# 15 watt class A amps



## I_cant_play (Jun 26, 2006)

Hi guys, I'm looking into a class A 15watt amp, namely the traynor cv20WR. From what I hear lower wattage amps break up on the clean channel sooner than higher wattage ones. I was just wondering how high would I be able to turn the volume without breakup on this amp. Would I be able to play with a drummer without breakup?

thanks


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## washburned (Oct 13, 2006)

I have played thru several low powered (5 to 20 watt) Class A amps, and they all seem great at one thing: tube distortion at low volume. An AB circuit might be better if you want clean tone. My old Pro Jr (true class A?)would clean up nice for my Laredo (tele type) if I rolled the guitar volume off to about six or seven, but I couldn't get Humbuckers to do the same trick.


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## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

The amps you mentioned so far are not Class A. Cathode biased class AB maybe, Class A no.


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## Rex Lannegan (Mar 2, 2006)

I've got a TopHat Club Royale just like the one in the sale page. It's 18 watts and it is friggin awesome. I wanted the same thing...a small amp I could crank up. It sounds frickin great with my Les Paul. It's very responsive to picking/attack so everything comes through...flubs and all. The more you back off the attack the more it will clean up, and the more you dig in, the more it drives.

It's a very basic amp: 1 channel and no reverb. I thought the reverb thing would be limiting but it actually turned me off reverb. Now i just use a delay for a little slap back.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

The Orange Tiny Terror is supposed to be Class A. It's 7/15 Watts. See Thread on the Orange TT.


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## I_cant_play (Jun 26, 2006)

yeah I saw the TT thread. I noticed someone mentioned that there's no hope of playing a club using the clean channel with 15 watts. I guess this also means no jamming with a drummer either? Too bad cause I play mostly at home and need a low wattage amp but I'd like to have the option of playing with a band clean and overdriven.


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

I own a bunch of completely different low wattage tube amps (4 to be exact). But the key reason I own them is mentioned above... nice gain at decent volume levels. Those amps aren't exactly known for clean volume. You might just need to look into something with higher wattage.


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## Rex Lannegan (Mar 2, 2006)

My Club Royale can do the clean thing...but why??!?:wink:


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## Adicted to Tubes (Mar 5, 2006)

Actually most low wattage cathode biased push-pull amps operate in class A untill they are cranked and then they cross over into class A/B territory.
A tweed deluxe is a great example.They don't,however,have much clean headroom to speak of unless modified.
It's the lower voltages that you find in older amps that makes them sound brown and sweet.As the plate voltages go up the output power gets higher and they have more clean headroom.But you need fixed bias to get the most clean out of a pair of 6V6's.Now if you were to use a dual bias system that was switchable,like fixed/cathode bias,then you could get the best of both.Add a dual rectifier,diode/tube,and you have a nice amp.
I don't care for the sound from the traynor 20 watt amps.But that's my opinion only,and some do like it.They seem to be fairly well built.

www.claramps.com 

[email protected]


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

One amp that is low wattage and stays clean when cranked are old Fender Princetons (Non-Reverb).


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## I_cant_play (Jun 26, 2006)

thanks for the replies guys. yeah I was considering the crate v30 and vc50 also. I just figured since I don't really need a loud amp that smaller is better but from what I had seen, smaller wattage amps break up much sooner. The cv 50 seems my best bet but it seems kind of ridiculous buying a "good" amp when the knob won't get turned past 2 and I won't get to hear any of that saturation anyway. it seems smarter to buy smaller amp even if it may not be as good since I'll be able to crank and let it breathe every once in a while. the problem is that the lower wattage ones break up too soon and there's virtually no clean in band situations.....see my problem?


