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6K views 53 replies 10 participants last post by  Rudy 
#1 ·
Hey guys, Im looking for a little bit of advice on a possible purchase.... I need an amp that fullfills these specifications:

-Low wattage (20 or less)
-Full valve
-12" speaker
-Effects loop

The only thing Ive found up to now is the marshall DSL201, but it seems they've stopped making those. Any Ideas?
Thanks
 
#27 ·
I had a Soldano Atomic 16, with a V30, it was very JCM 800 sounding. I also have a JCM 800 2004 w/4x12's.
The good tone at low volume question is really a difficult one to answer.
I got rid of the Soldano because I wanted 2 channels and got a JCM 900 4502 DR 2x12 combo.
The Legacy is loud as hell and you might not like the attenuated sound. But you should try an attenuator. Check out Legendary tones for a nice comparison of the Weber mass vs Hotplate. Howver, you may want to poke around for used 8 ohm attenuator. APLUS Guitars in West Virginia has the best price on the Hotplate. I think I got mine for @$239.
Then again maybe you might like something like a Guitarport (I have it a LOVE IT), which I think is awesome and you can jam with the backing tracks through headphones.
Or maybe you might like a Tech 21 Trademark 10 for great nontube tone at whisper volume.
Check out the Amptone webpage for a thorough discussion of good tone at lo volume options.
Good Luck
 
#28 ·
thanks Rudy....but 8O it HAS TO BE a VALVE/TUBE amp!

At this point two channels are NOT an issue...if it is a good amp low WATTAGE and ALL TUBE, then single channel is ok...

i have "narrowed" it down to a either the

Cornford Harlequin :D

or an

Soldano Atomic 16 .....

....thoughts anyone? Cornford? or Soldano??
 
#31 ·
I had a Mesa Boogie Subway Rocket. Clean tones were so-so, but the distortion was totally awesome. Liquid, smooth, dynamic, just plain enjoyable to play. This amp got me hooked on Mesa Boogie gear. After it I had a Triaxis, a Mark IIC+ preamp that I've built myself, and I'll soon get me a Mark IV combo with EVM12L in it.

Subway Rocket is 22 watts, and it's so loud, you won't believe it's 22 watts. :lol: It can be picked up for around $400 on *Bay.
 
#32 ·
Subway Rocket huh? Sounds good. Does that have a 12" or 10" speaker?

..what about the Mesa Boogie DC-3? :?:

What about a CORNFORD Harlequin? 6 watts REALLY nice tube sound...I found one mint YES MINT for 750.00 US $ .....

BTW....what's a good going price for a USED MARK IV ? And is the EV speaker the way to go with a MARK IV? Will the MARK IV sound good at lower volumes?

How are the MARK II C +'s WITHOUT eq?
Thanks!
 
#35 ·
and the point is? There are MANY cross referenced questions throughout these threads. As in any conversation questions come up that "cross" into the conversation at hand in order to better understand Low wattage valve combos

Is there any info that you may have to assist me in my QUEST? to know and ask the experienced musicians what they honesty have to tell an numb skull like me...so I thank YOU for your patience as well and appreciate any input to the above questions regarding the MARK IV that I asked about...the SUBWAY and the DC-3...thanks! :roll:
 
#36 ·
Mark IV can be had for less than 900 bucks. It's not a "low wattage" combo by any means. It's 85 "tube" watts which is earth shattering. As far as whether it sounds good at really low volumes, I'll be able to tell you tonight. Keep in mind, though, that to uncover the real potential of a tube amp you have to crank it up really loud. And if you crank it in your house/appartment, even a 6W amp will be extremely loud.

And yeah, EV speaker is the way to go (it's 200W though, so it's not low-wattage either). I don't know of a better guitar speaker, and I've tried a lot of them. Even Vintage 30 and G12H30 don't sound as good (at least with the amps I ran through them).
 
#40 ·
You can cut the Mark-IV down to the equivalent of about 30 watts, running it in weed power, class A poweramp configuration.

It's still CRUSHINGLY loud, but in general Mesas still sound pretty smooth at low volumes.

