Nice Little Tube Amp...

[standard man]

Hello MLP,
With the recent purchase of my Gibson, I feel like my amp is lacking. Its a VOX VT30 Valvetronics. I feel like I really want an all tube amp. I dont have much money. Depending on some sales Im working on, I may not have any at all. But I would like to know a nice budget friendly Tube amp. It can be any wattage. Im mostly a bedroom rocker but sometimes I get out and jam with a drummer. Anyways, does anyone have a recommendation for a budget friendly Tube amp. I will sell my VOX if I have to.
Thanks guys!
Ty

[Hausmet]

I have the Blackheart Little Giant(BH5H+BH112) and its really an amazing and very wallet friendly amp if youre just looking for something straight up with no features. The one thing I did do though is swapped the stock tubes for JJs and I really cant say that ive played anything in the price range that sounds anywhere near as good.

Im actually selling mine

Blackheart BH5H + BH112

if youre nearby id be glad to give you a little bit of a deal

P.S. one thing about it though is its really not little, while its not heavy, there are definitely smaller tube amps out there if space is an issue.

[alligatorbling]

another fan of the little giant... I had one for a while and when cranked it can hang with a drummer....

[Tuya Customs]

You really should check out Phaez, 350 for a hand made 14 watt tube amp (daisycutter) I have one on the way now and I am terribly excited. They have great reviews, and are spoken highly of around here.

[Hausmet]

Originally Posted by Tuya Customs

You really should check out Phaez, 350 for a hand made 14 watt tube amp (daisycutter) I have one on the way now and I am terribly excited. They have great reviews, and are spoken highly of around here.

How did you order? the only place i can find that he sells through is ebay and there is only one amp posted right now.

[Tuya Customs]

Email him at allyq@cogeco.ca. His ebay is slow these days because he's getting plenty of custom orders and he's creating a website. I'm getting mine used but I'm still gonna have him mod it.

[eaglewolf]

I bought the Blackstar HT-5 combo. It's a 5W tube amp that sounds amazingly good for the money. The combo version has a headphone output that allows late night practicing without bothering the more sensible part of the family that went to bed at a decent hour. 5 watts may not do it for jamming with a drummer, but cranked it puts out a lot more than a SS amp so it might work. In any case, I paid $400 for my combo at GC and am quite pleased with it.

I was looking at a DIY tube kit, but if the Phaez could be had for $350 I'd definitely consider that. Is that for a head or a combo? I take it that you have to contact him directly, as I don't see a website. I'd be curious to see some of the different options.

David

[Tuya Customs]

double post sorry

[Tuya Customs]

Originally Posted by eaglewolf

I was looking at a DIY tube kit, but if the Phaez could be had for $350 I'd definitely consider that. Is that for a head or a combo? I take it that you have to contact him directly, as I don't see a website. I'd be curious to see some of the different options.

David

Anthing you want on there he WILL do, might take more time and money but it'll get done. Yes, you do have to contact him directly.

[eaglewolf]

Originally Posted by Tuya Customs

Anthing you want on there he WILL do, might take more time and money but it'll get done. Yes, you do have to contact him directly.

Interesting. I always wondered if an amp could be designed to switch between EL34 and EL84 tubes (or on the American side, between 6L6 and 6V6 tubes) to allow a single amp to cover high volume and low volume in a single amp. This would be especially nice if the voicing was approximately the same for both modes. But then with all the current amps out there, is it really necessary?

Honestly though, the Daisycutter is probably all the amp I need. With the Blackstar I already have a decent low volume amp. The Mesa Electradyne looks like it might be a great amp (for a heck of a lot more money) but at the price I just don't know if I can justify the expense and it isn't really a low volume amp. I've yet to hear one, the same as the Phaez.

David

[TeleDog]

Originally Posted by eaglewolf

Interesting. I always wondered if an amp could be designed to switch between EL34 and EL84 tubes (or on the American side, between 6L6 and 6V6 tubes) to allow a single amp to cover high volume and low volume in a single amp. This would be especially nice if the voicing was approximately the same for both modes. But then with all the current amps out there, is it really necessary?

