Amps Under $500 | A Tech's Perspective | Part 1 of a Series

[@casey46]

This is the most objective analysis I've seen on the pros and cons of buying an amp. While many reviewers focus only on tonal qualities or reputation, you've touched two of the most important considerations for those of us who gig in various conditions....reliability and "fixability". When you amp fails in the middle of a gig, all of the marketing propaganda quickly fades into the night. Looking forward to the next instalment in the series.

[@maxpeck4154]

Excellent points. There seems to be a bit too much focus on reputation, both good and bad.

[@michaelparsons5352]

Enjoyed this very much. I am currently researching an amp in this catagory and found your points and insights very pursuasive.

[@swingset1969]

As I mentioned above, TWO Katanas are priced below what many other amps cost for a single unit. They're light, consistent, and feature packed and can be cloned for redundancy. In case of failure? 30 second replacement on the road. Why guitarists overlook this utility is mystifying, other than they judge on cost alone, which is silly. A Katana in a live environment with tasteful patches is about as useful of a frontline amp as has ever been made.

[@zuperdee]

@@swingset1969 Let’s see if you still think this in 5 years time, when the current generation of the Katana is likely to reach its EOL and the firmware updates then stop coming, and all the patches and the software for installing/writing/downloading them no longer work with the latest computer/smartphone/tablet operating systems! That’s my problem with it: Even if it doesn’t die from component failure, it’s likely to die from planned obsolescence, like so much other high tech stuff nowadays. As someone with a computer science degree, I’d much rather have an amp that is simple and highly serviceable in the long term than one that needs to be thrown out and replaced every 5-7 years or else see it gradually lose its original functionality. This is EXACTLY what has already happened to some modeling amps like the older generations of the Fender Mustang, for example, who can no longer download patches to their amps, and I happen to know some people who are NOT happy about it.

[@bryanfalcho6293]

Looks like the perennial gadgeteer has @Craig Gibson by the short ones! Game Set Match...

[@petermcateer1354]

Finally, something like "Consumer Reports" for amps. Nice to see someone delve into the engineering and construction, bypassing the layers of marketing, five star Sweetwater reviews, and fanboy KZbin videos. Well done. I'm really looking forward to seeing where this goes.

[@adamwatson6916]

And it's crazy the way the fan boys get triggered by these types of videos. Calling actual experienced highly skilled techs haters and calling them liars because i have x amp and it's amazing sounding and have no quality issues .

[@danielsalisbury245]

Bro, it's a VIDEO not a podcast nor a Power Point.

[@jpc_337]

Bought my AC15C1 a year ago after watching this video and have done a good bit of gigging with it since. After putting in some new tubes I couldn’t be happier with an amp under $500.

[@bizzy5439]

I bought an Orange CR60 used for I think $350 a few years ago. It had a couple nicks and stains but it's an excellent solid state workhorse that sounds pretty darn close to tubes. I highly recommend that amp to players who want a low-maintenance gigging amp

[@cassmyers]

I own a Hot Rod Deluxe with a damaged power cap. I'll be able to fix it only because you've shown me how. Thanks for your killer content.

[@celestelongway7315]

Right on!

[@StratMatt777]

And you already know that capacitors can have lethal voltages in them? (I'm not the tech guy who made the video and I don't actually know anything about fixing guitar amps!)

[@GaryDGuitar]

RIP

[@RodVonLongrod]

There's a reason they're called death caps. Be careful and make sure you know what you're doing.

[@stevescuba1978]

It's easy, put a clip on a wire, and a wooden dowel on the other side, with a resistor in between. Attach the clip to a ground, and yes the dowel to touch the wire to the leads on everything in the unit. Only use one hand while reaching into a cab, so you don't lose track of your other hand

[@derekaayres]

I love my Vox AC-15. Extremely pleased, I've had it for years. The tone I can dial in is so lux, the break-up is just terrific. I am so grateful that the shop guy back in the day basically pointed at it and said, "You'd be hard pressed to do better for what you want to do." He was right.

[@DCOM20.]

they did a blind fold contest on Andertons and it was a Vox that won and the comments agreed. But the dashboard is from 2016 so not as hot selling as Boss.

[@recklesstoboggan]

This is a brilliant idea for a series. Really looking forward to where this goes. Thank you!

[@JB-68]

Yes really a good idea !

[@thomask.9850]

Looking forward to part 2 too. This is awesome even though i got one of the Blackstar Ht40 amps . :D I still got a 50 watts Katana, Bassbreaker 007 head and a Engl Rockmaster 20 combo. So there will be always some amp to function ok i hope ;)

[@celestelongway7315]

Agreed. yeah

[@michaelgalvin6559]

I don't know about you people but I really appreciate free advice from a highly experienced expert thank you.

[@claytongouin5605]

As a guy who almost exclusively buys used and is interested in trying a lot of different amps and sounds in the studio, this video and hopefully the rest of this series is a real eye-opener. Detailed, clear, realistic, and helps temper expectations. Great video. I'm glad I watched so I can go into future purchases more prepared.

[@yahua9716]

I watched this video about a year ago and now own a Katana and a DSL40CR (different from the DSL40C obviously but hopefully it holds up as well). As of this moment, I'm very happy with these purchases and have just about any sound or situation I could want covered. Thank you very much for these videos. Would definitely be curious to see an updated list within the next couple years

[@acid-mask]

I've switched to playing quilters only. I used to use a Blues Jr, then a blues deluxe reverb, then a vox AC15, then a carvin - all tube. The quilter is like half the weight. And truly has a way better crystal clear scooped country-rock sound than almost any fender i've played.

[@reidjames2938]

Have you ever swapped the speaker in a fender? Besides the reissue stuff (excluding champs) they all kinda suck with speaker selection. A blues deluxe with a Swamp Thang, Cannabis Rex, or Creamback is a whole new world.

[@fossilmatic]

Brilliant! Remove all the “mojo” talk and what you have is this; straight pros and cons. Can’t wait for the next >$1000 instalment.

