Hey Elmo . Thanks for all your videos . There has not been one I didn't LIKE due to your excellent playing (with sometimes humorously intentional upward-looking crossed eyes) . I totally trust your opinions , and feel comfortable making gear purchasing decisions somewhat based upon your content . Cheers mate from Australia ...
I've been watching Elmo for over 4 years off and on. I still remember when he used to say if you can't say my name, just refer to me as this guy. If you want an absolute honest review, then you want Elmo. If you question as to how much he knows about guitars, then go to Spotify and listen to him play. And you be the judge. I watch RUclips a lot and with 69 thousand subscribers, no one is sponsoring him or giving him anything. He's a dying breed on RUclips, because so many are sponsored today. Thank you, Elmo, for not selling out and giving your honest opinion.
People tend to underestimate the importance of a practice amp. And you NEED a good one, something that’s going to try and produce a good sound and fit easily in your life. It doesn’t have to be too expensive, but it DOES need to at least allow you to experiment effectively. It’s your audio paintbox. Great video, professor. 🙌🏻
I picked up the Blackstar Fly a month ago to use on vacation and became so enamored with it I bought their Debut 50r to replace my Katana MK2 50. I know most reviewers don't seem keen about the Blackstar overdrive but I think it sounds great once you get the ISF and gain where you want it. I play both amps every day, cheap pedals to go with, no software, no firmware, just plug and play pleasing tones. Totally became a Blackstar fan as a result.
I've had the fly3 with ext cabinet about 8 years now' also bought the debut 50 around 3 months ago' after having it a couple of days I sold my katana' ended up buying another debut 50 and run them in stero. For the feathers and a stereo rig for a little over $500.00. A trick with the fly 3.... Sit it inside a box doesn't have to be wood....a card board box will work....sit it more to the rear and you will get an increase in volume.
true, except for a HORRIBLE microphonic feedback when you crank it. NUX MIGHTY LITE BT MKII minimap for 1/5th of the price does that much, much better 🙂
@@jysmtl hmm, software-wise not really 😀. I actually liked the signal chain layout on the NUX better. Where Yamaha shines is smooth overdrives + the stereo modulation reverb and delay. But te real comparison is THR vs NUX Mighty Space, as this is a stereo system just like the THR.
Yamaha is absolutely the best out there. It has it all. The best tones together with the ease of use like an old amp. You don’t have to dig into your phone or digital menus.
After 45 years of playing Guitar for my taste the Yamaha THR 5 is the most versatile, good sounding on low volume practice amp. I can take it anywhere bc of battery usage and its very light and small. Also use it for USB Recording for wet and DI signals to my Macbooks at home and on the go. They made a good invention back in the days :-) I like your stuff Elmo. You are a kind of rare diamond - honest and straight forward - not often to find on youtube or real world… best from germany
VOX Mini 3 G2 Small, light weight, cute looking, packed with features, compression, multiple fx types, multiple amp models, sounds massive for its size, plus runs on batteries. Hands down the best pawn shop impulse buy I ever made, Awesome.
Living room player here... I second your opinion about MicroCube, it's my couch pet.. No matter what I bring instead of it, I always come bac to to good ole Ruland Cube... However, BlackStar HT1-R Mk1 is the second one I want to recommend. great little tube amp, 1W only, one trick pony but it does it great-the only amp I can max and still be quiet enough. Best wishes from Sarajevo !
Your videos are enjoyable and helpful. Long time player here. After about a week of researching practice amps, I decided to get the Spark Mini and couldn't be happier with it. The technology and the sound that comes with that amp is incredible. Cheers!
I've had the Katana mini since its release and it is an absolute beast. I still can't believe how good it sounds even being so small. Being completely analog (apart from the delay I think) also makes it very friendly with pedals. I'm modding mine to make it connectable to a broader speaker, and from what I've seen in videos, it turns this small practice amp into an even more unbelievable beast.
I LOVE the Spark mini and pedal. I don’t care what anyone else says. I have had SO MANY random people come up after gigs (yes, I use it for live shows, like a personal monitor, but with a mic for the PA mains) and they are in utter disbelief that it is All that I’m using. I get compliments on the tone regularly. So… more than just a practice amp. Update: I just played for a convention in Las Vegas and my Spark seemed to be having issues with Bluetooth interference, so that’s one time it didn’t make me happy.
I was ready to pull the trigger on a monoprice (Harley Benton), but ended up buying the Marshall DSL1 for convenience. It's a very nice amp. 0.1w for apartments is ok. Good thing I like it is the lack of features. Plug and play, no dialing knobs every time trying to find a better tone. More time practicing.
@@alexsandrosantin3289 that's the unfortunate drawback to an 8" speaker. I ended up getting the monoprice for $160 on a sale + stacking a coupon code. I bought a gold lion 12ax7 tube for the V1 slot and dear lord it's a monster for under $200
Still bedroom practice with my original Roland Micro Cube. At least 15 years old. My regular amp is a 25 year old Mesa Boogie DC-10 100/60watt 2x12 combo.
I am new to the topic of amplifiers, I have seen several channels. This seems the most reliable to me. Now I feel comfortable choosing my second amp. Thank you!!!
I had a Boss Katana mini for a week and it already broke which is insane so I ordered a Roland Micro Cube like you have suggested on multiple amp recommendation videos. I got the one with the red sticker across the speaker so unsure what model this is but my god it is SO much better than the Katana! It sounds "real" unlike the fake artificial Boss sound - I'm not a fan of the flanger and phaser settings, you can't really just have those to a set thing, you need the other settings to fiddle with, but the delay and reverb are alright. Thanks so much for your videos, you now recommended me my favourite Guitar so far (HB SC450+ GT) and now this amp is awesome.
Complete beginner here. I like my PG Spark GO, it is so tiny I can clip it on my strap and use it with headphones or in the garden, and if I want loud then just plug it to the home theater. Fun to experiment with it and to get a little bit of knowledge about what pots do what kind of difference in sound. Only thing I really dislike about it is that there is no firmware-update support for iPadOS, so I need to find a PC every once in a while.
I bought a Bugera V5 and changed the speaker to an Eminence 820h Patriot Series and changed the tubes to Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 / EL84 . Amazing Amp Now !
I am using Roland Cube X30 lately. I found it second hand for $50. Not bad for the price and all the parts are working. I like the metal setting on it because the rest are not too good but for an amp that doesn't break your back and the bank and it's portable enough and you can plug some little drum machine in for practice it's just fine.
I have the Marshall DSL1CR and the Bugera V5 in my practice room, in my bedroom I have an Orange Crush 12 and the Boss Katana Mini and the Blackstar Fly 3. I like the Crush 12 a lot, the 6 inch speaker sounds fine at bedroom volumes.
