Recommend Me A Practice Combo Amp

sinbaadi · September 2013

So I'm after a practice combo amp for home use and easy transportation, up to £200, anything around 20w, not bothered either way about built-in FX, but I suppose it wouldn't be a bad thing, I'd value audio quality over effects, though. Solid state is fine, and it doesn't need to be a shred box either, just not hissy or tinny or built awfully.

Any opinons/advice would be appreciated, even if it's simply "don't bother with x"

monquixote · September 2013

If cleans are what you are after Mustangs are pretty good.

If you want the option to gig it then Bandits are decent.

I really like the Tech21 TM60 and I assume the 30 Watt one is also good.

jaygtr · September 2013

my friend has a vox ac 4 valve amp and its great fun to play with. hardly any knobs on it though. from memory

they cost about £150-£170 i think.

John_P · September 2013

For strictly home use and jamming without trying to keep up with a drummer the forum favourite - yamaha thr sounds fantastic and is very easy to carry around. Should be able to find one used for under £200

If you want to keep up with a drummer at rehearsal or very small gigs (without micing it) then I'd go for a fender superchamp xd. The effects and models are very useable but you can stick to the clean only channel and it's great with pedals - I'm toying with buying another one.

dindude · September 2013

Second hand Fender Superchamp XD or X2 is a very good shout. I loved my XD, cracking little amp.

ThePrettyDamned · September 2013

Wow, all of my thoughts have been spoken!

I'd opt for the fender mustang, superxhamp xd, peavey bandit or vox valvetronix (old version, metal grill, pretty decent).

geepers0677 · September 2013

Roland cube...

Ianpdq · September 2013

Mustangs are great

OilCityPickups · September 2013

Second hand Laney LC15r (reverb).

monquixote · September 2013

TheGuitarWeasel said:

Second hand Laney LC15r (reverb).

Good call, or a Cub.

bazxkr · September 2013

Have a Fender Superchamp XD in very nice condition with original FS and a new cover.

There are really good for practice. Check out the youtube demos & they are highly thought of on here.

This is NOT the newer X2 variety that taps into computer etc.

Looking for £180 + £5 delivery. If interested pm me yr email & Ican send pics

Cheers

Baz

bertie · September 2013

"if" you only want to practice/record with/from it - Id say have a look at a Yamaha THR of some description. Certainly the best "practice" sized tool/amp Ive ever owned

Not really an option if you want to jam with anything louder than another THR

Phil_aka_Pip · September 2013

Epiphone Valve Junior ... same cct (allegedly) as Harley-Benton GA5 (sadly not made any more but a superb little amplifier for the money which takes pedals very well, and has an excellent 'clean'/unprocessed sound too).

I also have an AC4TV, good with s/c pickups, HATES either of my Yamaha guitars with h/bs, just about tolerates my Gibbos.

EricTheWeary · September 2013

I think the general guidance is that practice combos tend to be good at what their bigger siblings do. So, if you want to sound Fenderish get a Fender,etc. As a dedicated practice tool the Yamaha seems to be much loved ( although weren't there problems with the PSU on early models?) and that and the new Roland are the only ones that I can think of that look designed for home use rather than looking like a gigging amp that shrunk in the wash.

ThePrettyDamned · September 2013

TheGuitarWeasel;30386" said:
Second hand Laney LC15r (reverb).

Ooo forgot about this. The lc amps sound absolutely amazing, the lh50/lc50 is one of my favourite amps ever. Great cleans, fairly deep but sparkly, and excellent crunch.

sinbaadi · September 2013

Awesome, added a bunch to the shortlist, thanks for the advice exactly what I was after.

Grumpyrocker · September 2013

Laney Cub 12R. Lovely tube tone, Marshall-like dirt and has onboard reverb. Has a 15W input and a 1W input for playing quieter.

Blueingreen · September 2013

How good are the cleans on the Yamaha THR series? I've been thinking of upgrading my Microcube which I use purely as a living room amp, mainly to get better jazzy cleans (I'm happy with the overdrive options on the Microcube but the cleans are lacking clarity and presence to my ears). I'd been thinking Superchamp but maybe I should think about the Yamaha as well.