[@kwgm8578]

I see so many geeks on their KZbin channels pedaling the latest Fender style with a lead-in line like "Do XX branded guitars are remind you of your middle school leased guitar? Well, maybe the new Super XXY model will change for mind about XX for ever!" Then the formula starts with show and tell, followed by a demo of clean sounds playing funk riffs, and High Gain sounds playing hard rock riffs. They'll play the neck pickup,bridge pickup then the two pickups together, and finally the bridge pickup and play random lead lines, Power chords, or a heavy metal tune or two for variety. If it's a Strat, they'll demo the 5-way variants. What they rarely show or tell is the most important factor of every guitar sound -- what amp is driving what speaker? Thank you for doing so here. I can interpolate what a double-wound Humbucker is going to do when driven into overdrive, or how a Fender 60s standard will sound in the neck position using a good Solid State amp. I played jazz-blues with a great Ampex Solid State in the early 70s with a Les Paul Standard and a 1971 Strat that I bought brand new from Sam Ash with case for $300. What a beautiful guitar that was. It looked, sounded, and played like a dream. I sold it three years later, with the Les Paul and two Ampex 2 x 12, for $1500 to fund my new life in LA. That changed my life and gave me wings, but I still with I had those those instruments! I've never been able to replace them, especially the Strat which was not "pre-CBS", but just a high quality Corona, California product. Thanks Leo. And thank you for this channel, Man. As a former player, and a trained EE, you speak my languages. As a tech, you've been filling the gaps of my experience and education. -kwgm

[@NebulaShadow_]

I own the Boss Katana Artist Series Mk2 and I love it, but this is an excellent video and I agree with near all the points. The Boss was excellent for my needs as a gigging musician/home recording artist, but hard to beat a good tube amp, but that being said for this price point, highly suggest giving the katana series a go. It's perfect for me.

[@pauldbrown1010]

Awesome engineering review. By that I mean a dispassionate assessment of pros and cons of features likely to be important (not frills) within an electronics product lifecycle framing. Delivered with balanced and precise reasoning. Thank you!!

[@toneseeker4968]

I wish I wouldn't have sold my DSL40C. The CRs are almost $1100 now...more than twice what I paid for mine brand new. This is the BEST amp review I have ever seen. Viewed, liked, subscribed, and I'm yours (a little Stevie Wonder parody reference)!

[@GiantPinhead]

Like number 1000. Great job. Going through this right now with my 18 year old son, who is ready to upgrade from his little Mustang. Repairability; durability; sale-ability; and a good clean sound are what is important to "us". We have priced ourselves out of the local $500 market, but for a stroke of good luck.

[@PeterDad60]

Stage Right makes a 5 watt x 8" Celestion speaker with a 8/16 ohm speaker output jack on the back. It has a volume and a tone knob and a push button for the full 5 watts and then 1 watt and has white Tolex and a leather handle. It uses a 6V6GT power tube and a 12AX7 preamp tube. I bought my first one in December 2021 for $119 and then purchased a second one in February 2022 also for $119. They go on sale from $109 to about $175 (today's price May 5, 2022). They are good sounding amps and because it has the 8/16 speaker output jack I connect to two Marshall Origin 412 cabs at 16 ohms each for a total impedance load of 8 ohms and when I do that I only need to set the volume at 1/2 and that covers all my normal living room studio playing. Of course I can push the volume higher and achieve much more volume and a more distorted tone any time I want. But for my day to day playing I prefer loud enough clean tones and this amp delivers. Go ahead and find another 6V6 combo amp for anything near this price, you wont. The 6V6 power tube is now my preferred tone, replacing 6L6 (5881) which has always been my preferred tone since the mid 1990's. I use these Stage Right 5 watt 6V6 tube amps every day and now all my other 18 tube amps just collect dust. True the 5 watt Stage Right is not a stage amp unless connected to a full Marshall Stack or a P.A. System. But realistically I don't perform on stage nor do I perform in clubs, so I am very happy with these "loud enough" great sounding 5 watt Stage Right 6V6 tube amps. - Peter age 72.

[@scottwilcox6313]

This is the most objective an informative episode I've seen. Lyle the quality of your videos and content has improved greatly over the last year. Keep doing what your doing. 👍

[@hkguitar1984]

Such a great service for newer players looking for a dependable amplifier. Thank You Sir

[@clanrobertson1]

This is amazing. Please don’t stop doing these. Thank you.

[@toneranger]

Excellent video thank you, a real eye opener. "Planned obsolescence" and if and how "Repairable" an amp is, had never occured to me. Thank you.

[@semajdis]

Excellent breakdown with a lot of factors most of us would never consider when looking at an amp, especially from the second hand market. Thanks for the time and effort you put into this presentation.

[@willmarshall4685]

This is incredibly useful. For someone walking into this hobby with zero knowledge I very much appreciate you sharing your knowledge.

[@Pokey7317]

FANTASTIC... THIS is what i've been waiting for. Brilliant topic. This is the conversation i have with myself before i buy ANYTHING. This is the best video i've seen it a LONG TIME.... Well played sir.

[@MARK-r6c3k]

I'm not looking for a Amp but watched this whole Video because of all the things I just learned about Amps. This Guy Obviously really knows what he's talking about. Liked and Subscribed. 😏👍👏

[@St0n_e_man]

I’m happy videos like these are popping! The younger generation that are looking to start a band will really appreciate this!! 10-5yrs ago, videos like this did not exist! I had to jam with MANY people and try many amps (invested WAY too much time) just to see what I preferred best! Excited to see more videos from you!

[@DNYS8N]

I suspect the reason why this is so on point and helpful is that he isn’t getting an incentive from Boss, Fender, etc and he knows.

[@ryanhinrichsen4417]

I bought a Marshall DSL40CR a couple of years ago after going through weeks of research. Demos, reviews, testimonials, etc. It was a seemingly endless mission to cut through the crap and hype to get the info you provided in this video. I wish i had this video then! Great content. Still very satisfied with my purchase.

[@RayC234]

Dude I did the same thing 2 years ago with the research, demos, reviews, testimonials and OMG it was agonizing. And like you I ended up with the DSL40CR and I love it.

[@riffwrath6236]

Got it in white with the 6 button foot switch.

[@ericb.1384]

In Part 2, he says DSL40CR is among the best for under $1000.

[@T-REX677]

Immediately understood you knew what you are talking about. Your years of experience shows. Great presentation with the facts being laid out so decisions can be made from an individuals needs and preferences.

[@larryzink8978]

W/ a personality to mach his astounding expertise at very detailed information that we all want more of. This is golden and he's just raised the bar for these web tech. Yep. Whole next level, thank you sir, please continue.

