Love my Pathfinder 10. Modded mine with a speaker out, which lead me to building it into a bigger cabinet with a 12 inch Jensen speaker. It is the best 80 bucks I've spent on any piece of guitar gear in years.
Young-players are so lucky today with the choice of practice-amps. I started playing in ‘85 & all you could get then was a gorilla or a little peavey (the 80’s peaveys weren’t very good) I ended up getting a Tom Sholtz Soloist for my 16th birthday & have practiced with a headphone amp ever since. I light-up my amp at rehearsal & it’s more exiting to hear after using phones to write/learn
My Crate 2/12 modler has a speaker out & headphone Jack. At 120 watts, i purchased a cheap beringer 4/12 cab. I can actually use it in a band situation, using the existing 2 speakers plus the 4/12 cab for a mini 6 speaker stack!😁
@@barrymiller2272 I had a Peavey Backstage solid state amp that sounded tube like. Great cleans and distorted means. I loved the normal overdrive,cranking the gain,setting the post at 10 ,controlling the volume with the pre. Also I loved cranking the gain and the pre knob,controlling volume with the post. What a raging heavy drive it produced.
Orange Crush CR60C is a great choice if you just want a good sounding rock amp without the maintenance that goes along with tube amps. On board reverb is digital so personally I would have rather seen it feature a long tank spring reverb that dripped like an old faucet. That being said the plate reverb setting is worth giving it a test drive.
I have a Vox Pathfinder 10 and a Fender Champion 20 for in the bedroom and a Boss Katana in mini for portable battery operation in the backyard or where ever. They work great!
Thank You Robert!!!!! You set them Straight on What Sounds Good!!!!! Do a show on Signature Practice Amps. Like the Zakk Wylde Mini Stack, the VOX Brian May, or the Randall Kirk Hammet. I'm sure there are more, but these are Killer Practice Signature Amps!!!! Keep up the Great Work!!!
Robert, Jim here, and thanks for the shoutout. I own the Cube, Spark, and Captor X. I've also owned the Crate and the Katana (50 and 100). I'm with you 100% on this list.
I had a Marshall Lead 12 with two 1x10 cabinets and loved it,sounded great clean or distorted and took pedals easily. Had a Crate-G 60,sounded great even at low volumes. My favorite practice amp that I have now is a Sawtooth 5 Tube combo. One 12ax7 and 6V6GT,single channel with separate gain and volume controls,bass,mid and treble. Beautiful clean tones,awesome crunch--the best path for sustain is using my 20db boost pedal,sounds huge. Sell new for $299.99 but found one on REVERB.com in mint condition for$135 plus $40 shipping. I'm a fat happy camper.😎🤘😎👍
Dude, I used to think Crate sucks too, but I recently got the chance to try an old Crate flexwave 100 watt 212, and it blew me away! The gain was crisp and clean. I loved it!
Roland Micro Cube and the Peavey Viper 15 to me should get honorable mention, the JC clean, and Stack on the cube and K-Stein on the Viper r pretty good.
You missed out on the Fender Sidekick 10 MIJ, it has a beautiful clean tone and also (due to Volume and Master Conrtol) can do very tube like drive sounds too. Just my two cents...
I bought in 1999 a Marshall mg15. It has spring reverb that sounds pretty good. Clean channel takes pedals well and the gain channel can be nasty if you crank it. Awesome practice amp.
Good video, Robert. I was given a Spark to try for a couple of weeks. It was okay for what it was. I hated that the effects built in. I got a Captor X a few weeks ago. It’s great! It cost me nearly $1000AUD, but it was worth it. We take a beating on gear in Australia, especially since COVID.
I'll never own an amp that I have to control with my phone...my humble opinion. The Zombie is great. Btw...I ended up getting guitar bbq tools for Christmas...and a Les Paul reuseable face mask. Yup. My aunt is one of the nicest ppl on earth, but she's gonna get a link to your vid early next December.
peavey bravo 112. el84 mini marshall in a box. and a killer clean channel. if you see one. buy it. only issue are the ribbon cables inside. i replace those with individual wires.
Pretty cool video Robert! I'll admit I'm not big on practice amps myself, but it is nice to have something on hand that I can plug into and hear myself at low volumes while watching a movie. I'm intrigued by the JOYO amps you listed here, but you need a decent speaker cab with those, correct? You are also correct about the Yamaha amps being overlooked. I'm guilty of that myself. After having played through those lame solid state amps they had back in the 70's, (The ones with the blue and black vertical striped grill cloth), I never gave Yamaha a second look after that. By the way, aren't the Orange Tiny Terror amps similar to the JOYO and Yamaha amps you show here? Thanks for posting!
Not really. The Tiny Terror is all tube and one channel, whereas the Joyo Bantamp series are tube/solid-state hybrid two-channel amps. The Joyo amps also have a really good clean sound, which is something that is not exactly a strong suit of the Tiny Terror. The Tiny Terror is a great amp, but it’s kind of a one-trick pony.
The Blackstar Ht-1r is a great little practice amp. Picked one up used recently for 60 bucks in a pawn shop. It’s what a play through the most these days...I Love it! I also have one of those old Gallien Krueger GK 250ml’s. That thing is tiny, but can put out some serious volume. And it sounds even better thru a 4x12 cab. I dig ‘Em!
Is that the Cambridge 15? I have one as well. Pretty much the same as the Pathfinder except for the pre-amp tube. Great little amp. I bought a cheap Behringer digital Reverb pedal to go with it ( just prefer to have some reverb ) The two of them sound great.
I think one of the biggest weaknesses of those Spark amps is not having a speaker out to go to a cab. If they add that for the next gen, I just might be interested in trying one
I have the high gain Yamaha thr-10 and honestly I play it more then my Peavey 5150 combo and my evh 5150 stealth which can really only get played when no one else is home. The high gain is already in the new version but they only kept the one look. Would love to have the wireless one.
I had a little Marshall LEAD 15 mini stack. I really miss that amp. A high school buddy of mine has owned, since back in the early 90's, a grey tolexed Silver Jubilee looking Lead 25 head, and my former studio partner and I literally begged him repeatedly to sell it to us because it sounded soo good. He wouldn't naturally. If you see one? Buy It!!
