BEST Cheap Tube Amp? - Harley Benton Tube15

[@MrPolevaulter]

Check out more amp reviews here: kzbin.info/aero/PLNaLwTdlpQNHNo5bubVjV1OW04gkqU8rM

[@alc1photos]

A,, de

[@Dlogreen]

is your neck scalloped? or was that just the lighting playing tricks?

[@scootergreen3]

I have read many times about fuses blowing in Monoprice 12 (Stage Right) amps and you can't change them you have to send them to factory because they are hard to get to, I want a Harley Benton 12 but do they have same problem of fuses blowing?

[@adrianguggisberg3656]

@@scootergreen3 The Harley Benton and Monoprice amps are identical. However, they use the PCB from the Laney Cub12r or licence manufacture it. For a 150 quid extra, you get the same amp from Laney, with a much better made cab, better speaker, higher quality valves, a regular exchangeable mains cable and the fuse is accessible without opening the cab.

[@bjornpohl3147]

bought this today for recording purposes because I was tired of vst amp sims that sounded like wired electric shavers from the 80s. Sounds fantastic! I'm using a very old MD421 to record it. Really love this thing.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cool!

[@MusicTutorJay]

there is no line out or phones out , so can I use the send signal out to audio interface for recording without a MIC

[@arbitermatt]

@@MusicTutorJay you can use the FX send as a line out. You may lose the reverb but you can add some back in a DAW. You'll also want to add some speaker simulation/IRs, but there's loads of software that can do this for you.

[@Dany12156]

If you are now like me , who was watching this video before deciding to buy one , just keep in mind , that it is budget tube amp, which means that manufacturer can play with components quite frequently and without noticing it somewhere or changing version number . I bought this amp Summer 2021 and my revision does not break up on gain 12:00 and volume 5:00 like on Elmos video. It barely starts to break up on full gain and full volume and 1w attenuated .On these settings its loudness is unacceptable for multi-appartment building, because default speaker Celestion Seventy 80 is 80watt peak and 40watt RMS. Other comments in different reviews , confirm multiple changes throught the years in schematic , tubes manufacturer and other components. So the best thing would be to try before you buy. For me , i can use it only like clean amp so far and to use distortion i need to replace speaker to Celestion Green(Cream)back 25Watt - 90EUR used or Celestion Blue 15W 190-220 EUR used in order to get natural distortion out of this amp without blowing the walls. Which will make this budget amp cost around 350 to 500 EUR already , which is already going to different price category... Besides that , very very good amp. Highly recommend! UPDATE: I`ve replaced stock Seventy 80 (80Watt) with some used Jensen P12r Alnico Vintage 80 (25Watt) that costed me around 80 EUR and now it is much much better . Sound became more texturised and this strange woofing bass sound has gone. It is still breaks up on too loud level, though. May be something wrong with tubes , they are stock and are noname china ones.

[@pyroguitars1296]

Interesting. Thanks. I didn't think about component/schematic changes. Mine arrives next week. Wish me luck. 😅

[@toneranger]

Wow interesting. Could you not use a pedal in front of it to hive you distortion at 1W?

[@vincentl.9469]

it's a budget amp, so in a senses it IS too good to be true in that some will sound great, others crap ..

[@kevinlynch5925]

We have got so caught up in buying name brands , the rest of the world has caught up with name brand quality and at a cheaper price!

[@werewolflover8636]

LOL no! All amps have a different sound and this one sounds nothing like a English made Silver Jubilee or American handmade amp that are made by small companies! Yes it’s cheap and it’s fine for a practice amp but this isn’t in the same league as a 100w amp!

[@GothJedi]

@@werewolflover8636Lol yes! That’s like saying Harley is the only company that makes good motorcycles or Apple is the only company that makes good phones. The point is that we have options nowadays and we shouldn’t be defaulting to name brands all the time

[@GordonHenderson-g6y]

It's the same circuit that Laney use in the Cub series, aside from the reverb and that this is switchable 15w/1w not dedicated outs (tbh all the rebranded versions, of which there are many, all missed a trick where having a pot to dial wattage in is infinitely more usable). Badge engineering in the music instrument sector is very real.

[@guyfawkes8873]

@@werewolflover8636 And OP wasn't talking about a handwired english made amp. He was talking about the tons of Made in China (probably from the same factory as this one, as there really is only one big OEM) by large manufacturers that sell for 2 to 4 times as much as this amp, despite being of the same quality.

[@danielbarbieri8199]

It seems that it is a rebranded LC15 into another cab

[@lucabartoliniprof]

Hi Elmo. Mine is arrived yesterday. You are right, Tube amp sound is amazing (I always use solid state amps before). Your video convinced me to break my little pig of money and buy this amp. Thanks a lot!

