Really REALLY great small amps for home use?

Chuffola

Never mind the forum bully it's the new forum pompous arse I'd be wary of!

musteatbrain

A new pompous arse? What's wrong with the old one? I don't want to be replaced!

Voxman

musteatbrain said:

@voxman I think Blackstar are made in China and checked in the UK...... And who keeps WOWing me? Is it the mysterious forum bully? I can turn you know?

My bad...yup, close enough MEB - their website says " designed in Northampton… and made in Korea" - darn it, I thought they were UK made.

I'm new to the forum...what's 'WOWing'??

Chuffola

@voxman

You can LOL, WOW or Wisdom posts. Just click on the icons below other posts. The total amounts to your "frets" count.

We have a huge abundance of talent on this forum including professional luthiers, pickup makers, amp builders, pedal makers and most of us have years of experience. So, the old "i've been playing for 40 years, therefore automatically my opinion is valid" doesn't wash here!

I'd keep an eye on the posts for a while before you accuse a highly respected builder of top class, hand-wired amps of being expensive when they are absolutely not. 

Just sayin'

Voxman

For a Boutique amp, Martins gear is great value - my reference to 'not cheap' related solely in comparison to typical mass produced bedroom amps, not in comparison to other boutique amp prices - sorry for any upset or confusion here which clearly has hit a nerve...never my intention.  But hey...at least I appreciated it was a great sounding amp!   

stickyfiddle

I have to say the MJWs I've heard have been fantastic amps. It's be a great shame to lose Martin as a builder, but I can imagine the market is extremely tough, particularly if you're not in the USA.

I've done a lot of reading since starting this thread and I must say the thing that most interests me is actually the (snappily named..) Badcat Cub III 15R. The newest "III" version has switchable EF86 and 12AX7 "channels", and a new master volume that is apparently very good. 

Still going to try the fx-loop-volume-box thing for the 5:25 but the Badcat is firmly at the top of the dream amp list at the mo.

richardhomer

stickyfiddle;344409" said:

I must say the thing that most interests me is actually the (snappily named..) Badcat Cub III 15R. The newest "III" version has switchable EF86 and 12AX7 "channels", and a new master volume that is apparently very good.

I used to own a Cub IIR.

It was an incredible sounding amp. Within the confines of what it did - clean to medium gain drive - it is probably the best amp I've ever used. It worked very well at bedroom volume too.

The reason I don't still own it was that it had really limited clean headroom - the preamp seemed to run into distortion, long before the power stage. It may well be that the III cures that issue.

In every other respect it was a stellar piece of kit.

stickyfiddle

Well that sounds promising. Now I just have to work out how to get one to Abu Dhabi without costing as much as a family car. Might be a challenge... This isn't going to be something that happens any time soon, I think

ThePrettyDamned

I'll bite. What's an ef86?

richardhomer

ThePrettyDamned;344495" said:

I'll bite.

What's an ef86?

It's what the channel that doesn't have the 12AX7 has....

stickyfiddle

ThePrettyDamned said:

I'll bite. What's an ef86?

It's an alternative preamp valve used in early AC15 and AC30 models. Generally considered the chimey option when looking at AC-sounding amps.

musteatbrain

Sadly also often considered the microphonic option when playing loudly. When behaving it's one of the greatest guitar sounds in my opinion. Martin built me an 18w Roadstar with a single EF86 in the preamp and it sounds perfect for chime and doesn't have too many microphonic issues unless everything is dimed. My favourite clean tone ever. This is a good example of the chimey EF86:

martinw

Thanks for the supportive comments, much appreciated.

The good news is that I'll be keeping going. I've put too much into it to quit, and the alternative (getting a proper job 8-X ) isn't appealing after being my own boss for so long. At the end of my financial year (April) I'll have a look at what's happening and work out how best to maximise what's coming through.

My location works against me. I'm sure if I was London based, I'd be selling amps to famous players by now and be able to charge double for them

 

richardhomer

I see you're in Debyshire. Would there be any value in trying to strike up a deal with Guitars 4U, where you supply a demo amp which customers could try the shop's guitars through and the shop acts as an agent for you - taking a cut of the selling price?

May be some other higher-end dealers would be worth approaching along similar lines?

Lazy J seems to have built a cult reputation very quickly, without - unless I've missed it - any print advertising at all.

I wish you well with things.

martinw

richardhomer said:

I see you're in Debyshire. Would there be any value in trying to strike up a deal with Guitars 4U, where you supply a demo amp which customers could try the shop's guitars through and the shop acts as an agent for you - taking a cut of the selling price?

May be some other higher-end dealers would be worth approaching along similar lines?

Lazy J seems to have built a cult reputation very quickly, without - unless I've missed it - any print advertising at all.

I wish you well with things.

Thanks.

Yes, I've considered that, and actually even spoken to Mark about it, but at the time I was snowed under so it seemed pointless. Maybe I'll consider it again.

I agree about print advertising; I've tried it and it achieved next to nothing, except an (apparently) lifetime free subscription to G&B, which I still get.

It's certainly more who-you-know, rather that what-you-know.

Chuffola

Tell you what, give us all one and we'll tell lots of people about them!

richardhomer

martinw;347083" said:

I agree about print advertising; I've tried it and it achieved next to nothing, except an (apparently) lifetime free subscription to G&B, which I still get. It's certainly more who-you-know, rather that what-you-know.

I became aware of Lazy J via Phil Harris's column in G & B. I don't know if there is a 'behind the scenes' connection but he'd positively evangelistic about the amps - he played the Peter Green/Gary Moore Les Paul through one at Haydock.

He seemed quite a decent guy - might be worth a call to see if you could get him on side, perhaps?

johnonguitar

Get a Yamaha THR10

Just do it. Sounds and feels more like any valve amp I've ever played at bedroom volumes... and I HATE modelling amps.

Just do it. Go on. Do. It.

hubobulous

johnonguitar;348154" said:

Get a Yamaha THR10

Just do it. Sounds and feels more like any valve amp I've ever played at bedroom volumes... and I HATE modelling amps.

Just do it. Go on. Do. It.

Not sure what the next action should be here.......

Forge

musteatbrain said:

@voxman I think Blackstar are made in China and checked in the UK...... And who keeps WOWing me? Is it the mysterious forum bully? I can turn you know?

Nope, not checked in the UK as they sell FOB China but with proper quality checks in Country of production.