Little/Mini Tube Amps - Reviews? Thoughts?

[mjet]

I've got a SF Fender Champ in a friend's garage and I'll bring it back to Europe sometime next spring. This got me thinking of smaller tube amps and wondered what you guys have owned/used in the past. I can think of a couple:

Zvex Nano (0.5 watts) http://zvexamps.com/amp_view.html



Matamp MiniMat (2 watts) http://www.matamp.co.uk/minimat.htm



Anyone care to add to the list along with a pro/con list?

[mezcalhead]

How small is small? I've got a little 5W tweed Champ that's just excellent, but gets a bit loud for just practicing on your own in a living room.

I've heard good things about both the Nano and the Minimat, but not owned either. I reckon you'd get interesting results using the speakers of your Super Six with these!

My current favourite little amp is my Noisy Cricket which is solid state and in fact powered by a 9V battery, but Dano is working on a tube Cricket at the moment which might be worth your while to look into.

There are slightly bigger amps which scale down well, like the Mojave Coyote or the Carr Mercury. If I was looking at buying a bedroom amp with an unlimited budget I'd have the Mercury near the top of the list.

[Maggieo]

I spent an hour with a Z. Vex Nano and if I'd had the money it would have gone home with me.  Surprisingly Marshall-y sound with it driving a 4x10 closed cab.

[zhivago]

I had a nano for about a year - sadly - as usual - I had to sell it

sounds really, really huge through a 4x12 with Greenbacks...the clean sounds aren't really there...but the driven sounds is where it's at.

thoroughly recommended!

[mjet]

How small is small? I've got a little 5W tweed Champ that's just excellent, but gets a bit loud for just practicing on your own in a living room.

Once I have my SF Champ I'll be a happy man but I'm always looking down the road for the next place to sink money. 

I've heard good things about both the Nano and the Minimat, but not owned either. I reckon you'd get interesting results using the speakers of your Super Six with these!

I think that I'm going to try and flog the Super Six before too long - it has been out at my friend's guitar workshop for the last six months because my wife isn't too keen on having such a monstrous beast in the flat. And what the hell do I need a 6x10" 100 watt amp for?  :-\

My current favourite little amp is my Noisy Cricket which is solid state and in fact powered by a 9V battery, but Dano is working on a tube Cricket at the moment which might be worth your while to look into.

Those look *so* cool http://www.beavisaudio.com/Projects/Noi ... /index.htm:

There are slightly bigger amps which scale down well, like the Mojave Coyote or the Carr Mercury. If I was looking at buying a bedroom amp with an unlimited budget I'd have the Mercury near the top of the list.

The Carr-Mercury is a fantastic looking amp. Not cheap, though - cca US$ 2150.

[chrisjedijane]

I  my SF champ to bits

[i love sharin foo]

There are also the little Epiphone Valve Jrs. I saw an ad where Mercury Magnetics sells an upgrade kit for them which includes some really nice transformers and some better caps and things like that. I'd like to get one just to do that too. Also, I posted that other thread about that 6 watt Reeves head. You can also get it with their "power scaling" option which seems to be similar to an attenuatior, but a little different I think. I haven't really read into it much though.

Justin

[Blobcaster]

this one is cool,but it really only does the one thing,cranked marshall at TV levels.didn't take to pedals at all,delay & my LOFI Loop Junky were just a mess,muddy,distorted,fuzzy,just a horrible jumbled up mess.

[sookwinder]

I have the nanoamp and yes it is a marshall sound. The full distortion mode is too distorted for my music but the medium and low levels of dist. are superb and when run through my 2 x 10" blue pups cab it is loud enough for rehersals  (certainly not melt the paint off the wall loud) but enough.  I have used it extensively in recording as it is able to get that crunch at volumes that don't destroy the microphone.

I have a friend who uses one for live gigs that have an external PA system.  ie/ mics up a small cab connected to the nanoamp.

Perfect for late night practicing and noodling

[mezcalhead]

what the hell do I need a 6x10" 100 watt amp for?

Why, for practicing of course!

Those look *so* cool

Mine isn't in that shot, so I've taken a couple of pics and put them in the Noisy Cricket thread.

The Carr-Mercury is a fantastic looking amp. Not cheap, though - cca US$ 2150.

No .. thus my comment about unlimited budget .. they routinely sell for US$1700-1800 second-hand, so they hold their value really quite well.

[davelowell]

I will be getting a Valve Jr. and using it with a small ported 1x10 for my bass, bassvi and regular guitar.  I will post my thoughts when I give them a good going through!  I'll just use it as a practice amp and to learn songs from the tele, like jingles and the theme to "Good Eats".

Dave

[Jay]

I will be getting a Valve Jr. and using it with a small ported 1x10 for my bass, bassvi and regular guitar.  I will post my thoughts when I give them a good going through!  I'll just use it as a practice amp and to learn songs from the tele, like jingles and the theme to "Good Eats".

Dave

If your handy with a soldering iron there are a few mods that are supposed to really liven up these amps into boutique territory for no more then a few $ in parts.  A simple Google for valve junior mods should net you plenty of links.

[davelowell]

I've seen those mods available.  I'm not too great with the iron, but I guess I could experiment.  I am just worried about getting all the juice out of the caps?  Is that right?  I don't know.  Maybe.  Maybe it will sound good enough for messin around that I won't have to mod it.  I don't know yet.

[Blobcaster]

yeah you've to discharge the caps  ,heard the modded one awhile ago trannies,tubes,caps,speaker it was alright but for the money they wanted i would have to DIY and the upgrades end up costing more than the amp  . think they wanted $550.00 modded your choice of power tubes though  .

[Jay]

I've seen those mods available.  I'm not too great with the iron, but I guess I could experiment.  I am just worried about getting all the juice out of the caps?  Is that right?  I don't know.  Maybe.  Maybe it will sound good enough for messin around that I won't have to mod it.  I don't know yet.

Discharging caps is pretty easy, I wouldn't worry too much about it.  Just be sure to be careful.  I've heard a stock one and it was a little muddy sounding but for $100...  I doubt you could beat it.