New guitar amp needed

[pits]

My 20+ at least year old custom built 500 watt Marshall has finally given up, fking gutted, the amp is probably older than me, one of the best hand me downs of all time .... I know it isn't worth fixing at the moment, electrically it hasn't been touched since it was built, there is lots wrong with it.

Now I have had this amp since I was about 10-12 years old I would guess, so I have no idea what I am looking for in a new amp, my Marshall is perfect, no electrical wizadry just plug my old Korg AX30G in, and wiggle the lead in the back to get the distortion channel, and it is the exact sound I love, crisp, raw tone, it is perfect for playing the music style I play, I haven't touched the settings since at least 1998.



So what do I replace it with, first things first I can't spend too much money, and in no way shape or form do I want a Line 6, my brother has one and I spend 20 minutes each time going through every little setting on and still yet to make it sound good, so that is out.

Mostly playing 70-80s rock, Kiss, Van HAlen, Metallica, etc and a lot of Vai and improvising, I have always been drawn to Orange amps, no idea why as I hate the colour Orange, I wouldn't mind a Hughes and Kettner but I doubt I could afford it, looking to spend no more than £200 really, I don't want a big fancy take 3 hours to set up each time, I want something I turn on everytime and it is exactly how I left it, my Marshall hasn't changed in 13 years, I essentially want a N/A amp as opposed to some fandangled turbo charged thing.

Gutted, though, as I know my Marshall will cost a fortune to fix
It picks up some weird Eastern Block radio station when sat on
Pops when you turn it off
Volume knob works on 2,3,5 10 or 11,
Actually to be honest most knobs don't work on it
Getting distortion channel involves wiggling the jack plug around in the arse of it
And it has since started going quiet whilst playing and then shutting off completely, doesn't even hum lol

[sparkypups]

I would have a look at the blackstar range - seems to be everything you want

[V100]

Vox!

[chazola]

Dunno if you need an amp for gigging or just home, but I recently got a Vox Pathfinder 15R. It's solid state and rated at 15w, but it is LOUD, sounds ace for the money (£75) and looks like a mini ac30. I'm not usually a fan of SS amps except for a massive Ampeg 2x12 I had but I've played through Marshall, Laney, Mesa, Vox, Peavey and Fender valve amps and this little Vox is really impressive. It does have a built-in boost channel but I use a Boss distortion pedal with it and rocks.

If you need a band/gigging amp it might be a bit small but with your budget you could get something half-decent used, though pushing it a bit if you want a valve amp.

Is your Marshall valve?

[davepoth]

chazola said:

Is your Marshall valve?

Sounds like it is. Frankly I'd be inclined to take it to a proper "amp guy" to find out what's at fault, it may just need a full service and a couple of joints resoldered, in which case it'll likely cost less than any decent amp (I'd guess £300 really)

[6th Gear]

Matchless Lightning

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfaPHamz6WU&fea...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwJzCdP15Us&fea...

http://www.matchlessamplifiers.com/lightning.html

Tone Heaven. Pricey though.

[5705]

davepoth said:

chazola said:

Is your Marshall valve?

Sounds like it is. Frankly I'd be inclined to take it to a proper "amp guy" to find out what's at fault, it may just need a full service and a couple of joints resoldered, in which case it'll likely cost less than any decent amp (I'd guess £300 really)

I'm struggling to think of a 500W valve amp for guitarists made by Marshall! Custom made by Marshall is even odderer.

[gingerpaul]

I know of a guy who might be able to fix it. He also builds custom stuff too. Last time I saw him I tried the modified Trainwreck style amp he was working on and it was magic. If you want me to find his details just ask.

Edit - I think he's near Oxford if that makes any difference.

[5705]

Just been through all of this lot - http://www.drtube.com/marshall.htm - and there's no 500W guitar amp listed. A 500W valve guitar amp is just about unmarketable.

Hmmm... OP - photos of this rare beast needed!

[Uriel]

Blackheart Little Giant

http://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Blackhea...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uACfzWYMMYQ&fea... (head rather than combo, but close enough, especially through youtube compression)

[AdeTuono]

500w? Just a bedroom amp then?

[davepoth]

5705 said:

I'm struggling to think of a 500W valve amp for guitarists made by Marshall! Custom made by Marshall is even odderer.

True enough, that may just be the rating of the cab though?

[5705]

AdeTuono said:

500w? Just a bedroom amp then?

Well, a 500W amp is only 4x as loud as a 5W amp, so maybe...

[AdeTuono]

5705 said:

AdeTuono said:

500w? Just a bedroom amp then?

Well, a 500W amp is only 4x as loud as a 5W amp, so maybe...

I've got a Boogie 5/50 Express. I wouldn't want to be playing that flat out indoors for very long, even in 5w mode.

Remember 'back in the day' (think '70's) we used to think anything under 50w too small? Then I bought a really old AC30 for £25(!) which could be heard over Marshall 100's.

The power of advertising.

[Baryonyx]

No chance of a sneaky Carvin Legacy?

[Big News]

AdeTuono said:

I've got a Boogie 5/50 Express. I wouldn't want to be playing that flat out indoors for very long, even in 5w mode.

Remember 'back in the day' (think '70's) we used to think anything under 50w too small? Then I bought a really old AC30 for £25(!) which could be heard over Marshall 100's.

The power of advertising.

Yes but a 30w AC30 is going to blow a 30w solid state practice amp clean out of the water. Valve vs solid innit.

[AdeTuono]

Big News said:

AdeTuono said:

I've got a Boogie 5/50 Express. I wouldn't want to be playing that flat out indoors for very long, even in 5w mode.

Remember 'back in the day' (think '70's) we used to think anything under 50w too small? Then I bought a really old AC30 for £25(!) which could be heard over Marshall 100's.

The power of advertising.

Yes but a 30w AC30 is going to blow a 30w solid state practice amp clean out of the water. Valve vs solid innit.

I was comparing my old AC30 to an old Marshall 100w valve head.

[Baryonyx]

AdeTuono said:

500w? Just a bedroom amp then?

Or a good stage monitor. Much better than having a full stack behind you, just monitor with a good amp on stage and DI the rest.

[Big News]

AdeTuono said:

I was comparing my old AC30 to an old Marshall 100w valve head.

Yeah sorry - I was more (badly, I'll admit) trying to highlight that there is a hell of a lot of real-world difference between 30w of valve and 30w of SS.