right, ive made the amplifier search easier for myself...

[ibanezjunkie]

...i bought one of these

http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/ss93/LeadGuitar2009/P200609_1507.jpg

so now all i need is a good gigging head of about 15-20 watts, with a good clean channel. Now ive never played a blackheart handsome devil, so can someone who has, tell me how clean it is at smaller gig volume?

also, have anyone had any experience with ValvePower amplifiers? handwired boutique stuff...thats cheaper than a tiny terror head...which i suspicious, but i though it was worth an ask.

thankyou people!

[TS808]

My Handsome Devil stays pretty clean with single coils cranked up but with humbuckers (on my '72 Tele RI Thinline) it does break up a little more.

For gigging, I don't know how large the venues you play at are, and I don't know if 15 watts is enough....If you are going to mic it, sure, you can keep it clean and get your dirt with pedals, but my thoughts are that I would go with more wattage.

If you're looking for a head that sounds pretty good but is about $300 more than the Handsome Devil, check out the Fender Bandmaster VM. The longer I own this amp the more I'm really liking it, or pick up a used Hot Rod Deluxe.

[markb]

The trouble with 15-20 watt valve amps is that they are meant to break up. Headroom is not part of the spec. Go bigger for more clean power at gig levels.

[birv2]

I can highly recommend the Pro Jr for gigs like this. It's 15 watts. I put a Ragin Cajun speaker in it, and it's got lots of clean headroom now. With a dirt pedal, it really rocks. I use single coils (JV strat).

Can't speak for the other amps, but this is a pretty cost-effective way to get the volume and tone you're looking for.

Bob

[ibanezjunkie]

pro juniors are about £400 here, and when i said clean, i dont need sparkling clean, i dont mind if its a little overdriven. it just has to be clean enough to get the notes be pronounced well, like SRV kind of playing on the song pride and joy.

if you get me?