Monoprice Stage Right - The Cheapest Tube Amp I Have Ever Tried!

[@NintenDub]

This amp is better than anything, Jimi,page,Lennon etc etc etc had before they were actively playing gigs and making money to buy gear. That's the end of the discussion

[@motorbikeray]

A true boss response. 😎👍

[@aaronm.1998]

False

[@ebikes2xs159]

People have to bash anything that doesn't cost a lot. Behringer pedal delusion syndrome.

[@GTX1123]

I play out and this has been my go to for the past five years. It can more than hold its own for smaller venues. I frequently get MAD compliments on my tone from other guitarists at gigs we play at and am asked about this amp. I paid around $200 for it but it's worth $700. CHANGE THE SPEAKER!!! The 70/80 is great for low volumes but it muddies up / farts out at higher volumes. I replaced it with a heavy magnet Warehouse Reaper which is a better version of the Celestion G12H 30 Anniversary. It's PERFECT for this amp. It really tightens up the bottom and at higher volumes it's got solid thump, punch and clarity to cut through the mix for solos. I also swapped out the Chinese tubes with a complete set of JJ's which alleviates the ice pick issue you sometimes get with EL84's. We play a mix of mostly classic hard rock from the 70's with some 80's metal thrown in. This amp NAILS those Marshall JMP tones and will even take you into early JCM territory with the right dist pedal; i.e. it accepts pedals VERY WELL. I have 4 dist pedals on my board. I never use more than one at a time but each pedal gives me a slightly different tone; e.g. the OLDER Wampler Pinnacle for classic rock tones and the Octonaught Hyperdrive for metal. The effects loop is PERFECT and functions well with the other pedals I run in between pre and power sections of the amp. Lastly, placement of this amp on the stage is really important. I would highly recommend you DO NOT use an amp stand. Place it upright on the stage and stick a plexiglass amp shield in front of it. This not only breaks up the beaming effect but really helps with sound dispersal. In most small venues we don't even need to mic it. You could definitely use it for larger venues and mic it - it just depends on how large the stage is; i.e. I have a Marshall clone I use for larger venues.

[@southernpride2003]

I swapped the tubes in my amps for vintage RCA 12AU7 tubes I prefer cleans I also swapped the speaker for a Jensen 100w speaker And for the two knob amp I did the same thing I put the same tubes in except different speaker that one has a 8 inch celestion 100w speaker I play country and rockabilly and bluegrass and blues and jazz my style is more like Luther Perkins I also use Thomastik 12 gauge flats except I swamp the 12s for 9s so I can bend easier HOWDY FROM NORTH CAROLINA I forgot to mention I also changed the grill cloth on both amps oh yeah and for the smaller 8inch speaker tube amp I turned the 1w button into a bright switch I've been playing since I was 6 I'm 21 now

[@pcanarsky]

I've had one for maybe 5 years. Swapped tubes and speaker (changed it to a WGS). It is killer. Really, really good amp.

[@Bobby_Digital37]

Which WGS speaker did you put in?

[@itsmedonp]

I've had this amp for about a year now and I'm very impressed with it.

[@HumbleHeartMinistry]

Ordered one a couple days ago. For the price, all the great reviews and comments from people who have owned it for a while, and it has an effects loop, it just said buy me, buy me! Think it will make a good addition to my studio. Guess I’ll find out in a few days when it arrives.

[@NintenDub]

I just got mine, and as someone who's only ever played solid state, I instantly notice the difference,even with my squier standard strats ceramic magnets

[@MrZootalores]

keep that Squier! i have a lovely '88 Squier Strat & those ceramic pickups feedback anytime a ~sexy thang~ walks by, i love that guitar!!!

[@kh884488]

I've had one of these for about 4 years, bought for about $120 during a sales event. inside the back of the speaker cabinet, the tolex is bending up a bit -- not securely glued down, but otherwise, I'm very happy with it. It was a great deal for the cost.

[@warrendreher9316]

Bought one of these used last year. Amazing little amp. Just got another new one today off Amazon. The OD on these is pretty amazing, very old world Fender but much better imho than the current Blues Juniors. I am using mine on gigs, so much lighter than my tweeds and really delivers. Try one, the new ones have JJ tubes and great OD capabilities. The sounds this guy gets starting at 9:34 are exactly how it sounds. I got my second amp today and played it for 6 or 7 hours straight, ran all my guitars through it.

[@swinneydillan]

I have one of them had it 3 years now me no problems once you break in that speaker the the sound is quite Fuller and working the knobs to dial in that tone that's what you got to do what you do that that's a sweetest sounding up you'll ever hear for that kind of money !

