Home/backup amp ideas?

Deijavoo

Last week I put my amp in for a service and realised that if it went down before a gig I'd be screwed. I also need an amp for home so GAS attacks kick in obviously.

I'm a bit short of disposable cash so finance looks likely. 

Anyone got feedback on some recent finds?

Cornford Hellcat

Mesa Express 25

Soldano Atomic although single channel makes it home amp only for me.

Friedman Pink Taco is maybe an option but I think I'm after a heavier tone really. Plus single channel makes it home only.

If I was going to get a home only I'd probably just get a Harlequin on fleabay.

Anyhow, does anyone have any thoughts on these or other better options? 

Deijavoo

I also liked the th30 Orange head too. Judt not certain on it. 

ICBM

Jet City JCA22H if you want two channels and a heavier sound. Just over £200 brand new, delivered.

http://www.jetcityamplificationstore.co.uk/product/jca22h/

Don't take out finance, that's a fool's game. If you can't afford to buy an amp you can't afford to pay a bank more either. If even the Jet City is out of reach and you need a backup, get an old Marshall Valvestate head or something like that - under £100, and sound decent enough. [/Grumpy Old Man lecture]

OilCityPickups

ICBM said:

Jet City JCA22H if you want two channels and a heavier sound. Just over £200 brand new, delivered.

http://www.thomann.de/gb/jet_city_amplification_jca22h_guitar_head.htm

Don't take out finance, that's a fool's game. If you can't afford to buy an amp you can't afford to pay a bank more either. If even the Jet City is out of reach and you need a backup, get an old Marshall Valvestate head or something like that - under £100, and sound decent enough. [/Grumpy Old Man lecture]

I'd second the old Valvestate thing ... a backup is just a get out of jail free card ... and so I wouldn't waste too much moolah on it.

digitalscream

@ICBM has the wisdom here, except that I'd get it from the UK store:

http://www.jetcityamplificationstore.co.uk/product/jca22h/

A couple of quid extra, but it'll get to you quicker. Still based on the Soldano dual-channel preamp, though, so I'm guessing it'll suit you fine.

ICBM

digitalscream said:

@ICBM has the wisdom here, except that I'd get it from the UK store:

http://www.jetcityamplificationstore.co.uk/product/jca22h/

A couple of quid extra, but it'll get to you quicker. Still based on the Soldano dual-channel preamp, though, so I'm guessing it'll suit you fine.

Oops, my mistake - I didn't know they were doing them here again!

Yes, get it in the UK. While they're a well-made, reliable amp, you want the warranty available without having to send it back to Germany in the event anything does go wrong.

 

Post edited .

Deijavoo

Oh my, I wasn't expecting this!  Ha ha. 

Deijavoo

Victory V30 looks to tick a few boxes but Victory in general are getting a few complaints on the forums. 

Dave_Mc

ICBM said:

digitalscream said:

@ICBM has the wisdom here, except that I'd get it from the UK store:

http://www.jetcityamplificationstore.co.uk/product/jca22h/

A couple of quid extra, but it'll get to you quicker. Still based on the Soldano dual-channel preamp, though, so I'm guessing it'll suit you fine.

Oops, my mistake - I didn't know they were doing them here again!

Yes, get it in the UK. While they're a well-made, reliable amp, you want the warranty available without having to send it back to Germany in the event anything does go wrong.

 

Post edited .

How long of a warranty does the UK store have? I agree it'll take longer with Thomann, but they have a 3-year warranty, which also might be useful if money is tight.

Though it's probably slightly cheaper on the UK store since you normally get ripped a little on the exchange rate when you buy in Euros.

EDIT: I agree with your point about not buying on finance. Unless you get 0% (and even then that's risky if money is tight as it's normally only 0% if you pay it off in time).

chillidoggy

I had a Hellcat. It was aptly named, had loads of bite, very aggressive, but didn't suit my music, so I sold it. Very well put together, point-to-point wiring as usual. It's always worth giving one a try if you can find one, but TBH I'm a Cornford fan, so a bit biased.

