In praise of small Tube Amps!

Make it loud here.
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hulakatt
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Re: In praise of small Tube Amps!

Post by hulakatt » Fri Jun 03, 2022 4:05 am

Mine doesn't vibro but the bf/sf Champ is kinda underrated and overshadowed by it's older brother. I have a Jupiter 8sc in both of these and they sound amazing, a huge step up from the stock speakers. I've heard great things about the little Jimmy 8" as well and the WGS 8". We're almost spoiled for great 8" 's now compared to most of history.

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I built the tweed but the drip edge is stock (outside of the 3 prong and speaker).
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Larsongs
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Re: In praise of small Tube Amps!

Post by Larsongs » Fri Jun 03, 2022 9:52 am

Bet those sound great paired in Stereo!

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hulakatt
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Re: In praise of small Tube Amps!

Post by hulakatt » Fri Jun 03, 2022 10:01 am

Larsongs wrote:
Fri Jun 03, 2022 9:52 am
Bet those sound great paired in Stereo!
Why yes, yes they do ;). Most stereo pedals I've tried were actually kinda disappointing but stereo chorus is like a whole different effect and 100x better than mono chorus.
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Re: In praise of small Tube Amps!

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Fri Jun 03, 2022 10:11 am

hulakatt wrote:
Fri Jun 03, 2022 10:01 am
stereo chorus is like a whole different effect and 100x better than mono chorus.
I wonder if that's why I've always loved the sound of chorus on record, but hated it in person. Hmm :-/ ...
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Re: In praise of small Tube Amps!

Post by hulakatt » Fri Jun 03, 2022 11:08 am

Shadoweclipse13 wrote:
Fri Jun 03, 2022 10:11 am
hulakatt wrote:
Fri Jun 03, 2022 10:01 am
stereo chorus is like a whole different effect and 100x better than mono chorus.
I wonder if that's why I've always loved the sound of chorus on record, but hated it in person. Hmm :-/ ...
First time I ran chorus in stereo, it kinda hurt my brain. It sounded so much more like the subtle chorus on records and not the pedals that just sounded like bad 80's and Nirvana.
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Re: In praise of small Tube Amps!

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Fri Jun 03, 2022 11:19 am

hulakatt wrote:
Fri Jun 03, 2022 11:08 am
Shadoweclipse13 wrote:
Fri Jun 03, 2022 10:11 am
hulakatt wrote:
Fri Jun 03, 2022 10:01 am
stereo chorus is like a whole different effect and 100x better than mono chorus.
I wonder if that's why I've always loved the sound of chorus on record, but hated it in person. Hmm :-/ ...
First time I ran chorus in stereo, it kinda hurt my brain. It sounded so much more like the subtle chorus on records and not the pedals that just sounded like bad 80's and Nirvana.
That is very interesting. To me, there are 2 chorus sounds that I'd love to replicate: David Gilmour's chorus sounds during the Pink Floyd PULSE tour, and Beach House's Wild.
Pickup Switching Mad Scientist
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=104282&p=1438384#p1438384

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hulakatt
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Re: In praise of small Tube Amps!

Post by hulakatt » Fri Jun 03, 2022 11:28 am

Shadoweclipse13 wrote:
Fri Jun 03, 2022 11:19 am
hulakatt wrote:
Fri Jun 03, 2022 11:08 am
Shadoweclipse13 wrote:
Fri Jun 03, 2022 10:11 am


I wonder if that's why I've always loved the sound of chorus on record, but hated it in person. Hmm :-/ ...
First time I ran chorus in stereo, it kinda hurt my brain. It sounded so much more like the subtle chorus on records and not the pedals that just sounded like bad 80's and Nirvana.
That is very interesting. To me, there are 2 chorus sounds that I'd love to replicate: David Gilmour's chorus sounds during the Pink Floyd PULSE tour, and Beach House's Wild.
Just listened to Wild. Evidently, I need to listen to more Beach House. That may be more of a *Dimension C kinda sound but still stereo. I've mostly been playing with a stereo build of the AnalogMan Chorus. Best upgrade to pedal ever.

