Recommend Me A Practice Combo Amp

monquixote · September 2013

TheGuitarWeasel said:

I am actually sad I sold my Laney LC15r ... the reverb is a proper spring unit ... the sound at bedroom volume was awesome ... and it was easily loud enough to do small pub gigs (with an extension cab). It felt like a proper amp ... not toy-like as some of the small amps feel.

An LC15 flat out into a 4x12 from a 5150 was my introduction to cranked valve amps. Twas a marvelous thing.

4string · September 2013

Another vote for the LC15r. Fantastic sound at none-wife annoying volumes. Mine as £130 s/h from FleaBay about a year ago.

not_the_dj · September 2013

Blueingreen said:

How good are the cleans on the Yamaha THR series? I've been thinking of upgrading my Microcube which I use purely as a living room amp, mainly to get better jazzy cleans (I'm happy with the overdrive options on the Microcube but the cleans are lacking clarity and presence to my ears). I'd been thinking Superchamp but maybe I should think about the Yamaha as well.

@blueingreen To me the cleans are really where the THR excels. On the THR10 there's a flat setting which actually gives a great jazzy clean.

EricTheWeary · September 2013

4string said:

Fantastic sound at none-wife annoying volumes.

fairly sure such a volume level doesn't exist.MrsTheweary can hear the swish of strap on shirt...

Jalapeno · September 2013

s/h probably more than £200 - but a Fender Blues Junior/Peavey Classic 30 sounds like what you want.

ROOG · September 2013

EricTheWeary said:

4string said:

Fantastic sound at none-wife annoying volumes.

fairly sure such a volume level doesn't exist.MrsTheweary can hear the swish of strap on shirt...

Unplugged electric is enough to annoy Mrs ROOG

frictionfraction · September 2013

Blackstar ht5r Does pretty much everything and you can make your own attenuator for it for s few quid if you want to get the volume down and keep the amp cooking

mike257 · September 2013

Phil_aka_Pip;30479" said:
Epiphone Valve Junior ... same cct (allegedly) as Harley-Benton GA5 (sadly not made any more but a superb little amplifier for the money which takes pedals very well, and has an excellent 'clean'/unprocessed sound too).

Nothing alleged about it, they're the same circuit board from the same factory, usually with Epiphone still printed onto the HB circuit boards. Only difference with the Harley Benton one is they replaced a fixed resistor on the board with a tone pot. I've yet to try bypassing the pot in mine but by all accounts its better without it.

Phil_aka_Pip · September 2013

@mike257 wow I didn't know that, have a wisdom ... I didn't notice the pcb printing when I took mine apart.

I tend to keep the pot turned fully clockwise when playing on my own, but I've noticed that to play with other people (eg drums & bass) I'll wind it back a bit to let a bit more treble out.

Fretwired · September 2013

Blueingreen said:

How good are the cleans on the Yamaha THR series? I've been thinking of upgrading my Microcube which I use purely as a living room amp, mainly to get better jazzy cleans (I'm happy with the overdrive options on the Microcube but the cleans are lacking clarity and presence to my ears). I'd been thinking Superchamp but maybe I should think about the Yamaha as well.

I just bought a Yamaha THRC and would certainly recommend it highly for jazz and clean tones in general. I have a Godin jazz box which makes a lovely sound. The THR is also house friendly in terms of sound, looks and volume.

However I think they got the colour wrong. The metal THRX should have been black and the THRC should have been green.

4string · September 2013

ROOG said:

EricTheWeary said:

4string said:

Fantastic sound at none-wife annoying volumes.

fairly sure such a volume level doesn't exist.MrsTheweary can hear the swish of strap on shirt...

Unplugged electric is enough to annoy Mrs ROOG

Mrs 4String is a tolerant and munificent God wife.

ROOG · September 2013

I tried my 'new' Epi ES-339 through my THR yesterday, (I've been playing a Tele up until recently) and the sound was a revelation, I was beginning to have reservations about the THR, but I take it all back. (even though I didn't actually express my reservations in the first place).

The HBs can make it growl really nicely in the 'crunch' setting I have also found that the hi gain settings don't sound so bad either.

THR is small, easy to drive, low noise and even runs on batteries, which I like some times if I have the sudden urge to plug in, so much so that they have now expired. (btw: It does eat batteries)

Blueingreen · September 2013

Thanks for the comments guys - I will check out the THR10C. Struggling to find videos using it for jazz stuff though.

Jalapeno · September 2013

The JC Clean setting on Roland Cube amps is really good if you want an amp that can do Jazz cleans (though most vintage Jazz guitar has a bit of filth in it - they all wanted to sound like Sax player !

)

ddlooping · September 2013

Something else worthy of a mention about the Yamaha THR is its auxiliary input.
Because the amp is full range, tracks played through it sound great.
Not only do your guitar sound like it's part of the original mix but the amp can also be used as a cool "boom box".

ROOG · September 2013

As ddlooping says, aux in is very handy, I link in my ipad when following practice lessons on youtube. really puts you in the scene.

Fretwired · September 2013

Jalapeno said:

The JC Clean setting on Roland Cube amps is really good if you want an amp that can do Jazz cleans (though most vintage Jazz guitar has a bit of filth in it - they all wanted to sound like Sax player ! )

Whilst I agree I think my new Yamaha THRC blows my Roland Cube 30X away at low volumes. Obviously if you want to gig or jam with mates then a Cube would be a good buy. I've seen jazz guitarists gig with a Roland Cube amp.

ddlooping · September 2013

The THR sounds quite good straight to a PA via the headphones out too.

littlegreenman · September 2013

Another vote for the LC15R here, love mine.

Jalapeno · September 2013

Fretwired said: I've seen jazz guitarists gig with a Roland Cube amp.

I did for 3 years.

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