Orange Amps is expanding its Baby guitar amp line with the Baby Terror – a 20-watt solid-state lunchbox head built for backpacks, desktops and small stages.

Looking like something you could easily lose down the back of a sofa, it offers Gain and Volume controls, alongside a three-band EQ and Presence dial. The amp is specifically voiced to take in both “warm rounded cleans, classic crunch, and cutting drive.”

It’s also been designed with overdrive pedals in mind. A Tubby switch pushes the low end earlier into the signal path to increase the fullness and body of its tone, particularly with cleaner tones. Disengaging it brings a leaner sound to the fore.

A second footswitchable Volume control has also been added for when more thrust is needed in a mix, such as for lead boosts. Orange says this won’t color the gain in the process.

It’s generously kitted out round the back, with an effects loop and a balanced line out with ground lift for live use and home recording. It also offers the option to pair it with their preferred Impulse Responses. And for the cab enthusiasts, there are 8- and 16-ohm speaker outputs.

The Baby Terror features a single-ended, class A, JFET front end and comes with a quality padded custom-designed protective bag.

“It’s a pretty versatile little thing,” says Orange’s chief amp wizard, Ade Emsley. “It’s way more versatile than the previous offerings in this format.

“It’s essentially channel A from the Dual Baby, he adds, with two footswitchable Volume controls and four stages of cascading, single-ended JFET gain, so it sounds very tube-like.”

Orange’s Baby amps have proven to have a bigger bite than their diminutive forms suggest, making them a surprise hit, and so Orange revitalizing the recipe is nothing but a good thing.

It comes off the back of Ed Sheeran’s well-received signature acoustic amps, and the OR60 head, its purest-sounding head yet.

The Orange Baby Terror is available now for $249/£199/€229.

See Orange Amps for more.

It’s impossible to hear the line “Do you have the time to listen to me whine?” without immediately conjuring the sound of Billie Joe Armstrong’s palm-muted modded Marshall tone. Over the last 30 years, Green Day’s 1994 major label debut, Dookie, has become not just a cultural touchstone, but a tonal one.

The ultimate distillation of producer Rob Cavallo’s rock sound perfectly partnered with the Green Day guitarist’s chunky power chords, producing one of the most familiar and beloved tones in modern history.

It’s not surprising then that Armstrong and Marshall have teamed up to bottle that sound on a custom handwired signature head – the 1959BJA Billie Joe Armstrong Artist Signature, lovingly finished in a colorway inspired by the guitarist’s iconic Fernandes Strat, Blue.

What is surprising is that it’s taken this long. After decades of stagnation, and with new investment courtesy of its flourishing home audio wing, Marshall is beginning to look like a brand reborn. Steph Carter, director of Culture Marketing, and Jon Magill, Director of R&D, Amplifiers, tell us how the firm’s first signature amp in well over a decade came to be.

This is Marshall’s first signature amp in 14 years. Why now?

Carter: It started when we had Billie in one of our campaigns for the Monitor headphones. Most of the comments in those posts were, “This is great. Where's the Dookie amp?” So we ran with that.

We thought, “What better way to re-kick off signature products for the company?” It’s an amp that's talked about in so many different ways, with a band who have transcended from being a punk rock band to being a household name.

Given the long gap since the last Marshall signature amp, was there an element of having to rebuild the infrastructure before this could happen?

Magill: Yeah, a lot of the people who would have been involved in these signature things had moved on to other places since that time. It all had to be worked out fresh.

We had to work out, “How was it done in the past?” and “How are we going to put all of this in place to make this work so that we can make a really great product, satisfy all of these customers and do it in a kind of time- and energy-efficient manner?” So a bit of a challenge!

What was the starting point for the design then? Were you using an existing platform, a Plexi build, as a base?

Magill: Starting with the schematics and photos, which were sent over from Billie's team, it was about making sure that we got all of the bits that were important – certain capacitors and things.

We knew that one of Billie’s amps is based on not the handwire we do now, but the old SLP reissue, which was built on the ST1 PCB board. We didn't know how much that was a factor in the sound. So we built up an amp that way, and we compared those.

Then there was a third variant involving some changed modifications; we built all of that and it was, “Now we've got to ship those over and see what Billie thinks.”

If someone opened up the original and compared it side by side, would it look the same inside?

Magill: No – that wasn't quite the intention. Certainly, one of Billie’s amps is based on that ST1 board. But in terms of what he thought of the sound, there was a preference for the handwired over the old PCB, which is fortunate because it's closer to what we’re producing now.

We could have gone down either route, but there was a strong preference for handwired, so maybe it looks slightly nicer on the inside than Billie's amp! But what we’ve ended up with is something with high-quality craftsmanship – UK-built, handwired, all that stuff – but which sonically reflects the character of that original amp.

How many iterations did you go through?

Magill: I think there was a rough prototype, then these three different versions, and then when we narrowed it down to one version, we had to go through the process of getting that production-ready. We were pretty quick. I think we managed to do it all within about three or four months, which is good.

Carter: It was quite easy. They were really on board from the beginning. They loved the idea of it. No one’s ever done an official version of this with their seal of approval.

We got to the final three for them to make the decision, “Do we go down a handwired route? Do we go down one that's based off like a 2203 board?” So we sent them all three. They plugged into the handwired one first, and they were like, “That’s the sound,” straight away.

They tried the other two; went straight back to the handwired one and A/B-ed against his rig and it was like, “We want this in the rig. It sounds better.”

It felt good for us that not only have we been able to make this work and deliver it quickly, but the feedback coming from their team was that this possibly edged out his number one. That was a really good starting point.

What can you say about the mods and what they do compared to the traditional circuit?

Magill: The starting point was the 1959, which is the non-Master Volume, classic, very loud but maybe slightly uncontrollable Marshall sound. The mod converts it into a Master Volume model – something people did since the ’70s, converting them.

It’s kind of where the 2203 and then the Master Volume models come in – converting so that you have one gain and one master volume, rather than the two channels, which you can blend.

So it does that, but it also adds more gain and changes the filtering in the unit so you end up with something which sounds generally bigger and more exciting – more lively to play – than your standard Marshall Master Volumes.

I hadn't realized how much fun it was going to be to play until I plugged into one. It does its own thing. It’s incredibly versatile. It might be very much Billie’s sound, but it’s surprised so many people when they’ve plugged into it.

What sort of feedback have you had from Billie?

Carter: We took the amp over in January to shoot a video with him, and it was really interesting. He brought an array of guitars with him. He brought one of his Les Paul Juniors with him. I think it was a ’56 Custom, and he bought his Blue Strat.

His guitar tech, Hans Buscher, was doing a bit of a setup and playing through everything, then he turned around to everyone and was like, “Sounds good. Does anyone want a go on his guitar and amps?” I was like, “I'll have a go!” The first thing I did was play a Green Day riff and I was like, “It sounds like Green Day!”

Then Billie comes in a little later, plugs in, puts the guitar on, and plays When I Come Around. And he’s like, “That's the sound.” He just absolutely loved being with it, and it did exactly what we set out for it to do. This is the sound of that amp. Especially his hands with that blue guitar. It’s unbelievable.

It’s been great to see Marshall coming back into its own in recent years. This is another landmark moment. How has it felt working on this?

Carter: It’s been amazing. Internally, we know the power of the brand and we know what we can achieve. It's been great to take what we know we can do and bring it to fruition. We've made some amazing jumps in the last two or three years since the creation of the Marshall Group, and we haven’t even gotten started yet.

Magill: It's great to be involved in these things which are related to iconic moments in music history – to be making something that’s going to excite the guitarist community, and allow people to have their own contact with those musical things which are so special to them. Modifying amps is also great fun! As Steph says, we want to see how much more we can do.

So what’s next for the Marshall signature series? There’s clearly more to come…

Carter: I think that's about as much as I can give you.

Magill: I think Steph's got a to-do list for me!

Carter: Me and Jon have got a lot of good conversations coming in the future. There’s so much love for the brand – there always will be – and the more we’re coming into this space and showing up for the musicians, the more musicians are saying, “Hey, I've got this thing,” or, “What about this amp in my collection?”

There’s lots of exciting things in front of us. I just need to give Jon a couple of heart attacks first on how big the list is and see what we can come up with. Then we can share with the world what kind of crazy, mad scientist stuff we're going to do.

This is obviously a handwired UK build and is priced at the higher end of the scale. Are there conversations around a more affordable option coming at some point?

Carter: Maybe… maybe not!

I’ll take that as “watch this space.” Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

Carter: Just going back to the things that Jon said about what this amp can do. When we did the video with Billy, we took it to Rob Cavallo. The history behind the amp is Billie used a modded Marshall in Rob’s studio that became the Dookie amp. Rob still has that amp.

We had the realization that while this is the Dookie amp, Rob has used that amp on pretty much every record he’s ever made. So this amp could also be the sound of My Chemical Romance, the sound of Paramore, the sound of the Goo Goo Dolls, the sound of Linkin Park. It's such a versatile amp in its own right.

• Find out more at Marshall.com.

Guitar World video demo

What is it?

Growing up watching MTV in the 2000s, the deluge of mega-hit singles from Green Day's American Idiot was inescapable.

The world was enthralled by the songwriting, attitude and visuals of the title cut, Holiday, Wake Me Up When September Ends and the epic Jesus of Suburbia – but don't forget the magnificent guitar sound too.

Of course, frontman Billie Joe Armstrong had years of form in that department already – the band's 1994 breakthrough album Dookie is also well-known for its tone; that sound has been replicated for several successful runs of MXR's Dookie Drive.

There's a common thread, and it's a pair of Marshall amplifiers - two Super Lead reissues which Armstrong acquired around the Dookie era and then had modified. These have formed the backbone of Armstrong's tight, percussive, snarling tone ever since; over Green Day's long, highly successful career, then, these two Marshalls have left a sizeable footprint on rock history.

Now, the British brand has chosen to commemorate Armstrong with a hand-wired signature amp, based on those long-serving Super Leads with their so-called ‘Dookie mods’.

Marshall's model code for the 100-watt Super Lead is 1959 (nothing to do with the year; a common misconception) - so this amp becomes the 1959BJA.

Specs

• Price: $3,999 | £3,099 | €3,699
• Type: Valve-powered amp head
• Origin: UK
• Output: 100 watts RMS
• Speaker: None
• Channels: 1
• Controls: Presence, Bass, Middle, Treble, Master, Gain
• Connectivity: Front panel 2x ¼” instrument inputs - Low and High gain. Rear panel 2x ¼” speaker outputs (selectable impedance, 16, 8 or 4 ohm)
• Footswitch: None
• Weight: 20.1 kg / 44.3 lbs
• Dimensions: W 741mm x H 294mm x D 210mm
• Contact: Marshall

Build quality

Build quality rating: ★★★★½

As expected, given its price and top-rung status, the head is put together with care and precision, in the factory that’s been turning out these big old amps for generations. It's a hand-wired, British-built Marshall; the componentry, assembly and finishing is all tried-and-tested.

The front panel has ‘Master’ and ‘Gain’ screen-printed in the style of a label-maker, a fun little touch that calls to mind modified amps of yesteryear. In the top corner, there's a commemorative plate in Marshall's trademark brass, bearing the model name, the ‘Dookie’ logo, and Armstrong's signature. It's a nice addition that stamps some artist personality onto the amp, without being overbearing.

Like other Super Lead models, though, the head shell's corners are unprotected. That's an oversight in terms of durability - it might not be such a worry on a normal, more functional-looking black Marshall, but do you want that tasty blue Tolex getting scuffed and torn?

Usability and features

Usability and features rating: ★★★☆☆

The construction is gloriously traditional, then, but so is the form factor - and that's not without its old-fashioned flaws. There's one central handle on top, and the amp’s substantial weight is unevenly-biased; it's tilting uncomfortably against you all the time you're carrying it. Practical it ain't - but once it's sitting on a cab, the BJA looks cool enough to forgive it for the backache… almost.

The front panel, meanwhile, offers some clues to the amp's character before you even switch on. For a kick-off, we've two inputs, not the Super Lead's usual four - just Low and High, for different gain stages. Importantly, there are also controls for Gain and Master Volume. These functions point not towards the Super Lead, but the later JCM 800 model. Interesting.

As for the rear panel - well, there are the speaker outputs, impedance and mains voltage selectors, as well as a nice silk-screen of Armstrong's signature, but not much else in the way of features. In particular, the lack of an effects loop seems a notable oversight; anyone using effects will have to do so through the amp input, which severely restricts functionality for delay or reverb pedals in particular.

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★★★

I tested the BJA through an industry-standard Marshall 1960A cab, with my humbucker-equipped Les Paul (the ideal pairing for most Marshalls) and my prized 1962 SG/Les Paul Junior. Armstrong has been relying on Juniors for many years, so this is surely the most appropriate guitar to start with.

The Low input first, with Gain and EQ controls around 12 o'clock. It's a bright, punchy and ringing clean tone; classic Marshall. Winding the Gain up, I ducked the Bass down to keep the low-end tight. The BJA began exhibiting those classic ‘Plexi’ overdrive characteristics we've heard on countless recordings.

The Master volume allows this to happen at *slightly* more sensible levels but, make no mistake, this amp is ridiculously, devastatingly, extravagantly loud. From my rehearsal room, I caused numerous earthquakes throughout Bedfordshire with the knob at a mere 10 o'clock. I once measured a dimed Marshall DSL100 at 124dB, and I've no doubt the BJA would top that. Earplugs are non-negotiable.

That's to say nothing of the High input. With the Gain only around 10 o'clock and the Master towards noon, there's already a hell of a lot of gain, the P-90 in my Junior tipping into feedback without any encouragement - but those ‘Dookie’ mods pay dividends, as this is the sound in every Green Day fan's head. Fat, and full of midrange punch, but with superb definition in the high-end.

At the upper reaches of the Gain knob, it's far beyond Green Day - well into classic metal territory with a Les Paul, for example. As the controls suggest, the BJA does operate much like a JCM 800, and has easily as much gain available, but the voicing is still Super Lead through and through. In a word? Magnificent.

Verdict

Artist signature Marshall amps don't come along all that often and, however good they are, they tend to be hard to get hold of - often amounting to little more than catnip for collectors, buying them to speculate while the general public gets barely a sniff. That may well prove to be the case here too - but does this amp deserve better?

Yes, it's far too loud for almost any situation short of Green Day’s stadium tours. Yes, it’s highly impractical and inflexible, lacking any modern conveniences whatsoever; forget power scaling or reactive load, it doesn't even have an effects loop. The most modern feature is the master volume.

If it were a series production amp, this would certainly be a limiting factor in its appeal, but the market for this hand-wired status symbol likely won’t care. And if you do happen to get into a room with one, and a decent guitar, you tend to forget about all that as it pulverises your brain and eardrums – into Brain Stew, if you will.

This review might be academic for many, who wouldn’t have any use for such an amp even if it were attainable. Imagine if it were a readily-available 20-watt Studio model with the same voicing, though. We can but dream.

Guitar World verdict: The Marshall 1959BJA is the first artist-signature Marshall amp in over a decade, and it might remain out of the grasp of many - but the modified Super Lead tone, in a format that apes the master-volume JCM 800, is truly a magnificent playing experience. Try it, if you can.

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Hands-on videos

Guitar World

Sweetwater

Marshall

• Best tube amps: unlock incredible tone with our pick of the greatest tube amps you can buy right now

Marshall has partnered with Billie Joe Armstrong for the 1959BJA – a baby-blue signature head that pays tribute to the Green Day leader’s first guitar.

The amp received a soft launch at the 2026 Super Bowl five months ago, when the punk icons performed at the opening ceremony on February 8.

Eagle-eyed viewers were drawn to what Armstrong had plugged his Gibson Les Paul Junior into. A signature amp was speculated. Now it’s been confirmed.

The 1959BJA, “Marshall’s first signature amp in 14 years”, is inspired by one of punk rock’s most recognizable guitar tones, serving up a 100-watt head that features three ECC83 pre-amp valves and EL34 power amps.

Specifically, the amp draws from Armstrong’s 1959HW head, which boasts a custom “Dookie Mod” in a bid to recreate the sound of the record of the same name. The 1994 album introduced hits like Welcome to Paradise and Basket Case, and proved a breakthrough moment for the now-stadium-filling power trio.

The amp features a three-band EQ, Presence, Master Volume, and Gain, while there are High- and Low-gain inputs and two speaker outs for 16Ω, 8Ω and 4Ω impedences.

As for the color, which strays from Marshall’s usual black-and-gold chic, it's a nod to Armstrong’s first-ever electric guitar, a Fernandes S-type nicknamed “Blue”. Vitally, the amp ramps up the gain, and injects extra body and more low-end punch to its character.

“I’m so overjoyed to have my own signature Marshall amp,” Armstrong delights. “These amps have been a part of my musical life, from my heroes down to little old me. Turn it the f**k up!”

“From the moment you hear those opening chords on Dookie, you know exactly who it is,” adds Steph Carter, Culture Marketing Director at Marshall. “Working with Billie to create an amp that captures that punch, aggression, and clarity was an incredible project for our team.”

The Marshall 1959BJA Billie Joe Armstrong Artist Signature is priced at $3,999.99 / £3,099.99 / €3,699.

The amp is also tied to Marshall’s new Amplify loyalty program, which commits 1% of member purchases to support grassroots music, starting with independent music venues.

See Marshall for more.

What is it?

Orange has long been known for its iconic brand of sonic savagery, and its punchy low-end served up with crispy treble has helped define the music of a great many artists.

While the primary drive of the valve-amplifier industry is towards refined vintage tone, Orange filled the niche for a more aggressive sound. Styles such as punk, doom-rock and indie-rock embrace the more cutting frequency range and punchy response these characterfully coloured cabinets exude.

However, with this new amp Orange offers its take on a more refined all-valve design, aiming to please a wider range of tastes while sticking with brand-building features such as pedal-friendliness and huge overdrive ability.

The all-valve refinements carry through to the ECC82-buffered effects loop to provide enhanced clarity and coherence when using modulation-based effect processors, always best placed in the effects loop.

We have two wattage options incorporated into the standby switch, selecting between the full 60-watts output or 30 watts to better match smaller environments.

Improved top-end tailoring comes in the form of a redesigned presence circuit that works more effectively across the amp’s entire volume range, and a three-position Bright switch allowing for neutral, narrow-band (think ‘sparkle’) and wide-band (including some upper mids) options.

Orange has also included a bass Resonance control – a feature becoming de rigueur for modern high-gain amps. This, along with the Presence control, functions within the negative feedback circuit to tighten or extend the range at both ends of the frequency spectrum. And, yes, we’re looking at you, detuned metal players!

A second footswitchable volume control (not master volume as, strictly speaking, this is not a master volume-equipped amp) allows solo boosting for stage use, an indication of the type of environment Orange foresees this amp being used in.

Built in England using the same familiar chunky cabinets that have become a visual trademark, the brand continues its reputation for hardy, giggable construction quality.

An assembly inspection shows care was taken to withstand the rigorous routines of the road. A heavy-duty PCB board lies at the heart of this cathode-following, self-biasing design using two 6L6 valves to produce 60 watts.

The amp can be biased to accept other common output valves such as the EL34, though the real-world wattage that will be achievable would be governed by the valves’ output rating. Worthy of mention is that the smaller OR30 30-watt version turns into Class A operation with the wattage switch at half power, imparting a highly musical touch-sensitivity.

Specs

• Price: $2,499 | £2,099 | €2,399
• ORIGIN: UK
• TYPE: All-valve, single-channel head with switchable output and valve-buffered FX loop
• VALVES: 3x ECC83, 1x ECC82, 2x 6L6 (EL34 possible with re-biasing)
• OUTPUT: 60W, switchable to 30W
• DIMENSIONS: 550 (w) x 245 (d) x 270mm (h) 
• WEIGHT (kg/lb): 19.3/42
• CABINET: Baltic birch
• CHANNELS: 1 with an additional switchable volume
• CONTROLS: Resonance, Presence, FS Volume, Volume, Treble, Middle, Bass, Gain, Bright Switch
• FOOTSWITCH: Not included
• ADDITIONAL FEATURES: Valve‑buffered FX loop, footswitchable volume
• OPTIONS: No
• RANGE OPTIONS: OR30 (£1,799)
• CONTACT: Orange Amps

Build quality, usability and sounds

Plugging in our Les Paul, we spent a few bemused moments checking out the pictures that label the controls. We’re undecided if the quirky fun is worth the brain resources needed to convert these cryptograms back to knob names, but it’s something die-hard Orange aficionados might enjoy.

First, we were astonished by the range of gain available from the first control as the second and third gain stages are being controlled by this one knob. From spanky cleans to all-out Armageddon, whatever your particular gain needs are this amp has you covered.

If you are, however, the kind of player who simply has to put a boost before anything, the OR60 is more than ready to play ball. The Orange reputation for pedal-friendliness is fully in evidence. However, there isn’t a great necessity to add extra gain for most sounds.

That solid, almost compressed sound for which Orange amps are famed is still very much in evidence and, as expected, our Stratocaster’s single-coil pickups came punching through with impressive authority. A rich and full sustain renders lead licks with plenty of fluidity of the bravado-inspiring kind.

We found the Bright switch well tuned to best present a variety of guitars. The sparkle setting introduced the chimey top-end that flatters cleaner sounds wonderfully.

The neutral position is recommended to get the most flexibility from tone-shaping pedals and the full-bright position introduces a wider band of top-boost starting lower down the frequency spectrum where upper-mids reside.

This setting brings back some of the traditional treble aggression that metal and punk players will expect from Orange but with an altogether more refined air. The sandpapery grittiness, long described as an Orange hallmark, is less apparent and a smoother, more fluid voice takes its place.

As the gain level gets irresistibly nudged further clockwise, the Resonance and Presence controls help sculpt the response and we found it a doddle to dial up mosh-pit-approved tight low-end. With the Bright switch and the Presence control it was possible to get an appropriate, aggressive top-end from any of our guitars.

We found the frequency response of the mid-control well tuned to either get that US scoop or, at the other extent, the British mid-forward classic rock sound. Indeed, the range of sounds achievable from the OR60 is huge, not due to channels and switches but simply from the power of the gain and EQ controls.

Verdict

Verdict: ★★★★½

Like a fist in a velvet glove (granted, that’s quite a barbaric metaphor) the OR60 – and its smaller sibling, the OR30 – brings a newly refined clarity to the brand’s sonic palette.

Worth noting is that this is a weighty beast to lug around, and with the price coming to around £2k this amp will very much be a deliberate choice for purchasers. The same range of musical styles can be played through the OR60, of course, as with previous models due to the abundance of gain and the touch-sensitive response.

However, now they’ll be imparted with a smoother, posher high-end and improved touch-sensitivity. To reappropriate the words of another cultural classic, the OR60 is an ‘elegant weapon for a more civilised age’.

Guitar World verdict: If the abundant punch and gain of the Orange sound appeals but the trademark top-end sizzle doesn’t, the OR60 could be the solution for you.

Hands-on videos

Orange Amps

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The Guitar Geek

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What is it?

It’s the stuff of fantasy for tone-chasing guitarists – a tube amp that lets you remove the preamp and slot another one straight in. A single amp chassis that can be transformed from a Fender into a Peavey 6505, a Dumble clone, an Engl… it’d be quite something.

This is the idea behind Synergy Amps, part of the larger Boutique Amps Distribution roster operating out of California. Synergy’s bread and butter is its modular preamp system, with roots in designs by Bruce Egnater in the 1990s; that technology was also licensed by Randall for its MTS amplifier range in the 2000s. Both the Egnater and Randall systems still retain a following for their innovation and tonal quality.

As well as the company’s own preamp modules (mainly based on classic US circuits), there have been officially-licensed collaborations with several amp makers, often from the BAD group of brands. We’ve seen Fryette, Bogner and Soldano modules, to name just a few.

The most recent chapter, though, brings a classic British brand into the picture. So far, several Synergy preamp modules have been based on Marshall topology - the Friedman Brown Eye and Dirty Shirley, the Metropoulos Metro-Plex, and the Fortin Killer Kali. Today’s headline is that Marshall itself has now co-developed a pair of preamp modules with Synergy; and I'm putting both to the test here.

We need something to run them, though; the modules are neatly-packaged devices about the size of a large effects pedal, and contain all the essential components of a valve preamp, including a pair of 12AX7s, shrink-wrapped into a compact, uniform design. It’s truly innovative, and very accomplished. But the module itself has no form of power, so it’s not much use on its own.

Luckily, there’s another recent arrival in Synergy’s range for just this purpose. Last year, the SYN-20IR amp head broke cover - the smallest that the company has made yet. It’s also the most advanced, by quite a distance.

Specs

• Price: $1,099 | £999 | €1190
• Type: Tube amp head with modular preamp design
• Origin: China
• Output: 20 watts
• Channels: 3 (1x built-in clean, 2x channels on each available module)
• Controls: Clean Volume, clean Tone, power amp Reactance, Master, power amp Structure push-button, Channel Store button, IR select/bypass button. Rear panel - Headphone level, Ground/Lift button. Preamp Module Controls for JMP Module (per channel) 60s/70s mini-switch, Vol 2, Bright switch, Vol 1, Bright switch, Bass, Middle, Treble, Master volume. JCM 800 Module controls (per channel) High/Low gain mini switch, Preamp gain, Bright switch, Bass, Middle, Treble, master Volume, Presence
• Connectivity: ¼” instrument in, IEC power in, USB out, MIDI in, XLR direct out, ¼” headphone out, Effects Return, Effects Send, speaker outputs (1x 16ohm, 2x 8ohm, 2x 4ohm).
• Footswitch: 3-button MIDI footswitch included
• Weight: 16.4lb/7.4kg 
• Dimensions: 356 x 216 x 191 mm
• Options: Marshall JMP Preamp module (as reviewed) is priced $399 | £399 | €429; Marshall JCM 800 Preamp module (as reviewed) priced $449 | £449 | €459, see Synergy for full list of brands
• Contact: Synergy Amps

Build quality

Build quality rating: ★★★★☆

Its steel shell is sized like a typical ‘lunchbox’ amp head. It runs like one too, with dual EL84 power valves. The similarities end there. Instead of a front panel, there’s a gaping hole into which your choice of preamp module can be inserted.

The modules are quite intricate, with some exposed components at the rear, but most of the guts are housed in a sturdy metal enclosure.

These Marshall models’ faceplates are finished in the British brand’s trademark gold rather than the black of most others in Synergy’s range; a nice touch.

The head is smartly built and finished; little to criticize in terms of quality, certainly not in terms of spec – it’s stuffed with features.

Usability and features

Usability and features rating: ★★★★★

There are controls to either side of the module slot, dealing with the power amp response, overall master level, plus Volume and Tone for the in-built clean channel.

The rear panel plays host to a balanced XLR out, a headphone jack, an effects loop, and comprehensive speaker output options. There’s a MIDI socket into which the supplied three-button footswitch can be plugged. USB, too, for loading IRs and other deep-editing work.

Slotted in, the module is secured by two thumb-screws – despite having its own cleans, the head won’t work without one installed.

From there, all the module’s controls can be dialed in just like any other amp. Unlike the Marshall circuits they’re based on, each of these modules boasts two entirely independent channels.

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★★½

You could run directly to an interface, or a powered cab, but I plugged into my 2x12 Marshall 1936 cab, with a Celestion Vintage 30 and Creamback. I primarily used my Tele and my Les Paul for testing.

