Best CHEAP tube head for modding(experimental)

[MR MARCUS]

I'm in search of a minimum 50w tube amp head for modding. Current amps I'm considering are Valveking 100, Windsor, Crate BV120 and Bugera 1960. It has to be cheap cheap! $200-300 range. This poor subject amp a probably going to be gutted at least 10 times. It is going to be a high gain project. I'm leaning towards the Crate. I can get one for $200. Opinions please...

 

[Bloodrock]

Check out the Randall RT series from a few years ago. 3 channels. They can be had for around $300. I've got a 50w I've been wanting to get modded. Only paid $300 for it.

 

[prsplayer86]

Peavey Classic's are a clean build to begin with and a great platform. Can be had very cheap as well.

 

[MR MARCUS]

The thing with the Peavey Classics is they are powered by el84s. I want to stay away from those. Also not a very good high gain platform. I've repaired several and just rebuilt the power supply in a Classic 50 combo last month.

 

[AmpliFIRE]

Traynor YBA-1
Sovtek Mig

 

[MR MARCUS]

Traynor YBA-1
Sovtek Mig

I would love to go with one of those bet they are out of that $200-300 range.

 

[The Traveller]

Man I know people mod the shit out of the Jet City stuff, especially the JCA20H. It seems like Musician's Friend blows them out every 3 months or so for about $250.

 

[AmpliFIRE]

Traynor YBA-1
Sovtek Mig

I would love to go with one of those bet they are out of that $200-300 range.

Maybe a little, but I bet you can find one that is beat up cosmetically for close

 

[cecilbag]

Man I know people mod the shit out of the Jet City stuff, especially the JCA20H. It seems like Musician's Friend blows them out every 3 months or so for about $250.

I was going to suggest this as well.

I know it's not anywhere near the 50w at only 5w but I've modded a few epiphone valve jr's and they can be turned into little fire breathers. Ultra portable. They don't sound half bad stock but you can do so much with them.

 

[JamesPeters]

Gutted minimum of 10 times? If by that you mean you'll be removing/replacing the circuit board (with one you'll make yourself), that narrows things down. Look for the following:

-chassis mount pots, transformers, switches, jacks, sockets
-lots of room (consider if extra preamp tubes can be added etc.)
-most likely something that's already "PTP" of some kind (tag board, eyelet board etc.)

My first thought is to find some old Traynor amp. I'd pick one that has the B+ at the output tube anodes in a "normal Marshall/Fender ballpark" of 400V DC - 500V DC, to make your work easier in that regard. (You can find Traynor schematics easily enough. Be sure to get the right model since there were some "A" versions which were significantly different).

 

[8len8]

Like the other guy said, Jet City. Here's one stop shopping for most of the available mods:

http://www.guitarampboard.com/forum/vie ... f=5&t=1615

 

[Brandon Breeze]

Crate blue voodoo! They sound decent with a good cabinet, I always wanted to have mine modded.

Im definitely not a virtuoso, but here's an example of how mine sounded. This was with a Crate cab with celestions.

 

[Riffraff]

Traynor YBA-1
Sovtek Mig

I would love to go with one of those bet they are out of that $200-300 range.

Maybe a little, but I bet you can find one that is beat up cosmetically for close

I've never seen one that cheap either. More like $400 for a fixer upper but that not too far outside your range, especially considering what you get for that extra hundred bucks; huge Hammond transformers, mustard caps, easy to work on eyelet board, even a pop top head case in '70s models so you don't even need to remove the chassis from the head cab. Stupid easy to mod and unbelievably good when done right.

I've got a '71 YBA-1 I Plexi modded a few months ago and it's the best sounding "Marshall" I've ever owned in my life.

 

[d1469d]

Crate Blue Voodoo

 

[MR MARCUS]

Gutted minimum of 10 times? If by that you mean you'll be removing/replacing the circuit board (with one you'll make yourself), that narrows things down. Look for the following:

-chassis mount pots, transformers, switches, jacks, sockets
-lots of room (consider if extra preamp tubes can be added etc.)
-most likely something that's already "PTP" of some kind (tag board, eyelet board etc.)

My first thought is to find some old Traynor amp. I'd pick one that has the B+ at the output tube anodes in a "normal Marshall/Fender ballpark" of 400V DC - 500V DC, to make your work easier in that regard. (You can find Traynor schematics easily enough. Be sure to get the right model since there were some "A" versions which were significantly different).

I went a little overboard with the term "gutted" but the circuit will be modded and reworded several times before an eventual gutting. I just need a super cheap subject amp for learning purposes. I went with the BV120. I have an old Traynor coming in for a repair next week. Maybe it's a decent one that I can check out.

 

[Brandon Breeze]

Gutted minimum of 10 times? If by that you mean you'll be removing/replacing the circuit board (with one you'll make yourself), that narrows things down. Look for the following:

-chassis mount pots, transformers, switches, jacks, sockets
-lots of room (consider if extra preamp tubes can be added etc.)
-most likely something that's already "PTP" of some kind (tag board, eyelet board etc.)

My first thought is to find some old Traynor amp. I'd pick one that has the B+ at the output tube anodes in a "normal Marshall/Fender ballpark" of 400V DC - 500V DC, to make your work easier in that regard. (You can find Traynor schematics easily enough. Be sure to get the right model since there were some "A" versions which were significantly different).

I went a little overboard with the term "gutted" but the circuit will be modded and reworded several times before an eventual gutting. I just need a super cheap subject amp for learning purposes. I went with the BV120. I have an old Traynor coming in for a repair next week. Maybe it's a decent one that I can check out.

Great choice! Learn how to hotrod some amps, then you can really Taylor your sound. I put a video in my post above of my old BV, still think it's a bad ass amp for the money.

 

[Jun Tatsuoka]

Since you want high gain. Peavey Ultra

 

[MR MARCUS]

Gutted minimum of 10 times? If by that you mean you'll be removing/replacing the circuit board (with one you'll make yourself), that narrows things down. Look for the following:

-chassis mount pots, transformers, switches, jacks, sockets
-lots of room (consider if extra preamp tubes can be added etc.)
-most likely something that's already "PTP" of some kind (tag board, eyelet board etc.)

My first thought is to find some old Traynor amp. I'd pick one that has the B+ at the output tube anodes in a "normal Marshall/Fender ballpark" of 400V DC - 500V DC, to make your work easier in that regard. (You can find Traynor schematics easily enough. Be sure to get the right model since there were some "A" versions which were significantly different).

I went a little overboard with the term "gutted" but the circuit will be modded and reworded several times before an eventual gutting. I just need a super cheap subject amp for learning purposes. I went with the BV120. I have an old Traynor coming in for a repair next week. Maybe it's a decent one that I can check out.

Great choice! Learn how to hotrod some amps, then you can really Taylor your sound. I put a video in my post above of my old BV, still think it's a bad ass amp for the money.

I already know how to hotrod several amps. I'm trying to experiment with some with circuit design before I do my own designed build. I need to lean more about high gain really.

 

[MR MARCUS]

Since you want high gain. Peavey Ultra

If it was an Ultra+ I wouldn't want to mess with it at all. I love those amps!