Micro, I'm curious to hear what you think of the thing. :)

-D
 
#41 ·
A custom amp manufacturer in the UK called Sheldon make a 1 to 3 watt amp for about £500 ish.

I forget the name but it is adjustable from 1w true class A to 3 watt true class AB using a front panel knob. It also has a "tone compass" whihc is like an interactive tone control and works very well.

It uses a single Celestion V30.

I have met the designer too, heis a cool guy and will always talk to you about things.

:twisted:
 
#43 ·
Hey, for 500 UK pounds I'll make you a fine 3 watt amp that will sound great, too. In fact I've been playing through one for about half a year now. It's not pretty, it only has one channel (high gain) and it doesn't have effects loop but it only cost me about $150 to build. It uses 2 12ax7 and one 6bm8 tube. It's still too loud for "bedroom" playing. If I try to crank it up to more than 4 my neighbors will call the police. :lol:
 
#44 ·
microdmitry said:
And yeah, EV speaker is the way to go (it's 200W though, so it's not low-wattage either). I don't know of a better guitar speaker, and I've tried a lot of them. Even Vintage 30 and G12H30 don't sound as good (at least with the amps I ran through them).
Kind of off topic but have you tried the Eminence Tonkers? 200w rated also, they are modelled loosely around the Fanes you get in old Hiwatts and sounds very nice IMHO. It is becoming one of my favourite speakers :D
 
#45 ·
I've tried the ones that are "modeled after" Vintage 30's and they sounded NOTHING like Vintage 30s. They sounded muffled and dull side by side with Vintage 30s and G12H30 (my favorite Celestion speaker). I've also tried the one that's supposed to sound like the Greenback, and it did not sound like greenback. So after two negative experiences I gave up on Eminence. You can't beat them on price, but there's a good reason why people pay some good bucks for Celestions, and why folks buying Mark combos want EVM12L in them. :)

I've heard good things about Weber speakers (the same folks who make the MASS attenuator), but I haven't tried them myself. My search for a good speaker ended with EVM12L. :lol:
 
#48 ·
http://www.webervst.com/mass.html these are at an awesome price!

what are your thoughts on a Edition Tube 20th Anniversary

Time to celebrate 20 years of Hughes & Kettner. And what better way to commemorate two decades of our trademark Technology of Tone than with a special series based on one of the most successful all-tube combos: Here it is - the Edition Tube 20th Anniversary.

Is this "hype" or is it a good amp?
 
#49 ·
power freak said:
A custom amp manufacturer in the UK called Sheldon make a 1 to 3 watt amp for about £500 ish.

I forget the name but it is adjustable from 1w true class A to 3 watt true class AB using a front panel knob. It also has a "tone compass" whihc is like an interactive tone control and works very well.
That'll be Sheldon - they get pretty good reviews. Not, as I recall, a very wide range of sounds from it, but if you like the noise it makes it's a very good choice. And as you say, they're a bunch of gents - I was seriously considering going with them, but settled on Cornell.
 
#50 ·
microdmitry said:
Hey, for 500 UK pounds I'll make you a fine 3 watt amp that will sound great, too. In fact I've been playing through one for about half a year now. It's not pretty, it only has one channel (high gain) and it doesn't have effects loop but it only cost me about $150 to build. It uses 2 12ax7 and one 6bm8 tube. It's still too loud for "bedroom" playing. If I try to crank it up to more than 4 my neighbors will call the police. :lol:
haha, let me know if you ever get to the point where you're taking orders- screw cosmetics, if the tone's there it might be kinda cool to have around. :)

Although, tonally I remember it being more marshally than's really my thing... nail that compressed, liquid mark-iv lead vibe, though, and I'm there. :)

-D

PS- edit- gkelm has a Mesa Blue Angel for sale in the classifieds now that can vary betwee 15 and 38 watts- tempting, that's supposed to be an absurdly sweet poweramp.
 
#51 ·
I've never played a H&K amp, and having spent an evening with Mark IV yesterday, I don't think I'll ever play one. Sh1t man, this amp is so sweet. It doesn't have Marshall tones, but what it does have is so sweet on its own. I think for Marshall and Fender tones I'll eventually buy Egnater TOL100 again or maybe build a Soldano SLO, but 50W instead of 100.
 
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