Before delving into the modules, let’s try that so-called ‘American-style’ clean channel. The description conjures up images of Fender Twin Reverbs; it’s not quite that. It’s perfectly serviceable, and far better to have it there than not, but with a single Tone control it’s not the richest or sparkliest of clean sounds. Add modulation or time-based effects for better results.

One thing’s for sure though - the SYN-20IR is plenty loud enough. Even with the master volume barely above zero, it’s punchy - I reckon even 11 o’clock on the dial would be more than sufficient for many shows. That’s certainly in keeping with the Marshall ethos, so it seems time to try out the first module.

The JMP first – based on the classic ‘Plexi’ sounds of yore, each channel offering dual volumes to mimic the Bright and Normal inputs of the old non-master-volume amps. Each volume has a three-position Bright switch. Each channel, a ‘60s/70s’ mini-switch for overall response and gain structure.

I set one channel for a lower-gain break-up/’crunch’ sound and am immediately, dead impressed – the strident, hard-edged snarl of an overdriven Plexi is right there.

There’s higher-gain potential and, of course, a master volume, but the tone is unmistakable. The controls for power amp response and reactance on the head are great for fine-tuning too.

As I set the other channel to a much hotter, modded Plexi tone, it provides all the fabulous, harmonically-rich saturation one would expect – ideal for your best Van Halen or Malmsteen impersonations. The other party piece, true to Marshall form, is the touch-sensitivity; a very natural response to picking dynamics, and fabulous with the guitar’s volume backed off too.

From there, I jump to the JCM 800 module. The same faceplate, with different controls – this time, each channel gets a High/Low input gain switch, emulating the dual inputs of the original amp.

From there, the Preamp gain pot and the Bright switches combine for a similarly broad range of gain structure – again, I dial in a lower-gain sound and am wowed by the glassy, defined crunch that pairs so brilliantly with a Telecaster. That same touch-sensitive quality is, if anything, even more pronounced and impressive here.

Moving to a high-gain sound, with Preamp drive around 1 o’clock and the EQ mostly flat with a slight Mid push, the Synergy emits a brutal roar. It’s tight, it’s percussive but it also possesses the same barely-controlled, feral edge as a real JCM 800 - it’s no mere facsimile, it truly sounds and responds like the original.

Verdict

The Synergy amp system is really impressive, and a fantastic solution for guitarists wanting multiple different amps without taking up too much space, or spending too much.

It’s still not the cheapest approach, but it’s certainly a lot more practical and financially viable than a collection of full-size original models. With its direct output and IRs, it’s great for recording too.

As for the Marshall modules – the two-channel design offers way more flexibility than the original amps. There’s masses of potential for tweaking, and the archetypal Marshall tone and response are present and correct – with higher gain on tap for those who want it, too.

All in all, a fantastic package for those seeking versatile Marshall tones, while keeping options open for transforming their amp into a Dr. Z, or a Diezel, the next day…

Guitar World verdict: The SYN-20IR feels like a next-generation Synergy head, truly unlocking the potential of the technology. And they’ve played a blinder with the new Marshall modules; the sound and fury of the classic amps, but in a format that’s incredibly easy to get the best from.

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Hands-on videos

Synergy x Marshall

Sweetwater

Leon Todd

• Best guitar amps 2026: tube, solid-state, and modeling amplifiers for all levels and budgets

What is it?

Every now and then, a piece of technology comes along that changes the landscape of how we do things. It’s no exaggeration to say that, in the digital guitar amplifier world, the Kemper Profiler MK1 is one such technology. Its revolutionary approach to digital guitar amplification gained the company a legion of followers in both the professional and serious hobbyist realms.

So, it’s to more than a little excitement that Kemper releases the most recent iteration of the Profiler Head - the Kemper Profiler Head MK2.

Rather than modeling the components of an amp, the Kemper Profiler 'profiles' the amplifier by playing a selection of other-worldly sounds through the amp that are picked up via a microphone and then processed by the Profiler. The result is a profile of the amp in its current state. Combined with a suite of high-end effects, it provides all the tones one may need for a gig.

The downside of this approach is that it is not as flexible as digital amp modeling. With profiling being a snapshot of the amp in its current settings and modeling digitally recreating the components of an amp (it's also worth noting here that both methods are recreating a mic'd up guitar sound), it means that the amp's controls and how they affect the sound when changed are not reflected in the profile as they would be in a model. Instead, we have a more subtle, generic EQ and gain controls that can be applied after the fact.

However, Kemper changed this in 2023 with the introduction of Liquid Profiling. This combined digital modeling and profiling to allow a digital model of a specific amp's gain structure and EQ stack to be applied to profiles.

For example, if you are profiling a Vox AC30, you would tell the Profiler where the controls are currently set and select the AC30 amp model from the list. The Profiler will then apply that modeled tone stack and gain structure to your profile, and voila, you have a modeling/profiling hybrid with flexibility that accurately reflects how the amp would act as you change the controls. Assuming the amp you are profiling has been modeled, of course.

Fast forward a bit, and the Kemper Profiler MK2 is released. Which, to quote Kemper, provides “more power, more flexibility, more of everything you love from the Profiler.”

What this translates to for the user is faster boot times (around 20 seconds), an extra seven effects slots (20 audio blocks in total), a lighter chassis, eight-channel USB audio (previously two-in/two-out), an increased maximum loop time from one minute to two minutes, and the ability to run and create the (new for 2026) Profile 2.0 profiles.

It is a much-needed update, as the digital amplification market is currently fierce. The years since the Kempers' launch have seen products such as the IK Multimedia Tonex Pedal, the Neural DSP Quad Cortex, and the Line 6 Helix Stadium all sport capture (the more generic term for profiling) technology that directly challenge the Kemper Profiler’s authority here. So, needless to say, with the Profiler Head MK 2 in for review, it is going to be interesting to see how it stacks up.

Specs

• Launch price: $1635|£1194|€1398
• Type: Amp profiler and multi-effects
• Origin: Germany
• Features: Run and create Kemper Profiles, Kemper Profile 2.0 technology, high-end multi-effects, free user-created profiles via Rig Exchange, tactile interface, Liquid profiling
• Connectivity: Two ¼” inputs, XLR and ¼” return input, left and right XLR and ¼” main outputs, USB Type A and USB type B, Cat 5 network port, two expression pedal/switch ¼” jacks, MIDI in, out, and through, SPDIF in and out, ¼”, monitor output
• Footswitch: Bought separately
• Weight: 5.32 kg/11.73 lbs
• Dimensions: 14.7”x6.3”x8.1”/374x162x207mm
• Contact: Kemper

Build quality

Build quality rating: ★★★★½

The most immediate thing that catches the eye about the Kemper Profiler is how it looks. Its front panel is an assortment of 52 buttons and knobs of various shapes and sizes, with a healthy dose of different colored lights, all contained in its not-quite-rectangular chassis. To some, it’s a retro impression of future chic, to others it’s a space-age toaster.

It certainly stands out, and while it is divisive, I fall into the former camp as I can’t help but enjoy its rather brave aesthetic. With the exception of the large section of unpainted metal at the back, which makes the reverse feel a little less than premium.

The same can be said of the LCD screen, which, although functional, doesn’t feel as modern as the color alternatives of other pieces of digital gear from the likes of Neural, Line 6, or Fractal. As I said, the competition is fierce.

In terms of longevity, I have no worries there. While the buttons have a bit of a plasticy feel, they and all the rotary knobs have a resistance that gives me confidence that they will last.

Combine that with a hard-wearing aluminum chassis that looks well built with no visible defects, and it’s a bit of gear that will survive all but the most unreasonable of abuse.

Usability and features

Usability and features rating: ★★★★☆

As we have come to expect from high-end digital gear, the I/O is extensive. Featuring two ¼” inputs, an XLR and ¼” return input (primarily intended for profiling), left and right XLR and ¼” main outputs, USB Type A and USB type B, Cat 5 network port, two expression pedal/switch ¼” jacks, MIDI in, out, and through, SPDIF in and out, and a ¼” monitor output.

So, as far as the guitar goes, all bases are covered. We are seeing digital gear begin to push into doing more, with the likes of the Helix Stadium being capable of running backing tracks and stage lights.

However, personally, I prefer Kemper's approach, as I'd rather see features remain focused on processing the guitar sound. We already have equally good, sometimes better, options for dealing with these other aspects of being a musician elsewhere.

On the front panel, while the sheer number of controls could be a little intimidating at first glance, after a bit of time with the unit, it’s not as complex as it initially appears.

For example, the buttons across the top represent the blocks in your signal chain. Press to turn the block on or off, and hold to edit it. When editing blocks, amps, or anything else you need to change, the relevant parameters are neatly displayed along the bottom of the LCD screen and are aligned with the four rotary knobs beneath it. These are then used for making adjustments, while the Page left/right buttons navigate to a new set of four parameters if needed.

From multiple routing options to in-depth parameter editing and features, the Profiler is inevitably quite menu-heavy. However, the way access to menus and functions is spread across a number of controls splits things down into digestible chunks.

For example, buttons like System (system settings), Rig (Rig settings), and Browse (for browsing through Rigs) make those three separate menus just a single press away. Also, separate controls for Exit, Store, Copy, and Paste provide quick access to those functions, and the four soft-touch buttons across the top of the screen align with different filters and check boxes, again making browsing through those menus much easier.

The result is that, once you get used to where everything is, getting around the hardware isn’t too taxing on the brain. This is something I’m appreciative of, as I don't really fancy a deep dive into the 417-page manual.

Similarly, the large chicken-head knob on the left of the unit separates the three main functions. Browser for searching through and editing presets, Performance for playing live, and Profiler for creating profiles.

Browse mode allows for browsing through more Rigs than you will ever need, with the hardware's total capacity being up to the four-figure range.

Switching to Perform mode allows me to set five Rigs per performance slot, with 125 slots in total. Handy for setting up quick access to a bank of sounds for a gig, or parts of a song for live use. However, you are going to want to purchase the separate Kemper Remote foot controller for switching Rigs during a live performance.

So far, so easy, but there are a few quirks that get in the way. The new Fixed Effects, of which there are two blocks, the first consisting of six effects set before the amp section and the second containing two effects post-amp, are not accessible from the signal chain section on the hardware like the rest of the effects, but instead are accessed from the Rig menu, which is a little confusing.

The blocks pre the amp section are all mono and labeled A, B, C, and D. The post amp effects blocks are stereo and labeled X, Mod, DLY, and Rev (this is all outside of the new fixed effects). The Mod DLY and Rev blocks have two quick access knobs each for adjusting vital parameters - for example, Time and Mix for the reverb.

That’s pretty handy and well thought out; however, we can assign any effect to any of these blocks, meaning, for example, the Rev block may not be reverb, in which case the Time and Mix controls are then no longer Time and Mix. I can’t help but feel that with this level of functionality, a bigger screen and fewer buttons may be the easier way for most users to interact with the unit.

The biggest issue is that there is a bit of a delay between turning a rotary knob and the associated parameter change. There is a lot to browse through here, so having this dead zone in the control makes things feel quite clunky.

As a result, most are going to want to do the bulk of their setting up via the Rig Manager app and reserve front panel tweaking for rehearsals and gigs.

The app is fairly simple, consisting of your libraries to the left, browser in the middle, search function to the right, and then your signal path and Rig editor at the bottom. The libraries include the Rig Exchange, which is where you can seamlessly download user-created Rigs and profiles that have been uploaded there by users for free.

Downloading profiles from online stores outside of the Rig Exchange is a matter of dragging and dropping the profile from your operating system's file manager into the app. The ease with which these are added is important, as the Kemper Profiler lives and dies on the quality of created profiles, so users are likely to be frequently experimenting to get the best out of the unit.

Rigs and Performances can also be edited from the mobile version of the app; however, you will need to establish a connection by hooking up the Profiler to the same router as your device via an Ethernet cable. A method that feels a little old school at this point. On that, though, it's worth noting that the more portable Kemper Stage and Profiler Player have built-in WiFi capability.

Getting stuck into editing Rigs within the app, there are a ton of options here. For example, the Output block contains multiple parameters across its many outputs for things like pads, turning the cabinet emulation on and off, EQ settings, USB re-amping, output level control, and much more. But it is all nicely displayed and easy to decipher.

On both the Rig Manager app and the hardware itself, the interface for adding effects and profiles to the blocks in the signal chain is not as visual as something like the Line 6 Helix or Quad Cortex, and instead opts for text-heavy menus. This makes the Rig Manager feel a little dated, and perhaps for some, a bit overwhelming at first glance. But, again, once time is spent here, the menus are well laid out and relatively simple to navigate through.

What all this adds up to is a unit that will take a bit of time to get used to, but one that is easier to use than initial impressions may suggest.

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★★½

The first thing to make clear about the sounds of the Kemper Profiler is that we are completely beholden to the creator of the profile being used. A good amp, set nicely, mic’d well, and profiled correctly, will result in a great sound. If the person doing the profiling falls short on any one of these steps, there's not much that can be done to rescue it.

Thankfully, the Kemper Profiler MK2 comes preloaded with over 300 Rigs, with plenty more available through curated and free packs that are easily accessible from the Rig Manager.

For the most part, they are very gig-able. Particularly, the Michael Britt profiles, with the Mars Silvie Jubi 2 6 being an immediate favorite. Testing with my Fender Stratocaster through a Tonex Cab FRFR speaker, it’s a huge, mid-forward, Marshall sound, perfect for those heavy rock tones of the eighties.

I find that in the Rigs I am enjoying less, it’s usually because of a low mid build-up that muddies things up a bit. The LL Big Rock Rig is a good example of this, as another high-gain, classic rock rig that is fun at home, but just a bit too woofy to gig with.

However, all of the pre-loaded Rigs are of the Classic Profiling technology, rather than the new Profiling 2.0 way of doing things. Kemper claims this is a more accurate process, analyzing over 1,00,000 individual frequency points with other highlights including Cabinet Resonance detection and control, Smart D.I profiling to automatically detect when the user is profiling an amp without a cabinet, and automatic matching of the Gain and Definition controls.

Testing this, I’m doing three things - creating a profile of a Fender 30th Anniversary Hot Rod Deluxe using both the Classic and Profile 2.0 processes for direct comparison, downloading two free Fender ‘65 Deluxe Reverb profiles from Tone Junkie, again one being a Classic Profile and the other being a Profile 2.0, and getting stuck into a 2.0 Rig back from Thomas Dill.

With some direct comparison available in the first two cases, the 2.0 was just a little clearer in the low mids and, as a result, feels more open. Additionally, the 2.0 is slightly more reactive under the fingers, increasing its amp-like nature. These differences are subtle, probably difficult to detect outside of an A/B test, but they are certainly there.

When it comes to accuracy, the Profile 2.0 is closest, if a little brighter than the recorded version of the Hot Rod Deluxe. A little tweak of the Definition control gets things indistinguishable outside of a direct comparison.

It’s worth mentioning that the Tone Junkie Deluxe Reverb profile is excellent. It’s a lively, clean sound that, by utilizing the Liquid Profiling, can be pushed with the Gain control into some classic Fender crunch. Liquid Profiling, as promised, allows for plenty of tweaking within the EQ, just like using an actual amp and removing the restrictions usually associated with amp captures.

There are a lot of fun sounds in the Thomas Dill pack too, especially when it comes to the heavier Peav V Sixty-Five Five and Mars SLP, although I find the high end to be a little brash on some of the cleaner models.

It’s not all about the profiling, however, as we have a healthy selection of effects here too. A quick bit of housekeeping before we get stuck in, though. Kemper separates effects by category (Drive, Modulation, Delay), then Effect Type, which is the individual models (e.g, Screamer, Rat, Memory Man), and then Preset, which is a suggested setting for the Effect Type.

Drives are always a good place to start, and as I load the Green Scream, what comes out is a great imitation of the Tube Screamer, with that compressed mid-forward hump we all know and love coming through well. Other highlights include the Mouse and Muffin, which has me spending way too much time enjoying Big Muff and Pro Co Rat flavored tones.

The Kemper Drive and Kemper Fuzz effect types are interesting, as they are Kemper-specific Effect Types that are built to imitate a host of pedals via a surprisingly small suite of powerful controls, or allow the user to come up with something unique.

It’s the latter that’s a bit more fun, as I don’t feel the presets do as good a job as the specific models. For example, the 808 presets in the Kemper drive lack the same compressed feel of a real Tube Screamer that is reflected in the Green Scream.

But the Definition and Slim Down controls of the Kemper Drive add extra tweak-ability to the low and high ends, and when coupled with a traditional tone control and a wide sweep of gain, make the Kemper Drive extensively shapeable.

Similarly, the Transistor Shape and Transistor Tone controls in the Kemper Fuzz can take it from all-out spitty, angular type of chainsaw fuzz, to a smooth Big Muff-like sound. In short, there is a lot of fun to be had here.

Getting into the more wobbly and space-creating stuff, the Vintage Chorus is an immediate favorite for some subtle widening of a tone thanks to the way it preserves the quality of the original signal while adding a little movement.

Other highlights are the Phaser, which lends itself well to EVH-style sweeps, as well as the simple Single Delay that’s great for some lightly modulated slap-back. Again, I am impressed by how the fidelity of the original signal is maintained, allowing plenty of high-end to come through and still cut in a mix.

Onto some reverbs and to what is perhaps my favorite effect in the Profiler - The Natural Reverb. It does what it says on the tin - adds a natural feeling reverb to your tone, genuinely feeling like a real verb from a guitar in a room, encapsulating the tone without getting in the way.

There are, of course, more outlandish options, such as the Ionosphere Reverb, which can take us into infinite ethereal halls, with no fewer than 19 parameters to adjust. The only reverb I’m not a fan of is the Spring reverb, as it just feels a little separate from the original signal, rather than part of it.

Verdict

Let’s get the negative stuff out of the way first. In the current market, the small LCD screen and its lack of color, along with the sheer number of buttons on the front panel, make the Kemper Profiler MK2 feel a little dated compared to the sleek, efficient interfaces of its competition, namely the Quad Cortex and Line 6 Helix Stadium, which both now sport capture technology. Additionally, the aesthetic, whilst I am a fan, is divisive, and hasn’t seen any real update since MK1.

However, after spending some time with the Profiler Head MK2, it quickly starts to feel familiar and easy to use.

Yes, there is a learning curve, but it's one that most will be able to navigate through. And if you don’t like screens and would rather tactile buttons and controls, the Profiler Head is perhaps the perfect option for you.

And spending that time is worth it, as looking past the dated interface will reveal some killer tones. Kemper’s Profile 2.0 technology is a bona fide improvement over the classic capture method, even if it is a subtle change, and the effects are of the high-end nature you would expect from a company like Kemper.

The flexibility of Liquid Profiling also opens up the Kemper to those who prefer the tweak-ability of modeling, although it is worth noting that you still need to start with a good profile as a foundation.

And that is the crux of what makes the Kemper Profiler MK2 a worthwhile consideration. The profiling is accurate with an amp-like feel. If you have the facility to create good profiles yourself, you can take your favorite amp on the road. If not, you can find a profile that someone else has expertly crafted, and ensure you have a great tone at every gig.

Guitar World verdict: The look may not be for everyone, and the small LCD screen makes the Kemper MK2 feel a little dated compared to the competition, but it delivers when it comes to tone. With new Profiling 2.0 leading the way, and a suite of high-end effects, it is a formidable competitor in the digital amplification world, once you get that initial learning curve out of the way.

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Ola Englund

Kemper

Tone Junkie

Doug Aldrich has spent most of his life standing in front of loud valve amplifiers. From learning how to coax tone out of vintage Marshalls to filling theatres and arenas with Whitesnake, Dio and The Dead Daisies, his sound has always been about feel and authority.

But taking vintage guitar amps on the road comes with some compromises: ageing components, inconsistent behaviour night to night, and the constant worry that something irreplaceable might fail mid-show or even get stolen.

The Blackstar DA100 Ruby grew out of that reality. Rather than cloning his vintage Marshalls, Aldrich wanted an amp that captured the response and punch of his favourite amps while meeting modern demands – volume control, reliability, modern switching capabilities and, of course, world-class tone and feel.

Built around the DNA of Blackstar’s HT Stage 100, the DA100 Ruby evolved through months of hands-on tweaking, in-person R&D sessions and real-world testing. The result is a three-channel, dual-voiced 100-watt head, designed not just to reflect Aldrich’s signature tone but to function as a practical working amp.

We sat down with Doug to talk through the full journey, from his long-standing relationship with Blackstar, to the technical decisions behind the amp and cabinet, and how his approach to tone has evolved throughout his career.

How did this collaboration with Blackstar come about?

I’ve known those guys since the beginning when Blackstar was formed. A couple of them came from Marshall and back then I was playing Marshalls full-time and starting to build a relationship with Jim Marshall himself. Blackstar first reached out to me years ago, but the timing was bad because I was fully in with Marshall at that point.

Over the years I kept running into Blackstar amps in stores or I’d hear some of my buddies playing them. Every time I plugged in, I thought, ‘Man, these amps are killer.’

Later, when The Dead Daisies were looking for someone to work with that was genuinely excited about the band, Blackstar stepped up. They loaned us some amps for a tour and I loved them. After that, they asked me if I was interested in collaborating on something.

Had you ever seriously considered doing a signature amp before this?

I had thought about it. I was always looking for something that could replace my vintage amps on the road. Those old Marshalls sound incredible, and I still have them, but parts fail, capacitors go, transformers get tired… all the stuff that comes with old gear. I talked to a few different companies about doing something. I messed around with some ideas with Marshall.

I spoke to Engl, and had conversations with John Suhr about doing a Custom Audio amp, but it never really took off. With Blackstar, it felt different right away. They wanted to come to me, hear what I liked and actually work through it together.

From a design standpoint, where did you start with your amp?

The starting point was the Blackstar HT Stage 100. I was already a big fan of that amp. It has a great tone and touch response that I really like, so I didn’t want to reinvent the wheel. The idea was basically, ‘You like this amp, so let’s start here and tweak it.’

That’s really what the DA100 Ruby is. It’s not a radical departure; it’s kind of a refined version of something that already worked. People think of me as a hard-rock or metal player, but I love a lot of different styles, so flexibility was a huge part of the design. I didn’t want a one-trick metal amp.

What were the first things you wanted to adapt and in what way?

Mostly subtle stuff. We talked a lot about the midrange and just nudging certain frequencies slightly down so it wasn’t overly forward. We also talked about gain structure. I wanted plenty of gain, but I didn’t want it to feel buzzy or overly compressed. Everybody knows me for heavier sounds, but I also play a lot of straight-up rock. I wanted the amp to cover that ground without sounding too heavy.

What was the R&D process like?

One of the coolest R&D sessions was around NAMM 2023. A few of the Blackstar engineers from England were in town to work on some stuff with Jared James Nichols, so we met up at a studio in LA that Jared was working out of.

[Blackstar design engineer] Paul Stevens had this prototype where the main circuit board was pulled out and wired, so we could tweak things in real-time. He’d ask what I thought, I’d listen and suggest changes, and then he’d swap components or adjust things with a screwdriver. That kind of hands-on experience was really cool.

How long did the full development process take?

About eight months from the first serious conversations to the final version. After the session, they went back to the UK, refined everything and sent prototypes over. I didn’t want to ask for a completely different chassis or layout. Blackstar already had a solid blueprint with the HT100, so we worked with that to get the sound and feel right.

Blackstar has a facility here in the LA area so it was easy to get in there and test things. But they also sent a prototype from England. The cool part was that the prototype was basically exactly where we’d left off from our initial session.

So there were basically two prototype test sessions before I said, ‘This is it, let’s go for it.’ From there, it was like, ‘How do we make this work with the electronic parts and keep it in line with how Blackstar actually manufactures amps?’ They had a good outline to start with, so we just tweaked it.

Did you bring your own cabs along to test the prototypes?

Blackstar asked me what cabinets and speakers I liked. I told them Celestion Greenbacks and Vintage 30s. When we toured, they let us borrow some cabs and they sounded great.

They thought I would like the UK Vintage 30s better, so they brought 4x12 cabs loaded with those speakers for me to test the amps. There are different versions of the Vintage 30, but I think the UK-made version sounds the best.

Was there a feature you were adamant about adding beyond the tonal changes?

“A footswitchable effects loop was a big one for me. I didn’t want to run a long cable from a delay pedal on the floor and then back to the amp, just to get to the effects loop. I wanted that stuff back by the amps, and I liked the idea of being able to switch the loop off and on from a pedalboard.

In the beginning, we focused on the tonal aspect and got that right. Then they went back, worked out the loop switching and built the first proper prototype that combined the tonal tweaks with a switchable effects loop, along with a five-button footswitch.

I also wanted to make sure the amp’s distorted sound wasn’t too buzzy. I play more hard-rock than metal these days, and I wanted a really pure note coming off the guitar. You can always add aggression with a pedal, but the core tone has to be right.

Volume management is a big issue with high-wattage valve amps. Did that influence the amp design at all?

Yeah, the volume issue was a big deal. In rehearsals, when the amp was loud, it sounded incredible. On tour, the FOH soundman is always on me to turn down. But it’s a tube amp and you have to wind it up a bit to hit that sweet spot where it doesn’t sound fizzy.

So I told the Blackstar guys that I wanted to make sure the amp stays full and articulate, even at lower volumes. It also has a switch that lets you go from 100 watts down to 10, which really helps sometimes.

There’s something about the tone of running four EL34s in a 100-watt head that you just don’t get with lower-wattage amps. They sound very different. 100 watts just sounds bigger and feels better to me, so I usually stick with that.

Tell us about the matching 4x12 cabinet.

We experimented with different speakers and landed on the UK-made Celestion Vintage 30s that we tried initially, but the cabinet itself is different from Blackstar’s standard HT cab. They had to redesign it to get it tuned right with the amp and the Vintage 30s.

They used thicker wood for the baffle, which makes it heavier but more solid. The thinner baffle from the HT cab was moving a bit too much from vibration. The heavier construction on the DA412B cab sounds much tighter and way more focused. It sounds insane!

How do you typically run the amp live?

It’s a three-channel amp with two modes per channel, so there’s a lot of flexibility. I tend to live on the Crunch channel and use my guitar volume constantly.

For heavier parts I’ll hit a boost or switch to the lead channel. The transitions – switching between channels – are really smooth, which is something I’ve struggled with on other channel-switching amps. No problems at all with this one.

So you’re still using pedals for gain?

Definitely. You don’t really need pedals for gain because there’s plenty there, but the amp responds really well to boosts and overdrives. A Tube Screamer-style mid boost works great.

Lately, I’ve also been experimenting with fuzzes and different overdrives. The key thing is that the amp has great low-end and clarity, so using various pedals is more about adding different colours and textures.

How has your tone changed or evolved throughout your career?

Early on I was all about maximum gain and aggression. Over a period of time I realised you don’t want to always be on 10. Dynamics are now a big part of my sound: I want something that responds to my hands first and then gives me the option to go over the top when I need it. This amp is extremely versatile and really reflects where I am now as a player.

Looking back at everything you’ve played over the years, where does the DA100 Ruby stand?

It feels like the amps I grew up with but with features that fit today’s world of touring, recording and volume limits. It inspires me every time I plug in and it works night after night without any drama. That’s the ultimate goal. It’s a killer amp!

• “A new benchmark for heavy guitar sounds at a relatively accessible price point”: Blackstar DA100 Ruby review
• This article first appeared in Guitarist. Subscribe and save.

What is it?

