Valve Combos: How Small Can They Get?
| Posted in Guitar
When I saw this Laney Cub 8, naturally I thought that it was just another practice amp. You know – 10W or so with built in gain/master volume and distortion, that sort of thing. But when I looked again, I jumped! Whoa, it’s a valve amp! With a 6V6 in it! And a Celestion speaker!
After my other half located the smelling salts and I’d recovered consciousness, I wanted to find out more. After all, a valve amp usually has to have two hefty transformers and a strong chassis, so how is this possible in an amp that costs so little?
Now, I’m very much in favour of smaller amps – I’ve blathered on about it before. Give me a 20 watter that can be turned up without everybody in the vicinity reaching for their ear defenders and I’m in Class A heaven. In fact, the standard question that’s often asked about amplifiers – ‘how many watts is it?’ – seems to be less relevant these days. Instead, it’s how it sounds and whether it’ll do the job that matters. I remember turning up at a dep gig once witha Boogie Maverick, a 35W 1 x12 combo. The other guitarist sort of sneered and turned his back to fiddle with his 100w stack, (I kid you not, this was in a small social club). But I tell you folks, he was well and truly creamed that night. His fizzy, over distorted, tortured wasp noise was no match for the purer, cleaner tone of the smaller amp with output valves at full burn.
I digress. In fact the Laney is not alone, there are some serious quality, small, low power valve combos that will sound better recorded or miked up than their 50w brethren running at half speed. Have a butchers at this lot: the Fender Champion 600, which is seriously cool looking with a 6V6. The Vox AC4, boasting retro styling and utilising the classic Vox tube, the EL84. Next up is the Gibson GA5, with a Class A circuit and, again, an EL84. Elsewhere, the Orange AD5 is a reissue and only available in small numbers but has a 10″ Celestion speaker!
Special mention must also go to the Cornell Plexi 7. Now, this amp may look expensive for a 7 watter, but it’s made in this country, in small numbers, by one of the most respected amp builders in the business. Is it the best sounding out of all the small valve amps? Of course it is.
This is all good news. Guitarists can experience the superior tone of the valve circuit in a small, relatively inexpensive package, show off their new amp to other admiring players, and enjoy the moment on hearing those three magic words, ‘Turn it up!’
Tags: cornell, fender, Gibson, laney, orange, valve combo, vox
Great article. One day to go and I will take my Laney Cub 10 to a loud rock quartet rehearsal. I hope it does the job!
musicos
Good post, this amp looks great. Also agree about the Cornell Plexi 7 – that’s a brilliant little amp (albeit a bit pricey).
Sam