8 GREAT Amplifiers That You Might NOT Know About!

[@MDee-db7by]

Robert: "You can find these dirt cheap." Internet: *rolls up sleeves*

[@RobertWJackson]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@MDee-db7by]

In a week those B-52's will be going for about $700-800 bahaha

[@RobertWJackson]

LOL You give my influence WAAAAAY too much credit, sir. If anything, they’ll probably go DOWN in value. LOL

[@MDee-db7by]

@@RobertWJackson 😂😂😂

[@RedCGhost]

I had a work buddy tell me about the B52, just picked up an AT100 for $330 shipped and tax from Ohio to Texas

[@curtismuma1931]

What about the old school sound city amps? The 120 all tube 120 watts. More head room than a mac truck. Precursor to the hi watt.

[@tankdarla637]

Man I love these videos. So many great youtube guitar channels. So much easier now than it was in the 80s and 90s when we had to buy magazines for just little bites of info...

[@craignesbitt7856]

One addition from Canada: 70's era Traynor YBA Bass Master tube amps. They come in 45w, 90w and 200w. They were known as the "poor man's Marshall Plexi" up here. The designer Peter Traynor worked as an amp tech in Toronto and "fixed" the areas the he saw fail in that era of Marshalls. They are easily modded for higher gain and are loud as sin

[@PixelmechanicYYZ]

They're also shooting up in price because of that :) There's a story that Pete Traynor dropped one off the roof of the shop, put in new tubes and the thing worked perfectly. Talk about build quality!

[@shaunw9270]

Here in England, my brother who's a singer ,owned a couple of Traynor vocal PA',s many years ago and it was one of them that I first ever made a noise on an electric guitar through ! The spring reverb was brilliant for that crashing Surf tone !

[@craignesbitt7856]

I borrowed one for a while, which was modded for high gain. Ran a tube screamer copy in it and it was a fire breathing monster

[@brucedabney9420]

In the early 70s I had a YBA-1A, and subsequently a YBA-3A. They were very loud, esp. with the big Traynor Rogue speaker cab. They really had a very different sound to the late 60s Marshall 100w super lead I moved on to. You could get ear-bleeding treble and good sustain, but mine were pretty clean-sounding.

[@JunkfoodZombieGuns]

Carvin Belair 212. The dirt channel is a bit lackluster, but the cleans are astounding.

[@quickdrawmcgraw3567]

Very underrated clean amp is the Yamaha G100-112, which I have been thinking about running into my Marshall amp to boost the shit out of the mids (since it has tons of headroom and a Parametric EQ built in!). Great clean tone used by some country greats!

[@dukesworld4111]

I actually have a G100-115. I got it from a pawn shop in the early 90's for about $200. Greatest pedal platform EVER! The real spring reverb tank in it is pretty epic sounding as well. I used this amp for over 15 years until it finally developed electrical issues a few years ago. I just hope to someday be able to afford to try and have it gone through by a good amp tech and bring it back from retirement, because nothing else I've used comes close to this amps clean channel.

[@curtiseverett1671]

I think that amp was designed by Paul Rivera

[@kitoyobeni1]

Genz Benz El Diablo (my experience is with the 60W combo). Two channel, selectable pentode or triode power modes, dynamic or compressed settings, and even more options and controls to find your distorted tone. This amp helped to stifle my endless gear trading.

[@RobertWJackson]

I like the El Diablos! I think those are pretty cool. I talked about them in another recent video.

[@JodyParsons]

I’ve had one of these. It’s a really great amp, a lot of tweaking. But I found the active EQ tricky.

[@TheCallingInSilence]

The Mig-50 was actually modeled after the Fender Bassman. It was it's older brother the Mig-100 that was modeled after a jcm800 I believe.

[@harleyhexxe9806]

Hey Robert! I love these videos that you post because I find out about some obscure amp gems that I missed out on in the past. One important note I'd like to point out about these great tube amps that you find for a cheap price online these days, is that 9 times out of 10, they are going cheap because they need to be re-tubed. Tubes are not as cheap as they were when a lot of these amps were built, and even more importantly, finding good quality tubes these days is more difficult since Groove Tubes is gone. Then, you have to find a good amp tech who can bias your amp to sound it's best, without charging you an arm and a leg for doing it. After dealing with all that, your "bargain" amp just cost you a lot more. As I mentioned to you on an earlier video you posted about the 10 loudest amplifiers in the world, I own a Fender 400PS. With the cost of six 6550 power tubes, one 6L6 driver tube, and ten preamp tubes, that's a pretty good chunk of change right there! Fortunately, I have a good amp tech in the area who can bias an amp according to his ears and not the technical specs. A lot of money, but then again, it's a LOT of amp!

[@RobertWJackson]

My gawd, that’s gotta be $500 worth of tubes, even BEFORE you pay somebody to bias it properly. LOL

[@harleyhexxe9806]

@@RobertWJackson The 6550's are $600 alone

[@RobertWJackson]

OUCH.

