help me pick a good portable amp

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Neemo

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I actually have the micro terror, but not too late to bring it back and change my mind, kinda wish it was a bit thicker soundin but with 8" speakers what can ya do, as a 2x8 it is much better than the single, I saw it at my local shop and jumped on it cuz they are pretty popular right now, just looking for advice on what u guys think of the micro terror vs the other amps I was looking at, really just want something decent to carry around with me pretty much at all times, my main amp is a deluxe reverb ri, but its not something I can tear down and bring with me at a moment's notice, thanks in advance

How much would you like to spend? +/-$300

What's the absolutely most you will spend? +/-400

How many years have you played guitar? 15ish

Do you seek tone quality or versatility? A bit of both, plus I need something decently loud but not too loud

What is your primary guitar (include pup type and configuration)? Stock USA fender tele and stock 50s trib lp

What style(s) of music do you primarily play? Rock (60s to 90s)

What one guitarist do you wish to emulate? Not really a concern for me

Do you prefer to plug straight in, or will you be using effects? Some of both depending on my mood, single channel is fine and effects loop not a concern

What will be the primary use of the amp?
bedroom/living room
jam with friends (guitars only)

Do you prefer a combo or head/cabinet (and why)? Not a concern

What amplifier(s) do you have/had and why do you want a change? I have a deluxe reverb I use most of the time but I need something small and portable with decent sound to bring around with me

Please list five amps (minimum) that you have researched (if you can't do this, you're not serious)

Orange micro terror stack (very tiny, portable, fun, looks cool, sounds ok at higher volume with humbuckers, not as good with single coils, and at low gain, I did find a cool.setting for clean, I just think it sounds better with some gain )
Fender excelsior (awesome clean tone, but heavier than I was hoping, and open back kinda scares me to carry around everywhere)
Fender superchamp (the new one) haven't looked into it too much but supposed to be cool)
Vox lol night train (I like the 15w head, I dunno if 2 watts will be loud enough to play along
With my friends 25w tube amp, plus if I add a cab it will push me.over what I had hoped to spend
New Marshall DSL 15c (wayyy over my budget lol but seems to be pretty cool, with tonnes of features for price, kinda heavy to carry everywhere though)
 

Neemo

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Yeah...again its a bit higher price point than I am after, I saw a used one once.for $300 I wish I wouldve jumped on it :-(
 

Mr Insane

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Buy used for sure, they are a bargain.
 

LesterNtele

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A Fender super champ XD is a pretty good sounding grab-n-go amp. It has a 10" but is still rather small.

As far as a small amp with kahunies, that micro terror is IT. The speaker makes all the difference. Small speaker=small tone. Big cab=BIG tone.
I took it to rehersal and plugged it into a 2x12 and it about blew the drummer off his throne.

A SCXD will certainly not do that. Neither will any sub $800 amp. Not even the Marshall mini amps can do that.

If you simply MUST go small, I would (keep the MT of course) buy the Vox DA5. It is SS, is very small, fairly loud & decent sounding and can run on batteries. It has several amp models and effects. It is better than the Roland mini amps tone-wise.

Take it from a guy who has owned tons of amps from a $25 belt clip amp to $2500 hand wired amps and everything inbetween.
 

rjwilson37

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Yep, I would probably take it back if I were you. I thought the Micro Terror was lacking in a bunch of areas and took it back the next day after my purchase. I ended up getting a Mustang I for $50 less and I think the Mustang I sounds better than the Micro Terror. If you play the Micro Terror through a nice 4x12 ($500-$700) it sounds good, but that defeats the whole purpose of a small portable amp.
 

Neemo

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My freind has a new fender bandmaster 2x12 cab and yeah the micro kicks ass thru it, but tbh using 2 of the 1x8s instead of one makes a big difference too, not quite so tinny and shrill, also we tried a couple different 12ax7s in it today (a ruby hg5 and a jj) I may go grab a tung sol for $16 and see what that sounds like, the ruby cuts the high end quite a bit, sounds pretty decent

The jj seems to get pretty sloppy if u turn the gain knob past noon

I won't be carrying a full size 2x12 around with me, that's for sure

@rjwilson, I've played the mustang I ... It's not for me .... not to keen on modelling amps either, I find I can never just get a true clean sound, the sound always seems to be coloured in some way, just looking for something straight forward, don't need any bells and whistles at all
 

chef

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Check out a Fender Pro Jr. $400 new, I picked up a used one for $200. Dead simple non master volume amp that sounds great for blues/rock stuff. Can get loud enough, but not gonna blow doors off at edge of breakup levels, pretty darn loud when cranked. Sounds good through bigger cabs too.
 

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