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Here's a little review for anyone looking to build a kit or whatever. If you have the chance, go check out one of the little marshall 18 watts at your local amp-o-rama - Marshall reissued these in combo and head form. They are a little different, but the basics still apply - an EL84 powered head running 18-20 watts with not a lot of preamp gain. These amps get their crunch from smacking the crap out of the EL84 tubes. The amp I built and am reviewing has basically little more than *one* gain stage. It's paralleled like a Matchless - it's two stages, but run alongside each other and then into the phase inverter/power section instead of most amps where one gain stage is multiplied by the next. This gives a thicker tone and works well with the 18 watt amps.
How's it sound? Well, I posted clips... we're not even talking 80s levels of gain - think late 60s to early 70s, but with more clarity and thickness without getting wooly. The amp also sustains amazingly well too with controllable feedback on tap, and - my favorite thing about the amp - you can clean it up with the volume control on your guitar. No, not like you can your boogie or recent marshall or whatever... literally, it CLEANS UP. Listen to the clip I posted - that's with the amp dimed in the beginning. Since it generates the drive from the power tubes, it is much more dynamic and sensitive to pick angle, attack and type. Every tiny nuance (and mistake) is reproduced. I like how the amp feels. I did a few 'non stock' mods that increased gain a bit, but also clarity and made it a little more responsive. Even bone stock these amps are terrific. If you've ever played an amp that felt like an extension of yourself - that's how these feel. I can play things with less gain on this amp than I can with anything else I've ever owned - some amps fight you every step of the way - this one is more of a willing accomplice.
There are a few things about it though that a lot of guitarists won't like:
1) it doesn't have a ton of gain to hide behind. You can put a pedal in front of it and get 80s gain, but you're not going to be playing Megadeth covers with it.
2) lack of controls. A volume and a tone control. You use the controls on your guitar and your HANDS to shape the tone. If you're used to a Boogie Mark IV - you probably ain't going to like it.
3) volume. These amps need to be cranked to really get all the goods. 18 watts sounds puny, but if you have a good 4x12 and don't mind losing all clean tones, you can hang with a drummer. I think this makes one perfect for a club amp to play blues or classic rock. However, it makes them less perfect for around the house. I am putting an attenuator circuit in mine that will drop about 9db off the amp - much more and you really start to neuter the tone.
Speaking of tone - the original amps have a tremolo channel and a normal channel. I don't use tremolo - so I built a stripped down version that is one channel only. This cuts down on parts, and also in my opinion makes for a purer toned amp.
I also built a matchless clone not too long ago that uses the same tubes - the Marshall for my playing style works much better. The matchless is sweeter and bluesier, the Marshall is more rock and roll.
Pete
How's it sound? Well, I posted clips... we're not even talking 80s levels of gain - think late 60s to early 70s, but with more clarity and thickness without getting wooly. The amp also sustains amazingly well too with controllable feedback on tap, and - my favorite thing about the amp - you can clean it up with the volume control on your guitar. No, not like you can your boogie or recent marshall or whatever... literally, it CLEANS UP. Listen to the clip I posted - that's with the amp dimed in the beginning. Since it generates the drive from the power tubes, it is much more dynamic and sensitive to pick angle, attack and type. Every tiny nuance (and mistake) is reproduced. I like how the amp feels. I did a few 'non stock' mods that increased gain a bit, but also clarity and made it a little more responsive. Even bone stock these amps are terrific. If you've ever played an amp that felt like an extension of yourself - that's how these feel. I can play things with less gain on this amp than I can with anything else I've ever owned - some amps fight you every step of the way - this one is more of a willing accomplice.
There are a few things about it though that a lot of guitarists won't like:
1) it doesn't have a ton of gain to hide behind. You can put a pedal in front of it and get 80s gain, but you're not going to be playing Megadeth covers with it.
2) lack of controls. A volume and a tone control. You use the controls on your guitar and your HANDS to shape the tone. If you're used to a Boogie Mark IV - you probably ain't going to like it.
3) volume. These amps need to be cranked to really get all the goods. 18 watts sounds puny, but if you have a good 4x12 and don't mind losing all clean tones, you can hang with a drummer. I think this makes one perfect for a club amp to play blues or classic rock. However, it makes them less perfect for around the house. I am putting an attenuator circuit in mine that will drop about 9db off the amp - much more and you really start to neuter the tone.
Speaking of tone - the original amps have a tremolo channel and a normal channel. I don't use tremolo - so I built a stripped down version that is one channel only. This cuts down on parts, and also in my opinion makes for a purer toned amp.
I also built a matchless clone not too long ago that uses the same tubes - the Marshall for my playing style works much better. The matchless is sweeter and bluesier, the Marshall is more rock and roll.
Pete
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