[@harleyhexxe9806]

@@RobertWJackson Tell me about it! LOL

[@sparkyguitar0058]

@@harleyhexxe9806 Your paying $100 per tube? Why that's on you. I changed my tubes in a Boogie 4 pwr, 4 preamp but I supplied 2 specific pre amps cause of something I read. My tech thinks I'm nuts but he did it and checked out my other tubes. Wrote on each 1 the ratings. For a check up and retube $300. A lot of work went into this. Plus he used brand new J J power tubes. Only about $ 75 for 4 6L6.

[@OmicronTauKappaClassicDaddy]

For a few hundred bucks I felt like a bank robber taking one of the first twenty EHX Mig-50's off the assembly line. Also nabbed the matching cabinet later on. The build quality was top shelf and they added some cheeky lines from Top Gun on the circuit board. Loud enough to tear your head off if you aren't careful. Takes pedals really well and I run all my effects straight into the front with no issues due to the high headroom. Size wise it is more compact which makes it a lot easier to gig with.

[@thriftybeard3203]

Definitely gonna try out that b52

[@captaintony1227]

If you can find one go for it . I'm very happy with mine . it has 2 gain channels and a great clean. And a nice reverb. As well as 3 rectifier types .

[@mikehartke1535]

I have 2 of these heads. Use them both every week. They sound great on their own, but I use them as a clean power amp for modeling in stereo. They are definitely very versatile and well worth the money. As far as reliability, I have had mine for 5 years now and never had an issue that everyone complained about. That includes playing gigs regularly and band practice.

[@shaunw9270]

Excellent video and very well researched. Not being rude, but I was almost certain you would slip up somewhere on your info on Hi-Watt, Park and Sovtek, so I applaud you ! I had never seen either of those Randall amps , don't know if we got those in the UK ,but the Paul Stanley one is calling my name 😁👍

[@jeffk1212]

Egnater Amps.....had one...very , very musical......like warm butter...and a old Sunn ..loved that amp...melted many faces with it...

[@timothyplonk4266]

Besides heads,B52 has a 60 watt combo that is loud and sounds great clean and distorted. I bought one in great shape (perfect functioning order that is)from a local pawnshop for $85. Cosmetically not pretty,but who cares? The tone and volume it has is incredible.

[@scottbart7891]

I have 3 of those B52 heads. I love the sound of each one. I need to over haul one When I bought it the guy never told me the knobs were broken. But sound great. Just a piece of advice. If your looking for one make sure they have the foot switch. It a pain in the ass to find a replacement or you’ll have to buy 2 double button foot switches one will control the channels and the other will control the reverb and f/x loop. But if you don’t care about the reverb or f/x loop then one will do.

[@pcbullets8726]

Great list Robert. One of my more obscure amps I owned was a late 80's Kitty Hawk M1 60 watt head. It sounded so much like a mesa, they got nailed for patent infringement. It was one of the best sounding amps I ever owned and they are pretty pricey these days. The only drawback they had was the power transformers would die in them, which is what happened to mine. That and the fact it had plastic pots for the controls(I snapped a couple off, ouch).

[@skullfacemorte]

Peavey butcher or vtm is another great series of amps. Hidden gems in my opinion.

[@RobertWJackson]

Definitely great amps, but I wouldn’t call them obscure. Most people seem to be familiar with them as they were both solid Marshall alternatives back in the 80’s.

[@rocknrollmonkey8668]

VTM120 was my first halfstack I bought in 1990. Bought the cab new, and the head used. They also had a VTM60 head, which in hindsight is the one I should've bought. Played several over the years and they just sound better to me. Still have the 120 and cab.

[@patrickfraley4545]

@@rocknrollmonkey8668 Still have mine as well. Played different heads back in the day before settling on that one and wouldn't sell it for anything.

[@garylamb7688]

How about Peavey ? The Mace head or combo 2/12 ? The Dual 2/12 known as the Twin killer ? 120 watts of all tube power 2 channels. The XXX 3 channels all tube and 120 watts known as the mud flap girl amp head or 2/12 combo also a 40 watt 1/12 amp of 40 watts Skynyrd use all except the duel

[@night_speed]

I had a Peavy Roadmaster from the early 80s. 160 watt tube head with spring reverb and 2 4×8inch cabinets with latching speaker covers to protect the cones while traveling and moving them around. Super durable, crazy loud and i regret having to sell it. I just didn't have the space for it nor could I even play it without neighbors complaining. It was so heavy and i had fallen on hard times but I'd love to have it back. If you can find one I'm pretty sure they're not that expensive.

[@jeffseven2194]

The KISS Randall gotta be a beast, my last band in Indy our lead guitar had a full Hiwatt 100 stack, loudest 100 watts i ever heard. Breaking out the ESP tele for church today, pierce some ears!

[@gregfredericks351]

Love your channel Rob. 👍 Ever played with an old "HH Electronic" amp? (British semiconductor amp from the '70s-early '80s) Eg - MA-100, IC-100, VS Musician...

[@RobertWJackson]

Who’s Rob?

[@gregfredericks351]

@@RobertWJackson - sorry, maybe I should've said Robert. Didn't mean to offend...

