Opinions, please, on 'lightweight' tube amps

[Paul S]

I am toying with the idea of getting an all tube head but couldn't live with anything too heavy. 20kg would be about my limit, I think.

From what I have read I could do a lot worse than the Stoneham Y1200 - [url="http://stonehamamps.co.uk/product/yi200-head/?"]http://stonehamamps.co.uk/product/yi200-head/?[/url] - it ticks an awful lot of my boxes. I am after an 'old school vintage tone' whatever the heck that is - nothing too broken or distorted.

But what would be other possible contenders at that power/size/price/weight?

[Dood]

Well, these guys were set up next to me at London Bass Guitar Show when I was on the Shuker stand, but I didn't get a chance to talk to them. Turns out they do lightweight valve amps!

https://www.rheingoldmusic.de/Amplification

[markstuk]

The mesa Four:88 is pretty light - about 30 lbs

[Jazzjames]

http://www.ampeg.com/products/classic/v4b/ (18kgs)

Lovely sounding head. New they're around a grand, second hand, less. Not crazy loud, but a beautiful sound to my ear.

[Paul S]

The Rheingold is interesting and I particularly like the look of the Mesa four:88 but they are both quite expensive. Not sure the Ampeg would be loud enough for what I have in mind. Any other contenders?

Edited May 2, 2017 by Paul S

[fuzzonaut]

A bit above your limit with 22.6 kg (200W), but the Mywatt amps get a lot of love.
[url="http://mywatt.de/en/index.html"]http://mywatt.de/en/index.html[/url]
(The 400W model is around 25kg).

[wateroftyne]

I believe the HandBox WB-100 will be available very soon, if not now:

http://www.handbox.pl/WB-100-Glowa-Full-Lampa-p139.html

[Paul S]

They are both interesting. I wonder if the Handbox would be loud enough? The Mesa Boogie wins on pretty much all counts except it is very expensive. Hmm.

[fuzzonaut]

Will 100W be loud enough? That is probably also determined by the cab(s) situation.

[url="http://www.reussenzehn.de/de/musiker/bass-verstaerker/monoblock-bass.php"]Here's[/url] 100W, only 11 kg, 1590 Euro, can go down to 2 Ohms.

[peteb]

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1493666389' post='3289865']
I am toying with the idea of getting an all tube head but couldn't live with anything too heavy. 20kg would be about my limit, I think.

From what I have read I could do a lot worse than the Stoneham Y1200 - [url="http://stonehamamps.co.uk/product/yi200-head/?"]http://stonehamamps.co.uk/product/yi200-head/?[/url] - it ticks an awful lot of my boxes. I am after an 'old school vintage tone' whatever the heck that is - nothing too broken or distorted.

But what would be other possible contenders at that power/size/price/weight?
[/quote]
I used a Stoneham bass amp at a festival in the north east a bit ago and was very impressed, if that helps at all...

[Paul S]

That does help, thank you. Every little bit of info helps as I know nothing!

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1493908617' post='3291751']
That does help, thank you. Every little bit of info helps as I know nothing!
[/quote]

....and I think JPJ of this parish borrowed one and gigged it.

Ah, found the link:

http://basschat.co.uk/topic/231938-npavad-new-no-longer-prototype-british-built-all-valve-amp-day/

[Paul S]

Thank you. A lot of amp for not a lot of money. Not as small or light as the Mesa Boogie but it is a grand cheaper!

[markstuk]

The mesa comes up for about £1200 s/h occasionally.. I never really got on with mine although I suspect it might have been carrying a fault in retrospect..

[itsmedunc]

I used to love an old Selmer 50w treble and bass head that a mate of mine had. Must have dated from the sixties. That wasn't too heavy . Lovely sounding thing. Really old school! I can't remember the model but I think it was one of these -

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/selmer-treble-and-bass-50-head.1372272/

[DGBass]

If you can find one, a Marshall JCM 800 bass head will weigh in at around 20.5kg. Old school 100w vintage sounds comes by the shedload, especially if you use a cab with at least a pair of vintage 30's or 70/80's. It will go very very loud indeed but is more of a low mid/mid/toppy tone in my experience. Price wise around a third of the cost of a Stoneman for a decent JCM800. I have a version with the 5881 tubes and it sounds great with a 2x12 cab.

[Japhet]

I have a Weber Mywatt. It's more or less a copy of the old Hiwatt. Hand built, 200Watts, around 20kg and very reasonably priced. Sounds fabulous. Go check it out - you won't be disappointed.

[Paul S]

Thanks folks. I did a kind of 'test' at the gym with a 20kg plate and I think that taking my dodgy back into account anything close to that would be too much for me to manoeuver. Probably time to start saving for the Mesa Boogie - which weighs about the same as my current rackmounted Trace Elliot head - or forget it!

Appreciate your input - for one thing I was unaware of the Mesa Boogie!

[wateroftyne]

Do a bit of research on the Mesa heads - IIRC there have been a few reported issues.

[Paul S]

Thanks for the heads up - I'll do a bit more reading! I'm in no rush - have to shift some gear first, too.

[itsmedunc]

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1493968494' post='3292157']
Thanks for the heads up - I'll do a bit more reading! I'm in no rush - have to shift some gear first, too.
[/quote]

Oh no! What am I going to buy now!

[Paul S]

[RJB280]

Check out Trace Elliot Twin or Quatra valve (38lbs) if you can find one !
Lovely sounding classic tube head

[Paul S]

Yes, thanks for that - both are on my radar. I think I'll sit tight and see what comes along.