What small amp to use on vacation?

John Bartlett · Post by **John Bartlett** » 20 May 2012 4:36 am

Hello all;

I've recently purchased an 8-string Fulawka that is small enough to take on a vacation trip, and I'd like to do some practicing in the motel room while my wife is watching TV.

Is there a small amp out there I could use for this? Something I could plug my headphones into? The phones I have now work with my large amp for this purpose, so I wonder what else I could use. I'm not all that familiar with different styles of amps (as I'm sure you can tell).

The amp I have now is a Roland KC-550 keyboard amp, and works great, just too big of a beast to haul around on vacation.

It doesn't have to be used, new if fine, but used would be great as well.

Mahalo,

John

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 20 May 2012 4:46 am

You can go for a used Roland MicroCube for as low as $50 to the new/best kid on the block, the YAMAHA THR10 for under $300, both are small, can operate on AA batteries, and give good sounds, in the case of the THR10, superb sound and USB options.

Joe Snow · Post by **Joe Snow** » 20 May 2012 8:19 am

I love my vox DA5.

Derrick Mau · Post by **Derrick Mau** » 20 May 2012 9:49 am

Roland Mobile Cube.
It's even smaller than the Micro Cube and sweet tone for steel guitar. Fits better in your luggage too.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifie ... 37-4481727

Peter Jacobs · Post by **Peter Jacobs** » 20 May 2012 10:20 am

If you're thinking headphones-only, you can always go with a mini-amp, like:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifie ... r-mini-amp

Steve Lipsey · Post by **Steve Lipsey** » 20 May 2012 10:44 am

or the iRig,
http://www.ikmultimedia.com/irig/features/
jam to yourself or to tunes from your library...

Rich Gardner · Post by **Rich Gardner** » 20 May 2012 11:55 am

I use one of these and play backing tracks on my i pod through it.

http://www.amazon.com/Alesis-JamDock-Pr ... 9790826982

It's great!

RG

Jon A. Ross · Post by **Jon A. Ross** » 20 May 2012 12:29 pm

My all-time favorite hotel room amp, the Smokey:

http://www.smokeyamps.com/

Steve Ahola · Post by **Steve Ahola** » 20 May 2012 1:03 pm

The Vox AmPlug Bass was recommended here for one of the steel guitar classes. The other AmPlugs sound best distorted and don't clean up very well.

Steve Ahola

Stephen Cowell · Post by **Stephen Cowell** » 20 May 2012 9:40 pm

Derrick Mau wrote:Roland Mobile Cube.
It's even smaller than the Micro Cube and sweet tone for steel guitar. Fits better in your luggage too.

+1 on Mobile Cube... it has a mic stand/tripod adapter, very cool sound, just as good as the rest of the Cubes. The six AA's last for hours, and it's *stereo*!

At last month's coop I played through one, cranked... even got compliments! Try one, you'll see.

Bryan Daste · Post by **Bryan Daste** » 20 May 2012 11:06 pm

Another vote for the Vox DA-5. I've actually toured with it. Their DA-10 is good too, if you can find one...it's a little bigger though.

Kekoa Blanchet · Post by **Kekoa Blanchet** » 20 May 2012 11:26 pm

Not much bigger than an effects pedal, the Danelectro Honeytone is one to consider. More amp than a Vox AmPlug, less than a Roland Mobile Cube. You won't get anywhere near the sound you'd get from a Micro Cube or DA-5, but a lot easier to carry. Less than 25 bucks, and cute, too! Depends on what your priorities are -- if it's something just to practice with, and you're concerned about size and weight, the Honeytone could be a good choice. If you're going to perform, you'll need more of a "real" amp.

John Bartlett · Post by **John Bartlett** » 21 May 2012 1:14 am

Thanks for all the suggestions. I like Roland products too.

Instead of the mobile cube, what about the Cube Street? Anyone use this one? It seems to get good reviews.

A little pricey, but some of these other suggestions are just too small for what I want.

I like the Yamaha that Mr. Whitfield mentioned too.

Thanks, again

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 21 May 2012 2:50 am

John, you've probably researched the THR10 enuf to know it means serious business. If the $250 that you can find them for is within your budget, I'd suggest you make the plunge. The sound and options outclasses whatever else is available. bOb just got one, and speaking from a pedal steel perspective he's posted his enthusiastic opinions in the electronics section.