[@RobertWJackson]

No worries. ;)

[@deanbibb3680]

I remember the BV50! I played one alongside the 120 at a store when they came out. Please don’t hate when you read these next words: I sold my BV120 yesterday. Don’t worry, I figure I’ll have another one this time next year. I always end up owning one somehow or another. Another great amp is the Ampeg Lee Jackson VL-1002. I finally have one of those after 25 years and the previous owner did Lee’s recommended mods for reliability and it is amazing. The used prices are skyrocketing now (possibly due to Lee’s video and the amp’s reputation for tones).

[@funfreq9282]

The Lee Jackson XLS 1000 head is so overlooked and I'm surprised you didn't mention it! It also came as a 212 combo with one speaker as an open back the other sealed. Basically it's what everyone was asking Lee to do to their amps back in the 80's all wrapped into one amp. A Hot Rodded JCM veraint with a blackface clean great effects loop and a resistive load so you could drive the power section!

[@carrielittlecplaster1620]

crate vintage club amps are great too. Not obscure, but not well known either. Also steath series is good too. Those along with bv are thier best. crate always get judged by ss amps.

[@realmadmohican]

Another great video! I just picked up a Mesa F-100 through a local FB marketplace listing; another underrated amp!

[@DR440]

I used to gig out with an F50. One of the best amps I've ever plugged into.

[@imaxeman69]

My entry into this would be the Yamaha T100/T50. Designed by Michael Soldano for Yamaha.

[@DarrenWaters75]

I used to have an amp that I have never been able to find any info on. The Sunn Enforcer, not the combo but it was a head unit. If you've ever heard the Enforcer then you know it was like a higher gain version of the Model T with less of that bottom end thing they have. It had issues with volume drop that I got tired of paying to never be figured out and sold it to someone who was into Sunn stuff. I have never seen another or heard of one since. I wish I had been able to get it working again before letting it go...

[@RobertWJackson]

🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼

[@mar1242]

Always surprised the Peavy VTM series never gets mentioned in these videos.

[@mikehartke1535]

No doubt. I had one from 88 to 99 and it absolutely crushed everyone's Marshalls.

[@RobertWJackson]

Great amps, but not very obscure, especially these days. A lot of people seem to know about them already.

[@russellzauner]

@@RobertWJackson Wang's? Unless you did it already.

[@brandondickie3456]

So actually I was just wondering Robert but do you remember what cab you were running the AT100 into? Right now I’m using a Bugera 212 cab I got cheap the same day I got the b52 head, and I’ve tried about as much as I can possibly do to try and dial it but it isn’t working, I think a better cab would help but I’m just looking for something temporary, I’d want to spend enough to get a solid cab that’s a good deal for the money. The bugera just seems infinitely muddy even with the bass cut down reasonably. I know that dialing in amps correctly is very important, otherwise someone could buy a new Mesa Mark V and make it sound like shit.

[@RobertWJackson]

I used the matching B-52 AT-412.

[@brandondickie3456]

@@RobertWJackson That should definitely work better as far as how they likely intended it to be used, I wish a mark 2c+ would just randomly show up in my front yard one day but then I wouldn’t get to learn about the other millions of amps out there.

[@RoyDoolin]

Great list. One I wish I had back was a Gallien Krueger 250ML. Lunchbox size 100watt but paired with a 4x12... wow.

[@RobertWJackson]

That’s a killer amp. One of the best solid-states out there.

[@FireMoon42]

Burman dude, till you've played one..... it's the amp used on "Money For Nothing". Hand made in the UK, a riff sic, on the original fender modded mesa boogie, three gain channels. The heads look very Fender and can give a Twin a run for its money in the "ferociously paint stripping loud stakes". There' s a couple of Carlsbro 70s combos, the TC 60 and the Sidewinder that, if you're looking for that Indie, pedal platform for shoegaze, Sonic Youth, busted in a cool way tone, they are hard to beat. They are "wrong" in all the right ways, if you're not looking for a stock "classic rock" tone.

[@jgmopar]

Where would you put the Carvin X100's. Carvin has been my main Amp tone since 1988. I have used it for punk rock, thrash metal and death metal bands over those years. The clean Channel is amazingly clean. The lead Channel has plenty of gain and can get more modern tones with a Boost in front. I dont hear people talk much about Carvin Amps. I think they are Awesome amps.

[@RobertWJackson]

Great amps, but I’m not sure how obscure they are, especially these days. They were a solid Marshall alternative/competitor back in the 80’s, so over the last 10 years or so, lots of people looking for that sound opt for the X100B/X50B in lieu of paying $1200-1500 for a vintage JCM 800. But great amps though, like I said.

[@amplifiedhyperventilatingf8374]

Wait. You can play death metal with a Carvin X100? Will it work with the Series IV? Because I have one and I can't get much further than thrash metal from the lead channel. Is there a video where someone dial it into a death metal amp?

[@RobertWJackson]

@ LOL A.H. Fitrianto You can play death metal on just about anything. You can play ANYTHING on just about anything. It’s not always just about the amp. Sometimes it’s more about what you’re running into it, including your playing style.

