Help please with Guitar Amp Purchase

[Black968]

Looking to buy a new Amp. Always wanted a half stack but never really wanted to spend the money. Bought various Combo Amps and they have been OK. Last Amp I purchased was a MA50C Marshall 50 Watt Combo which I can get some decent sounds out of but have had reliability issues with. Love to play classic rock mostly (Rush. Led Zeppelin, AC/DC). I have played a 50 Watt Marshall Vintage Modern (Good), the new 100 Watt Dual Super Lead (DSL made in Vietnam), The Haze (did not like). For some reason I am stuck on a Marshall. I am confused by the JCM 800, 900 DSL, Pexi SLP's etc. Leaning towards a 100 Watt Head with a 4 x 12 set up. Looking to spend no more than $2G. Can some of the Players chime in and help me out with this.

Cheers

[Nostril Cheese]

Unless you are playing a stadium, there is really no need for a 4x12

[Rick V]

Mesa Boogie?
I am also really digging the Orange line up

[nostatic]

Bogner Shiva EL34 1x12 Combo Guitar Amp | eBay

Blows any Marshall away wrt touch sensitivity and tone. Plenty loud. As in plenty loud.

[Rick Lee]

I got a Soldano Decatone with about 30 min. of play time on it for $2k. But you'll never find another deal like that. I have a 2x12 shell being delivered (for $149) tomorrow and will put a pair of Celestion Vintage 30s in it. You can get a very nice set up for under $2k, especially if you don't have to have it new. Don't discount the new EVH 5150 III 50w heads. I gigged with one of the 100w versions in August and, honestly, if I hadn't just bought the Soldano, I'd have gone with the 5150 III. Killer three channel amp with the classic Fender clean sound. Check out the ads on the Gear Page, MarshallForum, local Craigslist and eBay. There are some amazing amps out there for reasonable money.

BTW, I just sold my Marshall DSL 100 two weeks ago. I loved that thing, but wasn't blown away by the clean sound as much as others are.

[IROC]

If you really don't need 100W (does anybody really need 100W?, I bought a Marshall DSL 15C (they also have a head version) that has phenomenal classic rock tones. It nails AC/DC tone (say, Powerage or High Voltage type of tones) and also early Rush (Fly By Night sort of stuff). What I love about it is the classic Marshall tones, but it is also very versatile. Adjusting the guitar volume nails the transitions in distortion in "Down Payment Blues" for instance. Perfect match for the tone in "Little Lover" while also pulling off good matches for Social Distortion tunes...

Can you tell I like it?

For pure tone heaven, I agree with Todd: Bogner Shiva. But that's a whole other animal.

[stuartj]

Geez. While pants flapping is fun, its not answer.

I love a Marshall. In any but the crappiest tranny Marshalls, lurks a proper Marshall.

Get a 112 all valve DSL combo (30, 40w?), turn off all the "bedroom" bull**** and turn the clean channel up. Flat out.

After that, its in the fingers.

Too loud? Another problem....

[ERH]

Just got this and it makes me sound better than I am.....




Morris Amps

highly recommended

Ed

[Superman]

I heard a Matchless combo recently that was one of the most sublime amps I have ever heard. Otherwise, a vintage Fender Twin Reverb is perhaps the most iconic of all guitar amplifiers, bar none. Any good tube 2x12 combo is going to be PLENTY loud for virtually any indoor venue.

[IROC]

Originally Posted by Superman

Otherwise, a vintage Fender Twin Reverb is perhaps the most iconic of all guitar amplifiers, bar none.

Not for Rush or AC/DC tones, though. Not the right tool for the job.

[stuartj]

Originally Posted by ERH

Just got this and it makes me sound better than I am.....




Morris Amps

highly recommended

Ed

That looks good. Love a switchable loop.

[Black968]

I do love the Fenders, but as stated not the Amp for what I play. Could add pedals and such but not really looking to go that route. As far as the 4 x 12 100 Watt head, was thinking of putting some kind of attenuator on it.
The New 100 Watt DSL has a 50 Watt switch on it which is a cool idea. Would a separate Head/Cab unit be more reliable than a Combo unit? Less vibration on the Tubes? Some of the newer Amps just do not seem to hold up that well. I do not even gig, just bedroom playing.

[Rick Lee]

A Twin Reverb is not what you want for playing a lot of distortion stuff. I had one and I felt like it was such a waste to run my effects processor through it to get Marshall sounds. No one makes a clean sound like a Twin Reverb. They are amazing. But they're only good for that, not that versatile, IMHO. And that's really why the EVH 5150 III turned me on. I don't play just heavy distortion stuff. I like the light crunch and really want a great clean sound too. And the 5150 III has all that. I really think it's a versatile amp and I'm not just saying that because I'm a VH fanboy. I have a buddy who uses his in a country band with Tele. But... I will buy another Twin Reverb one day.

If you want everything in a combo, consider the Hot Rod DeVille. It has the classic Fender clean sound, a great crunch and, well, you might need a pedal, but you can also get great distortion out of it too. Super loud, but not as much gear to lug as a head and cabinet. Works great with casters.

[IROC]

Originally Posted by Black968

I do not even gig, just bedroom playing.

I'm tellin' ya - DSL 15C. It has a 15W and 7.5W switch. Classic Marshall tube amp sound. The only thing it doesn't have that I'd like is an effects loop. Way more volume than you'll ever need. Putting an attenuator on a 50W amp is not the solution. My experience with attenuators (THD Hotplate) is that it works - but sucks too much tone at any sort of meaningful volume reduction.

[VincentVega]

Love these threads, thanks for the info.

