DOES TOLEX KILL TONE? - Checking out the Marla Amps S10V - USA Made Tube amps under $1,000 (for now)

[@niclastname]

Idk about tone tolex or whatever, but I like the idea of amps without a finish just so you can dye or paint them yourself to be whatever color(s) you want! Next Ryan mod video?!?! 😯

[@benlees9713]

one of my favorite channels. I do get crazy strong Muppet vibes from this guy

[@shawn_ten_toes]

Fore real dude. Crazy Muppet vibe! I could see Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem roll up in the studio.

[@TheDrunkenScoundrel]

Great choice of guitars for this demo, Mel's pickup is perfect for an amp like this.

[@ScienceofLoud]

American amp using the British ECC81 designation rather than 12AT7? Are its measurements in metric too?

[@MarlaAmps]

sorry its taking me a minute to respond. I was watching the liverpool football match in my flat then I had to put some petrol in my lorry. but yes, metric system is best.

[@tomfinn8076]

It reminds me of the epi valve Jr. I run the 5w head into a 2x10 cab. It starts breaking up at around the same point and is in full saturation around 11-12. However, if you put it clean at 9, you have load of headroom when you plug in a clean boost and it gets plenty loud for a gig situation

[@jr0706]

I just bought an old Epiphone VJ head. I run it into my blues jr cab with a Vintage 30, and I have a Weber Micromass attenuator so I can get some breakup at low volumes. It's fun little amp. I want to try this Marla out, though.

[@lethalancaster8022]

My son bought a 60 dollar clip on tuner because of you Ryan…. I was mad at him until he tuned my violin and mandolin with it. Peterson should sponsor the show

[@gavinehringer4341]

Jim Lil did a pretty good job showing tone is not in the cab materials, it's in the cab design. That said, this would be really fun to custom finish...tweed, tolex, paint, animal hide, surfing stickers, gum, or whatever your heart desires! So, the raw, unfinished cab isn't a detriment to me!

[@BillAltman]

Hey I got one sitting right here! Great lightweight unit, straight outta Asheville

[@baileywatts1304]

Gonna be honest, one of my first amps was gotten from an old grunge dude who ripped the tolex off all his amps, and I can't say for sure that it was positive but those amps did sound different, though he said that putting skids on the bottom was his secret sauce.

[@JyotiMishra]

DEVO at 20:37 brought a tear to mine rheuuuuummy eye. 😭 Beautiful, sir, beautiful 👏🏽

[@fortheloveofnoise]

I dig it, the blue one looks dope. I hope a 50 watt version comes next.

[@MarlaAmps]

20 watt, two channel coming out next. Then a 42 watt single channel next year. Keep up the cool pedal mods! Your channel is awesome!

[@JasonTMays]

I love Anthony! These amps are an insane deal!

[@MarlaAmps]

Anthony loves you too!

[@steverolfeca]

The unsealed cab seems like overkill to me, but it's a fact that a resonant, lightweight pine cab and thin baffle board contributes to the sound of a 5E3 Tweed Deluxe. Mine sounds like it almost has a touch of always-on reverb, and the Marla seems to have a touch of the same quality.

[@MarlaAmps]

nailed it! that internal resonance adds a unique rounded character that I love. Thanks Steve!

[@Bovineicide]

That thing with the volume dimed sure is a sound, man. Real punchy.

[@MarlaAmps]

hell yeah!

[@AmpApps]

YOU make these demos fun! Decent amp; over priced, very limited (tone control), breaks up quickly, don't know how many db you were getting. Seemed to sound better with the motherboard in line like a buffer without anything on, lol. Would be attractive at a lesser price (I'm poor, lol). Love your Princetons with those ribbon mics. Good surf tone. You saved the best for last.🔊

[@ZacharyGrantMusic]

What is the song you’re playing at the 18:46 mark? It sounds so familiar and I’m drawing a blank right now.

[@MrGallade475]

Rumble by Link Wray

[@ZacharyGrantMusic]

@@MrGallade475 thank you! I’ve heard it before and it was driving me crazy because I couldn’t figure out the name!

