Buying Amps At A Pawn Shop?

[warren0728]

I have been thinking of getting an all tube amp and heard pawn shops are a good place to pick these up.

How can i go about making sure the amp is worth the bucks. I am not familiar enough with amp types to even knopw for certain if a given amp is a true all tube amp or not. I stopped in a couple of shops yesterday and figured i could look at the back to see if it had tubes but of course a lot of the amps are closed backed so i can't see inside. Is there a way tio determine whether it is a tube amp or not without looking inside?

If i determine it is a true tube amp....what "tests" should i run to make sure the tubes are operational etc. I assume turning it on and seeing if all the tubes glow would be a first step (if i can se them), but other than plugging in a guitar and hooking up a cab (if it is just a head) although i really just want a combo and playing at all volumes etc. is there an easier way to see if it really is a working amp or needs work itself.

Or should i stay clear of pawn shops and cough up the extra cash for a new one or one used at a local music shop.

I'm just a home player sio i don't need a special boutique amp...just want a tube amp since the other amps i have are not true all tube amps.

hope this makes sense.

thanks,
ww

 

[Nelskie]

If a tube amp is what you want, and you don't need anything real fancy, nor want to spend a ton of dough - your best bet is to get yourself an Epiphone Valve Jr. for $119.00. That's brand-spankin' new 5W, all-tube powered gem, shipped right to your door, from Musician's Friend. It sounds great clean or dirty, it takes to pedals very well, it looks cool, and it's small enough to haul anywhere. Plus, it has a factory warranty, which you won't get at any pawn shop. For a first tube amp, its absolutely ideal. If you want to know more about it, check out my review under this same forum section. It's under "Epiphone Valve Jr." thread. There's a few links there, too. I have one, and I absolutely love it!!!

If the thrill of the chase is what you seek, Warren, then my hat's off to you. Most of the stuff I see in pawn shops is totally hailed out, or vastly over-priced for what it actually is - a used item. Every once in a great while, though, you do find that needle in a haystack, and for some, that's the addiction. The guys who really know how / where to find this stuff are pros, and know their equipment up and down. If you are indeed seeking that jewel in the rough, you need to have a good working knowledge of amps in general, to include popular brands, makes, and models. And the only way to get that knowledge is to read up on it, or talk to other folks who are knowledgable about the subject. This takes time. A lot of time. Be prepared to commit yourself to it, or deal with the very real possibility that you might just get burned buying something from a pawn shop.

As for the Epi Valve Jr., if you don't dig it, send it back to MF, and they'll happily refund your money. And no hard lessons to learn.

 

[warren0728]

yeah i'm thinking i don't have enough knowledge to go the pawn shop route....went to a couple more today and felt lost and like you said most of the stuff looked really rough.

I had considered the valve junior but was a little put off by the 8" speaker....was thinking 10" was the minimum to go....i don't think any of the shops around here carry the epi's but i'll check again. It is a cool little amp and is about the same size as my old peavey rage 158 it will be replacing.

i have a vox ad30vt but i really want a tube amp.

ww

 

[Nelskie]

Warren - The Valve Special is the next step up, and I've seen it on MF for $219.00. Same wattage, but the larger 10" speaker, and a few more bells and whistles (reverb, DSP effects.) Here's a link:

http://www.epiphone.com/default.asp?ProductID=255&CollectionID=13

Personally speaking, the Valve Junior is a *loud* 5W - dude, I can rattle the windows in my house when I have 'er cranked. Unless you're planning on gigging it, or using it in a band setting, I wouldn't think you'd need the larger speaker. And even even in a gig setting, the VJr. will still work beautifully. I've played live miking mine direct to the PA, and brother, it was the cat's pajamas! Trust me, this little rig is plenty loud.

