You (Probably) Only Need a 5 Watt Amp

[@JensenSpeakersVideos]

Hello everybody. Ignazio Vagnone from Jensen Speakers here. First of all, Rhett, awesome contents here. Extremely useful concepts, explained in a plain, straightforward fashion, and of course, great tones all over the place. Thank you, I do think this kind of presentations have a lot of value for the community. Small amps with small speakers can do wonders in a studio setting. A cool mic setup and an appropriate use of the proximity effect can transfer to tape some of the biggest tones ever. There are countless, incredible guitar tones recorded with small cranked amps. Joe Walsh's Funk #49 is a premium example. Very inspiring video! Allow me a couple of words about the speakers in the Falcon line: both the FA5 and FA20 have a Jensen Blackbird 40 "Reinforced Alnico" speaker. The FA5 has the 10" version while the FA20 has the 12". Very similar speakers, same magnet, same voice coil, same membrane style... just smaller in the 10" version. You may think the Blackbird 40 range as a louder, stronger version of the old Jensen P10Q and P12Q. The BB40 speakers are "vintege voiced" with the typical sparkle of the "50's inspired" speakers, but because of a 30% stronger ("reinforced Alnico") magnet than their ancestors, they are more efficient across the whole range, tighter and more powerful in the bass range. If anyone is interested in knowing more about... just hit me! Always ready for some tech/tone talk!

[@AdamGotheridge]

I just put a pair of P12R's in an open back 2x12 mainly to use with a Dr Z EZG amp (think tweaked fender super). They sound great, and their "inefficiency" is really an asset allowing the amp cook a little more without killing you with volume. I often wonder there aren't more "inefficient" speakers made by design/purpose for that, but maybe it's technically not doable? Thanks!

[@JensenSpeakersVideos]

@@AdamGotheridge Glad you liked the P12R! Yep, with less than 94dB sensitivity (1W/1mt) they are really low in efficiency, and that spec certainly helps pushing the amp without killing your eardrums (and your neighbours). They are abour 6dB quieter than your average contemporary 12", be it Jensen, Celestion or anyone else. However, I remember that there was a speaker on the market with a big attenuator knob over the magnet, that basically reduced the magnet flux, this progressivaly attenuating the speaker's SPL. There was very little interest from the market (maybe also because it was quite expensive) so I doubt that's a viable way. A speaker's tone is a very delicate balance between very simple factors. Some factors may reduce the sensitivity, but they will impact the tone. Ultimately, the attenuation technology has evolved SO good, that with the latest generation of reactive-load based attenuators, I truly believe you don't need to look elsewhere. A good one will sound nearly as good as the amp in its "sweet spot", just quieter. And if you don't need it, you just unplug/bypass it. A speaker is a harder committment. We use the Fryette Power Station PS2-A on a daily basis in our development and demo rooms in the factory. I have one at home as well and I still wonder how the heck I could have survived without it for all these years!

[@AdamGotheridge]

@@JensenSpeakersVideos Thank you very much for the thorough explanation. Powerstation on the list, and I'll probably wonder how I got by with one as well. 🙏

[@JensenSpeakersVideos]

@@AdamGotheridge Thank you! I just love sharing what we've learned in so many years of tone researches! I'd be very curious to hear your thoughs on the PS... we love it for so many reasons: 1) it's a great sounding reactive load, if you want to connect your amp straight into your DAW. 2) The loaded down signal will then be amped back with the 2x6L6 AB Class push/pull pentode 60W power stage. In such way I can tame very powerful amps, but can also amp up small amps, such as my 1964 vintage Princeton Reverb. I love finding its sweet spot, that is usually too quiet for gigging, and then push it up as loud as I need! 3) having an effect loop, you can insert ambience effects AFTER the amp's natural overdrive. Even if those amps do not have an efx loop. 4) it works great as a tube power amp for digital or analog preamps and ampless pedalboards. In essence, not the most affordable option as an attenuator? No, but for all it does (and does it really well) we think it's very, very attractive.

[@enjoybrad81]

I don't have a lot of amps, but I have a 100 watt Ampeg V5 that sounds okay and a Behringer combo with a tube power amp that sounds great, but in mine and some of my friend's opinions my little 20 watt solid state Orange amp has the best tone and that is probably what I'm going to start using for recording.

[@thesoozeTJ]

It truly IS a Five Watt World! ;)

[@dmytromorozov2593]

😂

[@msspi764]

😉

[@starmorpheus]

“What are we, some kinda 5-watt blues junior?”

[@alexroman71647]

Mesa is now owned by Gibson. So this a Mesa?

[@Trubba001]

I see what you did there.

