Amps and Cabs Latest Topics

Valve amp operation

Fri, 16 May 2025 08:27:32 +0000

Without wanting to sound like a complete numpty, I am struggling with my Peavey classic 20.

I have tended to be a Fender SS or modelling amp player and I normally set a slightly crunchy rhythm tone with my guitar volume on about 5, then roll the guitar volume up to increase the volume and a little extra gain for a lead tone - the same tone but just a bit extra all round which works well to bring the volume up over the rest of the band.

But this doesn't work on the Peavey classic 20. I can get a great rhythm tone the same, but rolling up the guitar volume adds almost no amp volume but just adds (too much) gain and doesn't leap out like I was expecting and certainly wouldn't work in a small band situation. Similarly I can get a great lead tone, but rolling back just reduces (too much) gain and not much volume.

I tried out several amps (admittedly at the cheaper end) before buying, the peavey delta blues, vox ac10, Fender Blues Junior, Fender HRD, Laney cub 12. I preferred the smaller speaker and the slightly boxy tone of the classic 20 but now I am using it in anger as it were I am finding it lacking. I went back to try valve amps after a 20 year hiatus after hearing a guy in the local pub with a Blues Junior which sounded amazing, but he was also running a full pedal board. I don't use pedals at all, prefer just to have instrument and amplifier.

What am I missing? How do people use one amp and guitar without pedals?

Spider V 20 MKll

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 10:33:21 +0000

Just wondering if anybody knows. I have the spider v 20 mkll amp and I was trying to play oasis tunes. More specifically the Solo from Stand by me. The amp also has an app (Spider Remove V) https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSmKjSwxH/
if anybody knows how to do the tunes in the app or the amp please let me know would be really appreciated.

1960 Fender Concert Amp Authenticity Questions.

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 21:50:53 +0000

I have a 1960 Fender Concert Rough White Tolex from the factory with 4 - 10" blue bell Jensen speakers with the right dates for 1960. amp. Middle volume control. I need information on 2 things. 1) the grill cloth looks original with holes, and the staples are fairly organized, but the staples are not black like some of the other staples on speaker boards on Fender amps. So, I was wondering if the grill cloth is original or not? The staples look a little larger than the regular staples that are sold today. 2) Everything else looks legitimate circuit wise, except the power transformer. In 1960 I was wondering if they stamped numbers on the power transformer, because there is no stamping on the bottom side there are some faded white silk screen numbers 87233. on the back side (circuitry side.) I was wondering if it is the original power transformer???

I don't know where else to look, or who would know. Could ANYONE give me some inside information please.

Stupid Question of the Week: Mooer Baby Bomb and Cabinet - what cable?

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 13:34:53 +0000

So... I have a Mooer Baby Bomb pedal power amp (which I'll be using alongside a Joyo American Sound and a reverb pedal). The plan is to pick up a speaker I can for using with this at home. I do already have a Vox 2x12" cab which might well get sold owing to it being probably too much for home use in a small flat; also looking at one of the Vintage 1x10"s. Both flavour have these two sockets in the back for speaker input:

For reference, the BabyBomb has this, single output jack:

What sort of cable do I need to connect this to the socket on the pedal? I can find lots of quarter-inch jack speaker cables for sale online, but they all have one lead at both ends. Does that make a speaker with two sockets unsuitable, or do I just use one of the input holes on the speaker, or....?

All steer gratefully received. I've only ever used a combo amp before (the 2x12 came in a deal as a matching price with my Vox AD120VT, but I've never used it as the Vox itself is more than loud enough on the 1 watt setting...).

Harley Benton Amps from Thomann: Power supplies - plugs!

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 13:40:01 +0000

Query for anyone who has ordered an amp from Thomann to the UK. Do they ship the HB amps with a UK plug, or do you need to pick up a new lead / converter?

Yamaha THR30 II: How decent is it?

Sat, 23 Aug 2025 15:56:28 +0000

I've seen puff pieces online for this thing, and I don't trust any of them. Are people using this amp here? What are people's experience with them?

A few months ago I tried a valve amp for the first time after years of using emulators like the Line 6 Amplifi. I can now believe it when people say "real valves cannot be properly emulated", particularly compared with emulation tech from 11 years ago. However the march of progress continues and I'm curious how something recent such as this Yamaha combo stacks up on that front.

I wouldn't say I have particularly sensitive ears or a definite tone that I'm after, but I was shocked at how much nicer a guitar sounded with a clean valve combo plus tube reverb. To be frank, I wish I'd never tried that valve amp as now I have a real itch for a better tone. I've been looking at Ashdown all-valve guitar amps but something cheaper would be more appropriate for my ability.

