Best Small Tube Amp

[jgcable]

Re: Best Small Tube Amp

I owned a Studio 22+ with the EQ for years and it did a great Marshall type crunch but in no way would it get the scooped totally over the top saturation that Pantera gets. To compare it to known bands I would say that it did a perfect old Judas Priest with the gain dimed out and would easily nail anything considered classic rock. Absolutely the best classic rock tone I ever got. Definately not metal/shred/Pantera type overdrive without outboard help though. I used it in a classic rock band I was in. We did Zep, Rush, old Journey, The Who, Cheap Trick... It was perfect. When I switched to Metallica/Disturbed/Pantera/Godsmack etc.. the distortion didn't cut it. I have a Mesa Dual Rectifier so I do have an idea what gain is. Take my recomendations with a grain of salt though because the other players responding really know their stuff. The Carvin MTS3212 is a great 2 x 12 all tube combo that is very similar in tone and gain to a Studio 22+.

[jgcable]

Re: Best Small Tube Amp

Like I said in my earlier post, the Peavey Ultra 112 or 212 will do everything that you are asking for. Cheap too.

[Cack]

Re: Best Small Tube Amp

How do those Ultras sound at lower volume? because I will be using it frequently a bedroom levels. One of the reason I'm selling my JCM 900 as well is that it is far too loud even for playing small gigs so I never really get to turn it up very high and from what I hear 60w tube isin't much quieter than 100w tube. Basically with the Marshall you have to turn it up LOUD to get decent tone out of it, is it the same with the Ultra?!

[ May 28, 2003, 05:06 PM: Message edited by: Cack ]

[Cack]

Re: Best Small Tube Amp

Well if the Mesa .22 can get above classic rock can anyone tell me a low wattage tube amp that does? I know its not tube but I've heard great things about the Peavey Bandit, any opionons on them?

[Venomboy]

Re: Best Small Tube Amp

I've played a bunch of Peavey Bandit 1x12 combos at stores recently and they offer a lot of versatility and you CAN get an over the top saturated scooped tone out of them. My Peavey Envoy 110 doesn't have the versatility of the Bandit but last friday I was jamming with some friends and the bass player of all people thought my little 40 watt Peavey sounded killer. My guitarist friend with a 5150 combo was amazed as well.

If you A/B the Bandit with a tube amp you'll see the difference...the tube amp, well, sounds like a tube amp. But I don't think you can go wrong with a Bandit...they're cheap too.

Peavey also makes a XXX and XXL combo I think. You'll get a ton of opinions on these I'm sure [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[jgcable]

Re: Best Small Tube Amp

The Ultra sounds great at low or high volume. It actually has a really nice "thump" at extreme low volume. I had both the 112 and the 212 in my shop for a few weeks. I liked the 112 because it was lighter but the 212 would be suitable for bedroom or stage. The 112 only has 1 speaker and that usually isn't enough to compete with a drummer. My opinion is that is sounded like a smoother tighter more refined 5150 with a much better clean channel. Not nearly as loud or brown but very nice. More gain than you will ever need. I forgot to mention another great SS amp that I have recently had the pleasure of playing. The Carvin SX200 combo. It has digital programmable effects and it sounds fantastic at any volume. Another really inexpensive excellent sounding amp IMHO that you can score used on "the bay" all day long.

[Cack]

Re: Best Small Tube Amp

Hmm I'm probably more lightly yo go for the Mesa Studio .22+ because its nigh on impossible to find a Peavey Ultra that will be shipped to Ireland on e-bay (they are impossible to find in Ireland). Does anyone who owns a Studio .22 know if they have a Voltage switch so that they can be used in Europe??

[Cack]

Re: Best Small Tube Amp

Hmm, what sort of outboard preamps and stuff would I be looking at for a stronger sort of distorsion out of the Studio .22? and what sort of sound would they give me?