What's the best guitar amp for me?

[_Mark]

Have you taken a look at the Orange Tiny Terror?
I've only used the Amplitube version, but I LOVE it. It's probably a little over 300 pounds.


Mark

[bruvvamoff]

Originally Posted by _Mark

Have you taken a look at the Orange Tiny Terror?
I've only used the Amplitube version, but I LOVE it. It's probably a little over 300 pounds.


Mark

Actually I am waiting for a reply on a swap offer for an Orange Rocker 30 which is the tiny terrors big brother.
Both look like great amps but I wanted more than 15w.

[JozTheShark]

Originally Posted by bruvvamoff

Actually I am waiting for a reply on a swap offer for an Orange Rocker 30 which is the tiny terrors big brother.
Both look like great amps but I wanted more than 15w.

The Tiny Terror is in my opinion the best sounding orange amp. The other Orange amps are somewhat muffle sounding, not necessarily dark but muffled. The Tiny Terror just had great tone and it's supper loud.

[_Mark]

Originally Posted by bruvvamoff

Actually I am waiting for a reply on a swap offer for an Orange Rocker 30 which is the tiny terrors big brother.
Both look like great amps but I wanted more than 15w.

That doesn't sound too bad... Are there any shops near you?

Originally Posted by JozTheShark

The Tiny Terror is in my opinion the best sounding orange amp. The other Orange amps are somewhat muffle sounding, not necessarily dark but muffled. The Tiny Terror just had great tone and it's supper loud.

Agreed, completely. It's tone range also seems to be more diverse than a lot of others.

[saffirepro40]

Black Star HT-40 is my opinion. Even though it's got a tube power amp and it's 40 watts you can turn it down low enough to jam at night. No on board effects, except reverb. Has an effects loop. Has pre amp tubes also but I don't believe the pre amp is fully running on tubes.

I have a lot of amps and I'm always amazed by the tone I get out of that. And it didn't run me much money either.

[DerekJ]

Originally Posted by bruvvamoff

I play funky metal mostly but I am not tied down to any genre.

TOPHAT KING ROYALE DEMO - YouTube

Top Hat Amplifiers - TopHat Amplifiers are hand built, point-to-point circuit, high performance tube amplifiers with all the tone imaginable

Top Hat, Bruno, Matchless, 65.....

...there is actually a very long list of very good amps out there.

Funny thing about gearslutz.com is the same garbage amps are getting promoted each and every "which amp should I buy for ______ style" thread . Thread after thread, the same drone response.

Never fails. It's pretty simple. If it isn't hand wired, point to point, it's will sound like crap, especially when you record it. Good recording equipment does not lie. The sound of the amp above isn't lying either.

[bruvvamoff]

Originally Posted by _Mark

That doesn't sound too bad... Are there any shops near you?



Agreed, completely. It's tone range also seems to be more diverse than a lot of others.

Yes, I live a short train journey from Denmark Street but work makes it difficult to get there during the week and my weekends are hectic.
2 in a row recommending the terror over the rocker, it's a shame as it's just a bit too small for me.

[bruvvamoff]

Originally Posted by saffirepro40

Black Star HT-40 is my opinion. Even though it's got a tube power amp and it's 40 watts you can turn it down low enough to jam at night. No on board effects, except reverb. Has an effects loop. Has pre amp tubes also but I don't believe the pre amp is fully running on tubes.

I have a lot of amps and I'm always amazed by the tone I get out of that. And it didn't run me much money either.

Anyone else have any input on the HT40?
The tophat royale looks great but hard to find in UK, also very expensive.
I've only ever used Marshall, Fender, Line 6, Peavey, so all of these brands are new to me.

[_Mark]

Originally Posted by bruvvamoff

Yes, I live a short train journey from Denmark Street but work makes it difficult to get there during the week and my weekends are hectic.
2 in a row recommending the terror over the rocker, it's a shame as it's just a bit too small for me.

Go with a retailer that has a good return policy... Can't go wrong there!

[dsv]

I could give some recommendations for the following amps ... they may not be within your budget new, but you may find them used.

Combos
- Tech21 Trademark 60. Small, powerful, a classic for solid state amps, very versatile.
TECH 21 - Trademark 60

- Koch Startrooper or Jupiter. Hybrid design, very very nice sounding.
Startrooper
Jupiter

- Laney VC30 + pedals for high gain distortion.
Laney Amplification | Products | VC30-112

- Peavey Valveking
Peavey :: ValveKing

Did not like a Blackstar HT-20 but the HT-40 may be better.