I hear ya' on the tube amp thing. They have a totally different "vibe" than a hybrid (like your ADVT), or a solid-state. There's really a lot of cool new tube amps out there, too. I played one of those new Peavey Valve King amps (30W) at my local shop the other day, and it sounded HOT! Those go for around $399 at MF. Peavey gives you a lot of tube amp for that $$, too. I have a tweed Classic 30 that has one of the absolute tastiest tones ever, and I wouldn't trade / sell that amp for anything. There's a lot of those Classic 30's floating in and out of Ebay, too, and they usually go for around $325 - $400, depending on if they've been modded a bit (diff. tubes or speaker).

Best thing you can do now is go down and play a bunch of all-tube amps at your local shop, and get a feel for what you like as far as tones and features go. Then, go back and read up on them - guitar magazines, Harmony Central, and most definitely do a couple of posts here at Fret.Net. Once you have those bases covered, then you're ready to take that next big step into the wild, wooly, wonderful world of tube amps. And man, is it ever GREAT!

 

[Katastrophe]

Beware of pawn shops! As Nelskie said, most of what you're gonna find are gonna be pretty worn and in need of maintenance... The internet has made finding the "great pawnshop deal" more rare. Most of the time, the pawn shop will mark the price of a used item at the same price level of a new one, trying to get the public to pay more. It's gonna take a lot of looking. If you find a good amp, do your homework and check to see what they're going for used at a music store, or check the 'Bay. Also, go to some music stores and check out new versions of these amps so you know what they are supposed to sound like, especially with tube amps, as those suckers require a little more upkeep (replacing old or worn out tubes). It might be a good idea to find out what the cost would be to replace the particular type of tube the amp uses...

Don't be afraid to haggle! Most pawn shops expect this, which is another reason why the prices are high. Common responses to initial offers are: 1) a ton of 'tude, like you're insulting them, and 2) "I dunno. I gotta check with my manager." If you get the attitude, walk away...

It's also a good idea, if you buy anything from a pawn shop, to run by the local police agency and have 'em run the serial number to see if it was stolen. If the amp is suddenly available, looks brand new, and is 1/4 the price of the new model, it might have been dumped from a burglary. Nothing worse than buying a used Fender Twin at a great price and finding out it's no longer yours...

I've found some good deals in the past in pawn shops, but it took a lot of work...

 

[Robert]

I played one of those new Peavey Valve King amps (30W) at my local shop the other day, and it sounded HOT!

Hey Nelskie, now you need to write a review of that Valve King!

That Peavey is the only all-tube amp I own right now, and probably the only one I will own for quite some time to come.

Isn't your Valve Junior all-tube?

 

[warren0728]

well...i gave up on the pawn shop idea and bought my first tube amp. It is the epi valve jr. I bought it new from a GC (cringe) so i can return it if i want to....i don't think i will want to. I try to buy everything from my local sole proprieter guitar shop (even if it costs a little extra) but he doesn't carry epi's or any small low powered tube amps. the epi is so simple and sounds great...5 watts is plenty loud for my little music room in the house.
Played a variety of my guitars straight into the amp (including my electro-reso) and with a couple of different pedals....lots of fun with a nice sound. Definately a totally different sound compared to my vox ad30vt.

Will play with it alot more over the next few days...had to quit because it's bedtime for the kids.

thanks for all the help.

ww

 

[Nelskie]

Thanks for catching that Robert - I don't know what I was thinking. Yes, the VJr. is all "toobe", too.

Warren, congrats on your new Epi Valve Jr. After you've had a chance to get "acquainted" with it, why don't you do a post on the the VJ thread, and tell us what you think. Always refreshing to hear a newer player's take on it.

 

[Robert]

Yeah, post your feelings about the amp once you've had time to mess around with it. I'm interested in one of these.

 

[warren0728]

hope everyone had a great new years...i'll write up a review in a couple days (although i'm probably the least qualified guy here to really give it a true workout) but i have to say so far i love this amp!

I'm still trying to figure out my vox ad30vt's controls....but this little epi is so simple....and sounds really good. It looks cool too!

ww