[de_axeman]

I've been toying with the decision to buy a small tube amp. By small, I'm thinking something around the 15W to 30W range. At present I'm considering the Fender Blues Junior, or the Peavey Classic 30, as being the two within my budget.

Anyone has any opinions on these amps? Ever played one, or know of similar amps?

[shuttertalk]

How is that different to your Marshall?

[de_axeman]

My current amp (Marshall Valvestate VS65R) is a solid state amp. There are generally two types of amps: tube/valve-driven or transistor-driven (solid state).

Tube amps are prized because they have superior tone. When overdriven, the transition into distortion is smoother and more musical than solid-state amps. The downside is that they are considerably more expensive to buy, and to maintain, as the valves need to be changed annually (depending on how hard you drive them).

Solid state amps, on the other hand, are not terrible. Especially with the digital modelling capabilities available now, either built into the amp (eg. Line 6 amps) or external units like the Line 6 POD or Boss GT6, they can come close to emulating the tone from classic tube amps. BUT! Still not as good as the real thing. Oh, and solid state amps are very hardy and reliable, and you don't have to periodically replace their components like tubes (unless you blow a speaker).

And finally, power ratings for tube amps are different to solid state amps. A 30W tube amp can easily match (and exceed?) the loudness of a 65W solid state amp.

[shuttertalk]

Ah.. the relentless pursuit of musical purity...

... or maybe financial bankruptcy

[de_axeman]

Or both....

[adam]

When I saw the topic, I was going to suggest fender blues junior or classic 30
My friends have those, but the closest I've gotten to playing one is a classic 50
hehe
so nice

[de_axeman]

What did you think of the classic 50 then? And how do your friends' amps sound?

[Kevin]

I am Kevin from Washington. I read this article, it is very useful to me. It gives me more needed information. I want to share my opinion with you.

_____________________________________________________________
Kevin Williams

It's no secret that Fender makes great guitar amps, but which one is the best? We think it's the Blues Junior. Find out why. GREAT GUITAR AMPS<a href="http://fenderbluesjunioramps.com">http://fenderbluesjunioramps.com</a>

[Keith Alan]

You're almost 4 years too late, Kevin.

[Zig]

Ah...but his thankfulness is not encumber'd by the surly bonds of time....:|...

....and if you hadn't mentioned it, Keith, I would have blathered away myself!

[NT73]

It's no secret that Fender makes great guitar amps

Sorry but I beg to differ. Times change I know but in 1974 I purchased a new bandmaster. It lasted 4 months before the speakers blew. I changed it shortly after, for a Kustom ?? 1 x15" 1 x12" Lancing speakers, matched with a Carlsborough 50W bass top . It is still as good today as it was then.
Fender make good guitars.

[Zig]

I agree really, with the Bassman the only one I've heard and liked; I remember the sound getting better by daisychaining 2 together somehow. Wasn't the Boogie formed frm ramping up a Princeton or something by Carlos S.?
(And hey nt, who says that just cos a thread is 4 years old it has to be dead!)

[NT73]

I haven't had it out of the box for 12 years.
You see, if I drop it I wouldn't hear it, unless maybe if it was plugged in..
If it ain't broke why change it was my motto.
My guitar mad pal changed his guitar every month, and still made them all sound the same, after three days.
How can you get an identical sound from a Telecaster and a Country Gent. He did.

[Keith Alan]

It's really all about the gain structure, from pickups to pots to boxes to input stage of the amp to effects loop to output tubes (valves--hopefully!!) to speakers and cabinet rigidity...not overdriving at any point unless it contributes to the final sweet singing goodness.

But no matter what, perfect tone comes straight from the fingers.
I can make almost anyone's rig sound like "me" with very little effort, but the preferred comfort level might not be there.