I bought a stage right 15 w/1w tube amp for bedroom levels playing, i mean really low volume... sounded so good i got a second one at bargain price to make a stereo setup, ( monoprice frequently drop the price) plus i swapped both speakers for greenbacks 25w.... its just amazingly amazing!! The effect loop is a really nice feature for that kind of low price amp!!
Fly 3 is likely my most used amp, travelled with me twice when moving countries, sounds well enough for me to bring to hotels and places I want to practice, battery lasts forever and sounds quite good for its size (specially when paired with the second speaker, which makes it 6w and stereo). Even at home when I'm playing the big boys, Fly 3 is my regular computer speakers when watching youtube or things like that just because at any point I can pick the guitar and jam along from the same sound source... Such a great tiny amp!
I was gonna make an Ingwie Malmsteen joke about your guitar and call you a fanboy but nope youve got some extraordinary skills and Ingwie should be a fan of you
I've used a Vox AD15VT as my practice amp forever. It can go from bedroom quiet to tiny venue volumes, sounds decent, is reasonably versatile, and you can get them for practically nothing. They're discontinued, but they're still everywhere.
I was wondering: What settings can you actually fiddle with the the micro cube? New to electric guitar, so sorry if stupid question. Is is enough to experiment as a beginner?
The Boss Dual Cube lx can be had under €200. It has FX, presets (custumizable) and line outs as headphones with volume. I love this little amp. The amp on its own (built in speakers) sounds boxy/small but with line outs/headphones it is a serious amp! Runs on batteries as well as come with power supply. If you need something bigger I'd also check on Champion 40/50xl and Mustang LT50 (all 12" speakers with 50xl Celestion).
I agreed, I own many practice amps ( home, dressroom, hotel etc..) my go to right now is the Spark mini, is really tiny, works good for listen music and sound awesome in every style. I used to travel with the Yamaha Green one ( i dont remember the model) and was great too. And of course... you can´t go wrong with a micro cube. All the others... i dont know, maybe are great.
Used to practice at a rehearsal complex, and I would bring my little amp. The guys in the next room were a heavy metal band with 2 guitar players, and they both used 2 - 100w Marshalls each! They had lights, drum riser, the whole state production. Needless to say, we had to make sure they weren't there when we went, because they were so loud, we couldn't hear ourselves...🤘
The best PRACTICE amp, that will be a game-changer with pretty useful Ai features, built in jamming sessions that you can play along with , drum machines, long looper recording with several tracks and a lot of other awesome practice features that almost none (If any) of these other "practice" amps has is the new Positive Grid SPARK 2 50Watt, and it will change how people practice and speed along the process. It now also comes with the option to add a 12 hour rechargeable battery-pack. What other amps can play at 50Watts outside, fully wireless on battery while recording loops and making songs on the fly to built in jamming sessions or drumbeats ? Answer is I can not find another amp that can do all these great practice features and at the same time sound so awesome and play that loud. It also has a new better built in sound card so that you can plug it into your computer and use it as an external sound card to record and stuff, great all in one solution that is really worthy the PRACTICE description since it actually can & will help you practice in new, fun and more effective ways.
The amp I've been using the past 4.5 years is the Dan Electro HoneyTone mini-amp. When I bought this new it was $20, maybe $22. Doesn't sound like it though. Sounds fantastic, as a bedroom amp anyway. Although I say "bedroom" with major asterisks because it can get real loud even with master not even half-way (as my often annoyed brother will tell you). It is the bare minimum basics in an amp---1 volume (master) knob, 1 gain/distortion knob, and 1 tone knob (low/mid/high). I love it.
I have the Spark Mini, and really it's amazing. Great sound(s). Change the sounds in a heart beat with the app. Also have an old Fender Mustang LT25, which just ok in comparison, but still a good practice amp and easy to use.
Positive Grid is killing it. I have the Spark Go for ultra compact practice sessions and it’s so surprisingly good. It shocks me every time I play it. Love their app features too.
I like the spark mini, but it's too easy to overdrive the speaker. I prefer the spark 40, but it's bigger and now you have a power cord. I have the Blackstar Fly, but think the Spark mini is a better choice. What about the Yamaha THR30II? It is by far my favorite practice amp although it is on the expensive side. Battery powered, amazing tones. The other one that's pretty good is the VOX VMG-10. I power it with a power pack through a USBC cable. Very useful video - thanks.
If anyone is closely like me you can easely build your own practice amp. I did that when I was young just took some easy electronics scematics for a simple(cheap) headphone amp that ran on batteries and added a small speaker then put it all in a small box and it was useful during my military service. Had a nice booster built into my guitar so I just cranked the input stage of the headphone amp which rendered a nice distortion with a sweet sustain. No thrills for sure but the price was really low and it did what it was supposed to do :)
I’d like to recommend the 30w Jamstack 2. It’s also pricey, but that thing sounds WAY bigger and fuller than an amp of its size should sound. You can pair multiple JS2 units for stereo or surround sound (one unit is also capable of stereo with its speak config), it works with nearly ANY major app on a phone or computer for tons of tones (in addition to its own app), and you can store up to 8 tones on the device, your can record the audio directly onto a video with a mobile phone (great for social media) and use the device as an audio interface for a computer/phone. I have tried my friend’s unit, and I was utterly floored at how tasty it sounded. It’s so good that it can even be heard over a crowd at a large convention center from a nice distance away (I’ve seen demo videos showing this) - it gets super loud and is very clearly audible. I think you can gig with it - possibly on its own (whether one or several paired) or mic’ed up depending on the situation. You can also use it as music and TV audio speakers when not using it on your guitar. But overall, the tones are just totally tasty for an amp of its size. They also have a bunch of ways to mount the amp and accessories. There’s more features I’m probably forgetting, but have a read at their spec sheet - it’s not just impressive on paper, but it totally lives up to its potential and is WAY better than the first Jamstack (which still wasn’t bad as practice amps go).
For me, the Fender Mustang GTX series is the best modeling amp that exists, and this is for several reasons: First and foremost, you can control everything from your smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth. On top of that, the application is beautifully designed, intuitive, and very easy to understand, unlike the complications you might find with Line 6, for example. The price is very reasonable, even if you opt for a more powerful version. The amp is lightweight. Thanks to the headphone jack, I can connect it to my large JBL PartyBox Ultimate, which results in an amazing sound experience. Even updating the combo is done via Bluetooth through your smartphone or tablet once the amp is connected to a Wi-Fi network. Fender has truly understood what users need. They have excellent presets already installed, it's simple to understand and controllable via mobile, even the updates are easy. It's very lightweight, and thanks to the headphone jack, you can connect it to a high-quality sound system. This results in what I believe is one of the best sounds, since 90% of the sound quality comes from the speaker more than the amp itself.
