The Amp Every Fender or Marshall Fan Needs To Try

[@intheblues]

A huge shoutout to my friend Dave K for the loan of this killer amp! I hope you like this old-school blind-test shootout video. The full review will be up soon. 🎸 Let me know which sounds best to you Can we get this video to 500 thumbs up? Cheers! Check out the Mystery Amps here 🛒 Sweetwater - sweetwater.sjv.io/NkvVZ1 🛒 Thomann - bit.ly/47V3RoP 🛒 Andertons - bit.ly/48acThl (affiliate links to new versions of these amps)

[@DMSProduktions]

I LOVED the Engl's clean channel. I PICKED the Fender straight away, it was a lot darker! The o/d channels were pretty similar, could have been either. I liked BOTH!

[@danaeverhart6487]

B sounds thin A sounds great big mate! Neither sounds as good as my Ol’ peavey 460, 230watts into a my peavey 4/12 cab mate try ‘em’ both against one of those! No comparison whatsoever! Peace ☮️ Dana E💫

[@DMSProduktions]

@@danaeverhart6487 BIG amp! \m/

[@danaeverhart6487]

@@DMSProduktions It Roars!

[@DMSProduktions]

@@danaeverhart6487 I'll BET it does!

[@gadd3506]

Just bought online a Thunder 50 head for 250 euros, from a store in Southern Italy. Waiting for it to be delivered. Can't wait to try it, the cleans in your video were awesome!!

[@rhythmguru1]

To my ears, both B (which I know now are different) sounded a bit like they had a sheet tossed over top, almost muffled sounding. Really, all the tones sounded usable, but the fact that I like the A side both times has me rethinking a lot. Always good to have your misconceptions smashed to pieces! Would love to hear how that Engl takes pedals.

[@bartvschuylenburg]

The Engl sounds awesome. I think you might like Koch amplifiers as well. They also do the fender+marshall thing.

[@cass2771]

Well I’m a bit shocked, I preferred the Engl on both clean and drive. Not what I expected. Nice find and presentation!

[@Old_Sailor85]

Agreed.

[@juanjan__]

that's definitely a surprise! 😯 I liked both times the engl more 🤯

[@nedim_guitar]

Really cool amp! Sounds great! The blind test was a good idea.

[@Furtheronmusic]

Good balance for clean vs drive in one amp g for 10 years or so my amp has been the Hughes & Kettner Dual 6l6 2x12 combo. Great Fender clean channel that I use with drive pedals but also a more English sounding drive channel with boost and vol lift as well and an effects loop etc. No longer made but I like it.

[@rgbplumbinghilton]

I preferred A for cleans as it has a nice cut through mid/top. I then preferred B for the drive. Just a little less compressed

[@Jonathan-L]

I once owned a Laney Lionheart 5W combo. The easiest way of describing it would be: 1) clean = Vox 2) unclean = Marshall I bought mine when the Aussie dollar was about 109US cents. Another great amp for cleans & crunch was the Hughs & Kettner Statesman combo.

[@kenphillips3282]

I have owned and gigged a number of ENGL amps. The little Screamer is a beauty too and the Powerball is a monster. They’re great amps.

[@discotex2236]

When comparing the clean channels on the Thunder to the Screamer; are they the same sound?

[@adammichaelchannel]

Thanks Shane. This amp was a good find.

[@DaringDan]

I may not have liked the sounds as much out of it, but it's versatility for shows makes so much sense. Cool little amp. Cheers, homie.

[@emcee6915]

I preferred B for the clean tone and A for the gain

[@secretagent4610]

Same. B clean was nice n chimey and old school. A dirty was more balanced and full, more focused as well.

[@Jay-cp9kd]

Yeah but the point is to get both of those tones in one compact amp. I’ve been modifying my hot rod deluxe for about a year, and I’m finally getting CLOSE to a nice balance between clean/dirty. But you have to compromise somewhere. Also, you can focus on the clean tone, swap the speaker to target the frequency that you feel is lacking, then you still have a killer rock tone available with the clean sound you prefer etc….