OilCityPickups · September 2013

I am actually sad I sold my Laney LC15r ... the reverb is a proper spring unit ... the sound at bedroom volume was awesome ... and it was easily loud enough to do small pub gigs (with an extension cab). It felt like a proper amp ... not toy-like as some of the small amps feel.

bazxkr · September 2013

I agree Mr Weasel those small Laneys punch way above their weight. Hardly use mine but can't let it go either.

Nice small footprint too.

Cheers

Baz

daveww · September 2013

monquixote said:

If cleans are what you are after Mustangs are pretty good.
If you want the option to gig it then Bandits are decent.
I really like the Tech21 TM60 and I assume the 30 Watt one is also good.

Mustangs are great. got my son one to pratice with.

I've got a Belcat Tube 20R that I use and it's incredible value for money. I've also mic'd this through a PA and gigged with it.

monquixote · September 2013

TheGuitarWeasel said:

I am actually sad I sold my Laney LC15r ... the reverb is a proper spring unit ... the sound at bedroom volume was awesome ... and it was easily loud enough to do small pub gigs (with an extension cab). It felt like a proper amp ... not toy-like as some of the small amps feel.

An LC15 flat out into a 4x12 from a 5150 was my introduction to cranked valve amps. Twas a marvelous thing.

4string · September 2013

Another vote for the LC15r. Fantastic sound at none-wife annoying volumes. Mine as £130 s/h from FleaBay about a year ago.

not_the_dj · September 2013

Blueingreen said:

How good are the cleans on the Yamaha THR series? I've been thinking of upgrading my Microcube which I use purely as a living room amp, mainly to get better jazzy cleans (I'm happy with the overdrive options on the Microcube but the cleans are lacking clarity and presence to my ears). I'd been thinking Superchamp but maybe I should think about the Yamaha as well.

@blueingreen To me the cleans are really where the THR excels. On the THR10 there's a flat setting which actually gives a great jazzy clean.

EricTheWeary · September 2013

4string said:

Fantastic sound at none-wife annoying volumes.

fairly sure such a volume level doesn't exist.MrsTheweary can hear the swish of strap on shirt...

Jalapeno · September 2013

s/h probably more than £200 - but a Fender Blues Junior/Peavey Classic 30 sounds like what you want.

ROOG · September 2013

EricTheWeary said:

4string said:

Fantastic sound at none-wife annoying volumes.

fairly sure such a volume level doesn't exist.MrsTheweary can hear the swish of strap on shirt...

Unplugged electric is enough to annoy Mrs ROOG

frictionfraction · September 2013

Blackstar ht5r Does pretty much everything and you can make your own attenuator for it for s few quid if you want to get the volume down and keep the amp cooking

mike257 · September 2013

Phil_aka_Pip;30479" said:
Epiphone Valve Junior ... same cct (allegedly) as Harley-Benton GA5 (sadly not made any more but a superb little amplifier for the money which takes pedals very well, and has an excellent 'clean'/unprocessed sound too).

Nothing alleged about it, they're the same circuit board from the same factory, usually with Epiphone still printed onto the HB circuit boards. Only difference with the Harley Benton one is they replaced a fixed resistor on the board with a tone pot. I've yet to try bypassing the pot in mine but by all accounts its better without it.

Phil_aka_Pip · September 2013

@mike257 wow I didn't know that, have a wisdom ... I didn't notice the pcb printing when I took mine apart.

I tend to keep the pot turned fully clockwise when playing on my own, but I've noticed that to play with other people (eg drums & bass) I'll wind it back a bit to let a bit more treble out.

Fretwired · September 2013

Blueingreen said:

How good are the cleans on the Yamaha THR series? I've been thinking of upgrading my Microcube which I use purely as a living room amp, mainly to get better jazzy cleans (I'm happy with the overdrive options on the Microcube but the cleans are lacking clarity and presence to my ears). I'd been thinking Superchamp but maybe I should think about the Yamaha as well.

I just bought a Yamaha THRC and would certainly recommend it highly for jazz and clean tones in general. I have a Godin jazz box which makes a lovely sound. The THR is also house friendly in terms of sound, looks and volume.

However I think they got the colour wrong. The metal THRX should have been black and the THRC should have been green.

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Recommend Me A Practice Combo Amp

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