I'd like to throw the ZT Lunchbox Junior into the mix. For a practice amp it is tough to beat due to it's small size and amazing loudness for such a wee amp!
Awesome Video Robert. Your opinion is the Vox Pathfinder 10 better than a Fender Frontman 10 G. I will be using the Amplifier to play a Mini 2 Beat Buddy as a stand alone pedal just with the Amplifier. Sometimes I might just use the Amplifier Alone with my Guitar! I already have a Marshall DSL 40 CST and a Blackstar HT -1R. Thank you for your advice
Robert, at the 10 minute mark, you really got my interest with the Crate stuff you say you have coming. The Blue Voodoo is one of my favorite amps ever. Plus, I had a few of their solid states back in the 80s and 90s that sounded good to me then. Not sure how they'd hold up against modern stuff, but I'm very curious to see what you have in store for us on this. Edit: I'd like to see a comparison with the Two Notes Torpedo vs. The H&K Red Box if you ever have the chance, please.
I'm just a beginner, a elderly one 61, so all I do and know right now is practice. I own the Marshall DSL5 and it's a great amp. Even though it's just 5 watts it can still get pretty loud for my ears cause I'm not losing my hearing yet. Another amp that I just bought is a solid state amp the Roland Blues Cube Hot and this one is a 30 watt that can be dialed down to 15 , 5 or .05 watts. I don't know what terminology to use to explain how this amp sounds, the best I can do is to say it sounds "warmer" for lack of a better word. I do like the sound of the Roland too even though it's different from the Marshall both sound really good to me but remember, I'm just a beginner so maybe everything may sound good to me.
I didn't see my first practice amp in the list the almighty Gorilla GG-20. I would say I agree with your list. My favorite practice amp is my Blackstar ID Core 20 v2. I use it for most of my recording for my cats band Kitty's Of Doom. I have the Peavey Vypyr The older 15 watt and the Vypyr VIP 2 40w and some NUX thing i dont use and my little Katana. I would say the Katana has the best sound that isn't over digital sounding. Great Video Robert
@@kingZactheMerciless Something I am doing for fun. My cat likes to Collaborate with others musicians and singers. ua-cam.com/channels/QK7pkflTJysTojZLgbzE7Q.html
haha! love the Practice, Practice! I would've swapped one of those listed for the Kustom 5H it was designed by James Brown of peavey 5150 fame and is no non sense 1 volume and now 2 knobs (added bass response) takes pedals excellent. But you know how I think, opinions are like.... and make my own list :)
"A lie can travel halfway around the world before the truth can tie its shoes". Often attributed to Mark Twain but actually trimmed and abbreviated from something written by Jonathan Swift (the author of Gulliver's Travels, and a formidable editorialist and satirist, for those who don't recognize the name).
Phew, thank you for that, Robert. I am safe with my 15 year old Microcube. Still my favorite, even after I bought a Cube 20XL of which the delay has a weak wet/dry balance. The 20XL still sits here because the resale value is disappointing. So I keep it around.
Good Morning Robert. Having watched your best practice amp rundown on multiple occasions, can I ask about your thoughts on the PG Spark 40? I'm wary after watching a "hard truth" video. 2 reasons here. The bass was criticized for being too prevelant, & the reviewer said the only way to get around this was to turn the bass all the way down. The 2nd issue was the lack of customer service, but I don't think this matters as there are a fair few used examples for not a lot of money on eBay. If you had a shortlist of 3, these being the Katana Artist 1 or 2: the THR 30 or the aforementioned Spark 40, what would you buy? Why do I ask you? Simple. A genuine answer every time, you don't hold back even if you hate a product. I admire that. I'd like to add that I do own a Roland 30X which has that Jazz Chorus clean sound, so maybe a floor based multi fx unit could be the way to go. But I am a fan of Boss pedals, so the unit would be a Boss GT100 for example. As always, best wishes Robert, regards Graeme.
The Spark amps aren’t for me, my man. Any amp that has to be controlled with a mobile device is more trouble than it’s worth, in my opinion. They seem to sound good for some people and they are popular, which I why I think I included it on this list, but I’ll never own one.
Robert, I’m surprised that you didn’t include the Fender Champ. Have you ever tried one? They’re amazing. It feels like the pull notes out of your guitar. They probably more for Blurs players like me than Metal guys like you.
I have always wanted to try one of those yamaha amps. They are always sold out. However, I have had a few of these. The Vox modeler, DSL, I currently have a spark amp. Earlier line 6 spiders, I didn't think they were all that bad, weren't great but hey I had a old Gorilla Practice amp from the 80s and 90s then apartment life I did some small headphones. Line 6 spider was first real practice amp in early 2000. So yeah big step up for apartment life back then. Now days I just use my Kemper. Great low volume, high volume and thousands of amps.
Thanks Robert. I have and love my Yamaha green little high gain desktop amp. I have tried several times to get this sound in a bigger amp and have wasted my money. Even my marshall dsl 20 through my Randell 4 x 12 is disappointing. At lower volume here at home. I will definitely buy a bigger version if ever able.
@@RobertWJackson yeah I had that. I had the one that had 2 amps in one with like 5 different tube choices. But I didn't have my Randell 4x12 back then. It was a old crate 4x12. . I'm thinking of the thr 30. 🤘
The wife and myself are planning on semi-retiring and seeing family and the 50 states which means we will be living in a travel trailer which means i have to micro downsize my setup and I’m really looking for a AC/DC battery operated tube amp, Is there such a thing ? Great vid btw really like that marshal ,wish it was battery operated
I don't get why people are so prone to crapping on Crate amps. The Blue Voodoo is an awesome head, and for all the old school death metal fans, Cannibal Corpse used solid state Crates on their early stuff. A buddy of mine sold me his Joyo Bantamp Zombie a few weeks ago and that thing is amazing. With products like that on the market, along with all the amp sims that just seem to keep getting better, it's really an awesome time to be a guitar player
Ronny, you are right about amps getting dumped on if they don't start with an F, M or V. My first real amp was a '68 Fender Silverface Vibro Champ that my dad picked up in a pawnshop for $50 back in 1970. It was the crappiest amp...rattled, hummed and just generally sounded like mud. But it was a "classic" so I happily took $600 for it about 15 years ago and got a real amp!
