Choosing a amp!

[iesukoishii]

Hello people! Need help choosing a amp
I bought the Timbre Sr200 package.
I've been using it for sometime and i'm thinking of upgrading the amp
My current amp is the Timbre TB-10
Some of the amps im interested in are:
1) Marshall Mg15CDR
2) Sound drive SG 15
3) Vox Pathfinder 15r

I just need a simple practice amp to be used at home.
I prefer clean tones and sometimes use very light distortion.
Any recommendations? Other models are also welcomed
My budget is around 150-250 dollars

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[naviros]

Wow... all the above-mentioned sound very different from each other... I'll take the sound drive out of the equation though, what sort of music do you play?

 

[subversion]

dear friend, moving on from a 10W combo to a 15-watter (regardless of the brand name) isn't an upgrade; you'd still be in possession of a paltry amplifier offering similar tonal manifestations. you would want to invest in something from a different category of application- do consider a 12" driver (speaker) equipped model. i have these to recommend:

http://theguitaraddict.blogspot.com/2010/01/recommendations-solidstate-amplifiers.html

many of us would be apalled by such selections due to parental consent; chances are your parents might bark at you for being too loud. but that's the reality of the situation; we move up, not move across.

 

[iesukoishii]

Thanks for replying =D
naviros: i actually chose the amps because i saw them recommended on other threads. I havent tried any amps yet but at my current standard i doubt i could tell the difference haha T.T. I play rock (not with heavy distortion) and maybe some pop songs.

subversion: The amps you recommended look great! But they look really expensive too =X. Maybe i'll save up to get one but do i really need such a big amp for practice? By upgrade i actually meant getting a amp with a clearer tone hahs. Have u tried the TB-10? I cant really describe it but it sounds kind of bad, or maybe its just that i have no real skill hahs. Or maybe is because i dropped it on the floor? hmmm....

Once again thanks for replying to my post =D

PS: Any comments on buying used amps? any warnings or tips? THX

 

[daryle]

my advice: AVOID tube amps for the time being. a proper upgrade from where you are now would be modelling.

list of modelling amps in your price range:

1) Brand New Roland Cube 20X
2) Brand New Vox Pathfinder 15r
3) Used Roland Cube 30X (should be able to get at 250 if you're luckier)

i highly recommend buying used amps. coz at your age and level, you WILL NOT stick to one particular amp for life YET. when you buy at the used price, you sell at the used price. you make very little financial loss.

usually when buying used amps, the buyer is expected to go to the seller's house and test it, then bring it home himself. since you appear new to the concept of buying used gear, i'd suggest you avoid sellers that insist on just meeting up at some mrt station to pull a fast deal.

always test it at his/her house then bring it home yourself.

 

[jop]

http://standardvalue.com.sg/store/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=587

u might want to go down sv to try this.

I tested the 60w model with the some of the strat and the rally guitar inside sv, the clean is good and
the slightly overdriven crunch is good too on humbucker. In build distortion hmm, not to my liking haha.

Go test the 35w and 60w see which fits your needs and budget better.

 

[subversion]

subversion: The amps you recommended look great! But they look really expensive too =X. Maybe i'll save up to get one but do i really need such a big amp for practice? By upgrade i actually meant getting a amp with a clearer tone hahs. Have u tried the TB-10? I cant really describe it but it sounds kind of bad, or maybe its just that i have no real skill hahs. Or maybe is because i dropped it on the floor? hmmm....

my recommendations were based on the understanding of your need to 'upgrade'. amps with 12" drivers prove to manifest a balanced overall tone. the main issue with smaller units is its production of excessive top end & the lack of healthy lower frequencies, meaning: you hear your guitar sounding too shrill/ sharp at whatever settings you dial up. this is true for a $10k guitar you plug into such amps; it's the amp, not the guitar not giving you ear candy. whichever amp i presented here are not about looking good but their possession of good tones for the player.

my renewed understanding of your 'upgrade' here is the possession of another amp which sounds more appealing, more than anything else.

