Rabs Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 Allo.. As some of you know I dont really know that much about amps but I am currently looking at getting a small tube amp.. The first thing that came to mind was one of those small 1w 50th Anniversary ones, I thought they were pretty cool (we are talking combo here) but looks like as expected really, mostly out of stock... So whats a good little Marshall model to look at? The one that keeps coming up is the DSL 1CR.. Any opinions or suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 Rabs what about building your own 5f1 or something? You can build the cab from scratch, use a quality speaker. You’ll have a much nicer amp for less money Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted October 27, 2020 Author Share Posted October 27, 2020 Hmmm.. Donno... I want another Marshall 🙂 Not so much in to the electronics side of stuff when it comes to amps.. I would probably end up electrocuting myself ... It may sound strange but I am also thinking for the first time in a long time of buying a guitar... There is one I have always wanted and a newer one that I also have really wanted since they came out and I may have the chance soon to do so.. The temptation is too much.. But it will possibly be the last one I ever buy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle fester Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 Hey Rabs - is the blues jr too big for what you're looking at? Good luck w/ the guitar - just because you make guitars doesn't mean you can't enjoy something built by someone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanHenry Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 Rabs, I would strongly advise against the Marshall DSL1, I had one and it was awful. The clean sounds are quite good but the gain channel just sounds buzzy, for me the honeymoon period really didn't last very long. I bought mine for band practice section's and it didn't have enough head room for that so the only sound that I could get out of it was the buzzy one. I wouldn't consider anything less than the DSL5, but even then, personally I'd steer clear. I'm a big fan of small amps, I replaced the DSL1 with a Cornell Traveller 5, which is a pretty good quality hand wired amp, but I've got a Fender Bassbreaker 007 on order (there seems to be a bit of a shortage of them in the U.K). I should tell you my criteria for a small amp, it has to be light and easy to take out and I need to be able to get some distortion at reasonable volume because I don't use pedals, although with the Cornell and Fender I will need a reverb pedal. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad1 Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 I agree with Ian about the DSL line. I had one. Didn't like it and sold it. Were you looking for an amp head, or a combo? Or does it matter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 Be careful there are mostly amp shaped objects in that category Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 One thing is for sure. You’re gonna need a monoprice stage right. Three different tone and gain controls so you can see a lot of knobs up there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveFord Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 If you want to go a little bigger the Marshall Origin 20 sounds pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 There are lots of s/h Marshall Valvestate combos going cheap on ebay UK. A very good hybrid IMO - delivered great tones (when Geoff Whitehorn demo'd them!!) - worth checking out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 1 hour ago, ghost_of_fl said: Also, I know you are looking for a tube amp, but the Fender "Tone Master" series was getting some great reviews last I checked. They aren't cheap considering they are SS/modeling amps, but if you can get a satisfactory sound out of something so lightweight, I see that as a win... I am really happy with my ToneMaster Deluxe. I highly, strongly recommend them if you are not interested in lugging a tube amp around and all the junk that goes with it. rct Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted October 27, 2020 Author Share Posted October 27, 2020 Hmmm... Cheers guys. Much to think about there.. One of my main things was that I just want something small, just a combo... I already have that Slash amp (SL5 combo) but wanted something even smaller to take out with me occasionally.. Maybe a Fender would be better as it would give me something quite different. I am also looking at either a 336 or one of those DC Special Flametops... Hmmmmmmmmmm Problem being at the moment that stock in the UK is well low right now... I did email Gibson to find out if they are still making those and its just COVID thats keeping the stock low at the moment but had no answer from them on that. I assume they are but you never know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihcmac Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 (edited) Hmm. At the power level you refer to at the beginning, you may want to consider a good portable battery powered amp that you could easily carry on your New Car adventures. I carried Roland Cubes and set them in the back hatch enabling me to play anywhere. The Rolands are old tech now, they do have upgraded versions, but I'm sure there are quite a few new incredible sounding battery powered amps. One important feature to consider is how long they will play on battery, my Micro Cubes use 6 AA batteries and could play up to 20hrs. Edited October 27, 2020 by mihcmac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 1 hour ago, mihcmac said: Hmm. At the power level you refer to at the beginning, you may want to consider a good portable battery powered amp that you could easily carry on your New Car adventures. I carried Roland Cubes and set them in the back hatch enabling me to play anywhere. The Rolands are old tech now, they do have upgraded versions, but I'm sure there are quite a few new incredible sounding battery powered amps. One important feature to consider is how long they will play on battery, my Micro Cubes use 6 AA batteries and could play up to 20hrs. Yes I have an old MicroCube. Almost the best £40 I ever spent. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihcmac Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 (edited) 7 hours ago, jdgm said: Yes I have an old MicroCube. Almost the best £40 I ever spent. I love my old Cubes, I started carrying one about 15 years ago to help me get more practice time in. Then found other situations where they were quite useful and added to them until I got to 6 where I reached small club volume. Now I have them strapped together in sets of 2 using Y adaptors to interconnect them. When I join in with a drum circle 1 is usually sufficient, but on a beach with loud crashing waves 2 works better. Also the effects (chorus, flange, phase, tremolo with separate delay or reverb) are tasteful, including 6 amp models from acoustic to rectifier plus a mic setting. Edited October 28, 2020 by mihcmac 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 Been away from tubes too long to be of any real use here, but if I were looking now, I'd begin with Cornell. Probably the Romany. Cornell also do a 'Traveller 5' which is very small (10" Celestion). No idea what that's like, but seems well speced. 336 is likely to be Custom Shop right now right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkygibbo Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 Plus 1 on Cornell, Handmade, hand wired, best components, built by Dennis Cornell, and what he doesn't know about amps is not worth knowing. I have a TR20 basically a Romany plus with trem, it has a built in attenuator type thing going on, takes it from 20 watts clean down to 1/4 watt really raunchy! Takes pedals really well on the 20 watt setting. But the best thing about them is the sound and that's what counts, I have owned loads of big name and boutique amps and this is up there with any of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Natural Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 On 10/27/2020 at 12:04 AM, Rabs said: ... I am currently looking at getting a small tube amp... The first thing that came to mind was one of those small 1w 50th Anniversary ones, I thought they were pretty cool (we are talking combo here) but looks like as expected really, mostly out of stock... Any opinions or suggestions? On 10/27/2020 at 12:11 AM, Rabs said: ... I want another Marshall 🙂.... Keep looking for a 50th Anniversary 1 watt combo; one will turn up somewhere. I've got the JTM1C, and it's a great little amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 I never had a Marshal before, Would love one also. But I bought a Fender Super Champ X2 15 watt tube amp I've been very pleased with. It was way more loud than I expected. I only play it on volume 2. But that might be too big for you too? They run $400.00. Thats about 14" tall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihcmac Posted November 1, 2020 Share Posted November 1, 2020 (edited) I played one of my Stage Right 15w (HB Tube 15) yesterday at my outdoor jam during a heavy rain storm. The loudest setting so far with the Gain on 5 and Volume on 4, sitting about 4 ft away using my red 56 LP, it was screaming. Normally at home I use both amps, it is easy to dial them down to an acceptable level for practicing at home, even without using the 1w setting. But if you gotta have a Marshall, you might like the Origin 20C or even the more basic Origin 5C. Both pretty adjustable basic amps one with a 10 and the other with an 8. In addition the price won't break the bank. Edited November 1, 2020 by mihcmac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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