PRS upgrade: BK Nantucket soundclip.

[Relic]

Wav, they call em Single Cuts.

Like Bologna?[/QUOTE]

Or single cut like SBD Farts! As opposed to one of those rapid fire 'motor boat' butts, Bbraaaaapp! Ala, the 'Drive-By' / 'Crop Duster'.

LOL You could have a whole pickup line name after stinker terminology! & it could kick butt!

'Yupperz, got me one a dem thar Single cuts with a new Crop Duster pickup. Sounds like a$$.'

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

Only Barry, Nuff said.

 

[Mr Grumpy]

I especially love the fret board and inlays. I did not know that PRS made a LP shape body.

It looks lovely, but I really don't like the neck - I've tried to like it, but I have an old injury on my left wrist and it hurts playing the PRS. The Gibson, strat and even the bass are fine. The PRS is going back tomorrow.


One for Relic: the wife irked me a bit today, so I went online and had a look at amps: saw an AC30 at a reasonable price. I wonder if I should just buy it and play it loud with the SG - could make a great bedroom amp.

$1000

Maybe overkill, but this is reasonable too:

$500

The two-year-old in the apartment above is very noisy, waking me up every morning 7-days a week, so Maybe a nice amp turned up would block out the sounds I don't want to hear...

I've read some pretty terrible reviews of the DSL5 - anybody got one? Mr Cat must have, he has many many Marshalls.

 

[smitty_p]

I've read some pretty terrible reviews of the DSL5 - anybody got one? Mr Cat must have, he has many many Marshalls.

I have one and use it regularly. What complaints have you heard?

I've actually read some pretty positive things about it.

 

[Mr Grumpy]

I've read some Marshall old timers saying it doesn't have the real Marshall tone, etc. I really like my little Yamaha ss amp because it sounds great at low volumes. One day, when I have my own place, a house, then I'll be getting an AC10 or AC30, but I do miss my little 1 watt tube amp (Randall), and this amp does 5w for rehearsal and fooling around with mates, and 1 w for home use - makes it flexible if it sounds good.

 

[smitty_p]

I've read some Marshall old timers saying it doesn't have the real Marshall tone,

There may be some truth to that, but the same can be said for other full-size Marshalls built after the early Marshalls. The early Marshalls were built somewhat differently from the latter amps. But, if you're trying to compare what a 5 watt amp can give you, versus a 100 watt amp, well...

I judge the amp on how much I like the sound it is making. Honestly, I think it has plenty of drive and power. For a 5 watt amp it can get pretty loud. But, it would not hold up in a live, stage situation. For that, I run to an external speaker in an isolation cabinet and mic the speaker to the PA. This provides a very big sound and allows me to control how I want the amp to sound. The PA system will make sure the sound is loud enough for the audience.

My only real complaint is the channel that is called the, "Classic Gain" channel. It is not a true "clean" channel, per se. As you turn it up, it will start to overdrive. I tend to use it as a clean channel, so I have it just below the edge of overdrive and use my guitar's controls. So, in a sense, the Classic Gain channel is supposed to behave similarly to the original classic Marshall amps. I'm not saying it sounds like one of those amps, but this control is supposed to replicate behavior.

The Ultra Gain channel can start to sound fizzy if you push the gain control too high. But, to be honest, I don't run it past about 65-70% and I get plenty of distortion.

The amp does have some nice features. You can plug an mp3 player into it and play along using headphones. It also has an effects loop. I've been pretty satisfied with mine, though I'm contemplating a tube swap. Even so, I've gotten compliments on my sound using this amp. My external speaker is a 10" Celestion, but a different model than the one in the amp. I'm contemplating upgrading to a 12" Celestion, I just can't decide on which one I want.

If you have a chance to demo one at a music store, I'd recommend it. That's what I did when I bought mine.

 

[Inspector #20]

Like Bologna?

Or single cut like SBD Farts! As opposed to one of those rapid fire 'motor boat' butts, Bbraaaaapp! Ala, the 'Drive-By' / 'Crop Duster'.

LOL You could have a whole pickup line name after stinker terminology! & it could kick butt!

'Yupperz, got me one a dem thar Single cuts with a new Crop Duster pickup. Sounds like a$$.'[/QUOTE]

I would buy...

 

[Inspector #20]

Or single cut like SBD Farts! As opposed to one of those rapid fire 'motor boat' butts, Bbraaaaapp! Ala, the 'Drive-By' / 'Crop Duster'.

