Looking to upgrade from a Marshall AVT150H

[guitarplayer]

Looking to go all tube preferably in a combo. I have the half stack now but it just sits in my basement and never moves. I like to play with the hair bands but love some newer metal too so the amp would have to be able to do both. I have been looking at the Orange tiny terror, Line 6 spider valve combo, a Marshall 800, 900, dsl or tsl, or if I could find a screaming deal on a mesa.

Basically it would need to be under a grand on the price and I prefer a combo since I don't really need a half stack. It would need super high gain since that is what I really love.

Give me some ideas or reinforce the ones I already have. I seem to be going towards either the tiny terror or the line 6 spider valve combo.

[thetroy]

The Tiny Terror is NOT high gain.

Also a 2x12 tube combo will probably weigh almost as much as your 4x12 so if you don't like moving that chances are the combo won't be much better.

I'm biased though I'm trying to move from a combo to a head + 2x12 cab. Two heads I'm looking at are the ValveKing and the Crate V33H. Unfortunately I haven't found anywhere to try the Crate.

[guitarplayer]

Good to know about the tiny terror. I have read a little about it and realized it is not for me. What about other orange amps?

As far as the weight goes I'm not to concerned with that. Its more the space factor as well as the fact that I really don't need a 4x12. Plus it costs more.

[lerxstcat]

Good to know about the tiny terror. I have read a little about it and realized it is not for me. What about other orange amps?

As far as the weight goes I'm not to concerned with that. Its more the space factor as well as the fact that I really don't need a 4x12. Plus it costs more.

A 212 combo takes up the same floorspace as a halfstack, and won't have as good of bass response with an open back cabinet. I'd think your palm muting for modern metal would suffer a lack of punch. Don't you already have a 412 cab with the AVT head? Then why not pick up, say, the Spider Valve head and use your existing cab? Or if space is that much of a problem, pick up a vertical slant 212 sealed-back cab, and you have the sound of a 412 with half the weight and width.

It depends on the band. If you're playing Top 40 music with just an occasional hard song, you might get by with a combo. If it's a metal band, people will probably laugh at you for simply not having at least a half stack. Plus your drummer will drown out your 212 if he hits hard, again unless you have an extension cab too. And then we're back to taking up the space of a half stack, or a little more.

I'd sell the AVT head and take that money and some more cash and get the Spider Valve head. Use that with the AVT cab until you can get a decent 412 or at least a 212. Just my 2 cents' worth, and you know about opinions...

[guitarplayer]

Thanks for the opinions guys. I don't play in a band and don't have any plans to play in a band.

As far as keeping my cabinet and getting the spider valve head I don't think I can do that. I like the cabinet less then I like the avt head.

[guitarplayer]

I ended up with the spider valve 2 12 combo. This thing absolutely blows by avt Marshall away in every category. Plus I got a hell of a deal.

[Shibs]

Try the Hughes & Kettner Switchblade, the combos are at 50 or 100 watts and they sound great... nice clean as well as overdrive! Check it out!