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How about this with a nice cab? frenzeltubeamps.com - JF-5E1 "Champ Pro"
[I had a Frenzel Super Deluxe and it was a great amp!]Last edited by marcwhy; 03-14-2013 at 07:58 AM. Reason: typo!
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03-13-2013 10:53 PM
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Originally Posted by Eddie Lang
Hi Clamps. Would you please share more details? Components and specs? Which speaker? Could you describe the sound? Thanks!
whoops...I posted this exact same thing in another thread by accident... but I hope my dullness shines through
I bought a kit on ebay. I had to get the transformers and tubes on my own....so I bought some locally made Hammond ones! KW is my hometown, so I thought I would represent.
I bought this kit from boothill amps (they're in florida!) and it seems to be made from 'nice' components, or my amp guy who double and triple checked my work before turning it on said so at least!
I built the little box out of pine, butt joints and all. It's a tank! In the first pic, you'll see my deluxe clone with a blue fender 'special design' speaker circa 19__...that's the speaker cab that I'm playing through right now...
How does it sound? It is a beautiful tube amp - that's a fact for sure. I like all 5 watts it has to offer, and the 'actual guitar tone' is super clean at low volume and super overdriven when it's on 12. We all know the 'turn the volume on the guitar knob down for cleans' trick, and it works exceptionally well.
I'm doing an experiment this week: I'm using this amp for a gig in a bar that will be full of 'real, live people'...and one other musician on stage playing a smallish amp. During sound check, it turned out that this amp is 'loud as heck' and will be enjoyable to use on stage...and off.
You see, this gig is actually a set of 6 performances of the play 'the seagull' by chekov (not star trek)
my girlfriend has written the music (for live performers and tape/audio/visual components) and we are the 'house band' as well as 'backup musicians' for several songs in the play.Last edited by Clamps; 03-14-2013 at 12:42 AM.
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Thanks, Clamps. The "super overdriven" part is the part where I hesitate to have one made. On the other hand, I know that 5W can be loud in a living room so I may never get to that point.
With yours, the way it is set up, could you play clean (archtop with single coil pup, in a house/basement/living room), practicing with a saxophonist?
Could depend on the speaker too. Does anyone have experience with the Eminence 820H or the Weber 8A150?
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I suppose that 'loud' is pretty subjective.
So is everything we read on the internet...so I'd like to suggest that you give it a go in the real world to see how it works out in your opinion.
I've got experience playing with sax players - my old band leader studied with anthony braxton on the sax...if you know the kind of honking I'm talking about, just say so!
However, I don't think any tasteful musician would willfully overpower another (except for drummers, of course) and I'd just suggest asking for some sensitivity for volume from any potential music partners.
I did notice a very noticeable difference in volume today when I A/B'd my friend's knock off brand guitar vs my ES335...to hear the difference. I suppose there is also the consideration to be made for different types of pickups (you mentioned a single coil archtop guitar - really?) and even the pickup height...etc
As far as speakers are concerned...I've noticed that plugging into different speakers creates a different sound...
For example, my amp is pretty quiet when going through a 15" speaker in an unmarked cab...I'll post a pic of the cabinet
and the speaker. The amp in the second pic isn't mine, but if you look at the very last pic in this post you'll see that I have an identical one without the cool 50's fridge door handle. Has anyone seen this amp before? The one in the pic was at the twelfth fret about 8 years ago when I snapped this early digital photo, but I didn't see an identifying name on it. My version has no amp portion - it's just the speaker.
It's pretty cool, I found it on a street corner on garbage day. Right now, I have a patch cord hardwired to the speaker and I plug different amps into it when the feeling is right. In the same trash pile, I found an old Magnatone amp too.
I used to like taking this amp to gigs while I was in university, but I realistically could not replace it if ever went missing...so I let my dog look after things at home - in the basement!
Last edited by Clamps; 03-14-2013 at 02:55 AM.
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as is no secret i am a huge fan of the "ZT acoustic lunchbox " please note NOT the original one..... it looks way cool in off white and is tiny and can look stylish in your lounge ..BUT it's still a giggable amp which is nice to have as a backup ...seems a waste to spend money on a small practise amp that remains just that .....
i did try the yamaha thr10 and loved the tone but way too small and underpowered to even rehearse with other players .... let alone gig with ....but for a desktop amp it is incredibly sweet sounding but pretty expensive
ZT acoustic is nicely featured way better than the original
and just look how 'petite" it is and looks wise it's very neat and looks great in a lounge or sitting room yet still can be used on stage
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Short List:
1) Nothing!
