The Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 15-Watt Tube is a Bad Cat amplifier, currently around $2699.99. Close alternatives include the Strymon Iridium and the Bad Cat Cub V EL84. It pairs well with the Colorsound Overdriver and the Friedman BE-OD.

Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 15-Watt Tube

Bad Cat · amplifier

The Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 15-watt is a point-to-point hand-wired guitar amplifier using EL84 power tubes, providing Vox-lineage chimey character in a 15-watt configuration specifically built on vintage-style turret boards. Hand-wired construction raises component quality and long-term repairability compared to PCB equivalents, contributing to the tactile, expressive feel that players prize in the Cub line. A switchable EF86/12AX7 preamp tube, tube-driven spring reverb, and Fat boost switch complete the circuit. It suits studio, home, and small-venue use where natural power-tube saturation at achievable volumes is the priority.

What stands out

  • “A switchable EF86/12AX7 preamp tube, tube-driven spring reverb, and Fat boost switch complete the circuit”

    — from the listing

  • “The 15-watt EL84 power section reaches natural tube saturation at studio and small-venue volumes, making it ideal for recording and intimate performance settings”

    — from the community notes

  • “Hand-wired construction raises component quality and long-term repairability compared to PCB equivalents, contributing to the tactile, expressive feel that players prize in the Cub line”

    — from the listing

  • “Preferred by players who specifically value the tactile feel and harmonic character that hand-wired construction provides over PCB versions”

    — from the community notes

  • “The Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 15-watt is a point-to-point hand-wired guitar amplifier using EL84 power tubes, providing Vox-lineage chimey character in a 15-watt configuration specifically built on vintage-style turret boards”

    — from the listing

  • tube
  • natural
  • studio
  • harmonic
  • spring reverb
  • driven
  • chimey

Good for

  • Practice
  • Studio
  • Worship
$2699.99View on Reverb

Price updated Oct 24, 2026

Genres the Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 15-Watt Tube is commonly used in

  • Indie Rock
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Blues
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Country
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Alternative
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Classic Rock
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Rock
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.

Pedals that stack with the Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 15-Watt Tube

Colorsound Overdriver

pedal

21% match

clean platform takes the driveA clean, high-headroom stage takes on dirt it can't generate by itself. (transparent → fuzzy)

The transparent tone has headroom to spare — Colorsound Overdriver leans it toward fuzzy to fill it in

Goes in front of the amp

Friedman BE-OD

Friedman

20% match
$169.99via Reverb

pushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (saturated → tight)

Feed a saturated signal into Friedman BE-OD and it comes out closer to tight

Goes in front of the amp

JHS Angry Charlie

JHS Pedals

20% match

clean platform takes the driveA clean, high-headroom stage takes on dirt it can't generate by itself. (transparent → high gain)

JHS Angry Charlie is voiced for Vox-style amps — Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 15-Watt Tube gives it exactly that

Goes in front of the amp

Universal Audio 1176 Compressor

Universal Audio

13% match
$129via Reverb

shapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain. (dynamic → compressed)

Universal Audio 1176 Compressor leans toward compressed, and that's a real, usable character to pair with

Goes in front of the amp

Audiocade 1974 Colorsound Tremolo Clone

Audiocade

13% match

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Audiocade 1974 Colorsound Tremolo Clone's own voicing points at Vox-style amps, and Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 15-Watt Tube delivers it

Goes in front of the amp

Eventide Modulated Delay

Eventide

7% match

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Eventide Modulated Delay's modulated voice goes in Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 15-Watt Tube's effects loop — it's not there to compete with Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 15-Watt Tube's own transparent character — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Sits in the amp's effects loop

Electro-Harmonix Memory Boy Analog Delay

Electro-Harmonix

7% match
$104.54via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Run Electro-Harmonix Memory Boy Analog Delay in Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 15-Watt Tube's effects loop, clear of Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 15-Watt Tube's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Sits in the amp's effects loop

Fender Hammertone Overdrive

Fender

tonal match
$60via Reverb

Goes in front of the amp

Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 15-Watt Tube leans into a clean amp's front end, precisely the platform Fender Hammertone Overdrive wants

Cheaper alternatives

Audiocade Royal British Velvet AC30 Overdrive/Preamp Clone

Audiocade

72% similarity
$149via Reverb

Audiocade Royal British Velvet AC30 Overdrive/Preamp Clone recreates this amp's tone in pedal form

Vox Valvenergy Mystic Edge

Vox

72% similarity
$152.50via Reverb

Vox Valvenergy Mystic Edge recreates this amp's tone in pedal form

Mooer Micro Preamp 004 Day Tripper

Mooer

72% similarity
$81.49via Reverb

Mooer Micro Preamp 004 Day Tripper recreates this amp's tone in pedal form

Bad Cat Cub V EL34

Bad Cat

52% similarity
$2350via Reverb

Shared character: hand wired construction, reverb

Mesa Boogie Lone Star Head

amplifier

51% similarity
$1666via Reverb

Shared character: reverb, fat, bright

Fryette Power Station PS-100

Fryette

42% similarity
$1199via Reverb

Shared character: natural, studio

Similar charactersee all similar tone character →

Strymon Iridium

Strymon

72% similarity

Strymon Iridium recreates this amp's tone in pedal form

Bad Cat Cub V EL84

Bad Cat

61% similarity

Shared character: reverb, attack, recording

Bludotone Universal Tone

Bludotone

51% similarity

Shared character: hand wired construction, attack, studio

PRS Dallas 50W Tube Guitar Amp Head

amplifier

50% similarity

Shared character: reverb

Friedman Amps Box Head Hand-Wired 50-Watt EL34

Friedman

47% similarity
$2899.99via Reverb

Shared character: hand wired construction

Divided by 13 BRT23 112 Combo

Divided By 13

47% similarity

Shared character: natural, reverb

See all alternatives to the Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 15-Watt Tube (cheaper + boutique) →

Questions people ask

What are good alternatives to the Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 15-Watt Tube?+

The closest matches in character are the Strymon Iridium, the Bad Cat Cub V EL84, the Bludotone Universal Tone. Budget picks: Audiocade Royal British Velvet AC30 Overdrive/Preamp Clone, Vox Valvenergy Mystic Edge, Mooer Micro Preamp 004 Day Tripper.

What pairs well with the Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 15-Watt Tube?+

Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Colorsound Overdriver, Friedman BE-OD, JHS Angry Charlie — The transparent tone has headroom to spare — Colorsound Overdriver leans it toward fuzzy to fill it in.

How much does the Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 15-Watt Tube cost?+

Around $2699.99 (live listing price, updated Oct 24, 2026).

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