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Re: Small valve amps / Champ alternatives?

Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2019 8:41 am
by somanytoys
I have some of the AC4TVs, combos and stacks, and I love them. Almost all of them have upgraded tubes, and the combos have upgraded speakers.

I also have 2 Bugera T5 amps that I love, they look cook, they have a gain knob and a "phat" switch to go all out with distortion if you want, so they can be clean or dirty or really dirty. I swapped out the 12AX7 preamp tubes with 12AT7s for lower gain, and they still get really gainy for me, especially with pedals. They have an attenuator to go choose from 5 watts, 1 watt and 1/4 watt, and a 1/4" headphone out. I think they're about $150 or so, and you'd have to use a speaker cab you already have, or get a new one.

This is all assuming you still want an amp in the 4/5 watt range, if not, nevermind. But the AC4C1 or HW upgrade is probably a good choice, too, but more expensive.

Re: Small valve amps / Champ alternatives?

Posted: Thu Apr 11, 2019 12:55 am
by wooderson
I had a Greer Mini Chief - 3W, very Voxy. Loud as hell, after the first third of the dial it was mostly just getting dirtier. I wound up trading it for a Power Station for my big amp but now I wish I had it again.

Re: Small valve amps / Champ alternatives?

Posted: Thu Apr 11, 2019 5:07 pm
by giantsteps
I have an Epi valve Jr combo which is a great little amp for mods. Its a simple enough circuit to be able to tweak and hear results from value changes. Plus, it records great.

Re: Small valve amps / Champ alternatives?

Posted: Thu Apr 11, 2019 5:14 pm
by mackerelmint
I used to have a valve jr. I tweaked it a little, since it's dead simple to do. Sounded good. I got rid of it for solid state, though.

Not sure if it's the most cost/size/weight effective solution out there, but it's a good solution among many.

Re: Small valve amps / Champ alternatives?

Posted: Thu Apr 11, 2019 10:08 pm
by MT
What’s a used Mesa TA-15 cost where you are. Amazingly good small amps. Just get the head and pair it with a 1x12 of your choice. Vox or Tweed channels for your clean / cleanish playing and can go 25w / 15w or 5w on each channel.

Re: Small valve amps / Champ alternatives?

Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2019 1:43 pm
by Chip Korea
I can only talk about my experience. I picked up a home made hand wired clone of a '54 Champ on ebay which I absolutely love. Very sweet and very clean. Housed in a crappy practice amp box. I love it so much I picked up a '57 Champ clone from the same bloke. Needs a bit of TLC and a new speaker (it is a shitty modern practice amp with entirely new hand-wired electronics) - much louder and dirtier but still good. I love little amps! (And big too). And the ones in the middle. And the silly-big.

Re: Small valve amps / Champ alternatives?

Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2019 12:02 pm
by Telover
I have a Gibson GA-5 Les Paul reissue, nice amp. I owned a Champion 600 that's a crap. Too small.
The Les Paul is small as well but it's way better made. Anyways the sound is what it is, due the dimension of the cab.

Re: Small valve amps / Champ alternatives?

Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2019 2:06 pm
by MayTheFuzzBeWithYou
Fender Vaporizer/Excelsior?
Pretty honest (unforgiving) tube amps that both take pedals well and at least the Vaporizer can be had pretty cheap used! I‘m happy with mine and still got everything stock - but some recommend a Tube and or Speaker swap - and if you take it damn serious even the Spring tank or at least its cables.