Does a Marshall head paired w/ a 1x12 make any sense?

[blakejcan]

Let me explain a bit. I have a handful of bedroom type amps (more or less). A Blues Junior, Orange Micro Terror, Lil Night Train, Vox AC4TV combo and I've gone through a number of other similar small amps. I just mess around playing at my house and have no need for crazy volume.

After flipping a few things I have some extra cash to maybe try a new amp. I have a Texas Heat in a cab that pairs well w/ most of my existing amps. I have yet to try anything Marshall and would like to go that route. The Class 5 head seems to be well liked and probably a decent power match to my 1x12. They are a bit harder to find but totally within my price range ($3-500).

What else out there in the Marshall lineup that would make a good match for a 1x12? Or maybe an Orange head or something similar?

Thanks!

 

[dystrust]

Re: Does a Marshall head paired w/ a 1x12 make any sense?

It really depends on the tones you're after. The Class 5 is non-master, so it'll be far too loud to play anything but clean. If you want Marshall-esque OD tones that pair well with a 1x12, try an Egnater Tweaker. I've had one for a few years now and it does great Marshall tones without having to blow out your windows.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Does a Marshall head paired w/ a 1x12 make any sense?

I like a lot of Marshalls, but the Class 5 head leaves a lot to be desired. From there, you've got all the 1W Marshall heads, and then the expensive 2061X, which is great.

If I were you, I'd just sell the Orange Micro Terror and step up to the Tiny Terror or OR15. Those heads go from vintage Marshall territory up to heavy tones. It's really surprising how good they sound. They're pretty much the best of the lunchbox heads.

 

[Wormhelmet]

Re: Does a Marshall head paired w/ a 1x12 make any sense?

Check out this video for the Mahaffay Little Lanilei. It is 33 watt hybrid tube/solid state with a built in speaker, but if you like head only, it is packaged as the Mahaffay HiLo Watt Plexi and sold on ebay

les paul into amp plugged into 4/12 with sm57 mic

I have the head version and it rocks

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Does a Marshall head paired w/ a 1x12 make any sense?

That is not how one plays a Les Paul. Classical position FTW.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Does a Marshall head paired w/ a 1x12 make any sense?

As long as the speaker is rated for it, any amp can go into a 1x12, even a 100W Marshall. That's the closest you'll get to a classic Marshall tone from a 1x12 IMO. Run a bona-fide 50 or 100 watt Marshall into a 1x12.

I don't like many of the very low wattage modern tube amps like the one you are thinking of. They just sound like ****ty little solid state practice amps to me. If you're gonna get one, you might as well just get something like a Fender Bullet Reverb off of Craig's List for $30 or $40. It'll sound at least as good, and probably better IMO. As modern tube amps go, I think you should go for one that is at least a 15 watter. There are many better sounding 15W tube amps out there right now than 5W or lower ones. Have you tried those 15W Ampegs? They're pretty good sounding, and more versatile than most 15W amps these days. They have their own tone, and they can also get into Marshall or Fender territory pretty well.

IMO, there is just no way to get anything like "The Marshall Sound" at bedroom levels. That's because "The Marshall Sound" and "bedroom levels" are in no way the same thing, or even mildly related. That sound is really not just sound; it's a feel thing. It is largely based on large amounts of moving air - high power, high volume, lots of speakers - you play a note, and you feel it throughout your body. It's that feeling just as much as – if not more so than – e.q. that makes "The Marshall Sound" what it is.

 

[Wormhelmet]

Re: Does a Marshall head paired w/ a 1x12 make any sense?

That is not how one plays a Les Paul. Classical position FTW.

What does that have to do with the sound of the amp? You say potato, he says some french word for potato, ya know....



Some of his customers that really dig it:

Peter Frampton
Kirk Hammet
Joe Perry

me (not enough room for proper amount of spaces between Joe Perry and myself, so just leave it here and imagine it's at the very bottom of the list)

 

[vinta9e]

Re: Does a Marshall head paired w/ a 1x12 make any sense?