What is the speed of dark? Good question. My personal observation, "Humans are the only species of which I am aware that can broadcast darkness at the speed of light."
We've come a long way since the early 70s when I started playing. Inexpensive guitars and amps that didn't suck were few and far between.(edit) was thinking of the Yamaha distortion pedal when you Said that LOL
I've owned several Crate amps across most generations and I really can't fathom the hate . For the price(s) they have enough features and tone for most situations. And they take a beating, I've only seen two just randomly die. I really look forward to seeing some love for Crate for a change.:)
The main issue with crate is their good stuff is great but the less umm good stuff is akin to a tin can with bees in it... And they have a huge amount of treble.... I've had a few of them and they just all have a very high end presence and sterile sound. This coming from a guy who has a crate stack...
My first guitar amp was a Crate chorus that was a 2x10, can't remember the exact model but it would have been in the early 90's. My first half stack was a Crate Excaliber, matching head and 4x12, I wish I still had it. I currently do have one of the old school Blue Voodoo 120's, which is a powerhouse. Weighs a ton but it screams
My guess is...You have "not" seen this video about the 10 Worst Solid State Amps ua-cam.com/video/8CvPeHLpNK4/v-deo.html!! Just check 1:40 into the video and then I defy you to try to re-comment "fathom the hate" for Crate Amps. I'm thinking you might not really be aware of Robert's allegiance to Crate. If you think I'm wrong? Just remember, we all have our opinions. Some of us have just seen a lot of Robert's videos and that allows us to be more appreciative when he makes a comment some might think critical of their favorite product. Robert does call it exactly the way he sees it.
Well..i see you have the Two Notes Torpedo Live so...how much of a difference is there between that and the Captor X (other than portability)? Also..the newest version of the Yamaha TH series supposedly has all the previous models(to an extent) all packed into this one unit. But being the owner of the PG Spark and the Yamaha TH-X (the Metal version) , The Spark sounds better with more features...of course , that's just my opinion.
The Torpedo Live has WAAAAY more cabs in it vs. the Captor X. It also has more flexibility with attenuation. The Captor X only attenuated at -25dB and -40dB, or something like that.
Fender Mustang III v2. Takes pedals superbly well. The Fender models are really nice. Don't care for the built-in effects except the vibrato, tremolo and tube screamer.
I like my Mustang III v.2. Usually just run it clean or with a slight crunch and use pedals. More than enough power for small to medium stages and 20 lbs. lighter than my AC15.
Great list for sure. Peavey VYPYR X series is the absolute best practice amp I've ever played through easily. Runner up is a diezel VH micro. But peavey literally knocked it out of our solor system with the x series. The earlier vypyrs had a hybrid series which had 2 6L6s in em and the sickest versions..... and then the x series made em sound like a diarrhea.
Bring on the Crate love!!! #bluevoodoolife Of all the Crate amps I have owned my favorite has been the old block logo G212. The cleans were fantastic (that’s right, I said fantastic) and the Shape feature in the drive channel was a great way to change up tones for double tracking guitars.
I have to say, the spark is 100% worth the hype. I’ve owned just about every one of the practice amps on this list and for me the Spark blows them all away, and I can use it for bass! Also use as an interface in a pinch if needed.
I've had the spark and it's great but doesn't blow away a katana not even close. The Yamaha thr30ii wireless in my opinion is one of the best sounding practice amplifier I've used in that footprint. The spark is definitely good stuff.
When I started out in the early '90's, small practice amps were either terrible or tolerable. Much better options these days! I use the Randall RD1H into a 1x12 Peavey cab ('90s). Stellar tone plugged straight in!! I also tried out a Yamaha THR series and was really impressed by that as well.
Surprised there is no mention of the Peavey Bandit (I know I know, it is YOUR list). Pretty much every generation of them is both great for practice and even live (dependent on the drummer). Can confirm that Boss Katana amps are amazing value for the price.
80s Randall RG-80 112SC is awesome it’s the same amp as the 80s RG100ES in combo form, they sound great at low volume I love mine it’s also cheap hidden gem got mine for $350 sometimes can be found for less.
My idea of a practice amp is probably a bit larger than others. Then again, I live alone, so if my roommates don't like the noise, Fuck em! I did start with modellers, mostly because there were so many different choices, and I had no freaking idea which amp(s) made the sound I wanted. So I got the ones that modelled a bunch of different ones! In my case, that was a Vox VT20+, and a Fender Mustang III. (fuck using a computer- I want to be able to do what I need right on the amp) Eventually, I noticed a theme: The models I always seemed to gravitate to were primarily from brand F. Both of those amps are pretty damn good sounding. I ended up with a BassBreaker 15, because it followed me home after not being able to step away from it a few times in the store. I could have gone for the 7 watt version, but I wanted the fx loop. While it does have the perennial tube amp dilemma: It sounds best when pushed hard, it does sound pretty good at lower volumes, too. And it plays well with my dirt boxes. But, dammit- with the master volume cranked, it just puts THAT smile on my face! They do also make a Champion series of, I guess, solid state amps. I kinda wish I'd known about them sooner, lol. I hear lots of positive reviews, and they sound pretty good. They include a nice selection of effects, too- so it's kinda the best of both worlds: a simple amp with a decent sound- and all the fx you'd expect from a modeller. I'm not a metal guitarist, so I have no idea if they can do that sort of tone. (probably not- but if you're after a metal amp, I doubt you'd be looking at Fender anyhow)
I'm really enjoying your funny questions at the start of these videos Robert; 'Why isn't a building called a built?' or this one 'What's the speed of Dark?' Funny as f mate. Cheers, peace, respect & rock n'roll always. P.S. Blackstar are making awesome amps both practice ID:Core V2 & V3, and powerful tube / valve heads & cabinet stacks, too. I'm hooked on Blackstar, was always a Marshall guy but Blackstar has a more modern quality to them which while not traditional, I like a lot (been at this guitar game 42 years now). Just unsubbed from Dipped In Tone & subbed to you now, Robert, you are my generation (i.e. old-school 'old'skool') & I dig your attitude, delivery & humour. Thanks in advance bra! Didyabringyabongalong, Central Queensland, Australia.