Since Blackstar’s inception in 2007, its guitar amplifiers have become synonymous not only with relative affordability but also the wide range of progressive features to be found onboard, such as impulse response outputs and USB computer control.

But back in the summer of 2024 Blackstar launched the simplistic 1x12 TV-10 A combo amp that “with its 6L6 power valve and boutique aesthetics, promise[d] authentic American tones and vintage styling”.

Following later that year, the EL34 TV-10 B did the same trick but with a British flavour. Now, for 2026, Blackstar has added a head version in both flavours, with matching cabinets.

This pair of amp heads is so basic in its controls, it’s impossible to imagine greater simplicity. In full disclosure, your humble reviewer was not entirely convinced, merely from the specifications, that these amplifiers would be cause for huge excitement. However, from the moment the packing was unsealed, all expectations were thoroughly exceeded. Let’s take a closer look.

First off, sat atop their colour-coordinated cabs, these handsomely finished outfits look stunning. The beautifully detailed and constructed blonde-covered TV-10 AH head and TV-112 A cab setup has more than a whiff of vintage Fender to its aesthetic, while the UK-oriented TV-10 BH and 112 cab, in its subtle deep blue, has a regal air all its own.

These diminutive setups, while compact, are stylishly designed and appointed, right down to the soft and comfortable leather-style handle.

Construction quality appears top-notch, too, with some thoughtful yet invisible inclusions, such as solid-backed screw cups for the backplate that prevent the vinyl being cut over time. The valves used are from the reputable TAD (Tube Amp Doctor) brand, produced in China.

Under the hood, both amps employ single power valves: a 6L6 for the TV A and EL34 for the TV B, both operating in Class A configuration. This method is known to provide a more touch-sensitive chiming quality, imbued with plenty of high-frequency harmonic magic – with a trade-off by way of a reduction in clean headroom. This style of circuit design is often employed by boutique amp builders whose customers are prepared to forgo high headroom in favour of a sweeter overall tone.

The minimal control panel features just four knobs – Master, Reverb, Tone and Gain – with a push-button for the Drive feature.

The only extra accoutrements are the post-power amp, cab-emulated jack output, for isolated PA and recording uses, and the included one-button Drive footswitch, while its pre-set speaker outputs provide for 16- and eight-ohm cabinet impedances.

Specs

Blackstar TV-10AH

• PRICE: $749 | £499 | €699
• ORIGIN: China
• TYPE: All-valve compact head
• VALVES: 1x EEC83 1x 6L6
• OUTPUT: 10W
• DIMENSIONS: 404 (w) x 203 (d) x 230mm (h)
• WEIGHT (kg/lb): 9/20
• CABINET: MDF
• CHANNELS: 1 with Boost
• CONTROLS: Master, Reverb, Tone, Gain, Boost switch
• FOOTSWITCH: 1-button included
• ADDITIONAL FEATURES: Effects loop, speaker-emulated output
• OPTIONS: Matching TV-112 A cab with Celestion A-Type speaker (£379)
• RANGE OPTIONS: TV-10 A combo (£579)

Blackstar TV-10BH

• PRICE: $749 | £499 | €699
• ORIGIN: China
• TYPE: All-valve compact head
• VALVES: 1x EEC83 1x EL34
• OUTPUT: 10W
• DIMENSIONS: 404 (w) x 203 (d) x 230 (h)
• WEIGHT (kg/lb): 9/20
• CABINET: MDF
• CHANNELS: 1 with Boost
• CONTROLS: Master, Reverb, Tone, Gain, Boost switch
• FOOTSWITCH: 1-button included
• ADDITIONAL FEATURES: Effects loop, speaker-emulated output
• OPTIONS: Matching TV-112 B cab with Celestion V-Type speaker (£379)
• RANGE OPTIONS: TV-10 B combo ($799/£579)
• CONTACT: Blackstar Amplification

Usability and sounds

Kicking off with the TV A mini-stack, our Fender Telecaster immediately sprang out with an instantly recognisable American twang, chiming sympathetically to the touch and softening any potentially icy sounds produced by the Tele’s famously brusque bridge pickup.

The high-end sparkle promised by the Class A circuitry is a joy to hear, bringing harmonic excitement without sharp, ear-poking transients. Dialling in the onboard digital reverb, an entirely believable spring-styled medium length halo bathes the notes via a single control for depth.

Incidentally, the timing of this review coincided with this writer’s production of a country album for UK artist Russel Kitchin. With a roomful of classic Fender amps, from the historic to the contemporary to choose from, perhaps surprisingly, it was this Blackstar TV A setup that was the most-used Fender-styled sound of them all.

Eager to see what other tricks the TV A is capable of, we pull out a humbucker-equipped Stratocaster. As we push into break-up, the smoothness available is a wonderful surprise.

Fender amplifiers are not known for their inherently pleasing overdrive; however, this proves an incredibly inspiring playing experience. With the boost engaged, there’s more than enough gain for solo sustain and heavy riffage.

The matching 1x12 Celestion Type-A equipped speaker cabinet plays its part in the sound by way of its slightly softer midrange, possibly due to the cab’s MDF construction.

It’s an effective choice to lessen any pokey harshness, though possibly at the expense of producing strong, beaming mids. That said, funk and country players will likely be delighted by the subtle accommodation for their peakier transients.

Over to the TV B rig and, with a Les Paul in hand, we find the amp has similar chiming overtones yet a more filled-in midrange, bringing a gutsier heft to chords and sinuous single notes. The range of the gain control begins fully clean with the sustaining midrange of very British derivation, rapidly moving through to the onset of classic crunch.

These semi-distorted tones are delivered with a silver lining of euphonic Class A high-end, adding life where comparable non-Class A amps can sound somewhat dry and unresponsive.

The higher end of the gain range brings the kind of levels we might expect from a 70s-era master volume British amp head: it’s full-bodied with a tight feel under the pick. Pushing the Boost button delivers a slab of extra gain that’ll have those 80s and 90s riffs leaping from your strings.

To check the performance of the series effect loop, with a simple digital delay plumbed in, a healthy dose of solo gratification can be achieved via a subtle 600ms repeat, which is rendered cleanly with minimal noise.

The emulated output is perhaps the only feature that left us slightly underwhelmed since it sounds somewhat less than lifelike. Nevertheless, a more usable sound can be achieved by processing externally using a further cab-IR profile.

Verdict

Verdict: ★★★★½

Both amps dazzle equally in their own distinct ways. Blackstar has captured the very essence of the most recognisable UK and US amplifier styles and distilled them into these budget-friendly studio, rehearsal and small-gig companions. Taking up almost no space in a studio, this pair alone could cover the lion’s share of guitar sounds that are commonly called for.

Worth mentioning is that a slight hum, not dissimilar to mains hum, was audible upon plugging in our guitar, irrespective of settings or guitar volume. It wasn’t loud enough to present an issue at reasonable volumes, but it was noticeable at quiet volumes.

The cabinets and speakers sound smooth and almost like they’ve already been broken in. That smoothness might lack enough bite for darker-sounding guitars, but trying different speakers can coax a wide range of tonalities from each of these amplifiers, depending on your needs.

If you’re looking for a tighter sound, a closed-back design may be needed for the low-end punch. But it’s the beautiful, classic valve tones produced that make the TV range so appealing.

Guitar World verdict: These are not merely budget approximations of classic sounds but fully inspiring tone machines packed with sparkling harmonics and juicy valve overtones and compression. Whether your appetite is whetted by Blackstar’s American cousin or its British compatriot, the chances are every studio would do well to grab the pair and be secure in the knowledge that you’re covered for pretty much every tonal eventuality.

Hands-on videos

Blackstar Amplification

Noisegate

• Best Blackstar amps: Everything from practice amps to studio quality gear

Amp Week 2026: For fans of high-gain amps, 1992 was a breakthrough year unlike any other (previously or since). This period saw the introduction of the Peavey 5150, Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier, Bogner Ecstasy, VHT Pitbull Ultra Lead and other contenders, along with the Engl Savage 120 arriving in early 1993.

All of these were game-changing models that still play a major role in the sound of rock and metal guitar.

Perhaps the most outlandish amp to make its bow during 1992 was the Diezel VH4 – a 100-watt beast driven by four EL34 or KT77 power tubes and featuring four truly independent channels, each with its own preamp section and 12AX7 preamp tubes (a total of seven).

With its individually voiced Clean, Crunch, Mega and Lead channels, each with its own set of gain, volume, treble, middle and bass controls and send/return inserts, the VH4 essentially offers four preamps in a single package.

These are housed along with a power amp with its own master volume, presence (centered at 4kHz) and deep (centered at 90kHz) controls, plus serial and parallel effect loops, the latter with a front-mounted volume knob as well.

One of the more complicated features of the VH4’s design is that a MIDI controller is essential for live performance channel switching, but the inclusion of MIDI In and Thru jacks also allowed guitarists to easily incorporate the amp in a sophisticated rig with other MIDI devices like preamps and effects, or even other amps.

The genius of the VH4’s overall design was how it provided relatively simple, no-nonsense operation that made it easy for any guitarist to dial in desired sounds while delivering instant access to four very distinct tones. The slanted configuration of each channel’s control knobs is eye-catching but also functional, helping to avoid confusion when dialing in tones for each channel.

However, the VH4 was not the typical “everyman” chameleon amp that many multi-channel amps aspire to be. It has its own unique tonal character and textures that never attempt to emulate popular Fender and Marshall sounds, but rather improve upon them or go beyond them.

The Mega channel, in particular, has played a major role in heavy guitar tones since the early ’90s with its huge, focused bass, lower midrange punch and searing treble.

This is the channel that players like James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett, Muse’s Matt Bellamy, Tool’s Adam Jones, Dave Mustaine and Korn’s Munky and Head have frequently relied on to craft thick, harmonically complex rhythm guitar tones, particularly when using down-tuned guitars.

’80s shredders like Warren DeMartini, Chris Impellitteri and George Lynch have also turned to the Diezel VH4 for modernized rhythm tones and sustaining leads, often preferring the smooth, compressed high-gain textures of its Lead channel.

Unlike many high-gain amps, the VH4 also delivers bluesy overdrive and crisp clean tones. In fact, John Fogerty uses the Clean channel of a Diezel VH4 on stage to replicate the crystalline sounds of his old Kustom K200A amps when performing Creedence Clearwater Revival classics.

• For more stories, tips and insights on all things amplified, check out the rest of our Amp Week coverage.
• This article first appeared in Guitar World. Subscribe and save.

Amp Week 2026: Misha Mansoor knows tone. With Periphery, he took djent (genre or not) into new realms of high-gain precision via painstakingly dialed Axe-Fx presets. His signature amp with Peavey, the Invective, was designed to be the greatest 5150 amp on the planet. Then there’s that industry-standard amp booster he designed, the Horizon Devices Precision Drive. Oh, and, ya know, his signature Neural DSP plugin.

Anyway, the point is: when Misha talks tone, we listen. In a new chat with GW, he revealed there’s one amp in particular that has taken his breath away recently. Which is, in itself, a big deal, given he’s played just about every permutation of high-gain head and realized just how many are really quite similar to each other…

“It's very rare for me to come across a new amp and really have it knock my socks off,” he tells GW. “I have so many amps; I'm good. And I also have this Ampete amp switcher which you can plug eight amps into and switch immediately. And then you can start to see, like, ‘Oh, even though these two amps are really different in my head, that’s just an EQ change there.’ It’s made me sell amps.

“But it'll also show you amps that have a very different character. And I've been playing around with the Zuta GBG120, and man, that thing is unbelievable. That is probably one of the most impressive new amps I've tried.”

Hailing from Sweden, the GBG120 packs four channels into a compact rackmount head, and features all the tubes: 12AX7s in the preamp section, and the ability to mix and match KT88, KT77, 6550, 6L6 and EL34 in any combination for the power amp.

Typically, Mansoor prefers amps that do one thing really, really well (“Most of the time you'll end up with three channels, of which one is good and the other two you should have just left off”) – his prized Omega Granophyre being the best example of that simplicity. But the Zuta’s versatility has blown his mind.

“I don't think I've played an amp that's got as much natural breadth of actually good tones.

“The clean channel is genuinely sick. The second channel is a crunch, Plexi vibe if you want. Third is modern high gain. And then four is the most pissed-off channel I've ever heard on an amp, even without a boost.

“I've done all sorts of recording tests with it, because that's what actually matters to me. And it's shocking how tight it sounds recorded – just amp into the DAW, just through a load box.”

Crucially, the amp sounds markedly different from the rest of Mansoor’s collection – this is no mere EQ tweak.

Given the Zuta Amps story, the amp’s individuality should come as no surprise. The firm’s roots lie in the Gothenburg, Sweden metal scene – Baskim Zuta, who established the company in 2019, is something of a low-key industry legend, having engineered albums by Arch Enemy, Highlander and Slipknot, and studied at the hands of amp legends Reinhold Bogner, Steve Fryette and Mike Soldano.

The firm’s slogan is ‘from clean to extreme’, which pretty much covers it.

For more info on the GBG120, head to Zuta Group.

In other Misha Mansoor news, the Periphery guitar wizard recently named his favorite new guitar player who is pushing the instrument forwards.

For more stories, tips and insights on all things amplified, check out the rest of our Amp Week coverage.

What is it?

During a design career spanning Marshall, Cornford and now Victory amps, chief designer Martin Kidd has gained an army of illustrious fans, including Guthrie Goven and Chris Buck, due to the excellent sound, features and construction quality of his creations.

Victory’s first amps rolled out of the factory in 2013 with the Baron combo and the Earl and Duke heads. The much-vaunted Kraken head was unveiled in 2015 in partnership with riff-lord Rabea Massaad and has established a reputation for Victory as the high-gain provender to the modern metal scene.

Further releases, however, have made it more than apparent that Victory’s sonic attributes cover all bases, from pristine cleans to out-and-out gain-Armageddon and all the classic semi-dirty tones in between.

The MK range, from which this amp spawned, was designated as the brand’s “ultimate, no-compromise amplifier collection”. Feature-packed and fully hand-crafted, these amps can certainly be considered premium: the MK Overdrive model for instance, weighs in at the not inconsiderable price of £5,099.

Since it was most likely out of reach for less fiscally blessed players, Victory cleverly found a way to cater for this end of the market by way of its compact and portable lunchbox amps. Indeed, it is to the MK family lunchbox that we eagerly turn our attention.

Emerging from a smart padded gigbag is a stout and study enamelled unit, with its heat-dissipating – and somewhat militaristic – semi-perforated steel chassis housing an eye-opening array of front-panel controls.

The MKX is festooned with two rows of controls, the top row for the Clean channel and the bottom row for the two overdrive channels, which share a common tone stack after the individual gain controls.

The reverb and master controls take the last millimetres of front-panel real estate, though we do still have the Resonance and Presence controls, which can be found nestling on the rear panel alongside the very helpful bias points, speaker outputs and the series, non-switchable effects loop.

Finally, the mains power is integrated into the rear IEC socket, while the front-panel standby controls the wattage selection between the 50 watts of full power or the nine watts’ reduced power output.

Specs

• PRICE: $1,659 | £1,399 | €1,699
• ORIGIN: UK
• TYPE: All-Valve channel switching compact head
• VALVES: 3x ECC83, 2x EL34
• OUTPUT: 50/9W RMS
• DIMENSIONS: 350 (w) x 190 (d) x 180mm (h)
• WEIGHT (kg/lb): 7.15/15.76
• CABINET: Steel
• CHANNELS: Clean, OD I, OD II (foot-switchable)
• CONTROLS: High/Standby/Low wattage switch, Gain (Clean), gain (OD I), gain (OD II), separate treble, middle, bass tone stack for clean and overdrive channels, 2x footswitchable master volume, reverb length and level, resonance and presence (rear panel)
• FOOTSWITCH: 2x two-button footswitches included
• ADDITIONAL FEATURES: Padded gigbag included
• OPTIONS: 1x12 cabinet (£349); vertical 2x12 cabinet (£949)
• RANGE OPTIONS: The upmarket MK Clean Head is £4,899; the MK Overdrive Head costs £5,099. Other lunchbox heads include the V40 The Duchess Mk II (£1,249) and the VX The Kraken MKII (£1,349)
• CONTACT: Victory Amps

Usability and sounds

Armed with a small armada of guitars and cabinets, we commenced our sonic inspection with the Clean channel. Martin has expressed that his goal was to offer a fully independent Clean channel, rather than a shared topology with potential compromises.

Our Stratocaster’s single-coil pickups appreciated the benefit, rendered with a depth and gentle natural compression that made licks and even lead parts hold their own.

Speaker-wise, the company is known to use Celestion Vintage 30s for their balance of traditional tone with improved high-end clarity, and we found this to be the case for achieving some clean sparkle from the MKX. The rear-mounted Presence control further enhanced the top-end excitement appreciably.

Sometimes a new piece of gear can unlock fresh musical possibilities, and this amp’s Clean channel brings a solid fluidity that can be heard on many contemporary guitar-orientated recordings.

Unlike the design ethos of many of the more historic brands, reproducing the vintage character that created their success, the Victory clean here doesn’t particularly evoke specific historic references. If pushed to choose a closest match on the colour chart of amps, perhaps shades of Vox are subtly detectable.

The onboard and footswitchable two-position reverb continues the theme of studio-grade sonics without historic baggage. Reverb position I yields a shorter, less dense sound that Victory suggests is more spring-like.

It’s not particularly splashy or metallic as springs often are, but that lends itself particularly well to the style of this amplifier. Reverb position II has more of a larger, plate-like quality, equally as perfect for solos or lush clean sounds.

The OD I channel lunges forward with a punchy, responsive authority, and a gain range from light ‘edge of break-up’ through to JCM levels. It does an excellent job of conjuring the Marshall-esque crunch, with a nod more to the later metal-face Marshall sound, rather than the earlier ‘Plexi’ tones.

Diving into what may be considered as this amp’s main course, the OD II channel, it becomes immediately clear why Martin Kidd’s designs are a favourite of many a virtuoso. The response is lightning-fast and mid-forward, and both fast-picking and legato styles sound equally forthright and impressive.

When you’re ready to hold that yearning bend, there’s glorious harmonic feedback aplenty for that forever sustain, given a sufficiency of master volume juice.

In the rhythm department, those crushing, heavy drop-tuned riffs will sound every bit as impressive as you’d expect, perhaps with a little midrange cut. If a little more depth is required from a thinner-sounding guitar, the Resonance control has you covered.

Overall, the tone has a smooth, rich midrange character that flatters many guitar styles, especially fusion and legato, but the Presence control adds all the aggressive bite to the fore.

In a stage context, the pair of included double footswitches allows for channel selection, master volume and reverb options, which covers most of what players may wish to switch, with the exception of the effects loop status.

For home use, low-power mode reduces the output to nine watts, which – together with the excellent master volume – means you can enjoy its full overdriven roar at whisper-quiet levels.

Verdict

Verdict: ★★★★½

Price-wise, the MKX does reside at the higher end for lunchbox-style amps, but then it offers more in terms of wattage and channel count than most.

It doesn’t, however, have cab-emulated output facilities, and the two double footswitches – each with a separate cable – are perhaps a bit of a faff for a compact package. But if it’s rich, flattering overdrive combined with scaled-down size and cost that you value, the MKX could indeed prove victorious.

Guitar World verdict: This amp will appeal to high-gain players without unlimited budgets, and if you’ve had your eye on the MK50 head but couldn’t justify the cost, this one’s tailor-made for you. It brings forth versatility, portability and controllability.

Hands-on videos

Victory Amps

Sweetwater

• "Adding a few tweaks to the winning formula… The perfect pedal platforms": Victory V40 The Duchess MK II Deluxe Combo and Lunch Box head review
• This article first appeared in Guitarist. Subscribe and save.

NAMM 2026: Orange is rolling out its latest UK-built all-tube guitar amp head, the OR60, and it’s one inspired by vintage tones through and through.

The single-channel, 60 watt amp promises to deliver a “focused, harmonically rich valve tone with a modern edge.” This is made possible via a pair of 6L6 power tubes, which give the head extensive headroom and depth, especially when coupled with a boost pedal in front.

A second footswitchable volume control empowers players to switch between rhythm and lead without touching the gain – allowing the core tone to remain consistent, albeit for dynamic changes. Plus, the switchable 460V/335V (60W/30W) output ensures the amp still packs a punch, even at lower volumes.

Tone-shaping and fine-tuning options are provided via dedicated Presence and Resonance controls. The former adjusts the high-end response for “consistent clarity and harmonic definition,” while the latter enables players to adapt the amp's feel and depth to their playing style.

And for those who need a little bit more control over their tone, the three-position Bright switch provides just that. Essentially, it allows guitarists to shape the amp’s top-end voicing without altering the overall gain character, which is especially useful with humbuckers or darker-voiced guitars.

As for the amp's simple design? Well, according to Orange, that’s its biggest selling point: “just the straight-up, high-voltage voice of a masterfully designed single-channel amp, ready to be played raw or augmented with the valve-buffered FX loop,” and goes as far as to say that, “the OR60 is the most versatile single-channel amp Orange Amps has ever built.”

Priced at $2,499, the amp head is available in the firm's quintessential orange Tolex finish.

For more information, visit Orange.

And, speaking of straightforward amp setups, Joe Perry recently revealed he used a $219 Orange pedal amp to record most of the guitars on Aerosmith’s new EP with Yungblud.

What is it?

Five years ago the guitar world lost Edward Van Halen, a leading light and sonic visionary who shattered the ceilings of gear, technique and music itself. We are left with a legacy not only of his songs but also the innovative products he helped create.

Back when Ed was developing his legendary ‘brown’ sound, which can be heard on the Roth-era Van Halen albums from ’78 to ’84, high-gain amplifiers didn’t exist.

His techniques for squeezing out new levels of rich saturation without pedal assistance have influenced the guitar amplifiers that now bear his initials.

While some celebrity endorsers may be happy to lease their name simply for a kickback, Edward was not that guy. His critical perfectionism is lore among many techs and designers, such as Chip Ellis at Fender and James Brown at Peavey.

Indeed, Edward was known to leave a guitar feeding back on top of a dimed tube amp for days at a time for stress-testing purposes! As such, the EVH range is built with this ‘military-spec’ ethos at its core.

The original 5150, developed alongside amp designer James Brown, was released in 1992 and has become what is widely considered as a default ‘best-in-class’ high-gain amp head.

With a Soldano-influenced preamp achieving high levels of modern gain, the 5150 amps come in two main flavours – EL34 and 6L6 variations.

The 6L6 power valves are used to provide clean bold power, whereas the EL34-equipped models tend to produce a little more midrange growl, especially when pushed hard. It has since been released in a variety of versions, sizes and wattages while largely retaining its sonic DNA.

The Iconic series came out in 2021, bringing the 5150 sound to those with more modest budgets by replacing the huge array of preamp valves with a hybrid preamp circuit composed of valves and solid-state technology. Construction-wise, the head has a well-made, robust feel, although there are subtle clues to its lower price point.

‘Speakerless recording’ and ‘direct to PA’ use on silent stages are both provided for with the speaker-emulated XLR output and power amp mute switch.

The rear panel is also graced with an effects loop, which is not only to be used as a portal for your time-based effects but also as an input for any other already preamplified signal to access the power section, footswitchable boost, reverb, resonance, presence and Power Level switch – great for modellers and pedal-based preamps.

Finally, the aforementioned Power Level switch toggles between two settings: the full 15 watts and quarter power. At this lower setting, every ounce of goodness is preserved but at levels unlikely to aggrieve those around you.

Specs

• PRICE: $659/£589/€742
• ORIGIN: Indonesia
• TYPE: 15W valve head
• VALVES: 2x ECC83S, 1x EL34
• OUTPUT: 15W to 4W via ¼-power switch
• DIMENSIONS: 508 (w) x 254 (d) x 242mm (h) 
• WEIGHT (kg/lb): 10/22
• CABINET: MDF
• CHANNELS: 2 plus boost
• CONTROLS: Gain, Volume and voicing switch (Overdrive and Burn) per channel; Low, Mid, High shared EQ, Boost volume, Reverb, Resonance, Presence
• FOOTSWITCH: Supplied 2-button for channel selection and boost
• ADDITIONAL FEATURES: Speaker emulated XLR
• CONTACT: EVH Gear

Usability and sounds

Selecting Channel 1, which is signalled by a green LED, it sounds articulate and transparent enough (but admittedly, it’s not usually the main selling point of this style of amp).

While it doesn’t seem to nod to any specific historic amplifiers, it has an even response with clean, deep lows and plenty of sparkle, making it an ideal partner to the high-gain channel.

We also have a front-panel overdrive button to bring mid-gain levels of drive to this channel, providing some chunky overdrive and sustain. Reaching for the digitally derived reverb, we’re met with a heavily pre-delayed short spring-type sound. Possibly not the most inspiring reverb we’ve encountered, but it will certainly provide a halo around your notes.

Switching to the main course, Channel 2, the roaring gain hits you instantly. This amp can scream with all the power Edward’s legacy demands, but the sustain and definition also grab your ear and indeed your pick.

There’s a familiar chewiness to the notes and a slight but helpful sculpting to the midrange, eliminating any boxiness. Tight palm-muted riffs are a 5150 party piece, and this amp is every bit the generous host, just like its larger forebears.

The presence and resonance further boost the clarity and loudness without harshness or excessive whomp.

The gain range has a sweet spot somewhere between 4 and 6, where the percussive grab and sustain meet a good balance, pickups depending.

The architecture of this amp is worth a mention at this point, too, since we’re getting more power-section saturation here than in the higher-powered versions, both EL34 and 6L6 variants. In the preamp section, and in keeping with all the Iconic models, we find a hybrid of solid-state and valve gain. Purists, stay cool: all the classic 5150 tones are present.

The Burn button engages the additional voicing for the second channel, yielding even more full-bodied richness along with a good dash more of saturation. Genuinely glorious to play, this Burn function brings us a little closer to the full-tilt of the eight ECC83-loaded flagship 5150 model, allowing those legato runs and pick harmonics to fly.

The EQ section, used by both channels, has well-chosen ranges but has a nicely balanced tone with controls around 6 for our humbucker-equipped super-S. We enjoyed the extra focus and definition on tap via higher settings of the middle control, too.

The Resonance control dialled in that solid bottom-end often necessary for contemporary heavy styles; Presence, unsurprisingly, adds the sparkle but without any harshness or brittleness. Behind the scenes, a helpful noise gate has been cleverly integrated to tighten up the response accordingly at high levels of gain and more so when the Burn function is deployed.

Our solo flights are given wings with the level-adjustable footwitchable gain boost, placed post effects loop, which is one of the many facilities that positions this amp just as much for stage use as it does for studio and home use.

Verdict

Verdict: ★★★★½

All the grin-inducing firepower of the full-flight EVH 5150 is packed inside this stripped-down model, though with subtle differences that (while maybe appreciable only to those very familiar with the original) don’t detract from the classic tone.

Indeed, the slight extra power-section growl adds back a little warmth that may have been affected by the hybrid solid-state/valve preamp design.

Guitar World verdict: The wide-ranging features, from the footswitchable boost to the speaker emulated output, will certainly have you covered for most eventualities. If you, like many players, find 15 watts (or even the quarter-power setting) hits a sweet spot in the loudness department, then this tribute to a legend is worthy of your attention.

Hands-on videos

Kyle Bull

Amps, Pedals and Pickups

• “With its tone knob backed off this thing gets sasquatch-hairy without losing clarity. It’s a surprisingly killer stoner rock machine”: EVH SA-126 Standard review
• This article first appeared in Guitarist. Subscribe and save.

