Practice Amp

[jnbrown]

When I bought my first archtop guitar a few months ago my thought was to use an audio interface with USB so I could play using headphones or computer speakers. I am finding that the headphones are awkward because of the wires and I get tired of hearing the sound like its in my head and the ear discomfort. The computer speakers just don't sound so great. So I am considering a small practice amp. Main criteria are good sound at low volume, not too large or heavy, around $200, some effects that apply to jazz guitar would be good. The Roland Cube 20XL seems like a good candidate. Any others I should consider? I currently have a Zoom G3 which I could put in the loop but would prefer not to and might even sell it if the practice amp works out.

[monkmiles]

How about a Fender Mustang I or II?

[jnbrown]

How about a Fender Mustang I or II?

From what having been reading so far, it seems people like the Roland Cube better for Jazz than Mustang and it is simpler to set up and use up. There are some that do like the Mustang for jazz and everybody seems to like it better for other styles such blues, rock, country none of which I will be playing. I think I made a mistake buying the Zoom G3 because I am paying for a lot of effects that I don't use. I am essentially just finding a good jazz tone and leaving it there. I think I can just go to a local Guitar Center and try them both out.

[coolvinny]

ZT lunchbox. Shop around for a deal or find a used one.

[barrymclark]

Another vote for the Cube. Deserves a serious look. You may find it suits you... you may not. ...like any amp.

[mambosun]

second hand Fender Superchamp XD

[jorgemg1984]

Why not a small active PA cab to run the Z3 into it?

[RoyaleT]

I have had the XL's older cousin the 20X for over 5 years. Love that little bugger, and take it around all the time to friend's for jamming.

[staush]

A Fender Champ.

[monkmiles]

Sounds like a Roland Cube could be what you're looking for then. I've owned a bunch of Cubes at various times (Cube 80, 60, 30, and Micro). My most used was the Cube 30. Thing is I mainly used the Black Panel model (Fender Twin Reverb model) on them. Sounds like you might just use the JC model/channel. I've lost track of the recent Cube models as it seems they changed them some. The Cube 20XL doesn't have the Black Panel model it seems and that would be a deal breaker for me. But I think the 40XL does.

Otherwise, if you like Fender cleans, the Mustangs specialize in modeling that. They have specific models for the Twin Reverb, Deluxe Reverb, Princeton Reverb, Champ, etc. But if you prefer the flatter response of a Roland JC tone, there isn't a model for that (I don't think). The Super Champ X2 is the same but with a tube power amp. I've done a lot of small jazz gig with a Super Champ XD and liked it alot.

If you want to go tube, there's a bunch of inexpensive 5 watt tubes amp nowadays like the VHT Special 6, Bugera v5, Epiphone Valvle Jr, Laney Cub 8, etc.

[jnbrown]

Thanks for all the great suggestions.
There are some Roland Cube 30X amps locally on CL pretty cheap so I might check those out.

[bondmorkret]

The roland cubes are definitely a good option. Yamaha have also recently bought out a small practice amp, which I've tried and is very good.

When I bought my first archtop guitar a few months ago my thought was to use an audio interface with USB so I could play using headphones or computer speakers. I am finding that the headphones are awkward because of the wires and I get tired of hearing the sound like its in my head and the ear discomfort. The computer speakers just don't sound so great. So I am considering a small practice amp. Main criteria are good sound at low volume, not too large or heavy, around $200, some effects that apply to jazz guitar would be good. The Roland Cube 20XL seems like a good candidate. Any others I should consider? I currently have a Zoom G3 which I could put in the loop but would prefer not to and might even sell it if the practice amp works out.

[jnbrown]

So I have been looking for a Roland Cube 40XL to demo and could not find one locally.
There are several guitar center stores here but none of them had one.
During my search I found a music store close to my home that I did not know about.
I stopped there today after work and had a great experience.
The salesman was very helpful and started me out on a Peavy tube amp.
OMG this thing sounded sweet, immediately Kenny Burrell came to mind the first couple of notes.
At $600 it was out of my price range and to get good sound the volume had to be pretty high, great for performing but not so great for home. While I was there a guy came in and saw my guitar and told me it looked nice so I let him try it.
He was very good and plays professionally but said he does teach so I might give him a try.
After a few more amps we ended up at the $200 Peavy Vyper 30. The sales guy was raving about it after some adjusting it sounded quite impressive. They didn't have a Cube 40X but they did have a 20XL which sounded poor after playing into the Vyper. Most of the music stores here are pretty lame with little inventory and sales people who are not very friendly so this store was a great find and welcome change.

[barrymclark]

So I have been looking for a Roland Cube 40XL to demo and could not find one locally.
There are several guitar center stores here but none of them had one.
During my search I found a music store close to my home that I did not know about.
I stopped there today after work and had a great experience.
The salesman was very helpful and started me out on a Peavy tube amp.
OMG this thing sounded sweet, immediately Kenny Burrell came to mind the first couple of notes.
At $600 it was out of my price range and to get good sound the volume had to be pretty high, great for performing but not so great for home. While I was there a guy came in and saw my guitar and told me it looked nice so I let him try it.
He was very good and plays professionally but said he does teach so I might give him a try.
After a few more amps we ended up at the $200 Peavy Vyper 30. The sales guy was raving about it after some adjusting it sounded quite impressive. They didn't have a Cube 40X but they did have a 20XL which sounded poor after playing into the Vyper. Most of the music stores here are pretty lame with little inventory and sales people who are not very friendly so this store was a great find and welcome change.

