I absolutely love mine. It sounds right and almost as important it looks right. It should be said though that if you want bedroom volume you still need an attenuater cause it‘s hella loud
Hey Tony, I just love this amp. So many tones you can get out of this amp it's incredible. I'm running it through a 2X12 cabinet with Green Backs in it. It's a loud amp even in 5 watt mode. I use a reactive attenuator even in my basement !
@@KRSinDUB I’m currently using the captor x and it is pretty cool, you may choose between Voice level or night level(I call them like that hahaa) because it has 3 attenuation modes
I bought my first Marshall amp almost 40 years ago. And have been playing Marshall ever since. The SV 20 is my favorite. I play it over two old Marshall 4x10 cabinets from the 80's. Every time I turn it on it's like coming home. It's just that sound. And somehow I feel young again! Thanx for your video!
After like 30+ amps, this is my favorite amp! Add the Legendary Tone Mr Scary mod and it´s a beast! I use a Bogner 4x12 with old uk G12T-75 + WGS ET-75 speakers in X-pattern and that´s my favorite mix. Instant 80's goodness! Boost it with a klon for keeping the low end, add a ts808 for more metal inspired music... this amp is PERFECT
hi ,if you do change the tubes, i recommend a vintage mullard i61 at v1, it's what the first jtm 45 had and regardless the best sounding preamp tube ever made for guitar amps .the rest of the tubes will make a difference as well but not like the first one and nos is getting very rare and expensive. enjoy!
Great review! I know I'm "very late to the party"........but I just have to say the following: I'm 62 yrs old and gigged locally for decades here in central Florida. I "semi-retired" from the club scene in '02/'03. During all of that time, among several amps I owned & used, my favorite was my 50w JCM 800 2x12 combo. But there was a continuous problem using it: Containing sound levels in smaller to medium sized venues..........the amp would lose a fair amount of that magic tone at lower volumes. But still, I always made the best of it via pedals of course. But after I "semi-retired" ( I will NEVER be "done making music" ), and this little Marshall SV20 had just been released & available in my local music stores, I decided to take one for a spin. I am here to tell you, I love this little gem FAR MORE than my 50w JCM800.........this little SV20 absolutely smoked it. I played this little Plexi re-issue at all volume levels in the music store, and this little gem delivered IN SPADES......and on all levels. I looked at everyone in the store who was watching me and said: "Now why in the hell couldn't they have made this little beauty available back when I was gigging every week for all of those years?" .......and everyone laughed in agreement. The little Studio JTM is a gem of an amp too. Ya can't go wrong with either one of em. The only "new amp" that could out-perform these and also be more durable.......you would have to go with a Friedman.......such as a Pink Taco. Those are killer little amps, and all top-quality components such as the pot's.........better than the new Marshall's. But for the price.......these little studio Marshall's ( SV20 and JTM ) are amazing. The cherry on top is the fact that both amps are indeed made in England.
only amp i like better than my sv20 is my 1959HW. problem is there is a modest difference in the two heads that i end up using the SLP most of the time. the SLP notes sound just so much bigger even when the volume is the same. However, the SV20 is a great amp
A very very good amp. Changed the bright cap from 4.7nf to 100pf and we're away, that took the amp hiss down by a good measure. Now we've got the JTM20 to play with also, can't complain at all.
I bought one about 3-4 years ago. Back then they cost about $500-650, then a sudden price jump to $1300!!! They come with JJ EL34's. I bought some vintage EL34's to see if they improved the sound, and they didn't. I took them out and forgot about it, went to play it today and power tubes I couldn't find them so I had some modern Mullard EL34's, put those in and WOW! Now it sounds way better than it did. Highly recommend switching to those tubes. They are cathode biased, so you can use several several different power tubes. Haven't tried that, but am sticking with the Mullards. Yeah, they are pretty loud even on low power. The best speakers to use are 25 watt Greenbacks, you get the full-on early British Clapton sound with those speakers.
