Amp for playing quietly at home

[Stephen_42]

I'm toying with the idea of getting a new amp. My current amp is a 12W Kustom combi tube amp. It's a good practice amp and I can get a nice sound out of it, but it has the drawback that the master volume is very sensitive - there's very little wiggle room between inaudible and inconsiderate neighbour, especially with gain on.

I want something that has a master volume that requires a fair bit of turning to go between quiet (e.g. about how loud you'd have the TV on if it's just in the background) to the loudest you'd be happy for neighbours in a block of flats to occasionally play (e.g. how loud you'd turn your TV up for your favourite film).

Any recommendations for the kind of thing that would fit that bill?

[Larsongs]

I'm toying with the idea of getting a new amp. My current amp is a 12W Kustom combi tube amp. It's a good practice amp and I can get a nice sound out of it, but it has the drawback that the master volume is very sensitive - there's very little wiggle room between inaudible and inconsiderate neighbour, especially with gain on.

I want something that has a master volume that requires a fair bit of turning to go between quiet (e.g. about how loud you'd have the TV on if it's just in the background) to the loudest you'd be happy for neighbours in a block of flats to occasionally play (e.g. how loud you'd turn your TV up for your favourite film).

Any recommendations for the kind of thing that would fit that bill?

Vox AC10C1.. Especially if you can get one of the FSR’s with Celestion Greenback.. Has Master Volume.. So you can get a good dirty sound at low Bedroom volumes.. Also has Reverb..

They can also get loud enough for small to medium Gigs with its big 10 Watts. Great little Amps & very reasonably priced.

Sounded great out of the box. But, I upgraded the Tubes to JJ’s.. Sounded even better. They only have 4 Tubes.. So it wasn’t expensive..

[Sauerkraut]

It's a good practice amp and I can get a nice sound out of it, but it has the drawback that the master volume is very sensitive - there's very little wiggle room between inaudible and inconsiderate neighbour, especially with gain on.

Sounds like maybe part of the problem is the volume pot. Is it linear? If so, perhaps you could replace it with an audio/logarithmic one for a more gradual volume increase.

Another option would be buying an attenuator.

[luau]

I'm moving into an apartment and I just bought a Fryette Power Station. I'll be running a Vibrochamp into it and it into a USB interface and then just using headphones. I'll be really quiet. I realize it's an expensive way to go about it, but I've got other applications for it as well. I haven't had much time to play with it other than verifying the set up above works well, but it's a really nifty device.

[Sauerkraut]

I just bought a used Bugera PS1 attenuator for €60 to use with my 35 watt Tremolux (for louder, practice room use, but still). I can let you know if it was worth it. I think a simple resistive attenuator will do the trick for me, and from the OP's description, I think it may well be all they need too.

[luau]

I just bought a used Bugera PS1 attenuator for €60 to use with my 35 watt Tremolux (for louder, practice room use, but still). I can let you know if it was worth it. I think a simple resistive attenuator will do the trick for me, and from the OP's description, I think it may well be all they need too.

Agreed. It was my intent to echo your recommendation for an attenuator rather than suggest the one I got.

[Sauerkraut]

I just bought a used Bugera PS1 attenuator for €60 to use with my 35 watt Tremolux (for louder, practice room use, but still). I can let you know if it was worth it. I think a simple resistive attenuator will do the trick for me, and from the OP's description, I think it may well be all they need too.

Agreed. It was my intent to echo your recommendation for an attenuator rather than suggest the one I got.

How dare you!

Nice piece of equipment you've got there though.

[Larsongs]

Interesting how someone asks for Amp recommendations & people want to sell him something else..

[JSett]

I had a thread on here recently with the same issue. I ended up buying, on recommendation, a used Yamaha THR10C.

It works great and satisfied all the requirements I needed for when my partner was home working and I wanted to play - and even the 5w VibroChamp was too loud. Sounds good at low volumes, was cheap, and is small enough to tuck away when not in use.

[timtam]

Boss Katana 50 MkII

[Sauerkraut]

Interesting how someone asks for Amp recommendations & people want to sell him something else..

Well, sure, because the problem he describes might be solved in another way, and possibly for less money. So why not suggest that?
I also like your recommendation.

I’ll make another interesting suggestion. I have an amp at home that does exactly what the OP wants. It’s a 5 watt Silvertone 1481 that was modded (shamelessly) to have gain, master volume, bass, mid and treble controls. It’s fantastic and sounds far better and is much more useful to me than it was in its original state. So if you’re good at modding amps or know someone who is, a simple Champ-like 5 watt amp can be turned into what you’re after as well.

[Firecat]

I had a thread on here recently with the same issue. I ended up buying, on recommendation, a used Yamaha THR10C.

It works great and satisfied all the requirements I needed for when my partner was home working and I wanted to play - and even the 5w VibroChamp was too loud. Sounds good at low volumes, was cheap, and is small enough to tuck away when not in use.

I second this. Any of the Yamaha THR series would fit the bill. I have an older THR5 and it's a fun little amp for quiet playing.

If you want a bigger speaker, I'd recommend one of those tiny Hotone amp heads (I have the Mojo Diamond, which is their Fender style amp, and sounds good to me) and a 1x10 cab.

[Jonesie]

I had a thread on here recently with the same issue. I ended up buying, on recommendation, a used Yamaha THR10C.

It works great and satisfied all the requirements I needed for when my partner was home working and I wanted to play - and even the 5w VibroChamp was too loud. Sounds good at low volumes, was cheap, and is small enough to tuck away when not in use.

I second this. Any of the Yamaha THR series would fit the bill. I have an older THR5 and it's a fun little amp for quiet playing.

If you want a bigger speaker, I'd recommend one of those tiny Hotone amp heads (I have the Mojo Diamond, which is their Fender style amp, and sounds good to me) and a 1x10 cab.

I came here to vote for the Mojo Diamond too. I have one and it sounds great, and I'm just using one of those Orange 1x8 cabs.

[HNB]

I like the Bumbox Lead 1. It is 1 watt tube based off a JMP. Only thing is the builder isn't making them so you have to grab them used.

[Lost In Autumn]

I'm considering a Fender Tonemaster Deluxe for at home play, to compliment my normal Deluxe.