shood Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 I am looking for a great sounding low wattage amp, probably something under ten watts with a single output tube. It will be used for practice, playing with another guitarist in relatively low-volume settings, and, in the future, for recording. I do not want a really gainy front end - my main requirement is power tube distortion suitable for blues and classic rock. I not need/want a lot of clean headroom (I hope to be able to clean things up to a mild grind using my guitar's volume). My preference is a combo, but I would consider a head, also. The problem is, I cannot locate most of the amps which fit the bill at music stores near me in Phoenix. I am looking at the following, and would love input from those with experience with them and other amps that might be a good match: UniValve Gerhart Gilmore Bad Cat Minicat II Dr. Z Mini Z Fargen Bastage Top Hat Portly Cadet & Prince Royale Thanks!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Gug Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 I'd LOVE to try the Fargen, however I have tried the Dr. Z Mini. The Dr. Z kills. What a cool amp! Mikegug www.facebook.com/theresistancemusic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 Do a search here on this forum for Pierson Champ. Myles Rose tests amps for Ludovic Pierson if I recall correctly, and has been mightily impressed with his high-end "tweed" amp-clones. James-Italy (who used to hang here a lot) owns a THD Univalve and a Pierson "tweed" Champ-clone, and had much good to say about each of them. Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comacoda Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 If you wanna play all of the amps on your list, give or take one or two, get yourself a cup of coffee and a tank of gas and drive south to tucson. Rainbow guitars (speedway and mountain?) has the best selection of high end amps in the state and salesman who are knowledgeable and even decent people. If you have cash and are interested in real deal NOS gear try the chicago music store downtown on Congress parkway. The old coots who owned the store kicked the bucket a little over a year ago and the inventory of dusty old amps and instruments when I was there last was still very impressive. If you wanna stay local I'd try playing a Dr. Z cahrmen ghia at Tj's in Chandler corner of elliot and Arizona ave. Or maybe you'd dig a new Supro combo made by bruce zinky out of flagstaff az, Musicians discount on Southern and alma school should have one. If you use humbuckers, try a gibson goldtone if you can. The only store in that I know of that has one is Milanos on Main street in Mesa, they have a les paul model that they are DYING to sell. Live long and prosper unless it is a good day to die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comacoda Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 Oh, Tj has a portly cadet too. Live long and prosper unless it is a good day to die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noodlesbad Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 I note that Ibanez is planning to put out a low-wattage tube amp, the ValBee (or Valve Bee); (one British retailer has it priced at 139 pounds, so it may be ou in Europe already). National Capital Rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noodlesbad Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 Dang double post! National Capital Rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comacoda Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 That is an interesting development. Live long and prosper unless it is a good day to die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robman2 Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 Magnatone, Starlette Label on the reverb, inside 1973 Ampeg G-212: "Folded Line Reverberation Unit" Manufactured by beautiful girls in Milton WIS. under controlled atmosphere conditions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miroslav Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 http://www.ibanez.co.jp/japan/products/amp/pict/VBG-B5-01.gif http://www.ibanez.co.jp/japan/products/amp//pict/ValBee_control.jpg BLOCK DIAGRAM miroslav - miroslavmusic.com "Just because it happened to you, it doesn't mean it's important." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comacoda Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 Miroslav is the googleiest! Live long and prosper unless it is a good day to die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shood Posted December 21, 2005 Author Share Posted December 21, 2005 Thanks, comacoda. I tried to go to TJs last weekend but had the wrong address - it remains at the top of my to-do list. I have also seen that Rainbow has a ton of high end stuff, I will definitely check them out the next time I am heading to Tucson. The Supro also looks very interesting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comacoda Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 If you go to tj's let me know what you think of his red gibson blueshawk, if you have time. I've bought guitars from him before and trust his description of it but it would be great to have some third party input. Live long and prosper unless it is a good