[@tomasbarta3020]

After years of videos about how and where to mic the cabinets - for the first time I've seen someone moving the mic when the music was playing. What a great demonstration of how huge effect the position of the mic has! Thanks!

[@michaellennon9427]

Amen! This was awesome.

[@KoaCharvel]

Intro was like dire straights and fleetwood mac had a crossover. Digging it.

[@CenterThePendulum]

That formula arrives at ‘Khurangbin’

[@RobbDizzl]

During the whole intro I was waiting for that „Sultans of Swing“ turnaround but it never came. 😅

[@bear8903]

it reminded me of Don’t Panic by Coldplay

[@JojoFryrocks]

The backing riff was also a bit like ‘The Wall’

[@Zogef1996]

​@@JojoFryrocksYeah I noticed that too !

[@NewPraetorianBlues]

It would definitely be sick to see a Gibson Falcon 5 vs 20 comparison in a full band/venue context. The headroom discussion in my opinion can't be had enough, because it varies so wildly with so many factors.

[@jamiebarnesmusic]

I so agree with this! I play most gigs with either a Princeton Reverb or a ~15 watt Filmosound…I always feel plenty loud, and have no idea why people thing more wattage is needed…even for clean tones. Would love to see that broken down in a real gig setting.

[@bricefleckenstein9666]

@@jamiebarnesmusic Fine for gigs in SMALL venues. Try it in an arena or stadium setting.

[@swimpsmagbayao9513]

​@@bricefleckenstein9666...and how many of us are playing arenas?? 😂😂😂 goys...

[@Stratocus]

I used to own a Fender Twin Reverb until I realized that I never needed that much volume/power. I then traded it in for a Fender Blues Deluxe and, again, knew that I didn't need that much of an amp. Finally I got a Fender Champion 600. At 5 watts it's perfect for my needs; home practice, jamming and recording. It only features two inputs, Low and High and a single volume. I play it with a Boss digital reverb and a Tube Screamer and that's all I need to get the sound I want. And let's not forget that Derek and the Dominoes recorded Layla with a couple of Champs...

[@TheBurdenOfHope]

Drums sounding crispy man. Your tracks are levelling up by the week !

[@zacharysmithingell5460]

Yeah, the drums are definitely noteworthy, really nice sound.

[@RhettShull]

Thanks! Shoutout to Chris Marks for playing

[@annarakannan6620]

I have a SWART STR Trem that is 5 watts and is a fantastic amp. Never needed more at home. The one thing to keep in mind is that this Gibson is a PCB amp And for that price tag there are a plethora of options for a hand wired better quality amp. Not for me. But I agree. 5 watts is plenty versatile for most needs.

[@MichaelKeeter]

It's not a 5 watt amp though it's 7 watts, and $1500 is not cheap. Gibson is out of their minds with their prices.

[@mretrain]

And they’re built like crap.

[@meloysmusicstudio]

Wow yeah I just checked the price too... who is dropping 1.5k on a tiny amp?

[@zaphodrahja]

There are way better more affordable options that don't say Gibson on them

[@lichen8855]

Good thing there are plenty of budget options! I'll stick to my 15 watts with 12 inch speakers thanks!

[@tonyinhbolero4815]

for real , i don't get it , why so expensive

[@themattlewisexperience]

Thanks Rhett.... I never really understood how to mic my amps. Thank you for that awesome illustration! Now I know what to listen for.

[@derick-smith]

For as good as Rhett is on guitar, he is twice the teacher. He's got the gift for explaining and demonstrating.

[@ScottfromBaltimore]

Digging the mic tips. Over the cone, more treble; closer to the cloth, more bass. Cool.

[@kodykindhart5644]

Bass dependent on mic’s proximity effect

[@JeffCloutier]

I have been gigging with a 5 watt 70s fender champ. No full drumset, mostly percussion. I fill in a lot of low end and get a nice warm tone close miced. I get more low end putting my gig bags behind the open back. My overdrive is set to lower the bass and boost. Love it!

[@imgonnagetbanned]

This sentiment is exactly why my main amp is a Carr Mercury V... I use it in the 4 watt mode for all sessions and studio work, and even mic'd up small gigs. And then I can pop it into full 16 watt mode for all other gigs! Small amps are great.

[@kodykindhart5644]

Sentiment is better than difference Comparison is the thief of joy 🤣🤣🤣

[@Grant_Ferstat]

Sounds great. Sadly, these new Gibson amps are incredibly expensive in Australia. I also have some reservations regarding the durability given that the tubes are mounted on the circuit board etc.

