Recommend me a practice amp for hard rock and metal

Discuss the stuff that makes your ears bleed.

Moderators: Slowy, Capt. Black

User avatar
bender
Darth Fader
Posts: 11838
meble-kuchenne.warszawa.pl
Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2007 12:46 pm
Location: Dorkland
Has liked: 415 times
Been liked: 1010 times

Recommend me a practice amp for hard rock and metal

Post by bender »

I’m looking for a combo amp for my son who is into classic rock and metal. He digs everything from Architects to Zeppelin and branches out into a bit of pop punk on occasion.

He’s not really into gear or having lots of amp voices so a modelling amp with too many options is probably not a priority. I’d like to find him something that just does one or two things really well. I was thinking of a second-hand Blackstar HT5, or maybe an Orange Crush of some kind?

A Katana would be ok I guess.

Any suggestions or recommendations? Or even something to sell me?

User avatar
bender
Darth Fader
Posts: 11838
Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2007 12:46 pm
Location: Dorkland
Has liked: 415 times
Been liked: 1010 times

Re: Recommend me a practice amp for hard rock and metal

Post by bender »

Oh, and the first person to suggest an AC10 loses their colon.

hamo
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 20670
Joined: Wed Sep 07, 2005 12:08 pm
Location: Wellington, NZ
Has liked: 632 times
Been liked: 802 times

Re: Recommend me a practice amp for hard rock and metal

Post by hamo »

What sort of budget Ben?
Aquila Rosso wrote:I don't a mind an iced tea rimjob one little bit :congrats:
Molly wrote:Trousers are no substitute for talent
druz wrote:I present to you, the whogivesafuckocaster

User avatar
JHorner
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 3167
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 5:45 pm
Location: Auckland
Has liked: 394 times
Been liked: 488 times

Re: Recommend me a practice amp for hard rock and metal

Post by JHorner »

That mesa 5:50 combo that was on trademe.

Switch it to the 5w circuit for home, switch it to 50w when he finds a drummer

User avatar
NippleWrestler
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 2890
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2016 5:05 pm
Has liked: 78 times
Been liked: 1064 times

Re: Recommend me a practice amp for hard rock and metal

Post by NippleWrestler »

Marshall dsl20? Not much more than the blackstar but a lot more options, better reliability, and bigger sound.

The Mesa express won't do metal, they're far too flubby.

User avatar
bender
Darth Fader
Posts: 11838
Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2007 12:46 pm
Location: Dorkland
Has liked: 415 times
Been liked: 1010 times

Re: Recommend me a practice amp for hard rock and metal

Post by bender »

Budget under $500, but preferably more like $350.

He has zero interest in playing music with anyone else, and if that ever changes, we’ll reassess.

hamo
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 20670
Joined: Wed Sep 07, 2005 12:08 pm
Location: Wellington, NZ
Has liked: 632 times
Been liked: 802 times

Re: Recommend me a practice amp for hard rock and metal

Post by hamo »

Aquila Rosso wrote:I don't a mind an iced tea rimjob one little bit :congrats:
Molly wrote:Trousers are no substitute for talent
druz wrote:I present to you, the whogivesafuckocaster

User avatar
StrummersOfThunder
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 7160
Joined: Sun Jul 15, 2012 2:23 pm
Has liked: 807 times
Been liked: 1293 times

Re: Recommend me a practice amp for hard rock and metal

Post by StrummersOfThunder »

Sounds like katana would do the trick. Good for headphones to so he can shred in bed

User avatar
bender
Darth Fader
Posts: 11838
Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2007 12:46 pm
Location: Dorkland
Has liked: 415 times
Been liked: 1010 times

Re: Recommend me a practice amp for hard rock and metal

Post by bender »

hamo wrote: Mon Jan 16, 2023 8:38 pm What are these like?

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace ... 3955184519
You mean other than cute as a button?

User avatar
bender
Darth Fader
Posts: 11838
Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2007 12:46 pm
Location: Dorkland
Has liked: 415 times
Been liked: 1010 times

Re: Recommend me a practice amp for hard rock and metal

Post by bender »

StrummersOfThunder wrote: Mon Jan 16, 2023 8:39 pm Sounds like katana would do the trick. Good for headphones to so he can shred in bed
Definitely considering one.

I like the look of the Orange practice amps too though. Anyone tried one?

hamo
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 20670
Joined: Wed Sep 07, 2005 12:08 pm
Location: Wellington, NZ
Has liked: 632 times
Been liked: 802 times

Re: Recommend me a practice amp for hard rock and metal

Post by hamo »

bender wrote: Mon Jan 16, 2023 8:47 pm
hamo wrote: Mon Jan 16, 2023 8:38 pm What are these like?

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace ... 3955184519
You mean other than cute as a button?
Heh, yeah. I remember well back in the day there was a range of them, the 18w had a good reputation, wasn't sure if it extended to the 5w.
Aquila Rosso wrote:I don't a mind an iced tea rimjob one little bit :congrats:
Molly wrote:Trousers are no substitute for talent
druz wrote:I present to you, the whogivesafuckocaster

User avatar
bender
Darth Fader
Posts: 11838
Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2007 12:46 pm
Location: Dorkland
Has liked: 415 times
Been liked: 1010 times

Re: Recommend me a practice amp for hard rock and metal

Post by bender »

hamo wrote: Mon Jan 16, 2023 8:48 pm
bender wrote: Mon Jan 16, 2023 8:47 pm
hamo wrote: Mon Jan 16, 2023 8:38 pm What are these like?

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace ... 3955184519
You mean other than cute as a button?
Heh, yeah. I remember well back in the day there was a range of them, the 18w had a good reputation, wasn't sure if it extended to the 5w.
I remember a gearfest or two in Petone where there were a few of those. :)

User avatar
Reg18
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 3657
Joined: Thu Feb 06, 2014 1:57 pm
Has liked: 311 times
Been liked: 928 times

Re: Recommend me a practice amp for hard rock and metal

Post by Reg18 »

Probably hard to beat a Katana for your budget?
Black star with the isf control do cover a lot of ground from scooped metal to mid focused rock tones so it would probably do the job of covering his genre preferences with turning one knob.

User avatar
NippleWrestler
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 2890
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2016 5:05 pm
Has liked: 78 times
Been liked: 1064 times

Re: Recommend me a practice amp for hard rock and metal

Post by NippleWrestler »

Those Crates were designed by Obeid Khan who went on to form Reason amps (and file a lot of patents in that space). They were made to a budget but the design was top drawer. I had the v33 when I lived in the states and had it modded.

I'll keep an eye on that one on TM. The nostalgia is real.

Btw they won't have enough gain for metal or the tightness. They weren't voiced for that.

User avatar
crowbgood1
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 2867
Joined: Wed Nov 19, 2008 4:19 pm
Location: New Plymouth
Has liked: 341 times
Been liked: 240 times

Re: Recommend me a practice amp for hard rock and metal

Post by crowbgood1 »

Laney have some really nice sounding amps in the small range and pricing is reasonable.
A sure cure for seasickness is to sit under a tree.

Post Reply