@@RobertWJackson You're welcome Robert, you deserve respect praise & accolades for what you do, I saw how u handled the sh*thead trolls & that was the contemptuous response they had studiously well-earned, pack of swine they are! Gr8 stuff Robert, you told 'em proper off. I particularly like you, like me, have been guitartists for many Moons indeed, judging by your snarl at the Yamaha Distortion pedal from the 80's you are early mid-50ish like me! bwaahahaha us old bastards never die, we just play better guitar every day 'til the end. Thanks again & ciao 4now mate!
You mean the one Glenn Fricker smashed? Yes, it is. But that had more to do with a design flaw with its direct out than anything else, not the sound. And they fixed it on the Spider V MKII’s anyway.
Corrections: The Marshall Lead 12 came in two forms, 15 watt head with two 1x10 cabs and a 1x10 combo. The Lead 20 was a 1x12 combo with reverb. The Randall RD5 is also a 1x10 combo or a head. Honorable mention is the Blackstar ID:Core series amps, I've got the 10 and it sounds great, stereo to boot. My only negative is I would have gone with the 40 since the 10 could stand to be a little louder.
i know you recently got a blue voodoo amp and asuming ur going to demo it. You have to mention the vintage club series. i own a 1995 50 212. Great rock blues amp. PRISTINE CLEANS!! Also the lee jackson stealth series. Anyone who talks shit about crate has never heard these three killer amps.
What is Jumbo Shrimp?, is it a shrimpy jumbo or just a medium shrimp?. I really want the DSL 5, but it's like, I always end up with either a Marshall or Fender.. Why did Joyo choose a Blue's Jr. For its Fender clone?. Perhaps one of the most mediocre fender amps of all time. Of course, you have to ask yourself, does the world really need another 59 bassman clone?. A low powered tweed twin or even the 5e3 tweed deluxe would have been tits straight up, especially with the effects loop. Keep up the great work.
I still have my 2 practice amps. My Fender G- Dec and my Fender Mustang 1. I was told from another You Tube sponsor that these were the worse amps period. But for some reason, I still like them. They work for me when I'm playing at home. Most Jams I've gone out to play supply good amps like the Vox and have played through a crappy Crate with a short in the volume control. But we all have our taste in what we like. Just keep The Super Weirdo pedal 6 feet or more away from me. That will help me stay 6 feet away.
My idea of a practice amp is a mesa boogie studio 22+, Having said that, I have a G dec and it's NOT the worst practice amp out there. With a tube screamer, I can get some pretty good tones outta it. People and their opinions... Edit: in all fairness, G decs are notorious for the selector dial eventually to not select the programs correctly. Took it apart and cleaned it, worked for a while but is shorting out again. So if ya take that into consideration...
Love my Pathfinder 10. Modded mine with a speaker out, which lead me to building it into a bigger cabinet with a 12 inch Jensen speaker. It is the best 80 bucks I've spent on any piece of guitar gear in years.
Another great video. I love the education with a great sense of humor that I get from watching your channel.
Young-players are so lucky today with the choice of practice-amps.
I started playing in ‘85 & all you could get then was a gorilla or a little peavey (the 80’s peaveys weren’t very good)
I ended up getting a Tom Sholtz Soloist for my 16th birthday & have practiced with a headphone amp ever since. I light-up my amp at rehearsal & it’s more exiting to hear after using phones to write/learn
HUGE disagree with 80's Peavey amps being "not very good." Solid beasts that are definite Marshall killers.
I have a plethora of all shapes and types of amps...a couple being mýtt
My Crate 2/12 modler has a speaker out & headphone Jack. At 120 watts, i purchased a cheap beringer 4/12 cab. I can actually use it in a band situation, using the existing 2 speakers plus the 4/12 cab for a mini 6 speaker stack!😁
@@barrymiller2272 I had a Peavey Backstage solid state amp that sounded tube like. Great cleans and distorted means. I loved the normal overdrive,cranking the gain,setting the post at 10 ,controlling the volume with the pre. Also I loved cranking the gain and the pre knob,controlling volume with the post. What a raging heavy drive it produced.
@@timothyplonk4266 do you remember the Peavey Butcher 120 watt all tube amps? What beasts they were! Had a full stack...got me evicted twice!😁🤘
Orange Crush CR60C is a great choice if you just want a good sounding rock amp without the maintenance that goes along with tube amps. On board reverb is digital so personally I would have rather seen it feature a long tank spring reverb that dripped like an old faucet. That being said the plate reverb setting is worth giving it a test drive.
Oh man, this video is amazing!! Practice amps are so underrated!!!
I've had the same Crate G-60 from about '87 or '88. I currently only use the clean channel with pedals. The onboard reverb ain't bad.
Awesome video Robert.
I have a Vox Pathfinder 10 and a Fender Champion 20 for in the bedroom and a Boss Katana in mini for portable battery operation in the backyard or where ever. They work great!
I had a Marshall Lead 12, used it on a couple recordings too. Loved that thing, worst thing I did was sell it. Wish I still had it.
The Spark amp and guitar upgrade has renewed my interest in playing. The Spark makes me sound good, therefore it makes me WANT to play more.
Thank You Robert!!!!! You set them Straight on What Sounds Good!!!!! Do a show on Signature Practice Amps. Like the Zakk Wylde Mini Stack, the VOX Brian May, or the Randall Kirk Hammet. I'm sure there are more, but these are Killer Practice Signature Amps!!!! Keep up the Great Work!!!
Nice list sir thanks for your work.
You’re welcome!
Robert, Jim here, and thanks for the shoutout. I own the Cube, Spark, and Captor X. I've also owned the Crate and the Katana (50 and 100). I'm with you 100% on this list.
