WTB Vintage Tube Practice Amp

Wanted to Buy

DrumBob

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I have been looking for a nice, vintage tweed or tolex tube practice/jam amp for home, preferably something like a Supro, Danelectro/Silvertone, Valco, Oahu, or something even more rare, reasonably priced. Not particularly looking for a Fender either, as they're too pricey. An old Ampeg Jet would be acceptable. Please, no basket cases requiring lots of work. Something in the 8-12 watt range from the 40's through the 60's preferred. Hit me up if you have something interesting I might like. Thanks.
 

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Good luck with the search. Unfortunately, all the names you mentioned are on the escalator up. Also, they don't really have the same sound, so maybe a tone that you are looking for could be had in one of the modern clones.
 

DrumBob

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Good luck with the search. Unfortunately, all the names you mentioned are on the escalator up. Also, they don't really have the same sound, so maybe a tone that you are looking for could be had in one of the modern clones.

I know all those names are getting more expensive, but they're probably bargains compared to comparable Fenders and Gibsons. My local mom & pop music store has a Guild tweed amp, a J-66 I think, but it's on consignment for $899. He also has an old Danelectro piggy back for $599 that's too big for my purposes.
 

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<shrug>
Buy a Blues Junior. You can get them in what your price range seems to be. Or an AC 10, new issue.
You aren't going to "cheap", "vintage", and "working perfectly" if you aren't willing to pay for it.
 

JohnW63

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The Roland Blues Cube is $599 brand new, but it's a tube emulator , not a tube amp, but all reviews say it sounds like and plays like one. Select-able watts. From 0.5, to 5.0, to 15 watts.
 

Sal

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I have a little Vox AC4TV 4-Watt 1x10 that I love. They are sweet little tube amps and they can be found stupid cheap: around $200-300 used. Tubes are 1 x 12AX7 pre and 1 x EL84 power. You can switch between 4 watt, 1 watt, and 1/10th watt. No effects, no frills, all tube. I pair mine with my tweed Princeton when I want to run stereo effects. It looks cool and sounds great.
 

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mad dog

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Parkway music in Clifton Park NY has an Ampeg M12 (this is the one I'd grab) at 499, a Rocket at 699, a Gemini I at 499 and a Gemini VI at 549. For non vintage, a Peavey Delta Blues at 399.

The M12 has 7159 tubes. I've seen it, looks good, but have not plugged in. The rocket is billed as having 6L6s, which means it's been modded. That could be a good thing ... I'd like to plug into that rocket and check it out. Both of these would be on the lighter side.

The price is right on the Gemini I, but that's a rather heavy amp for 1x12. I have plugged into that one. Not bad, not spectacular.

 

mad dog

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Karl at the Tinicum Guitar barn has several likely candidates. An Oahu tonemaster for 350. Actually has two tonemasters at that price. One with 10" speaker and field coil, the other a 12" speaker.

Then there's the Danelectro Centurion, and the Dano Model 89D. I plugged into the latter Dano. Not huge volume, but the most beautiful sound. Octal pre-amp. I've not tried this particular Centurion, but have played through others. Same deal. Not huge volume, but warm, beautiful sounds. I'd be happy to own either of these Danos. BTW, Karl is a great guy. I've been going in there for years.
 

fronobulax

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is in Ottsville Pa.

I looked it up since MD claims to be in NJ but Clifton Park was close enough to my "territory" when growing up that I had heard of it but not so close that I spent much time there. So I wondered whether the barn was in NY or NJ.
 

mad dog

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The Guitar Barn is not far from Frenchtown NJ. A bit of a hike from my home in Montclair NJ, but well worth the trip. Clifton Park is north of Albany, half way from there to Saratoga. I spend a lot of time in SW Vermont, so get over to Parkway frequently.

DrumBob being in NW Jersey, Guitar Barn will be a lot closer.
 

D30Man

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Plus one for blues junior as those vintage small tube amps are climbing higher than cat's backs.. My VHT special 6 ultra is a ripping little all tube amp and can be found used for $500 pretty easily.
 

Guildedagain

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I just snagged a really nice crazy mint late 50's Silvertone 1x8 amp off Reverb, from BC. Canadians have all the nice stuff up there.

Very near Fender Tweed on the very cheap, cooler to me, I like stuff from the Sears Catalog in the late 50's, it's twice the stuff from the 60's, which was way better than the 70's you get the picture.
 

josh brokaw

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The Pro Jr's a good deal similar to the Blues Jr, even simpler with 2 knobs. Scored a well gigged one for $250 and they pop up in your area under $500 fairly regularly. Rips with a Tele. And they come in tweed if you're patient or go straight to sweetwater et al.
 

mavuser

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Karl at the Tinicum Guitar barn has several likely candidates. An Oahu tonemaster for 350. Actually has two tonemasters at that price. One with 10" speaker and field coil, the other a 12" speaker.

Then there's the Danelectro Centurion, and the Dano Model 89D. I plugged into the latter Dano. Not huge volume, but the most beautiful sound. Octal pre-amp. I've not tried this particular Centurion, but have played through others. Same deal. Not huge volume, but warm, beautiful sounds. I'd be happy to own either of these Danos. BTW, Karl is a great guy. I've been going in there for years.
i randomly found that place on FB and followed/liked them. need to stop in there sometime. good to hear nice things about them at LTG! i'll stop in with a Guild, cheers
 

zizala

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Drumbob.....

I've got two to choose from that might fit your needs.

1960 R-12 Ampeg Rocket rebadged as "La Prima" for an accordion distributor from those days
(The La Prima badge is understated and has a nice look)

1958 Guild 66J

They're both in good cosmetic shape, have been gone over and were working fine the last time I checked.
If one or the other appeals to you, PM me and I'll be happy to provide more details, photos and prices.

z
 
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jp

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What's your budget? That usually helps with suggestions. Since small vintage amps have shot up in price, I would say you have to be patient, lucky, and snipey to grab something special under $500 nowadays, but it's possible.
 

Walter Broes

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I wouldn't buy a silvertone or dano amp that hasn't been gone over by a great tech. They can sound great, but they're full of parts that were not meant to last half a century. Also, the cabs are built out of the same masonite ad the guitar tops and backs, and a lot of them didn't age well and have developed buzzes and rattles.
 
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