[@EthanBurchell]

I preferred both the Fender and the Marshall tones over either of the Engl tones. The Fender clean sounded like it had more head room, and the Marshall drive tone was a lot tighter and not as muddy. The experience in room might be different though to what we’re hearing mic’d and recorded. 🙂

[@robdavis8307]

I heard exactly the same thing. I'm no expert, though.

[@yaniv-nos-tubes]

engl amps are very smooth sounding with lots of low mids like every note has more weight. you can dial out some of it but that's the house sound. since he is playing with single coils and a maple board i can understand why he likes it so much, the fizz is gone! and it has the low mids that every strat player wants for drive.

[@MRxr400]

preferred A both times. a mate has one and loves it. i kinda love the mesa clean and drives of the TA30 or 15. i own a single rec and am happy with it for both cleans and drive.

[@BrentAdams]

Rivera Amps are the best I've ever tried! Great cleans, wonderful spring reverb, with a BOOST! Very much like the best Fender Black Panel style amps...and then ....switch to the "dirty" channel, and Holy Moley! Very Bold British Crunch...and it also has a BOOST! I've got two different ones. The old original Suprema which has a raised head section so they could build a closed back 1X12 into a combo. Killer! My 2nd one is a 4X10 with Super Reverb characteristics, but still gets into that HOT British Crunch with a channel switch....and again, each channel has a BOOST!! Either one is 55 watts with a Master Volume and they still sound great at lower home volumes.

[@stevendearden8030]

Both sounded great, but the ENGL sounds totally awesome. Great vid

[@chrispoints4554]

I really liked A on both, another one that does clean and dirty well is the rockerverb 50 mk1, would never get rid of mine. Also was curious Orange originally named their TH line the Thunder series but had to change it due to copyright, must of been Engl that had that first, never heard of the Thunder 50 until today, amazing sounding amp

[@ces69]

Have you tried the Engl Screamer combo? With the optional Z5 foot switch you get multiple channel options, the thing is a monster! Before you buy a Thunder check it out! Best to find one being sold with the Z5 foot switch as it is expensive to purchase on its own!

[@Lowtech14]

Paused at 2:49. Neither better, but two different sounds. A was thicker and edgier. B thinner and more polite. Paused at 4:42. A seemed thicker, fuller. I prefer amp A both times.

[@scottreynolds6317]

Fantastic shootout!!! Completely surprised to hear that ENGL amp!!!! 🎸🔥🎸🔥🎸

[@bernzeppi]

I’ve got this 2 channel 50W amp that has the same Fender ish clean tone with a gain channel that 3-way switches between Marshall, Mesa boogie and insane metal gain (called brutalz) It’s Australian made by MI amplification and is called Günter. And cheaper than Engl. Tube amps are not complicated, you just need the will to make it and MI does.

[@toddsteele72]

I've used the Engl cab sim 4x12 in Torpedo with the DSL40. Great combo.

[@martinboucher6225]

Because of the reverb,i immediately reconignize the fender but i prefer the Engl on clean tone,espescially in the low end

[@thomask.9850]

I think the engl rockmaster 20 is also a good choice for a versatile used amp. I got the combo version for 300€ but use it with a 2x12 cabinet. Marshalls are also affordable (here in the EU) on the used market, Fenders not so much. P.S. i liked both cleans A and B and prefered B with the overdriven sound , liked it just a little bit more. When hearing the sounds i guessed right which one is which , but it was only guessing for the most part.

[@cironicholas526]

I preferred A for clean and B for drive but they all sounded great.

[@bofuscrapshaw]

My ENGL fireball 25. Awesome cleans and killer gain amazing amp

[@AlbionandEriu]

Great review. I preferred the Fender clean and Marshall drive tones TBH.

