What amp should I get for under R5000?

timmie23 · 2011-10-18T12:07:44+00:00

Hi everyone, I'm new here. Thought there would be some knowledgeable people here who could answer this question. I've got about R5000 to spend on a new amp...

What amp should I get for under R5000?

singemonkey

Given your budget, do not consider getting another solid state amp. Valve amps sound better. It is as simple as that.

HT5 is a great amp. You will need to mike it up and have monitors for anything but tiny gigs - although it can also go direct. But that's all ok.

Want some raw power, and are in Cape Town? I'll put in a plug for my buddy's amp here: http://www.guitarforum.co.za/classifieds/laney-lc50-112-valve-amp/msg153852/#msg153852

R5,200 (or less) for 50watts of serious tube amp. Saw one in bothners yesterday with a sticker price of R12K.

MikeM

Also remember, smaller amps you can crank at home, but need to be mic'd. Bigger amps might blow your windows out ?

Kalcium

timmie23 wrote:
MikeM wrote: I vote Blackstar HT5.
I have to drive up from Potch most likely as I doubt I'll be able to get such a good price here from the local shops.

You almost definitely wont find that amp in the local shops there. The local shops in potch are pretty shocking...
Don't know which shops in JHB would have the blackstar but someone mentioned an Orange Tiny Terror i think, maybe give that a look, especially if the guy is in potch then you can try it out without much travellling.

timmie23

Wesley (Kalcium) Ward wrote:
timmie23 wrote:
MikeM wrote: I vote Blackstar HT5.
I have to drive up from Potch most likely as I doubt I'll be able to get such a good price here from the local shops.

You almost definitely wont find that amp in the local shops there. The local shops in potch are pretty shocking...
Don't know which shops in JHB would have the blackstar but someone mentioned an Orange Tiny Terror i think, maybe give that a look, especially if the guy is in potch then you can try it out without much travellling.

Thing is, I'm only going to be able to buy in Mid December when I get my 13th Cheque.
Thought I'd do the right thing and start researching so long.

I thought Tube Amps were a hell of a lot more expensive.
If I can get a nice Tube for under R5k, then I think I shall have to go with that.
Yeah, you lose all the extra effects these amp modelling amps have on them. Is it a better trade off?

Rather Tube with less effects and Amp Models, than Solid State with Loads of Effects and Amp Models?

Kalcium

Yup, rather quality over quantity ? Not sure how many effects you would want to use really, but i think as long as you have distortion and some reverb you should be fine...

http://www.guitarforum.co.za/classifieds/orange-tiny-terror-12%27-%28all-tube%29-combo-amp/

Heres the guys ad, go see him and try it out ? with the extra R800 you can still get a pedal to add some extra distortion should you want it, or an OD pedal to use as a boost for solos. With the prices of second hand pedals on the forum you could almost get 2 pedals for R800

Even if you cant buy it now, you can try it out and see if you like it, im sure he wont mind, and if he stil has it in december you can buy it, or if another one pops up

deefstes

timmie23 wrote: Rather Tube with less effects and Amp Models, than Solid State with Loads of Effects and Amp Models?

Let's see, it's a choice between a valve amp, and something that models a valve amp. Seems like a no brainer to me, get the real article. ?

timmie23

Wesley (Kalcium) Ward wrote: Yup, rather quality over quantity ? Not sure how many effects you would want to use really, but i think as long as you have distortion and some reverb you should be fine...

http://www.guitarforum.co.za/classifieds/orange-tiny-terror-12%27-%28all-tube%29-combo-amp/

Heres the guys ad, go see him and try it out ? with the extra R800 you can still get a pedal to add some extra distortion should you want it, or an OD pedal to use as a boost for solos. With the prices of second hand pedals on the forum you could almost get 2 pedals for R800

Even if you cant buy it now, you can try it out and see if you like it, im sure he wont mind, and if he stil has it in december you can buy it, or if another one pops up

I watched a video now online showing the Tiny Terror. Don't laugh, but I noticed there are no EQ settings on the amp. As well as no clean and distortion channel switches.
Will an EQ Pedal or something be necessary? What is a good distortion pedal to invest in? As you guys can probably tell, hardware is something that I'm really not clued up on.

deefstes wrote:
timmie23 wrote: Rather Tube with less effects and Amp Models, than Solid State with Loads of Effects and Amp Models?
Let's see, it's a choice between a valve amp, and something that models a valve amp. Seems like a no brainer to me, get the real article. ?

