The Marshall 2266C Combo is part of the Marshall Vintage Modern Series and is a 50 Watt, 2x12", all-valve single channel amplifier with a choice of two 'dynamic ranges' selectable by footswitch. The Low range gives the performance you would associate with a stock vintage Marshall amplifier in terms of tone and gain. The High range adds an extra preamp valve into the signal path,which enables guitarists to access those classic hot rodded marshall tones from the seventies.

The amp features a master volume and plate reverb which can also be switched on and off by the foot switch. The Marshall 2266C Vintage Modern comes fitted with two Celestion G12C 25 Watt greenback speakers enabling stand alone performance. There is facility for using an extention cab if required.

There is no denying this amp has plenty to offer and gives you access to a wide range of Marshall tones. If your looking for that hot rodded Marshall tone from the seventies however then I'd urge you to splash out a few more bucks and investigate the Reeves Super 78 which for me has far more to offer.

The Marshall 2266C Guitar Tube Amplifier Combo main features include:

• Output (RMS): 50 Watts
• 2 x G12C Speakers
• Pre-amp Valves: 4 x ECC83
• Power Amp Valves: 2 x KT66
• Footswitch (supplied): PEDL-00041
• Dimensions (mm): 690 x 570 x 270
• Weight (Kg): 30

Price: $ 1,599 USD / £915 GBP

Video Reviews

Pro Guitar Shop Review of the 2266C Head

There is no mistaking the Class 5's homage to Marshall's 1960's 'Bluesbreaker' and 18-watt combos, with its black vinyl and 'Plexi' style top-mounted control panel. The Marshall Class 5 is made in the UK at Bletchley and this is reflected in the price. Whilst it may not be the cheapest low wattage amp on the market this is a seriously classy rig with some high quality tonal range. For a start it's important to note that the class 5 is extremely loud for 5 watts and the amp could definitely cut it at small gigs and reheasals. With the inclusion of the extension speaker output and connected to a 4 x 12 cabinet, the Class 5 is capable of sounding huge making it even more interesting for gigging guitarists.

With a stratocaster style guitar the class 5 is able to dial in everything from Beck to Hendrix and with a modern humbucker equipped guitar you'll get plenty of Bluesbreakers era fat Clapton tones which are great for solo work. You'll also be able to achieve that AC/DC style crunch so often associated with Marshall amplification.

Overall the class 5 Amplifier has all the classic Marshall tone that guitarists love in conjunction with some vintage Marshall styling. Many guitarists will still opt for the Marshall Haze as a more realistic and functional alternative but I can still see this guitar carving out a niche for itself.

Marshall Class 5 Valve Combo Specification

• Power: 5 Watts
• 2x ECC83 Preamp Valves
• 1xEL84Power Amp Valves
• Controls: volume, Treble, Middle, Bass
• Custom designed 10" Internal Speaker (16? Celestion G10F-15)
• Headphone output
• Speaker / Headphone selector On rear panel
• Headphone output optimised for 32? headphones
• Extension speaker output 16? (Automatically mutes internal speaker)
• UK Made

Price: $399 USD / £299 GBP

The Fender Frontman 212R combo is a mainstay of young guitarists and although entirely solid state is capable of producing some classic Fender clean tones as well as plenty of raunchy overdrive. This is a versatile amp and  features three channels ("clean," "drive" and "more drive"), on-board spring reverb and a "mid contour" switch which produces a multitude of distortion tones. And with its black control panel, chrome hardware and black vinyl covering and grille cloth, the FM 212R certainly looks the business.

Rated at 100 watts this isn't a quiet amp by any means and can easily handle most gigs. Although some guitarists will never quite come to terms with solid state technology I've heard these used in many pub gigs and they always sound great in my opinion. Whilst it may lack the warm valve tones when playing lead I'd put the clean tones up against plenty of other amps at this price.

Fender Frontman 212 Specification

• Type: Solid State
• Output: 100 watts into 4 ohms
• Ohms: 4 ohms
• Speakers: 2x 12" Special Design 8 ohm, 50 watt Speakers
• Channels: Three Selectable Channels (Normal, Drive and More Drive)
• Features: Dedicated Volume and Tone Controls in Both Channels, Effects Loop, Footswitch Jack (For Remote Drive Select with Optional Footswitch)
• Controls: Normal Channel: Volume, Treble, Bass; Drive Channel: Drive, Volume, Channel Select Switch, Treble, Mid, Mid Contour Switch, Bass, Reverb
• Footswitch Jack: Effects Loop, Preamp Out, Power Amp In
• Covering: Black Textured Vinyl with Silver Grille Cloth; Chrome Hardware; Blackface Control Panel
• Weight: 48 lbs. (21.7 kg)
• Dimensions: Height: 19.5" (49.5 cm), Width: 26" (66 cm), Depth: 9.5" (24.13 cm)