Today (11/11), Marshall has announced an extremely limited batch of special edition Spinal Tap amp heads that, just like the amps seen in the band’s recent sequel, go to Infinity.

Well, sort of. Marshall has dubbed this “the loudest amp ever made”, though while that may not be strictly true in terms of output – this is a dressed up 100W JVM410H wearing appropriate Spinal Tap attire – it’s certainly loud in spirit.

It brings a 40-year collaboration in the making full circle. The ultra-limited Spinal Tap JVM410H harks back to that now-iconic scene from the first Spinal Tap movie – in which guitarist Nigel Tufnel proclaims his amps “go to 11” – but brings it inline with Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, which went quite a few steps further.

Whispers of a Marshall amp that went to Infinity began circulating when the first teaser for the movie dropped. The shot panned along the panel of a Marshall head, whose master volume control knob displayed an infinity symbol.

In the lead-up to the film – which featured a host of other eye-catching guitar gear – Tufnel (real name Christopher Guest) told Guitar World that he asked Marshall to make him an amp that went beyond 11 for the reunion. The Infinity amp was born.

For Spinal Tap fans, the conversation soon turned to whether we’d see Marshall release an Infinity amp. Now, it has, but only 20 – available exclusively in the US – will be made. Of those 20, 11 (ahem) will be sold through Sweetwater’s Gear Exchange, with all profits going to charities chosen by Spinal Tap.

What makes this amp so Spinal Tap-y? Well, of course you get that master output control that extends to Infinity, but as an additional nod to the original film, all other knobs go to 11.

Two channels have also been renamed after the band’s guitarists – so you get a St. Hubbins (for David St. Hubbins) and Tufnel mode. And, if you look really closely at the pictures Marshall has released, you’ll note the bass knobs have been renamed ‘Smalls’ in honor of the bassist, Derek.

The whole project has been a long time coming. Marshall was tasked with constructing everything from the teaser amp to the ones seen in the film. No mean feat, considering they were made in Milton Keynes, England, and shipped to the US for filming.

Speaking of the amp’s origin, Marshall Artist Relations manager Hugh Gilmartin recalls, “There was always talk of the Infinity amp and I believe it actually started quite a while ago.

“I think we had done one [before] for the band, where it was like, ‘Check this out, look what we can do.’ Then, when we were talking with the guys, it was like, ‘Hey, we did something similar to that before. Let’s revisit that and see if we can do it again.’

“We just kind of take a step back and go, ‘Wouldn't it be really cool if we had Spinal Tap amps for ourselves?’ What would we want in them? That's part of the impetus of it.

“Then, sending the details and the mock-up to Christopher Guest – aka Nigel – and having him come to us and say, ‘This is really cool. What else do you guys have in mind?’ It was very collaborative.”

Director Rob Reiner reached out directly to Gilmartin, and the wheels were set in motion. Guest proved to be a particularly key collaborator in the amp’s construction, specifying his own preferred amp and suggesting his own tweaks to make it more Spinal Tap.

“What was super-interesting to me was, when having one of these chats with Christopher, he knew exactly what he wanted,” Gilmartin remembers. “He knew the Marshall product line really well.

“He called me and caught me off-guard with, ‘Here's what we’d really like to do for the movie. I like the JVM410. I like it because…’ and he just rattled off all of these reasons. I'm like, ‘This guy can work for Marshall.’”

Guest’s support aside, the Infinity amps came with their own set of challenges. This batch of special-edition amps couldn’t be made until the amps made for the film were spot-on. That required some back and forth.

“My role in bringing it to life was more supporting Hugh with any ideas you came to the table with,” Steph Carter, Marshall Director of Culture Marketing, remembers. “Like, ‘The band have asked for this tweak, and we need to lock the design in. Figure out how to make it work.’

“I think it's amazing that something so off-the-cuff has become an integral part of our company's history and culturally so relevant to where the company was at the time,” Carter says of the scene that intertwined the Marshall and Spinal Tap fates.

“People love our amps because they're loud. That one line has cemented itself as kind of a tagline for the company, and it came as an off-the-cuff thing in a film.

“But it's so culturally relevant then, as it is now, for us. It's been nothing but amazing to see the band coming back again and doing Spinal Tap II and being involved in it in this way, and now being able to do the amp as well. It just helps cement the history and the legacy of both together.”

Head over to Marshall for more information.

What is it?

PRS has duly noted in their announcement of the new Archon Classic amplifier head that it is not a reissue of the original Archon amp, which PRS introduced 12 years ago in 2013.

Although the original Archon has undergone a few changes since then, it still remains pretty faithful to its original tonal characteristics, so a reissue simply isn’t needed.

The new PRS Archon Classic is actually a new amp circuit based on the Archon design but revoiced to offer “classic” tones based on the character of hot-rodded amps of the ’70s and ’80s.

Like the current PRS Archon 50 head, the Archon Classic is an all-tube 50-watt head featuring two fully independent channels. The Classic’s Clean channel is hotter than the Archon 50’s Clean channel.

Meanwhile, the gain of the Classic’s Lead channel is dialed back a bit and it has a different tonal personality than the Archon 50, which we’ll discuss in more detail. For players who lean more towards timeless, traditional tones over cutting-edge textures, the Archon Classic offers a compelling alternative.

My personal experience with guitar amps is that the more features, controls and switches put into the design, the more they take away from the guitar’s natural tone. The Archon Classic is about as simple as a two-channel amp can be while still providing useful tone-shaping capabilities and versatility.

The Clean and Lead channels each have their own independent sets of treble, middle and bass EQ controls, a Bright switch and volume and master volume controls. Global presence and depth controls are shared by both channels. Dialing in sounds is about as simple as it gets, with the controls doing exactly what you expect them to do.

While the Archon 50 can be ordered with either 6L6 or 6CA7 power tubes, the Archon Classic is only offered with a pair of JJ 6CA7 tubes. These “American” versions of the EL34 tube have similar tonal characteristics but don’t compress as easily as EL34 and provide slightly tighter bass and glassier treble.

Four of the Classic’s six ECC83S tubes are dedicated to the gain stages, while the fifth drives the effects loop and the sixth is a phase inverter.

The Classic comes with a single-switch footswitch controller for channel switching. The effects loop is a simple affair with mono ¼-inch send and return jacks – no level control.

Speaker jacks consist of a pair of parallel 4-ohm jacks (for connecting one 4-ohm or two 8-ohm cabs), a pair of parallel 8-ohm jack (for one 8-ohm or two 16-ohm cabs) and a single 16-ohm output. Bias jacks and a bias adjustment trim pot make it easy to bias the amp after changing tubes without removing the chassis.

Specs

• Launch price: $1,149
• Type: Tube amp head
• Channels: Two
• Controls: Volume, Bright Switch, Treble, Middle, Bass, Master Volume (per channel), global Presence and Depth
• Output: 50 watts
• Tubes: 2x JJ 6CA7 power tubes, 6x JJ ECC83S preamp tubes
• Connections: 2x 4 ohm parallel, 2x 8 ohm parallel, 1x 16 ohm, series footswitch, 1/4" mono footswitch input
• Dimensions: 546 mm x 254 mm x 254 mm
• Options: Archon 50 Head ($1,149), Archon 50 Combo ($1,349)
• Contact: PRS Guitars

Usability and sounds

Plugging into the Archon Classic amp, it’s easy to see why PRS decided to stick with the Classic name despite the potential for confusion. The Clean channel provides punchy, full-bodied clean tones with generous headroom, but the channel can also be pushed into overdrive with harmonically rich grit.

With the Clean channel’s master volume cranked up and the volume turned up from 0 to 5, the tone is crystal clear with a bold voice that is simply sublime – among the best clean tones I’ve ever heard from a multi-channel high-gain amp head.

The Lead channel’s gain is quite aggressive and goes into distortion territory pretty quickly when the volume control is increased. This channel has an attractive upper midrange emphasis that delivers singing, voice-like lead tones and chords that cut through a mix with precision and clarity.

At the volume control’s upper range the amp provides super-saturated tones that will please more modern-minded players, but the EQ’s range is not as aggressively voiced.

Having said that, the presence and depth controls are highly useful for shaping the upper mids/treble and low-end body, respectively, beyond the range of the traditional British amps that the Classic’s tonal signature is built upon.

These controls are particularly helpful for, say, making a Strat or Tele more full-bodied or dialing in more clarity and precision from a guitar with high-output humbuckers. The Archon Classic pairs well with a very wide variety of guitars, preserving their individual character while also refining the tone for assertive clean and aggressive distortion textures.

Verdict

Verdict: ★★★★½

Guitar World verdict: The PRS Archon Classic offers impressive value for guitarists seeking rich clean/overdrive tones and timeless distortion tones that range from classic crunch to hot-rodded high gain.

Hands-on videos

PRS Guitars

Riffs, Beards & Gear

The Neurotic Guitarist

• PRS Mark Tremonti MT 15 Head review
• This article first appeared in Guitar World. Subscribe and save.

Mesa/Boogie has released the holy grail Mark IIC++ as a production model, putting the ultra-rare custom amp head within reach of regular players for the first time in its history.

In the world of heavy metal and hard rock, Mesa/Boogie tube amps are some of the most revered out there, but the Mark IIC++ – a custom model from 1985 that was only ever created at the request of artists – is hallowed in its own right.

As Mesa/Boogie explains, the first Mark IIC++ was born out of a request from Vivian Campbell. In the mid 1980s, Campbell was playing with Dio, but asked for a modded version of his traditional Mark IIC+ in order to tap into “added gain and girth”.

The resulting creation quickly became the talk of the tone town among Mesa/Boogie circles, and though the IIC++ never became an official mod, it did become a favorite among a suite of A-list players, and was created on an ad hoc basis for those guitarists who required them.

As such, before its release today, it may just have been one of the most exclusive metal amps ever. An exact number of IIC++s created isn’t confirmed owing to the obscurity surrounding them, but the firm estimates only 20 were made. It’s an almost Dumble-level rarity and scarcity, which makes this launch all the more enticing.

After Campbell pioneered the IIC++, it was later used (perhaps most famously) by Metallica, who used the affectionately dubbed Crunch Berries amp (owing to the sticker they used on their own model) to shape the sound of heavy metal in the 1980s.

Speaking of the IIC++’s influence on the Metallica sound, Hammett once told MusicRadar, “They made very few of those Boogies and we happened to get a few. And those amps, along with EMG pickups were defining our sound.

“They enabled us to get the sound that we needed to get across. If it wasn’t for those Mesa/Boogie amps and EMG pickups, I don’t know how much further we would have got with just Marshalls. With the Boogies it was something different.”

As for what sets the IIC++ apart from the standard IIC+ – which also received a reissue last year – the additional ‘+’ basically translates to additional gain and a tighter low-end. On the surface, the IIC++ looks the same as the IIC+ (save the mod-specific plate on the grille cloth), but it won’t behave like one.

In practice, it offers increased gain in the preamp, which only affects the Lead mode. The Clean mode will operate as normal, but the Lead offers more to-end gain, an enhanced low-end, and an overall “thicker” sound with more dynamic harmonic layering.

“Experience one of the rarest and most coveted vintage amplifiers ever, the Mark IIC++, in solid new form built by the same artisans who built the originals 40 years ago,” Mesa/Boogie writes. “These awe-inspiring gain machines have fueled some of the most iconic rock sounds ever captured on record.”

Only 200 of the Mark IIC++ will be made and, by the looks of things, they’ve all already sold out.

Visit Mesa/Boogie to find out more.

Tony Iommi has partnered with Laney to release a limited-edition signature guitar amp, the TI100 Reissue – a faithful replica of the Black Sabbath electric guitar legend’s original TI100 from 2012.

Back to the Beginning – Black Sabbath’s epic bow-out and Ozzy Osbourne’s last-ever show – is only days away, and to mark the occasion Laney has reissued the TI100, which, for the past decade or so, has been Iommi’s go-to amp of choice.

Notably, the TI100 was the most recent culmination of the pair’s long-standing partnership, which began way back in the 1960s when Iommi used a LA100BL model to help forge the sound of heavy metal on Black Sabbath.

Along the way, Iommi also released his first signature head, the GH100TI, in the 1990s. It was replaced by the TI100, which was designed for greater versatility and dubbed “the most significant amp launch” of the year.

Since the inception of the Sabbath sound, Laney amps – along with the customary Gibson SG – have provided the backbone of Iommi’s rig. Now, the 2012 signature model is back, but only as part of an ultra-exclusive launch that comprises just 50 units.

Launched in conjunction with Back to the Beginning, the TI100 Limited Edition is a like-for-like replica of the 2012 model, with the added benefit of some additional celebratory extras. That includes Iommi’s signature on the amp, a custom slip cover, a certificate of authenticity, a set of Iommi pics and more.

As for the amp itself, it offers Lead and Rhythm channels, which are housed in a custom-liveried chassis complete with Iommi inlay-style Cross motifs. The Lead promises liquid smooth gain, while Rhythm is concerned with edge of break up tones, with both offering a super-tight low-end primed for down-tuning.

Each channel gets parameters for Drive, Bass, Middle, Treble, Volume, Enhance and Presence, as well as Pre-Boost controls that can be engaged via two channel-specific toggle switches.

Under the hood, eight 12AX7 and four 6L6 tubes do the heavy lifting, while on the rear, an FX Loop with three different modes, and Preamp-Out and Power Amp In jacks, can be found for more complex rig assimilation.

“The return of a legend,” writes Laney. “We are extremely proud of our association with Tony Iommi and very happy to mark the final ever Black Sabbath show with the announcement of a very limited, hand signed and numbered faithful re-issue of his legendary signature amp, the Laney TI100.”

Only 50 TI100 Limited Edition amps will be made, and each will be available for $4999.

Visit Laney to find out more.

Back to the Beginning, which will pull the curtain down on Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne’s live careers, will take place this weekend (July 5). The lineup features a huge roster of special guests, from Tom Morello and Adam Jones to Jake E. Lee and Lzzy Hale.

What is it?

For many guitarists, the Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ ranks at the top of their Holy Grail, bucket-list, unobtanium amps. The main reason the Mark IIC+ is so desirable is because it was James Hetfield’s main amp (he actually had a IIC++ with additional gain) on Metallica’s immortal Master of Puppets.

The Mark IIC+’s use by Prince (the Purple Rain tour and beyond), John Petrucci with Dream Theater and studio legends Michael Landau, Steve Lukather and Dean Parks on hundreds of ’80s hits also helped elevate its legendary status.

Mesa built only about 3,000 Mark IIC+ amps during its original 14-month run in the mid-’80s, but after four decades it’s finally made its long-awaited return. The new Mark IIC+ is available in head-only or 1x12 combo versions and is essentially a fully loaded version with all of the most desirable options: 5-band graphic EQ, Simul-Class and reverb.

Taking the Mark IIC+ head out of the box is like opening a time capsule. With only seven knobs (six of which featuring pull functions) and a 5-band graphic EQ, the front panel looks downright austere compared to today’s Mesa Mark series amps and even the recent JP-2C Mark IIC+ John Petrucci signature model.

Rest assured that the reissued Mark IIC+ is a very faithful reproduction of the original with only minimal changes made due to modern safety regulations and parts availability.

This is the short-chassis version of the head, so the Presence and Reverb knobs are on the rear panel, where you’ll also find a buffered effects loop, a Slave output with level control and the Simul-Class/Class A switch for selecting 75-watt or 25-watt output.

Although the Mark IIC+ is a true dual-channel head (the Mark II was the first amp to offer channel switching), note that the “clean” and “lead” channels share the same Treble, Bass and Middle EQ controls. Dialing in EQ settings that sound good on both channels can be difficult and usually is somewhat of a compromise.

The graphic EQ features a three-way switch with an “EQ auto” setting that engages the graphic EQ only when the Lead channel is selected, which can be helpful.

However, the Treble, Bass and Middle controls are pre-gain and the graphic EQ is post-gain, so the settings of the standard EQ knobs still influence the overall tone in ways that don’t always complement more sensitive high-gain settings. Pull Bright, pull Shift and pull Deep functions also provide additional tonal shaping capabilities.

Like the original Mark IIC+ head, the reissue features several footswitchable functions.

Two footswitches with accompanying cables are provided, consisting of a single-footswitch controller for channel switching that plugs into the front panel below the input jack and a dual-footswitch controller for graphic EQ on/off and reverb on/off that plugs into a jack hidden underneath the chassis behind one of the 6L6 power tubes.

The EQ/reverb footswitch jack is not in the most convenient place, and you’ll definitely want to plug in the cable before the tubes heat up.

Specs

• Launch price: $3,599/£3,699
• Type: Tube amp head
• Controls: RHYTHM/LEAD Shared Controls: Volume 1 (sets initial gain strength for both channels), Treble, Bass, Middle, Assignable/Foot-Switchable 5-Band Graphic EQ, Reverb and Presence
• Connectivity: 1x 8 Ohm and 2x 4 Ohm speaker outputs, footswitch input, tube-driven series effects loop
• Tubes: 4x 6L6, 5x 12AX7 preamp tubes, silicon diode rectifier
• Power: 75 or 25 Watts (Global)
• Dimensions: 39 lbs / 17.69 kg
• Options: 1x12 Combo
• Contact: Mesa/Boogie

Usability and sounds

The original design’s quirks are all forgivable once a guitar is plugged in. The reissue Mark IIC+’s tones are simply divine. The clean tones are some of the finest ever heard from a Mesa/Boogie amp, ranging from crisp sparkle with percussive spank to warm, rich jazz tones with full body and smooth sustain.

The Mark IIC+’s high-gain lead channel tones are the main reason so many guitarists are willing to spend big bucks for an original model, and the reissue fully lives up to the legend with its deeply saturated distortion with complex, layered harmonics, pummeling attack, extremely articulate note definition and finely tuned midrange that dominates a mix. Even after four decades of high-gain amp design evolution, the Mark IIC+’s distortion tones still remain the gold standard.

One important attribute to keep in mind is that the pre-gain EQ controls can affect the Lead channel quite dramatically. The Bass control in particular can get very boomy and woofy past 3, so it’s best used in moderation with a high-gain Lead channel setting. Similarly, the Presence control can get a bit shrill at higher settings, so a little goes a long way.

However, the extra range of these controls is helpful for dialing in gorgeous clean/overdrive tones and even Lead channel tones with moderate overdrive, particularly in studio recording applications where players aren’t dependent on channel switching.

Verdict

Verdict: ★★★★½

Just like the original, the Mark IIC+ offers limited capabilities as a dual-channel amp in live applications, but as a single-channel amp in the studio it has few peers.

Guitar World verdict: Mesa/Boogie’s reissue of the venerated Mark IIC+ offers guitarists a dead-on perfect reproduction of the original amp from its wide range of stellar, professional tones and unbeaten high-gain textures to its somewhat quirky old-school dual-channel functions and capabilities.

Hands-on videos

Mesa/Boogie

Ola Englund

American Musical Supply

• “Can genuinely hold its own in any genre, with direct tones that stand up to market-leading amp modelers”: Mesa/Boogie Mark VII 1x12 Combo review
• This article first appeared in Guitar World. Subscribe and save.

What is it?

There are countless companies producing highly usable amplifiers spanning the gamut of features and price points. Then there are a select bunch of designers who – through their uncompromising dedication to reach beyond established frontiers – have become legends. Mark Sampson, who we sadly lost this year, was one such pioneer. He leaves in his wake a dazzling legacy of sonic excellence.

With his formative beginnings repairing radios alongside his father, Mark progressed into guitar amplifier repairs and sales, gaining a particular notoriety for his deep knowledge of the Vox company’s designs.

Armed with a desire to manufacture reliable and tonally flexible AC30-style amps, he co-founded Matchless in 1989 with Rick Perotta, eventually helping launch the Bad Cat company in the late ’90s. His ethos was simple: leave no stone unturned in creating the most reliable and sonically excellent amplifiers possible.

After a period of absence from the company, Mark was commissioned by Bad Cat’s owner, John Thompson, to design a 25th anniversary model as a summation of the decades of research and innovations that both Mark and the company had amassed. The Era 30 is the result.

Clad in the same plush leather-effect vinyl for which both Matchless and Bad Cat are synonymous, this highly attractive stealth-black amplifier head features the brand’s classic back-lit logo design.

The detailing is continued with tough leather corner protectors and the matt black faceplate completes the luxury-stealth aesthetic, furnished with the kind of high-quality switch gear that operates with smooth turns and satisfyingly solid clicks.

Removing the back panel reveals an easily overlooked detail. The cup hooks holding the backplate screws – often the culprit of vinyl-tearing – are backed by two washers that prevent damage from over-tightening. Not simply a minor detail but an auspicious pointer towards the excellence we are likely to find throughout.

The point-to-point, hand-wired circuit is a thing of electronic beauty, with a component layout designed to minimise the cross-talk and over-heating issues associated with its Vox inspiration.

Years of painstaking evolution led Mark to place the EF86 valve in such a position in the chassis as to render it uncannily quiet and reliable. This was in contrast to the Vox company, who had to discontinue use of this particular valve after a short few years due to excessive noise and, in some cases, spectacular failure.

The amp offers two footswitchable channels (each representing a different period of AC30 history), revealing the reason for the Era name. Channel 1 is a vintage-voiced, EF86-based circuit circa the late ’50s. In contrast, Channel 2’s 12AX7 valves deliver the characteristics heard in Vox amps from the early ’60s onward.

This is quite simply a masterfully built amplifier, inside and out. The matching semi open-backed 1x12 cabinet supplied for the review shared the same level of quality, featuring a highly complementary custom-designed Celestion speaker.

Specs

• PRICE: $3,899/£3,399
• ORIGIN: USA
• TYPE: All valve, point-to-point, hand-wired 30 watt head
• VALVES: 3x 12AX7, 1x EF-86, 4x EL84, 1x 5AR4
• OUTPUT: 30W (Cathode Bias)
• DIMENSIONS: 640 (w) x 380 (d) x 380mm (h)
• WEIGHT (kg/lb): 14/31
• CABINET: Baltic birch ply
• CHANNELS: 2x independent, footswitchable with option to blend both channels simultaneously
• CONTROLS: Ch. 1 (EF-86): Gain, Depth, Treble, Volume. Ch. 2 (12AX7): Gain, Bass, Treble, Volume, Global Master
• FOOTSWITCH: 2-button metal footswitch (supplied) changes channels and toggles channel blend
• ADDITIONAL FEATURES: Padded slip cover with embroidered logo (included). True bypassable buffered effects loop, custom Pacific transformers
• OPTIONS: Available with black, cream or grey panel (no upcharge)
• RANGE OPTIONS: Matching Era 1x12 open-back extension cabinet w/Custom UK-made Celestion Bad Cat Speaker. Matching Era 2x12 cabinet. Black, cream or grey panel choice to match head at no upcharge
• CONTACT: Bad Cat Amps

Usability and sounds

With the supplied channel-switching and blending footswitch connected and the power engaged, smiles abound as the plexiglass logo panel illuminates. After a brief warm-up, smiles turn to giggles as the eyes of the Bad Cat flash to life with a flick of the standby switch.

A Telecaster seems an appropriate first point of reference, and with all controls set to mid position, a highly rewarding journey of discovery begins, revealing the sonic personalities of the two channels.

In Channel 1, the EF86 valve in this circuit produces a large, somewhat three-dimensional tone, simultaneously deep and bell-like. The preamp gain, teamed with the channel master offers a huge gain range from a velvety clean through to a saturated and swampy fuzz with all the stops in between worthy of a prolonged visit.

A sonic fingerprint of this channel is the subtle, almost imperceptible compression that both enhances delicate fingerpicking and de-stings hard plectrum-bashing. It jangles joyfully without harsh edges – no mean feat when faced with a Telecaster bridge pickup played with spirit!

The ability to incrementally shelve the ample bottom-end using the Depth switch allows for tuneable tightening of response and brings focus to fatter-sounding guitars such as a Les Paul. Finally, cranking the channel volume, usefully placed in a pre-phase inverter circuit position, unleashes a harmonically rich squish, perfect for heavier overdriven sounds.

Stealing ourselves away from Channel 1, the second and 12AX7-based channel has its own distinct character – less bold and deep, instead more present and punchy.

Tighter in its response, it is capable of sparkling clean tones with huge dynamic range – neither harsh nor soft – and it stays in its sweet spot throughout its entire gain range. A regular bass control seems a good choice for this channel due to its more traditional controllability.

Even at its extremes, the saturation available is the kind that suits timeless sonic tastes such as classic rock and the like and doesn’t veer into more extreme terrains, which are already more than adequately catered for by more metal-oriented amplifiers.

Just when you think all the fun has been had, the blend switch conjures up the Era 30’s finest trick. Clever engineering combines both channels in-phase to deliver ‘best of both worlds’ tones that are simply stunning.

Combining the EF86’s rich bottom with the taut attack of the 12AX7 unleashes a range of possibilities such as saturation with bell-like clarity through to punchy mids with a halo of depth and sheen. Such is the dynamic range, like us, you may be left discovering fresh sonic variations for quite some time.

The buffered effects loop effortlessly interfaces with a wide-range of effects from our Roland RE-301 tape echo to a Lexicon PCM70. Once unplugged, the loop is disengaged from the circuit so as to be sonically invisible.

Verdict

Verdict: ★★★★★

For most guitarists, dropping this kind of money on an amp is not done without considerable deliberation. There are very few purchases we can make on gear that don’t cause at least some small frisson of worry as to the worthiness of our decisions.

However, in the form of the Bad Cat Era 30 no reasons could be found for anything other than abject delight and inspiration.

Guitar World verdict: If you seek complete Vox-style satisfaction without shortcomings or compromises, the Era 30 comprehensively delivers on all fronts. A very fitting legacy for its designer.

Hands-on videos

Bad Cat

Pete Thorn

Andertons

• “One of the best-sounding USA amplifiers currently available”: Bad Cat Jet Black head review
• This article first appeared in Guitarist. Subscribe and save.

What is it?

Marshall Amplification, originally under the careful stewardship of Jim Marshall (aka the Father of Loud), has arguably done more to define the sound of rock guitar than any other amp brand.

We have all surely fallen at some point for the majestic tones coaxed from these amps by guitar legends since the early ’60s, with each generation’s guitar hero finding new and innovative ways to expand the Marshall sound while the designs themselves remained largely unchanged since their inception.

Towards the late ’70s a hotter, more fluid guitar sound began to emerge from the US. Tinkering technicians such as Jose Arredondo and Lee Jackson had begun developing hot-rodding techniques to achieve a variety of goals – increased gain being chief among them.

These jacked-up tones would dominate the airwaves for a good decade until the buzz and fuzz of grunge brought slacker aesthetics to the fore. However, the modded-Marshall sound never went away and still represents a hot slice of the amplifier market.

Meanwhile, Marshall imperiously ignored such fads, happier to conserve and reproduce its heritage offerings. That is, until now. With a fresh energy and player-focused attitude at Marshall HQ, our stalwart monolith heads have finally been tricked out with tried-and-tested mods appropriate to the model. Let’s find out if these brand-new Marshalls sound like the records.

Looking every inch the definition of rock legends, both amps are made as solidly as we’ve come to expect with each featuring period-correct birch ply cabinets and appropriate vinyl patterns.

Both amps, in fact, begin life as stock hand-wired 1959 and JCM800 models respectively, before receiving their individual modifications. This also makes for ease of serviceability, something of a high priority for a brand who supplies the backline for a large proportion of the touring music industry.

