and run the guitar through that into the amp, or use the aux in to plug in my iPhone and use Amplitube for the guitar sounds and the backing tracks at the same time.

 

Nevermind, I noticed you sai full tone stack... it has a single tone knob.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How about a 15-watt Marshall Valvestate for just under $175?

 

Marshall MG15gfx

 

The 30-watt version is right around $230, but I see used ones (MG30's) going for a LOT less.

 

Almost any decent practice Amp will have an Aux In for mp3 players, at this point, but I haven't seen one with a dedicated Volume control for the Aux In?

"Monsters are real, and Ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King

 

http://www.novparolo.com

 

https://thewinstonpsmithproject.bandcamp.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@ Winston, The Roland Cube Street EX has a volume control for the 1/4" line in and another volume control for the 1/8" Aux in.

 

and @ P90, this amp also has bass, mid and treble controls on each of the mic and guitar channels. It has some built-in effects for the guitar channel to play with, but I always run on the clean setting. :cool:

Take care, Larryz
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@ Winston, The Roland Cube Street EX has a volume control for the 1/4" line in and another volume control for the 1/8" Aux in.

 

and @ P90, this amp also has bass, mid and treble controls on each of the mic and guitar channels. It has some built-in effects for the guitar channel to play with, but I always run on the clean setting. :cool:

 

@Larryz - Thanks for that! For some reason, I kept getting the Street EX mixed up with the Mobile Cube?

"Monsters are real, and Ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King

 

http://www.novparolo.com

 

https://thewinstonpsmithproject.bandcamp.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Larryz, The Street Cube EX 50 looks way cool, almost perfect. Can you run it plugged in, just in case the battery is low? is there a computer editor for tweaking the sounds, and then saving them to the amp? Does the amp come with foot switches? Or are they extra. Can you save edits to the amp sounds if no editor is available? I will go out and download the manual.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@ Winston, :thu:

 

 

@ DBM, 1. Yes, you can run it plugged in while the batteries are in. I take my batteries out when I'm not using them and just run it plugged in. The batteries last longer that way and I only run them when no electricity is available and always carry them with me. 2. no computer editing for tweaking sounds. There are effects reverb on the mic channel and reverb, delay/chorus on the guitar channel with controls. There are also different amp settings and a tuner on the guitar channel like clean, crunch, lead, acoustic, etc. I always run on clean. 3. It does not come with foot switches but there are two foot switch jacks. One is 1/4" on the mic channel and turns the reverb on/off. The other is a 1/4" TRS and will turn the reverb or delay/chorus on the guitar channel on/off. 4. You can plug in 2 mics or 2 guitars or 1 mic and 1 guitar (best set up). 5. The mic channel has a mic/instrument switch which turns the tweeters on/off. You want to turn them off if using an electric guitar in the mic channel. The inputs on the two main channels will take either 1/4" guitar or xlr mic jacks.

 

I don't have a use for the footswitches so I have never bought them as I leave the reverb adjusted and on at all times on each channel. I don't use the other delay/chorus or the gain settings. I would run OD, comp, distortion pedals in front of the guitar channel if I wanted additional effects. :cool:

Take care, Larryz
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@ Winston, :thu:

 

 

@ DBM, 1. Yes, you can run it plugged in while the batteries are in. I take my batteries out when I'm not using them and just run it plugged in. The batteries last longer that way and I only run them when no electricity is available and always carry them with me. 2. no computer editing for tweaking sounds. There are effects reverb on the mic channel and reverb, delay/chorus on the guitar channel with controls. There are also different amp settings and a tuner on the guitar channel like clean, crunch, lead, acoustic, etc. I always run on clean. 3. It does not come with foot switches but there are two foot switch jacks. One is 1/4" on the mic channel and turns the reverb on/off. The other is a 1/4" TRS and will turn the reverb or delay/chorus on the guitar channel on/off. 4. You can plug in 2 mics or 2 guitars or 1 mic and 1 guitar (best set up). 5. The mic channel has a mic/instrument switch which turns the tweeters on/off. You want to turn them off if using an electric guitar in the mic channel. The inputs on the two main channels will take either 1/4" guitar or xlr mic jacks.

 

I don't have a use for the footswitches so I have never bought them as I leave the reverb adjusted and on at all times on each channel. I don't use the other delay/chorus or the gain settings. I would run OD, comp, distortion pedals in front of the guitar channel if I wanted additional effects. :cool:

 

Now I sort of want one too!!!! So much in such a small package. We do quite a few duo gigs. My Loudbox Performer is our PA, it's 180 watts and a 3 way 8" system with a knob to adjust the tweeter. Really one of the best sounding amps for vocals I've ever heard. I use a small guitar amp, either my Cube 40 or my Peavey Transtube EFX 258 with a 10" Scorpion speaker. And Falcon uses his Fishman Loudbox Artist for acoustic guitar. It all sounds really good in smaller venues and just 3 small, light boxes so I guess I can't complain. I do have and use footswitches for both of my guitar amps, I can get very nice lead tones out of them. I tend toward more of a low to medium gain overdrive rather than full on distortion. Fits our styles better. Cheers, Kuru

 

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will probably buy another Fender Super Champ X2 and use Bluetooth speakers and my MP3 player to play my backing tracks. I just downloaded the editor for the SCX2 and the firmware update just in case I pull the trigger on that amp. It has everything but BT playback I have the Bluetooth speakers and MP3 player so I am good in that department. I once had a SCX2 and sold it, this time I won't make that mistake selling it if I do get one.

 

Here is my test recording of the SCX2 I once had. It is good enough for road trips, and small jams. (Not quite the tone I really like, a little too bright for my taste but passable)

 

Clean leads halfway and then I kicked in the overdrive channel. I used the on board Verb which is quite passable. No editing or EQing done on the recording or added effects. If the next tune comes on automatically give that a listen also, it is called The Pearlberg Hotel, a hippy commune I once lived in. In Cardiff By The Sea California,

 

https://www.soundclick.com/music/songInfo.cfm?songID=12104751

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@ Kuru, the EX would work great for a duo (if you can talk your partner into the price) as you can daisy chain them on both sides of the stage in stereo or mono and hear each other live...or send both to the FOH and use them as monitors. :cool: :cool:
Take care, Larryz
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have you considered a Quilter MicroBlock 45? It has an stereo auxiliary input. You could mount it on a pedal board, and hook it up to a 1x12 or 1x10. I don't know if you'd think it sounds like a tube amp or not, but it sounds mighty good to me.

Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else.

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You said .... Small and no need for high wattage.

 

Two more to consider.

 

Roland Katana Mini, very small battery powered and c8W

 

Blackstar Super Fly, a two box unit with about 2x4W.

 

You really cannot get much smaller and lighter than these and either should be c$100.

Col

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have you considered a Quilter MicroBlock 45? It has an stereo auxiliary input. You could mount it on a pedal board, and hook it up to a 1x12 or 1x10. I don't know if you'd think it sounds like a tube amp or not, but it sounds mighty good to me.
I would have to carry a speaker cab with me that is a deal killer. But thanks for the suggestion amigo. I think the Blackstar super fly is the one of all the suggestions I have recieved that really interests me..

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have this little amp and I really like it:

Vox Mini5 Rhythm 5W Portable Amp w/Rhythm

You can vary the output wattage 1w, 1.5w or 5w. it has modeling and backing rhythms. Can be plugged in or use AA batteries.Very light and portable. Spent around $180.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...