ERROR IN THE VIDEO - we say that the Marshall has a 12” speaker & that the Orange is the only one with a 10” speaker. This is wrong - they both have 10” speakers (although the Marshall doesn’t sound like it!)
I was really hoping you guys included the new Marshall SC20 and SV20 in this, the comparison I really wanted to see was the Blackstar vs the new Marshall Studio amps.
Also just as an FYI on the Blackstar. The first clean voice is the Fenderish voice, the second is the Voxish clean voice. As for the OD voices, the first is the Classic voice and the second is the Modern voice with more gain on tap. But keep in mind the ISF control on the OD voices lets you change the EQ response and feel of the amp in a way that allows the Blackstar to cover the spectrum of Classic and Modern amp tones from US and beyond to British and beyond and everything between. From experience Blackstar ISF rarely likes to be at 12 and sweet spots are 9-11 and 1-3. Also EQ rarely sounds best at 12 on the Blackstar including Tone on the clean channel AND it is important to remember that the way ISF effects the EQ response the EQ on the British side behaves differently to the US side and the full sweep of ISF effects the EQ response.
I know people with really budget set ups, like not even 200 quid of guitar and amp and they make it sound great. Just through loving playing and practising all the time. Nice gear is probably 20% of the picture 😀
Just played the new Supro at Guitar Center!!! Hearing it live is just amazing. The cleans are great but it definitely wants to break up and it sounds phenomenal when it does. Some of the best gain I’ve ever heard out of a $600 amp
1. Love the amp switcher. Much easier to compare tones without the delay while plugging into various amps. 2. The depth of knowledge on Anderton’s is amazing.
The Marshall Origin and the Vox AC15 were my favorite. All sounded good. I was really surprised with the sound coming out of the 10" speaker for the Marshall, it really held its own and even excelled.
I think some of these smaller tube amps are designed to sound good specifically in the bedroom without a band involved. It's that "golden tone" vs "usable tone" thing where the tone by itself may sound amazing but the tone that cuts through the band and sits well in a full mix is sometimes less beautiful on its own.
@@GuitarQueero1 They're made to get loud and stay relatively clean except maybe the Bassbreaker. Your favorite drive or boost in front should get you there.
The AC15 from Vox sounded by far the best. Then Marshall and Fender, then Blackstar (which sounded like a Boss Katana). The others sounded muddy or simply not capable.
@@dingushussey4100 Almost every big amp brand has a line up of great artists.. and a Vox made in the 60's (used by Hendrix) isn't necessarily the same as a recent one...
I have to say Lee you put a lot of time and effort into providing great information to the guitar player’s community. We appreciate your dedication! Pete I like your descriptions of the sounds you hear in the guitars and amps you review. They make the audience u derstand clearly. Thanks. And you do play excellent may I add!
Orange and Blackstar are the nicest clean sounds imo. Dirty Orange for that inimitable stoner rock dirt. The Blues Junior sounds great with the lightspeed switched on. That Supro's gain is delicious and the Vox, surprisingly, does the British dirt in a way that's edgier than the Marshall. They really all have great things going for 'em.
I really like the Supro Blues King. It reminds me of the Fender Excelsior Pro, which with the right tubes and speaker in it sounds oddly great. Yep. the Blues King gets my vote.
Supro blues king has effects loop, line out, foot switch for the gain and boost. And the sounds... omg. I had to pick one up. Traded the my blues junior for it.
Sean Davis with a limit on how many amps, they likely didn’t want to include more than one Fender.... the blues junior is by a landslide the more ubiquitous amp. Also the design of the bassbreaker is more “marshal like”, so testing the blues junior is a little more interesting in this context. Just guessing of course :)
God I love that Supro! I'm sitting here thinking "man, it almost sounds like it's got a light fuzz in there, then Lee hits that switch and I thought Pete had stomped a fuzz box... Always been a fan of guitars and amps that sound like they have been abused and beaten up for decades and are on the verge of falling apart. I also actually liked the orange as well, and you can't beat that Marshal for classic rock tone, and that Vox was crazy good! If I could play well enough to make any of them sound like Pete can, I'd have all four of those. The Fender and Blackstar aren't bad at all, just not my cup o' tea
With Marshall and Vox, you instantly think "YEAH, it's THAT sound", with the others not so much. Which is a testament to how much those brands and their tones are part of modern music... And I'm 100% with Pete on the Blackstar thing: in a band context, each and every Blackstar amp I ever played instantly disappeared, no cut whatsoever. But I'm a Marshall guy, so I'm used to these mids and that authoritative presence.
@@NicD5150 Absolutely. "Authoritative presence"... that's for damn sure. Never really been a Marshall guy before, but the one time I used one live (when my twin crapped out and I had to rent one... a DSL40), it was shocking, and in a totally great way. Couldn't stop smiling at the way the sound just JUMPED out of the thing. I'll never forget that and have wanted to become a Marshall guy ever since. I realize that was 40 watts vs. the Origin 20 here... but the same characteristics seem to apply. I was always leery of "the Marshall thing"... but it's like once you feel that, you can't go back.