[@TheYjmfan]

These look and sound great, just ordered one. Thanks for the great review.

[@phatboyzband831]

Thanks one of the best amp presentations, very concise and thorough..

[@johnb4024]

If you want to make this amp sound amazing, put a MXR 10 band EQ in the effects Loop. You can dial some of the boxy sound out of it. Mine is there full-time.

[@regthorpe7923]

I know nothing, but can’t the amp’s three band EQ handle most of that sort of thing?

[@HandWiredAmps]

I have this amp and the MXR pedal, I agree with John. The stock EQ, is a Marshall style eq and is limited in range. The amp has an too much low mids in the 250hz range (cut about 6-10 db) and needs a boost around 1K and up (1-3 db) . The eq doesn't have to be the MXR. Changing the speaker does not get rid of the boxyness and general blanket over the speaker sound, that takes a few circuit mods. Of course we all hear and like different sounds.

[@natearchuleta2003]

The amp eq is powerful but limited. I feel like I could pull more upper bass end out of it without having to nerf the bass knob to compensate for it's weird bass response. This is entirely a subjective personal take on my end but I agree with OP.

[@nilesanders5110]

This seems to be based on a VOX AC15 with an effects loop. I own this one. It will function as a bedroom amp or a small venue performance amp. If elevated to table height and mic'd up it will function very well. I have owned big Marshall amps, and this amp does its job very well.

[@nilesanders5110]

I'm making an additional comment. At this price, you can buy two and have those peddles pumping stereo. With two of these with effect loops, your studio options are limitless. Using the gain control, you can get all your time based effects after the preamp distortion. The preamp sounds wonderful.

[@JuanJaim]

I just ordered one yesterday, finally found one at a discount, price on these has been gradually going up! I wanted something that wouldn't be much ofna hassle to haul around so a Blues Junior was a strong contender, but the features on this 15watter got me, and that price! Can't wait to crank it!

[@holygeneration7]

@harrisxxx where did you buy it, I cant find it ?!? thanks.

[@yomommaahotoo264]

I scored mine back when they were $179 to your door. I immediately sealed all the tolex seams with beads of wood glue, swapped out the 70/80 speaker to a much more efficient Wizard I had kicking around, and installed a small dc computer fan inside the rear screen blowing onto the power tubes (to keep the internal chassis components from heat) - any small dc voltage up to 12v will hook to it's alligator clips if wanted. With a good axe and delay pedal these things are Awesome! It's the one that gets all the play over my special edition wine red drri or 2x12 Blues Deville. I've got so many tubes....that's another story in itself, but so far it's been reliable and tasty.

[@MrZootalores]

i haven't done any mods to my SR 15 i bought a yr ago. love the sound & touch sensitive feel of this little amp.plugged it into a 4 X 12 cabinet & it ROARS! i use it for parties & small gigs/nobodys ever gonna steal it!!!

[@Voxguitarsrock]

Thanks Tony. I've been wondering about these for a while now.

[@Voxguitarsrock]

And , sorry I forgot to ask, it's running Chinese tubes I assume? Thanks again Tony.

[@gregpuckey9604]

Nice video showing the amps main capabilities. I have the same amp I got about 4 months ago and was also impressed regardless of buying it for $250. Last year I also bought a Harley Benton TE-52 Vintage Tele and a Harley Benton HB-35 Plus(335 Type) with split coils and both work very well with this amp. The Harley Benton Tube 15 is the exact same amp as the Stage Right amp. I was a Fender, Epi, guy but considering quality and price of the Harley Bentons I've saved a $1000 dollars on the 2 guitars without sacrificing quality or tone. Thank You for a great effort in making your videos. JAM ON !!!

[@justinTime077]

Can you compare those HB axes to something more relatable? I'm thinking of trying some. They're so cheap, and I have a guitar problem. Thanks.

[@gregpuckey9604]

@@justinTime077 The HB-52 is relatable to the Fender Player Telecaster And the HB-35 Plus is comparable to the Gibson 335. They are good guitars, price ,playability, tone, top notch guitars.

[@marcusebenhack9053]

@@justinTime077 My HB TE-52 NA is every bit as nice as my Squier CV 50's Tele for < half the price. Likewise, my HB 550SC II (LP style) is just as nice as my Epi Classic LP, again, for about half the price. The HB LP doesn't coil split or phase shift, but if I want single coil sounds, I'll play a Tele! Don't have anything to compare my HB 35 Plus to but I expect the result would be the quite similar. Harley Benton's, for my money, are about the highest value and quality 'budget' axes I've come across and I've played a lot of 'em. Since I have the Squier Tele and Epi LP I could sell the HB's but given their value I really just can't force myself to do it. They're worth more to me as 'backups' or beaters than I wouild get for them in resale.

