what's a good cheap amp?

the amp i was planning on using is MIA.

so, trying to invest as little money as possible, what should i buy?

I don't know what you consider cheap but I love my Crate KBX-100.

It retails for about $499.00 but I got it for a little more than half of that.

I love this thing! It is relativly small (compared to my old Peavey TNT 100 bass amp) and sound great.

Otherwise the standard advice comes to mind here. Take the theremin into the music store and try out some amps.

Be prepared to get a few stares and questions from interested by-standers and store employees, though.

holy poop,
i met up with Kevin Kissinger again last night, he had his sound system setup and i brought my E standard along.

my theremin sounded rich and powerful, not buzzy like a hand held radio.

now i'm going to have to try out some amps...

ehhh, it was probably the player.

The player has a lot to do with it but the amp is important for the tone.

The first time I played my E-Standard through my PA instead of the little amp I used to use I was amazed at the sound.

Try a few out in the music store. You will love the reaction of the people who come up to you.

Even the music store employees will love it. They are all so jaded with guitar players, you know.

I have a PA system now. It sounds so much better than my guitar amp did. . . but to be honest, I didn't know what 'better' was when I had the guitar amp, and it served me well once upon a time.

Take it to the store, like Diggy says, and test some out.

If it helps matters, Roland's keyboard amps are basically low end PA systems in small boxes, so as far as the genuine tone of your Theremin goes, you could consider one of them. Guitar amps with valves etc. will colour your sound, this is usually good but in my experience sounds horrible with a Theremin.

This (http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/roland-kc-150/8470) might do you some good, walk into the appropriate store and try one out.

What PA system are you using? Also when using a PA system, do you go directly into it as you would an Amp? I have a small Fender 50W Guitar Amp that I got with my bass a while back but looking to upgrade some to get rid of distortion and have a more full range. I'm looking at grabbing a Drum machine and a mixer here soon and so I've been lost in research on setting up a small recording rig and what goes where and what needs what. :D

Check out this thread -- someone else was asking about the same thing:

http://www.thereminworld.com/forum.asp?cmd=p&T=2197&F=1

Don't be put off by the name of the thread ("Help Me I'm an Idiot") -- it has some good info in it that answers some basic questions about amplifiers, etc.

I can't run direct into my PA speakers. . . for a start is uses Speakon cables for inputs, secondly there are two of them, and thirdly they don't have a means of amplification on their own.

I have to run the theremin through a Powermixer which has a reverb unit and amplifier built in, then go to the speakon cables, then go to the two speakers.

Be wary of keyboard amps. They have no reverb.

Thanks on the heads up about the keyboard amps and another thanks for the redirect kkissinger.

What Power Mixer do you use that has reverb?

I went down to my local music shop to find a room full of just Crate guitar amps. :P There is so much out there in the line of electronics it's difficult to sift through the good and the bad to find the best for your budget.

P.S. Wow, I didn't notice so many of you are from KC. I'm over in Lawrence, KS finishing up my undergrad.