[@emmiejo1]

I bought a Fender Champion 600 reissue amp when they first came out. Five watts one 12AX7 and one 6V6. I run my pedalboard through this amp into 12", 2x12, 2x10, and 15" speakers depending on the sound I am going for. I love to crank the amp to get the 6V6 cookin'. You are absolutely right Rhett, little amps can give you a huge recorded sound

[@christinebairdmusic]

I bought a 1968 drip edge Fender Champ in late 2020 and I will never get rid of it. Sounds totally amazing!

[@rocktorrocks]

Not a 5 watt amp but my 1 watt Marshall DSL-1 has been a pleasant surprise. It fills the room and I’m able to turn it up not damage my ears or bother my neighbors. Great little home amp for a smaller space. I had bigger amps including a Marshall DSL-40 and Peavey Classic 50 which are 40 & 50 watts respectively and neither sounded anywhere near as nice as my 1 watt DSL-1 for home playing at non-gigging volumes.

[@Mainframe79]

I'm actually looking at that as an amp option right now. Glad to see a real world review of it. I'm burnt out on the modeling stuff and want something simple, and don't need 40 watts or 100 watts to fill my bedroom.

[@markmcdonald5711]

I have one in my bedroom, great tone at low volume.

[@bobrg1459]

For a small amp sound heard over a drummer, check out the Dr Z Z-Plus. It is designed like a single-ended Fender Champ with two amp circuits in parallel. Since it is single-ended Class A, it doesn't cancel out even-order harmonics which I believe is part of the small amp sound. It is switchable between 7 and 15 watts and can be heard over a drummer if necessary. It was designed for Joe Walsh to get the Fender Champ sound at stage volume. It is a pretty clever amp design.

[@Prettynoise]

Great amp!

[@DJCloudPirate]

Great video. I don't play but I dabble in building amps for friends that do. One thing worth mentioning as a case for larger (but still probably "small" in the grand scheme of things) amps is how single ended (Class A) amps like this (single 6v6 output tube) have a very different sound when compared to larger push/pull (class AB) amps that start around the 15-20W range using a pair of 6V6 output tubes (think the Fender Deluxe series, or even the Falcon 20 you mention). Single ended amps have a very smooth sound that emphasizes even order harmonics and tend to respond well to overdrive (or just cranking the volume) with a very predictable, linear transition from clean to breakup. Most guitarists love this behavior because it gives these amps a great "touch response"... you can go from clean to OD by just controlling your pick attack and maybe rolling in a little volume knob on the guitar. However, push/pull amps introduce a new critical component to the signal path and that's the phase inverter. Single ended amps don't have/need one but push pull has to have this amplifcation stage to split/invert the signal to drive the two output tubes. The fun begins when you start to play around with different styles of phase inverter... there's more than one way to implement this stage and each one has unique properties that can provide interesting "color" to the sound. You can get assymetrical clipping and phase misalignment to generate more interesting harmonics in the final sound. This is part of what is responsible for the mythical reputations early deluxe amps have... The phase inverter circuits continued to evolve from the 5b3 to the 5e3 to the silver and black face deluxes and beyond... each revision trying to make a more "perfect" phase inverter for clean playing, but "more perfect" is sometimes less interesting when OD/distorted sound is concerned.

[@kencubala9560]

Excellent post good sir.

[@kurtweiand7086]

Thank you for sharing your talent with us, lcan relate!

[@DJCloudPirate]

@ethericlimerick2992 I don't see why not. You would want to play with the relative gains of each half of the wave (to make them clip assymetrically) and perhaps you could mess with the crossover point to introduce more phase delay for half of the signal ... that can add all sorts of nasty odd order harmonics to the singnal if that's what you're going for. Doing something like this would require significant knowlege of how the phase inverter circuits work though... I would quickly come up against the limits of my knowlege.

[@miketripodo2879]

I built a Tweed Champ, 5 watt w/ 8 inch speaker, and it's awesome. There is nothing else like it.

[@markmcdonald5711]

I've bought and sold a few 5 watt tube amps, my favorite is the Swart Atomic Jr. All tube with a tube reverb and one tone control, 8 inch Weber speaker, my tone search is completed.

[@ryanpeltier2933]

Great episode, Rhett! I adopted the “less is more” strategy a few years ago based on a thought that most of the records that I love were recorded with smaller amps. I had a local amp builder design a class A 20 watt “Princeton” 12” speaker with tube trem and reverb, selectable negative feedback, and a mid tone control. The touch response is in extremely dynamic and the amount of varied tones is almost endless. I can play any gig, and still have bedroom volumes. Yes, back in the old days they didn’t have great sound reinforcement and you had to have monster PA’s and amps onstage. It’s a brave new world, yet we’re still rocking tube technology with these amazing little amplifiers and a good mic. Keep up the good work, love the channel!

