Looking for a tube amp...which one?

Hammer

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Ok, here's the deal...I currently have a Fender Ultra Chorus from like '95/'96,...I can't really remember. It serves me well enough, but I can't help but think I am missing something swimming through all the solid stateyness of that amp, so I wanna procure myself some tube action. Here's my list of 'qualifications':

I only play at home, in my office, so I don't need something that will boom throughout a stadium, but I can always turn down the volume.
Combo or stack...matters not.
I want something with a nice, warm, fat clean sound...like butter.
I want something that can also growl through some blues.
I have plenty of metal/distortion pedals that I can pipe through the clean channel, so it doesn't need to be able to handle that sound, but, much like the volume, I would not be opposed to one that could.
You can see what I am working with in my sig, if that helps at all.
I would like to keep it below $500.

With all that in mind, what should I be looking at? :?:
 

capnjuan

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Hi Hammer; you might read through this thread about Gibson GA5s. The old ones use a 6V6; a little browner and more compressed compared to the new ones that use an EL84; maybe a little creamier, more tinklier. 8" speakers, 5-6 watts. Older ones might need $100 in service. If you're interested in an older model, you might want to avoid the Les Paul Jrs only because they were originally fitted with field-coils - output transformers mounted on the speaker frame ... a little more tickle factor than a straight-forward GA5.

And Michael's suggestion of a Silvertone 1482 is a good one too; twin 6V6s, the soul of simplicity and lots of tone. Good luck! CJ
 

Hammer

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krysh said:
silvertone 1482

Heh...I actually had one of those...it was my first amp. It went out with the garbage last year while we were redoing the basement. I hadn't played on it in so long because shortly after I got it, way back when, it decided shocking me through the guitar strings was more important than actually producing sound. We did not get along very well after that :)
 

capnjuan

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Hammer said:
krysh said:
silvertone 1482
Heh...I actually had one of those...it was my first amp ... it decided shocking me through the guitar strings was more important than actually producing sound.
I see ... well ... what a hostile act that was ... Of all the nerve... :evil: :lol:
 

Hammer

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capnjuan said:
Hammer said:
krysh said:
silvertone 1482
Heh...I actually had one of those...it was my first amp ... it decided shocking me through the guitar strings was more important than actually producing sound.
I see ... well ... what a hostile act that was ... Of all the nerve... :evil: :lol:

I know, right! In all honesty, I don't think I can totally blame her...I was young and dumb and possibly mayhaps have not taken the best care of her.
 

Hammer

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Anybody have any feelings, good or bad, toward the Hot Rod Deluxes/Devilles and/or the Blues Jrs?
 

fungusyoung

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I'm not such a big fan of the newer Fender amps, but the best of the lot that I've heard is the Pro Jr. If I was going the Fender route, I'd suggest a used Silverface Champ from the 70's. They can be found for under $300.

The GA-5 is a great suggestion, though. One day I might unload my Champ & just keep my '60 GA-5.
 

BluesDan

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I've had a blonde Fender Blues junior for many years. Great amps for messin' around at home and quite capable of pushing out enough power for a decent sized open mic. With that said, I had to make some slight mods to the BJ to get the tone I wanted. I can't help with any comparison to the Gibbys, but after hearing all the rave reviews on this board for the Gibby tube amps, I intend on checking one out real soon.
 

Walter Broes

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Hammer said:
Anybody have any feelings, good or bad, toward the Hot Rod Deluxes/Devilles and/or the Blues Jrs?
Mostly bad here - you can get a better amp for the money IMO. I kinda like the Pro Jr, but if small, "off brand" tube amps were as plentiful here as they still are in the U.S., I wouldn't even bother with those.

The larger twin-6L6 Hotrod-whatevers are cheap for a gig-able (almost)"all-tube" amp that's brand new, sound and feel mostly like a tube amp, and are plenty loud, but those are about the nicest things I can say about them really.
 

yem

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Want to buy my Gibson GA5-t?
Gibson%20GA5-t%20Skylark%20%283%29.jpg
 

capnjuan

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Hi yem; does that amp have a single 6BQ5/EL84 output tube and 10" speaker? CJ
 

yem

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capnjuan said:
Hi yem; does that amp have a single 6BQ5/EL84 output tube and 10" speaker? CJ
The amp has two 6BQ5s
Gibson%20GA5-t%20Skylark%20%2812%29.jpg

(the full schematic is still intact on the inside of the cab)
 

yem

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capnjuan said:
Hi yem; does that amp have a single 6BQ5/EL84 output tube and 10" speaker? CJ
Oh, and yes, it has a 10" speaker.
 

capnjuan

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yem said:
capnjuan said:
Hi yem; does that amp have a single 6BQ5/EL84 output tube and 10" speaker? CJ
The amp has two 6BQ5s
Hi yem; so it does! That model's schematic doesn't seem to have made it to the public domain. Do you run EL84s in it?
 

yem

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capnjuan said:
yem said:
capnjuan said:
Hi yem; does that amp have a single 6BQ5/EL84 output tube and 10" speaker? CJ
The amp has two 6BQ5s
Hi yem; so it does! That model's schematic doesn't seem to have made it to the public domain. Do you run EL84s in it?
No, the amp currently runs on two RCA 6BQ5s (the grey looking ones).
 

capnjuan

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jiggaj said:
yem=you enjoy myself?
Welcome Jogging Is Good, Go Ahead, Jog ... :wink: and welcome to LTG! Saw your post on the wall-hanger ... interesting! CJ
 

capnjuan

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yem said:
No, the amp currently runs on two RCA 6BQ5s (the grey looking ones).
Interesting; you might want to consider a pair of current make/model JJs, THDs, or other newer EL84s; they are drop-in substitute for the 6BQ5 and the new ones are said to be pretty good. And, for what it's worth, vintage twin 6BQ5 amps - because they accept EL84s - are considered more valuable than the twin 6AQ5 version. If you're trying to sell it, good luck with your sale! CJ
 
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capnjuan said:
jiggaj said:
yem=you enjoy myself?
Welcome Jogging Is Good, Go Ahead, Jog ... :wink: and welcome to LTG! Saw your post on the wall-hanger ... interesting! CJ


thanks! yeah i forgot to introduce myself :oops:

you ever see one of those studio models?

(you can move this to the other thread if you want moderators)
 
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