Started guitar learning at 61 and severe hearing loss since birth. My first amp to go with my Squire Sonic Stratocaster HT was the Frontman 10g which I knew at the time did not have good reviews. Decided to buy it anyway as a learning experience and understand what it was or wasn’t capable of. My next amp I knew had better reviews and it was the Mustang LT25. The Mustang I use 99% of the time while I might plug in the Frontman 10g to remind me how bad it is. Although, if I wanted to make a silly video with strange sounds I might use the Frontman just to see how my audience responds to it, you’d never know?
I bought a small katana for dirt cheap because the owner had lost the power unit, that you don' t need if you already have a small power plant for pedals ( harley benton does some cheap and really effective ones ) . Its really lightweight and sounding quite nice, perfect as a travel unit !
I have several tube amp and used to have more. The sparks are really great practice amps that will give you any tone you wish with a few clicks on the phone. Backing tracks and jam along features along with a superb Bluetooth speaker for really cheap. It’s not a kemper or Axe fx but it’s really great for the price.
Currently using the Spark Go. Great for living room practice. Soon to be reclaiming the garden room as a practice room / home office / man cave. So looking at options for bigger noise and the potential for a pedal collecting addiction! 😂 Like the idea of Marshall Origin 50w with a basic pedal setup but then you look at the Katana Gen 3 bang for buck and 🤷♂️
I have the Tube 15, V5, and the Fly with the extension cab. Tube 15 can really crank. V5 is a bit muddy with him buckers but I have a cheap EQ pedal that I use on it. Fly is impressive for what it is also.
Cool list! Personally I've been using a lil Smokey since 1999. It's about as perfect as you can get. Clean, dirty, no controls to mess with, will drive a cab and fits in your shirt pocket all for under $40.
the Positivegrid SparkGO would be the ideal travel practice amp (I use it with a Traveler Guitar light electric) and the Yamaha THR series rocks since inception for their polyvalence, sturdiness, 8:40 and look, even if pricey, they are worth a check. There are plenty more, just try a few and pick one.
loved the microcube for many years. But 2 key features on the spark mini, the fly 3 and many others now make it seem just too outdated by comparison when it comes to the outdoorsy carry around thing... 1- mains recharging instead of buying/changing batteries.. 2- Bluetooth.. Never thought i needed either until i got used to having em!
Second hand Marshall dsl 5, replace speaker with 10 inch celestion greenback. You can modify enclodure and put a 12 inch speaker too. However for room and practice 10 inch greenback is fine. Best amp post speaker mod.
Great video. An eye opener on some choices. An expensive practice amp I'd buy in a heartbeat is the NUX mighty space. But only if Kfir Ochaion's Knocking On Heaven's Door cover is genuine. The tone he got out of it was immense. But I'm not sure if he's being honest. Thanks Elmo. I've subscribed.
I have the Roland Mirco Cube, and it is a great amp. I want to get the larger version if I can find one for a decent price. For my 50th Birthday, I did get a Boss Katana Air, and that is a great practice amp also. Just the price is a little high. If you can get one used, that would be the way to go. Or you can get a Boss Pocket GT and a Roland Micro Cube for a lot cheaper than even a used Boss Katana Air. If you want the Katana Air, but for it to sound great and have external output jacks, get the Katana Air EX, but the price is brutal.
I have the Tube 15 because of Elmo’s review on it,and it really is a good amp.A few months ago,I got the Marshall dsl1 head and mx112 cab,which is also great,but I’ll swap out the speaker to a v30 in the near future.
I just trusted the guy in the store and bought the one he recommended me. It's a Nu-X Mighty 20 mkII. I am a brand new beginner so I dont know if its a good one or not. Sounds fine to me. But they all sound fine to me lol.
Just bought a blackstar debut 50r. Goes from 50w to 5w. No on board effects but reverb. A plug and play amp. Looking forward to getting it. And it cost about $250 US
Grabbed a Boss Katana 50 mkii for about 150 US about 3 years ago. Been a fantastic practice amp at low volume but when you have the chance to turn it up it can get plenty loud and has a lovely clean sound
Excellent presentation, sir! I have the Stage Right version of the Harley Benton 15w that I run through a HB 2X12 with Celestion V30's and it sounds glorious. Glad to see that it made your list. Love the playing, as always!
I have TWO " PRV Audio 8MR500-NDY v2" speakers, 16 ohm series, on my 5 watt tube amp. I had to do some pre-break in, but they sound great and are amazingly loud ( 100 db 1w/1m 2x8 ) ... modified Zeus Drive > OA-H05 tube amp > home made 2x8 there is no better practice amp in the world, than my custom built, IMHO .....power amp breakup with a large plate 12AX7, I am going to use it for recording also.
The "harley benton" i have in the states its called the "stage right"...great amp for $200 is what paid..rarely ever play it on 15w but it can play with a drummer om 15w..its loud for so small..has a celesion speaker
Another very good alternative I think as practice amp are one of the joyo bantamp head you already present plus a small cab such as the orange ones for micro Terror. For arround 250 euros you have a good practice stuff , better than a lot of combo in that range price.
I own the BOSS Katana Mini it's a brilliant little amp , that will surprise you the sound you get out of it , and 7 watts this little bugger is quite loud, the other amp I did own and regret selling was the Fender LT 25 it sounded great , when I first started I had that Affinity Strat which was brutal and that horrendous pile crap the Frontman 10 it just sounded terrible, then I had the VOX VTX20 which wasn't bad but let down by the poor speaker and outdated USB port, I'm more than content with the Mini , living in a flat where I have to be cognizant of the noise levels the mini works perfectly , I would love the Marshall DSL 1R I don't need the aggravation of people complaining of the noise I would like to see how the Mini deals with pedals , nothing major , Compression Pedal, and Noise gate, just naming a few you don't need a gain pedal the brown sounds works fine, I like to lower the volume and up the brown sound , always great to hear your reviews and opinions Elmo , it's honest , there is some out there makes you wonder who their working for , I would ask you Elmo have you or anyone you know students etc used pedals with mini if so which ones, cheers !!
Hi, great review. Wonder about how does it compare with cheap tube-amps? There is a ton of them out there. Like Marshall DSL1H, Bugera G/T series, Orange Micro Terror, Hartwood, Harley Benton, EVH 5150,. Ok maybe the EVH just hits the limiter for being super cheap along with H&K Tubemeister 20, but that is super versatile with the cab emulators at least.
I have the Bugera V5 and although it's quite good as an amp, it is too dark - sounding - UNLESS you use a pedal with an equaliser, such as the AC tone or the American tone from Harley Benton/Joyo... Trust me, it's not the 8" speaker that is to blame... This is why I find my Fender Champion 40 more useable, plus I can gig with it!
