Please explain why I need a...

RVA

RVA

Ambassador
I think this thread will come in handy. Many times I have seen a question asked which was designed to have others justify a purchase or inspire GAS. Often they will ask how one piece of gear differs from another, or what new attributes the latest model has...you get the idea.

I will start. Although I already have a 20W Orange micro terror and a 7/15 switchable tube amp, I was thinking about getting a battery operated mini amp, like the Blackstar Fly 3 or Boss Katana Mini. However, I never play anywhere but my basement, so the battery option has little or no value. There are also other, larger amps in said basement. So I want one, but I am had trouble figuring out why I need one. Anybody got anything for me?
 
RVA said:
I think this thread will come in handy. Many times I have seen a question asked which was designed to have others justify a purchase or inspire GAS. Often they will ask how one piece of gear differs from another, or what new attributes the latest model has...you get the idea.

I will start. Although I already have a 20W Orange micro terror and a 7/15 switchable tube amp, I was thinking about getting a battery operated mini amp, like the Blackstar Fly 3 or Boss Katana Mini. However, I never play anywhere but my basement, so the battery option has little or no value. There are also other, larger amps in said basement. So I want one, but I am had trouble figuring out why I need one. Anybody got anything for me?
Click to expand...

Wanting is reason enough. I think it's fun and good to acquire new stuff periodically. My only mistake was, I allowed my quest for tone to become more improtant than my playing. I don't need a EDS-1275, but I want one.... :-)
 
I have under 20 guitars already...a mixture of both high end & low end guitars. I also have a good collection of amplifiers. My Fender Twin-Reverb is one superb sounding amp which I really love. I have a Marshall TSL 2000 head but no speaker cabinet yet. It also needs tubes because I think someone swiped them in the pawn shop.

My days of aquiring more guitars is over for now because I don't have that much room to store them. My top guitars are my Gibson SG Special with ebony FB, a '98 American Standard Strat, a 1952 AVRI Telecaster, a Yamaha RGX Custom from 1989, a Hagstrom Viking Deluxe semi-hollow body, a black Jackson King V neck-thru and a few Squier Strats and an Epiphone Les Paul Standard. Did I miss anything? Enough said.


;>)/
 
Tony M. said:
Of the people around my age who I know that have been playing
in bands as long as I have I own the least amount of guitars.
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I'd say, "Maybe you want to fix that."... but, maybe you don't.
Need/want is so subjective.
The only reason that I have the number of guitars, and amps that I have is that I've been doing this for so long. I have a difficult time separating myself from what I find to be a useful tool. When I find a new tool to fit the job at hand, I keep the old one as a spare...and so on...next thing I know, I have a bunch of guitars and amps everywhere.
(I have, however, managed to give a couple away. To encourage young talent-friends kids-to further develop their skills.)
 
Tony M. said:
Of the people around my age who I know that have been playing
in bands as long as I have I own the least amount of guitars.
Click to expand...

Thatbastarddon said:
I'd say, "Maybe you want to fix that."... but, maybe you don't.
Need/want is so subjective.
The only reason that I have the number of guitars, and amps that I have is that I've been doing this for so long. I have a difficult time separating myself from what I find to be a useful tool. When I find a new tool to fit the job at hand, I keep the old one as a spare...and so on...next thing I know, I have a bunch of guitars and amps everywhere.
(I have, however, managed to give a couple away. To encourage young talent-friends kids-to further develop their skills.)
Click to expand...

Ever since the "Success Story" scene from the Who's The Kids Are Alright depicting a home full of guitars and basses hanging everywhere, even lining the staircase, that became my vision of success. I am so happy to report that I held on to this childish vision, for we hold on to so few. Now, every time I walk into my room of guitars, I feel that I have "made it". We all have our vision of happiness, our areas of excess. This is mine, my official "promised land".

