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British vs. American

British or US amps?

  • British - Marshall, Ashdown, Orange etc...

    Votes: 123 36.9%

  • US - Peavey, Mesa/Boogie, Fender etc...

    Votes: 210 63.1%
  • Total voters
    333
#142
Calaverasgrande said:
I would say it's debatable if we were talking about guitar amps. Orange/Matamp, Hiwatt, Marshall and Vox. vs the states with our fender, Mesa and a couple other not quite as iconic brands.
For bass amps the USA just owns the iconic bass amp roost.
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Iconic bass amp roost?, We win again cos I know Roost where made in Southend on Sea Essex UK right near the old Hiwatt and Partridge transformer factory:
Invalid Link Removed
they employed 8 people in fact their cabinets where made in the same joinery works as Hiwatt.
So a proper all black somewhat reserved looking Dave Reeves, Hilyte's Hiwatt 200 Custom with Harry Joyce's military spec, point to point wiring + fabulous Marconi KT88 tubes, And fine partridge transformers isn't as good and fit for purpose as a rather scruffily built PCB based amp with the look of a Chinsie silvery blue Rokola Juke box.
Rampant Nationalism aside old chap!, with the best will in the world, its a bit like comparing kenworth trucks and Rolls Royce cars.
:bassist:
 
#143
georgestrings said:
You're right - those 3 amps aren't lame by any means, but that's literally all Marshall has to offer for good bass amps, whereas Mesa has couple times that many models that are great bass amps...Also, have you ever seen a Marshall guitar cab and Mesa guitar cab side by side??? A 1960 type is almost exactly the same size as a Stiletto or Rec cab - so, I don't knwo where you're getting that from... In fact, there are a couple of each in my band's rehearsal space right now...


- georgestrings
Click to expand...

Yes, I have seen Marshall guitar cabs and Mesas side by side. The latter are bigger. As for the amps themselves, I honestly prefer the Marshalls. Wasn't that impressed with anything but the clean channel on the Mesas I've tried.

Make something as good as those three Marshall amps and you don't have to make anything else. Don't get me wrong, my D-180 is awesome, but if that model didn't exist, It would be difficult for me to decide between a Major and a 400 or a VBA400 and a 400+, if money were no object. As it is, the Mesa stuff I think is awesome is all discontinued, same as Marshall (unless they're still making the VBA400, which case they currently have an edge, for me). Mesa's current selection is all right, good amps. But I wouldn't take any of them over those three Marshall models.

Similarly, Ampeg hasn't made very many models I like either, yet I consider them one of the main factors in preferring US over British bass amps. They made the B-15. They made the SVT. They made the V4(B and BH), and the SVT-II (and 2pro). What more is needed?

Sunn hasn't made all that many models of bass amplifiers. 200s, 2000s, Beta, Concert, Coliseum, 300T. But they're undeniably awesome. You don't need a whole lot of variety if you make a couple things that are amazing.
 
#144
Marshall vs. Mesa: Tone is a matter of taste, but Mesa clearly wins the reliability battle. Marshalls have always been inconsistent, but some of them are great. For classic Marshall type amps, I think a boutique builder is the way to go: Reinhardt, Grainger, Morgan, etc.

I finally voted in the poll for the USA as I think the States are the clear winner in modern amps with all of the great boutique builders here and a handful of bigger companies assembling at least some of their amps in the US. There were a lot of great vintage or discontnued British amps, though, and most Americans have not had a chance to play them due to their rarity on this side: Selmer Treble 'N' Bass 100, Sound City B200 Mark 3, Hylight era Hiwatt DR201 and DR405, Marshall Major, Carlsboro, Simms-Watts 200w, Trace Elliot V8, Orange OD140 or OD120, Matamp (which built some of the early Orange amps), Roost (only seen one of them in the US), and various Ashdown amps. Those companies are either defunct or changed ownership over the years. At least Laney is still going strong under the same ownership (I think). I've been fortunate enough to either own or play (I know a few voracious collectors) all of the above despite living in the USA.

Make something as good as those three Marshall amps and you don't have to make anything else. Don't get me wrong, my D-180 is awesome, but if that model didn't exist, It would be difficult for me to decide between a Major and a 400 or a VBA400 and a 400+, if money were no object. As it is, the Mesa stuff I think is awesome is all discontinued, same as Marshall (unless they're still making the VBA400, which case they currently have an edge, for me). Mesa's current selection is all right, good amps. But I wouldn't take any of them over those three Marshall models.
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The VBA400 is no longer built, although it's possible that a few NOS ones are sitting in some music stores.
 