Deijavoo

Always fancied a Cornford, but maybe 35w is just far too loud for home and is an expensive back up. 

Then I start looking at Suhr Corsos and Two Rock Exos and adding a nice dirt pedal.  A guy I know swears by his Harlequin which tend to go for about £300 on the fleaBay. Does anyone remember the car advert that covered Voodoo Child when these first came out? Sounded awesome. 

ICBM

I really can't get a usable tone out of the Harlequin. Horrible middy, muddy, nasal things with no bottom end or top end. The best I can do is to turn the bass, treble and master up full, keep the volume low and use whichever position of the little switch makes it less awful (can't remember). Even then it's only tolerable rather than good. I know some people love them though! Well enough built, but… no.

sweepy

I can heartily recommend one of these little beauties

http://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/SubZero-Tube-20R-20W-Guitar-Amp/S7P

Cacofonix

Cornford Hurricane.  Will do both home and outside.  Will play a club with a polite drummer, and cranked it can outdo a (clean) vox.

Doubt if it'd outdo a cranked vox, though.  Still, nicest drive sound of any amp I've heard, and can do so at low volume.  Also like the reverb, very lush and deep.

I like the idea of the hellcat, but I haven't liked the driven sound on the youtube vids.  I'd like to try one in the flesh, though, to test it out.  I heard that some had issues with the reverb.

I don't like the lower wattage cornfords.  They had a couple in a local shop when they first came out.  Harlequin and something else.  Yuk.  [Edit: must have been the Carrera]

Altenatively, if it's a pure backup rig, what about an amp-in-a-box?  Plenty of those about.  The AC Drive gets a lot of love.

richardhomer

ICBM;229451" said:

I really can't get a usable tone out of the Harlequin. Horrible middy, muddy, nasal things with no bottom end or top end. The best I can do is to turn the bass, treble and master up full, keep the volume low and use whichever position of the little switch makes it less awful (can't remember). Even then it's only tolerable rather than good. I know some people love them though! Well enough built, but… no.

I remember these things being lauded in Guitarist when they came out; I couldn't wait to try one.

Having done so, I'm surprised @ICBM rates them so highly....

Seriously 5h1te....

chillidoggy

I'm with Cacofonix about the Hurricane. It's the one I always use, and it's just occurred to me that my backup amp is also a Hurricane.

Cacofonix

chillidoggy said:

I'm with Cacofonix about the Hurricane. It's the one I always use, and it's just occurred to me that my backup amp is also a Hurricane.

One of the reasons I bought it was your music on Hard Rock Candy, tbh.  Great sounds even in a pub setting.

Travisthedog

Cacofonix;230032" said:

chillidoggy said:

I'm with Cacofonix about the Hurricane. It's the one I always use, and it's just occurred to me that my backup amp is also a Hurricane.





One of the reasons I bought it was your music on Hard Rock Candy, tbh.  Great sounds even with you playing.

Edited for truth

chillidoggy

Travisthedog said:

Cacofonix;230032" said:

chillidoggy said:

I'm with Cacofonix about the Hurricane. It's the one I always use, and it's just occurred to me that my backup amp is also a Hurricane.





One of the reasons I bought it was your music on Hard Rock Candy, tbh.  Great sounds even with you playing.

Edited for truth

Thanks. 'Mate'.

chillidoggy

Cacofonix said:

chillidoggy said:

I'm with Cacofonix about the Hurricane. It's the one I always use, and it's just occurred to me that my backup amp is also a Hurricane.

One of the reasons I bought it was your music on Hard Rock Candy, tbh.  Great sounds even in a pub setting.

Really? Much obliged, can you now tell all the local pub landlords?

Loobs

How loud do you play at home? I find a Roland cube more than adequate.