Price: $399 USD / £229 GBP

This amp is a  fun and affordable tribute from Fender to one of their rarest and historical little practice amps. The new Champion 600 is a 5-watt valve amp with a 6" speaker and vintage 1950 "two-tone" look. It features a higher-gain preamp circuit than the original to let the overdriven tone exceed what was previously capable, and Fender have also added a choice of high or low-gain inputs. The internal speaker jack also means this little amp can be used of a larger speaker cabinet which could come in handy for a small gig or two.

The amp sounds great and whilst you'll need an overdrive pedal (see video below) to get much bite out of the amp, its clean tone is fantastic. Combined with a Strat or Telecaster you'll get lots of vintage Fender sounds at a very affordable price. We'd recommend this amp for practising and recording.

Fender Champion 600 Specification

• Series: Vintage Modified
• Type: Tube Amplifier
• Output: 5 watts
• Ohms: 4 ohms
• Speakers: One 6", 4-ohm Special Design driver with ceramic magnet
• Channels: Two (Instrument and Microphone) Controls: Volume
• Covering: Brown and blonde vinyl covering; vintage-correct 1950 "two-tone" cosmetics.
• Weight: 15 lbs. (7 kg)
• Dimensions Height 11" (28 cm), Width 12" (31 cm), Depth 7.5" (19 cm)
• Tube Complement 1-12AX7A 1-6V6 (diode rectifier)

Price: $199 USD / £139 GBP

Video Reviews

Great Video Featuring a Stock Fender Champion 600 vs a Mercury Magnetics Modified Champion 600

The Fender 65 DELUXE REVERB is part of Fenders reissue series and is a 22watt all valve 1X12 combo with a Jensen Speaker. This amp is firmly in the rock, country or blues camp, combines classic retro looks and vintage sounds and is perfect for recording in the studio or small gigs.

Many of the classic Fender tones heard on famous recordings from the Memphis scene and Abbey Road were made using the Deluxe amp. As you'll see from the video reviews below this amp is capable of producing some lush cleans tones as well as a great retro overdrive which sounds best when combines with either a Fender Stratocaster or Telecaster. The gain is limited however and you'll have to push the amp hard (i.e. loud) to get the right kind of bluesy overdrive. This is something you could easily exploit at a small gig however.

The Fender Deluxe Reverb features a pair of 6V6 Groove Tube output tubes, one 5AR4 rectifier tube, four 12AX7 preamp tubes, two 12AT7 tubes, one 12 inch 8-ohm Jensen C-12K speaker. It has dual channels (normal and vibrato), a tube-driven Fender reverb, tube vibrato with a  two-button footswitch for reverb and vibrato on-off.

Fender 65 DELUXE REVERB Specification:

• Output: 22 watts into 8 ohms
• 8 ohms operation
• Speakers: 1-12 inch Jensen C-12K, 8 ohm Speaker with Ceramic Magnet
• Channels: Dual Channels (Normal and Vibrato)
• Features: Tube Driven Spring Reverb, Tube Vibrato, 2-Button footswitch, Baltic Birch Plywood Cabinet
• Controls: Normal Channel: Volume, Treble, Bass. Vibrato Channel: Volume, Treble, Bass, Reverb. Vibrato: Speed, Intensity
• Covering: Black Textured Vinyl with Silver Grille Cloth
• Weight: 42 lbs. (19.05 kg)
• Dimensions: Height: 17.5 inches (44.45 cm), Width: 24.5 inches (62.23 cm), Depth: 9.5 inches (24.13 cm)
• Tube Complement: 4 X 12AX7, 2 X 12AT7, 2 X 6V6, 1 X 5AR4 RectifierTube
• Fender 2-Button Footswitch for Reverb and Vibrato On/Off,  (included)

Price: $1,399 USD / £879 GBP

Video Reviews

World Music Supply Review

Pro Guitar Shop Review

Reeves seeem to be making quite a name for themselves engineering a range of class A valve amplification modelled on the classic Dave Reeves designed Hiwatt amps of the seventies. Following on from our reviews of the low wattage Vox AC4TVH and Night Train NT15H heads, the Reeves Custom 10HG may have something to offer for those guitarists looking for a little more gain.

The Custom 10HG is a 10 watt class A valve head featuring a Master Volume, Bass, Mid, Treble and Gain controls. One El-34 power tube, one 12AY7 and one 12AX7 preamp tube. What arguably sets Reeves Custom amplifiers apart from the competition is their attention to detail and passion for quality. The Custom 10 HG is meticulously hand-wired with its components carefully mounted on a turret board. It also features USA made Heyboer transformers, sitting on top of an aluminum chassis.

