|
|
Cheap Tube Amp Round-up
Submitted by Jason on Tue, 01/31/2012 - 02:53.
Cheap doesn't have to mean low quality - so here we take a look at some great cheap tube amps that deliver those smooth valve tones without breaking the budget.
There are a range of cheap tube amps you can get for under $200, and as you'll see below, even Fender have a tube amp in this price range.
A good place to start is with Bugera
The Bugera BC15 is a great tube amp for beginners - for less than $110 you get a real 15 Watt amp with an 8" speaker using a 12AX7 Valve. It also has a headphone out so you can practice quietly at the same time you have the valve cranked up. You can get it at Amazon.
More experienced players will be drawn to Bugera's V range. The best of the cheap end is the Bugera V5 - as the name implies it's a 5 Watt tube amp.
This is a step up from the BC15, with a range of more advanced features including a built in 3-way power attenuator which lets you drive its 12AX7 valve hard even at low volumes - you can run it at 5, 1 or 0.1 Watts. It also has built in Reverb and Tone controls.
You can buy the Bugera V5 for under $200 at many online stores - here's a link to it on Amazon.
Although not exactly super cheap, an honorable mention goes to the Bugera 6260 - it's what we might call 'reminiscent' of the well regarded Peavey 6505, however it sells for less than half the price - usually under $550 - here it is at Amazon.
Kustom Defender V5
The Kustom brand name has been around since 1966 - they actually started out making solid state amps when most other manufacturers where working with vacuum tubes.
Today they produce a range of tube amps, and the Defender V5 is their entry-level option producing 5-Watts from its 12AX7 preamp tube and EL84 power tube going into an 8" speaker. It has both Input and Master volume along with controls for Bass, Middle, & Treble EQ, as well as built-in Reverb.
The Defender V5 is one of the best in this price range in terms of features - it usually sells online for under $170 at major online stores - at the time of writing this zZounds have some in stock.
Fender Champion 600
You might be surprised to learn that Fender produces a cheap tube amp. The 5-Watt Champion 600 is designed to sound and look like a vintage 1950's tube amp. It uses both a 12AX7 and a 6V6 tube which power the 6" speaker.
Like the old tube amps, this only has one volume control so you have to crank it up if you want the valve overdrive sound, but hey - that's the way the overdrive effect is meant to be made!
It's available from major online stores for under $150 - and you can get it at Amazon for about $120.
Remember it's always best to check the major retailers like zZounds, Sweetwater, Guitar Center etc, to see who has the best price when you're ready to buy - sometimes they'll have specials you weren't expecting and you can save yourself a few extra dollars.
Related News:
Best Guitar Amp Under $500
Cheap Solid State (non-tube) Guitar Amps
Bugera
I recently purchased a used Bugera V22. I was very impressed with the quality and sound of the amp, but felt I could improve the sound - and did by replacing the tubes with better quality. It now does truly sound like a vintage amp. The V22 comes with a 12" speaker, and for 22Watts, it sure puts out a lot of volume. Yet it sounds really good at both loud and quieter volumes. I really like this amp!
Just curious about the new
Just curious about the new tubes you put in - which ones did you use and how much did they cost?
Bugera V22 Tubes
I replaced the original Bugera tubes with the same type in JJ tubes. These were tubes I had laying around so I decided to try them. The amp sounds a good bit better. Truthfully though, it still does not sound as good as my 1968 PA 100 - I don't think anything ever will.
Post new comment