I seem to find myself wanting/needing more and more gear (don't we all).

My current amp is a Vox Pathfinder 10. Hardly suited to any form of gigging (ie: playing worship on Sundays and soon other proper gigs). Unless it's miked up, but even then it struggles.
So, I think it is long past the time for an upgrade. Unfortunately budget is limited so I won't be looking anywhere at the top of the range for now.

What should I look for? :-\
Can you guys suggest any good budget amps (new or secondhand).
I am a bit overwhelmed at what is out there, as I don't really have the experience to tell a lemon from a good deal.

I have been looking at some Fender and Vox amps online.

I would need something with nice cleans, decent EQ and maybe some reverb. I prefer to use pedals for dirty sounds.
I don't do metal, if that is any help. Hard rock at most. 8)

Thanks everybody.

Josh Hayes wrote: My current amp is a Vox Pathfinder 10. Hardly suited to any form of gigging (ie: playing worship on Sundays and soon other proper gigs).

Haha ?


http://www.guitarforum.co.za/guitar-gear/buying-your-first-gear-the-smart-way-the-singemonkey-approach/
Take a look specifically at what Singe says about the Laney Cub 12. There are other options, but from what you've mentioned you're looking for, I think it's worth considering

Presuming you are enquiring about a tube amp?

For a church setup I'm of the opinion that 15 to 30w would suffice and give you the opportunity to open err up..

Next would be budget?

Plenty of great amps..

For good value, good low wattage , the laney cub, lionheart , .lc15 or 30 and .vc 15 or 30 are some great amps
The .vc is very much classic rock voicing, the .lc30 is similar but can give you more gain.
Great cleans on all of them.

Blackstar 15watters are quite nice too.

Also peavey classic30..

I find fenders quite pricey imho..

Josh Hayes wrote: I prefer to use pedals for dirty sounds.

That will disappear, too. Get a Laney Cub, an Ibanez 15Watt or any 18Watter second hand.

Or a Roland Cube 40 or 80 8)

If budget is the prime concern ..... Just find a 2nd hand roland cube 40 or 80 ... They perfectly giggable and relatively cheap ....

Also bear in mind its all good and well to want some tube amp but they usually heavy as in 30 kg upward for only 15w and they get heavier as we add speakers some even 50 kg where an 80w cube is 16kg ..... And for a muso who carries his/her own gear , weight is a major factor .... I follow my own advice sold off my tube amp , and just bought a zt club 130w ss with a 12" speaker weighing only 10kg .... And yes i love tube amps but for the constant moving of gear for gigs ( a few times a week) i will sacrifice " hot tubes " for a lightweight but loud ss amp , anyday of the week ..... If i ever get famous enough to have a road crew i will go back to using a fender twin reverb as i won't have to carry it ...?

Keira WitherKay wrote: Just find a 2nd hand roland cube 40 or 80 ... They perfect

See! Keira gets it! 8) 8) 8)

(P.S. I fixed it for you ? )

+1 on the cubes

The only issue with the Cube's that I have is that I have found them to be quite 'metallic' (I'm not to sure how else to describe it.) and a little lacking in character. ? !!! ducks for cover !!! ?

Other than that...
I'm not expecting to get a tube amp, if it does happen I'll be transported to tone nirvana.

How would an Vox AC15 or AC30VR do? (I could try for second-hand.) Fender Mustang II? Just throwing ideas out.
Are there any other solid-state amps with good tone and value for money? Maybe I should just save a bit more and splurge...

Josh Hayes wrote: Maybe I should just save a bit more and splurge...

This depends on how much you currently have available. I would expect a Vox ac15 to be an excellent choice for your needs. To a lesser extent the Ibanez tsa15 (which I myself own).
I haven't shopped around much for amps, but would expect them both to be available under the 4k mark second hand.
Otherwise, as has been mentioned, the Cub12.

As far as nice solid state amps, well the Roland cube is right up there. I would even be inclined to say that if a cube didn't meet the grade, most ss amps will also fall short (except maybe a Roland JC...which is gonna cost you tube amp money).

So to summarize, I would expect the Cube 40 to be an excellent choice, but if it doesn't rock your boat, try some of the 15watt tube combos around.

Joe Moore wrote:
If you are in Jhb , pop into Toms , they have the new Roland Cube GX series in stock to check out . I'm sure other stores have them too .

.... R7 odd K , for the Cube 80 GX (before discount) is rather hefty though . ?


http://www.roland.com/amp/guitar/

=

There's a couple of the previous Cube 80 XL series for about 3k on Gumtree right now. 8)

And TOMS will have the Ibanez TSA series as well.

My vote also goes to the Ibanez TSA 15 - great cleans and takes pedals really well.

I'm in Cape Town.
Gonna keep looking around, hopefully score a good second-hand deal.

Josh Hayes wrote: The only issue with the Cube's that I have is that I have found them to be quite 'metallic' (I'm not to sure how else to describe it.) and a little lacking in character

Metallic? If I'm not mistaken, the Cube has 3 clean channels... One of them is a Tweed channel! 8) (Which tube amp has a tweed channel?? ? )
As for lacking in character.... A valve amp will have more character a majority of the time. The TSA or Cub are great low priced amps with enough wattage for a gig (But no tweed channel!).

But remember the Cube - the destroyer of 1000 worlds - is a god among mortal amps. 8)

I'm not wild about that Roland tweed channel... I'd prefer a TSA with a Tweed style pedal. Or even a cranked Cub. The Roland is good, I use one from time to time and quite like the "Brit Combo" channel. But for this

I would need something with nice cleans, decent EQ and maybe some reverb. I prefer to use pedals for dirty sounds.
I don't do metal, if that is any help. Hard rock at most. Cool -

I'd pick up a TSA15 or second hand Cub 12R (not sure what the cleans are like though - only heard 'em cranked). The TSA has great cleans and although it doesn't have reverb, the Cube's reverb is a digital emulation anyway, so adding a reverb pedal to the TSA won't be that different (it could better depending on the pedal) but will obviously add to the price. You'll be able to get either of them for around Cube prices anyway if I'm not mistaken. I don't see any benefit to going with the Cube for Josh's requirements.

EDIT: A lot of the worship guys seem to use Tube Screamer style OD pedals, so the TSA's built one in is a bonus in this case.

A bit of an ask, but, do you guys know the current rough prices of (new and second-hand):

Vox AC15
Ibanez TSA 15
Laney Cub 12R
Peavey Classic 30
Roland Cubes

And any similar amps. :-\

Thanks everybody, I am getting nearer to real amp acquisition! ?

I saw a TSA15 head and cab going for about R3000 on Gumtree a few months ago. You could get a Classic 30 for around R3500, and they're plenty loud.

I know the TSA goes for 4-4.5K new, I think a new Cub is in that price range, the Roland is 7K for the new one (Cube 80GX) and 2nd hand the TSA goes for about 2K for just a head to 3.5K for the head and cab (Max... anything more and you may as well buy new), the Cube you can find for about the same. Cubs can be found for around R2000. I remember forumite Wirt got a Cub I was also looking at for around that price (if I'm not mistaken...)
Peavey 30 for just over 3k second hand but 30 watts is a lot of powaaaaaa!!!!! 8)

TL;DR - New amp around R4500
- Second hand R3000

AC 15?