[@RoloTomasie]

Your videos are like mini documentaries these days. Great production value (and content, of course). I've got two ~20 watt amps and two ~5 watt amps. The latter - a Fender Custom 57 Champ, and a Vox AC4HW - are probably my favorites for the reasons you mentioned.

[@thecreativeguitarlounge]

Got my first 5 watter - which also dropes to 0.5 watts (Blackstar HT5R) last year for recording in my attic studio. Loving it.

[@DarksideoftheSteve]

I've never used a Black star amp before but I've always liked the look of them. They remind me of HiWatts

[@thecreativeguitarlounge]

I’m enjoying it so far. I used to have a 100 Hiwatt head which was awesome. Sadly some bastard stole it from my car after a gig.

[@joeurbanowski321]

Yeah man..! I use a 5 watt Bugera with a built in attenuator for at home use… $300 and it kicks butt with a single 12” Celestion..👍🏼

[@dwstoeckel4740]

Same here… V5 Bugera into 1x12” celestion greenback cab…couldn’t be happier

[@hutchfromba]

I have a Bugera G5 with a FX Loop.

[@versnellingspookie]

Whats the name of the model?

[@joeurbanowski321]

@@versnellingspookie G5 here.. But I only like the clean channel.. not so crazy about the reverb or dirt channels.. I add that stuff from my board.. And I have a creamback Celestion 12… never played through a greenback.. but I heard that they’re awesome..

[@JonRayRunawayVealMusic]

@@dwstoeckel4740. Same here

[@henrybelfiore8488]

You know Rhett, you are absolutely right. I love my little 15 W MT15 and it’s all I need, but you know what I like even more that I absolutely do not need because I don’t play in the band My orange rockerverb 100 MK III playing through a four by 12 loaded with two DV 77s and two vintage 30s nothing punches you in the face and chest like that thing .Rock on brother😮

[@jamessator5564]

Rhett…….. I have the Falcon 20 (12 watt) reason I got purchased it was because I love the history aspect and I’ve never had a amp with a Tremolo 😎 It all takes my Keeley noble screamer fantastic !

[@BrandochGarage]

Had to watch an ad even before your 1:50 intro ended. youtube just gets better and better.

[@LakesideLofi]

So rad! Currently I’m running two ac4’s in stereo for home use. Love it!

[@mccloysong]

So true. After all, Page did Led Zep I with just a small amp

[@lorikislack1504]

I used to have a 8 watt ( I think) 1954 Gibsonette. It was great and truly all I needed....except when you played somewhere that didn't mic amps. Right now I'm really enjoying my Fender Excelsior.

[@polcat79]

Many years ago, An old musician friend of mine used to place his microphone towards the outer surface area of the speaker cone. i never questioned it and i just took it onboard as good practice. It is nice to see a full demonstration of the different types of mic placement.

[@IamMusicNerd]

Completely agree. I don’t care for the sound of 10” speakers, but a 5 to 10 watt 12” sounds perfect. I love that more amp makers are doing smaller watt amps with modern features built in. The new 20 watt Soldano sounds fantastic and can go from very quiet to loud as hell. Magnatone makes a really nice small watt amp as well, and many others.

[@StreetPreacherr]

Yeah, my first amp was an old Peavey 'Valve King' 5W all tube, but unfortunately it only had a 8" speaker... I upgraded the cheap stock one to a nice Celestion, but I also 'modded' it so I could plug it into a broken Peavey Solid State 12" combo that I used as a 'speaker cabinet' ;)

[@StephenGMilligan]

Jeff Beck often used a 5W amp live, and is quoted as saying 'find the smallest amp that will give you the sound you want, and if you need more volume, mic it through the PA.

[@Southernguitar74]

I had a Vox AC4TV 4 watt amp and that thing was great. I gave it to my nephew when I bought my Hot Rod deluxe, but I played that little Vox for a few years and a ton of gigs. I simply mic’d it up to the PA. I am very intrigued by this Gibson amp. I agree their old amps were fantastic.

[@pugmann79]

Been playing twenty-something years and I still learn something new from all of your videos.

[@josephballerini3730]

That seems like a great amp but at 1500 dollars, I think you could get an original Falcon from the early 60s with Reverb and tremolo (and still low power) for a lot less money and if you're lucky it may still have some nice RCA pre amp tubes in it.

[@JohnWiku]

No, it's NOT! This amp is NOT worth 1.5k dollars, not even half of it. This amp could be sold with profit at 300 bucks, but you're paying over 5x of that because it's "gibsun".

[@josephballerini3730]

@@JohnWiku yeah, I was being a little polite. I think you could get three 60s Falcons for that price and still buy a Happy Meal. I do think it is a nice amp though I wonder how big a reverb tank is in that cab.

