FWIW, I bought an amp. I went with this one - http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/...se_pid/483187/ that Dean Martin recomended. Discounted new is 169.00 I found it used for 84.00 and other than a nick on the lower right front of the cabinet it looks new. Oh, yeah, it works! Went with this because of all the amps I saw, it was the only one recomended that I found used and was portable enough for my son. He will crate this thing over to his friend's house since that's where the drum set is. I really liked the Vox, but in the end it was too big to be really all that portable unless I drive him all the time, and I'd rather not. I think it will be more than adequate for a starter amp.

Got a line on a guitar that I'm off to see now. It's one of those things that despite all of the advice, I'm thinking I'm going to take a chance on

Regards,
jc