Best <$100 Practice Amp

Ben Feher · From: Austin TX

Because my amps and PA are not always at home or I don't feel like bringing stuff down from my car for a 15min pedal steel noodle session, I'm looking for a cheap amp to keep set up all the time with my steel. So I can sit down and practice whenever I want. I'd rather not spend very much right now, maybe in the $100 range. I have options for when I need to play it loud already, but it only needs to be "at home playing along with the stereo" volume. Of course, I live in the country and my nearest neighbors are though 500' of woods so "home practice" volume can be a little loud sometimes....

Any ideas?

Joe Kaufman · From: Lewiston, Idaho

I have used my brother's Peavey Backstage Plus. It has 35 watts of power, a 10 inch speaker with reverb and a headphone jack. It works well when I am home and playing with the family at acoustic levels. I bought if for him for a birthday present a few years ago for $40. If I used it more I would find a foot-switch to turn off the saturation circuit to get more clean headroom.

James Mayer · Posted 27 Apr 2010 10:35 am

I'd get a used Vox DA5. I actually think that little amp sounds fantastic, and not just for it's size. I have two portable amps that I use for jams and rehearsals, a Roland Cube 60(1x12 speaker) and the DA5. There is no comparison in sound quality. The little Vox has better tone, much better effects and the ability to actually tweak 3 parameters on each of the effects so you can get a good reverb or delay. I've tried the larger Vox amps in the series and I don't think they sound as good as the smallest and cheapest one. The Roland Cube series has a strange digital distortion sound on the top end that I don't like. Also, the effects have one parameter and are of lower quality, in general.

I bought my Vox used (was the display model) for around $100. One of the better purchases I've made.

Clete Ritta · From: San Antonio, Texas

Though Peavey no longer makes the Blazer 158, I bought this new for under $50.

Its a great sounding little amp. 15 watts, Blue Marvel 8" speaker, reverb, CD input, and a headphone output. You may find one used on eBay or Craigslist in your area.

Clete

Tom Wolverton · From: Carpinteria, CA

Vox DA5 !
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Thomas Ludwig · From: Augsburg, Germany

---> Vox DA5 <---

Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

It depends on what kind of sound you're looking for. Lap steel might be different, but for clean pedal steel, I go with one of the smaller Peavey amps for a clean sound. I have a Back Stage, Back Stage Plus (which I keep in Nashville for when I'm visiting), and you might even be able to find a Bandit or Bandit 65 for around $100 or so - I have one of each, and they're very good clean amps. They make a great slave for a modeler like a Pod or effects unit like the Profex or Tubefex, and I use them for gigs sometimes when I don't want as much loud-and-clean as a pedal steel amp gives.

The Back Stage is about 20 watts, the Back Stage Plus is around 30-35 watts, each with a 10" speaker, and mine were more in the range of $50-75. The Bandit is 50 watts and Bandit 65 is 65 watts, each with a 12" Scorpion speaker. I bought my Bandit 65 for just over $100, but it has a lot more juice than the Back Stage series.

Something like a Peavey Pacer can also be had for cheap - any of the old small-medium 10-12" speaker Peavey amps I've tried are pretty good for low-volume steel. For a little more money, something like a Peavey Special 130 can be had, and it's a lot more juice - with a bit of external EQ, it's pretty competitive with a pedal steel amp. Smaller than the Back Stage (i.e., 8" speaker) are too thin-sounding for me, even for practice, but YMMV.

There are other inexpensive clean-sounding amps out there - some of the old Yamahas come to mind. Look at a place like Music Go Round or Daddy's Junky Music - they usually have a lot of inexpensive amps at various stores, which they'll ship for around $30-40. I've gotten most of mine here on the forum - they come up from time to time.

Byron Walcher · From: Ketchum, Idaho, USA

I have a Vox Pathfinder 15 that I think sounds really good and has lots of features, headphone jack, line out, ext speaker. These are $120 new. I also have a Roland Micro-Cube, battery power and lots of handy features.
Byron

Steve Becker · From: Daytona Beach FL

I use a CRATE GX 15R. It's small, lightweight with nice tone and reverb,and has a lot of features. It also get surprisingly loud for a 15W amp! I use it for practice and recording with good results.

Bryan Daste · From: Portland, Oregon, USA

Another vote for the Vox DA5. I use it at home all the time, and even occasionally for low-volume gigs. And it can run on batteries, so you can busk with it!

Scott Appleton · From: Ashland, Oregon

you can get these used for around 100 to 140 and they do the job just fine .. switch between clean and dirty
choose your effects for ether channel has amp modeling to from black face to marshall .. I use one all the time for tele and steel .. even good for tiny venues 10 20 people .

Bill Moore · From: Manchester, Michigan

I agree with the comments about the Peavey Bandits and the Vox Pathfinder, but the best practice amp I've found is the Peavey Transfex 208. This is a stereo amp, 2x25 watts, 2, 8" speakers, built in effects, the ability to save multiple programs, etc. Kind of like a mini version of the Transfex 212S. Discontinued, but sometimes can be found on ebay for maybe a little more than 100.00. Doesn't quite have enough volume for normal gigs, but would work for acoustic gigs, with no drums.

Ulric Utsi-Åhlin · From: Sweden

Countless players have,in a pinch,grabbed one of the
Roland Cubes..."it´ll do...",only to find out it
sounds great...I don´t know the retail price of the
smaller Cube units,but they´re usually reliable
partners.McUtsi

Ernest Cawby · From: Lake City, Florida, USA, R.I.P.

i HAVE A SMALL BASE AMP, LOW COST, i USED IT ON AN OUTDOOR GIG LAST WEEK, THE LEAD SINGER LOOKED at it and said will not work. After the gig he came over with a big smile on his face and said he was wrong. It really sounde good. Only used 1/3 of the volume. With a 6 string Supron national.

ernie

Michael Haselman · From: St. Paul

Fender Champion 110. Works great for steel, guitar, what have you. I've used it for 6-strings for a couple small gigs. Nice distortion channel. Quite reasonably priced on the Bay.
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Russ Tkac · Posted 11 Jan 2011 3:24 pm

Bandit 65. Great amp.

Arthur Manning · From: Florida, USA

Hi Ben, I know you all will be getting a kick out of this suggestion-- go to Grizzly.com and take a look at the H6016 OR the other amps there. I have had the H6016 for years and it sound clean to me. $89.95 I use it with my NV112 as a simulated stereo setup in a bedroom and it's all I can handle. I don't think I would use it for any thing but practice IMHO! Art M.

Ethan Shaw · From: Texas, USA

another vote for bandit 65.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

what is the Best <$100 Practice Amp ?

A used $200 amp...
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Mike Archer · From: church hill tn

well if you can find one a peavey special 130
is a great home amp

in fact I just got a 150 which sounded great
I changed out the speaker to a blue marvel
it now sounds great!!!
and it will do a gig 150 watts!!
small size

IMHO Mike

Owen Barnes · From: Utopia, Texas, USA

I've got a Fender M-80 (1X12) which I use for practice. Nice reverb, headphones out, ext out, light (<50 lbs). I paid $100 used. Works well for practice and small gigs (less than 100 people).
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chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

bandit 112 (80W) pre transtube

all the bandits can be found cheap..and some specials which were like bandits with twice the power. (and weight)

i even saw, just last week, a bandit 75 with a huge looking 15 inch speaker stuffed in it...western loan in sac,del paso blvd. probably could get it for $100 or less if you know how to con a con man.

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