David

You can try yellow jackets, they're not that expensive and will allow you to use those tubes.

[acstorfer]

Originally Posted by eaglewolf

Interesting. I always wondered if an amp could be designed to switch between EL34 and EL84 tubes (or on the American side, between 6L6 and 6V6 tubes) to allow a single amp to cover high volume and low volume in a single amp. This would be especially nice if the voicing was approximately the same for both modes. But then with all the current amps out there, is it really necessary?

Honestly though, the Daisycutter is probably all the amp I need. With the Blackstar I already have a decent low volume amp. The Mesa Electradyne looks like it might be a great amp (for a heck of a lot more money) but at the price I just don't know if I can justify the expense and it isn't really a low volume amp. I've yet to hear one, the same as the Phaez.

David

My Egnater Rebel will switch from 6V6's to EL84's. It will also blend the two sets as well. There are quite a few very cool other features as well.

[eaglewolf]

Originally Posted by TeleDog

You can try yellow jackets, they're not that expensive and will allow you to use those tubes.

Those look interesting. I'd prefer being able to switch completely from one to another by flipping a switch, but that is one alternative. I suppose I could have an amp designed that way if I was having it custom built. Making it the way you want is the point of a custom built amp, isn't it?

Originally Posted by acstorfer

My Egnater Rebel will switch from 6V6's to EL84's. It will also blend the two sets as well. There are quite a few very cool other features as well.

I love the Rebel. If the price had been more comparable, I probably would have chosen it over the Blackstar. No slam against the Blackstar, but the difference between a $400 combo and a $600 head plus $250 cabinet (or two) was more than I was willing to spend at the time. The Blackstar is a great value, but I really liked the Rebel.

Now that they have the Rebel 30, it tugs at me despite the cost difference. Maybe it is a good thing that I didn't buy the Rebel 20, because now the Rebel 30 makes more sense.

Of course, I just tried an ElectraDyne today at GC. Mmm - for those that don't need the high gain metal type overdrive, that is one sweet amp! But then we are talking a LOT more money! ($1700 for the 1X12 combo.)

David

[Reaperc89]

My first tube amp was a tiny terror, but after looking back on it, I wouldn't purchase it as a first again, due to the lack of features. The blackstar HT-5 or Egnator Rebel-20 are great little amps, and will perform wonderfully.

Additionally, lots of folks don't care for Bugera due to their parent company, but I personally own a Bugera 1960, and it is a wonderful amp, especially for the price tag. I would 100% recommend looking into buying a bugera combo, or saving up for a cabinet/head

[longbow]

Do yourself a favor and look around for a CRATE VC20 with a 12" speaker. Simple amp with a nice little reverb tank. These were hand wired, made in St.Louis with 2 EL84's and 3 12ATX7's. I have a 10" speaker one I keep by the comp. for practice and it is the BEST sounding small all tube amp I have played. They weigh a ton though, like 38lbs for such a small thing. Its a single channel with a boost function and headphone jack. Sometimes I run an Ibanez TS9 to it but not often. Just my opinion on these amps though.

You can also look around for a Blues Cube 30. Again a simple amp, 12" greenbacks speaker, no effects on it but 2 channels. Very very fine amp that sounds almost as good as the VC20. These can be had for usually under 2 bills. I am talking both amps here. Not together as one price but individually both can be had for less than 2 bills. thanks

PS the BC30 is solid state though but is as close to a tube sounding s.s. amp as you will find

[Tuya Customs]

Originally Posted by eaglewolf

Those look interesting. I'd prefer being able to switch completely from one to another by flipping a switch, but that is one alternative. I suppose I could have an amp designed that way if I was having it custom built. Making it the way you want is the point of a custom built amp, isn't it?

And it'll get done for relatively cheap, I must say that quite an interesting idea though . I know for a fact Randy at Phaez has may a el84+6v6 daist cutter but I have no idea what the features were. I am extremely excited to get mine in.