# amps < $250?



## shiva (Jul 9, 2008)

Sad day, a new amp just got pooched, and looks like it's time to return it. Seriously bad hum and no sound. Just a beginner's amp, not a great loss, but bad timing. I'm a single parent, and well, kids, especially Kids that want to learn guitar are very expensive. I have a Zoom G1 and some basic petals. The main guitar is a Hagstrom, and is quite decent, a bit more vintage of a sound with the pickups.

I picked it up from Tom Lee, so just do a exchange, so looking at *no more* than 250. Be a practise amp, and can't have something to excessive, being new to playing, and also living in a condo with a lot of neighbours, and noise bylaws with the strata.

It's a small store here, but compared to everyone else, bigger, but just a few options. 

Vox DA 20 or AD15 (the AD30 watt model has seriously bad reviews) (The DA 20 is new, 2 speakers and portable.)
Line6 Spider3 30 watt
Fender GDec

Been told the marshall 30w dfx isn't that great, and has problems similar to mine.

They also have other amps, just their website doesn't list most of their products at all. I know they carry Randall

Anyway, throwing it out there. If you had 250 only, what would you buy?


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## Stratin2traynor (Sep 27, 2006)

Considering your circumstances I would say any of the amps you listed. I hear the Vox AD15 or AD30 sound pretty good and they are under $250. The Line6 sounds pretty good and is user friendly. Have you checked out Vancouver Craigslist?


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

Or a pignose. They're cheap (under $100) but great little practice amps. Frank Zappa recorded with one...

Or if it's just for practising, how about something like a Line6 pod? There's one for sale on here for $85 obo (from tomyam). A set of headphones, good sound quality, no angry neighbours. problem solved.

(in fact, there's one on craigslis vancouver for $65)
and another for more$$ http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/msg/753928341.html


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## Lemmy Hangslong (May 11, 2006)

i own a Vox AD30VT and the footswitch... the total cost new was $275. I bought it because I wanted a small practice amp I could carry easlily in one hand that had respectable tone. I've got a Lynch Box Full stack, Koch Multitone 100 and Soldano HR50 so for me decent tone is a must. I ended up using it for a live show lat week... open air and i did'nt mike it or use the direct line out... i set the volumn about half half way and it performed really well...

I like it as far as features and tone for the price go...


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## shiva (Jul 9, 2008)

Thanks guys. I will have a talk with a couple musician friends, and then see about a amp. Much appreciated.


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## shiva (Jul 9, 2008)

Hmm, well now. Went to Tom Lee, and looked at the rest of the stuff.

The Fender Champion 600 5w tube caught my eye, at 200 dollars. No headphone jack though, and the tubes from the reviews could use a upgrade, but still should be more than what I need, and a tube sound.

They won't have the Vox in till later. Toews music is no more, so TL can sell Vox here now, but TL is also very very slow with orders coming in, can take weeks just to get a guitar from one store to another, so can't wait on that.

Looks like it's between the Line6 and the Champ. Pretty sure everyone here will go with the tube.

Anyone try out these little fenders? Heard they make a great pre-amp if you run them to a cab as well. Nifty little things, looks pretty nice (made in China), and well idiot proof... or me proof. 

Picking up a replacement amp wednesday I think.

Thanks for everyone's replies.:food-smiley-004:


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## pattste (Dec 30, 2007)

The Fender Champion 600 is a very good choice, in my opinion. A lot of amp for the money.


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## shiva (Jul 9, 2008)

Thanks. 

Leaning towards that myself. I'm thinking of future flexibility as well as sound. A tube based amp at that price is very very good, if I had known it was tube based, might have taken that first go. I think my Hagstrom ss with it's 58 humbuckers will like it better as well, better sounding amp and the PU in the Hag are more vintage sounding. The Line3 I can get at that price as well, and the Ibanez may like it better. I guess I will have to bring the Hag and have a sound test.

Of course, they may knock down the price a bit on others as well. Yikes! Guess I'm a easy mark... :wave:


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

what about the epiphone valve junior? they are good sounding, tube, and fairly cheap on the used market


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## shiva (Jul 9, 2008)

bolero said:


> what about the epiphone valve junior? they are good sounding, tube, and fairly cheap on the used market


I've heard they are quite good, but since I use echecks, it will be weeks before I see it. TM doesn't carry them at all, and I would like to do business with them on this particular item, give them another shot seems fair. I like the guy who sells me stuff there.