[@danyaeger6238]

I just picked up a gently used Bugera Infinuim V22 for a little over $300 + shipping. Such a great little amp.

[@itsmeagain1745]

I was told by a gigging musician that a pro for the modelling amps is consistency under fluctuating power supplies. He said that he was playing a gig in a pub (tube amp), any time someone played one of the slot machines the sound would change. The sound of the tube amps would change from gig to gig, his katana would sound the same wherever he played (and he didn't break his back carrying a tube amp and cab up and down stairs. In an emergency it's usually easier to grab a new Katana than your tube amp of choice.

[@ronj9448]

They make something called a voltage attenuators like brownbox which addresses the changes in voltages. Its crazy out there!

[@GeorgeHeil-gg6wv]

Power conditioners . . . no one should gig without power conditioners running all their gear.

[@wilbury-hb3gp]

I also play mainly modeling amps in bars (where a tube amp’s potentially superior tone is drowned out by background noise anyway). In addition to the reasons you mentioned, I’ll add that I was able to buy my Katana used for $150. I can take it to any gig knowing that if it gets stolen or somebody spills a beer on it, I can just buy another one for close to what it costs just to retube some of my other amps.

[@PulauSwan]

Gday, great comment re: variable power supply fluctuations. I gig on Rote Island , Indonesia. PLN , the power supply mob, are experts at power voltage variance, surges and blowing up all kinds of electrical equipment. I need an amp that can handle that problem , cheers .

[@itsmeagain1745]

@@PulauSwan Do you have an anti-surge extension lead? I have one that I connect my computer to. It's supposed to protect against lightning strikes on the power grid. It may help you with PLN 'your stable power suppliers' ☹.

[@nickboutall]

The Orange Crush 35RT is severely underrated. As a solid state I power it on more than my valve amps

[@dimitris470]

The only thing bothering me and keeping me from getting one is the 10" speaker

[@charliedillon1400]

Picked one up used for $150. Play my Mexican strat through it. Makes my single coil pickups rock!! Totally analog, simple to figure out the tones, hangs with a drum kit in terms of output. Killer!!

[@raymondclass6794]

@@dimitris470that's why I bought the cr-60 and put in a greenback

[@isaiahfurrow7414]

​@@dimitris470, I'm kinda in the same boat, I have a 10" amp and am kinda looking to pick up something with a 12" speaker... Orange should have an affordable Crush amp like the 35RT with a 12" .... but the effects loop really has me looking at the 35rt model... or possibly the Katana, or larger version of my Marshall MG30CFX... I want to use a Headrush MX5 in 4-cable method with a combo amp, and don't think a DSL40CR fits my current budget or needs. Listened to the Orange 35RT recently in a store and almost snagged it that day.

[@CraigFlowersMusic]

I no longer need to think of budget, but I spent decades in destitution, so I'm still addicted to videos just like this LOL Nice job. Subbed!

[@tonekilltech]

Last year, I picked up a used good condition DSL40CR for $360, then got the 6 button footswitch for $80. $440 cash all in. It's a amazingly versatile amp that could handle just about any gig I might want to play. The newer CR version plus the 6 button fsw really takes it to the next, you can switch between all 4 "channels" (clean, od, crunch, distortion) with 2 master volumes to level out the volume difference between them. Plus switch on off the fx loop. Definitely the winner of the under $500 camp for me!

[@gingercat777]

Wait until the cheap board starts leaking voltage......oh, and are you a body builder?

[@tonekilltech]

@@gingercat777 I don't find the DSL40 that heavy, but then again my other amps are a 67 Super Reverb, 74 Deluxe Reverb, and 4x10 bass cab and head. So I guess I am a body builder. For $360, I wasn't expecting a faultless amp, but I don't know of anything better at that price.

[@alanswanson7515]

50+ lbs

[@ernestschultz5065]

Very enjoyable video. It's always good to hear the opinions of someone who really knows what he's talking about. I like your repair videos but I would like to see more like this one.

[@VinJapanGuitarShop]

"...it's not likely to catch on fire...", a bonus for sure!

[@robertwillett4122]

I've had many ,many amps. Unfortunately, I'm an older man. I'm living in a condo, which is a problem because I wish to only play thru a tube amp. The warmth and overall sound of a tube amp is unbeatable, in my humble 45 years of playing. When I saw that the Marshall DSL line came out with a 1 watt tube amp, with a selector to bring it down to a quarter amp, my jaw dropped. I drop what I was doing and went to my local Sam Ash, great store by the way. They had only one and it was a floor model. I did want one out of the box, so I paid full price for the demo, with the understanding that I would return it when they get more in. Well this was during the shipping problems. It took 7 months for my new Marshall to come in. They called, I dropped off the used one and now have a brand new head. So I bought the 2×12 slanted cab. I have to tell you I couldn't be happier. And the funny thing is the amps price went up 100 bucks while I was waiting for the new one. Ofcourse I didn't have to pay the difference, because I bought it before the price increase. 1 watt doesn't sound like it would be loud, believe me, it is. I put it on a quarter setting and it still is loud. But I can dail in the best distortion, and not bother anyone in my condo. I would recommend it for the guitars that need a quality sounding tube amp that won't bother your neighbors. I run a PRSse custom. The hunt is over. Couldn't be any happier.

[@cheenu711]

Can confirm it's a killer amp. I live in an apartment so playing with a large tube amp is out of the question and also out my student budget. I also have to move to my dorms later this year to start my masters. This amp is a godsend. I knew pretty early that I need the Marshall sound. There's nothing like that low end, Beautiful mid range and the high end roar when you hit the strings with your pick. I'm so glad they made the 1 watt version. I've used this amp at 4 am without waking up anyone in my family, it can be super quiet. Don't be fooled by the low wattage, this thing can roar. My 20 watt solid state has nothing on my little marshall. Couldn't be happier.

[@robertwillett4122]

@@cheenu711 Mr. Kshitij Tiwari, Good Sir. Isn't it unbelievable that you can get that holesome Marshall goodness from 1watt. I love it. Where I'm at it's 5 in the morning, and I'm going to fire it up now. PEACE stay safe

[@cheenu711]

@@robertwillett4122 true. You can't help but smile every morning when you can plug into a marshall without your parents kicking you out of your house and get that iconic sound, tubes and all.

[@robertwillett4122]

@@cheenu711 One of my secrets of life, rock on ,bro.

