Finding the right guitar amplifier is essential for achieving the tones you both want and need for a specific situation and setup. In this feature I’ll share some tips on how to choose the right amp and we’ll look at a handful of models, with David Gilmour’s tones in mind.
Updated March 2023
So, what do you really need? Are you mostly playing at home? Are you recording or occasionally jamming with a band? Are you playing clubs or bigger venues? Do you want something that can cover a wide range of tones or do you desperately want THAT sound? Strictly plug and play or will you be using pedals?
These are all questions you should be asking yourself before looking for a new amp. Why? Because you can’t force a box of electronics to be something it ain’t.
Large stacks or small combos?
It’s really no point in discussing wattage since there’s a lot more to it than just power. A 20w can very well be louder than a 100w depending on how the amp is designed, what speakers are in it etc.
For a typical bedroom setup, I would say that 5-20w is enough. Most smaller amps these days comes with a built in attenuator, allowing you to dial in a lower wattage and still retain much of the character and tone.
Tubes or transistor?
Whether you should choose a tube amp or not is a matter of taste. One isn’t better than the other. They’re just different.
Tube amps are often favoured for having a more dynamic sound that responds to your playing and guitar, whereas transistor amps offer a more reliable operation and often with very impressive technology that mimics both tubes and effects.
Personally, I’ve always favoured tube amps. It’s just the sound of the music I grew up with and the guitar tones I love. On the other hand, I often record using plugins like AmpliTube. It’s a matter of what I need then and there.
Amps and pedals
Most amps can handle pedals pretty well but pedals and effects can sound very different on different amps. I have no idea how many times I’ve seen the comment “this pedal sounds like shit” and then you see that they’re trying to make a pedal or amp do things it’s not designed to do.
A good rule of thumb is that typical American amps like Fender, has less compression and mid range. These amps will often require overdrive and distortion pedals with more mid range and compression, like a Rat or Tube Screamer.
Typical British amps, like Marshall and Hiwatt, has more compression and mid range, and will often pair better with pedals that has less, like a Big Muff and Boss BD2.
This does NOT mean that you can’t pair a Fender with a Big Muff but at least with David Gilmour’s tones in mind, it won’t sound as smooth, warm and big as with a more mid range oriented amp.
Learn how to choose the right pedals for your amp here.
This gear guide will focus on smaller amps that will suit a bedroom, band practice and smaller clubs. I have played each amp, with guitars and pedals that are typically associated with David Gilmour.
Laney Lionheart
The Lionheart has been one of my favourite amps for the past decade. I’ve used it for practise, stage and it’s probably my most recorded amp. This is British tube tone based on VOX and early Marshall but it’s so much more than that. The fact that this is a single ended Class A tube amp, with a powerful EQ section, allow you to set the amp up for almost any tone. Be it classic Vox chime, Marshall Plexi and clean Fender. Great pedal platform that can handle anything you put in front of it.
Power scaling: yes (on some models)
Laney Cub-Super
I’ve been a huge fan of Laney’s Cub amps for years. These are low wattage tube amps, with incredibly rich and dynamic tones. Typically British, the Cubs sits right between VOX, early Marshall and Hiwatt, depending on how you set them up. The head and cab sound a bit more open with more headroom, while the smaller combos are perfect for practice and bedrooms. The Cubs can handle all types of pedals but they sound awesome in just a plug and play situation too.
Power scaling: yes
Hiwatt Tube Series
This is probably the closest you get to the classic Hiwatt tone, without busting the bank. The Tube Series, and the T40/20 in particular, offer tons of headroom and that unmistakable powerful clean tone that’s perfect for your David Gilmour pedals. A second drive channel allow you to dial in classic Live at Leeds tones and early Marshall.
Power scaling: yes
Boss Katana
Boss’ Katana series took the guitar community by storm a few years back. These are transistor amps with a bunch of built in amp simulations and effects that both sound and feel incredibly authentic. If you’re on a tight budget or simply don’t want to go down the rabbit hole of pedals, then the Katanas are probably your best choice. The amps can handle pedals very well too, which will allow you to expand the tone palette.
Power scaling: yes
Vox AC
Vox might not be typical for David Gilmour but it does’t really get more classic and British than this. The ACs might come off as a bit bright sounding but once you get to learn how the EQ work and start to bring out more mid range and warmth, you can easily take these amps into Hiwatt territory, with a lot of headroom and just a powerful platform for any type of pedals. The 15w is perfect for a bedroom, while the 30w will stand up to almost anything in a band setup.
Power scaling: no
Fender Blues Junior
The Blues Junior is probably one of the best selling amps of all time and with good reason. It’s classic Fender, with a slightly modern touch, making it easier to pair with pedals and getting good tones at bedroom levels. The Blues Jr comes in different variants but swapping the speaker for something a bit darker sounding, like an Eminence Cannabis Rex, can make this amp your best and most valued friend.
Power scaling: no
Feder Hot Rod Deluxe
The Hot Rod Deluxe is more or less a bigger, hot-rodded version of the Blues Jr. It’s got the classic Fender mojo, with a bit more mids and compression, making it easy to pair with a wide range of pedals. Having more wattage compared to the Blues Jr, the Hot Rod, in my opinion, has a more balanced clean and drive character. 40w might be a bit too loud for your bedroom, so this is the perfect rehearsal and club amp.
Power scaling: no
Peavey Classic 30
The Classic 30 is a real workhorse based on Fender tweed era character but with a lot more to offer. I’ve been using this amp for years and it always deliver. Whether I need just a very nice and warm clean tone or a reliable platform for my pedals. The Classic 30 is loud but it’s incredibly good at retaining its tone, mainly mid range, on lower bedroom levels. It’s probably one of the most versatile amps out there that suits almost any style.
Power scaling: no
Did I miss something? Please use the comments field below and share your tips and recommendations!
Let’s say I only feel good enough to own a Monoprice Stage Right 15 amp. What overdrive and delay pedals would you start with for 90’s+ sounds? Thank you for awesome content.
What pickups do you have?
It’s my first electric (Gretsch Synchromatic Sparkle Jet) and I believe it contains what is referred to as gretchbuckers… reverb.com/item/49612122-gretsch-synchromatic-2010-blue-sparkle
Stage Right offer some amazing sounding tube amps for the price. I do think they shine the most when you use them for their overdrive and distortion but you can get some OK clean tones as well as a pedal platform. In any case, it’s a great amp for practice and bedroom.
Hi Bjorn, I have a fender blues junior tweed version amplifier with Jensen C12N speaker. I replaced the stock valves with mullard reissues. I’m very undecided whether to replace the speaker because it doesn’t seem very suitable for Gilmour’s sound. I would like to put a Celestion speaker like Greenback or Creamback.
what would you advise me?
Thank you
I don’t have much experience with this but there are lots of information on this and charts on how different speakers sound with the Blues Jr. I had a Jr with a Cannabis Rex speaker in it which sounded really nice.
thanks for the advice.
one last question:
Could the FANE ASCENSION F70 speaker also be good for my amplifier?
Thank you
I haven’t tried that but I think what most people, including myself when I had one, are looking for is a darker and warmer sounding speaker to compensate for the otherwise bright sounding amp.
Hi Bjorn
I just followed your advice and bought a Laney Lionheart l5t-112. My amp setting is bright mode. Mids 12:00, bass 1:00, treble 8:00, tone 1:00 (o’clock). The drive around 8-9:00. Drive volume 9:00. High input
Here’s my pedals
Boss bd2
Ehx rams head big muff
Amp
Moore e lady into the fox loop(it sounds less present and weak)
When I use the big muff into the Laney l5t. It sound quite dark and muffled and muddy. I’m pretty upset. I don’t know how to improve it. I’ve been chasing gilmour sound for a long time. Obviously it’s still not what I want.
Could you give me some advise?
Thanks!
What pickups do you have? What’s the settings on your Green Muff? Do you use it with other pedals? Why are you using the loop on the amp?
Hi Bjorn,
have you seen that Laney has launched a new series of Lionheart Combo amps? I hope they send you one for a review!
Thank you very much for your work on this website, greetings from Berlin.
Cheers! Yes, I think they’re transistor based but they look very promising. I need to make a review of my Lionheart… should have done that years ago.
Hi, Bjorn … I recently purchased the Laney Lionheart Tom Quayle Loudpedal — 60 watt solid state amp pedal, largely for use with headphones in a small apartment. I’d also like the option of a speaker/cabinet. What might be a good speaker for Gilmour tones that would match the 60-watt amp at 8 ohms?
Paul
I haven’t tried the Loudpedal but the Lionheart is a fairly dark amp so I would probably go for a Celestion G12H or V30 of some sort.
Thanks … I actually just purchased an Avatar cabinet with Fane A60 installed. Looking forward to testing it out.
Hi Bjorn, I want to thank you for all your work, time and effort. I would like to share a photo of my pedals with you, but above all ask you if a Blues JR LTD with a Celestion V30 speaker It is a good option and I will be able to get good tones. My pedals are the following:
BOSS ES-5
MXR Dyna Comp Script
Boss CS-2 Comp 1985
BOSS Blues Driver
BK Butler Tube Driver
ProCo RAT 2
EHX Big Muff Ram’s Head
EHX Big Muff Green Russian
MOOER Ensamble King
MXR Phase 90
MXR Univibe
PastFX Elastic Mattress
Dawner Prince Boonar
Earnie Ball VP Jr.
tc-electronic Triple delay
Future Factory Delay
Boss RT 20
Boss Noise Suppressor
Boss Eq GE7
Cheers Gerardo! You shoudl definitely be able to get great tones with your setup. For the Blues Jr I’d probably concentrate on pedals like the BD2 and Rat over the Tube Driver and Muffs.
Did you tried the blackstar st. James EL34?
No, but I’m a huge fan of his tone and that amp sounds just amazing!
How is the Hi-Watt Hi 5 for Gilmour sounds, obviously if paired with the correct pedals
Thanks for your answer! I heard bad opinions about the T20 in terms of quality and bias setting. Is there a better head that you could recommend for 100 people gigs (with PA)? Less than 1100usd
You could go with anything really and each model I’ve presented here is something I recommend for both Gilmour’s tones and most other. I’m a huge fan of the Laney Lionhearts and obviously, you should also look into Fender amps or similar. It’s more a matter of waht pedals you choose to use with the amp.
I just bought a Laney lionheart L20H with the LT212 matching cab. What a difference compared to the Boss Katana.
Better I hope! Congrats!
Hi Bjorn, what’s your opinion about the Marshall JTM Studio ST20 or the Studio Vintage SV20. Could be a better choose than the Hiwatt T20?
Thanks!
They’re loud as F and they don’t have a master. I have the SV20 head myself. Depends on how you’ll be using them. It can be difficult to control the volume but they sound just incredible. Great cleans that can handle all kinds of pedals and the drive tone is spot on classic rock. The Hiwatt T20 might be a better choice though for a more bedroom friendly setup.
Hi Bjorn, i finally decide and bought a Laney L20, so, now, how do you set your amp for a Gilmour tone? Low or High input? clean or drive chanel? Tone, etc etc. Thanks
Congrats! Depending on what pickups I use, I usually use the drive channel, which has a bit more warmth, mid range and compression and, I use the bright mode. Mids 12:00, bass 1:00, treble 8:00, tone 1:00 (o’clock). The drive I usually set at tvery edge of breakup, around 8-9:00 and the volume as desired. As with any tube amp, this one needs a bit of volume to really open up, so somewhere between 11-1:00 is usually where it happens.
Howdy Bjorn! I’ve been doing some research on speakers for my rig. I’m gonna try the Ted Weber FC12 which should be a Fane Crescendo clone. But I was wondering if you had any experience with any Fane clones out there.
Very little. I had a Weber Thames, which were very close to my old Fanes. I know Hi-Tone also have some high priased speakers.
Hi Bjorn,
Forgive me if you have answered a simular question to this before, but I am buying the Laney L5 Stuido for a small bedroom set up. Ideally I would like to buy the matching cab, but I am a bit restricted on space, and looking for a smaller, more budget friendly cab!!
Would a Laney Cub cab 112 with a HH speaker be a suitable option (maybe be upgrade the speaker later if required). Or Harley Benton have a cab that comes with either a Celestion G12 Greenback or a G12 Creamback speaker.
What would you consider would my best option/ match? I lean towards playing more ambient/shoegaze style guitar, and I would really value your opinion.
Thanks,
Ian
There is the combo version of the L5 as well as a good alternative. I guess you can use any type of cabinet for the head and although I haven’t experimented that much with different speakers I think the Lionhearts sound best with some brighter sounding speakers, like the Celestion G12H.
Been playing a lot of Floyd using. a Marshall tsl 2000 rebiased and with two power tubes taken out to make it 50 watts. Great clean channel, a dirt channel and a heavy overdrive channel, each with separate Eqs. Playing through an ampeg 4×12 with vintage 30s. makes getting a wide variety of tones pretty simple. Run everything through a Roland Space Echo. Great tone.
You stated for Cub8 that while it is a great amp, it doesn’t handle Gilmour pedals well. Would this also apply if I use it with a Laney LT212 cab? Which pedal(s) would you recommend to compensate for the lack of gain and eq knobs?
The cab would only make it sound louder. Perhaps less boxy. I would go for something versatile, like a Rat style distortion pedal, a Boss BD2 for overdrive and a delay. That should get you started.
Hi Bjorn i am about to buy a new or used amp. A new Laney Lionheart 20 112 or a used Laney vc30 212. What do you think in terms of gilmour tones? price? the vc30 (used) is u$ -190 than the Lionheart (new). Thank you for yuor inspiration on chasing that beatiful tone
I’ve never been a huge fan of the AC30 so if you ask me, I’d absolutely gor for the Lionheart. It does have a Vox character but the overall tone, EQ section ets is, IMO, much more versatile. Kind of a mix between a Vox AC and Marshall JTM -early British tones.
Hi Bjorn ! Would you say that the Lionheart L5t (5watts) is versatile as the 20 w ?
Thanks,
For a bedroom, yes. For stage and rehearsal I’d go for the L20.
Thank you !
Hi Bjorn ! thank you so much for all the well detailed explanation on Amps. I’ve had a Princeton Reverb Amp with a cannabis rex speaker and i find that the amp is very high in treble and sparkly-bright. I then decided to order a Lionheart L5T-112. The reason for my choice is that the L20T is too powerfull for my bedroom. My question for you is, in your opinion, do you think the L5T will be as effective and versatile compared to the 20T ?
many thanks
Hm, the Cannabis Rex should fit the Princeton and make it sound considerably darker. Anyway, yes, the L5 is perfect for bedrooms. Very versatile and a grea pedal platform.
Hi Bjorn,
What is your opinion about the Weber Thames speaker and the “Starfinder” DG12A from Rawson Sparfield?
My amp is a HIWATT 50 Signature Series head.
In your experience what is your favorite speaker that you have tested that will be the most faithful to the David tone?
Thanks
I really don’t have much experience with different brands. My old Sound City cab had Fane Crescendo speakers and I used Weber Thames for years, which were dead on those Fanes. Now I mainly use Celestions and the G12H Anniversary in particular. Mainly because I’m more into Marshall tones than Hiwatt these days but the G12H combines a bit of that Fane sound with creamy Celestions.
… I’m testing the Weber Thames 80w and even after hours playing I still don’t like it. It sounds very bad with any big muff, it is very dark and the the highs sounds unfocused and thin, very unpleasant. I don’t know if it’s worth waiting more time with this speaker, I don’t think it will get any better than this.
How was your initial experience with these speakers? How they sounded when new?
OK, this is always difficult because it comes down to taste and your expectations. Fanes are dark and they have a larger magnet, which means that to really open up the tone you need to push them really hard. They’re not the best speakers if you want something bright for your bedroom. Having said that, you also need to break them in. They will open up with a few hour of playing. Just like new tubes. Keep in mind too, and I’m sure you are aware of this, amp and pedal settings should be set based on the gear you have, how you use it and where. Don’t set everything up like David does on a huge stadium and expect it to sound like that. It won’t. Don’t freak out if you need to use drastically different settings than him to obtain the tones you want. I would be a bit more patient and see how everything sounds with more tweaking, experimenting and perhaps 4-6 months of having the speakers settle in (depending on how often you play).
Hi Bjorne,
I’m thinking about upgrading the stock G12E-50 in my Laney 2×12 cabinet (Laney cub 15W head). What would you recommend?
Thank you for all you’ve done and continue to do for us Gilmourians!
Peter
Hi Peter! I would probably go for V30s or something similar. They’re not that different from the Rockets but much more character and tone. The G12H are also great. A bit more upper mids, which takes them closer to a Fane.
