Small Practice Amp?

**abracadabra** · 04-22-2009, 09:23 AM

Hi there,

Done a lot of searches on here and found a lot of info already, but not too much on small practice amps.

Seems like the Roland Cube 20 or 30 gets good reviews. Anything else I should be considering for the same size/price-range?

I only want it for home practice use, (If I'm ever good enough to play in front of anyone, I'll get a bigger amp!) but I want a good jazz tone out of it.

Any ideas welcome -thanks

**elinfoot** · 04-22-2009, 04:09 PM

I recently got my first ever valve amp which has an awesome sound ( I think clean and distorted) .Its a Blackstar HT5 which is 5 watts. check it out

**Pequod** · 04-22-2009, 07:35 PM

Try the Crate - 15w - good gain, eq, and multiple effects switch plus socket for a CD and phones - Best Luck, Pequod

**mr. beaumont** · 04-22-2009, 08:07 PM

if you're looking for portability, clean tone, and enough volume where you can jam with a piano player or singer or a horn or two, that cube 20 or 30 is a perfect and very economical choice.

i like soild state for a practice amp--especially a rugged one like a roland. throw 'em in the car, leave 'em at other folks' houses, worry-free. tube amps aren't as fragile as some solid state fans like to make them out to be, but the rolands are shick brickhouses.

**RoyaleT** · 04-23-2009, 03:34 PM

I use a Cube 20X for all my practice. Strat, Semi Hollow and Hollow body guitars.

**mongrel** · 04-23-2009, 03:47 PM

I bought a new Fender Champ around 1974 to use as a practice amp and it sat unused until a couple of years ago when we moved and I started to play around with it. The stock 8" speaker is crap and I thought upgrading it, but tried connecting it to the 2 12"s of my Twin Reverb which were wired in parallel for the same 4 ohms as the Champ wants to see. The Champ drove that Twin so loud and clean it was unbelievable. Recently I got an old Ampeg G-20 cabinet with the tube amp guts removed. I re-wired the two 10" speakers to parallel and 4 ohms and the cleans are superb with the Champ. I paid $40 for the cabinet in my favourite local pawn shop.

**HotClubBrampton** · 04-23-2009, 11:52 PM

The cube 30 is a great jazz amp. I sold mine to get a cube 60, mostly because of the venues I was playing, but for practicing or gigging small to medium places, the c30 is all you need.
Check the clean and blackface settings

**dwdougherty** · 04-24-2009, 12:03 AM

I bought a new Cube-80x recently (the Cube 60 is discontinued); I love it. Super quiet, and the JC-20 and Blackface settings are just what I wanted. My Taylor T3 is in love (and so am I).

**henry b** · 04-24-2009, 06:45 AM

Originally Posted by dwdougherty

I bought a new Cube-80x recently (the Cube 60 is discontinued); I love it. Super quiet, and the JC-20 and Blackface settings are just what I wanted. My Taylor T3 is in love (and so am I).

How does the 80 compare to the 60, I have the 60.

**dwdougherty** · 04-24-2009, 11:44 AM

My local music store didn't have any 60s in stock when I bought mine, but I did play through a 30. I almost bought the 30, but then I thought I'd go ahead and get an amp that I can gig with. The 80x has features I'll never use (the more obvious "rock star" features) and some that I started using right away (the phrase looper is quite nice for quick and dirty backing loops). I think it's a great little amp. for the $$$.

**TieDyedDevil** · 04-24-2009, 12:11 PM

I had a Roland Cube 30-X. Benefit: cost. About $250 most places. It'll easily keep up with a jazz combo. Disadvantages: (1) very midrange-focussed and (2) so-so reverb. The midrange focus is not necessarily a bad thing. The guitar is a midrange instrument. But the Cube 30-X may not deliver the warmth that you want for a solo gig.

My current favorite small amp is the AAD Cub AG-100. It's a bit more expensive ($399 shipped from SamAsh.com) but is a little more half the size and weight of the Cube 30-X. The Cub has no effects, but it does have a built-in DI. Excellent extended frequency response and good EQ. Plenty of volume for a jazz combo.

**resonator** · 04-29-2009, 11:26 PM

I'm going to second the Phil Jones AAD Cub ag100. I sold my Genz Benz Shenandoah Pro after buying the Cub.

**bkdavidson** · 04-30-2009, 04:39 AM

Phil Jones's amps RULE!!!!! I know that a lot of people here like the Roland Cubes, but I would advise you to stay away from the 30 and go for the 80 if you go that route. I had a Cube 30 that I used for a rehearsal amp and never thought too much about the tone until I did a gig with it. It was way too bright and tinny, even with the treble turned all the way down. Went on a search and ended up with a Phil Jones CUB and haven't looked back since.

**Doctor Jeff** · 04-30-2009, 09:11 AM

I'm going to put in a plug for the Epiphone Valve Jr. One knob, 2 tubes, 5 watts.

