Anyone gigging a 15 watt amp ??

Moe_Zambeek

17 watts here, with a blue. Loud enough for me, not great for the ambient soundscapes band we played with not so long ago (not enough clean for their 12 stacked delay and reverb Pedals ).

We were always miced so I never had volume issues.

menamestom

riffpowers said:

Thinking of going back to an orange tiny terrror.

You'd have to change your username to rifflowpowers.

Think of the administration

I use a Princeton reverb, it's fine for most applications but if I play in a 2 guitar setup I could do with more headroom. 

shaunm

Is there another guitarist in the band?

ICBM

I loved the 15W 6V6 side of the Mesa Blue Angel for the on-the-edge-of-breakup sound it had at gig volume - but even though I don't play very loud, it wasn't quite enough for a truly clean sound along with a drummer, I needed to use the 30W EL84 side (or both) for that - and that's with a 100dB speaker.

But it was a beautiful sound, and I'd be happy to go back to that combination - because the power supply was bigger than the average 15W amp (since it was capable of up to 38W with both sides running) it didn't compress anywhere near as much. The problem now for me would be the weight...

kennedydream1980

I gigged a Blackstar HT5 head with a Victory 1x12 cab (Vintage 30 speaker) for about a year and it was just about spot on volume wise. That was running the volumes up around 3 quarters. The clean was clean enough for me and the dirty channel was singing at that volume, it was nice to actually push an amp really hard so it's on the limit.

That was in a 5 piece band with the other guitarist running a Marshall JVM 1x12 combo. Cab was mic'd but I could hear myself nice and clear.

MartinB

I've been gigging with one of two home built 2x 6v6 combos, though I've never measured how much either of them puts out.  I'm the only guitarist in the band, and the vocalists and trumpet like to keep the stage volume moderate, so I don't try to fill the room from the backline unless I'm unmiced. 
The first one was a Princeton Reverb clone with a Deluxe reverb output transformer and an Eminence Copperhead 10".  That amp sounds good, but can run out of steam if we play parties to dancing audiences without a mic on it.  
The other one is a 6v6 Plexi type circuit made with a transformer set intended for an 18-watt Marshall style amp, and a Harma G12H-alike speaker.  That one seems plenty ample for this band, even in the largest rooms we do.  
I don't know how much of that's down to the speaker, the stiffer power supply or the pokier voicing of the second amp.  

ESBlonde

The TT was a one trick pony for me. If thats the only sound you need it will work in a band setting, but if there are two guitars and keys it gets mighty cramped in those mid tones and you need more 'bite' which it doesn't have.
There are 15 watt amps and 15 watt amps, I have used a 20w transistor combo to reasonable effect in both clean and dirty modes (pedals for drive) some 15w valve amps would get louder but musical style/band configuration/venue size etc. all make a difference.

Whilst portability is a nice to have, the limitations can be...er....limiting.

Misty

I alternate between my Dr Z Maz 18 and a Dr Z Cure, which is 15 watts. Depends on the gig, the Maz is a head/cab arrangement so sounds bigger, but the Cure 1x12 combo is great in smaller places. The volume is not an issue, it's the depth which I might notice a lack of at some gigs.

Misty

hywelg said:

Depends on the amp. Maz 18 is fearsome gigging amp, plenty loud enough.

Certainly is...I've used an attenuator with mine the last couple of gigs.

AlexC

I’ve gigged with a Peavey Vyper 15. I later upgraded to a 30w. I still own both. It was plenty loud enough to ride over the drums. I know the popular wisdom is valves are a lot louder (which I is true, I guess) but I never had a problem in a pub/club environment. And I was never turned up to ten either.

ICBM

AlexC said:

I’ve gigged with a Peavey Vyper 15. I later upgraded to a 30w. I still own both. It was plenty loud enough to ride over the drums. I know the popular wisdom is valves are a lot louder (which I is true, I guess) but I never had a problem in a pub/club environment. And I was never turned up to ten either.

That's Peavey watts though - they're louder .

You haven't experienced true loudness until you've stood in front of a Peavey Renown at gig volume - 160W of unforgivingly steely solid-state power and two extremely sensitive speakers. Like a sledgehammer to the back of the head if you accidentally clang a note...

brooom

jpfamps said:

I've been using a Princeton Reverb and Tweed Deluxe for several gigs.

Exactly this... Love Princeton Reverbs, Tweed deluxes and Ac15s for gigging. In the case of the first two, if you lack volume try a more efficient speaker. Also when it comes to the princeton, in my opinion the 10" is a big part of it's sound, so I'd try to keep a 10" speaker in it.