I'm thinking of picking up a better amp/speaker combo to jam with at the house (just learning songs and playing around, no actual jamming), and specifically looking at some of the modeling amps.
Any experience of preference? Vox? Marshall? Fender?
I'm thinking of picking up a better amp/speaker combo to jam with at the house (just learning songs and playing around, no actual jamming), and specifically looking at some of the modeling amps.
Any experience of preference? Vox? Marshall? Fender?
I'm generally drawn to Fenders and Vox's over anything else. My dad has a Fender Champion that is pretty awesome, along with a small 15 watt Vox that he bought at a garage sale. I liked those better than the Randall or Guitar Research my brother had.
But that is not really my thing, so I would't listen to me
. If you want a recommendation on an acoustic, let me know!
I play through a Fender Cyber Twin, and it's amazing. For a lazy player like myself, it's so easy to scroll through different pre-programed sounds. I can also fiddle with it myself, but there are so many options, I rarely do. IIRC it's out of production now, but still available used. I love it, my Marshall hardly gets used anymore. (unless I really need to blow the windows out! )
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/fender-cyber-twin-se-amp
There's always Line 6 too. They have been doing the modeling amp thing for a while. I know their POD processors can accept user-created tones that are hosted on their website, and I bet some of their amps do the same thing. Always thought that was pretty cool.
Oh see, even that is more than I was thinking. I was looking at this in particular.
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Fender/Mustang-II-V2-40W-1x12-Guitar-Combo-Amp.gc
SilverFleet wrote: There's always Line 6 too. They have been doing the modeling amp thing for a while. I know their POD processors can accept user-created tones that are hosted on their website, and I bet some of their amps do the same thing. Always thought that was pretty cool.
Yeah, it looks like all of them have ~15ish amp models, plus effects, and allow the user to modify the existing presets, or make their own.
It's really a "so many good options what do I do"? Type of thing.
I just picked up a FANTASTIC practice/jamming amp. Had it about 3 weeks now. It's a modelling amp so you get crunch, lead (low gain power pre into EL34), brit hi (EL34), modern (6L6 w/ compression), Acoustic, Bass, FLat for amps. Then it's got effects for reverb, spring, flanger, delay, phaser, etc. It makes BIG sound for such a little thing. You can dial in pretty close to the sound of whatever you are playing from metal to cowboy fire songs.
You can plug in a phone or drum machine to overlay and mix, USB to the cpu to record, and - it can run on batteries so you can take it out on the deck to jam in summer or hang out in front of a subway entrance with hat to make some ching. Oh, and you can use the software on your cpu to mess around with the noise gates, tones and stuff if so inclined. I haven't done that yet. Might never.
Yamaha THR10. I picked up a refurb on ebay for $180.
I picked up a Yamaha THR-10 on Tim Baxter's recommendation. It's a little 10A modeling amp with a couple of nice features - a line in that has a separate level control so you can easily jam to a backing track and a lot of editability for the various settings via laptop or the top of the amp. Not super-loud, but great for my practice room.
Mister Huck beat me to it 
I've actually taken mine with me on road trips so I can practice in the hotel room.
There are three models, the 10 (the original), the 10C (more bluesy) and the 10X (headbanger).
Some of the reviews I've read on the Yamaha say it's small speakers don't take well to downtuned guitars or heavy music.
In reply to z31maniac:
I don't really play with it jacked all the way up - but it seems to be pretty clear and crisp to me at 3/4 max. If I put it on high gain and rip power chords it sounds like it should and it's got enough sound to jam with a baby grand and not get overpowered - but just barely. I don't play much tuned a step down but I wouldn't expect one step to make or break it. I probably wouldn't hook it up to a bass, small speaker <> superb low freq w/o $$$.