Put Genalex Gold Lion Tubes 12AX7/EL84 in and change the speaker to an Eminence 820h . I guarantee you U will not believe your ears ! Champion 40 ? I put an Eminence The Governor speaker in … totally different amp now !
Peavey Classic 20 mini head and matching 12" cab. I like to practice with my pedal board, and the amp sounds great in the 1 watt setting. I can get it to the edge of breakup without pissing everyone off. 🙂
Hi Elmo. Great fan of your reviews and humors! Could you please make review of the NUX Mighty Space if possible? This amp gives you a lot of bang for your buck and comes with everything. But i would really like your in depth review on the tones it can produce and whether to buy it. Many Thanks.
Laney Mini STB, súper small and does well the job. Has a good 70,s Hard Rock type of sound. Has Delay and Bluetooth incorporated. Costs 80€ What can you get for that money!!! Give it a go
Nice comparison review and good point about some some amps "papering over mistakes". It's true, if it "sounds that good" one tends to rest on laurels not work at it. Where I live it's headphones only if I want reasonably loud guitar tones, and what other kind is there, really? I have a Quilter Superblock UK, DI out sounds awesome with phones. Just got the Katana GO, a bit too fiddly but great tones on phones with all the Kat amps and most of the BOSS pedal sims.
The Quilter Superblock US and UK look like great options for practice as does the Blackstar Amped 3 I know they are not "real" amps but they seem to sound amazing 🤘
No Supro amps? I just picked up a Blues King 8 and I love it. A 1 watt tube amp, perfect for playing in my apartment without pissing off the neighbors.
I bought the HB15 to play with my Gibson Thunderbird at home and several of my friends thought it was a shame. But every day I fall in love with this sound. I tried with a powerful speaker but for my living room it's really not necessary, other than making the walls collapse.
you could make a new baffle board for it that fits a 10" or 8" speaker....keep the 12" baffle board stored, it would take up little space ..... an 10 or 8 is a quieter speaker, and has much better high frequency dispersion ( sounds better in a room by itself )
I would make an 8" baffle board for practice.... a " Celestion Eight 15 " is only 40 USD....just make sure you get the correct impedance ( available in 4, 8 and 16 Ohm ) and don't crank the amp all the way, when you have the 8" in it.
a lot of people don't realize, that without a microphone and PA support, a 12 inch guitar speaker sounds Horrible....where, in the same situation, an 8" guitar speaker will sound so much better.
I know this video is about practice amps so my opinion is probably invalid, but I think a decent audio interface and headphones plus an ampsim is also a good option. Especially if noise is a concern. You can get some decent tones if you invest a few hours into understanding the signal chain with amp sims. Think this is a great option while saving for a decent amp. My two cents. Love your content.
Just the video I wanted to see as I'm needing to buy a new practice amp. My ancient marshal 30w mgdfx finaly packed in after 15 years. One was very emotional😢😢😅. Think I will go for the Harley tube 15 and upgrade the speaker. Thanks for the vid. How about a top ten amps to avoid.
Man, RUclips compressed the heck out of that. Listening in my Sennheiser phones was tough. I own both the Spark Mini and the Spark 40 and love them both. But (and don't tell my 40 this), I prefer the Mini's easy grab and go playability. If you want to hear the Fly scream, add the extension speaker!
picked the boy a blackstar v2, ended up playing it more than he does, Cheep, Zero complaints, Far better sounding than anything gettable when i started.
Check out 8 great cheap amps, and 4 to avoid: ruclips.net/video/MlcfUDm68sE/видео.htmlsi=w_ytkdMn9YlBVVmP
I agree with you
Hey Elmo . Thanks for all your videos . There has not been one I didn't LIKE due to your excellent playing (with sometimes humorously intentional upward-looking crossed eyes) . I totally trust your opinions , and feel comfortable making gear purchasing decisions somewhat based upon your content . Cheers mate from Australia ...
time is running out, to get a Celestion 100 Anniversary Alnico for your Harley Benton Tube 15s, everyone.
I've been watching Elmo for over 4 years off and on. I still remember when he used to say if you can't say my name, just refer to me as this guy. If you want an absolute honest review, then you want Elmo. If you question as to how much he knows about guitars, then go to Spotify and listen to him play. And you be the judge. I watch RUclips a lot and with 69 thousand subscribers, no one is sponsoring him or giving him anything. He's a dying breed on RUclips, because so many are sponsored today. Thank you, Elmo, for not selling out and giving your honest opinion.
Cheers!
Why would someone not be able to say his name?
@@Jeremya74 Elmo said that, I didn't say people couldn't say his.
People tend to underestimate the importance of a practice amp. And you NEED a good one, something that’s going to try and produce a good sound and fit easily in your life. It doesn’t have to be too expensive, but it DOES need to at least allow you to experiment effectively. It’s your audio paintbox. Great video, professor. 🙌🏻
Thank you!
Indeed, 90% of the time I will play my practice amp instead of my helix/Kemper/tube amps just because it's much more practical.
well put.
@@tiagoramalhais5493 why? i practice on my two rock. just put a fryette on it.
I picked up the Blackstar Fly a month ago to use on vacation and became so enamored with it I bought their Debut 50r to replace my Katana MK2 50. I know most reviewers don't seem keen about the Blackstar overdrive but I think it sounds great once you get the ISF and gain where you want it. I play both amps every day, cheap pedals to go with, no software, no firmware, just plug and play pleasing tones. Totally became a Blackstar fan as a result.
I've had the fly3 with ext cabinet about 8 years now' also bought the debut 50 around 3 months ago' after having it a couple of days I sold my katana' ended up buying another debut 50 and run them in stero.
For the feathers and a stereo rig for a little over $500.00.
A trick with the fly 3....
Sit it inside a box doesn't have to be wood....a card board box will work....sit it more to the rear and you will get an increase in volume.
I have HT1 R blackstar all tube amp love it.
The best practice amp I've ever tried is the Yamaha THR30II. It's more expensive than some of the other options but worth every penny.
Agreed!!! Can't be beat!!! Kinda has it all!!
true, except for a HORRIBLE microphonic feedback when you crank it. NUX MIGHTY LITE BT MKII minimap for 1/5th of the price does that much, much better 🙂
@@marcinpierechod3838True, except it does only a fraction of what the Yamaha can do.
@@jysmtl hmm, software-wise not really 😀. I actually liked the signal chain layout on the NUX better. Where Yamaha shines is smooth overdrives + the stereo modulation reverb and delay. But te real comparison is THR vs NUX Mighty Space, as this is a stereo system just like the THR.
