small but loud amp recommendations

Rog · Post by **Rog** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 9:21 am

I'd like a small physical size guitar amp, but around 100W.

For the normal reasons, I only want to pay around $300.

There's a fender Studio 85 on Trademe I've tagged and a Jansen Sessionman 100 I'm tracking also. I've heard that the Fender speaker is a bit sus, but I have a 12" Black Widow sitting round home doing nothing, so that's not a problem..

Just a 1x12" small, light ss combo is what I'm after.

Any suggestions???

TMG 03 · Post by **TMG 03** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 9:30 am

I had a Deluxe 85 I got brand new in 1990. It lasted 13 years of me blasting it with all sorts of guitars. Finally I decided I wanted to go big and loud so I got the Twin last year and gave the deluxe to BG. I don't know if he sold it or what. But it was light and loud. It had a really good feature that you could plug the giutar into Ch 2 which was the over drive ch and blend in the clean channel. Gave it a reasonable sound.

There are cheap as chips on Trademe those SS Fender amps.

THe Marshall V state are rather good as well. Just what old guitar players who play in RSA's need these days.

B45-12 · Post by **B45-12** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 9:55 am

As opposed to say the Fender twins I recall being used in the RSA's in the 70's??? by none other then Bunny Wlaters and his band!

LOL

Rog · Post by **Rog** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 10:40 am

LOL - we've been banned from the RS for years - suggestive lyrics and too loud..

Dear old Bunny Walters -one of the most unprofessional artists I've ever worked with. I hear he's clean now - good on him.

Rog · Post by **Rog** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 10:42 am

Pity that Trademe stopped the 'wanted to buy' section.

Polar Bear · Post by **Polar Bear** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 12:19 pm

If you can find a cheap one, Vox Cambridge 30s are loud as all hell and pretty light, the number one channel is fantastic. However they are 2X10 but they are really great sounding amps.

Rog · Post by **Rog** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 12:38 pm

Yes, I'd like a Vox, but at $300 I can see a snowball melting in hell.........

Polar Bear · Post by **Polar Bear** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 7:28 pm

well the cambridge 30 is not the worlds most expensive amp, if you keep an eye out you could get lucky. remebering of course it's solid state (witha pointless valve in the overdrive channel)

philipnz · Post by **philipnz** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 12:06 pm

Here you go, small, loud, what was that other thing?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... eName=WDVW

Tsuken · Post by **Tsuken** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 12:18 pm

ok it's a Dumble, but still.... FFS!

philipnz · Post by **philipnz** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 12:27 pm

The funny thing is, there is nothing much to hand wired tube amps amps. I pulled the chassis out of my Matchless and really there are not a lot of bits in there. I was wondering where all the extra bits were. And by and large all tube amps are the same. You look up a Fender Bassman, Marshall Plexi, Boogie anything really and there isnt a lot inside. A little bit of flexibility where NOS components are used but no real reason why one would cost so much. The nature of this is that Less is More.

Rog · Post by **Rog** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 2:08 pm

Won that little Fender Studio 85 on TM. Paid $320, which was where I figured it would end. If the other guy bidding had bid $325, he would own it now. Gotta learn when to stop.

Time will tell, but it gets quite decent reviews for what it is - we'll see.

B45-12 · Post by **B45-12** » Wed Aug 11, 2004 11:17 am

good on ya Rog O Fendermaniac! As for the expensive valve amps it's the time and labour to wirte them up point to point and tagboard I understand that adds the cost. The solid state and cheaper jobbies just have circuit boards that go through an assembly line where unskilled and robots load on the components, then a solder bath a quick check and installation in cabinet/final test/off to the great unwashed at obscene RS prices. You can turn out quite complex gear this way for peanuts (lookat DVD players for example)

In contrast for valve jobbies with point to point wiring you have to mount the transformers, valve bases, power caps, pots, switches, sockets and tagstrips on the chassis, then put in all the components/solder all the connections and know what you are doing usually 'upside down and back to front'. Get a cap or resistor transposed or in the wrong place and it can be fireworks city so it's considerably slower than the boards and not so easily tested plus robots simply don't cut it.

The other thing is the cost of the components - the PC board ones seem to be considerably cheaper than the valve stuff - once when they made it all in quantity it would have been cheaper but, of course, most is produced for PC construction nowdays - although things like good quality transformers were never cheap if you look in the older catalogues. Valves were $6-00 each (OK year ago this was more money but they were still relatively cheaper when still being made in quanity) - now you pay $34-00 etc etc.

It all adds up to the stratospheric sums you fork out now.

Yoda · Post by **Yoda** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 2:11 am

Got the amp yet Rog?
How's about a little review for us?

B45-12 · Post by **B45-12** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 3:50 pm

Actually you've all inspired me to start a new business e.g - 'Bored and restless - what will YOU do in the long cold winter evenings when your health and convenience force you to stay indoors?? well why not build a valve amp and live dangerously as there is every chance with mains voltage you too can electrocute yourself quickly and quietly in the comfort and safety of your own home!!

Our kits comes with faulty cheap insulation, incomplete and dangeroulsy misleading instructions and several crucial parts missing (just like the real ones). Furthermore if you follow our simple photographic instructions you are sure to realise just why baths and mains amplifiers do not mix - sadly too late but it will sure cut down on the faulty returns for us.

Still keen? - well obviously you've more money than sense but if so send $500000000-95 in used notes to 'Shonkey Productions Ltd' for the genuine point to point high voltage valve amp guitar kit.

THis ad has been placed as a public service by the Undertakers Association of New Zealand - look out for the coming ones on skydiving and urban surfing.