Help picking a combo for home use. Input welcome.

[durhamboy]

OK, at 68 years young my regular gigging days are probably behind me, in fact I don't plan on playing out in public at all, but I do want to keep playing at home and maybe recording some of my own song/music, for as long as time and reasonably nimble fingers allows.

As a result I've started looking at a category of amp I haven't bothered with for a very long time, compact combos suitable for home practice, but with enough features and quality to provide some versatility and the ability to sound pretty good. 

I've got a list, though largely based on researching specs and checking out reviews and youtube clips. Living in rural Australia, getting to actually try most options is no easy task, especially since Covid has hit, as stocks in Australia are low and in most cases it's a matter of ordering from another city in another state.

Anyway, here's my list. (Many brands and models available in the UK, Europe and the USA, just aren't available here and shipping costs are huge, so it's pretty much what's available locally only for me.  Plus I've left out such brands as Markbass and Phil Jones stuff as the prices here are astronomical and are way more than I'm willing to spend at the moment.)

Anyway, here's my list of possibles, any and all feedback appreciated.

Ampeg BA110      35w   10" speaker

Eden EC 10           50w    10" speaker

Eden EC 28          180w   2x8" speakers

Eden EC 15          180w  15 " speaker

Hartke HD 50      50w   10" speaker

Laney Richter RB2  30w   10" speaker

Laney Richter RB3  65w   12" speaker'

Orange Crush 50    50w  10" speaker

Warwick WBC40    40W  10" speaker 

[Lozz196]

The only amp on the list I’m familiar with is the Ampeg, and if you like Ampeg tone the BA amps won’t leave you disappointed. 

[Cat Burrito]

I have the Ampeg practice amp and the Orange practice amp, albeit the size down from your list for both. Both have line out sockets so you can plug a phone / laptop / iPod in and play along AND both have headphone jack sockets so you can go pretty loud without causing any issues. Both are light and portable. I got custom covers for both mine so I can go to friend's houses to jam. Both of mine have built in tuners too which are quite useful. Visually I prefer the Orange tolex but despite personally preferring my larger Orange rigs, the Ampeg was easier to find a range of good tones. The Orange sounds good too but I had to play around with the settings to find a tone I really liked. My default is I use the Orange all the time now and the Ampeg is upstairs and I have been too lazy to sell it on.

Can't really help with the other stuff, except that my friend who used to run the local guitar shop stocked a lot of Laney stuff and it didn't sound anywhere near as good. This was 15yrs ago though so they may have upped their game since.

[acidbass]

I'm in the market for something similar and some of the options I have been looking at (in addition to the ones you mentioned) include:

- Fender Rumble 40

- Peavey Max 100

- Ashdown Studio 10

To my mind, a 10" speaker is the perfect size for home playing - you could maybe even get away with 8".  I'll buy something that I can just fit nicely in the corner without it taking up too much space

[Dan Dare]

Never say never. Your gigging days may not be behind you. I'd definitely get one which has a preamp/line out, so you can add a power amp and cab(s) if you need to make more noise at a later date. All those you list will do the job, depending on what you want. If you like clean, I'd look towards the Edens, rather than the Orange. Hartke combos are decent and quite versatile. I've never been that thrilled by Laney bass gear, except their big valve heads.

[eude]

Although I'm a dyed in the wool Ashdown fan, I have the tiny wee Warwick practice combo,  the BC10 and for the size and cost of it, it's marvellous!
It wouldn't ever keep up with a band, but it's got enough going on to play with acoustic guitars and singers, anything unamplified.
I expect the larger Warwick combos are even better.

I would certainly explore the Ashdown Studio combos if your budget can stretch though, as I expect they're incredible!

Eude

[durhamboy]

Thanks everybody, there's a lot of good information in your responses.

While there's lots of samples of the likes of Fender Rumbles and the smaller Ampegs around,clips of the likes of Eden, Laney and Warwick are few and far between.

I haven't included Ashdown on my list as down here the range is very limited and availability is patchy. Though I hear good things about them.

I'm leaning towards Eden, Hartke, or Warwick, as they seem to to get good reviews and seem to have a good set of features without being "blinged up" with effects and overdrive circuits. I have a few good pedals if I want effects colouring my sound.

I quite like the Eden EC 10 and I'm sure at 50 watts it would be all I'd need for home use, but I can't help liking the EC28, and with 180watts, it could probably handle small jazz/blues and acoustic group gigs...

Yeah, I know what I said, but you never know do you?    😉

[machinehead]

I have a lot of high end cabs and heads, but a few years ago I bought an Eden EC28 combo in a half-price Andertons sale when I was drunk.   What a pleasant surprise.

It's an excellent piece of kit.  A massive range of sounds , quite deep and rich, and capable of really decent volume.  Easily giggable and lots of features. Those little 8" speakers can really dish it out! 

Frank.

[durhamboy]

4 hours ago, machinehead said:

I have a lot of high end cabs and heads, but a few years ago I bought an Eden EC28 combo in a half-price Andertons sale when I was drunk.   What a pleasant surprise.

It's an excellent piece of kit.  A massive range of sounds , quite deep and rich, and capable of really decent volume.  Easily giggable and lots of features. Those little 8" speakers can really dish it out! 

Frank.

Thanks Frank, It's great to get a response from someone who has the Eden EC28. Nice to hear it can sound deep and rich with those 8 inch speakers.

Thanks for all the feedback and information from everyone. There's nothing like first hand feedback from players.