Marvin Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 I've seen the[url="http://www.fender.com/en-GB/products/frontman-25r"] Fender Frontman 25R [/url]for a little under £100. They seem quite reasonable. Don't know. What does anyone else use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 When I was looking I asked in my local shop- they recomended the Fender Mustang 1 as the best option - I can see why. I thought about it and picked up a line6 wee thing from gumtree and would spend my cash on something with valves if I ever learn to play enough to warrant it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismuzz Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 Peavey Vypyr 15 is what I'm inevitably going to go for when I get back into guitar. The Line 6 spider combos are really great too though. Both the guitarists in my band use one on gigs and they perform brilliantly and easily give my Markbass rig a run for its money! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_S Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 I'd spend the extra fifty quid and get a Peavey Envoy. Just my opinion, but tiny practice amps generally sound pretty rough on the distortion channel unless they're the modelling type, at which point you seem to be paying a fair bit for something that won't take you much past your bedroom. I'd always favour a 'proper' amp that will play quietly at home but also cover rehearsals, jam sessions, gigs etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsholdman Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 The Roland Micro Cube is a nice and very portable amplifier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 I'd go for a secondhand Laney LC15 or LC15R (the same but with reverb). Fantastic little valve combo. There's a nice one on Ebay at the moment for £129.00: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Laney-LC15R-Valve-Tube-Combo-Great-Christmas-Present-Marshall-Fender-FREE-P-P-UK-/251197758980?pt=UK_MusicalInstr_Amplifiers_RL&hash=item3a7c8d9e04 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_Stu Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 The Line 6 amps tend to massively reduce in price when the next upgraded model comes out. I got a new Line 6 MkIII 30w for £75 when the MkIV came out, which was about half price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancient Mariner Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 By all accounts the small Mustangs are very good, though I've never tried one myself. I'd recommend a Vox Pathfinder 15 if you can find one. All analogue, great tone and capable of a reasonable volume for when you move up a little. And they look much better than the majority of small amps. I found a faulty one and gutted it, building a single ended valve amp (6V6 to 6550 for 6W to 22W) and fitting a 10" speaker with a few tweaks to the cab. Voxy Baby was my main amp for several years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted December 15, 2012 Author Share Posted December 15, 2012 I quite like the looks of the Fender Mustang. It'll only be for home practice, I've no intention of joining a band as a guitarist. I just want to be able to learn and noodle at home, and maybe come up with ideas for the bands I'm in (once I've learnt to play ). Thank you everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethFlatlands Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 (edited) [quote name='Ancient Mariner' timestamp='1355163694' post='1894889'] By all accounts the small Mustangs are very good, though I've never tried one myself. I'd recommend a Vox Pathfinder 15 if you can find one. All analogue, great tone and capable of a reasonable volume for when you move up a little. And they look much better than the majority of small amps. I found a faulty one and gutted it, building a single ended valve amp (6V6 to 6550 for 6W to 22W) and fitting a 10" speaker with a few tweaks to the cab. Voxy Baby was my main amp for several years. [/quote] Heard nothing but good things about the Pathfinder although I've never tried one myself. Try a Harley Benton GA5 if you're handy with a soldering iron, it's the same amp as the Epiphone Valve Junior (but cheaper) so can be modded pretty heavily. Minus points are that it needs a little modding initially due to issues with hum and noise. Edited December 16, 2012 by GarethFlatlands Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 There are two main ways to go with this:[list] [*]Loads of built-in effects → modelling amp with bells and whistles eg Line 6 Spider; [*]Valves → Harley Benton GA5, Laney LC15. [/list] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancient Mariner Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 TBH the Epi VJ & similar aren't really practice amps, and if you crank one loud enough for overdrive it will be too loud for most households. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 I use and highly rate the Fender Champ 600 reissue. Secondhand about 70-80 quid. Speaker is only 6" but the tone does [u][i]not[/i][/u] suffer, mic'd up you'd never know the difference. I've done entire gigs with this amp, telecaster, and a delay pedal, everything from rock to ambience playing. HOWEVER! if you don't like the Fender sound you're a bit stuck! There is also Blackstar HT1R and the like, but they lack the simple 1 knob charm of the Champ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethFlatlands Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 (edited) [quote name='Ancient Mariner' timestamp='1355696713' post='1901596'] TBH the Epi VJ & similar aren't really practice amps, and if you crank one loud enough for overdrive it will be too loud for most households. [/quote] Fair point, I've never tried mine at home but those 5 watts are loud on a normal 2 by 12 cab. Depends on your cab and speaker choice but it's probably too much for home use. (Edit - mine was modded for high gain before I bought it so I couldn't really comment on volume anyway.) Edited December 17, 2012 by GarethFlatlands Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
machinehead Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 The VHT special 6 is a superb all valve amp. Switchable between 3/6 watts. They are a total bargain. Frank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barkin Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 [quote name='Ancient Mariner' timestamp='1355696713' post='1901596'] TBH the Epi VJ & similar aren't really practice amps, and if you crank one loud enough for overdrive it will be too loud for most households. [/quote] I sold a WEM Power Musette a while ago, for exactly that reason. Lovely sound, but to get any amount of break-up it had to be driven far too loud for home practice. Replaced it with a Peavey Valve King Royal 8. It's not up there with the WEM tone-wise, but it does sound remarkably good for what it is (and what I paid for it) and as a home practice amp it's much more usable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Savage Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 [quote name='Ancient Mariner' timestamp='1355696713' post='1901596'] TBH the Epi VJ & similar aren't really practice amps, and if you crank one loud enough for overdrive it will be too loud for most households. [/quote] Yep, definitely - admittedly I was running mine through a 4x12, but it was IMPOSSIBLE to get any drive out of it without rattling windows. However, by all accounts the Blackstar HT1 is a bit special; going to be looking at one of those myself when I can afford to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 In the end I bought Fender Mustang I. I was in a music shop, they had one I bought it. I can see why they are recommended as a home practice amp. It's an impressive little bit of kit and quite loud. As I don't intend to take my guitar playing any further than the living room it's perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 In my experience of guitarists and their gear, I'm quite sure the Mustang 1 would be more than loud enough if you ever [i]did [/i]decide to venture beyond the living room. Our guitarist uses a Marshal 40W valve combo at half-power and it's stupid loud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancient Mariner Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Glad you like it. discreet - it's very hard to compare wattage against perceived volume between valve and solid state amps (and SS amps also usually have cheaper, less efficient speakers too). That 40 Marshall would probably comfortably keep up with a Line 6 HD150, and my 18watt clone is much louder than my Tech 21 Trademark 60 (a quality SS amp). But if the amp is mic'ed then sure it would be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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