pegleg32 Posted December 30, 2009 Posted December 30, 2009 As you guys know, I recently bought a Richter 5E3-G amp. Wonderful amp, but the volume control is not sensitive at the volumes I want to play at, goes from a whisper to loud with a very slight movement of the chickenhead. So I'm looking again for that decent bedroom amp. I love my Blues Jr, and it does so many things so well, I should just shut up and play, but I want to try something else so I'm on the hunt again. I have considered a Cox 5F1 which would probably do the trick, but right now I'm feeling cheap, so I'm considering either a Bugera V5: http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product...sku=502586#used Or a Vox AC4TV8: http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product...-Amp?sku=620651 Just wondering if anyone has experience with either of these two amps? Thanks for any help.
SouthpawGuy Posted December 30, 2009 Posted December 30, 2009 Interesting thread, I also usually have to play at low volume, often extremely low volume. Which is a pain in the a..... I was considering the Super Champ XD but it seems that a lot of users change the speaker etc. , plus it is marketed as a tube amp but has digital fx and it seems no valve preamp so I didn't go for one. I opted for a Laney TT50 combo, 50 watt three channel midi capabilities etc. It is playable at extremely low levels, for that read mouse fart levels, plus I got a really good deal. It's heavier than the Blues Jnr but a lot lighter than the AC30, it takes pedals very well, the clean is very good, reverb also good, and the overdrive / distortion tones are fabulous. It's also made in the UK. I'm afraid I can't help you with the AC4, aren't Bugera made by Behringer ? I was checking out Jet City amps today, designed by Soldano and made in China, the 20w valve combo goes for about $300 in the US and close to $700 in the wonderful EU. http://www.thomann.de/ie/jet_city_amplification_112rc.htm
kbp810 Posted December 30, 2009 Posted December 30, 2009 Interesting thread, I also usually have to play at low volume, often extremely low volume. Which is a pain in the a..... I was considering the Super Champ XD but it seems that a lot of users change the speaker etc. , plus it is marketed as a tube amp but has digital fx and it seems no valve preamp so I didn't go for one. I opted for a Laney TT50 combo, 50 watt three channel midi capabilities etc. It is playable at extremely low levels, for that read mouse fart levels, plus I got a really good deal. It's heavier than the Blues Jnr but a lot lighter than the AC30, it takes pedals very well, the clean is very good, reverb also good, and the overdrive / distortion tones are fabulous. It's also made in the UK. I'm afraid I can't help you with the AC4, aren't Bugera made by Behringer ? I was checking out Jet City amps today, designed by Soldano and made in China, the 20w valve combo goes for about $300 in the US and close to $700 in the wonderful EU. http://www.thomann.de/ie/jet_city_amplification_112rc.htm Yep, the Bugera is made by Behringer... I had picked up one at one point under the same notion of wanting a "bedroom" amp - I can't speak for the others mentioned, but I can tell you I was not happy at all with the Bugera. From a volume standpoint it does the trick... but I was never sold on the tone, it just sounded flat and lifeless to me no matter what I seemed to do with it. I ended up passing it along to my little nephew who is just learning to play and in need of a small amp.
slider313 Posted December 30, 2009 Posted December 30, 2009 Find an old Gibson GA-5 from 1960-'61, with the white/blonde tolex, that has one 5Y3, one 6V6 and one 12ax7. Be sure the original Jensen alnico speaker is there as this is a big part of the compressed and smooth early break-up. One came in used when I worked at Sam Ash in NY and it was the best sounding 5 watt amp I ever heard. I told a friend to come down to check it out and when he heard it he bought it on the spot.
barrymclark Posted December 30, 2009 Posted December 30, 2009 Soldano SLO-100. HA! one of the issues I have heard from friends with the Bugera so often it is as though it is part of the design to do so.
rjsanders Posted December 30, 2009 Posted December 30, 2009 this may be a little out of left field, but i got a 22 Cal that i'm real impressed with. am talking to Peter Mather now about making a 1x8 cab for it. but that plus another nice pedal (i'm thinking used Menatone of choice, e.g., to get low-volume scream + tone controls) and both pedals would tuck away into the cab when not used. can also get loud as hell, too, when desired & retain good tone quality. plus Mike Mathews reminds me of Krazy George Henderson, which makes me smile he used to teach across the street and down some from my house
pegleg32 Posted December 30, 2009 Author Posted December 30, 2009 Soldano SLO-100. HA! one of the issues I have heard from friends with the Bugera so often it is as though it is part of the design to do so. I suspect Slider has again come up with the perfect amp, there is no substitute for personal experience. kpb, sounds like a real thumbs down. I wonder if it would sound any different through a 15" speaker cab? Hey Barry, I think I missed something, could you expand on that comment please?
