Best Amp Head for Under $1500

Kais

New member
Looking to buy a new amp head, something in the Marshall realm for under $1500. Decent cleans are a must, and need exceptional high gain. Looking at the Marshall JVM 205H, anyone else have any suggestions?
 
Re: Best Amp Head for Under $1500

Outside of Marshall JVM or DSL, I would recommend a Mesa Royal Atlantic, there are several on ebay for 1500, a Splawn Super Comp (it's a single channel Nitro) is $1550 for the 50w or their Super Sport and Nitro SS are 2 channel 22w versions of the Quick Rod and Nitro respectively. Ceriatone makes a lot of different good stock/hotrod Marshall clones. Or there's the ever popular 6505 series, though not really Marshall sounding And 120w. My favorite is still the 50w JCM900s
 
Re: Best Amp Head for Under $1500

Blackstar is a very 'Marshall'-like amp and they make a 50 watt head.
 
Re: Best Amp Head for Under $1500

Get a JSX. You can find em used for under $800. New they are now called the Triple XXX 2. And the Triple XXX is now called the 3120. All because Satriani dropped Peavey. People have called the JSX the best Marshall Marshall never made. I own one that I modded slightly and it is a beast. The clean channel is clean for days, the Crunch channel is very Classic 30 - ish and the Ultra channel is metal. Pure metal.
 
Re: Best Amp Head for Under $1500

I'm going to throw the Mesa Stiletto amps into the mix. I found a Deuce (100w) near me a while back for about $900 that was very tempting.
 
Re: Best Amp Head for Under $1500

I wouldn't categorize the JCM 800 as having either great cleans or very high gain. I really like the Royal Atlantic and the Stiletto, but the amp that immediately came to mind when I read the OP was the Splawn. A friend of mine has a Quick-Rod, and it's killer.

There is also a guy in Seattle that is doing great amp things along these lines, Dave Kracke. Kracke Amps has some YouTube demos, and he's on Facebook. Really, really nice amps, and well built--lots of options.

I'm a Mesa guy, but these are two builders that I really like.

Bill
 
Re: Best Amp Head for Under $1500

You didnt clarify is it used or new? If its used its a decent price if its new its a fat kid on twinkie price

i found 2, 1 used at GC and 1 returned one elsewhere. I might go for the returned one as it comes with the box and everything. I'm just trying to make sure I've picked the right amp haha
 
Re: Best Amp Head for Under $1500

I'm going to throw the Mesa Stiletto amps into the mix. I found a Deuce (100w) near me a while back for about $900 that was very tempting.

Stiletto Deuce is the best JCM800 ever built. I'll also suggest a Mesa Roadster, easily found for $1500 or less and does killer Marshall-esque tones, especially if you throw EL34s in the power section. The "Brit" and "Tweed" options in the clean channels also reproduce older Marshall tones pretty well.
 
Re: Best Amp Head for Under $1500

You can find used Marshall jvm410h's all day long for under $1500. I think the EVH 5150 III 50 watt head is about the best deal our there for a new head under $1000. I think the jet city JCA50h is being blown out right now for $350 on a few different sites. As stated above, most likely used is going to be your best bet. I have scored all kinds of great deals on fantastic used amps for next to nothing prices considering what the amps are worth.
 
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