Monoprice guitar amps?

[dubkitty]

a coworker turned me on to this site, which has hella cheap small amps: a 5 watt tube amp with spring reverb and a Celestion speaker for $99, and a 15 watt tube amp with spring reverb + Celestion for $199.99. from internet searching they appear to be a rebadged version of the Laney Cub amps. anybody know anything about these amps or have any input?

https://www.monoprice.com/category?c_id ... id=1150102

[nogodsnobedtimes]

Supposedly pretty good amps. I saw the 15w version was on sale yesterday for like $130, contemplated grabbing one but gotta hold off until payday.

Not a lot of clean headroom apparently, but if that's not what you're after I don't see any reason not to grab one.

[calfzilla]

older guy I know that plays weird slide music loves his. He usually uses/collects ollllld 50's and 60's amps, but says the monoprice is pretty awesome.

[fcknoise]

that is cool? I would be interested unless shipping to the netherlands was 150 dollaridoos

[oldangelmidnight]

I've got the 5 watt. That one doesn't have reverb. It's fine. It sounds good if you play it loud and nasty. When I was looking around at reviews, a lot of them complained about the build quality. Like maybe the baffles are made of cardboard and fell apart in shipping. Mine isn't that bad but the tolex is thin and a bit loose. I haven't played the Laneys but they have a good reputation and I'd guess the Monoprice ones are made from the same design but use poorer quality everything. Cheap-o but gets the job done.

[calfzilla]

At $100, I would figure any "issues" with build quality would just be written off as "well, I spent $100 for a 5W tube amp". It's like buying a squier bullet; you should know you're essentially getting a functional skeleton that can be made better but it won't wow you in the least.

[ibarakishi]

the 15 watt looks cool. even has spring reverb. i was recently looking at the Biyang 5 watt head, but that is almost 250 USD and doesn't seem to have a lot of info ->
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Biyang-Wangs-A ... SwOA1aPlc4

[calfzilla]

I'm going to go off the beaten path and say I wouldn't mind ponying up the $400 for a Joyo Beale Street....

[ibarakishi]

really just wish i could find a tube amp head that had great cleans and a bit of headroom around 15 watts that could be switched down to 5 also for under 200 dollars that didn't need to be biased and was easy to take care of, and also not huge. would make me a really happy person at this point.

[calfzilla]

really just wish i could find a tube amp head that had great cleans and a bit of headroom around 15 watts that could be switched down to 5 also for under 200 dollars that didn't need to be biased and was easy to take care of, and also not huge. would make me a really happy person at this point.

Closest thing I can tell you is look for an Ampeg GVT15 (either the combo or the head). I bought my head for $250 off of GC. 3 band baxandall EQ, tons of headroom, half power switch, cathode biased, sits right on top of a 1x12 thiele cab. Effects loop and reverb are a bit noise (production issues) but... Honestly, couldn't be happier for the cash.

Also, Blackheart Handsome Devil, if you can find it.

[ibarakishi]

yeah those Ampegs are great sounding, i have liked those for a long time. Starting to become pretty hard to find lately though. Seriously, if someone would just make a small lunchbox style amp that fits the things i stated above, i would be all over it at this point. if the monoprice 15 watt was just a head, i wouldn't think twice about it and would most likely just buy it at this point. I already have a loud combo amp, so something like this would be wonderful

[quarterpound]

yeah I gotta respect the 12" speaker on the 15W for $200. teeempting, tolex be damned

[Animal Rescue]

Have had a 15 w Monoprice amp for about 6 months. No issues to report and it's been played long and loud.
It's based on a Laney CUB 12 R. I've seen pics where "Laney 12R" was actually stamped on the board. Not sure if that was just earlier models before they switched the location of the controls.
El84 tubes, 12" Celestion speaker, spring reverb ... hard to go wrong for $150 shipped in the US on sale. The "1 w" setting sounds more like 5 w but can't complain for the $. Monoprice is always running 15% or 20% off specials.

[calfzilla]

https://reverb.com/item/9685122-black-h ... _wcB&pla=1

you can try to talk him into just the head?

I'd sell you mine, but I can't do under $200

[ibarakishi]

I'd sell you mine, but I can't do under $200

in the future i will be probably still be available or waiting