At 3 or 4 it delivers a nice warm tone that's great for jazz. Past that it starts to overdrive and sounds more bluesy and growling. You can also use it to drive larger cabinets.

It has plenty of power for practice or recording, very durable and really cool looking. It doesn't have reverb or other effects, but you will probably want to use a pedal for those in any event.

I had a Peavey Classic 30 that I got tired of moving around from room to room. When I looked for a replacement, I thought I would go solid state, but trying out this amp made me change my mind. Can be gotten for $100 or so used or on Ebay. A great bargain!

**VelvetTiger** · 05-12-2009, 11:27 PM

I am hoping that you all can help me select a replacement 12 inch speaker for my solid state Fender amp!

I am playing a Samick SMJ10CE, which is a nylon string Chet Atkins type solid body electric, similar to the Epiphone SST series and Gibson Chet Atkins model. I do fingerpicking, and play my signal clean with only a small bit of delay, or sometimes tremolo. For me, the whole world revolves around the absolutely warmest, smoothest, and darkest tones. I love the old mellow "cool jazz" sounds.

I am playing through a Fender Sidekick 35, with a the original Fender 12 inch speaker. I like the sound that the amp produces, and I can not quite afford an expensive significant upgrade right now. I would like to replace the current speaker with a nice upgrade. I put a back on the amp, which has given me close to the sound that I like. I think a speaker upgrade would make it just about perfect for my needs, and for my budget. Do you folks have any ideas for me?

Thanks allot for your help!

**jazzerswing** · 05-13-2009, 09:27 AM

The ZT Amplifiers Lunchbox is great for a practice amp and you can gig with it. 200 watts with a 6.5" speaker. It's about 9lbs and literally the size of a lunchbox. I really like it. I also have a Roland Cube 20 for practice but the ZT can be used at home or on a gig. The Cube 20 will not cut a gig.

**TieDyedDevil** · 05-13-2009, 11:13 AM

I'm curious, jazzerswing: how warm does the ZT get when you push it hard?

**jazzerswing** · 05-13-2009, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by TieDyedDevil

I'm curious, jazzerswing: how warm does the ZT get when you push it hard?

It seems that the more you push it the warmer it gets. The lower midrange girth opens up. It sounds great with my tele with bardens, tele with lollar imperial humbuckers and my 175. It's freakin' loud too. I really like it. Reminds me of a fat tweed champ with the power of a bassman. Cool amp!

**monkmiles** · 06-22-2009, 11:59 AM

Cube 30 or 60 (now that the 60 price has come down because of the 80).

**Perhaps** · 06-22-2009, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by dwdougherty

I bought a new Cube-80x recently (the Cube 60 is discontinued); I love it. Super quiet, and the JC-20 and Blackface settings are just what I wanted. My Taylor T3 is in love (and so am I).

There are still lots of 60's out there.
Just got one.

**Bertrand tB** · 06-23-2009, 02:18 AM

I use my cube 60 for study, practice/rehearsals and gigs. What more do I want.

**nado64** · 06-24-2009, 03:46 AM

I have the Roland Jazz Chorus 20 Watts.

It's a travel amp of the famous line "Jazz Chorus". it's lightweight (6kg) and you can take it everywhere. It's a true electric guitar combo, not a modeling amp.

It has the sound of its reputation: beautiful clear sound and good saturation.

6 settings : volume , bass, middle, treble, distortion and chorus.
1 input, 2 speakers and 1 headphone (also works on a USB or firewire interface).

I use it for : playing at home, recording in homestudio and when I travel.

**markgeorgewilliams** · 06-24-2009, 04:47 AM

I have a roland cube 60 chorus from the 80's. Far better tone than the new models, and you can pick them up for a lot cheaper. Also got a Sessionette 75 from the 80's which is also great and cheap. 80's transistor amps are the one for me. Mark

**abracadabra** · 07-11-2009, 04:25 PM

Well I got my amp today, and although I went into the shop to get a Cube 30x, I got the Cube 20x instead. Decided I didn't need to pay an extra 60 euros for another 10 watts that I might never use!

What an amp! I love it already. Was a big 'upgrade' for me as I only had a crappy old piece of junk before, so to have such a good sound, loads of effects, a tuner, loads of helpful things to aid playing with backing tracks and making recordings etc. Great stuff.

**derek** · 07-12-2009, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by abracadabra

Well I got my amp today, and although I went into the shop to get a Cube 30x, I got the Cube 20x instead. Decided I didn't need to pay an extra 60 euros for another 10 watts that I might never use!

What an amp! I love it already. Was a big 'upgrade' for me as I only had a crappy old piece of junk before, so to have such a good sound, loads of effects, a tuner, loads of helpful things to aid playing with backing tracks and making recordings etc. Great stuff.

Yep, can't go wrong with the Cube series. Best bang for the buck out there. Enjoy.