RL- is there a smaller version of the Deville? Too much $$ and db's for me.

[Cajundaddy]

Originally Posted by VincentVega

Love these threads, thanks for the info.

RL- is there a smaller version of the Deville? Too much $$ and db's for me.

Fender Blues Jr. 15 tube watts and sounds great. Pure Fender bliss! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuPpj7k8r7Y&feature=player_embedded
Hot Rod Deluxe- Same head as DeVille in a 1x12. Loud Ass! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1XIjDBvH_Q
Vox AC15 C1- Beatles, The Who, Brian May, David Gilmour tones http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5RSaECdCrQ
For a bedroom rocker consider a mini-stack: Orange Tiny Terror and Avatar 1x12 w/hellatone speaker. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_VfqiPeTIU
It will do magnificent meaty British AC/DC, Rush, Aerosmith tones all day long at more neighborhood-friendly volumes. Still plenty loud to run with a drummer at a gig.

These are similar to what Jimmy Page used in many of his recording sessions with Led Zeppelin. In Page's own words, he recorded Zeppelin I "with a Telecaster, a tiny Supro amp and just a couple of pedals." Huge thick meaty guitar tone with no guitar amp stacks required. He just really knew how to use the tools.

[Cajundaddy]

Originally Posted by Black968

Looking to buy a new Amp. Always wanted a half stack but never really wanted to spend the money. Bought various Combo Amps and they have been OK. Last Amp I purchased was a MA50C Marshall 50 Watt Combo which I can get some decent sounds out of but have had reliability issues with. Love to play classic rock mostly (Rush. Led Zeppelin, AC/DC). I have played a 50 Watt Marshall Vintage Modern (Good), the new 100 Watt Dual Super Lead (DSL made in Vietnam), The Haze (did not like). For some reason I am stuck on a Marshall. I am confused by the JCM 800, 900 DSL, Pexi SLP's etc. Leaning towards a 100 Watt Head with a 4 x 12 set up. Looking to spend no more than $2G. Can some of the Players chime in and help me out with this.

Cheers

If you must own a stack: JCM 800 for that classic meaty Marshall tone. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wTLFB-QgxA
There is nothing quite like it. I have played through one of these, JCM 900, Mesa Dual Rec, Orange stack and to my ears the JCM 800 is "The One". It is a bit of a one trick pony but it's a pretty sweet trick. If you are mostly a bedroom rocker don't forget a good set of earplugs. You are gonna need em.

As Brit amps go I tend to be more of a Vox AC30 guy but I appreciate the Marshall for what it is. I will no longer own a stack because I don't want to drag it around but if one is in the backline already... sure I'll plug in.

[911Freak]

Down to "just" one half stack.... 1988 JCM 800 1959 MKII.
I bought this one brand new in SF, the cab is the standard JCM 800 LEAD 1960 Slant w/G12T75 speakers. Pretty much the bench mark for 80s rock. I use a brake on it so I can push the tubes and run the kasha in loop. Love this combo!


I've owned many different combos of amp/cabs: Boogie MK V (very versatile amp, very loud but good at lower volumes too!), Soldano Hot Rod 50 (nice little amp head, looks sexy ) another Marshall 1986 JCM 800 2210 (came with the cab pictured) bought that from K Hammett back in the day, was one of his studio warm up/practice amps. That head was epic, good crunch at lower volumes etc...slightly massaged as well...
Like a knuckle head I sold it to my guitar buddy who....never mind
If you can find a JCM800, even a 50w check them out!

I even had a Tom Scholz head cab combo with effects. Weird looking rig with a single huge 18" speaker in the cab. A little to digital sounding for my taste... fun and rare though...
Google image grab of what they looked like:




If you must have a Marshall, I would suggest playing both the 800 (hand wired vs 900 circuit board) and the 900. The 800 was the earlier design and as long as it still has its original internals or replacement NOS internals (and checks out) it should deliver. I find them to be more of the traditional sound characteristics of the Marshall tube amp, albeit quirky at times... Ymmv.




Marshall 900 series heads like the JCM 900 SL-X are considered more versatile (switchable, effects loops, direct in/out, reverb etc) then the 800s. Compared to the older 800 series they have a more modern preamp with the addition of Pre amp tubes, again, more crunch and gain at lower master volume levels and seem to be less expensive then the 800 series. You might get more bang for your buck with a 900...


Lots of new amp heads that will get the job done. Several mentioned here in this thread are worth the time test driving! Fun too! Boogie are and have been massively popular and the quality is or at least was excellent. I grew up in Sonoma County and have been to Mesa Boogie, heard the crazy stories, the guys are true artists.

Definitely suggest you test drive as many different models as possible. If you find one you like that's not local get a PPI seriously. Lots of hacks have had their hands in these old amps and one could be a careless shipment away from expensive damage.

Lots of Marshall info here:
Marshall Amps Info & Schematics

[911dean]

I think as mentioned, the Orange Tiny Terror would be nice. I think a Fender Blues jr would be a nice addition to the Orange Tiny Terror.

I'm personally lusting after a Victoria Silver Sonic. It's just really hard to justify for a 46 year old beginner guitar player and I mean beginner( 4 months).

Dean

[Superman]

Yup, the Twin is clean-sounding.

I have a friend whose guitar tone is to die for. He uses a 1968 Marshall "Plexi" 100w head with all the knobs turned to 10. Runs it through a power soak, then through a small tube amp into two 4x12 cabs. One cab has a slight reverb/delay, the other does not. Tone to die for.

FWIW, the Fender Hot Rod DeVille sounds like $h!t. IMHO. Others agree. YMMV.