The Blues Jr and the Vox sounded the best in my opinion. The blues jr seemed much warmer, which works great for clean tones in my opinion. The Vox was definitely more present in the upper mids, which cuts great in a live setting. Also really liked the Supro, which I think would work great for recording gain tones.
Andertons Music Co It certainly doesn’t, but I was worried about it to the point that I bought the head instead of the combo. She found a home atop a Greenback 1x12.
The Laney Lionheart L5T-112 is an AMAZING 5w 1x12 combo. Single Ended Class A 2 channel valve/tube amp, takes pedals extremely well and absolutely just ROCKS!
My fav was the blues junior. It just sounded like it was the best most rounded sound. The black star did seem overly scooped, the Marshall sounded great but lacked that low end, and the supro and the orange did their own similar distinct thing, which made it seem almost limited. The Vox sounded great too, but I prefer the overdriven sound of the fender just a hair more. I just felt with an overdrive into It on the fat mode, the blues junior sounded like it had a great eq balance overall, then again I’m a big fender guy, so I’m slightly biased. 😂 You guys should do a blindfold shootout with small valve amps. 😉😉😉
Great idea to use a guitar where you can split the pickups. Single coil/humbuckers sounds massively different on these amps and it's definitely helpful when see how they perform with each. The Marshall always seems much more accepting of humbuckers than say the Blues Jr is.
Interesting. My favorite tones in order: Vox, Fender (I expected this to be my favorite), Blackstar (That one surprised me a bit) Least favorite tones in order: Supro (hated it, but it's just not my sound), Orange (See Supro), Marshall (I actually kinda liked it. I think i'd prefer the Origin 50 though with the 12 inch speaker and more headroom)
Had one of the original (USA) BluesJr for many years, and considered many times "trading up". Thing is, it's perfect and consistent for every application, especially with the speaker upgraded . I determined, for more unique signatures, that using it wet /,dry , with other similar wattage amps, does the job well, while also satisfying that urge to tinker and experiment.
that design originated in the 40s and 50s when people sat or stood BEHIND the amplifier as they played onstage. It can be a pain to adjust onstage, too.
Thank you for the new small valve amp shootout, these are always great to watch! Lots of new stuff this year. I do have to say, I've seen a couple of stores say that the Blackstar HT20 MKii has only one ECC83 in the preamp - I own one, it's a great amp, and I can confirm that it actually has two ECC83s in the preamp, as well as two EL84s in the power section. I love the videos, thanks for all that you do!
Dang, I'm having a hard time choosing between the Marshall, Orange and Fender. They all sounded great. I think it would depend on what style I was going to play more. I loved the gain from the Orange, and the Fender cleans are hard to beat. The only common factor, is Petes amazing playing.
Thanks for this. I'm thinking of buying this kind of amp, and this video was very helpful. One thing you might have mentioned is the difference in weight between the various amps, since portability is one of the features of amps in this range. The Vox is about twice as heavy as the Supro, for example.
Hm, in general yea. I used to play an orange thunderverb head for big stoner metal sounds and it sounded ace, I love orange. But I think this rocker 15 sounds like garbage which makes me very sad. Reminds me of absolutely gunning the gain on an old slightly broken peavey rage combo
@@Juiceboxbrian I have a Rocker 15 head and and it sounds nothing like this. I don't know if a 10' speaker vs 12'' speaker makes that much of a difference, but in this video it sounds terrible! There's also the fact that the volume was a bit low; it does lack a lot of low/low-mid range under 50% volume.
@@Raklarpt All very good points. however, I see the problem as extending beyond the issues of lacking the low mid punch. The structure of the gain as well as the way the low end breaks up just makes me think of guitar tone in high school punk bands. Lots of fun but not a good sound haha.
I like the old school stuff like the AD series. Knobs don't do much, just one channel that goes louder or quieter pretty much. But they are some of the purest most expressive and inspiring amps I have ever used. I feel like tube rectifiers and proper ply cabs make a fair difference, things missing on a lot of valve combos these days
I really like Pete's playing in these demo videos. I get a better sound of what the amp/guitars sound like. Certain other unamed players just... sound like themselves and don't let the gear speak on its own.
Agree with Lee, these days it can be easily remedied with a cheap pedal, but all amps should still have some form of reverb. The few I own that don't, are more seldom played..... 👍👍
The Vox for me, then the supro because it does that "thing". My old AC15 has done that thing that shocked you both and I probably use it more than my plexi or JTM45.
I've got a Gibson GA-18T from ~1959/60 era, of which they are very few. She was beat a bit when I acquired her services, but after playing through the old girl I understand why she was so well used. She still had her original P10R, which sounded excellent, but we wanted to preserve the original cone (!), so opted for an aftermarket replacement speaker. After researching the forums online, it was obvious the Weber 10F150 (C10N copy) was the holy grail in this amp, so I bought one from Mr. Ted himself (still alive back then he was). That speaker sounds so WICKEDLY AWESOME & KILLER in this amp, that we just had to agree with other people's assessment. I also recommend the Weber 12F150 (C12N copy) for Fender Deluxe Reverbs, or Princeton Reverbs too (10F150 or 12F150) and you will be in tonal nirvana. I'm not playing with you, I'm praying with you for better tone. RIP Ted Weber (you are not forgotten brother, because you were a man who cared)!