[@MrPolevaulter]

Glad to hear :)

[@Tilbily]

Kicking myself. Bought the katana 50 last summer, discovered this later. Kick, kick, kick. Being a lifelong living room player, no gigging, the 1W option in a tube amp is imo what most big name brands are missing.

[@carloswhomusic]

My experience is that the 1W setting on 15/20-watt tube amps ..... doesn't sound like, or as good as, the full-power setting. Just my experience. The reduction in power takes all the balls out of the tone.

[@phlag35]

@@carloswhomusic Im wondering, if one would want an amp purely for home practice at lower volumes, would the tube5 be a better choice, being able to use more of its power, or would the tube15 still sound better because of its 12" speaker despite being in 1w mode or volume turned very low? I have a hard time deciding, hopefully having heard both you can answer that question.

[@xeentjelief]

I bought one, barely used for 175. Great Little amp which got me into playing again after 15 years and I loved every hour hour of it... After it heats up for the first 10 minutes anyway.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Great to hear!

[@hichembell9972]

I'm a fan of your channel, really love your non biased and objective attitude regarding gear

[@MrPolevaulter]

Thank you very much. I really appreciate it.

[@TubeRadiosRule]

Same as the Monoprice 15 watt amp. I just got one and I like it so far!

[@куглаземаљска]

Greasy and juicy, that is a proper description of Elmo's playing. That HB amp is pure art of manufacturing.

[@vincentl.9469]

cheap labour, cheap components, cheaper factory rates. It all adds up !!

[@derekz0r]

In North America we have the Monoprice Stage Right 15W, after watching this video I bought it. I got it yesterday and it also came with JJ tubes. I got to say, playing on a tube amp, and this one, in particular, is a game-changer, my pedals respond way better, the clean is very responsive, and when I push my OD/Distortion pedal, omg, it's just too good, the sound is so clear!. Thanks again for doing an honest review! Have a great day Mr Elmo! :D

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cheers!

[@angarcm23]

Did you get it from Amazon or monoprice website?

[@derekz0r]

@@angarcm23 bought it from the monoprice website and used another courier to ship it to Canada. I'm glad I bought this and not another modelling or solid state amp

[@mike1967sam]

Elmo, I have to admit I've missed you and your amazing straight to the point videos, cheers from sunny Portugal...well not so sunny now because it's winter.

[@b.j.thomas3264]

When on the fence of doubt ALWAYS watch an Elmo gear review video! I need one! Thanks!

[@MrPolevaulter]

Any time!

[@strumbum946]

Harley Benton TUBE15 or MONOPRICE 15-watt Stage Right? I believe they are the same Amp with different badges. Great sounding Tube Amps for the price... Thanks for the review.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Yep. Same amp. Great sound :)

[@bluestudio67]

HB matches the tubes though, whereas Monoprice doesn't.

[@stephanematis]

I remembah Paris! This thing really drove that cab well. A tube-screamer will make real happy noises... simple designs like this are great. Thanks for the great demo Elmo. Keep it up!

[@MrPolevaulter]

Thanks man :)

[@klopfer_im_baellebad]

I have the katana… so many options … but… well it sounds always so sharp. And this tube 15 I have as well sounds like magic for me :D

[@PeteBasel]

I'd like to see the schematic for this thing, something to consider is that when there's distortion it matters where you apply EQ, or rather setting the tone early on in the amp stages allows control of what distorts first, mids or very top end. Then once the signal is distorted use the bass, mid, treble to shape the tone for the best overall sound. Non-linear systems are complicated, yes I'm an engineer. If you want to test this out, drive it hard into distortion then vary the tone and listen to see if the distribution of the distortion changes, use bass, mid, treb just to get the final tone how you like it.

[@salandit7461]

I'm liking this video just cause of the guitar playing itself! Great demo as well!

[@MrPolevaulter]

Glad to hear it!

[@mikaeljohansson83]

Can only agree:) Got my HB 15 a week ago and Im happy:)

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cool bananas :)

[@MrZootalores]

Elmo tx for the video using all kinds of tonal playing to show what this little amp can do.mine came with all "JJ" tubes!!i got it oct '22 & just ordered another one, for my niece(she doesn't know it yet).when you plug this into a 4 X 12 cabinet OMG! wish i'd had this 30 yrs ago insted of that twin reverb that i couldn't get to break up-without the cops showing up!

[@alexdenton6586]

This video convinced me I'm going to buy it with a Harley Benton extreme metal pedal and a Behringer noise reducer and it will be perfect 👌🏻🤌🏻 Nothing like a good tube amp with a celestion speaker.

[@bluestudio67]

Did you ever get it, and if so, what do you think of the HB combo?

[@BAKEMONOMX]

My favorite channel of guitar stuff and I am not guitarist 👌

[@MrPolevaulter]

Thank you :)

[@dimitrisaivaliotis5616]

You mean you are not quitarist.. until now.. xxxaaa

[@robotx4242]

I have the Monoprice Stage Right U.S. version. I run a Boss ME-70 or Boss GT-100 right into the front and get all the tones I need. The amp I bought open box for $170 and the multi-fx pedals used. Great tone on the cheap. Sounds comparable to my more expensive gear.

