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Posted: 1/22/2015 6:28:53 PM EDT
[#1]
Get a used Fender Blues Jr and do the BillM mods with a good speaker. Or build a tweed Deluxe - I built mine for under $500 (well, until I installed a $200+ Celestion blue alnico speaker, but WOW what a diff).
I got a Blues Jr for $250 on CL and fixed it up into a bad-ass little amp, with an upgraded output tranny and a good speaker. It is mostly for practice, but I have used it for small club gigs. Re-worked a couple of buddies' amps that wanted me to do theirs after they heard mine. I have a room full of vintage amps, tweeds, blackface, browns, Vox, and I still use this amp. It goes in the car for a back-up, or I can leave it at the practice space and no big deal if it gets ripped off. Main club gig amp is a tweed Deluxe and a "64 fender reverb unit. Bigger gig I use my Clark Tyger, or even bigger I add my Blackface Pro Reverb. I have a "58 tweed Twin Amp that will never leave the house - the holy grail. 
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Posted: 1/22/2015 6:40:17 PM EDT
[#2]
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Posted: 1/22/2015 6:41:11 PM EDT
[#3]
20 is a lot for just practice. 5 watts can get pretty loud
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Posted: 1/22/2015 6:44:16 PM EDT
[#4]
Oh, I got that beat.
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Posted: 1/22/2015 6:49:31 PM EDT
[#5]
I liked my Peavey Classic 30 better than my Blues Jr. I think I paid $300 for it used. $600 gets you into some good used tube amps. Personally I don't like them but some people like the Egnater Tweaker or Rebel, Hughes & Kettner TubeMeister, Bugera, Acoustic, Marshall DSL, etc. |
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Posted: 1/22/2015 6:53:17 PM EDT
[#6]
I have a VOX AC-15. Solid amp, particularly when played clean.
If I buy another, it will probably be a Blackstar or Orange. I'm not a fan of how the Vox overdrives. The Blackstars and Orange I've played sound fucking great overdriven. |
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Posted: 1/22/2015 6:57:23 PM EDT
[#7]
Mesa boogie mini rec.
20w all tube is a shitton of LOUD for practice. just saying. http://www.mesaboogie.com/Product_Info/Rectifier_Series/Mini_Rectifier_25/miniRectifier25.html |
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Posted: 1/22/2015 7:01:14 PM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I have a VOX AC-15. Solid amp, particularly when played clean. If I buy another, it will probably be a Blackstar or Orange. I'm not a fan of how the Vox overdrives. The Blackstars and Orange I've played sound fucking great overdriven. I was going to recommend Blackstar or Orange.The Blackstars I've heard sound Fucking incredible! |
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Posted: 1/22/2015 7:02:09 PM EDT
[#9]
Orange OR15
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Posted: 1/22/2015 7:04:08 PM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Orange OR15 I will second this. You can hear some guitar and keys used with it on my bands album: http://grel.bandcamp.com/album/red-sun-god-ep I've graduated to the OR50 and a 2nd generation Fender Deluxe. However, I also recommend the Fender G-Dec 3. I think it's the best modeling amp on the market AND it's the best practice amp with the plethora of features it boasts.
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Posted: 1/22/2015 7:05:29 PM EDT
[#11]
Quoted:
Looking for a ~20 watt all-tube combo amp to use for practicing blues and rock. Doesn't need to be complicated; just one channel is fine. I would like to spend $600 or less. Any suggestions on what I should look at? "Best" and "$600 or less" do not align. Dr. Z makes some good lower wattage amps. A friend of mine has several, and I've been able to audition them at full volume. |
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Posted: 1/22/2015 7:06:23 PM EDT
[#12]
Look for a used Mesa-Boogie Studio 22. They're solid amps that really rock if you push them hard. Plus they take well to pedals, so you can find tune your sound easily.
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Posted: 1/22/2015 7:07:34 PM EDT
[#13]
Mesa Boogie Mark V 25
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Posted: 1/22/2015 7:10:00 PM EDT
[#14]
I don't remember the model but,I had a fender (my 2nd amp) that was the best sound (studio) I ever heard.
Since I started working again, I'm in Manhattan a few times a week. I'll make it a point to stop on 48th and see what they have to say. There's tons of vintage gear, even though the retailers are over-rated, pompous, assholes. There may be a lucky find. I'll write down your criteria, and see what's what. |
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Posted: 1/22/2015 7:11:36 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I liked my Peavey Classic 30 better than my Blundell). I think I paid $300 for it used. $600 gets you into some good used tube amps. Personally I don't like them but some people like the Egnater Tweaker or Rebel, Hughes & Kettner TubeMeister, Bugera, Acoustic, Marshall DSL, etc. Used Peavey Classic 30 or better yet Delta Blues 210 with a speaker and tube upgrade can be done (well) under 6 bills. |
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Posted: 1/22/2015 7:15:58 PM EDT
[#16]
Around the house 5-10 watts can be plenty loud. A champ or Princeton would be a good place to start. What type of music do you typically play? |
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Posted: 1/22/2015 7:17:56 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Used Peavey Classic 30 or better yet Delta Blues 210 with a speaker and tube upgrade can be done (well) under 6 bills. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
I liked my Peavey Classic 30 better than my Blundell). I think I paid $300 for it used. $600 gets you into some good used tube amps. Personally I don't like them but some people like the Egnater Tweaker or Rebel, Hughes & Kettner TubeMeister, Bugera, Acoustic, Marshall DSL, etc. Used Peavey Classic 30 or better yet Delta Blues 210 with a speaker and tube upgrade can be done (well) under 6 bills. The Peavey Classic 50 has some great circuit mods out there on the interweb. The 30 probably does too. |
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Posted: 1/22/2015 7:19:03 PM EDT
[#18]
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Posted: 1/22/2015 7:21:12 PM EDT
[#19]
Always liked Fender amps/combos for bluesy stuff.
