Anyone gigging a 5W valve combo

[AndrewG]

I recently got a Marshall DSL5CR 1x10 combo which sounds very nice, both dirty and clean, at modest domestic volumes-especially useful is the low power 0.5W button for keeping neighbours happy. However, I feel the itch to get out and play again and, given most bar venues in England are small; maybe 50-100 people at most, I'm wondering if the little Marshall could cope with a restrained drummer. Clean headroom isn't really an issue as I play using a fair amount of gain with my Tele. The size and weight (28lbs), was also a consideration given my dodgy back. So I'd welcome your shared experiences and recommendations if any. Thanks.

 

[Kevin Wolfe]

If that amp will take an extension cabinet you’d have a better chance.

 

[surfco]

No.

 

[Jakedog]

I tried years ago with a Blackheart 1x12 5 watter. It was close, with an extension cab. But it really wasn’t enough, even in small rooms. It just didn’t sound solid or authoritative. Some people like the “little tiny amp on the verge of exploding” sound. I never have. Just sounds like crap to me.

 

[allesz]

If you don't need clean and have a little PA in the club, I think you will have a lot of fun.

I rehearsed and even gigged with a vht special 6 head and a 1x12 Cab for some time.

In the end I settled on a DIY 15 watt 1x12 combo, and thinkin about 25/30 Watts, to get more clean volume and "weight"; but strictly for lead and distorted sounds a single ended amp at his limits Is gorgeous.

 

[runstendt]

I used to gig with a VHT Special 6 (I know, 6 is more than 5, but it's pretty close.). I never had a problem with volume, and I used that amp to play with some rather loud drummers. Since you're playing with a restrained drummer you should be fine. I think that they weigh around 27 pounds. In my experience the Special 6 is a great little amp that provides a starting point to modify your sound with pedals. It might be worth looking into.

EDIT: I was using the combo version of this amp.

 

[Slippery Jack]

I regularly gig with a 5E3 at 25% power which is 3w. It's plenty loud enough. It's loud enough to get complaints from the vocalists about the stage volume.

 

[Cosmic Cowboy]

I had a VHT Special 6...and had it biased to run a 6L6 instead of the 6V6. I ran it into a 2X12 closed back with V30s and a tiny pedal board for 2 years....(maybe 15 gigs) from bars, to patios, to bandstands in big rooms...to fairgrounds.

And there was enough headroom most of the time....until I met a drummer that it didn't work in the guys living room.

 

[68goldtop]

Hi Andrew!

I usually gig with a Princeton or Deluxe, but I´ve used 5-watt-amps on many occasions with great results.
Often times people came up to ask me where the CABINET was, but i just used a 5-Watt-Champ - w/out a mic/PA
From my experience, the DSL is quite a bit bolder/louder than a Champ, so I think you´ll be fine!
Of course, it depends on the situation, your style of music - and the other players involved.
Anyhow - I´d give it a try

cheers - 68.

 

[Ronzo]

I have a modded Epiphone Valve Junior head, mods to the “Marshallesque” specs from 18watt.com / sewatt.com. I replaced the OT with a hefty Hammond 125ESE.

I also have a very efficient 8 ohm Cerwin-Vega 2x12 cabinet. Weighs a ton, has an Anvil road case with wheels. Usually used with my Sunn Concert Lead head.

That combination can hang with a reasonable drummer in a small venue. But I’d prefer to try it with my Avatar 2x10 ported bass cab. Much more portable.

TL/DR: you’ll need an efficient speaker cabinet and the ability to connect it for your 5 watt amp to work for that situation.

EDIT: Just looked up your Marshall DSL5CR’s specs. NO extension speaker connection. You DO have a speaker emulated line out. If there’s PA support, give that a try.