In the case of the hand-wired 1959 ‘Plexi’ amplifier, the modifications allow for a two-way clipping circuit, Bright cap and a master volume – eminently sensible additions considered de rigueur for any Marshall on steroids.

The amp relies on power section saturation for a large part of its signature sound and is therefore not an ideal candidate for an effects loop, hence its omission. For the JCM800 we now have two clipping options (OD I and II), a midrange boost and a Tight switch. We also have an effects loop on the rear alongside level and bypass switches.

Oh, and if you wish to personalise these amps further aesthetically, the design team at Marshall will happily produce an amp for you with your personal selection from a vast library of finishes and materials, all the way through to reproducing your own artwork on the cabinets and grills.

Specs

Marshall 1959 Modified

• PRICE: $3,699/£2,999
• ORIGIN: UK
• TYPE: 100W tube amp head with modifications
• TUBES: 2x ECC83, 1x ECC83 (Phase Splitter) and 4x EL34
• OUTPUT: 100W
• SPEAKER OUTPUTS: 2x standard jack w/ selectable 16/8/4 ohms load
• DIMENSIONS: 741 (w) x 294 (d) x 210mm (h)
• WEIGHT (kg/lb): 21/46.3
• CABINET: Baltic birch ply
• CHANNELS: 2 with shared EQ controls
• CONTROLS: Presence, Bass, Middle, Treble, Volume 1, Volume 2, Master Volume. Clip Level, Clip Toggle and Bright switches
• OPTIONS: Custom finishes available
• CONTACT: Marshall Amplification

Marshall JCM800 Modified

• PRICE: $3,299/£2,699
• ORIGIN: UK
• TYPE: 100W tube amp head with modifications
• TUBES: 2x ECC83, 1x ECC83 (Phase Splitter) and 4x EL34
• OUTPUT: 100W
• SPEAKER OUTPUTS: 2x standard jack w/ selectable 16/8/4 ohms load
• DIMENSIONS: 741 (w) x 294 (d) x 210mm (h)
• WEIGHT (kg/lb): 21/46.3
• CABINET: Baltic birch ply
• CHANNELS: Single with dual inputs
• CONTROLS: Presence, Bass, Middle, Treble, Master Volume, Pre-Amp Vol. Mid-Shift, OD and Tight switches
• OPTIONS: Custom finishes available
• CONTACT: Marshall Amplification

Usability and sounds

The JCM lives up to its reputation as the defining rock amp of the ’80s. Its muscular and present character is given all-new gain and tone-shaping options here via the midrange boost switch. Moving through the range of the preamp level control, it’s great to be reminded just how versatile this circuit can be.

A semi-acoustic brings out a rounded jazz tone from the low input that is both present and warm. However, with all the restraint of a child ripping open their Christmas presents, a super-S has to be plunged into the high input – and the glory shines out.

The already transcendent saturation we’re greeted with by 7 on the preamp level is enough for fluid modern soloing and metal rhythms. Flicking the overdrive circuit into action with OD 1, we bring up the sustain up by an appreciable amount. OD 2 continues on with a further boost of the same type.

Quite transparent in effect – more like an extension to the preamp gain level, rather than the sound of extra circuitry – the gain mods in this amp do, in fact, utilise its own inherent topology, instead of extra diodes or transistors.

Should you wish to goose up the mid frequencies a notch, the midrange boost offers a well-judged push that’s not a million miles from a Tube Screamer’s frequency range: Strats rejoice! If things get muddy using seven-string guitars and drop tunings, the bottom-end can be defined by employing that Tight switch: a high-pass filter that relieves the valves [tubes] of their heavier chores, allowing them to produce faster transients and harmonics.

Now, for the hand-wired 1959 – confusingly released in 1964 – the kerrang and crunch of the 80s is still a thing of the future. Instead, the more open and less maximised sound here with plenty of vibrant top-end invites more of a classic approach.

The ‘Plexi’ has always had the power to roar when the volume is raised, but now we have a choice of two spicy gain-boosting options to get us into that zone at lower master levels.

In clip position 1, the diode-based circuitry provides crunch with a recognisable sharp edge, while position 2’s transistor-based clipping smooths out the midrange, which not only sounds incredible but also feels effortless to play. It’s a great place to start for early Van Halen tones, for instance. The pre tone-stack master volume appears to give a little extra range to the EQ controls, too, allowing for extra tonal tweakability.

In both cases, once the traditional master and gain levels start to reach full peak, the effect of the mod-switching becomes less apparent due to power section distortion.

But by that point the party is likely in full swing. Using a correctly rated power attenuator can be yet another way to access the final dizzying echelons of gain from these amps.

Verdict

Verdict: ★★★★½

With these modifications Marshall brings the sound of the gods down to the volume-restricted reality of us mere mortals.

Between the instant gratification of the JCM800 and gain-injected classicisms of the 1959, Marshall has delivered steroidal boosts that manage to magnify the individual characters of the amps without losing any of their sonic signature.

With each amp costing around £500 more than its unmodified counterpart, their prices put them in line with boutique amps such as the Friedman Plex.

However, their unmistakable midrange crunch has Marshall written through it like a stick of, well, rock!

Guitar World verdict: Sometimes, only the real thing will do, and for players with the budget and occasion to use these amps in the way they’re intended, they will definitely roar like only a Marshall can.

Hands-on videos

Marshall

Guitar World

Rabea Massaad

• “Delivers uber-satisfying edge of breakup tube saturation that won’t annoy your neighbors”: Marshall DSL1CR review
• This article first appeared in Guitarist. Subscribe and save.

Laney has dropped a new Foundry series guitar amp head that promises the “dynamic interactive feel and touch sensitivity” of a tube amp in a portable and feature-packed solid-state amplifier.

The 120-watt LF-Supertop is the most powerful of Laney's Lionheart Foundry models so far, and there are matching 2x12 and 4x12 guitar cabinets to play it through.

The foundations for the LF-Supertop were laid down by the IRF-Dualtop, which packed a surprising amount of volume in its 60-watt package, and was praised for its tonal versatility and a “top notch” built-in reverb. Laney's $299 IRF-Leadtop also showed what it could do at the lower end of the price scale.

The British amp builder – the tone makers of choice for Tony Iommi, Billy Corgan, and Vernon Reid – then released Lionheart Foundry combos last year, which also packed 60-watts of analog grunt. The LF-Supertop doubles the power in a bid to supercharge that successful formula.

This shares “the same mapped topology” of Laney's Lionheart tube amps. The EQ and gain stage have been “faithfully converted using discrete analog components precisely tuned to match the response characteristics”.

Naturally, there's a 3-band EQ to play with, but there's also an extra Tone control, which mirrors a guitar's tone dial. It could be used to double-down on a certain sound – Eric Clapton’s ‘Woman Tone’ sees the Tone rolled back, for instance.

The LF-Supertop's two channels are split between Lead and Clean for “saturated overdrives” and “pristine tones” respectively. The lead channel also gets a Bright/Dark switch for extra tweakability.

A footswitchable boost, which Laney claims can almost act as a third channel, is a bonus. It can push the clean channel into slight overdrive territory, or adrenalize the lead tone to something rotten. This amp presents some fun options for dialing in an electric guitar tone.

Effects-wise, players can find a built-in tremolo that pays homage to mid-'60s circuits, typically only found in tube amps, and all the sounds from Andy Timmons-approved Black Country Customs Spiral Array Chorus pedal – expect everything from subtle sounds to “down a drainpipe” flanging. Beyond that there is a spring reverb taken from Black Country Customs' Secret Path reverb pedal.

The cabs are equipped with 12" HH high-performance drivers and a peak output of 960W for the 4x12, but the LF-Supertop can also impress sans cab thanks to the onboard LAIR (Laney Advance impulse response) technology, which offers IRs of its GS112 and GS412 cabinets.

The fact it can shine without a cab makes this a very viable option for a slimmed-down gig rig. It only weighs 7kg. And the power is switchable for bedroom practice. There's a headphones output for making that practice silent, plus an effects loop for integrating your pedalboard.

“Put simply, it's the perfect choice for anyone seeking an affordable amp for practice, recording, and performance,” says Laney.

The LF-Supertop is priced at a respectable $599.99 with the 4x12 at $789.99 and the 2x12 is $449.99.

Head to Laney for more.

Before the LF-Supertop, the British firm's most notable release in 2025 was its signature bass amp for session great Nathan East, while instrumental virtuoso Lari Basilio has spoken of her love for Lionheart amps.

Synergy has unveiled a tiny-but-versatile 20-watt amp head with a unique calling card – its preamp modules can be interchanged at will, meaning it can harness the tones of some of the world's biggest amp builders.

The SYN-20IR utilizes Synergy’s patented all-tube modular system, meaning its preamp modules – of which Steve Vai has a signature model – can be swapped out quickly and easily.

That’s resulted in the firm citing its latest invention as “the world’s most flexible, convenient, and tonally versatile all-tube amplifier head”.

It boasts a built-in American-style clean channel, with space for two other channels in its tiny housing, allowing players to fill the blanks with their preferred preamp modules.

Moreover, while there are seven Synergy modules to choose from, there is also Steve Vai's signature offering and officially licensed modules from Peavey, Soldano, Bogner, Friedman, and many more beyond, giving authentic slices of several classic amps in one super-transportable package.

The function makes the all-tube head a great option for those who don’t want to give up on real amps but are perhaps a little envious of the sheer versatility of amp modelers. No wonder Synergy is hyping the amp up as “a tonal beast ideal for every player, every style, and every situation”.

It’s brought to life by an EL84-loaded power section, while 12AX7s also feature, and onboard Impulse Response tech means players don’t have to play through a cab if they don’t want to. Thus, these tiny bad boys can plug straight into venue PAs or recording devices.

There’s latency shorter than 1ms, a selectable power amp structure, an effects loop, a silent playing option, and various output options to boot. It’s fully MIDI compatible; it’s trick bag is dense.

Of its IRs, there are 13 options baked in, with the library manageable via sister software amid talk of “unmatched realism” from its cab simulation flavors.

Each channel can be assigned one of three power structures. Selections can be saved and recalled via the included three-button MIDI footswitch. Such companion pieces aren’t always included in the retail price, so credit to Synergy there.

Beyond that, there are various options for the response of the all-analog power section via the Structure feature, helping “significantly alter the contour and feel” of the amp.

In practice, Mode A offers “balanced negative feedback for a clear yet punchy sound”, Mode B is a “vintage-style phase inverter with relaxed mids and a bright, shimmering high end”, and Mode C serves a “modern HiFi-style phase inverter and low negative feedback for a modern, tight feel with solid lows and a darker high end”.

The SYN-20IR might be unassuming in size, but it’s built to take a beating thanks to its “road-worthy steel construction”. But its tour-friendly features have one more trick up its sleeve.

For those tired of facing different power requirements in each country they play, the SYN-20IR also has a voltage selector on its back panel. This eliminates the need to re-bias the amp or mess about with transformers.

“Why play one great amp, when with Synergy, I can play them all,” Vai said of his signature module.

"What Synergy is doing is pretty remarkable because they are taking the specs, in some cases the exact specs from these wonderful boutique amplifiers, taking the pre-amp section, which is really, the preamp section is where the sound is in your amplifier – all of the sound, the EQ, the resistors, the levels, the amount of distortion, the gain, this is all in the pre-amp section.

“It’s not modeling, it’s actually the authenticity of tubes.”

The SYN-20IR is available for $999.99, while preamp modules start from $399.99 apiece.

Head to Synergy Amps to learn more.

NAMM 2025: Marshall has announced the arrival of its first commercially available factory-modded tube amps, the 1959 Modified and JCM800 Modified.

We knew some form of modified amp was on the way. Guitar World first broke the news last year in an interview with Marshall Group CEO Jeremy de Maillard, in which he told this writer that the legacy amp giant had big plans for new products and revealed “mods came very early into that conversation.”

At the time, after being sworn to secrecy, I was also given a tantalizing glance at an early Modified unit but was not able to hear it in action at the time. Since that point Ryan ‘Fluff’ Bruce posted a teaser image of a 1959 Modified over on Instagram, noting “NAMM is gonna be fun.”

Now we have the official announcement and it seems both the 1959 (AKA the Plexi) and the JCM800 are getting the factory mod treatment.

“Modified connects us with a long-standing tradition of modifying Marshall amps that dates back to the 1970s,” says the firm.

“Artists, both in studios and on stages, were looking to get something different from the industry-standard amps of the time. Marshall mods were sometimes about getting ‘more’ – more distortion, more sustain, a bigger sound.

“Other times, they were about versatility, allowing musicians to achieve sweeter tones or to get the best from their Marshall heads without driving them to ear-splitting volume levels.”

As such, the 1959 Modified combines a host of popular mod options into one unit, including the popular Master Volume tweak (which enables players to get a gained-up crunch at lower volumes), a switchable bright cap (for fine-tuning the highs), a gain boost switch, plus a clip type switch, enabling a choice of diode or transistor clipping.

The JCM800, meanwhile, adds a gain boost switch favored by ’80s classic rockers, alongside a mid-boost (helpful if you want solos to cut through the mix), and a tight switch, which cuts the low-frequency flab for modern, down-tuned metal playing.

It’s a smart move from the firm: tipping its cap to the popular Marshall mod scene and the much-admired work of the so-called amp wizards of the ’70s and ’80s, but doing so from its original home in the UK.

The mods are all completed to order in the firm’s UK facility at Bletchley and, perhaps unsurprisingly, carry a price to match that prestige, with the 1959 Modified coming in at $3,699 and the JCM800 costing $3,299.

The Modified series isn’t the only new announcement from Marshall at this year’s show, the firm’s also unveiled a line of Marshall Overdrive amp-in-a-box pedals, bringing authorized takes on Plexi, DSL and JCM amp tones to your pedalboard for the first time.

For more information, head to Marshall.

NAMM 2025: Orange Amps has unveiled a new Baby Range of guitar amps, with each rocking a size-defying 100 watts of solid-state power, two channels, and weighing just 3kg.

The compact amp triplets – called the Dual Baby, Tour Baby, and Gain Baby – are being hailed by their creators as “lightweight, portable, and incredibly powerful,” providing an opportunity for traveling musicians to get the joys of an amp-proper without a large footprint, and build on the Pedal Baby format, launched in 2019.

When Orange says they are tiny, it means it. They're as compact as they come at 30cm wide and 8cm tall. However, it must be pointed out that their power is only 100 watts with 8 ohms cabs, dropping to 70W when plugged into 16 ohms.

Tonally, they draw their qualities from across Orange’s lineage, with the Dual Baby’s A channel based on a Rockerverb’s dirt channel, while channel B is all about “full-on,” high gain.

But it isn’t without originality too, as a newly-designed Tubby switch is in place to add extra body to electric guitars by boosting the bottom-end early in the signal chain.

A VCA compressor characterizes the Dual Baby’s “pristine” Clean channel, which Orange promises excels with active and passive pickup-loaded guitars. In contrast, its Dirty channel nestles at the point of breakup.

Last but not least, the Gain Baby steals from its siblings. It comes loaded with the Tour Baby’s clean tones and the Dual Baby’s high-gain channel for a real yin-yang tonality.

The hairy channel offers four distinct stages for tweakable crunch and saturation, and an onboard footswitch volume control and Tight switch ensure there's plenty of mileage to be had out of the dinky amp.

For tone-sculpting, the Gain and Tour variants offer Comp, Volume, Bass, and Treble controls for their respective clean channels; the Dirty channels are manipulated via dials for Gain, Volume, Foot Switch Volume, Presence, and a three-band EQ.

The Dual Baby, living up to its name, has the same Gain, Volume, and Presence knobs, and a dedicated three-band EQ per channel.

The amps are rack-mountable, feature a Class A/B power stage and buffered effects loops to link up with pedalboards and beyond, and come with a padded gig bag.

Finally, all amps boast a direct out option for hooking up to third-party impulse responses and cab sims, if players wanted a digitized playing experience – Orange hails them as “studio-grade and gig-ready”.

All three amps are available now for $599.

Head to Orange for more details.

The release continues Orange’s tiny footprint trend, having worked with Alice Cooper and Michael Jackson six-stringer Orianthi on the Orange Crush 20RT, a signature 20-watt combo amp that proves size doesn’t matter.

NAMM 2025: Marshall is teasing “a new take on a classic” amp head and a “stomping new line-up” of effects pedals as it prepares for its much-anticipated return to NAMM.

Two teaser clips were posted over the weekend ahead of NAMM 2025, which will mark the amp giant’s first appearance at the event in five years. The legendary amp builder will be using its comeback to showcase “the best that Marshall has to offer” – and these two drops are right at the front of the queue.

The legendary British firm is synonymous with the sound of classic rock, and has been championed by the likes of Jimmy Page, Slash, Angus Young and other big players for a range of generation-defining guitar spectacles.

Now, a new era of Marshall beckons, as the firm has teased what will likely be the release of a hugely sought-after modded JCM amp head.

The first teaser shows an amp comprising a single row of 10 dials sitting atop a 4x12 cab in a darkened room, a spotlight illuminating different parts without giving anything away. From such glimpses, a resemblance to the iconic JCM900 can be made out.

That amp, first introduced in January 1990, featured master Volume, Reverb, and Gain controls for its two channels while a Presence dial augmented its three-band EQ. The all-valve amp embodied Marshall’s tonal spirit, and is one of the company’s most enduring feats of amp engineering.

It remains to be seen what Marshall will be doing differently this time out, but the promise of “a new take” means that players can expect more than just a copy-and-paste reissue.

In fact, we’d go as far as to wager this particular example could in fact be the first of many in-house amp mods that Marshall fans have been clamoring for for years.

Modded Marshalls have a history of their own, and over the years some of the guitar world’s most revered amp engineers have all developed reputations for elevating stock Marshalls. Now, it looks as though Marshall will finally be releasing some of its own.

Furthermore, when asked by Guitar World last year whether the company was working on producing its own modded amps, CEO Jeremy de Maillaird revealed his team were “working on this”. So, watch this space...

As for the pedal tease, there’s even less to go on. Five shadowy stompboxes, all offering the same stylings, are shown. The satisfying click of a footswitch, followed by an overdriven power chord tells us that, surely, one of these will be an overdrive pedal.

Historically, Marshall hasn’t played with too many effects. There was the SV-1 Chorus Vibrato, the Regenerator – a three-in-one modulation pedal – and a handful of others, but it has usually focused instead on different flavors of overdrive, such as The Guv’nor and the Blues Breaker, both of which were reissued in 2023.

With NAMM 2025 kicking off later this week, we fortunately won’t have to wait too long for these grand reveals.

NAMM 2025: After teasing its return last week, Mesa/Boogie has now officially launched the ’90s Dual Rectifier – a reissue of the holy grail high-gain guitar amp that defined the sound of heavy music in the 1990s.

As was noted when whispers of the Dual Rectifier’s revival first began circulating online, this latest release continues the Gibson-owned amp brand’s current trend of reissuing Golden Era tube amps, after the return of the Mark IIC+ at the back-end of 2024.

Like the Mark IIC+, the Dual Rectifier is one of electric guitar music’s most celebrated and revered amps and, as asserted by the Gibson Gazette, is comfortably one of the most modeled guitar tones in today’s digital amp landscape, having been replicated by Universal Audio, IK Multimedia and many others.

Now, though, players have been given another opportunity to play the real deal, with Mesa/Boogie launching an updated-yet-faithful take on the iconic amp head.

For a brief history lesson, the Dual Rectifier first arrived in 1992, after spending a few years in development during the late 1980s as Mesa/Boogie sought to cater to heavy, high-gain guitarists.

It became a hit for guitarists across the entire genre spectrum, and over the years was played by the likes of Foo Fighters, Alice in Chains, blink-182, Tool, Korn, Limp Bizkit, Soundgarden and countless more.

First and foremost, this new take has been described as a “faithful recreation of the tube amp that redefined high gain and provided much of the soundtrack of a generation”. As such, it comes suitably dressed up, with a Black diamond Plate grille and Black Bronco vinyl that pays homage to the source material.

Furthering the faithful vibe, this new edition offers a foot-switchable dual channel design that covers the “scorching high-gain crunch” and “expressive cleans”. Specifically, three distinct sounds are categorized into Red, Orange and Green modes.

These channels are dictated by a no-nonsense control panel comprising Master, Presence, Bass, Mid, Treble and Gain parameters, as well as a Loop Active Master knob, which works in tandem with the FX loop.

Under the hood, the 100-watt head comes packing with five 12AX7 preamp tubes, four 6L6 power amp tubes, and two 5U4 Rectifier tubes.

Naturally, Mesa/Boogie has also fitted the returning amp with some choice upgrades in a bid to make it more attractive to modern players. As far as performance goes, the general clean tones have supposedly been “improved and enhanced”.

For functionality, Mesa/Boogie has also fitted a Variac switch, which works alongside the amp’s switchable rectifiers – which, in turn, toggle between tube and silicon diode rectifier modes for a varied sound – in order to further tailor the amp’s response.

Through this, players can fine-tune the response for a fierce attack for tighter riffs in ‘Bold’ mode, or an “elastic” feel for more expressive playing in the ‘Spongy’ setting.

Furthermore, the rear panel also now hosts a Channel Style Select Switch that has been marked as a “cloning configuration assignment”. Effectively, it works to reconfigure the amp by changing the overall tonal character of its channels.

In other words, if players wanted two high-gain Red or two mid-gain Orange channels – rather than one of each – that is now a possibility. Rather niche, but no doubt useful for some players.

“It certainly wasn't easy,” reflects Tommy Waugh, Mesa/Boogie's Amplifier Product Manager, of the amp's creation. “We had to go through some older Recs, going back through each part of the circuit to see what made each thing special, because there’s so much inside this amplifier – what were the best things of this circuit, and what could we improve upon?

“We got to the end and realized we had a cleaner, meaner, better Rectifier. There’s no denying it.”

The price tag for the ’90s Dual Rectifier is yet to be confirmed.

Head over to Mesa/Boogie to find out more.

In related Mesa/Boogie news, firm founder Randall Smith – who left the company last year – recently recalled how the brand got its Boogie name... and how he developed his hammer test.

A while ago, a limited-edition version of the Dimebag mini Warhead 40-watt head was unleashed – with only 333 being available. Dime evangelist, YouTuber and all-around good guy Ola Englund did a video on the compact crusher, and as hoped, it sounded really freaking good and looked pretty darned good, too. Plus, the price was, er, right. And, as the Swedish six-stringer sensibly predicted, the 333 sold out instantly.

That said, if – like me – you’re a Dimebag Tone Chaser, and you missed out, don’t fret; a regular production model is coming soon, and it will not be limited. In fact, I just got my eager mitts on one. Here’s the skinny.

It’s a one-channel, 40-watt, solid-state head with a series FX loop on its rear panel. Its front panel controls are the “usual suspects,” namely, from right to left: Gain, Bass, Middle, Treble, Presence and Master Volume. On plugging in – without any stompboxes – I was easily able to dial in a nice, tight, Dimebag-like tone with that signature upper-frequency “fry.”

The amp’s fast, punchy response immediately inspired me to butcher all the Dime riffs I know, and I had an absolute blast doing so. Its sleek, black, snakeskin vinyl is a nice touch, too.

According to the Dime camp, this amp is a two-year “labor of love.” Dime’s OG gear was used, and their tonal benchmark/goal was “the Randall RG100 [head] with the parametric and 6-band [graphic EQ] built into the preamp with Darrell’s main settings.” And, obviously, Dime’s legendary tech, Grady Champion, was intimately involved. Respect.

My conclusion? Mission accomplished, team Dime. This is a good-looking, compact, no-frills, Dimebag-inspired tone machine that boasts his iconic signature and a price tag that might surprise you ($529 at the time of writing).

As Champion summed up so succinctly, “Dime would be so proud of us right now. Getcha pull!”

• For more information, head over to Warhead Amps.

Blackstar has introduced the heavily upgraded Series One 100 MK II amp head – a new take on the British firm’s flagship Series One guitar amp, which is said to represent “the pinnacle of high gain performance”.

The OG unit was unveiled back in 2007, and has since become one of the company’s most popular and well-known offerings, catering specifically to metal and heavier players. The brand-defining unit was one of Blackstar’s earliest triumphs (it arrived the same year the company was founded), and helped put the fledgling firm on the map.

Now, 17 years after the original Series One launch, Blackstar has updated it for modern guitar players in the form of the aptly named Series One MK II head.

The word “updated” is doing some seriously heavy lifting in this context, because this isn’t just your run-of-the-mill, slap-a-new-name-on-it kind of overhaul – this is a systemic, top-to-bottom revamp that promises to channel the world class tones of the original alongside some much-needed internal tweaks.

Namely, there have been over 30 circuit modifications and voicing tweaks to the original design, resulting in four “clear, focused, and defined” gain channels, with “best-in-class note definition” to go with them.

Clean, Crunch, OD1 and OD2 channels each get their own Gain and Volume controls, with additional Bright/Warm and Super Crunch modes for each set of voices. A pair of three-band EQs, which are wired to the Clean/Crunch and OD1/OD2 channels, help with further tone-tweaking, as does a master control panel comprising Resonance, Presence and Volume knobs.

Blackstar’s proprietary Infinite Shape Feature (ISF) control makes the cut, promising to give players an easily sweepable range of both American and British amp tones.

Other notable upgrades include the patented Dynamic Power Reduction control – which (as the name suggests) reduces the power from 100W to 10W for tube tone and feel at lower volume levels – and full MIDI integration for use in more complex rigs.

“The Series One MK II is more than an amp – it’s the culmination of nearly two decades of Blackstar’s relentless pursuit of sonic perfection,” Blackstar says in a statement.

“Tailored specifically for the needs of modern metal guitarists, this range offers best-in-class sound quality, unrivalled tonal versatility, and rock-solid durability.”

It’s joined by the Series One PRO 412B MKII cab, which features Celestion Vintage 30s to deliver a “crushing low end without ever getting ‘flabby’”.

The Series One 100 MKII and Series One PRO 412B MKII are available to preorder now for $1,999 and $1,499, respectively.

Visit Blackstar for more.

It’s remarkable that the Katana is fast approaching its tenth birthday. Initially released in 2016, Boss’s now-famous solid-state amp has become the best-selling amplifier range on the market. From the recently discontinued pocket-sized Katana:GO to the upscale Artist model, the range caters to a wide variety of needs. Its long reign at the top is no surprise, but it does make me feel a little old…

Versatility has always been a hallmark of the Katana range. Whether you’re after a home practice tool with deep tone editing capabilities, a plethora of amp voices, a tonne of industry-standard effects or an amp with USB recording capabilities. There’s no denying that for home use, practice, and even recording, the Katana rules all.

But what about gigging musicians who need one amp that can handle both the demands of the stage and serve as a useful practice tool for home? In decades past, that might have been a tough ask – but not anymore, thanks to the Katana Head.

The Katana range is now in its third generation, with an entire range of updated amps released early in 2024. While the Katana Head has been a staple in the Boss lineup since 2016, advances in technology and the incorporation of features from the flagship Artist model have given the Katana Gen 3 Head some fantastic upgrades. With plenty of new bells and whistles added since the original, it continues to impress.

Sitting near the top end of the Katana range’s price point, the Gen 3 Head will set you back around $/£430. Given the extensive features and versatility it offers, I think this is a reasonable ask for what’s on offer.