Thanks Jim! I had a feeling you’d weigh in on this. LOL
@@RobertWJackson And I did. :D
This is a great video Robert 👌👍😎👍 thank you very much 😊
Noticed the Kali Audio monitors. I just got the LP8s. Love them.
Speed of dark is the same as speed of light (reverse edition). Thanks for the video!!
Blackstar ht1r...my practice amp
Boss katana. All you need for practice. And it sounds good!
I had a Marshall Lead 12 with two 1x10 cabinets and loved it,sounded great clean or distorted and took pedals easily. Had a Crate-G 60,sounded great even at low volumes. My favorite practice amp that I have now is a Sawtooth 5 Tube combo. One 12ax7 and 6V6GT,single channel with separate gain and volume controls,bass,mid and treble.
Beautiful clean tones,awesome crunch--the best path for sustain is using my 20db boost pedal,sounds huge. Sell new for $299.99 but found one on REVERB.com in mint condition for$135 plus $40 shipping. I'm a fat happy camper.😎🤘😎👍
Dude, I used to think Crate sucks too, but I recently got the chance to try an old Crate flexwave 100 watt 212, and it blew me away! The gain was crisp and clean. I loved it!
Roland Micro Cube and the Peavey Viper 15 to me should get honorable mention, the JC clean, and Stack on the cube and K-Stein on the Viper r pretty good.
You missed out on the Fender Sidekick 10 MIJ, it has a beautiful clean tone and also (due to Volume and Master Conrtol) can do very tube like drive sounds too. Just my two cents...
I bought in 1999 a Marshall mg15.
It has spring reverb that sounds pretty good. Clean channel takes pedals well and the gain channel can be nasty if you crank it. Awesome practice amp.
Good video, Robert. I was given a Spark to try for a couple of weeks. It was okay for what it was. I hated that the effects built in. I got a Captor X a few weeks ago. It’s great! It cost me nearly $1000AUD, but it was worth it. We take a beating on gear in Australia, especially since COVID.
I'll never own an amp that I have to control with my phone...my humble opinion. The Zombie is great.
Btw...I ended up getting guitar bbq tools for Christmas...and a Les Paul reuseable face mask. Yup. My aunt is one of the nicest ppl on earth, but she's gonna get a link to your vid early next December.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
peavey bravo 112. el84 mini marshall in a box. and a killer clean channel. if you see one. buy it.
only issue are the ribbon cables inside. i replace those with individual wires.
Peavey VYPYR Series! I have the VIP 2 & it’s a pretty cool combo/practice amp!!
Pretty cool video Robert!
I'll admit I'm not big on practice amps myself, but it is nice to have something on hand that I can plug into and hear myself at low volumes while watching a movie.
I'm intrigued by the JOYO amps you listed here, but you need a decent speaker cab with those, correct?
You are also correct about the Yamaha amps being overlooked. I'm guilty of that myself. After having played through those lame solid state amps they had back in the 70's, (The ones with the blue and black vertical striped grill cloth), I never gave Yamaha a second look after that.
By the way, aren't the Orange Tiny Terror amps similar to the JOYO and Yamaha amps you show here?
Thanks for posting!
Not really. The Tiny Terror is all tube and one channel, whereas the Joyo Bantamp series are tube/solid-state hybrid two-channel amps. The Joyo amps also have a really good clean sound, which is something that is not exactly a strong suit of the Tiny Terror. The Tiny Terror is a great amp, but it’s kind of a one-trick pony.
I bought a Roland Cube 30 years ago. I’ve even use it at a show. Beautiful practice amp. You forgot about the Fender SuperChamp X2.
The Blackstar Ht-1r is a great little practice amp. Picked one up used recently for 60 bucks in a pawn shop. It’s what a play through the most these days...I Love it! I also have one of those old Gallien Krueger GK 250ml’s. That thing is tiny, but can put out some serious volume. And it sounds even better thru a 4x12 cab. I dig ‘Em!
I have a small vox with a preamp tube and the spark, both are great amps.
Is that the Cambridge 15? I have one as well. Pretty much the same as the Pathfinder except for the pre-amp tube. Great little amp. I bought a cheap Behringer digital Reverb pedal to go with it ( just prefer to have some reverb ) The two of them sound great.
I think one of the biggest weaknesses of those Spark amps is not having a speaker out to go to a cab. If they add that for the next gen, I just might be interested in trying one
I have the high gain Yamaha thr-10 and honestly I play it more then my Peavey 5150 combo and my evh 5150 stealth which can really only get played when no one else is home. The high gain is already in the new version but they only kept the one look. Would love to have the wireless one.
I had a little Marshall LEAD 15 mini stack. I really miss that amp. A high school buddy of mine has owned, since back in the early 90's, a grey tolexed Silver Jubilee looking Lead 25 head, and my former studio partner and I literally begged him repeatedly to sell it to us because it sounded soo good. He wouldn't naturally. If you see one? Buy It!!
i have a boss karana and a line 6. thre ine 6 is too loud for my apartment but the ktana has a low watt setting thats perfect and still pretty loud
I'd like to throw the ZT Lunchbox Junior into the mix. For a practice amp it is tough to beat due to it's small size and amazing loudness for such a wee amp!
The Marshall Lead 12 is a great little amp!
Awesome Video Robert. Your opinion is the Vox Pathfinder 10 better than a Fender Frontman 10 G. I will be using the Amplifier to play a Mini 2 Beat Buddy as a stand alone pedal just with the Amplifier. Sometimes I might just use the Amplifier Alone with my Guitar!
I already have a Marshall DSL 40 CST and a Blackstar HT -1R. Thank you for your advice
Yep, Vox Pathfinder is definitely better than the Fender Frontman.
@@RobertWJackson I agree
Robert, at the 10 minute mark, you really got my interest with the Crate stuff you say you have coming.
The Blue Voodoo is one of my favorite amps ever. Plus, I had a few of their solid states back in the 80s and 90s that sounded good to me then. Not sure how they'd hold up against modern stuff, but
I'm very curious to see what you have in store for us on this.
Edit: I'd like to see a comparison with the Two Notes Torpedo vs. The H&K Red Box if you ever have the chance, please.