I would love to have heard the Supro just gained on the preamp, with the boost and gain switches off, and then cleaned up with the volume knob on the guitar. Ah well, I guess I'll have to go check one out in person.
The difference I hear between the clean sound of these amps is the snap each chord has. The Supro had the least. The Marshall, Fender, and Vox all had relatively the same snap, which I love.
I believe the Blues Jr. had the most clarity and articulation. I think this is why it is so popular for music like blues, jazz, or anything where you need to hear the subtleties in the playing. Like you said the Blackstar was just the opposite in that it was so mid scooped to me the highs were far too harsh and the bass too muddy, yet it did still seem tight if that makes any sense. It would have sounded even worse if Pete had used a Strat, OMG. Even around the house I would prefer either the Vox or the Fender. The Supro and Orange each had a good sound if that was specifically what you were after but kind of one trick ponies. The Marshal might be my 3rd choice out of the three but frankly there are other amps I think I would pick over these that are not in the running. The Bassbreaker for example and maybe the little Super Champ amps. No I don't work for Fender, I just think their smaller amps are really great.
New Challenge for Chappers and the Cap: Take the 1500 budget and „buy“/put together a new rig with a sound you would like, but nothing you already play or at least not in this combination
My preference on the cleans by far was the Vox AC15.........so much so, I bought one! Such a cool sound, such a professional sound, such a versatile amp............as my bass player said at first rehearsal, “wow, that Vox has such authority of tone!” 😎😎😎👍
I love how that PRS 594 is getting so much exposure as "the guitar that the Captain never plays", it's the worst kind of advertisement PRS could ask for haha.
Doc Tiberius good point. I think in these demos that the amp and guitar level should match up. They should have used an SE or S2 line guitar if they were gonna use PRS
I have hated the Vox amps for a very long time because traditionally they muddy the mids. As guitar players, that's where we live in a mix. But that little AC15 shocked the crap outta me. Now I have to go put on a clean pair of drawers.... Bob in Germany
I've never understood this, listen to any classic rock album recorded with a box, they're always bright as hell If anything I've stayed away because they have no low end
Bob you will not be disappointed. I never really sought them out but, I got a chance to plug into an AC15 with Celestion Blue. Instantly realizing I am buying this amp and haven't stopped smiling since.
My 65 AC-15 with a tube rectifier shits on all these amps; and if you don't like Vox, you're probably a fizzy Marshall fan. Muddy the mids? Don't know what shit you've tried.
They all had their thing, and I liked them all. Personally if I were gonna buy one it would be the Supro. I've never heard an amp before that had that fuzzy attack. Loved that unique sound.
I like the less travelled amps, particularly the 90s reissue Ampeg Reverberocket (best amp I ever had), but the Supro appeals to me. I have the Blues King 12 enroute and can't wait to try it.
I used to think Vox amps were hard to work with and brittle sounding, but you just need to get them dialled in or cooking (on one with an attenuator that’s easy) also the normal channel is your friend!! So good I ditched my Marshall and fender and have been gigging AC15s for 2 yrs now.
@@philipellis7039 ya I think the low watt Lionheart amps have some of the prettiest cleans and driven tones I have heard. Plus built in reverb, effects loop and12 inch celestion speaker.
there's a reason that Marshall, Vox , and Fender are (and always will be) the Daddy's...my personal favourite here is the Marshall, but there were great sounds to be found in all of these amps. great video guys! :)
I must say the blackstar sounded great but I think it’s overdrive channel sounds the best. The vox, Marshall and fender had the best clean and crunch tones. I’m very seriously considering the blackstar!!
Ryley Gallwey clearly the key takeaway here is buy a Greer Light Speed. Holy hell that pedal sounds great into anything. Totally kicks the amps natural sound into a whole other gear
I mean we all know that there's a certain league of small tube amps where you're better up with a solid state/modelling solution in terms of value. But what about the Marshall DSL-1, the Blackstar HT-1R and the Hughes & Kettner TM 5? I would never play a Blues Jr. at home. The other 20W solutions will all melt your face if they want.
Yes for home use I have a Blackstar HR1 and Marshall DSL 1 which I have in a wet/dry set up. Sometimes I add in my Fender Greta 2w for the dry amp and HR1 DSL1 in stereo. They are all sounding louder than 1w on there own but when boost , OD and other effects are added the sound is huge.
I'm actually hearing the same as you, Lee, except for the Orange -- it didn't sound small to me. As for a favorite, I was a bit surprised, but I think that my favorite would boil down to a choice between two: the Vox and the BlackStar. Keep in mind that the BlackStar's loud-button style bottom end will carry over in the studio and in recording situations, so it is still a valid choice.
ERROR IN THE VIDEO - we say that the Marshall has a 12” speaker & that the Orange is the only one with a 10” speaker. This is wrong - they both have 10” speakers (although the Marshall doesn’t sound like it!)