Poor quality, but starts at 47:40
 
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RVA said:
Ever since the "Success Story" scene from the Who's The Kids Are Alright depicting a home full of guitars and basses hanging everywhere, even lining the staircase, that became my vision of success. I am so happy to report that I held on to this childish vision, for we hold on to so few. Now, every time I walk into my room of guitars, I feel that I have "made it". We all have our vision of happiness, our areas of excess. This is mine, my official "promised land".

Poor quality, but starts at 47:40
Click to expand...

Oh boy! They appear to have been a bit more "recreationally fulfilled" than I can ever remember being myself.
Regardless, thanks! I shall attempt to continue on the path. You've pointed out some handy storage tips too!
 
Why do you need a battery operated mini amp.
That's easy, just because you don't have one!
Imagine a power failure, due to a storm or just the grid taking a dump.
It's happened before, it'll happen again.

Then in the middle of all this chaos & mayhem, you decide that you want to lay down some badazz groves on electric guitar, while half the state or nation is without power and in the dark.
Now you can.

See, I told you it was easy.
While you're shopping make sure to check out the Roland Micro Cube.
Seriously nice mini battery amp.
 
Goldmember said:
Get the Fender Passport Mini, RVA. It doubles as a PA, and even has reverb for the mic channel,
plus it can also run on batteries. I dig it, and I've used it for countless functions at work.
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Neat. I wonder how it would work as a monitor for my AX8?

RVA - I am not a fan of battery power for amps. I believe they all have plug in power sources, too, though.

Phil X posts some great video of him jamming on his Blackstar Fly in hotel rooms around the world. That made me want one. But Jared James Nichols posts even better videos using the Blackstar ID Core 20. It sounds fantastic as a low volume amp.

I bought my Mustang I for easy grab and go travel. Great amp. Nearly perfect. Great low volume Fender and vintage British tones. Most of the models sounded great with my fuzz and tube screamer, too. With onboard delay and rotary fx, I could go full Band of Gypsys, quiet enough for babies to sleep in the next room. @ ~ $100, you can't go wrong.

The Boss Katana is on my radar, too. Looks like a great, simple low volume amp with lots of potential. Plenty portable, too.

Simple portability would be my justification for any of them.

Have you considered candle power? This is so cool, it is beyond words.

 
mdubya said:
Neat. I wonder how it would work as a monitor for my AX8?

RVA - I am not a fan of battery power for amps. I believe they all have plug in power sources, too, though.

Phil X posts some great video of him jamming on his Blackstar Fly in hotel rooms around the world. That made me want one. But Jared James Nichols posts even better videos using the Blackstar ID Core 20. It sounds fantastic as a low volume amp.

I bought my Mustang I for easy grab and go travel. Great amp. Nearly perfect. Great low volume Fender and vintage British tones. Most of the models sounded great with my fuzz and tube screamer, too. With onboard delay and rotary fx, I could go full Band of Gypsys, quiet enough for babies to sleep in the next room. @ ~ $100, you can't go wrong.

The Boss Katana is on my radar, too. Looks like a great, simple low volume amp with lots of potential. Plenty portable, too.

Simple portability would be my justification for any of them.

Have you considered candle power? This is so cool, it is beyond words.

Click to expand...
I am a fan of ZVEX. Zachary is an innovator. I love my Distortron.

I agree about batteries. In all honesty, I am always worried about their demise, even in my guitar's preamp. I also agree that portability is key since I already have 4 wonderful low powered amps, both tube and hybrid, combo and head. Problem...I never go anywhere!!

You see, I will be using this thread a lot. Every month I get a fair amount of credit card points from my business and I use them for Amazon gift cards. When I am all full up on supplies, I get gear!!!
 
Believe it or not, Radio Shack had a battery-powered guitar amp back in the ‘80s. I had one of those. It was actually kind of convenient to be able to play anywhere if I just wanted to noodle around on something.

The little Fly 3 looks pretty neat, especially since it has the mp3 input.
 
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I like my little battery operated amp for my bench. I can just reach over to grab it and I have a 3 foot cable I use with. Doesn't take up much room and no power cord. Comes in handy for checking pickups, guitars in general, preamps/monitor out, etc. Plus, it just looks cools sitting there ;)
 
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