"The Speed of Dark" sounds like a metal band.
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You beat me to it! I clicked the comments to say the same thing. Haha.
I would add theFender Champion 40
Headphone/line out is awesome
woah i just looked up the roland cube. i thought the only cube they had was the blues one :O pretty good.
I'm just a beginner, a elderly one 61, so all I do and know right now is practice. I own the Marshall DSL5 and it's a great amp. Even though it's just 5 watts it can still get pretty loud for my ears cause I'm not losing my hearing yet. Another amp that I just bought is a solid state amp the Roland Blues Cube Hot and this one is a 30 watt that can be dialed down to 15 , 5 or .05 watts. I don't know what terminology to use to explain how this amp sounds, the best I can do is to say it sounds "warmer" for lack of a better word. I do like the sound of the Roland too even though it's different from the Marshall both sound really good to me but remember, I'm just a beginner so maybe everything may sound good to me.
The Marshall DSL’s are great amps!
I didn't see my first practice amp in the list the almighty Gorilla GG-20. I would say I agree with your list. My favorite practice amp is my Blackstar ID Core 20 v2. I use it for most of my recording for my cats band Kitty's Of Doom. I have the Peavey Vypyr The older 15 watt and the Vypyr VIP 2 40w and some NUX thing i dont use and my little Katana. I would say the Katana has the best sound that isn't over digital sounding. Great Video Robert
Please link us some Kitty’s of Doom music.
@@kingZactheMerciless Something I am doing for fun. My cat likes to Collaborate with others musicians and singers. ua-cam.com/channels/QK7pkflTJysTojZLgbzE7Q.html
If theres nothing faster than light....how did the dark get there first?
How about the ZT Lunchbox Jr?
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Vox pathfinder is also all analogue solid state amp.
haha! love the Practice, Practice! I would've swapped one of those listed for the Kustom 5H it was designed by James Brown of peavey 5150 fame and is no non sense 1 volume and now 2 knobs (added bass response) takes pedals excellent. But you know how I think, opinions are like.... and make my own list :)
That’s the tube amp, right?
@@RobertWJackson yup all tube
great video
Thanks!
@@RobertWJackson your welcome keep em comeing the great videos
No blackstar ht1r ?
Beginners have lots of good options nowadays.
Line6 Spider valve were pretty decent also.
Spider Valves aren’t practice amps.
@@RobertWJackson : yeah that's a really good point. I just heard "Spider before V were not good" Lost the fact that the purpose was pratice amps.
Nothing travels faster than bad news. We could try to power starships with bad news, but they wouldn't be welcome once they get to their destination.
You are correct.
"A lie can travel halfway around the world before the truth can tie its shoes". Often attributed to Mark Twain but actually trimmed and abbreviated from something written by Jonathan Swift (the author of Gulliver's Travels, and a formidable editorialist and satirist, for those who don't recognize the name).
Phew, thank you for that, Robert. I am safe with my 15 year old Microcube. Still my favorite, even after I bought a Cube 20XL of which the delay has a weak wet/dry balance. The 20XL still sits here because the resale value is disappointing. So I keep it around.
I actually had a Micro Cube for years. That was the amp that I threw in the backseat and took with me to go play outside at the park or something.
Sometimes shadows can actually move faster than light. Trippy. :)
Good Morning Robert. Having watched your best practice amp rundown on multiple occasions, can I ask about your thoughts on the PG Spark 40? I'm wary after watching a "hard truth" video. 2 reasons here. The bass was criticized for being too prevelant, & the reviewer said the only way to get around this was to turn the bass all the way down. The 2nd issue was the lack of customer service, but I don't think this matters as there are a fair few used examples for not a lot of money on eBay.
If you had a shortlist of 3, these being the Katana Artist 1 or 2: the THR 30 or the aforementioned Spark 40, what would you buy?
Why do I ask you? Simple. A genuine answer every time, you don't hold back even if you hate a product. I admire that.
I'd like to add that I do own a Roland 30X which has that Jazz Chorus clean sound, so maybe a floor based multi fx unit could be the way to go. But I am a fan of Boss pedals, so the unit would be a Boss GT100 for example. As always, best wishes Robert, regards Graeme.
The Spark amps aren’t for me, my man. Any amp that has to be controlled with a mobile device is more trouble than it’s worth, in my opinion. They seem to sound good for some people and they are popular, which I why I think I included it on this list, but I’ll never own one.
You should do a demo on Marshall JCM 900 or JVM
I demoed the JCM 900 a few years back. I don’t own a JVM, unfortunately.
Two notes I would love one but I don't think I can run my iron heart 120 though it, been told can only run up to 100w gutted
Even most 100-watt amps are actually about 120-130 watts. Your Ironheart should be fine. You’re not going to dime everything, are you?
@@RobertWJackson no i.can't where I live lol, think I'll look into purchasing one now , thank you
Robert, I’m surprised that you didn’t include the Fender Champ. Have you ever tried one? They’re amazing. It feels like the pull notes out of your guitar. They probably more for Blurs players like me than Metal guys like you.
i have a crate 5watt with a tube and its loud
I have always wanted to try one of those yamaha amps. They are always sold out. However, I have had a few of these. The Vox modeler, DSL, I currently have a spark amp. Earlier line 6 spiders, I didn't think they were all that bad, weren't great but hey I had a old Gorilla Practice amp from the 80s and 90s then apartment life I did some small headphones. Line 6 spider was first real practice amp in early 2000. So yeah big step up for apartment life back then.
Now days I just use my Kemper. Great low volume, high volume and thousands of amps.
Thanks Robert. I have and love my Yamaha green little high gain desktop amp. I have tried several times to get this sound in a bigger amp and have wasted my money. Even my marshall dsl 20 through my Randell 4 x 12 is disappointing. At lower volume here at home. I will definitely buy a bigger version if ever able.
Check out the Yamaha THR100D, I think it’s called.
