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Hi guys,
I'm looking for suggestions on great sounding small guitar amps specifically for recording. I'd like to pick up a couple cool small amps to have around that dont take up much space, nothing bigger than a single 12 inch speaker.

Versatility of sounds from the amp itself would be a plus, but i've also aquired a lot of pretty cool pedals over the years, (distortion pedals, Univibe, Diaz tremelo, delays etc...) so i can front load the sound as well.

So anyone have any good recommendations?
Thanks
Full Time Dreamer

Comments

anonymous Mon, 03/31/2003 - 13:38

Well, I have taken delivery of my Fender Blues Junior amp. 15 watts, one 12 inch speaker, 5 tubes, 6 knobs and a whole lotta sweetness.
I think what is ultimately gonna work best for me is one amp, this one, and alot of different front end stuff. I just picked up a Digitech RP200 modeling pedal, which i find really good. The compressor on it kicks ass, really smoothes out the delivery of the amp, which was worth the price of the pedal alone, and the amp models while maybe not necessarily "just like the real thing" give me plenty of different sonic capabilites to drive the amp with. This thing can now produce a wealth of different tones across the spectrum.
I have the POD XT on the way as well, and i already have a good arsenal of pedals, so for me, i think its gonna be lots of modeling but thru a real amplifier all mic'd up instead of direct, which currently to my ear sounds more believable. I also have a Leslie cab and a Celestion cab, so i'll have speaker choices as well, but this should get me pretty far.
Just thought you'd all like to hear the update, and once again, thanks for all your input and opinions, I'll definitely be picking up some of these other recommended amps in the future.
-Ken

Davedog Tue, 04/01/2003 - 14:05

Ahhhhh....another satisfied blues jr. owner...right on dude....anyone who has not given this amp a thorough thrashin is indeed missing something...aside from using the real thing...ala 50's/60's tube amps that were mostly handbuilt like the boutiques are today, this little amp has serious tone-age...and for the price of a used matchless you can have em in stereo!

anonymous Fri, 04/04/2003 - 07:58

Hello All,
I've got a number of sweet old Fender amps, but the one I use the most is 1964 Princeton. It's got a very "tweed era" sound and a killer vibrato. Later Princetons don't have the same sound. So, my vote goes for the FOUR KNOB Princeton to give you clean - saturated screaming. If you require more filth you'll get it form a Fender Champ (5F1).
These are both great SMALL amps.

Best Wishes, Julius

anonymous Tue, 04/15/2003 - 19:07

As others say, the Fender Blues Jr is
about $350 small, and all tube, sounds
great. I swapped mine for a Fender Hot Rod
Deluxe, about $550, still all tube, very
nice distortion. The Blues Jr is easier
to move.

If you can really find an old Fender Champ
for only $500, get it. That seems to be
the bottom of the price range at the local
used stores arround here. Be careful, there
were later "Champ" models that used evil
transistors. You want the all tube kind.

There are lots of boutique amps that are low power, all tube, and great for recording.
But many of them are closer to a grand.