Check out the video demo at the bottom of this page for some of the amazing classic rock tones that are available through this head. It nails Cream-era Clapton tones and sounds much like a 1970's Hiwatt with a big full rock sound that can also deliver those warm chiming clean tones associated with the 70's era.

This amp is going to get a lot of guitarists excited but the price may put many off with the amp retailing at $999 USD / approx £675 GBP. There seems to be stiff competition in this particular area of the valve amp market and both the Marshall Haze and Vox Night Train should be considered if your looking for a high quality practice rig.

Specification

• Single Ended Class A design
• Single EL-34 power tube
• One 12AY7 and one 12AX7 preamp tubes
• Turret board construction
• Heavy duty Cliff input and speaker jacks
• Master, Bass, Mid, Treble, Gain controls
• 4, 8, 16 ohm speaker jacks
• Laser etched face and back plates
• 120v or 240v operation with detachable power cord

The amp also features 'power scaling' which allows you to drive the amplifier into that "sweet spot" at far lower volumes.

"Unlike power attenuators that are placed between the amplifier and the speakers - causing the amplifier to "cook itself" and seriously shorten tube life. Power Scaling allows the power output stage to be variable from full volume all the way down to bedroom levels while still achieving power tube "break up". Other advantages of Power Scaling are longer tube life at any setting less than maximum."

Reeves Amplifiers

Prices: $999 USD / approx £675 GBP.

At time of publishing this review, all of Reeves amplifiers are only available direct through the Reeves website. They are however offering free delivery (although I'm presuming this is to mainland USA only).

Custom 10 HG Amp Video Demo

The VOX Night Train NT15H is a 15 watt All valve head featuring a pair of EL84 tubes that deliver some real kick ass tone. Two 12AX7 tubes drive the preamp stage with both power and clarity. Vox have employed the same winning valve combination as the classic VOX AC15 which delivers everything from chime-like clean tones to the warm harmonically rich overdrive.

The Tone controls include Treble, Middle and Bass, allowing guitarists to dial up individual tones. In addition, the preamp section features a mode switch, offering both BRIGHT and THICK options. The BRIGHT mode accentuates the high-frequency components for a clear, ringing tone. The THICK setting bypasses the tone circuit to boost the gain and create a chunkier, heavier sound.

The amp offers a dual-power tube mode which offers 15 watt (Pentode Power) or 7.5 Watt (Triode Tone) operation which many guitarists will love and the versatility of this mighty little amp is impressive to say the least. Everything from glassy clean tones to blues overdrive and high gain grind that will satisfy most metal heads out there. At a price that won't break the bank this amp is hard to resist!

VOX Night Train Specificaitons

Front panel controls:

• Input
• Gain
• Bright/Thick Switch
• Treble;
• Middle
• Bass
• Volume
• Output Mode Switch: Pentode/STBY/Triode
• Mains On/Off
• Power LED

Rear panel controls:

• Mains Input (Fused)
• 8 Ohm Speaker Output
• 16 Ohm Speaker Output

Valve/Tube Complement:

• 2 x EL84/6BQ5 --- 2 x 12AX7/ECC83

Model Dimensions/Weight:

• Dimensions:308(W) x 160(D) x 177(H)  mm /12.13(W)  x  6.30(D) x  6.97(H)  (inches)
• Weight: 7.7kg /16.98 lbs

Power Output:

• 15 Watts RMS into 8 or 16 ohm

Included items:

• Power cable, Speaker cable, and Carrying bag

Price: £425.00 GBP / $499 SD

Vox Official Presentation of the Vox Night Train NT15H

Marshall Haze vs Vox Night Train Shootout

The AC4TVH & V112TV cabinet is an class A all-tube mini practice stack with remarkable simplicity and tone. This amp retains the distinctive EL84 power tube of the original Ac4 that Vox released back in 1961 and features a 12AX7 in the pre-amp. This is combined with the V112TV speaker cabinet fitted with a custom-made Celestion 12 inch speaker. The sound is unmistakably VOX, delivering the distinctively British top-end tone that has made this company so famous over the years.

One of the problems with many valve amps of course is retaining the full tone at low volumes, the VOX AC4TVH deals with this very well with it's built-in power attenuator which allows the amp to operate at 4 Watt, 1 Watt and ¼ Watt output levels, ensuring that classic tube tone is retained even at the low levels. This makes the amp perfect for practising whilst also being loud enough to use at small gigs.