@@RobertWJackson yeah I had that. I had the one that had 2 amps in one with like 5 different tube choices. But I didn't have my Randell 4x12 back then. It was a old crate 4x12. . I'm thinking of the thr 30. 🤘
The wife and myself are planning on semi-retiring and seeing family and the 50 states which means we will be living in a travel trailer which means i have to micro downsize my setup and I’m really looking for a AC/DC battery operated tube amp, Is there such a thing ? Great vid btw really like that marshal ,wish it was battery operated
I don't get why people are so prone to crapping on Crate amps. The Blue Voodoo is an awesome head, and for all the old school death metal fans, Cannibal Corpse used solid state Crates on their early stuff. A buddy of mine sold me his Joyo Bantamp Zombie a few weeks ago and that thing is amazing. With products like that on the market, along with all the amp sims that just seem to keep getting better, it's really an awesome time to be a guitar player
Ronny, you are right about amps getting dumped on if they don't start with an F, M or V. My first real amp was a '68 Fender Silverface Vibro Champ that my dad picked up in a pawnshop for $50 back in 1970. It was the crappiest amp...rattled, hummed and just generally sounded like mud. But it was a "classic" so I happily took $600 for it about 15 years ago and got a real amp!
What is the speed of dark? Good question. My personal observation, "Humans are the only species of which I am aware that can broadcast darkness at the speed of light."
The Pathfinder is the best practice amp under $250 that I've ever played, and I got mine for $60
We've come a long way since the early 70s when I started playing. Inexpensive guitars and amps that didn't suck were few and far between.(edit) was thinking of the Yamaha distortion pedal when you Said that LOL
I've owned several Crate amps across most generations and I really can't fathom the hate . For the price(s) they have enough features and tone for most situations. And they take a beating, I've only seen two just randomly die. I really look forward to seeing some love for Crate for a change.:)
The main issue with crate is their good stuff is great but the less umm good stuff is akin to a tin can with bees in it... And they have a huge amount of treble.... I've had a few of them and they just all have a very high end presence and sterile sound.
This coming from a guy who has a crate stack...
My first guitar amp was a Crate chorus that was a 2x10, can't remember the exact model but it would have been in the early 90's. My first half stack was a Crate Excaliber, matching head and 4x12, I wish I still had it. I currently do have one of the old school Blue Voodoo 120's, which is a powerhouse. Weighs a ton but it screams
My guess is...You have "not" seen this video about the 10 Worst Solid State Amps ua-cam.com/video/8CvPeHLpNK4/v-deo.html!! Just check 1:40 into the video and then I defy you to try to re-comment "fathom the hate" for Crate Amps. I'm thinking you might not really be aware of Robert's allegiance to Crate. If you think I'm wrong? Just remember, we all have our opinions. Some of us have just seen a lot of Robert's videos and that allows us to be more appreciative when he makes a comment some might think critical of their favorite product. Robert does call it exactly the way he sees it.
The waza craft headphones are legit. I thought it would be gimmicky but their not bad.
I did watched many videos regarding speed of dark..... And it is none.....
Not to be confused with the Orange Crush soda.
Well..i see you have the Two Notes Torpedo Live so...how much of a difference is there between that and the Captor X (other than portability)? Also..the newest version of the Yamaha TH series supposedly has all the previous models(to an extent) all packed into this one unit. But being the owner of the PG Spark and the Yamaha TH-X (the Metal version) , The Spark sounds better with more features...of course , that's just my opinion.
The Torpedo Live has WAAAAY more cabs in it vs. the Captor X. It also has more flexibility with attenuation. The Captor X only attenuated at -25dB and -40dB, or something like that.
Per Steven Wright: If you're on a bus going the speed of light...do the headlights work?!
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I’m stealing that one. LOL
@@RobertWJackson Remember...186,000 miles per second is not only a good idea, it's the law! I'll let myself out....
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Blackstar???
Fender Mustang III v2. Takes pedals superbly well. The Fender models are really nice. Don't care for the built-in effects except the vibrato, tremolo and tube screamer.
I like my Mustang III v.2. Usually just run it clean or with a slight crunch and use pedals. More than enough power for small to medium stages and 20 lbs. lighter than my AC15.
@@robertmacready8632 true story
@@jumpingman8160 ???
@@robertmacready8632 i was agreeing with you my man
Great list for sure. Peavey VYPYR X series is the absolute best practice amp I've ever played through easily. Runner up is a diezel VH micro. But peavey literally knocked it out of our solor system with the x series. The earlier vypyrs had a hybrid series which had 2 6L6s in em and the sickest versions..... and then the x series made em sound like a diarrhea.
I really like crate
Speed of Dark is your new band name homie!!
Well, I suppose it is now! 🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼
If you play at lightspeed it becomes Deed of Spark, or Kread of Sped. When you stop, it's Seed of Parkd. Or Seed of Krapd.....
Bring on the Crate love!!! #bluevoodoolife
Of all the Crate amps I have owned my favorite has been the old block logo G212. The cleans were fantastic (that’s right, I said fantastic) and the Shape feature in the drive channel was a great way to change up tones for double tracking guitars.
I have to say, the spark is 100% worth the hype. I’ve owned just about every one of the practice amps on this list and for me the Spark blows them all away, and I can use it for bass! Also use as an interface in a pinch if needed.
I've had the spark and it's great but doesn't blow away a katana not even close. The Yamaha thr30ii wireless in my opinion is one of the best sounding practice amplifier I've used in that footprint. The spark is definitely good stuff.
When I started out in the early '90's, small practice amps were either terrible or tolerable. Much better options these days! I use the Randall RD1H into a 1x12 Peavey cab ('90s). Stellar tone plugged straight in!! I also tried out a Yamaha THR series and was really impressed by that as well.
The speed of dark is the same as light. No light, no dark
Surprised there is no mention of the Peavey Bandit (I know I know, it is YOUR list). Pretty much every generation of them is both great for practice and even live (dependent on the drummer).
Can confirm that Boss Katana amps are amazing value for the price.
Too big, too heavy, and too loud.
The speed of dark is slower than the speed of light that's why it snick up on you before you know it
80s Randall RG-80 112SC is awesome it’s the same amp as the 80s RG100ES in combo form, they sound great at low volume I love mine it’s also cheap hidden gem got mine for $350 sometimes can be found for less.