[@Sven_Guitar]

Hi, I put an A- Type speaker in it. You get the "american voice" while playing clean and a really more creamy crunch tone. I don't like these harsh and picky sounds... The 70/80 and the C12N made me reduce the treble when turning up the gain. That's gone now! The A- type is also in the Blues Junior 4...

[@stevehusten7940]

I would absolutely buy one of these. Thanks to you and others who commented!

[@MarkJohnsonJams]

Wow I’m surprised how good that little thing sounds. Sounds pretty good indeed. Very good for classic rock tones.

[@jimt6192]

I wish this had two channels, but I can live with one. I ordered one. I will be here in a couple of days. Less than half the price of a blues jr. with more features. I can make a more attractive enclosure if I like later on. I cannot wait to play it.

[@dezionlion]

Buy two! One clean one dirty

[@vapingwithjames3370]

I don’t play guitar but I can say ya sounded awesome playing with that amp. Great video

[@BladeDoomer86]

Great Laney 12 clone, for a great price.. It's pretty much exactly the same amp, so if you like Laney tones, this is it. Speaker change can sound better, but not necessary. Highly recommend it, especially for an all tube amp. It doesn't get more raw than this. It takes pedals very well too! I use it with my Boss BD2 Waza, Ds1, Sd1, DOD Carcosa (Fuzz madness) and a multi-fx unit for delay/reverb 🤗

[@zonkz6947]

yoooo All Them Witches kicks fuckin ass. I just bought this amp myself, excited to get it & break that speaker in at least. good to hear it takes pedals well as i have quite a few... also never had the option of having an FX loop, or natural amp gain even so that's gonna be fun to experiment with. Love some good dirt after my mods & even time-based fx sometimes too.

[@benallmark9671]

@@zonkz6947 well , how do ya like it ?

[@RobVespa]

Thanks for the video. This amp seems to be able to hang with the "big boys" and provides a lot more bang for the buck.

[@renodavid]

Impressive tones. Definitely hearing some nice Beano sounds coming from that little amp with your LP. Thanks!

[@bsbrooks455]

I've had mine for about 2 years now. Bought it when it was on sale for $200 USD. They used to go on sale all of the time, not so often now. It's the perfect jamming amp. I've made 2 mods. Mine came with no name Chinese tubes which were a bit noisy. I swapped them out for some J J's I had lying around in my parts bin. Made a huge difference. The other mod was a 3 spring reverb tank from Antique Electric which was only about $25.00. Now the reverb sounds lush , very Fenderish. I've tried several different speakers in it, including a Celestion Vintage 30, a Jensen (not sure which model), and a 12" Fender out of a Deluxe Reverb. Also play it sometimes through a 2 x 12 cab with Celestion G12 Vintage 30's in it and that sounds awesome. Each speaker sounded different with it's own characteristics, but ultimately I felt the Seventy 80 was just fine. Also, the speaker has had a lot of time to break in and that has made a BIG difference. Another interesting easy mod to try is to swap out the V1 12ax7 with a 12at7. This lowers the gain just a bit and makes the amp sound a bit less brittle with a slightly warmer tone, especially when the gain control is way up. The circuit of this amp is essentially a Laney Cub 12 (which costs 2X the price). The schematics are virtually identical with the only difference being that the Laney uses a digital reverb and the Monoprice has the springs. Much better in my opinion.

[@addictedtogear]

Thanks for the input. It’s a very decent amp indeed!

[@kevinstewart9060]

Does plugging in an external speaker bypass the on board Seventy 80 or are both active?

[@bsbrooks455]

@@kevinstewart9060 Yes, I believe it does turn off the internal speaker if my memory serves me correctly. I usually just use it with the internal speaker only. It sounds just fine to me with the internal speaker. I experimented a while ago with a 2 x 12 cabinet that had a pair of Celestion Vintage 30's in it and I'm 99.5% sure it bypassed the internal speaker.

[@popsfereal]

@@kevinstewart9060 It bypasses the 70/80.

[@popsfereal]

I got one a couple years ago....it had J J's in it.