Although amp heads are typically seen as heavy, single-purpose bits of kit, the Katana Head breaks from that stereotype. As players know, balancing power with home usability can be a headache. Practice amps are usually unsuitable for anything beyond bedroom use, while gigging gear is often far too loud for home practice. I can certainly relate – my dusty AC30 is patiently waiting for the next gig, not seeing the light of day in my city-center apartment.

With that in mind, I put the Katana Head Gen 3 through its paces, cranking it up in a practice room next to a drum kit in a full band setting and dialing it down for home practice, too. I’ve tested its true versatility every step of the way. Let’s take a look.

Amplifier layout

Starting with the control panel, I’m greeted by the familiar Katana layout. On the left, there’s a knob for selecting from six amp types – Brown, Lead, Crunch, Pushed, Clean and Acoustic – each with a variation, bringing the total to 12 options. You’ll also find separate gain and volume controls. Above these is the all-new Bloom function, which can be toggled on or off.

Next, is the 3-band EQ section – Treble, Middle and Bass. The Gen 3 series also introduces a new feature here: Contour. This provides three midrange contour settings, each with its own voicing, controlled by a color-coded button to indicate which one is active.

After the EQ section, you’ll encounter what I think is one of the Katana range’s standout features: controls for five built-in Boss effects – Booster, Mod, FX, Delay and Reverb – each offering three variations, for a total of 15 impressive effects. Beyond this, there’s a presence control, master volume, Solo control, a power attenuator with four modes, and a cab resonance switch offering three options: Vintage, Modern and Deep.

On the back panel, connectivity options cover everything from gigging to home recording. There’s a ¼-inch speaker out for connecting to cabinets (minimum 8 ohms), foot control and expression pedal inputs for more flexible control, and a USB-C stereo recording out, which also connects to the Boss Tone Studio for deep sound editing. You’ll also find an effects loop for keeping reverb or delay effects clean, a 3.5mm aux-in, and a ¼-inch stereo ‘phones output.

Rounding out the back panel, there’s also a ¼-inch Power Amp input that bypasses the preamp for use with a modeler. Lastly, the line out and Stereo Expand feature lets you hook up two Gen 3 Katana amps for stereo output, adding even more versatility to the rig.

Internally, behind the dark grille, lies the Katana Head’s secret weapon – a 5-inch speaker designed for home practice. While not a new addition to the Gen 3 range, this internal speaker transforms the 100-watt amplifier head into a practical desktop practice amp for home use.

Feel & sound

Straight off the bat and without editing via the Boss Tone Studio, the Katana Head sounds massive. Plugging it into my custom 12-inch Celestion G12H cabinet, it’s clear the six amp types cover a huge breadth of playable genres. On top of that, the Head’s volume took me by surprise; this thing is loud! It had no issue keeping up with my drummer when taking it to practice.

The brand-new Pushed amp type is perhaps the most enjoyable to play. Designed to replicate that sought-after edge-of-break-up chime produced by tubes, it is impressively dynamic. I’m currently running The Creamery’s Wide-Range humbuckers, and with the Pushed voicing it added just the right amount of grit to a clean tone, cutting through a mix perfectly and adding plenty of life.

Moreover, the new Bloom function – borrowed from the Artist model – delivers a more three-dimensional sound, with deeper lows and a noticeable boost in presence. When paired with my Nashville Telecaster’s single coils, it added a beautiful glassiness that really stood out. In my opinion, the Bloom function shines best with cleaner or slightly grittier tones, making it a perfect companion to the new Pushed amp voice.

The Contour control is another standout addition, offering even more shades to your sound. In my testing, I noticed a boosted lower-mid tone, a scooped midrange setting, and a sharper mid-focused sound that works brilliantly with the Brown amp type. All three are highly usable and will bring out different nuances depending on your pickups, pedals and guitar.

Another great feature is the Head’s internal speaker for home practice. While it won’t blow you away – it’s a 5-inch speaker with a pronounced midrange – it’s more than sufficient for practice. Just don’t push the Brown channel too hard at full power, as it may start to struggle. But for those arena-filling volumes, plugging into a cabinet is always an option. For home use, though, it does the job nicely.

Key features

Moving on to the effects section, there isn’t a significant change compared to the Gen 2 Katana Head. Utilizing concentric knobs, all five effects can be used simultaneously, which is a big appeal. Boss has adopted an ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ approach, but we’re not complaining. Having all these iconic Boss effects integrated into one amp is a real treat, allowing you to get pretty close to the sound in your head using the onboard controls alone.

However, it’s in the Boss Tone Studio where the effects section truly shines. There’s a vast library of effects pedals you can tweak to your heart’s content, and the desktop app offers a range of editable parameters for each effect that give modelers like the Line 6 Helix a run for their money. From the depth and rate of modulation to low-cut and high-cut filters on reverb, I had a lot of fun tweaking and getting a plethora of different tones.

One improvement to the Tone Studio that I really appreciated is the ability to creatively arrange your effects; while editing your saved channels in the chain tab, you can now simply drag and drop some effects to achieve your preferred order.

Another notable addition to the third generation Head is the ability to edit effects wirelessly from your smartphone via Bluetooth. While Boss’ Tone Studio has always been available through a wired computer connection, this wireless option removes the hassle of extra cables.

It is a bit disappointing that you need to purchase Boss’ Bluetooth adapter separately for around $50. My review unit was shipped with the adapter and I found that editing effects on my smartphone was hassle-free and seamless. Plus, it enables you to stream audio while jamming along to backing tracks or your favorite songs. Well worth the extra investment, in my opinion.

The new Solo function is a welcomed addition; when activated, it provides a boost in both volume and gain, perfect for blasting out hair-raising solos on the fly. Also, on this side of the control panel is the saveable Tone Setting channels. There are eight saveable presets in total split between Bank A or B.

Without a doubt, the effects, Solo function, and saved Tone Settings are best managed with the additional GA-FC EX foot controller. Since the Katana Head is largely designed for gigging, having the foot controller ties these features together into a genuinely gig-friendly package. Although another added extra, costing around $/£140, it allows you to switch between banks, channels, presets, and effects with your foot. Much more convenient in a live setting.

The Power Control attenuator returns, letting you dial down to just 0.5 watts for home practice and delivering that cranked amp tone without disturbing the neighbors. The other settings, Half and Max, offer even more fine-tuning to your surroundings. Max power provides approximately 30 watts through the internal speaker and a full 100 watts when used with an external cabinet.

Also carried over from the Gen 2 Katana Head is the Cab Resonance switch, offering three distinct options: Vintage for a spongy low-end, Modern for a tighter, balanced response, and Deep for an enhanced emphasis on the lower frequencies. There is certainly a noticeable difference between all three. I was genuinely impressed with the amount it colored my cabinet, with modern standing out as a personal favorite.

Final verdict

The Boss Katana Head Gen 3 is a masterclass in versatility, seamlessly bridging the gap between practice and performance. Its internal 5-inch speaker is ideal for home use, while the ability to connect to a cabinet unleashes arena-filling power. The amp offers a rich array of tones and iconic Boss effects, enhanced by the user-friendly Tone Studio, now compatible with smartphones. New features like the Solo function, Contour controls and Bloom elevate the experience, making it perfect for both recording and live gigs. For a solid-state amp it provides an incredibly dynamic, tube-like response. Overall, it’s an impressive amplifier head that can be the one-stop shop for a gigging guitarist who wants to practice with the same model at home.

Specification

• Type: Solid state
• Output: 30W (using internal speaker), 100 W (using external speaker)
• Speaker: 12cm (5 inches) x 1
• Connectivity: input jack, 1/4-inch phone type; power amp in jack, 1/4-inch phone type; line out jack, 1/4-inch phone type; send jack, 1/4-inch phone type; return jack, 1/4-inch phone type; speaker out 1/4-inch phone type (min 8 ohms); stereo phones, stereo 1/4-inch phone type; expression pedal, 1/4-inch TRS phone type; solo jack: 1/4-inch TRS phone type; aux in jack, stereo miniature phone type; USB-C; MIDI in connector; Bluetooth Audio MIDI Dual Adaptor
• Weight: 8.8kg
• Dimensions: 470 (W) x 228 (D) x 215 (H) mm
• Contact: Boss

Back in the annals of PRS history, its founder, Paul, became enamoured with the playing and tone of Texas bluesman David Grissom, a guitarist with a stellar roster of clients including The Allman Brothers, John Mellencamp, Chris Isaak and Bob Dylan. 

The blossoming tone-rapport between David and Paul would lead to a number of Grissom signature products, commencing with the highly-esteemed PRS DGT guitar in 2007.

A conversation began between senior PRS amp designer Doug Sewell and Grissom regarding the sound of his four favourite historic amps: specifically the top-end of a Tweed deluxe, mid-control of a Hiwatt, the low-end of the ‘Plexi’ 50 with nods to an AC30, resulting in the 50-watt and 30-watt incarnations of the DG Custom amp in 2012.

The 50-watt version had less of the power-stage saturation that David leans on for his gutsy Texan tone and was subsequently discontinued. Released earlier in 2024, however, is this keenly priced new DGT head, designed in the USA and – like the current Archon, MT 15 and 100, HDRX 20 and Sonzera 20 – made in Indonesia.

Pulling the amp out of its substantial packaging, an attractive blonde compact-sized 15-watt single-channel amp head emerges with a helpful overlay card offering setting suggestions, followed by a sturdy black anodised, three-way red LED-illuminated footswitch controlling the boost, reverb and tremolo functions with stage-length MIDI-style cable, IEC mains cable and a brief instruction pamphlet to complete the deal.

Built around a Fender-style, downward-hanging chassis in heavy gauge black-anodised steel, the design aesthetic continues with the blonde Tolex and plush leather strap handle, while the salt ’n’ pepper basket-weave grille cloth subtly hints towards the Marshall influence. It’s a great-looking head that will likely receive approving glances from even the sniffiest amp aficionados.

The matt black faceplate houses the unnumbered controls comprising preamp volume, master volume, treble, middle, bass, a three-way Boost switch allowing for the boost to be on/off or footswitchable, and a three-way Bright switch, again with On/Off or Footswitch assignment.

Additional controls include reverb (a three-spring tank enhanced for colour, depth and liveliness), Top Cut, which removes unwanted high-end in a Vox-style manner, and Presence, which controls the gain of the high-end. Finally, the tremolo’s Speed and Depth controls are again joined by a three-way On/Off/Footswitch toggle.

Internal inspection finds a densely populated printed circuit board replete with board-mounted pots and valves, a construction method necessary to achieve a price point hovering around the $/£1,000 mark. Noteworthy use of silicon thermal glue on many of the electrolytic capacitors presumably prevents vibrations.

The only thing we weren’t excited to see was that the wires supplying the GZ34 rectifier have been left over-length and bound together with cable ties, allowing the theoretical potential for noise to be introduced. Similarly, the mains supply cables from the IEC would be best twisted together to reject hum. Despite that, we didn’t experience any such untoward hum.

It’s worth mentioning the PCB-mounted pot and valve design isn’t quite as robust as old-school point-to-point construction. It is, however, widely employed by the likes of Marshall and many, many others. We might recommend treating compact heads of this type gently, but, that said, the included five-year warranty shows PRS probably isn’t experiencing many issues with them.

Sounds

We hooked up our 4x12 Greenback cab, strapped on a Les Paul Custom and hit the power to be greeted by a throaty roar. Dialling in the EQ for the Dave Stephens PAFs, the huge tone-sculpting potential begins to unfold. Our ’82 Strat loves the amp’s mid-forward character, while other humbucker-equipped guitars stayed agile with deployment of the Bright cap.

Many single-channel amps are voiced for a specific gain level and only shine in that sweet spot. Not this one! We got lost in the warm jazz-style tone with the gain on 10 o’clock, and kicking in a healthy dose of reverb and tremolo had us polishing our soul chops. 

Edge of break-up begins thereafter and passing through AC30 gain levels we arrive at JTM45-style gain in the control’s last quarter of operation. This amp’s ability to present your guitar’s inherent tone, rather than imparting its own sound, became clear as the more taut bottom-end of the bridge pickup focused the mids into a stringier, more articulate response.

Any doubts the amp needed four varieties of treble control disappeared as we began digging in, appreciating the subtle differences and interactions. The treble control not only increases treble but also gain, as the amp really takes on a gorgeous ‘Plexi’ character with this above three o’clock, producing a dead-on Thin Lizzy Chinatown tone.

It’s fair to say this amp delivers all the midrange-forward guts that one might expect from a Texas blues player’s signature amp, but by dialling back the midrange and pushing up the treble and bass, a more recognisable Fender-style tone comes to the fore. This amp loves to sing, too, and utilising the increased mid-push of the Boost function, your notes will beg to be held into transcendent feedback. 

And while it may not appear as a traditional pedal platform amp, it does take pedals quite nicely, especially gain stompboxes – Tube Screamer, anyone? 

Since this amp leans heavily on its pair of EL84s for power-stage saturation, it’s not a great candidate for an effects loop, hence the omission. But on the back panel we find preset four-, eight- and 16-ohm speaker jacks, plus bias jacks to monitor the performance of the self-biasing power section.

The reverb tone coming from the three-spring tank is coloured and well tuned, providing everything from a mild halo to fully wet surf-’verb. Meanwhile, the valve-biased tremolo is perfect for anything from a subtle shimmer to a full-bodied throb and we found ourselves leaving it on a mild two o’clock speed with nine o’clock depth for extended periods.

Verdict

The size and wattage of this amp will be attractive to a large guitar-playing demographic that craves power-amp saturation at reasonable volumes.

The wide range of exceptional tones, from warm and clean to edge-of-break-up, through to dimed ‘Plexi’, plus the extensive footswitchable options, mean you could happily jump on stage with just this amp and a guitar (perhaps with a Tube Screamer, too). If treated lovingly, it should be a willing partner-in-tone for years to come.

Specs

• PRICE: $1,199 / £995
• ORIGIN: Indonesia
• TYPE: Tube preamp, tube power amp
• VALVES: 3x 12AX7, 1x 12AT7, 2x EL84
• OUTPUT: 15W RMS
• DIMENSIONS: 438 (w) x 229 (d) x 235mm (h)
• WEIGHT (kg/lb): 9.7/21.4
• CHANNELS: 1 with foot-switchable boost
• CONTROLS: Tremolo Switch, Tremolo Depth, Tremolo Speed, Presence, Top Cut, Reverb, Master Switch, Master, Bright Switch, Bass, Mid, Treble, Boost Switch, Volume
• FOOTSWITCH: 3-button footswitch (supplied) toggles boost, reverb and tremolo
• ADDITIONAL FEATURES: Bias modulated tremolo, 3-spring reverb and boost circuit (all foot-switchable); bias monitoring jacks
• OPTIONS: None
• MATCHING CABINET: Blonde covered salt ’n’ pepper grille Celestion Vintage 30-equipped 2x12, 60W handling
• CONTACT: PRS Guitars

The boutique amp market thrives and exists as it does today largely thanks to the pioneering efforts and success of Mike Soldano.

Before Soldano introduced the legendary SLO-100 Super Lead Overdrive 100-watt head in 1987, the most viable high-gain amp options for hard rock, metal and shred guitarists were mostly limited to either Mesa/Boogie models or a Marshall or Fender amp that was hot-rodded by an amp tech.

The immediate success of the SLO-100, which was warmly embraced by an impressive variety of pros, gave dozens of amp techs the encouragement they needed to start their own amp companies, particularly those expanding the range of high-gain designs, and a few years later the boutique amp phenomenon was in full swing.

Although Soldano previously had performed numerous guitar amp mods himself, his design for the SLO-100 was not based on a pre-existing model with a few upgrades but rather delivered an entirely new circuit.

The power amp section is based on a classic Western Electric circuit using a quartet of 6L6/5881 tubes, but the unique preamp circuit features five cascading gain stages that employ five 12AX7 tubes.

While its Normal and Overdrive channels share a single set of bass, middle and treble EQ controls, each channel has its own preamp gain and master volume controls to give users greater textural flexibility. The Normal channel also includes a switch for selecting Clean or Crunch character.

The SLO-100 Overdrive channel’s tight, dynamically expressive and harmonically rich high-gain tones and smooth attack instantly earned it a devoted following of hard rock and metal players like Warren DeMartini, George Lynch, Matthias Jabs and Mick Mars.

Eddie Van Halen used an SLO-100 during the early ’90s to record For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, and the amp later significantly inspired the design of his signature Peavey 5150 model. Joe Satriani relied heavily on an SLO-100 when recording The Extremist.

Apparently the amp pairs quite well with David Coverdale’s vocals, as Vivian Campbell, Adrian Vandenberg and Steve Vai used SLO-100s during their stints with Whitesnake, and Jimmy Page used an SLO-100 to record tracks for the Coverdale/Page album.

However, the SLO-100 may be even more famous (and enduring) for its early adoption by blues rockers like Eric Clapton during his Journeyman and 24 Nights era, Gary Moore for his early ’90s tours and Warren Haynes with Gov’t Mule and the Allman Brothers Band (he even convinced Dickey Betts to use an SLO-100 for a while with the Allmans).

Mark Knopfler and Lou Reed proved that the SLO-100 delivers clean and overdrive tones that are equally as impressive as its more aggressive high-gain distortion textures.

The Normal channel’s Clean setting provides very distinctive clean tones that are crisp and slinky – similar to the tone of a guitar plugged directly into a mixing console – that is ideal for funk rhythm playing. This, along with its overdrive and distortion tones, made the Soldano one of Prince’s preferred amps during the late ’80s and early ’90s.

Soldano still offers the SLO-100 model today, now called the SLO-100 Classic. The Classic features a handful of changes and upgrades, including the addition of a Depth control, front panel channel switching and a Level control for the effects loop.

One could spend a lifetime searching in vain for the ultimate late-’60s Marshall Super Lead Model 1959 100-watt Plexi head.

While these tube amps do appear on the market sporadically, the best ones seem to be stashed away in the hands of rock stars and deep-pocketed collectors, and the readily available examples usually have either undergone savage modifications or are anemic-sounding survivors that have been swapped more frequently than a bogus two-dollar bill at a Florida flea market.

Fortunately, Suhr offers the SL68 MkII, which offers guitarists everything they would ever want from a blazing Marshall 100-watt Plexi and much more at a cost that is a small fraction of inflated vintage prices.

The SL68 MkII features the same familiar tone and volume controls and four inputs as a classic Super Lead, but it also adds one of the best designed master volume circuits available today, Fat, Boost and Bright switches and a Variac low-power mode. The tubes are a quartet of EL34s for the power and three 12AX7s for the preamp and phase inverter.

Granted, there are numerous Plexi clones on the market these days, but the difference between the Suhr SL68 MkII and most other clones is like the difference between a Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Burgundy and a mass-produced USA Pinot Noir.

Every element, from the carefully selected components to the attention to the finest detail, is on another level. A key feature is its custom output transformer, which is meticulously designed to provide clarity, dynamic responsiveness and elusive expressive feel of the real deal.

The SL68 MkII’s EQ section is the classic Marshall tone stack with Presence, Bass, Middle and Treble controls that deliver the amp’s most aggressive and open tones with everything rolled up to 10.

There are also separate volume controls for channel I (bright) and II (normal), and each channel has its own pair of high- and low-sensitivity ¼-inch input jacks. Like a classic Plexi, this is really a single-channel guitar amp with no channel switching, although you can jumper the bright and normal channels together via the bright/low and normal/high inputs to blend them together.

Three mini toggle switches located above the control expand the amp’s tonal and textural range. The Fat-Cap switch is inspired by a secret mod that John Suhr saw on a legendary artist’s Plexi amp that came through his shop in the mid-’90s that adds body to the bottom-end without making the overall tone more muddy or dense.

The Mid Boost switch pumps up the gain to midrange frequencies to make the tone more notably aggressive but also more focused and prominent. The Bright switch provides three different settings that go from off (original Suhr SL slightly rolled back brightness), in-between (a subtle brightness boost) and vintage (the full brightness of a vintage Plexi).

The Master Volume control is the sole feature on the amp’s back panel other than the two speaker output jacks and 4/8/16-ohm impedance selector. The master volume circuit is removed when its control is turned all the way, and at lower settings it maintains the genuine character and feel of an amp with its power tubes pushed hard, allowing guitarists to enjoy that elusive Marshall amp grind and dynamic crunch at apartment – and recording studio – friendly levels.

Unlike typical full/half and triode/pentode modes found on many modern amps, the SL68 features Hi (full 100-watt) and Lo (Variac mode) settings accessible via the power switch.

The secret to effectively using a Variac is to drop the voltage with the Variac and readjust the bias for the lower voltage level, and this is exactly what the Variac setting does instantly at the flip of a switch. This changes the amp’s dynamic character, making the attack less overtly percussive while also enabling artificial harmonics and palm muting to pop more prominently.

The most impressive feature of the SL68 MkII is the sensation of déjà vu experienced while playing it. Using the guitar’s volume knob as a “channel switcher,” all the sounds you could ever want from a Plexi, from Eddie and Angus thru Jimi and Jimmy to Yngwie and Uli, are there in spades.

The crushed glass harmonic crunch is world class, as are its viciously aggressive overdrive punch and sweetly singing solo tones. The Bright channel’s clarity and definition are pristine, delivering treble with brilliant zing and bass with muscular brawn.

Specs

• PRICE: $3,449
• TYPE: Tube amp head
• OUTPUT: 100 watts
• TUBES: 4x EL43, 3x 12AX7
• CONTROLS: Presence, Bass, Middle, Treble, Volume I, Volume II, Master Volume (on rear panel)
• SWITCHES: Power Off/Hi/Low (Variac mode), Standby/On, Fat-Cap on/off, Mid Boost on/off, Bright 1/2/3
• INPUTS: Channel I High, Channel I Low, Channel II High, Channel II Low
• OUTPUTS: Speaker x2
• CONTACT: Suhr

After well over a year of waiting, Dimebag Darrell’s legendary Warhead guitar amp – which was at the foundation of the late guitar great’s influential metal tone – has finally been resurrected.

News of the Warhead’s revival first made its way online in July 2023, when it was confirmed Dimebag’s flagship Randall amp would be making a much-anticipated comeback.

However, that initial announcement teased that the Warhead would return at some point by the end of 2023 – a timescale that, obviously, wasn’t adhered to.

But now the Warhead is officially back – but it’s taken on a form that many probably weren’t expecting.

Rather than resurrecting the fully fledged amp head, the Warhead has been reimagined as a smaller, portable 40-watt lunchbox amp, which has been masterminded by KHDK Electronics’ David Karon.

Karon – who worked at amp’s original maker Randall, and had collaborated closely with Dimebag on his amp designs – partnered with Dime’s former guitar tech, Grady Champion, and Rita Haney to make this new Warhead.

What's more, the new Warhead was officially signed off after it was put through its paces and rigorously tested by Zakk Wylde during Pantera rehearsals.

In a launch video, Champion says the compact repro of the original Warhead amp was built by closely studying some of Dimebag’s original gear, and was a true “labor of love” to get over the finish line.

“It’s like having a little piece of Dime with you everywhere,” Champion notes. “Dime would be so proud of this right now.”

Launched under the new dedicated Warhead brand umbrella, the Warhead lunchbox amp arrives with a no-nonsense control set that comprises Master, Gain and Presence parameters, as well as a three-band EQ.

Under the hood, it promises “authentic sound engineering” with the same pre-EQ circuits and identical settings to deliver “pure, unfiltered Dimebag tone”.

“You’re getting the same 40-watt, single-channel, solid-state power amp, crafted with input from Dimebag’s closest crew,” a statement on the Warhead website says. “Building on the heritage of the original early 2000s Warhead, the new mini amp is a heartfelt tribute and a celebration of Dimebag Darrell’s timeless influence.

“More than two years in the making, it is a true labor of love and our homage to the man who has deeply touched all our hearts.”

The Warhead’s original limited launch edition has already sold out, but the standard Black Edition is available to pre-order now ahead of a November shipping.

Notably, the Warhead weighs in at $529, which, by today’s standards, doesn’t make it just a competitively priced high-end lunchbox amp, but also one of the most affordable – and conveniently sized – signature amps you could hope to find.

Head over to Warhead to find out more.

German amp builder Engl has linked up with Steve Morse to cram his “distinctive sound and versatility” into a signature 20-watt amp head.

The former Deep Purple and Dixie Gregs guitarist uses an innovative wet/dry live rig, and so this small but mighty Engl has been designed to play a key role in that setup. ENGL says its resulting creation provides “the perfect combination of power, tone, and portability.”

The portability is a key reason the amp exists. In an age where digital modelers like Neural DSP’s Quad Cortex are a huge draw to guitarists wanting a compact but versatile live rig, the head’s 20-pound weight and shrunk-down sizing (34 x 14 x 22cm) offer similar benefits in tube amp form.

Granted, Morse is a champion of the Kemper, but he's sticking to Engl tube amps live as he believes there's one thing that digital modelers can never do quite as well, and so this amp was born out of a desire to rehouse the magic of his 100-watt head into a smaller package.

Its clean and overdrive channels are meant to be highly tweakable, delivering everything from clear, unblemished cleans to crunching rhythm tones and leads that will cut through the mix like a knife through hot butter. “This amp,” Engl proudly says, “can handle it all.”

Of its “super clean,” Morse says, “It's a sound that you pretty much can't get anywhere else… It doesn't fall apart when you increase the gain.”

There's a gain control for each of the two channels, and a three-band EQ shared between. In addition, the clean channel has been gifted a Presence control, while a Lead Volume dial sits alongside the Master Volume.

A built-in noise gate negates the need for an external pedal to scare off feedback and unwanted noises, and the amp offers full MIDI compatibility for integrating third-party gear.

That’s also helpful to make the most out of the delay and reverbs housed within the amp, alongside a suite of other quirks, including a 2db boost for soloing. Other features include a gain boost with additional midrange, helping give single coil guitars a sound more in line with the full-bodied power of humbuckers.

Engl and Morse have also found room within for eight IR speaker emulators. The first three are channeling a suit of Engls, the E212VHB, E412VSB, and E412XXL (all V30 models). The remaining five slots are open for users to add their preferred IRs.

Its wattage output can be rolled down to five- and one-watt settings, too. Beyond that, there's also a zero-watt setting, intended to be used with headphones, with players hearing its IR reactor in full swing.

Importantly, the amp was fine-tuned by Morse and Engl's Horst Langer on the road rather than “in a lab,” with Langer consistently providing new prototypes as Morse performance reports from show to show.

“There are characteristics of tubes that you have to design around,” says Morse on the amps blend of 12A7 and E84 tubes. “Horst Langer is great at getting the most out of each tube without having to resort to external EQ.

“This is a great example; it's all tube all the time. The idea is to be versatile, and nothing beats Engl for doing that exceptionally well.”

The Engl E658 Steve Morse Signature 20 costs $1,600.

Visit Engl to learn more.

In related news, Morse recently spoke about how he once quit music to become an airline pilot, only for Lynyrd Skynyrd to persuade him to return.

Launched by PRS in 2018, the MT 15 would go on to become a hit with players needing something versatile that could take them from bedrooms to smaller stages. Six years later, after a whole lot of tweaking, Mark Tremonti is unveiling his second signature amp, the MT 100 – a 100-watt behemoth capable of conquering venues of any size.

“I wanted three channels this time, so I could replicate my favorite amps at home,” he says. “The Fender Twin-like clean is one of the things I’m most proud of, because with high-gain amps, that channel is often there as a side note. A lot of metal players won’t care; they just want to play metal. But cleans are important to me.”