*I just got one but haven't plugged in to it yet.
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Re: In praise of small Tube Amps!

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Fri Jun 03, 2022 12:06 pm

hulakatt wrote:
Fri Jun 03, 2022 11:28 am
Shadoweclipse13 wrote:
Fri Jun 03, 2022 11:19 am
hulakatt wrote:
Fri Jun 03, 2022 11:08 am


First time I ran chorus in stereo, it kinda hurt my brain. It sounded so much more like the subtle chorus on records and not the pedals that just sounded like bad 80's and Nirvana.
That is very interesting. To me, there are 2 chorus sounds that I'd love to replicate: David Gilmour's chorus sounds during the Pink Floyd PULSE tour, and Beach House's Wild.
Just listened to Wild. Evidently, I need to listen to more Beach House. That may be more of a *Dimension C kinda sound but still stereo. I've mostly been playing with a stereo build of the AnalogMan Chorus. Best upgrade to pedal ever.

*I just got one but haven't plugged in to it yet.
Ooh! I hadn't considered that they were going old-school Boss (song was released before the DC-2w was released). I've been wanting a Dimension-C for a long time anywho.
Pickup Switching Mad Scientist
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=104282&p=1438384#p1438384

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Re: In praise of small Tube Amps!

Post by Nevets » Sat Jun 04, 2022 5:05 pm

I couldn't resist. I grabbed one of those $150 Vox MV50s with the 8 inch cabinet. With shipping to Canada only $240 cad. Still a deal. I got the Clean model.

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Re: In praise of small Tube Amps!

Post by cpeck » Mon Jun 06, 2022 1:07 am

I’ve got a couple little amps I love — 5e3 clone I picked up on Reverb (no idea of the provenance, has Mercury Magnetics transformers, sounds great, came in a mint green chassis). I only use it through a 412 which I guess is trying to have it both ways. I also love my early 80s Super Champ, though I haven’t tracked with it yet. I am in an extremely lucky position to have access to a home studio with an honest to goodness iso booth, so I can turn up the higher wattage amps without too much trouble. Still, the little ones see action from time to time.

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Re: In praise of small Tube Amps!

Post by spiffy chap » Tue Nov 08, 2022 3:32 pm

Picked up this Electro E12. Also known as Rickenbacker B9A, difference is badge and silver covering. Electro was a student/budget line Rickenbacker produced.

Cool little amp, 12 inch speaker 5 watts with choppy tremolo. Feel like overall tone is a little dark/slightly uninteresting, but the speaker isn't great (Italian Jensen 70) chassis layout only allows enough space for a few style of speaker basket. Think an "American" sounding speaker is the move though all my Fenders have British voiced speakers and would like the variance in tone.

Here's a pic with my 50's Deluxe (Alnico Blue)

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Re: In praise of small Tube Amps!

Post by tupherrecords » Wed Dec 07, 2022 8:35 pm

This is a terrific thread. Thanks for sharing all the love. I adore little amplifiers too.

These two are my entire herd.

A handbuilt Blue Moon "stack" from the Rauch brothers based on the Symphony Porto-Amp Deluxe from the late 1940s.

Sander at Cosmic Ampworks did a really terrific job getting this 1963 FBT ready for another 6 decades.

Smaller still has plenty of holler.

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Re: In praise of small Tube Amps!

Post by Trout » Wed Dec 07, 2022 11:47 pm

Here is my 67 VC. Lovely amp that starts moaning at 5-6 and roars at 10. Very warm sounding compared to the Marshall origin 5 on the shelf above.

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#sitdownrock at https://staffanandersson.bandcamp.com/album/det-hemliga-namnet

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Re: In praise of small Tube Amps!

Post by jmurph » Fri Dec 09, 2022 4:53 am

Unicorn Warrior wrote:
Sun Apr 03, 2022 12:45 pm
AC4HW is the one small amp I really want.

If you want to get really fancy, get a Matchless SC mini
I’m right there with you about the AC4HW. Hoping to pick one up in ‘23 along with one of those Marshall Studio mini heads.

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