LOL You could have a whole pickup line name after stinker terminology! & it could kick butt!

'Yupperz, got me one a dem thar Single cuts with a new Crop Duster pickup. Sounds like a$$.'

I would buy...[/QUOTE]

Cheese Cutter Humbucker

Cheese Wheeze Single Coils

Short Stainer P90's

 

[Mr Grumpy]

There may be some truth to that, but the same can be said for other full-size Marshalls built after the early Marshalls. The early Marshalls were built somewhat differently from the latter amps. But, if you're trying to compare what a 5 watt amp can give you, versus a 100 watt amp, well...

I judge the amp on how much I like the sound it is making. Honestly, I think it has plenty of drive and power. For a 5 watt amp it can get pretty loud. But, it would not hold up in a live, stage situation. For that, I run to an external speaker in an isolation cabinet and mic the speaker to the PA. This provides a very big sound and allows me to control how I want the amp to sound. The PA system will make sure the sound is loud enough for the audience.

My only real complaint is the channel that is called the, "Classic Gain" channel. It is not a true "clean" channel, per se. As you turn it up, it will start to overdrive. I tend to use it as a clean channel, so I have it just below the edge of overdrive and use my guitar's controls. So, in a sense, the Classic Gain channel is supposed to behave similarly to the original classic Marshall amps. I'm not saying it sounds like one of those amps, but this control is supposed to replicate behavior.

The Ultra Gain channel can start to sound fizzy if you push the gain control too high. But, to be honest, I don't run it past about 65-70% and I get plenty of distortion.

The amp does have some nice features. You can plug an mp3 player into it and play along using headphones. It also has an effects loop. I've been pretty satisfied with mine, though I'm contemplating a tube swap. Even so, I've gotten compliments on my sound using this amp. My external speaker is a 10" Celestion, but a different model than the one in the amp. I'm contemplating upgrading to a 12" Celestion, I just can't decide on which one I want.

If you have a chance to demo one at a music store, I'd recommend it. That's what I did when I bought mine.

Excellent summary, Smitty; good reading - many thanks.

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

Betty, I also heard good things about this amp. Nice price too.

Boss Katana 50 - 50/25/0.5-watt 1x12" COSM Combo Amp

 

[Relic]

One for Relic: the wife irked me a bit today, so I went online and had a look at amps: saw an AC30 at a reasonable price. I wonder if I should just buy it and play it loud with the SG - could make a great bedroom amp.

Rut Row Shaggy! Sorry to hear all that but I like the way yer think'n buddy! lol

The two-year-old in the apartment above is very noisy, waking me up every morning 7-days a week, so Maybe a nice amp turned up would block out the sounds I don't want to hear...

I've read some pretty terrible reviews of the DSL5 - anybody got one? Mr Cat must have, he has many many Marshalls.

Well now, let's take care of that noisy 2 year old, the Mrs, the bedroom, the jam situation & some inspiration for practicing all in one shot. This suggestion may surprise you but if you give it a chance you will see the beauty & potential in my amplifier recommendation.

I'm going to go out on a Solid State limb here simply because of the sheer versatility and options that are sure to keep you practicing & playing your guitar more than ever & recommend...Ssssh!, Drum Roll Please.............
A Marshall CODE 25 modeling amp for $199.00 US (the Marshall CODE 50 is only another $50! if ya got it!)

Marshall Code 25 - 25-watt 1x10" Digital Combo Amp



Not only does it have innumerable tonal possibilities that are sure to keep you interested & happy, it is also sure to inspire & lift your guitar playing skills to the next level with all the extra time you're going to spend wrapped up in the joy of playing guitar while using & exploring the countless presets variations within this blessed thing.

Now lets go down the problem solving list & see how this amp 'stacks' up (lol Marshall joke, sorry lol)

1. "the wife irked me" Well irked right back at ya honey! Look what Mr winkie'nBallz did without your pre-approval! Hah! Thats right I did.

2. "could make a great bedroom amp" Yes it could! It's Solid State so actual volume has little affect on guitar tone compared to a tube amps need & interaction with volume & output drive.

3. "The two-year-old in the apartment above is very noisy, waking me up every morning 7-days a week, so Maybe a nice amp turned up would block out the sounds I don't want to hear..." Why yes! Yes I think this will do just nicely thank you very much! OH Look! If you don't feel like being a total obnoxious knob there is a headphone jack that will block out everything but your guitar & convince people that you are a kind, considerate intelligent man worthy of adoration, praise & submission in the marital bedroom as well. That's right honey, try that word back on for me will ya??..'Submission'! Ah... life is good.