[@ernestschultz5065]

I have the little monoprice 5 watt amp. I love it, its so cool. A Champ for under $150, I can't remember exactly what I paid for it but it was more than worth it. I'm thinking of getting the 15 watt model so i'm trying to find a way to rationalize it because I'm strictly a bedroom player.

[@natearchuleta2003]

It has a 1 watt mode that's not half bad. The EQ is super potent (in a good way)

[@leewallace842]

Enjoyed the podcast. I was wondering how good the amp sounds. I have a Marshall Class 5 and am happy. But, the Mono Amp would be great for my Grandaughter when she visits. Thanks Tony

[@bluesman354]

Love to hear it with a strat and clean tones? Les Paul sounds awesome though. I have both types.

[@Darrelb07]

I've had mine for 4 years or so . Back then they never came with the JJ's . the same year I bought it I did stick in JJ's tubes and a Eminence Cannabis Rex speaker . The tubes were a great upgrade , and nice to see they come with the JJ's now . The speaker swap was not something needed , I just wanted to try an Eminence .. Cheers ..

[@TrashcanGarage]

Same here. I think I got it for $179 shipped. I performed the same upgrades too in addition to a new MOD reverb tank. My choice of the Eminence Cannabis Rex was a personal preference since they're manufactured close by and I wanted to give them some support.

[@RickFoxx777]

I like the sound of this amp and for the most part the looks as well. However, I have played on stage for over thirty five years and have found that having an amp with the knobs on top of the amp is much better than on the face of it. When you are in a dark club it's a lot easier to adjust your amp if all you have to do is reach down (without looking even) and feel the top of your amp to turn up or down the right knobs. Having said that, my go to amps (depending on the venue) are a Boss katana 50 watt for just goofing around with my friends (which is in my opinion, a better sounding amp than this one for the same price and comes with built in effects to boot), a Tone King Sky King is great for studio work (to pricey for any other venue) or a fender blues jr. which sometimes I use live with a mic if it's a small nightclub gig or party, a 60 W. Fender DeVille 4-10 for parks and larger arena's and last but not least my 59 limited Edition Fender Bassman with 45 watts and 4-10 inch speakers (which honestly I use a lot because of the tone). I realize this example is apples to oranges, but I would rather spend money on a decent non tube amp (Boss Katana 50 MK11 $269.00) than a cheap tube amp (Monoprice 15 watt $250.00) that has not stood the test of time. Even good tube amps require lots of TLC. Something to think about. Just my 2 cents worth. Peace.

[@hadleymanmusic]

Yea my friend has a peavy classic combo knobs on top and they ALL SCRATCHY CLUB CRAPPED OUT

[@house-o-twang]

I bought my son a used Bugera V5 for $150; it has reverb, attenuator & sounds decent for the money. Thanks Tony.

[@warrendreher9316]

I had a Bugera V5, the OD is better on this amp. More like my Bugera V22.

[@matthewtyler-jones8317]

I have a version of this amp, branded Hartwood, from European retailer Gear4Music. It comes with features you might like, a plug-in power cable, black fascia with white print, and a Celestion Vintage 30 speaker instead of the Seventy80. It’s got a sturdy plywood, not MDF case and green vinyl. But it is a little more expensive. I love it.

[@addictedtogear]

Thanks for the tip I will have to check it out!

[@ctcards2636]

I own the 5watt MP and I just ordered the 15 last week, should be here tomorrow. The 5watt is a nice amp after a few mods. Take the 100uf/450v cap out and replace with a 22uf/450v. Replace stock Super 8 speaker with a Celestion 8 15. Put 6n2p-ev in preamp section (using a 6n2 to 12ax7 adaptor) and a NOS GE 6v6GT power tube. Along with a reverb pedal this little amp is amazing and all this can be done for very little $. I look forward to tinkering with the MP15, but i gotta see how it is stock first. I have 3 different speakers im going to try and I have some 6n2p-ev preamp tubes and 6p14p power tubes. I use these power tubes and preamp tubes in just about all of my amps with great results. :-)

[@ctcards2636]

Well today i tried mine with the stock JJ tubes it came with. It was alright, sounded good. But i put in 2 x 6n2p NOS preamp tubes into V1 and V2 and a RCA 12at7 NOS into V3. I put in 6p14p-k power tubes. WOW ! This thing is nice ! I also tried it thru a few different speakers. If you want the brit tone, stick to a Celestion. But if you want an US tone, the Jensen C12K sounded wonderful and to me really brought out more tones overall across the board. The stock speaker is nice but i think the amp sounds much better with the Jensen. Its all about what your going after. I also have the reverb modded with a new tank and i dont get the complaints over the reverb, maybe the Accutronics one that came stock sucked ? But i have a MOD tank (3 spring) in it now and it sounds great. I honestly cant believe this amp sounds this good. I got mine for $135 used, but the person i bought it from had never gigged with it and said the reverb never worked. He sent me a reverb pedal with the amp because of this. But i found that one of the RCA cables was just not plugged in all the way inside the amp. Sweet ! Love this amp and for the money ya cant beat it.