David Matzenik · Post by **David Matzenik** » 21 May 2012 4:42 am

Vox DA5 for portability and tone. Next level: Fender Frontman 25R with an equalizer.

Stephen Cowell · Post by **Stephen Cowell** » 21 May 2012 5:22 am

John Bartlett wrote:Thanks for all the suggestions. I like Roland products too.

Instead of the mobile cube, what about the Cube Street? Anyone use this one? It seems to get good reviews.

Darn it... now I have to go get *another* one.

It looks like the same Mobile Cube poweramp with 6" neo speakers and more preamp stuff. This is a serious busking amp, just add headset mic... it takes the same AC adapter that the Mobile Cube uses.

Still, if I'm going to put an amp in a suitcase, it will be the Mobile Cube.

Jerome Hawkes · Post by **Jerome Hawkes** » 21 May 2012 6:46 am

i am entirely sold on the Vox DA5, as others have posted - note, this is the OLDER version not the new mini. this amp will surprise you - i had been looking for one and found a used one in a music store, when i plugged it in to test, the salesman was like, holy #$^. its battery powered, and the modeling is good, ie something for everyone from clean to bluesy to full OD.

i did try the Roland Micro cube and came away with the DA5, that 5 watts + 6" speaker is a big deal when you A/B them side by side - you dont hear a lot about these as Roland is everywhere. anyway, MY criteria was portable battery powered as during the summers i go to a lot of festivals and looking for a power source is a drag.

the Street Cube, IS amazing, but geared more to a street performer PA system.

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 21 May 2012 7:13 am

Moved to Electronics from Steel Without Pedals.

admin · Post by **b0b** » 21 May 2012 7:41 am

I really like my new Yamaha THR10. It's perfect for travel or even camping as it can run on AA batteries, and it sounds great.

John Bartlett · Post by **John Bartlett** » 21 May 2012 9:20 am

Once again, this forum has proved invaluable to me for all the fine advice.

While I still consider myself a raw beginner, with all the expert help available here, that feeling goes away rather quickly.

All things considered, I've decided to stick with Roland, and stay with the Cube series. I'm going to order the Cube 15XL, which looks like it will have everything that I'm after, and with a price tag of about $100 from Sweetwater, and in stock. With 15 watts and an 8" speaker, and capable of what I want, I'm hoping it will be a good choice. I'm thinking I could use this for a number of purposes.

Thanks once again to all for the advice. What a great group!

John

Steve Ahola · Post by **Steve Ahola** » 21 May 2012 10:45 pm

I had bought a Roland Cube-15XL about 2 years ago but brought it back to GC because the Clean volume was so much lower than the Lead volume. I like to start off with a nice solid clean tone for my lap steel and then work from there, adding an OD pedal for a dirtier sound.

Steve Ahola

P.S. I think that most of the small amps have the same issue with the clean settings not being that loud since they figure that everybody will want to use the distorted settings. Actually for a small amp used for traveling the low volume would not be a problem and I thought the 15XL had a really nice sounding Clean channel (which is why I bought it in the first place.) So I think it will work out for you very well, John.

Don Barnhardt · Post by **Don Barnhardt** » 23 May 2012 12:01 am

Line Six makes a pretty nice little amp ( spider 3 I think ). It has effects if you want them, headphone jack and an input for CD player. I got mine from Musician Friend for $99.99 with free shipping.

George McCann · Post by **George McCann** » 25 May 2012 12:06 pm

Just received my THR10 yesterday afternoon and am a convert. Can play it clean or dirty, electric or acoustic. Great modeling amp and I haven't even tried the software yet. Good for Steel, Pedal steel, Fiddle, mandolyn, guitar- acoustic or electric and it isn't bad for harmonica either.
This is the perfect travel and late at night practice amp. You'll complain about shelling out the $250 plus for about 10 minutes into your first noofling session and after making a few adjustments you'll realise it is a fairly priced amp, maybe a bargain.

Tommy Thompson · Post by **Tommy Thompson** » 26 May 2012 10:03 am

peavey transtube blazer 158, even though it was given to me, it's the best sounding little amp and has amazing tone for practice with cd input and headphone input. (Of course,I like a clean sound). tommy t.

Steve Humes · Post by **Steve Humes** » 28 May 2012 2:47 am

I 'm late to the party, but I really enjoy my VoxAC4TV. I replaced the stock Sovtek pre-amp tube with a NOS Mullard and it smoothed the tone out considerably.