Dream amps they don't make yet?

Sun, 27 Aug 2023 13:55:35 +0000

What it says on the label. I'm interested in what other folks want in an amp of any sort that isn't on the market yet (no reason other than a discussion - alas I'm not in a place to make it happen!).

I'm not opposed to valves per se, but equally, I've never been a tube purist. If it sounds good, then it is. I absolutely welcome the idea of an alternative tech that can't be distinguished from tubes, on the basis that that isn't just "reinventing the wheel". It would bring a lot of other benefits - lighter to carry around, more manageable volume, and, well - I don't think tubes are going to be around at an affordable price forever. But the practicality of carting it around and convenience go a long way for me. I've said for a long time I'd welcome a good modeller that instead of offering eleventy million different sounds did one sound really well. I have a big Vox AD120VT. Gorgeous sound, as good as any of what it knocks off, BUT I've only ever used one or two sounds from it. I don't like onboard effects. I use effects less and less nowadays (I'll keep all my old pedals, but really all I want now is a decent, classic od, clean boost, tremolo, and echo/reverb). 99% of what the Vox can do is wasted on me. Fender have in more recent years produced what appeals to me in their Tonemaster series. Of that lineup, the Twin Reverb really appeals - money no object, I'd have one of those already, and be waiting to jump on the Tweed Twin and Tweed Champ versions as they arrive. That's the sweet spot for me.

With that sort of tech here and new models on the way, my thoughts have turned to tiny, on the go practice amps. The killer app for me now would be something the size of the Positive Grid Spark Go, but simpler. Sounds like a Tweed Champ, decent volume (The PGSG does have the right volume level for me), headphone socket, and a 3.5mm line in. The Go sounds great, but it's got a lot of functionality I'd never use. The bigger strike against it is the lack (if I've picked up the spec right) of a 3.5mm line in. I'd like something that could be a hotel room amp sort of thing, but also function as an external speaker for my mp3 player and tablet on the go. Both of these devices do have blutooth, but I vastly prefer to use a 3.5mm cable instead, which makes a very marked difference to battery life.

So that's what I'm waiting for happening in the amp market: a pocket-size, 1 watt Fender Tonemaster Champ with 3.5mm line in and a line out. Given the leaps and bounds in tech since I got my Smokey amp twenty plus years ago (still fun, but not a 'serious' amp, more of an effect than anything), it should surely only be a matter of time?

Amp Conundrum

Sun, 21 Jan 2024 14:37:10 +0000

Hello Chaps,

I'm a noob here on the forum and with respect to playing a 6-string so I'm hoping to get some advice from more experienced folk about what to do in the situation I find myself. I think I might want to buy a new amp of some kind, but I'm an untalented guitarist and not experienced enough to know how to weigh up the factors involved.

So - quick sit-rep:

I'm a bassist by trade and play in a small trio band and the local church band. I play a little guitar (badly!) when I have to - e.g. to fill in some rythym / strumming if that's more helpful than bass on any given Sunday.
My daughter is currently learning guitar and flying along with it. I'm doing my best to encourage her.
I have a couple of guitar amps I've picked up over the years - a small Marshall Practice amp (10W, I think) and a Fender Champion 100.
- I don't like the Marshall amp - it's small, nasal and boxy (but I got it for free). It's currently on loan to a friend.
- I like the Fender amp very much, but it's far too big for home practice - we can't turn it up past 2 on either channel before we risk complaints from the neighbours / blowing the windows out / deafening ourselves. On the other hand, we've been using it quite effectively in both of my bands (in church-sized spaces) and all the relevant guitarists seem to enjoy it. My daughter currently practices on this one.
I think I'd like to stop carting the Champion around and just leave it in the church which is far more convenient for both bands' practices.
I think I'd then like buy a smaller practice amp for my daughter and I to use at home.

On that basis, I've been looking at things like

Fender Champion 20 / 40
Fender Mustang LT25
Line 6 Spider V 30
Line 6 Catalyst 60

Questions I can't satisfactorily answer:

I already have a Helix Stomp which I use with both basses and guitars, so do I need to bother with a modelling amp?
Flipped the other way: my daughter isn't capable of using the Helix as she's still small-ish, so perhaps a modelling amp with presets will encourage / excite her into making new sounds without the complexity of creating Helix patches?
I like the whole Helix "ecosystem" so is it better to buy a Line 6 amp that has some of the Helix FX built in because it'll be familliar?
Or, should I go with the Fender amps because they're cheap, cheerful and I like them, and, if I went with the Mustang, give me another implementation of "modelling" for an even wider variety of tones?
The LT25 sounds like a good option:
- [+] it's the right size, power- and feature-wise, but
- [-] it only has an 8" speaker. Perhaps I'm biased as a bassist but isn't that rather small?
Overall, the Catalyst 60 also seems like a good option:
- [+] it has a 12" speaker, which ought to sound better with modelled tones, but
- [-] it's hardly any smaller / lighter / less powerful than the Champion 100, but
- [+] it does have a half-power switch so I could run it at 30W at home, which sounds a lot more reasonable.
- [+] The app that runs it looks simillar to the Helix interface so it would be familliar,
- [-] but the FX / etc. on there are straight off the Helix, so there's nothing "new" - I could probably create an identical Helix patch for any sound it could make, so I'm essentially paying for a speaker in a box.

