Marshall and competitors, looking for an amp.

[Gladhander]

Hey all, I’m looking for a Marshall or alternative. I don’t need tons of gain or watts. Twenty and under is good. Gain is good but I’m not a metal head. Well, I don’t play like a metal head but I am a metal head. I’m looking for classic rock tones. I’m not familiar enough with their current lineup or recently past models. I want that sound but I don’t need that brand necessarily. Alternatives are fine. What do you got under $1500 and preferably less. Used is fine. Probably a head but I’m open.

 

[naveed211]

It sounds like you’re exactly describing a mini JCM800 SC20. Great amp. Will do classic rock or metal with ease.

For an alternative, check out the Friedman PT20. I honestly prefer the Marshall, bit more dynamic to me, but a great rock amp in its own right.

 

[Neptical]

As an owner of the Marshall Origin 50 head, I would absolutely recommend an Origin 20 ( with a boost in front for more gain ). Fantastic cleans, power scaling, very flexible EQ and punches so far above its price. I have a bunch of Marshalls ( JCM/Plexi ) and still can't recommend these amps enough.

 

[VintageSG]

Classic rock tones you say.
Second-hand is OK you say.

The Laney Lionheart L20 is available as a head, a 1x12" or 2x12" combo.
20 Watts via four EL84 in parallel to give a 20 Watt Class A single-ended amplifier. Lionhearts need to be heard before purchase. Their natural gain ends around Eddie Clarke/Michael Schenker levels.
I covet a Lionheart.
There was a 50 Watt variant with five EL34 in parallel for 50 Watts of crazy. The 5 Watt is loud, the 20 Watt is up there with the likes of Matamp for rearranging internals. I can only imagine the force of the 50 Watt model.

New stuff.

You're in America. Have a look at the 30 Watt and 50 Watt Monoprice heads. The 30 Watt is based on the Laney LC30; four EL84 in push-pull AB1, while the 50 Watt is based on the Laney LC50 with a pair of 6L6. Tried and tested designs. Thomann sell the 30 Watt over here, while G4M have the 50 Watt.

Going back to Laney, their 15 Watt Ironheart Studio model bears investigation. It's a multi-channel design with an insanely tweakable EQ. It can go from near Hi-Fi cleans to absolute swampdonkey filth and all points in between. You also get the full suite of useful additions for studio work. There's a hybrid model with a Class D 300 Watt power stage for not a lot more, but I've not had the pleasure of mucking about with one.
The same basic EQ and channels can be found in the IRT 30 combo, minus the studio stuff. Popular amongst pub/club rock bands here.

The Marshall Origin range are worth a look. I have the 5c. If ever an amp was hampered by its cab, it's the 5c. Through an external speaker though, there's magic there. The 20 Watt head may be just the ticket.
You -may- strike lucky and find a Marshall Studio model. I'm only vaguely familiar with the Silver Jubilee-ish one. Worth a listen.

 

[drmordo]

I'll pile on and say I love my Origin 20C. Fun amp.

 

[uriah1]

Some Marshall guy I know has been playing with Synergy of late.
He says pretty nice.
I have no clue about them. Just saying

The old combo Marshall artist

I know the Friedmans and Ceriotones get love here

 

[Sparky2]

I played thru one of these at a gig down south a few years ago.
Loaned to me by a friend who said, just bring your guitar, I have everything else we'll need.

I was mighty impressed.

https://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/msg/d/chicago-marshall-studio-15-model/7858231565.html

I see them on Reverb, going for anywhere from $1,000 to $1,700.

 

[Gladhander]

Those synergies look sweet.The JCM 800 would definitely work. I’d like to stick with El34. I’ve got a PRS MT20 with el84s. It’s pretty great but doesn’t do the Marshall thing. 5150?

 

[Gladhander]

OMG a used Origin is cheap!! Relatively so.

 

[Gladhander]

I had a Jubilee back in the day. Also a 70s Ibanez artist, Dan Armstrong trans bass. They come and they go.

