Small tube amps for room practise/metal?

[pott]

I'm on the market for a small (room level only) tube amplifier for blues but mostly metal. I'm guessing 15 watts should be good? I don't expect a metal tone straight out of it since it won't happen with most amps but since I'll have to put it quite loud to get a large enough amount of gain and tone, I'd like it to be very small. I'll probably use a boost pedal like an MXR micro amp to boost the sound and maybe buy a cheap powerbreak on the bay if I find one, but only the pedal + amp is sure. I'm looking for a very thick overdriven tone, a bit as if Zakk Wylde's distorsion meets Children of Bodom's overall tone.
I do not have access to boutique or ultra expensive stuff, and I already have a POD 2.0 so I am not interested in modelling stuff really, but suggest away. I do not have a budget yet so I'll compare later. Mostly what I had in mind was the Fender hot rod deluxe's 15 watter brother (if it has full EQ), the Laney LC15, and er... pretty much that's it. I'm affraid that if I get 30 watts it'd have to be too loud to get a good metal tone out of it.
Thoughts?

[jtr]

Re: Small tube amps for room practise/metal?

Fender Pro Juinior 15 watts class A volume &tone all you'll need, used around $200 or less.

[pott]

Re: Small tube amps for room practise/metal?

Ohhh... you know what, it's clever. With an EQ pedal and a cleanboost, would it give me a good variety of heavy tones?

[Boxcar Willie 84]

Re: Small tube amps for room practise/metal?

uhh...get a Vox AD15VT. It will give you what you want.

[pott]

Re: Small tube amps for room practise/metal?

Not the metal tones. I tried [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] I didn't like it much.

[Predator1]

Re: Small tube amps for room practise/metal?

Crate V1512. 15 watts, a pair of EL84's in the power amp and 3 12xa7's in the preamp pure class A power. I put a Boss SD1 in front of it and get a great 80's metal sound at bedroom levels mine came with a piece of crap crate speaker that I pulled and replace with a celestion. They now come stock with celestion speakers. $350.00 out the door is hard to beat. Iv'e had mine for two years and play it everyday and no problems yet. The SD! really helped to give it the GRIND!

[pott]

Re: Small tube amps for room practise/metal?

I can't find any in any stores or online stores in the UK.
They have the Blues Junior though.
But it's expensive, 350 pounds.
How about the Laney LC15R? Effect loop, reverb, external cab connection, for less than 200 pounds... Seems pretty cool! It only has two EL84s though... Will less tubes mean a relatively less 'tube' tone...? (yeah it seems like a stupid question...)
EDIT: no the Laney also seems to have 3 ECC83s with it, but the website doesn't say it. An ebay auction + pictures show them, and reviews do too.

[bluebullet]

Re: Small tube amps for room practise/metal?

those v series crates do sound really good even the 5 watt one was cool you can totaly crank it and get serious power tube distortion.

[toejam]

Re: Small tube amps for room practise/metal?

Carvin Vintage 16.

[pott]

Re: Small tube amps for room practise/metal?

I live in Europe, we get no Carvins there [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]
I'll check out the crates.

[Twisteramps]

Re: Small tube amps for room practise/metal?

Probably the heaviest 'small tube amp' I can think of offhand would be a mesa .22+. Low wattage high gain amps are a real rarity... because a high gain amp requires a lot more care and parts in it's construction, and also high gain amps tend to sound better with a LOUD power section and a high gain preamp. I have a 3 watt Fender Champ that I modded with a Soldano preamp... if I dime everything, it sounds like crap because the power section overdrives too, and everything turns to mush.

I know you don't want a modelling amp, but I'd suggest a small modelling amp for low wattage high gain. Either a Spider II or the Vox that Boxcar mentioned. Bill Z Bub here on the forum bought a Spider II for his kid and really likes it for what it is... and he's quite the high gain metal monster. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Pete

[pott]

Re: Small tube amps for room practise/metal?

I already have a POD 2.0 that I use with my Peavey [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] And I'd like some real tube stuff to get a more authentic tone as well.
Maybe I'll just get the Laney and try pedals with it. It seems the most logical thing to do. Thanks for the tips! Suggest away if there are others :P

[siggy14]

Re: Small tube amps for room practise/metal?

[ QUOTE ]
I already have a POD 2.0 that I use with my Peavey [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] And I'd like some real tube stuff to get a more authentic tone as well.
Maybe I'll just get the Laney and try pedals with it. It seems the most logical thing to do. Thanks for the tips! Suggest away if there are others :P

[/ QUOTE ]

Personaly for low volume home stuff i do not think you would realy see much of a difference between the pod/flextone and a real tube amp.

[Boxcar Willie 84]

Re: Small tube amps for room practise/metal?

A POD 2.0 into most things sounds kinda mushy as my experience goes. The Vox has a tube in it that helps warm the sound up some. Trust me, it's what you want to get.

[BLOOD SPLATTER]

Re: Small tube amps for room practise/metal?

Not tube but....try a Roland Cube-30,great bedroom/practice amps,very impressive & I usually hate modelling amps!!