Question:
OK. I am getting ready to purchase my first electric guitar. I have played on a beginner acoustic on which I taught myself to play, and have been playing on for about 2 years. I am planning on buying the Epi. Vintage SG G-400. I am on a pretty tight budget, and would really like an amp just to get me started for $100 or less. I know that this is probably a really tall order, and I am quite possibly unrealistic in this. I don't need anything fancy, just something a cut above a practice amp output-wise. I don't really know much about amps, and I'm not really sure where to start looking. I play a large variety of styles, and like a variety of artists, ranging in the following: Sonicflood/Jeff Deyo, Jeremy Camp, Audio A, Stellar Kart, Pillar, Kutless, Storyside:B, Skillet, Eleventy-Seven, Subseven, POD. Any advice anybody could give me would be helpful. I hope you can get a vague idea of my situation. I'm on a really tight budget. Thanks
Answer:
do you have speakers?
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if not the Line 6 Spider III 15 Modeling Combo Amplifier is only $99.99...
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I have a Marshall MG10CD for when I don't want to lug my big amp around and it's pretty solid. It sells for $70 new and is a great value.
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My honest opinion that you should save a little more and get something better, cause you won't find anything that's really that great. The truth is, crappy guitar + great amp = pretty good tone
however
great guitar + crappy amp = horrible tone
I would say save up at least enough for a Roland 30, which is $225. That is a pretty decent amp. I really wouldn't go any lower than that. however, I can understand if you need to. Is your budget really really strict? If so, I will do a little more investigating to try and find some amps that might suit you.
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Get the best amp you can for the money - that means looking at used. I think you need to be realistic though. $100 used will likely not give you much amp, unless you can land a killer deal. But, your money will go farther if you know what you're looking for. Do you really need an amp now, or can you pick up a guitar processor for $100 or less and play through headphones until you have money for a better amp? I think making gear purchases under stress or urgency often does not always meet your needs. Don't force yourself into a corner that you regret. I would bet that too much gear gets bought that way.
Here's another thought - can you borrow an amp so that you know what you like and don't like in an amp?
Answer:
Originally Posted by Hopeful Do you really need an amp now, or can you pick up a guitar processor for $100 or less and play through headphones until you have money for a better amp?
That was my thought; like either a Digitech RP150 or Zoom G2. They will sound way better through headphones than any practice amp you could buy for $100. They would also offer the opportunity to try out different amp and effect sounds to see what you might like. They can also be plugged into a PA for live use.
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Get a Roland MicroCube.
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No, I don't have speakers.
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Yeah, I'll probably look into borrowing an amp.
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Originally Posted by rockinfarmerboy Yeah, I'll probably look into borrowing an amp.
That's a good start. Get to know what kind of sound you expect from an amp with your guitar, then you won't be chasing around for something that someone else said was good, but turns out not being for you. Trying them out in music stores is also a good thing. Try to make sure your own tastes are put into the equation, as well as what others say.
From my experience, tastes in music change over time and it is usually better to get a versatile amp than a one trick pony that may not work for your music tastes in a few years.
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From my experience, tastes in music change over time and it is usually better to get a versatile amp than a one trick pony that may not work for your music tastes in a few years.
Like a Roland MicroCube.
If you need an amp for cheap that's versatile, I've always vouched for the Cubes. They're not gonna be enough for a gig, but they're great for home practice, and they're not too much, so won't take a very big bite out of the fund for the amp you're gonna get in a couple years.
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Yeh, it being a first amp, you definitely want to get something pretty versatile, since you don't know quite what sound you are looking. Getting something like a roland cube would help you figure what you are looking for and you will still probably have sounds on it that you like in a while.
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OK. So I read some reviews of the microcube on the MF website, and it sounds pretty good. Then yesterday, I got the Music 123 catalog, and it has a deal in that you can get and Epiphone All-Access Pack for 149.99 It includes a gigbag, 15-watt amp with reverb and FX loop, Cable, tuner, etc. And if you buy any Epi. Guitar from them you get it for 50 bucks off. I haven't gotten the Vintage SG G-400 yet that I have been planing on purchasing, so that would also be a good deal for me. A couple other amps that I would like some opinion on. The Behringer V-Tone G108 15 watt modeling amp. That's like 59.99, and from the reviews it sounds pretty good, almost as good as the Roland, but not quite. Any thoughts on these three options, as opposed to a cheap Drive or Fullertone Amp? Thanks.
Answer:
Originally Posted by rockinfarmerboy OK. So I read some reviews of the microcube on the MF website, and it sounds pretty good. Then yesterday, I got the Music 123 catalog, and it has a deal in that you can get and Epiphone All-Access Pack for 149.99 It includes a gigbag, 15-watt amp with reverb and FX loop, Cable, tuner, etc. And if you buy any Epi. Guitar from them you get it for 50 bucks off. I haven't gotten the Vintage SG G-400 yet that I have been planing on purchasing, so that would also be a good deal for me. A couple other amps that I would like some opinion on. The Behringer V-Tone G108 15 watt modeling amp. That's like 59.99, and from the reviews it sounds pretty good, almost as good as the Roland, but not quite. Any thoughts on these three options, as opposed to a cheap Drive or Fullertone Amp? Thanks. I have played those el-cheapo little Epiphone starter amps like that, and I'll be honest, they sound like utter crap. I haven't played that particular Behringer, but I have played others, and was not impressed. Honestly, I really really would not buy that one. You are not going to get an amp for $60 without it sounding like crap. I don't generally trust the MusiciansFriend reviews anyway. They should always be taken with a grain of salt. Just cause it gets good reviews does NOT mean that it is any good. Are you really honestly not able to spend more than $100? I am honestly pretty sure that you are not going to be able to find anything even terribly decent at all for that price.