A good store is always a great find. Peavey does make some great amps. My 5150 (not the II) is a phenomenal amp for rock to metal. The Classic series is well received for cleaner sounds.

My favorite Cubes are the 12" equipped ones like my 80x.

[docbop]

You should also suss out the Yamaha THR5 as someone suggested above. It has a very nice clean channel.

Just moved into an apartment after a house so need a small practice amp, those Yamaha's look like a good candidate. There are different models now any comments on one versus the others?

[jnbrown]

You should also suss out the Yamaha THR5 as someone suggested above. It has a very nice clean channel.

It is small, low wattage and speakers are only 8cm.
I would think bass is going to be compromised.
I don't need or want high volume but this may be too far to the other extreme.

[Woody Sound]

I have a Roland Cube 60 for sale right now over in the FS section. I am including the footswitch (which normally has to be bought separately) and a slip cover. In the original packaging.

WS

[papaj77]

It is small, low wattage and speakers are only 8cm.
I would think bass is going to be compromised.
I don't need or want high volume but this may be too far to the other extreme.

You would be surprised how great this little thing is.

[jnbrown]

One problem with these type of amplifiers is they have so many amp models, settings and tweaks and some of them require that you use a software program to adjust them. For my sole purpose of playing jazz through an archtop I don't need 90% of that stuff. I would prefer an amp that concentrates on just a good jazz sound without all the bells and whistles. I am aware that some of these exist such as henriksen jazzamp but those are out of my price range.
Once they started putting DSPs into these things they realized they could model all kinds of things including effects that never even existed before and call it a feature. I can see from a marketing standpoint it sells amps especially to those who are probably playing a solid body and like to constantly tweak their sound or play metal one day, blues another and acoustic and so on. I would rather see the effort going into making an amp with high quality electronics, speakers and enclosure materials. But I guess the market for that is rather limited hence the higher cost.

[Woody Sound]

I find having the chorus, reverb & delay on the Cube 60 very convenient. And the switching from the Jazz Clean Channel to the tube models is also convenient. All without any external efx pedals.

[Jonathan0996]

I think your best bet is to go to Guitar Center (if you can go when it's relatively quiet, so much the better), and just try out a lot of little amps. You don't need 40 or 60 or 80 watts for what you want to do. I think 10-15 watts with a 10" speaker is plenty.

You can collect all the opinions you want and speculate all you want about what an amp will sound like, but you won't really know until you play through them. For low volume practicing, there are probably a number of amps that will sound very good. Sounding good at practice volume is no big trick for an amp. Sounding good at gig volumes is another thing, which is why players will pay a premium for a Henriksen or a Clarus or an Evans.

Amps worth trying might include small Fender, Roland, Peavey, Yamaha and Ibanez amps.

Finally, I suggest you try to not be biased by speaker size, price or the name on the amp. It might be marketed as a high gain screaming amp and still sound great for jazz. It might just have an 8" speaker, but I've heard 8" speakers that sounded amazing at low volume. It might be a the cheapest amp in the store and still sound best for what you want. Go with your ears and forget all the other stuff.

Good luck with your search. I hope you find something that really inspires you.

[monkmiles]

One problem with these type of amplifiers is they have so many amp models, settings and tweaks and some of them require that you use a software program to adjust them. For my sole purpose of playing jazz through an archtop I don't need 90% of that stuff. I would prefer an amp that concentrates on just a good jazz sound without all the bells and whistles. I am aware that some of these exist such as henriksen jazzamp but those are out of my price range.
Once they started putting DSPs into these things they realized they could model all kinds of things including effects that never even existed before and call it a feature. I can see from a marketing standpoint it sells amps especially to those who are probably playing a solid body and like to constantly tweak their sound or play metal one day, blues another and acoustic and so on. I would rather see the effort going into making an amp with high quality electronics, speakers and enclosure materials. But I guess the market for that is rather limited hence the higher cost.

There is the Ibanez Wholetone amp which is very affordable. Though I've never played one and don't know if they're any good or not.

[ooglybong]

There is the Ibanez Wholetone amp which is very affordable. Though I've never played one and don't know if they're any good or not.

I have a Wholetone and I really like it a lot. Different sounding than my Jazzmaster Ultralight, but very nice in its own way. I suppose that any amp could be considered a "practice amp" per the OP's requirements, but the Wholetone is more than that, IMO (versus, say, a Mustang I), certainly capable of being a gigging amp. By the way, it takes a moment to dial it in correctly because the controls have their own 'logic' to some degree, but, in the end, it's really no problem at all.

There are several threads here already about the Wholetone, so do a search. Hope this helps.

[ooglybong]

"Originally Posted by Jabberwocky You should also suss out the Yamaha THR5 as someone suggested above. It has a very nice clean channel."

