Muff's Modules & More

dkcg · Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 11:35 pm Post subject: Low wattage recording amps?

My twin sounds great, especially clean, but it's 100watt amp. eek!

I've been using a thd hotplate with it, but want to add a small 5-15 watt tube recording amp. The AC-15 is a possibility, as is the AC4. Ideally somewhere between these amps as far as wattage/loudness.

I've been tossing around the idea of saving up and getting a something like a Dr.Z Mini, a lower wattage Carr, or some other boutique amp that I'll keep til I die or lose my hands in some horrible car accident. hihi

I'm trying to stay away from the tweed/fender sound, something maybe with EL-34s. I remember some smaller Marshall combos from when I was a kid, but can't seem to find anything. The Rivera amps are cool, but I can't find a model that's just the right size.

What are some good recording amps? Something decent, not too cheap, small (maybe a 10" speaker) but not so expensive I'll have to sell modules. Built in attenuators/power soakers would be nice to have built in, but not a requirement. Mainly for guitar, but I'm sure the synth will make it's way through it eventually. What say you guitar tone geeks?

jazz411 · Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 11:38 pm Post subject:

Orange Tiny Terror.

jazz411 · Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 11:39 pm Post subject:

The Blackstar HT-5 Series.

jazz411 · Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 11:41 pm Post subject:

Any Thing By Fargen

Cybananna · Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 11:50 pm Post subject:

Over the last year I cycled through a lot of little tube amps. I had and sold the tiny terror. It was ok but didn't compare to the sounds from my higher watt oranges. The ones I kept was the epiphone valve jr hot rod head (sounds much better than you might expect, and is cheap) and the Matamp Minimat. The minimat is expensive but sounds really great. The Marshall class 5 is ok too but I'm thinking about selling it.

The ac4 would sound good through a better speaker and better designed cabinet I think. Sounds crappy through the combo speaker but sounds pretty good through an external cab. I may get the head version sometime. The Epi valve jr cab sounds really good for the price. Nice eminence speKer and it's made out of wood not pressed sawdust aka particle board. Just my opinion.

DonaldCrunk · Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 11:53 pm Post subject:

i'm using the epiphone Valve Jr mini-stack-thing for guitar and bass, i enjoy it very much and it was very inexpensive. lately i have been recording a direct out of the space echo that's feeding the Epi and micing the amp cabinet with an Octova mk219. it breaks up a little early for my tastes, but in the studio environment that's not really too much of an issue - just turn it down!

there are a lot of fancy recording combos and mini-stacks out there now, and the law of diminishing returns very much applies i think. i opted for the lowest common denominator and got the Epiphone, and for the noises i make i love it. YMMV

Morley · Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 3:05 am Post subject:

Fender Champ

Babaluma · Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 4:18 am Post subject:

lot's of other recommendations if you do a search, think we've talked about this before.

i had a re-issue fender champion 600 and loved it, although it was a little noisy.

if i was looking to buy something new i'd probably go for this head now:

http://www.mutronics.co.uk/audiokitchen/product.htm

the audio kitchen little chopper. great review in tapeop recently, and built by the people that brought us the mutronics mutator.

Just me · Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 8:23 am Post subject:

The only thing that will truly work is to try a bunch of them. Hit the music stores and pawn shops and find what sounds right to you regardless of brand.

AntManBee · Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 8:33 am Post subject:

A Fender 5F1 tweed champ (with 8" speaker) or a Supro 1606 would be my recommendations, but if you want something new you might try the Swart amps.

bsmith · Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 9:19 am Post subject:

I've got a crate palomino v16 (15w, blonde one, us made), which - believe it or not - is kind of great sounding. Replaced the stock 12ax7's with mullards and stuck a vintage 30 in there. Reverb is shitty but the general character - especially the drive - reminds me *alot* of those old music man combos which I really love the sound of. Pretty easy to find for between $225 and $300.

Danotranto · Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 10:53 am Post subject:

traynor has a 15w/50w amp with el34s, they surprised me how damn nice they sound

sduck · Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 1:17 pm Post subject:

Egnater tweaker

Mesa Boogie Transatlantic

thumbs up

dkcg · Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 3:37 pm Post subject:

Thanks for everyone's input. I'm moving slow on this purchase, just starting to do some research into amps now. I tried the new fender reissues, didn't quite fit what I was looking for, but will just have to start visiting guitar stores and trying out different amps. Mesa Boogie is sounding good to me...I'll have to visit their Hollywood store and try some out.

Ultimately, I may replace the Twin with this unsaid perfect recording amp, so I'll take my time.

A kit could be another option, but I don't want to end up building a Paia of guitar amps. Not to knock Paia, but I think you know what I mean.

Tall Midget · Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 7:30 pm Post subject:

I played a Blackstar HT-5 through a 2x12 Matamp cabinet with Greenbacks on the last recording I played guitar on. It sounded really good, really nice amp. Wattage doesn't have much to do with loudness though because you have to take into account the sensitivity of your speakers.

Steve Albini likes the Orange Tiny Terror but a lot of people prefer the Egnater Rebel amps over it. THD Univalve is cool too, you can grab one for $529.99 + shipping + tax from Guitar Centers used gear site. Ain't cheap but it has a built in Hotplate too.

Just me · Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 11:06 am Post subject:

There is always something like this. (And even features a few cameos of Puddinhead, the cat.)

bar|none · Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 11:17 am Post subject:

You could always get one of these and use it with your twin.

http://www.faustineamps.com/phantom_production.html

If you can even get one. My buddy who is a gigging blues guitarist swears by the faustine. I guess they are the shit. But I'd like to know more.

As far as boutique amps. Always been intrigued by brown note. They have two 18 watt heads.

http://www.brownnote.net/lite18.html
http://www.brownnote.net/voxybrown18.html

I personally have a THD BiValve 30. There is also the Univalve which is 15 watts Class A with swappable tubes. I'm kinda hooked on class A now espec for recording since they respond so beautifully to guitar input level.

Whatever you get, there are so many awesome choices now.

dkcg · Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 10:28 pm Post subject:

I think I found an amp that could possibly replace my twin and give me a wider tonal palette. Stopped at the Mesa-Boogie store to buy the wah that musictoyz couldn't make good on. Asked about lower wattage amps and found one that will switch between EL-34s and 6L6's. Gets a really nice clean, similar to my Twin, but also has a rectifier mode that gets a really nice high gain distortion. Switchable between 10, 15 and 25 watts. Only problem is it's not cheap. d'oh!

I've seen lots of amps for way more tho. We'll see...I'm not in a hurry to spend that kind of scratch right now.

And as a side, I picked up the RMC3 wah by Teese. Fuck me...my crybaby sounds even shittier to me now. The RMC3 has a really nice resonance, I'll have to try the modular through it. Rockin' Banana!

sduck · Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 11:13 pm Post subject:

Yes, the RMC3 is the shit. I keep almost buying one, but it's always a bit outside of my current guitar gear budget, at least compared to other stuff I "need".

And hoping another one of us joins the boogie fold - just whatever you do don't try one of the mark series. It'll spoil you beyond the point of redemption - you'll have to have one. My mark IV is the ultimate amp - will get any sound, is useable at high volumes and extremely low ones, and built to last 124 years.

Nuuj · Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 11:21 pm Post subject:

I've got a Torres Tiny Tone for sale with a selection of alternate vintage tubes.

Tiny Tone

Great recording amp.