 

[bluescaster72]

Pretty much depends on the venue as well as the players . Lot of places don't know what volume control is and you will be drowned out. I had good results using a 50 watt Peavey backstage miced . I didn't have it cranked either and the other guy used a Vox Pathfinder 15 that used the line out to the pa and the band didn't get crazy with volume and I thought it sounded great . Both of us using solid state amps A five watt tube amp should be loud enough it will be much louder than either of the amps we were using . but again it depends a lot on who you are playing with . If you are able to run a line out to the pa or have it miced you can use anything . But it's not always possible to do that.

 

[black_doug]

I have gigged with the Silverface Champ in my avatar picture. This amp has a 10” speaker. Single-ended amps have a sound that’s unique because of the harmonic overtones.

i haven’t gigged with it a lot. I have an amp stand I use. This allows me to face the amp sideways and upwards towards my ear. It’s an essential part of the rig. Then it’s mic’d, of course.

 

[Maguchi]

I recently got a Marshall DSL5CR 1x10 combo which sounds very nice, both dirty and clean, at modest domestic volumes-especially useful is the low power 0.5W button for keeping neighbours happy. However, I feel the itch to get out and play again and, given most bar venues in England are small; maybe 50-100 people at most, I'm wondering if the little Marshall could cope with a restrained drummer. Clean headroom isn't really an issue as I play using a fair amount of gain with my Tele. The size and weight (28lbs), was also a consideration given my dodgy back. So I'd welcome your shared experiences and recommendations if any. Thanks.

Yeah a 5 watt might not be enough. I have Fender '57 Deluxe reissue that weighs 26 lbs. It breaks up really nice but also has great cleans. If you're going more for the Marshall sound maybe a DSL-20, however those are 10 lbs. heavier.
'57 Custom Deluxe™ | Guitar Amplifiers

'57 Custom Deluxe™ | Guitar Amplifiers

'57 Custom Deluxe, 120V

www.fender.com

DSL20C - marshall.com

DSL20C

marshall.com

 

[InstantCoffeeBlue]

Give it a try, man. I used to have a Marshall Class 5 combo. Loved the amp, used it a few times at an open blues jam and while it was certainly more than loud enough to hear over a drummer during leads, it was pretty much useless for rhythm because the only way to push over the drums was to dime it - pull the guitar volume back for rhythm and you might as well have shut the amp off, because there just wasn't any clean headroom to fall back on. That said, if you're miking and have the guitar in the wedge, it'll probably be fine. I've gotten some of the best live sounds in decent sized venues with a Champ, but at that point, basically you're accepting that almost no stage volume is coming from the amp and you're basically just using it as a preamp to send to the board.

 

[Dacious]

All you need is one of these. Stick it in front and run it through the PA. You can run it through foldback if you have it. I gigged a EC Custom 5F1 successfully until it crapped out.

 

[AJBaker]

There are several ways to answer this question...

1. It depends.
If everyone on stage is restrained, the audience is actively listening to you (not chatting) and you ONLY need dirty sounds, then maybe 5w is enough.


2. No.
5w is 5w. If you want to have any fun with the band, you're going to run out of power. If it's in a pub, and you're not adding a mic to the amp, then forget about it.


3. Yes (if you stick a microphone in front).

 

[Chiogtr4x]

I actually have small gigs ( R&R/blues trio) where this Monoprice 5-watt combo ( with pedalboard OD>Tremolo >Reverb) will be fine.
Sounds very good- plenty of volume

 

[CCK1]

I don’t gig with a 5 watt amp… yet. I’ve grown quite weary of carrying even a 30-40 pound amp. As soon as I find the right overdrive pedal to stick in front of my 1965 Blackface Champ, I’ll put an SM57, or a Sennheiser e609 in front of it, and I’ll be ready to go. Considering the Blackstone Appliances MOSFET pedal, but haven’t completely decided.

 

[Singin' Dave]

As noted above, you can gig a .5W amp with a mic on it. And even if monitors are an issue, just prop that amp close to your ears...

That said, I tend to lean to my 12w SF Princeton Reverb

 

[String Tree]

I have a '73 Vibrochamp that goes with me when Possible.
On those gigs the Stage Volume has to be low and the Monitors have to pretty good.