Hey Bjorn. I have a Vox AC10, and I am struggling to find a good, fat drive tone while keeping the cleans clear and bright. What settings/eq would you recommend? Thank you in advance
The AC10 is a smaller amp obviously and having that typical Vox chime, it can be tricky to get fat overdriven sounds from this amp. It doesn’t have a mids control but the amp has plenty of mids if you roll back the treble considerably. I would keep the gain as high as possible without getting distortion, bass up, treble down and the master volume as desired. Get an overdrive pedal that fits the amp, like a Boss BD2, EHX Crayon, Past FX TDY or similar.
Thank you! I will try that with my Boss BD-2
Hi Bjorn,
I took a look at your “Hey, Hey, Rise Up” section, at which one can see a picture of David doing an interview for the BBC and besides him, in his home studio, there’s a (Fender??) normal-sized combo amp with a little amp on top. Do you recognize which amp that is? I’m just curious. What do you think David uses this for? Practising, or maybe he uses it to record with as well, given he used a little Super Champ as well on A Momentary Lapse Of Reason?
Greetz! :D
That’s an old Fender Champ tweed. Hard to tell how he’s using it. Practice, a certain tone for recording…?
Thanks! ;)
Bjorn, thank you so much for what you do. The depth and specifics you go to on all this is just amazing! This amp idea may be a little out there, but I recently purchased a EVH 5150 15-watt that power cycles down to 1-watt, strictly a bedroom player. What do you think of using this a Ram’s Head BIg Muff, Blues Driver, e-Lady for The Wall tones? I’m still working on what delay pedals I want.
Thanks for your kind words! I’m not that familiar with the EVH but from what I understand it’s based on the old Marshall Plexi amps Eddie used but but with a more American flavour. Brighter and less mid range. I might be wrong but if so, I don’t think it’s the best amp for fuzz and Big Muffs. Especially on bedroom levels where the mid range and compression is often compromised. See this feature for some tips on chosing the right pedals for different types of amps.
Hey Bjorn!
Huge thanks for all your work, came across some great gear thanks to your recommendations!
In regards to the Laney Lionheart: I’m looking to buy one and I’m deciding between the 20 watt head and the 50 watt head. Would you recommend one over the other for Gilmour tones? Or does it make no difference and the 50w is just louder?
Thank you ahead of time!
Thanks for your kind words! Depends on how you’ll be using the amp. The L20 is loud and fits everything from a bedroom to rehearsal, recording and clubs. The 50w is probably way too loud for anything less than a bigger stage.
Hi Bjorn – thank you for all you do! I’m looking for a new amp for home use I was wondering if you had any experience with the Hiwatt Hi-5? Otherwise I’m also looking at either the Laney Supercub (12 watt head), and the Laney L5 studio, do you have a preference? I mainly go for Division Bell – Gdansk tones, but early stuff in the mix too :) thanks in advance!
I haven’t tried the Hi5 but based on the reviews I’ve seen it seems to capture the Hiwatt tone for bedrooms in particular and it should be able to handle most pedals. The SuperCub is a great sounding all-round amp, while the Lionheart series IMO is the most versatile. Either for pedals or as a plug-and-play kind of amp. I don’t think you can go wrong with either of these amps.
Hi Bjorn! I’m thinking of getting a vox MV50 for david gilmour tones, what do you think is the best for gilmour-type tones? Clean, AC, or Boutique? I found the Boutique pretty nice for early david gilmour tones tbh. Which of these three will be the closest to the HIWATT sound? Thanks!
I haven’t tried the MV50 so I really can’t tell. Based on a couple of vids I’ve seen I would say that the AC appears to the the most versatile but I guess that depends on the guitar, pickups and what pedals you throw in front of it. You can also used an EQ, like the Boss GE7, and boost the upper mid range to get closer to a Hiwatt.
Hey Bjorn, im thinking about getting my first tube amp and im kind of thinking about the Blues Junior IV so my question is does a big muff or fuzz face work well with this amp? I have a Rams Head Big Muff and a Germanium Fuzz Face. And do i need to do some modifications to the amp or does it sound gilmourish right out the box? Thank You!
Not the best amp for fuzz and Muff pedals. At least not for Gilmour’s tones. Check out this feature with some tips on getting the right pedals for different types of amps.
Hello Bjorn, I’ve noticed you haven’t mentioned Orange amps anywhere, would you use one similarly to a Vox or Marshall? I have a Orange Crush 20w that I am trying to dial in.
Also, how should I setup my Boss BF-3 flanger to replicate The Wall era sound?
Thanks in advance, Bjorn.
I don’t have that much experience with Orange but to my ears they tend to sound better for classic rock and rock rather than the typical Gilmour tones and platform. I don’t have a BF3 so I can’t give you any settings.
Ok, thank you.
Hi Bjorn,
First of all, thank you VERY MUCH for your amazing work.
I am the lead guitarist in a Pink Floyd tribute band from France, and your site (and YouTube channel btw) was my bible. It guided me to buy my amp and all my pedalboard stuff, and I’m very proud and happy with my sound, thanks to you.
Now there’s my question : I have the privilege to own a Hiwatt Custom SA-212 from 1974. I use it on stage and the sound is marvellous. But it’s in mono. And I dream about a stereo set up, with two amps.
In my situation, which second amp would you buy to build a stereo setup ?
The old Hiwatt sound is so pure that I’d like to have a second one from that era, but they are so rare and so expensive… And maybe it could be cool to mix the Hiwatt sound with another amp, did you try that ?
Last question : if I buy a amp head, which cab would you advise ? I have a 4×12 cab, but with V30 designed for big metal sound, not sure if it’s appropriate…
Thank you for your time Bjorn, and keep the good work !
Thanks for your kind words! This all comes down to preference and taste I guess. David often mix his Hiwatts with Fender tweeds, like a Bassman, which creates a contrast to the bright mids oriented Hiwatt. I’m not a fan of stereo setups so I haven’t experiemented that much with it. The old Bassman Silverface head is also a great companion to a Hiwatt. Very warm, slightly compressed and lots of character.
Fane speakers has a lot of headroom but they can also be a bit dark. Between the Celestions I would go for the G12H. A bit more punch and a nice presence.
Hi Bjorn,
Do you plan to test the latest Crazy Tube Circuits Hi Power? (Hiwatt + Colorsound Power Boost)
Maybe you could add an “Amp in a Box” section here with it and your previous demo from Thorpy FX’s Scarlet Tunic
Thanks!
Fab
Certainly! If they send me one.
Hi Bjorn,
Does a Boss Katana 100w pair well with a BK Tube Driver and a Big Muff Rams Head?
Best,
Daniel
Yes, I can’t tell you what channel or settings to use but my experience with these amps is that they’re capable of handling most pedals with the right setup. Keep in mind though that both the Tube Driver and Big Muff were designed to be used with tube amps, or at least with tube amps in mind. A more versatile option would perhaps to go for a EHX Green Russian, which is similar to the Ram’s Head but the increased mid range, makes it easier to set up. For overdrive I would also consider a Boss BD2 or EHX Crayon for Tuibe Driver tones.
Hi Bjorn,
Love your site and youtube channel! really interesting stuff (and great playing).
I have a Marshall JCM800 2205 and a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. The marshall doesn’t get much use at the moment as it’s crazy loud.
For the hot rod, would you recommend stacking a big muff with an overdrive like a tubescreamer after it for DG sounds, due to the mids issue you mention about fenders? I’ve got a little big muff at the mo, but looking at the green russian reissue.
And for the marshall am I good to go with big muff straight in?
Thanks!
Paul
Thanks for your kind words! The Marshall is fairly bright but roll back the treble, presence and mids a bit and it cna handle Big Muffs and other typical Gilmour effects very well. The HRD needs a bit of mids push. The Green Russian is probably your best choice but I wouldn’t use a Tube Screamer with it. Too muddy. Try a Boss BD2.
Strange, I tried twice to reply to your comment, Bjorn, but it seems it didn’t get posted, so I’ll just make a new comment continuing the Roland JC discussion. Another amp that interests me is the Marshall Origin 20c (or 50c possibly, I’ve heard it sounds better but it might be a bit too much): since Marshalls and Hiwatts have supposedly a relatively similar EQ, and most of my other favorite guitar players besides Gilmour (Jeff Beck, Billy Gibbons, etc) play Marshalls, I thought it might be a good idea to swap my Vox AC10 for some vintage Marshall amp. What do you think?
All comments are held for approval :) I’ve replied to your Marhsall Origin comment below.
Ah sorry, It finally got through now! Thank you very much :)
Hey Bjorn! Andy here again (the one that you very graciously provided EXCELLENT recommendations for my Boss RT-20 and PastFX Elastic Mattress) and I’m here under the “amps” section of your page with something else that I find quite interesting.
I’ve been offered the chance to buy an Alembic F-2B preamp in perfect working condition through a private seller who has one at a reasonable price. And it’s at a time that’s fairly convenient for me because I’m about to convert my rig into a rack-mounted, controller based rig.
My question for you, Bjorn, since I’ve always been a sucker for the Live ‘80-‘81 Wall tour tones: How do you think David would’ve utilized his preamps during this era? As far as settings go, what was the overall concept in employing this device?
I love your insights and that you’re a total Gilmour fanatic like me and, as always, your recommendations have helped me carve out my own sound through Gilmour’s methodology of stacking various effects to achieve a greater overall tone. You’re a huge influence in our band here in the States as you’ve helped me build and refine my sound just as much as my guitar technician, who actually performs my modifications on my gear. So I can’t thank you enough!
Cheers, my friend! Wishing you nothing but the best these days!
Thanks for your very kind words Andy! The Alembic is pretty much a Fender Dual Showman preamp. It has high headroom and a warm and dynamic tone. Many change the tubes for even more headroom. David used, and still does, the Alembic as a preamp for the Yamaha RA200 rotary cabinets. He’s also used it as a preamp for his Hiwatts. What it does, is adding a bit of that Fender flavour to an otherwise very British mid range oriented rig. Everything sounds a bit smoother and warmer. Although not entirely the same, the Effectrode Fire Bootle is similar and you can place this between your pickups and the pedalboard, for a bit of the same effect.
G’day, I’m just wondering what amp settings would be best suited for a Peavey classic 30 for mid 80s gilmour tones? My setup is a Squier classic vibe strat with fender gen 4 noiseless pickups into a Boss CS-3, Boss HM-2, Mxr Timmy or Boss BD-2w, and HX effects with a Boss CE-3 in the loop of the HX for a more mild chorus effect.
Cheers from Australia.
Amp settings are always hard to suggest because it depends on so much more than just the pedals alone. I would start with using the clean channel and a fairly neutral EQ setting, with all three controls around noon. Perhaps the treble rolled back a bit. Hear how that sound with the guitar alone. Make adjustments to match your pickups and then add pedals and hear how they react. You might need to adjust their settings too.
Hey Bjorn! I hope this finds you well. Regarding amps, you listed the Boss Katana as a solid state option for Gilmour tones, which got me thinking: would the Roland Jazz Chorus be a good alternative? And why/why not? Thanks
IMO not really. The Roland has a lot of headroom and it’s quite bright which doesn’t go that well with the more vintage flavoured pedals that David’s using – including fuzz and Muffs. You could though use more versatile pedals for similar sounds, like the Rat for distortion and the Boss BD2 for overdrive.
Thank you! On a different note, would a Marshall Origin 20C be suitable for Gilmour tones instead of a Hiwatt? I like players such as Jeff Beck and Billy Gibbons as well, and I always liked the idea of having a Marshall, so I think it would be more suited for me
Yes I think so. Especially when you want to cover other artists as well. It’s a fairly bright amp though but it goes well with pedals.
I see. Thank you! On a different note, would you say a Marshall Origin 20c/50c would be appropriate for Gilmour tones? Being a Marshall amp, the EQ is relatively similar to that of a Hiwatt (which I can’t even find here in Portugal), and the origin in particular is regarded by many as both a great pedal platform and a great Plexi style amp, which interests me, since Gilmour is pretty much one of the only guitar players I’m inspired by that is not associated with the Marshall SLP. I always loved the tone of vintage Marshalls, but most of them are not really appropriate for bedroom settings (cranking the volume is out of question), and most people seem to not really consider pedals for them. If not the Marshall Origin, do you recommend other Marshall amps that might fit the bill? Thank you once again
Hi Bjorn here in Argentina I can find the Hiwatt T10 combo, the Lionheart 5 or 20 and the cob super 12 in combo too. Lionheart cost a lot more than the cub, does it sound a that much better than the cub. Which of those 3 would you choose?
I would go for the Lionheart 20. Just a fantastic amp and very easy to use with pedals as well. It depends on what you’re looking for and how you’ll be using the amp. 20w might be a bit too much for bedroom but perfect for a band situation.
Hi Bjorn! I managed to get a mint lionheart 20 combo and so far i appreciate it a lot.
Which settings do you recommend for a gilmour tone? I plan to use the clean channel as pedal platform… I noticed its a little darker than my previous hotrod but the Muff sounds really pretty :)
Congrats! I usually use the drive channel for pedals. It has a bit more mids and presence compared to the clean channel. These settings works for both chanels.
Bright, drive 2, volume as desired, bass 7, middle 7, treble 3, tone 6. You might need to adjust depending to pickups etc.
Thank you so much!! i will set it like that and see what happens :)
Hi Bjorn,
Thanks for sharing all your research and experience, I am a Gilmour fan but also very much interested in Syd Barrett’s sound, and the early Gilmour tones. In terms of trying to get Selmer amp tones, what do you think? there is little access to Selmer here in the US. I’ve heard its like a combination of Vox and Marshall? any boutique clones out there, or maybe a way to shape EQ?
thanks,
Jonathan
Check out the review I did of the Scarlet Tunic Selmer style pre-amp. Spot on!
Hi Bjorn.
Do you have experiences with hiwatt T5?As I think T20 may be too loud for home use.And is there any other low-watt amp that you recommend for home use to get Gilmour’s tones?
Thanks!
I thiink the Tube series are great and well worth checking out. 5w is more than enough for playing at home. At lower bedroom levels you start to lose the character of the amp, so it doesn’t matter as much what amp you use really. I would go for something with a focus on the mid range though to avoid any thin fizzy tones. Hiwatt, Marshall, Laney Lionheart…
Hi there Bjorn.
I’m thinking of buying a Boss Katana Mkii 2×12.
Any comments on how it would probably sound with a Tube Driver?
Or a Ram’s Head Big Muff?
Does it takes compressors well? Like the Effectrode PC-2A?
Thanks!
I haven’t these pedals in particular with the amp but it can handle pedals very well.
How does the Katana compare to a Fender Frontman/Fender Champion amp for Gilmour tones?
The Katana is more of a platform, with several amp models and effects built into it for you to choose. The Frontman and Champion are great for classic Fender tones but as an overal versatile amp, that also can handle pedals, I would go for the Catana. Now, you could also look into something like a Fender Blues Jr, Fender Hot Rod Deluxe or Laney Lionheart if that’s within your budget.
Hi Bjorn, thank you again for your superb sharing, there’s not another site like this!
I note you categorise Hiwatts and Marshall amps as a similar mid-boost category, and when I look at sub-£1000 budget there are 3 options for Marshall tube combos.
– origin 20 or 40 (60s sound)
-SC20 (80s JCM800 sound)
-DSL 20 or 40 (90s sound)
So I guess any of them would work for Gilmour tones with the right pedals, but would you recommend one over the other?
Where can you buy Hiwatt?
I found a site but it feels a bit ropey:
https://britampco.co.uk/hiwatt/shop/details/HW-TB-2010-MKIII-1X12C-OCT100-12-BLACK.html
This combo is apparently only $750?!
Appreciate the advice thanks! :)
Hud
Thanks for your kind words! I guess you could go for any of these Marshall amps. It depends on what pickups and pedals you use. The JCM probably has the less Hiwatt tone, while the Origin and SV20 is closer to a Hiwatt. Kind of a mix between a Fender Bassman and Hiwatt. I also strongly recommend the Laney Lionheart range. You can dial in classic Marshall, AC30 and close to Hiwatt. And they’re excellent pedal platforms.
Hello Bjorn, I’ve been following your blog for years, thank you for all the valuable content :)
I was wondering if you could give me a suggestion for an amp. I’m looking for a tube head with very good cleans and a lot of headroom, and that takes pedals very well.
Considering my budget and the used market in my area, my options at the moment would be a Hiwatt T40 MKI, or a Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister 36.
If you had to make a choice between the two, which one would you lean towards?
Thank you in advance for your input :)
Thanks for your kind words! I would go for the Hiwatt. The H&K is a great amp but more of a rock plug n play kind of amp. I also strongly recommend the Laney Lionheart amps. Great pedal platforms.
Thanks a lot! I will check the Laney too :)
I’m curious if you are – or would consider – expanding the scope of your “gear” reviews to start including virtual platforms? I see in this page you use AmpliTube – I also use AmpliTube and have also been using Softube’s AmpRoom. I’d be very interested in hearing more about how you achieve various tones by decade / album using completely virtual gear: AmpliTube, SoftTube, GuitarRig, Basis, and other plugins like Pulsar Audio’s Echorec, PSP L’otary2, etc. Thanks!
