ABB Southern Rock Sound Project

[purpleplexi]

The answer to this is you have put several amps on a shortlist and get to a place where you can try them. Your idea of the sound you want is different to mine which is different to the other guys. Feel is important too and you can't get that from a video. Frexample I love the SV but when I tried the Jub I knew in 10 seconds that it wasn't for me. Not saying it's a bad amp - loads of people love them. Just not for me and I went to the shop to buy one having read good reviews.

 

[Biff Maloy]

I have the SV20H and 2525H with their matching slant 2x12 cabinets.

The SV20H hits all in the era of the Allmans and most any blues/rock of that time frame. Late 60s early 70s Superlead. The first Jubilee's came out in 1987.

Either one are fine amps. Just going purely on the OP's question a 4 hole Marshall of some sort would be my choice for authentic tones but put Betts on a Jubilee he's going to sound like himself anyway so in the end it really doesn't matter as long as the amp you chose fits YOU. The music you play will take care of itself.

 

[Sacalait]

I'm probably more confused now for choice than when I started but thanks for all your input.....Origin, Sv20, 1987x, 100wSL. Any love for the Jubilee? I was hot on the SV20 yesterday but now I'm heading towards 50 or 100w with an attenuator. I've heard some demos at low volume and the big watts sound more wholesome that the 20w or lower. I'm still very interested in the Celestion Alnico Gold too. Probably needs a few hours at a reasonable volume to break in but listening to the demos I like what I hear. It's getting to decision time and as Keef said "I never kept a dollar past sunset, It always burned a hole in my pants." I'm must jump very soon.

The SV20 is built just like the 1987 and 1959 EXCEPT for the size of the transformers. It uses the same tubes- EL34's. I own the SV20 and if I had an unlimited budget I still don't think I'd buy a 1959 because of the severe limitations on where you could open it up. Yes, an attenuator would help, but why when you already have an option in the SV20 to get that sound without one? Of course YOU'RE the dude who needs to be happy!

 

[Kinkless Tetrode]

I have better luck coaxing Live at the Fillmore tones from my Jubilees than I do from my JTM45. Post Idle Wilde South lower gain studio tones such as Rambling Man or I Ain't Wasting Time No More and so forth are better achieved by a cranked JTM45. The Jubilee also does a good job with the Haynes era higher gain tones. If you need to get to the higher gain levels of the live tones the 2525 is good choice.

 

[scozz]

I have the SV20H and 2525H with their matching slant 2x12 cabinets.

The SV20H hits all in the era of the Allmans and most any blues/rock of that time frame. Late 60s early 70s Superlead. The first Jubilee's came out in 1987.

Either one are fine amps. Just going purely on the OP's question a 4 hole Marshall of some sort would be my choice for authentic tones but put Betts on a Jubilee he's going to sound like himself anyway so in the end it really doesn't matter as long as the amp you chose fits YOU. The music you play will take care of itself.

This makes a lot of sense to me, we all have our own distinctive tone, albeit subtle, in most cases I think.

 

[Mrmadd]

Seems to me Marshalls are great for what they sound like but...........

Southern Rock....?

FENDER AMPS
Look into a FENDER SUPER SONIC 60 with a Vintage 30 speaker.
Actually, use 2 Fender amps and pair the Sonic 60 next to a FENDER HOT ROD DELUXE.

That will give you the southern sound for sure

 

[Kinkless Tetrode]

Seems to me Marshalls are great for what they sound like but...........

Southern Rock....?

FENDER AMPS
Look into a FENDER SUPER SONIC 60 with a Vintage 30 speaker.
Actually, use 2 Fender amps and pair the Sonic 60 next to a FENDER HOT ROD DELUXE.

That will give you the southern sound for sure

ABB live is all Marshalls or Marshall type amps. In the studio version of Blue Sky they reportedly used Brown Faced Deluxes, but those sound a lot like cranked Marshalls.

Now Marshall Tucker on the other hand.......

 

[Emiel]

It all depends how far you'd like to go in a tribute. With Dickey it's really that combination of a great Les Paul, a Plexi and JBL's speakers... there's lots of articulation and high end.

Personally, I'd give it some time and look out for a good secondhand 50W clone. I had a friend build me a '68 50W Lead lately and with the right post phase inverter master volume design, it sounds fantastic at any volume level. With a good PPIMV there's no need for an (expensive) attenuator.

 

[colchar]

Seems to me Marshalls are great for what they sound like but...........

Southern Rock....?

FENDER AMPS
Look into a FENDER SUPER SONIC 60 with a Vintage 30 speaker.
Actually, use 2 Fender amps and pair the Sonic 60 next to a FENDER HOT ROD DELUXE.

