£500 Budget for Amp Head for Doom/Sludge - Choices Please!

[Mr. Foxen]

How the fuck did this dude get 1000 smites?

Think it's 'cause I turned up being a know-it-all cunt, but before anyone knew I could back it up.

Ok. Around here Klipps are among the cheapest vintage heads (600-700€), Supergroups are just above that (700-900€).

I kind of count that as expensive, since I get loads of no-names much cheaper. Although I don't sell them so cheap. I can ship to Europe easy enough.

[Mr. Foxen]

Laney in budget. I just got one so can't be arsed with sorting getting it: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Laney-100-watt-valve-head-80s-BASS-/110886876026?pt=UK_MusicalInstr_Amplifiers_RL&hash=item19d15f737a

[Riffmagus]

I've never had much luck with second hand gear purchases - which is what kinda puts me off. Couple this with a lack of car - and unless ebay is local, it's off the menu.

So, just for jamming and small gigs - I'm back to 'lunch box amps' again -

Orange Tiny Terror - sounds great with a boost.
Orange Dark Terror - change up preamp tubes V1 for a bit less gain - more clarity - like the R'verb.
Engl Gigmaster 15 - Never played an Engl, but liking the tones I have heard.

Just going to try out all amps locally. Studios have some in stock to try out cranked - and see what works for me.

Thanks for all the ideas and suggestions on here - but I've got to go with what's practical right now.

[eoin_not_ian]

I suppose I'm in a similar boat to the original poster. I'm looking for my first actual guitar amp around the £500 range. This leads me to second hand stuff, though as soon as see bass amps I generally venture off in that direction. Most of my knowledge of guitar amps comes from listening to other guitarists in my own bands playing them over the years

I have trouble being interested at any of the newer. New Marshalls, even a second hand DSL or TSL don't inspire with confidence due to how fizzy the new Marshall's sound. Vintage Modern series intrigues me more than anything for its simplicity, though I've never heard or played through it. Digital reverb doesn't really encourage me to though. Don't really like JCM 900s and most likely I can't afford an 800.

The picture of the Orange guts earlier would kind of put me off Orange, as would the price of Orange amps in general. My mate has the cheaper Th 30 and 2x12 which at least sounds good, though nothing special. The AD30 is okay as well, though I find it lacks a bit in terms of gain (probably by design). Tiny Terror is okay but doesn't really interest me.

I do generally like Laney, though the Klipp is generally out of my price range. The new Ironheart series look too kiddy-metally even though they have some nice features. The LH50 seems so cheap that it makes wonder about how well its put together. Either that or Laney don't do the mark up that Orange and Marshall do. AOR could be the way to go though.

Then there is the Peavey stuff, the Valve King stuff is generally serviceable.

Generally though I'm looking on Ebay until the 'right' thing pops up for the right price. Or I buy another bass amp or bass.

[Mr. Foxen]

Two lovely AOR 100s on ebay right now. Which are mine. Can sell off ebay.

[aowron]

I suppose I'm in a similar boat to the original poster. I'm looking for my first actual guitar amp around the £500 range. This leads me to second hand stuff, though as soon as see bass amps I generally venture off in that direction. Most of my knowledge of guitar amps comes from listening to other guitarists in my own bands playing them over the years

I have trouble being interested at any of the newer. New Marshalls, even a second hand DSL or TSL don't inspire with confidence due to how fizzy the new Marshall's sound. Vintage Modern series intrigues me more than anything for its simplicity, though I've never heard or played through it. Digital reverb doesn't really encourage me to though. Don't really like JCM 900s and most likely I can't afford an 800.

The picture of the Orange guts earlier would kind of put me off Orange, as would the price of Orange amps in general. My mate has the cheaper Th 30 and 2x12 which at least sounds good, though nothing special. The AD30 is okay as well, though I find it lacks a bit in terms of gain (probably by design). Tiny Terror is okay but doesn't really interest me.

I do generally like Laney, though the Klipp is generally out of my price range. The new Ironheart series look too kiddy-metally even though they have some nice features. The LH50 seems so cheap that it makes wonder about how well its put together. Either that or Laney don't do the mark up that Orange and Marshall do. AOR could be the way to go though.

Then there is the Peavey stuff, the Valve King stuff is generally serviceable.

Generally though I'm looking on Ebay until the 'right' thing pops up for the right price. Or I buy another bass amp or bass.

As mentioned, have you checked the GH series? They go really cheap (at least here, the situation is probably even better in the UK) and should be rather similar to the AOR series. JCM800ish design (i.e. not a clone but has a similar thing going on)

The build quality is pretty good for being a modern amp (not as in "modern sounding" but as in "built reasonbly recent"), though with that said, it is still built on the wrong side of the '90 (I think I included a gut shot of it earlier in the thread).

[da_qtip]

If I may piggyback on this thread, but with a budget of around $400-$500 CAD.

I've been looking around for a decent cheapish tube head  and I haven't found much that tickles my fancy. For modern amps I've been digging Oranges, Soldanos, etc, but they're all well over my budget. All the vintage amps I like are either really hard to find or too expensive like Model Ts, V4s, Matamp, etc. The only one I've found that I could work with is a Traynor YBA-1 but it doesn't have a master volume and I like my eardrums.

Now lately I've been eyeing the Jet City JCA22H as it's the closest thing to a Soldano for $400, but someone I know (who has never played on one) says that their quality control is pretty bad. Does anyone have any experience with the JCA22H or have any other recommendations?

[fallen]

Hovercraft. Basically a 20W stoner doom machine rebuilt out of the parts of a used Jet City. Made in Portland.

They are pretty cheap for something unique and 20W is borderline loud enough to jam with real drums if you have enough speakers.

Sweetest thing I have ever seen go around here for $500 was a Laney AOR 100W.

[eoin_not_ian]

As mentioned, have you checked the GH series? They go really cheap (at least here, the situation is probably even better in the UK) and should be rather similar to the AOR series. JCM800ish design (i.e. not a clone but has a similar thing going on)

The build quality is pretty good for being a modern amp (not as in "modern sounding" but as in "built reasonbly recent"), though with that said, it is still built on the wrong side of the '90 (I think I included a gut shot of it earlier in the thread).

Thanks.

I have looked at the GH series and I am tempted. I just haven't seen many about second hand lately. I'm playing a waiting game really while I try and sell of some of my excess bass gear

[da_qtip]

Hovercraft. Basically a 20W stoner doom machine rebuilt out of the parts of a used Jet City. Made in Portland.

They are pretty cheap for something unique and 20W is borderline loud enough to jam with real drums if you have enough speakers.

They sounds tasty. I'll have to keep an eye out for one. I'll be running it through a 4x12 so it'll be plenty loud. It'll mainly be used for studio use I think. I'd be drumming for any gigs.