# Small Amp Opinions (Traynor/Fender)



## andrewc (Nov 2, 2016)

I'm looking to pick up a new practice amp to keep in the basement for when I can play without running through headphones - which, right now, is not very often. The budget is tight, so limited to small SS amps.

Does anyone have experience with either (ideally both) of:
Fender Champion 20; or
Traynor Dynagain 15?

The Fender has plenty of online reviews, the Traynor not so much, and there seems to be no side-by-side comparisons.

Any opinions anyone can provide on these is appreciated.

Thanks.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

When I sold my Dynagain 15 I made the mistake of leaving an Eminence speaker in it. Great little amp for the money. No reverb if I remember correctly, which might have been why I dealt it, but I used it as a student amp for a couple of years until I traded up for the Dynagain 30 (which is a much better amp and if you can find one used it might be in your price range). Decent clean tone but very bland gain.

I like the look of the Champion, but I don't remember trying one.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

I'd look for a used Fender Mustang I or Roland Cube 15 if I were looking for another practice amp


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## dgreen (Sep 3, 2016)

I have been using the roland micro cube (3 watts) for over 10 years now. Mine is on approx 6 hours ( mon - fri ) while I teach. It is a great little practise amp, excellent effects. I use the JC clean setting with reverb and it is great for a nice clean tone.
It has stood up well and still works / operates / looks, like new. Usually can score one for $70-$90 on your local CL. I bought mine new for $119 when they first came out.


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

I've had a couple of Dynagains as second amps and they are very good for what they are. If I were in the market for a small SS amp I wouldn't hesitate to buy another. In fact, I still have the box for my last one in my basement and once in a while I see it and think 'I kind of miss that little amp'.

I would recommend looking for one with a 12" speaker. I believe that those ones come with a bunch of effects but you don't need to use them, they can be turned off.

The DG15R comes with reverb but only has a 10" speaker.

There are always Dynagains to be found on the used market (I saw a couple in the Toronto Kijiji listings a few days ago for very cheap prices), and if you have your local L&M check their used inventory I bet you will find a ton of them of various sizes.

If you prefer to buy new and don't care about reverb or a 10" speaker, new DG15s are only $130 at L&M (this is the non reverb version of the ones that I owned):

Traynor - DynaGain Solid State 15 Watt 1x10 Guitar Combo


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## ed2000 (Feb 16, 2007)

Don't exclude a Vox Pathfinder 15r from your search. They've been discontinued but highly regarded for their tone vs. price point.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

ed2000 said:


> Don't exclude a Vox Pathfinder 15r from your search. They've been discontinued but highly regarded for their tone vs. price point.


I quite like the AC4 as a tube practice amp as well.


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## TimH (Feb 4, 2006)

There's a Superchamp XD listed in the Kijiji section...hard to beat for $285 bucks


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## Moosehead (Jan 6, 2011)

vox ac4, got mine used at l&m for 125. New they are around 200.


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## andrewc (Nov 2, 2016)

Moosehead said:


> vox ac4, got mine used at l&m for 125. New they are around 200.


Is this the one?
Vox - AC4TV - 4 Watt Tube Combo

According to that, they're $450 new... unless there's another model? I'll have to hope for a used one to show up.


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## Moosehead (Jan 6, 2011)

Mine is the head, the combo is obviously more. And yes the price I quoted may wrong as it was an approximate value based on what I thought they were at the time I bought mine which was 2 years ago. If you have a cab or another combo that you can use the heads are a great value and easy to grab and go to jam with. I wouldnt pay 450 for it though. Lots more options at that price.

In your used search check out epi valve jr's too.


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

used blues junior? really nice 15 watt with master volume


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

Another option would be to get a Traynor Quarter Horse and a cheap 1 x 12 cab. Quarter Horse is a hidden little gem, 2 channels, reverb and delay all in one very compact unit. I've used it at practice a few times and it can hang with a drummer no problem. They can be found for around $100 on kijiji and I think are on special at L&M for not much more occasionally.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

andrewc said:


> Is this the one?
> Vox - AC4TV - 4 Watt Tube Combo
> 
> According to that, they're $450 new... unless there's another model? I'll have to hope for a used one to show up.


You can get the blonde ones fairly cheap that were discontinued. There's one at the Halifax Folklore Center for around 200 iirc.

Epiphone Valve Jr is another cheap 5w tube amp. I use mine for practice and for gigs


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

cboutilier said:


> I'd look for a used Fender Mustang I or Roland Cube 15 if I were looking for another practice amp


Agree. There is a Mustang II for sale in London for $120.00. Fender Mustang II V2 | amps, pedals | London | Kijiji

The reason you found more reviews on the Fender Champion 20 vs. the Traynor is because they simply sell thousands more of them. Fender is sold worldwide and while Traynor has a good reputation in Canada and parts of the USA, they just don't have the market penetration that Fender does. They are both decent amps in that price range.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

davetcan said:


> Another option would be to get a Traynor Quarter Horse and a cheap 1 x 12 cab. Quarter Horse is a hidden little gem, 2 channels, reverb and delay all in one very compact unit. I've used it at practice a few times and it can hang with a drummer no problem. They can be found for around $100 on kijiji and I think are on special at L&M for not much more occasionally.


Good advice.

Don't know why I didn't think of the Quarterhorse, I only own two. Very respectable clean tone with a decent speaker. Surprisingly, it doesn't sound too compressed/limited for acoustic instruments either, at least to my ears. Built like a tank, fits virtually anywhere. Only lacks a power switch, so I use a switchable power bar.


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

Mooh said:


> Good advice.
> 
> Don't know why I didn't think of the Quarterhorse, I only own two. Very respectable clean tone with a decent speaker. Surprisingly, it doesn't sound too compressed/limited for acoustic instruments either, at least to my ears. Built like a tank, fits virtually anywhere. Only lacks a power switch, so I use a switchable power bar.


I stick a GE-7 in front of it to give me a bit more EQ adjustment but it's pretty good without it. It's nearly always in my gig bag as a back up "just in case"  I bought my brother-in-law one for Xmas a few years ago and he still loves it.


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## Guest (Nov 23, 2016)

Mooh said:


> Only lacks a power switch, so I use a switchable power bar.


I used to do that too until @GTmaker introduced me to an inline power switch.


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## Guest (Nov 23, 2016)

davetcan said:


> They can be found for around $100 on kijiji


There's a couple on kijiji now.
One for $100 and this one for $80.
Traynor Quarterhorse Microamp - $80 | amps, pedals | City of Toronto | Kijiji


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## PTWamps (Aug 5, 2016)

I own a Champion 20, which I use exclusively as a headphone practice amp. With the speaker it sounds small and boxy by comparison. I'd recommend a Vox Mini, or (a little bigger but great sounding) a Vox AC10. If you really want Fender, a Super Champ X2 is good and fairly inexpensive (I also owned one of these but sold it mainly because it was not a great gigging amp and became redundant once the AC10 arrived). 

Good luck


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## andrewc (Nov 2, 2016)

Wow. No shortage of opinions and suggestions.

I was leaning to the Champion 20 primarily due to its small size (not a lot of room to spare in my corner of the basement) and the MP3 input as a bonus. As for the Quarterhorse suggestion, I had been throwing that around in my head too. Seeing as I'm stuck using headphones most of the time, it would be ideal. Stick it to the pedal board and plug in. Then pick up (or build?) a cabinet for when I can make a bit (i.e. a lot) more noise. 

L&M has them new for $130. If they go on sale soon that might just seal it.


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