Prices Are Crashing: 10 Old Tube Amps You Can Buy Dirt Cheap in 2026

Comments · 36

• RI

  @richgonia8889 · 1 month ago

  A 1958 Fender Champ. Back in high school, in the 60s, I traded a friend my gold-colored pair of shoes for the amp. I bet he no longer has the shoes!

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• NO

  @NotQuiteRightGuitars · 1 month ago (edited)

  The oldest amp I own is an Epiphone Electar from the early 50s. It was my grandfathers. He died in a fire when my dad was 8 so I never met the man. I doesn't currently work. I had it gone through by an amp guy and he got it working great....for 5 minutes and then it died again. I would love to hear it again but I will keep it forever. Its my only connection to the man I probably got my talent from. No one else in my family is a musician.

  3

• NO

  @NotQuiteRightGuitars · 1 month ago

  My favorite amp is one I found in the trash. Its Peavey Heritage VTX hybrid tube amp. The speakers had been ripped apart and it had no front grill. I brought it home, plugged it in and hooked it up to a cabinet. It fired right up and worked wonderfully. Its 130 watts of 6L6 power tubes and sounds awesome!!

  1

• GE

  @GeeBee135 · 1 month ago

  My oldest is a "Western Auto" Valco guitar amp that was sold by a popular auto parts chain back in the early 60s, I think.

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• RO

  @rodmacrae3611 · 1 month ago

  My buddy has a first issue Peavey Bandit she screams. A  great amp

  1

• KA

  @KakoGuzmanMusic · 3 weeks ago

  I have a Universal Audio Lion pedal, and it sounds like glory. :face-blue-smiling:

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• BO

  @BobCianci-c4k · 1 month ago

  1966 Ampeg Reverberocket.

  2

• AL

  @alfredocuomo1546 · 1 month ago (edited)

  Ampeg Reverberocket 2 amplifier Vintage 1960's and my Fender Jazzmaster. I bought them new in 1964 I believe it was and the first two songs our band played was "I can't get No Satisfaction" and "Dirty Water." and if you care they were purchased at Sam Ash on Quinton road Brooklyn NYC.

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• TH

  @thomastucker5686 · 1 month ago

  My only tube amp I personally own, I have so many in the studio, my personal tube amp has never had a cap job. It sounds fantastic. It was built by Steven Fryette in 1998. So, the amp is approaching 30 years, which blows my mind.

• MO

  @montygrind · 1 month ago

  Mid 80s Peavey Basic 60 with 12" Sheffield.  Brilliant loud clean and takes pedals perfectly.  I have a collection of tube amps and custom cabinets but I still love my Peavey.

• WA

  @wainphillips2733 · 3 weeks ago (edited)

  The oldest amp I own is a 1958 Klemt Echolette B40 bass amp. Klemt changed the model name to B40N in 1960. It&apos;s the German take on the Fender 5F6-A circuit. It uses 3 EC883 preamp tubes, 2 EL34 power tubes and a GZ34 rectifier tube. I plug into the first input on channel 1 and jump it from the second input on channel 1 into the first input on channel 2. <br>I slam the front of the amp with a tube screamer. And it simply sings for days. I use Mullard tubes. To get the amp screaming at a lower volume, I use a 5Y3 rectifier tube. It&apos;s all original except for the tubes. It will be on my funeral pyre sometime in the distant future.

• TH

  @Thomas-pq4ys · 1 month ago

  &apos;59 210 Fender Super, Tweed... $30... now recapped. <br><br>I&apos;ve an older one. A small practice amp by the name Tempo, guitar shaped speaker grill. No idea what year, but it is old. Everyone who serviced it wanted to buy it from me.

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