Looking for advice on first valve amp!

ElectricNoodle · December 2014

I've decided it's time I finally got a nice sounding valve amp.. but I'm a student on a budget, so probably don't want to be spending much more than £200

So far, the main amp to have caught my eye is the Bugera V22 Infinium.. Mainly due to the reviews I've been watching on Youtube, this one particularly:

I've also managed to find it online for around £200, while on ebay and other places it seems to be priced at at least £260.

Now I know the company has had problems in the past with reliability, but I was wondering if anyone owned one of these newer models and had any input? It does say it comes with a 3 year warranty too, which seems like a big plus!

Other amps that seem within budget are the BlackStar HT-1,Micro Terror Head and Cabinet, Vox lil Nightrain Gold Stack.

Although they all seem a bit lacking in the features when compared to the V22!

I mainly play bluesy sort of stuff, never really using more than a crunch in terms of overdrive, and I use a Digitech RP500 for effects at the moment! I also wouldn't mind being able to use the amp while at gigs, but it will start off as an amp for home use!

So does anyone have any recommendations on which direction I should go?

underdog · December 2014

For bluesy things I can highly recommend a simple single channel amp and a pedal if you need high gain, or a simple attenuator to allow you drive the amp at lower volumes.

I have an Epi Valve Junior for this

rlw · December 2014

See the classifieds and look at the Epi Valve Junior there - 50% saving on your budget. I would have bought that myself but for some opposition from her indoors.

ElectricNoodle · December 2014

underdog said:

For bluesy things I can highly recommend a simple single channel amp and a pedal if you need high gain, or a simple attenuator to allow you drive the amp at lower volumes.

I have an Epi Valve Junior for this

Hmmm, seems like another amp is added to the list of choices! haha

Found this one here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EPIPHONE-VALVE-JUNIOR-V3-with-POWER-SCALING-/141491415657

And the sound samples provided sound great! Can I ask though, how much difference does not having an FX loop make? I've never actually owned an amp with one, but it seems to be mentioned as a fairly important feature a lot of the time!

John_BlackWolf · December 2014

Have a look at RAT modified amps:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_ssn=andydokken&_sop=16

ElectricNoodle · December 2014

rlw said:

See the classifieds and look at the Epi Valve Junior there - 50% saving on your budget. I would have bought that myself but for some opposition from her indoors.

Hmm that does look like a steal! Afraid I'm located up in Glasgow though, and don't have a car at the moment, so location might be an issue!

underdog · December 2014

If you were closer to me you could have come and tried the Epi and the blackstar, they are both good amps but I prefer my attenuated Epi over my blackstar HT5 for most things, though the Ht is much easier to dial in different sounds at any volume

jellybelly · December 2014

Valve jr is solid as is the VHT Special 6. A second hand Fender Pro Jr is small, giggable and will hold it's value too, so stick that on your list! In fact a lot of the new VHT stuff is decent and cheap. I've not been a fan of any burgera or cheaper peavey valve stuff - if a valve amp is that cheap if want to to be very simple indeed!

Voxman · December 2014

I've played the V22 and almost went for one. It's actually a very nice sounding amp with nice clean and gain channels and is great value. However I always loved Marshall crunch and I picked up a 2003 Marshall JCM2000 DSL401 for the same price as a used V22.

If you do go for a V22 and are nervous re reliability (although they've had pretty good user feedback) I'd suggest buying new from a store that gives their own extended warranty.

In another current thread here there's been a lot of good feedback on the Laney Cub amps. There are several versions but I have the Cub 12R which is a single channel 15w 1x12 combo that's very good and takes pedals very well. It's surprisingly well spec'd with a nice sounding digital reverb, 1w and 15w inputs, 8/16 Ohm extn cab out, serial FX loop, full EQ plus additional tone shape control, and a built in tilt stand.

I did some you tube demos here:

Voxman's demo of Laney Cub 12R Part I with Gibson…:

Voxman's demo of Laney Cub 12R Part III with USA …:

noisepolluter · December 2014

Also keep your eye out for a second hand Laney VC15 (or new one for £319 from Thomann). It'll do you just dandy at home (and give you an excuse to buy the odd crunch pedal or two further down the line, I'm getting my Liquid Sunshine recommendation in preemptively), and will carry a pub gig so long as you're not up against a marshall stack or a ridiculous drummer.

crunchman · December 2014

Given that a lot of people are recommending some of the 5W amps, I'll chime in. I've owned the Valve Jr, HT5 and VHT Special 6 all in head form. I still own the VHT. The others are long gone.

If you want a combo, I think the suggestion above of a second hand Pro Jr would be a good way to go. The 10" speaker is likely to be a lot better than what you get in the 5W amps.

ElectricNoodle · December 2014

Well I figured after reading people's opinions my list might be shorter... haha But looks like I've got some more reading to do! Cheers for the additions!!

Really liking the sound of the Laney posted above too, wasn't too sure about it with the Les Paul, but the Strat one definitely changed my mind! Some nice playing too!

Can I ask though, as I'm not sure, if I were to buy a Head, is there no way to use it without having a cabinet of some kind??

Voxman · December 2014

Its a valve amp so Cub head has to go through speakers. Glad you liked vids (well strat one anyway).

ICBM · December 2014

You can use a dummy load with a line output or headphone output with a valve amp, it doesn't have to be an actual speaker cabinet.

Voxman · December 2014

ICBM;434153" said:
You can use a dummy load with a line output or headphone output with a valve amp, it doesn't have to be an actual speaker cabinet.

Not sure what you mean ICBM as the Cub doesn't have a headphone or line out?

steamabacus · December 2014

Voxman said:
ICBM;434153" said:
You can use a dummy load with a line output or headphone output with a valve amp, it doesn't have to be an actual speaker cabinet.
Not sure what you mean ICBM as the Cub doesn't have a headphone or line out?

Something like this ...

Voxman · December 2014

Ah with you, thanks for that. So does this type of unit act like an attenuator eg if you go out to a cab from it you can crank the amp up to push the valves whilst keeping the volume down like a 'hot plate'?

nickp · December 2014

I had a laney 212 something or other that I bought s/h for about £250 which sounded nice - was it an AC50 212 ?? It needed a kick from a pedal to get searing lead sounds but other than that it had some really nice tones. Sold it to buy (back) and Engl screamer but wish I had kept it (and had both!!)

nickp · December 2014

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Laney-VC30-212-/111537013728?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item19f81fc3e0

it was one of these - Laney VC30 212

TheMarlin · December 2014

VC30's are great amps for the money, but quite loud. Not AC30 lout, but loud (for home practice).

I really liked mine, I put decent Celestion speakers in it. I sold it to a friend, it's in france now.

Also look out for a Kustom Coupe 36. They occasionally turn up on ebay, and usually only go for £200 ish. Awesome amps for the money. They're like a DRRI on the clean, and a Marshall on the dirty. Awesome reverb too.

They were made in the USA, all valve, and cost around £1000 new. Bargain buy. I keep one in the garage as a spare for my spare

Marlin

midlifecrisis · December 2014

Voxman said:

ICBM;434153" said:
You can use a dummy load with a line output or headphone output with a valve amp, it doesn't have to be an actual speaker cabinet.
Not sure what you mean ICBM as the Cub doesn't have a headphone or line out?

isn't the send and return, send socket a line out?

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Looking for advice on first valve amp!

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