ShortScale.org

Why aren't there many single channel amps out there that can typically keep up with a rehearsal / gigging situation ?

i.e. single channel / 1x12 combo / 25-30 watts / affordable / valve / light as can be ?

Something along the lines of re-realeased JCM 800 combo that doesn't weigh a ton.

It seems there is big gap in the market for something like this to be produced....

Marshall ? Fender ? why isn't there anything out there ?

Something that caters for those who wanna use pedals to colour their sound.

I know there are some high end amps that can fit the bill, but there are no low - mid priced amps that I know of that can do this.

For example :
A single channel hotrod deluxe without reverb / smaller
A single channel classic 30 without reverb / smaller
A Tiny Terror combo with a higher wattage.
A Blues Junior with a higher wattage.
A Dual Terror in combo form without the overweight shell
A trans atlantic in combo form without the over inflated price tag
1974x without a second channel / tremolo and price
a louder vc 15....

etc etc....

Surely it's do-able ? and if it was I think they'd sell like hot cakes.

Peavey Classic series. I'd assume there aren't any more because they wouldn't compete.

They don't make them anymore, and it's not strictly 1 channel, but how about an Orange Rocker 30 combo? Doesn't take all pedals that well though.

I've noticed the same problem a while back. There are more options if you go up to 50 watt and don't mind getting a head and small cab. I went for a Bassman 50, but I also have a Carlsbro 50 Top - they have just started making these again http://www.carlsbro.com/product-view.php?id=199.

Bugera v22 or v55. (though I guess not 1 channel), Blackstar ht 20 (again, not 1 channel but still would do the trick), Jet City 20 watt combo )1 channel and not going to be perfectly clean all the way up, but can still do some slightly colored cleans with a tube change at gig volume.


These things exist, but you just have to dig for them.

Marshall and fender are never going to make them because it takes away from their gravy train.

Orange/etc are always going to be expensive

25-30 watt tube amp is never going to be particularly light, though lighter now that they used to be.

40 watts, 15 lbs.



If it's anything like the Darkhorse, it will stay clean on Pure Mode (eq bypass), pretty much all the way up the master volume.

mickie08 wrote:Marshall and fender are never going to make them because it takes away from their gravy train.

I reckon there's a lot in that. I suspect that one of the reasons you don't get many of the amp that Owen is talking about is at that price because a large part of the industry wants everyone to think that you can't get many of those amps at that price.

Which I suppose leaves the market wide open for someone like Bugera.

If you got a decent sized 1x12 cab, you could easily jerry-rig some kind of flip-top scheme a la Portaflex with the Ironhorse.

BacchusPaul wrote:

mickie08 wrote:Marshall and fender are never going to make them because it takes away from their gravy train.

I reckon there's a lot in that. I suspect that one of the reasons you don't get many of the amp that Owen is talking about is at that price because a large part of the industry wants everyone to think that you can't get many of those amps at that price.

Which I suppose leaves the market wide open for someone like Bugera.

exactly. Bugera v 22 and v 55 are great amps for the price if someone wants a clean palate to work with. The OD is not all that great (though on par with Peavey classics and HRD in my opinion once you put better tubes in them). But if anyone really came out with a great small 30 watt light amp with great tone and tons of headroom, they would never sell it that cheap becuase they would not have to sell it cheap. Companies like Bugera and Jet City will fill that notch, but their amps are always going to be decent (even great when price is factored), but you are never going to get an amp that sounds like am early Marshall 800 that is small, light, and cheap.

Found the same problem, got a Bassman head.
Besides, 50 watts is only 25% louder than 25 watts. There's loads of variables like percieved volume, speaker efficiency and rms watts but that's the basic idea.

Bassman heads are smaller and lighter than other 50 watt heads i've used, if that matters to you.

I gig with a Fender Musicmaster Bass amp. This is 12 watts and I've never had to turn it over '5' on the volume. It is light as a feather, takes-up little space in the car and only has two knobs. No fuss, no muss.
Stacey my bandmate and might I also add, my lover*, uses a Deluxe Reverb, which is 22 watts. That one has two channels though.

Then there's a Princeton, which is 15 watts...


*please, please excuse the Fast Show reference.

It's those pesky transformers that increase in mass with wattage.

Egnater Tweaker......only 15watts but should do for small gigs and deffinately rehearsals.... great sounding little amp

anything up around 30watts will be 2 chan and heavy....... It is what it is

I believe most higher wattage amps come with an overdrive channel because it would be far too loud for most situations when you overdrive the clean by cranking it up. If you want really clean at high volumes, get a 100w, not a 30w. The 30w will run out of headroom faster.

I have recently pulled tubes in my 100w head so that I can run it at 50w, it made it much harder to clean up when I want to so i will probably go back to running all tubes again.

laterallateral wrote:40 watts, 15 lbs.



If it's anything like the Darkhorse, it will stay clean on Pure Mode (eq bypass), pretty much all the way up the master volume.

That'd do.

My guitar player uses a Tiny Terror these days... I have to turn up my Twin Reverb and 200W Bass amp to keep up.

this fits the bill besides weight....... but is mega expensive for a 112 combo, imo...... Genz Benz Black Pearl

[youtube][/youtube]

People are always surprised by how loud my Tiny Terror can get and still stay pretty clean. I have tone at 6 and gain at 4, I usually have volume between 5 and 7 for gigs depending on the venue and it's usually just breaking up slightly. A friend of mine uses a Laney VC30 (1x12 version) which stays clean at gig volumes. But again, as previously said about other similar amps, it has distortion and reverb.

Then again I don't really like sparkling Fendery cleans so my perception of 'clean' might be a bit wayward.

Ankhanu wrote:

laterallateral wrote:40 watts, 15 lbs.



If it's anything like the Darkhorse, it will stay clean on Pure Mode (eq bypass), pretty much all the way up the master volume.

That'd do.

My guitar player uses a Tiny Terror these days... I have to turn up my Twin Reverb and 200W Bass amp to keep up.

I just bought a Traynor Darkhorse yesterday. It is a nice complement to my Tiny Terror. Two of the most responsive and dynamic small heads I've tried. The Traynor is so fancy with its 2 tone controls. I did get to try out the Mesa Boogie Transatlantic and the Egnater stuff as well, kinda middle of the road. No magic. The traynor`s stack and tube mode toggles offered much more pronounced adjustments than those of the other two brands.

When running either the TT or Darkhorse in high watt mode through 2 1X12 cabs the volume is ferocious. I debated going for the larger 40 watt Traynor model but the different tubes, tone stacks, and general feel of the amp just wasn`t what I want, especially for home use. That Ironhorse has lots of headroom with different flavours of clean sound. Imho, either an amp is loud enough for the stage or you really need an amp specifically for that purpose. That monster `stage amp` just won`t be any good for home use. So like Sloan said ... maybe you really need a 100 watt`er.

Bump - Dark Horse is a stupid name for an amp

The amp has been dubbed Duck Sauce

Iron Horse could maybe be ... Moron Horse? Iron Hose!