best "first amp" for a kid...?

[Dollywitch]

Don't get a bl00zy tube amp for a kid's first amp, it's kind of dumb. They probably won't appreciate it fully starting off. The AC4 is a pretty cool amp but it's ass at taking fuzz pedals amongst other things and has very little clean headroom. It also needs to be turned up quite a bit to sound good(power scaling is nice but it's basically just a big resistor and is tone sucking).

[MaxProphet]

[Belzebuth]

Vox Valvetronix or Roland Cube

[Captain Bb]

Another vote for the Roland Cube here too.

[Dark Helmet]

NOW we're talking...

and as for something I might need... anything I need/want is WAY beyond this purchase money-wise.

I have a nice practice amp in the Crush, cover the vintage stuff with the AD30, TV50 in the works for heavier stuff...

I like the first Vox with the switchable power levels... I could disable that and fix it at the half-watt level for a while...

but either of those is a possibility.

thanks guys!

[Jondog]

NOW we're talking...

and as for something I might need... anything I need/want is WAY beyond this purchase money-wise.

I have a nice practice amp in the Crush, cover the vintage stuff with the AD30, TV50 in the works for heavier stuff...

I like the first Vox with the switchable power levels... I could disable that and fix it at the half-watt level for a while...

but either of those is a possibility.

thanks guys!

No worries, I never played the 5 watt, but I had what is basically the 25 watt version of the VOX, really good sounding. Mine had a single 12ax7 in it and created a nice tube tone for a modeling amp.

[Randy Bass]

I agree that a good tube amp is pointless for a kid just starting out. Kids like fizzy high-gain stuff most of the time, so you should get something capable of making those noises and as many others as possible. I think the Line 6 Spiders really do sound quite bad though. Vox makes a much better fizzbox modeler and the effects can be fun at first. The G-Dec is also a lot of fun despite not sounding that great. The backing tracks are a good way to develop skills without being in a band.

[Cordboard]

I will put in another vote for the Fender Mustang. I bought one for my son and he really gets into programing the pedals, making distorted sounds that he can crank to piss off his mom, jamming on songs with his buddies, etc.

Note that I quite like playing around on it too. Beats the hell out of the SS Crate I started with many moons ago!

[ianwrecked]

I think the Crush 20 with digital effects would be an excellent first amp. Pretty cheap, too! Also, you can check out a Marshall Lead 12. It's a solid state, but that was my first rig and I loved it!

[baytamusic]

[Randy Bass]

Time to change my shorts again ...

[Dollywitch]

The only thing about the Mustang is that it's not fantastic at high gain stuff, but with a bit of know how you can tweak it to sound decent. Just let him know that first. It's also not the best pedal platform except on the Vox model as it gets weirdly compressed when you boost the front end. But I would definitely recommend it aside from that.

[sidvicious]

here's an issue with kids, and amps.

either they stay with it or they don't [homer simpson forehead slap].

if they stay with it, soon they'll want a tube amp. predicting the future is hard.

that's why i suggest getting something you [the parent] can use if they DON't stay in the game. but everyone's ideas about the modeling amps for the bells and whistles has merit as well.

so, how about something like a TT combo, plus a decent modeling pedal? like a line 6 pod or something.

and for the same kid i'd consider the line 6 gizmo that hooks to the computer that models an amp and has tons of add-ons and backing tracks to jam with. i bought one for giggles and it was fun to play with.

but if he decides to play tuba instead, you'll have a nice little tube combo.

just a thought.