If I were a more experienced guitarist, I could probably give weight to each of those considerations and come up with an answer, but as a bassist, it's not my area of expertise. Please could anyone lend some experience to the questions above?

Many thanks in advance.

NAD: Origin 20 + OR212A

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 18:47:42 +0000

Decided to get the Marshall Origin 20 head and matching 212A cab

Very impressed as a pedal platform amp

Using a Boss SD-1 in front results in great 70’s AC / DC tones at lower volumes for home use

Combo

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 12:02:12 +0000

May start looking for a combo amp in near future. Don't care about clean tone, I have an amp for that. Prefer non tube. I know marshall has solid state but can it distort like a half stack. Does mesa boogie make a non tube combo? I realize I can go to a store in person or internet and find out but I may hear a recommendation from someone here about other options. I play slide and usually go for a Georgia Satellites meets Dave Mustaine tone, usually epi explorer. Just want that tone.

Bedroom tube amp that can take pedals?!

Fri, 23 Feb 2024 09:42:24 +0000

Hello everyone, I've been going crazy in the last period because I want, like said title, a tube amp that can take pedals well and at the same time not shatter windows, I mainly like to jam around and enjoy playing covers.

I've been checking out a lot of amps that have a power soak option and the only one that seems to be acceptable is the EVH 5150 LBX-S which can be taken down to 3.5w.

Other amps I have checked out are:

1- the Boss Katana which I know it's not a tube amp but it has an option of 0.5w and is said to be taking pedals nicely as well as having a nice sound. I have tried this amp in a music shop with various different guitars but after the 3rd guitar it just seems to make them all sound exactly the same from BC Rich to Fenders, so it doesn't really inspire me.

2 - Hughes and Kettner tubemeister deluxe 20, by what I saw on YouTube it has a nice clean but I'm not a huge fan of the distortion channel and tends to start being noisy quite early as soon as an overdrive is in front of it. That being said it has an option of power soak to 1w.

3 - Prs Mt15 seems nice but only has a 7w option.

4- Revv D20 nice but I would probably never use that twonotes torpedo and all the midi/recording/computer stuff side of it. On the upside it does go down to 4w and it's know to take pedals nicely and I also like the sound on its own too

Also briefly had a look at BlackStar HT5R and Laney Ironheart

If anyone is wondering my pedalboard is the following.

Polytune 3 mini

Morley 20/20 bad horsie

Mxr ten band EQ

Keeley compressor +

V1 Kraken

Jhs Bonsai

Big muff

TC Electronic sentry

TC Electronic Corona

Mxr micro flanger

EH small stone phaser

TC Electronic hall of fame 2

TC Electronic Ditto

Thank you

Antonio

Roland ga212 combo

Sat, 14 Dec 2024 06:43:51 +0000

nice amp. Had for a few years. Always plugged in from front but read somewhere its better going in from the back (pause for stupidJoke) but the output (sound) was cut by 30% at least. Tried different configurations but result was sameOr worse. Any suggestions? I went back to input jacks up front

Laney Lionheart Foundry 60

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 06:44:19 +0000

Just ordered this Laney combo

60w switchable to 1w and 12” speaker Seems like a nice amp for home and jam sessions

Anyone tried one ?

DSL20HR Tube Replacement

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 21:29:22 +0000

Ordered a pair of matched JJ EL34 tubes and swopped out the Marshall stock EL34 ( will keep as spares )

Replaced V1 and V2 with JJ ECC83S

Pleasing results as it sounds warmer, fuller and less harsh at high gain which the better JJ tubes seem to be helping

A nice easy upgrade

Marshall DSL 20

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 21:42:02 +0000

hi guys, I have a few questions about the dsl series from Marshall. I'm looking to get one and my budget s around the £450 mark. my questions are A does the dsl 20 give good tones at low volumes and B can I get it to do 60-70s rock with/without an overdrive?

thanks in advance

Fender amp model identificationb (video)

Sun, 15 Dec 2024 21:22:39 +0000

Can anybody recoqnice which fender amp this is or otherwise deduce it? Video is from 1995. Timestamped

NAD: Marshall DSL20HR + SC112

Sat, 14 Dec 2024 12:52:30 +0000

Now we’re talking !

