What's your FAVORITE small amp

Recording Techniques, People Skills, Gear, Recording Spaces, Computers, and DIY

Moderators: drumsound, tomb

Post Reply
User avatar
@?,*???&?
on a wing and a prayer
Posts: 5804
Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 4:36 pm
Location: Just left on the FM dial
Contact:
Contact @?,*???&?

Post by @?,*???&? » Fri Jan 27, 2006 4:24 pm

Without a doubt, the Kalamazoo Model Two with tremolo.

In spending some amount of time ebaying in the past few years and then visiting many websites, I found out that this amp is somewhat of the 'Holy Grail' of practice amps.

The Tremolo is jaw-dropping.

Sells at a TapeOp pricepoint too- usually around $120- $150. Seek these out. WOW.
Top
kayagum
ghost haunting audio students
Posts: 3490
Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 11:11 pm
Location: Saint Paul, MN

Post by kayagum » Sat Jan 28, 2006 9:32 am

Jeff Robinson wrote:Without a doubt, the Kalamazoo Model Two with tremolo.

In spending some amount of time ebaying in the past few years and then visiting many websites, I found out that this amp is somewhat of the 'Holy Grail' of practice amps.

The Tremolo is jaw-dropping.

Sells at a TapeOp pricepoint too- usually around $120- $150. Seek these out. WOW.
These are basically Champ circuit amps. Sounds even better when you hotwire them by doing a speaker out to a cab- I do that with my 2x12 Bassman cab.
Top
User avatar
Meriphew
deaf.
Posts: 1759
Joined: Sun May 11, 2003 9:56 am
Location: Seattle USA

Post by Meriphew » Sat Jan 28, 2006 3:12 pm

The Bad Cat Mini Cat is my fav of the small amps that I've tried so far. It sounds sort of like a miniature AC30. If you do a search on low wattage/low watt amps you'll prolly find about 10 other threads like this.
Top
JustinHedrick
steve albini likes it
Posts: 362
Joined: Tue May 18, 2004 3:01 pm
Location: Urbana, Illinois

Post by JustinHedrick » Sat Jan 28, 2006 3:16 pm

removed
Last edited by JustinHedrick on Sat Jan 28, 2006 3:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Top
User avatar
r0ck1r0ck2
re-cappin' neve
Posts: 704
Joined: Thu Oct 09, 2003 1:55 pm
Location: Milwaukee!!
Contact:
Contact r0ck1r0ck2

Post by r0ck1r0ck2 » Sat Jan 28, 2006 3:21 pm

magnatone....
don't tell...
magnatone..
vibrato..
so
cool...

cordovox..
sssshhhh...
Top
User avatar
r0ck1r0ck2
re-cappin' neve
Posts: 704
Joined: Thu Oct 09, 2003 1:55 pm
Location: Milwaukee!!
Contact:
Contact r0ck1r0ck2

Post by r0ck1r0ck2 » Sat Jan 28, 2006 3:23 pm

have the 50 watt version that I have turned into a plexiglass enclosed head, and it works really well. Their also really cheap.
good.
Top
lyman
re-cappin' neve
Posts: 671
Joined: Sat Nov 20, 2004 5:14 pm
Location: Plymouth Rock City, MA

Post by lyman » Sat Jan 28, 2006 8:01 pm

i often use a fender '67 pro reverb when i'm in the studio, which belongs to the studio owner. it's got a great sound, especially with a bit of tremolo and reverb. and i was surprised by an ampeg reverborocket 1x12 driving a small cabinet. it had a gorgeous clean tone.
Top
User avatar
nlmd311
tinnitus
Posts: 1172
Joined: Wed Oct 22, 2003 10:19 am
Location: Florida

Post by nlmd311 » Sat Jan 28, 2006 8:23 pm

eeldip wrote:i got this guy for $70

its pretty great
Is that a Fender Musicmaster "bass" amp? If so, I hear you! I have been dying for one of those for so long. I missed the opportunity to get one for about $110 and have kicked myself for it. It is crazy, some days those things go for about $100, others for $300+.
If that isn't a musicmaster, then well... :oops:

-Darrill
slowly panning across something kind of crappy...
Top
User avatar
llamaj
takin' a dinner break
Posts: 182
Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2006 8:17 am

Post by llamaj » Sat Jan 28, 2006 9:27 pm

Silvertone 1482. cathode biased, rectifier,all tube tremelo, and the sound of 6v6's. original speaker is great with a tele for rock. too muddy for most other guitars. change the baffle board to 1/4" wood and put a weber ceramic or good celestion and this is the best deal on any amp. Someone brought me one to fix and i bought it from them as soon as i heard the tremelo. i have since bought two more cheap from music stores and have fixed them up. Im going to be selling one soon. im just a sellout anymore.

oh yes and someone mentioned magnatone. I say shhh... they are already expensive enough. great for rhodes too. especially the stereo vibrato 280 or 480. ive heard that Jimmy Page used the smaller 6v6 mono magnatones on early Zep stuff
Top
User avatar
r0ck1r0ck2
re-cappin' neve
Posts: 704
Joined: Thu Oct 09, 2003 1:55 pm
Location: Milwaukee!!
Contact:
Contact r0ck1r0ck2

Post by r0ck1r0ck2 » Sun Jan 29, 2006 10:39 am

had a silvertone twin for a while...
you could turn up the reverb and lose the regular volume
you'ld only hear the reverb channel...
sounded great..
Top
slochldrnplayin
ass engineer
Posts: 49
Joined: Mon Feb 07, 2005 1:48 pm
Location: Portland, Oregon
Contact:
Contact slochldrnplayin

Post by slochldrnplayin » Sun Jan 29, 2006 10:56 am

Randy wrote:I think you are looking for a Fender Champ. Simple Fender tube tone. Should not be expensive. With a Rhodes, you might want to get a Champ with Vibrato. Nice combo.
I'll second the Fender Champ! Kick ass little amp with tons of tone and character.
Top
User avatar
curtiswyant
re-cappin' neve
Posts: 729
Joined: Wed Oct 20, 2004 10:08 pm
Location: Boston

Post by curtiswyant » Sun Jan 29, 2006 11:04 am

Fender + Fender = tone of the gods!!!
Top
RefD
on a wing and a prayer
Posts: 5993
Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2004 9:10 pm

Post by RefD » Sun Jan 29, 2006 12:13 pm

Ruby amp feeding a 10" speaker.
?What need is there to weep over parts of life? The whole of it calls for tears.? -- Seneca
Top
User avatar
eeldip
dead but not forgotten
Posts: 2139
Joined: Fri May 02, 2003 5:10 pm
Location: NoPo

Post by eeldip » Sun Jan 29, 2006 3:06 pm

nlmd311 wrote:
eeldip wrote:i got this guy for $70

its pretty great
Is that a Fender Musicmaster "bass" amp?
If that isn't a musicmaster, then well... :oops:

-Darrill
nope, its an alamo challenger. cool amp. DIRT CHEAP
Top
Post Reply

Return to “Creative Recording”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 68 guests