My idea of a practice amp is probably a bit larger than others. Then again, I live alone, so if my roommates don't like the noise, Fuck em! I did start with modellers, mostly because there were so many different choices, and I had no freaking idea which amp(s) made the sound I wanted. So I got the ones that modelled a bunch of different ones! In my case, that was a Vox VT20+, and a Fender Mustang III. (fuck using a computer- I want to be able to do what I need right on the amp) Eventually, I noticed a theme: The models I always seemed to gravitate to were primarily from brand F. Both of those amps are pretty damn good sounding.
I ended up with a BassBreaker 15, because it followed me home after not being able to step away from it a few times in the store. I could have gone for the 7 watt version, but I wanted the fx loop. While it does have the perennial tube amp dilemma: It sounds best when pushed hard, it does sound pretty good at lower volumes, too. And it plays well with my dirt boxes. But, dammit- with the master volume cranked, it just puts THAT smile on my face!
They do also make a Champion series of, I guess, solid state amps. I kinda wish I'd known about them sooner, lol. I hear lots of positive reviews, and they sound pretty good. They include a nice selection of effects, too- so it's kinda the best of both worlds: a simple amp with a decent sound- and all the fx you'd expect from a modeller. I'm not a metal guitarist, so I have no idea if they can do that sort of tone. (probably not- but if you're after a metal amp, I doubt you'd be looking at Fender anyhow)
crate amps are awesome. my original g212 was a game changer for a poor guitarist. blue voodoo can take paint off walls...
Blackstar HT5R
Now you need to do a worst practice amp video...... It would be awesome 😎👌😎👌
Back of your shirt should say "while simultaneously having a record breaking 500,000 homeless people . "
HA you caught that!!! actually there are waaaayyyyyyy more but, who's counting!?!?!?
I'm really enjoying your funny questions at the start of these videos Robert;
'Why isn't a building called a built?' or this one 'What's the speed of Dark?'
Funny as f mate. Cheers, peace, respect & rock n'roll always.
P.S. Blackstar are making awesome amps both practice ID:Core V2 & V3,
and powerful tube / valve heads & cabinet stacks, too. I'm hooked on Blackstar,
was always a Marshall guy but Blackstar has a more modern quality to them
which while not traditional, I like a lot (been at this guitar game 42 years now).
Just unsubbed from Dipped In Tone & subbed to you now, Robert, you are my generation (i.e. old-school 'old'skool') & I dig your attitude, delivery & humour.
Thanks in advance bra! Didyabringyabongalong, Central Queensland, Australia.
Thanks man! Welcome to the family! 🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼
@@RobertWJackson You're welcome Robert, you deserve respect praise & accolades for what you do, I saw how u handled the sh*thead trolls & that was the contemptuous response they had studiously well-earned, pack of swine they are! Gr8 stuff Robert, you told 'em proper off.
I particularly like you, like me, have been guitartists for many Moons indeed, judging by your snarl at the Yamaha Distortion pedal from the 80's you are early mid-50ish like me! bwaahahaha us old bastards never die, we just play better guitar every day 'til the end. Thanks again & ciao 4now mate!
Not in my 50’s quite yet. I’m 43.
@@RobertWJackson gee, I really am a dinosaur! I'm 51.
isn't Spider V the one faced hammer of truth?
You mean the one Glenn Fricker smashed? Yes, it is. But that had more to do with a design flaw with its direct out than anything else, not the sound. And they fixed it on the Spider V MKII’s anyway.
Vox 5 Mini Rhythm
I just bought a Roland Cube 20x and now your making me regret not getting a 40.
There is a pretty big jump in features from the 20 to the 40.
Corrections:
The Marshall Lead 12 came in two forms, 15 watt head with two 1x10 cabs and a 1x10 combo. The Lead 20 was a 1x12 combo with reverb.
The Randall RD5 is also a 1x10 combo or a head.
Honorable mention is the Blackstar ID:Core series amps, I've got the 10 and it sounds great, stereo to boot. My only negative is I would have gone with the 40 since the 10 could stand to be a little louder.
My first amp was a peavey companion 15.... so so bad.
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Given that the universe is expanding faster than the speed of light,, I'd have to say, fast as fuck.
i know you recently got a blue voodoo amp and asuming ur going to demo it. You have to mention the vintage club series. i own a 1995 50 212. Great rock blues amp. PRISTINE CLEANS!! Also the lee jackson stealth series. Anyone who talks shit about crate has never heard these three killer amps.
I already demo’ed the Blue Voodoo.
What is Jumbo Shrimp?, is it a shrimpy jumbo or just a medium shrimp?. I really want the DSL 5, but it's like, I always end up with either a Marshall or Fender.. Why did Joyo choose a Blue's Jr. For its Fender clone?. Perhaps one of the most mediocre fender amps of all time. Of course, you have to ask yourself, does the world really need another 59 bassman clone?. A low powered tweed twin or even the 5e3 tweed deluxe would have been tits straight up, especially with the effects loop. Keep up the great work.
I still have my 2 practice amps. My Fender G- Dec and my Fender Mustang 1. I was told from another You Tube sponsor that these were the worse amps period. But for some reason, I still like them. They work for me when I'm playing at home. Most Jams I've gone out to play supply good amps like the Vox and have played through a crappy Crate with a short in the volume control. But we all have our taste in what we like. Just keep The Super Weirdo pedal 6 feet or more away from me. That will help me stay 6 feet away.
My idea of a practice amp is a mesa boogie studio 22+, Having said that, I have a G dec and it's NOT the worst practice amp out there. With a tube screamer, I can get some pretty good tones outta it. People and their opinions... Edit: in all fairness, G decs are notorious for the selector dial eventually to not select the programs correctly. Took it apart and cleaned it, worked for a while but is shorting out again. So if ya take that into consideration...
@@redwhiteblue9866 I've had me G - Dec now for 13 years. Never had a problem with it.
@@howardcunniffe8738 awesome bro
Awe you got me speed of dark hmmmmm
What? No Gorilla amps?
Nope.