[@charlesfarrant6819]

What do you run into the front of it? Im just getting some budget gear together and have no idea what ill need, what do you recommend with this amp? Besides my guitar and the amp what will i need or want? Thanks so much if you do answer my question :)

[@robotx4242]

​@@charlesfarrant6819 The amp by itself sounds good from clean to dirty classic rock type tones. All I need is a little chorus/delay/reverb. I use Boss multi-fx pedals in front. There are other brands that are good, I'm just familiar and satisfied with Boss/Roland products. I would recommend one of the higher end versions that include a wah/volume pedal. That will get you started with a wide variety of sounds on a modest budget.

[@jayz6008]

@@robotx4242wouldn’t it be better to run the pedal in the fx loop?

[@robotx4242]

@@jayz6008 I run the amp clean so it's not a big deal. I have a Marshall DSL40 that I use the FX loop because I like the distortion from the amp.

[@andreil1234]

@Elmo Karjalainen - It's your demo that made me aware of this amp so have to thank you. I've run a good local deal on a (barely) used one for 2/3 of its cost and I'm tonally (sic!) loving it :-) Had some much more expensive ones but they just didn't cut it at home. This one is brilliant, even without pedals.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Glad to hear 😊

[@andreil1234]

@@MrPolevaulter To paraphrase a certain comic strip: Ebeneezer was strictly a single channel man :)

[@andreil1234]

It has something a Vox AC15 and a Plexi fan would enjoy while being very home use friendly. Its spring tank is also quite usable compared to digital reverbs on most combos. But most of all, just plugging in direct and doing your thing simply works with this guy.

[@GroundbreakGames]

Mine just arrived. Holy shit does this thing sound beautiful through my telecaster. No pedals even needed.

[@leonthompson8988]

I have 2 cheap celestions in a open back pine cab and they sound great.

[@dougmurphy1777]

I have one of these (though here in Australia they're marketed with the brand name RMS), and I absolutely love it! Plus the attenuation button is perfect for practicing at bedroom levels. There are some minor cosmetic differences among the brands - for example, mine has the numbers 0 to 10 on all the knobs, and I believe the Monoprice Stage Right version has a silver panel behind the knobs while on mine it's black.

[@chicoxiba]

thats sick, I didn't know RMS, thanks for commenting. Do you use it with effects?

[@dougmurphy1777]

@@chicoxiba I do indeed - it's a great pedal platform!

[@cartermac64]

Where did you get it?

[@dougmurphy1777]

Riffs and Licks music in Brisbane - I don't think many other places carry them

[@jonahcombs451]

My friend found an rms solid state 1 ×8 combo that sounds gnarly and fuzzy. Its pretty cool. When i look for the brand i cant find much information or units for sale here in the states. Interesting to hear its related to harley benton.

[@BBF3]

The Tube15 is a no-brainer. Sounds good, and for the price of roughly about €250 it is a steal. Some people say the stock speaker is not good, but I disagree. It is maybe not the best speaker, but is more than only usable. And it weights less than many other speakers, what helps to keep the Tube 15 quite easy to transport. Mine is soundwise a little bit on the warm side, but with Tone (presence) almost full up and Treble also very high, it sounds great with warmer sounding humbucker guitars. It takes pedals quite well, so I am able to use it as a practice amp with heavy metal pedals in front of it. The reverb is also decent, and in case you don't like the built-in reverb, put your favorite reverb pedal in the effects loop. The one-watt switch doesn't change the sound (in my ears), it just reduces the volume. Still one watt can ve rather loud, if you want, but if you do not want, the Tube15 can easily be set to bedroom volume levels. It is an ideal amp for home practice, for band rehearsals (if your drummer is not tooooo loud) and also for pub gigs etc. As said, if you want more or just a different overdrive/distortion as the one build in, hang a pedal in front of it. Buy the Harley Benton/Stageright Tube15 as long as it is available. Just do it, do not hesitate.

[@strumlead8741]

I have the same amp from Stage Right (via Monoprice) and it really is an awesome amp; paid under $180 new. Some reviews suggest it beats Fender's Blues Jr. for the price point. The material wrapping the wood is peeling off slightly in the back.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Yep, really good. Especially for the price.

[@musical3x]

How did you got 180? Strumlead site says 213

[@strumlead8741]

@@musical3x I got it before news spread and demand rose!

[@sniperking1990]

​@@musical3xwait for it to hit a sale and find a coupon code. I ended up finding a $50 off 200 code and it was on sale for 219

[@johngloverii1499]

I realize this was 2yrs ago, but I recently watched a video on 5 valve or "tube" amps that are in the affordable price range. And this one was on the list. I'm very impressed with it so I'm going to get one and give it a go. I appreciate your honest feedback on what you think of it! I think when you ran into the weird resonance thing you should have turned your pedals off to see if that may have been the cause when switching to the 1 watt setting. But you know a lot more about that stuff than I do. Thanks again and keep shredding!