The middle channel also required some extra attention to detail; Tremonti says he didn’t just want it to work as a “gained-down version of channel three.” It had to stand on its own two feet and inspire the player to do different things. Having owned six Dumble amps over the years, Tremonti knew exactly how he wanted to dial that second channel in.

“There’s a certain something that happens when you play a Dumble,” he says. “When the pick hits the string, you hear this certain quality that I tried to replicate with this amp. You can turn the gain down, sit on a note and it will bloom – which is a beautiful thing if you’re playing something slow and sweet. It won’t if you’re burning like Malmsteen!”

The latest signature amp is also notable for its old-school sensibilities. You get three independent channels, but don’t expect any USB connectivity, power attenuation or cab sims. Things like that, Tremonti says, can often get in the way.

“When I was growing up, we didn’t need all those functions,” he says. “I’ve seen comments where people were wishing it had a bunch of bells and whistles, but that’s not what this amp is. This is not a Kemper or something you program 10,000 presets into. This is a tube amp. I didn’t want too much because when things go wrong, you don’t know what the hell’s happening. I also wanted to keep the price down.

“I told Paul Reed Smith to keep it around $1,800 because that’s the breaking point between affordable and expensive. You still get three excellent channels that are individually voiced and completely isolated, sharing nothing but the effects loop.”

So what can we expect next from the longstanding PRS devotee?

“I think it would be good to do another line of baritones,” he says. “When we did that in the past, they sold out quickly and people missed out.

“I’m spitballing here, but we’ve also talked about doing a limited run of MT 100s with hand-painted Joe Fenton art. A 50-watt combo could be good. We’ve also talked about doing replicas of my Charcoal Burst with the Dimebag sticker – beaten up so they look like mine. We’re always discussing things.”

Magnatone has announced a new iteration of guitar icon Slash’s signature amp head, the SL-100 – a recovered, dark take on the same model, dubbed the Blackout Edition.

The Blackout gets its name from the black cotton croc covering used on the cabinetry, which continues a reptilian theme started by its predecessor, the Limited Edition SL-100, finished in anaconda green covering.

The firm’s US tube amp builds are renowned for their volume and punchy clarity and the SL-100 has certainly been no exception. 

“It’s a monster,” notes the firm. “The most powerful Magnatone to date, delivering enough unbelievable tone, gain and headroom to fill a stadium.”

“I’ve become a big fan of the Magnatone sound,” adds Slash. “And it’s been an honor to help design a 100-watt amp with them. I think we put the Magnatone tone and clarity together with some raw power and crunch. The combination is aggressive and sweet simultaneously, it’s pretty awesome.”

Under the hood, or rather the cotton croc, the Blackout Edition SL-100 remains unchanged. 

Obviously, before the shock announcement that Slash was collaborating with Magnatone came late last year [yes, we’re easily startled – Ed], the guitar icon was renowned for his association with Marshall Amplification. 

As such, it makes sense then that the SL-100 draws on elements of Magnatone’s own British-flavored Super Fifty-Nine M-80. 

That head’s name and design is the US firm’s take on the classic Marshall 1959 Super Lead (one of the so-called Plexi builds, favored by everyone from Eddie Van Halen to Angus Young and Jimi Hendrix).

The SL-100 combines that vintage-style circuit (activated with the Lo switch) with a new Hi gain channel, inspired by the later Marshall JCM800 tones that defined Slash’s early Guns N’ Roses output. 

In keeping with the classic British spec, there are four EL34 power tubes and four 12AX7 preamp tubes. The two channels have independent gain controls, a shared four-band EQ and a tube-buffered effects loop, plus a master volume control and two inputs.

There’s no official word on the Blackout’s pricing yet. However, we’re hoping it will shave something off the chunky $4,899 charged for the original Limited Edition SL-100.

The Magnatone SL-100 Blackout Edition is reportedly available for pre-order, but we’ve yet to see it surface via retailers just yet – so, in the meantime, keep your eyes on the Magnatone site for more information.

Renowned tube amp firm Soldano has debuted the Astro 20 – a 20-watt tube head and combo that features a number of contemporary touches, in the form of a USB connection, IR cabinet simulation, and new Galaxy tone modes.

At the core of the amp is an old school tube circuit, featuring four 12AX7 preamp tubes and two 6V6 power amp tubes. It’s a three-channel setup, offering a choice of Clean, Overdrive 1, and Overdrive 2 channels. 

Further optionality comes in the form of the Astro 20's new Galaxy modes. The clean channel always corresponds with the Green Galaxy – a sound described as “a high-headroom circuit reminiscent of classic American combo amps. It ranges from crystal clean to slightly pushed crunchy tones.”

Then there’s a three-position Bright switch, offering treble boost options and a single tone knob.

Move over to the Overdrive channels and you have a shared three-band EQ, plus independent gain and volume controls for each channel. There are then three Galaxy modes to choose from, each of which can be applied to either Overdrive channel. 

The Blue Galaxy is all about fat, blues-inspired rock and hard rock tones, the Purple Galaxy steps it up on the gain front, while the Red Galaxy is more in keeping with Soldano’s traditional high gain sounds, but can be driven much further – into what the firm is labeling “a new, phenomenal high-gain universe.” 

As such, you can have two different variants of the same Galaxy loaded up across each Overdrive channel, with their own volume and gain settings, enabling it to act as a boost or gain stage – or choose a completely different flavor between the two. 

Over on the far right of the amp, a Star system-style indicator light helps you to keep track of which mode you’re in with a corresponding LED color. Then there’s a master volume, master presence and a depth switch.

You can also load and assign IRs to all three channels using the accompanying Soldano Editor software and store up to 128 MIDI presets – a function that really comes into its own with the included four-button MIDI footswitch.

Finally, the whole thing can operate in cabless mode, enabling you to use it with headphone for recording or practice, or go direct to the desk in live scenarios. 

The Astro 20 is available for $1,999 for the head and $2,299 for (the Celestion Greenback-equipped) combo option, which, in 2023, feels like good value for any USA-made tube amp – let alone one with this amount of flexibility and functionality and an included four-way MIDI footswitch. 

For more information, head to Soldano. 

Champion of affordable electric guitar gear Harley Benton looks to have hit another home run with its new range of tube amp heads, which puts golden era guitar amp aesthetics (and, hopefully, tones) at a considerably affordable price point.

Before moving into the nitty gritty of each amp, it’s worth pointing out this new collection – which comprises the TUBE5, TUBE15 and TUBE30 head, as well as a G110 Celestion cab – looks really quite spectacular.

Thanks to the cream casing and beige leather handles, each unit gives off the vibe of a boutique vintage guitar amp – aesthetics that belie the unsurprisingly uber-affordable price tags that start from just $138.

So, they look the part, but do they sound it? Well, according to the brand itself, its new family of amps looks to “harness the power of vintage rock tones”, and is concerned with delivering “rich, crunchy tones or warm, glassy cleans”, as well as “vintage overdriven rock tones”.

As mentioned above, there are three new amps, each of which arrive at a different power point. Naturally, as you work your way up the wattage, the feature set becomes more and more impressive.

The most compact of the trio is the TUBE5 – a home practice companion that comes loaded with a 12AX7 preamp tube, 6V6GT power amp tube and five-watts of power. There’s also a power attenuator to take things down to one watt, and onboard controls for Tone and Volume.

Its slightly larger sibling, the TUBE15, is (as you can probably work out) a souped-up, 15-watt version of the above, which is said to be more comfortable for “neighborhood-friendly volumes” and “smaller gigs”.

As for its spec sheet, the TUBE15 has a trio of 12AX7s, and drafts in a pair of EL84 tubes – a combo that hopes to tap into “the warm and wonderful tones of classic tube amps”. The control panel has also been bolstered, bringing into play onboard reverb, a three-band EQ, and Tone, Volume and Gain knobs.

Conveniently, that power attenuator button – which this time takes things from 15 watts to one watt – stays put.

That leaves the 30-watt TUBE30, which drafts in an extra channel for specific Clean and Overdrive tones. Each channel has its own Volume knob – the Overdrive channel is also treated to an additional Gain control – with a standard three-band EQ also making the cut.

As for the aesthetically matching cab, Harley Benton has fitted the G110 Celestion with, well, a Celestion speaker – a 1x10 G10E-30 unit, to be precise – with the cab delivering 30 watts of power.

As mentioned above – and, as is the case with all Harley Benton equipment – these heads are mighty affordable. The TUBE5, for instance, is available now for $138. That's a very enticing price tag indeed, especially when one considers its genuine tube components.

The TUBE15 and TUBE30 are equally alluring, weighing in at $233 and $479, respectively. Likewise, the G110 Celestion comes in under the $100 mark with a price tag of $94.

Head over to Harley Benton to find out more.

Revv Amplification has been one of the pioneering guitar amp brands when it comes to embedding digital technology into a traditional tube amp format, and it continues on this theme with the launch of the D40 Dynamis.

This really is a vintage modern amplifier, with the vintage tones courtesy of a two channel tube setup – and a smart classic aesthetic to boot – while the modern functionality comes by way of the Canadian company’s latest collaboration Two Notes Audio to incorporate its industry standard Torpedo cab sim tech in the design. 

It also comes by way of the various inputs and outputs. This is a tube amp that is Bluetooth-enabled, allowing players to remotely dial in and adjust its onboard cab sims via their smartphones, so you can get your electric guitar tone just right before sending the signal direct to a desk or DAW.

Or, you can use MIDI. With the D40 Dynamis, there are options, lots of options – particularly with the four-button programmable footswitch.

The D40 is a two-channel amplifier, with a clean channel offering sparkling tones that are a surely a real come-hither to players jonesing for spanky boutique cleans they can use as a  pedalboard platform – especially once you consider the “totally transparent” serial effects loop. Channel 2, meanwhile, is where you’ll find the heat, and the full-fat creamy saturation you would want from a tube amp.

Each channel has its own 3-band EQ, Gain, Volume, and Master Volume controls, plus a Bright switch and Boost. There is a digital reverb that serves both channels. The reverb switch is on the front of the amp, with dials for Depth and Level mounted on the back of the amp, or you can always use the footswitch to turn it on and off. Likewise with the boost.

There are global Presence and Depth controls serving both channels, with a headphones level control also mounted on the front panel beside a six-way rotary dial for selecting your cab sim. Very clever. Though the clever part is really how intuitive this design is. There are balanced XLR outputs on the back and a cornucopia of speaker outputs (2x four-ohm, 2x eight-ohm, and one at 16-ohm). 

You can run the D40 Dynamis at a full 40 watts, or switch it down to 10 watts for saturation at lower volumes. The switch for this is found on the back of the amp.

Shawn Tubbs is, unsurprisingly, a fan. The Revv signature artist, who has his own Tilt Boost pedal, was one of the first to put the amp through its paces, and the results sound impressive.

“The D40 is really focused on a big ‘spread-out’ clean channel with high headroom. It loves pedals,” says Tubbs.

“Channel 2 is pure vintage gain, think ‘70s to ‘80s rock, and you can get even more with your favorite dirt pedal pedal in front. You don’t really run into amps with that kind of clean channel that also have this incredible gain sound, so that’s a huge plus to me. It feels great to play.”

Under the hood, you’ll find 6L6 power tubes and 12AX7s in the preamp.

The D40 Dynamis is made in Canada and priced $2,099. See Revv Amplification for more details.

Back in early spring at this year’s re-scheduled NAMM show, Laney bolstered its Ironheart range with the critically-acclaimed Ironheart Loudpedal, a two-channel preamp stompbox with advanced connectivity and a seriously loud 60-watt power stage, all in a package not that much bigger than two packs of playing cards. Now, Laney are continuing the portable power theme with a pair of compact heads you can lift with one finger, the Leadtop and two-channel Dualtop.

Here, we're focussing on the Dualtop, having already put the impressive single-channel Leadtop through its paces during its own review.

Laney’s Dualtop is essentially the brand's critically-acclaimed IRF pedalboard-sized amplifier re-imagined as a compact and very portable twin-channel head. Slightly larger than the Leadtop with the same rugged good looks, the increased real estate of the Dualtop’s front and rear panels is put to good use, with two pairs of gain and master volume knobs governing the clean/crunch and lead channels.

Like the Leadtop, there’s a footswitchable boost function and a shared three-band passive EQ. The Dualtop also gets onboard reverb, in the shape of Laney’s own Black Country Customs Secret Path effect. The lead channel has the same three-way voicing switch as the Leadtop, with Dark, Bright, and Flat options, while the clean/crunch channel offers clean, asymmetric, and symmetric clipping options. 

The busier rear panel includes a balanced DI output with a ground lift and two high quality IR presets for 1x12 or 4x12 cabinet simulation, together with a bypass option. The rest of the features are similar to the Leadtop, including a footswitch socket, which takes a standard two-button switch and allows remote control of channel switching and the boost function. 

In use, the Dualtop’s extra channel adds extra versatility with the luxury of being able to swap clipping modes for two distinct crunch effects, while Laney’s superb Secret Path digital reverb adds a studio-quality ambience.

It may be intended as a metal head, but alongside the Dualtop’s incendiary lead channel, the clean channel easily covers everything from snappy country to bluesy crunch sounds.

Size and portability are increasingly important factors to consider for many guitarists when buying a new amplifier, and the new Laney Dualtop amp, like its Leadtop sibling, is a great choice: it's ideal for players who want an affordable amp head which can be used anywhere, either at home or on stage.

Both heads offer a wide tonal range that nails modern rock and metal, but with surprising versatility that easily covers many other genres. The Dualtop scores highly here, with a choice of symmetrical or asymmetrical clipping on its clean/crunch channel, a superb foot-switchable lead channel, and the excellent Black Country Custom digital reverb, while the XLR DI out and integrated IR cabinet emulations make it easy to hook up to consoles for live or studio use. 

Whichever one you choose, the Leadtop and Dualtop are ideal portable partners for modern players at all levels, from beginner to pro, with impressively low pricing that won’t break the bank.

Specs

• PRICE: $429 / £259
• TYPE: Solid-state preamp and power amp
• OUTPUT: 60 watts RMS, switchable to approx 1 watt RMS
• DIMENSIONS: 377mm (w) x 184mm (d) x 178mm (h)
• WEIGHT: 5.7kg / 10.3lbs
• CABINET: MDF sleeve
• CHANNELS: Two
• CONTROLS: Boost level, boost on/off switch, channel on gain, volume, sym/clean/asym slip switch, channel two gain, volume, bright/natural/dark preset voicing switch, bass, middle, treble, reverb level. Ground lift switch, IT select switch, output power select (on rear panel)
• FOOTSWITCH: Two-button footswitch (not supplied) toggles channels and boost function.
• ADDITIONAL FEATURES: Transformer-isolated series effects loop, XLR DI out with ground lift and two custom IR's plus bypass, 60 watt/1 watt power switching, aux in, headphones out
• RANGE OPTIONS: The single-channel Leadtop costs $299/£169.
• CONTACT: Laney

During this year’s NAMM show, Laney grabbed attention with its Ironheart Loudpedal pedal amp – the first offering from its newly launched Ironheart Foundry Series.

Now, the boutique British guitar amp pedal has bolstered its Foundry family with two solid-state amp heads: the IRF-LeadTop and IRF-DualTop.

Both new units are seemingly geared towards giving players a comprehensive all-rounder operation, with the humbly proportioned heads seeking to satisfy all home practice, recording, rehearsal and gigging requirements.

As newly anointed members of Laney’s Foundry Series, both the IRF-LeadTop and IRF-DualTop nod to the science behind their Loudpedal predecessor, and are said (as per the brand) to harness “the sheer power and dynamism of our Ironheart tube amps… to deliver monstrous power and incredible versatility in an ultra-compact form”.

Although both amp heads share a 60-watt maximum power output – and while they are effectively siblings – there are a few key specs that set the two compact amps apart.

Starting small, the IRF-LeadTop is a single-channel head with onboard EQ controls for Bass, Middle and Treble, as well as a red Boost parameter for setting the desired amount of additional switchable pre-boost.

That boost can be engaged via the front-mounted toggle switch (or a third party pedal via the rear Remote output), with a secondary switch serving to move between Clean and Lead modes. A final toggle for navigating Bright, Natural and Dark lead voices caps off the control panel.

Flip it around, and the IRF-LeadTop offers a cabinet-emulated headphone output, and Aux for playing backing tracks, an FX Loop and a Loudspeaker output with high- and low-power modes.

It seems to be an admirable attempt from Laney to squeeze top notch practicality and tonal versatility out of its IRF-LeadTop, which looks like it’s got just enough about it to compete with the desktop amp market leaders.

It’s very reasonably priced, too, weighing in at $299, and though it might not have the versatility of some other modern amp heads – reverb would've been nice, if we're being picky – we imagine it will prove to be a sure-fire hit among fans of Laney's Ironheart tube amp range.

The above is joined by the larger, better-equipped IRF-DualTop. Here, the head offers two channels – which each have their own Gain and Volume controls – as well as a universal three-band EQ comprising Bass, Middle and Treble.

Each channel also has its own specific soundsets. In practice, Channel 1 has selectable Asym, Clean and Sym modes, which each determine the clipping nature of the gain. The second channel, meanwhile, has the familiar Bright, Flat and Dark options.

Again, the red Boost parameter is recruited for switchable pre-boost power – both boost and channel switching can be delegated to a footswitch – though the IRF-DualTop also drafts in a sole do-it-all Reverb control.

The rear panel also offers some extra functionality: an XLR DI output comes loaded with two switchable Laney IR cabs: 1x12 and 4x12. This can also be turned off in favor of using custom IRs within a DAW.

Elsewhere, it’s worth noting the cab-emulated headphone out, Aux for playing tracks, FX Loop and high/low power switch for less-than-one-watt operation.

Unsurprisingly, the IRF-DualTop is more expensive than its “baby brother”, but not drastically so – it’s got a price tag of $429, which in our book looks like a pretty decent deal for a two-channel, IR-loaded amp head.

As an added bonus, both heads have also been launched as part of limited-edition rigs that come accompanied by IRF-Cab212 cabinets with custom designed drivers. For the LeadTop and DualTop, these rigs are priced at $579 and $799, respectively.

To find out more, head over to Laney.

Designed for both home and studio use, Ashdown’s new CTM-15 packs all the mojo of the company’s more substantial tube bass amps, but in a desktop version that weighs around 5kg.

What’s noteworthy with this re-release is that there’s no load required when using the DI and headphone output, which makes it ideal for the studio or for silent practice. Along with this unfettered performance potential, the low wattage means it should also be easier to get authentic overdriven tones – all without waking the neighbours. 

Delivering 15 watts of output using a dual EL84 power stage, with a single ECC83 tube in the preamp, the CTM-15 promises a punchy set of tube tones that are designed to sound great at low volumes. According to Ashdown, the low wattage makes it easier to get “red-blooded overdrive” when driving the amp hard.

As well as gain and master volume controls, there’s also a 3-band EQ and Ashdown’s analogue VU meter, which gives an instant display of your output. The distinctive Ashdown logo (which was inspired by the Austin Healey motor badge) is also proudly emblazoned across the front. 

More features can be found on the back panel. Here you get a DI and headphone output, while 4 and 8 ohm speaker outputs add extra versatility. 

Ashdown are seemingly very confident of the road-worthiness of this range, touting the CTM-15 as repairable down to a component level for the next 25 years. It also comes with a five-year manufacturer's warranty, and a custom gig bag, making it easy to safely transport to your next session.

Head over to ashdownmusic for more information.

While there will always be a place for the traditional 100-watt head and 4x12 stack, those places have become more scarce in recent years. 

At the professional end of the market, advances in digital modelling, PA systems and in-ear monitoring have made it possible for guitarists to leave their treasured tube amps at home and take advantage of the reliability and convenience of digital solutions – although for many players the sound and feel of valves remains an essential part of their rig. 

For those who want the proper valve Marshall experience in a more compact and neighbour-friendly package, the company’s Studio amplifiers have proved to be a popular choice. Now there’s a new and long-anticipated addition to the range: the Studio JTM.

Like Marshall’s other Studio amplifiers, the Studio JTM is a lower-powered and more portable version of a full-sized classic Marshall amp head, in this case the original Hanwell-manufactured JTM45 MkII, which was largely responsible for shaping the sounds of the mid-’60s British blues-rock movement and everything that followed.

The cosmetics are spot on, featuring a silver control panel, non-offset black and fawn vinyl-covered plywood sleeve, thin dark gold piping and a reproduction of the ‘coffin badge’ nameplate (so-called because it was sourced from a funeral casket hardware supplier), used on early products made prior to 1965.

Inside the steel chassis, most of the JTM’s electronics sit on a large high-quality printed circuit board, including the bases for its three 12AX7s and two 5881 power valves. Smaller boards support the front- and rear-panel components, with neat wiring and Molex connectors joining everything together. Most of the weight saving comes from smaller transformers, which are around half the size of the higher-powered originals.

The JTM’s front panel features include two pairs of high- and low-gain input jack sockets feeding separate Normal and High Treble Loudness controls, and a shared EQ with knobs for Presence, Bass, Middle and Treble. 

The preamp channels are permanently on and can’t be footswitched, but they can be jumpered using a short patch lead to connect the jack sockets. 

In this mode, both volume knobs are active and act as the amp’s primary tone controls, besides adding a little more gain. The Standby switch is now a three-way affair, delivering a full 20 watts of power in the High position and a more manageable five watts in the Low position, with standby in the centre.

Around the back there are a few modern extras, including a series effects loop with a Bypass switch and a speaker-emulated line out. There’s also a full complement of speaker output jacks to handle 16, eight and four-ohm loads. 

While the Studio JTM looks authentically vintage, under the skin it’s a typical modern Marshall product, built to a very high standard and more than capable of handling pro touring use. The early cosmetic styling may not be as instantly recognisable as the later black/gold ‘Plexi’ livery and script logo. However, credibility with Marshall cognoscenti will definitely be assured.

Feel & Sounds

The Studio JTM warms up smoothly and quietly with practically zero hiss or hum. The two preamplifier channels are permanently on, so you simply plug into whichever one sounds best, although the third option of joining both channels with a short patch lead between the unused input jack sockets provides the most versatile solution. 

Most ears will hear the High Treble input as slightly too sharp and the Normal input as a little too warm, but with both channels on you can quickly find an ideal balance by blending the two volume controls and then fine-tuning with the JTM’s passive EQ.

As most people know, the original Marshall JTM45 was inspired by Fender’s Tweed-era 4x10 Bassman, which was also powered by a pair of 5881 valves. The 5881 was developed by Tung-Sol Electric as a high-quality ruggedised version of the 6L6GB and proved ideal for guitar amp use. 

Early JTM45 models used the same valve, but 5881s weren’t readily available in 1960s Europe, so Marshall experimented with alternatives, changing to M-OV’s KT66 for a short time before finally settling on the EL34.

The Studio JTM has a different feel to the ‘Plexi’ version with a warmer and less aggressive vibe that’s partly down to the 5881’s frequency response and power curves. Those classic blues/rock tones of the late ’60s are reproduced with unerring accuracy, especially when the amp is partnered with a Les Paul. Add treble boost or a fuzz pedal between the guitar and amp, and the results are even more convincing.

Used on the 20-watt setting, there’s plenty of power and headroom to handle the average unmic’d pub gig, although no master volume control means you have to wind up the loudness to experience the JTM’s rich overdrive character, or add a suitable distortion pedal. 

Switching down to the five-watt setting makes it easier to drive the JTM into clipping while retaining plenty of dynamic punch. Alternatively, cleaner settings emphasise the 5881’s smooth frequency response and clarity, making the Studio JTM a great pedal platform, with the advantage of a series loop to bring the best out of reverb, delay and modulation effects.

The speaker-emulated DI works well, offering a consistency that’s difficult to achieve with microphones and sending a clean low noise signal into your console. However, with no dummy load you need to keep the JTM connected to a speaker cabinet, so there’s no easy silent recording option for late-night home users.

Verdict

Marshall’s Studio JTM is an essential addition to the Studio series, nailing the classic British blues/rock sound while satisfying the trending demand for lighter and more portable amplification.

Visually, the Studio JTM looks the part, too, especially when teamed with a matching 1x12 or 2x12 extension cab, and at just under 10kg it’s an easy single-handed lift, unlike its 1960s ancestors.

Specs

• PRICE: $1,749 / £1,075
• ORIGIN: UK
• TYPE: All valve pre and power amp
• VALVES: 3x 12AX7 preamp, 2x 5881 power amp
• OUTPUT: 20W RMS into 16 or 8 ohms, switchable to 5W
• DIMENSIONS: 500 (w) x 230 (d) x 240mm (h) 
• WEIGHT (kg/lb): 9.5/21
• CABINET: Plywood
• CHANNELS: 2, non-switching
• CONTROLS: Normal Loudness, High Treble Loudness, Bass, Mid, Treble, Presence
• FOOTSWITCH: None
• ADDITIONAL FEATURES: Speaker‑emulated line out, fixed level series effects loop with defeat switch, High/Low power switching (20/5 watts)
• OPTIONS: None
• RANGE OPTIONS: The Studio JTM is also available as a 1x12 combo ($1,949 / £1,279), with a matching 1x12 cab ($1,099 / £565) and a vertical slanted 2x12 cab ($1,399 / £765), both loaded with the Celestion G12M-65 Creamback
• CONTACT: Marshall

Orange Amps seem to be showing up on concert stages more and more frequently these days – admittedly, they’re pretty hard to miss with their bright orange covering. But there’s a good reason for that increased visibility, as Orange has steadfastly expanded their products’ features and variety of available tones with some well-designed heads and combo amps introduced over the last few years. 

Orange’s new OR30 is likely going to keep that trend going strong. In addition to providing its own unmistakably British/“simply Orange” tone that fits a nice sweet spot between Marshall amps and Vox, the OR30 adds a few helpful new features that provide expanded stage performance and tone-shaping versatility.

Features

With an output section driven by a quartet of EL84 tubes, the OR30 is conservatively rated at 30 watts, although its impressive output levels suggests it’s pumping out more than that. 

Three 12AX7 tubes handle preamp and phase inverter tasks, while a 12AU7 is employed to buffer the effects loop. The amp also features a good old 5AR4/GZ34 tube rectifier that provides tantalizing, expressive sag and smooth attack without sacrificing low-end punch and tightness.

Front panel controls include a few new features: a cross-line Presence control that is audible at any volume settings (unlike typical negative-feedback presence that is more apparent at higher volume levels), a footswitch-controlled second volume control and a three-way Bright switch, the first Bright switch ever featured on an Orange amp.

Other controls consist of Volume, Treble, Mid, Bass and Gain, and all of the controls are designated in Orange’s signature pictogram fashion. In addition to 1/4-inch send and return jacks for the tube-buffered effects loop, the rear panel includes one 16-ohm and two 8-ohm speaker output jacks, a jack for an optional footswitch to engage the second volume control and the perfectly named “headroom/bedroom” switch that provides either the full 30 watts or only two watts of output.

Performance

Orange proudly notes that the OR30 is one of the company’s first made-in-the-UK amps in a long while, but don’t worry – it’s rock-solid, reliable and won’t spontaneously combust like Moss’s fire extinguisher in The IT Crowd. 

Even with all of the controls at maximum settings the OR30 seemed to barely break a sweat and delivered noise- and hum-free performance. Even after a straight half hour of pummeling the top wasn’t even hot enough to brown a bagel.