[@amplifiedhyperventilatingf8374]

@@RobertWJackson I know I can. What I mean is, if the amp itself, without any help from any pedals, can make a heavy and tight high gain distortion sound like I did with my Peavey 3120 and Ampeg VH140C. Last time I checked, I was able to kind of get into old-school Metallica and Megadeth-ish kind of sound using only the distortion from the amp. On the other hand, My Peavey 3120 and Ampeg VH140C is just so easy to dial to get a much more monstrous death metal sound. I think I need to get back to the Carvin X100B Series IV of mine and starts nodling again. By the way, I'm from Indonesia and I've watched many of your videos about amps. Here, what you might say dirt cheap is probably a one month minimum wage salary for a USA or UK made tube or even solid state amp. I was lucky to save some money and got three heads back when I was still financially healthy. And for that Ampeg VH140C. Man, I was so fortunate that I don't think many people know about it here. I once saw a Sovtek MIG for about US$600 sold in a local online shop here and it's just way above my paygrade. And there is also a Crate BV-60 head for about US$400 which is still quite expensive here. What I regret is, there was this seller who sold a Crate GX-600 with a Crate GS212V equipped with two Crate Celestion V30 version for US$200 that I got beat on buying it. I don't really care about the head. But the cabs. An underrated V30 cabs for that price is a real steal here. Anyway, I think I can suggest one quite versatile and not quite so boutiquely priced amp like every other from its brand. The Mesa Boogie Dual Caliber. Not as expensive as the Mark Series and the Rectifier Series, I think. Cheers!

[@jgmopar]

@@amplifiedhyperventilatingf8374 I played in a death Metal band in the 90's used my old Carvin x100. No boost just amp. What Era or area Death Metal are you interested in Tone wise? We were aiming for the Obituary type of Death metal back then or old Death.

[@DanCooz323]

Robert, how does the Blue Voodoo 50 head circuitry/sound compare to the GT-500H head? I got one years ago for like $120, recently re-tubed it, and running it through a Crate cab that I changed the speakers out to 16Ω. I really dig the clean channel, and the overdrive isn't half bad when you don't crank the gain to 10.

[@RobertWJackson]

Stay tuned. I’m working on a couple of videos for that.

[@homegrownson]

My Bugera V55Hd has 22/55 Watt Tube Heaven and was an affordable pawn Shop value I never regretted

[@clugokillscluco]

You can't get a Sovtek because Josh Scott bought all of them!

[@RobertWJackson]

LOL

[@RockyH.]

Yikes

[@homegrownson]

I am getting ready to Build a Troublemaker Tele HH with LR Baggs & Control-x pre amp kit, and instead of running 2 Amps Thinking of Fishman Aura Pedal as interface for acoustic Signal. I know many others now opting to add Piezo Acoustic for a All In One Guitar, Might you Do a Top 5 Amps for Electric Guitars using Piezo acoustics, perhaps even a comparison against the acoustic/electric 2 amps

[@jerryjones698]

I had a b-52 the cheaper gold front one didn't like it but always wanted the silver one i knew it was better but never could manage to afford one back then yeah that silver one sounded really good

[@odyssey6684]

The opening question, again, makes the video. You had me laughing hard. One possible addition to the list - the Yamaha T - series amps. Circuit based on the Soldano SLO-100. Had mine modded and it’s a beast!

[@RobertWJackson]

Thanks man! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@jeffk1212]

I saw one of those catch fire , years ago....loud enough to cause brain damage

[@Metalbass1979]

You now have me pondering how Fender missed the mark with Jazz players. I'm primarily a Prog-Metal player and have been using Fender Jazz basses for 3 decades.

[@dirtisrealracing]

Just traded my Marshall origin 20 for the Randall Paul Stanley amp and let me tell you that thing is amazing best solid state amp I’ve played by far put a tube screamer in front and scoop the mids and you have amazing thrash tones

[@RasCuban33]

I love my Krank Chadwick, I believe the first prototypes were used with Sovtek MiG modded heads. Mine came modded already by FJA Mods and it’s a hot rodded Plexi, love it to death.

[@wtfever2474]

Mesa/Boogie 50 Caliber+ An oft forgotten sleeper amp that slays

[@GregStraub42]

If you eat pasta and antipasto you create an pasta/antipasto engine and propel yourself at warp factor starch into the realm of the Flying Spaghetti monster.

[@homegrownson]

Crate Blue Voodoo you did a review on earlier on youtube is still one I am surprised to find still unknown and inexpensive, but a Great Tone at a Value price

[@RobertWJackson]

I demo’ed the BV120 which, along with the BV60, still pops up on the used market fairly frequently, though not as often as they used to. The BV50 that I mentioned in this video, however, is MUCH more rare and hard to come across. I love the Blue Voodoos.