[@GreenBlueWalkthrough]

Honestly to me A sounds more constricted still great though and I'm glad it was a name I knew from tonelibs!

[@leftygtrplr6184]

I liked the Engl clean and the Marshall Crunch

[@NicoViergever]

Very clear on both channels, you used a higher gain amp. Doesn't mean it's bad. It's just different.

[@RobG-KD9YBZ]

Great demo comparison. Wish the amp was available in the US, or UK for that matter. Neither of the links take you to the amp in question.

[@Sainte305]

I chose B & B as the Fender and Marshall. A both times sounded too bright. Still sounded good, just a little too bright.

[@Andrei.x8]

ENGL not being muffled in the low end is arguably ENGLs main selling point. IMO they are the best amps when it comes to handling low end. Also, a lot of people sleep on ENGLs bc of their metal background stereotype but the crunch and clean on ANY ENGL is very good.

[@rickycompton2610]

Great video, man the Engl is the winner here for me what a versatile amp this is.

[@cisemokram]

Wow that engl sounded amazing

[@ErikSWE]

Didn't really like the drive channel on B but it sounded much more natural, A reminded me of setting a high gain sound on one of those 40 in 1 solid state beginner amps.

[@dmac3316]

Cool demo. That’s a solid little amp, it’s versatility is great. 👍

[@redbunny22]

The Engle was better at the cleans for me but for high gain it was the marshal by just a hair because the Engle had a bit of a high fi sound I didn't prefer. It was only slight though I wouldn't complain about either tone.

[@billherbert4961]

Or a 1989 Peavey Rage. Nothing sounds like an '89 Peavey Rage. True dat! Even better through a crappy fuzz. Fun for days. Mine lived under a house for decades as I am told. Survived the damp. Can't kill 'em. Now restored. True tone freak's amp. More freak than tone.

[@bourbonloftstudio]

You can hear the higher quality output transformer in the Engl.

[@tamcee6628]

SHANE RECOMENDED A PEVEY RED STRIPE BANDIT. I FOUND A MINT ONE CHINESE. AMAZING AMP COVERS ALL THE TONES YOU NEED.

[@stevegardiner8473]

I preferred the cleans of the Fender, and thought the drive tone of the Engle was best.

[@UncleDanBand64]

Hmmm, I like B on both. It seemed to have more focus in the mids.

[@OgamiItto70]

I liked B better for clean (it was cleaner) and A for distortion. Clean, the B sounded a bit like my friend's Twin Reverb: a bit scooped, but not too much. Dirty, B lacked low end umph and was a bit shrill. There it is, my opinion: almost worth what you paid for it.

[@stevegee218]

I have found Hughes Kettner amps do the Fender Clean/Crunch with the modded Marshall sound and have both a channel and master volume. They also handle rolling off the guitar volume very well. Some can also do the Boogie MKII sounds. Another suggestion on testing is what is called a triangle test. 2 of 1 and 1 of the other. Can you tell them apart and what do you like better. If you mess up the match then the choice is invalid.

[@keithh8661]

Thanks Shane 😊

[@lukesteverything627]

It sounded like A had more volume / saturation. I wonder if they would sound the same with a bit of knob tweaking.

[@MrFatPallasCat]

The newer Peavy Delta Blues ii 1x15 excels at both clean and dirty sounds.

[@montyrayza7220]

B would sound far better on a recording with a full band - maybe with settings you could make adjustments to close the gap.

[@phishfan]

Wow- I much preferred the Engl on both!

[@StreetPreacherr]

I STILL swear by my Fender Bassbreaker 15 Combo. I picked up a LE 'yellow tweed' version with the Celestion Greenback, and am able to achieve very satisfying 'crunch/distortion' tones at 'bedroom' volumes, while on the LOW gain setting it seems to have just as good of a clean tone as any other Fender!

