What amp do you use to test/tune projects?

[blearyeyes]

If you have a dedicated amp to test your builds.. what is it?

I would love a small test amp.
Don't really want solid state but whatever works.

[mauman]

On the bench, for a quick pass/fail or to monitor while using the scope, I use one of those cute little 9V Fender Mini Twin toys.  For tweaking or QC, I use separately a solid state 100W and a tube 20W with no other pedals and a long cable.  To test flexibility I mix in some other pedals.   There are some issues that will show up under one of these conditions (especially SS vs. tube) but not the others.  If the build is for a customer, I then try to simulate their actual signal chain as closely as possible with what I have on hand.

[zombie_rock123]

Marshall MS2 but I hate that thing. I'm just waiting to see what wins out - my cheap nature not wanting to buy a better test amp or me booting this thing out a window.

[GrindCustoms]

I used to always use my Epiphone Valve Jr but then switched to my Boogie MKIV since it's the amp i use the most and very use to it's response and tone. At some point i had started to use the DripEdge Bassman but.... ....my neighbors didn't approve of the idea... ...kinda hard to keep at low volume lol.

For low output, the ValveJr is really decent, it takes pedals super well, has a minimum of controls so you're sure to keep your reference reliable and they sell for quite cheap on the used market.

[jimilee]

Fender blues jr. It's small and lightweight.


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[madbean]

'76 Champ. Love that amp.

[derevaun]

Monoprice 5w tube combo with a Jensen Mod swapped in, for my own stuff, because I don't get loud. My kiddo plays loud so I frequently carry a wired board,  resembling a live lobster, to the garage for testing.

[jessenator]

I'm convinced my house has bad grounding (even though it was built in 1990) so I use a little dinky pass/fail 386 based amp. One day I'll get the tube cricket working for that.

When the hum gets sorted:
Solid state I have an arguably just as dinky line6 spider

Valve/tube I've got a fender deluxe clone

[jimilee]

I'm convinced my house has bad grounding (even though it was built in 1990) so I use a little dinky pass/fail 386 based amp. One day I'll get the tube cricket working for that.

When the hum gets sorted:
Solid state I have an arguably just as dinky line6 spider

Valve/tube I've got a fender deluxe clone

Have you tried a ground lift yet? My last place would register about 10-12 watts at night and about 7.5 during the day. Too much voltage does crazy things when you're trying to test pedals.


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[jimilee]

'76 Champ. Love that amp.

I almost bought a champ kit from tube depot, but the lead time was crazy, like 3 to 6 months. I ended up buying a blues deluxe for the same or less money. I'd still love to build one, though.


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[gordo]

I've had this little Harmony solid state amp forever that was a bit of a turd till I put in a decent speaker and it sounds REALLY good.  Sounds great with a distortion box or booster and doesn't mask any circuit flaws or noises.

[jessenator]

Have you tried a ground lift yet?

I have, sadly :/

[GrindCustoms]

Have you tried a ground lift yet?

I have, sadly :/

Power conditioners does wonder, it solved most of the issues i had, Furman does excellent unit at decent price without the need to go in their Pro Audio/Rack Series.

Edit: I've rarely found ground lifting to be the right solutions as you might reduce your floor noise a bit but you open the door to other issues, on the other hand, ground isolating devices and/or wall outlets will solve the same issue a ground lift without compromising the stability of your AC supply. Like in hospitals for exemple, in each room you'll find at least one orange colored wall outlets, it's to identify the outlet as an isolated one, scopes and other precisions instruments will be plugged in those to eliminate AC noise and ensure the proper reading of the instruments.

[blearyeyes]

Have you tried a ground lift yet?

I have, sadly :/

If you can, run a grounding wire from your equipment to a cold water pipe. Years ago I did that in an apartment and it was dead silent afterwards. PEX won’t work obviously. If you own the place drop a grounding spike into the ground. Your life is not settled until you are properly grounded. :-)

[jimilee]

Have you tried a ground lift yet?

I have, sadly :/

If you can, run a wire grounding from your equipment to a cold water pipe. PEX won't work obviously.

Obviously


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