Marshall SV20

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Conway
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Marshall SV20

Post by Conway »

Did someone on here from ChCh buy the SV20 head that was on Trademe?

Thoughts on this amp??? After avoiding Marshalls for many many years, I'm thinking this might be the amp for me to try. Advise please...

And is anyone selling one (head or combo, I don't mind either way)? :D
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Re: Marshall SV20

Post by rickenbackerkid »

I forget - is the SV20 the the JCM800, or the Plexi?

I have the plexi Combo. It is a fantastic, fantastic amp. Beautiful cleans and beautiful overdrive. The cabinet/speaker design is very nice too; it's a very big cabinet for a very piddly 10 inch speaker, but nothing about it sounds boxy or small.

Downsides would be that the EQ is fiddly and very interactive and that to get distortion, it's LOUD, even in 5 watt mode.
Positives would be that it really sounds like (and is) a Marshall Plexi. I have used so many pedals and amps that claim to provide a 'plexi' tone and none of them really do, but this amp does, in a manageable format. Guys in my band like one so much our lead singer is talking about getting the JCM800 version

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Re: Marshall SV20

Post by Conway »

Cool, thanks Ben. It is the Plexi I'm looking at.
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Re: Marshall SV20

Post by HackSaw »

Conway wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 11:26 am Cool, thanks Ben. It is the Plexi I'm looking at.
I assume in the LE navy blue tolex?

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Re: Marshall SV20

Post by FuzzMonkey »

rickenbackerkid wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 11:17 am I forget - is the SV20 the the JCM800, or the Plexi?

I have the plexi Combo. It is a fantastic, fantastic amp. Beautiful cleans and beautiful overdrive. The cabinet/speaker design is very nice too; it's a very big cabinet for a very piddly 10 inch speaker, but nothing about it sounds boxy or small.

Downsides would be that the EQ is fiddly and very interactive and that to get distortion, it's LOUD, even in 5 watt mode.
Positives would be that it really sounds like (and is) a Marshall Plexi. I have used so many pedals and amps that claim to provide a 'plexi' tone and none of them really do, but this amp does, in a manageable format. Guys in my band like one so much our lead singer is talking about getting the JCM800 version
Good to know. I've been very tempted by these amps since they have come out. I wonder what the reasoning behind the 10" speaker was? Why not a 12"? I assume there is an output for an external speaker cabinet?
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Re: Marshall SV20

Post by Conway »

HackSaw wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 11:40 am
Conway wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 11:26 am Cool, thanks Ben. It is the Plexi I'm looking at.
I assume in the LE navy blue tolex?
That would, of course, be ideal. Unfortunately, all Rockshop has in stock is 2 combos - one in not very appealing white, and one in absolutely hideous red and black faux snakeskin. :sick:
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Re: Marshall SV20

Post by Conway »

FuzzMonkey wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 11:53 am
rickenbackerkid wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 11:17 am I forget - is the SV20 the the JCM800, or the Plexi?

I have the plexi Combo. It is a fantastic, fantastic amp. Beautiful cleans and beautiful overdrive. The cabinet/speaker design is very nice too; it's a very big cabinet for a very piddly 10 inch speaker, but nothing about it sounds boxy or small.

Downsides would be that the EQ is fiddly and very interactive and that to get distortion, it's LOUD, even in 5 watt mode.
Positives would be that it really sounds like (and is) a Marshall Plexi. I have used so many pedals and amps that claim to provide a 'plexi' tone and none of them really do, but this amp does, in a manageable format. Guys in my band like one so much our lead singer is talking about getting the JCM800 version
Good to know. I've been very tempted by these amps since they have come out. I wonder what the reasoning behind the 10" speaker was? Why not a 12"? I assume there is an output for an external speaker cabinet?
Yes, you can plug in an external cab. And Marshall has a matching cab for the head version which is a 1x12...
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Re: Marshall SV20

Post by olegmcnoleg »

Conway wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 10:21 am

After avoiding Marshalls for many many years, I'm thinking this might be the amp for me to try. Advise please...

Can't believe I'm reading this... :wink:

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Re: Marshall SV20

Post by FuzzMonkey »

Conway wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 12:13 pm Yes, you can plug in an external cab. And Marshall has a matching cab for the head version which is a 1x12...
The head appeals to me more as I've got a 4x12 loaded with Greenbacks but the versatility of the combo might be handy.
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Re: Marshall SV20

Post by Conway »

olegmcnoleg wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 12:45 pm
Conway wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 10:21 am

After avoiding Marshalls for many many years, I'm thinking this might be the amp for me to try. Advise please...

Can't believe I'm reading this... :wink:
Well, I had a Marshall class 5 many years ago, which I just didn't like. I've always much preferred Vox and Fender blackface tones, so I've stuck with various flavours of them.
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Re: Marshall SV20

Post by robthemac »

Coincidentally I was looking at SV20 heads online last night. Bit disappointed to hear that they have to run loud to get distortion, even at 5W. Is that true for bluesy crunch tones as well?
Jops wrote: Sun Sep 18, 2022 7:46 am Spring is the comic sans of reverbs anyway.

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Re: Marshall SV20

Post by Conway »

robthemac wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 1:35 pm Bit disappointed to hear that they have to run loud to get distortion, even at 5W.
Luckily, I have a Waza Tube Amp Expander. :wink:
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Re: Marshall SV20

Post by Conway »

But a boost going into the pre-amp should get you there.
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Re: Marshall SV20

Post by rickenbackerkid »

Conway wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 1:09 pm
Well, I had a Marshall class 5 many years ago, which I just didn't like. I've always much preferred Vox and Fender blackface tones, so I've stuck with various flavours of them.
Those little 5watt amps are almost always a bit lame. Something about that SE el84 design just doesn't sound BIG

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Re: Marshall SV20

Post by rickenbackerkid »

robthemac wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 1:35 pm Coincidentally I was looking at SV20 heads online last night. Bit disappointed to hear that they have to run loud to get distortion, even at 5W. Is that true for bluesy crunch tones as well?
These are pretty loud, dry and bitey to be fair. I'll try to do some sound samples soon.

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