[@Falstaff-mr8fk]

Another favorite trick of mine to get a bigger sound is to run the small amp through a 1X12 or 2X10 or even a 4X10 cab. Really opens them up. That's if they have a speaker/out jack. I have been known to add them to smaller amps.

[@kevinpaige5746]

Dude! That's a hell of a pocket groove at 3:55! A great producer here in Memphis (John Hampton) always told me 'little amp, big sound".

[@r0flgal0re]

I loved that part. Do you know players in that style? I'd love to learn that.

[@jjdeloza]

Intro was awesome. Your room has come quite the distance since I started following you too!!

[@Gloomshimmer]

Thanks Rhett for the short tutorial for micing. Helped me with amplitube :) You should make a short out of it.

[@rconcha3]

I've been preaching this for years. No garage band needs a 100W Marshall stack. I record using 5W and 10W amps and they sound huge when I need them to.

[@friedkin71]

And in practice a 100w gives you roughly twice the volume output of a 10w. Just cuz it’s 10x the power doesn’t mean it’s 10x the output. Agreed 10s can def keep up just fine🤘🏻

[@joegoliver3]

I really wanted one of these until a few youtubers opened them up to show the pre amp tubes fixed to the pcb. You can't even see that the amp has pre amp tubes from the back. Plus there were a few other build design choices that lead me to believe these new Gibson amps wont last 15 years.. Id rather buy a vintage one for half the price and be twice as nice. These do sound good though. And look cool. But when a reputable amp builder on youtube opens one up and says the Stage Right tube amps are easier to service and built to the same quality, I lost the urge for one of these.

[@prd004.2]

Saw this as well, very disappointing. A five watt amp is high on my wish list but it won’t be this one even though it sounds great

[@GoldtopDude]

Totally agree…

[@montygibbon1905]

It's interesting time for the reviewing & influencing profession who get tgere hands on advance releases. They're going to have to adapt to the likelihood someone qualified to fully assess a new amp is eventually going to have sight of the circuit and report on YT the implications of the build. (Now THAT is a gamechanger! 😁)

[@mattgilbert7347]

Yep. My Joyo Sweet Baby 5 Watt Champ clone is easier to service.

[@GoldtopDude]

@@mattgilbert7347 easier and or possible to service……

[@hankrocks7504]

I’ve made the switch to smaller amps A) because I don’t have a crew … transporting them is easier on the back and B) more practical for at home. I’ve been ripping through a marshal DSL15 and to this day … it’s been my favourite amp. Havnt recorded off of it yet.. but I’m excited too!

[@TheGamermouse]

These Intros keep getting even better, lovely ❤

[@Jeffball610]

I like that you keep reminding us about "moving air". That's all that is happening with a speaker. It vibrates the air and that vibration is what hits our eardrums (or mic) and gives the perception of sound. Large amps (speaker cabinets) are made for big areas that have more "air" in the room. If you're working off of a mic or in a smaller room, then there is obviously less "air" needed.

[@Jeff-fx5vu]

Looking at frequency response of a 10" vs 12" guitar speaker you'll notice a fuller response in the mids and lower mids of a 10"speaker. The 10" speaker has more tone. Making it tone superior. A 10" speaker however isn't as loud due to being 2" smaller. I prefer 2x10 cabinets over all other guitar cabinets

[@mattgilbert7347]

I'm a 2x10 ride or die fan

[@montygibbon1905]

The reference to a 10" speaker having more tone than a 12". Does that apply across the board or is that unique to the specific amp used in the video (with it's limited power and cab size)? Cheers.

[@Jeff-fx5vu]

@montygibbon1905 as l mentioned, looking at the frequency response graph. But better than that listen to a 10 vs 12. As far as amp wattage , 5 watts is plenty of power, it will breakup quickly. It won't be loud/clean as a 15 watt amp

[@mattgilbert7347]

@@Jeff-fx5vu I own a 2x10 Laney VC30 (UK model with Jensens) and a 1x10 Strauss SVT-20 which is a non-master volume combo with a 1x10 Eminence...um.. can't remember. And tube driven tremolo. I'm astonished at how loud and full these amps sound next to my larger 1x12 combos

[@Jeff-fx5vu]

@mattgilbert7347 the other think l notice is 12" speaker tend to project the sound around and behind the amp more than a 10" 10" project the sound out or more directional. 10"s are great.

[@James-l3e]

Really appreciate bringing us into the room to hear the conversation.

[@BreauxBobby]

Gorgeous tones. That reverb on the intro was to die for.