[@gdawgs101]

The Bassbreaker are fantastic amps. I'm a guitar teacher and I used the 7w version as my travel lesson amp for the past 4 years and I love it. It's like a tweed with additional clarity

[@bobboitt3126]

Im not sure its better, definitely louder and has more presence in the mix.

[@mattlau]

ENGL used to be so popular here in Canada, well at least there were more of those amps in stores. Nowadays, it's mainly Mesa, Marshall and Orange dominating the overdriven tube amps. And if you want clean, most go with the Fenders. Not a lot of selection as the past.

[@jasondorsey7110]

Ampegs can have great clean tones as well, if you're looking for an alternative to fender

[@mattlau]

@@jasondorsey7110 Thanks! Also forgot about Musicman amps. They sound amazing too. And of course Rivera, but you know, similar to Fender

[@traineecanuck]

Preferred A for both, so apparently I like Engles.

[@tomseviltwinky]

I preferred the Marshall snarl but both sound good

[@BrianCope-ff4yq]

I preferred A,the Engl on clean and drive.

[@baabaabaa-El]

Would never have guessed ENGL Shane!! Mind you, Damo Lovelock out of the Celibate Rifles used an Engl and a few of their songs were crunchy... they definitely weren't high gain shredders. Surprising!

[@DMSProduktions]

Sweet Chastity FTW!

[@markdakel9253]

I was pleasantly surprised with the ENGL.

[@Furtheronmusic]

Clean A by some margin. Drive was closer but again A. B just sounded more compressed less open than A to me.

[@jensenhealey08]

I agree A was much the better clean; B was much more compressed and lacked the sparkle of A. On drive B was so obviously the Marshall that I found myself distracted. It was to my ears a very different drive tone to A. I agree both usable, but I would not pick A for a Marshall tone.

[@matt926uk1]

I thought the Engl clean was just a bit too bright for me but I’m sure that could be dialled out. I preferred the Engl gain tone though.

[@christopherclarke5254]

I preferred the Engl, to my surprise!!

[@MrScrofulous]

Clean there was a little difference tin the eq, both nice, I think the Fender was A. Crunch A was a clear winner for me and I think it was the Engl. B was a little bright and brittle for me.

[@simonsmith2642]

Marshal with KT88’s mod, but thats an expensive mod.. I rather like Valvetrain and Swart. But the are more in the boutique market. If you can find an old Musicman, thats the good stuff.. But this one is a great PCB amp. I will see where its made and how much it runs. I wish amp makers would put limiter on amps like the old Ampeg and Musicman did. Comp/limit was on a lot of amps back in the day. I wish they would bring that feature back.

[@palevas]

Both for clean and A for drive

[@Podcastforthewin]

Both sounded great, so im not going to say what one sounded like”better”. But i will say, the whole time i thought ‘A - was a Marshall and B was a fender, up until you changed guitars. But - A sounded really nice with gain, and- B sounded really nice with clean.. you cant lose!

[@anthonyward8587]

I agree B is better for both. ENGL is a bit shrill on clean, Fender warm and musical. Marshall's drive seems more focused. jmo.

[@ruditopoderoso]

I selected A both times 😮

[@grinningfool34]

I honestly thought A sounded better both clean and dirty. I was really surprised by the results.

[@DMSProduktions]

Clean was WAY brighter & sparkly!

[@the_nondrive_side]

I think ENGL is the best.. I actually preferred the B clean and the A dirty.. really not into the B dirty at all. INVADER II is dreams with a Eclipse ESP and a Takamine FXC rounding out the package

[@jezza46]

Hey mate, Topshelf Instruments in Tas has one for sale $1000

[@markwhite1039]

Amp B is a little more mellow on the clean channel a little more bass.

[@michaelmarchei8539]

Would like to see the ENGL back to back wit an Iconic 40w 🙏🙏

[@badscrew4023]

posting this before the end of the video :) Didn't like the driven sounds of the "B" amp at all The cleans of the B were smoother than the A's, so preferred those.