[@Wardell43]

Fender Sunn Model T Crate VC 50 Laney, I owned an AOR 50 watt, but currently own a GH50L with a 412 cab loaded with V030sand a VC 50. I have a JCM 900 2500 too with a 1960AX with 2 V-30s and 2 Celestion 75 watt Most Low End Tube Amps just need better tubes and most Low End speaker cabs probably need better speakers I'm older than Keith Richard's dog's sheeet I'll be 70 soon but I'm all about Hendrix, Floyd, ZZ Top, Bad Company Reo, Led Zep Mountain and such.

[@mr.richiej]

Hi Robert I have a Sunn Ted Nugent Penatrator head .I've not seen another one like it .its camo and kind of a road case type head cabinet with flip out handles on each end . Have you seen one ?

[@RobertWJackson]

Nope, that’s a new one to me. I never even knew ol’ Uncle Ted ever used Sunn amps. Nice!

[@mr.richiej]

@@RobertWJackson ill get it out of the closet and take a pic tomorrow

[@mr.richiej]

Hi Robert not sure how to send these pics of the Penetrator. Do you have an email

[@RobertWJackson]

Yep. [e-mail]

[@AndyLovesLucha]

Love your insight on these lesser known brands and products, also love your stories about buying used gear - you are doing awesome on your channel and content, keep it up! Happy holidays dude!

[@RobertWJackson]

Thanks man! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@wisdomoverfear2685]

I'm picking up a crate stealth 50 watt tube head on this Friday ! Re-biased with new tubes and in mint condition ! I paid $300 for it and it absolutely sounds incredible ! I've owned Marshall plexi's and although they are great .........the stealth has three very distinct usable tones ! It crushes the Hair metal tones from the 80's and 90's without using any pedals ! The Plexi is really a one trick pony ! It does that well ......but damn is it loud while doing so ! I definitely have some hearing damage from standing in front of a Plexi cranked to that "sound" ! No more ! I'll be using the Crate stealth designed by Lee Jackson ! If you know who he is ......you know ! If you don't .......you should !

[@RobertWJackson]

Nice!

[@jerryjones698]

I remember the crate stealth that was a badass amp wish i had one

[@yepyepyep678]

it’s funny you mentioned the blue voodoo 300w and them being hard to find lol. my friend bought one that had been sitting at our local guitar center for 3 years. it was tucked in their “vault room” on the floor by a cab. they wanted 1200 but he scooped it for 600 because it had been sitting so long. he sold it later because of the lack of reverb and I kick myself for not buying it off him.

[@sixstringjc]

Bletchley Amplifiers!!!! They're discontinued at the moment but Look up Danny Russell and Bletchley Amplifiers. He's got some serious history in building amplifiers.

[@jefflewis5546]

Have you done any videos on Traynor amps? Ycv40 or 50 ?

[@RobertWJackson]

I have not, unfortunately.

[@jesselawson224]

I have the b-52 amp, but it’s been in storage for years.

[@patrickkem689]

Hi ya Robert, Really enjoy your channel. You got the ideas . Got one for you. Have you ever wondered how many tube amplifier makers used mercury Transformers,chokes. I believe Marshall did after switching over from the legendary Drake transformers Please correct me if I am in error. . I am trying to compile a list of great rock amps that used Mercury transformers. Hope it was not a bore for you. But I am in amp exile with funds being at a minimum. So I am reaching out to the man himself In hopes of having this dilemma solved. I am searching out the best possible Candidate that is a 50 watt has a decent gain stage. EL 34 OR 6L6 I am not choosy but I have a couple of EVH 2X12 cabs that would have to have a ohm selector or comes wired to handle a 2 output for. 16 ohm if you happen to have any thoughts on the situation that would be most awesome.

[@paulscushschofield1288]

if or when you decide to a video on best practice amp make sure you include a positive grid spark40..this little thing is awesome..especailly for beginners

[@RobertWJackson]

The modeling stuff isn’t really my thing, so I doubt I’ll ever mess with one personally, but I’ve heard just as many people that said they didn’t care for it as I’ve heard have said they love it.

[@pt8175]

Hey Robert a lesser good known amp was the Yamaha T-100 that amp was designed by Mike Soldano. Also another great amp and really unknown was the Dean Markley Signature Series they came in 60w and 120w and was designed by Terry Laul and were made between 83-86 also BK Butler worked at Dean Markley at that time not sure if he was apart of that amp though, and BK Butler people may know of him cause of his association with Tube Works Amps. And the B-52 logos can be taken off or black electrical works great to if ya wanna cover logos!!!

[@RobertWJackson]

I agree with you about the T-100, though I’m not familiar with the Dean Markley amp you mentioned. Why anybody would want to remove the logo from their amp is beyond me. (Unless you’re Tom Morello. His reason for removing the Marshall logo from his 2204 makes sense.)

[@pt8175]

@@RobertWJackson What I mean by the removing the B-52 logo is they do not want anyone to know they are playing cheap gear. Some people have a hang up about that. But I say if it is good show people it is good. Like those Crate Blue Voodoo 300's I would rock those all the time just have not been lucky enough to find one and another amp I have been trying to find is the 80's model Peavey Butchers they are awesome. And Fender had a awesome amp back in the day called the Fender 140 it was Fender's answer to the Mesa Boogie Mark Series line of amps at that time.