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## jxoco (Jun 5, 2006)

On the 18 watt board an awfull lot of people are happy with a modified epiphone valve junior. And the price is so low that you can have one and modify it and come in under $250 cdn.

it's class A and 5 watt I think


here is the thread with 110 pages!!!
http://www.18watt.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=9053#129753


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## gerald guerrero (Oct 3, 2006)

QUOTE---- on the 18 watt board an awfull lot of people are happy with a modified epiphone valve junior. And the price is so low that you can have one and modify it and come in under $250 cdn.
.  from waht I gather this amp is a platform for guys who know an awful lot about how to read a schematic and change a circuit.I mean really really CHANGE a circuit!I would want a diffrent amp head enclosure too-something pine or birch and not the crummy particle board .


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## I_cant_play (Jun 26, 2006)

I am certainly not that someone that has the experience to change a circuit. ah well, the search continues..


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

torndownunit said:


> One amp that is low wattage and stays clean when cranked are old Fender Princetons (Non-Reverb).


Clean, yeah, but it's AB, not class, I believe. The BF/SF Champs are Class A


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## droptop88 (Aug 25, 2006)

I also use a 2x12 Top Hat Club Royale, 2 el84's, cathode biased. If you haven't heard or tried one, you are in for a VERY pleasant surprise. I've used mine for 4 years now, and the only time I wished it had more clean headroom was at an outdoor gig with horns. Depends alot what guitar is played thru it though - it loves single coils, not as fussy about humbuckers, in my experience. If you try one, try it at band levels but beware though - you may become a convert, shunning all others, and gassing for all things Top Hat....

Peter


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

Robert1950 said:


> Clean, yeah, but it's AB, not class, I believe. The BF/SF Champs are Class A


Ya but the amps he is looking at aren't true Class A either are they?


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## PaulS (Feb 27, 2006)

The Epiphone Blues Custom 30 is 15W class A or 30W class AB selectable. I haven't tried one but most of the reviews have been good, Offers you the option of either style. Advertised as all tube signal path and output with two 12" lady luck speakers.


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## I_cant_play (Jun 26, 2006)

no I'm not looking at class A or AB in particular. I'm looking for something for up to $450 used so I think the top hat is way out of that range unfortunately. Also, wouldn't the epiphone blues custom 15w have the same problem as the cv20wr? being 15w class A and all. I have a feeling that the crate v30 may be the amp for me but I'm having trouble finding a dealer and I haven't seen one come up used yet. I used to think the v15 would be good too but once again...15w class A. the epiphone blues custom may be worth checking out though

thanks


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## Eric Pykala (Jul 1, 2006)

I've owned the Traynor YCV20WR, and while I liked it, it really was intended as a studio amp. However, the new YCV15Blue is a completely different story! I bought it to replace my 50 watt Blue (yeah!) because it's way more harmonically complex, and is just as loud as the 50 watter. The only time I've come-up short (and only a tad) in the volume department was playing outside on Canada Day with a loud rock band. It has gain and masters on each channel, but likes to have the masters dimed. The boost function on the drive channel is wonderful. Not the same class as a Tophat (great amps!), but for seven bills new it totally kills. Forget any pre-conceived notions you may have, let the guys ranting about class this or that throw electrons at each other, go plug your favorite guitar into it and use you ears. The specs are quite impressive. Go to www.yorkville.com and check it out.(By the way, they ship with Eminence Governors, which I prefer to Vintage 30s). 47 lbs. of smile...-Eric


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

I_cant_play said:


> no I'm not looking at class A or AB in particular. I'm looking for something for up to $450 used so I think the top hat is way out of that range unfortunately. Also, wouldn't the epiphone blues custom 15w have the same problem as the cv20wr? being 15w class A and all. I have a feeling that the crate v30 may be the amp for me but I'm having trouble finding a dealer and I haven't seen one come up used yet. I used to think the v15 would be good too but once again...15w class A. the epiphone blues custom may be worth checking out though
> 
> thanks



Ya I was pretty sure you have swayed from the class A thing.

I can totally second any suggestions of Traynor amps. They are great. 