[@KingLoopie1]

Ryan the knob twiddler... Happiest when he's twiddling knobs, exploring the far reaches of human hearing! 👍👍

[@-processdrone-]

It has just 2 knobs, let's try ALLLLLL the settings 😊😊😊

[@hoboroadie4623]

Living room amps. I never thought that I would have one, but that is exactly what I came up with. I got a shiny new looking Bruno, all fancy hardwood (yay). Remember that Sesame Street song "can you tell me which thing doesn't belong here.." yeah, in a mountain of the mankiest old shredded Tolex. 🙈

[@nickcabrera3982]

Is finish sanding also a tone killer?

[@keithcampbell9017]

The Anthem speaker sounds similar to the Eminence 1258 Legend speaker that I have in a 1-12 Bogner speaker cab. (the large model cabinet).

[@incredifunk]

I research these a few weeks back when I first became aware of them. They sound good

[@GaryBertolo]

Does it come with a plastic vinyl amp cover in velvet

[@TheDrunkenScoundrel]

Tolex The Tone-KIller sounds like the arch-enemy in the comic book series about Guitar Geeks.

[@incredifunk]

I like how Marla amps names there amplifiers. They use names of sheltered animals to name each individual amp

[@KingLoopie1]

I like the blue one! Good thing they didn't send you a blue one or it would disappear into the wall color. After a week you would forget that you have it... I'd seriously consider this if I didn't already have a Wangs mini 5 and a Vox 12" cab. My main gripe with both is that they don't have standby...

[@incredifunk]

Wangs isn't loud enough. I have half watt amps that are louder

[@lesliel1182]

I just had to strip 2 amps because the tolex was skankytown on both. One , Musicman I painted black. I feel like sound would be better tolexed. I figured everyone covered them for a reason. Bought some tolex, but the stuff is ultra lightweight, so I'm not sure how much good it will do sound wise.

[@shawn_ten_toes]

Affordable American made tube amp... whaaaaa.....? I'm watching this! Also, I don't know about tolex being a tone killer, but my licks sure are.

[@MarlaAmps]

hahaha, dang. people usually roast the manufacturer in these comments.

[@two50ne77]

Everyone thinks Jimmy Paige used Tolex but he really used a bunch of alligator leather from the Aleister Crowley estate. thats why you cant get his toan

[@robertthornton1657]

Complete with a bustle in the hedgerow.

[@MrStorm029029]

I heard he used the skin from hands, bc toan is in the fingers...

[@blakeanderson7906]

Will it chug?...

[@LarsonGuitarPlayer]

This sounded really great! Guess the speaker and a lot of it's other parts is made in China.

[@MarlaAmps]

Thanks Larson!!! ...Speaker is imported. Transformers and Cab (the three most expensive raw materials) are made in America. I was going to go with a Jensen, costs isn't much different, but the Mojotone Anthem blows it outta the water.

[@Frankie_Holt]

No, but what it does do is add about $3-10 worth of material and about $25-200 worth of labor to the build depending on location and experience of the person covering the cabinet

[@MarlaAmps]

nailed it! not a popular opinion; I don't feel right charging some one for all the extra labor, especially because it doesn't add to any tonal characteristics

[@GreggBennett-j3p]

Link Wray vibes at noon for sure. Cool, for sure, but a bit too raunchy for me. Not digging the ‘subtle’ tone control either. ‘Doesn’t turn it into a jazz amp’, uh, yes. Great review as always. Thanks.

[@royrobles7423]

Marla amplification is a friend of mine....

[@markbois1713]

I can't say for sure if Tolex kills tone, but i have a 212 cab i built unfinished wood and no grille cloth, and it sounds great. Obviously, it never leaves the house with no grille cloth.

[@SierraAppa]

Would this work well for a secondary amp to use for stereo effects? My primary amp is a fender deluxe reverb

[@shckltnebay]

Depends on the amount of clean head room you want

[@BillAltman]

@@shckltnebayI own one and frankly I’d got another way for that application

[@BounceChord]

I love how "praise and worshippy" is a description for a sound now and I knew exactly what you were talking about.

[@carsonyuh]

Got a 77 twin for $600 a couple of weeks ago

[@60CycleHumcast]

nice

[@JohnDesPortes-du5yd]

And?

[@JackTheSkunk]

I hope the business is successful enough to allow them to offer larger and more CLEAN sounding amps in the future. A 15W ,1x12 or 1X15 would be great.....something like a Princeton Reverb with an additional middle tone control would be nice.

[@jethro_bardot]

He has a 20w version. I think he said a 42w is in the plans too.

