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Fun little practice amps can be had for cheap!


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Posted

As I mentioned in the earlier Mustang amp thread, I picked up a Fender Mustang IV last week, and it's one hell of an amp. VERY powerful, with 2 Celestion 70/80 speakers, pumping 150 SS watts. Too powerful, most likely, for my humble practice needs.

 

Today, I wandered into GC, and they had a butt-load of used amps sitting around. They had just had some sort of a trade-in promotion, and tons of stuff got dumped off. They had this Mustang I priced at $49.99, and a VOX AD30VT at $69. I offered $100 for the two amps, and, after they acted like they were hemming and hawwing, they took it. I have owned the Vox's big brother, the AD50VT before, and was very impressed with it, so the 30 wasn't a hard sell at that price for me. I really didn't expect much out of the Mustang I, though, but was quite surprised at the tone and volume that came out of this little guy. While the Mustang IV is quite obviously a more complex, better amp, I REALLY don't need it, and it will probably be in the pawn shop quite soon. Hey, it was fun to try out, and I won't get hurt too badly for my brief "rental" period on the IV. Quite frankly, I'll probably get a III once the shine has worn off them a bit, and I can get one for a song. Pics....

 

Quite a size difference!

 

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz327/schundog/summer2012398.jpg[/img]"]https://summer2012398.jpg

 

summer2012397.jpg

 

summer2012394.jpg

 

Vox AD30VT: a very cool little modelling amp for very little coin.

 

summer2012399.jpg

 

summer2012400.jpg

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

Hey guys, just my advice about practice amps, but I share it as soon as I can, as I felt in love with a little wonder not much know in the guitarist world (in France for sure...).

 

After trying many little modelisation amps, and never being conviced by them (always found the sound was missing something, I'd call taht life, specially on crunches and overdriven soud), I've been given the chance to try a Tech 21 Trademark 30.

 

This little combo, very light, is 100% analogic, with 3 types of voicing (fender tweed, marshall plexi and mesa), 3 stages of gain (clean, high and hot), and 3 types of speaker voicing (flat, uk and us).

 

The voicing are the same as on their sans amp pedal, plus a SS power amp and a 10" speaker.

 

I think it's lighter than 4kg (8 lbs, not sure...), so very easy to move for playing around too (and it 30 watts allows it to play with other instruments except a complete drum kit...)

 

And the most impressive to my point is it's versatility, it's a good for all job amp.

 

It's quite expensive brand new, but affordable used (I paid mine 150 €, something like 200 or less $), quite the same price as a new mod one, but with some king of sounds I found those amps could'nt reach.

 

If you have the opportunity to see one one day, give it a try, it's really wrth doin' it!

 

Just my 2 cent. ;)

Guest HRB853370
Posted

Hey guys, just my advice about practice amps, but I share it as soon as I can, as I felt in love with a little wonder not much know in the guitarist world (in France for sure...).

 

After trying many little modelisation amps, and never being conviced by them (always found the sound was missing something, I'd call taht life, specially on crunches and overdriven soud), I've been given the chance to try a Tech 21 Trademark 30.

 

This little combo, very light, is 100% analogic, with 3 types of voicing (fender tweed, marshall plexi and mesa), 3 stages of gain (clean, high and hot), and 3 types of speaker voicing (flat, uk and us).

 

The voicing are the same as on their sans amp pedal, plus a SS power amp and a 10" speaker.

 

I think it's lighter than 4kg (8 lbs, not sure...), so very easy to move for playing around too (and it 30 watts allows it to play with other instruments except a complete drum kit...)

 

And the most impressive to my point is it's versatility, it's a good for all job amp.

 

It's quite expensive brand new, but affordable used (I paid mine 150 €, something like 200 or less $), quite the same price as a new mod one, but with some king of sounds I found those amps could'nt reach.

 

If you have the opportunity to see one one day, give it a try, it's really wrth doin' it!

 

Just my 2 cent. ;)

 

I had the opportunity to get one with a trade deal on this forum and I passed on it! Bummer!

Posted

After playing Schundog's Mustang I, I'm convinced that is an amp I could use for practicing at home. It was loud for being a little guy and it sounded really good. Sometimes I think an average or below-average amp can sound fantastic if you have a quality guitar running into it. I bought this cruddy Fender Frontman 10G 11 years ago, it sounded great in the store, but I was playing a rather expensive guitar through it. I was playing a 535 through his Mustang I and absolutely loved its tone.