Boasting 2" up. You never get rid of that.
I was really hoping you guys included the new Marshall SC20 and SV20 in this, the comparison I really wanted to see was the Blackstar vs the new Marshall Studio amps.
Also just as an FYI on the Blackstar. The first clean voice is the Fenderish voice, the second is the Voxish clean voice. As for the OD voices, the first is the Classic voice and the second is the Modern voice with more gain on tap. But keep in mind the ISF control on the OD voices lets you change the EQ response and feel of the amp in a way that allows the Blackstar to cover the spectrum of Classic and Modern amp tones from US and beyond to British and beyond and everything between. From experience Blackstar ISF rarely likes to be at 12 and sweet spots are 9-11 and 1-3. Also EQ rarely sounds best at 12 on the Blackstar including Tone on the clean channel AND it is important to remember that the way ISF effects the EQ response the EQ on the British side behaves differently to the US side and the full sweep of ISF effects the EQ response.
Pretty sure the Blues Junior has 3 ECC83s/12AX7 tubes... Unless that is a new change for the MKIV... I have a MKII, and it definitely had 3...
@@fritsvanzanten3573 you win! haha
TIMESTAMPS
Marshall origin 20 (clean) - 3:31
Marshall origin 20 (crunch) - 10:05
Marshall origin 20 (crunch /w pedal) - 11:11
Orange rocker 15 (clean) - 4:08
Orange rocker 15 (crunch) - 12:16
Orange rocker 15 (crunch /w pedal) - 13:58
Fender Blues Junior IV (clean) - 4:45
Fender Blues Junior IV crunch) - 15:23
Fender Blues Junior IV (crunch /w pedal) - 16:47
Supro Blues King 12 (clean) - 5:20
Supro Blues King 12 (crunch) - 18:07
Supro Blues King 12 (crunch /w pedal) - 20:33
Vox AC15 (clean) - 5:49
Vox AC15 (crunch) - 21:30
Vox AC15 (crunch /w pedal) - 22:46
Blackstar HT20R MkII (clean) - 6:30
Blackstar HT20R MkII (crunch) - 24:16
Blackstar HT20R MkII (crunch /w pedal) - 26:18
The host's favorite amps and discussion - 28:08
___________________________________________________
Marshall origin 20c: £499
Orange Rocker 15: £659
Fender Blues Junior IV: £579
Supro Blues King 12: £599
Vox AC15 Combo: £549
Blackstar HT20R MkII: £649
___________________________________________________
Thank you for the video guys!
Thanks for the breakdown
Thanks
really appreciate this, thank you!
Thanks man!
You bloody legend!
Conclusion: everything sounds good when Pete plays it?
They should have me demo them. I could make a Dumble sound bad.
That's a dumble comment... Thanks, thanks very much. I'll show myself out.
I know people with really budget set ups, like not even 200 quid of guitar and amp and they make it sound great. Just through loving playing and practising all the time. Nice gear is probably 20% of the picture 😀
I concur.
I wish a cheaper guitar was used - would be more useful to ppl with this kind of budget range get a more accurate idea of options
21:40 Lee's face during that whole dirty AC15 demo says it all. That is *the* sound of british rock. So good!
Trevor Reniger I can attest! I love my AC15c1. I drive it with an Oddfellow Caveman and a Marshall Guv’nor. It’s fantastic!
The effort that yall put into the seemingly small edits in your videos just make them top notch. Also, that Vox sounds ace!
Indeed. I own the blues jr. Though I wish I woulda spent the two hundred more for the Vox.
@@harrysachs2274 I agree.
Pete - "It's more of a bluesy tone." - About the Fender Blues Junior
"When you realize that the Blues Jr. sounds more like a blues amp"
*roll safe*
2019
That Supro's tone is wicked, especially with Pete's very funky rhythms.
That driven broken tone on the Supro (18:15)! Everything sounds as if it is going to fall apart!
I really dig it man!
Just played the new Supro at Guitar Center!!! Hearing it live is just amazing. The cleans are great but it definitely wants to break up and it sounds phenomenal when it does. Some of the best gain I’ve ever heard out of a $600 amp
I love my AC15. Once you get the master up to a certain level it just opens ups and sounds fabulous.
1. Love the amp switcher. Much easier to compare tones without the delay while plugging into various amps.
2. The depth of knowledge on Anderton’s is amazing.
The Marshall Origin and the Vox AC15 were my favorite. All sounded good. I was really surprised with the sound coming out of the 10" speaker for the Marshall, it really held its own and even excelled.
I think some of these smaller tube amps are designed to sound good specifically in the bedroom without a band involved. It's that "golden tone" vs "usable tone" thing where the tone by itself may sound amazing but the tone that cuts through the band and sits well in a full mix is sometimes less beautiful on its own.
Always the case: it's a matter of how things 'fit' in the mix that is more important than anything else.
Took me a long time and experimentation to get it right.
Bedroom vs gig tone is a lot different.