[@DMSProduktions]

ANY covering on the wooden box MAY cause some dampening with glue and soft vinyl, BUT if it's made with CHIP BOARD, it's already deadened by the binder! BUT if it's made with good ply or solid timber, it would (sic) BE more resonant than a chip board made box! Simple physics! WHETHER you can HEAR it much, is a totally different subject! Nice 1 Ry! \m/

[@MarlaAmps]

hell yeah! so many people use tolex to cover a crappy chip board cab

[@DMSProduktions]

@@MarlaAmps True! Even Marshall put vinyl over his birch ply boxes! But it LOOKED cool & probably DID protect it a fair bit!

[@teddnagurski5583]

I'm all for boutique stuff and supporting the little guy, but what happens when the amp breaks in 5 years? Will replacement circuit boards be available? Will this company still be in business? Do you just buy it knowing it's a case of planned obsolescence?

[@60CycleHumcast]

amps like this can be repaired by any amp tech. its simple stuff in there.

[@teddnagurski5583]

@@60CycleHumcast Cool. That's good to know!

[@MarlaAmps]

it is a bit of a self fulfilling prophecy. Avoid the lil guys cause they wont make it. The lil guys wont make it because we avoided them... I can't launch an amp company in this market without a 2nd source of income. So even if I'm still working two jobs in 20 years, Marla will be here to support its customers.

[@teddnagurski5583]

@@MarlaAmps I fully agree and respect your commitment. I wish you all the best success.

[@robsteffey606]

@@MarlaAmps good to hear, mine will be here Wednesday! Thankyou sir!!

[@MichaelStoneham]

How can this amp with only two controls have more tonal options than most vintage amps? That's just weird, no reverb, no overdrive just doesn't make sense.

[@MarlaAmps]

Hell yeah!

[@incredifunk]

Why would you need overdrive? That's what the volume is for. Turn it up that over drives itself

[@incredifunk]

Add your own reverb, 30 bucks

[@fortheloveofnoise]

Is it secretly a Moog amp? 🎹

[@MarlaAmps]

i spent 3-4 years there. worked with some amazing people. really gave me the chance to look at amp building in a "subtractive" way - for all the non synth players, thats a foundational east coast synth reference. really saddens me to see what has become of the company now : /

[@Youtubemademeaddahandle]

Fender Blues Jr is about $830.

[@andersbarfodsvaneskolan9378]

10.6W out if one 6v6gt tube is impossible.. The specsheet for an old 6v6gt gives you a max of 5.5 wats in class A single ended operation.. You need a large 6l6GC tube to get above 10 watts in a single ended amp.

[@AlisoBob]

Sounds about the same as Dinosour Ghost did at the Surf Winter Fest.......

[@howardpoulin23]

You forgot the Blues Junior when you made your $850 dollar comment. A Blues Junior has 15 watts and cost less.

[@LarsonGuitarPlayer]

Isn't BJ built in China these days?

[@carsonyuh]

@@LarsonGuitarPlayermexico.

[@incredifunk]

They suck

[@howardpoulin23]

@@incredifunk , Jeff Beck didn’t think so, neither do I. Blues juniors are awesome and have more EQ available than the amp on the video.

[@rochat]

Seems to me like they've found a way to avoid the extra cost of tolex or finish by convincing people raw toan wood is more gooder. Cool amp, though.

[@incredifunk]

It makes sense. Think of the tweed amps, That's a more natural fiber it will allow Tone to go through. Tolex on the other hand is just like a plastic sheet.

[@yepyepyep8859]

Hey Ryan, can you demo cool cat series by danelectro? Cool cat cm1 and cm2, and overdrives @60CycleHumcast

[@60CycleHumcast]

I think ive covered one or two in the past, not the overdrives probably. I don't have any plans to cover them in the future because they are discontinued.

[@vtecnow1]

Hoop jumpers club give away???

[@charlesvannice8279]

Sounds like a sales pitch.

[@60CycleHumcast]

Nah, it’s an amp demo - steve

[@acousticguitars123]

I like the sound of my blackstar studio 10 better

[@ColeWheeler4Lyfe]

I prefer the tone of shellac. 😅

[@GumbleBernard]

RIP Steve Albini

[@SK-jo4my]

5

[@SK-jo4my]

1

[@claudiajay8291]

We need to get back to made in America . Make things that people in the rest of the world want to buy .