There are also other interesting amps on specs which I did not try:
Peavey :: Bandit
Laney Amplification | Products | LV200
Laney Amplification | Products | LV300
and of course the Fender Mustang and Vox Valvetronix modeling amps ...

[fastlanestoner]

Peavey amps are great, usually 3 channels, and pretty versatile. They make some great combos

[TheLoud1Please]

Can you get Egnater amps over there? Probably the best bang for your buck would be a Tweaker 40 combo. I see some pretty terrible suggestions here, not the Top Hat, but that's out of your budget.

[DerekJ]

Originally Posted by TheLoud1Please

Can you get Egnater amps over there? Probably the best bang for your buck would be a Tweaker 40 combo. I see some pretty terrible suggestions here, not the Top Hat, but that's out of your budget.

Egnaters are complete garbage. Here is a nice amp that went for $737.

Guitar amp Top Hat Club Royale 1x12 20 watt | eBay

which is less than some of the Made in China garbage amps that gearslutz on these boards go on and on about.

[TheLoud1Please]

Originally Posted by DerekJ

Egnaters are complete garbage. Here is a nice amp that went for $737.

Guitar amp Top Hat Club Royale 1x12 20 watt | eBay

which is less than some of the Made in China garbage amps that gearslutz on these boards go on and on about.

And the Blackstars, Peaveys, etc. aren't?

For his budget you can't get hand-wired, PTP...

[DerekJ]

Originally Posted by TheLoud1Please

And the Blackstars, Peaveys, etc. aren't?

For his budget you can't get hand-wired, PTP...

Which one? These amps can go both ways.

Regardless, I'll take the "expensive" Top Hat Club Royale for $737.

[bruvvamoff]

I'm not a fan of paying double the price for an amp because it was hand wired, I simply can't afford to be that anal.
I had a long chat with a guy at the store and he was confused when I told him my 15w valve amp wasn't loud enough for jamming metal the rehersal studio.
When I told him it was a Blue Jr. he said 'aahh!'
So the Jr. apparently lacks distortion punch. We went through lots of alternatives.
Much to my delight, the guy also recommended a Tiny Terror.
Apparently they aren't quite as bright as the Fenders but the react well to overdrive pedals. Much better for funk metal.
But I have another question, how would an electric acoustic sound in a Tiny Terror?

[Ron Vogel]

For funk metal you need instant punch and dynamics. Amp design comes into play big time. Sagging rectos ain't going to cut it...need lots of voltage in the circuit.

I'd say your top contenters would be '59 Bassman reissue, JTM45, Twin reverb...I'm not familiar with the Mesa Boogie models, but they would be worth looking into.

[DerekJ]

Originally Posted by bruvvamoff

I'm not a fan of paying double the price for an amp because it was hand wired, I simply can't afford to be that anal.
I had a long chat with a guy at the store and he was confused when I told him my 15w valve amp wasn't loud enough for jamming metal the rehersal studio.
When I told him it was a Blue Jr. he said 'aahh!'
So the Jr. apparently lacks distortion punch. We went through lots of alternatives.
Much to my delight, the guy also recommended a Tiny Terror.
Apparently they aren't quite as bright as the Fenders but the react well to overdrive pedals. Much better for funk metal.
But I have another question, how would an electric acoustic sound in a Tiny Terror?

The Top Hat amp I suggested is light years better than a Tiny Terror or Blues Jr.

No comparison. And one sold for $737 USD. That is a modest price for an amp that blows away the garbage amps promoted on these boards.

[bruvvamoff]

I can see the budget accellerating away into the cosmos lol
No worries, I got a Tiny Terror in the end. Was very lucky to get a good deal on ebay.
Pwease Pwease check out my latest post on which guitar will work best with the pedals and TT.
Thanks for all the advice, you guys rock. Very angry I didn't discover this forum years ago.

[elamberth]

+ 1 Tech 21 TM 60

Fender 40 W tube amp (try options before you buy)

Fender champ & mic into PA

[bruvvamoff]

The Tiny Terror is friggin awesome.

[_Mark]

Originally Posted by bruvvamoff

The Tiny Terror is friggin awesome.

Told you! Now, the Micro Terror! Even cheaper.

[Dizzy77]

I see you already got an amp, all the oranges i have played or heard were very cool. In the united states it is easy to find a used Mesa for $500-$600 US - so maybe 300 british pounds. A good option if you ever need more wattage than the TT.

