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I have a vox ac15c1 that im going to be trading/selling and could use some recommendations. I play Rock influenced by a little shoegaze... I was thinking a fender(not sure) and this will be my only amp. So i need a good apartment amp that is good for gigging too. It has to have a decent treble and bass response and my pedal board will consist of this... Dirty little secret, Green Muff(clone), Soda Meiser, 2 delays, and reverb. My dream amps would be a Fender VibroKing and JTM 45 alas i can't afford them. What should i get for around $500-800?

Look for a twin reverb?

The correct response:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx9iovMyux4[/youtube]

In all seriousness I would suggest something fenderish. I get good lows and pristine highs out of mine, it gets trebley with some fuzzes/distortions but with your line-up it generally shouldn't be a problem. I'd suggest this if you're on a budget:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoRW8Wj7dWc[/youtube]

This one got a lot of hate around here for a while, it's the same company that makes the behringer stuff and frankly they have a far worse reputation than they deserve.

If either of these is too loud you could get one of those effects loop "master volume" knob. Then you can overdrive the preamp tubes without waking the neighbors.

egnater and bugera amps didnt quite do it for me when i played them... the twin is great sounding amp, but i wonder if its ok at apartment volumes. I'd go super, but i can't find a decent priced one.

This is my personal bias, but,
If you're awesome super/super 6 reverb.
If you're not quite as awesome but still totally awesome, JC120. Heck for $800 you could probably get 2 or 3 of them.

Ya... im gonna keep my eyes out for a super reverb, but they almost never come for a good price. Either that or i might get a fender deville and put some marshall speakers in it or something to beef it up.

You could always build your own JTM45 with a Metro amps Mojo kit. I'm going to build their plexi kit for my next amp..

http://www.mojotone.com/

Edit: Got it wrong. Metro Amps doesn't sell kits anymore. Mojo does, though.

Edit edit: Or a Dr. Z Maz 18 head used? GMD likes those.. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIzmm9G-hrs[/youtube]

ya i wouldve loved to try and build a metro or mojo kit and build one, but im not very handy and know nothing about amp building lol. I don't think a maz has enough power for the stage without micing.

It's hard to find an amp that you can play apartment levels and then also play unmic'd on stage.

I pulled my hair out trying to find one that worked at apartment levels before I got my Ampeg Jet 2-R. 15 watts, 12" speaker, very very nice cleans.. and can't get anywhere near breaking up at apartment levels. So I can't get breakup with my amp where I practice, and don't really know how it will behave cranked, to be honest, since I only spent a little bit of time in the store with it cranked. But I still love it. If 15 watts is going to be too quiet for you on stage, then you won't be able to play whatever amp you do get in an apartment. Just saying.

Laney VC30. i have the 2x12 version with Celestions which i got used for $500.

A Twin Reverb would be a great live amp, bad choice for apt volume though, those fuckers are loud! A Deluxe Reverb maybe, probably a little lower wattage than you'd want though.

Anyone tried the Fender Super Sonic stuff? Never really checked it out myself. Sounds ok on paper...

mathias wrote:It's hard to find an amp that you can play apartment levels and then also play unmic'd on stage.

I pulled my hair out trying to find one that worked at apartment levels before I got my Ampeg Jet 2-R. 15 watts, 12" speaker, very very nice cleans.. and can't get anywhere near breaking up at apartment levels. So I can't get breakup with my amp where I practice, and don't really know how it will behave cranked, to be honest, since I only spent a little bit of time in the store with it cranked. But I still love it. If 15 watts is going to be too quiet for you on stage, then you won't be able to play whatever amp you do get in an apartment. Just saying.

That's what im doing... i cant afford multiple amps or even a decent amp with tone scaling... im really using it for a pedal platform so i probably dont need one of those anyway right? Just something that sounds equally as good turned up as well as low volumes... i was thinking a gemini for a long time, but i can never try one and im afraid it'll be too dark.

Radiohead625 wrote:

mathias wrote:It's hard to find an amp that you can play apartment levels and then also play unmic'd on stage.

I pulled my hair out trying to find one that worked at apartment levels before I got my Ampeg Jet 2-R. 15 watts, 12" speaker, very very nice cleans.. and can't get anywhere near breaking up at apartment levels. So I can't get breakup with my amp where I practice, and don't really know how it will behave cranked, to be honest, since I only spent a little bit of time in the store with it cranked. But I still love it. If 15 watts is going to be too quiet for you on stage, then you won't be able to play whatever amp you do get in an apartment. Just saying.

That's what im doing... i cant afford multiple amps or even a decent amp with tone scaling... im really using it for a pedal platform so i probably dont need one of those anyway right? Just something that sounds equally as good turned up as well as low volumes... i was thinking a gemini for a long time, but i can never try one and im afraid it'll be too dark.

Go solid state, then. That's really the only way to get an amp that sounds almost the same quiet as it does loud.

Or a small Fender tube combo that you like (Princeton, Blues Junior, Champ, etc.) and either mic it live or spend the rest of your money to get an attenuator with a line-out, or a DI box, or something.

mathias wrote:Go solid state, then. That's really the only way to get an amp that sounds almost the same quiet as it does loud.

Tend to agree. I was pleasantly surprised at how good a sub for an old Fender the ZT Lunchbox is.

mathias wrote:Or a small Fender tube combo that you like (Princeton, Blues Junior, Champ, etc.) and either mic it live or spend the rest of your money to get an attenuator with a line-out, or a DI box, or something.

If you don't need amp dirt, add any of the 40-50 watt classic Fender to the list. Bassman heads are good if you're good with pedals for reverb and trem.