[@infoscholar5221]

I think I'll pick one up. I already have two HB guitars, and am well pleased with them. I have been a Fender man since the early 80s, but HB does a lot of things right, and they are Fender spec modable, so, profit.

[@brandonbeach2141]

maybe the resonance was tube rattle, being more noticeable when the wattage/volume was lower?

[@freebirdinct410]

I love your reviews because you are such a fantastic player! I enjoy your playing, you make it look so easy but I know you have a lifetime of practice in those bionic fingers of yours. Keep it up. I do love this amp and it is now on my list.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Glad you like them!

[@GabrielNacu]

Another great video Elmo! Im sure Thomann/Harley Benton will love a freeze-frame of you saying "WHY IS THIS SOOO GOOOD?!" hahaha

[@MrPolevaulter]

Haha :D They probably will :)

[@DMSProduktions]

@@MrPolevaulter They will MEME you! ;oP

[@crawltochina]

The weird resonance you are hearing are the cheap China tubes. I exchanged the amp two times before I got one without rattle. I would have changed the tubes myself but wasn’t able to bias the amp. I totally agree with you, it’s a phenomenal amp! I wanted an amp for the living room, what I got is totally giggable tube goodness for a phenomenal price.

[@totalynotfunnyguy6581]

There’s a video showing changing the tubes in this amp almost makes no difference the guy who did it is darrelbraunguitar I think

[@MrPolevaulter]

Yeah, really good amp. Darrell Braun didn't have a rattle.

[@gti1647]

The "rattle" are the tube retainer springs which aren't fitted correctly. It happened to me when it arrived. Easy fix (power off!). The creamy tolex colour matches the "creamy" tone from this amp....you say the 5watt version has 6V6 power tube? Sounds very "fenderish",but I'm interested...Elmo for President!

[@Islandsoundzz]

Just a suggestion, but how about doing a video where you upgrade the tubes and the speaker to maybe a V30 and test whether there is a major difference? Additionally, how does this match up to the Bugera V22?

[@MrPolevaulter]

Darrel Braun already did a video where he upgraded the tubes. Not much of a difference. Upgrading the speaker might be something. Also comparing it to the Bugera might be a good idea.

[@PhilTheViolinist]

Would you say this is a worthy upgrade to the og Roland MicroCube?

[@MrPolevaulter]

I'd say so, although it doesn't have effects. But it sure sounds good.

[@buzzburb1]

Amp sounds awsome in contrast to !

[@jamiemascola6614]

I picked one of these amps up about 4 months ago. I literally bought a supersonic 22 a month prior and I honestly like this combo more... ...and I've always been a Fender Amp kinda guy! There's a simple mod to rebias the second gain stage that will revoice the amp from a JCM800 preamp style to a plexi, or even blues Jr Fender gain structure. You can find more info via google. But it revolves around R27, the cathode bias network for V1A in the schematic. Elmo, thanks for doing an open minded review on a real sleeper of an amp. It would be a great value at 2 or even 3 times the price. And it's good to see a detailed gear review done by someone who actually has really good hand tone. There a number of popular reviewers who I just can't watch because they're collectors and historians who never learned how to make a string vibrate cleanly or consistently. It's hard to evaluate how a piece of gear actually sounds in their hands. And you sir, are certainly NOT one of them! Killer playing,, Elmo. Great playing, great content, great reviews. Keep it up!

[@MrPolevaulter]

Thank you very much. I really appreciate it.

[@RickMichaelis63]

Another cool video Emma looks like I’m gonna be ordering a Harley Benton but I will never sell my Marshall or my fender to make room for this new little amp cheers have a great day sir Elmo

[@MrPolevaulter]

Thanks! :)

[@DarthEcoli]

For the price of these Thommans and Monoprices, you won't have to sell things to make room.

[@austinpowers8089]

I looked at this vid (and a lot of others) when I was wondering whether to buy one. Bought one. Love it. Thank you.

[@MrPolevaulter]

And thank you :)

[@Peasmouldia]

The "weird resonance" could be the valves are not properly held in place by the clips. A few of these amps have this issue. Easily sorted. Thanks and blessings.

[@guenterbortz5957]

Wow, all i miss is a DI/Line out to have a little stereo rig! Love your playing and judging. Go on....

[@MrPolevaulter]

Thanks!

[@grimoire7851]

some pedals have 2 outputs can hook 2-3 amps

[@kevindenyer5602]

I have to say you are so utterly completely right about this amp. I had a Blackstar htr5mk 2 which was ok and did lots of cool things with it's gain channel but i needed good clean tone..the clean on the ht was shite..in comparison to this. This does as you say.."less" but it does it sooo good at a ridiculously cheap price. A decent overdrive pedal is all i need with it.