Put it this way - compared to my Crate 60 with a BOSS Metal Pedal or Stompbox out front it's in a whole other league of goodness at a volume I can use while other people are trying to watch TV somewhere in the house. People who claim to have a super delicate audio palate might not be satisfied because they never are until they see gold cables or a 70 year old tube glowing somewhere but... IMO, It's good value for the money if you take it for what it is - excellent jam practice tones w/ portability.
I am no expert though - so report back what you end up with.
If you're worried about the speaker and down tuning, build a cabinet out of some plywood and a second hand 10" or 12" speaker.
Some of the settings are much louder than others on the Yamaha for sure. I've never had it tapped out. I use it for practice and playing with backing tracks, never tried it in company. Most of the time, I'm sitting down and the amp's on a table beside me.
RossD wrote: If you're worried about the speaker and down tuning, build a cabinet out of some plywood and a second hand 10" or 12" speaker.
It's cheaper/easier to just buy something like the Fender that already has a 12" in it.
A lot of the stuff I listen to and will playing along to is downtuned. For instance one my favorite bands, Mastodon, use 3 different tunings.
Standard D, Drop C, and Standard D with the E all the way down to A. And at some point I'd like to add an 8 string guitar as well.
Have you looked at how cheap 4x12 cabinets are these days? Nobody wants them. Same thing with '90s style solid state heads.
RossD wrote: Have you looked at how cheap 4x12 cabinets are these days? Nobody wants them. Same thing with '90s style solid state heads.
I don't want something that big for just jamming out in my bedroom. I've been consistently downsizing the amount of junk I own for the last year.
z31maniac wrote: I'm thinking of picking up a better amp/speaker combo to jam with at the house (just learning songs and playing around, no actual jamming), and specifically looking at some of the modeling amps. Any experience of preference? Vox? Marshall? Fender?
What are you using now?
An alternative to the modeling amps: My favorite practice amp is a little 10W Acoustic (brand) combo. $60 (!) from Musicians Friend right now. Best value for money purchase I've ever made. The built in lead channel is surprisingly usable for multiple styles of music depending on the guitar you're using and how far you turn the knob. Use the money saved on a modeling pedal or some other fun stuff.
Not modeling gadgetry but simple, sounds good, and easy to carry around. Mine was my go-to amp for church gigs before I finally got a nice big tube amp.
I have tried all the small modeling amps for your exact purpose: bedroom practice/simple recording/learning.
The Yamaha is head and shoulders above any of the others. It simply offers more and sounds better doing it. Note that there are difference flavors (10C, etc). I prefer the standard one, but YMMV.
Super versatile, great sounding, tons of "hey, that's cool" stuff they can do.
I have a hand-built boutique amp that is simply amazing, but I don't play it nearly often enough, as the little Yamaha just does the around-the-house stuff so well.
^Will those tiny speakers really handle me playing Deftones on an 8 string cranked up loud without breaking up/sounding like bad?
I have a roland 80x cube. My playing may suck, but it sucks loudly and cleanly.
Dont get ripped off by buying one that only goes to 10.
^^^ When you need that extra push over the cliff, where can you go? Nowhere. These go to eleven--- one louder!
Smell the Glove --- best album evar!
z31maniac wrote: ^Will those tiny speakers really handle me playing Deftones on an 8 string cranked up loud without breaking up/sounding like bad?
Like the others with them have said... if they go farty, I haven't been able to make them do it. But try it for yourself.
Ended up with a Fender Mustang III.
I was going to go to Guitar Center yesterday on my day off, but the Mustang popped up on Craigslist in minty, barely used condition for less than the Yamaha. New the Mustang is $329.........I got it for a touch less than $200.
The Yamaha may be better, but so far it seems as though the Mustang will suit my needs just fine. And DAMN will 100w and a 12" Celestion get loud.
In reply to z31maniac:
I was gonna pipe in with that one. I have a 40W Mustang II and it's excellent. I tend to keep things analog, but for a modelling amp, the thing sounds fantastic. I'd never know it was digital.
Nice! That's a great deal.
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