pegleg32 Posted December 30, 2009 Author Posted December 30, 2009 this may be a little out of left field, but i got a 22 Cal that i'm real impressed with. am talking to Peter Mather now about making a 1x8 cab for it. but that plus another nice pedal (i'm thinking used Menatone of choice, e.g., to get low-volume scream + tone controls) and both pedals would tuck away into the cab when not used. can also get loud as hell, too, when desired & retain good tone quality. plus Mike Mathews reminds me of Krazy George Henderson, which makes me smile he used to teach across the street and down some from my house Hey Jeff, now that is a different idea, hadn't even had that on the radar scope. I'll look into it a bit.
rjsanders Posted December 30, 2009 Posted December 30, 2009 Hey Jeff, now that is a different idea, hadn't even had that on the radar scope. I'll look into it a bit. cracks me up it sounds so good - and was only $90.
pegleg32 Posted December 30, 2009 Author Posted December 30, 2009 cracks me up it sounds so good - and was only $90. That guy cracks me up, definately an off the wall sales pitch!! I wonder what he wears when he isn't trying to impress people!! and you bought one?!!! Well jezz, what is life all about if you can't have a little fun huh?
rjsanders Posted December 30, 2009 Posted December 30, 2009 That guy cracks me up, definately an off the wall sales pitch!! I wonder what he wears when he isn't trying to impress people!! and you bought one?!!! Well jezz, what is life all about if you can't have a little fun huh? the heckuvit is it sounds a lot better than those vids. i hooked it up to an empty Fuchs combo cab i have around for speaker testing. right now it's got a nice EVM-12L & it's killer with any of my guits for the cost. i plug a Timmy pedal into to for EQ and controlling the sound level & gain & i've got a giggable rig for about $200 (+ speaker & cab). the Timmy only cost me $105, they're $129 new these days. would love to try it with a Menatone Workingman's Blue i used to have...
Spectrum13 Posted December 30, 2009 Posted December 30, 2009 Couple of options.... If you like the sound of your amp but the volume control goes from 1 to 8 and skips 2-7 you could use a boost in front like the ThroBak with the master, gain, bass & treble you can tame the volume or use the controls on yer gitar or get an attenuator. If you don't need tube touch senesitivity tech 21, Line6 or Vox valvetronic get lots of differrent sounds for not much coin If you want low powered tube amps there are lots under 5 watts but what sound are you chassing? Fender, Vox or Marshall? I like the Idea of the 4 watt vox but with a 10" and mercury transformer. What's your budget?
pegleg32 Posted December 30, 2009 Author Posted December 30, 2009 Just get a bigger bedroom... A wall of sound!!! Love that amp Sparky. Sometimes I think my wife has the best ideas, she says = "Just buy some earplugs stupid!!"
pegleg32 Posted December 31, 2009 Author Posted December 31, 2009 Couple of options.... If you like the sound of your amp but the volume control goes from 1 to 8 and skips 2-7 you could use a boost in front like the ThroBak with the master, gain, bass & treble you can tame the volume or use the controls on yer gitar or get an attenuator. If you don't need tube touch senesitivity tech 21, Line6 or Vox valvetronic get lots of differrent sounds for not much coin If you want low powered tube amps there are lots under 5 watts but what sound are you chassing? Fender, Vox or Marshall? I like the Idea of the 4 watt vox but with a 10" and mercury transformer. What's your budget? Hey Spectrum, I hadn't considered putting something in front of the amp - I will research that. I did read with great interest the post on attenuator's this past week. I honestly don't have enough experience with different amps to know what it is I want - I've just been out of the business too long. My memories are of playing with late 60's Fender Bandmaster and Showman amps. What I really want is Albert Collins, SRV single coil sound at what SPG so eloquently coined "mouse fart" levels. Of course they both play teles and strats and I hate Fender necks, but that is another thread.
rjsanders Posted December 31, 2009 Posted December 31, 2009 Hey Spectrum, I hadn't considered putting something in front of the amp - I will research that. I did read with great interest the post on attenuator's this past week. I honestly don't have enough experience with different amps to know what it is I want - I've just been out of the business too long. My memories are of playing with late 60's Fender Bandmaster and Showman amps. What I really want is Albert Collins, SRV single coil sound at what SPG so eloquently coined "mouse fart" levels. Of course they both play teles and strats and I hate Fender necks, but that is another thread. while yer researchin' - these won't do that (but they're useful for recording & gigging
TalismanRich Posted December 31, 2009 Posted December 31, 2009 When I need really quiet (like in the Hampton Inn at around 10:30 at night), I just pull out the Line6 POD XT and a pair of Sony headphones. The only issue is you have to have a cable, and the wall transformer, so you can't just move around the room. I know someone who picked up the little Vox Amplug. He throws it in the case, grabs his earbuds and off he goes. The newer Pocket PODS are also battery powered. So if you just want to practice without disturbing people, that's an option.