That will give you the southern sound for sure

Which southern rockers actually used those? The Allmans, although not really southern rock, used Marshalls. Skynyrd used Marshalls and Peaveys. .38 Special used Marshalls. Molly Hatchett used Marshalls.

 

[Plein Campagne]

I've got to start somewhere so as it is not logistically possible to try these out due to distance, I'm going Sv20H/SV212 plus a Alnico Gold in a 1x12 open back cab. If the SV stuff doesn't work I can return them free of charge within 30 days. I'll certainly keep the Gold though as I can use that with my Dr Z Therapy and Jet City JCA20H. Once I've pulled the trigger and given them a test I'll let you know how I feel about them. Now for some "open wallet surgery"

 

[David Copeland]

Nah, nothing sounds like JBL but JBL! But you gotta have a strong back (or strong friends!)

 

[Stephen H]

The SV20 is built just like the 1987 and 1959 EXCEPT for the size of the transformers...

And the no small matter of the cathode basing.

 

[purpleplexi]

Seems to me Marshalls are great for what they sound like but...........

Southern Rock....?

FENDER AMPS
Look into a FENDER SUPER SONIC 60 with a Vintage 30 speaker.
Actually, use 2 Fender amps and pair the Sonic 60 next to a FENDER HOT ROD DELUXE.

That will give you the southern sound for sure

I go to a jam sometimes where the house amp is a fender supersonic. God I hate that fucking thing.

 

[Kinkless Tetrode]

With Dickey it's really that combination of a great Les Paul, a Plexi and JBL's speakers... there's lots of articulation and high end.

The neck pickup gets used a lot.

 

[paul-e-mann]

I've got to start somewhere so as it is not logistically possible to try these out due to distance, I'm going Sv20H/SV212 plus a Alnico Gold in a 1x12 open back cab. If the SV stuff doesn't work I can return them free of charge within 30 days. I'll certainly keep the Gold though as I can use that with my Dr Z Therapy and Jet City JCA20H. Once I've pulled the trigger and given them a test I'll let you know how I feel about them. Now for some "open wallet surgery"

Good decision! Get a JHS volume box for the loop, ABB is low gain so it will work perfect.

 

[scozz]

The neck pickup gets used a lot.

I wasn’t a huge ABB fan back in the day, more of a casual fan. I loved both Betts and Allmans’ playing though, I think one of the reasons is because they both had a great clean pickup tone going on.

 

[Cornfilled Screamer]

With the ABB, Duane played through 2 Super Bass 50 heads, 2 Super Bass 100 cabinets with a mix of the stock Celestions and Cerwin Vega ER123 speakers. Duane also used a Y - Cable to play through both channel one and two to drive the amps a bit harder. Definitely small boxes (saw one of them at the Big House in Macon a few months ago.

He also (from what I’ve heard) experimented with JBL’s and even Altecs.

“The Sound” he got on Fillmore East was the cherry-burst LP that he’d gotten a few months prior. He traded his Goldtop on it, but snatched the pickups out of the Goldtop and stuck them in the cherry-burst. He didn’t get the ‘ 59 tobacco-burst (Hot ‘Lanta) until late June of ‘71 - just 4 months before he died.

From listening to a load of boots, the cherry-burst had a smoother, better sound than Hot ‘Lanta.

Though I’m sure it was through mic-positioning and EQ, his sound on FE is one of the best sounds I’ve ever heard!

PS: Dickey has been a JBL man since WWI…

 

[dro]

I'd choose the SV20 out of what you listed through green backs.

But that's just me.

P.S.
And I don't really like the SV

 

[Biff Maloy]

Play it straight up. You don't need a gadget in the loop. I don't even use the loop on the SV anymore.

 

[colchar]

With the ABB, Duane played through 2 Super Bass 50 heads, 2 Super Bass 100 cabinets with a mix of the stock Celestions and Cerwin Vega ER123 speakers. Duane also used a Y - Cable to play through both channel one and two to drive the amps a bit harder. Definitely small boxes (saw one of them at the Big House in Macon a few months ago.

He also (from what I’ve heard) experimented with JBL’s and even Altecs.

“The Sound” he got on Fillmore East was the cherry-burst LP that he’d gotten a few months prior. He traded his Goldtop on it, but snatched the pickups out of the Goldtop and stuck them in the cherry-burst. He didn’t get the ‘ 59 tobacco-burst (Hot ‘Lanta) until late June of ‘71 - just 4 months before he died.

From listening to a load of boots, the cherry-burst had a smoother, better sound than Hot ‘Lanta.

Though I’m sure it was through mic-positioning and EQ, his sound on FE is one of the best sounds I’ve ever heard!

PS: Dickey has been a JBL man since WWI…

Duane's slide tone on "Statesboro Blues" from the Fillmore album is, to me, the best guitar tone ever recorded.