What Amp Should I Get?

UKESTAR

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 11, 2008
Messages
827
Reaction score
2
Location
SAN DIEGO, CA
My budget for a new amp is $300 to $400. What should I get?? I have been using the micro cube by roland....too small.
 
Bah I was going to suggest a micro cube. If it were me, I'd just step up in the cube family. They have better effects, and to be honest, I think they're some of the cleanest amps out there. My second choice would be something from Vox.
 
what kind of music do you want to play and how loud do you want or need to be?

Personally, I would go with a low wattage tube amp design.

I have an old 30 watt Carvin tube amp combo that is pretty awesome. Super loud for coffee house type stuff, and loud enough for small clubs. Anything bigger and u would probably be mic'ed/di'ed and mixed front of house and playing through the mains.

Those 15 watt Fender Champs can be got for relatively cheap and sound good.

Traynor's are also very good for cheap.

Those would get you nice clean sounds and nice distortion from the power amp section and be plenty loud.

If you are into the modeling stuff, the new Line 6 Spider amps have power sections designed by Bogner and all the Line6 modeling features that people love. (Personally, I don't like the sound of all the new amp modeling stuff... I guess I am old fashioned)
 
What kind of amp are you looking for? micro cube, cube, mini amp, or just a plain amp for gigs and shows?

Just the best clean sound and volume for the buck. I have a micro cube and the volume is just too little...also the lows (what little there are from a uke) don't really show up because the micro is too small.

I have come across these....any thoughts?
Ibanez Troubador
Ibanez TA35
Beringer Ultracoustic ACX 900
 
Last edited:
Just the best clean sound and volume for the buck. I have a micro cube and the volume is just too little...also the lows (what little there are from a uke) don't really show up because the micro is too small.

I have come across these....any thoughts?
Ibanez Troubador
Ibanez TA35
Beringer Ultracoustic ACX 900
Do yourself a favor and stay far, far away from Behringer. It will fall apart in 6 months or less. Behringers and Crates are cheap for a reason.

I've never played through an Ibanez acoustic amp, I'm wondering how those are myself.

But you may consider just miking up. In my opinion(and most others), you get much better sound. I had the chance to try 3 acou elec Ukes yesterday, and I wasn't impressed with any of them. Clacky is the word I'd use. You wouldn't get that if you miked up though, you'd just get exactly what you hear acoustically, but louder.
 
Do yourself a favor and stay far, far away from Behringer. It will fall apart in 6 months or less. Behringers and Crates are cheap for a reason.

I've never played through an Ibanez acoustic amp, I'm wondering how those are myself.

But you may consider just miking up. In my opinion(and most others), you get much better sound. I had the chance to try 3 acou elec Ukes yesterday, and I wasn't impressed with any of them. Clacky is the word I'd use. You wouldn't get that if you miked up though, you'd just get exactly what you hear acoustically, but louder.
what kind of electric/acoustic ukes were you playing?
 
Narrowed it down I think...

I am looking to buy one of these. Any thoughts? Oh yeh...what does it mean if the amp is a "combo amp".:eek:

Fender Acoustasonic 30 DSP $399
Fender Super Champ XD $299
Marshall AS50D $389
Roland AC-60 Acoustic chorus $500 (ouch)
Kustom Sienna 65 combo $299
 
Last edited:
combo means amplifier + speakers as opposed to just an amplifier section and separate speakers.

I completely forgot about it being for ukulele. Why not try the bigger Roland Cubes? The 60 watt one? They sound great.

as an alternative you could buy a nice power amplifier and cabinet(s) for pretty cheap and plug the recording out of the micro cube into it, basically using it as a preamp.
 
Roland AC-60 Acoustic chorus is what I am really looking at now. Good eh?:eek:

I recently tested an AC-60 and it quickly moved up the ladder on acoustic amplification, from other amps I own. Plenty of power for medium sized venues, too.

The amp that impressed me most, in your price range, was the Kustom Sienna 65. I tested it with a Gibson acoustic/electric guitar and my Applause acoustic/electric soprano. Low noise and full frquency reproduction. It has a nice notch feedback filter, too. Ric

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/prod...65w-1x12-Acoustic-Guitar-Combo-Amp?sku=480778
 
My budget for a new amp is $300 to $400. What should I get?? I have been using the micro cube by roland....too small.

I got the Roland Cube 30X. Great all-round amp, basic effects, amp sims that give it some depth. Plus headphones so you can go deaf without annoying the neighbours. And not too big, but plenty of power.

But for real portability - I'm looking st something small like a Hognose or Honeytone.
 
Top Bottom