Yamaha is absolutely the best out there. It has it all. The best tones together with the ease of use like an old amp. You don’t have to dig into your phone or digital menus.
After 45 years of playing Guitar for my taste the Yamaha THR 5 is the most versatile, good sounding on low volume practice amp. I can take it anywhere bc of battery usage and its very light and small. Also use it for USB Recording for wet and DI signals to my Macbooks at home and on the go. They made a good invention back in the days :-)
I like your stuff Elmo. You are a kind of rare diamond - honest and straight forward - not often to find on youtube or real world…
best from germany
Vielen dank 😊
35 years here. I too keep the THR, but it's the 10W version. I've bought two, in fact. I use the "Modern" channel for pedals.
VOX Mini 3 G2 Small, light weight, cute looking, packed with features, compression, multiple fx types, multiple amp models, sounds massive for its size, plus runs on batteries. Hands down the best pawn shop impulse buy I ever made, Awesome.
Living room player here... I second your opinion about MicroCube, it's my couch pet.. No matter what I bring instead of it, I always come bac to to good ole Ruland Cube... However, BlackStar HT1-R Mk1 is the second one I want to recommend. great little tube amp, 1W only, one trick pony but it does it great-the only amp I can max and still be quiet enough. Best wishes from Sarajevo !
Cheers!
Your videos are enjoyable and helpful. Long time player here. After about a week of researching practice amps, I decided to get the Spark Mini and couldn't be happier with it. The technology and the sound that comes with that amp is incredible. Cheers!
Glad to be of help :)
I've had the Katana mini since its release and it is an absolute beast. I still can't believe how good it sounds even being so small. Being completely analog (apart from the delay I think) also makes it very friendly with pedals.
I'm modding mine to make it connectable to a broader speaker, and from what I've seen in videos, it turns this small practice amp into an even more unbelievable beast.
I have a Spark Mini in my van and it has everything in that package for practising, especially all the AI stuff in the app for learning songs etc.
I LOVE the Spark mini and pedal. I don’t care what anyone else says. I have had SO MANY random people come up after gigs (yes, I use it for live shows, like a personal monitor, but with a mic for the PA mains) and they are in utter disbelief that it is All that I’m using. I get compliments on the tone regularly. So… more than just a practice amp. Update: I just played for a convention in Las Vegas and my Spark seemed to be having issues with Bluetooth interference, so that’s one time it didn’t make me happy.
Cool!
I have Boss Katana Mini and Black Star Fly3, great Amps, i'm happy with both of them
Cool :)
I was ready to pull the trigger on a monoprice (Harley Benton), but ended up buying the Marshall DSL1 for convenience. It's a very nice amp. 0.1w for apartments is ok. Good thing I like it is the lack of features. Plug and play, no dialing knobs every time trying to find a better tone. More time practicing.
Absolutely. Less fiddling, more playing.
I have the monoprice and spend almost 0 time finding a good sound. It just sounds GOOD.
@@sniperking1990I bet it sounds. My complaint about the DSL1 is the 8" speaker. I think it sounds boxy.
@@alexsandrosantin3289 that's the unfortunate drawback to an 8" speaker. I ended up getting the monoprice for $160 on a sale + stacking a coupon code. I bought a gold lion 12ax7 tube for the V1 slot and dear lord it's a monster for under $200
My first amp was little Crate. I played on it a lot. It wasn't anything fancy but it never broke which I really appreciate.
Still bedroom practice with my original Roland Micro Cube. At least 15 years old. My regular amp is a 25 year old Mesa Boogie DC-10 100/60watt 2x12 combo.
Yeah, I still use mine as well.
I used to run my first homemade guitars through Philips cassette recorder omg the overload sound! Loved that!
I still do lol and an old vale radio it records amazing
I am new to the topic of amplifiers, I have seen several channels. This seems the most reliable to me. Now I feel comfortable choosing my second amp. Thank you!!!
I had a Boss Katana mini for a week and it already broke which is insane so I ordered a Roland Micro Cube like you have suggested on multiple amp recommendation videos. I got the one with the red sticker across the speaker so unsure what model this is but my god it is SO much better than the Katana! It sounds "real" unlike the fake artificial Boss sound - I'm not a fan of the flanger and phaser settings, you can't really just have those to a set thing, you need the other settings to fiddle with, but the delay and reverb are alright. Thanks so much for your videos, you now recommended me my favourite Guitar so far (HB SC450+ GT) and now this amp is awesome.
Complete beginner here. I like my PG Spark GO, it is so tiny I can clip it on my strap and use it with headphones or in the garden, and if I want loud then just plug it to the home theater. Fun to experiment with it and to get a little bit of knowledge about what pots do what kind of difference in sound. Only thing I really dislike about it is that there is no firmware-update support for iPadOS, so I need to find a PC every once in a while.
I bought a Bugera V5 and changed the speaker to an Eminence 820h Patriot Series and changed the tubes to Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 / EL84 . Amazing Amp Now !
I am using Roland Cube X30 lately. I found it second hand for $50. Not bad for the price and all the parts are working. I like the metal setting on it because the rest are not too good but for an amp that doesn't break your back and the bank and it's portable enough and you can plug some little drum machine in for practice it's just fine.
I have the Marshall DSL1CR and the Bugera V5 in my practice room, in my bedroom I have an Orange Crush 12 and the Boss Katana Mini and the Blackstar Fly 3. I like the Crush 12 a lot, the 6 inch speaker sounds fine at bedroom volumes.
I bought a stage right 15 w/1w tube amp for bedroom levels playing, i mean really low volume... sounded so good i got a second one at bargain price to make a stereo setup, ( monoprice frequently drop the price) plus i swapped both speakers for greenbacks 25w.... its just amazingly amazing!! The effect loop is a really nice feature for that kind of low price amp!!
Fly 3 is likely my most used amp, travelled with me twice when moving countries, sounds well enough for me to bring to hotels and places I want to practice, battery lasts forever and sounds quite good for its size (specially when paired with the second speaker, which makes it 6w and stereo). Even at home when I'm playing the big boys, Fly 3 is my regular computer speakers when watching youtube or things like that just because at any point I can pick the guitar and jam along from the same sound source... Such a great tiny amp!
I was gonna make an Ingwie Malmsteen joke about your guitar and call you a fanboy but nope youve got some extraordinary skills and Ingwie should be a fan of you
Thank you 😊
I've used a Vox AD15VT as my practice amp forever. It can go from bedroom quiet to tiny venue volumes, sounds decent, is reasonably versatile, and you can get them for practically nothing. They're discontinued, but they're still everywhere.
I have the Micro Cube and the Katana Mini, got them both used for not much money. Lovely little things, with lots of sound options.
I was wondering: What settings can you actually fiddle with the the micro cube? New to electric guitar, so sorry if stupid question. Is is enough to experiment as a beginner?
