Thoughts on Marshall SV20H?

SunDevil

I’ve seen a couple of these in the classifieds recently but there’s none at present that I can see, so this seems like a good time to ask without pissing on anyone’s chips?

Are they any good?
Do they do the Plexi thing?
Do they clean up on the guitar volume?
Are they well built?
A brand new one of these or a used 1959 (or 1987x)?

I want classic 60s 70s rock and blues tones 

Cheers!

Jonathanthomas83

I have one and love it. Does the Plexi thing perfectly.

Maybe not got the low end girth of the big ones, and @ICBM has some thoughts on how muddy it gets when pushed...but honestly, I've not experienced the latter and never noticed the former, genuinely. I love mine. I ran a Tube Screamer into mine and it sounds lovely, almost (not quite) high gain.

Does Hendrix, Led Zep, Cream, Peter Green type stuff, blues, classic rock, I reckon even Van Halen and Sabbath stuff, but that's just my ears. I play a load of blues on it, best amp I have for that...I like it anyway, YMMV.

Can't comment on the loop, never used it.

TTBZ

Don't have one but spent a lot of time playing all the Marshall Studios, by themselves and jamming with drummer/bass player. They really do just sound like smaller versions of the old amps. Less headroom of course but that's the whole point isn't it.

The 1987x is one of my favourite sounding Marshalls but it's just too bloody loud for most things. You'll get the Studio series sounding great at more reasonable volumes and they're the ideal size for most venues the majority of people play (ie small stages in pubs clubs etc). Much nicer to carry around too and I really like the matching vertical cabs. The Vintage (plexi) would probably be my choice mainly just for how cool it looks, but it sounds great too. I own a Jubilee and it's possibly my favourite of the 3. Just so versatile, and the subtleties of the differences in voicing/gain tends to get lost in a mix anyway - can get it pretty similar sounding to both the Vintage and Classic plus the higher gain stuff.

Twinfan

I think the only downside to them is that they're not a home amp if you want some breakup.  With no master volume you have exactly the same problem as a 50w or 100w in that they're clean until you get them cooking.  I suspect that's why several hit the classifieds?

fretmeister

I've got the SC20H and I imagine the loop is the same tech - and it's very good.

Volume wise - the SC20 has the benefit of a Master volume but even in 5W mode it is monsterously loud when the power section gets cooking as it needs to. I imagine that with amp drive the SV20 will be even more difficult to tame in the house.

HOWEVER, the good people of Bugera have done their own Attenuator which has received good reviews and it's not very expensive.

It's not an IR loader or EQ or any of that £1000 for a sodding attenuator bollocks, it's just a "make it usable in the house" box.

I will be buying one as soon as anywhere has them in stock again.

Clean sounds don't need it of course.

ICBM

Twinfan said:

I think the only downside to them is that they're not a home amp if you want some breakup.  With no master volume you have exactly the same problem as a 50w or 100w in that they're clean until you get them cooking.  I suspect that's why several hit the classifieds?

Or the opposite - that at band volume they're too mushy and compressed, with an odd harsh overtone when pushed hard - and although it seems very loud in 20W mode at home, with a band it really isn't, so you will need to push it hard. That's why the guitarist in my band sold his after one band practice. (And 5W mode was completely useless.)

It's a good amp if you want the natural overdrive of a Super Lead at lower volume - it pretty much nails that - but it isn't very versatile and doesn't take heavy drive pedals well.

As with everything, YMMV.

Twinfan

ICBM said:

It's a good amp if you want the natural overdrive of a Super Lead at lower volume - it pretty much nails that - but it isn't very versatile

It does exactly what it's supposed to do then - be a mini SLP!

ICBM

Twinfan said:

It does exactly what it's supposed to do then - be a mini SLP!

Pretty much. But it is definitely more restricted in what you can do with it - it's very close in tone terms, but it doesn't respond in the same way to being pushed hard, either by itself or with pedals.

I admit to being one of those who have been banging on for years that Marshall should make exactly this amp, and that I was really optimistic when I saw it, but with a band it was disappointing.

Twinfan

As you know, two cathode biased EL34s being restricted to ~20w are never going to respond like two or four fixed biased valves at ~50w/~100w.  I find the 20 watters certainly aren't as solid sounding as the big brothers, however they have their own character which is cool.

Depending on your band, I've found my mini Jube in rhythm clip mode running at around half volume to be just the right volume to match my drummer's kit, and the lead boost punches through perfectly for solos.

If you need to run a 20w flat out or boost it to the moon you're running the wrong amp IMHO and you'd be better off with the 1987x or a DSL/5150/Mesa.

It's all about the right tool for the job, and these 20 watters won't be the right tool for everyone, however they're great for me 

TTBZ

I've never needed the volume on my mini Jubilee above 7 and it still gets a bit louder after that. Use the 1x12 combo for rehearsal and the last gig I plugged into a backline 4x12, ended up with the volume about 6 and sounded great. I actually prefer the more compressed/softer feel of the 20w amps, 100w is more unforgiving. 

musteatbrain

The 800 or Jubilee 20w amps look more practical to me. I like my jubilee but do wonder if the 800 might be even better

Twinfan

Define better  

Slightly different, sure...

musteatbrain

well at the moment, i’d gamble the lead from a Jubilee is better than an 800 and the distorted rhythm from an 800 is better than the jubilee
can you buy one so I can come and test the theory?

Twinfan

No need, I think I'd agree.  If I could be bothered lugging more stuff around for gigs, I'd have an SC20H for rhythm and an Mini-Jube for leads.  A bit overkill for pub gigs though!

I reckon for the SV20H you need to go old-skool - crank it up to 6 or 7 and use your guitar volume control for cleans and lead boosts Kossoff-style.

musteatbrain

Really I’d like all 3. 1 for clean, break up and lead.
that may not fit with the other guitar though