Best reasonable priced Vintage Tube Amps

[Larsongs]

By reasonable I'm thinking under $1500.00.

What would you all look for?

Ideally Amps that sound amazing that are pretty much Original. Or refurbished with OEM Parts.. Cabinets that are still in pretty decent condition..

Mostly interested in Fender or Vox but will consider others that are interesting.. Mainly Combos.. 10- 25 Watt..

[marqueemoon]

Not many bargains left in the vintage amp world. You can get a silverface Princeton Reverb for that with some looking. Maybe a silverface Vibrolux.

Some 60’s Silvertone combos are pretty nice sounding.

My only vintage amp is a Thomas Organ era (tube) Vox Cambridge Reverb which needs a trip to the tech. Cool, swampy sounding verb and trem. As the name suggests it’s Princeton-esque in power but has its own thing going on.

Since drinking the Swart Kool Aid I have little interest in vintage amps.

[Scout]

There are a lot of offerings in that price range , what is the loudest you need it’s to be? You can grab vintage amps in my area pretty regularly from various sites ( CL, FB, etc. ) and I have an old school tech close by to sort any issues that I can’t.

[Larsongs]

I currently have RI 65 Princeton Reverb, 65 DRRI & Early 2000 Twin, Vox AC15CC1X & a Modded Vox AC10C1. All of them are good..

But, they don't compare to their Vintage ancestry...

I would most like a Deluxe Reverb. 2nd choice Vox AC15. Or comparable...

[adamrobertt]

Traynor YGM-3 is still pretty cheap and frequently overlooked. Pristine vintage examples are like $1200. You can score a slightly more beat up one for under a grand. Basically a Canadian made, single channel Deluxe Reverb. Their only downfall is that they came with shitty speakers and they're closed back. But they're easy to convert to open back and the speaker thing is kind of your call.

[Jonesie]

The Ampeg Gemini I or II. Love them to death. Flatter EQ than a Fender but with similar cleans, slightly more raunchy drive (when you're able to crank it.)

[Gavanti]

An early '70s DR or VR would be options. Early enough ('70-'71 I think) and you keep the more sturdy cabinet build of the 60's silverfaces too. A late 60s SF Princeton NR would be another good choice—great clean platform and relatively cheap.

[Scout]

I don't know, I'm not convinced about the superior sound of an original vintage amp. I have a Gibson, a Magnatone, a few Ampegs , a Pro reverb, a Danelectro, a Deluxe clone that I have kept and a custom Vibrolux reverb without the vibrato and the new version of the old amp is better in every way.

The circuit, while similar , has hand picked components and immaculate wiring placement and details. The 2- 10" speakers are matched to the circuit and cabinet, it also has a built in attenuator for 5-100% for use anywhere, up to the full 6L6 40 watts. I know other new builders offer similar upgrades to tube amps that address their issues, this amp is also dead silent at idle. I still pull the others out to play but the Alessandro has ended the search for the elusive perfect tube amp, I would imagine Swart or Carr would also fit the bill but Alessandro is the local guy to me.

Having said that I'm still lusting over a '62 Tremolux Reverb Piggyback that's been on CL for months now.

[DeathJag]

A silverface Twin.

[windmill]

A vintage deluxe reverb doesn't cost any more than a vintage offset.

Silverface fenders is where to start looking.

[Pepe Silvia]

I have a silver face, drip edge Bandmaster Reverb. I have put feelers out in the past and I feel like it would get $700 tops. Great sounding amp.

[Scout]

It sounds like you want a Deluxe Reverb with point to point wiring. Are you in the states?

[HNB]

Peavey Classic 30.

[HH1978]

A Magnatone 213 maybe...

It's a big departure from the Fender or Vox sounds, but it's a wonderful amp, even before you engage the true vibrato.

That said, I agree with Scout on vintage amps not always sounding better than modern ones. I like point to point because I do my own maintenance and don't like working on PCB's though.

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

There is a 60s Blackface Showman head in Germany for 800€ at ebay-kleinanzeigen and a Dual Showman Reverb for even less... I could imagine that you even get better deals in the US!

I was on the hunt for a Bassman 100 for a few years and ended up with a dripedge Bansmaster (non reverb) - which I got for about 600€. Absolutely great amp! Love the Trem!

Brownfaces are way harder to get here in Europe - but the Blackfaces and especially the Silverface amps show up more or less all the time!