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

shiva said:


> I like the guy who sells me stuff there.


Keep that out of the mix!!!!!!!!!!


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## shiva (Jul 9, 2008)

shoretyus said:


> Keep that out of the mix!!!!!!!!!!


Whoops, unfortunate choice of words there wasn't it... :zzz:

This is what happens after looking after a 10 year old, and then sitting in front of a computer for a few hours installing Dreamweaver and extensions...

I meant to add... he's one of the (very) few sales reps that doesn't give me a blank stare when I ask about something technical.

Anyway, I get this settled tomorrow, so maybe a new amp will be in the house. I will make sure I ask questions here before I spend several hours in front of the screen looking at code as well.


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## thechamp96 (Jan 16, 2008)

I picked up a used Vox AD15VT for only $100 - I love it. Take a look at some of the higher wattage versions and see what you think. I bet you'll be impressed.


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## shiva (Jul 9, 2008)

Thanks, but I do need a new amp quickly here. That was on my list, just not in this area. Rather limited, as no transportation, and because Vox changed dealers here, be a while before any stock will be in.

There is a used AD30VT at 250, but, in my research, there are some very common problems with it that a lot of people seemed to have, though the baby brother AD15VT didn't. Must be produced in different factories.

Guess I'm down to 2, the Line6 or the Fender champion. More than likely go for the Fender, just based on the reviews of it's build and tube based sound. The Line6 is a "now" type of amp, while, after doing a good search on the net, the champ is very expandable for the future. Lots of mods for it already.

Thanks to everyone. The suggestions and help has helped me focus more on what I will need in a amp and how I will use it.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

cant you test out the two finalists?!?!?


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## shiva (Jul 9, 2008)

Oh yeah, will be testing them all right... :rockon2:


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## shiva (Jul 9, 2008)

No surprise I guess, I ended up with a Fender Champion 66. That's the little 5 watt tube combo.

What a difference though. The Hag really comes alive, even the Kids basic Ibanez is better. Very impressed actually, and the fender is a very good match for this Hag, as both are more Vintage in sound.

Already looking for mods. Amazing what people are doing with this little fender. I will be looking at high end tubes, and upgrading the transformer down the road, once I get a decent external cabinet. Fender put in all the money in the sound of the amp portion, and it really shows.

Nice to hear what the Hag was suppose to sound like, really sings. I guess a tube amp really makes a difference. 200 bucks, great home amp as is.

Thanks everyone. :banana:


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

high end tubes only kind of exist. i wouldnt bother spending exorbitant amounts of money expecting the amp to become something it's not, personally.

grab a boss DS-1 and bust out some rock n' roll!


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## rev156 (Mar 2, 2008)

A little off topic but what's your Hag. I picked up a deluxe F and am very pleased with it. I'm interested in looking at a viking next, but as well a tube amp is first. I have the vox ad50vt abd haven't had any problems as such. A lot of quality control issues were resolved over the last several years. It's very versatile for a beginner and I love that, I'm just jonesing for a small tube.


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## shiva (Jul 9, 2008)

rev156 said:


> A little off topic but what's your Hag. I picked up a deluxe F and am very pleased with it. I'm interested in looking at a viking next, but as well a tube amp is first. I have the vox ad50vt abd haven't had any problems as such. A lot of quality control issues were resolved over the last several years. It's very versatile for a beginner and I love that, I'm just jonesing for a small tube.


Yeah, one of the things you couldn't help notice with the Vox were all the complaints about the Input Jack falling into the cab after a few weeks. 

I like this little fender so far, but I never had a tube amp before. I just read up on it as much as possible when I narrowed down my selection with the other models, and this one had a lot of comments, and just about all of them were very positive. Love the sound way better now, and certainly don't have any buyer's remorse yet either.

You have a d2f? Very cool, I loved that guitar when I heard it, and was in fact what I was gonna buy at first. Loved the amber flame job on it, and that tail piece, which makes it so striking looking, beautiful job. I ended up on a Select Swede model, Blue Chip, (and if the admin will excuse the expression) because it had a bit more balls to the sound, and I got one at a very very decent price because the dealer overstocked on that one colour.

What can I say, she's my baby. 

Still eyeing a D2F. Wouldn't mind a Viking2 or a Jimmy either.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

you know what they say, if there's space...


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