[@ctcards2636]

My biggest complaint is the mirror control plate. I put labels under the controls and marked them tho and the problem is solved. Also the Tone know is like a VOX tone cut control. ;-)

[@ctcards2636]

Yeah watching your video, your reverb is very weak. Def change the tank and/or get a bigger one. As i said i put in a 3 spring drop in MOD tank and it sounds MUCH MUCH better than what yours sounds like in the video. ;-)

[@thedaniel4308]

Just got mine yesterday. Mine came with a Celestion A type speaker. Also non-labeled power tubes with JJ preamp tubes. So far so great. Mine is the Monoprice amp.

[@addictedtogear]

Great budget amps for sure!

[@pressleycaliforniacustoms9526]

These are my usual recommendation to folks wanting to start getting into tube amps on a budget 👍🤘

[@warrendreher9316]

Great review. Just bought one of these used. I own tube and solid state Fenders and this definitely has some great sound, lots of tone variations to play with. Well worth picking up. There are tones reminiscent of early Tweed and Black Face Fenders. The speaker baffle separated during shipping, an easy fix, otherwise a nice amp for smaller gigs for the price. Very much on par with a Blues or Pro Junior. Hard to believe.

[@bradleyard4195]

I have two of these, from when they were loaded with Chinese tubes. Check the bias as soon as you take it out of the box! Both of mine were biased incorrectly, leading to very premature power tube failure. I put Tung-Sol tubes in both, re-biased them to about 12.5 volts, and they've been perfect ever since. I also swapped V1 in both with a 12AT7, and one of them now has an Eminence Legend speaker. They sound ridiculously good together.

[@addictedtogear]

Thanks for your feedback on this!

[@jasonnorris5298]

Why the tube change ? What does it do?

[@bradleyard4195]

@jasonnorris5298 A few reasons... 1. The existing super-cheap Sino tubes were literally failing. So, pulling them and replacing them with a better-grade tube, as well as properly biasing them, was the right thing to do. 2. I swapped a lower-gain tube into V1 of the preamp, though I ultimately moved it to V3. Knowing I was going to be putting a lot of different pedals through my amps, I wanted to increase the clean headroom without sacrificing much in the way of volume. So, a 12AT7 was the way to go. It lowers gain in that one stage by about 20%, giving a bit more clarity without giving up much output. Totally worth it. 3. The existing Sino preamp tubes were... "adequate". Any brand was going to be somewhat clearer and better-sounding. Nowadays, they put JJ tubes in all Monoprice amps, which, while it raises the price significantly, it's worth the money since you'd definitely end up spending it within a few months anyway.

[@justinTime077]

"Solid, quality, well-made" are not words I've seen widely used to describe this cabinet. Quite the opposite. That said, I ordered one. It seems dope for that price.

[@popsfereal]

I've had mine for 2 years of a LOT of playing time- all good so far.

[@guitareMTL]

Mine is very thick and solid, the cab doesn't feel cheap at all...

[@justinTime077]

@@guitareMTL well that’s great! Using a different speaker definitely can make the amp for some

[@sparkyguitar0058]

Someone took the amp head out and gave me the cabinet for free. This thing is solid. I haven't done anything with it yet but Celesion speaker and the reverb box still in it. Need to wire the speaker up with a quarter inch jack and use it with my Banshee 2 talkbox. It has a 5 watt amp in it

[@deanmccaskill5495]

Blues Jr has no standby either. Or mine doesn’t anyway. I think I might get the little 5 W guy of this. I’ve got definitely too many amps and a couple more coming but no 5W so… yeah.

[@dspguitarrebuild5281]

Great little amp. I changed my speaker out...it was a must for me and made worlds of difference.

[@tomrandall6099]

What speaker did you put in?

[@dspguitarrebuild5281]

@@tomrandall6099 I put in an old WGS classic lead that I had. I think they are now called teh British Lead. Great speaker. Great little amp. Sorry for the delay...was on vacation.

[@joelpoitras6226]

Concerning the speaker output, can you plug a cabinet and run the cabinet and the amp's internal output all at once? Or does the output jack disconnect the internal speaker when a cabinet is used?