I plan to buy new practice amp tomorrow, happy to see your list
Glad if I can be of help :)
The Boss Dual Cube lx can be had under €200. It has FX, presets (custumizable) and line outs as headphones with volume. I love this little amp. The amp on its own (built in speakers) sounds boxy/small but with line outs/headphones it is a serious amp! Runs on batteries as well as come with power supply.
If you need something bigger I'd also check on Champion 40/50xl and Mustang LT50 (all 12" speakers with 50xl Celestion).
I agreed, I own many practice amps ( home, dressroom, hotel etc..) my go to right now is the Spark mini, is really tiny, works good for listen music and sound awesome in every style. I used to travel with the Yamaha Green one ( i dont remember the model) and was great too. And of course... you can´t go wrong with a micro cube. All the others... i dont know, maybe are great.
Yamaha THR 10c is hard to beat. And it takes pedals beautifully
Used to practice at a rehearsal complex, and I would bring my little amp. The guys in the next room were a heavy metal band with 2 guitar players, and they both used 2 - 100w Marshalls each! They had lights, drum riser, the whole state production. Needless to say, we had to make sure they weren't there when we went, because they were so loud, we couldn't hear ourselves...🤘
Haha 😂
The best PRACTICE amp, that will be a game-changer with pretty useful Ai features, built in jamming sessions that you can play along with , drum machines, long looper recording with several tracks and a lot of other awesome practice features that almost none (If any) of these other "practice" amps has is the new Positive Grid SPARK 2 50Watt, and it will change how people practice and speed along the process.
It now also comes with the option to add a 12 hour rechargeable battery-pack. What other amps can play at 50Watts outside, fully wireless on battery while recording loops and making songs on the fly to built in jamming sessions or drumbeats ? Answer is I can not find another amp that can do all these great practice features and at the same time sound so awesome and play that loud.
It also has a new better built in sound card so that you can plug it into your computer and use it as an external sound card to record and stuff, great all in one solution that is really worthy the PRACTICE description since it actually can & will help you practice in new, fun and more effective ways.
The amp I've been using the past 4.5 years is the Dan Electro HoneyTone mini-amp. When I bought this new it was $20, maybe $22. Doesn't sound like it though. Sounds fantastic, as a bedroom amp anyway. Although I say "bedroom" with major asterisks because it can get real loud even with master not even half-way (as my often annoyed brother will tell you). It is the bare minimum basics in an amp---1 volume (master) knob, 1 gain/distortion knob, and 1 tone knob (low/mid/high). I love it.
I have the Spark Mini, and really it's amazing. Great sound(s). Change the sounds in a heart beat with the app. Also have an old Fender Mustang LT25, which just ok in comparison, but still a good practice amp and easy to use.
Positive Grid is killing it. I have the Spark Go for ultra compact practice sessions and it’s so surprisingly good. It shocks me every time I play it. Love their app features too.
I like the spark mini, but it's too easy to overdrive the speaker. I prefer the spark 40, but it's bigger and now you have a power cord. I have the Blackstar Fly, but think the Spark mini is a better choice. What about the Yamaha THR30II? It is by far my favorite practice amp although it is on the expensive side. Battery powered, amazing tones. The other one that's pretty good is the VOX VMG-10. I power it with a power pack through a USBC cable. Very useful video - thanks.
If anyone is closely like me you can easely build your own practice amp. I did that when I was young just took some easy electronics scematics for a simple(cheap) headphone amp that ran on batteries and added a small speaker then put it all in a small box and it was useful during my military service. Had a nice booster built into my guitar so I just cranked the input stage of the headphone amp which rendered a nice distortion with a sweet sustain. No thrills for sure but the price was really low and it did what it was supposed to do :)
I’d like to recommend the 30w Jamstack 2. It’s also pricey, but that thing sounds WAY bigger and fuller than an amp of its size should sound. You can pair multiple JS2 units for stereo or surround sound (one unit is also capable of stereo with its speak config), it works with nearly ANY major app on a phone or computer for tons of tones (in addition to its own app), and you can store up to 8 tones on the device, your can record the audio directly onto a video with a mobile phone (great for social media) and use the device as an audio interface for a computer/phone. I have tried my friend’s unit, and I was utterly floored at how tasty it sounded. It’s so good that it can even be heard over a crowd at a large convention center from a nice distance away (I’ve seen demo videos showing this) - it gets super loud and is very clearly audible. I think you can gig with it - possibly on its own (whether one or several paired) or mic’ed up depending on the situation. You can also use it as music and TV audio speakers when not using it on your guitar. But overall, the tones are just totally tasty for an amp of its size. They also have a bunch of ways to mount the amp and accessories. There’s more features I’m probably forgetting, but have a read at their spec sheet - it’s not just impressive on paper, but it totally lives up to its potential and is WAY better than the first Jamstack (which still wasn’t bad as practice amps go).
Cool 👍
For me, the Fender Mustang GTX series is the best modeling amp that exists, and this is for several reasons:
First and foremost, you can control everything from your smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth. On top of that, the application is beautifully designed, intuitive, and very easy to understand, unlike the complications you might find with Line 6, for example.
The price is very reasonable, even if you opt for a more powerful version.
The amp is lightweight.
Thanks to the headphone jack, I can connect it to my large JBL PartyBox Ultimate, which results in an amazing sound experience.
Even updating the combo is done via Bluetooth through your smartphone or tablet once the amp is connected to a Wi-Fi network.
Fender has truly understood what users need. They have excellent presets already installed, it's simple to understand and controllable via mobile, even the updates are easy. It's very lightweight, and thanks to the headphone jack, you can connect it to a high-quality sound system. This results in what I believe is one of the best sounds, since 90% of the sound quality comes from the speaker more than the amp itself.
Ok I did it, bought a cube, its brilliant! thanks for the advice Elmo!
Started guitar learning at 61 and severe hearing loss since birth. My first amp to go with my Squire Sonic Stratocaster HT was the Frontman 10g which I knew at the time did not have good reviews. Decided to buy it anyway as a learning experience and understand what it was or wasn’t capable of. My next amp I knew had better reviews and it was the Mustang LT25. The Mustang I use 99% of the time while I might plug in the Frontman 10g to remind me how bad it is. Although, if I wanted to make a silly video with strange sounds I might use the Frontman just to see how my audience responds to it, you’d never know?
I bought a small katana for dirt cheap because the owner had lost the power unit, that you don' t need if you already have a small power plant for pedals ( harley benton does some cheap and really effective ones ) . Its really lightweight and sounding quite nice, perfect as a travel unit !