212Mavguy Posted December 31, 2009 Posted December 31, 2009 When I need really quiet (like in the Hampton Inn at around 10:30 at night), I just pull out the Line6 POD XT and a pair of Sony headphones. The only issue is you have to have a cable, and the wall transformer, so you can't just move around the room. I know someone who picked up the little Vox Amplug. He throws it in the case, grabs his earbuds and off he goes. The newer Pocket PODS are also battery powered. So if you just want to practice without disturbing people, that's an option. That is a great idea...as long as you run the earbuds at low enough volume to avoid ear fatigue. Even 2-5 tube watts can get too loud through conventional speakers. FWIW, the attenuator route is useful not only at home, but for gigging as well. Some have an headphone phone out and can be used as a dummy load for the tube amp you already have, and you get to listen to your tubed tones as well.
111518 Posted December 31, 2009 Posted December 31, 2009 I usually practice electric stuff at home through headphones --or just play a semi with no amp. Not ideal, but when my wife is trying to read or write or grade papers, and that's mostly what we both do, I can't expect her to put up with my annoying guitar practice, at any volume. Often the only time I have at home to play is either very early or very late, so not waking or keeping her awake is only fair. I mostly use the Tascam thing with a cd player; I can use all my play along stuff, slow down recordings to learn parts, and, although the sound pretty much sucks just like all modeled stuff pretty much sucks, I have been able to tweak and save a set of sounds --clean jazz, clean rock, overdrive --that I can live with. I've also used the pandoras (which are so portable they double as good warm-up amps for before gigs), and I have a bass headphone amp made by Fodera that even sounds pretty good. These all sound best with mid-price headphones. Really good hi-fi phones just bring out the limitations.
pegleg32 Posted December 31, 2009 Author Posted December 31, 2009 while yer researchin' - these won't do that (but they're useful for recording & gigging Jeff, you always brighten my day!! I could do that, or maybe just step outside my daylight basement and close the door!!
pegleg32 Posted December 31, 2009 Author Posted December 31, 2009 Good suggestions by Rich and Larry, but I'm wanting something more than just a practice amp, I actually am trying to get some kind of a bluesy sound, but just at very low volume. I"ve read about the Line 6 Pod's but after my experience with my Line 6 Jam amp I'm not too excited to go Line 6 again. That amp does have a valuable place in my arsenal as a Looper, a powered speaker when recording, and jamming with the precorded backing tracks, but it has noise problems. I'm setting here listening to Roy Buchanan on Utub tonight and and wishing I could get that sound. Not that I could ever play like he does - wowzer!!
pegleg32 Posted December 31, 2009 Author Posted December 31, 2009 I know I'm stealing my own thread, but you guys have to hear this Buchanan guy:
rjsanders Posted December 31, 2009 Posted December 31, 2009 I know I'm stealing my own thread, but you guys have to hear this Buchanan guy: all of us hangin' out round here are intimates of Roy's Youtubeage and have just passed around my copy of American Axe. we usually start each jam with his arrangement of "Sweet Dreams". Tomorrow i'm going up the road to maybe pick up a new (for me) amp - more on that later (it's very special). along the way my driver will discuss your dilemma with me & offer additional expertise. meanwhile, 11's reminded me of some powered headphones i got a long time ago, cheap, that sound pretty good.
iim7v7im7 Posted January 1, 2010 Posted January 1, 2010 I have a Li'l Dawg D-Lux (5E3) which is similar to Sarah's amp that you have. You do not need to buy a bed room amp but just an attenuator. I use my 5E3 at home plenty using my attenuator. I have an Ultimate Attenuator which allows me to play the amp at low volumes. This is not inexpensive, but is likely less expensive than a new amp (e.g <$500). Good Luck, Bob
Dick Seacup Posted January 1, 2010 Posted January 1, 2010 I have a Li'l Dawg D-Lux (5E3) which is similar to Sarah's amp that you have. You do not need to buy a bed room amp but just an attenuator. I use my 5E3 at home plenty using my attenuator. I have an Ultimate Attenuator which allows me to play the amp at low volumes. This is not inexpensive, but is likely less expensive than a new amp (e.g <$500). Good Luck, Bob What effect does the attenuator have on the original tone of the amp, if any?
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