Looking for a new tiny tube practice amp

BanditGuitarist1

This is a huge shock but im not going with Orange right now!!! Cause of financial reasons I need a cheap,tube combo practice amp thats just a few watts like 5 or so, nothing explosive. I was looking at the Fender Champ I'm just to lazy to bring my Les Paul to Guitar Center and try it out. What does everyone recommend as a nice cheap practice combo, and does anyone have the Champ if so how do you like it :]

StevieK

I've got a champ for a practice amp, nice glassy tube tone. But it has no low end.

Robbmonster

How about a Pignose?

Or a Roland Microcube?

edit: I initially wrote "Minicube". So I changed it...

tragictravisty

microcubes are the best dirty solid states ive tried, and good cleans.

kidwaJstang

As far as tube practice amps go, the Fender Vibro Champ XD delivers the best bang for the buck. All the digital effects give you plenty to play with and experiment with, without having to worry about bringing your pedal board w/ you. Not to mention that it's got pre-amp AND output tubes, unlike most that ONLY have pre, means you have pure tube amp tone!! The extra $60 bucks over the Champion 600 is SOOO worth it!

Here's the link to GC. Check it out, I guarantee you'll love it!!

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Fender-Vibro-Champ-XD-Guitar-Combo-Amp-104494265-i1371396.gc

BanditGuitarist1

Thanks guys, I think I will either go for the Champ or Vibro Champ XD, i like the fact that it has more controls, I don't like the digital modeling as I'd rather keep my pedals if I wanted effects but I can look past that and not be a total tube snob 😆

Any more suggestions are welcome, I'll definatly keep you guys informed if I run across anything interesting but it looks like Fender is offering some nice stuff!

tragictravisty

fender = retarted, youre not gonna get good preamp dirt out of the vibro-champ xd because it uses one half of a preamp tube - one tube gain stage, wasting the other half. this diminishes the amount of decent tube dirt youll get out of it. the power tube dirts all there though. the super champ xd has 2 tube gain stages in the preamp

BanditGuitarist1

I don't need dirt actually I need as little distortion as possible 😆 Im using this with my school jazz-band and the music ministry program so it needs to be as clean as possible they get edgy as soon as theres a hint of distortion.

j2b4osan

Crate makes a cheap crappy tube amp for like 100$ its a 5w and doesn't distort even at max volume. Sounds like it would suffice in your situation. Takes a bit of tweakin to get a nice tone out of it but for 100$ you can't really go wrong. I tried all the new champs and they all seem to have modeling circuits which will not allow just standard classic champ tone. Except for the tiny tweed rip off they want like 200 for that doesn't sound anythin like an old champ 2me. Black hearts are made by crate last time I checked and if that's true thier overpriced.

endsjustifymeans

http://olcircuits.com/olc_tubecricket.html

tragictravisty

that cricket is not gonna sound clean, and be audible at the same time.... why tube if you just need cleans?

BanditGuitarist1

I want a tube for cleans because I like the warm chiming tube tones of a good fender amp, there powerful and just sound really sweet to me, its not that solid states are bad but to my ears they have always just sounded somewhat "stale".

Mustang-Pete

If you want tube cleans and you have to compete with a jazz band (I presume there is brass) might I suggest slightly bigger than 5 watts... Maybe 10 or 15 watts might suit better...

BanditGuitarist1

the band isn't all that big its more of a combo,b ut yeah i guess your right about volume and headroom, im going to check out the Champ today though and see how I like it. I'm just tired of caring around my Hot Rod Deluxe.

gilmourish

Champ 600 is nice, spend the rest of the money u save on getting a cheap amp than a more expensive amps on effects

jacksonjackass

tragictravisty said: fender = retarted, youre not gonna get good preamp dirt out of the vibro-champ xd because it uses one half of a preamp tube - one tube gain stage, wasting the other half. this diminishes the amount of decent tube dirt youll get out of it. the power tube dirts all there though. the super champ xd has 2 tube gain stages in the preamp

So can you mod it to use the whole tube?

Blandest

BanditGuitarist1 said: I want a tube for cleans because I like the warm chiming tube tones of a good fender amp, there powerful and just sound really sweet to me, its not that solid states are bad but to my ears they have always just sounded somewhat "stale".

I hear you on that one my friend. Once you go tube, you never go back 😆

tragictravisty

tragictravisty said: fender = retarted, youre not gonna get good preamp dirt out of the vibro-champ xd because it uses one half of a preamp tube - one tube gain stage, wasting the other half. this diminishes the amount of decent tube dirt youll get out of it. the power tube dirts all there though. the super champ xd has 2 tube gain stages in the preamp

you could, but not with ease, im pretty sure fender would pcb-mount the tubes, not chassis mount. but if its chassis mount, it would be much easier

StevieK

Get a used Hot Rod Deluxe off ebay, you won't be sorry!

Mustang-Pete

Well I can definitely recommend the Blues Junior now. Excellent wee amp 😀