Please suggest me some amps for bedroom practicing

Professor Jones · #1 01-09-2009, 06:00 PM

I currently have a Roland Cube 30X, which is nice, but I arrived to a point where I'd really like a better sounding amp. I'm searching for a versatile amp (I mostly play jazz and rock), with a very warm and full sound. Maybe a small tube amp (that would be my first tube amp), but most importantly something that sounds good at low volumes.

jb4674 · #2 01-09-2009, 06:14 PM

What's your budget and how small an amp are we talking about here?

Jimmy

smooth55 · #3 01-09-2009, 06:18 PM

Honestly, I'd have to say, if you're only looking for bedroom amps, stick with the cube. It's one of the best bedroom amps out there. I think you'll find that even the smallest tube amp is on the loud side and the cheaper tube amps tend to be less versitile unless you have lots of eq and effects on hand already.
If you're looking for an amp to play out with or at least rehearse with, you open up a lot more options but with tube amps, unless you can play them at least 40% of their potential volume, you'll find your tone to be a little lacking. That's just the nature of the volume beast.
If you're really jonesing, pun intended, for a tube amp in your bedroom, the Mini Colossal would probably be my first recommendation. It's pricey, too pricey for some, but the features it offers are nice for the price and you have more volume control than any of the other 5 watt tube amps out there.

Professor Jones · #4 01-09-2009, 06:19 PM

Budget : ~500 USD

Size : to play at home primarily, and maybe occasionally gig with friends

jb4674 · #5 01-09-2009, 06:23 PM

I agree with Smooth, go with the mini colossal and you'll be glad you did. The added benefits are that you can still use a cab with it later and it'll be loud as hell and it has a direct out for recording that simulates the tone of the amp.

Jimmy

Mato · #6 01-09-2009, 06:25 PM

I think the only thing better than Cube for home is Tech 21 Trademark 30 + some cool effect pedal and you´r in bedroom heaven.

**jemsite** · #7 01-09-2009, 06:27 PM

how do you go from "bedroom amp" to playing "small gigs".

You gotta decide how many actual channels you need and what speaker configuration you're looking for first & foremost... glen

rob777vdy · #8 01-09-2009, 07:06 PM

like most people ive had stacks of amps over the years,but wont be buying anymore.a mate put me onto line6 amps, so i went and bought a line6 flextone111.im over the moon with it.It has easy to use built in effects and you can get almost any tone you want out of it.perfect for indoors or a small gig.your probs best off going to a store and trying a few different amps before you decide.line6 amps are quite cheap aswell.hope this helps ya.

Hikey Mikey · #9 01-09-2009, 11:18 PM

Another vote here for the Mini Colossal. I bought one and I am very happy with it. All tube, 5 watts, gets LOUD, but can also give true distorted tube sound at low volume levels. An infinite variety of tones from combinations of the power sponge, master volume, and guitar volume.

I tested it alongside the Fender Champion 600 and the Peavey Royal 8, both cheaper, but didn't sound nearly as good in my opinion.

Darin · #10 01-10-2009, 01:10 AM

Play the Egnater Rebel before you buy anything.

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Egnater-...24-i1423761.gc

Quote:

Sure it's tiny, but do not mistake it for a toy. The Rebel-20 from Egnater is a truly professional amp head with features and sound that are anything but small. Inside you'll find three GrooveTubes 12AX7 preamp tubes, a pair of GrooveTubes EL84 power tubes and a pair of GrooveTubes 6V6 power tubes. Not only do you get the signature Egnater TIGHT and BRIGHT voicing switches, you also have wide range gain control that lets you go from bluesy clean up to roaring high-gain lead all using a single gain knob.

The Watts control lets you turn the Rebel 20's power from 20 watts to 1 watt for bandstand to bedroom volume. The guitar amp head also includes a professional quality effects loop that doesn't "suck tone". But the coolest feature of the Egnater Rebel-20 is the TUBE MIX control — an Egnater first. With the TUBE MIX knob turned counterclockwise you get the classic American sound of the 6V6 power tubes. Set the Rebel 20's knob full clockwise to experience the more aggressive, British sound of the EL84 tubes. For the first time, you can blend the two types of tubes in any proportion you wish to create a truly signature sound.
Egnater Rebel 20 20W Tube Guitar Amp Head Features:

* 20-Watt All-Tube Head
* Variable Wattage Control from 1w to 20w
* Tube Mix Blends Between 6V6 and EL84 Power Tubes
* Master Volume, Gain, Three Band EQ
* Egnater Signature Tight and Bright Voicing Switches
* Effects Loop
* Powered by Groove Tubes
* 100V/115V/230V Switchable
* Rugged Shoulder Bag Included
* Dimensions: 14.25 " (W) x 8.25 " (D) x 7.5" (H)
* Weight: 16 lb.
* Tubes:
* Powered by GrooveTubes
* 3 x 12AX7
* 2 x 6V6
* 2 x EL84

OklaStar · #11 01-10-2009, 01:15 AM

I played one of the little peavey vipers the other day. Really cool little amp.
I play an 18 watt tube Atomic with the Line 6 Pod X3 in it. Its an awesome setup for practicing and its pretty cool for small gigs too.

Professor Jones · #12 01-10-2009, 04:50 AM

First of all, thanks for the replies.

Bedroom playing is a priority for me, since this is where I spent 95% of my guitar playing. I used to have a band but it's on hiatus now since the drummer left and we can't find a new one. But we were rehearsing in some kind of studio which already had some amps, so I didn't need one for that purpose anyway.

The mini colossal seems cool, but the lack of low/mid/high controls kinda bothers me, since I like to dial those to get the sounds I want. Will this be a problem ?

OklaStar · #13 01-10-2009, 12:14 PM

You will be bored with a mini colossal. Its a cool little amp and they sound great, but they only make one sound, no reverb, no echo, no distortion, to tone controls, not anything.

For a bedroom amp I would much rather have a modeler that has chorus, echo, flange, reverb, Distortion, and several different amp sounds with presets.

EvoGiant · #14 01-10-2009, 01:02 PM

check out the peavey vypyr. its cool and cheap. the effects sound great, the amp models are all different from each other, and you can have 12 of your own presets.

jb4674 · #15 01-10-2009, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Professor Jones

First of all, thanks for the replies.

The mini colossal seems cool, but the lack of low/mid/high controls kinda bothers me, since I like to dial those to get the sounds I want. Will this be a problem ?

Just add a nice mxr 10 band eq pedal and you should be fine.

Jimmy