Looking for a New amp!

[GammaFlex]

So this might be a tall order, but I'm looking for around a 5watter tubey (I'm in an apartment) that preferably has a darker voxy/marshall tone. I'm trying to get after that Rory Gallagher style slide tone so I will be using a treblebooster almost 98% of the time. I prefer some headroom but I don't play metal so I don't need a headbangers bedroom dream.

I don't need effects, just something I can drive on the treble side and not get spiky. Does that make any sense? Any links/recs are accepted. I'm trying to stay on the cheaper side of things but I don't really have a crazy budget, however a 1000$ 5 watter won't be something I'm after, let's just say around 500 to 600.

[GermanCdn]

Egnater Tweaker, Traynor Darkhorse or Vox Nighttrain should fit the bill.

[culturejam]

If you've got $500-$600 to spend, you could get a used Univalve and use a low-wattage power tube.

Egnater Tweaker, Traynor Darkhorse or Vox Nighttrain should fit the bill.

These are also great suggestions.

[RobA]

I've got the Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister 5 which is great for blowing things up with the drive on. I think it's less good for clean and edge of breakup. It's still OK but not as good as the everything on 11 bit.

I've got the Marshall Class 5 which is really good clean and into just the start of overdrive. When you have the attenuator off, the maxed overdrive is great, but it ls loud for a 5 watt amp.  It starts to overdrive at around noon, but I think there is still plenty of volume lower than that to play with at home. With the attenuator engaged, I think the amp sounds a bit muffled or choked. I've done my own attenuator, which is easy for a 5 watt amp, to take the output to my computer where I do speaker emulation in digital. I can drive the thing fully maxed this way and I think it's a great Marshall sound.

[Jmilla]

they may be slightly over your range now but a mesa boogie 5:25 is awesome and were going for around thbat a couple years ago.

[jubal81]

New nighttrain combo looks pretty tasty.

[jtn191]

Traynors are excellent value. Check out Blackstar stuff...they're made by ex-Marshall employees. My friend liked their stuff before he moved onto Bogner.

Contact this guy, he may be able to build you something...beautiful amps
https://www.facebook.com/HammertoneAmps

[mjcyates]

I have a Blackheart 5 watt 12 inch combo that I am thinking of selling. It is a great sounding little amp. I replaced the stock transformer with a Hammond transformer and rerouted some of the wiring. It sounds really good and would fit your needs and be well within your budget. Let me know if you are interested.

[GrindCustoms]

An Epiphone VJr, with Negative Feedback mod would do it really well, you can get those amps for 100$ used, mod the hell out of it, put in a new output transformer, some really nice tubes and you're still under 300$.

[rullywowr]

Tweaker is a great value for the style you are after.

[angrykoko]

So your in an apartment?

Get something that has an emulated out (for some headphones) because a 5 watter in an apartment is still loud at night 

Check out  a  Blackstar HT-5R, it has a great 2x12 or 4x12 emulated out, 2 channels (clean - dirty) and even has that extra ISF tone gimmic to sort of dial in your amp between british and american  (i'm assuming it's marshall to fender).

[midwayfair]

I have a Blackheart 5 watt 12 inch combo

This is an awesome budget amp.

The Epiphone Valve Jr. suggestion is also a good one. It's got the right power tubes for what you're after, and I found it to be on the dark side.

[culturejam]

An Epiphone VJr, with Negative Feedback mod would do it really well, you can get those amps for 100$ used, mod the hell out of it, put in a new output transformer, some really nice tubes and you're still under 300$.

I was actually coming back here to suggest exactly this. Get a VJ and add negative feedback. Tons of headroom and sounds good at lower volumes. Add a pentode/triode switch for slightly less loud output. Throw in a JJ EL844 and a 12AU7 also for slightly less loud output and more headroom (if needed). Can't beat the price and you could brag about having done the mods yourself. 

[GammaFlex]

I like the idea of the Valve Jr Jon, I might just add a tone control to it along with the other stuff suggested.

As far as the mods to the Valve Jr. in replacing the output transformer, any suggestions for a particular one?

Thanks for the tips guys! Lots of good stuff here

[sonarchotic]

I recently traded for an Orange Tiny Terror and have since traded it on but I fell in love with that thing while I had it. Obviously higher gain is really it's thing but it can do a darker clean to edge of break up sound as well. The seven watt setting is pretty nice, I never really found myself flipping to 15 watts even though I could where I play. They are reasonably priced used and super common.