[@jaimefromtexas2]

Thanks for the review, it is very informative. I heard the tones and they are pretty good, but I'm strongly inclined to pay the extra $150 to buy a used Fender Champ X2. I used to have one, and the tone is closer to God than this Monoprice amp. ... Cheers from Texas~

[@ebikes2xs159]

I own this amp and with a few minor mods it will hang with about anything in its weight class. Fixed power chord is cheesy but can be fixed. Don't start making major upgrades it doesn't need just because you think its too cheap to be any good. I sold an expensive amp after having this amp for a few months.

[@toddwilliamson2651]

I love this amp I’ve had mine for a couple of years, its as good as VOX 15 or Blues Jr which are also made in China.

[@Paul_Lenard_Ewing]

The 70/80 is standard in the cheaper Marshalls. One reviewer said the Stage Right is based off the Fender Champ. According to Dave Friedman a stand by does not affect tube life. The amp is so popular that Monoprice upgraded all the serious niggles including tubes. The one you are doing the demo on is a V2. How does it handle pedals? Thanx for your usual excellent demo. Love to see you do the 50 watt, definitely the worlds cheapest pro tube.

[@addictedtogear]

It does a nice job with pedals too. The effects loop works well with modulation effects. Nothing negative to say. It would make a prime modding platform for a speaker and reverb tank swap if you want to go down that road eventually.

[@stratosexual1329]

It is a great pedal platform!

[@Voxguitarsrock]

I have the 70/80's in my 2x12 120 watt solid state combo amp. I like them a lot.

[@benallmark9671]

I’m a fan of the speaker that comes in this amp too. I won’t be changing it out.

[@jeffroq]

Sounds great to me Tony. Great review.

[@justinpaquette224]

I have one that I use around the house or as a backup at gigs. I put in a Jensen p12n speaker, a 3 spring mod reverb tank, and a 5751 tube in V1, 12ax7 V2 and 12at7 in V3

[@jasonnorris5298]

What does the tube change do for you?

[@justinpaquette224]

@@jasonnorris5298 Cleans it up a little, stock the thing starts breaking up at like 1.5 gain

[@siadane1976]

A little late to this great video, but I've enjoyed this amp for 2 years now for home playing (at 1w, still pretty loud). For some reason, mine came with w a Hot 100 Celestion instead of the 70/80. I haven't been able to find other posts of others that have this same speaker. I think it sounds fine but wondering how this 100w speaker would differ from the 80w..if much at all.

[@robf.7404]

I'm guessing when the factory, mfg, or whoever reorder parts to keep production moving and the standard item isn't available, they maybe have to order something else even if it costs a little more. Just got mine a week ago and it came with the Seventy80 and China toobs, which are probably the preferred production parts for most profitability. No JJs in mine. Date sticker back of my amp is 09/2023. I think the folks maybe get a "better" or more expensive part just got lucky a time around. In my opinion they are smart to, on rare occasion, drop in the more expensive part to fill global demand. I dunno, but makes sense to me and seems like a good temp solution to fill demand. Everyone is happy. Dang, awesome amp I must say!

[@siadane1976]

@@robf.7404 thx for info. I just replaced all the tubes w new basic JJs..and switched the V1 tube to a 12AT7. Less volume but more headroom and improved tone. The amp also stays cooler in temp. I like running it clean w pedals. Great amp for sure.

[@rongonzalez8242]

Standby switch is totally not necessary. Not a problem IMO.

[@markgreenfield772]

Im going to order the amp 2 moro based on your video! but im loving the tokai les paul what model is that?

[@xeentjelief]

I want to try an AlNiCo blue in mine. And searching for a bigger reverb... But weirdly enough there's no code on the tank Inside it...

[@billylongley9580]

Does this have the line out feature like the blues jr

[@whatarefriends4]

Best practice amp deal on earth. Get yourself an overdrive pedal and you are set

[@southernpride2003]

I swap the tubes in my amps for vintage RCA 12AU7 tubes I prefer cleans I also swapped the speaker for a Jensen 100w speaker And for the two knob amp I did the same thing I put the same tubes in except different speaker that one has a 8 inch celestion 100w speaker I play country and rockabilly and bluegrass and blues and jazz my style is more like Luther Perkins I also use Thomastik 12 gauge flats except I swamp the 12s for 9s so I can bend easier HOWDY FROM NORTH CAROLINA I forgot to mention I also changed the grill cloth on both amps oh yeah and for the smaller 8inch speaker tube amp I turned the 1w button into a bright switch

[@Buckseed]

I found a used 15W like this at Goodwill for $65..the speaker Celestion Seventy 80 was worth it alone...sprayed the controls [on top rather then up front, a low and high inputs] with electronic spray to clean up the cracking sounds. It works pretty well other than the reverb springs don't make much difference...I do like to kick it a bit to hear that spring sound though...brings back memories!