#145
AwkwardLoudness said:
For classic Marshall type amps, I think a boutique builder is the way to go: Reinhardt, Grainger, Morgan, etc.
Click to expand...

Agreed on this. To buy a "Marshall" now, I'd definitely go with a boutique builder over an ACTUAL Marshall brand Marshall. Some more: Metropolis, Germino, Reeves, Union Jack......


As too bass amps: Yes, America wins in the number or good companies putting out amps, but for my preference, I say I prefer British amps (with the exclusion of Sunn 2000s and Acoustic Control Corp 360)
 
#146
Sartori said:
Yes, I have seen Marshall guitar cabs and Mesas side by side. The latter are bigger. As for the amps themselves, I honestly prefer the Marshalls. Wasn't that impressed with anything but the clean channel on the Mesas I've tried.

Make something as good as those three Marshall amps and you don't have to make anything else. Don't get me wrong, my D-180 is awesome, but if that model didn't exist, It would be difficult for me to decide between a Major and a 400 or a VBA400 and a 400+, if money were no object. As it is, the Mesa stuff I think is awesome is all discontinued, same as Marshall (unless they're still making the VBA400, which case they currently have an edge, for me). Mesa's current selection is all right, good amps. But I wouldn't take any of them over those three Marshall models.

Similarly, Ampeg hasn't made very many models I like either, yet I consider them one of the main factors in preferring US over British bass amps. They made the B-15. They made the SVT. They made the V4(B and BH), and the SVT-II (and 2pro). What more is needed?

Sunn hasn't made all that many models of bass amplifiers. 200s, 2000s, Beta, Concert, Coliseum, 300T. But they're undeniably awesome. You don't need a whole lot of variety if you make a couple things that are amazing.
Click to expand...


A few things - a quick look on both Mesa's and Marshall's sites showed that any size difference between their guitar cabs is insignificant - unless you're talking about Marshall's "mini" guitar cabs, then that would truly be apples and oranges...

Next - you seemed to have left any SS or hybrid amps out of the bass amp discussion, which is grossly shortchanging US bass amp manufacturers... I understand if they aren't your preference - however, the market shows that you're hardly a majority in that regard... For Mesa alone, that's leaving out the Walkabout, M-pulse 600, Big Block 750, and Titan - all of which are killer amps that have quite a fan base... and Ampeg's SVT-4Pro has seen many a stage...

Having preferences is fine, but that isn't really what the original discussion was based on, now is it???


- georgestrings
 
#150
georgestrings said:
A few things - a quick look on both Mesa's and Marshall's sites showed that any size difference between their guitar cabs is insignificant - unless you're talking about Marshall's "mini" guitar cabs, then that would truly be apples and oranges...

Next - you seemed to have left any SS or hybrid amps out of the bass amp discussion, which is grossly shortchanging US bass amp manufacturers... I understand if they aren't your preference - however, the market shows that you're hardly a majority in that regard... For Mesa alone, that's leaving out the Walkabout, M-pulse 600, Big Block 750, and Titan - all of which are killer amps that have quite a fan base... and Ampeg's SVT-4Pro has seen many a stage...

Having preferences is fine, but that isn't really what the original discussion was based on, now is it???


- georgestrings
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It's an open ended question. SS and hybrid amps aren't really relevant to my interests. Yes, I am leaving out the Big Block, the Titan, the Walkabout, the MPulse, as well as all the British SS and hybrid stuff, because my feelings on all those amps are "meh." Pretty much the same degree of "meh" on both sides of the Atlantic as far as I'm concerned. Sure, those amps have quite a fan base, but I'm not part of it, and it doesn't really alter the equation for me. I am equally uninterested in British SS amps as I am in American ones.

Plus, you seem to believe that I am arguing that the Brits have the edge. I am not, as if you actually read my earlier responses, you'd see that I actually picked US bass amps (Ampeg, Sunn, Mesa, Peavey) over the British ones. I just don't think it's as one sided as you do.

And for guitar, I like the British stuff better in most cases.
 
#152
Sartori said:
It would be difficult for me to decide between a Major and a 400 or a VBA400 and a 400+, if money were no object. As it is, the Mesa stuff I think is awesome is all discontinued, same as Marshall (unless they're still making the VBA400, which case they currently have an edge, for me).
Click to expand...

Between these two I chose Mesa 400+, Marshall VBA is great amp but not as good for me as Mesa. I sold it and bought Mesa now I'm happy.
 

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