Cool
I have several tube amp and used to have more. The sparks are really great practice amps that will give you any tone you wish with a few clicks on the phone. Backing tracks and jam along features along with a superb Bluetooth speaker for really cheap. It’s not a kemper or Axe fx but it’s really great for the price.
Sure is
I got a Spark Mini last year. That thing is awesome
Currently using the Spark Go. Great for living room practice. Soon to be reclaiming the garden room as a practice room / home office / man cave. So looking at options for bigger noise and the potential for a pedal collecting addiction! 😂 Like the idea of Marshall Origin 50w with a basic pedal setup but then you look at the Katana Gen 3 bang for buck and 🤷♂️
I have the Tube 15, V5, and the Fly with the extension cab. Tube 15 can really crank. V5 is a bit muddy with him buckers but I have a cheap EQ pedal that I use on it. Fly is impressive for what it is also.
Cool list! Personally I've been using a lil Smokey since 1999. It's about as perfect as you can get. Clean, dirty, no controls to mess with, will drive a cab and fits in your shirt pocket all for under $40.
Cool!
the Positivegrid SparkGO would be the ideal travel practice amp (I use it with a Traveler Guitar light electric) and the Yamaha THR series rocks since inception for their polyvalence, sturdiness, 8:40 and look, even if pricey, they are worth a check. There are plenty more, just try a few and pick one.
I use for holiday a good big battery Bluetooth speaker. Then put a nux mighty plug pro into it.
Sounds great and you got the speaker for stuff later
loved the microcube for many years. But 2 key features on the spark mini, the fly 3 and many others now make it seem just too outdated by comparison when it comes to the outdoorsy carry around thing...
1- mains recharging instead of buying/changing batteries..
2- Bluetooth..
Never thought i needed either until i got used to having em!
I still don't need them. They're nice to have, but not essential for me.
I think I heard "lick it up" by Kiss at 03:00 🤘
I have a NUX Mighty Space and and a Spark Mini and both sound very well to my ears.
Cool!
Another vote for the NUX Mighty Space. Looper, drum machine and foot pedal all provided. Perfect for practice.
@@richardgilyead7640
Plus USB loopback, line output and It works as a 30W head for a passive Cabinet!
Missed vox mini, I like the older ones as I find the modeling choices make it. The newer ones not so much. Ty for the review. Great presentation
Thanks!
Second hand Marshall dsl 5, replace speaker with 10 inch celestion greenback. You can modify enclodure and put a 12 inch speaker too. However for room and practice 10 inch greenback is fine. Best amp post speaker mod.
Cool bananas :)
Great video. An eye opener on some choices. An expensive practice amp I'd buy in a heartbeat is the NUX mighty space. But only if Kfir Ochaion's Knocking On Heaven's Door cover is genuine. The tone he got out of it was immense. But I'm not sure if he's being honest.
Thanks Elmo. I've subscribed.
Cheers!
I have the Roland Mirco Cube, and it is a great amp. I want to get the larger version if I can find one for a decent price. For my 50th Birthday, I did get a Boss Katana Air, and that is a great practice amp also. Just the price is a little high. If you can get one used, that would be the way to go. Or you can get a Boss Pocket GT and a Roland Micro Cube for a lot cheaper than even a used Boss Katana Air. If you want the Katana Air, but for it to sound great and have external output jacks, get the Katana Air EX, but the price is brutal.
I have the Boss Mini but also have the Spark Go that I like more just for the ability to change sounds with the download presets.
I have the Tube 15 because of Elmo’s review on it,and it really is a good amp.A few months ago,I got the Marshall dsl1 head and mx112 cab,which is also great,but I’ll swap out the speaker to a v30 in the near future.
It sure is.
I just trusted the guy in the store and bought the one he recommended me. It's a Nu-X Mighty 20 mkII. I am a brand new beginner so I dont know if its a good one or not. Sounds fine to me. But they all sound fine to me lol.
Just bought a blackstar debut 50r. Goes from 50w to 5w. No on board effects but reverb. A plug and play amp. Looking forward to getting it. And it cost about $250 US
Cool 😊
23:42 Wow….a scalloped fingerboard! Nice!🎶🎸👍
I still have my Roland Cube somewhere. I loved that little amp.
Grabbed a Boss Katana 50 mkii for about 150 US about 3 years ago. Been a fantastic practice amp at low volume but when you have the chance to turn it up it can get plenty loud and has a lovely clean sound
Cool!
@@MrPolevaulter love your playing btw and appreciate your honesty in your reviews 👍👍
Excellent presentation, sir! I have the Stage Right version of the Harley Benton 15w that I run through a HB 2X12 with Celestion V30's and it sounds glorious. Glad to see that it made your list. Love the playing, as always!
Thank you :)
I have TWO " PRV Audio 8MR500-NDY v2" speakers, 16 ohm series, on my 5 watt tube amp.
I had to do some pre-break in, but they sound great and are amazingly loud ( 100 db 1w/1m 2x8 ) ... modified Zeus Drive > OA-H05 tube amp > home made 2x8
there is no better practice amp in the world, than my custom built, IMHO .....power amp breakup with a large plate 12AX7, I am going to use it for recording also.
Cool bananas 👍
Just got the Spark Mini. It's class! I would like to have both a mod and eq slot (that are shared) but can't have it all.....
I miss my micro cube. Bought one after i had a cheap silvertone amp. Haha. Upgraded the Roland amp to a bigger size, discontinued model as well.
22:19 The Roland Micro-cube is the only amp. I own. I’m not a musician but have been enjoying it for several years now. Got it for about $115.00 CAD.👍
The "harley benton" i have in the states its called the "stage right"...great amp for $200 is what paid..rarely ever play it on 15w but it can play with a drummer om 15w..its loud for so small..has a celesion speaker
Another very good alternative I think as practice amp are one of the joyo bantamp head you already present plus a small cab such as the orange ones for micro Terror. For arround 250 euros you have a good practice stuff , better than a lot of combo in that range price.
I own the BOSS Katana Mini it's a brilliant little amp , that will surprise you the sound you get out of it , and 7 watts this little bugger is quite loud, the other amp I did own and regret selling was the Fender LT 25 it sounded great , when I first started I had that Affinity Strat which was brutal and that horrendous pile crap the Frontman 10 it just sounded terrible, then I had the VOX VTX20 which wasn't bad but let down by the poor speaker and outdated USB port, I'm more than content with the Mini , living in a flat where I have to be cognizant of the noise levels the mini works perfectly , I would love the Marshall DSL 1R I don't need the aggravation of people complaining of the noise I would like to see how the Mini deals with pedals , nothing major , Compression Pedal, and Noise gate, just naming a few you don't need a gain pedal the brown sounds works fine, I like to lower the volume and up the brown sound , always great to hear your reviews and opinions Elmo , it's honest , there is some out there makes you wonder who their working for , I would ask you Elmo have you or anyone you know students etc used pedals with mini if so which ones, cheers !!
