ABB Southern Rock Sound Project

[Plein Campagne]

Hello All
Newbie on the forum and to the world of Marshall.
I live in France so my components choice is limited to what you would have in the States or the UK. I'm thinking of getting either a Marshall 1987x or 1959HW to get me in the ABB ballpark (or maybe even the SV20). Are there any others I should take into consideration?
I have the PAFs in a Dickey Betts signature and a TS and just want to build pretty simple rig.
Will need an attenuator for indoors.
What is the speaker on the market that will get close to the JBL D120F. Some folk say the Eminence Swamp Thang gets fairly close to that Southern tone. Anybody have experience of these or any other suggestions please?

I wasn't sure whether to put this on the amp forum or speaker forum so here it is!

Cheers

 

[Crikey]

bonjour. welcome to Marshall Forum.

 

[Crikey]

you cant go wrong with Greenbacks and the amps you mentioned

 

[matttornado]

I just saw an ABB tribute band that sounded really good and both guitarist were using Marshall Origin 50 watt heads through 2x12s. Their guitar tones were spot on, or at least I thought they were. Because of that, I now want to get an Origin 50 watt head as well.

 

[tce63]

First to the forum

I have the SV20H running it with the SV212 Cab with Marshall V-type speakers, fantastic Plexi sounding amp and LOUD !
So I use a Weber Mini Mass 50 at home.

Cheers

 

[Plein Campagne]

you cant go wrong with Greenbacks and the amps you mentioned

THey certainly get some good reviews. Thanks for the recommendation

 

[Biff Maloy]

Your on the right path amp wise. Just chose which one fits your power needs.

I looked around and there's a lot of discussions out there on those JBL speakers. Expensive if you can find some and some of the clones or equivalents are costly. Too much detective work imo.

I have the SV20H. I can get pretty close to Dickey's tone with my R7 Goldtop Les Paul and a Celestion Gold Alnico in an open back cabinet. Pretty big fan of his.

 

[mickeydg5]

I would go with the 50W since that is kind of what they were using and it is plenty loud.
The best thing about the 1987X is the effects loop. That gives many more ways to customize your sound since effects can be added not just before the preamp but after as well.

 

[Kinkless Tetrode]

Be aware that those JBL alnicos are 104 db sensitivity and bright. So with a 1959, 1987, or even a SV20, they will be plenty loud. You might need an attenuator. The Alnico Gold is probably the best alternative alnico available today.

Duane is said to have used a combination of Celestion Greenbacks, and Cerwin Vega alnicos, with two 50 watt plexis set to bass specs (1986 model which is close to a JTM with EL34s).

Dicky used JBLs with a Super Lead.

Warren used a SLO through a Marshall 1960V cab, or another brand cab with vintage 30 speakers. The 1960V have the Marshall G12 Vintage (Not V type) Speakers. Really, these might be a good option.

 

[RCM 800]

I can get close by going into the low input on my 2204/1960BV and cranking it but its loud as hell. I would look at Origins. The power scaling works well and they are affordable. Otherwise Id probably build an 1987 clone or try and find an X and use an attenuator.

 

[Plein Campagne]

First to the forum

I have the SV20H running it with the SV212 Cab with Marshall V-type speakers, fantastic Plexi sounding amp and LOUD !
So I use a Weber Mini Mass 50 at home.

Cheers

Thanks for the welcome everybody.

That sounds very interesting. Youtube vid says it's based on the 1959SLP. That maybe the key. I didn't particularly want 100w and this could be the answer. Thanks for the info tce

 

[Plein Campagne]

There's a lot on here to get me thinking. Origin vs SV20 vs 1987x + attenuator. Then there's the celestion greenbacks and the celestion alnico gold (I like the idea of that...thanks Bill Maloy.) I have 2 Dickey Betts signature LPs so Bills setup with the R7 will be very similar and as he's a Betts fan then thats pushing that route.
Some further analysis required on my behalf.

 

[Plein Campagne]

Your on the right path amp wise. Just chose which one fits your power needs.

I looked around and there's a lot of discussions out there on those JBL speakers. Expensive if you can find some and some of the clones or equivalents are costly. Too much detective work imo.

I have the SV20H. I can get pretty close to Dickey's tone with my R7 Goldtop Les Paul and a Celestion Gold Alnico in an open back cabinet. Pretty big fan of his.

I like the "too much detective work" approach. My head spins when reading some forums and I disappear down the rabbit hole. Now this Alnico Gold you mention....is that a 1x12 setup?

 

[Biff Maloy]

I like the "too much detective work" approach. My head spins when reading some forums and I disappear down the rabbit hole. Now this Alnico Gold you mention....is that a 1x12 setup?

Yes. I liked the G10 Gold so much i recently grabbed the 12.

 

[Sacalait]

I'd say the SV20 unless you're doing larger venues. The SV20 acts like the bigger boys because when you turn the volume to 3, you kinda freak out how loud it gets! That's how the 1987 and 1959 work too. The cool thing about the SV20 is you can actually GET to that sweet spot without blowing out walls or eardrums. I own the SV20 and a JVM205H so I'm pretty confident to say the unless you're doing large venues where you'd need the volume, the SV20 will get you to that ABB vibe because they used old-school non-master volume Marshalls.

 

[tce63]

Thanks for the welcome everybody.

That sounds very interesting. Youtube vid says it's based on the 1959SLP. That maybe the key. I didn't particularly want 100w and this could be the answer. Thanks for the info tce

I don´t know if you gig or are planning for that but I have used my SV20H on small stages a few times before Covid.
Actually put in 5w mode and the little Weber just to take a few DB of.

And our drummer is a big strong guy

About Greenbacks in the cab, sounds great but i put the stock Marshall V-typ back again.

Cheers

 

[Plein Campagne]

I'd say the SV20 unless you're doing larger venues. The SV20 acts like the bigger boys because when you turn the volume to 3, you kinda freak out how loud it gets! That's how the 1987 and 1959 work too. The cool thing about the SV20 is you can actually GET to that sweet spot without blowing out walls or eardrums. I own the SV20 and a JVM205H so I'm pretty confident to say the unless you're doing large venues where you'd need the volume, the SV20 will get you to that ABB vibe because they used old-school non-master volume Marshalls.

I'll be playing mostly at home but with some small gigs a few times a year. Feeling like the SV20 is getting to the top of my list.

 

[Plein Campagne]

I don´t know if you gig or are planning for that but I have used my SV20H on small stages a few times before Covid.
Actually put in 5w mode and the little Weber just to take a few DB of.

And our drummer is a big strong guy

About Greenbacks in the cab, sounds great but i put the stock Marshall V-typ back again.

Cheers

The SV212 sounds like the way to go. I may indulge myself though and get an Alnico gold as well and put it in a 1x12 cab so giving me even more tones.

 

[Wildeman]

Don't forget Derek's Super Reverbs

 

[Sacalait]

Don't forget Derek's Super Reverbs

well... with all due respect... Derek is a prodigy player. But he wasn't in the Allman Brothers Band at the beginning. I actually met Duane Allman after a gig at the Warehouse in New Orleans back in the day. They definitely were using Marshalls. I also (fairly recently) saw the "kids" band (Allman/Betts Project) and they were using Fender amps. But again, that's NOT the original ABB.