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

Every time I think I've got my decision finally made I get new information that throws me back to square one. At this point it's just as likely I go back to not playing guitar for 7 years than buy any of the amps I set out to buy and yet, to what I've been playing through (an acoustic amp that's essentially just a PA and a pedal meant to approximate playing through an amp meant for electric guitar) ANY of these would be an improvement - hell, the lowliest Fender 25 watt modeling amp would be an improvement yet I am so paralyzed with hidden cons, that I am hesitant to do anything. The pros mean something does what it's advertised to do, the cons are seemingly endless and often hidden behind layers of obfuscation - both intentional and unintentional. "500 dollars is not as much money as many of us think it is" - I understand what your point was in saying this, and I agree with it - but for me specifically, it is a lot of money. I wasn't playing through a PA speaker for years because I liked it.

[@keithbriscoe99]

Such a great service you're providing by doing these overviews for a selection of amps. So interesting.

[@earlycuyler2295]

I got 20+ hard years of studio sessions, basement gigs and dive bar touring out of a pair of $150 crate g130c combos. I owned a handful of high end amps along the way, but you just couldn't beat the cheap crates for reliability. They had great real spring reverb and a FANTASTIC overdrive circuit.

[@tommyconancoates7097]

I was in the market for a small home use tube amp so i bought a 1978 silverface fender champ, paid 575 for it. I figured it was the best choice , i know it can be maintained easily when something goes wrong.

[@willbarnz6960]

Champs are very simple circuits too.... The internet has what any tech would need to service them as far as schematics.

[@gabrielazzopardi6037]

I'm commenting as an owner of an older HRD II, the VOX AC15 and the DSL40C. The HRD is the oldest amp. It did fail in the exact same way mentioned in this video, and as a tech myself I replaced the caps that leaked, and noticed burn marks on the PCB so I replaced the high power resistors with other ones and moved them away from the board. The repair cost me less than €5, and I do not know the hourly rates there but it took me total of 1 hour to repair including dismantling, diagnosis, assembly and testing. The other amps never failed. One important point (but this is subjective) is that the AC15 has a great speaker. The speakers found in the DSL and the HRD (excluding some limited editions which have some nice speakers) sound mediocre at best. Once these speakers are replaced with something better, the amps really match the AC15 in terms of tone (of course they do not sound the same, but equally as good). Another point of view that might not be significant to a lot of people is the circuit of these amps. All these amps have some solid state stuff inside. The rectifier is of course solid state for all these 3 amps, but this is normal in tube amps. Also, there are some auxiliary stuff that use SS switching, SS buffering of the effects loop (DSL and HRD) and SS buffering of the spring reverb (HRD and AC15, while the DSL has a digital unit). But the thing that bothers me most is that the AC15 has some SS in the clean path of the sound, in the preamp section. There are enough tubes to avoid these if using relays (like the DSL) but it is a pity they chose not to. It might have removed the 2 inputs and have 1 input that is channel switching between normal and top boost. I am not a tube snob, I discovered this because the amp did not 'feel' right and I looked for the schematic to try to identify any issues. With a very similar arrangement (having tubes but there is also a SS stage in the preamp) I have a Fender Vaporizer. It has limited uses due to it having only 3 knobs, but I like the amps it's a cool little thing and at €175 new it has also a spring reverb (unlike the DSL). Finally, my personal opinion, if I were to keep only one I'd keep the HRD. I like it's sound the best. For 10 years plus it had only 1 failure. But I'd agree the Vox has it's own sound. If you want that sound you have to go that way. The DSL is really versatile amp with good cleans fantastic crunch and some good metal tones (particularly with an overdrive and maybe a Vintage 30). The HRD overdrive channel is practically useless. But the cleans of this amp are really nice, and while all 3 amps take pedals really well, this would be my choice for a pedal platform amp.

[@PsionicAudio]

The HRD takes 2-3 hours to repair typically. It often also has issues in the PI and the screen grid resistors are prone to failure. And pot/jack solder joints. New filter caps and needed parts can be $60-90 depending on the model of Blues or Hot Rod when you factor in shipping. I agree on the speakers. The Vox AC15/30 Custom circuit uses very high quality opamps with a high bipolar supply. It provides channel mixing, loop buffering (on the 30), and reverb send/return/mixing. The issue is they didn't make it truly unity gain. When I get one on the bench for my mods I change four resistors to put the SS portion of the circuit to true unity gain. At which point it is transparent. The stock amp still sounds quite good, but it has an unintentional (?) gain stage between the channel outs and the phase inverter, so the amp overall has a bit more gain than a "real" Vox. But the opamp circuitry doesn't clip. It causes a bit not clipping in the PI tube. I could easily bypass all the opamp/SS circuitry in one and give the owner an all tube signal path, if they are ok with giving up reverb and the loop. But I have done that and compared it to the corrected unity gain opamp path (lots of wires and switches up in the air) and there was no audible difference (or difference in feel). The corrected unity gain opamp circuit is my preference on these. But stock still sounds quite good.

[@gabrielazzopardi6037]

@@PsionicAudio I'm not claiming that the 'feel' issue comes from the SS stuff, but I was having that issue and noticed the SS stuff. also, like most budget tube amps, there are going to be SS stuff in order to be able to ship it cheaper. These include SS spring reverbs and SS effects loop. All the amps here use these SS bits. And I agree that they do sound good stock. Particularly with the Greenback, against the speakers found in the HRD and DSL. but I hate the way they market the amp. They should be more up-front with stuff like this. particularly when the amp is in the 'All-tube series' or what it's called.

[@RandyFricke]

I have a Bugera V22, V55, and a 6262. I absolutely love them. Mine are the later Infinium versions. I think the issues were more with the runs prior to the Infinium stuff. I love mine.

[@u.s.a.198]

Thanks for this info! Been looking at the v22.

[@sgt.grinch3299]

As a non-guitarist I thank you for this video. I will be purchasing a guitar, amp, and lessons for my Grandson when he turns 13. I have much to learn to assist him.

[@NateTheMeh]

Picked up a Bugera V55 HD with a 1x15 cab for $300 and it’s been ABSOLUTELY KILLER! I’ve had an Ac 15, HR Deluxe and many more and this takes pedals better as well as having one of the nicest master volumes I’ve heard. Killer deals on the Bugera stuff for sure

[@Dd13200]

I've had a DSL40C for years. Surprisingly happy with it

[@mvyper]

Traynors are actually a very good buy. A really classic tube sound for a really reasonable price.