[@RobertWJackson]

Yep. I think people who have a hang-up about not wanting people to know they are playing cheap gear and removing a logo because of it is pretty pathetic. If you don’t wanna play cheap gear, don’t BUY cheap gear. I’ve been looking for a BV300H for YEARS now and I’ve never found one. Well, at least not one that wasn’t ridiculously overpriced. I recently talked to a dude in Canada who wanted like $2500 for his because that’s what he paid for it 25 years ago. SMH...

[@jimhhenry2898]

i have the ls version of this and I thought it was US based cause i called their warehouse in L.A. and they still make part like the footswitches but most what they do is car amps

[@RobertWJackson]

You have the what version of what?

[@tattoodan4277]

Awesome content! I’ve been playing guitar since summer 2001 and at one point was playing 4-8 hours a day back in around 2010 some things happened in my life and it turned me off playing although I would never go more than a couple of weeks before my Les Paul would pull me in fast forward to just before COVID really got bad and I had gotten a chance to find a used Jackson RR5 for next to nothing and my beautiful wife to be said that if I wanted it that bad it would be a great anniversary gift amd to go for it and since then I have once again started playing every day or second day at worst I have also recently started to play with a line6 HX Stomp to replace my Marshall tube half stack that I can’t move around anymore because of a spinal injury anyways your videos have been playing a big role in my inspiration and I wanted to take a moment to say that... happy holidays from Nova Scotia Canada Eh!

[@oshikiri999]

Very inspiring man, keep playing!

[@matthewking8944]

good wife good life god bless ya & keep rocking.

[@RobertWJackson]

Thanks man! Glad you enjoy the content. Congrats on the RR5 and I hope you’re back on your feet soon!

[@RobertMossack]

I had the B-52 ATX100 212 combo for a while. It was a cool amp and sounded great, but I relocated and had to pare things down, so I parted with it. I would buy another if I could.

[@christofs.3386]

Did you ever play a Jessup BT ? Thinking about buying one but never had the oportunity to play one - nor the original Model T ..

[@RobertWJackson]

No, I’m not familiar with that amp at all. Who makes it?

[@christofs.3386]

@@RobertWJackson seems to be a one man boutique company in the US. The amps are mostly Sunn clones. Has a youtube channel too. Don´t know if I should buy a Sunn Clone without ever having played a Sunn amp. I´s all mainly based on intuition and optics... . The other ones I consider to buy are a Victory Super Kraken or a EHX MIG 50.

[@merlozeppelin]

awesome video!! you should do a small amp version, 1x12s for us bar-gigging guys

[@DR440]

I never see a Fender Prosonic (90's) mentioned anywhere. They are killer high gain amps!

[@RobertWJackson]

That’s because you can’t FIND them anywhere, and when you do, they’re ridiculously expensive. That was Fender’s first Custom Shop amp along with the Vibro-King and one other that I can’t recall the name of at the moment that came out at the same time. The other two I’ve stumbled across a few times in the past, but I’ve NEVER seen a Pro-Sonic in person. They’re unicorns. LOL

[@kingmafw]

Robert, may I thank you for your great reviews about amps? Thanx!!

[@RobertWJackson]

You’re welcome! 🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼

[@kingZactheMerciless]

Great video. Lots of new gear to consider. I always wanted a SOVTEK......

[@RobertWJackson]

Thanks! Those Sovtek MIG-50’s are hard to find.

[@fadertrack3997]

Laney Pro Tube Lead AOR 100w from the 80’s. Really surprised you didn’t touch on that. Seems right up your alley.

[@RobertWJackson]

This may surprise you, but I actually despise the AOR’s, believe it or not. LOL

[@fadertrack3997]

@@RobertWJackson Hey man, everyone has their opinions! I am curious as to why, it is my first real tube amp and I am loving the thing.

[@RobertWJackson]

It’s not that it doesn’t produce great tones because it does. I can’t stand the bass control on it. The bass control turned all the way up without the boost engaged isn’t enough, and the bass control turned all the way down WITH the boost engaged is too much. The same is true to a lesser extent with the rest of the EQ controls on those. So it’s the EQ section on those amps that I really don’t like.

[@fadertrack3997]

@@RobertWJackson Fair point my friend. It will take some dialing personally. Thanks for the input. Love your videos!

[@captaintony1227]

I have the at100 combo and I'm very happy with it. I can't believe how good it sounds. Its just heavy af lol! I'm 6'4" 235 and I can only carry it for so long good thing its on casters lom

[@RobertWJackson]

Yeah, those 2x12 combos are beasts.

[@mikedesensi6391]

I thnik the Sovtek Mig 60 was the best of the lot , they arnt the most road worthy but sound very good

[@watcherzero000]

Yamaha had a killer amp back in the day called a T-100 and it was designed by Soldano.

