Hot _Grits
Buttery Toneologist
..My friend who imports matamp, Splawn, Harry Joyce etc just took delvery of a 65 London and Soho head, each with 2x12s, as well as a Reinhart head.
We took the 65s for a test drive, and I can totally see what the hype is about. The london is basically two separate channels, one being an EF86-based Vox AC15 front end and the other being a Marshall 18watter-esque channel, with both channels feeding into an EL84 power section.
The Ac15 channel is one of the sweetest, most beautiful tones I've ever heard. Clear as a bell and tight, but very smooth under the fingers and beautifully balanced. Pushed into overdrive, it sings and holds together very well. I now understand why the EF86 has such a magical reputation. Easily the nicest amp I've tried since buying my Victoria.
The 18 marshall channel is cool, and really only suffers by being in the same amp as that beautiful vox channel. Compared to a handwired Marshall 18 watter I'd say it was a bit smoother, but with a tad more fuzziness at full blast. That could be the result of the alnico blue alongside the G12H30 in the cab, though.
The Soho is more of it's own thing, and has a blackface fender-by way of EL84s kind of tone. Think low wattage blackface with a different character to a 6v6 deluxe reverb. Basically a smaller tone than most ri blackfaces, but a much nicer sounding amp than any ri I've tried.
Next visit we're moving on to the Reinhart. Apparently that's a trainwreck crossed with a metal-panel marshall. Now, where are my earplugs...
We took the 65s for a test drive, and I can totally see what the hype is about. The london is basically two separate channels, one being an EF86-based Vox AC15 front end and the other being a Marshall 18watter-esque channel, with both channels feeding into an EL84 power section.
The Ac15 channel is one of the sweetest, most beautiful tones I've ever heard. Clear as a bell and tight, but very smooth under the fingers and beautifully balanced. Pushed into overdrive, it sings and holds together very well. I now understand why the EF86 has such a magical reputation. Easily the nicest amp I've tried since buying my Victoria.
The 18 marshall channel is cool, and really only suffers by being in the same amp as that beautiful vox channel. Compared to a handwired Marshall 18 watter I'd say it was a bit smoother, but with a tad more fuzziness at full blast. That could be the result of the alnico blue alongside the G12H30 in the cab, though.
The Soho is more of it's own thing, and has a blackface fender-by way of EL84s kind of tone. Think low wattage blackface with a different character to a 6v6 deluxe reverb. Basically a smaller tone than most ri blackfaces, but a much nicer sounding amp than any ri I've tried.
Next visit we're moving on to the Reinhart. Apparently that's a trainwreck crossed with a metal-panel marshall. Now, where are my earplugs...