4. "for rehearsal and fooling around with mates" Check!

5. "for home use" Check!

6. "One day, when I have my own place" This amp will still be perfect!

And some addition points to mention

7. This 25 watt SS amp with a 10" speaker can be played just as low as ant 1 watt amp & still sound fantastic.

8. USB in for interface with computer, recording playing sound files etc etc.

9. Blue Tooth for wireless connectivity with computers, phone, I Pad etc etc.

10. wireless control of all the amp functions through a remote handheld device like phone or I Pad!

I mean for $200 bucks you really get some awesome bang for the buck AND, it solves everything mentioned & beyond that, it is sure to just make you happy & involved with it for many years to come.

Oh, and by the way...

Relic, what's wrong with you, man???

I'll just say it's probably the 25 years spent in prison that has me a wee bit twisted.. among other things.

 

[Mr Grumpy]

^ good post, Relic - lots of good advice there. &, I agree with you, but my Yamaha THR10 does a lot of that already, it just won't go loud for band practice (not that I currently have a band) and it won't do tube goodness.

The thing is, much as the THR is excellent, I tried the SG out in a shop through their AC30 and Blackstar 100 watt tuber (it was huge and had lots of tubes in it!), and I miss that sound.

I really shouldn't get a tube amp or loud amp, but I also really want one.

Mate, stay out of prison! We'd miss you if you weren't posting.


BTW: I was right about the PRS, but I just didn't know why! So, when I chorded a G I often lost tune on the edge of the neck, and I also found playing on the first five frets difficult - I put these issues down to bad technique, as I'd just started playing right-handed. But, me mate popped round yesterday, he loved the SG to bits, but said the PRS had some issues:

1) The pickup had spank, but was rather lifeless when played softly (picking and the such); note, I've already taken the Bare Knuckle out, so its the standard PRS pup which is a bt lacking.

2) He checked the nut out and said it had two problems: firstly, it was cut too high, so it's hard to get nice fretting over the first 5 frets and you can't get really nice intonation; secondly, the nut is a few mm across towards the lowE, just that few mms that make a difference. If I loved the guitar then I'd just get a nut bone put on, but as the neck feels too flat and wide for me anyways... the PRS is going back today, and the only question left is replace it with: LP or amp?

Betty, I also heard good things about this amp. Nice price too.

Boss Katana 50 - 50/25/0.5-watt 1x12" COSM Combo Amp

I'm sure that is a great amp, but I already have a Yamaha THR10 ss which I'm very happy about. The only kinda amp I'd be interested in is a low watt tuber that I can play at home and at rehearsal.

 

[Relic]

Yamaha THR10 does a lot of that already

Ya, that's my fault for not knowing anything about a Yamaha THR10, but now that I forced myself to suffer through the write up propaganda on Yamaha's web site & the accompanying PDF file, I now know far more than I ever cared to! LOL

OK, it sounds like a useful enough & versatile little amp as far as 10 watt SS amps go! I still think a CODE 25 would be a big step up in many ways & up your game but....
I totally get the need & ultimate desire for the next amp to be a tube amp!

Problem is, a lot of these little tube amps just have a hard time doing what larger tube amps do. But there are a couple small tubers out there that do a decent enough job that can satisfy a tube amp Jones. I have several small tube amps but some of the ones I really like & use the most are actually out of production. Most notably & preferred by me are the two 1 watt Marshall Anniversary amps I love (JMP 1C & JVM 1H).



Marshall Anniversary 1 watt models JMP 1C above & JVM 1H below.





Those amps sound frik'n great even on the 0.1 watt setting! I know! That is amazing! lol However, This Anniversary series consisting of those 5 various amps (in both head only version & amp + speaker cab combination) is out there in the used market & can be had at decent enough prices by smart buyers willing to wait for a bargain to pop up or by play an educated auction game.

FYI: As you may now have gathered, the Marshall 1 Watt Anniversary amps are no longer made.
However, They are very collectable & desirability is sure to continue to only increase with time.
Actual Resale Prices are only going steadily up, making them a good investment to spend your money on.

The other small tuber I have is the Vox Night Train 15H (15 watts with a 7 watt switch).


