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Looking for small amp recommendations

Red Rocket

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Feb 2, 2007
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Hi guys. I like the Marshall dirty plexi sound, EVH 'brown" sound, etc. . Looking for a small tube amp that gets dirty at less-than-deafening volumes without the need for an attenuator. Does anyone have a strong recommendation so I can choose amongst the plethora of boutique amp builders out there? Or even a good small vintage amp?

Edit: forgot to mention that I'd like it in a combo
 
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Deluxe Reverb

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Apr 2, 2002
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That's precisely what I got a Fargen MiniPlex MkII for. Even though it's just 12 watts, it's got Power Scaling, but I never use that particular feature, and run it with the master control wide open. Between the volume knob and the decade switch (really the only two controls I ever adjust on this amp), there's a lot of old Marshall vibe.
 

Red Rocket

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Thanks for that. I did check out some clips and it sounded good. Could only see one example in a combo version with nice wood - but $4999! Yikes
 

c_wester

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May 9, 2002
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Very interesting, had not heard of this one before, I will check it out

It is a very very Good amp!! and im very picky when sound is considered.
It is Voiced like a Plexi and you can coax some ampeg tones from it also.
Think Mick Taylor in 1970-1972.

And Cream Clapton (of course its not a hundred watt...)
Or Led Zeppelin. It does the late sixties blues rock to a T.

And it sounds great at lower volume also.
GET ONE!!! You all should!

Go to 3:22 for a tone it does with a great Historic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCu7Qq1J-Jw
 

Red Rocket

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It is a very very Good amp!! and im very picky when sound is considered.
It is Voiced like a Plexi and you can coax some ampeg tones from it also.

I have been searching but can't find out what it weighs, any idea?
 

c_wester

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I have been searching but can't find out what it weighs, any idea?

BLACKHEART HANDSOME DEVIL COMBO BH15-112
Blackheart BH15-112 Handsome Devil Combo - all-valve class A combo, 15W (switchable from 15W/pentode to 7W/triode), 1x 12" Eminence speaker, 4/8/16ohm speaker output, solid state rectifier with tap for future mods. Controls for drive, level, treble, mid, bass and presence. Dimensions: 473 x 460 x 280mm (HxWxD). Weight: 21.5kg



Weight 21.5 KG

21.5 kilograms = 47.3993864 pounds
 

Red Rocket

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Thanks. Heavy little bugger. Have you found much difference between the 7 and 15 watt settings? I saw a youtube clip but the difference wasn't very obvious
 

c_wester

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It works well in both settings none of them lack tone.but the 15 watt is very loud you need earplugs.

I have mostly used the 7watt mode and that can be used very effectivly
At lower volumes. But the Best sounds is when you can really open it up and play louder.

With a good amp you should always take time to adjust and adjust quite abit there is alot of different tones hidden in there when you get in to it!

I dont think you can go wrong with it if you like Late 60s bluesrock.


This clip is quite accurate!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8hZBPIPQXY
 

Red Rocket

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re the Blackstar, I did see a video from NAMM 2011 that sounded pretty damn good. Will check that out also, thanks for the idea
 

Red Rocket

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Has anyone been able to demo a Vox Nightrain or Lil Nightrain? There are some youtube videos that are decent, just wondering how they compare, and whether you might have to crank it too loud for home use to get the right tone?
 
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Stumbler

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Jul 29, 2002
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Fender Super Champ XD $300 1-10", 2 6V6 tubes like a Deluxe.
A regular channel and a modeling channel with 16 models. Ver-sa-tile ...
It's awesome for $300 and not loud. Don't knock it until you've tried it
 

cms6795

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Jun 16, 2010
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Silvertone 1482. sounds awesome....like that early jimmy page studio tone...i got one for 5 dollars and i play it out at least once a week.
 

27sauce

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Jul 9, 2007
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My favorite small amps:

Fender Princeton. To me this is the king of the small amps, Tom I know you're a Marshall guy...The brown era Princeton will get you there earlier, its a direct descendant of the tweed Deluxe, think Gibbons, Neil Young, just not as primitive, boxy sounding.

As SG bro above stated, the Silvertone 1482, poor mans Princeton, but grungier. I love it, I've got a 1430 that gets me there but at a much lower volume.

AC15, very cool, I've never owned one but have borrowed a couple. Great amp.

Class 5, very cool and very big sounding, I have got to get one!

And my all time favorite sleeper small amps, trust me on this one...the USA V logo Crate V15 http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y71/DocHelliday/Guitar/1226001805a.jpg Great clean and dirty sound. I was between amps a few years ago and bought the V30 just to make through a months of gigs, I wound up using it for nearly 2 years, even after I got my Vibrolux back. AWESOME, at least try one.

Some of these amps might need pedals to get you in Marshall territory, I'm not a big fan of two channel amps. My philosophy has always been that the best dirty tones are built on great clean tones, this coming from a guy that plays dirty 97% of the time!
 

c_wester

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My favorite small amps:

And my all time favorite sleeper small amps, trust me on this one...the USA V logo Crate V15 http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y71/DocHelliday/Guitar/1226001805a.jpg Great clean and dirty sound. I was between amps a few years ago and bought the V30 just to make through a months of gigs, I wound up using it for nearly 2 years, even after I got my Vibrolux back. AWESOME, at least try one.

QUOTE]



Well the Blackheart is a Crate amp! Just remarketed so it dosent have the shitty cheap Crate transistor sound rep.
And it is probably based on the some what legendary VC series. Vintage Club that is.
 

Red Rocket

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Feb 2, 2007
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Thanks Marc, guess I have some more work to do listening to clips. Youtube is so helpful on these gear reviews, but sometimes it takes a lot of searching. There seem to be a lot of good low wattage amps out now
 
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