Advice on an amplifier for an Epiphone Mandobird IV

[robsmith]

I have just bought an Epiphone Mandobird IV. I am now looking for an amplifier to suit this.

I have mainly been looking at all Valve amps between 5w and 40w

What would you good people recommend or avoid??

Many thanks

[mandroid]

STACK OF Marshalls.. Go Spinal Tap, turn it up to 11..

[Dan Co1e]

You could always get a small tube amp and a couple of these..

[Sam Bush Fan!]

I don't know exactly what you're looking for, but I've been looking at amps for emando, and I've found the Fender Frontman 25R. I've not tried one myself, but from all the reviews and such, it seems to be a nice amp for $100. And it has spring reverb, which is a plus.

[1-2-many]

Hey Rob, can you give us some more details on how you plan to use it? The more info on your tastes and intended use will give us a better clue on what to recommend.

[Ben Milne]

I use the first version of the Blackstar HT-5 stack, which has an all valve 5watt head and two ten inch cabs. The current model now comes with reverb which I was what I thought was one feature that should be available (I use a van amps analog reverb tank). Looks like the cabinets are now 12" versions too.
Awesome value as it is a small wattage tube amp without paying the boutique small valve amp price. Sounds great with enough tone control (EQ and ISF) to get it done.

I would also look around for a fender champ or Blues Jr, both are in my list.

[Tim2723]

There's also a long thread in the Four, Five, and Eight String Electrics Forum where a lot of amps are discussed.

[Santiago]

In some other strings, people were talking about the Fender SuperChamp XD, which at $299 with effects is a good match to a low-cost emando. I have a Vox, but I'm not happy with it.

[Bill Stokes]

I have an Epi Bird IV too. Play it through a Roland cube 60, and that's a good fit for me. Previously I had a Fender Blues Jr. and liked it. They're rated at 15w and are plenty loud. I switched because I wanted a line out, and Jr. didn't have one.

[Jimi D]

I have a Mandobird VIII (in fact it's my only mandolin) and briefly owned a Mandobird IV before it... I'm a guitar player in a old-guys rock cover band and I bought them on a whim so we could cover Losing My Religion, Copperhead Road and Going to California. Basically, I taught myself those three songs, and that's the extent of my Mandolin playing, but I digress...

I'm using Tech21 Trademark TM10 and TM60 amps with my Mandobird. These are solid state amplifiers built in New York, and I used them as practice and pick-up-and-go amps with my guitars for years. They have been retired from guitar use for the past five years or so, but I keep them just for use with my Mandobird now.

These amplifiers have a very "tube-like" feel, but offer all the advantages of a solid state circuit; they are light and very portable, very reliable, and they have very nice XLR direct outputs you can run to the sound board. Both amplifiers offer responsive tone stacks and are easy to tweak for a great mandolin tone, though the TM10 is a little more "traditional" and somewhat simpler to dial-in...

The TM10 is no longer made, and the TM60 may be overkill for most mandolin use, but the new Tech21 TM30 looks to me like a great compromise between the two, offering the best of both worlds. I would strongly recommend you look at a used TM10 or a new/used TM30 as a Mandobird amp. I've been very happy with mine.

http://www.tech21nyc.com/products/am...tar/index.html

[craig.collas]

just ordered an egnater tweeker 40 for my 5string, let you know how it goes.