[@tankdarla637]

B52 amps and Crate voodoos have always intrigued me

[@keithferris9574]

I have an AT-100 half stack. You won't believe the sound in person. Huge

[@hoboroadie]

Hiwatt is currently building bespoke amplification for discerning musicians. (Also, fools like me who have more money than sense, though precious little of either.) The DR201 is on top of my list, because I don't think that the DR103 is quite excessive enough. 🎸

[@RobertWJackson]

Didn’t the also make a DR301 or DR401? I know they had a model from that series that was at least 300 watts. THAT’S excessive, especially given how UNGODLY LOUD even the 100-watt Hiwatt models were back then. LOL

[@markbaum9615]

Thanks for sharing the Marshall and Park business debacle....... Carr makes some nice amps...mercury V has held its value

[@yankeepeters2270]

HiWatts are so damn confusing. There’s like a zillion iterations of HiWatts as the brand was sold a bunch of times. They went from crazy expensive to cheap, then back to crazy expensive a bunch of times. Now some are super cheap, almost like an Amazon version, and there’s still an iteration of premium priced 20 watt heads and probably other wattages as well. Man, I bought a used HiWatt Custom 50 back in the 80's that I only kept for a short time because it didn’t have “ enough “ distortion. I thought it was more like a Marshall, and I let it go pretty cheap. Young and dumb. I had no idea what this amplifier really was. I guess we’ve all done stupid shit with gear.. Great video, Robert.

[@thesnowghost1]

Robert I have to say you are very cool person I have learned a lot from your videos even as touring artist

[@RobertWJackson]

Thanks man! Glad you’ve enjoyed them!

[@jasonhoudyschell666]

Another great video. Thank you Robert

[@RobertWJackson]

Thanks man!

[@mortonstromgal]

I just ordered a Madison Divinity, we will see how it sounds when it gets here.

[@MarcAndreLevesque]

I've been looking for a Sovtek Mig 50 for years, never found one in decent shape where I live, but the EHX reissue makes me nervous considering the quality and reliability of their pedals ...

[@RobertWJackson]

The quality of their pedals has actually improved dramatically over the last 10 years or so. I used to despise EHX for that reason, but they’ve won me back over again in recent years.

[@matthewking8944]

@@RobertWJackson yeah guyatone pedals no q,c thanks for the info ehx will stay away. from the old ehx.

[@RichardCowdrey]

Great list, well done!

[@RobertWJackson]

🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼

[@tonepilot]

Good list, there’s a few here I’d love to try.

[@RobertWJackson]

Thanks man!

[@thejamnasium6447]

have never seen a jazz player play a Jazzmaster. which, is kind of awesome

[@RobertWJackson]

The jazz players didn’t care for them when they came out in 1958. The surf players, however, fell in love with them. 60+ years later, here we are. LOL

[@thejamnasium6447]

@@RobertWJackson they ARE some of the coolest looking guitars ever made, I think that goes without saying.

[@ThunderFalcon333]

Awesome video. A few of those amps I never heard of and I been playing since 1979 🦅

[@RobertWJackson]

Thanks man!

[@riffafrank]

That Randall EOD 88 looks good hey...

[@kingofdragontown9680]

I know George Lynch and I believe Ace Frehley used Park amps. I didn't know what they were though.

[@stevelueb7787]

Dude i had a Mig100 !! It was SOOO LOUD You could play the Cotton Bowl without a PA!

[@tinyb69]

Those B-52's were designed by Bruce Egnater, and sounded really good for the price point. Unfortunately, quality was hit or miss with those amps. If you were lucky, you got a good one, and it was basically trouble free for you. If not, you got one that made your tech a wealthy guy. Most of the problems were in the assembly process, and not the actual parts in them, but like any "affordable" amp, they could be made so much better by swapping out a few components, and doing a few slight modifications, to make them solid as hell. But the question is, do you want to spend that money on a cheap amp, or just invest that into something a little bit higher up the ladder?

[@konardabernathy2088]

I had an amp tech install a fan at the rear of my b-52 at 212. Solved a lot of problems. Yes some components are cheap, such as the input jacks, but that's the only issue I've had with mine.

[@CS-ru4xd]

Maybe not too obscure but definitely not very common is the Carvin MTS3200 Anniversary head and they sound fan-f*cking-tastic !! I need to find another one just to have.

[@RobertWJackson]

Yep, those are cool. I wouldn’t mind having one of those myself.

[@raysteybe1546]

I actually own a AT 100 half stack love that thing .

[@keithferris9574]

Me too. It's now my sound forever.

[@gerryloughran1676]

Cool ... great info - thanks

[@MaxPower-js1sk]

Great video, Robert. I wouldn’t mind one of those Hiwatts.

[@RobertWJackson]

Me either. LOL

[@MaxPower-js1sk]

@@RobertWJackson Imagine the volume!

[@santosguitar6744]

I love this channel ! 🤗

[@RobertWJackson]

🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼

[@MaxPower-js1sk]

I just resubscribed after having my KZbin account terminated without notice. An American guy claimed that I’d harassed him after I politely corrected him after he gave shit to the Queen’s Guard ( guys with bear fur hats) in the comments section of a video. I told him that they were real infantry soldiers who have served all over the world, including Afghanistan. The guy went nuts and complained to KZbin, who claimed that I’d used “Hate Speech” and that I’d harassed the guy. Watch out for nuts, Robert.