[@MisterJWJ71]

America's main exports are money and jobs. Yeah, it'd be great if we had affordable products made here but, the wages American workers expect mean companies will have to charge more to keep the profit margin high.

[@WallofSounds5317]

Why would anyone pay $800 for a 10 watt amp? You can buy a 10 watt amp for less.

[@MarlaAmps]

Nailed it! Theres a Rogue on Reverb for only $10. That's you're only paying $1 per watt!

[@incredifunk]

What amp ? American made for less than 800 bucks?

[@WallofSounds5317]

@@incredifunk Fender offers a couple for starters. Let me assure you there's no such a thing as American made, but American assembled as most of the tubes, diodes, transistors, capacitors & triodes along with many other parts are manufactured in Asia, then shipped to the people who build your amps.

[@shaft9000]

It won't no-way no-how, because tolex -_can't_ "kill tone". A material structure either dampens or propagates resonance(s); and that's that. The Q is meaningless to begin with, but here we are anyways because: - Leo and George decided to write "tone" instead of _treble_ on the Strat's low-pass filter knob(s), and Fender Inc. has left it that way ever since. - The 60 Cycle boys needed to post another video as a matter of schedule. - Guitar players are too lax or retarded to remember that "tone" refers to _pitch,_ specifically - **NOT** timbre. As in: TriTONE, DiaTONic, PentaTONIC...remember any of that stuff? Kool. Perhaps we can resort to gazing at miniscule details or bungling our terminology less often as a group? Dunno! Anyway.... Have a great day, all!

[@MarlaAmps]

elighTONEment!! yes. Timbre is a better term.

[@townee23]

$860 bucks + tax. 10w. no built-in effects. any aux or phones jacks? splinters. replacement tubes? no sir!

[@60CycleHumcast]

sounds like you want a very different style of amplifier.

[@incredifunk]

Built-in effects? Are you kidding me? If you want built-in effects, a traditional tube amp is not for you And isn't that what pedals are for?

[@shckltnebay]

Tone King makes a comparable amp called the Gremlin

[@MarlaAmps]

HYFY! love it when the S10V gets compared to a 1400 amp! haha. Thank you, made my day!

[@shckltnebay]

@@MarlaAmps Well the Tone King stuff is overpriced

[@MarlaAmps]

@@shckltnebay very true in my opinion.

[@claudiajay8291]

I’m sorry , but this amp doesn’t sound good to me .

[@TheSkarocker56]

I wouldn't pay $100 for that. Sounds like dog-duck 😝

[@MarlaAmps]

Hell Yeah! Ska rulez!! Tony Hawk sound track for lyfe!

[@frankcarter6427]

it looks like it was made by a kid in woodworking class

[@fuckgoogle8661]

The coolest kid on wood shop.

[@MarlaAmps]

Heck yes! Great burn!

[@AnywayHeresMyCleanTone]

Why is Made In USA so important to people? Do people really care about the patch of land something was built on? Is it not a bit racist to think that if it was made in America, then American people made it, and American people have better skills/attention to detail than say, the Chinese? 🤔 I guess the assumption is that if the labour is more expensive, they spend more time crafting it?

[@60CycleHumcast]

I think the general idea is 'probably handmade/boutique/custom shop'. In this case it's one guy building and designing everything. Also 'American' isn't a race, but yeah people are shitty and will turn anything into racism.

[@noahpauley]

“Made in USA” has a connotation of high quality whether the product reaches that standard or not. The amount of racism and stupidity has people thinking that foreign manufacturers are bad and make bad stuff. But that’s pretty much the opposite right now with the high quality to price ratio that foreign guitar manufacturers have had.

[@Bovineicide]

People like knowing that the stuff they buy isn't made by forced labor from Chinese prisoners.

[@BeersAndBeatsPDX]

​@@noahpauleyChina has possibly the worst reputation for worker/human rights. Buying something that's made in America not only gives some sort of assurance (not always of course) that the workers were paid and treated well. Not everything made in China is cheap junk that came from a sweatshop but a lot of it is. Not wanting to support that system isn't racist.

[@hoboroadie4623]

I think that the impression is that there are not High Spec manufacturers like Wang and Ceriatone overseas is a lingering phenomenon. I seldom buy for price so I have no problem paying the big bucks for the high-end Chinese stuff. I am certainly old enough to remember some very dreadful American products, well before even the widespread use of plastic kind of ended the archiving and reuse of anything whatsoever.