I use Amplitube for recording but I’m not experienced with any of the others other than having tried them briefly.
Bjorn, are you okay?
For those who use pedals, do you recommend leaving the amp at the breakup limit or as clean as possible? Should the amplifier gain be lower and the master higher, or the other way around?
If you can, please give me a tip on how to set up a Blues Junior and a Hot Rod.
Thanks!
Depends on what tones you want and how that amp blends with your pedals. I like to keep the amps clean but with just a hint of breakup when you hit the strings really hard. You can do that with tube amps, as the tube reachs dynamically to how hard it’s driven. Set the gain/channel volume/preamp as high as you can, while retaining the headroom, and set the master as to how loud you want to play. The higher the master, the more headroom/clean tone you get.
THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION, THE TONES I’M LOOKING FOR ARE FROM THE PULSE.
Hey Bjorn! Been reading your guides for years and wanted to ask for some “amp” advice. Current setup is one guitar with emg dg20 and another with 57/62 customs, running into dynacomp, Vick 73 rams head, mooer king chorus and tc nova delay. My “amp” is a line 6 hx stomp since my setup needs to be silent and I record straight to my computer. I am using their Hiwatt model and blending with their fender Bassman model. The issue I’m coming against right now is getting the big muff to pair well, and I saw you mentioned amplitube. Do you have any suggestions to try and mix my pedals with the modeler? Thanks!
It’s tricky because you’re feeding pedals into a digital platform with different impedance etc. The biggest issue is too much gain so you need to keep the gain on the amp, input stage and other simulated pedals low. I can’t be more presice than that really.
Bjorn,
I happened across a Reeves Custom 50 for a steal. I’ve been playing with it a bit and am kinda curious on how you set yours. I’ve got the Vintage Purples in it as well, but linked/unliked there’s just something missing with the correct guitar.
Depends on what pickups you use but I usually link the lower bright and upper normal, with the guitar into the upper bright. Normal 1:00, bright 10:00, bass 1:00, mids 1:00, presence 10:00 and the master needs to be above 8:00 to really open up the amp. Depending on how you’re speakers are voiced and playing in, you may need to adjust the treble and presence for more or less brightness.
Hi Bjorn
I looking for a good platform pedal amp to play home.
I like to play everything, blues, rock, metal etc.
My existing amp is the Marshall MG CFX 30
My guitar is Fender stratocaster standard USA & in a few days I finish my project a brand new Les Paul
My pedals:
-Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
-Octave Micropog El.Harmonix
-Joyo Tremolo
-Chorus Small Clone El.Harmonix
-Boss Digital Delay DD-7
-Vox Duel Overdrive Coolthron tube technology
-Boss Turbo Distortion DS-2
-Nano Metal Muff El.Harmonix
-Boost Wampler DB+ & Buffer
-Boos RC-30 Loop Station
Your opinion on these amps which I like and am looking at getting one:
-Marshall DSL series
-Marshall JTM.2023
-Marshall Jubilee 2525H
-Fender Blues Junior iv
-Katana 50mk2 or Artist
-Laney ??Lionheart l5 studio Head
Who do you think is more flexible in what I want?
Many thanks ?
I’m a huge fan of the Lionhearts. Great platforms and for straight plug and play. You can’t go wrong with teh Blues Jr but it can often sound a bit too bright for some higher gain pedals. The Marshall Jubilee is a monster, with a surprisingly great sounding clean channel.
The ultimate amp unless you’re playing a stadium has to be the Hiwatt “Little Rig” 20w x .5w. They are about $2,500 in the states and I know that’s a lot but they are hand wired in England and free shipping. The exciting news is that, like Electro-Harmonix, Hiwatt is making a comeback! Only boutique clones and creaky over priced vintage Hiwatts have been available here for years. Save up for this one!!
Per Bjorn’s recommendations above, I have a Hiwatt T40/20 and it’s an unbelievable amplifier for the price. My other amp is a Marshall Super Lead 100w Plexi and I’m honestly debating selling it to pay for a Hiwatt DR103. I’m a complete Hiwatt convert now that I have one. I don’t know where these amps have been during the 18 years I’ve been playing the guitar, but I’m just glad I discovered them when I did.
Hi where do you buy your Hiwatts?
I’m located in London
Cheers
Hi, Would you choose a Laney Cub over a Boss Katana if you were only planning on playing at home? Maybe using it for a jam every now and again?
Depends on what tones and features you want. Both are fantastic amps. The Cub is a stripped down tube amp that probably require a few pedals if that’s what ypou’re looking for. The Katana has lots of sounds built into it. Personally I’d go for the Cub as I do prefer a tube amp but you can’t really go wrong with either of them.
I woul change the speaker in the Laney, to a weber Thames, sounds much better. You can also change out the tubes, as the stock are ok, but not great.
Hello there Björn!
Great site, awesome info etc
Like your videos on youtube reviewing pedals :)
I recently bought me a Marshall SC20H with a 2×12 cab (celestion seventy 80s) Is it any good for Gilmour tones? Descent cleans? for a good pedal platform? I am an all eater and like different stuff like Zz Top, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Early Slash, Pink Floyd, Scorpions, Europe, Clapton etc so did not want to limit myself and bust my bank on a Hiwatt T20/40 with fane speaker cab.
Have some pedals like Green russian,
Maxxon Rod 880, Mooer Black Secret, Boss SD1, Delay, Reverb and so on.
I am a late starter in my guitar journey and still learning about amps and pedals, just picked up the guitar about 2 years ago…
Johan // Sweden
Hi Johan, the SC20 is, as you know, a JCM800. It’s a bit too bright sounding for my taste and comprared to a Hiwatt but you should be able to tame that high end and maybe even roll back the mids a bit and get a very usable Gilmour sound. I’d set it clean and use pedals that has less mid range, to compliment the tone of the amp. The Green Russuan, DS1 etc will go very well with the amp. The Black Secret Rat clone might be a bit too much.
Tack för svar Björn!
Will try to tweak some this weekend when i come home. Maybe in the future i will go for the Hiwatt T40/20 head or the combo and hang on to the Marshall for more rock stuff..
Ha det gott
Hi Bjorn,
Would you recommend the tweed or black blues jr? Thanks!
Do they have different speakers? I would have to look up the specs. I think the stock black model is a bit too bright so if the tweed ate aimed towards the old tweed era Fenders, then you’ll get a slightly warmer tone with more mids.
Hi Bjorn,
I’m looking into getting a hiwatt T40/20. I see that the 2×12 combo version of the amp comes loaded with fane fhg-12-150 speakers for around $1000-$1200. Alternatively I could buy the T40/20 head for $800 and build a 2×12 (or 1×12) cab loaded with weber thames for $150 each (plus the price of the empty cab). Do you know how close the fhg-12 speakers are to the original fane crescendo? Would it be worth the extra $200 to get a separate weber loaded cab?
Thanks!
I guess you would have to do an A/B test to tell. I haven’t studied the specs on the stock speakers but they sounded good. I’ve used Weber Thames for years and they’re spot on the crescendos that I had earlier.
Hi Bjorn, what do you think of the Hiwatt Higain 50 combo? can it replace my old and exhausted fender hotrod? I couldn’t find many demos of it online … anyway thank you for your massive work and volume of infos that you kindly provide !!
These are more modern voiced amps, with more gain as the name implies. The clean channel has that Hiwatt headroom though so they’re well worth checking out. Both as a pedal platform and a modern higher gain amp.
Thank you again, i will try this higain 50 with my pedals so i’ll get an idea
By the way, if you had to choose between an used higain 50 and a new t40 (both combos) for roughly the same price what would you pick right off the bat?
T40.
thank you Bjorn you’re the best ;)
And what about the T20 Bjorn?
Yes, the Tube Series will provide that classic Hiwatt tone.
Hi Bjorn
I know you are a fan of the Laney Cub 12, but have you been able to try the updated Laney Super Cub 12?
The Super Cub came out to rave reviews, but recently I have seen other reviews claiming that it does not have as much clean headroom as its predecessor, and is a much darker sounding amp.
Thanks
I don’t hear much difference between the two. The Super has a boost and the distortion sound smoother but there’s lots of headroom there too with the right settings.
Hi there Bjorn,
I’m Daniel, from Brazil. My pedalboard is complete and full with great pedals, seeking Gilmour tones, from Dark Side to Rattle That Lock. (BK Butler Tube Driver, Boss BD2, Strymon Volante, Good Vibes, Big Muff, Phase 90, etc.)
I’m yet to upgrade my small practice combo amp. It already gives me a really good DG tone for what it’s worth, but since i’ll form a Pink Floyd tribute band and hit the stage in the near future in small venues, I need a bigger/better amp.
Options are limited in Brazil, Hiwatt heads are hard to come by. So I wanted to know if you would recommend me to buy an amp like the Fender Champion 100 (solid state) as a pedal platform for Gilmour tones. Also, what do you know/think about the Maxwatt series from Hiwatt? Are they worth? I heard they’re are built in China and i’ve seen some bad reviews.
Thanks!
The Maxwatt doesn’t really sound like a Hiwatt. Very generic and more a modern crunchy amp. I’m not that familiar with the Champion 100 but I would imagine that the Tube Driver and Muff would sound very bright and perhaps a bit harsh with it. I might be wrong. The Hot Rod Deluxe might be a better choice and I’d also look into the Boss Katana range.
Do you think that I would have this same issue of the Tube Driver and Muff sounding too harsh and bright when using the Laney Lionheart shown in this page?
Also, I found a used T40/20 Hiwatt head on the internet afterall, in Brazil. Yet it was made in China. Should I be concerned with that regarding its sound and components?
I would need a cab too. From what I heard and searched, Hiwatt heads are best paired with Fanes and don’t usually go well with Celestions.
The Lionheart is one of my favourite amps and it can handle any type of pedal very well. It’s a versatile amp in its own right without pedals, with a great clean channel and drive channel. The Hiwatt Tube Series are great. Obviously, as the price reflects, these are not the same as the Custom range, but the tone is definitely there and well worth checking out. Hiwatts goes well with celestions but it depends on what tones you want.
Hi Bjorn
Do you know if the new Laney Supergroup (LANEY LA100SM) is similar to the Lionheart you like so much? Would it be good for Gilmourish tones?
Thanks!
Not really. The Supergroup has a much more vintage flavour, although the Lionheart certainly has a vintage vibe too. It has a unique tone but I guess I’d place it somewhere between a Hiwatt and a Plexi. The Lionheart is closer to an AC30 and being a class A amp, it’s much less compressed.
Can you share some tips on home studio setup, or point me in the right direction? I would like to know what kind of DAW you use, for example. I know this is not really an “amp” question, but I am sure that there are other music folk on here that aspire to follow in your footsteps a bit, like myself!
I have a very simple home studio setup but you don’t really need much more. I’ve recorded vocals, acoustic instruments and keyboards for all my albums with this setup. I’m using Apple’s Logic, with a bunch of 3rd party plugins, including Amplitube for guitar. Universal Audio interface, a couple of good mices but nothing overly expensive, a pair of monitor speakers and a decent headset.
I have to admit that I’m falling down the “which DAW is right for me” rabbit hole. I’m on PC, and I use a Scarlett 2i2 interface which comes with Ableton Lite and a 3 month trial of Pro Tools. I also have Magix Music Maker which I have used for recording in the past, and a trial to Acid Pro 11. I also have downloaded Cakewalk, and was actually impressed with how quickly I ended up sounding decent having not used their software since, oh… 1997.
I did OK recording with MMM in the past, but no one else is using it, and when I read anything about MMM (or Acid Pro, even), it sounds like maybe this DAW is written off as amateurish. It does seem geared to people that want to make “beats” and EDM, rather than actual musicians.
For plug ins, I have Amplitude 5 CS which is very limited, but the basics are there and the sound is great with the little bit of options included in the free package. What package of Amplitude do you have? I would like to tap into tones along the lines of yours.
MMM came with Vandal amp modeling, and those sounds seem to be pretty good, as well. But! No one else is using this, it seems.
I have a midi and plenty of guitars, including my black strat, and pedals/amps along the lines of your recommendations here. One thing I’m lacking: drums! I’d like to know of any recommendations you have for that.
I really haven’t experimented that much with DAWs. Been using Logic for probably 15 years now.
I use Amplitube 4, with a few additions from Custom Shop. It’s OK for demos and I do use some of the tracks for recording but 90% of my guitars are recorded in a studio, micing amps with pedals etc.
As for drums I’ve always used the drummer feature in Logic for demos.
I use a marshall studio vintage, it can definitely get close to gilmour, but can also get close to hendrix and page type tones. and honestly I think hiwatts sound a bit bland in comparison to a marshall plexi. marshall plexis have a bit of a clang when you turn the presence up. It can still do stuff a hiwatt can, but can also sound better than a hiwatt. also, much cheaper and easier to find than the hiwatt “little rig” which is probably the most similar. and the marshall uses el34 tubes rather than el84. I suggest as a great all round tube amp. I have an eq in the effects loop with all the eq and the volume down, then also have it at 5 watts. but at that stage it’s very manigable, and thats me using a 2×12 cab
I’d suggest the Marshall origin series as well. I really enjoy mine, and it’s fairly versatile and plenty of headroom and midrange. Can be had pretty cheap, too.
Hi Bjorn, :)
You know what would be really great? If you’d somehow find out which microphones David used on all of the albums he’s played on with PF, solo; etc. I’ve been trying to find out which mics he used on his cabs for Animals, The Wall; etc and can’t figure it out. Maybe you could? I think it’s important, because the microphones used on his cabinets are also a really important part of his sound, right?
Anyway, thanks for this glorious website!
Greetings, Wilmer
Absolutely. Mics and mic placements are crucial for the tones. I have listed some mics in the album guides but I’m sure it’s possible to do deeper research.
Great site! Really informative notwithstanding what type of music you are playing (or trying to play in my case). I am in the market for a new amp, and since I need to really be able to control volume, I have been intrigued with some of the recent developments in amps that use DSP to model just one specific vintage amp vs a modeling amp with multiple voices + effects. Have you had the opportunity to audition any of the Fender Tone Master series amps or Universal Audio’s 3 new guitar pedals?
No I haven’t really. The Deluxe Reverb Tonemaster is really good and worth checking out but again, I have very little experience with these.
I had a Deluxe Reverb Tone Master, and it was a good amp, but I felt overpriced for what is essentially a modeling amp that only models one amp.
Hello,
Fantastic site.
I do have BOSS KATANA ARTIST AMP.
No matter what wattage I chose when connect pedals specially Nano Big Muff it makes constant disturbing hum and noise .
Is it a right amp?
if yes, how can I use it in a right way.
I am an amateur guitar player.
How does the amp sound without any pedals? The Big Muff has A LOT of gain, so it is a noisy pedal by nature. What kind of pickups do you use? Where is your amp placed?
It sounds great.
I have Stratocaster American Ultra with noiseless pickups.
My amp is located in my small library
OK, so it sounds to me like you’re just experiencing the nature of the Big Muff. It is a very noisy pedal, with a lot of gain and low end, making it hiss and hum. Be careful with the amount of gain and try to turn away from the amp when the pedal is engaged.
Hey Bjorn,
Thanks for the site, great stuff. Hey you said above that if you got the Laney cub you would get the stack for more headroom. Does this mean that you feel that the combo does not have enough headroom for floyd stuff like diamond?
Thanks Bjorn,
The combo has less headroom and more of a boxy tone.
Hey Bjorn,
First off thanks for the site. Can’t tell you for us who love floyd how great what you do is. So I am looking for a bedroom tube amp for floyd, but I’m trying to find one with a headphone jack. Any ideas what that could be? Maybe a blackstar ht-1? Thanks for you’re thoughts.
Thanks for your kind words Todd! I’m a huge fan of the Laney Lionheart series. Great sounding tube amps and versatile pedal platforms. The Lionheart Studio has output for headphones as well.
Hello Bjorn love your work.
I have a fender twin, Hiwatt t20 and Marshall sv20. Want to run wet dry wet rig. Not sure which all to run dry the marshall or hiwatt. Your thoughts please. Also how can run the same volume (power) when splitting the wet cable to two amps. Thanks so much. “The jon show inc” on youtube.
from ny usa.
There’s really no definit answer to this. Depends on what tones you want and what sounds good to your ears. I would use the Hiwatt and Marshall but that’s my taste. I don’t have much experience with a dry/wet setup but the Hiwatt and Marshall have a fairly similar tone, at least when set clean, so the amos should be set up with the same volume. You can also experiment with attenuating one of the amps for a different sound.