A big factor with Fender is how good they sound mic'd up. Also, dirty sound on the Vox was killer.
I love Vox and gig a CC2x but they all make you sound like Vox. There is simply no room for the character of the guitar to shine through.
Both my Fenders mic up like total badasses.
@@cgavin1 Nonsense; I use a Tele and a PRS SE through my 65 AC-15; are you suggesting they sound the same? LOL.
Am I the only one that just doesn't like the way Fenders sound when they get dirty? That doesn't go for all of them, but for a lot of them.
@@GuitarQueero1 They're made to get loud and stay relatively clean except maybe the Bassbreaker. Your favorite drive or boost in front should get you there.
Supro-"It's got a sound"...that sound is called character.
- by far my fav amp of the lot as well ;)
Pete's playing never fails to bring a smile to my face.
I would happily listen to Pete playing through a wasp in a jam jar. He's by far the best and most versatile guitarist on this channel.
That Supro sounds fantastic. That's definitely going on my wish list.
I tried a Supro Blues King the other day, and it was magnificent. Great dirty tone.
The AC15 from Vox sounded by far the best. Then Marshall and Fender, then Blackstar (which sounded like a Boss Katana). The others sounded muddy or simply not capable.
Yeah, the Vox is such a great amp, no wonder hendrix and blackmore and many more used them, even remember seeing status quo with a wall of AC30's
@@dingushussey4100
Almost every big amp brand has a line up of great artists.. and a Vox made in the 60's (used by Hendrix) isn't necessarily the same as a recent one...
I have to say Lee you put a lot of time and effort into providing great information to the guitar player’s community. We appreciate your dedication!
Pete I like your descriptions of the sounds you hear in the guitars and amps you review. They make the audience u derstand clearly. Thanks. And you do play excellent may I add!
Orange and Blackstar are the nicest clean sounds imo. Dirty Orange for that inimitable stoner rock dirt. The Blues Junior sounds great with the lightspeed switched on. That Supro's gain is delicious and the Vox, surprisingly, does the British dirt in a way that's edgier than the Marshall. They really all have great things going for 'em.
Would love to see a deeper review on the Blues King. Maybe a head to head between Pete and Ariel with the Fender and Supro?
oh that Supro dimmed with Pete's purple tele would be MAGIC!!!!
The supro sounds better w/single coils.
Played my tele through one and loved it.
✌🏻❤️💪🏻
Just played a tele on one today and I fell in love. And I never liked teles or single coils that much. The Supro really sounds incredible.
Just snagged that supro on clearance. Can’t wait to play it!
@@theendofacircle Sweet !
Same here, thanks Sweetwater !
@@AuntAlnico4 hope you love it!
@@theendofacircle it's a great amp ! Does a lot abs best.
I say the Supro was the tone winner!
I really like the Supro Blues King. It reminds me of the Fender Excelsior Pro, which with the right tubes and speaker in it sounds oddly great. Yep. the Blues King gets my vote.
It shines bigtime in this video. Supro can make an amp
Happy without reverb. Vox wins overall, but the Supro has a really cool sound for a garage album.
VOX. Love them. You can do anything with them. They play super well with all types of pedals too...
Supro blues king has effects loop, line out, foot switch for the gain and boost. And the sounds... omg. I had to pick one up. Traded the my blues junior for it.
Michael Mike Nice isn’t it? I love mine
How is the head room from your experience?
I had one of the first Blues Junior amps. Bloody hated it.
Just picked up the Supro for $349.00....with cover, foot switch and cable....and free shipping...Sweet Deal at Sweetwater..
@@petersindo6981 yeah they are sold out before lunch today.
a shame that the Bassbreaker was not participating :(
Seems to get overlooked doesn't it
Thought the same thing, especially the praise in previous videos. Anderton’s, why no bassbreaker?
Sean Davis with a limit on how many amps, they likely didn’t want to include more than one Fender.... the blues junior is by a landslide the more ubiquitous amp. Also the design of the bassbreaker is more “marshal like”, so testing the blues junior is a little more interesting in this context. Just guessing of course :)
The 3 gain stages make it sit well above the competition. Wouldn't be fair to compare.
Agreed
God I love that Supro! I'm sitting here thinking "man, it almost sounds like it's got a light fuzz in there, then Lee hits that switch and I thought Pete had stomped a fuzz box... Always been a fan of guitars and amps that sound like they have been abused and beaten up for decades and are on the verge of falling apart.
I also actually liked the orange as well, and you can't beat that Marshal for classic rock tone, and that Vox was crazy good! If I could play well enough to make any of them sound like Pete can, I'd have all four of those. The Fender and Blackstar aren't bad at all, just not my cup o' tea
the marshall is so clear imo, love it! AC 15 still good as ever!
I was very surprised at how much I liked the AC 15!
I heard the same as well.
With Marshall and Vox, you instantly think "YEAH, it's THAT sound", with the others not so much. Which is a testament to how much those brands and their tones are part of modern music...
And I'm 100% with Pete on the Blackstar thing: in a band context, each and every Blackstar amp I ever played instantly disappeared, no cut whatsoever. But I'm a Marshall guy, so I'm used to these mids and that authoritative presence.
