What's your favorite "practice" amp?

[tuffythepug]

I think the  "'Pignose" is still being made.  This is the original portable, battery-powered practice amp.     On the micro-end of the scale there are amps such as the Marshall micro-stack which is about  or 5 inches tall and a couple inches thick;  it has a clip to attach to your belt and is 9v battery powered.   Small 3" speaker.   has clean and dirty channels and a headphone jack.    I use one of these if I'm traveling and staying in a motel where I don't want to disturb anyone. 

[Tycho]

I've had the Roland MicroCube and now I have the Vox DA5.  Both are great and there's not much to choose between them, but I like the DA5 a bit better for my purposes.

I have a little 5-watt tube amp -- the Swart Space Tone -- but I don't consider it a practice amp.  It's meant to be cranked, and when it is, it's loud.  I think that's the case with most of the 5-watt tube amps out there.

[vibrolux66]

I have an Epiphone Tube 10 I purchased around 2003 or so, they were $100 bucks shipped back then!!!! One 6L6 power tube and a 12AX7 for the preamp, 10 watter. Great little tube amp stock, even better when I replaced the 8" stock Nashville Labs speaker with a Weber for about $20. AFAIK you don't have to bias when changing power amp tubes so you can play around with diff tubes to get more clean headroom (or less if you prefer). I also replaced the AX7 with a 12AY7 and now it only breaks up when I WANT it too. Looks like epiphone later made one called the Galaxy Tube 10, can pick them up for $150 or less, or you may be able to find the original Tube 10. I love mine and they are CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP. No reverb but does have a headphone jack AND a 4-ohm speaker output that is powerful enough to lightly drive my blackface Fender amp cab. Small too. I took the huge stupid plastic Epiphone logo piece off the front and it looks great. I highly recommend that you check it out......I think there are some youtube video demos out there.

[ducktrapper]

How about one of these? Electro Harmonix 22 caliber.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5oD6GyI4ds&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5MfQ4r1J-k

[Mikeymac]

How about one of these? Electro Harmonix 22 caliber.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5oD6GyI4ds&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5MfQ4r1J-k

Duck,

That little 22 Caliber is a pretty cool idea, but it didn't sound great ... I'd have to demo one personally to see if it sounded better in person. (It's tones were on the solid state side of the spectrum a bit too much for my taste; not sure if it can do a decent clean tone ...)

[ducktrapper]

Duck,

That little 22 Caliber is a pretty cool idea, but it didn't sound great ... I'd have to demo one personally to see if it sounded better in person. (It's tones were on the solid state side of the spectrum a bit too much for my taste; not sure if it can do a decent clean tone ...)

Yes plus you still need speakers. It's basically a tiny amp head. Cool idea though. How far off is one that manages to deliver a decent clean tone?

[blue]

A silverface champ for around $350 is still one of the great "vintage" gear deals out there.  No it's not in the same ballpark as a micro cube or a Vox solidstate, both of which are great for what they are, but it's a real fender amp, coming in at around 6 watts.  Sounds great with dirt pedals in front of it too.

[guitarbob]

I have a Crate VC508 tube amp. 5 Watt combo with an 8" Celestion. Great little tube amp, and you can usually find them for $100 or less.

[rockstar_not]

Haven't tried this yet - but IK Multimedia just released amplitube for the iPhone (with a little interface to get your guitar or bass signal into the iPhone)

http://www.ikmultimedia.com/irig/features/

An amp that truly fits in your pocket, with big tone.  I think they are probably on to something here.

[Walkerman]

Well, I ended up getting the line 6 micro spider.  I'll do a review a soon as I get some "get aquainted time" with it.  Thanks for everyone's imput.

[z-clay]

Well, I ended up getting the line 6 micro spider.  I'll do a review a soon as I get some "get aquainted time" with it.  Thanks for everyone's imput.

I was just going to suggest a Line 6. Hope you enjoy the micro spyder. I play a 75 watt Line 6 Spyder with 1-12. Its one of the older red face models and it sounds great with my Larrivee......sounds even better with my bosses 78' Les Paul custom. Some people give them a bad rap but I really like mine. I'll definitely buy another Line 6 when the time comes.   

[Cybercanyon]

Well I hope you enjoy your Micro Spyder as much as I enjoy mine.   I like its sound and portability.   I also like playing with all the different effects.

Mike

[NotRevGDavis]

"I practice on my Blues Deluxe. "

So do I- great in a practice room, even better in a stadium.

[fritferret]

traynor dark hrorse!  sweet little amp.  able to play smaller gigs easily, especially if miced.  i run it through a port city 112os whih is the same cab i use with larger amps.  it's magic.  and w/ an rs-4 it's just sinful......sinfully good.

[katieburton12]

For practice I use a Fender G-Dec. Ton of sounds, built in (albeit not enough progressions) band, Headphone Jack, Tuner and CD player inputs to let you jam with CD's. No, it doesn't sound as good as a real tube amp, but it sounds okay, is inexpensive, lightweight and does exactly what you say you need and more.

[interiorfarmer]

+1 for Tech 21 amps. I have the 30 watt amp and it is excellent. You can run it right into the PA or a larger amp for live shows, if you want, and the XLR out goes right into my preamp for recording onto Logic. Very versatile amp, and the price (around $300 new) is right.