Amp Families

Hemisaurus · April 13, 2012, 02:30:24 PM

As per Mr G.Niggzy, going to try and categorize some of the amps out there, by general tone, circuit design, tube usage, please chip in with suggestions / corrections / additions

Marshall Family - Marshall, Sovtek, Peavey Windsor & Butcher & VTM, Bugera 1960 & 1990, Laney, Garnet Deputy, Red Bear, Soldano, Traynor, Narb, Park, Kitchen, Splawn

Orange Family - Orange, Matamp, Electric / Green

Fender Family - Fender, Mesa Boogie, Peavey Valveking, Dumble, Univox, Elk, Garnet Gnome, Peavey Classics, Plush, Earth

Boogie Family - Mesa Boogie, Peavey XXL/XXX & Ultras, Bugera 333

Hiwatt Family - Sound City, Reeves, Harry Joyce, Nolan, Roost

Ampeg Family - Ampeg, Bugera BVV3000

grimniggzy · April 13, 2012, 02:31:36 PM

clockwork green · April 13, 2012, 02:36:58 PM

It should be the Matamp family not the Orange family. Also...add Hiwatt/Sound City branch. Since so many of us own authentic Dumble's we should add that to the Fender family. Maybe an Ampeg branch as well.

Hemisaurus · April 13, 2012, 02:39:26 PM

I always get HiWatt and Laney confused

El Zombre · April 13, 2012, 02:40:28 PM

Marshall - Laney, Garnet Deputy, Red Bear
Fender - Univox ?, Elk, Garnet Gnome
Hiwatt - Sound City, Reeves, Harry Joyce, Nolan, Roost ?

An amp circuit evolutionary tree would be badass, esp. w/ the oddball dead end designs - Gibsons, Selmers, Supros, Burmans, plus one off designs from all the manufacturers already mentioned.

VOLVO))) · April 13, 2012, 02:42:01 PM

If we do this, we finna do it right. We can make an infographic, we have fucking GD's here. Research and no-bullshit.

The Boogie family is missing a buncha links in the Peavey portion. Boogies, Peavey XXX, Peavey Ultra+, Peavey Ultra120/60 etc

We should probably set areas for outright clones or ripoffs. Subtle clones/slight circuitry lifts, eventually leading up or down to the unique designs/originals.

Marshall gets the Peavey Butcher, and every other company that has bumped a fucking Marshall circuit in some way, Sovtek, Soldano, Electroharmonix

Glitchyghost · April 13, 2012, 02:43:02 PM

Based on some investigation by myself, my amp tech, and even verified by some dudes in an amp forum (who traced an EA MV unit, and built a clone), the EA's may be different enough to not consider them part of the Orange/Matamp family. He Who Shall Not Be Named has been saying for years that the schematics for his amps were 100% original (at least, not full on Matamp clones), and it looks like he was not lying.

bitter · April 13, 2012, 02:44:27 PM

Yeah, I would possibly include some of the weird Marshall variants and clones from the 70's and 80's/90's. Some of the Peaveys (butcher/vtm), Laneys, Carvins(X100b), red bears, the Lee Jackson stuff, Soldano, ect...

Bugera came out with the tri-rec recently too. Not super relevant but a boogie nonetheless.

And aren't traynors based on Fender/Marshall designs?

VOLVO))) · April 13, 2012, 02:45:35 PM

Traynors are Marshalls, pretty much, too.

It all started with Fender, for Marshall, though...

dunwichamps · April 13, 2012, 02:45:58 PM

the MV units are different than a normal GT120 type circuit but not enough to put them in another family. they still have DC coupled cathodynes using 12ax7s

also the NMV units from EA are very close to the GT120s as well

100% original is bull, whats more accurate is not 100% a clone

Soldanos are in the marshall family, the SLO is a modded 2203 at heart

VOLVO))) · April 13, 2012, 02:47:26 PM

Having EE's to trace circuits for similarities also helps. I seriously think this is the best gear related forum, despite the small userbase...

dunwichamps · April 13, 2012, 02:47:54 PM

Quote from: SunnO))) on April 13, 2012, 02:47:26 PM
Having EE's to trace circuits for similarities also helps. I seriously think this is the best gear related forum, despite the small userbase...

gotta love us EEs

Hemisaurus · April 13, 2012, 02:48:11 PM

No one-off clones, commercially available amps or amp-kits only.

dunwichamps · April 13, 2012, 02:50:15 PM

Sunn amps are just Dynaco stereos minus the Model T and the SS stuff but all the 200s or Sorado type amps took dynaco output stages and just modded the front end to be different

VOLVO))) · April 13, 2012, 02:50:26 PM

Paging Oli for the Britsection, What's up with those Burmans and Carlsboros? The fuck are they?

WE'RE LIKE DETECTIVES

dunwichamps · April 13, 2012, 02:51:19 PM

dunwich amps are just pieces of shit built by a dickhead. add them to the dickhead family

Hemisaurus · April 13, 2012, 02:55:30 PM

Carlsboro is like the UKs answer to Peavey, or maybe Behringer, they make cheap amps, I'm amazed they're still on the go.

Glitchyghost · April 13, 2012, 02:57:39 PM

Quote from: dunwichamps on April 13, 2012, 02:45:58 PM
the MV units are different than a normal GT120 type circuit but not enough to put them in another family. they still have DC coupled cathodynes using 12ax7s

also the NMV units from EA are very close to the GT120s as well

100% original is bull, whats more accurate is not 100% a clone

Soldanos are in the marshall family, the SLO is a modded 2203 at heart

I figured you'd reply to that. The differences in tone stacks and FACs are what make me count them as different enough. You'll probably be pretty hard pressed to establish more than half a dozen unique family trees on this list, anyway. Everything's inspired by something else. The fact that EA MVs don't utilize the Baxandall was a pretty big suprise to me. And also explained away a long time curiosity as to why the tonal differences when I'd been under the impression for so long that they were straight up Matamp clones. They aren't, and John McNeese deserves a hell of a lot of credit for making a killer and unique sounding circuit.

Glitchyghost · April 13, 2012, 03:00:33 PM

What about Vox? I don't see that in the lists? The parent of its own tree, or a distant relative of something else?

dunwichamps · April 13, 2012, 03:00:40 PM

yea they are nicely modded units in the same vein, the MV amp line.

Theres a few other tweaks beyond that such as a vox style hi cut to avoid problems with using feedback based presence controls and PPIMVs.

Its not a super modded version, still fairly close but for a good reason as he is not trying to abandon the general idea of that circuit topology

dunwichamps · April 13, 2012, 03:01:00 PM

Quote from: koi on April 13, 2012, 03:00:33 PM

What about Vox? I don't see that in the lists? The parent of its own tree, or a distant relative of something else?

good catch forgot about them

VOLVO))) · April 13, 2012, 03:04:39 PM

This is kind of rad, Once we determine the main families, we can throw down and start pulling out the clones, etc.

I guess I can do the compiling, starting with Brands only, models and variants to follow, right? So, decide on the parents, you'uns.

Glitchyghost · April 13, 2012, 03:04:47 PM

Right on. Got another addition. So... Vox - Matchless?,

dunwichamps · April 13, 2012, 03:08:26 PM

more amps to think about

Supro
Gibson
Dr Z
Egnater
Magnatone
Jim Kelley
Music Man
Park (put in Marshall)
Trainwreck
Selmer
Silvertone
Pignose
Univox
Aims

VOLVO))) · April 13, 2012, 03:19:07 PM

Rivera, VHT, Fortin, Yerasov etc.

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