I tried the head with various cabs, including a Vintage 30-loaded 4x12, a 2x12 with 65-watt Celestion Creambacks and a 1x12 with an Eminence Wizard. The OR30 delivered pretty consistent tones over this wide variety of configurations and speaker styles, with the 4x12 sounding like the best match to my ears. 

The Bright switch can nicely compensate for darker speakers, with the left setting providing just a touch more edge while the right setting is much more dramatic, providing a noticeable zing with clean settings (similar to my favorite ’60s Watkins amps) and a razor-like fizz with extreme high-gain settings. The middle setting is neutral.

The footswitch controlled second volume control gives this single-channel amp quasi-dual-channel performance, although it’s really more of a “same sound but boosted” effect rather than a dramatic tonal/textural shift of a true dual-channel amp. You can go from crunch to high-gain roar, however, which is ideal for rhythm/lead switching.

The OR30 provides a decent amount of clean headroom with the Gain control set from minimum to about 9 o’clock with humbuckers, but this amp performs best when belting out loud and proud overdrive crunch and distorted high-gain tones. The EQ knobs are very interactive, and the Presence control and Bright switch provide quite an impressive variety of tonal options in the upper mids and treble regions. 

The headroom/bedroom switch lives up to its promised functionality. For high-gain addicts like myself who live to push amps to the edge but don’t want the neighbors calling the cops every time I want to lay down some tracks, the bedroom setting is particularly effective as it provides those elusive “fire-breathing” tones at mic- and neighbor-friendly volume levels. 

Clean tones at two watts are perhaps a little too polite and genteel, but some nice crunch tones can be dialed in for AC/DC-style head-banging without having downstairs neighbors banging on their ceilings.

Specs

• PRICE: $1,799 / £1,699
• TYPE: Tube amp head
• ORIGIN: UK
• POWER: 30-watts (2-watt bedroom setting)
• TUBES: 3x 12AX7, 1x 12AU7, 1x 5AR4 rectifier, 4x EL84
• CONTROLS: Presence, footswitch volume, volume, treble, mid, bass, gain, bright switch
• CONTACT: Orange Amplification

Guitar amp specialist Friedman has reignited its relationship with Jake E. Lee for another signature head and cab rig.

The pair’s second collaborative release, the JEL-20 Head and JEL-112 Cab follow the previously released (and limited edition) JEL-100 signature head, though the former streamlines proceedings into a far more compact and transportable 20-watt package.

Despite the smaller scale, Lee and Friedman have refused to compromise on tonal capacity, with the JEL-20 seeking to combine two distinct decades of guitar tone into one unit.

Specifically, they’re tones close to the former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist’s own repertoire: “muscular, articulate” ‘70s-era Plexi-style sounds and the “aggression”, “scream” and “aggressive slant” of ‘80s amps.

“Jake’s tonal choices provide the evolutionary glue between the sonics of those two great eras,” the Friedman listing noted. “This new signature amplifier brings those tones in a user-friendly 20W package with features normally only found on the very highest-end amplifiers. Dave Friedman has done it again.“

“I grew up in the ‘70s and those muscular, articulate rock tones were the tones I always sought, but I made a name for myself in the ‘80s when you needed a little more aggression and a little more scream,” Lee reflected. “I’ve always tried to retain a little of that ‘70s heart and I still do, and that’s what this amp does.”

But while the tones of yesteryears are the order of business here, Friedman and Lee have also kept modern players in mind, and have included an internal load and cab sim XLR output for both analog-accurate, straight-to-mixer sounds and silent recording.

Furthermore, additional ground lift, level and center/edge of speaker cone simulation switches introduce some extra simulation versatility, with a global Presence control and FX loop capping off the spec sheet.

Control-wise, an impressively streamlined control panel has been tailored to fit around the tonal double act the JEL-20 is tasked with. A shared three-band EQ accommodates JEL and Plexi channels, each of which can be accessed through the front Channel switch.

While the Plexi has an additional three-way Bright switch, the JEL channel has a boost function that can be harnessed via the push/pull gain control. A final universal Saturation switch adds gain, compression and, obviously, saturation.

Under the hood, two EL84 power tubes lineup alongside a trio of 12AX7 preamp tubes.

“This amp puts the two specific tones I use to create my sound in one head: The sweetness and warmth of a classic Plexi and the more aggressive slant of the master volume amps of the ‘80s – all tweaked to my taste,” Lee continues. “Dave [Friedman] has an innate understanding of where I’m coming from as a player and we’re alike in the way we hear tones.

“Dave doesn’t hear things as a technician, he hears things like a musician, and that made him really easy to work with.”

The JEL-112, meanwhile, comes loaded with a 12” Celestion G12M-65 Creamback speaker and flashes an identical signature red tolex.

The JEL-20 and JEL-112 are available now for $1,699 and $699, respectively.

Head over to Friedman for more information.

If you’re talking signature guitar tones, we’d wager there’s none more instantly recognisable than that of Brian May. Ever since Queen’s debut album five decades ago, a whole industry has grown up around ‘that sound’, with guitars, amps and effects all vying for the attention of hordes of Queen enthusiasts who want to replicate it. 

Aside from the ‘Red Special’, May’s unique homemade guitar, the other main component is, of course, the Vox AC30, which May plugs into via a variety of treble boosters. 

Now there’s a special Brian May signature version of Vox’s highly portable MV50 mini amp head, which includes a built-in treble booster circuit by Knight Audio Technologies, one of the most well-known Queen equipment specialists, with Sir Brian himself among its customers.

Introduced back in 2017, Vox’s typically innovative MV50 was one of the first guitar amps to capitalise on the small size and weight of Class D amplification, combined with a clever valve substitute called the Nutube 6P1. 

Developed by Vox’s parent company Korg, the Nutube is a twin triode using vacuum fluorescent display tech to amplify audio just like a regular 12AX7 but in a more compact and less power-hungry package. The result is highly authentic valve‑like tone with enough power for any gig, from a head that’s no larger than many stompboxes. 

The MV50-BM edition has been designed in collaboration with May himself and features an eye-catching ‘Red Special’ paint job that’s been carried over to the matching BC108 speaker cabinet, available as a Limited Edition Set, with other Brian May goodies to sweeten the deal.

The MV50-BM sounds very similar to the regular AC version until you kick the integrated KAT treble booster into action. We’ve said before that the standard MV50 AC model does an uncanny job of replicating a full-size AC30 but doesn’t quite get the heavier compressed Brian May tones.

The KAT treble boost is the missing link that makes this possible, and with everything on 10, it’s pretty much instant Queen at Wembley and nearly as loud, besides looking the part, too.

You can buy the MV50-BM signature head on its own, but we think the smart money will be heading for this Limited Edition Set, which includes the matching BC108 cab, plus postcards and a keychain. Most importantly, though, if your daily practice routine starts with We Will Rock You, this is the sound.

Specs

• PRICE: $399 / £419
• ORIGIN: Vietnam
• TYPE: Hybrid valve/solid-state preamp, Class D power amp
• OUTPUT: 50W RMS into 4ohms or 25W RMS into 8ohms
• DIMENSIONS: 135mm (w) x 100mm (d) x 75mm (h) 
• WEIGHT (kg/lb): 0.5/1
• CABINET: Steel
• CHANNELS: 1
• CONTROLS: Gain, tone, master volume. Treble boost on/off, standby on/off, eco mode on/off, output impedance switch and flat/deep EQ switch
• FOOTSWITCH: None
• ADDITIONAL FEATURES: Built-in Knight Audio Technologies treble booster, speaker-emulated phones/line out
• OPTIONS: Available as a head on its own for $249/£259, or as part of a Limited Edition Set with matching BC108 cab
• CONTACT: Vox Amps

It's rumored that Mesa Boogie’s new Mark VII may be the last Mark Series amp designed by the company’s founder, Randall Smith (although we’re given assurance it’s not his last Mesa, Boogie or new Gibson design). If so, it’s a crowning achievement for a man who played a significant role in many of the most beloved guitar tones and modern amp features of the last five decades. 

In the spirit of the very first Mesa Boogie amp, which delivered a revolutionary new high-gain preamp that signified the dawn of the modern guitar amp (along with the performance of a 100-watt stack packed into a small Fender Princeton combo), the Mark VII’s compact 19-inch, 40-pound chassis is loaded with an unfathomable variety of features and first-class tones – so many that I’m going to cut to the chase to cover as many of them as this space allows.

Features 

The basic layout of the Mark VII is not much different than that of its Mark V predecessor introduced 14 years ago, with its control panel divided into three independent channels each with its own treble, mid, bass, presence, gain and master knobs and three mini switches for selecting voicing modes, graphic EQ assignment and 90/45/25-watt Simul-Class power amp output.

In fact, the front panel’s control layout is slightly more simplified, streamlined and intuitive than the Mark V’s with fewer switches and knobs, but the Mark VII still delivers incredibly powerful tone-shaping versatility.

The preamp voicing modes are also different than the Mark V, consisting of nine distinct amps (seven unique/two duplicated) in groups of three per channel – Clean/Fat/Crunch (1), Fat/Crunch/Mark VII (2) and Mark IIB/Mark IIC/Mark IV (3). The legendary five-band EQ is present, as is a long-tank spring reverb, outstanding effects loop (all individually assignable for each channel) and a bias switch for swapping the 6L6 power tubes for EL34s.

The Mark VII’s most notable new feature is its CabClone IR DI Direct Interface, which provides IR simulations of eight Boogie and Rectifier speaker cabinets in various open- and closed-back and 4x12, 2x12 and 1x12 configurations. CabClone is designed for direct recording and mic-free live performance applications, using the XLR Direct Out connected to a mixing console, and it also is heard via the amp’s headphone output. 

Three eight-position Cab Select switches on the rear panel allow users to select any of the eight IRs independently for each channel, and users can manipulate or replace IRs via a computer connected to the amp’s USB port.

Other notable features include a dry 1/4-inch line out for re-amping applications, MIDI In and Out/Thru jacks and an included footswitch that connects to the amp via a 7-pin DIN connector and controls channel 1, 2 and 3, graphic EQ, effects loop and reverb on/off switching.

Performance

The Mark V provided a pretty damn good selection of classic Mesa Boogie amp tones, but I think that most players will find the Mark VII’s selections are even better. 

The highly coveted Mark IIC is back and sounds as incredible as it did on the Mark V and JP2C, but the addition of a Mark IIB with its smooth, singing lead tones and super chunky distorted rhythm textures shows that Mesa aims to please a wider range of Boogie aficionados. 

The new Mark VII preamp voice offers a bold new addition to the company’s legendary high-gain tone library, with more emphasized, sizzling upper mids than channel 3’s Mark IIB/IIC/IV preamps. 

Mesa’s high-gain distortion tones get all the attention for their world-class wallop, but players who specialize in country, blues, rockabilly and roots music will love channel 1 as much as metal heads rave about channels 2 and 3.

The Clean setting has tight attack and aggressive punch with greater tonal range than a classic Fender, so every note of a boogie riff can bite like a rabid pit bull. Channel 1’s Crunch setting is like the ultimate classic Marshall with pristine crushed-glass harmonic overtones that shimmer.

Every channel and preamp setting has midrange that is simply dialed in to the sweet spot that most of us have spent thousands trying to achieve with various overdrive and distortion pedals and mods. Simply put, the Mark VII’s mids will assure that your guitar will cut through a mix like a sushi chef’s Yanagiba knife through a slab of premium otoro.

The CabClone IR section makes the Mark VII a solid contender for tube amp enthusiasts who are seduced by the capabilities of high-end digital amp modelers. The combination of preamp voices, Simul-Class responsiveness and character, powerful passive and graphic EQ and IR cabinets makes it easy to dial a universe of classic amp tones as well as a few new ones that will turn heads.

Specifications

• PRICE: $3,499
• TYPE: Tube amp head
• CHANNELS: 3, with 9 preamp modes
• POWER: 90-watts switchable to 25 and 45
• CONTROLS: Independent 3-position style Mode switch, graphic EQ assignment switch (On, Off, or Footswitchable), Multi-Watt 90/45/25 power amp switch, Gain, Treble, Mid, Bass, Presence, & Master Controls, Reverb (footswitchable), and an 8-Position CabClone IR Select Control (on back panel)
• FEATURES: Footswitchable tube-buffered effects Loop, 
• SPEAKER OUTPUTS: 2x 8 Ohm and 2x 4 Ohm
• WEIGHT: 40 lbs / 18.14 kg
• CONTACT: Mesa/Boogie

Now in its second evolution, Boss’s Katana range is securely established as the go-to digital modelling amp solution for many players at all levels, from beginners to professionals. Topping out the current range is the Katana-Artist II, with expanded features and speaker enclosures loaded with the Waza G12W loudspeaker. 

The combo amp has been available for some time and, now, for those ready to stamp some real authority on their tone, Boss has introduced the Katana-Artist II head, together with a matching 2x12 G12W-loaded guitar cabinet.

This new head features similar visuals to the rest of the range, clad in smart black vinyl accented with silver trim and white control-panel graphics. The particle board case surrounds a robust open-ended steel tray chassis containing the Katana’s electronics, with a front-facing control panel that’s unique to the Artist amps.

As you might expect, the circuitry has very little in common with a conventional guitar amplifier and looks more like it could have come from one of Roland’s synthesizers. The components are mostly miniature SMD, with a large printed circuit board sat vertically behind the control panel and a horizontal main board toward the back of the chassis. 

A number of proprietary Roland chips occupy the main board, including the ESC2 sound engine, which is common across a number of Roland products. Smaller boards support power supply and input components, while the dominant features are a massive heatsink for the output devices and a substantial mains transformer. There’s no universal mains input; our sample Katana‑Artist II is for 240 volts and cannot be switched to operate in other countries with different wall mains.

The control panel is logically laid out, with clear white screenprinting on a satin black background for high visibility. There’s a single input jack, followed by the amp-type rotary selector, which dials in one of five original Boss amp sounds: Acoustic, Clean, Crunch, Lead and Brown, this last one derived from the critically acclaimed Boss Waza head. A Variation button accesses five alternatives, for a total of 10 amp sounds.

Reassuringly standard-looking knobs handle gain, volume, bass, mid and treble functions, followed by level controls for the Katana’s built-in effects. Two pairs of dual-concentric knobs handle boost, modulation, effects (non-modulation stuff such as wah and octaver) and delay, with a third control knob for the Katana’s digital reverb.

There are 30 onboard effects slots, including six for reverb, split into two banks and grouped in three colour-coded slots for ease of recognition. The reverb slots can be combined with delay for more flexibility. Illuminated selector switches light up in different colours to tell you which effect is active, and there’s also a tap tempo button. The effects section is followed by controls for Presence, Master volume, Solo volume and Power Control, which switches the Katana’s output stage from a maximum 100 watts to 50 and 0.5 watts, with a standby/mute option.

Over the top of these controls are the channel and bank selection buttons; the amp can store four channel patches in each of two banks for a total of eight presets. There’s also a handy button called Panel, which puts the Katana into manual ‘what you see is what you get’ mode. 

Moving toward the right-hand corner, you’ll find a Cabinet Resonance selector, and a Tone Shape selector that selects one of three EQ shapes, which are configured to taste in the Katana’s new improved Tone Studio partner app, with an on/off button for the Katana’s Global EQ.

Around the back are three speaker outlets, with jacks for an aux in, effects loop send/return, headphones/recording out and preamp line out/power amp in. Comprehensive footswitch control includes sockets for switching channels and banks plus an expression pedal, or you can attach the GA-FC/GA-FC EX foot controllers. 

There’s also a stereo expansion switch that lets you link two Katana models to enjoy true stereo effects. A MIDI in socket lets you control the Katana-Artist II from a MIDI-compatible effects unit or foot controller, and, last but not least, a USB ‘B’ socket sends direct audio to your recording device, as well as providing desktop connection to the Tone Studio app, which has also received a makeover.

In fact, the new-look Tone Studio is much improved, with crisp graphics and a reorganised screen that makes workflow quicker and more intuitive. This app is an essential part of the Katana experience: besides mirroring all the front-panel controls, it’s where the effects parameters are edited, along with many other hidden features. 

For example, alongside the standard bass, mid and treble tone controls there are three more EQs that can be assigned to different places in the signal chain and configured as 10-band graphic or dual-band parametric, with low and high mid swept frequency and variable Q, plus a dedicated Solo EQ. If that sounds like EQ overkill to you, we’d tend to agree. 

However, you don’t have to use them. Other hidden features include a noise suppressor, a choice of signal chains and comprehensive USB, MIDI and footswitch configuration options.

Feel & Sounds

The Katana’s original amp voices aren’t modelled on any specific classic designs, although from what we know, parent company Roland’s Tube Logic research was initially inspired by vintage Tweed-era Fenders. 

To our ears, there’s more than a little Tweed influence in the Artist II’s Clean, Crunch and Lead presets, while the Brown voice is lifted from the Boss Waza head and adds extra harmonics for a soaring lead sound with a vocal-like quality that’s great fun to play with. 

New variation options double the number of voices, with more than enough choice to satisfy anyone. Leaving the Katana-Artist II’s formidable EQ and effects options aside to begin with and just tweaking the front-panel tone controls in Panel manual mode, there’s plenty of range to dial in single coils and humbuckers for spanky cleans, gritty crunch and fat leads that sit well in practically every genre.

Used as a straightforward guitar amp, the Katana-Artist II sounds authentically ‘real’, with responsive overdrives and a wide dynamic range that’s helped by the 100-watt Class AB output stage and the matching 2x12 enclosure.

This is loaded with a pair of Boss’s G12W Waza loudspeakers, which replicate vintage ‘Greenback’ tone with significantly increased power handling. However, these premium drivers are no lightweights – so the single strap handle that’s fitted on top isn’t ideal for a bulky cabinet weighing almost 30kg.

As you’d expect from Boss, the effects are generally excellent, with many based on famous Boss and Roland hardware. There are over 60 to choose from in the Tone Studio app, with slots for 30 in the amp itself, including six for reverb.

New pedal effects include pitch shifter and wah choices, alongside lush choruses, flangers, rotary speaker sims, analogue and digital delays (including an excellent model of the classic 1983 SDE-3000) and five different reverb models, which can also be mixed with delay for extra versatility.

Using the effects with one EQ configured as a 10-band graphic, we were able to vary the amp and drive sounds to cover anything from blues to full-on metal, and easily recreate satisfyingly accurate versions of iconic recorded tones.

For live use, the Solo function has its own settings for volume, gain and EQ, making it easy to shift from funky rhythms to blazing leads, while the expansion function links two Katana-Artists, producing true stereo effects.

Users who want to spend more time playing and less time tweaking will also be pleased to hear there are plenty of ready-made presets available to download from Boss’s online Tone Central resource, which can be accessed directly through the Tone Studio app. These presets serve as an impressive demo of the Katana-Artist II’s considerable flexibility.

Verdict

Digital modelling has evolved to give guitarists practically any sound they can think of, although not every amp is equal when it comes to performance and some are a lot easier and more fun to work with than others. 

With the Katana range, Boss has struck an almost perfect balance between user-friendliness, sonic potential and affordability, so it’s easy to see why the amps enjoy such universal popularity across the whole spectrum, from beginners and home users to weekend warriors and top-flight professional players.

The ‘out of the box’ sounds are good enough to go straight on to recorded tracks, with all the programmability you could ask for in the new updated Tone Studio app. Aimed more at professionals, especially in head format, the Katana-Artist II has extra front-panel controls that add to its credentials as a serious performance tool, with plenty of power to handle any stage, large or small. 

We think it’s great value for money as well, although the hefty 2x12 cabinet is an extra commitment and could do with more than a single carry handle. Nevertheless, the II head is definitely one to look at if you want everything the Katana experience can offer.  

Specs

• PRICE: $569 / £591
• ORIGIN: Malaysia
• TYPE: Digital modelling preamp and solid-state power amp
• OUTPUT: 100W RMS, switchable to 50 and 0.5W
• DIMENSIONS: 296 (h) x 631 (w) x 246mm (d)
• WEIGHT (kg/lb): 12.4/27
• CABINET: MDF
• CHANNELS: 8 onboard presets in 2 banks of 4
• CONTROLS: Amp Type, Gain, Volume, Bass, Middle, Treble, Booster/Mod level, FX/Delay level, Tap tempo, Reverb, Presence, Master Volume, Solo Volume, Contour select, Global EQ select, Power control, Cabinet Resonance, Line Out Air control. Bank A/B select, patch select x4
• FOOTSWITCH: Solo footswitch, dual latching footswitch that changes between 2 channels and 2 banks, or GA-FC foot controller for full patch/effects and loop control, or MIDI
• ADDITIONAL FEATURES: Switchable output power selection, speaker-emulated headphones/recording and line outputs, aux in, series/parallel effects loop, USB, MIDI In, power amp in, stereo expand select, ‘Air Feel’ select, 3 speaker outs (1x 8 ohm, 2x 16 ohm)
• CONTACT: Boss

History tends to focus on London and Liverpool as the two main epicentres of British popular music in the late 1960s, but there were others, of course, and one of the most notable was the West Midlands. 

From this area came Black Sabbath, The Move (which evolved into Electric Light Orchestra) and glam-rock legends Slade, among others. Back then, Laney founder Lyndon Laney was playing in a group called Band of Joy, a collective of Black Country musicians that included Robert Plant and John Bonham. 

Lyndon’s early interest in electronics and amplifiers led to him building his own – at first in his parent’s garden shed and then in a unit in Digbeth as the business took off. 

Ever since, Laney Amplification has successfully charted its own course through popular music trends and the ups and downs of British manufacturing. Today, its enviable user list includes Tony Iommi, Vernon Reid and Brazilian virtuoso Lari Basilio, with a resurgence of interest in the guitar amp that drove what would become heavy metal – the Mark 1 Supergroup. 

Alongside the current reissued LA100SM and LA30BL heads, Laney recently introduced this specialised low-output recording version we have on review, the LA-Studio, which features built-in Two Notes Torpedo cabinet emulation technology.

The LA-Studio is a well-presented, good-looking compact head, styled to evoke the look of vintage Laneys from the late ’60s. Attention to detail is everywhere, from the neatly applied white stringing around the plywood sleeve and salt-and-pepper grille, to the recessed serial number plate on the rear panel. 

We especially like the large skirted control knobs, which lend authentic vintage mojo to the LA-Studio and look very cool over the white-acrylic control panel.

The electronics are supported on a steel chassis with welded corners. There’s a pair of small mains and output transformers and a choke, while inside the chassis most of the components live on two high-quality printed circuit boards.

The main board includes sockets for all four of the LA-Studio’s valves: a trio of 12AX7s in the preamp and a single 12BH7 in the output stage.

The 12BH7 is a dual triode commonly used in early valve TVs from the 1950s, which is best thought of as a larger version of the 12AX7 and produces around three watts with both halves running in a Class AB push-pull configuration. The output board holds the Two Notes speaker emulation chip, built-in reactive load and all the associated rear panel connectors. The build and wiring standard is excellent – this amp was made to look good and last.

The LA-Studio is a single-channel, non-master volume design with a three-band passive EQ and a traditional presence control operating in the output stage. There are two pairs of input jacks named Bass and Treble. Bass provides a flattish response and works best with pedals, while Treble has extra highs and upper mids.

Both the Treble and Bass inputs have low and high gain options – input 1 is high gain, while input 2 is lower gain, and you can get more tonal variation by jumpering the input jacks with a short patch cable.

Next to the power switch is a second toggle that selects the LA-Studio’s Brake power reduction, dropping output from around three to 0.1 watts, for quiet practice or conventional recording.

The rear panel is where you’ll find the ins and outs for the LA-Studio’s Two Notes Torpedo cabinet emulation – it’s a full install with a few more features than we’ve seen on other similarly equipped amps. There’s a six-position cabinet selector and a Level control, with a Peak level indicator, MIDI In/Out/Thru sockets and a ground lift switch. Outputs include a 3.5mm headphone jack and a mono balanced XLR for connection to consoles or your favourite audio interface.

A USB ‘B’ socket lets you access the Two Notes tech with the Torpedo Remote desktop app, from where you can edit, save, store and load your favourite settings into the LA-Studio’s six onboard slots.

The built-in high-quality reactive load means the LA-Studio can be used without a speaker cabinet, sending audio to the DI and headphones without any loss of tone or dynamics. There’s a pair of eight- and 16-ohm speaker jacks as well, so you can connect to any cabinet with a matching impedance. Overall, Laney’s LA-Studio is a serious professional tool, with build quality and good looks to match.

Feel & Sounds

We tried out the LA-Studio with a selection of electric guitars, including our Strat and Les Paul, together with a borrowed ’63 reissue Gibson ES-335. Used into a 1x12 Creamback-loaded cabinet, the LA-Studio has a warm and very dynamic tone with a sweet treble, which sounds spot on for late-’60s and early ’70s classic rock. There’s just the right amount of bite from our Strat’s bridge pickup and a satisfying crunch from the Les Paul, with smooth vocal soloing from the 335.

There’s no master volume, but with a maximum output of three watts it can be turned all the way up without being unsociably loud. For occasions when even three watts is too much, engaging the Brake attenuator drops the output down to a miniscule 0.1 watts – quiet enough to talk over, even with the controls on maximum.

The passive EQ is excellent; the Bass, Mid and Treble controls interact smoothly and predictably, with no troublesome peaks or dips. The amp stays more or less clean until around the halfway mark, after which it begins to distort in a very pleasing way with just a hint of fuzzbox at full tilt.

Like most other Two Notes-equipped products, the emulation doesn’t appear on the main speaker, so you need to use the headphones or DI output to hear it. We plugged the LA-Studio into a small PA to check out the six virtual cab presets, all of which were more or less usable straight out of the box.

The Torpedo remote app is a breeze to use and lets you experiment with all kinds of parameters including cabinet type, room size and microphone position to dial in your ideal virtual recording environments.

With just a few minutes of tweaking, it’s possible to create highly realistic virtual cabinets and rooms that sound superb, saving hours of time auditioning hundreds of IRs to find the one you need. If your rig is powered by MIDI, you’ll be pleased to hear the Two Notes module also accepts Program Change and Continuous Controller commands.

Verdict

Laney is on a roll at the moment with a full catalogue of products to suit any musical genre, and the LA-Studio is another desirable addition. The Two Notes cabinet emulation gives the amp practically infinite flexibility, saving your DAW’s processing power for other things in the studio, with the potential for live use when connected to a PA. 

In this scenario, it’s ideal for quiet stage applications such as theatres and churches, with the built-in reactive load replacing a conventional loudspeaker, while sending the LA-Studio’s cabinet-emulated output to a console.

Specs

• PRICE: $1,149/£849
• ORIGIN: UK
• TYPE: Tube preamp, tube power amp
• OUTPUT: 3W RMS 
• VALVES: 3x 12AX7; 1x 12BH7
• DIMENSIONS: 520 (w) x 220 (d) x 229mm (h)
• WEIGHT (kg/lb): 7.8/17.2
• CABINET: Plywood
• CHANNELS: 1
• CONTROLS: Presence, bass, middle, treble, gain, brake switch. DI cabinet select, volume level, ground lift
• FOOTSWITCH: None
• ADDITIONAL FEATURES: Embedded full Two Notes Torpedo technology with 6-position virtual cab selector, level control, ground lift, balanced XLR out, headphones out, USB, MIDI in, MIDI out/thru, peak indicator LED
• OPTIONS: None
• RANGE OPTIONS: Other amps in Laney’s Supergroup range include the LA30BL head (£919), and the point-to-point hand-wired LA100SM (£2,299)
• CONTACT: Laney