[@Onlyanaccount]

I’m actually looking to design and build my own 100w tube amp myself soon…

[@flyingrat492]

I designed one, didn’t bother building it I’m currently doing a 45 watt version instead. More than enough to keep up with a band and a lot lighter

[@Onlyanaccount]

@@flyingrat492 Cool, what design did you initially end up with?

[@Onlyanaccount]

@ericandrews1661 Yeah, I’m eventually going to use this to play shows, as my band is slowly transitioning out of the local bars and into the city venues…

[@flyingrat492]

@@Onlyanaccountessentially a mess boogie mark, its a Princeton reverb with a bassman power section with its tremolo function deleted and the knobs replaced with a mid control and a master volume. It also has a power amp mute function and a preamp out that’s voiced like the almbec F2B preamp of David gilmour fame. As part of that it’ll also have a switchable preamp B+ level for headroom control. I’m thinking of other features like presence, graphic EQ and an FX loop but I think I’ll leave most of that for now as it’ll add a lot of complexity and a need to rearrange the circuit board.

[@Onlyanaccount]

@@flyingrat492 Wow. Yeah I think the other features are going to be great, especially the FX loop.

[@caydespliff181]

I’m an intermediate guitar player, and I recently took up practicing again, I bought some gear and amongst said gear was the orange micro dark 5 watt head, comes with a little cab and I also have access to a celestion loaded marshall 4x12 that I use at volume when I’m out of the house. I have found that this little five watt amp doesn’t necessarily have the same “thump” factor as some higher wattage amps, I have an old 100watt valvestate marshall and a evh 50 watt 5150 series that I use in the same practice space, and I have done some comparing. I’ve also used a blues jr. in the past extensively. Basically of what this amp gives in the form of flexability, it far outways the lack of low end definition, and punch that you might miss, if you have played higher watt amps. It sounds great with an eq and an overdrive in a bedroom context, and it takes pedals really beautifully even when cranked, it has a very usable master volume, and it is PLENTY loud. I regularly use it to record a loop, and then I will play live drums over the mix and there is more than enough volume through the 4x12- although it does have less of a full sound when directly compared to one of the higher watt heads. I spent so little in the thing I cannot reccommend it enough, if what you need sounds anything like what Rhett, or I describe with these 5watts, just get one. you probably won’t regret it. If you are recording, this amp will sound just as huge if not huger* than a cranked 100 watt in the mix. There is a time and a place for those don’t get me wrong, I’m just so pleased with my little 5 watt that was only ever suppose to be a jumping off point. It sounds super different cab to cab too, and that has been fun to experiment with.

[@martinlahaie6012]

Sorry i asked...jeezz....

[@caydespliff181]

@@martinlahaie6012 you didn’t ask! no need for an apology, have a great day bud.

[@martinlahaie6012]

@@caydespliff181 thanks man just pulling your leg !😄Rock on!

[@Henrique_A_Melo]

Hey Rhett, great explanation about the mic location. I've never seen it before and it was so didactic. Congratulations!

[@georgewilliams8139]

I use a Vox AC10 and love it, I think there is something to said about the sound of a small amplifier. Thanks for this video Rhett you're awesome.

[@StevenAlwine]

It sounds great, but I'm unsure what justification there is for it to be triple the price of a Vox AC4.

[@Southernguitar74]

I bought my Vox AC4 in a pawn shop for $85. LOL

[@cscheid]

Y’all should watch the guitarologist do a deep dive into these amps construction. Sure they sound good but I doubt they’ll last. They look to be built SUPER cheaply, tubes mounted to the board type beat

[@johnb4024]

For the money, they are not worth it. Even the names are misleading. The falcon 20 is only like 15 watts FULLY OPEN. So realistically what? 11 watts?

[@rodeowerewolf3004]

You don't need to spend $1.5-2k for a good 5 watt. Plenty of old decent quality fender champs out there for $400 right now.. If you do a little research you can find ones with modifications that make them even better than stock.

[@mooseymoose]

Ones without pcb mounted tube sockets even.

[@craigmadey1938]

And if you want a QUALITY 5w that is truly handmade…. Swart are awesome…

[@nonemlinus]

Thank you for demonstrating proximity effect!! Now I get it!!

[@caseywilson7768]

All the amp techs are saying these Gibson amps are garbage

[@michaelgranka7904]

So you don't know how to think for yourself !!!

[@northernthrifter8817]

​@michaelgranka7904 what a stupid comment! I'd sooner listen to a guy who knows amps inside out than a marketing schill, it's the most overpriced combo on the market for a cheap offshore factory build, I bet laney could put an amp like this out for under $450

[@joeshoe6184]

​​thinking for yourself involves listening to those that know more than you.

[@allengoeddey2719]

I have a Supro 1 watt that I have upstairs in my living room. It’s a very cool little thing. And yes, a shootout with the 20watt would be nice.