Cheers! I think I might have in the review I did. Maybe a boost or overdrive, can't remember. You could look that up.
My Nux amps are my favorite home practice amps. The Mighty Space is my daily player, nothing else comes close.
I reccomend the Boss Katana Mini ( especially for low volume shredding)
Recently I bought a new Boss Katana Air Ex Wireless Modelling 35 watt Amp and I am happy with my new beauty.
Great to hear!
@@MrPolevaulter ❤️🙏❤️
@@MrPolevaulter ❤️ 🙏 ❤️
My practice amp is an Sound City 120 made in 1973 & a Park 4x12 cabinet. It sounds good to me😊
Hi, great review. Wonder about how does it compare with cheap tube-amps? There is a ton of them out there. Like Marshall DSL1H, Bugera G/T series, Orange Micro Terror, Hartwood, Harley Benton, EVH 5150,. Ok maybe the EVH just hits the limiter for being super cheap along with H&K Tubemeister 20, but that is super versatile with the cab emulators at least.
Thank you Elmo this video was a big help as I just started looking for a new practice amp.
Glad it helped!
I have the Bugera V5 and although it's quite good as an amp, it is too dark - sounding - UNLESS you use a pedal with an equaliser, such as the AC tone or the American tone from Harley Benton/Joyo... Trust me, it's not the 8" speaker that is to blame... This is why I find my Fender Champion 40 more useable, plus I can gig with it!
Fair enough.
Put Genalex Gold Lion Tubes 12AX7/EL84 in and change the speaker to an Eminence 820h . I guarantee you U will not believe your ears ! Champion 40 ? I put an Eminence The Governor speaker in … totally different amp now !
Peavey Classic 20 mini head and matching 12" cab. I like to practice with my pedal board, and the amp sounds great in the 1 watt setting. I can get it to the edge of breakup without pissing everyone off. 🙂
Hi Elmo. Great fan of your reviews and humors! Could you please make review of the NUX Mighty Space if possible? This amp gives you a lot of bang for your buck and comes with everything. But i would really like your in depth review on the tones it can produce and whether to buy it. Many Thanks.
Maybe. Thanks :)
Laney Mini STB, súper small and does well the job. Has a good 70,s Hard Rock type of sound. Has Delay and Bluetooth incorporated.
Costs 80€
What can you get for that money!!!
Give it a go
I use a roland street cube 2x2 watt, only clean (,the rest are demaged on d panel). I also gigged sometimes with... Nux mighty lite..
Nice comparison review and good point about some some amps "papering over mistakes". It's true, if it "sounds that good" one tends to rest on laurels not work at it. Where I live it's headphones only if I want reasonably loud guitar tones, and what other kind is there, really? I have a Quilter Superblock UK, DI out sounds awesome with phones. Just got the Katana GO, a bit too fiddly but great tones on phones with all the Kat amps and most of the BOSS pedal sims.
Have to try the Katana GO.
Heads up GO depends heavily on the Bluetooth phone app for settings. Check out the "Stage Feel" options.
Roland JC-22 for me :) Have you ever checked any of the JC line?
I use JC40 a great amp.
The Quilter Superblock US and UK look like great options for practice as does the Blackstar Amped 3 I know they are not "real" amps but they seem to sound amazing 🤘
@Dm_ElmoKarjalainen ????
Spark mini all the way. Gonna get one soon...i hope
Used to have the micro cube i bought it around 2005? Or so.. was the best at the time.
Had the blackstar fly also for a period of time...didn't like it so much...
No Supro amps? I just picked up a Blues King 8 and I love it. A 1 watt tube amp, perfect for playing in my apartment without pissing off the neighbors.
Haven't tried one.
Thanks for the video. Please make a list of amps that is good for home practice as well as for small gigs?
Have you ever owned a Pignose 7-100? I have the Spark mini and original Roland Micro Cube. I love all the amps but the Pignose sounds the best.
Never tried one of those.
I bought the HB15 to play with my Gibson Thunderbird at home and several of my friends thought it was a shame. But every day I fall in love with this sound. I tried with a powerful speaker but for my living room it's really not necessary, other than making the walls collapse.
you could make a new baffle board for it that fits a 10" or 8" speaker....keep the 12" baffle board stored, it would take up little space ..... an 10 or 8 is a quieter speaker, and has much better high frequency dispersion ( sounds better in a room by itself )
I would make an 8" baffle board for practice.... a " Celestion Eight 15 " is only 40 USD....just make sure you get the correct impedance ( available in 4, 8 and 16 Ohm ) and don't crank the amp all the way, when you have the 8" in it.
one amp, two baffle boards, and it could fill every role.....I would get the 16 Ohm EIGHT 15, and 9 to 12 mm plywood, and some grill cloth.
the difference between a G12M Aniversary, and an Eight 15, is 4 db ( the 8' is 4 db quieter....and will sound better, with no PA, in a room )
a lot of people don't realize, that without a microphone and PA support, a 12 inch guitar speaker sounds Horrible....where, in the same situation, an 8" guitar speaker will sound so much better.
I know this video is about practice amps so my opinion is probably invalid, but I think a decent audio interface and headphones plus an ampsim is also a good option. Especially if noise is a concern. You can get some decent tones if you invest a few hours into understanding the signal chain with amp sims. Think this is a great option while saving for a decent amp. My two cents. Love your content.
Cheers!
where is live you can get the Fender Mustang lt25 used for very little. Great first amp in my opinion.
True.
Cool guitar. Never seen one with the fretboard dug out like that before.
Roland cube mini is good, but for similar price you can find cube 30x or similar size amp.
Hey! Stevie Wonder's binoculars really impressed, back in the early 70s. Where do think Sir Elton got the idea for those big glasses?
🤣
Just the video I wanted to see as I'm needing to buy a new practice amp. My ancient marshal 30w mgdfx finaly packed in after 15 years. One was very emotional😢😢😅. Think I will go for the Harley tube 15 and upgrade the speaker. Thanks for the vid. How about a top ten amps to avoid.
Maybe.
I've got my Peavey Rage from the late 80's.
Man, RUclips compressed the heck out of that. Listening in my Sennheiser phones was tough. I own both the Spark Mini and the Spark 40 and love them both. But (and don't tell my 40 this), I prefer the Mini's easy grab and go playability. If you want to hear the Fly scream, add the extension speaker!
picked the boy a blackstar v2, ended up playing it more than he does, Cheep, Zero complaints, Far better sounding than anything gettable when i started.
I have had a Roland Cube for many years. More than ten years, maybe 15. Not sure.
Still my favorite amp.
It is brilliant.