Thanks so much for your input. I was thinking of the hiwatt and Marshall also but the fender twin has so much clean headroom for wet effects. I was also thinking the one that breaks up first get the dry signal.
Hi, im between buying a Fender Super Reverb or Twin Reverb, which one would you recommend for a Gilmour tone?
The Twin has more headroom and overall a more pristine clean tone. Great pedal platform but it lack some mid range so you might experience that Big Muffs and fuzz sound brighter than the typical Gilmour sounds. The 65 Super Reverb has a bit more mid range and more breakup. Perhaps better for blues and classic rock but also a great pedal platform.
hi bjorn,
is there big difference between the t20 head tube series and the t20 mkIII ?
because i cant find any original t20 head.
or do you have any other thoughts on low wattage hiwatt amps ?
geetings, Tim
Hi Bjorn, i am looking forward to buy a hiwatt t20 HD. But the only amp i can find is the t20 mkIII. It uses the same tubes, but has it the same sound ? I have read in the comment section that u did not play the mkiii. Maybe someone else has a good comparison on that vor you played it now ?!
I hope someone can give me a review on that.
Greetings, Tim :)
Tim, I haven’t played the MkIII but from what I can read it’s the same amp with minor updates. The T series are really great amps with the classic DR Hiwatt tone.
Thanks Bjorn luv your info.
Just purchased the Marshall sv20h with sv212 cab and a Tele.
Not gilmour amp but want to use for playing animals tones. Can you recommend a light od pedal that’ll compliment the Marshall amp. Such as for the dogs solo sounds. Was thinking the strymon riverside but don’t want too much dirt.
Your thoughts please.
Thanks.
Jon s.
I just recently bought the SV20 head myself. Awesome amp! The Riverside is very similar to a Tube Screamer, which is great as a boost but not as a stand alone overdrive on a clean(ish) amp. In my opinion at least. For the SV20 I’d look into a more transparent overdrive, like a Boss BD2 or a Tube Driver. The TDY from Past FX works really well with the SV20. It can also handle Big Muffs very well. The EHX Green Russian, which has a bit less gain, works really well but you need to set the amp as clean as you can get it otherwise it will be all over the place with a Muff.
Hello Bjorn, have you had any experience with a 5E3 tweed style amp? I just bought one, and while I know it’s likely not the ideal amp for trying to obtain Gilmour tones, I’m wondering about any opinions for pedal recommendations. I’m using it mostly at home, with an Eric Johnson Strat and a Fryette Power Station for attenuation.
I think it’s definitely good for Gilmour tones but you have to treat it for what it is. It’s not a Hiwatt. David has been using a wide range of different Fender amps in the studio since the early 70s and mostly different tweeds. These are known for having a slightly darker character, with more mid range and a nice breakup. Depends on what Gilmour tones you want but personally I think that these amps sound best with more vintage pedals, like a great sounding fuzz. It won’t sound as huge and smooth as David’s stadium tones but definitely classic and timeless. For more modern stuff, I’d look into pedals like a Rat, BD2, OCD, Klon, Crayon… pedals with a flat response or a bit of mids.
Hi Bjorn,
Thinking about getting a Classic 30, but just one question. How does a Big Muff sound on them? My guess is it would sound burst with the mids inside the amp, but I wanted your opinion. Thanks!
I’ve used the Classic 30 with Big Muffs many times and it sounds great. It always depends on the amp settings and what pickups you use but there should be no problem using a Muff with the 30. I would go for a milder sounding Muff though, like the Green Russian.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0MybCUawLc
these guys do a lot of Katana sound experiments
Hi Bjorn,
first of all thank you so much for this amazing website, it truly is a bible for any Gilmour fan and/ or guitar player inspired by the legend that Dave is.
I own a Boss Katana 100 Mk2 and was wondering if you have any tips for how to set up the clean channel eq (or the channel eq combined with the parametric eq from the software) to get a Gilmour-type clean sound that can be used as a basis for the fuzz tones (either with real pedals or with the built-in simulations).
Thanks!
Thanks for your kind words Ben! Settings depends on your guitar, pickups and what pedals you use but in general, and for a pedal platform, I would probably use the clean channel and go from there. To me that sounds like a Fender type, so it would be closer to how David would approach a studio setup, rather than live with his Hiwatts. Again, it depends on your overall gear but start with the EQ around noon and you probably want to increase the mids a bit and lower the treble. You usually want the gain slightly lower than the master but that depends on the voicing of the amp too. Thsi is a transistor amp, so you won’t get the natural tube saturation, with higher gain settings but the idea is to have a clean amp, but with a tiny amount of gain blended in. You can also experiment with the other channels and see how clean you can get them, with a hair of gain added.
Hi Bjorn,
thanks very much for your tips!
I play a Squier Strat with Seymour Duncan pickups in an HSS configuration and normally use the Katana on its own, without any pedals.
I will try to use your tips to get to a good sound, thank you for the tips and the very useful guides all over this site!
Hey, Bjorn. I’m probably the millionth person to ask about this, but have you tried the Ceriatone Hey What series? How close do they get to the actual Hiwatt’s tone? “Cause at $1200 US, that’s preeeeeeeetty tempting.
I’ve never tried the Hey What but several of their Marshall clones and they’re impressive. Well worth checking out.
Hi Bjorn. I currnently have a tone king imperial mkii, which has a two channels (lead, with more tweed like tones and a rhythm, based on a blackface tone). So as you said the blackface channel, probably would not take kindly to a fuzz pedals but would you say that if I used an eq pedal to boost the mids that it would help make the fuzz sound better? What about if I used a tubescreamer or another pedal that boosts my mids to get that sound? I dont know too much about how the lead channel is wired and set up so I’m not sure how it would take the fuzz on that one. Thank you.
It’s not that these early Fender amps, or amps that model these, don’t go well with fuzz. It just sounds different compared to a Hiwatt or Marshall with fuzz. Tons of players have recorded with Fender and fuzz but it doesn’t really sound like Gilmour’s tones. An EQ or mids boosted overdrive won’t make a Fender sound like a Hiwatt. There’s much more to it than that. Including the tubes and not least speakers. However, you can certainly compensate to some extent by boosting the mids and upper mids. There are also Big Muffs with built in mids boost. Good luck with your tones!
But what about the tone king imperial specifically. It also has a lead channel that is supposed to be modelled after a tweed circuit but many say it sounds somewhat like a marshall.
I don’t have much experience with the TOne Kings but Fender tweed era amps and early Marhsall have a lot in common.
Thanks Bjorn. Awesome site. Been coming here for years now.
I’ve got a 73 twin reverb. It’s still new to me and just trying to get used to it. I’ve read on here a few times you recommended
them for Gilmore type tones. The cleans are of course fantastic and the head room goes on forever, but it seems rather mid scooped to use with a muff or fuzz face. Any advice?
Ps: I came across a Canadian amp builder that does a hiwatt kit or built amp. It’s based on a the dr103 but redone to be 15 20 or 30 watts (I think the numbers are right). Haven’t tried it, but could be worth a look. Hiwatt tones at bedroom volume.
Trinity amps.
Twin Reverbs are as scooped as amps get. As you point out, the cleans are great and they do work with fuzz and Muffs but it will sound very different to a Hiwatt or Marshall with a Muff. See this feature for tips on choosing the right pedals for different types of amps.
Thanks for the response. Funny you say that. I just re-read that article last night after doing some searching. Read it a while back and forgot about it. Just picked up a used Rat today. No doubt that’ll work better. The muff and fuzz face will stay with my amps that are more mid types.
Thanks for all the work you do!
Thanks Bjorn, your website has benefited me a lot.
I have a question. The fender 65 deluxe reverb I am using does not work well with Bigmuff. I want to buy a clone of hiwatt. But I hesitated between Hiwatt (new), Hi-tone, and Reeves. Which one do you think is closer to 70’S hiwatt?
It’s pretty much those. There are a few more clones out the but I haven’t tried them. The Reeves and Hi-Tone in particular are based on the late 60s and early 70s specs and are considered to be superior to the current Hiwatt line up. If you want something slightly different and perhaps more versatile, then check out the Laney Lionheart. It’s a Vox AC30 meets Marshall JTM but really much more. Lots of headroom and very good with all kinds of pedals. I’ve been using use for years now and do most of the reviews with it.
Hi Bjorn, are you sure about Hiwatts current range? By all accounts I’ve heard that since they were bought out by new owners their quality has been back to gold standard (at least in the custom shop line). I feel like they make terrific amps now but the stigma of the previous owners is hanging around
Well, I said supperior to, and that may have been overstating it. Yes, Hiwatt has been through some bad years and but the current Custom range has been improved. I do think though, that some of the clones out there, and the Reeves and Hi-Tone in particular, sound better. It might be just taste but these amps seem to capture something that I don’t think the current Hiwatt do. More dynamic and responsive and the breakup is smoother. I’m not a technical expert so I can’t tell you how these amps are built and what parts are good and band. I just trust my ears and are very well aware of that sound is subjective. But of course, the current Hiwatt DR103 is a good amp that’s worth checking out.
Hi all,
I’m a bit confused here.
I’m looking for a good amp myself to get the Gilmour tones as close as possible. I posted previously a question on Hiwatt amps.
I’ve got the answer that even the T-serie was a good option.
So I contacted Hiwatt myself and there they gave me the advice to choose for a DR serie instead. If power was not where I was looking for, the Little Rig was the best option. (DR20/0.5) It has the same preamp section als de DR103. Only the power section is much reduced.
Now we are almost 3 months later and my amp is still in backorder. Should be delivered at the end of the month.
Nobody told me something about problems with Hiwatt or to choose for a Reeves or Hi-Tone. I hope this information is wrong, because otherwise this will be a expensive mistake for me!
Once received and tested I will be back with my honest opinion.
None of these amps are wrong. It just depends on what you’re looking for. I often recommend the T-sires as a lower price alternative to the Custom range. They have the tone of the Custom but the Custom are better built and are obvisouly closer to the original late 60s and early 70s models. Depends on your budget. The Little Rig was introduced as a David Gilmour signature amp, which it wasn’t. However, it is a smaller sized lower wattage version of the DR103. The Reeves, Hi-Tone and other clones offer their version of the original Hiwatt. So, all of these amps are great. It depends on your budget.
Hi Bjorn,
After six months of waiting, my DR20/0.5 finally arrived.
I’m playing now for almost 2 months on this amp, so I think this must be enough to give everyone my honest opinion. So here we go….
I bought this amp with a Hiwatt cab but swapped the speakers out for Weber FC12. These should be the best clones for Fane Crescendo speakers.
The sound of this amp is great. It is very close to what I was expecting, it takes pedals very well, but there is also a downside.
If you buy this amp really for bedroom level, then I think this is your best choice. The 0.5W gives you the possibility of having the true sound of the amp as it was playing at much higher power.
If you want to use this amp for a gig in a small to medium club, than this amp fails in comparison to other 20W amps. This amp is not giving the loudness of my other 20W amps and the power section is going to quick in breakup, which is a problem for David Gilmour solo’s. If I Put my Gibson with P90’s directly into the amp with full volume on the guitar, you get already breakup with the poweramp setting a 9 ‘o clock. A Hiwatt should have a lot of headroom and this is not the case for this amp.
This is a expensive amp and is close in price with the DR504. I personally think it’s a better choice to buy a DR504 and use a attenuator.
Hello,
I’m sorry in advance cause I’m gonna ask the same question that a lot of us asked here.
I’m looking for Comfortably Numb 2nd solo sound.
I have :
Amp :
– VOX Valvetronix AD120VT
– VOX Little Night Train
– BLACKSTAR JJN 20
– Marshall DFX30.
Guitars :
– FENDER Strat Mexico
– GIBSON Les Paul Traditional (unchambered)
Gears :
– BOSS CS-2 Compressor Sustain
– BOSS Blues Driver BD-2
– BOSS DD-3 Japan Delay
– Mig Muff Ram’s head
– EHX Neo Mistress flanger
– EHX Small Clone chorus
I can’t manage to gt the sound…
If any of you or Bjorn has an idea for a setting ? I’d be forever thankful.
Thanks a lot,
Thomas
Hi Thomas, as you know, Dvaid used a Hiwatt and a rams’s head Big Muff on that track. There was also a Yamaha RA200 rotating speaker cabinet mixed in with the Hiwatt. For both solos, he used his Black Strat, which at the time featured a DiMarzio FS1 bridge pickup for higher output. David usually plays loud, which adds to the mid ranhe and compression of the tone. The last solo is also mixed, with additional compression and EQ, as well as a wide reverb, creating the impression of two guitars or a big stereo spread. Although not identical, this setup, featuring a Hiwatt, Strat and Muff is the basis for all live versions of the song.
I’m not that familiar with your amps, but I would imagine that the Blackstar would be the best choice. Set it up for a nice clean tone and I’d use your Strat and the Ram’s Head Big Muff. You might also want to add a bit of delay. The actual settings depends on your amp and how loud you can play. At home I would be careful with the treble and increase the mid range on the amp and maybe the gain on the Big Muff. This should be a start.
Thanks so much for your answer Björn ! :)
I’m going to buy a Hiwatt. I read the T20 Head was really better than the combo (effect loop is not available on the combo) and I now have one more question : which cab would suit it ? Is any Celestion good enough ? Would it be a good idea to use my Vox VT as a cab ? Or is there a specific speaker needed to get closer to the specific sound ?
Is the T10 good too ?
Thanks for your advice.
Thomas
To get the most out of your Hiwatt you really should consider Fane speakers. Hiwatt are offering different cabs and there are several others that make clones, like Weber, Hi-Tone, Reeves etc. Fanes are fairly dark, with a high end roll off and a slight boost in the upper mids, which compliments the Hiwatt amp very well. I’m using Celestion V30, which are considerably brighter but I’m more into Marshall tones, so my Reeves Hiwatt clone is set up differently as to how you’d set a Hiwatt.
Hi Bjorn – thoughts on a Vox AC30 or AC30 S1 for David’s tones? With the fixed midrange is it harder to dial these in to get his sound? Thanks!!
I’m not a huge AC fan but the amps are definitely capable of producing a good platform for your Gilmour tones. As an alternative, check out the Laney Lionheart. The clean channel is very much a AC, but you got a lot more options tonewise.
Hi again Bjorn,
I’m planning to buy a Hiwatt T40/20 head with a HG112 cab to get close to the Gilmour sound.
The cab has a Fane Octapulse speaker on board, but this speaker is for me unknown.
I know that David used Crescendo speakers, but these are a long time out of production.
The only speaker that I can find is a Ascension. They exist in ceramic and alnico version.
Do you know how these speakers (octapulse and different Ascension) sound in comparison with the Crescendo?
What would you prefer?
Thx !
I’m not familiar with the Octapulse but there are several good alternatives to the Crescendos out there, like the Reeves Vintage Purple and the Weber Thames. Both very close to the original fanes.
hi bjorn.do you believe that fender hot rod deluxe iv is a good platform for pink floyd tones? with od pedals like boss bd2.boss sd1.ehx rams head big muff reissue.thank you!!
Absolutely. It’s a fairly bright sounding amp but it has more mids compared to most Fenders, which goes well with your Gilmour tones. You might find that Big Muffs sound a bot too bright with it though. I’d consider the Green Russian reissue for a warmer tone.
Will a Marshall DSL20HR be any good at mimicking David’s guitar tones?
Depends on what pedals you use with it but it’s a good platform for most type of tones.
would you mind sharing how you typically set a peavey classic 30?
Many thanks
That depends on your pickups and pedals. I’d start with the EQs around noon and make the needed adjustments. Set the pre amp to clean but you want a tiny bit of bite and the master depending on loud you want the amp.
Hey, there Bjorn. First I wanted to say how insightful and helpful this site has been! I have a question regarding the Blues Junior as I just bought one. The model I have seems to be an earlier one although I’m not sure how early. Does that change some things? I bought it because I read on here that it has more mid range than most Fender amps, but does it being an older model change that?
The Blues Jr is losely based on the old tweed era Fender amps, which has a hint more mids and compression compared to the later Fender models. The Blues Jr has always been available with different types of speakers, which plays a huge role in the tone. Check out a tone diagram for that specific speaker and you can always replace the speaker later on.
Hey Bjorn,
When I’m looking at your recommendations on amps, I see that a lot of amps aren’t available anymore.
For the moment I’m playing on a Vox AC15, but this amp seems not to be happy with some pedals. Even on the normal channel this amp is breaking up to quick.
I was asking myself if the Hiwatt T40/20 would be a good option? Is there a lot of difference between the Hiwatt Custom amps like the DR103 and the T40/20?
I hope you can give me some advice. THX
Yes, I’m currently updating all of the buyer’s guides. The Hiwatt Tube series are very good. You get the classic Hiwatt tones for a reasonable price. Well worth checking out. If you’re looking for that Vox tone, then I warmly recommend the Laney Lionheart amps. They’re based on the AC amps but IMO are much more versatile and great pedal platforms.