[bruvvamoff]

Originally Posted by Dizzy77

I see you already got an amp, all the oranges i have played or heard were very cool. In the united states it is easy to find a used Mesa for $500-$600 US - so maybe 300 british pounds. A good option if you ever need more wattage than the TT.

Nah, I've had a 150w amp for many years and I only ever used it at about 5% power unless at the studio.
I'd rather keep a small amp and cab it up if needed.
The Tiny Terror cost me £195 at a steal, I have a feeling I was very lucky indeed.

[Dizzy77]

Originally Posted by bruvvamoff

Nah, I've had a 150w amp for many years and I only ever used it at about 5% power unless at the studio.
I'd rather keep a small amp and cab it up if needed.
The Tiny Terror cost me £195 at a steal, I have a feeling I was very lucky indeed.

I didn't say get 150 watts. Plus, wattage is about more than volume. Headroom for one thing. The TT will be uselss if you ever play big concert halls and actually want a clean tone, if you never want to do that i guess its all good. Also, how are you getting clean or dirty tones since the TT has only 3 controls? Pedals? Good higher wattage amps have more lows and a bigger sound. 50 watts is going to have more authority than 15 watts in general due to the larger transformers, there isn't a huge volume difference anyway. Also, what 150 watt amp are you talking about? Pretty much every amp is different. Do what you know is best, but it sucks to find out the hard way you are underpowered. Not too long ago i was using a 50-watt Mesa but i was running out of clean headroom when rehearsing for a tour, micing cabs isn't an option you want to rely on when traveling to unknown venues with sound systems and people you are unfamiliar with. Its tempting to think you can always mic up the cab for more volume if necessary, depending on what you are doing it can help keep the stage volume down if that is necessary. Anyway just saying if you find yourself needing more volume and good tone on a budget consider my advice, isn't that why you started the thread anyway?

[gammalord]

micing cabs isn't an option you want to rely on when traveling to unknown venues with sound systems and people you are unfamiliar with

that's weird.

[litepipe]

not really, he has a point. What's he's saying is if your amp isn't loud enough to properly monitor onstage it's gonna be a rough one unless you're touring with your own soundman and a predictable setup (pa). My preference these days for clubs is have enough wattage to have my core stage sound and monitoring level. I even do that with acoustic guitars at this point (bring an acoustic amp). The thing is you can't rely on a sondman you don't know to get your monitor right if you're lucky enough to have a monitor. A lot of clubs are kinda ghetto for sound. Although in theory you can mic the amp so the audience can hear it, it doesn't mean you'll hear it.

My approach for this is to have atleast 22watts. That works for me because I like a little less headroom so it breaks up. I never want a perfectly clean sound. Recently I've been using a 35watt tweed Pro. I love the sound of Princetons, but unless the drummer is soft they start to get a little lost onstage. The lowest I can go is a delux. This works for me whether I'm playing large outdoor festivals, theaters or clubs.

As a player you need to figure out what kind of core tone you like. It took me years to figure out what wattage or "headroom" works for me. I actually have different amps so I can achieve te same ceiling on different type gigs. For acoustic gigs with no drums I use a tweed champ so I can break it up slightly. As the gigs louder so do the amps I use. I rarely use anything over 35 watts for a club tho. For my sound.

If you like to have a perfectly clean sound you'll need more then 35watts for a big sounding rock band.

[gammalord]

Agreed, a little champ isn't the choice for clean headroom in any live situation, and agreed that something is 25-50w range is ideal for clubs - but bad sound, unknown venues, et al. are all part of the trials that any gigging musician must go though.
Just like any drummer worth his nuts must have accidentally scooted right off the back of the drum riser no less than 5 times in his life in order to be considered worthy. Bonus if he takes the hats with him on the way down.
So go ahead and get real particular about your "stage tone" or whatever but get ready for a big shocker when you're forced to play on some backline Marshall 100-watt that keeps cutting out when you turn in just the right way to keep your pickups' 60-cycle buzz to a minimum, no sound check, a hungover sound guy, and the sun RIGHT in your eyes the whole time.
If 50w of guitar isn't enough to get the job onstage, then the problem isn't the amp. Learn how to hear yourself and adapt to the gig, not the other way around because it's a losing game that way.

[DerekJ]

50 W is a lot of juice if you like power tube bark, usually too much.

Concur w/litepipe on tweed Pro, great coverage at 35 W for a lot of halls, backlines, jam sessions w/10 musicians on stage etc. However, 18-22 W usually does it, and it better for the sound guy if the stage SPL is well managed and other guitarists don't get "tempted" to bump "up a bit"