The Ugly Truth: Ventura Guitars

The first time I ran across one these guitars, I may have told this story before, was when a student of mine brought one in. I had never heard of them and was curious, as I am with all new guitars. So I picked it up and played a little bit to get the feel of it. I was surprised with how well it sounded. It looked like a decent student guitar and it sounds better than most student guitar I've seen. When I asked about were they found it, I was told they had bought it in a local shop. The only reason they had bought that guitar was because it was the cheapest 3/4 guitar in the store. I was so impressed that I went online to find out more. What I found out was surprising.

They Don't Sell Online

In a day and age when everything is available on the internet, we don't know what to do when you literally can't buy something online. Obviously, this does not apply to used Ventura instruments. No dealer is allowed to post Ventura guitars online, or mention there prices. This is because Ventura wants to protect the local music store. Local music stores are slowing going the way of the buffalo. I try to support my local music stores as much as I can. However, I am cheap and often deal peer-to-peer when buying a lot of gear. I like to find used gear and save some money, but sticks, strings, picks, capos, and the occasional pedal will be bough in a local music store. So when I learned that Ventura supported the same guys that let me play with their fun, new guitar stuffs, I felt good about that.

No One Knows About Them

Ventura might be the biggest secret it the music industry. Thirty something years ago, Ventura was a small but respected brand of guitars. If you go to Ebay and type in "Ventura", you will most likely see the vintage instruments that are associated with the brand. I won't speak to the particulars (because I don't actually know them) but in the last few years the brand has been revived. Manufacturing in China, at least for the most part, they make a wide range of instrument. Everything from student guitars to Acoustics made for solid wood and Fishman pickup systems. I actually own a Les Paul copy that I wrote a review about, here. Long story short, it's pretty freakin' amazing.

In Conclusion

Besides no one ever hearing of these guitars, Ventura is a great company that put out fantastic guitars. They are budget friendly and excellent quality. Today we find more and more brands going in the opposite direction. Fender guitars used to offer a decent guitar for an affordable price, but now even the Squire line is raising to the upper limits of "affordable". Ventura not only keeps small, local stores in mind, but they allow people access to quality instrument at nearly any price point. If you are looking for great deal on a quality instrument, find a Ventura dealer and try them for your self. If the name on the headstock makes no difference to you, then you will appreciate these instruments.

5 Best Amps Under $300

I am often asked about guitars and gear. As an active musician and instructor people come to me with question about what equipment is right for their budget. For anyone unaccustomed to buy ( or shopping for) music gear, $300 seems like a lot of money. It is in many respects, but it is common to see beginners buy gear that they quickly out grow. Obviously it is preferrable to buy one piece of gear that will last much longer (or even for the entire life of the user) than something that is to be replaced. I've compiled a list of some of the better options for musicians considering their first amp purchase. Its hard to say that one of these are better than the other, but many of them have different features that might suit a particular player better. Lets have a look:

1. Fender Champion Series

Fender has released a new line of amps under the Champion name. These amps seem to be a departure from the original Champs. The new line of Champion amplifiers have built-in digital effect (sigh). But they offer a lot of features that are nice to see on amplifiers in this price range. There is a 20 and 40 watt version of this amp that are less than $200. These amps also offer footswitchable channels and effects. The built-in effects are easily controlled and flexible due to the available tap-temp. The Fender Champion Series is great for bedroom practice and even jam sessions with friends. The effects are flexible and smartly designed for those unfamiliar with effects. On top of all these features, you get Fender's classic tones. That is a lot of bang for the buck. Making the Fender Champion Series a great buy

2. Vox AC4TV

This is the only all-tube combo on this list. The features are quite a bit less on this amp because the best feature that this little amp boasts is the pure tube Vox tone. You can cram a lot of bells and wisles into your box, but at the




end of the day it has to sound good. The Vox AC4TV is small. It is only working with 4 watts, but it is 4 "tube" watts that is pushing a 10" speaker. The knobs are super simple: Tone, Volume, and Output. The power is switchable from 1/4 to a full 4 watts, so you can get great tube breakup while still staying at bedroom levels. This unit currently selling at $279 making it one of the most expensive amps on this list. This is a simple, stripped down amp that has tone at the heart of it. This amp is an excelent choice for anyone wanting to get into tube amps without breaking the bank.

3. Behringer Virtube Series

Behringer has come out with a new line of amplifiers that have some really great features. Currently available on pre-order, the Behringer Virtube Series. These Amplifiers offer footswitchable Clean and Overdrive channels plus a full range of effect with a seperate reverb so that you don't have to sacrafice your reverb if you want to turn off your other effects. The Footswitch is included with the amp and these amps offer more power than the others on this list. These amp come with a full range of features that many guitarist value. In addition the the footswitch, you have an effects loop, 2x50 watt stereo out, line out, and CD in. The top of this line have two 12 inch speakers from Bugera. All in all, these amps are punching above their weight. Even without testing this line, these features are perfect for the guitarist looking for a larger amp to play shows and needs most of their effect to be included.

4. Roland Cube

The Roland Cube series has been around for a long time. I've thumbed my nose at them for sometime, but to be fair these are a lot of upsides to these small amps. First of all, Roland has a long history of making great effects. These are the only amp on the list that offer three footswitchable channels. There are loads of amp models to choose from as well as 4 filters and 2 reverb modes. The Roland Cube 40GX offers 40 watts and a 10" speaker making this at home in the bedroom and the jam room. It can also be a great tool on stage, with it's line out you can run directly into a PA. The Flexiblity of this amp is outstanding, edging out the Vox Valvetronix line. The thing that seperated the Cube from all the others is the available footswitch that allows you to switch between the three seperate channels, toggle boost and reverb plus a function button. So there is a lot going on here. With all these features, this is one of the most expensive amps on the list, but it does cover all the bases.

5. Epiphone Electer

This amp is another all tube option with stripped down features. What separates this and the Vox is the power and features this has. Instead of the 4 watts running through a 10 inch speaker, you have 18 watts running a 12" speaker. You also have the choice of Bright, Normal and Dark inputs. This amp seems to follow in the Fender Excelsior foot prints. It's vintage design and radio cabinet looks adds a little mojo to this little amp. This amp also include a footswitchable boost. The simple all tube design and added features and specs make this a solid choice for someone looking to pick up a tube amplifier and also looking to standout from the crowd.

Bonus: Orange Micro Terror

Technically not a complete package, the Orange Mirco Terror is an intresting option. Paired with a single speaker cabinet, this package could fit in the sub $300 group. Orange offer this head for $150. It is not all tube like many of their amp. It has a tube pre-amp, but powered by solid-state. It offers 20 watts of power and a wide range of tone for an amp that only has three knobs (Volume, Tone, and Gain). This amp may not be for everyone, but for the person that wants a Head/Cab combo and has a small budget, this might get the job done.