[@markjones7365]

I’ve had this amp for several months now,and I love it.I’m thinking about upgrading the speaker to either a vintage 30,a greenback or a 70th anniversary.has anyone done this,and with which speaker? Mark

[@youreatoilet]

Can confirm I swapped the speaker out for a greenback and I love it, admittedly it wasn't as big of a difference as I was expecting but don't regret it nonetheless! Would say the greenback sounds a bit better for that mid 60's to early 70's rock sound, especially with a single coil guitar but honestly the stock speaker is absolutely fine! I also swapped the stock tubes out for some JJ's.

[@nylonsteel]

copy of Laney ,I have the monoprice version ,Its good. Thought the reverb cuts out occasionally after a year of use

[@MrPolevaulter]

Need to try out one of those Laneys.

[@bradnewport7896]

I've got the monoprice version myself. Not a fan of the stock 70/80 speaker but it sounds good through my 1x12 randall v30 cab and my ampeg 4x12. Ive seen some vague mentions of mods to the circuit to improve a few things but I still haven't been able to find any in depth talk about it to see what exactly was changed. I may throw a cream back in the stock cab and see how that sounds.

[@DarthEcoli]

@@MrPolevaulter Cub 12R is same amp, just different cosmetics.

[@nsrd100]

I bought this amp because of you, and you know what? :P I do not regret! Great for bedroom exercises

[@MrPolevaulter]

Glad to hear :)

[@goodboogie]

Considering buying this for my teen daughter as she moves from acoustic guitar to e-. Seems much more simple then one of the amps with dozens of presets and digital tricks.

[@DirkGentley42]

I've played for a few years and have still not got to grips with my modelling amp, i much prefer having the basic control over one good sound compared to 100 OK sounds.

[@magnusberger6762]

I don’t need another amp, but if I was a student and needed a cheap one to bring to gigs and stuff I would have bought this, replaced the speaker with a Neo Creamback, change the grill cloth and remove the labels. :) Adjust the level of gain with the guitar and add an RC booster for solos.

[@rula42]

I changed speaker (vintage60) spring tank and tubes (SovTek).It's a $ 990 amp now

[@chrismurray2978]

I agree that the 15 sounds cool. I've heard it only in KZbin vids but you can sort of tell by a process of elimination from what you've heard before from certain Celestion speakers, and amps you know what it would be in your own room. To me it sounds as if the power tubes max out , but do it sort of fast and tightly, giving it a percussive compression that's tonality like an AC 30, but because of the lower power and number of tubes( and maybe not class A output) it sounds a little softer and sweeter.Wonder what it sounds like if a similar circuit was made with 6V6's in the output, Its got me wondering wow. Maybe they could do a head only version, leaving you to choose speakers and carry smaller package.Good to see you play it, Elmo, I've been seeing others playing it on KZbin, and it sounds the same( but better with you playing it. Keep it up!

[@MrPolevaulter]

Thank you very much Chris :)

[@joachimdahl233]

That got me also thinkin... great comment.

[@sl.is.google]

That was some sweet tones in there. Fantastic.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Glad you like it!

[@vincentlewis1297]

Ordered, thanks for the review!

[@mikkobr]

Hey Elmo. Kiitti for your vids. I love them! You say yes, I buy! BTW: I find Karjalainen easier to pronounce than the alternative name you proposed, which I still don't understand. :)

[@detlevcohrs4319]

Hi, i have order today one and the -Harley Benton R-446 Blood Metallic i hope it is all good. LG Detlev

[@gpwx]

We had a similar resonance on ours and it was the chi power tubes , once replaced with matched JJs the problem was gone … Flip the amp inverted and tap around the chassis with your fingers ( power OFF ) , if you hear a rattle try removing the tubes , see if that gets rid of it .

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cool!

[@micksterminator3]

I found one under monoprice for 159 USD in 2017 (also had a discount code for like 20% off or so.) Wish I had purchased a second one at that price! I have v1 where the controls are mounted on the top, it has weird resonance issues as well. The handle vibrates at high volumes and some of the screws seem loose. Great review,

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cheers!

[@popsfereal]

I have the same amp- Stage Right by Monoprice. I got it for $200 on sale. I run it with a 2x12" The new ones come with better tubes. Unbeatable value.

[@popsfereal]

It does go into OD rather early- around 3 on the gain. I installed a 12at7 tube to get a bit more headroom.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Yep. Absolutely brilliant amp.

[@terencehealy5110]

Still got the blues 😁 nice revue on a very affordable value amp love Harley Benton products 😇

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cheers!

[@jamieolson766]

I was saving for a Blues Junior. Now I'm thinking of this amp since it's 1/3 the price (Monoprice 15).

