First: Sorry guys, most of the time when I type, I type quickly and I don't think much about what I'm typing. It's not uncommon for me to misspell words, use their forms incorrectly, or just skip words altogether (like what happened in my last post). What I was trying to say was:
Anyone who says the Epiphone Valve Jr. is bad, is simply incorrect. You should buy it. It's very easy to modify, and although it sounds great stock, modifying it's components, or even changing the speaker and tubes can bring it's tone to a whole other level.
Now, as for the headroom problem, the singlecoil in my Melody Maker is fairly low-output, and I would have to bring the volume up to around 1/2 to get any sort of breakup. After I modded it, replaced the tubes, and replaced the speaker with a Ceramic-magnet, Ribbed-cone speaker to delay the breakup, I could push it to maybe 3/4 until it would break up. With my Jagmaster it's a different story. The humbuckers will make the VJr start to distort around 1/3 volume.
The modifications I did mainly dealt with running the amp at the correct voltage and protecting the tubes. The few tone mods that I did tightened up the bass but provided more bass, decreased the gain, and decreased the presence slightly. The usual complaints with the stock Valve Jr. in terms of tone are usually that it doesn't have enough bass and that the bass it does have is very loose and flabby.
In terms of bang-for-buck, the Epiphone Valve Jr is pretty much the winner. Other small class-A tube combos do exist but they either cost more or they have their own tone problems that you would probably want to modify anyways.
However, as usual, and as with everything tone, it's totally subjective to what YOU like and what YOU are looking for.
FWIW I totally agree with everything Gavin has said.
Small amps -what to buy?
Moderated By: mods
Eh... I just had a browse through what's available and there actually are quite a few of these 5W amps around that look pretty decent in theory at least, and they're around £130.
So if I was to buy one today. I probably wouldn't buy the EVJ. I think I'd probably get a Bugera V5.
In fact, if I ever get a job, I just might get one.
So if I was to buy one today. I probably wouldn't buy the EVJ. I think I'd probably get a Bugera V5.
In fact, if I ever get a job, I just might get one.
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pinkandblue
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- Posts: 108
- Joined: Mon May 26, 2008 10:44 pm
- Location: Dublin
Website is lame, you call your man at Matamp and he can't tell you how much shipping is. The prices aren't even listed on the website and there's no shopping cart function on the site... that said I bet they are great amps just not easy to purchase. Some youtube links would be good as well.benecol wrote:pinkandblue wrote:I have been wanting a Matamp for a while now but buying one is just so much of a hassle.Well done for coping so admirably with the hassle.pinkandblue wrote:Okay I rang your man a Minimat goes for £359 vat inclusive.
Well, now I know what my bass wants for it's new companion. That should blow my present Fender Rumble 100 (don't laugh!) out of the water (come to think about it...laugh away). At least it was cheap and hasn't died on me.. yet. The EVJ seems also a likely candidate, only prob is if it needs all that tuning and pimping to be reliable and sound kick ass. I'm a really lazt slob when it comes to taking proper care of my junk. I tend to do the job only when I really have to, and not when the disaster could have been easily averted. Although learning to mod amps sounds like fun.. hmmm... what can a poor boy do, exept...
The newer versions of the EVJ (which are in stores now) have almost all of the safety, voltage, etc. mods done to them already. Epiphone was finally good about listening to their customers. Now all there is is a rock solid great sounding amp that has so much potential to sound even better. Seriously, there's literally no reason to buy anything else.colabonham wrote:Well, now I know what my bass wants for it's new companion. That should blow my present Fender Rumble 100 (don't laugh!) out of the water (come to think about it...laugh away). At least it was cheap and hasn't died on me.. yet. The EVJ seems also a likely candidate, only prob is if it needs all that tuning and pimping to be reliable and sound kick ass. I'm a really lazt slob when it comes to taking proper care of my junk. I tend to do the job only when I really have to, and not when the disaster could have been easily averted. Although learning to mod amps sounds like fun.. hmmm... what can a poor boy do, exept...
aen wrote:hotrodperlmutter wrote:being butt fucked by a lion is better than the stock [CIJ Jaguar] bridge pup.
I've never understood the EVJ hate. I have the head and run it into a Marshall 412. It's pretty dark and sounds awesome. I put it at about 2/3rd full, and can get the sound to be as clean or dirty as I want with my hands, then I use the Saltbooster to get really dirty.
When I get back, I'll be modding it some.
The Fender 600 is very good too. Mine doesn't get used as much as the EVJ on account of me not having faith plugging it into the Marshall (4 ohm output, 8 ohm cab).
When I get back, I'll be modding it some.
The Fender 600 is very good too. Mine doesn't get used as much as the EVJ on account of me not having faith plugging it into the Marshall (4 ohm output, 8 ohm cab).