[@PsionicAudio]

They'll be on the next list.

[@MiguelMakesMusic]

@@PsionicAudio I saw your next video, however it didn't mention the newer Traynor amps. Do you have any thoughts on the YCV series?

[@JustinWoo]

This kind of information is SO great to have when amp shopping. Wow. I wish everyone did this.

[@waltjames407]

I've relied on Peavey Classic amps as my go-to gigging amp for 20 years now, had both of mine serviced over the past couple of years, no issues came up with parts availability as of yet...but it's interesting to see a tech's perspective on what the future might look like for my dear old Classic amps. Been GASing for a DSL40C after I got a DSL5 and it suddenly became my favorite amp ever. There are currently a couple used available in my area...

[@nobodynoone2500]

The Peavey Classic's are great amps. Constantly overlooked.

[@jat5am]

came here to see if someone mentioned peavey classic series.

[@jat5am]

@@edd9157 classic 30, 50. these are their names.

[@_MOORE_1986]

I got my Peavey Classic 50 212 in Black Tweed a couple years ago from Market Place for $300. Early 90's Model, and its my favorite amp that I've owned. Up to the point of finding the listing and then looking up KZbin videos on the Classic 50, I thought no way I would ever own a Peavey as the other models as they often looked cheap. It was always Marshall or Fender.

[@CitAllHearItAll]

Been beating the crap out of my Hot Rod Deluxe for 18 years! Replaced the power tubes 10 years ago and that’s it. I’ve heard I’m very lucky because the boards tend to go out on them.

[@CristiNeagu]

I really appreciate that you added the Katana and the Catalyst to the mix. I would argue though that they are nowhere near as prone to failures as traditional amps. I think the biggest issue is with issues from production. You may get one that doesn't work out of the box. No problem, return it. But those that do work last quite a long time. I have a Behringer VAmp Pro that is about 15 years old. That thing still works and it was very cheap compared to a real amp. As with valve amps, take care of your gear and it will last. But there's another thing that is sort of in the favour of modelling amps. If it does break, replacing it is an upgrade. You can get a newer unit, with better modelling, better effects, better everything. So it's not quite as devastating as with a total loss of a valve amp. You don't have to go and find the exact same model otherwise it's a deal breaker. But yeah. Ultimately, everyone has to decide what works better for them.

[@phineashenshaw]

You are spot on about Fender and modelling amps in general. I have had a bone yard of modelling amps. They all were durable enough, but once they became outdated, or the software doesn't run on the latest computer operating system, they wind up being paper weights. I got burned with Fender Fuse and Mustang amps. I have a Mustang 2 V1 and a Mustang 3 V2. I have the patches I want on them, thank goodness!, but I will never go that route again. My I have had a Fender Princeton Chorus solid state since it came out. Other than clean the pots, it has worked flawlessly since then. Been all over the world with it. Still plays today. I just have a hard time finding an amp to upgrade to. Will have to check out the ones you reviewed in the video....... Thanks!

[@mr.d.572]

People still like those early Mustang amps though... Are there any usable sounds on them without the software? There must be...

[@phineashenshaw]

@@mr.d.572 I still have mine and still use them. I like the Mustang V1 and V2 Way better than the GTX/LT models. But after they stopped supporting the FUSE software, I have a bad after taste for modeling amps. Not to mention I could get more money for my 30 year old Solid state Princeton Chorus than I can for my nearly new Mustang 3 V2. Thank goodness I do not sell my gear often...LOL I will use my Mustang amps till they fall apart. But they will be my last ones.

[@richardtimetorock9340]

I bought a new Ac15c1 about 3 years ago, played it hard and loud. Still on the original tubes at this point and it does take careful eq using pedals but you can get a monster high gain sound if you want to. No repairs or reliability issues so far playing regularly.

[@Dreyno]

ProCo Rat into a Vox is epic.

[@richclayton5785]

Again this is a must watch (beginning to end) for anyone beginner or professional player looking for an amp under $500

[@Bloozestringer]

I own both the MK1 100W Katana and a VOX AC15C1, among others. Both have been very reliable. The Katana is my everyday practice amp. There are so many free patches and paid patches that are really good that it's a no-brainer for the cost. You can dial in great sounds with just the panel controls for that matter and it takes pedals on the front end well.

[@truescotsman4103]

i bought the Bugera 1960 infinium which is a plexi clone with some nice mods. it was $549 with easy payments and no credit check from Zzounds. it stands up to my vintage marshalls and my friedmans. initially i was just checking it out and planned on returning it but i fell in love. one thing im skeptical of is the 150w RMS rating. i believe this is part of the infinium circuit that self-biases the power tubes resulting in changes to bias under load which contributes to the power output by adjusting the bias when you step on the gas. love this amp.

[@veitheld167]

This is an excellent summary! In particular the pro's and con's of tube amps were very good. I am an electrical engineer and have build a couple of amps myself, trying to get the ultimate jazz sound out of my archtop. The more I learned what sound I want and how to get there, the less I was interested in tubes. The first reason was, that there are a zillion different transistors out there and if you know what you are after, you can design circuits that give you exactly the transfer function, that you are after. With tubes you will spend a lot of time to deal with their limitations and physical properties, which you will have to fight, compensate - or use to your benefit. Meanwhile I also learned more and more about how to use effects to push the tone towards my preferences. Earlier on I did not want to use pedals, because it was not "pure guitar playing" and because Joe Pass did not use them, I did not want to use them either. But when I learned what you can do with a good delay-pedal I completely changed my mind. After all, amps are just a means to realize a musical idea. Having said that - driving an oldtimer from the seventies can be so much more fun than driving a modern car. It is not all a totally rational affair ...

[@johncollins5552]

Play jazz 🎸 just buy a Roland jazz chorus amp already, end of.

[@mr.d.572]

I've never owned a tube amp but my only problem is I play blues and I can't get much sustain out of a solid state amp. I need to get something better but I'm not sure what yet.