I've got an AC15 and the Origin 50 and run them together. GLORIOUS!
@@NicD5150 Absolutely. "Authoritative presence"... that's for damn sure. Never really been a Marshall guy before, but the one time I used one live (when my twin crapped out and I had to rent one... a DSL40), it was shocking, and in a totally great way. Couldn't stop smiling at the way the sound just JUMPED out of the thing. I'll never forget that and have wanted to become a Marshall guy ever since. I realize that was 40 watts vs. the Origin 20 here... but the same characteristics seem to apply. I was always leery of "the Marshall thing"... but it's like once you feel that, you can't go back.
The Blues Jr and the Vox sounded the best in my opinion. The blues jr seemed much warmer, which works great for clean tones in my opinion. The Vox was definitely more present in the upper mids, which cuts great in a live setting. Also really liked the Supro, which I think would work great for recording gain tones.
That Marshall has a ten inch speaker as well, lads
Yup - we messed that up - it doesn't sound like a 10" speaker!! We've updated the description to highlight this error.
Andertons Music Co It certainly doesn’t, but I was worried about it to the point that I bought the head instead of the combo. She found a home atop a Greenback 1x12.
@@andertons Shame it isn't a 12". I liked it the best with a 12" it wouldn't have been too close over the AC 15
Amazingly hard to believe by the tone!
That Vox AC15 was badass!
Please do more from Supro!!! That little one sounds great, lets here more from the rest of the line!
The Laney Lionheart L5T-112 is an AMAZING 5w 1x12 combo. Single Ended Class A 2 channel valve/tube amp, takes pedals extremely well and absolutely just ROCKS!
Really liking the Supro Bluesking
From a multi Fender amp owner..THE VOX WINS!!!
My fav was the blues junior. It just sounded like it was the best most rounded sound. The black star did seem overly scooped, the Marshall sounded great but lacked that low end, and the supro and the orange did their own similar distinct thing, which made it seem almost limited. The Vox sounded great too, but I prefer the overdriven sound of the fender just a hair more. I just felt with an overdrive into
It on the fat mode, the blues junior sounded like it had a great eq balance overall, then again I’m a big fender guy, so I’m slightly biased. 😂
You guys should do a blindfold shootout with small valve amps.
😉😉😉
Great idea to use a guitar where you can split the pickups. Single coil/humbuckers sounds massively different on these amps and it's definitely helpful when see how they perform with each. The Marshall always seems much more accepting of humbuckers than say the Blues Jr is.
Interesting. My favorite tones in order: Vox, Fender (I expected this to be my favorite), Blackstar (That one surprised me a bit)
Least favorite tones in order: Supro (hated it, but it's just not my sound), Orange (See Supro), Marshall (I actually kinda liked it. I think i'd prefer the Origin 50 though with the 12 inch speaker and more headroom)
Had one of the original (USA) BluesJr for many years, and considered many times "trading up". Thing is, it's perfect and consistent for every application, especially with the speaker upgraded . I determined, for more unique signatures, that using it wet /,dry , with other similar wattage amps, does the job well, while also satisfying that urge to tinker and experiment.
For me, a bedroom player, I wish amps in this range had the controls in the front panel vs. top just for ease of use.
that design originated in the 40s and 50s when people sat or stood BEHIND the amplifier as they played onstage. It can be a pain to adjust onstage, too.
Thank you for the new small valve amp shootout, these are always great to watch! Lots of new stuff this year. I do have to say, I've seen a couple of stores say that the Blackstar HT20 MKii has only one ECC83 in the preamp - I own one, it's a great amp, and I can confirm that it actually has two ECC83s in the preamp, as well as two EL84s in the power section. I love the videos, thanks for all that you do!
The Blues King is an amazing amplifier
Don’t need a new amp. I just clicked on this video to hear Pete play that PRS. Was not disappointed!
What amp do you have Dr. Doom?
Blackstar HT-20R MkII Guitar Amp Combo sounds the best to me.
Pete is quite accomplished. It is always a pleasure to watch. And hear him play
I love the supro blues king..Great sound, great personality.
Dang, I'm having a hard time choosing between the Marshall, Orange and Fender. They all sounded great. I think it would depend on what style I was going to play more. I loved the gain from the Orange, and the Fender cleans are hard to beat. The only common factor, is Petes amazing playing.
Thanks for this. I'm thinking of buying this kind of amp, and this video was very helpful. One thing you might have mentioned is the difference in weight between the various amps, since portability is one of the features of amps in this range. The Vox is about twice as heavy as the Supro, for example.
Those Oranges just have so much character in them
Hm, in general yea. I used to play an orange thunderverb head for big stoner metal sounds and it sounded ace, I love orange. But I think this rocker 15 sounds like garbage which makes me very sad. Reminds me of absolutely gunning the gain on an old slightly broken peavey rage combo
@@Juiceboxbrian I have a Rocker 15 head and and it sounds nothing like this. I don't know if a 10' speaker vs 12'' speaker makes that much of a difference, but in this video it sounds terrible! There's also the fact that the volume was a bit low; it does lack a lot of low/low-mid range under 50% volume.
