Help: buying a new amp

C

cato

New member
I want to get a small tube amp to replace my old marshall studio 15. It's just for home use so I was looking at the Marshall DSL5C. I need advice from people experienced in this because ive been playing strats through the studio 15 since '86 so thats all i know. To help you help me, consider that I typically use YJM strats, go for his type of sound, with common effects and a boss NS-2.
So, most importantly I wanted an amp with an effects loop and ideally one with a switch for both series and parallel loops. I figure a series loop would be fine but was hoping to get an amp with a series/parallel fx loop switch, so i have the best flexabity to experiment and customize my sound.
Anyways, I don't mind a 10-20 watt amp but figured a 5 or so would do, but anything around there would be fine. I'd just as soon stick with marshall but I'm open to other brands if someone wants to suggest any based on the info I gave. So:
- is there an advantage to getting a small head instead of a small cabinet?
- is there another brand that give me the sound I go for: mesa, peavey, fender, other?
- Is there a tube amp for my needs with a switch for both series and parallel fx loop?
- am I wrong to assume a 5 watt tube amp will sound as nice as my 15 watt just cause it's also tube?
- is it wrong to assume, since I don't need high volume, that I'd get better sound from say a 5 watt amp cranked than a 15 watt amp played low? IOW would the natural distortion of the 5 watt cranked with gain maxed sound better than say a 15 watt plated low with the natural distortion suppressed?
I don't have the option of a local store where I could test out different amps to see which I like.
Thanks in advance!
 
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Re: Help: buying a new amp

Go with Friedman Runt 20W,
Killer amp, for sure will give you some YJM love, does have effect loop sounds killer even on low volume and incredibly loud.

It is one of the best sounding amp i have ever played, talks very well to Strats takes pedals great.
 
Re: Help: buying a new amp

Lake Placid Blues said:
The Marshall mini Jubilee would be good for the needs posted. 5 watts or 20 watts. Uses EL34 tubes but can use other big bottle tubes like a 6L6, 6550..ect...if you want to experiment. Has excellent tones, and has a very good loop. Very well built in the UK. Comes in both a head and combo:

https://marshallamps.com/products/amplifiers/mini-jubilee-series/2525h-mini-jubilee/

A higher price range than the DSL5 though
Click to expand...

i was looking at those. look nice. do you have any idea why the 20 watt 2525c Jubilee would cost twice as much as a 40 watt DSL40C? they appear to have the same bells and whistles. some differences, but minor. only the jubilee is made in the UK and its a silver anniversary edition. weird. you know why such a difference?
 
Re: Help: buying a new amp

Drunken Bowling said:
If you've got the extra cash to spend, I'd say go for something more high end than a DSL5c.
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yeah my 15 is still going so i was willing to go small. and importantly, the DSL5 and DSL40 has an fx loop, but the DSL15 doesn't. makes no sense. so i figured i'd go small vs. big, though i'm not real excited bout a 5watt. and the jubilee is a good compromise but is twice the cost per watt. might go for the 40. who knows.
 
Re: Help: buying a new amp

cato said:
i was looking at those. look nice. do you have any idea why the 20 watt 2525c Jubilee would cost twice as much as a 40 watt DSL40C? they appear to have the same bells and whistles. some differences, but minor. only the jubilee is made in the UK and its a silver anniversary edition. weird. you know why such a difference?
Click to expand...

The Jubilee is made in England, while the DSL40 is made in Vietnam.
The Jubilee is made of high grade materials such as birch plye, while the DSL40 is made of particle board.
The Jubilee combo comes with a 25 watt G12M greenback speaker, while the DSL40 comes with the entry level 70/80.
The Jubilee uses the pre-amp circuit exactly like the iconic 2555 Jubilee.
The Jubilee has a unique, and now considered an iconic, lead guitar tone with virtually no fizz when in high gain mode and with a touch of bluesy mojo.
The Jubilee delivers the "sound of rock" rhythm guitar sound exceptionally well, using either channel, and at whatever volume level is required.
The Jubilee normal channel goes right up to the edge of breakup and then cleans up using guitar volume and pick attack pretty much like a plexi does, only you can still hear afterward.
The mini Jubilee has virtually no back ground hum and noise when in high gain mode, which certainly can not be said of any DSL.

The DSL in a more pre-amp centered design tonally, while the Jubilee's power tubes seem to matter more in the tonal equation, so the DSL is actually a more modern design.
The DSL40 actually has more bells and whistles than a Jubilee does, and it does not have the shared input gain control. The DSL is more versatile. Neither are ideal channel switching amps if ideal is considered switching from a clean clean to a very high gain with radically different eq set-ups.
 
Re: Help: buying a new amp

Lake Placid Blues said:
The Jubilee is made in England, while the DSL40 is made in Vietnam.
The Jubilee is made of high grade materials such as birch plye, while the DSL40 is made of particle board.
The Jubilee combo comes with a 25 watt G12M greenback speaker, while the DSL40 comes with the entry level 70/80.
The Jubilee uses the pre-amp circuit exactly like the iconic 2555 Jubilee.
The Jubilee has a unique, and now considered an iconic, lead guitar tone with virtually no fizz when in high gain mode and with a touch of bluesy mojo.
The Jubilee delivers the "sound of rock" rhythm guitar sound exceptionally well, using either channel, and at whatever volume level is required.
The Jubilee normal channel goes right up to the edge of breakup and then cleans up using guitar volume and pick attack pretty much like a plexi does, only you can still hear afterward.
The mini Jubilee has virtually no back ground hum and noise when in high gain mode, which certainly can not be said of any DSL.

The DSL in a more pre-amp centered design tonally, while the Jubilee's power tubes seem to matter more in the tonal equation, so the DSL is actually a more modern design.
The DSL40 actually has more bells and whistles than a Jubilee does, and it does not have the shared input gain control. The DSL is more versatile. Neither are ideal channel switching amps if ideal is considered switching from a clean clean to a very high gain with radically different eq set-ups.
Click to expand...

extremely helpful. thanks LPB !
 
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