Newc has a point. Dude is going to **** up his back if he doesn't keep his shoulders level.

 

[Wormhelmet]

Re: Does a Marshall head paired w/ a 1x12 make any sense?

Newc has a point. Dude is going to **** up his back if he doesn't keep his shoulders level.

Oui!

 

[blakejcan]

Re: Does a Marshall head paired w/ a 1x12 make any sense?

thanks everyone. All reasonable input.

I'll probably sell the Micro Terror and the AC4 to help fund this purchase. I'm not married to either. I just picked them up recently for $30 each and couldn't pass on that. (Tho the AC4 does sound great thru the extension but like a boxy turd thru it's own speaker).

Is the class 5 really that bad? Sure looks decent on reviews.

 

[BenPerkins]

Re: Does a Marshall head paired w/ a 1x12 make any sense?

Check out the Egnater Tweaker. Very versatile amp that does a good Sabbath tone with amp set to British mode & gain like 75%. Add a treble booster and you're set.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Does a Marshall head paired w/ a 1x12 make any sense?

Check out the Egnater Tweaker. Very versatile amp that does a good Sabbath tone with amp set to British mode & gain like 75%. Add a treble booster and you're set.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I was gonna suggest that amp too. I like it.

 

[Securb]

Re: Does a Marshall head paired w/ a 1x12 make any sense?

I was thinking full sized Marshall head when I opened this also. That being said a 50 watt non-master Marshall through the right 1x12 would be heaven. I can hear the speaker breakup if I close my eyes.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Does a Marshall head paired w/ a 1x12 make any sense?

You can use a full size Marshall head, but you'll definitely want a higher wattage speaker, like a V30, G75, or the often forgotten K100.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Does a Marshall head paired w/ a 1x12 make any sense?

Friend of mine has a Mini-Marshall solid state head. It originally powered a 2x10 miniature full stack copy. The thing sounded sick at bedroom levels. Find one and run that through a 1x12 cab with a decent speaker and it should sound just fine.

 

[dystrust]

Re: Does a Marshall head paired w/ a 1x12 make any sense?

Friend of mine has a Mini-Marshall solid state head. It originally powered a 2x10 miniature full stack copy. The thing sounded sick at bedroom levels. Find one and run that through a 1x12 cab with a decent speaker and it should sound just fine.

The original Lead 12 head from the 80s sounds amazing through a bigger cabinet; it's so good you'll almost forget that it's solid state. The later MG15 heads are nowhere close in terms of tone.

 

[Wormhelmet]

Re: Does a Marshall head paired w/ a 1x12 make any sense?

First amp was a Marshall lead 12 back in the 80's.

 

[blakejcan]

Re: Does a Marshall head paired w/ a 1x12 make any sense?

to bring this full circle..........I'm going for the OR 15. I need to play one still but holy crap it just looks perfect. Not the junky looking lunchbox style but a true shrunken head and the tones people are getting out of it are just evil. Love it.

have to flip a couple of other amps to get there but it will be mine.. Thanks everyone!

 

[blakejcan]

Re: Does a Marshall head paired w/ a 1x12 make any sense?

here is a dumb question

my very limited research has shown that the Jim Root and the OR 15 are built on the same board but tweaked a bit for different voicings. Sounds reasonable. So, that said.........why is the OR 15 so pricey? is that snazzy Orange shell really that much more?

 

[jball85]

Re: Does a Marshall head paired w/ a 1x12 make any sense?

JTM-45, Marshall Haze 15 watt or 40 watt, smaller DSL series amps, 2061x, and a 4210 (badass). Orange amps are pretty sweet although I haven't spent much time with them.

If it sounds good, pay not attention to naysayers. Just watch your wattage/power handling.

I once walked into the sound proofed room at GC because I heard an older gentleman slaying everyone in the store with a Strat, it reminded me of a guy named Jimi. When I walked in, much to my surprise he was playing Class 5. In the right hands those amps can be gems.