Amp nerds: Laney Cub 12?

[frigid midget]

Refering to the older 15 watt combo and head.

Can't think of anything else that can be found for $230ish (used) that has these specs:

- 10 to 20 watt head, or a combo with an 8 ohm outpout for an external cab.
- <1watt option, to get some power tube growl at living room levels.
- fx loop

Would be nice, but no deal breakers: master volume, reverb.

I tried a Cub 12R combo the other day. I was floored, just cause it greatly exceeded my expectations. It's not at all a high end tweed deluxe or plexi clone or whatever, I'm sure no self respecting blues lawyer would wanna be caught dead playing this amp, probably rightfully so...But it's far from a shitty noob amp either, which what I would expect from an amp this cheap.

So any competition out there if I'm afer something super cheap with those three specs? Just checking if I'm overlooking something that I should also try. So far, what I tried, and didn't like: tiny terror (dark, muddy, muffled, boxy), ac15 (thin sounding, lack of saggy lows imo).

Cheers.

[starmansam]

I was going to suggest an ampeg gvt15h because those rule, but it only has a half power switch, not a 1w option, and they've gotten a fair bit more expensive in the past couple of years.

[frigid midget]

Thanks for the tip. On paper a 1/2 power switch seems perfect for a 15Watt amp, but I found out the hard way that 7 Watt is too loud to not piss off your entire neighbourhood when you're goosing up your amp's power tubes. The Cub 12 is nothing special, but the super low price and the <1 watt option make it seem like the only option for me at the moment...:/

[starmansam]

oh yeah, its a super clean amp too, so that 7 watt mode is crazy loud when you get it cooking.

are you married to tubes? you should be able to find a quilter 101 for around the same price and those amps rule. the master volume can get you down to what is functionally a 1w mode, but you can also crank it and keep up with a full band/ loud drummer. The cub sounds like a pretty sweet option, but for cheap and versatile the quilter is hard to beat. sounds really nice too

[frigid midget]

I'm no tube purist or anything, it's really just a "if it ain't broke don't fix it" thing I guess.
Here in the EU, a Quilter 101 typically costs a bit more than a 15 watt Cub head

If versatility were a bigger concern, it'd probably be hard to ignore Quilter. But I've got an old Traynor Bassmaster for any situation that requires more power.
The Traynor's been modded with a 1/4 switch btw, but the 18-21ish watts are still way too loud. The volume knob is insanely sensitive, tube saturation doesn't start until the volume control is about halfway. No master volume, and no effects loop for 'faux attenuation' either.

[doommeow]

dunno if you can get it in the EU, but there's the Monoprice/stageright 15 watter. supposedly same circuit as the cub12r.

the cub10 was the best sounding of that line, imo. but i genereally prefer 6v6 > EL84

[frigid midget]

Yeah I came across that Monorpice knockoff several times while searching for alteratives online...Can't get them in the EU though :/

[frigid midget]

Not that anyone should give a shit, but I figured I might as well post a little update...
This thread, nor any other internet source, could point me to another affordable amp that can do both <1watt as well as 15watt AND has the right output impedance for my cabs.

So I ordered a Cub 12 head online. Brand new, but it's the old model. Payed close to nothing. There's weekends when I spend more on beer and food than what this amp costs me