However, I feel the most under-rated amp out there is the Peavey Classic 30. You can gte them for a steal used as well. For some reason Peavey amps have some kind of stigma, but the Classic series are fantastic amps. I have a Classic 20 (15 watts) and it sounds better then either the Fender Pro Junior, or the Blues Jr. to my ears. The Classic 30 is a nice size and weight, both channels sounds great and you could find one used for under $400,


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## Wild Bill (May 3, 2006)

*"There's always a BUT..."*



torndownunit said:


> Ya I was pretty sure you have swayed from the class A thing.
> 
> I can totally second any suggestions of Traynor amps. They are great.
> 
> However, I feel the most under-rated amp out there is the Peavey Classic 30. You can gte them for a steal used as well. For some reason Peavey amps have some kind of stigma, but the Classic series are fantastic amps. I have a Classic 20 (15 watts) and it sounds better then either the Fender Pro Junior, or the Blues Jr. to my ears. The Classic 30 is a nice size and weight, both channels sounds great and you could find one used for under $400,


I agree with you that they're a great sounding amp! The downside is that whenever techs talk about the reliability problems with printed circuit board amps (especially after they're about 10 years old) the FIRST example they give is the Classic 30!


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

Wild Bill said:


> I agree with you that they're a great sounding amp! The downside is that whenever techs talk about the reliability problems with printed circuit board amps (especially after they're about 10 years old) the FIRST example they give is the Classic 30!


At the price that they charge, you would feel good if you got 10 years of service. They are no different than any other electronic gear being built these days


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

Ya I mean, I have had chances to pick these up for $300 used. If I got 5-10 years gigging use from an amp at that price I would be happy.

I own some very high quality PTP wired, and hand built amps. But the bottom line is I REALLY like how the Peavey Classics sound. And my Reverend Goblin is the best sounding amp I have heard (yes I even like it more then my Princeton Reverb). And the great part is it's so small and light.

I know boutique and hand-built amps are great, but they just aren't a reality for most people out there. If a Peavey Classic amps sounds good to you and you get 10 years out of it, that is fantastic. Anotherr side of that is, in the gigging situations I found myself in and the style of music my band played...I would have never taken a $2000+ amp to a gig. It would have either been destroyed, drowned in beer, or stolen :tongue: 


If you want to talk cheap AND amazing quality though, I don't think you can possibly beat a Traynor YGM-3. You can still find these for around $400. They are very similar specs to most of the amps mentioned too, just built better. The only issue I had with mine that caused me to sell it was, while it was built like a tank...it weighed about as much as a tank.


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## sesroh (Sep 5, 2006)

I_cant_play said:


> yeah I saw the TT thread. I noticed someone mentioned that there's no hope of playing a club using the clean channel with 15 watts. I guess this also means no jamming with a drummer either? Too bad cause I play mostly at home and need a low wattage amp but I'd like to have the option of playing with a band clean and overdriven.


im picking up my tiny terror next week. it actually doesnt even have any volume unless the gain is on slightly but even then it's got a nice clean and pretty damn loud. it will definately keep up with the drums. just hard to find a tiny terror. i was lucky to find one. the shop ordered 2 and only received one and they considered themselves lucky. these babies will be sold out until after christmas


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## I_cant_play (Jun 26, 2006)

> If you want to talk cheap AND amazing quality though, I don't think you can possibly beat a Traynor YGM-3. You can still find these for around $400. They are very similar specs to most of the amps mentioned too, just built better. The only issue I had with mine that caused me to sell it was, while it was built like a tank...it weighed about as much as a tank.


yeah I guess that's another one of my limitations. I Would like a 112 amp. I currently have a 212 and it may as well be ingraved in rock. I ain't lifting it  
I haven't seen classic 30s on my local craigslist either but I'll keep an eye out. Thanks guys, you answered my questions and I think I know how to take it from here. It's just that unfortunately, once in a blue moon does something good come up on my local craigslist.

thanks


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

You should try putting up a "wanted to buy' ad on Craigslist. I find that helps a lot. A lot of times people are considering selling gear, and when they see there is a ready buyer it helps them make up their mind about selling.


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