@@Raklarpt All very good points. however, I see the problem as extending beyond the issues of lacking the low mid punch. The structure of the gain as well as the way the low end breaks up just makes me think of guitar tone in high school punk bands. Lots of fun but not a good sound haha.
Amen! And HUGE balls when they're cranked. This one would have sounded better with a little more tweaking. Orange can be finicky.
I like the old school stuff like the AD series. Knobs don't do much, just one channel that goes louder or quieter pretty much. But they are some of the purest most expressive and inspiring amps I have ever used. I feel like tube rectifiers and proper ply cabs make a fair difference, things missing on a lot of valve combos these days
"the orange has got an angry sound." I agree. It sounds like a box of bees that has been kicked down a hill.
The the Captain mentioned the Koch amp, I picked up the Jupiter Junior and love it! 10" speaker but feels great.
I really like Pete's playing in these demo videos. I get a better sound of what the amp/guitars sound like. Certain other unamed players just... sound like themselves and don't let the gear speak on its own.
I just love the way Pete plays "Good King Wenceslas Looked Out" at the beginning of every demo. Very seasonal.
I have never heard a single Orange amp that I liked. This video is no exception.
That's not fair. They make fantastic tone. The problem is finding a place to let them open up.
Was in London recently from California was bummed not to be able to visit such a rad shop. Love all the videos ! Thank you!!!!
You should bring out the PRS more often!
Yeah for playing on cheap and cheerful (affordable) shiz!
Agree with Lee, these days it can be easily remedied with a cheap pedal, but all amps should still have some form of reverb. The few I own that don't, are more seldom played..... 👍👍
The Vox for me, then the supro because it does that "thing". My old AC15 has done that thing that shocked you both and I probably use it more than my plexi or JTM45.
I've got a Gibson GA-18T from ~1959/60 era, of which they are very few. She was beat a bit when I acquired her services, but after playing through the old girl I understand why she was so well used. She still had her original P10R, which sounded excellent, but we wanted to preserve the original cone (!), so opted for an aftermarket replacement speaker. After researching the forums online, it was obvious the Weber 10F150 (C10N copy) was the holy grail in this amp, so I bought one from Mr. Ted himself (still alive back then he was). That speaker sounds so WICKEDLY AWESOME & KILLER in this amp, that we just had to agree with other people's assessment. I also recommend the Weber 12F150 (C12N copy) for Fender Deluxe Reverbs, or Princeton Reverbs too (10F150 or 12F150) and you will be in tonal nirvana. I'm not playing with you, I'm praying with you for better tone.
RIP Ted Weber (you are not forgotten brother, because you were a man who cared)!
I would love to have heard the Supro just gained on the preamp, with the boost and gain switches off, and then cleaned up with the volume knob on the guitar. Ah well, I guess I'll have to go check one out in person.
the vox killed it! the clear winner by a mile! tempted to buy one after seeing this
Holy smokes, that Supro! I'm in love!
The difference I hear between the clean sound of these amps is the snap each chord has. The Supro had the least. The Marshall, Fender, and Vox all had relatively the same snap, which I love.
You guys should do a studio tour! Would love to see it.
I just Picked up a Vox AC15. I’ve been very impressed.
It sounds like the Vox is the standout here
And double the weight.....
I believe the Blues Jr. had the most clarity and articulation. I think this is why it is so popular for music like blues, jazz, or anything where you need to hear the subtleties in the playing.
Like you said the Blackstar was just the opposite in that it was so mid scooped to me the highs were far too harsh and the bass too muddy, yet it did still seem tight if that makes any sense. It would have sounded even worse if Pete had used a Strat, OMG. Even around the house I would prefer either the Vox or the Fender.
The Supro and Orange each had a good sound if that was specifically what you were after but kind of one trick ponies. The Marshal might be my 3rd choice out of the three but frankly there are other amps I think I would pick over these that are not in the running. The Bassbreaker for example and maybe the little Super Champ amps. No I don't work for Fender, I just think their smaller amps are really great.
New Challenge for Chappers and the Cap:
Take the 1500 budget and „buy“/put together a new rig with a sound you would like, but nothing you already play or at least not in this combination
My preference on the cleans by far was the Vox AC15.........so much so, I bought one! Such a cool sound, such a professional sound, such a versatile amp............as my bass player said at first rehearsal, “wow, that Vox has such authority of tone!” 😎😎😎👍
I love how that PRS 594 is getting so much exposure as "the guitar that the Captain never plays", it's the worst kind of advertisement PRS could ask for haha.
It does sound rather characterless. Me, I wouldn't thank you for a PRS.Rather have a Woolies Audition.
How many of these affordable amplifiers can you buy for that PRS I've been wondering???
@@doctiberius2717 You can buy 26 x 50W Boss Katanas...
@@Ndlanding thanks! LOL
I mean those amps that are used here, which are £5/600
Does that PRS cost 3K or more?