[@277southtombob]

I’ve tried Blues Jrs several times and never quite bonded with one stock, at least not $600 worth. I ordered one of these, I think it’ll be perfect for a grab and go amp and you can’t beat the price.

[@RUSTY-A-L]

Excellent demo Elmo think I might buy one come Black Friday, upgrade from my Rogue G10.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cool :)

[@marklowe7431]

The resonance may be the reverb spring you can hear un-amplified

[@SkonrokkenTV]

Still looking for clean amp sound at low volumes, this looked really promising, but a little too much gain at low settings. But the price is hard to beat. Basically a Blues JR for a quarter of the price. Too much british sound for my taste, looking for that clean fender sound with reverb. But again great value for the monies for blues players.

[@PPanossss]

Hey Elmo , great video and great playing.I never had a valve amp so i don't have any idea about how long the valves will last. In an average couple hours of daily use how often should they be replaced Thanks a lot!!

[@MrPolevaulter]

I'm not sure. It can vary a lot. But you'll notice when they need replacing. As long as the amp works, there's not really a need to replace them in my experience.

[@ctcards2636]

A few things i did to my Stage Right 15. V1 Reflektor 6n2p-ev (using 6n2 to 12ax7 adaptor) V2 Reflektor 6n2p-ev (using 6n2 to 12ax7 adaptor) V3 NOS RCA 12at7 P1 Reflektor 6p14p-ev P2 Reflektor 6p14p-ev Adjust the bias (It was biased very very cold, a reason for lack of headroom) 3 spring MOD reverb tank New shielded RCA reverb cable Shielding Tape added to inside of cab where chassis goes. EHX 12TS8 30watt 12in Speaker 8ohm. (Made by Eminence) ^ This speaker blows away the 70/80. I think thats about it and the amp went from ok to really really nice sounding amp. All of the mods above can be done for around $100 or so. But this could make a fun project for some of yall and really get to hear what this amp can do. And remember folks that Tone knob is like a Vox Tone Cut, so read up on how that works so you understand how to set it. Once you discover how that works getting sounds out of this amp is much easier. :-) With the 5watt model they sell i did the following Replaced 100uf/450v cap on main board with a 22uf/450v Replaced stock Super 8 Celestion with a Celestion 8 15 V1 Reflector 6n2p (using 6n2 to 12ax7 adaptor) V2 NOS GE 6v6 Made this amp a monster lil 5 watt. Added some reverb and this amp can do a lot more than it could stock.

[@Frewster]

Thanks for literally answering all the questions I had about this little ripper, really helpful video, idiots like me wouldn't have thought about your compression affecting the difference between 1/15w. Don't really see any downsides to a £200 valve amp and I don't think I'm gonna find any now :')

[@RUSTY-A-L]

They advertise a 1x12" cabinet that can plug into the amp, wonder what that might sound like!

[@DarthEcoli]

I have the Monoprice version of this and plugged into a 2x12 combo I used as a cab. It ripped. Shitty Blue Marvels, but still good. I haven't drug my 2x10 greenback cab out yet, but damned keen.

[@qua7771]

The Celestion 12 inchV-30 speaker is a lot louder than the 8 as well.

[@DMSProduktions]

Sounds good El! I have the MONOPRICE version of this amp. It has a really GOOD, Accutronics 3 spring reverb tank! The speaker is rubbish however. I use Lorantzs exclusively, and although not quite as loud, it sounds heaps better! Pretty good for a FREE amp! Rock on! \m/

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cheers!

[@DarthEcoli]

I too have the Monoprice and feel the speaker is ok, but the Spring tank is rubbish. Luckily, MOD tanks are $30, and my 2x10 greenback cab will work fine with it. Borrowed the Blue Marvels in my Peavey twin, and it ripped.

[@DMSProduktions]

@@DarthEcoli You must have an old 1. The 1 I got has the much better Accutronics 3 spring tank, & it sounds lovely! I'll pass on ANY PV speaker! Total junk! I will stick with my Lorantzs!

[@AlexisGuitars]

Great review mate! This is definitely on my wish list now.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cheers Alexis!

[@Gusramosferreira]

In mine too, and I have the 50w Katana

[@swinneydillan]

Sounds like your Bridge pickup is more powerful than your neck pickup the volume increases much more on your Bridge pickup I have one of these had it for 3 years very good little amp. I have Texas specials and it gets incredibly loud

[@vfamily2406]

Another great an honest review. I would love to see you review some strings! What brand do you use?

[@MrPolevaulter]

Been thinking of doing that. I use GHS Boomers.

[@gushutchinson8758]

You sold it to me! couple ofnaive questions its a while agoso ihope you get this 1 can I use it as a computer speaker formy imac? can it be used asan electronic drum kit amp/speakers? appreciation/&thanks in advance and i hear you've got madly great tonejust in your fingers..positively eel over wet waterminty meadow slicknes with your notes ...zinging alinwithgjust a splashing of devils bit scabious ah that sweet may morning dew

[@milankotevski1663]

@@gushutchinson8758 boring.

