I love small tube amps because they are very convenient, sound great, and can be used for home recording.
Small guitar tube amps offer great sound, flexibility, and organic sound we all love.
So, let’s dive in and find out what choice we, guitar players have regarding small tube combo amplifiers.
What’s The Best Small Tube Amp?
If you are searching for the best small tube amps, here are some of my favorite ones.
1. Vox AC10C1
Vox AC10C1 is a 10-watt amp that packs a punch for rock and blues tones. It’s a modern update on the classic Vox AC10, which was popularized in the 1960s by bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. The AC10C1 features a single 10″ amp speaker and two 12AX7 preamp tubes and two EL84 power tubes. It also has a built-in reverb effect, which adds depth and dimension to your tone.
The AC10C1 is a versatile amp that can handle a wide range of genres, from clean jazz to dirty blues. One of the best things about the Vox AC10C1 is its compact size which makes it a perfect tube amp for home recording. If you are looking for a small amp to play and record rock music, this is the one.
2. Fender Bassbreaker 007
Fender Bassbreaker 007 is a 7-watt amp that’s perfect for guitarists who want that classic Fender tone in a smaller package. It features a single 10″ speaker and 12AX7 and EL84 amp tubes. The Bassbreaker 007 has a simple, intuitive control layout that makes it easy to dial in your tone.
The Fender Bassbreaker 007 has a retro-inspired design that’s sure to appeal to vintage enthusiasts. Its compact size and user-friendly controls make it perfect for home use and recording. I think this is a great amp for clean tones.
3. Supro Delta King 12
Supro Delta King 12 is one of the best small tube amps. Produces 15 watts of power and has an amazing design. Different from many small tube amps, it features a 12″ Supro DK12 speaker and a 12AX7 preamp tube, and a 6V6 power tube. The Delta King 12 has a simple, minimalist design that’s reminiscent of classic amps from the 1950s and 1960s.
One of the standout features of the Supro Delta King 12 is its unique power amp topology. It uses a Class A power amp design that delivers a rich, warm tone with plenty of headroom. Although it’s a small tube amp, Delta King 12 combo offers spring reverb, boost, and drive which makes it a versatile tube amp for home.
4. PRS Sonzera 20
PRS Sonzera 20 is an amazing-sounding and beautiful small tube combo with 20 watts of power. It features a single 12″ Celestion V-Type speaker and two channels with separate controls. For the sound, it uses ECC83S and 5881 vacuum tubes. It’s one of the best small tube amps you can get today.
Sonzera 20 combo has a modern, sleek design that’s sure to appeal to contemporary guitarists. Has amazing clean and dirty tones and offers features such as reverb, FX loop, bright switch, and footswitch option. Like all PRS products, this small tube amp will be a great choice for any guitar player.
5. Friedman Runt 20
Friedman Runt-20 is a 20-watt amp that’s perfect for guitarists who want a high-gain amp with plenty of tonal options. The Runt series also includes an amp head but for convenience and home recording, the combo is a better option in my opinion. It features a 12″ Celestion G12M Creamback speaker and two EL84 power tubes and three 12AX7 preamp tubes.
The Runt 20 has two channels, 3-band EQ, presence, volume, and gain knobs. Also, it offers more tone options such as boost and bright switches that allows tone diversity. It’s a great compact tube combo for rock and metal tones. It’s hard to find a versatile small amp like Friedman Runt 20 in this price range.
Conclusion
These are the best small tube amps you can choose from and each of them offers unique sound and features. They are versatile guitar amps and can be used in a variety of music genres such as rock, blues, or metal. One of the benefits of small tube amps is the ability to record at home studios.