So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

[Lewguitar]

So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

Gearjoneser is selling his Tiny Terror. I’ve read some online reviews.

Owned a Vox Nitetrain for a few months but eventually sold it to a friend who loves it. I liked it but like my Princeton Reverb more. And I didn’t think the Nitetrain sounded much like an AC30...even when I ran it through my 2 x 12 cab loaded with vintage 60’s Celestion Alnicos that came from a 60’s Vox Super Beatle.

But for Marshall and/or Vox tones, is it the Tiny Terror? Some think it is.

Others say it’s the Marshall 20 watt 2061x.

What say you?

 

[VinceT]

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

Yeah, the Night Train definitely doesn’t hit AC30 territory.

Here’s a couple that might not be on radar.

The Baby Budda, 18W of Marshall/Vox voicing - basically the drive train from the Twinmaster/Verbmaster without the speaker cab. I play a Verbmaster and can dial in both voices (though I did put a master volume in there).

http://www.vintageguitar.com/18195/buddas-baby-budda-amp-head/

Another amp that gets close is Mesa’s TransAtlantic - I had the TA15 head for a while. It’s discontinued, so likely available on the second hand market. The only problem with the TA15 is that the Top Boost side of the house is quite a noisy circuit in this housing.

http://www.mesaboogie.com/amplifiers/electric/transatlantic-series/transatlantic-ta-15/index.html


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[Lewguitar]

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

Yeah, the Night Train definitely doesn’t hit AC30 territory.

Here’s a couple that might not be on radar.

The Baby Budda, 18W of Marshall/Vox voicing - basically the drive train from the Twinmaster/Verbmaster without the speaker cab. I play a Verbmaster and can dial in both voices (though I did put a master volume in there).

http://www.vintageguitar.com/18195/buddas-baby-budda-amp-head/

Another amp that gets close is Mesa’s TransAtlantic - I had the TA15 head for a while. It’s discontinued, so likely available on the second hand market. The only problem with the TA15 is that the Top Boost side of the house is quite a noisy circuit in this housing.

http://www.mesaboogie.com/amplifiers/electric/transatlantic-series/transatlantic-ta-15/index.html


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There’s a few TA-15’s on Reverb. I don’t buy much on EBay.

I’d like to know more @bout it.

Cleanish tones are important to me...not just saturated overdriven tones.

I didn’t like the clean tones of the Nitetrain.

 

[Securb]

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

I have been playing with the thought of picking up a Peavey Classic 20. I have heard good things about them.

 

[Ascension]

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

Few
1- Zinky 25 watt Blue velvet head is just a BEAST but good luck finding one!!
2- Best bang for the $ Jet City JCA 22C the Custom voiced by Martin Kid is just a bad boy and right now Musicians friend is running them at $299 SHIPPED!!
3- Soldano Atomic 16 watts of badass!
My top 3!

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

A buddy of mine had a Transatlantic 30 watter(?)

Good all around amp. I personally never plugged into it but it worked pretty good for him.

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

I'm pretty pleased the mini Jubilee. It uses EL34s, and can use 5881s, 6L6s, 6550s, ..ect... Might not be your cup of tea Lew, but it has an excellent clean channel in my opinion, and a very good loop.

 

[dystrust]

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

I'm pretty pleased the mini Jubilee. It uses EL34s, and can use 5881s, 6L6s, 6550s, ..ect... Might not be your cup of tea Lew, but it has an excellent clean channel in my opinion, and a very good loop.

+1

It doesn't sound anything like a Vox, but it's definitely the best Marshall-voiced amp in that wattage range. It also responds unusually well to tube rolling; I have mine setup completely different from LPB's and I'm sure they both sound great.

 

[dotsdad]

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

I have been playing with the thought of picking up a Peavey Classic 20. I have heard good things about them.

I owned a Classic 30 for years. I modded it to get down to 15 watts. It was still loud as phuque!

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

I've been over the moon with the Orange OR15 I got in October. It won't do huge cleans without any OD, but it will do great bluesy low OD sounds that clean up well with the guitar's volume control. All that being said, the overdriven tones are the best of any amp I've ever owned, hands down. They're just amazing.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

Orange OR15 would be my choice.

 

[Red_Label]

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

Friedman Dirty Shirley Mini hands down the best, biggest sounding Marshally lunchbox that I've ever heard. It totally sounded like the full sized Dirty Shirley that I had.

I'm about to take delivery of a Wildwood edition Friedman Pink Taco. I've heard glowing reviews of that one too.

 

[Aceman]

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

If you want 15-20 watt Marshall - get Marshall.

 

[cliffenstein]

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

If you want 15-20 watt Marshall - get Marshall.

Yep, DSL15H with low gain preamp tubes in it and a 2/12 and you're set!

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

My fav for this is Emery Sound SuperBaby. It becomes whatever tubes I put in it, and you can put a ANY tubes in it.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

If you want 15-20 watt Marshall - get Marshall.

Meaning the 2016x or DSL15H or ???

 

[BlueSnMettle]

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

I have been playing with the thought of picking up a Peavey Classic 20. I have heard good things about them.

I've been toying with the idea myself. Check out the vids on the Classic Lew. Great all around amp according to the reviews.

Peace,

Darrin

 

[VinceT]

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

There’s a few TA-15’s on Reverb. I don’t buy much on EBay.

I’d like to know more @bout it.

Cleanish tones are important to me...not just saturated overdriven tones.

I didn’t like the clean tones of the Nitetrain.

Clean tones on the TA-15 are really, really good. I’m mainly use pedal drive/distortion, and rarely hit full on high-gain tones.

Both sides of the TA-15 have their own flavor, with the classic Vox tones for the Green channel - the Tweed setting on the Red channel was great though, and could get pushed quite hard before it began to clip/compress. The pull master on the Green channel is a great option to have.

A great amp, I only sold it because I wanted a combo rather than head/cab - and the Rectoverb 25 showed up at around the same time.


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[VinceT]

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

Clean tones on the TA-15 are really, really good. I’m mainly use pedal drive/distortion, and rarely hit full on high-gain tones.

Both sides of the TA-15 have their own flavor, with the classic Vox tones for the Green channel - the Tweed setting on the Red channel was great though, and could get pushed quite hard before it began to clip/compress. The pull master on the Green channel is a great option to have.

A great amp, I only sold it because I wanted a combo rather than head/cab - and the Rectoverb 25 showed up at around the same time.


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Dug up a couple of random loop vids where I’d used the TA-15 (both on the Tweed setting):

https://youtu.be/XDK45omCMmo

https://youtu.be/tXKS9xshM-U


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[justFred]

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

Re: So what’s the best of the 15 watt/20 watt heads?

Fender Tweed Deluxe head if you can find one. Rated at 12 Watts but I think it would more than do the job.