I'm not a tube fanatic but I understand the draw. I prefer to get my tones from a box. 
I played through one of these when looking for a practice amp for the boy. It offered a lot of bang for the buck. Sounded very nice. Had plenty of guts. The modelers weren't as cheesy/flat as some I've heard built in to amps. Fender Super Champ 15w 1x10 |
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Posted: 1/22/2015 7:21:42 PM EDT
[#20]
Marshall Class 5 with a tube screamer to kick it in the ass.
5 watts is plenty for practice and that Marshall is a LOUD 5 watter. |
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Posted: 1/22/2015 7:23:23 PM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Around the house 5-10 watts can be plenty loud. A champ or Princeton would be a good place to start. What type of music do you typically play? I've got a Princeton. That's what I was gonna suggest. Have you seen the PRICES on them.  Might as well put a little more and get a twin.
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Posted: 1/22/2015 7:26:45 PM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Around the house 5-10 watts can be plenty loud. A champ or Princeton would be a good place to start. What type of music do you typically play? I bought a '62 Fender Bassman years back, got it home, plugged it in, played a few minutes, unplugged it and haven't used it since. WAY too loud.
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Posted: 1/22/2015 8:20:15 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Get a used Fender Blues Jr and do the BillM mods with a good speaker. Or build a tweed Deluxe - I built mine for under $500 (well, until I installed a $200+ Celestion blue alnico speaker, but WOW what a diff). I got a Blues Jr for $250 on CL and fixed it up into a bad-ass little amp, with an upgraded output tranny and a good speaker. It is mostly for practice, but I have used it for small club gigs. Re-worked a couple of buddies' amps that wanted me to do theirs after they heard mine. I have a room full of vintage amps, tweeds, blackface, browns, Vox, and I still use this amp. It goes in the car for a back-up, or I can leave it at the practice space and no big deal if it gets ripped off. Main club gig amp is a tweed Deluxe and a "64 fender reverb unit. Bigger gig I use my Clark Tyger, or even bigger I add my Blackface Pro Reverb. I have a "58 tweed Twin Amp that will never leave the house - the holy grail. http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff156/loftusj/5e3/5e3_1.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff156/loftusj/5e3/5e3_2.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff156/loftusj/5e3/5e3_4.jpg If you don't mind me asking where did you get the parts to build your tweed deluxe? |
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Posted: 1/22/2015 9:30:13 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Look for a used Mesa-Boogie Studio 22. They're solid amps that really rock if you push them hard. Plus they take well to pedals, so you can find tune your sound easily. I'll second this. I've got one and its the main amp that I keep in my home office and practice/learn new songs with. It's almost too loud to be considered a practice amp though. I've ran it through a Marshall 1960 4x12 cabinet before just messing around and it sounded really good that way too. |
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Posted: 1/22/2015 11:41:27 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
If you don't mind me asking where did you get the parts to build your tweed deluxe? I have been repairing and building amps for years so I have tons of carbon comp resistors, caps, switches, pots, etc. Board was from turretboards.com I think, trannies Allen, Mercury, Classic Tone, or vintage. Don't remember particulars on that amp but I am pretty sure the OT is Mercury or NOS Triad (good luck finding any of these). I got the chromed and silkscreened chassis from Mike Clark, he said it was scratched and a customer did not want it, and I got it for $20, but I can not find a scratch. Also the cab is a Clark second I toned and laquered myself, got it on ebay cheap. I like the Mallory 150 series poly caps, and electrolytics, well, you can't get the good old ones anymore; Sprague or F&T are OK. My bud Jim Ransone who plays with the Breeze Kings let me borrow his vintage "57 for study and reverse engineering. He gigs that amp everywhere. I am the only person he lets work on it. I used to do a lot of amp work for Atl-area blues players but now I do not take new clients and only support friends. am a far better tech than a player, and I am a half-decent player by all accounts, with tone few can touch. IMO YMMV RIP Sean Costello my old friend.
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Posted: 1/23/2015 12:09:10 AM EDT
[#26]
Where are you in TX, OP?
I have a friend that lives somewhere around Lubbock. He's a veteran turned electrical engineering student, and he was repairing and building amplifiers before he even left the Army. He's built a few Fender Champ variants that sound excellent and have more than enough power for household jamming. |
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Posted: 1/23/2015 12:35:22 AM EDT
[#27]
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