[@veitheld167]

​@@mr.d.572 Now, this is an area where the tubes do have a slight advantage, for the reasons that are explained in the video. The problem is that the strings of a guitar have to dissipate energy. They ring out over time, which means that the signal from the pickups gets weaker as the amplitude of the oscillating string diminishes. Guitar amps help with that if you overdrive them and push the volume up: Once you have plucked the string the signal is initially relatively strong and overdrives the amp, which means that the clipping of the signal cuts off the high peaks and keeps the volume to a maximum level. In this phase the guitar sounds rather colorful because clipping the signal introduces a lot of harmonics. As the signal gets weaker the amplitude remains roughly the same, but the signal looks more and more like a sine wave. You hear that as a constantly changing tone from rough to warm. Tube amps have a rather smooth transition curve from overdrive to clean, which is why many people like them. However, today you can work with pedals to get a better sustain, you could for example try to work with a compressor pedal. Here is a list: rockguitaruniverse.com/guitar-sustain-pedals/

[@uptownphotography]

Well done. Good info and realistic....Which I think is the operative word for the $500 price point limitation... Phil NYC Area

[@Coupeguyrick]

Hey man, just wanted to thank you for this content. I appreciate your rational and empirical approach to laying out the facts and your observations. Amps are also clearly a passion of yours, and I'd like to sincerely thank you for sharing some of that passion with us. Subscribed!

[@richardfuller5615]

Excellent video. Anyone about to purchase an amp in this price range should watch this.

[@wootks]

Awesome. Was really wondering what amps pass your 'sniff test' in different genres. EDIT: Hoping you can get to heads eventually as well.

[@TheCyberMantis]

I agree with what you said in this video. I bought a Katana head years ago, because it has a lot of features for the money. I already had a good cab, so I just needed a head to go with it. Katana is great. I use pedals with it. On-board effects are good too. You can play any style with a Katana.

[@Murry_in_Arizona]

Well done Lyle your editing chops are impressive besides the well thought out and important information. As a 62 yr old "Geezer" and FNG at guitar the best home use amp I have is the 50 watt Boss Katana, you add a USB cable, laptop and internet service and you have a pedalboard. Its quiet/loud enough to make me happy and/or the wife, kids and neighbors at the same time. When its day is done I'll send the solid state innards to the landfill and use the cabinet and pretty decent full range/frequency speaker for my own modestly evil purposes.😈

[@nicholasberndt6224]

I was just given a non-working Fender hot rod deluxe. It has most of the failures and issues you mention here. For some reason the caps haven’t started leaking yet, but they will be replaced anyway. Great video! Thanks!

[@Ian_sheridanuk]

Here in the UK I got a Laney cub 10 for £200 new. Over a blues junior, an epiphone valve junior stack, a vaporizor, (all went south one way or another) it's been incredible. I play it loud every day, and I've played major gigs with it. Incredible amp.

[@Bagledog5000]

I've got a Cub 12R that I've been playing for a few years now, best bang for the buck IMO. Especially considering I got it for around $300 tax and all. It's one of the few tube amps that was cheaper in Japan then the US.

[@Ian_sheridanuk]

@@Bagledog5000 such a downer they discontinued them😞

[@Drift1]

Thanks for making and sharing this video. Thinking of playing again after almost ten years, used to play alot when I was younger but I know you can really pick up from your past skills. There's just something about music memory that doesn't fade the same like memories.

[@bludworm1]

I enjoyed this video so much that I went to my local independent music store and bought the Boss Katana MKll 50...I'm beyond satisfied with the tones I get from it. I trust and respect your opinions. I would love to see a video on "Tube Amps At or Under $1000". Or $1200.

[@roberthurless4615]

I heartily agree with you about the modeling amps and the practice of replacing the pcb's. My son's big. screen TV was struck by lightning and when the tech come to our hose he just took the back off the TV and swapped the boards. He we here less that thirty minutes.

[@maxpeck4154]

Based on your past commentary I just bought a brand new AC15C1 as a backup to my main amp. I like having onboard reverb and tremolo. I bought a used one years ago but had to sell it. I loved that amp and the new one works flawlessly. I'm confident in the purchase and look forward to the rest of the series! Great content as always.

[@mikeaitken5253]

The DSL40CR with the 6-button footswitch is a beast of a gigging amplifier. It's very versatile, and easy to dial in, and adding an extension cabinet or speaker is a breeze.

[@maxwrobinson1818]

I’ve used a Marshall DSL40C for nearly 5 years now, and the only pitfall I can say is that the stock speaker does not do this amp justice. Chuck in a Vintage 30 or Greenback and it becomes a budget goddess!

[@qua7771]

Speaker preference, is like with tubes. Everyone has a favorite. I tried that Celestion V-type, but didn't care much for it either. I tried V-30's, and switched to Greenback heritage's. I'm a greenback fan.

[@picajoool]

dsl 5 and 15 are known for their fizzy distorsion. People mod them all the time. Whats the situation with dsl 40?

[@theanalogkid6749]

@@picajoool C19 Mod.

[@picajoool]

@@theanalogkid6749 Can you this mod also on DSL15 or DSL5?

[@pinkiewerewolf]

I just recently bought a couple Blackstar Studio 10 Amps. I was considering the HT 40, I'm glad I didn't go that route now. Thanks for the great information.

[@soulsweet40]

as someone who owns a few peaveys, I cant understand why they don't get the love they deserve. In my local music store they won't give you very much if you want to trade them in..they are solidly built and sound great to me

[@ColeWheeler4Lyfe]

The Bandit should be on this list imho. ❤

[@williambartholomew5680]

​@@ColeWheeler4Lyfehe mentioned them towards the end crediting them great aclaims but brought up how the repairability of Peaveys is getting difficult due to Peavey's still declining as a full business. He's as right as you guys are, the amps are fantastic (the pre-2010s stuff is nearly unbeatable & indestructible) but they're all coming of age where needing new pots and some times capacitors or other components is becoming a more common issue and with a lot of their tech being so evolutionary the stacked-switchable-pots for instance are nearly impossible to find replacements for. Whether you have their newer surface-mount amps or the old golden age of silver stripes you're often times buying a whole amp for parts to save a whole - forgetting budget though because Peaveys are still prised crazy high right now but on their way back down again

[@paultew579]

Excellent perspective from a techs standpoint excellent food for thought can't wait to watch the next series

[@stringsattached67]

I've got SS amps that I bought 35 years ago that other than some recapping are still going strong. I have the first gen line 6 flex amp that nothing have been done to it and was heavily gigged and still sounds great. I think it all depends on how it's treated. BTW I have a marshall tube amplifier that sometimes plays an am Christian channel lol

[@zero318]