[@cooltunesmadeeasy]

Pretty decent sounding for the price..Cheers

[@garylandess3980]

Can you plug in headphones on this amp?

[@Barbarapape]

These tube/valve amps are sold under various names. I have the Harley Benton one, and with some esential upgrades they are excellent for the price. First upgrade has to be to replace those nasty tinkywinky (Chinese) valves. The one thing that Russia is still good at is making valves. Have fun with this one Tony🙂

[@phunkyjunkee]

Mine came with all JJs from Slovak republic.

[@Barbarapape]

@@phunkyjunkee You have been lucky to get better valves, the factory in China had a fire, and it hasn't started production again.

[@phunkyjunkee]

@@Barbarapape probably why the price of the amp is up to $279

[@Barbarapape]

@@phunkyjunkee Possibly, the price of all the parts have gone up by large amounts. I paid £150 approx $188 add to that the cost of replacing the valves will bring close to $279

[@PaulTheSkeptic]

These things, I'm almost scared to buy one. It seems too good to be true. Was that the drive from the amp or a pedal or something? It's baffling how they can make these things with Celestion speakers.

[@addictedtogear]

The drive was from the amp. No pedals were used. It's a nice little amp.

[@Taco_Raider]

Moan-o-price? 😂

[@KartikHariharan]

Thanks for the review! Have you tried bypassing the preamp and going direct into the fx return from a HX Stomp or a modeler?

[@addictedtogear]

Unfortunately not

[@thomasvantorre1922]

Good amp but changed speaker and it gets even better. Good to practice in a student room

[@addictedtogear]

Yes aspeaker upgrade will make it better! Thanks for watching!

[@SingPsalms]

Wow, it's actually pretty good.. I've only ever had modeling amps or digital amps but as I've gotten more comfortable with the guitar I feel like its time to branch out. Certainly cheaper than the Marshall or Vox I've been looking at. I think I might just get this as my first tube amp.

[@LEON4PRES]

nothing beats tube tone, NOTHING!!! You will not go back, I promise.

[@benallmark9671]

Did ya get this ?

[@modelcitizen1977]

I hope you wound up getting a tube amp of some kind. There really is no substitute.

[@papablue3015]

I remember these used to sell for 199.00? Thanks!

[@addictedtogear]

The good old days!

[@benallmark9671]

To y where did you buy this amp ? I’m looking on Amazon and all they have is an 8 inch speaker modal.

[@addictedtogear]

Ben I picked it up locally. Bought it used.

[@Buckseed]

I like that Monoprice placed the big Celestion banner on the amp...it makes it seem like a better product.....Cheap logos like the B8 on Zildjian cymbals screams budget to the people who know drumming. Good move and not a bad amp for a person who fiddles with guitar like me.

[@TheRythmGuitarGuy]

isn't the standby switch a myth?

[@addictedtogear]

Not for me

[@yomommaahotoo264]

Depends on how high the plate voltage is to the power tube's maximum specification. When you're close or exceeding the power tube's maximum plate voltage rating, you don't want to hit the caps with that voltage before the tubes are warmed up and ready to conduct.

[@yomommaahotoo264]

But if the amp uses a tube rectifier, a standby isn't needed because by the time the rectifier tube is warmed up and conducting.....so are the power tubes.

[@JonnyTravieso]

Change that 70/80 out for a 65 Creamback. You’re welcome.

[@gabrieledwards1066]

I bought this amp a couple years ago. I can't use it because it gives this high-pitched annoying Buzz or hiss that is omnipresent. I've never owned a tube amp I couldn't find where the Buzz was coming from. I haven't heard anybody else have the same issue But I know that it's not normal. It was sitting in a closet until I had enough money to take it to a proper amp mechanic to look at. I just got it to an amp tech. After all is said and done I've lost the cost of the amp and the $75 deposit I paid the tech to fix the buzz. After the amp gets warmed up it rattles and creates a buzz that will sit on the top of your sound. The tech said when he opened it up everything fell apart as everything was glued in. He tried to put in new tubes and it still made the sound then he said the speaker was causing it and that it would need to be replaced. It's cleap parts and glued together. Stay away.