[@badscrew4023]

Ok so now after the reveal: I liked Fender's cleans and Engl's drives. I guess I'm just a plain old normie :))))

[@MrJingles021]

Wow, I'm totally surprised. I liked the Engl better both times, but I thought they were both the Fender and Marshall. For the drive tones, both sounded good. I liked A more, but if I was playing live I'd wonder if B would be less fatiguing on the ears.

[@lazvt8469]

Agree...Amp "A" sounded 'better' to me on clean and dirty. Nice....

[@traceyoungs1637]

I did not see that coming!

[@DLaronsView]

It sounds good but I’m still loving my Marshall DSL40!!! ✌🏾

[@taz4965]

Apparently the new PRS Tremonti MT 100 is great for all purposes with effectively😮 3 seperate amps in one box

[@thattassiewargamer]

I picked A for both. It just sounded like it had more room and body.

[@stjepanbilic9748]

I liked "B" on both, clean and dirty .

[@talkychris]

I liked B for clean and a lot more at thst. A for gain, B sounded less dynamic.

[@ValBoschi-ix9cd]

Yes, I have a lovely gigmaster combo, great low drives, but the lead channel isn't a bit louder than the clean/crunch channel when it's master is on max, which makes no sense.... these are very cheap now....

[@ValBoschi-ix9cd]

and the service and help I've had from the company in question has been incorrect and unhelpful.

[@dragan4658]

Really nice sounding amp the Engle, I actually thought it was a Marshall.

[@jjulch]

While I agree the Engl sounds better, the price for the amp may outweigh the justification for it. The Blues Deluxe can be found for $400 as can the Marshall. For the price, you could bring both amps to a gig and use an amp switcher and probably buy a new guitar all for the price of a used Engl amp. Combo new is $1500, used is probably $1000-$1200 in the US.

[@intheblues]

The combo in Australian sells for around $700-$900 used which is crazy

[@johngonzales8224]

clean A sounds like fender. Crunch B sounds Marshal

[@nickbouvy6524]

I preferred A for clean and the dirty side is not of interest to me.

[@Rummy73]

Shane, how would you compare the reverb between the Marshall and Engl?

[@intheblues]

ENGL has way better reverb than than Marshall. It’s a lot nicer sounding. The Marshall reverb is okay but very subtle.

[@tonymarinelli7304]

Engl amps are fantastic. I have Jared James Nichols Signature Blackstar amplifier that is absolutely spectacular.

[@darkrunesstudio6090]

I like the B more on both tones. Maybe I am an old school guy. I am grown up with Fender and Marshall tones. Love an Engl more for high gain stuff.

[@7171jay]

Not sure what the settings were like but I assumed that "A" was the Fender on the clean comparison because Blues and Hot Rod amps tend towards tight bright and kind of harsh but the Fender sounded warm compared to the Engl. 🤪 On the drive comparison both amps sounded like different versions of a lousy "beer commercial" fuzzy buzzy distortion so no interest at all in any of these amps for me. The Engl is edging in on the cost of a Fender Deluxe Reverb reissue which still isn't the greatest amp ever but I would take one of those with a good overdrive or boost pedal over any of the three amps featured here.

[@sebastian993]

for clean as well as crunch, I prefer EL84 amps. marshall does overdrive best

[@Shadowcruise99]

None of your links show the ENGL Thunder 50 Reverb. They link to ENGL, but not the ENGL Thunder 50 Reverb combo.

[@mikeblue385]

modulation would sound better through A but i think gain pedals would sound better through B.

[@BootleggerPhil]

All four tones were cool.

[@FoulMouthKarl]

Team A for both 💯💯

[@danieltravis5082]

Engl makes fantastic stuff.

[@YouTubeHandlesAreMoronic]

I preferred “A” across all samples. More bass, better presence.