You just won the prize... 'I think it depends on how it's treated'. That is the magic right there. I just bought a mid 80's Peavey Bandit a couple of weeks ago. Plays perfect, sounds perfect, no issues. Built like a brick outhouse, but not treated like one! This thing is a beauty. It was used, but not abused. Other than cleaning the pots, it needs nothing but love. I also have a Tech 21 Trademark 60 that I've owned and gigged with for a decade, but I'm not a hard player. Works perfect, sounds perfect, every time. The my real workhouse is a Behringer V-Amp Bass Pro rack. I've had that for a decade as well. I use it with a Behringer power amp and guess what? Never missed a beat. I use it for bass and guitar gigs, always works. But, I really look after my gear and don't push it to its limits....always leave headroom! Oh, another thing with modellers, use a power conditioner! They really like those.... Oh, and my old Marshall Bluesbreaker I used to have did the same kind of thing. hahahahaha

[@calicrixthemodprofessorpol2625]

I sold both of my blues juniors when I got my katana five years ago. Not even a contests for katanas her so much louder cleaner. I have since purchased a second one both were purchased use for less than $400 and I’ve never failed me. I use them for eight hours a week and they’ve never let me down. We were support for Cory Wong in Durango five years ago and he played through both of them on 100 W.

[@BladeDoomer86]

I personally really fell in love with my Monoprice 15w tube amp.. Extremely cheap price, amazing tones.. 1w mode for home use. Sounds exactly like a Laney.

[@martybender123]

Yes! Me too. I am so very happy with my Monoprice Stage Right 15w amp. Sadly, Psionic Audio, left us alone and way behind, because of his "cost filter". Our cheap & lonely amp was too low priced for his filter? I will never sell my SR15W, but it might be available for sale after I have passed-on, and maybe only when I have been placed into the Nether.

[@mr.d.572]

Wait... Why wouldn't these amps meet his filter? They're $250+.... Are the Monoprice amps still good at low volume? Maybe with pedals? I'm looking for an amp that will give me more sustain than the solid state amps I have. But I can't play loud because I'm in an apartment.

[@BladeDoomer86]

@@mr.d.572 They're terrific at low volumes.. You can keep it very clean with gain all the way off. Or volume very low, but crank the gain and you get a great overdrive. Keep it at 1w. People don't understand how incredibly loud 15w is lol

[@mr.d.572]

@@BladeDoomer86 Thanks. Oh I definitely know how loud a 15W can get...I had a Peavey Rage and it was ridiculously loud for 15W. Thing is, it was a terrible-sounding amp so I sold it. But I'm happy with 1W-5W, easily.

[@martybender123]

​@@mr.d.572 Whoops! My reply is about 14 days late. Also, my comment was wrong with regard to the "cost filter" in this video. The Monoprice Stage Right Combo 1 to 15W (aka MSR15) does fly under the radar. This amp simply gets very little recognition, -it has near-zero name recognition inside the circles of guitar players. The 1-watt setting is still very loud, and it would easily cause problems inside an apartment home. You would get complaints at anything above Volume at 2 WITH gain set at the same. Playing within an apartment, you are almost stuck or forced to use headphones only. I have used the 15-watt mode only a few times, and I am not living in an apartment, but have neighbors close by and I usually play late night. Outside of this volume problem(??) this amp, the tone, the sustain, it is so damn good. My Line6 POD GO (modeler) is great in many same & different ways, but I often find myself going direct only into this amp. I am getting guitar noise hungry just by typing this.

[@dwightbernheimer331]

At almost 80 years old, for decades I've had THIS opinion... Most audiences you're playing for don't know the difference... I've NEVER had anyone come up to me and complain I'm playing a solid state amp instead of a tube amp... 'Nuff said!!!... Good stuff thanks for posting...

[@SergeiVlassov]

True about audience. But I care more about my own perception and fun, and I never played solid state amp that was as fun to play as tube amp. Roland Jazz Chorus was really good for clean jazz, but for me real fun starts where tubes start to break up. This is a territory where all solid state amps lose immediately.

[@mr.d.572]

Sustain. To me that's the biggest issue. Tell me how to get good sustain out of a solid state amp.

[@dwightbernheimer331]

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply. Much appreciated...

[@SergeiVlassov]

@@mr.d.572 compressor pedal. Because tubes compress the signal when pushed to non-linear range (even before overdriving).

[@mr.d.572]

@@SergeiVlassov I have two compressors, one is the mxr dynacomp. Just doesn't seem to help very much. Maybe it's because I play at low volumes?

[@Elvisml2]

Personal anecdote: I have a 20 year old Line 6 HD Head that still gets factory updates and still works fine. It had 12 models when I bought it, now it has 36. I'm impressed that they update old gear still.

[@internetselling]

How many of the q2 or 36 models do you use regularly?

[@Elvisml2]

@@internetselling I only used 3 of the original models and only 2 from the new ones. I love the addition of the valco amp.

[@andrewpearson1903]

Great explanation of how tube-amp "tone per watt" works. The excitement of a good "clean tube sound," when I listen close, really does come from the compression & harmonic distortion caused by its beginning to clip. A guitar player who figured this out (he's a student of drone music and the properties of sound) is Dylan Carlson of the band Earth, and he milked it dry on one record, "Hex, or Printing in the Infernal Method," with a Vintage 52 Telecaster and some old clean Fender amp.

[@seanbrooks2583]

This is one of the best videos on amps ive seen in a long time. I subbed and am eager for the rest of the series. Good job!

[@Hun_Uinaq]

I play acoustic and electric. Boss katana is what I bought. It’s got an acoustic channel. I’m so glad to hear that the amp that I purchased is on your list. I got my hands on a mark II 100 W w/ 12 inch speaker amp for 399+ tax on Sweetwater. Pretty happy with it.

[@lukasschliepkorte3019]

Thanks for the great breakdown, Lyle! I can personally recommend the Vox MV Clean. It has the size of a pedal, 50watts at 4 ohm and is the perfect pedal platform with massive headroom yet tubelike dynamics for less than 200 bucks. If that sound really is due to the so called "nutube" is another question. Maybe you can share your opinion on those nutubes one day, as I myself am interested in the potential durability. Oh and via a single small jumper wire on the board you have a brighter voicing which is closer to fender cleans. Also it has an attenuator and a "deep" switch to accommodate for a smaller cabinet. The switches a flimsy, though. Greetings from Germany

[@nghtfall]

Good point, would love to hear his views on these as well. I’d imagine the assembly is pretty cheap but they’re also cheap enough to buy a whole new one if it fails.

