Sound Advice

[Timothong]

Currently, im running a JEM 7v into a roland cube 30.

I have a budget of 400, and i think i need an amp change to tubes for a better tone, preferably one that can operate at low volume and still have a nice tone.

I play mostly shred/metal/instrumental rock, so high gain is preferred.

Should i save up more and get a better tube amp? (I should have 1500 by next year)
Or is the difference between a 400 dollar tube and a 1500 dollar tube not that much? (and maybe i can spend some of the money on pedals instead)

[speedy mcfeely]

save your money. $1500 buys alot of amp. $400 not so much. You'll be happier in the long run. Trust me, been there done that.

[smooth55]

My advice is to practice like crazy and try everything while you're saving up for the amp of your dreams. A $400 amp, while not necessarily bad, will have limitations in some department of it's sound, volume, versatility, etc. You'll enjoy it for a little while, but then feel like if you had better gear you'd have a better sound, not always an accurate thought process. Money should not be the first consideration, if you're willing to be patient. Rather, evaluate what sounds you're looking to get from the amp (i.e. how versitile does the tone need to be), what uses you're going to put it towards (live? just a jam set-up? home recording? goofing around? etc.) and then start to consider what your budget should be. An amp you're going to gig with should be a durable amp that gets the job done. An amp you're just going to play in your basement and do personal recordings with, probably doesn't need to break the bank. Bottom line is, get the best you can afford that meets your needs.
As a side note, I've come to realize that the tone problems I have are usually more to do with me than with my gear. That being said, if you try an amp extensively that is $400 and you love it, there's nothing wrong with saving cash. And, if you go all out and get a super sweet amp that you've tried and love and it's $2000, you'll be happy with your purchase and less likely to want something else within a year or two of your purchase.

[indeedido]

I disagree. A good $400 amp is going to sound better than that cube. It will also inspire him to develop as a player. Check out the Marshall MG line, Marshall MG100DFX Combo for example. http://guitars.***************.com/p...bo-?sku=483190

Even the Peavey Viper line.

You can find great tube amps too on **** for $400.

[smooth55]

I don't really see how the MG or the Viper line is all that much better than his cube. Maybe louder, but still in the same tone ballpark. I think the cube is one of the best practicing/bedroom amps out there right now. If he wants tube, there are plent of $400-600 options and used is a great way to save on some even more expensive models but that'll come with some limits. A $400 watt tube amp is not likely to have a good master volume, so if he's playing at home, his tone will suffer. It's also not likely to have 2 channels (though there are several out there) and it's certainly not going to have a lot in terms of EQ tweakability, tone versatility, and things like an effects loop or 12" speaker or recording/headphone out. I'm not saying there aren't any tube amps out there that have some of these things...Peavey Windsor, Blackstar HT-5, Egnater Rebel, etc. There's also things like the Fender Blues Jr. which is a great single channel 15 watt amp, you just need pedals for doing the heavy stuff that he says he plays. Like Speedy said, $1500 will get you a lot more amp.
I also think that most of the $400 amps are not great for distortion without pedal assistance. If he's a pedal geek, buy a cheaper amp with a good clean and let the pedals do the work, a great option but you'll probably want an effects loop and that narrows the feild in this price point considerably.
I'm of the opinion that if you're going to buy a $400 amp, and then in a year and a half by a $1000 amp, why not save for 6 months and just buy the $1000 amp. In the meantime, you give yourself the opportunity to really try the amps over multiple days and with different guitars, read about their reliability and other's experiences, and in general get a deeper understanding of what you're about to drop your hard earned money on.

[indeedido]

A MG or Viper with that is a 2x12 is going to sound considerably different than his cube with 1x10.

[smooth55]

I think it'll sound different and it'll definitely be louder. Trying them out is the only way to know if it's better. Having a solid state 2X12 for the last few years, I can say that they are probably not a long term solution. I thought it was great when I first got it years ago. It was loud, it had built in effects and I used it for my gigs in high school. But, within 2 or 3 years I wanted something better. The sound wasn't as good or flexible as I first thought and I never use the effects in it. I had to run pedals to make it sound good to me. I also couldn't play it in the apartment I was living in when I first got married because it was so loud and I ended up practicing through a multi-effects with computer speakers, not ideal but it got the job done for late nights. Looking back, I wished that I would've had the forsight to save my almost $400 I spent on the Crate and put it towards a sturdy 1X12 tube amp with a good master volume. Instead, I have an amp with no resale value...and I'm looking into things like the Rebel 30, JSX, and other tube amps that are about $1000.
I'm just trying to pass on my experience that it is much more satisfying to save and buy a really nice peice of equipment or instrument than it is to buy something because it's cheap and loud. Different strokes for different folks. If he tries the Viper or the MG and likes them, more power to him because at the end of the day, that's all that matters. On the other hand, this forum is full of people who after spending thousands of dollars still aren't satisfied with their tone. Maybe it's them, maybe it's the gear. Either way, at even $400, I'd want to make sure I was getting something that would last (would satisfy me for at least a few years) and that I wouldn't be able to blame when I feel like I'm not sounding good. He might as well save up and get an amp worthy of his JEM.

[teokiatuan]

are you sure you aren't using a jem JR instead?

http://soft.com.sg/forum/gear-guitar...ggestions.html

i say save up more too

[smooth55]

well spotted teokiatuan

[rastachild]

Originally Posted by smooth55

A $400 watt tube amp is not likely to have a good master volume, so if he's playing at home, his tone will suffer. It's also not likely to have 2 channels (though there are several out there) and it's certainly not going to have a lot in terms of EQ tweakability, tone versatility, and things like an effects loop or 12" speaker or recording/headphone out. I'm not saying there aren't any tube amps out there that have some of these things...Peavey Windsor, Blackstar HT-5, Egnater Rebel, etc. There's also things like the Fender Blues Jr. which is a great single channel 15 watt amp, you just need pedals for doing the heavy stuff that he says he plays. Like Speedy said, $1500 will get you a lot more amp.
I also think that most of the $400 amps are not great for distortion without pedal assistance. If he's a pedal geek, buy a cheaper amp with a good clean and let the pedals do the work, a great option but you'll probably want an effects loop and that narrows the feild in this price point considerably.
I'm of the opinion that if you're going to buy a $400 amp, and then in a year and a half by a $1000 amp, why not save for 6 months and just buy the $1000 amp. In the meantime, you give yourself the opportunity to really try the amps over multiple days and with different guitars, read about their reliability and other's experiences, and in general get a deeper understanding of what you're about to drop your hard earned money on.

in general i agree with you, but as you noted, if you know what to look for and you've done the research, there are amps in the $400 price range that have all of those features (2 channels, master volume, 12" speaker, effects loop, lots of gain, etc.), however it will in most cases definitely be used. case in point is an amp i bought a few weeks off the bay, a laney lc30. it's a 30w, 2 channel, class A all tube, with a 12" speaker (the guy i bought it from even had upgraded this) and an effects loop. i got it for a mere $375 on the bay. here's a link to a demo of it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0HzjfqbIsI

to be fair, i've done a crapload of research, tried out a lot of amps and of course, made a few mistakes along the way. and i also had to wait about 3 months for this amp to come up on e-bay (they aren't that popular apparently, although i have no idea why). still, it was all worth it in the end.

still, if you don't know what you are looking for in particular, then i'd say try a lot of amps out while continuing to save your money. you want to make sure you are really happy with whatever you get if you are shelling out that much money.

[Timothong]

I used to have a JEM jr not too long ago, yeah i also post in SOFT music forum