 

[subversion]

usually when buying used amps, the buyer is expected to go to the seller's house and test it, then bring it home himself. since you appear new to the concept of buying used gear, i'd suggest you avoid sellers that insist on just meeting up at some mrt station to pull a fast deal.

the seller is not expected to conform to any specifics but the selling of the item itself. usually, we (as responsible sellers) would be more forthcoming about selling our items & would oblige to attend to the buyer needs (letting the buyer hear the product in action). this is a more prudent move rather than forging some untrustworthy traits about ourselves to others. it entails complications, that's what we would want to avoid.

 

[iesukoishii]

Thanks for all your help! (soft sure is a great forum!)
i might go with the pathfinder
but i should bring one of my more "experienced" friends to go try out all the amps you guys recommended
i think ill avoid buying used amps as i'm sure ill probably get scammed and find out only after ive used the amp for half a year =D
i also like the Randall's Ninja combo
its affordable and im sure its great since subversion recommends it
cant doubt the guitar addict

PS im not really into heavy distortion but any comments on the overdrive channel on the above amps? i would like to avoid spending money on a pedal. im just a humble secondary school student with a measly allowance hehe

 

[harrotty]

+1 to Vox, if u play clean often, vox is one of the best

 

[subversion]

i also like the Randall's Ninja combo

i like it too much to ignore it...

the Ninja combo would appease players who do not fancy pedal distortion too much. the default distortion here isn't too hard-hitting until you activate the boost. do not think of it as an amp for heavy metal inclinations but the intensity for such delivery is available in this amp.

 

[iesukoishii]

well that settles it =D
thanks for all ur help
will go down to test the amps once ive saved 250 dollars and see which one suits my taste
im still a little short on cash haha

oops btw when does davis and swee lee have sales =X
you know what they say...
a penny saved is a penny earned
lol

 

[Godspeed64]

dear friend, moving on from a 10W combo to a 15-watter (regardless of the brand name) isn't an upgrade; you'd still be in possession of a paltry amplifier offering similar tonal manifestations. you would want to invest in something from a different category of application- do consider a 12" driver (speaker) equipped model. i have these to recommend:

http://theguitaraddict.blogspot.com/2010/01/recommendations-solidstate-amplifiers.html

many of us would be apalled by such selections due to parental consent; chances are your parents might bark at you for being too loud. but that's the reality of the situation; we move up, not move across.

Exactly what I wanted to stay.

It won't be much of an upgrade. If you want another low watter, and since you only need clean/overdrive, an AC4 used in the Buy/Sell might be a good choice. Sweet tone in a minute box!

 

[Kyokkai]

Yo bro, Marshall will definitely do the job if u have enough money to afford the stacked amps or the 30watt combo. I'm not quite sure bout VOX but having tried them b4...i would say the amps are quite good. Another choice is Ibanez. Imo, they are worth the money and the amps are of high quality. Or, the MEGA GX60R. Costs only 325....at SV Guitars with a 12" Driver(60 watts). But you shld heighten ur budget a little and get like wad the others said, a 12 inch driver. If not, u wouldn't hear the diffs...and tt would mean little change in sound quality. Get sth more worth it and better. Sweelee participating in GSS, so now got sale le...or during dec or mid year they will have some sort of mid summer sale or sth like tt. Davis I not sure le...they havin sales very often 1....

 

[Likui]

go Standard value guitar, u try the 15watt NuX amp. So far that is the best 15watt amp I've heard, and it's $155

 

[subversion]

oops btw when does davis and swee lee have sales =X

swee lee had their ibanez sale last weekend, as for other general sale- no news as yet.

 

[loldude333]

I'd go with the Pathfinder, based on your current needs, altho i wholly agree with sub about amps with 12' drivers. I have a Pathfinder at home, 4 years old, no probs at all.