Best Mini Amps

[boxertwin]

I'm looking for a versatile mini Amp with great tone, what makes/models have
you guys used and would recommend. Will be using it for busking & small jams
The Vox units look like their worth a closer look.

[rodman]

I have a Vox DA5 and I really like it . It has a good range of clean / blues / gain settings and usable effects . I haven't tried it with batteries yet but the output is plenty loud . Rodman

[Stackabones]

Pignose! Not only does it get that classic dirt, it cleans up nicely too. I've been using one at all my gigs lately. Some rooms are small enough to use on its own. Otherwise, I just mic it up and go through a PA.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4f76ng49wA

Plus it comes in tweed!

[texas blues]

I've had several of those little Piggy's and gigged them all. Cranked up and mic'd they are soooo dirty.

[gaucho]

I have a little Roland Micro Cube that I really like. I use it with the batteries all the time and they last forever!

[tinsmith]

I've got a Vox DA5 also.....pretty good for what it is..........I think 22 effects.....
Works great with 6 C batteries too.

[devnulljp]

There's a guy in England builds these great little amp-in-a-box units called Pigdog.
Plug it into a proper speaker and you're away. Mine has a tiny 2" speaker built in, which doesn't sound like much, but through a proper 10" or 12" speaker, it sounds great. I've seen others with bigger and different speaker combinations too.

[Les Again]

2 days ago I bought a Roland Cube Street; tried it out first time yesterday; I liked it, good sounds with solid body lelctric, acoustic with pickup, and mic. (also played my thumb drive mp3 thru it) I can't attest to the volume, haven't cranked it up yet. I did 'surf' the effects and amp models somewhat, some are interesting, some I like the sound of.
You can have 3 inputs going at once time, if you count the aux mini phone jack. The 2 main input channels each have own volume/tone / delay reverb/controls. It can be AC powered or by batteries (6 AA). It weighs almost nothing (but costs a LOT- 250 USD minimum.)
I think I am going to like this amp very much.

[gatorblue]

The pignose is a nice little amp. You can sometimes find some of the small Laneys for sale at a reasoable price--all tube.

If you want to spend the cash, the Dr. Z Manza has a 1X10 30 watts, all class A tube, and has an incredible sound. This 30 watter is louder than many 4x10 or 2X12s that are rated at a higher wattage.

--Gator

[leftyguitarman]

Check out the new Fender Mustang I amp. It has an 8" speaker and lots of modeling. The Mustang line is the only line of solid state amps I would consider buying.

[Rythameen]

I bought a handbuilt Mahaffay HiLo Watt Plexi, very cool, very small amp, does clean to really dirty at really low volumes, but can still go loud enough to rip your hair off.



•Hand wired tube sockets and plugs for years of flawless service
•One Ecc82 tube
•One Ecc83s tube
•3-way selectable gain toggle switch. (Optional foot switch)
•Highly filtered power supply for low noise and no hum
•Star grounding
•Line level effects loop
•Line out
•Two external speaker output jacks, one leaves the internal speaker on, one cuts it off when in use.
•Solid pine box, built by the finest carpenters in the USA
•Classic large check style grill.
•Hand made 6 ½ internal speaker.
•33 watts to 8 ohms
•Completely manageable volume level, from loud to whisper quiet.
•All with the classic styling of the old British.
•Only 8"x8"x7" at 10 lbs!!!!!!!!

hilo-watt-plexi-250.jpg (15.76 KiB) Viewed 8899 times

[Hurricane]

I have a Pignose - the amp died so , it's hooked to a 10 watt 3M Wollensak tube amp :



And I have an old and superb 100 Watt Polytone that will literally kick your @$$ :





And this is one fun little Kustom Tube 12 , it's a keeper .


Besides my gear I paid serious $ for , all these I posted were either given ( the Pignose ) or I got them super cheap in a Thrift Store .

The Polytone - $18.00 and has become a working member of my set up for solos and impromptu sessions . Solid Sate as it's best and an oldie from the early 70s .

The little 12 watt Kustom , an other Thrift Store special @ $12.00

Even my new stuff I bargained hard for an usually got what I wanted at the price I wanted as well .

Easy All :

Hurricane Ramon

[bottleneckjohn]

I can recommend the Micro-Cube from Roland..!!

Great tone and plenty of volume, when running on battery it can be played for hours. Here's a clip with an old archtop plugged in..



Many different sounds/amps modelled into this one, reverb etc..

[texas blues]

Have mercy! Nice tone and chops BJ. Maybe its the amp or your fingers or I dunno', but that guitar sounds a bit more lively than some ES125's I've played and heard. Impressive indeed. I reckon that guitar would sound very sexy played through a cranked up tweed champ.

[bottleneckjohn]

Thanks, TB!
This guitar sounds awesome through a tube amp for sure!
Lately I've been using the Roland Micro-Cube on every electric gig, as a pre-amp plugged into the PA and monitors.
It works fine and keeps the stage volume level down!
Just wanted to mention it in this thread, guys! Mini amps can be really useful!!