 

[Lawdawg]

You want Marshall classic rock tones? Marshall Origin 20c all day. It's inexpensive and has loads of useful features like built in boost, effects loop, and 3 power levels. The Origin series is loosely based on a JTM voicing so it's relatively low gain by Marshall standards but certainly gets crunchy when you wind it up. They sound awesome with boost/OD pedals.

For something swankier, the Marshall Studio series also has a lot of great options like the Studio JTM, Studio Vintage or Studio Classic.

 

[11 Gauge]

5150?

The EVH 5150III LBX series is around 20 watts, and can be picked up relatively cheap if used.

I have the 'original' LBX, and IMO it will not do Marshall or classic rock tones. The red channel is basically the 'burn' channel of the full-sized 5150, and the blue channel simply removes two of the red channel's gain stages, making it have something like the high gain preamp in a SLO or Mesa Recto. It just amounts to too much gain for the classic rock stuff, even with the gain turned way down on the blue channel.

Having said that, the actual blue channel on the full-sized 5150 does approximate more of the Marshall sound and gain levels.

And the LBX II model specifically does have the blue channel that the full-sized 5150 does.

Of course this prompts the question of just how Marshall-like, and which Marshall does the 5150 blue channel sound like? That really ends up being subjectively answered, but I think it sounds at least somewhat like a 2203/2204 JCM800.

You can also typically find 5150III heads for sometimes very cheap used (sometimes for not much more than the LBX heads), but at 50 watts, those suckers are seriously loud. Yes, this amp has a MV, but IME you can only go so low before things no longer sound very good.

Anyway, the 5150 line of amps is really affordable, especially used. Whether or not they do Marshall tones to anyone's subjective tastes is going to be a bit of a gamble.

 

[Highway 49]

The Marshall Studio series is where I’d go - choose the one you like and I reckon you’re set

 

[Gladhander]

The Marshall Studio series is where I’d go - choose the one you like and I reckon you’re set

That’s where I’m leaning. Jubilee!

 

[Lawdawg]

That’s where I’m leaning. Jubilee!

I really like what Marshall did with the Studio series, and they're a reasonable value. If the Origin didn't already fill that Marshall gap in my lineup I'd be all over a Studio JTM or Studio Vintage combo.

 

[Frodebro]

I really like what Marshall did with the Studio series, and they're a reasonable value. If the Origin didn't already fill that Marshall gap in my lineup I'd be all over a Studio JTM or Studio Vintage combo.

I have the 20 and 50 watt Origin combos, and also the Studio JTM combo. I do believe that I have found “my” sound.

 

[Wrong handed]

check the suhr badger 18, maybe you can get one at that price or cheaper. Used friedmans are around that price point too.

 

[loudboy]

Try to find a used JCM800 4010 combo.

1x12, 50w Master Volume, fantastic tone, old-style Marshall build quality, especially the vertical input ones.

Another plus is they are very simple, and any qualified tech can dial in the response and tonality to exactly what you want, with just a few simple component switches.

 

[Brian Krashpad]

There's tons of used amps in that range!

I'm cheap so here's a couple cheaper alternatives than what's above.

My main amp for my main band ('70's style punk rock and roll) for the last 25 years, Sovtek MiG 50H "Tube Midget."

A more jack-of-all trades Marshall than the Origins previously noted, DSL 40C. Higher gain than Origins. lower price, win-win:

My drummer has the DSL 100 head, which I regularly play at practices with a 4x12, it's great too.

The old '80s Marshall solid states are even cheaper and actually sound great. I have a passel of the combos, and a head, the Lead 100 MOSFET (model 3210):

 

[Jakedog]

Find a Budda. I’m a complete Marshall nerd, I’ve owned dozens of them. My Budda SuperDrive 18 is the best amp I’ve ever had. Much better build quality than a modern Marshall, light weight for a hand made tube amp. Boutique quality amps. Can be had easily for under a grand. Because nobody knows what they are.