2) Lunchbox Acoustic
3) Roland Cube Lite
4) Yamaha THR5
5) Champ-clone kit
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ive been using a Roland Cube 40XL for gigs and practice at home for the last 3 years. Great amps. Only just upgraded my gig amp to a mambo.
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Hi Tom, Originally Posted by Tom Karol
i just ordered a Cube Lite for exactly this purpose. Leave it plugged in by the coffee table and use it just for practice. I should get it next week, so I will let you know what I think. One thing I have already noted is that the Cube Lite is very small and might serve as a travel amp as well. I just hope it has a reasonable bottom end.
Bill
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Bill,
That's great - I'm looking forward to reading your impressions of it.
At $169, it's the least expensive of the (my) candidates.
I also hope it has a reasonable bottom end.
- Tom.
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Hi Tom, Originally Posted by Tom Karol
I got the amp today, and I've spent a couple hours with it. It is a tiny little thing, just 10"x6"x5" and it is very light as well. Mine is the white one for guitar. I plugged in straight with my new Carvin HH2 (which is basically a dual HB solid body) and although the sound is very bright, I was able to get where I wanted with the Bass and Treble controls and the tone pot on the guitar. It sounds pretty good for a tiny amp, and the bottom end is serviceable and without acoustic distortion. It has a clean setting and two distortion settings, but even the clean setting is affected by the drive pot, so you can keep it clean, or add any amount of distortion. I found that just a touch of drive improved the tone for my ear. It has a chorus/reverb effects buss, and they sound OK for that kind of thing. I liked a little reverb. It is not a really loud amp, but I wasn't looking for that. I was getting some nice tone from it at a volume loud enough to where my wife could hear me playing at the other end of the house, so I think it will be good for practice. I also used the included 3 channel mini cable to connect the amp to my iPad. The amp has a return buss volume pot that lets you balance the volume from the iPad. I was using Garage Band and was able to play along with drums and bass I had going in Garage Band and I was able to record directly off the amp to GB. Roland has an App for this amp, but I haven't played with that yet. I also plugged my Pocket Pod into the amp and that really gave me all the usual good tone that I have come to love about the Pod stuff.
So, it is tiny, it sounds pretty good and is very versatile. I'm going to keep it and use it for practice away from my usual rig and for travel. I hope you find this little review useful, and let me know if I can answer any questions.
Bill
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Very thorough description, Bill! Thanks! I think I'll probably get a Lunchbox Acoustic at some point. It should do what I want for a practice amp, plus it will be convenient to take to low volume rehearsals - this Sunday I'm going over a singer's house to work on a few tunes with her. Rather than bring my archtop and the JazzAmp 110, I'll probably just bring my Martin 000-28. But if I had the LBA in its little gig bag ...
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How does the little Roland sound as a speaker, just for listening to music from your iPad, Phone, etc.?
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Hi Kenneth, Originally Posted by Kenneth
I had not tried that, but I just did and it sounds pretty good actually. The thing is, the connection between the iPad or phone and the Cube is direct, so it bypasses any bass, or treble controls and the volume is controlled at the iPad or with the Cube input control. It will work very well for a travel speaker for my iPad.
Bill
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Thanks, Bill. I'm thinking about getting one as a desktop PC speaker that I can also use for practice.
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I use a Kustom Defender 5-watt tube amp with a verbzilla pedal - it sounds fantastic at low volumes, which in a tube amp can still get pretty darn loud
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Hi,
Just got an email from hellomusic.com and they have the acoustic lunchbox with carrying case for $339. Looks like a decent price.
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I think I will end up getting a Lunchbox Acoustic, but it will have to wait awhile (tax time and I owe). I'll use it as a practice amp as previously mentioned, but I'll also use it with my piezo-equipped travel guitar as a super minimalist rehearsal rig.
Last edited by Tom Karol; 03-21-2013 at 10:16 PM. Reason: Typo
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Hi there Originally Posted by Socalbill
I have the Roland Cube Lite and concur with all of your observations. It is indeed an awesome piece of kit. Likewise I use Garageband and am hoping to use the Cube Lite along side. Having read that you have played along with GB and was able to record directly off the amp into GB - I was wondering how you did this. I am not sure if I have missed something but here is my take.