Hi Bjorn. I just purchased the Laney Lion Heart L5-studio. I am blown away with the build and look. Do you have any suggested settings. I play from rock to prof metal (Nightwish, Karnivool, RA) Thx
I use the amp for all kinds of tones, with different settings. Extremely versatile. As a pedal platform, I often use the dirt channel, with the bright on, bass and mids around 3:00, treble around 9:00 and the tone around noone. Gain is set at 8 or 9:00 depending on how hot my pickups are. These settings works very well on the clean channel too although the dirt channel has a bit more mids.
Hey Bjorn! Do most EL34 and EL84 amps that give a clean tone put you in Gilmour land? Is it the tubes that create the mid-hump or mid-scooped sound? Also, have you tried any Mesa/Boogie clean amps for Gilmourish tones?
Tubes are just a small part of the amp’s tone so you can’t look at that alone. You can make any amp fit a Gilmour setup if you know how to set it up and what pedals and pickups that goes with it. Still, a modern Marshall EL34 is very different from a Hiwatt.
Bjorn, I’d like to thank you for this resource you’ve set up. I started playing guitar at age 11 which was around 2007 (I’m 24 now) and have been lurking around here for reviews and tone guides since 2009. Anyways, I have some advice for anyone using muffs and fuzz with scooped amps or at very low volumes. I’ve been messing around with my amps send/return and found that by putting an ehx soul food in the loop with the volume a hair above unity and the drive about edge of breakup, you can get a nice and fat clean tone that makes a better platform for pedals at late night practice volumes. YMMV, but it’s a neat trick I accidentally stumbled upon.
Thanks for the kind words! Great tip! I mentioned that it this bedroom tone tips feature as well.
Hey Bjorn,
what do you think about the Fender Hot Rod Deville 212 IV in comparison to the Fender Hot Rod Deluxe?
Thank you for your answer.
Best regards
Werner
They’re actually quite similar sounding but the Deville got more of that tweed flavour, with a more noticeable mid range and perhaps an overall warmer and more vintage sounding character. Great amps but I think you get more value for the buck with the DeVille.
Hi Bjorn. Great site. I have an odd question. DG has been a huge influence and Pink Floyd my all time fav band. I am looking for an amp that does everything in the the range of blues to modern metal. Maybe asking too much? Not really looking to buy multiple amps and know I will likely sacrifice tone and character for certain genres. I play mostly modern metal and 70s prog rock these days. The one amp that seems to fit the bill in terms of price, wattage, size, options and range/versatility is the Peavey 6505 minihead. I know what type of amp this is and am very aware, this wouldn’t be in any top 10 lists (being generous) for Gilmourish tones. Even mentioning 6505 mh and DG in the same sentence is odd. For me versatility is my # 1 priority to do classic rock to modern metal, but it is still important to be able to achieve a good DG tone. Do you have any experience with trying to dial in a Gilmourish tone with the 6505 mh amp and can it be done? I have a simple pedal board (EHX Green Russian reissue, Boss SD-1, MXR Micro Flanger and Boss DD-3). Many Thanks and keep up the great work.
As you point out, the Peavey 6505 is not your typical Gilmour amp and it’s certainly on the heavier side of gain amps, but the clean channel has that Fender chime, which should allow you to dial in a nice platform for pedals. Seems to be more versatile than the many metal videos out there cover.
Hey Bjorn! I have been using my Peavey classic 20 head for home use but I’ve been finding it’s leaving me unsatisfied with my Gilmour rig (squier strat with emg dg20, cs-3, russian reissue muff, elec lady, flashback? If I were to increase my amp budget and could consider other amps, what would you suggest? I’m not thinking hiwatt price range but maybe a twin reverb reissue or a 59 bassman reissue? Would love to hear suggestions.
Depends on what tones you’re looking for. I think the Peavey Classic amps has a lot of potential but they’re not Hiwatts.
I’m looking for something more versatile. The Peavey classic honestly seems too gainy. Once I turn on a big muff or a blues driver it almost chugs and could be a metal sound. It doesn’t sound bad necessarily but it also isn’t quite Gilmour.
That’s not my experience at all. I think the Classic amps handle pedals and Muffs very well but again, there’s lots more to a tone than just the amp. I’m a big fan of the Laney Lionhearts. Great British style amps, with a nice vintage tone and they can handle pedals very well. Great sounding amps and very versatile.
interesting
I have a peavey classic 30. clean channel stays clean-ish up to 5-6 on the dial,
a drive pedal alone does not make that channel gainy on my amp, only a slight crunch. I use either the Duelist or Spark Booster these days depending on the guitar and what I feel like playing.
A muff, of course, will add gain,
Hello Bjorn, do you know of David ever used a Marshall plexi head?
Pretty sure he used a jtm45 but I’m interested in purchasing the Marshall sv20h plexi.
There was what appears to be an early 70s Super Lead head in his Animals stage rig. I don’t have any information on how it was used.
I am able to purchase any of these amps. I am really liking the Laney LF-Studio or a VOX AC15. They are both about the same price range. Not necessarily looking for the Gilmour sound. Just want a good all around amp for the house. thx.
Both amps will provide great tones. No doubt. Personally I’d go for the Laney. I’ve been using a L20 for years and couldn’t really be happier. The clean channel is based on the Vox AC range, although not quite identical. The dirt channel is close to early Marshall JTMs. The AC15 is classic Vox but my issue with these is that they tend to sound thin and bright on low volume.
Howdy Bjorn!
My Laney Cub died the final death and I’m wanting to find a HiWatt-ish head for both home and small theater sized gigs. Wanting to step it up a little with something I can count on in and outdoors.
I’m using both a 69/69/SSL5 strat and a DG20 strat.
Chain: Guitar>SunFace BC108>Crybaby>Vick 73 Rams Head>Vick Audio Overdriver>MXR Script Phase 90>Mooer ElecLady>Catlinbread Echorec>(amp)>1×12 cab w/Eminence Tonker.
Any specific recommendations?
Thank you!
Spence
There aren’t really that many Hiwatt-ish amps out there. There are lots of clones, like Reeves, Ceriatone and Hi-Tone, but these are quite expensive so it depends on your budget. Personally I can’t really praise the Laney Lionheart enough. Not quite a Hiwatt but a great pedal platform. Clean channel is close to an AC30, while the dirt channel is very much a JTM style Marshall. Very versatile.
Hello Bjorn, thanks for the valuable information. Which pedals of muffs and overdrives wold you use for Boss katana and fender player guitar, all sounds?
The Katana is able to handle pretty much anything. Read through this feature for some tips on what pedals to chose for different types of amps.
Hi Bjorn,
Do you have any experience with the Blackstar HT series? (Specifically the HT20 Mkii) Do you have any options?
It seems like a good competitor for the Laney Cub20. It has power attenuation for bedroom level sound and a range of channel/EQ options for emulating that British sound. It also has a headphone out for when you don’t want to make any noise at all and a USD out for recording to PC.
It takes effects pedals really well from what I can tell. My signal chain is as follows: American Fender Pro ii Strat -> Cry Baby Wah -> Kealey Comp 4 -> Swollen Pickle -> Vick Overdriver -> Dawner Prince Boonar -> MXR Analog Chorus -> Blackstar HT20mkii. (Can’t wait for my Fuzz Face to arrive in the mail!!!)
I was trying to find a Laney Cub20 in my area based on your review but when I played the HT-20mkii I was blown away. I’ve only had it for a few days, but I am really happy with it so far and I thought I’d share with everyone here. I haven’t been able to try it out at higher volumes but it is great if you live in a studio apartment like me and don’t want to upset the neighbors.
-Mark
You seem to have answered your own question :) Yes the HT series are great. Especially for a bedroom setup.
Haha, I suppose I did! Im glad to hear that you have a good opinion on the HTs.
I am mostly a bedroom guitarist and I’ve only owned and played the same two tube amps for 15 years with very few effects pedals until recently. My old amps (Epiphone Valve Jr and Music Man 115 Sixty Five) were both way too loud for my apartment and neither were very good for getting British sounds. I was not sure if the HT20mkII would be a good platform for getting good Gilmourish tones but it is way better than what I was using before.
This article was perfect for helping me find an amp that works for me, thank you so much!
Greetings, so I have a Princeton Reverb 65 RI w/ a Celestion Greenback 10″ speaker in it and wonder what OD or distortion pedal you think works best at lower amp volumes. I am looking for Jimmy Page, to Jeff Beck like tones. Any suggestions? Cheers.
See this feature for some tips on choosing the right pedals for different types of amps.
Thanks. So the OCD would be a good option for a PRRI at lower amp volumes?
Depends on how picky you are but the OCD is a very versatile pedal that will provide great tones on almost any amp and volume.
Greetings from sunny south Florida, Bjorn! What’s your take on the reeves custom 12 for an at home rig? Looking at the 18 watt hi tone as well as I like supporting our US companies here. Not sure if it’s worth the extra 1k, though. Would be great to hear your thoughts.
The Custom 12 is more of a AC30 I think but I might be wrong. I’ve been using a Custom 50 for years now and couldn’t be happier.
Well, I ran into some car troubles so I might try to save myself some cash and get something a bit cheaper. How do you think an older peavey classic 20 combo would take my muffs and sunface?
The Peavey Classic range is great. One of my favourite smaller amps. It can handle pretty much any pedal.
I thought I’d follow up on this.. I ended getting a good deal on a Marshall origin 20 combo. It’s definitely loosely based on the 60s early Marshalls, hence the name. Plenty of headroom, nice midrange. Green Russian, rams head and germanium sunface all sound fantastic. Would definitely recommend it. I imagine it stacks up well against the laney cub series.
Hey Bjorn!
If you had to choose between a Reeves 12 watt ot a HiWatt t20/10, which would you choose.
Although fully capable of providing great Gilmour tones, if that’s what you’re looking for, the Custom 12 is closer to a AC30 than a Hiwatt.
I don`t have mono price. I have Katana 100 and Laney Lionheart 20 Head
Katana ia good amp. It is a really good acoustic amp, and good electric amp. you can find videos online people doing Gilmour tones with Katana. They usually involve using the software and changing EQ and online effect settings which I have not done and have no desire to do.
As good as Katana is out of the box, to me, it is on the bright side of the EQ. I also think that it lacks the touch sensitivity of my Laney Lionheart. It also does not give me the super rich compression that I get when I drive hard the power section of my Lionheart, or even the power section of my Peavey Classic 30 for that matter
Katana takes pedals reasonably well, especially darker sounding pedals. Its onboard effects are good.
it is a good amp and I recommend it as second amp, a beginning amp, or even a jamming amp, but, to me, it is not a replacement for either of my tube amps.
This is just my opinion based on my experience.There are many videos online that may beg to differ.
Hi bjorn, have you heard about the new budget tube amp called Monoprice Stageright 15w tube amp, if so, What do you think? How is it compared with the Boss Katana? How is it compared with the fender Blues Junior? Please answer those 3 questions, thanks.
No I haven’t sorry. Both the Katana and Blues Junior are great sounding amps. I also recommend checking out the Laney Cub series.
I have the Monoprice and use it as a practice amp. It’s decent, particularly for the price considering it’s all tube and has a Celestion speaker. The power scaling feature is also a huge plus I think.
From what I understand the amp is a clone of the Laney Cub 15. Some have said it’s a Blues Jr clone. Either way it’s a good low-budget choice. I’ve never used a Katana so I can’t compare it, but I also have a Blues Jr and while I like the Blues Jr a little more, it was also more than twice the cost of the Monoprice and for the price difference the Monoprice is a really good value. Best of luck with your choice!
Thank you, your comment was really helpful
Bjorn,
I know you personally choose a Reeves. Why not a new Hiwatt? It appears that they went back to making them like they used to in the ’70’s. What was the deciding factor for you?
I’ve had the Reeves for about 10 years now and at the time I bought it, Hiwatt did not make amps like they used to and I think Reeves was the only “clone” out there. It’s just a really well built and great sounding amp. Very happy with it.
Hey Bjorn, a following up on this question from above…..Reeves is making a Custom 50 with PS now. How do you feel about that? If you could buy it again would you get the one with the PS or without? I’m always suspicious of “gimmicky” things and I just wonder if these amp companies with their “power knobs” (I know milkman is doing it now) are just the new “flavor of the month.”
Thoughts?
Depends on how you’ll be using the amp. PS is great if you rely on the amp for overdrive or distortion. However, if yoy’re like me, using pedals for that, then you should be able to dial in a good platform and clean tone, without a PS. I wouldn’t have changed mine if I had the chance.
Hello Bjorn,
I landed on your site by accident, I wanted to know more about the Laney Lionheart L5 studio Head and the Lionheart L20T-212 Combo that I bought in 2019 but never used them.
I was thinking of selling them but after reading many posts and your comments on this website, I have decided to keep them.
It seems that Laney is underrated or a niche brand…I don’t know. Nicely built and dead quiet.
Today I got the chance to try them and I couldn’t believe my ears. I play jazz and fusion stuffs.
The L5 studio is now in the front room. Any suggestions for a 2×10 cab?
Thank you.
Flo Casey
Thanks for visiting my site! I’ve used the L20 head for some years now and it’s definitely one of my favourite amps. Very versatile and great for both pedals and studio use. Laney dates back to the late 60s and although not up there with Marshall and Vox they’re certainly got a lot of heritage. I think the Celestion G12H 75 Anniversary speakers go very well with the amp. They’re bright but compliments the amp very well.
Hey there, have you tried out a Marshall JCM2000 DSL50/100? Would it work for Gilmour? How would you set it up? Cheers.
They’re very versatile amps, with a nice clean channel for your pedals. Hard to suggest any settings – depends on your guitars, pedals and how you’ll be using the amp.
Hello Bjørn. Thanks again for all the good reviews, and info You share.
I’m looking for speaker recommendations for home/ studio use to complete the Gilmour tones.
– Cheers –
Hei Håkon, regner med du er norsk? Tenker du studio monitorer? Hva slags gitar oppsett tenker du å bruke med disse? Lydkort, plugins osv.
Hei, Bjørn, ja det stemmer bra : ) Oppsettet mitt er tradisjonelt med pedalbrett og rørforsterker, lurer på om der er noen høyttaler elementer som utmerker seg til PF sounden. (Fane Crescendo- frekvensgang men til hjemmebruk) Mvh Haakon.
På lavt volum hjemme spiller det nesten liten rolle hva slags elementer du bruker. Jeg har selv brukt Fanes i mange år med ulike rørforsterkere hjemme. De funker greit, men for clean lyder spesielt. Ønsker du mer vreng fra ampen eller bruker attenuators for å få vreng uten volum, bør du velge elementer med mindre watt, f.eks. Celestion 25 eller 30w. Jeg er veldig glad i V30, men disse har en litt speiell nasal overtone som kanskje ikke passer alle. G12H har masse bunn og topp og funker veldig fint på lavt volum. G12M har mye output, men en varm og klassisk tone ikke helt forskjellig fra Fanes. Jeg ville kanskje valgt noe som var litt nøytralt og heller bygget lyden med pedaler. Funker ofte best på lavt volum.
Takk for tilbakemeldingen. : ) Kanskje jeg tester ut en g12m heritage greenback, den har kanskje ikke så «spiky» øvre mellomtone som g12h 70th anniv. elementet jeg har nå.
Hvilke fane høyttaler har du brukt?
Ja, det kan være et godt valg. Jeg har tidligere hatt et Sound City 4×12″ cabinett med originale 1973 Fane Crescendo metal cap elementer. De ble tørre og slitne, så jeg byttet de ut med Weber Thames, som låt nærmest identisk. Nå bruker jeg for det meste lav watt Celestion… litt ulike.
Greetings again Bjorn. I’ve done a bit more research on the Fender Mustang GT amp, and I have to say, I think whoever designed this thing definitely had David Gilmour in mind. There are so many settings and effects that cater to guitarists who are chasing that Gilmour tone. There’s the Hiwatt DR103 amp mod, but that’s just the beginning. There’s also built in clones of the EHX Big Muff, Ram’s Head Big Muff, and Green Russian Big Muff, along with Fuzz Face, Pro Co Rat, Boss DS-1, and Tube Driver. Other effects include flange and chorus, rotary speaker, MXR Phase 90, Uni Vibe, tape delay, digital delay, ping pong delay, multi time delay, MXR Dyna Comp, MXR M-163 Sustain, Cry Baby Wah, and even DigiTech Whammy. That’s whole lot of Gilmour effects, all in one stop. Perfect for people who don’t want to buy a lot of different pedals. The 40 Watt version of the amp is less than $300 ($269 on Amazon) in the US, so I think It’d be perfect for your “Gilmour On A Budget” series, if you ever get a chance to check it out. Anyway, thanks for reading and replying. Have a great day and keep up the amazing work!
