Small and light (<33lbs) amp for small gigs, clean only

[TobiTill]

Hi there,

knowledgeable people of the HFC.

I usually play through a 1991 (IIRC) Fender 1959 Bassman RI with the blue

(Eminence) alnico speakers.

As much as I love that amp, it's just too heavy and big for most gigs (logistically speaking).

I use fairly powerful power tubes in that amp (TAD tubes) ,

so that it stays clean at pretty much all reasonable performance levels.

 

So, to make things short,

I've been considering buying a Fender super Champ X 2 (SCX2),

and changing the speaker to an Eminence 1058.

(I don't think more than 15-20 watts tube power will be needed for the gigs I play)

Any alternative amps you think I should consider?

(Not restricted to tube amps, btw,.)

Clean sounds are the only thing that matter, reverb etc. is not necessary (pedals are my friends)

Of course the amp would have to play well with pedals.

I prefer the clean sound of the bassman RI to blackface/EL84 based sounds.

(Yes, I know that the SCX2's 1st channel is based on a blackface sound, but I hope to be able to use FUSE to my advantage).

Weight under or around 30 lbs necessary.

 

Yes, I am looking for a mini bassman (clean) ,

and thereby looking for the impossible.

 

Seriously: Just looking for suggestions>

 

Forgive my rambling, here's a video for your delight.

(Not necessarily related to above subject matter, youtube videos suck for that kind of evaluation anyway.)

 

Cheers,

Tobias

ETA: More Info

[django49]

Lots of love here for the Superchamp. Legend speaker would probably be good. Default seems to be the "Ragin' Cajun".

[TobiTill]

Hi there,

Django49,

Thanks for your reply.

 

I concidered the RC, but decided to go with (if I bought the SCX2)

the 1058 because of its similarities to the (originally Eminence 1028p, I believe)

speakers in my Bassman RI.

 

I realize that most people get the bassman for the overdriven sound.

Do you like your SCX2 for it's clean sound? (In a bassman kind of way?)

Judging from your amazing guitar collection you might have some more insight concerning those amps,

I (not so silently) hope..,

 

Just fishing for more information here.

 

Cheers,

Tobias

Edited for spelling, dognaggit... (long day)

 

[django49]

I DO like the clean sound (at last for MY tastes) and will use a pedal in front. For casual uses, the "drive" choices in channel 2 give me most of what I need to get by (like a "jam class") with nothing more than the channel selector footswitch (and the knobs on the guitar). And I only need the one guitar cable.

I did make a "cabinet" of sorts that the amp sits on, tilting it back and giving a stronger projection. Naturally, that partially defeats the purpose of reducing the weight and bulk. Kind of a "poor man's Thiele". And sounds bigger than the single 10.

 

[TobiTill]

Well,

that's certainly a great and (if  your carpentry skills are sufficient)

easy way to make that amp sound bigger!

 

Two last questions;

1. Did you replace the original speaker with an Eminence RC/ did you like the change?

2. Was there any (cabinet or otherwise)  rattle when you bought the amp?

I played about 5 SCX2s, everytime planning on buying the amp,

but some rattle that neither I nor the resident tech could identify

led me to not purchase the amp/

 

Thanks in advance ,

Tobias

 

 

 

[django49]

I have not been aware of any rattle. I bought it new when they were closing the original out at big savings. I replaced the speaker and (IIRC) the 2 6v6 tubes. The stock speaker is not that good, so it definitely sounded better. It has not had a "hard life", so I do not know if it is fragile enough to be affected if banged around a bit.

[TobiTill]

Thanks a lot for your input,

Django49.

 

I guess it's time to give this amp a try..

 

Regards,

Tobias

[hamerhead]

If you go the Super Champ route, consider picking up a head and putting it in a 1x12 combo cabinet. A guy in Michigan sells them on Ebay and built mine with some changes I asked for.

This one is about 2" deeper than standard, has a sealed back with ports in the front, tilt-back legs and of course the gaudy snakeskin Tolex. It has a better low end and a fuller overall sound than the stock cab and is just under 35 lbs. If you left off the legs and the back, and depending on what speaker you use (mine has an Eminence Patriot), you'd be right close to your 30 lb goal. And it's really well-made. He did a great job.

I really wish these had a footswitch for the models and effects. I wouldn't need pedals.

 

Edit to add: I had the XD combo first and replaced the stock speaker with the Ragin' Cajun. It was louder and took away the shrill/harsh upper end. Made a huge difference.

[bubs_42]

LOOKS GREAT!

[veatch]

^^^

I really like that...

I have been gigging a pair of Egnater Rebel 20 head/cabs for a few years - one set clean, and the other set OD.  Set clean, it does have a good Fender-ish vibe.  There are better amps out there, but with a good set of tubes, these get the job done.  The thing that drew me to them is they are uber-light.  And small.  And loud enough to keep up.  And cheap.

Here's a clip of the clean head.  Mix sucks, but by the end of the song you can hear the guitar enough to get an idear...

 

[TobiTill]

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

Hamerhead, that looks great. Alas a bit too big to carry in one hand (for me at least).

 

Veatch, I remember that clip. Thanks for bringing the Egnater to my attention, I'll do some research.

 

Regards,

Tobias

[hamerhead]

That picture just makes it look fat. It's pretty small, even compared to the Vibrolux (which isn't very big):

 

[TobiTill]

That's not bad, size wise.

But a 10 inch combo will work better for me.

(By the way, the 3-pickup-Studio looks fantastic !!!)

 

Cheers,

Tobias

 

[G Man]

PRRI, thread.

[TobiTill]

11 hours ago, G Man said:

PRRI, thread.

That might be the thing I'll have to  go for if the SCX2 doesn't work out for me.

A PRRI is amazing, just a little too heavy and a little too far away from the tweed clean sound.

But it might be what I'll end up with,

so definitely a good call there, G Man.

 

Cheers,

Tobias

[stedge]

Fender harvard?  Pricey. Tweed. Steve cropper used them as does the edge

 

too bad you dont like vintage blackface. Fender deluxe non reverb is a cool 22 watt combo that has plenty of clean headroom and sounds great. Smaller than deluxe reverb. Much more oomph than a vintage princeton

 

brownface princeton? 

 

 

 

[TobiTill]

Stedge,

I do like Blackface cleans,

just not when I play those amps.

 

Fender Harvard? Didn't Victoria make a version of that? Little whatever? Something diminutive...

In any case, a small tweed amp usually doesn't have treble and bass controls, I need those two at least.

As i said, I am aware of the fact that I am looking for the impossible.

Once my vacation is planned and the budget determined,

I'll see where I can find a SCX2 (and hopefully a PRRI in the same shop)

and see how the SCX2 holds up (it's been a while, and that amp was rattling).

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone.

 

Regards,

Tobias