[@cpfs936]

Surprisingly good for the money!

[@francoreia8147]

I got one , the wires holding the tubes down on mine buzz but I don't care well unless bad for the tubes I don't know.

[@jimcamp2423]

A Monoprice 15W that Harley Benton rebadged. Sounds good though, not even for the money as a disclaimer/qualifier.

[@launchone260]

That amp looks exactly like the 15 wat stage right amp. It's a fender blues clone. Monoprice sells it for 200 dollars.i bet it's the exact same amp with a different name on it. Its a good amp. The chicken knobs feel cheap...and the cabinet is pressed board. But as you can hear its sounds pretty good.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Yeah, it's the Stage Right.

[@bloodypura5385]

Waiting for this little guy (Harley Benton Tube15). I'm quite sure it's gona sound so great with my Malmsteen's Fender and my little YJM 308 in front ^^ (and maybe the NS-2 as well haha) Thanks for your test Karja... "this guy" ^^

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cheers :)

[@rosstapson]

What a nice deal. Thanks for a great video and a great channel, Elmo, lovely playing.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@alexdenton6586]

Imaging you put a Hesu demon speaker in there … and use a Revv g3 pedal with it

[@ezraryckewaert4698]

I can get a bugera v22 used. Would you recommend this one or the bugera?

[@MrPolevaulter]

Probably this. If you need tons of volume, then the Bugera. But I did like this more.

[@jarmoleponiemi1943]

Hauska T-paita :-) Tosta tuli mieleen sellainen, että " Kuollessa pitää olla niin paljon velkaa, että omaiset itkee aidosti". Hienoa soittoa, iso peukku!

[@michael-dy8tz]

I really like it, I just now bought one today Dec., 1 2023.

[@Sortedman23]

Super demo Elmo , very informative and straightforward, with no bull or hype, thank you!

[@MrPolevaulter]

My pleasure!

[@carloswhomusic]

Great channel, Elmo. The REAL test: clean headroom? FULL VOLUME, still clean? Maybe it could be a pedal platform? I wonder how long it stays clean, before breakup at full power? 😋 My Ibanez Tube Screamer head (15 watts) is not loud enough to use with a medium volume drummer.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cheers!

[@socialmeaslesinpartnership1252]

Not enough headroom to play clean at gig/drumkit/rock levels. Great with pedals, great for Friday evening P.T.A. gigs - line dancing stuff.

[@achillesazi]

Hey man, love your stuff! In your opinion, which is the better overall amp for the money, is the bugera v5 or v22 worth the extra money compared to the harley benton tube5 or this tube15? Thanks man!

[@MrPolevaulter]

If you need volume, then the V22 has more of it. Other than that I'd go for one of the Harley Bentons.

[@achillesazi]

@@MrPolevaulter thank you for your advice, I really appreciate it!

[@andrewnuzzo7919]

ELMO, IM SO GLAD YOU DID THESE HARLEY BENTON VIDEOS ON THEIR AMPS. I ABSOLUTELY TRUST IN YOUR OPINIONS AND IM ALL ABOUT THE TUBE SCEEN AND A SMALL PRACTICE AMP/SMALL BAND AMP WITH THE FEATURES OF THIS ONE A 12"SPEAKER FOR HEADROOM 1WATT/15WATT AND IM LIKE YOU GOTTA HAVE THE FX LOOP. IM SOLD ON THIS ONE FROM HARLEY BENTON AND THEY SHOULD BE PAYING YOU FOR THESE VIDS BRO. I LOVE YOUR CHANNEL YOUR PLAYING IS AWESOME AND IM ALSO GOING TO CHECK INTO YOUR WEB PAGE FOR SCHOOLING ON PLAYING. I NEED IT SO BADLY. UAHGGGG. THE GUITAR WIZARD PEACE GUITARS N ROCK N ROLL

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cheers Andrew!

[@seanalexander6310]

but will it chug?

[@guskalogeros9021]

Fantastic channel. I’ve been a fan for a bit now

[@MrPolevaulter]

Awesome, thank you!

[@steventhomas231]

This or the katana? Ive recently sold my blackstar silverline 20w as i felt it was boxy sounding and lacked dynamics. Ive moved to the katana. The clean tone is nice but not so much the overdrives. They all sound pretty thin to me.

[@franckgauthier1978]

Maybe it's like good men : they don't last long. How is yours today ? I bought one by the way and it sounds really good to me, i just had an issue with the first I received (1W/15W button activating at times without pressing it) so I returned it to Thomann and they sent me a new one that works fine. I'm really happy with it, I've always been used to my Marschall Valvestate 20W (my very first amp which is still great for the use I make of it) but I've always dreamt about having a tube amp so, this is a dream come true to me !