This ended my amp hunt, going for the gtx. Thank u.
Hi Bjorn,
will you share your thoughts about Fender Blues Deluxe vs Fender Hot Rod Deluxe?
Both have that classic Fender clean tone and a vintage sounding drive channel. Great pedal platforms too. Not a huge difference between the two. The Blues Deluxe is perhaps a tad darker and fatter sounding.
Hi Bjorn,
I have a question: what would you recommend to get as sort of a “Hiwatt-style” preamp with the same sparkling clean sounds (rack or pedal) to send to the power amp of my Mesa Boogie head? The Boogie cleans are great and serves me fine as a ‘pedal platform’ to run a Big Muff; etc through, but the Boogie clean is more Fender-like and just can’t reproduce the sparkling cleans of a Hiwatt. What would you suggest I get? Preferably a rack preamp or pedal with tubes in which I can stick some pedals in front of and from that “Hiwatt-like” preamp/pedal to my Mesa power amp, bypassing the Mesa preamp?
Thanks so much for this lovely site and all the effort you put into it.
I haven’t explored preamps and rack units enough to really comment on that but I often use rented Mesa amps while touring. You can easily set them up for a nice clean tone with enough mids and an EQ, set to boost the 400-800 range will add presence. I often use pedals with a bit more mids as well, compared to how I would approach a Hiwatt. Not over the top but switch the Tube Driver for an OCD or BD2 etc.
Hey Bjorn, First of all, your a legend for creating this resource, I love it and love your work. I am about to buy a Laney L20 2×12 combo because of the tones you can get with it. I have a question about your pedals and where they go. You mention that you use the amp right on breakup so I am assuming you use delay and such pedals in the effects loop, I have read that this amps has a parallel effects loop so any effects through it have a slight delay when combining back with the dry signal, most have recommended modding the amp to remove this. Is this a problem for you ? do you use the loop anyway ? thanks :)
Thanks for the kind words Matthew! I have all my pedals into the front end of the amp. By slight breakup I mean that I use the drive channel, which is set as clean as I can get it but with enough gain to allow for a bit of hair when you dig into the strings. It’s more of a feel and it depends on how hot the pickups are. I haven’t explored the send/return that much as I’ve always used my amps as a platform for pedals.
HI Bjorn, greetings!
What do you think about the Marshall JCM 2000 DSL 401 Combo? Are you tested it?
Thank you for your attention!
I haven’t tried it. Gave it a quick look at it seems to be a versatile amp although I would assume it’s fairly modern sounding. Depends on what you’re looking for I guess :)
Hi Bjorn!
I’ve been constantly researching the Gilmour tones and was recommended this page From Reddit! Love the info here. I’ve been looking into the Marshall SV20H. Do you (or anyone else here) have experience with this amp? From the demos ive heard and research it seems to be a marshall plexi style amp. I’d love to hear anyones thoughts if this would be a good amp for getting gilmour tones with some tweaking? Thanks!
Apologies for the late reply. Welcome to the site! The SV20H is indeed a Plexi, which isn’t that far off a Hiwatt. More mids and perhaps a brighter tone but definitely a great pedal platform.
Thank you much! One more quick question for you, I think I will be buying either the peavey classic 20 head or the Laney L5, but i have also been seeing youtube videos on the SOVTEK/ehx mig-50 and i think they sound killer! Obviously 50 W is a big loud for my flat, so i wanted your take on attenuators and if it would be worth it to get a power soak for those higher wattage amps at home use volume? thanks!
An attenuator is usually used when you want to use the amp for gain. Obviously a master control on the amp will do much of the same but not quite so an attenuator will allow you to drive the tubes and get the fat tones you want on lower volume. Attenuators are not that effective for clean tones so perhaps a bit redundant, although you probably want to drive the tubes a bit for cleans as well.
I had a chance of getting a used Laney Cub 12r Combo at what I though was steal price and I took it.
I thought of sharing my few days of experience with it.
– hands down plug & play Jazz, Blues, Classic Rock.
– very light compared to other 12″ combo amps I have handled.
– reminds me somewhat of Blues Junior bur without as much much background hiss and buzz noise as blues junior, and with an effects loop that Blues Junior shamefully lacks.
– not a lot of headroom on the pre-amp gain, gets seriusly thick ansd saturated after the 3/4 on the dial.
– less headroom than Blues Junior
– more head room on the power amp, stays fairly clean to 7/8 on the dial
– HH speakers sound on the dark side of good to my ears – I like them
– Could not heavy distortion pedals work with it as the amp’s limited headroom gets eaten up quickly, but low, medium drives and clean boosts work very well
– I tried my Fender Engager boost pedal in the amp’s loop and it helped increase the volume into power amp without having to saturate the preamp — I like what it did for my cleanish sounds
– I can’t imagine this amp being used for hard rock or metal, I think it does not have the headroom for that, but I may be wrong
– I tried my DOD Caracosa fuzz, and had no problem dialing some really nice fuzz sounds. I am still working on how get a muff pedal work on this amp.
– Bjorn’s settings form the head version of the amp were very useful https://www.gilmourish.com/?p=3601
– how does it compare to Laney Lionheart 20? There is no comparison, IMO, Lionheart 20 is beast of sonic versatility. Cub is a cute sweet baby with limited but very sweet sounds. Linonheart has the sounds of the cub, and much more. Yet, for just plug and play, practice, doing some blues or bluesy jazz or bluesy rock, for the price I paid, it’s just unbeatable
Thanks for all the info and hard work you put into the site, Bjorn. I have a question regarding the Fender Mustang GT amp, which is a 100w solid state. I have a 40w Fender Mustang II, which is great, but I’ve been looking to upgrade. The whole Mustang series is built on precise sounding amp modeling. The GT is the new and improved version of my Mustang II. It has a lot of the same amp models built in such as a 57 Deluxe, 59 Bassman, 67 Twin Reverb, etc. What caught my eye on the new GT is that it has a new setting called British Watt, which is their clone of a Hiwatt DR103. Obviously, being a solid state amp and not a tube amp, it won’t sound exactly the same. Have you heard of this British Watt by Fender? If you have, how does it measure up to a real Hiwatt? It’s only around 5 or 600 dollars here in the US, so if it’s a pretty decent clone, it is definitely worth the money for those on a budget. Thanks Bjorn!
Hi Jon, apologies for my late reply. I haven’t tried that amp but the Mustang amps very really good. As for solid states I also recommend the Boss Katana series. As for any modeling, be it amps, pedals or digital, they will never manage to capture the real sound of a real model obviously but you can get close or at least get some of the flavour of those originals. A Fender Twin and Hiwatt isn’t that far apart really. Both of them has a lot of headroom and a fairly bright character althought the Hiwatt has more mid range.
Hi Bjorn,
does Laney Cub need biasing after tube change?
thanks
No.
Hi.I love this website, it has been very helpful to me in creating my tones and sound. I want to thank you. I the person that emailed you that I know the person purchased Davids red strat. I hope all is well. I am presently in a Floyd band and am looking for a good amp. I was thinking about the Hiwatt 50 but I saw an entry on your website saying you would not own a new Hiwatt amp( I would love to know why). Also, I do not want an older period amp, I would like a new one. So I started looking at the Reeves amps. I am really leaning towards the custom 50 as you stated that is very close sounding to Davids Hiwatts. Then I saw the Reeves Space Cowboy. From what I heard, it is pretty close sounding to the custom 50. It has the boost pedal and reverb. I do not know what to do. I am unable to test each out. Can you tell me if you think that the Space Cowboy will be close to the Custom 50 or should I just stick with the custom( I kinda like the reverb option but would give that up for a more authentic sound). I will be, at times, using Davids red strat with the amp. Also, I will be using large pedal board with it. Cornish SS3, Cronish P2, vibe machine, Free the Tone Flight time, Boss CE2(Early One), Origin Effects Cali 76, MXR Phase II(script), Ventilator Two, and E Lady, Also have an Early Civil War Muff, but am currently using the P2 instead. I really appreciate the help. . Thanks again and stay well.
Hi, thanks for your very kind words! Glad you enjoy the site. Sorry for my late reply.
I haven’t tried the Space Cowboy so I can’t really tell. It seems to be a somewhat stripped down version of the Custom 50, with only one channel. It might sound darker than the Custom as you don’t have the option of linking and dialing in the bright channel? I don’t know.
I don’t have any issues with new Hiwatts but I think there are better clones out there, like Reeves and Hi-Tone, that are closer to the original early 70s Hiwatts.
Hi Bjorn
Thank you for the incredible help with you web site. If you have one ultimate choice.
Fender Hot Rod Deluxe
Laney Lion Heart
Laney Cub 12
Thank You
Depends on how you’ll be using the amp but since you ask me… The Hot Rod is probably the easiest to set up and most versatile. The Lionheart is IMO hands down the best sounding.
thank you that is exactly the answer I was hoping for. What can you tell me about the special edition of the fender hot rod with a creamback speaker
I haven’t tried that so I can’t tell but I would imagine that it’s a bit darker sounding, which I think compliments the amp.
Hi Bjorn ! I hope you are fine ! Do you think we can find a little Marshall Amp souding good for gilmour tones ? I want to play in my bedroom at low volume :-)
For sure! It’s been a while since I checked out Marshall’s current line but for David’s tones I’d go with something vintage sounding, like a Plexi or the Silver Jubilee combo, which has a power scaling. All of these has a clean tone similar to a Hiwatt and handle pedals very well. The more modern models like the DLS are brighter and perhaps not as fitting for these tones. I also recommend checking out the Laney Lionheart amps. Very versatile AC30 meets Plexi style amps and great pedal platforms.
Hi Bjorn, i am looking for some tips on setting up a Laney cub 12r combo. Using your clean amp setting in tone guides my lunar fuzz sounds fantastic but my P19 and muffs and clones seem a little wooley. Would you suggest using transparent boosts like a BD2 or Soul Food rather than Tube Driver types. And should i run amp with a little break up rather than totally clean. This is at bedroom level with JJ tubes. Great site mate and i am sure the answer is here but i think i am confusing myself now. CHEERS
Hi Paul, the P19 is a bit dark as it’s intended to be the combo of a Muff and boost. You could try to raise the tone on the P19 or add a booster behind it, with unity level, little gain and higher tone pushing the top end a bit. An EQ will also do. I usually prefer a hair of gain from the amp. Not full breakup but that sweetspot between clean and a bit of crunch from the tubes.
Hello Bjorn!
Love the website it’s been my go to website for anything gear for almost ten years.
Got question to ask. I am right now in search for an amp and I was wandering if you have any experience or any opinion for the Laney Cub Supertop.
I see that you recommend the older version but what about the new?
Obviously I have a huge love for everything Pink Floyd/Gilmour and also play in an Alternative/Indie band
What I am searching for is an amp both suitable for home recording but also playing live (we usually play at audiences from 150 to 300 people at clubs)
Also any other recommendation at this price tag will be more than appreciated
Apologies for the late reply. Thanks for your kind words! The Supercubs are very similar to the older models. A few enhancements but mainly estethics. It’s a great pedal platform and studio amp and you can gig with it, although bigger venues might require something louder.
No problem. I ended up buying the Fender Bassbreaker 18/30 Combo. There was a huge discount here in Greece so I got it. A bit loud for home use but love it so far. Very good with pedals as well!! Thanks!!
Hi Bjorn,
Would like to say big big thanks to all that you do, you are truly an inspiration to me, and kind of effort you put in is really amazing.
As i am also big DG fan i need to ask you about big help regarding amp purchase. What would be the right choice do decide between Fender Bassman 59′ reissue with 4×10 Alnico blue (this one is from 1991 ), Hiwatt Custom 50 SA112 with Fane speaker few years old ( and there’s also one SA112 from 1981 with Celestion G12-100 ) or Laney L20T 212. I would really appreciate your help on this subject because i would like to pick best solution of the tree.
Thanks alot and staj safe,
Br,
Simone
Hi Simone, apologies for the late reply. Thanks for your kind words! As you know, David has used both the Bassman and SA212 extensively throughout his carreer so both will apply. Personally, I prefer the SA212. The Laney is a different type of amp. More like a cross between a AC30 and Plexi but definitely a good Gilmour amp and a favourite of mine.
Good day to you bjorn from florida usa anti dictator donald. love your work and your advice very much appreciated.
My question for you is I currently have a Fender Twin Reverb amp at half power run into a celestion v30 12-speaker I also have a high watt T20 amp head I want to run in Stereo or a wet dry rig with both amps. I’m not sure which cabinet to purchase for the hiwatt T20 amp head either the Hi-Tone Eclipse 112 which is very bright or the Marshall 212 cabinet which is darker, which would match my celestion V 30 speaker on the Twin Reverb amp as well.
I don’t want the brightness of the hiwatt into the eclipse cabinet overpowering the Twin Reverb celestion V 30 dark speaker but I prefer the eclipse over the Marshall cabinet what’s your thoughts on that please?
Thank you bjorn.
Rob h
Tough question. The Hiwatt and Fane style speakers is a very good match but it is, as you point out, bright and it can be a challenge on some pedals and even to record. Since you already have a Celestion in your second cab I think I’d go with an equally darker cab for the Hiwatt as well. I’ve been using both V30s and G12Hs with my Reeves/Hiwatt for years and I’m very happy with that. You get the headroom and presence of a Hiwatt and the mid range and tight bottom of a Marshall.
because the hiwatt T20 impedance is at 8 ohms and the Marshall cabinet also is at eight ohms but the Hi-Tone cabinet is at 16 ohms I was leaning towards the Marshall and also due to the brightness of the Hi-Tone I was also lean towards the Marshall and I’m very glad that you’re in that direction as well and appreciate your advice and input thank you very much
Hey Bjorn,
First off, wonderful playing and a great site! Thanks for that!
I would be super glad if you could please recommend me an amp that would suit my current setup. Some context- I only play in spare time and for myself. Having said that, my setup is-
Strat (57 pickups) > Boss CS3 > BYOC Large Beaver > Decimator II (noise reduction) > TC Electronic Flashback 2 Delay > Roland Micro Cube.
I bought the cube first and then the pedals over time. What would you recommend as a good replacement for the cube, with my current setup? I do not like the current sound at all (with the cube). I am looking to buy something that will be apt for my home office room (preferably a low watt amp).
Thanks in advance.
Cheers,
Raj
Depends on your budget but among the lower priced amps, I’d check out a Boss Katana or Roland Blues Cube. If you have a bit more to spend, then check out a Laney Cub or Lionheart. Keep in mind that size does matter. Most amps today, at least the smaller and medium sized ones have power scaling, which allow you to use them at home but I wouldn’t go with anything less than at least one 12″ speaker. You’ll get so much more tone with that and a much better platform for your pedals.
Thanks Bjorn. Will look into the Cub.
All good choices. Would also mention two non-valve choices: Roland Blues Cube Artist and Fender Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb.
Basically, all the modelling firepower used to model a single amp. Former is modelled after a Bassman, latter after, well – a Deluxe Reverb…
Both take pedals convincingly and sound pleasingly authentic. I own the former and gig it with a 13-piece horn band. The latter has only just come about, but has better DI facilities (choice of IR) and can defeat the speaker for a silent stage.
Because of the convenience, reliability and tone of the BCA, the valve amps stay at home.
PS props to the Katana100. My co-guitarist uses one and it’s frigging loud. The tone may not be as warm and pleasing in the room, but onstage in a dense mix it cuts through, which is what you want.
Im interested in buying the Roland blues cube stage. Would you say that’s a good option, with using Keeley dark side. Im also a little interested in the Blackstar HT-20, which one would you prefer?
Hey Bjorn, I’m looking to get a good tube amp around 500$ CAD, second hand, and I’m trying to get a versatile amp, while still being able to mimic the gilmour tone with pedals. Will I still be able to mimic the tone with any clean tube amp. I am considering both the blackstar ht05 and the fender blues jr at the moment. Any comments or reccomendations? Thanks
All of the items listed here will provide a good platform for your Gilmour tones.
Check out the Trinity Triwatt. It is from a Canadian amp maker.
Hi Bjorn,
please forgive my ignorance.
Is Laney 20H cathode bias? does it need biasing job when power tubes are changed? or is just plug and play without needing to worry about the bias?
I could not find the info in the user guide
It’s cathode bias. No re-biasing needed.
Hi Bjorn,
any thoughts on or experience with Kemper you might share?
Very little. Not enough to share anything.
Hey Bjorn, there’s a Studio 10 series from Blackstar that’s been out for over a year now I guess. They’re 10 watts and they come in either 6L6, EL34 and KT88 tubes. Have you tried plugging into any of these amps?
I’m on the fence between this or the Lionheart L5 for bedroom use. Saw a couple yt videos recommending sub 15w tube amps with a master volume like the blues jr for this application and the Blackstar Studio 10s do have this feature.