The cabinetry features the same “TV” front design first used on the classic 1958 AC15, and still in use on today’s AC15H1TV Heritage Series. The amp is pure chic with plenty of tone for blues and classic rock guitarists (think bluesy, Rolling Stones style overdrive) and glassy clean sounds. Simply add a quality overdrive or distortion pedal to give you a rockier edge.

VOX AC4TVH / V112TV Specifications

• Controls: Tone, Volume, OP Level (4W, 1W, ¼ W)
• In/Out Jacks: Input, External Speaker Jack (¼')
• Output: 4 Watt RMS 16-Ohm
• Speakers: V112TV – 1 x 12" 16-Ohm Celestion VX12 custom speaker;
• Valve/Tube Complement: 1 x 12AX7 (pre) / 1 x EL84 (power)
• AC4TVH Dimensions: TBA
• AC4TVH Weight: TBA
• V112TV Dimensions: TBA
• V112TV Weight: TBA
• Power cable included

Prices: from £272.00 GBP or $500 USD

Vox's official Presentation Video for the AC4TVH

Designed with Bettencourt himself and partner Peter King, the Randall NBKING100 Nuno Bettencourt amp head is a combination of classic looks and modern circuitry to reproduce the legendary percussive rock tones Nuno is best known for. The guitar is basically like a hot rodded vintage Marshall with some great retro inspired looks. The master volume dial has to be the biggest ever made and will appeal to to many vintage amp fans.

The amp has a classic 2-channel setup with 3 modes of operation. You can instantly dial up sparkling clean sounds and easily dial up the perfect amount of crunchy overdrive, from vintage to modern high-gain rhythm tones, or a Solo mode for unparalleled harmonic rock tones via the MIDI channel switching. The rear panel has a fairly simple MIDI in/thru, Power tube bias section, and mono effects loop.

Amp Features

• Preamp Channels:
• CH. 1: Clean Mode with Bass, Mids, Treble, Level, and Drive controls
• CH. 2: Overdrive Mode with Bass, Mids, Treble, Level, and Drive controls
• Solo Mode with Level and Drive controls
• Master Controls: Volume
• Power Amp: All-tube, 4 x E34L tubes
• Power Output: 100 Watts
• EFX Loop
• MIDI In/Thru
• Backlit VU Output Meter

Close up of the NBKing100 Voltage Meter

This is a great amp that will appeal to many rock guitarists. It also won't break the bank when compared to other similar valve amps and when combined with the new NB412 cabinet featuring Celestion Greenbacks this could be a considered one of the best rock stacks on the market.

Prices start from £1049 / $1,449.99 US

The back panel of the Randall NBKing 100 Head

Simon Bradley takes the signature Randall head for a spin.



NAMM '09-Randall Amps Nuno Bettencourt signature model Overview

Marshall Haze 40-Watt Haze combo and 15-Watt Head

Marshall Amplification introduced the Haze line of compact and portable valve-driven performance amplifiers for the musicians who demand an honest clean sound, a driving blues tone and some biting rock — all from a single, gig-ready amp. The amp comes in both a 40-Watt Haze combo (MHZ40C) and the 15-Watt Haze head (MHZ15).

The Haze 40 combo is equipped with a single Celestion G12-66 Marquee 12" speaker. The Haze 15 head can be paired with matching single 12" Celestion G12-66 Marquee loaded cabinets (MHZ112A - angled; MHZ112B - base) as well.

The preamp section is powered by three ECC83 valves (tubes). Both Haze models feature two channels (normal and overdrive) that share a three-band EQ; a Bright switch adds extra emphasis to the highs. A selection of retro-style effects offers authentically-voiced Echo, Vibrato, and Chorus. An emulated spring-reverb is also included. The effect settings are retained by each channel for immediate recall during performance. All effects remain completely bypassed when completely off, providing a more direct signal path.

If you go for the optional Haze Footcontroller (£39), the boost is also footswitchable, giving you four basic sounds at your feet.

This amp provides several classic rock tones with a typical Marshall clean sound (The bottom end remains tight, with a fairly hard treble and punchy mids) to a light drive that sounds a little weaker than the clean channel's crunch mode, through to a tight (in a good way) distortion that keeps the notes cutting through.

These amps offer a great value Brit-flavoured alternative to Fender's Hot Rod and Blues Deluxe combos. A must for those who love the classic Marshal tones.

To get more of an idea about how these amps perform and sound check out the videos below from Marshall.

Marshall Haze Videos

Official Marshall Haze 40 Amplifier Review Part 1

Official Marshall Haze 40 Amplifier Review Part 2

Doug Aldrich demos the Marshall Haze tube amps