[@RobertWJackson]

Yeah, KZbin’s AI is anything but reliable. Sorry to hear your account got terminated because of it, but welcome back! 🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼

[@MaxPower-js1sk]

@@RobertWJackson Thanks Robert. This is the side of KZbin which us viewers aren’t supposed to see. Now I understand what you people have to put up with when all you want to do is put out content. What a pain. I appreciate your channel all the more. 👍👍👍👍👍

[@markzuelch7452]

Fearless Leader! You were dead on about the Park amplifiers! The once-or-twice I tried them they were as advertised (by you) not Fender clean, not in- your-face Marshall grind. So what did I do? I went with a Music Man HD 120. Bestial loud, scary quiet, but being the brain child of the "Ohmygawd" Leo Fender it could at least deserve that designation. It was cool, and played in public by both Alabama and Eric Clapton. Finally, and under the "We Dare You To Find One" heading, there was this cool little bastard "Barth" amplifier. Wouldn't steal your hearing but made you grateful for it, this "It Came from Outer Space" ascetic and probably 25w on a good day, there was something about this little badass that made you reach for it first. If you ever run across one, take it and be grateful.

[@markzuelch7452]

As & Ye Shall Receive

[@achaarpickler]

Time for a list of good 15 W amps like the EVH lunchbox.

[@RobertWJackson]

Top 13 GREATEST Lunchbox Amp Heads EVER! kzbin.info/www/bejne/eJPYlmCXqJ5poKs

[@achaarpickler]

@@RobertWJackson thanx. Can't believe I missed that one

[@coltondoescars]

If I ate pasta and antipasta, I'm pretty sure I'd still be hungry. Pretty sure my stomach is actually a black hole...

[@hailmaryrecordings8255]

The Hiwatt please?

[@stevechance4422]

What's your thoughts on the Crate Stealth 50??

[@RobertWJackson]

Why, do you own one?

[@stevechance4422]

@@RobertWJackson Yes I had one given to me a few years ago and just now starting to learn how to use it.Any information about it would be greatly appreciated.

[@RobertWJackson]

That was the one designed by Lee Jackson, fairly tough to find, actually. Great amps.

[@bofairuzarafairuz1660]

Robert: can you make a video about why people always compare one other brand's amp with marshall amp... is marshall really that good amp... thanx in advance...

[@RobertWJackson]

Marshalls were the industry standard from the mid-60’s all the way up to the early 90’s. More often than not a Marshall was used on any recording you can’t think of from that era across multiple genres. Zeppelin, Deep Purple, KISS, Van Halen, AC/DC, Metallica, Slayer, Ozzy, Mötley Crüe, Cinderella, Dokken, RATT, Green Day, Smashing Pumpkins, Alice In Chains, Vai, Satriani, Zakk Wylde, Yngwie... ALL have recorded MANY a hit record with a Marshall, among others, and many of those people continue to do so to this day. So that’s why.

[@bofairuzarafairuz1660]

@@RobertWJackson thanx a lot robert... thanx... I've own a vox valvetronics vt80... but I've always into marshall honestly... I'm just keeping my eye's only on DSL20 (if I can afford it)... here in my country... Malaysia... Marshall amps are quite expensive... sometime feel's like it's a luxury item... Thanx again robert... thanx...

[@matthewking8944]

great video robert you rock god bless

[@RobertWJackson]

🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼

[@logancreed5041]

I found a Line 6 Spider IV at a pawnshop a few months ago. Looked up the value. 1,400 new. Guess they didn't know what they had. Got it for 80 bucks:):):)

[@RobertWJackson]

Line 6 Spider IV amps did not sell for $1400. The most expensive one was the 150-watt 2x12 combo that sold brand new for $499. The head version was $399, 120W 2x10 was $399, 75W 1x12 was $299, 30W 1x12 was $199, and the 15W 1x8 or whatever size that speaker was sold for $99. Trust me, I sold those things by the pile from the moment they were released. They were NOT $1400 amplifiers.

[@logancreed5041]

@@RobertWJackson Gotchya. I googled it and a pic of it came up with that price, so i thought that was a helluva deal. Still not too shabby for 80 bucks;) Glad i know the truth now. Thanks brutha 😎🎸

[@JInfinity7]

Fender Rivera era early 80s. Hand wired, great sounding etc. Although...the cat is outta the bag.

[@GearGasms]

Because people who play jazz are reedy and weak boned, they were ill equipped to carry around the Fender Jazz amp. I’m not afraid to speak the truth! 😜🤘🏻🎸

[@RobertWJackson]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@silverpairaducks]

Um bro I carried a damn lab amp around for years

[@SpacemanXC]

It's all that heroin and veganism. 🤣

[@silverpairaducks]

@@SpacemanXC I am picturing chet baker and lyle mays duking it out....the sound is like leaves in the wind....

[@kennybluet5527]

Go tell that to George Benson.

[@brantnorthman9040]

The Risson CTA-120. Lord!