Marshall 1959 is the amp with my favourite sound. That amplifier is very loud so, even if used clean as pedal platform, the volume is usually set so low that amp cannot “open up”. Soon after increasing the volume, it becomes so loud that it is not clear if valves are overdriving or eardrums.
Reading about 20W/5W Marshall SV20 that creates that sound from portable package at manageable volumes seamed too good to be true, even after reading about its preamp circuit and el34 valves in output. I am pleasantly surprised how similar it sounds to Marshall 1959. I compared them side by side and even connected SV20C to old 70’ 4x12 box. It is not the same thing, it cannot be. If you plug in to two 1959s side by side, you would probably hear differences too, but the similarity in sound, dynamics and reaction to pedals between 1959 monster head and small SV20 combo was beyond my expectations. Unreal! I had doubts about 10-inch speaker, but that was gone after few riffs. Engineers made fantastic job!
Unfortunately, stunning sound, plexy look and “made in England” does not mean the same level of quality as old Marshalls. This amp is made of standard parts like most other cheaper amplifiers made outside UK or USA. Noisy presence pot doesn’t concern me because it doesn’t affect sound or playability, but low-quality potentiometers make fine adjusting volumes of jumpered channels impossible. High treble potentiometer acts more like a switch than potentiometer. That makes nearly impossible to set the same sound twice. Until I solve this, amp is useless for concerts or recording sessions.
Thomann’s offered solutions for above mentioned problems were fair: return or send it back for repair. It is not that I don’t have the confidence in Thomann’s workshop, it is that I look after my gear and I don’t like sending it by currier services. One look at beaten up box in which amp arrived persuaded me that I would rather cover the cost of fixing the amp myself and partly loose the warranty than send it back and then get back beaten-up amp with different issue. It is not the smartest move from my side, but I just want a good reliable amplifier and I don’t want to bother with it anymore.
All and all, it is fantastic sounding amp and probably the last one I bought online.
