Tube amp for smaller rooms

Chris Harvey · From: California, USA

I love my NV112 for small rooms, but would also love to have a tube amp to bring in on occasion. Something with power for the headroom with possibly a 12" speaker? I see fender has some newer amps but am not sure if any of them are appropriate for PSG.

Brad Sarno · From: St. Louis, MO USA

I wonder if Ken Fox is considering making a Tweed Deluxe sized 1-12" tube amp with 2 6L6's in it for a 40-ish-watt steel amp...???? Wink

An efficient speaker in an amp like that could potentially be quite the killer.

Brad

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

I use a princeton knockoff made by Headstrong. Small, light and very loud. I have KT88 tubes in it.
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Bob

Tim Marcus · From: San Francisco, CA

I like my Fender Bassman 20 for small gigs - its got a 15" speaker, and is basically a repackaged deluxe reverb without the vibrato/reverb.

I have also used my Tweed Deluxe - the amp sounds great, even with the 6L6's. However, its not an inexpensive solution!
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Milkmansound.com

Steve Schmidt · From: Ramsey, MN, USA

Good topic. Brad, I have been thinking of building myself a version of a Princeton Reverb (single channel) but 40 watts and putting a decent speaker, specifically for steel guitar. It's a couple of months out yet but I'll probably drop you an email with a couple of questions as I get closer.

steve

Marc Jenkins · From: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

I've made a few Princeton Reverb-type amps with a 12" speaker. I build with 2 bias circuits so I can run either 14 watts with 6V6's or 34 watts with 6L6's. Very versatile, and sounds great, especially when the 6V6's are running a high plate voltage.

Dennis Wireman · From: North West Indiana 47978

fender blues junior

Joe A. Camacho · Posted 23 Jan 2011 6:39 pm

I play through a Fender Deluxe Reverb.

Frank James Pracher · From: Michigan, USA

Another vote for the Fender Blues JR. When I go play I can carry my lap steel in one arm my amp with the other and I have a back pack I keep my cords and pedals in. One trip from the truck!!! And for such a small amp this thing cooks. My drummer was complaining that I was to loud. ( I told him I had to drown out his drumming Laughing

)
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"Don't be mad honey, but I bought another one"

Joe A. Camacho · Posted 23 Jan 2011 9:23 pm

Chris, looks like you got my old Fingertip.

Dave Grafe · From: Hudson River Valley NY

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Fender Blues Deluxe with a JBL K120. Great sound at a useable volume clean or dirty, if you want you've got an effects loop there, not too expensive or hard to find, plus it works great for your tele too if you want it...

Rich Hlaves · From: Wildomar, California, USA

I built a Deluxe Reverb for this purpose. I set it up for 6L6 power tubes and used a Weber copper cap rectifier for more clean headroom and an increase of B+ voltage, less heat too. The amp on paper has 34 watts of output and until I added an EVM-12L speaker was easy to carry.

I also own a Blues Jr, better for lap than pedal, and a Hot Rod Deluxe that works pretty well with the pedal guitar. Either of these can be had used for $300-400. Both have reverb but the reverb is not as refined as a backface Fender

If you are looking for an off the shelf amp the Fender '65 Deluxe Reverb is quite good. It is the most consistant and reliable of the reissue series IMO.

All of the above is now mute since I purchased a 5D6B from Ken Fox in '09. Not an inexpensive amp but wow does it sound good with anything that is plugged into it. So for those looking for an extremely high quality, moderately powerful tube amp for pedal, lap or six string, Ken already has a proven design and is making a new run of amps, the 5D6C shortly. Don't let the 4-10 speaker configuation scare you away, it works. Great amp!
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On man....let the smoke out of another one.

Chris Harvey · From: California, USA

Thanks everyone for the responses. I was trying to not spend a tone of $$$ and your answers have really narrowed things down.

Randall Meeker · From: Whitehouse, Ohio, USA

I understand getting a great sound is essential to having a small but somewht powerful amp to play steel through.

I have several amps - most noteably a Fender ProReverb 80 watt with a 1/4 power switch for that lower wattage but full tone sound. However, I carry Roland Cube 60s or Roland Cube 80X and get more diversity and close enough to tube to satisfy me.
Roland Fender
Check - 12 inch speaker - Check
Check - Loud amp (80 watts)- Check
Check - Lightweight - not so much
Check - Reliable - it tubes...what can I say it has those issues
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Steel Guitarist - Retired

Emmons LG3 #2050L Black D10 8X4
Sho~Bud SP2 # Grn/Gry Burl D10 8X6
Lap Steels & Dobros

Derrell Stephens · From: Shreveport, La. USA

depending on 'how small', for me the steel guitar grab-and-go tube amps are; ampeg Gemini I(20 wt), Peavey Classic 30 (30 wt), HR Deluxe (40 wt) .. these are my preferences ... only after I 'did the work' to get them to sound right.
D

LARRY COLE · From: LANCASTER, OHIO, USA

I built an Allen Accomplice a few months ago. It is patterned after the Fender deluxe with the upgraded transformer forty watts w/6L6s or twenty two watts w/6V6s. You can set the bias with a volt meter. It's like half of a twin. Tone control on the reverb. I bought the chassis kit. Everything but the cabinet. I got the 12" Eminence Red, White and Blues speaker. Rick Johnson built me a beautiful blonde cab with wheat grill cloth. The best sounding amp that I have ever played. Kind of pricey but worth it. Great for guitar or steel.
http://www.allenamps.com/accomplice.php

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