It is small, low wattage and speakers are only 8cm.
I would think bass is going to be compromised.
I don't need or want high volume but this may be too far to the other extreme.

I just got the Yamaha THR-10 for Fathers Day (with a 15% MF coupon for about $255 total), and, although I haven't explored it enough to do a full review, I will say that this little amp is pretty amazing. Here are some of the high points...

• Tons of in-room presence with a really wide sound due to Yamaha's proprietary stereo imaging technology. Amazing, really, IMO.
• Way louder than it has a right to be. Right now, I'm more having fun wailing fusion stuff, but it sounds so good, plus it cleans up very well when you turn your guitar knob down.
• Way more bottom end than it has a right to have. (I don't even have the bass set much past noon.)
• Excellent-sounding effects on board, with separate mod and reverb/delay knobs. Tap tempo for the delays.
• Tiny footprint. Weighs practically nothing at all. Also runs on batteries (not included!).
• Aux IN with separate volume knob so you can use it to put your computer or iPod audio thru. (Very good sound there, not quite superb, IMO, but it's certainly going to be bigger and louder than your computer speakers.) By the way, output your laptop, etc, then play along thru the same speakers as iRealb as a part of the actual mix.
• USB computer-based editing and recording interface (if you want), packaged with a version of Cubase. Capable of re-amping, too.
• Onboard tuner. Five presets. USB and 1/8" mini-jack stereo cables included.
• Hmm... Is cool-looking a feature?

By the way, nobody demos (or hardly mentions) the "Flat" setting on this amp (or the Acoustic or Bass settings either), but I tried it with my solid-body on some jazz stuff, and (as I suspected), Flat sounds really nice for being "only" a practice amp. (The "Clean" setting sounds good, too, but I actually preferred the Flat.) I bet you could probably even do a solo gig (or duo with a bass) with just this amp in a smaller room. (Of course, you could also output the headphone signal into, say, a mixer or even powered speaker cab like a Tech 21 Power Engine 60 for way more of the THR's excellent tone.)

To the OP, the differences between the THR-5 and THR-10 are the 5 has no presets and only a Tone control. You also lose the Flat, Acoustic and Bass settings as well as having a separate Aux IN Volume knob. IMO, these differences were definitely well worth it in getting the THR-10. YMMV, of course.

This amp line is receiving great press and reviews overall, and, as far as CONS go, I have yet to come across any. Be sure to Google the Yamaha demos and watch various videos at YouTube for a good idea of what to expect (although it'll mostly be for Rock/Fusion stuff). Man, was I surprised!

[docbop]

"Originally Posted by Jabberwocky You should also suss out the Yamaha THR5 as someone suggested above. It has a very nice clean channel."

I just got the Yamaha THR-10 for Fathers Day (with a 15% MF coupon for about $255 total), and, although I haven't explored it enough to do a full review, I will say that this little amp is pretty amazing. Here are some of the high points...

• Tons of in-room presence with a really wide sound due to Yamaha's proprietary stereo imaging technology. Amazing, really, IMO.
• Way louder than it has a right to be. Right now, I'm more having fun wailing fusion stuff, but it sounds so good, plus it cleans up very well when you turn your guitar knob down.
• Way more bottom end than it has a right to have. (I don't even have the bass set much past noon.)
• Excellent-sounding effects on board, with separate mod and reverb/delay knobs. Tap tempo for the delays.
• Tiny footprint. Weighs practically nothing at all. Also runs on batteries (not included!).
• Aux IN with separate volume knob so you can use it to put your computer or iPod audio thru. (Very good sound there, not quite superb, IMO, but it's certainly going to be bigger and louder than your computer speakers.) By the way, output your laptop, etc, then play along thru the same speakers as iRealb as a part of the actual mix.
• USB computer-based editing and recording interface (if you want), packaged with a version of Cubase. Capable of re-amping, too.
• Onboard tuner. Five presets. USB and 1/8" mini-jack stereo cables included.
• Hmm... Is cool-looking a feature?

By the way, nobody demos (or hardly mentions) the "Flat" setting on this amp (or the Acoustic or Bass settings either), but I tried it with my solid-body on some jazz stuff, and (as I suspected), Flat sounds really nice for being "only" a practice amp. (The "Clean" setting sounds good, too, but I actually preferred the Flat.) I bet you could probably even do a solo gig (or duo with a bass) with just this amp in a smaller room. (Of course, you could also output the headphone signal into, say, a mixer or even powered speaker cab like a Tech 21 Power Engine 60 for way more of the THR's excellent tone.)

To the OP, the differences between the THR-5 and THR-10 are the 5 has no presets and only a Tone control. You also lose the Flat, Acoustic and Bass settings as well as having a separate Aux IN Volume knob. IMO, these differences were definitely well worth it in getting the THR-10. YMMV, of course.

This amp line is receiving great press and reviews overall, and, as far as CONS go, I have yet to come across any. Be sure to Google the Yamaha demos and watch various videos at YouTube for a good idea of what to expect (although it'll mostly be for Rock/Fusion stuff). Man, was I surprised!

Thanks for the review I'll probably pick one up in a few days.