The Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 40-Watt Tube is a Bad Cat amplifier, currently around $2350. Close alternatives include the Strymon Iridium and the Bad Cat Cub V Hand-Wired Head. It pairs well with the Marshall Guv'nor and the Univox Super-Fuzz.

Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 40-Watt Tube

Bad Cat · amplifier

The Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 40-watt is a point-to-point hand-wired guitar amplifier in the Cub V series, using EL84 or EL34 power tubes at 40 watts with hand-wired construction on vintage-style turret boards. It delivers the chimey, touch-sensitive Vox-lineage character of the Cub with improved harmonic coherence and tactile responsiveness compared to PCB versions, at a wattage capable of handling medium and larger stages. A switchable EF86/12AX7 preamp tube and tube-driven spring reverb round out the feature set. It is the full-specification gigging version of the Cub V line for players who require stage volume alongside boutique Cub character.

What stands out

  • “The Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 40-watt is a point-to-point hand-wired guitar amplifier in the Cub V series, using EL84 or EL34 power tubes at 40 watts with hand-wired construction on vintage-style turret boards”

    — from the listing

  • “It delivers the chimey, touch-sensitive Vox-lineage character of the Cub with improved harmonic coherence and tactile responsiveness compared to PCB versions, at a wattage capable of handling medium and larger stages”

    — from the listing

  • “it is the full-specification gigging version of the cub v line for players who require stage volume alongside boutique cub character”

    — from the listing

  • “Switchable EF86/12AX7 preamp tube provides two distinct voices with different harmonic density”

    — from the reviews

  • “Forty watts of power in a hand-wired chassis delivers the Cub's chimey, expressive character with enough headroom for medium-to-large stage use”

    — from the reviews

  • chimey
  • full
  • tube
  • stage
  • expressive
  • spring reverb
  • driven

Good for

  • Live
  • Studio
$2350View on Reverb

Price updated Oct 24, 2026

Genres the Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 40-Watt Tube is commonly used in

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

Pedals that stack with the Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 40-Watt Tube

Marshall Guv'nor

Marshall

25% match
$106via Reverb

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

Run Marshall Guv'nor into that high headroom platform and it finally leans toward mid-forward

Goes in front of the amp

Univox Super-Fuzz

Univox

24% match
$599via Reverb

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

Into a dynamic tone, Univox Super-Fuzz brings a pull toward compressed that's missing

Goes in front of the amp

JHS Angry Charlie

JHS Pedals

23% match

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

JHS Angry Charlie is voiced for Vox-style amps — Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 40-Watt Tube gives it exactly that

Goes in front of the amp

Pigtronix Philosopher King

Pigtronix

15% match
$324.99via Reverb

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

Pigtronix Philosopher King's own compressed character is the real reason this is worth trying

Goes in front of the amp

Audiocade 1974 Colorsound Tremolo Clone

Audiocade

13% match

Audiocade 1974 Colorsound Tremolo Clone's own voicing points at Vox-style amps, and Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 40-Watt Tube delivers it

Goes in front of the amp

Strymon El Capistan

Strymon

7% match
$379via 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 Strymon El Capistan in Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 40-Watt Tube's effects loop, clear of Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 40-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

Boss DD-200 Digital Delay

Boss

7% match
$236.92via 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.

Keep Boss DD-200 Digital Delay in Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 40-Watt Tube's effects loop, clear of Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 40-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

Death By Audio Supersonic Fu

Death By Audio

tonal match
$270via Reverb

Goes in front of the amp

Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 40-Watt Tube leans into a clean amp's front end, precisely the platform Death By Audio Supersonic Fu wants

Cheaper alternatives

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

Vox Valvenergy Mystic Edge

Vox

72% similarity
$152.50via Reverb

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

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

Mesa Boogie Lone Star Head

amplifier

50% similarity
$1666via Reverb

Shared character: reverb, touch, clean

Fender Twin Reverb Head

amplifier

50% similarity
$637.70via Reverb

Shared character: reverb, gig, headroom

Fender Bassbreaker 45 Head

Fender

48% similarity
$950.82via Reverb

Shared character: full, stage

Boutique & premium upgrades

Hiwatt Park P50 Handwired 50W

Hiwatt

52% similarity
$4300via Reverb

Shared character: hand wired construction, gig, headroom

Swart Super Space Tone 30 Head

Swart

47% similarity
$4073.60via Reverb

Shared character: reverb, gig, headroom

Bad Cat Era 30 Head

Bad Cat

95% similarity
$3770.40via Reverb

similar tone character

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 Hand-Wired Head

Bad Cat

60% similarity

Shared character: hands, hand wired construction, headroom

Bad Cat Cub V EL34

Bad Cat

59% similarity
$2350via Reverb

Shared character: hand wired construction, reverb, headroom

Carr Mercury V

Carr

47% similarity

Shared character: stage volumes, reverb, response

Divided by 13 FTR 37

Divided By 13

46% similarity

Shared character: stage volumes, gig, touch

PRS Dallas 50W Tube Guitar Amp Head

amplifier

45% similarity

Shared character: reverb, headroom, alternative

See all alternatives to the Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 40-Watt Tube (cheaper + boutique) →

Questions people ask

What are good alternatives to the Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 40-Watt Tube?+

The closest matches in character are the Strymon Iridium, the Bad Cat Cub V Hand-Wired Head, the Bad Cat Cub V EL34. Budget picks: Mooer Micro Preamp 004 Day Tripper, Vox Valvenergy Mystic Edge, Audiocade Royal British Velvet AC30 Overdrive/Preamp Clone. Boutique upgrades: Hiwatt Park P50 Handwired 50W, Swart Super Space Tone 30 Head, Bad Cat Era 30 Head.

What pairs well with the Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 40-Watt Tube?+

Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Marshall Guv'nor, Univox Super-Fuzz, JHS Angry Charlie — Run Marshall Guv'nor into that high headroom platform and it finally leans toward mid-forward.

How much does the Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 40-Watt Tube cost?+

Around $2350 (live listing price, updated Oct 24, 2026).

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