I’m not sure if the Laney L5 has a master volume though but am I better off with the 10 watt amp with master volume vs a 5 watt amp that has none?
The Blackstar amps sound great and they can handle pretty much any pedal. I do recommend the Laney though… since you ask me. A great sounding amp. Very versatile.
Hey Bjorn! Tried some of the amps mentioned above today. The store didn’t have your beloved Laney L5 on the shelf unfortunately, so was able to compare the hiwatt and the cub12. Liked the cub and tried a couple more low watt blackstar amps in the other store including a 65 princeton ri with a reverb that didn’t work.
The sales rep took another princeton amp out from the stock room, plugged a USA pro tele in and I was in tonal bliss! Went home with both as they gave me a sweet bargain with a free amp stand. I know it’s not the most Gilmourish amp on the list but today was just a pleasant surprise and I was pretty sure I was gonna get the Laney or a Blackstar amp yesterday after watching yt videos.
Cheers Bjorn!
Congrats! The Princeton is a classic and a great sounding amp! You should be able to set it up for some nice Gilmour clean tones and as a platform for your pedals.
Hi Bjorn, what about the new Laney Super-Cube Top amp, is there a significant difference from the original version …?
As always my best wishes to you and thank you for your dedication, knowledge and talent.
I haven’t tried them but the specs looks very similar to the older models. A few upgrades in design and features but I would imagine that they sound very similar. Great practice and bedroom amps.
Thanks again Bjorn for this great article.
I got the HIWATT T20 /10 HD with the matching HG 112 Speaker Cab last Thursday. This is my first ever tube amp and being a David Gilmour admirer it had to be a Hiwatt.
My son has the Katana 100 (MK I) 1×12 and its great, but when he played on the Hiwatt he could notice the warmth in the tone.
We connected a Compressor, Little Big Muff, E-Lady and BOSS ME-80 for the delays in this respective order, and I have to say the Comfortably Numb Solos didn’t sound bad at all.
I am still getting used to this new addition and enjoying the journey so far.
Thanks for the kind words and good luck with your tones!
My 2 cents on the Fender Bassbreaker 15 Combo:
I just got this last Friday because I wanted another amp with a different sound then my Hiwatt T20.
So far it’s great! I would run it in the Mid Gain Stage slightly breaking up and then you can throw almost any pedal in front of it. It takes an OCD and the Green Russian Muff very well f.e. so it needs a bit of a mids hump to sound good overdriven or distorted IMO.
It’s own OD is kinda great too taking it somewhere into almost Marshall-esque territory. It does get a little boxy and compressed on certain settings also with pedals, but it does not sound bad or something.
I also have tested it together with my Hiwatt in Dual and Wet-Dry. Now that sounds cool! They complement each other quite nicely. Comparing the Bassbreaker to the Hiwatt the Hiwatt is still better sounding IMO, more open with more Headroom, but that is a matter of taste I suppose.
Anyway if you’re looking to get the Bassbreaker for Gilmourish tones I would definitely recommend it!
I play my strat through a moded tweed BluesJr (Fromel). Had to change Power Transformer (as I broke it for my fault) I think is a Hammond from TAD. Stock Jensen speaker. VERY, VERY Happy with the clean sound of the amp !!!
On some occasion I tasted playing in stereo along another crap amp I have and it is an other dimension, specially with the stereo output from TC Flashback.
I’m considering building myself another amp and for crazy it may seem, I’m thinking on a 5E3 Tweed Deluxe. I know it is not a clean amp, I already have an EL84 clean amp (BJr) but I think they both could complement each other and give a fuller, richer sound.
Am I crazy ? Which amp could you recomend for playing in stereo along BLues Jr. ?
Bjorn,
I just bought a Laney L5T-112 based on your recommendation (FANTASTIC so far!).
Looking through your answers to other readers asking about what settings you use you’ve been very consistent with one significant change: prior to 2019 you said your preferred settings used the Drive channel but in 2019 you left a comment saying your current settings used the clean channel.
Why did you change? All of the other settings are pretty consistent – what do you like now about the Clean channel?
I’ve had the amp for some years now and I constantly swap pedals and guitars so I guess I change the amp settings to match that. My current pedal platform is the clean channel, bright mode, bass and mids at 3:00, treble 8:30 and the tone around 11:00. I like a hint of break up, so the bass and mids that high will drive the amp together with a fairly high volume.
Thanks for the clarification Bjorn! I also just got on the TD-X bandwagon as of yesterday… HOLY MOLY that pedal sounds great through the Laney! I think it has replaced my Barber Direct Drive on my board as the TD-X covers much of the same ground for me, but with more presence and guts. I do find that the dirty channel on the Laney covers much of that ground as well.
Do you ever use the drive channel on your Lionheart as full-up drive, or just as edge of breakup / pedal platform?
In general the addition of the drive channel on the Laney and the TD-X seem to have left me with many pedals that all cover similar but slightly different ground. The TD-X, the Direct Drive, the Tree of Life and the Gain Changer SR each differ to some degree but do cover much of the same ground. I even find that I like elements of the TD-X, GC and ToL for bluesy edge of breakup tones as well!
Hard decisions ahead I guess!
One final observation: the ToL seems to stack VERY nicely into the TD-X to add just a bit more edge to it while maintaining most of the roundness of the TD-X’s base tone. It comes out as a very nice and very quiet happy medium between the two pedals!
Thanks for all your help!
On stage I always use the amp clean with pedals but I often record using the gain channel for dirt. Just plugging the guitar straight into it. It can do a pretty convicing JTM style distortion, that I use a lot.
I think the TDX and Tree of Life compliments each other perfectly. I mainly use the TDX for overdrive and the ToL for distortion.
I noticed in many of your videos that you have the Level control on the TD-X MUCH higher than I set mine. Mine is at unity around 10 o’clock or so.
At first I assumed that you had it so high so that you can push your amp (overdrove after all, right?) but I kind of don’t understand that when you’re using the clean channel on the Laney…
Any chance you could clarify for me?
If I turn my Level knob up that high into the clean channel on my L5T it is MUCH louder than I want to comfortably play at in my house. Are you just playing loud when you record those videos or am I missing / misunderstanding something?
Still adjusting to the whole “tube amp” thing and not having a master volume like my old solid state amp did, so any wisdom you can pass along is appreciated very much! Thanks!
It’s a matter of taste. Overdrive, distortions, booster, fuzz… all gain pedals respond to how you set them up and the tone, both in the pedal and your amp, change accordingly. When I record, I usually have the pedals set to about unity. To me that makes it easier to record and the pedals often sound more natural, with all the little nuances and harmonics shining through. Live I like a more compressed and boosted tone. I run all my amps at the very edge of breakup, which means that they’re clean but when you dig in really hard on the strings, you get a slight compression coming from the tubes. By having the volume set high on the pedals, I’m boosting the amp further, which makes the tone smoother, with more tube and speaker compression and mid range. Again, it’s just a matter of taste.
Bjorn, great to see your doing the best helping us build The Tone!
To go along with the previous posts. With your help I’ve built a Fun board. My Laney Cub with JJ tubes is run Clean+.After my Compressor I have a Svisound Overzoid+, Buffalo FX PowerBooster, Vick Audio TOL..I use the Overzoid as my Fuzz & the TOL for distortion with the PowerBooster as my OD or additional clean Boost.
Then several ambient FX to follow with a Svsound Echozoid & MXR Phase 95 in the effects loop!
I just added two Source Audio pedals and now have Stereo capabilities.
I can’t thank you enough every time I light everything up and begin to play my set up. I use a program called RiffstationPlus and I can play along with any of my Pink Floyd Albums…
Thanks again.
Stay Safe, Stay Well. ?
Walter H.
Thansk for the kind words! Nice rig you got there!
Although I’m one-tenth the player Bjorn is, with one-one-hundreth the knowledge, I can say that my Laney Lionheart (20w combo) sounds great on either channel at lower volumes. But the drive channel — if you’re trying to keep it clean — doesn’t retain its quality as the amp gets louder. The clean channel, however, does, at least for me. So playing at home in my bedroom it doesn’t really matter which channel I use. But for gigs, it’s always the clean channel. And I use basically the same settings as Bjorn! (Bjorn, by the way, I LOVE my Laney so much… best amp I’ve ever owned. I have you to thank for it.)
Hi Bjorn, heard lots of good review for Boss Katana amp. Can you suggest (or some reference) some settings to get some Gilmour sound to get? amy recommendation/chanel to use/guideline will really help.
I don’t have any presents to share. The Katana is a great sounding amp, with lots of built in Boss effects so you can’t really go wrong. Great platform for your pedals too.
Hi
I know you asked Bjorn, and I assure you that I am a much inferior player than him
but I have had a Katana 100 MKII for quite sometime and I also have a Laney 20 MH
my experience with Katana is that it is a really good amp, especially if I use the on board effects. Using external drives with it has been a hit and miss for me, some of my drives jive with it very well, and some don’t
two drive I have that work well with it are MI Audio Cross Over drive and Wampler Tumnus Deluxe
I have not been able to get a decent fuzz sound out of it with any of my fuzz or muff pedals.
as a second amp, practice amp, or something to take to jam session for anything from country to blues and Jazz and Rock it’s very adequate. There is software that can give you control over frequencies, or you can find patches done by others and load them into the amp. I have not played with any of those. What the amp does if good enough for a variety of genre
The amp has a very acoustic setting which I have been using with my acoustic a lot.
the amp’s power amp can be used on its own, and it’s been fun running pre amp or amp in a box pedals in it for fun
compared to my Laney 20H? it loses hands down. Not responsive, not as versatile, and not as good with pedals.
It was good enough for me to sell my Bugera V22, but not good enough to replace my Laney
there are tons of people playing it over you tube with their suggested settings
Checkout Dave Simpson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy_H6o1Akpc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILAdY9sJvv8
and and Justinguitar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8_9CAlHYpA
there are a lot more
It’s a good amp. but, for, it;s in the same class as Laney.
Hope this was useful
I meant to say that for me, it is not in the same class as Laney
Thanks, That was really helpful. It cannot compete with any Laney :), but good in class of SolidState amp
Hi Bjorn. Have you tried pedals through a Brunetti Singleman? im on the fence between the Brunetti or a Lionheart. Thank you for all your hard work!
Two very different sounding amps I think. The Singleman is a take on the classic Fender, with a bright and fairly scooped tone. Not a lot of compression and mid range going on. Great for those pristine clean tones. The Lionheart is unmistakably British. Kind of a mix between an AC30 and JTM/Plexi Marshall. Personally I prefer the Lionheart but again, two very different amps serving different purposes.
Hello bjorn,
I currently own a 65 fender twin bf run with half power into a cellestion v30 12 speaker. Is there a difference between the twin head and the Bassman head? I heard theyre the same. Only difference is the Jensen speakers and tubes. I want to make my twin sound like Davids bassmen. Is that possible? Thanks. Rob h.
To be honest, I have no idea if the same amp. I haven’t studied the specs. Perhaps they are and the difference is, as you say, the speakers and tubes. My experience though is that a Twin has a very bright and open tone. Tons of headroom and very little compression and mid range. The Bassman head is considerably darker, with more compression and it seems to be better with fuzz and vintage style pedals. I used both for years and definitely liked the Bassman head better. Great amp! As you know, the Bassman combo is a very different amp.
Exactly what you’ve explained I’ve read before as well so I as confused. Now makes more sense. Thank you. I purchased my twin on an impulse buy instead of researching first. Now trying to make my twin sound like what is not. The v-30 helped a lot. Thanks bjorn. love your help.
Cheers!
Hi Bjorn! Your site has been a huge help in my Gilmour chase and also my guitar journey in general. Was hoping you could help me out with choosing an amp to purchase.
As of right now I have a Fender Strat with SSL-5 at the bridge and CS69 middle and neck.
Pedals are Keeley Super Phat Mod BD2 and JHS Muffuletta.
I’ll mostly be playing at home volumes but would love something I could also gig with.
My budget is around $1K.
I have my eye on a 68 Custom Vibrolux but I’m not sure that would be best for Gilmour tones, after re-reading this article, perhaps something like a Peavy would be best as it has a more Hiwatt quality? Would appreciate your guidance here. Im sure you’ve answered this question a million times but with over 2k comments here, it seems a bit daunting…
Thank you so much for your time!
The Vibrolux is a great amp for sure but perhaps not typical for David’s tones. Your pedals will definitely work with the amp but it won’t sound like a Hiwatt or classic Marshall, with that smooth mid range. The Peavey Classic is one of my favourite amps. Great classic tone, very versatile and it can handle just about any pedal you place in front of it.
Hi Bjorn – have you heard of or do you have any experience with the new Hylight brand amps? Looks like they are a reboot of the original Hiwatt line offering some reissues of the Classic Hiwatt models. I’m curious if you know anything about them and what you think about their line up. Thx!
I’ve only played Reeves and Hi-Tone so I can’t tell about these.
They look like a new, smaller outfit but they were at Winter NAMM and they were featured in Premier Guitar in February so I’m sure they start to make waves at some point. I have been considering one of their 50w models, and they look great, but they’re a little pricey, especially with shipping to the US, so I think I am leaning toward a Hi-Tone now.
I suggested to Hylight that they send you one to test so with any luck you’ll have a chance to try one out ?.
Thanks! I doubt they do but who knows!
Hi Bjorn, What do you think of the Hi-Tone’s?
I’m looking at the “Custom Lowatt”, the Reeves 12 and the Hiwatt “Little Rig”. I’m close to pulling the trigger on the Hi-Tone, as the Hiwatt is a lot more expensive, like $500US more!!!
The Reeves seems to be a more gain oriented unit. I was just interested in your thoughts.
This website is fantastic and a constant point of reference whenever I need some information, so thank you Bjorn.
Thanks for you kind words Kim! I have commented on the HiTone amps several times. In short – they’re probably as close as you’ll get to the original early 70s Hiwatts. I’m playing a Reeves Custom 50 myself and couldn’t be happier with it. It’s a true replicate of the original as well. Reeves also has some models that are more in line with early Marshall but the Custom amps are, as the name implies, Hiwatts.
Hi Bjorn,
I’ve been looking at the Peavey Classic 20 mini head, mainly because it has the convenient recording outputs and will be more flexible than the Classic 30. However, that’s leaving me stumped in terms of a cab. The cab options that Peavey have for it are a 1×12 (Celestion Vintage 30) and a 2×12 (Vintage 30 & G12T-75). While my preference is generally for a 2×12, I’m a bit unsure of the G12T-75… while I imagine that they’re trying to create a more balanced sound in combination with the Vintage 30, I just don’t know how that would translate in terms of some of the Gilmour tone ideals, especially as it relates to muff/overdrive. Any thoughts on cab/speaker recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks again for this wonderful website and all you do… as a drummer who picked up guitar as a second instrument, I learned a ton from you through this site, as well as That Pedal Show and JHS’s content. Thanks again,
Colton :)
I think the speakers will compliment each other perfectly and although the V30 can sound a bit dark and narrow on its own, the G12T has a bit more open character, with more sparkle in the upper mid range, which will suit your Gilmour tones nicely too.
I have a Hi-Tone DG 50 and a Peavey Classic 20 with the 112 v30 cab. I can come very close with my Gilmour tones on the Classic 20, to my Hi-tone. Not to mention the 20 is fantastic for practice with my band. I have had a peavey classic 50 410 combo and Head with 212 combo. I like the 20 with vintage 30 much better. I am not sure if it is the v30, but regardless, you will be able to get great Gilmour tones with the 20 at bedroom or much louder volumes. It is a great all around amp. One of my favorite I have ever owned.
Hi Bjorn, great site and great work. What’s your opinion about Egnater Tweaker 15 Head? Is it good for Gilmourish kind of sounding? Thanks in advance. Regards
Thanks! I don’t have much experience with that so I can’t really tell.
Hi there Bjorn, congratulations, great website, I check it very often. I was wondering if you can give me a clue for beginning setting my amp for Gilmour tones, I have a Peavy Classic 50, I do not know if it is better to use the normal channel or the bright channel. I use a black strat replica. Can you recommend a basic setting for this amp to start with? Greetings from Costa Rica.
Thanks for the kind words! Best way to start is by plugging the guitar straight into the amp and get a sense of how the guitar and amp interact. If you intend to use pedals, then set the amp up for a good powerful clean tone and then add the pedals and match these to the amp. See this (old) feature for some setup tips. You’ll also find some pictures of my old Classic 30 that should give you a start. You might want to tweak these to your taste.
Hello Bjorn, any experience with the Reeves CUSTOM 30 1X12 Combo ? There are a few for sale and wanted to know how they are in regard to Gilmore tones.