[@SamBrockmann]

Small amps lack headroom though.

[@KoaCharvel]

Do you NEED all that headroom though? Or is it just nice to have?

[@SamBrockmann]

@@KoaCharvel , yes, yes, I do. *Stares in metal guitarist*

[@LothyBluesCave]

And I like stout clean tones. It drives me nuts if everything falls apart when you crank that thing. Nothing below 30W for me. And definitely not those overpriced Gibson Blues Juniors...@@SamBrockmann

[@SamBrockmann]

@LothyBluesCave , you are a man of refinement, dignity, and grace. Good on you.

[@veljkosimovic2302]

I have a Roland JC22. It's a small amp and has a lot of headroom.

[@jaredburns88]

I’ve learned more from this channel than I have from high school and college combined. Thanks, Rhett.

[@JohnWiku]

I want to know what you guys will say when you discover that this amp is a repackaged 150 dollar Monoprice chinese tube amp 🤣🤣 Because you paid over 10x and says gibsun, it's a magical tone now 🤣🤣🤣

[@johnb4024]

Hey, i have the 15watt Monoprice. It really is similar! Seriously mounting tubes on printed circuit boards inside the amp? Not even the Monoprice stage right is that bad

[@VesselForHonor]

dude the mic proximity stuff was sooooo good. I really needed that, thank you so much

[@robertcarpenterii2904]

I was very interested in the new Gibson amps until I saw a KZbin video that had images of the guts of these amps. They are not designed well and will be very difficult to service. I want an American made 5-12 watt tube amp with a great master volume or power scaling. I also want tube driven reverb and tremolo. Harmonic tube driven Tremolo for the win! Swart seems to be the only real option for me.

[@craigmadey1938]

Opinions are like …. but I have a Swart and it truly is an amazing (and quality/built like a tank) amp.

[@zacharythomas6529]

This does scale a bit 7w/3w and the Falcon 20 scales also (Full power (12 watts), Half power (5 watts), and Low power (1 watt))

[@MakingaStink]

The mix placement education was fascinating. What a lot of people don’t realize is 5 watts is still really frickin loud!

[@ColinDaviesGTR]

I was initially very excited to see these. Theyre advertised as hardwired but definitely aren't. they look and sound awesome but be careful as there is a reason no dealer or youtubers have shown the inside.

[@MarkStearle]

I read they are junk

[@prd004.2]

Lots of KZbinrs have and the results aren’t good

[@evangilbert4671]

I would love to see a shoutout video of the practicality of using lower watt amps at a venue. Even perhaps micing the 5 watt amp and sending it through the pa to fill the space more

[@rusticron3426]

1700 bucks, no thanks, bud 😂

[@marions.120]

Goes with the price of the guitars?

[@jerryiaderaia4920]

For the 5 watt????😮

[@dougjones4538]

Your explanations were easy to understand, but with enough detail to get the full picture. Well done, Rhett!

[@6stringcodger450]

$1500!!! Get the Monoprice 15 Watt instead instead...its never leaving the house anyway, nobody will know. Sounds great and its been as low as $240 in the last year. Get a Fender twin for anything else. Gibson has lost its mind.

[@thehighdeath5562]

That intro jam ruled. Great playing all around. Nice bass work , too!!

[@herbst1398]

2000$ ... You can get a custom-made amp with you're wish specs from switzerland for this money. Gibson, is a lifestyle company for investors and collectors. Not musicians anymore. PLEASE, don't advertise their stuff anymore. Thank you.

[@iogeek60]

PSA: before you shell out $1500, check out some of the teardown videos that show the internal components and construction.

[@i8ittoo]

To bad its construction is garbage..

[@ShilohWorshipMusic]

Recently been recording with a very small Marshall amp with a SM57, sounds great and am very happy with the results- you really do not need anything big for recording-specially home studios! Great video-I subscribed

[@Alexander-rx7jj]

Before buying a Falcon I’d recommend to take a look at the guts of the amp. It’s a bit of a train wreck…

[@KyleJohns-zk9kv]

I was playing a gig a while back and decided to use my Fender Champion 600 and my pedalboard, which has an “always on” MXR boost pedal. I was playing at a venue that I had played at several times before and several folks commented that it was the sound that they had heard me bring to the venue. Admittedly the mic was having to do more work than in my previous gigs there.

[@RexGuitars]

It's too bad about the new Gibson amps. So many flaws in the design. They seem to sound great, but they're not gonna last.

[@imspartacvs]

Love this 5 watt sounds incredible. Great demo on mic placement. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Matt Hudson Valley, NY

[@stephennanna-lc7qg]

It’s 1,500…Buy a Fender Pro Junior.