(That Vox sounds amazing with 2 Vox 1x12 ext. cabs)



This bitch can really get loud and, it has very authentic tube amp characteristics that allow it to feel, sound & respond just like the big boys, which I'm beginning to kind of think is the sort of amp you are looking for. This 'Lunch Box Vox' 15 / 7 watt amp has wide tonal range & has a lovely clean tube harmonically full sounding response. Plus it has all the varying degrees of tube driven nastiness that's achievable ranging from a Vintage Drive 'bump' & a great Rock 'n Roll Crunch that runs mild to wild & goes all the way to a full on pant leg slappin, low note thumpin shredders dream scream machine! Yee Haah!

That's all the first hand knowledge I have for anything reasonably newer that's a 'small' tube amp. After those my arsenal quickly falls into the Vintage collection of small tube amps. And there are some great options there too if you can stand going from that multi-function Yamaha to a simple circuit tube amp with zero control over gain beyond the one Volume knob!
Hold on, don't run now! You made it this far. These simple amps have a tonal beauty that is hard to come by today in ANY newer amplifier!

Two of my personal favorite small tubers are not the typically expected Fender variety but 50's era Gibson combo amps. A Gibson BR-9 & the lower wattage Gibson GA-5 Skylark.



(Gibson BR-9 above, GA-5 Skylark below)



The BR-9 runs 6v6 tubes and goes from old school clean fidelity to volume pegged Rock'n Bark'n 50's grungy growl even order tube harmonic saturation blitzkrieg bliss! While the GA-5 Skylark's forte' is a pristine clean that sounds pure & beautiful as anything I've ever heard, but unlike the BR-9 that gets new life when cranked, the Skylark stays clean until farting out close to max volume & just turns to unusable poop, unless of course your looking for that saggy indiscernibly muddled poop tone for some reason.

Oh ya, I guess I should have been a little clearer as you wrote...

Mate, stay out of prison! We'd miss you if you weren't posting.

LOL I left with a pension, not on parole! lol
I know you couldn't believe for a minute I was a hardened ex-convict that was put away for a quarter century. Maybe for a second or two while the question swirled around in your head, but definitely not for a whole minute! LOL

Keep on Rock'n mate.

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

kjdshahqkjdkljdka;lsj

Jet City Amplification JCA20H 20W Tube Guitar Amp Head Black LN | eBay

 

[Mr Grumpy]

Lots of good suggestions - thank you, Gentleman; I know have half a day of internet amp research to be getting on with!

 

[smitty_p]

Lots of good suggestions - thank you, Gentleman; I know have half a day of internet amp research to be getting on with!

I'd say there are two questions you need to ask yourself before you go looking.

First. Do you need a two-channel amp? Second. Do you need an effects loop?

Answering those two questions for yourself will help get you pointed in the right direction.

For me, the answer to both questions is, "Yes.' But, that's just me.

Of course, the real - and ultimate - question is how the amp sounds. I'd suggest playing them in person. Sound clips and audio from Youtube videos can be helpful, but they are lacking. Hearing the real thing in person is far better.

 

[Mr Grumpy]

First. Do you need a two-channel amp? Second. Do you need an effects loop?

Nope. Don't care.

I'm still in the nice amp v Les Paul internal argument. Actually, I want both but cannot afford/justify that. It's bank holiday weekend with sales coming up, so I'll be out and about then shoould be writing up a New Something Day by Sunday/Monday.

 

[Inspector #20]

Nope. Don't care.

I'm still in the nice amp v Les Paul internal argument. Actually, I want both but cannot afford/justify that. It's bank holiday weekend with sales coming up, so I'll be out and about then shoould be writing up a New Something Day by Sunday/Monday.

Hello, Grumpy...

Lifelong Marshall fan here....but let me say this...the Blackstar ID-Core 40 and 100 watt amps are amazing. Lightweight, stereo panning delay...just incredible and so cheap its ridiculous.

Try one if you can....

 

[syscokid]

FWIW on the amp thing: Make sure you have enough power to be heard for rehearsal. If you rely on a lot of clean headroom, look for a minimum of 25 watts. If you prefer using an amp's natural breakup, and get your clean tones at reduced volume, then you can go as small as a 15 watter. Of course this all depends on your other band members "dynamics", too.

 

[Mr Grumpy]

^ good advice; I general come in a bit dirty, and its low volume practice, so I reckon even a 4 watt VOX would be fine.