NAD: Marshall DSL40CR

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 08:12:39 +0000

Marshall DSL40CR incoming !

Had a DSL100HR and 2x12 cab before and a DSL20 head and wanted a combo for home and jamming

It can be switched to 20w and has two master volumes so I can play quietly at home

A great amp

Amp for home and jam

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 20:47:27 +0000

Looking for a good valve amp for home and jamming use

Good clean sound and mild drive

Low wattage and with reverb

Having headphones out is handy

Any recommendations?

New VOX Vt100x vs old Vox AD50VT

Sun, 17 Nov 2024 20:20:01 +0000

Hi all

If anyone has any experience with these amps it would be very much appreciated.

I have after watching two videos on YouTube decided that I want a Vox valvetronix amp for home use.

https://youtu.be/aC0lpwAAMlQ?si=WEdmH-BEqfmdUVOu

(Andertons blind test modeling amp shootout)

https://youtu.be/ffdoMiF75_w?si=W5HzFF7wKW6n6JUa

(EytschPi42 review)

The VT40x is available with Thomann at circa €260

I decided to look on local used websites here in Ireland (adverts.ie, donedeal, Facebook marketplace etc) and have come across what could be a few bargains, which I will list below

1) Vox AD50VT (11 amp models) for €140 (asking)
2) Vox AD100VT with dual 12 inch speakers for €200 (asking)
3) Vox Vt100x (now discontinued big brother of VT40x I'm looking at) for €320 (asking)

All are in good condition from what I can see and youtube videos and reviews all look good. The AD50VT is particularly tempting as its only 30 mins away from me for collection and if I was lucky (and cheeky!) I might even grab it for nearer to €100.

Is it worth my time going for the older technology or have the newer models been updated significantly, thus sounding alot better? The Andertons blind test highlighted the amp for me and the review from EytschPi pretty much sold it.

Any thoughts and opinions are most welcome!

Thanks!

Materials arriving for new Mad Axe Amps 15W combo

Sat, 12 Oct 2024 07:36:54 +0000

VOX basket weave tolex and Fender Oxblood speaker grill fabric.

MA-DTC15 will be a dual channel beast.

15W output, but switchable for 7W and 1.5W.

Separate gain and master on each channel

Footswitch socket for channel selection (with panel toggle switch included)

Separate bass-mid-treble on both channels

Resonance & presence on the output stage.

10" Jensen alnico speaker

See madaxeamps.co.uk or contact me on info@madaxeamps.co.uk

A choise of two very different Delux Reverbs.

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 21:37:09 +0000

Having been primarily a bass player I was mostly concerned with moving air cleanly and weight, so solid state was the way. I've never owned a tube amp, I am emotionally attached to the idea, but technology has caught up. which way to jump? According to the experts these sound almost the same.

Fender Tonemaster delux reverb blond - the one with the Celestian Creamback speaker. £950 14.5KG
I really like the colour. I also like the attenuator, but its basicly a computer. will it be repairable in 10 years time?

Or Fender 68 delux reverb £1266 22.7Kg
How are power soaks as good as the tonemaster's built in attenuator? What are the servicing costs? How long do tubes last? Power consumption to heat the tubes?

Thoughts? Input?

St James EL34 2x12 vs Roland Blues Cube Artist

Sun, 04 Aug 2024 09:42:25 +0000

So looking at both of these as my every day working amp, I have larger gear too so this is the combo for most pub gigs.

Ive played through a BCA and it sounds really good, but the YouTube videos of the St James sound good too and they are supposed to be really light ( bonus) the St James I’ve got my eye on is the 2x12 EL34 version.

so has anyone tried them/own either/both etc. the BCA feels like it’s built well and would last. But I like the idea of a light weight 2x13

Which amp I have to buy?

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 18:11:53 +0000

"Marshall MG15" or "Roland Cube-10GX"? Which do you recommend? Due to my country and my financial situation, they're the best options I have.

Broken fender bassman

Sun, 12 May 2024 12:27:20 +0000

Hey

I've inherited a broken fender bassman guitar amp. I'm told it should be simple enough to fix by someone who knows what they're doing but I have neither the time nor money to get it done.

Could anyone give me a ball park figure of what would be a fair price to sell it as spares/repairs? I'm not up to date with the guitar amp buying and selling scene unfortunately.

It's gig worn but grill cloth and speakers are intact.

Turns on and warms up but no sound comes out.

Many thanks