[@MrPolevaulter]

It's alive and well.

[@franckgauthier1978]

@@MrPolevaulter thanks !

[@DaveDG]

Hi Elmo, Thanks for the great review! I have a question, does maybe the Tube 5 sound more Fendery and the Tube 15 more Marshally? Which one would you suggest for someone looking for a Fender tone? (it's hard to make a comparison based on the videos).. Of course the 15 appeals me more, for the better sounding speaker and more features. Any advice? Thank you!!

[@MrPolevaulter]

Thanks! Not sure which sounds more Fendery. Personally I'd go for the 15.

[@backspin6698]

Great review. I'm very happy with mine.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Great to hear!

[@jasonking2976]

Hmm, a tricky one. Having seen the Daryl video of this amp as well, the construction looks pretty rough, so you may have a point about longevity and quality. Tbh though, that is around £215, so less than half the price of a Blues Junior or a AC15...amazing! Not sure I would want to gig it, but for bedroom players it's a great deal; especially as it has the 1 to 15 watt switch. For me, by the time I switched the speaker and the tubes, I may as well buy something of better quality to start with, but it certainly has it's place.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Absolutely.

[@peterhicks6328]

good looking. good sounding. good value.

[@robertclarkguitar]

I keep going back to your older vids when I'm waiting. Love your style. Much like my sons with such talent and variety. Killer!

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cheers!

[@Naughtez]

Awesome review, loved the detail. It's not exactly a huge amount of money, but this vid has convinced me to part with it. Good work! New subscriber too.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Thank you very much :)

[@brandonkoch3852]

Just ordered the monoprice version via Amazon.it will be my 1st play on a tube amp in quite some time. I currently have a katana 100w head with a Marshall 2x12 slant cab that i love.so if i cant coax decent cleans out of the monoprice. I will at least have that to fall on.plus I'm wondering how great the monoprice might sound with the 2x12 cab.cant wait.hoping it inspires me to record more than i have been lately.cheers and thanks for the review!

[@MrPolevaulter]

Thanks! Hope you enjoy it.

[@andrewnuzzo7919]

I TAKE IT YOU ANSWERED ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS IT SAME AS THE MONOPRICE/STAGE RIGHT AMP AS I THOUGHT IT WAS. I HEAR ALL GREAT THINGS ABOUT THESE AMPS AND IM GETTING THIS ONE EXACTLY. THANKS

[@TutoJam]

Ok you won. I ended up purchasing this (b stock in perfect conditions to save something). I have to be honest, I always thought tube amps to be obsolete and too expensive but..... MY GOD I was wrong, this cannot be the best tube amp but I feel like I never really heard my guitars. I am doomed, I will never turn back. Thanks for your reviews, your enthusiasm really got me, otherwise me eyes would be still close

[@221b-l3t]

With modeling you can model a tube amp in one particular state, at one setting etc... but you'll never get the variety of tones that you get just by turning one knob a little on the amp or guitar. You'd essentially need infinity amp models in your memory bank to replicate what one tube amp can do. Look at the Plexi, simple one channel amp, not even master volume like this one and it does everything from Fender clean to Jimi Hendrix, Clapton, Malmsteen, Judas Priest etc... the versatility is enormous, especially if you add a drive pedal and say an EQ. Then you have practically infinite sounds you can make. And even with all settings identical it won't always make the same sound, due to the analog nature, so many factors, how hot are the tubes etc... that gives it that hard to describe feeling of being alive, you never quite know what you'll get. And this is a fine amp, it's basically a Laney Cub 15, same PCB everything, Thomann bought the IP since Lanry discontinued it, so really this is a 600€ boutique amp, with a cheaper speaker (which is perfectly fine). Tube amp can be frustrating but I think it's still worth it amd will always be. PAFs or 50s Fender single coils are far from the pinnacle in technology but will anything ever sound better? Probably not. They last a long time too, since most stress is put on the tubes and they can be replaced. In a transistor amp if you break it, it's gone, it wouldn't be worth fixing unless it's some super rare and special amp. I highly recommend an EQ in the FX loop. Then you can really do anything including a volume boost for solos.

[@221b-l3t]

BTW speaker is a huge impact. So give that a try sometime and the little amp may surprise you even more. Greenback or Creamback is my recommendation. After that it's all you need. Most gigs the amps are miced so it doesn't matter it's 15 W.

[@darrensnk]

Hi Elmo, have you any opinions on acoustic amps was thinking of a Marshall as50d. Not a rich man so what I buy will be it for a long time. Want something I could hook I mic up to also. Not a gigger but just want to enjoy with family and friends.

[@wannapg3750]

That amp is the same as the 15 watt Stage Right amp sold by Monoprice. I think they had it first. I might be wrong about who was first. But, it is the same amp.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Indeed.

[@roywarriner8441]

The stage right comes with JJ tubes now.