Hehe, excellent point. I never really thought about it like that. See, I think I got caught up in the moment of such a wide variety of sounds possible with just the amp.

Jack-Flash-Jr

The Fender Super Champ is all valve but has a 2nd channel with a ton of modelling as well as quite a few good built in effects. At 20W valve you can play at home comfortably but it's loud enough for gigs, no prob if mic'd for bigger ones.

timmie23

Jack Flash Jr wrote: The Fender Super Champ is all valve but has a 2nd channel with a ton of modelling as well as quite a few good built in effects. At 20W valve you can play at home comfortably but it's loud enough for gigs, no prob if mic'd for bigger ones.

Nice, what do you think of this price?
http://www.musicmadness.co.za/fender-superchamp-xd/
is that what they usually go for?

mtmattan

So over Roland Cube's. Had mine for 5 years, played it, loved it. But if you're spending 5k on an amp, you owe it to yourself to get a tube amp. The jump from sound quality is enormous - not only for distortion but also for cleans.

Ive just been in the same situation, upgrading my amp for around 5k. From personal experience, don't even consider solid-state at the 5k range - unless you are gigging and just need something loud. ?

timmie23

From everything I've heard, and learnt today. It seems like valve is the way I'm going to go for sure.

I think I was very misguided somehow about the watts on a valve amp as well. I saw these 15w valve amps and I thought to myself. That's going to be useless. But looks like a 15w is going to be more than enough now.

Now just to decide on which one out of the lot....

Any other ideas?

afflicted

A 15 watt tube amp is very loud. Maybe even too loud, if you're mostly using it at home. Tube amps tend to sound better when you push the volume pot.

Good tube amps that I can vouch for (15 watts and under, and under R7000):

Vox AC15C1
Fender Blues Junior
Ibanez TSA15
Vox AC4TVH + V112TV cabinet
Blackstar HT5
Vox Night Train head and cabinet
Fender Super Champ XD
Laney Cub head and cab or 12" combo
Marshall Class 5
Vox 'Lil Night Train
Blackheart Little Giant head and cab

singemonkey

Valve amps are a lot louder than solid-state amps. 15watts will do you fine. If you have lots of clean sections to play in a song, you'll have to mic it up. The amp will start driving before it's loud enough for the average club.

If you are playing a lot of cleans, a 30watt amp is as much as you'll ever need. Although that'll be too loud to drive fully in a small venue, you'll be able to turn it up loud enough to hit its sweet-spot (not easy with a 100watt or even 50watt), and use a good drive pedal (not a metal zone) to give yourself some classic metal drive.

15watts - 30watts is what you're looking for.

Danny-B

My vote goes for the TSA15 and the HT5.

A Wilhelm Scream are also one of my favourite bands. The Horse has some of the most amaing bass playing on record...

TI-Distribution

Jack Flash Jr wrote: The Fender Super Champ is all valve but has a 2nd channel with a ton of modelling as well as quite a few good built in effects. At 20W valve you can play at home comfortably but it's loud enough for gigs, no prob if mic'd for bigger ones.

+1. IMO I would choose either the TSA15 or the Superchamp XD. The XD is really versatile with all the built in effects and with the 2 channel + the modelling.

BluJu

I just got an Ibanez TSA 15 for 3 grand and they are awesome. Stay clean for long. Don't mean to hijack but I have a Laney CUB 10 in the classifieds for under 2K.
Just as good as the TSA just a bit darker and aggressive. For 5000 you can't get much Fender unless you wait around for the right deal.

Wizard

Lots of good advice here.
Fender Super Champ XD for Fender Tube sound, LOTS of volume and plenty of built in effects
BlackStar HT5 for classic rock sound; and solid build
Laney Cub 10 for a simple, awesome sounding tube amp.

And they all sound different.
I ended up with the Super Champ XD and am very happy.
Nothing wrong with the other two (which I also had)

timmie23

I'm totally blown away by how many people actually replied. Each with good suggestions as well. Unlike any forum I've been on before. It's as if I'm still waiting for the troll to jump in somewhere ?

I'm really not looking at playing any clean at all. So the heavier side of things is where I'm going to be looking at.

What pedals do you recommend? See someone mentioned not to use a Metal Zone

Wizard

timmie23 wrote: I'm really not looking at playing any clean at all. So the heavier side of things is where I'm going to be looking at.

BlackStar HT5 is a solidly built amp that does high gain really well.

MikeM

And it can REALLY rock with a 212 or 412. Try find one second hand if you can..