[@JAF2991]

The Katana 100 MKII has never failed me at home, studios or at gigs.

[@drdfx159]

Thanks for the tech insights. I'm not an amp tech, just a player with enough tech knowledge to repair/build my own amps and effects. I own an older red stripe Peavey Bandit, and while it does not sound as good as my hand built tube amp, it's still pretty damn good. Especially for the price: used they go around 150-200USD where I live, the new Bandit is 500USD new on Sweetwater. I've of course opened up mine to take a look, but honestly I don't really see any specialized parts in it. Maybe the transformer, the switches in the preamp and the IC that does the channel/fx loop switching. Otherwise pretty generic stuff all over the boards. Since the schematic is available online, even those specialized parts can be replaced with some creativity if needed, even though I have to admit not as easily, as in a Blues Junior (an amp that I had the luck to repair too). So I would be curious why you wouldn't recommend them? As I said: I don't know the newest version, but the red stripe version seems to be a good middle ground between the modellers and the tube amps you mentioned. Not as limited and prone as tube amps and not as plasticy and artificial in sound as the modellers. Thanks!

[@michaelyolch79]

THANK YOU for persevering through the countless a**holes filled with ignorance and hatred so that the rest of us can truly appreciate your exceptional content! Don't ever let the dark steal your light, brother!

[@johnnyt599]

Great idea . I can't wait for the over 3k version of this series .

[@bradbaker4679]

Must be nice

[@WilsonPendarvis-tn3wm]

Yes! As a tech I always wanted of the things I did not see in the shop all the time.

[@jeroengrobben7555]

Up here in Canada, Traynor amps. ( such as YGL1 ). Tube, made in Canada, super reliable. ( used under $500US ). Love your videos, well done.

[@recklesstoboggan]

Totally agree. Traynor makes good, robust, realiable stuff, that is made in Canada (Go Winnipeg!) Traynor is totally under rated, and goes for really, really cheap (almost criminally so) on the used market. The YGL1 is an excellent example. Love that amp.

[@PsionicAudio]

Traynors can be great. I admit this video is a bit US-centric. Traynors aren't as common here, and while many models are great, some are real turds. If someone hired me to find the best amp under $500 I could find something maybe better than what made the list here - and it might be a Traynor - but I know what to look for. That would have been outside of the scope of this video.

[@Fr0stbyte89]

I'd argue that in the US, Traynor amps _used_ to be underrated. I've watched prices creep up at least 50% on most models over the last 3 years or so. Also, gotta remember anything vintage very likely needs a cap job and possibly tubes.

[@thejosher33]

"Reliability" and "Fixability" = the 2 Most Important Points to Gigging Musicians! Thank U for a Dynamite presentation my friend! Blowin harmonica thru my Classic 30 & Lovin it!, ha, Jesse, in Orlando

[@sub-jec-tiv]

The worst part of amps that aren’t repairable is that they become landfill. And trust me, at some point our great grandchildren are going to be shaking their fists at us because we didn’t bother to make good purchasing decisions. I know most people don’t care about this. But absolutely they should. We ought to be adults not children pretending they don’t know, and not buy electronics that are manufactured to become landfill.

[@da324]

"This planet isn't going anywhere, we are." George Carlin

[@phunkyjunkee]

Blah blah blah

[@lukehelpmetakethisdangmaskoff]

We won't be around that much longer, so no worries. The Biblical end times are unfolding before our eyes, but no one is paying attention. People are busy about worshipping the Creation rather than the Creator, in my opinion.

[@phunkyjunkee]

@@lukehelpmetakethisdangmaskoffamen. Soon every knee will bow and tongue confess Jesus is Lord.

[@sub-jec-tiv]

@@phunkyjunkee ok whatever, crazy cultist.

[@theophany1770]

You're exactly right about availability of parts after a few years on certain amps. My Line 6 Spider Valve HD100 MKII head has a bad digital board which is no longer available. Power amp is still good so I can use it with pedals. I bought it used over 10 years ago used so I definitely got my money's worth. Thanks for the vids

[@drewsollars2239]

Looking forward to the next round, just got a good deal on a vht d-50. Quite versatile for the price and looks more amp tech friendly than that last vht I saw you work on.

[@nigelpaine806]

Thanks Lyle for opening my eyes to the hype surrounding so-called guitar shop amp reviews. As a newbie Looking to buy his first electric guitar amp I was guilty of being sucked in by their smooth, corporate rhetoric and would have fallen into the trap had I not discovered Psionic. What a revelation! How easily I could have bought into the long past, no longer relevant, reputation of some manufacturers, without realising that not all modern counterparts of many of them are built to the same standard as each other. I was on the brink of buying the Vox Ac10c1 but thankfully found your review first. It's now looking like the Ac15c1 could be the one. I will only ever be a (mature) home player, but that's no reason to purchase shoddy goods. Big thanks from UK. Keep up the good work!

[@ericwarrington6650]

Awesome video man...and I know exactly how loud 15 watts can be..I have a bassbreaker 15..3;gain stages and it gets very loud esp when pushed

[@benoakwood2088]

Fantastic video Lyle! Enormous value add. Thank you so much for taking the time. I appreciate the information you share.

[@UmVtCg]

Modelling amp pro you forgot, the sound is consitant which can be important when playing in a bar with dirty power.

[@ChristopherDowning]

This and the $1000 review is an excellent set of potential amps you could buy. As a player all my life - I started back in the 60s (and shopped in Jim Marshall's in Hanwell alongside many well-known players) up to teaching full time through 2002-2012 - I can tell you this list looks spot on from all I have experienced. Don't get something cheap and then buy again and again. Think of a good amp as something you'll keep for at least 10 years and that way you can justify the cost as 1/10th of it's initial cost over ten years. I had the same DeLuxe Reverb for 35 years and ditto guitars - that makes what looks like expensive, very cheap. Buy the amps the best working players use - there's a reason they play those - and no very very few players get paid to play stuff. You don't need some boutique amp either - that's just going to be quirky when you want it maintained - working players don't buy unusual stuff - there's a reason beyond marketing that Marshall / Fender / VOX valve amps dominate. The shortlist is here and in the $1000 amp list.