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Who makes an under 30W head that REALLY sounds like a Plexi!?

dwagar

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 18, 2005
Messages
4,451
You're gigging at volume levels many of us only have fond memories of. Everyone else complains the SV20 is too loud lol.

It looks like you made the perfect choice, now we all have to wait 4 months to find out.
 

Killcrop

Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
186
I think you would like the Dr Z Remedy. Its pretty much a plexi circuit and you won't have an issue with volume. Its switchable from 40 to 20 watts. You can find them used for around $1200. Old school construction. Unlike the newer Marshalls.

sQ3L9BK.jpg
 

Amp360

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 16, 2012
Messages
852
This won't be popular but if you want a Plexi buy a Plexi. Don't take this the wrong way but have you ever owned a Plexi in the past? The only reason I ask is because there's a lot of money being made by people who want something they have never owned/seen/played (Dumble, Burst, Klon, etc...) and the echo chamber of others who don't know suggesting things.

I have an Ox and while I don't own a Marshall that old anymore (the oldest one I have now is a JMP) I like that through my Ox better than all the 'insert name here' low watt ones I've tried in stores.

YMMV.
 

Mr. Papa

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 14, 2002
Messages
1,418
Carr Hammerhead mk II sounds pretty good for this, EL34, “Class A”, I think it had a single tone knob plus a rotary knob for different cathode resistors on the preamp tube?
 

J.D.

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Joined
May 24, 2006
Messages
10,030
I hope the OP finds this elusive low-watt amp. I chased this unicorn for many years. I've come to conclude that there's something a big amp does distorting 4 or 8 speakers that a small amp does not and cannot do, and that is move air. By that I mean a key part of the audible/perceived tone (i.e. "live experience") of 100W Marshalls seems to be tied to high volume levels. (Recording/mic'ing is a different story.) I am maybe not describing this correctly. With that said, the little Marshall running EL-34s and distorting a 1x12 sounded pretty good, but alas not the same.
 

corpse

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Joined
Jun 9, 2007
Messages
4,876
I hope the OP finds this elusive low-watt amp. I chased this unicorn for many years. I've come to conclude that there's something a big amp does distorting 4 or 8 speakers that a small amp does not and cannot do, and that is move air. By that I mean a key part of the audible/perceived tone (i.e. "live experience") of 100W Marshalls seems to be tied to high volume levels. (Recording/mic'ing is a different story.) I am maybe not describing this correctly. With that said, the little Marshall running EL-34s and distorting a 1x12 sounded pretty good, but alas not the same.
I completely agree- we are attempting the impossible here- trying to make what professional musicians with a team of roadies “convenient” and “unobtrusive”. Sorry- rock and roll is meant to hurt your back and piss off the neighbors.
Really sad- it’s meant for young people with fully functioning connective tissue.
But all of us have that tone in our head- the Germino will get you very close. And once you get it- seriously- you might try and track Charlie Starr down- he does a chat podcast thing pretty regularly and is literally the nicest guy in the world. And an effing nerd like the rest of us. He doesn’t just pick the flyshit out of the pepper, he will pick the remaining pepper out of the pile of flyshit on this stuff.
 

Wilko

All Access/Backstage Pass
Joined
Mar 11, 2002
Messages
20,853
For those us following along, a note about the OP. He knows tone. Has or has had all the gear. Great amps, great guitars. Great build of a custom Hiwatt that gets closer to vintage Page tone than just about anything I've ever heard. Great work with Pro Reverb to nail vintage Allman tone.

We probably haven't helped him much, and I hope he finds what he's looking for and shares the secret with ME!
 

Al G

New member
Joined
Jan 21, 2022
Messages
11
I hope this isn't hijacking, but between the PT20 and SV20, which of those two were closest to the sound of a real Plexi? Thanks
 

jrgtr42

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 24, 2005
Messages
2,308
I hope the OP finds this elusive low-watt amp. I chased this unicorn for many years. I've come to conclude that there's something a big amp does distorting 4 or 8 speakers that a small amp does not and cannot do, and that is move air. By that I mean a key part of the audible/perceived tone (i.e. "live experience") of 100W Marshalls seems to be tied to high volume levels. (Recording/mic'ing is a different story.) I am maybe not describing this correctly. With that said, the little Marshall running EL-34s and distorting a 1x12 sounded pretty good, but alas not the same.
So if I put that 30 watt amp through a 4x12, would it get that vibe? It's still moving the air, just at a slightly less deafening volume.
 

J.D.

Well-known member
Joined
May 24, 2006
Messages
10,030
In my experience, no, not really. I find scaling the head power and speakers together has worked slightly better.
 

jrgtr42

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 24, 2005
Messages
2,308
In my experience, no, not really. I find scaling the head power and speakers together has worked slightly better.
So changing out speakers will help? |I can see that - if you're close to the power level there's speaker distortion going on.
So if someone likes the big JBL speakers, using something at a lower wattage rating will help -
but if you like, say, Celestion Greenbacks, at 25 watts handling, there's not much lower rating to sub in.
 

J.D.

Well-known member
Joined
May 24, 2006
Messages
10,030
A 20W head really isn't going to break up 4x12 speakers, even 25W greenbacks. Certainly can distort 1x12 though. I like hearing the power tubes and speakers distort a little bit "in harmony" at elevated volumes. Finding that ideal match isn't always easy.
 

bern1

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 23, 2004
Messages
1,275
For sure, a lot of ways to slice the bread. It does have to be sliced these days if one is playing out in small places. I had big Marshalls in the early 70’s and they sure were loud. I really only have vague memories of what they really sounded like.

These days, after a lot of experimentation with different gear, I am finding that the sweet spot is matching up the amp with the right speaker cabinet for the kind of gig and then slightly taming the combo with an attenuator to taste. Not too much, you want to hear the speaker do it’s thing. Which is a reason to have some lower and higher powered amps and different kinds of speakers and cabs. Sometimes the attenuator isn’t necessary. I have found that using this method this hits the marks I need to hit. Without blowing out my already damaged ears and pissing off the bartenders. It also means I have twice as many amps as electric guitars.
 

Professortwang

Active member
Joined
Dec 16, 2009
Messages
761
I lament the loss of the time when one could gig a good old plexi. Nothing sounds like them. Output section overdrive and Celestion speakers! I moved to small Fender tweed combos years ago after losing the great volume war.
 
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