In the market for a new amp...suggestions?

TheSeeker · February 10, 2014, 10:59:54 PM

I have a Fender HRD III with a Weber blue dog in it now, but I want something that I can play in my apartment that won't rattle the walls when I turn it past 3. I was thinking about a Vox AC15c1, or a Laney Cub 12 stack. Does anyone have any experience with either of these? I played the Vox at my local GC today and it sounds pretty nice for what I'm looking for. A guy on craigslist is selling a Laney stack for a good price, but I've never played through one. I've read mixed reviews on the Laney. Any suggestions would be great! Not really interested in a blues junior....I want to try something different than a Fender.

Buffered · February 11, 2014, 09:07:44 AM

Quote from: TheSeeker on February 10, 2014, 10:59:54 PM
I have a Fender HRD III with a Weber blue dog in it now, but I want something that I can play in my apartment that won't rattle the walls when I turn it past 3. I was thinking about a Vox AC15c1, or a Laney Cub 12 stack. Does anyone have any experience with either of these? I played the Vox at my local GC today and it sounds pretty nice for what I'm looking for. A guy on craigslist is selling a Laney stack for a good price, but I've never played through one. I've read mixed reviews on the Laney. Any suggestions would be great! Not really interested in a blues junior....I want to try something different than a Fender.

No experience with the Laney, but the AC15 is pretty popular and works great for the use you describe. Did you try it with any other speaker? A Scumback is very popular, but those are kind of pricey. Does the AC15 have a master volume?

If you like the Fender tone but in just a smaller platform, I'd do the new Super Champ X2 head and run it through the Weber Blue Dog. Great cleans on that - I gigged an Super Champ XD (Gen 1) with a recto 2x12 and it had crazy good tone for such a financially small package with only a delay, comp, and OD.. Were you going to trade in your HRD? I would keep it for bigger gigs/jams. Those things are great for what they do.

Alternatively, you could run the Vox through the BD and it would probably sound tops, too. Are you looking for a different tonal palette? I remember you're on a Gilmour tone hunt, perhaps the Vox would suite you better as both Hiwatts and Voxes are very touch sensitive.

Jkendrick · February 11, 2014, 09:58:10 AM

Disclaimer: I am NOT a gear head. Half the stuff that is talked about around here goes right over my head. That said, I really like my THD amp. I have 16 month old twins in the house so the only time I get to practice plugged in is when they nap. The THD amps have built in attenuators that allow you to get nice tones at very low volumes. Plus I really like that I can swap out tubes on the fly. It has really allowed me to create a tone that sounds like me and not just a Trey (or whoever) clone.

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Heady Jam Fan · February 11, 2014, 10:37:36 AM

Bring your pedals and guitar to some guitar shops - try a bunch of amps (especially used ones!).

Otherwise, I'd just suggest my two amps: a Deluxe Reverb or Mesa MKIII.

tsbot · February 11, 2014, 07:04:23 PM

I'd second the Deluxe Reverb - even though you said something other than fender - you'll be super happy with the wattage and sound you get at lower volume. They're a bit bright IMO but play a few or have it modded to remover the bright cap. I'd try one if I were you!

Poster · February 11, 2014, 08:01:55 PM

hmm id disagree with all of the above recs. are you trying to practice or get decent tube tone at low volumes?

vox makes a new little low watt combo http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AC4C1BL/

that sounds pretty fucking great. otherwise, I'd say get a little fender mustang I dude. I put a saw to mine and turned it into a mini programmed head unit for headphone + mixer practice

Buffered · February 11, 2014, 08:53:21 PM

Oh no

CaptainPeyote · February 11, 2014, 09:55:35 PM

for what it's worth, I've got all good things to say about my Egnater Tweaker 15 head & cab. Even the stock tubes are decent. So many sounds, including balls-out high gain at bedroom levels, and a super versatile tone section. Only one channel, but that doesn't bug me as I'm a pedal junkie.

TheSeeker · February 12, 2014, 09:11:36 AM

Thanks for all the input!! I recently found a Hiwatt T40 combo for $500. It has the option to use 20w or 40w. Do you think 20w is too much for an apartment? I think I could probably get away with it. That being said...anyone want to buy my amp?

Heady Jam Fan · February 12, 2014, 09:24:18 AM

Yeah, I didn't see apartment volumes...

I live in a house turned into an apartment (very common in the area I live). Sometimes I crank my DR to 10, but its hard to get it to sound good at the volume where my roommates wouldn't hear it. In fact, my Mesa MKIII does better at low volumes.

One thing I do is mic my amp and practice through headphones. Give me good practice with micing, but also I find I can keep my amp quieter (quieter than where it sounds even remotely decent in the room) and still get a tone that sounds good via the headphones.

Poster might be right, but I have trouble suggesting small, contemporary solidstate Fenders. In the 90's I had a large SS Fender that sounded ok, but SCXD hybrid amp was the worst amp (IMO) that I tried in a long time (maybe ever). Maybe the Mustang is better! You can definitely try your rig through one of those since every guitar shop and their grandma should have one.

Another option is running through something like Garageband. The new guitar-specific software looks cool/interesting, granted I haven't tried it, but the even the older version allow some decent (albeit digital sounding) tones.

If I really needed a quiet amp dedicated to my apartment, I would look for a Silverface Champ, maybe even a Princeton Reverb.

Final thought. I've been digging my DR, but I ran out of headroom last jam. I'm testing out a Badcat Unleash this week. I have no intention of attenuating my signal (but rather using it as a boost), but I think it will really open up my DR that only has a small window of volume compared to my MKIII where the amp is lively and responsive, but not too overdriven.

Buffered · February 12, 2014, 10:42:21 AM

Quote from: TheSeeker on February 12, 2014, 09:11:36 AM
Thanks for all the input!! I recently found a Hiwatt T40 combo for $500. It has the option to use 20w or 40w. Do you think 20w is too much for an apartment? I think I could probably get away with it. That being said...anyone want to buy my amp?

It should be fine at 20w for an apt.

Should've said that the DSP effects and OD channel on the SCXD is awful, but the cleans are nice.