[@petertones]

I’ve watched so many videos about micing guitar amps recently and I think this is the best one - and I didn’t even know it was one when I started watching.

[@johnmccabe7645]

Look inside Rhett. Cheap Chinese pc. Hard to fix. These are insanely overpriced

[@dacrowster]

Been playing day in day out for 15y before quiting 5y , came back and discoverd your vids, wow what did I miss? :)

[@davidkeller6156]

Looking at the innards of this amp really put me off. Tubes mounted into the circuit board? Uh, not thanks.

[@mattwachsman4937]

I have a 6 watt VHT, running through a 2x12 cab. As much as I love the tone and sound of a tube amp, I still can't play it at night. I have resorted to plug ins. Not the same, but it keeps everyone in the house happy.

[@jameselliano1203]

You probably.....can do it better with a good champ.

[@caleshtcincredibles]

This video is just another reason I subscribed . Learning about how to mic an amp was knowledge I really thought I would never really need , oh how wrong I was !

[@ob1quixote]

Truly outstanding intro jam, homes.

[@pmscalisi]

I have a 1965 Gretsch 5156 Playboy (10W) that was my brother's and its all I've ever needed. No effects, just the Amp. all my effects are pedals.

[@RoyalleWithCheese]

i about a week ago bought a DSL1 CR, and i play in the 0.1 watt mode about 99% of the time and it's perfectly loud enough. i live in a house with other people, so it's so nice that it's quiet and i can achieve those gain heavy sounds that Marshall's do so well at incredibly low volumes. you don't need a big amp at all.

[@GuareschiGuillermo]

sounds great, I love smal speaker amps. I am using a vintage Basssman 64 tweed with an 8 inch weber alnico, so the Fender is working in 8 ohms and the power reduced vastly.

[@alexwoolridge94aw]

One of the best sounding amps I've ever played is the Magnatone 5 watt Starlite. I own a couple Magnatone amps and they're obviously great lower wattage amps but that little 5 watter surprised the hell out of me.

[@cognoscenticycles4351]

The sonic virtues of small amps have been known by studio players for eons. How many great guitar tracks were recorded with 22 watt blackface Fender Deluxe Reverbs. Countless. From my conversations with many famous guitar players, they have often said their all-time favourite amps for either practise or recording sessions were pint sized tube amps like the brown Fender Princeton ( favourite of Jeff Beck) and other low watt Fender tweed amps. My all time favourite amp was my 1966 Fender Deluxe Reverb. A beast with the heart of a lion.

[@nedward5871]

Agree - smaller amps work great live - if you have a PA and Monitor system. I owned a Dr. Z Mini Z (1-5 watt) and a Princeton and Princeton Reverb. I did a show with the Mini Z, but we had great monitors with the PA so we could all hear. Perfect recording amp for exactly what you're saying - it goes into Power tube distortion at levels you can talk over, but through a Mic sounds glorious. We had a birthday party gig Saturday, and no amps in the PA - we were the opening act and it was vocals only in the PA. That's where having a larger amp (65 Tremolux) helped and PA owner mixed from the front 30 feet back and we had a great blend and could hear each other. But then, a Tremolux is only 35 watts... Worth trying the Gibson into other speaker cabs - it's why most folks with a Fender Champ swap the RCA for a 1/4" speaker jack...

[@fercholand]

For those thinking on buying their first 5watt amp. I had the epiphone valve junior which I loved because it had an 8inch speaker. And the tone you get from small speakers is also quite nice. I upgraded it with a Weber and it sounded amazing. I also had a tone king Gremlin. Which I started using with a super loud drummer and it made him a better drummer since he had to level down the the amps volume and he didn't loose his style but made him more dynamic at the end of a couple of months. The gremlin pushed the 5 watt through a 12 inch. Sounded great but I still preferred the 8inch speakers when playing by myself.

[@PaulLifewood]

Nice sounds. And yes I agree, small amps mic up really well. Great for recording.

[@miahconnell23]

I eBay-bought a Fender Junior before small amps started becoming popular: it’s SUCH a great amplifier, i cannot praise its greatness enough. And because they were not popular back in those times, I got it at SUCH a low price.

[@jacobbirdsong]

You’re a masterful teacher, Rhett. Thank you for all you show us!

[@ZodiacVoodoo23]

I've been on a 5 watt Plexi clone for years now.....still through 2 x 12" cabinet.....it's versatile enough.

[@JamesSClapperton]

Absolutely. At home and when recording a mic’d amp I use my 5 watt champ clone through a 1x12. It gets silly loud but it breaks up way before it’s uncomfortable. When there’s a drummer involved it’s 50-100 watt time.