Cheap portable amp/power amp suggestions/advice ?

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Flurko
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Cheap portable amp/power amp suggestions/advice ?

Post by Flurko » Tue Mar 15, 2022 3:03 am

Hurray, my first post in a decade in the amp section ! There's a reason I barely visit this subforum : I usually don't care at all about amps!
I'm okay with my tone on any clean loud amp I find in the practice room where we play, be it the metal ENGL combo, the huge blackstar heads, or even the shitty Line6 spyders that are left in the room when we're the last band to chose whatever amp we can bring in our space this day :D .

I've been using a Vox AC4TV at home for years, which sounds perfectly fine to me, or my cute Orange Micro crush when I was a student, and if I want a more specific tone I go direct in the computer and play around with amp sims.

A specific need has arisen recently : we might play live ! As a person with no car, I'd like something small and not too heavy that mostly does "make guitar loud" and not much else. I'd also like to keep it cheap, because that's how I am. From what I know, most venues have cabs, but I could also carry a small one if needed.

I've recently discovered the pedal-sized power amps : there's an used EHX 44 Magnum for sale at less than 100€ shipped, that seems like it would fit the bill nicely. I've seen Youtube videos of people plugging them in 4x12s and playing loud metal with this. Did anyone here try one ?

I've seen similar stuff from other brands but I don't really understand if they all can be used the same way, just plugged between the pedals and a cab, or if you need special equipment to use them like preamps or stuff ? The EHX speaks to me because it's only one knob, it's a "normal rock guitar" brand and not something that looks like studio equipment/hifi gear...

If anyone has tips or recommendations, I'm all ears !

just in case, my band sounds like this : https://catogan.bandcamp.com/ , where the usual signal path is jazzmaster > danelectro overdrive and/or boss DS-2 > any random clean amp

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sholkham
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Re: Cheap portable amp/power amp suggestions/advice ?

Post by sholkham » Wed Mar 16, 2022 12:52 pm

What about the Orange pedal baby? (and maybe a cheapo preamp pedal) Haven't had a chance to play one personally, but it's not class D, and has some tone controls just in case you need to tame it?

https://orangeamps.com/pedal-baby/
holodreck.bandcamp.com

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jvin248
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Re: Cheap portable amp/power amp suggestions/advice ?

Post by jvin248 » Wed Mar 16, 2022 3:43 pm

.

Peavey Bandit!
There was a short run of Bandit heads, called another name I can't remember at the moment.
Easy to find under $250 and super loud. I'd run it on the clean channel and feed it your pedals for tone (like the Joyo AS below)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atS0nInv2FY

Get any solid state practice amp and mount a 'cabinet out' connector and use the venue's 4x12 cabinet (match impedance).
If you search his channel he shows how he cuts down a 15W Fender Frontman combo amp into a head that plugs into cabinets for gigs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvC-V4nHtwE

Joyo American Sound Pedal and plug in direct to the PA system -- sound like any classic Fender amp.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Uo6gmOIduM


.

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andy_tchp
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Re: Cheap portable amp/power amp suggestions/advice ?

Post by andy_tchp » Wed Mar 16, 2022 5:33 pm

Quilter have been doing this for a long time. Will fit in a backback/bag.

https://www.quilterlabs.com/index.php/s ... ock-series

https://reverb.com/brand/quilter?condition=used
"I don't know why we asked him to join the band 'cause the rest of us don't like country music all that much; we just like Graham Lee."
David McComb, 1987.

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Re: Cheap portable amp/power amp suggestions/advice ?

Post by Larsongs » Thu Mar 17, 2022 8:49 pm

A lot of guys are using their Focusrite Interfaces & their Laptops… Not only for Recording but for rehearsals & Gigs….

A 2 channel Focusrite Scarlett Interface costs less than most Amps. Besides being a great DAW it has a huge assortment of Amp Plugins that you can mix & match to your hearts delight.. Also, being able to get good FX & overall Sound that will translate great at any volume level… Just plug it in to the Bands PA.. Or some Powered Speakers. Headphones for late night noodling too..

It’s also compact & lightweight for easy travel… It will easily store in a small Backpack… Plus you can store all your other incidentals. Cords, Picks, Strap etc…

A Guitar in one hand, a Backpack & you’re ready to Rock!

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Re: Cheap portable amp/power amp suggestions/advice ?

Post by Flurko » Tue Mar 29, 2022 2:15 pm

Thanks for the suggestions.

I've had a look, they mostly seem more expensive that what I'm ready to spend, I will have to wait for my next paycheck to try out the EHX 44 Magnum I saw for sale and hope I can flip it if it's not what I need.

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Re: Cheap portable amp/power amp suggestions/advice ?

Post by 1452L » Wed Mar 30, 2022 12:31 am

I have this and I REALLY like it:

https://www.quilterlabs.com/index.php/p ... roblock-45

I have no idea how it compares to the EHX but Quilter seems to have a good reputation generally in this field.

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Re: Cheap portable amp/power amp suggestions/advice ?

Post by GreenKnee » Thu Mar 31, 2022 12:10 am

+1 on a Quilter. I borrowed one at a gig and was highly sceptical as I'd never seen or heard of one before. It sounded brilliant, and I had numerous comments afterwards on how good the guitar sound was. I've been on the look for one ever since:

Image

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Re: Cheap portable amp/power amp suggestions/advice ?

Post by Flurko » Thu Apr 21, 2022 11:08 am

After reading everyone's suggestions and taking a few notes for the future, I did the annoying thing and bought the gear I was thinking about in the OP.
Well, I know have an EHX 44 Magnum poweramp, and after one rehearsal I'm pretty happy with it ! We don't have a drummer at the moment, but plugged in the random 4x12 hanging out in our practice space it was loud enough at the lowest settings of the volume knob.

I might be getting a preamp or some kind of EQ to adjust the sound a bit, because it was sounding way too dark with my SG when played clean, and the bright/normal switch on the pedal was not nearly enough.

I might flip it and buy something more versatile if the band gets more serious, but for now this does the job, assuming there's always a unused cab in the corner of our space.

At least it was under 100€, and it's really tiny !

bad pic taken during practice, from the "personal rig rundown" thread :
Flurko wrote:
Sun Apr 17, 2022 11:54 am
Image

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