Small Tube Amp?

FNG

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Hey fellow Guild junkies...

Any recommendations for a small tube amp? I have a Fender Blues Deluxe, but it is just too much amp, and makes my ears bleed. Something for the home guitar noodler that sounds good without being screaming jet engine loud.

thanks...

Pat
 

Mr.Tidy

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Champ... or in a perfect world...Vibro-Champ
Black or Silverface
 

california

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Not a tube amp, but you may want to consider a new Roland Cube 30X -- the "x" is important, it is the newer model with a system that will give you maximum sustain without playing it at top volume. It emulates about 6 different amps, it has the Roland classic jazz sound and about anything else you could ask for; they pack a ton of sound and features into a nice, small box.
 

capnjuan

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GibsonGA18Te.jpg
Gibson GA18 / GA19 / GA20; any will dooooo Say hello to to the power of the 6V6....these amps break up at 4 - 5 ... crunchy, chimey ... limited tone variety but the fundemental tube sound.

After all, the player is supposed to add something, no?
 

capnjuan

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Jim W said:
Silverface Fender Princeton Reverb.

You forgot to say why....why? Other than 'label sheen', very little dif electronically between the GA19RVT and the AA1164 ...tell us why this is the one?
 

jp

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Have to second the capn. Tubes all the way, and your Guilds deserve it.

The old Gibson GA series, all tube mojo, models from 15-20 watts, real vintage vibe, many with spring reverb, tremelo, or both. The Tweeds (before 1962) like capn's are really nice, but they tend to be pricier. Any of the Crestline series can be had for anywhere from $375 - 500. Find one that's been well-cared for and serviced. As the capn mentioned in various threads, it's the same circuitry as the Fender Princeton Reverb for a lot less. Best buy in vintage amps around--same as with Guild guitars. Stay away from all models after the Crestline series! They have white face panels and sound horrible.

Note that most Epiphone amps from the same era (EA-XX) are the exact same amp, just branded. Same price range and quality.

Check out info here: http://www.superiormusic.com/page199.htm

If you want new, the Fender Blues Junior seems to be the most bang for the buck. I've also tried out a Vox ACC15, 15 watts, and they are an awesome deal for an all tube, reverb/tremelo amp. Can be had cheaply used, since they're made in China and have low resale. I think they sound better than the Blues Junior.
 

northbayj

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My $.02: I bought one of the new Gibson GA5 Les Paul Juniors off of eBay couple of months back, and I've been absolutely blown away at how good it sounds. I think I paid $300 - it was used but pretty much "as new" condition. I really can't say enough about it. I think it has an EL84 for the output stage, a 12AX7 for the pre-amp. Solid state rectifier, I believe, so not really all tube, but close enough and the materials are all top-notch. CHeck out a product review here:
http://www.guitarplayer.com/story.asp?s ... ycode=4221

Couple of thoughts: It's rated at 5 watts, but it gets REALLY loud for its size (8" speaker). Nowhere near my 65 watt Music Man, but closer than you'd think. It definitely would work as a small venue amp if you're playing with a sensible drummer. Also it does full AC/DC distortion when cranked, though your neighbors will definitely know what you're up to if you turn it up that loud. Overall, it's just amazing - I can't say enough about it. No reverb, but you're not going to miss it with this one.

BTW: I should put in a good word for the Roland Cube also. I've had a MircoCube for awhile now, and it does a lot of different sounds at very low volumes.
 

teleharmonium

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There are plenty of differences between a Falcon and a Princeton Reverb. 6EU7 and 6C4 preamp vs. 12AX7, 5Y3 vs. 5AR4, 12 inch speaker vs. 10. I like them both, but a person looking for the clean, tight, bright sound of the PR may be disappointed in the relatively darker and lower headroom Falcon with it's off-the-deep-end reverb sound.
 

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On another forum I frequent I've heard good things about the Fender Champion 600, especially when into an extension cab. If I can get over to Elderly's when down state next month I'd like to try one.

The same forum had lots of fans of the Epiphone 5W head.

On the other extreme, the Mercury Carr amps are supposed to be the Holy Grail of small amps...or at least you mortgage your portion of the Grail.

Finally, try out a Vox AD30 or AD50. I've got a 50 for home use. They're actually hybrid amps, so not fully tube...but they also have a power attenuator built in on the back.

Jeff
 

jp

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Actually what teleharmonium says is true. The circuitry is very similar in the Falcon and Princeton, but few amps have that classic Fender spank and sparkle.

BTW teleharmonium,
I've been meaning to comment on your name. Do you know if anyone has ever built a playable teleharmonium, besides it's creator of course. When first hearing about one years ago, I recall that there were no existing recordings of a teleharmonium. Just like with Harry Partch's creations or Ben Franklin's Galss Armonica, it would be fun if someone did build one and record with it. I once almost built a Contra Bass hammer dulcimer out of the guts of an old piano. :)
 

capnjuan

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teleharmonium said:
There are plenty of differences between a Falcon and a Princeton Reverb. 6EU7 and 6C4 preamp vs. 12AX7, 5Y3 vs. 5AR4, 12 inch speaker vs. 10.

The design intent is nearly identical; small 6V6 combo amp w/ reverb and tremolo. FWIW, the early Falcon's had 7199s and, later, 6C4s. Don't know which model you have. I don't know if you meant the PR had a 10" spkr - all/nearly all the GA19s have 12" speakers.

I like them both, but a person looking for the clean, tight, bright sound of the PR may be disappointed in the relatively darker and lower headroom Falcon with it's off-the-deep-end reverb sound.