[@oldsilverdrew2471]

Speakers need to be 'broken in'? Please explain.

[@addictedtogear]

The sound less stiff after about 20 hours of playtime.

[@lightfoot413]

thanks and a nice tube amp..sounds good but I think if i were in the market i would spend the extra dollars for a Fender....

[@popsfereal]

You mean "waste the extra money on a Fender".

[@RevGerryRM]

Doesn't sound bad at all. Well worth the money. Good practice amp 👏

[@AdrianoGosta-fk6qm]

Questo ampli e' lo stesso dell: harly benton?

[@addictedtogear]

Si

[@RobertLofrano]

I don't know why they couldn't see that you can't see the controls????

[@The_Macaroon]

I have this. It's great. I don't have a blues jnr but I can't believe it would not be instantly noticeably better quality finishing? I'm not being down on this but the knobs and switches feel cheap, they are fine but I would think the fender would be a step up?

[@hadleymanmusic]

Its loud en9ugh to hurt your ears. I g9t lucky september picked one up for 219$.

[@repoman5581]

this or spend the extra for an 8 or 10 inch supro

[@addictedtogear]

Super but it’s not the same price range.

[@repoman5581]

@@addictedtogear that is my question... is the supro much better

[@matthewstearle7395]

Have you tried the Line 6 Catalyst yet,whould you prefer the Pod go or the Catalyst?

[@PhillipHolt-f9r]

I want one

[@edfuller9111]

Thanks Tony. Nice review. But based on your sound samples I think I like my Fender Blues Jr. better.

[@djwiggles2835]

I’m just an 18 year old kid trying to upgrade to this from my crappy $130 solid state amp and all the guys in the comments are saying this is just a “good practice amp” smh 😔

[@popsfereal]

Amp snobs....this amp will hold it's own with a band, especially plugged into a 2x12 cab.

[@johnburris3395]

First of all these comments have no reflection on your plane. I have heard this amplifier Oliver KZbin the last 2 for three years is actually the first demo that I've actually heard what sounded halfway these it usually sounds like a rattling chain can when I'm hearing it being played. But it still does not have the warm and the range of other tube amplifiers that I have ever heard. I think it sounds totally lifeless has no character traits whatsoever you couldn't tell that amplifier from any other camp on the planet in my opinion. And I think people are paying the whole lot more money than it's worth for it as matter fact I wouldn't spend any money on it at all. There are so many amazing three or four hundred dollars now. They give you such a amazing rich full sound why do people keep running back to choose I just do not see the charm whatsoever. Just my opinion

[@mikegonzap]

Mucho hablas sobrino

[@randyhaney5767]

First thanks for a cool video you are appreciated. I'm Not saying which is better...to each his own. But at a price of $500.00 Bucks? (Could not find one for sub $400.00 Boss?) I can get a Fender "Blues Jr" or a "Hot Rod Deluxe" or even a "De Velle", For the same price of this MonoPrice amp. You have to look deep to find the "deal" but you can find them. And as I said before. I am not saying which of these amps are better; in Sound, Esthetics or build quality? (To each his own). But am Pretty sure the "Fenders" would have a better resale price? (Guessing here) But at a price of $500.00? There are just too many options; for tried and tested "well known brand" tube amps. Personally I have no interest in this amp so far. Just Say'in

[@addictedtogear]

I don't think you can get a Fender new for that price so there is that. Of course if we are talking used gear the Monoproce would still be cheaper. Resale value is another story. Thanks for watching!

[@Benji8461]

For Chrissakes, just crank it all the way so we can hear it??? 🙄

[@roberttomassetti4642]

Nice Demo, except... you FAILED to show a very, CLEAN sound! My personal application would be using my Gibson Hummingbird (I see you have one of those by your side) as an outboard amp in addition to my sound system.

[@unclecrusty9]

I don't think it sounds good with humbuckers. Too muddy.

[@hustlinc3540]

how can u talk about build quality without opening the amp? Without showing the insides and the layout and the quality of individual components? seriously

[@shanewalton8888]

Looks heavy. Lol

[@addictedtogear]

It’s not. I’m just getting old.. LOL

[@henryguilbert5619]

It's around 25 lbs

[@ohallright2021]

Way to take American jobs, Monoprice. Decent critique, though. Earning that click commission.

[@poochootrain3528]

More people need to know how much this amp sucks. DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY. I bought it and it sucks. The only sounds it could produce were buzz and burr sounding nothing like musical notes. Monojunk Stage Right Into the trash.

[@justinwood3278]

You could have given it to me