Posted

After playing Schundog's Mustang I, I'm convinced that is an amp I could use for practicing at home. It was loud for being a little guy and it sounded really good. Sometimes I think an average or below-average amp can sound fantastic if you have a quality guitar running into it. I bought this cruddy Fender Frontman 10G 11 years ago, it sounded great in the store, but I was playing a rather expensive guitar through it. I was playing a 535 through his Mustang I and absolutely loved its tone.

 

I think the closed back helps these little guys sound "bigger." I plugged the Mustang in outside the meeting room at PSP on Thursday night, and some of us were dinking around on it. Look how tiny it looks! Yet, Big Bob actually came over and was turning the volume DOWN on this 15 Watt digital amp, as he didn't want us to get in trouble with the hotel (the cops came last year, haha.)

 

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz327/schundog/PSP5/PSPV059.jpg[/img]"]https://PSPV059.jpg

 

PSPV062.jpg

 

PSPV064.jpg

 

PSPV065.jpg

Posted

okay - as in a thread I started this a.m., I'm in the market for a low cost, small wattage amp as a grab 'n' go. I may have to go to GC tonight and try one out.

Posted

There's also Peavey Viper and Kustom KG112FX in sort of the same category.

Posted

Mustangs is a nice super affordable little amp. No question. But seriously, the Rolands are right there, and with Tuners and Loopers built right in. Mustang had a tuner as well.

 

But for $59....can't see doing better than that.

  • 1 month later...
Posted

And now for ANOTHER episode in our program...

 

I took some trade bait to my pawn shop Friday morning; 25 old guitar magazines (the gear whore who owns the place usually gives me trade credit of .50 an issue, haha!), a small flatscreen Dell monitor I replaced with a larger one some time ago. It failed to bring $10 at our garage sale, so.... and a POS camera I had given my younger daughter 2 years ago. It takes horrible pics, and she hasn't touched it in, oh, about 2 years. It was about to be thrown away, it is really that bad.

 

I went in with the junk, er, stuff, and spotted this little amp on the way in. I made a straight up trade, and walked out with it. It's a 15 Watt, 8 inch speaker practice amp called the Peavey Vyper 15. MF sells them brand new for $99. I figured I had about $30 in trade credit, so I'm satisfied with this used trade. Loud, loud, loud, for 15 watts. I don't know why this continues to surprise me in these little amps. They sound much bigger than they really are. I had sold the Vox AD30 recently to a guy who was a friend of a friend. He was blown away by how "big" it sounded. So far, the Mustang I is still the reigning champ in this category for me, but I've had some fun with this Peavey the last couple nights, and will hang onto it until someone else mentions to me that they need a cheap, small amp. Here it is.

 

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz327/schundog/summer2012767.jpg[/img]"]https://summer2012767.jpg

 

Doesn't look like much, but it cranks out some big sound.

 

summer2012772.jpg

 

summer2012768.jpg

 

Colored lights around the knobs let you know where your settings are.

 

summer2012769.jpg

 

Not much to these little things.

 

summer2012771.jpg

Guest HRB853370
Posted

I love my 90's PV Express 112. Brought it to PSP this past year. DB claimed it sounded great. Hey Brian, that "boomerang" PG on your 137, well, looks kind of dorky. I would remove it if I were you. ha ha ha

post-2130-0-89928300-1347759697_thumb.jpg

Posted

I love my 90's PV Express 112. Brought it to PSP this past year. DB claimed it sounded great. Hey Brian, that "boomerang" PG on your 137, well, looks kind of dorky. I would remove it if I were you. ha ha ha

 

Jealous... The PG Rocks, and ONLY looks dorky when the guitar is strapped on, well, THIS dork....

Posted

Sorry Slammer. I have to come to Brian's defense. The PG on his 137 doesn't look dorky at all. I think it looks rather cool and original.

Posted

Sorry Slammer. I have to come to Brian's defense. The PG on his 137 doesn't look dorky at all. I think it looks rather cool and original.

Thanks, Katy, but I think Will's just razzing me. It's funny though, I was fine either way with/without the PG, but once I put it on, there were some VERY strong opinions against it. They needn't worry about it, though, as I won't be parting with my 137 ANYTIME soon! It never fails to put a smile on my face.

Posted

Thanks, Katy, but I think Will's just razzing me. It's funny though, I was fine either way with/without the PG, but once I put it on, there were some VERY strong opinions against it. They needn't worry about it, though, as I won't be parting with my 137 ANYTIME soon! It never fails to put a smile on my face.

 

He jealous that he's not man enough to put one on his. ;)

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