I haven’t tried it myself but based on the reviews I’ve seen and heard, it’s more of a mix between a classic Hiwatt and the early Marshall JTM/Plexi amps. It’s got the Hiwatt headroom and presence, but a bit of that mid range and grit from the early Marhsalls. In that sense it’s probably a more versatile amp too than the typical Howatt Custom.
Hello Bjorn, here’s hoping you and yours are all safe and well…I for one have spent some More time then usual Playing and learning more during the recent stay at home orders. I and I’m sure Many Thank You for all your knowledge and the time you spend answering our questions and your honest opinions and help.
Based n your recommendations I bought and love my Laney Cub12R combo. It delivers quite the tone and it seems to love my pedals too. In your tone guide you show a picture of the Cub controls for a clean and dirty settings that work very nicely as a staring point. On Your pictures Of the Cub: Are those @ 15 watt or .75 watt input or does it matter? Also did you replace the tubes in your Cub? I replaced the three 12AX7 Pre-Amp tubes with JJ Tubes and have a 5751 gold tip in the V-1. I alternate the V-1 between a 12AX7 JJ and the 5751 JJ depends on my mood for more or less gain or earlier break up. As far as The EL84 power tubes Did you replace them and if so, did you Re-Bias the amp?
I bought two JJ Power tubes but Eurotubes (where I bought the tubes) says I have to Re-Bias the amp and Laney says it’s not really necessary. What did or would you do with the power tubes? Would you replace them with or without biasing the amp?
I don’t have any equipment to Bias any amp…
Please let me know your opinion I value it…
Thanks for all You Do for All of Us…
Walter H.
Thanks for the kind words Walter!
It’s some years since I had my Cub. I traded it for some pedals. I did replace all the stock tubes with same value JJ goldpins. The settings are based on the un-tapped setting but they will apply to the tapped setting as well. You might want to increase the bass and mids a tad on the tapped/scaled down mode but that also depends on your pickups and pedals. I did not rebias the amp. I don’t think you’re meant to but be sure to have match pairs of tubes.
Bjorn, thanks for the reply and information. ?
I hope you got some good pedals for the Cub. I did buy a Matched set of JJ EL84 power tubes to use like you recommended. Do you also recommend using Gold Tip tubes over the standard tip tubes? What do you think the Gold Tips do over the standard for tone or break up?
Stay Safe Stay Well…
Walter H.
I used goldtips beacuse that’s what I’ve always been using and on my bigger amps, I do think it matters. Not so much on a smaller amp at bedroom levels.
Bjorn,
Really enjoy your videos and website. I’m guessing you have no experience with the REVV D20. It seems like a very versatile amp (like the Laney Lionheart L-5). If you have any thoughts on whether it would be good for Gilmour tones, please let me know. Thanks!
No experience with that one I’m afraid. The Lionhearts are awesome though.
Hi Bjoern,
I recently came across the Hiwatt HLR20/0.5 which seems to be build by the Custom Shop in the UK. However, I cannot find any review or info on it apart from the Hiwatt web page which says it is based on the DR103. The possibility to switch between 20 and 0.5 Watt would suit me perfectly but would it bring any signifacant advantage compared to the T20/40 with regards to tone and quality?
Thanks in advance, Juergen
I think this is the rebranded Little D they released a couple of years ago, claiming to be a copy of David Gilmour’s old Hiwatts. I might be mistaken. In any case, I’m sure this is a great alternative to the bigger DR103.
Hi Bjorn
do you have any experience with Laney Ironheart?
No.
Hi Bjorn,
I recently acquired a Yamaha RA-100 (around christmas last year) and a Alembic F-2B (just bought, can’t wait to try it out!!!) and was wondering how David might have had these setup. Do think he had the Alembic running straight into the Yamaha with no modifications to it or bypassing the Yamaha pre-amp? Or do you think he had the Yamaha pre-amp modified/bypassed somehow so the Alembic ran straight into the power amp of the Yamaha (not sure how he could do that but Pete Cornish was a lot smarter than me so who knows)? I know he bypassed the pre-amps on the HiWatts and used the F-2B occasionally into the HiWatts but am not sure about how he might have run the Alembic with the Yamahas. Any other tips and tricks I should know to get these two setup right?
Thanks, Love your website and I watch all your YouTube videos (long time subscriber) hope you are well during the coronavirus nightmare
I’m not an expert on either of these as I’ve never owned them. David used the Alembic in different ways over the years and it’s modified. Read more about the Yamaha here and the Alembic here. I’m sure other Gilmourish readers can provide more information.
Hi I was Wondering if the no uk made hiwatts are any good for the gilmour tone. i really want a hiwatt but cant afford the uk made stuff
Cheers Sam
Depends on the model. What are you considering?
Bjorn, thanks for all of your work in keeping us Gilmour fans up to date. If you could only have one amp, preferably a home amp, what would it be ?
My Laney Lionheart. It’s an incredibly versatile amp, with lovely cleans, a really vintage sounding gain channel and it can take pretty much any pedal you place in front of it.
Just wanted to drop a line recommending you check out the Mesa Fillmore series, based on tweed architecture so it’s got a very pedal friendly clean reminiscent of a 50’s fender amp or Marshall JTM, the gain channel is also a great mix of Mesa Mark 1 and 2 with a little JCM800 spiced into the mix.
Thanks for the tip!
Thinking of choosing one among Hiwatt T5 mkiii (or T20/10), Reeves custom 12PS or Laney Cub12 for bedroom practice … looking for best Hiwatt tone at low volumes. Any suggestions?
Both the Reeves and Hiwatt T5 are overall better amps, both tonewise and build, compared to the Laney. Especially the Reeves. The Reeves is perhaps a bit closer to an early Marshall though but it can definitely deliver some nice clean tones for your pedals. You might also wanto check out the Laney Lionheart amps.
Hi again Bjorn!
I was considering a Laney Cub 12 but might be shifting gears based on your comments above, and looking instead at a Hiwatt T40/20 MkIII. You mentioned that the Tube Series is better than the Hi-Gain and MaxWatt series; looking at the Hiwatt website has me a little confused because it does say that the T40/20 is part of the Tube Series, but on the back of the amp it says MaxWatt. Would you prefer the T40/20 over the Cub 12 for more authentic DG tones?
Would there be much difference between the Hiwatt Hi-Gain 212 cab with Fane FHG12-150 speakers (this appears to be all I can get in the States) compared to a 212 with V30s?
Thanks for all the awesome info on this site and YouTube!!
I think Hiwatt T amps are great for David’s tones. I don’t know how they market them these days but they are not the same amps as the MaxWatt or Hi-Gains.
Hi Bjorn,
I would like to thank you for this website, I always come back here to learn about the gilmour tone.
I just sold my Blues Jr. and will order a Lionheart L20 head. Have a speaker most recomended for this head aiming Gilmour tones?
Thank you!
I think they offer the matching cab with a V30 and a G12H. It’s a nice setup for the amp and it sounds great for most of David’s tones. You could replace these with something bigger and brighter, but the amp is more a mix between an AC30 and Marshall JTm than a Hiwatt, so I definitely recommend the Celestions.
Hi Bjorn! Such a great site you have here, thank you for all the work you’ve put into it.
Another amp your readers may want to consider: the Trinity Triwatt. It’s essentially a replica of the classic Hiwatt preamp, but with a more modest output stage (user choice of 6V6, KT66, or EL34 tubes, for approximately 22, 33 , or 50 watts of output power). You can buy the amps in head or combo format, as either complete amps or as a DIY kit. I built my own from the kit (as I enjoy that kind of thing), into a 1×12 combo cab Trinity built for me.
I can’t speak to how authentic the tones are, as I don’t have anything to compare to. But my experience is consistent with a lot of the general comments I’ve read about Hiwatt amps: very “punchy”/immediate tone, super sensitive to pick dynamics, very usable tone controls, massive clean headroom, great pedal platform. I run mine with 6V6 tubes for the lower power setting. Still very loud for bedroom levels, but easy to get a edge-of-breakup tone in band practice.
No affiliation, other than satisfied customer!
Thanks for the kind words and recommendation!
Hey Bjorn
Thanks a lot for your help, please, i need your advice,
What would be your best choice to gent a gilmour pulse sound between :( only head)
– laney l5 studio
– hugue and k… tubemaster Deluxe 20
– Fender super champ x2
With boss cs2 / dynacomp / russian muff / buffalo tdx / strymon reverb / proco rat
Was looking for shine on / confortably Numb / sorrow tones
Thanks a lot
Since you ask me, I’d go for the Laney.
I saw your video and you used the tubemeister right ?
If you have the time, why would you choose the laney please ?
(I’ve tried to find some video with gilmour tone, but havnt found so much)
That’s not easy to find a good one without trying it… also, if we had the Bassbreaker 15 head in the choice?
I didnt mentionned, but i have EMG DG20 pickup
Thanks you a lot
I have several different amps but I mainly use a Reeves Custom 50, which is a clone of the early 70s Hiwatt and a Laney Lionheart L20 with cab. The Tubemeister is a great amp but the Lionheart is one of the most versatile amps I’ve played. It’s definitely classic British but if you like that you have a versatile amp and a great pedal platform. Check out my YouTube channel and you’ll see me using the amp on several vids.
Thanks a lot for both comment, I’ve found a dealer here to buy HIWATT T20/10, I really hesitate between l5 studio and this one, but i think i prefer the HIWATT
Thanks a lot bjorn, also, what do you think if y a the bass breaker (only the head) I have the DG20 EMG
Thanks a lot
The Bassbreaker is typical Fender, although with a bit more mids and compression.
Nice one Matt! I second this. Another happy scustomer here.
Hey Bjorn, thanks for all the knowledge, it helps us all. So I am thinking of getting a Marshall dsl5 amp. I play Hendrix, Zeppelin, etc….as well as Gilmour. Do you think I can get a good Gilmour tone with this amp? I run all the pedals as well.
Thanks much Sir,
You can get some decent clean tones with it and use it as a platform for pedals but to be honest its much more fitting for Hendrix and Zeppelin than Gilmour. Keep the mids high and the treble low should be a good start.
Hi Bjorn,
do you know the difference between the old Hiwatt T20 HD and the new T20/10 MK III Models? Why are these Tube Series Amps hardly anywhere available? Is the OD channel usable as a standalone drive without pedals?
I haven’t tried the new range so I can’t really tell but based on the specs they seem pretty similar to the old ones.
I have an old T20 HD (about two years old) which I got from Hiwatt in the UK directly shipped to me and yeah as Bjorn said the specs are the same essentially so I assume they sound very similar.
The OD channel is not great in my opinion … maybe I have to fiddle with the controls again to make it sound better but it’s very muddy and dark IMO.
Bjorn,
I have enjoyed this page for many years now, so firstly allow me to say thank you for creating this wealth of a resource. My question is, after having looked through the majority of this thread, do you have any experience or any opinion on the Mesa Boogie Express 5:50? It’s between that or a Lionheart and was just curious as to your thoughts?
Thanks for the kind words! I don’t have much experience with Mesa other than the Rectifiers but while the Lionheart is typically British, like a mix between an AC30 and Plexi, the 5:00, like many Mesa models, is more American and closer to a Fender. More pristine cleans and more headroom I guess but it can handle most pedals too.
Hi! What do you think
getting a Hiwatt HiGain 50 head with cabinet
Or
getting a Fender Bassbreaker head and cab
Wich would work better with big muff? and what do you think about these amps? (about versatility and clean channel) wich one is closer to recreate Gilmour(ish) sounds?
Personally I don’t like the HiGain amps. They doesn’t sound like the old Hiwatts to me so if that’s what you’re looking for then check out the T series instead. Between the two you’re mentioning I’d go for the Bassbreaker but do also check out the Laney Lionheart. Amazingly versatile.
which speakers do you recommend for gilmour tones? I have a Laney Cub 12 combo
Depends on the amp but the Cub sounds really nice with Celestions. Try V30s or G12Ms.
Hi Bjorn – this may be a bit of a redundant question then, but it sounds like my Mesa 212 cab loaded with V30s would pair pretty well with the Cub 15w head? Or do you think it would go better with the Laney 212 Cub cab? As always, thanks for your input and everything you do for this site!
I think it will work nicely.
Hi Bjorn, any chance you can review the new Fender Tone Master amps, I realise they are not great Gilmour amps but I’m intrigued to hear your view on them. A lot of people on here may like to have a Fender style amp as well as their Gilmour style amp. I’ve always wanted a Twin but they are just too powerful, one that you can switch to 1 watt sounds pretty cool.
Thanks, Kim.
Great stuff! I was wondering your thoughts on the Laney LA 3BL. And more specifically can it get me to gilmour tones? You have been so helpful!!
It has a really nice clean tone and it can handle pretty much any pedal. Perhaps not as much headroom as a Hiwatt but still. Tonewise it’s definitely vintage 70s. Something between a Hiwatt and Plexi I guess.
Hi Bjorn, I found this site years ago. I find this site to be very informative. It truly is amazing. I just wanted to let you and the gilmourish community know that I recently went on reverb.com and found what seems to be another brand of amps reproducing the old Dave Reeves era Hiwatt amps. They call themselves Hylight. Check them out.
Hi Bjorn – learning so much from this site, thanks!!
Do you have any experience with Hi-Tone amps? I’m considering a Hi-Tone 50, DG model, but also looking at a Hiwatt SA212 or possibly a Hiwatt T20/40. Just wondering if you’ve had a chance to play through a Hi-Tone and what your preference would be among those three amps I mentioned. Thanks!
Very briefly but enough to tell that they’re great amps and probably as close as you can get to the classic Hiwatts.
Thanks for the quick response Bjorn! Do you feel then that a Hi-Tone would be a better overall option than the Hiwatt T20/40?
Yes.
Hi Björn. Appreciation for your time and knowledge helping us Floydophiles!
2 questions. I’m looking at buying the Hiwatt 20w/.05w Little D amp head. It doesn’t come with the matching WEM Starfinder cabinet? I am looking at the Hi-Tone Eclipse cabinets to mate to it. Would the 1×12 or the 2×12 fit the bill? I have a music studio so I don’t have to worry about volume levels but play over backing tracks through monitors that only go so loud.
I also have a Yamaha RA 200 : ) Could I not just run the Hiwatt Little D into the Yamaha utilizing the bottom 4×12’s? Thanks in advance. Outstanding site!
Thanks for your kind words! I don’t have any experince with the RA200 so I can’t really tell but it depends on how those speakers go with the amp I guess. Personally I prefer at least 2×12″ for the headroom but in a studio setup you really don’t need more than a 1×12″.
Hi Björn, have my hands on a hiwatt cab loaded with hiwatt fanes 122242 speakers. I have no experience. Are they very different to the crescendos?
Useful for Davids Tone?
I don’t have any experience with them.
Hi Bjorn, David is well known for his wem cabs. But he also uses a jcm 800 cab. Is it fitted with G12T or G12M Celestions?
Thanks for all the informations.
The Marshall cabs had G12Ms but he also used G12Ts in his WEMs at one point so the Marshalls could have been modified with the G12Ts. I’m not sure.
Hi Bjorn and everyone! I’ve tryed different amps in the nearest shop and found that I prefer HiWatt T40’s sound. I’ve tryed T10 but beside its big brother it sounded like a toy. There where no T20 to try; I need just one amp for my home and for live concerts (little clubs) but I fear to find a too big difference in sound deep between T20 and T40 having tried T10. What do you think about? Any suggestion?
The T40 will sure sound bigger and perhaps fit gigging better but there isn’t much difference between the T20 and T40. The T10 has a 10″ speaker, which makes all the difference. It’s more of a practice amp.
thank you! I’m wondering another thing: I use just the clean channel and send the signal from the guitar, through the pedalboard to the line in of the amp. I have two old fuzz, an NKT275 and a BC109 so I need a very clean sound from the amp, as the Hiwatt has, but turning up the volume, which is the difference in mainteining a clean sound between a T20 and a T40?
More: I’m speaking about the combo version, hope it’s the same level as the head
Both have lots of headroom. It depends on how you’ll be using the amp. A 20w will be more than enough for home, studio and smaller venues but you might want the 40w if you entend to play loud and bigger venues. I think they all have power scaling though (need to check that) so you can just scale them down at home or in a studio.
Good day Bjorn,
2 questions:
what do you think about the new sound city master lead 50 for a Gilmour sound?
Also what do you think about the kemper?
Thank you in advance
I haven’t tried the new Sound City amps so I can’t tell. If they’re like the old ones, then they should do the job nicely but again, I have no idea. Kemper is fascinating but not for me.
Hi Bjorn,
Laney l5t-112 (combo) vs bassbreaker 15 (combo or stack) ?
Which should I get for Gary Moore /Gilmour tones? Both examples are £300 used.
Which one would future proof me as far as pedals/resale etc. I’m not even sure what questions I should ask myself to decide. They’re both great, please help?
Great sounding amps but since you ask me, I’d go for the Lionheart. Very versatile and great with pedals.