small Tube amp reccomendations?

Pappas

hey guys, ive been playing guitar a few years but have always had a crappy fake strat and a valve amp (line6 spider something). anyway im lashing out and getting myself a brand spanking new stevie ray vaughan stratocaster, and i also want to get myself a new amp, this time a tube amp.

what recommendations can you guys give? basically i want to try mimic that clean McCready tone from back in the day, and want something that will give me a good sound but not be expensive (ie not a big amp). i mostly play in my room myself and sometimes occasional jam with a mate who also plays guitar and sometimes a third who plays drums. so its not like i need something to perform gigs with just something i can mess around with that gives a good sound and cheap and small. i remember a thread a while back where someone posted these really good small tube amps that were going really cheap?

also feel free to give any recommendations on pedals, particularly ones that will help me get the mike sound. im already adding a dunlop crybaby (original) to my wishlist...

RJ57954

If you can ge a hold of a crate V30 or v32 with a tone Tubby speaker... you would keep it forecer!!! Even without a Tone Tubbt they're pretty ripping!! They were discontinued last year, I work at a music store and everyone who bought them just rave over them... they're just as good as an expensive boutiue amp!!! Class A too!

RV60272

I blew up a crate within months of playing it. get the fender deville. brilliant tube sound. you can't go wrong with it.

DewieCox

Check out the Egnater Rebel. If you are willing to do or get some modding the Blackhearts are pretty neat.

CB206820

Traynor YCV40. Brilliant amps.

For a better clean, go YCV40WR. For a more British sound, go YCV50Blue!

mccreadyisgod

I can recommend the Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, although it would need a good overdrive or distortion pedal (the distortion channel is notoriously bad, and it takes pedals REALLY well). Same story for the Peavey Classic 30 or Delta Blues 210. I've never played one, but Traynor tube amps are well-regarded.

However, the amp that I think fits your needs the best is the Fender Blues Jr. with an Ibanez or Maxon tubescreamer pedal in front. Small enough for the bedroom, but could jam with a group. And it's got a McCready-ish bluesy tone going for it. If you wanna cover all the basses, get the tubescreamer AND a ProCo Rat.

Pappas

thanks for the advice guys, when i head into the music store in a couple weeks when my SRV strat arrives i will be trying it out with a fender blues jr, im thinking i will probably end up with the following

-SRV strat
-fender blues jr amp
-ibanez ts-9 tubescreamer
-dunlop crybaby wah
-Dunlop Rotovibe (red)

Piper At The Gates

That sounds like a really good rig for what you need. The only thing I would do is make sure the Blues Jr. is big enough for your future needs if you plan on playing a lot with other musicians. You may want to go with one of the bigger amps that were suggested here. Best of luck to you.

RJ57954

Have 2 Crates never blew them up were around 400.00 each...also have a $4000.00 badcat and a gibson gold tone amp, Blues Jr is a great amp... But sounds boxey

Pappas

thanks guys ive been speaking to my cousin who plays out a fair bit and he thinks the blues jnr will not be powerful enough if i want to jam along with a loud drummer. he reccommended me to check out the Fender Hot Rod Deluxe which someone listed earlier http://www.fender.com.au/amplification/guitaramps/hotrodeluxe.php so i will prob have a play around and get that one. im thinking that along with the pedals i listed above will put me on the right track

mccreadyisgod

It's the age-old conundrum... most tube amps that are big enough to jam with a band are too loud for the bedroom, and most amps that are small enough for the bedroom are too small for the band.

I wouldn't have recommended the Blues Jr. if I didn't think it could work alongside a drummer. It won't give you much room to breathe (what we refer to as, "clean headroom"), but a Blues Jr. will work (unless the drummer is louder than John Bonham on PCP). The Hot Rod Deluxe is a great amp, one that I've always liked and recommended. It may be too loud for a bedroom amp, at least if you want to get the meat and potatoes tone that a tube amp gives you. For what it's worth, I played bar gigs for an entire summer with a little 12-watt tube amp thru a 12" speaker, without a mic. So I know it can be done.

The only real strong piece of advice I have is to try before you buy. Make sure you know the limits, both quiet and loud, of the amp you're buying. And once you've tried them out, sleep on it before you buy.

Guitarhero27

ORANGE TINY TERROR!!!!!!!!!!!

StickmanJam

I own a Blues Jr., and trust me, it is loud enough to play with a drummer and a second guitarist. As a blues player, it's got all I'll ever need. I also have a Boss Blues Driver Pedal (which is cheaper, and in my opinion better, than the Tubescreamer)

That SRV strat will absolutely sing with the Blues Jr., I highly recommend it. Let us know how you made out.

Pappas

thanks mate im gonna try both amps out on the day with my SRV strat. will let you all know how i go

Snoopy Died For Our Sins

Make sure if you get a TS-9 that you get a Keeley modded one...costs more, but worth every penny

I know it's not cheap but a Carr mercury or mini merc or even a Raleigh will satisfy the bedroom issue...built in atenuator...I have a Carr Mercury (8w, 2w, 1/2w or 1/10w) and it's fucking awesome...but then, it should be for $2350...mine has a celestion blue in it, too.....the Carr really shines though when I run it through one of my Marshall 4 x 12 cabinets......I gotta go PLAY!!!!!!

ScrapeMySky

If you haven't already, look into the Orange Tiny Terror. If you don't have to have a fender-like clean sound this a great amp. Combined with my Tube Screamer i can get pretty close to mike's dirtyer sounds with this thing.