Agree about dark quality; 6EU7s?. Don't know the PR well enough to remark on headroom; original remark related to number of similarities, not disimilarities. The GA19 has a reverb control on it. I think anyone looking for the sound of a Fender ought to get one.
 

teleharmonium

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jp said:
BTW teleharmonium,
I've been meaning to comment on your name. Do you know if anyone has ever built a playable teleharmonium, besides it's creator of course. When first hearing about one years ago, I recall that there were no existing recordings of a teleharmonium. Just like with Harry Partch's creations or Ben Franklin's Galss Armonica, it would be fun if someone did build one and record with it. I once almost built a Contra Bass hammer dulcimer out of the guts of an old piano. :)

That dulcimer sounds cool. I have a friend that uses a piano harp on wheels in sort of the same way, you can just put a speaker over it and then mic the strings for a resonant reverb. That's like the old recording trick of doing the same sort of thing to a piano with the sustain pedal depressed.

I am very interested in Thaddeus Cahill's amazing Telharmonium (the "tele" is my little variation on it), and I sure wish there were some recordings. It seems a more than daunting task to try and build anything like his 200 ton or so original, but maybe a scaled down version could be made, and some components could be made smaller. It would certainly be advisable to equip it with at least one later innovation, namely the amplifier. It's pretty mind blowing when you think about that guy sending spontanously created purely electronic music to a network of subscribers in NYC in the 1890s, since it sounds more like 1990s technology. Since the dynamaphone was the basis for the tonewheels in Hammond organs, I think if somebody did build a repro Telharmonium, it would probably sound like a Hammond but with less overtones, and with automated composition that we will probably just have to imagine.

Now that I think about it, the piece that created compositions from the various levers and settings, might be the most interesting part. Raymond Scott's Electronium did that too, he was another true genius way ahead of his time.

The Mixtrautonium is another favorite early electronic instrument of mine; that thing really sounds incredible. Fortunately you can get a good sampling of recordings of it.
 

teleharmonium

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capnjuan said:
The design intent is nearly identical; small 6V6 combo amp w/ reverb and tremolo. FWIW, the early Falcon's had 7199s and, later, 6C4s. Don't know which model you have. I don't know if you meant the PR had a 10" spkr - all/nearly all the GA19s have 12" speakers.

Yeah I was referring to the 10" in the PR. My Falcon had a 6C4.

capnjuan said:
The GA19 has a reverb control on it. I think anyone looking for the sound of a Fender ought to get one.

Yeah that's pretty much my point. The Falcon's reverb is pretty crazy and very different than the Fender sound; I call it the insane asylum reverb; I dig it, but it has it's own thing going on and the amp as a whole sounds pretty different from a PR (or a DR for that matter). I do miss my Falcon and should probably replace it. I have an Airline (Magnatone) combo with almost an identical tube layout and configuration as the Falcon, so I thought the Falcon would be redundant, but the Airline is another illustration of an amp with similar specs sounding quite different (in a good way).
 

capnjuan

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Yes, Jahn; that model is usually referred to as the 'Tweed' version ... not-so-subtle cosmetic (electronic?) ripoff of the Fenders of the period and this one: GA19 RVT 'Crest' also on eBay. JP has one too; it's also a Gibson GA19 RVT Falcon - the 'Crest' model with the 'coat of arms' on it. The 'tweed' / earlier versions - like the one in my avatar, have a 7199 for a reverb operator, the later 'tweeds' and Crest models have the 6C4; oh those wacky Gibo engineers.

They also reversed the ID sequence in the schems; 7199 = transformer on left, tubes #'ed left to right, V2 = 7199 whereas if, as seen from the rear, the transformer is on the right, then V3 = 6C4 and the preamp tubes are numbered right to left. :evil:

Given the electronic zizz from the 7199 and assuming everything's ok, I'd guess the PR (1/2 12AT7 and 1/2 12AX7 for reverb) would be a lot quieter at idle than the GA19. Agree that the GA19 reverb isn't to everyone's taste. At the risk of rousing the Cheese-man JP, like cheese, reverb is particularly subjective; as much or more so than the 'voice' of the amp.

Dude #1: "This amp sounds great (like Gouda), especially the reverb!"
Dude #2: "You're crazy, it sounds like crap (I hate Gouda), especially the reverb!"

and so it goes......

Haven't done as much research as I'd like but I'd compare 60s amp circuits to Japanese rock gardens: one guy rakes the rocks, points at them and says: "Is a rooster". The next guy picks up the rake, scrambles the rocks around, and says: "Is a fish". Was re-re-re-re-reading Pittman's amp book last night; he was talking up the Magnatone 280; all this from the guy who is the Warren Buffett of tube amps mind you.

I guess my point is that by taking a handful of resistors, a few caps, some wire, and whatnot, you can scramble them around and get nearly any amp circuit you want - hear me out - there are always subtle things like the value of cathode bypass resistors and bias a little hotter or colder - flavoring the sound the way bacteria flavors cheese - but you always get an amp that doesn't sound exactly like the last one made from the same set of parts. Agree; weird, fascinating, fun, and above all, the unmistakable sound of low-power tubes.

My Falcon sounds as good as a Falcon can sound; better than something else? Who knows and I don't care; all I care about is that it sounds as good as it can. I have a GA18 in extremely good cosmetic and electronic condition (2 X 12AX7); same thing, it's Gibson (Cheddar) sound ... however, if you are partial to Swiss .... see above.

Glad to see your F30 move Jahn,

Very best regards Teleharmonium,

cj
 
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