Considering a Tweaker 40, but concerned

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andrewt

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Hi everyone, I figured this might be a good place to ask my question. I post with the same name on the TDPRI but there seems to be more Egnater info here.

I'm considering a Tweaker 40 head (with 1x12 cab). This will be my grab-n-go amp and for cramped areas. I play musical theater gigs occasionally and sometimes the pit can get really cramped, especially with multiple guitars. I just got a new Marshall DSL15 which sounds good after changing preamp tubes to tame the gain, but I'd like something more versatile. I've played both sizes of Rebels and Tweakers and I like the 40 the best. I'm thinking of returning the Marshall and getting a Tweaker 40 on CL. I think I'll try using JJ 6V6 tubes to lower the power a little.

I'm concerned about the reports of amps going bad--seems to be more of a problem with the Tourmaster, but I've seen enough to make me worried. I have noticed that most of "bad amp" threads come from someone who just registered, leading me to believe that we're hearing mostly from the small percentage of owners with problems and not from the majority who have no problems and thus don't feel the need to report that. Does that sound right? Can I buy a used Tweaker and be confident that it won't fail on me?

Also, does the Tweaker 40 head fit on top of the Tweaker 112x cab? I know the speaker is only rated for 30 watts, but I won't be pushing the amp at all.

Thanks,
Andrew
 
What does cl mean?
Don't buy a tweaker used. Good chance you will need warranty service. Big problems with P/T. Mine is being fixed right now. Maybe Egnater using new source for trannys. check out first. You can't exchange 6l6 with 6v6. You can but you must disassemble to adjust bias.
Idle current about 40% less on the 'victors'.
For your needs. I'd re lookey the tweeter 15. Yer call though.
 
Skip CL, Im with Daviedog buy the amp new with warranty just to be on the safe side and less worries, I had the Tweaker 40 its an awesome amp but needed 2 more channel so I exchanged it with a Renegade a very versatile amp.
 
Egnaters are very reliable.I gigged for a couple of years with a rebel. The early tourmasters had a tranny problem that was updated. Bad tubes happen to any amp
 
I've had a tweaker 40 w/ 1x12 for about a year and half. It is the best sound I've had (i've owned mostly fenders and boogies) but my amp blew the Power Transformer 2 weeks ago at a gig. It was fixed under warranty but it seems like they've problems with the reliability of the PT's. Would I buy this amp again? Yes, absolutely particularly with the matching 1x12 cab. Was I happy with Egnater support, not so much. I actually already had the amp fixed at a local shop that does warranty work before I heard back from Egnater support although once I heard from them they were friendly and polite.
 
Thanks guys. I'm sort of back to square one now. I got a Marshall DSL15 a week and a half ago knowing I'd have to roll tubes and/or modify it to clean up the gain. I got it sounding pretty good with tube substitutions (old Mullard in V1, Telefunken in V2, EH 12AY7 in V3 if I remember right) but the clean channel still didn't sound that great and I couldn't balance the shared EQ. The clean channel was always too bassy and the OD channel was too thin.

I think I may have ruled out Egnaters due to the sheer number of posts I've seen about reliability issues. I have bigger amps that I use at home and for larger gigs where I have the space, but this amp will be mostly for small gigs, and I can't afford an amp crapping out at a gig. I refuse to go the back-up amp route.

So now I'm looking at the Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister 18, Bogner Alchemist 1x12 combo, and maybe the Blackstar HT-20. I play the HT-20 combo at church, and I used to have an HT-5, so I'm familiar with its sound. I'm happy with it, but I don't like the idea of op-amp buffers in my tone--just from a philosophical view.

I've played the Tubemeister and Alchemist, and I like the tones of both. I like the built-in power soak on the Tubemeister, although I have an L-pad that I've used with other amps that works fine. I have a feeling the Alchemist might be a little more versatile though. I can get a Tubemeister for $500 if I buy a factory restock at Guitar Center and use the $75 off coupon which expires tomorrow. I just checked craigslist and both the Alchemists on there are gone now, so maybe that's a sign I should get the Tubemeister...

I'll be getting a 1x12 cab (probably open back or convertible) eventually but for now I have a '60s closed back Bandmaster cab with 2 Vintage 30s.

Any thoughts on other 2-channel ~15-20 watt compact amps I should look at in that price range? I'd like to have an amp for gigs on Wednesday and Saturday, but I can always borrow the church's Blackstar if I need to.
 
I would take an egnater out of all the amps mentioned. This site is more of a egnater complaint dept than user forum. Go over to thegearpage.net and theres plenty of tweaker army threads with happy users.
 
I figured it out right after I posted. Needed a nap that day but thanx..
 
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