day to die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shood Posted December 21, 2005 Author Share Posted December 21, 2005 Originally posted by comacoda: If you go to tj's let me know what you think of his red gibson blueshawk, if you have time. I've bought guitars from him before and trust his description of it but it would be great to have some third party input. Will do - that will be fun, I haven't played a blueshawk in several years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shood Posted December 21, 2005 Author Share Posted December 21, 2005 Originally posted by comacoda: If you go to tj's let me know what you think of his red gibson blueshawk, if you have time. I've bought guitars from him before and trust his description of it but it would be great to have some third party input. Will do - that will be fun, I haven't played a blueshawk in several years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPCustom Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 I have a Dr. Z Mini Z and it's a great sounding amp. The only problem I have with it is that it has a single control. To get the tone I want from it, I have to turn it up too loud. I have a Fender Blues Junior that I have had for a while. I like it a great deal. You can crank the gain up at lower volumes to get the tone you want. I also have recently purchased an Epiphone Valve Junior which sounds a lot like the Mini Z. It doesn't have as much bottom end as the Z. But it sounds good with a 2x12 external cab. It suffers from the same problem as the Z, though in that you have to turn it up too loud to get the tone I want. My latest purchase is an Epiphone Galaxie 10. It's a 10 watt class A tube amp with a Celestion tube 10 speaker. This speaker has been optimized to sound good with a tube amp. It has more bottom end that the G10s usually used in Marshall amps. The three band EQ and gain control give you more flexibility in getting the tone you want and at lower volumes. It even has a standby switch. I haven't used my Mini Z since I quit doing session work. It was great for that because the volume level didn't matter. My two favorite amps right now are the Fender Blues Jr and the Epiphone Galaxie 10 (in that order). I'd love to try the Fargen, the Bad Cat and that new Ibanez, though. Born on the Bayou Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillWelcome Home Studios Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 I have a Reverend Goblin and a THD UniValve, both nice choices. But let me suggest that you try out the Vox Brian May model. You have to dial it back... on it's standard settings it is quite over the top. But if you do dial it back, you'll find that it sounds great for classic rock and blues, at very reasonable volumes. Bill "I believe that entertainment can aspire to be art, and can become art, but if you set out to make art you're an idiot." Steve Martin Show business: we're all here because we're not all there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comacoda Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 Originally posted by bpark@prorec.com: But let me suggest that you try out the Vox Brian May model. You have to dial it back... on it's standard settings it is quite over the top. But if you do dial it back, you'll find that it sounds great for classic rock and blues, at very reasonable volumes. Bill I've been curious about this little amp for a while. Next time I get a chance I'll play one. Live long and prosper unless it is a good day to die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shood Posted December 22, 2005 Author Share Posted December 22, 2005 Originally posted by bpark@prorec.com: I have a Reverend Goblin and a THD UniValve, both nice choices. But let me suggest that you try out the Vox Brian May model. You have to dial it back... on it's standard settings it is quite over the top. But if you do dial it back, you'll find that it sounds great for classic rock and blues, at very reasonable volumes. Bill I am very interested in this amp. Have you ever used it as a booster for your UniValve? I may need to consider picking up both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillWelcome Home Studios Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 Originally posted by shood: I am very interested in this amp. Have you ever used it as a booster for your UniValve? I would never even consider such a thing. If I want the sound of a great tube amp, the UniValve gets my nod. After I bought it, I sold off ten or twelve other amps, because I just didn't feel that I needed them anymore. If I want to use something that is easy to carry, I grab the Goblin. It is very flexible tonally, and I can carry it in one hand, a guitar in the other, a shoulder bag of other stuff, and go do a gig in one trip. The Vox is great for small get togethers, home jams, coffeehouse situations, etc. Weighs nothing. Sounds great. I've got a Reverend Drive Train and a Tonebone for 'boosts'. Bill "I believe that entertainment can aspire to be art, and can become art, but if you set out to make art you're an idiot." Steve Martin Show business: we're all here because we're not all there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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