I am using an iMac and connect the supplied mini cable from the output (headphones/audio) jack on the iMac to the iCube Link socket. And that is fine. I can roll the GB track and play along with it. But then I don't figure how by doing this I can record - like you have - directly off the amp into GB. Can this be done at the same time? If so what is the set up as I can't figure how the audio is goes from Cube Lite to iMac GB via the out put jack on the back of the iMac.
Or are you connecting the mini cable from Cube Lite to the iMac audio in (mic socket) and recording that way and there fore not actually playing along with the track on the Cube Lite?
Any tips greatly appreciated. Thanks.
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Hi PTgarageband,
Roland designed the Cube Lite to work with IOS devices like the iPad and iPhone. The cable they give you to run from the Link jack is designed to take advantage of the IOS function of stereo audio plus mic that is used for phone and FaceTime communication. The iMac does not have such a jack, but if you are good with electronics it would be simple to make a break out cable that would split the Link connection into two mini plugs, one for audio from the iMac and the other for mic in. It could be that such a cable is available commercially as well. In my little review, I was running GB on my iPad. Hope this helps.
Bill
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Thanks very much Bill. Will give what you say some thought. I have had success using the mic input on the iMac from the CL running GB this way. Cable from CL into iMac mic input. Use headphones out of iMac output. Play guitar into CL. Cue GB and backing tracks. Record new track in GB. Play guitar. Both backing and guitar audible through headphones. Guitar also audible through CL but not effecting recording. In addition I rigged up a usb condenser mic and recorded the 'through the air' audio in sync from the CL and added as a second track. Nice natural reverb. Paul
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I suppose the amps that I've had in this category are as follows:
- Zt Lunchbox
- Yamaha THR10
- Victoria 5e3
- Roland Cube 30
- Roland Cube 80XL
- Roland MicroCube Bass
- Acoustic Image Head and 1 x 12" (probably doesn't fit in here)
Without writing up individual notes, I think the best bang for the buck is the Roland Cube 30. This thing could carry a gig by itself under *most* conditions and sounds great. In fact, I've found it to be just plain amazing as a tool because you can get it to sound as dry and unforgiving as imaginable (which is right where I want to be when I practice) so I'm working as hard as possible to get the notes right.
The Cube Series are fricken awesome -- I don't think you want to go smaller than the Cube 30 though. It's so small and light, what's the point of something REALLY tiny that looks cool but just sits on your bookshelf. The Yamaha fits that bill and I feel a bit silly about spending $ on it versus something that could fit a role outside the bedroom.
I like to have amps all around the house with mini-set ups so when I get a few minutes, I can plunk out a few notes.
Oh, the Vic is by far the best darn blues amp but I just don't do practice amps with tubes. Too much hassle and headache, tube warm up, distortion, etc... The tube sound is just too forgiving for me for practicing.
Lastly, I stand by my view that the AI head set ups are the best jazz amps I've ever heard (yes, I know, there are some that feel otherwise ... ahem... Jim ... ahem). They definitely don't have much color -- clean, clear, flat. To each their own.
I think if you can find a tone you like on the Cube 30 (or whatever the similar sized current model is), you just can't go wrong.
FWIW, I bought the 80XL thinking the 30 wasn't big enough for a church gig and it was probably excessive... that said, I never mind a bit of extra power. Always better to be on that side of the curve...
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Actually, I've not only previously owned a MicroCube, but also a Cube 30, and then a Cube 60. I traded the 60 in (towards a guitar) after I got the Henriksen 112. The store I traded it to refuses to sell it - they say it's invaluable to them as their all-purpose demo amp! Since I subsequently picked up a used Henriksen 110 as well, a Cube 30 would be superfluous.
I'm still planning on a Lunchbox Acoustic when the discretionary funds are available.
By the way, I briefly took back the Yamaha MS-101 powered monitor and brought it in a small canvas tote bag along with my laminate archtop to a rehearsal at a singer's house last weekend, and it worked just fine.
There have been many well-meaning suggestions here, and I really appreciate them. But given that I have both a JazzAmp 112 and a 110, I don't need something with gigging potential. I just want something really small that sounds really good at low volumes.
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