Doc Tiberius good point. I think in these demos that the amp and guitar level should match up. They should have used an SE or S2 line guitar if they were gonna use PRS
Bout time the Captain appreciated the ol' Vox! That distortion you weren't expecting is the sound of Iggy Pop's RAW POWER album!
I have hated the Vox amps for a very long time because traditionally they muddy the mids. As guitar players, that's where we live in a mix. But that little AC15 shocked the crap outta me. Now I have to go put on a clean pair of drawers.... Bob in Germany
I've never understood this, listen to any classic rock album recorded with a box, they're always bright as hell
If anything I've stayed away because they have no low end
And everybody should bob in Germany
Bob you will not be disappointed. I never really sought them out but, I got a chance to plug into an AC15 with Celestion Blue. Instantly realizing I am buying this amp and haven't stopped smiling since.
My 65 AC-15 with a tube rectifier shits on all these amps; and if you don't like Vox, you're probably a fizzy Marshall fan. Muddy the mids? Don't know what shit you've tried.
@@bryand.5240 No low end? LOL.
AC15 with the PRS was just stunning
That AC15 sounds amazing
Pete, you’re on fire with your sexism’s jisms and guitar and ampisms
Blackstar. I’m biased though. I absolutely LOVE my HT5 head and the digital reverb is awesome.
To me the Marshall and the Vox sounded the best on clear and dirty. The purest sounds of sweet tubes, with no compromises in the tone.
I want to hear Pete play that PRS into a Fender Bassbreaker 15!
They all had their thing, and I liked them all. Personally if I were gonna buy one it would be the Supro. I've never heard an amp before that had that fuzzy attack. Loved that unique sound.
I like the less travelled amps, particularly the 90s reissue Ampeg Reverberocket (best amp I ever had), but the Supro appeals to me. I have the Blues King 12 enroute and can't wait to try it.
There is definitely not enough here without Laney Cub12R or another Laney products like Lionheart L5T112.
Laney deserves more attention.
Agree
Agree, cz iam using Laney Vc15 110 and the sound huge awesome...
I love how Pete was continually going more and more insane throughout the whole episode.
I love the Fender to use with pedals :) Spring reverb is amazing
I used to think Vox amps were hard to work with and brittle sounding, but you just need to get them dialled in or cooking (on one with an attenuator that’s easy) also the normal channel is your friend!! So good I ditched my Marshall and fender and have been gigging AC15s for 2 yrs now.
I feel like the Laney Lionheart 5 watt should be in here with these.
Jasper Graves they sell Laney and not represented in this round up. If I was the Laney rep I’d be spitting feathers.
@@philipellis7039 ya I think the low watt Lionheart amps have some of the prettiest cleans and driven tones I have heard. Plus built in reverb, effects loop and12 inch celestion speaker.
there's a reason that Marshall, Vox , and Fender are (and always will be) the Daddy's...my personal favourite here is the Marshall, but there were great sounds to be found in all of these amps. great video guys! :)
That supro sounds awesome! :-D Completely unlike the others and s voice completely unto its own
I must say the blackstar sounded great but I think it’s overdrive channel sounds the best. The vox, Marshall and fender had the best clean and crunch tones. I’m very seriously considering the blackstar!!
The Pete/Captain dynamic is primo.
15:32 *plays Blues Jr.* “has more of a bluesy tone” good job Pete. 👍
Video title should be changed to “How The Greer Light Speed Makes 6 Amps Sound Better”
Ryley Gallwey clearly the key takeaway here is buy a Greer Light Speed. Holy hell that pedal sounds great into anything. Totally kicks the amps natural sound into a whole other gear
That pedal keeps coming up aces that's for sure. Time to unload an HM-2 \m/ \m/
Very happy with mine, quickly becoming an "always on" type thing lol
Loved it when you hit the sweet spot with the Supro. Reminded me of Caleb Quayes Hookfoot tone. Beautiful!
I mean we all know that there's a certain league of small tube amps where you're better up with a solid state/modelling solution in terms of value. But what about the Marshall DSL-1, the Blackstar HT-1R and the Hughes & Kettner TM 5? I would never play a Blues Jr. at home. The other 20W solutions will all melt your face if they want.
Yes for home use I have a Blackstar HR1 and Marshall DSL 1 which I have in a wet/dry set up. Sometimes I add in my Fender Greta 2w for the dry amp and HR1 DSL1 in stereo. They are all sounding louder than 1w on there own but when boost , OD and other effects are added the sound is huge.
Marshall again cleans up better than u might think and the vox was very surprising and the black star was great AS expected
I'm actually hearing the same as you, Lee, except for the Orange -- it didn't sound small to me. As for a favorite, I was a bit surprised, but I think that my favorite would boil down to a choice between two: the Vox and the BlackStar. Keep in mind that the BlackStar's loud-button style bottom end will carry over in the studio and in recording situations, so it is still a valid choice.
Agreed! Listened multiple times and have come to the conclusion that that PRS sounds lousy. No personality in its pickups.
The Supro sounds super. The best sound of all of them. Probably the least expensive