Agreed. This amp has “THE” sound. And is not a one trick pony- can dial in many shades as you pointed out. However, I must admit that they cheated out on the effects loop…does not sound good. I suspect it’s a typical IC/op amp design whereas a tube buffered series/parallel would’ve been ideal. Nice video
I like the speaker cab outputs. Very easy for the inexperienced player to understand. I couldn't afford the SV20 so I went with an Origin 20h. I dont know how much better the SV20 is (over the Origin) but I'm very happy. I did have to invest in a cheap attenuator (Bugera PS1) to get to the amps sweet spot though, as my neighbours are quite close. Even at the lowest setting (0.5 watts iirc) it's still quite loud.
@rocknroll1973 So, your suggestion is I use the gain and mv the way they're intended to be used? This isn't my first amplifier, mate. I'm well aware of how they work.
@rocknroll1973 Was there something in my first comment that gave the impression that I didn't understand how the amps gain and master volume function? Did I say that I was seeking advice in any way, or was not getting the desired tones out of the amp? I could give you plenty of advice on how to convey your thoughts in a less confusing manner, but, as you haven't asked,...
@rocknroll1973 How is giving an extremely long repetitive explanation of how to use the gain and master volume controls on the Origin20 relevant when comparing the sonic differences between the Origin 20 to the SV20?
@rocknroll1973 I said that the speaker outputs on the SV20 were easy for inexperienced players to understand. That had nothing to do with the controls on either the SV20 or Origin 20. You just read, "I don't know how much better the SV20 is, over the Origin 20" and decided that I didn't know how to use an amplifier, and even after I told you I didn't require (or ask for) an explanation of how to use the gain and master volume, you thought you'd tell me again. Here's some advice for you in general: when someone tells you they didn't seek advice, your reply should be "you're right. I assumed a whole lot of things that I should not have."
Takes most pedals great although I have had issues with high gain overdrives like a Friedman BE-OD & Catalinbread Sabra Cadabra. Convinced me to get rid of the BE-OD. I tend to just run it straight with just a vintage FuzzFace and blues overdrive pedal. Great overview on the amp and on target with what it delivers😀.
Hey Tony, you nailed the sound I'm looking for - great job. I have a similar set-up: SV20 with Les Paul Standard (Steve Jones Pick Up's - 496R) and a 4 X 12 with 2 Greenbacks and 2 G12 30W. I wanted to ask you (and anyone else on this thread who can help) the following: 1. What Pick Ups in the LP are you using? 2. What are your settings on the SV20? 3. What do you think of switching out the G12's for 2 more Greenbacks? My sound lacks clarity and bite. The G12's are thick and syrupy, maybe too much. I know you're using 65's, but I figured I'd go with 2 more Greenbacks for practicality and hopefully clarity. Angus Young has used both Greenbacks and the 65's and that's what I'm going for. Thanks, Ben
I love mine. I’ve had it for 2 years now, however I do wish that it had a better form of power scaling because it was so loud that I ended up getting a Fryette Power Station ( poor me, right) and I wish the effects loop “worked” because in my experiences it’s useless at pretty much any setting. That being said I would still highly recommend the SV20H if you absolutely must have a Plexi and don’t want to spend 1959HW money. It is still my best amp and my daily driver so to speak.
@RG-yz8ov it's useless on the SV20. It's great on the Powerstation. The SV20s preamp hits the power section too hard and squashes all your effects. I'm not sure how anyone uses it.
Hey Tony, you nailed the sound I'm going for! I have a similar set-up: SV20 with Les Paul Standard (Gibson 496R - The Steve Jones PU's) and a 4 X 12 consisting of 2 Greenbacks and 2 G12H 30W. I wanted to ask you three things: 1. What Pick Ups are you using on your Les Paul? 2. What are the settings on your SV20 in this video? 3. I know you're using 65's, but what do you think about replacing my G12H 30W's with two more Greenbacks? My sound lacks clarity and bite and I've read that the G12's are syrupy, thick, and warm sounding. Plus Angus Young used Greenbacks (and 65's) - and that's the sound I'm going for. Any advice would be appreciated from you or anyone else on this thread. Thanks, Ben
I got to try one out at a music store yesterday. Compared to my DSL the SV20H was way brighter. The other thing I noticed was how damn loud that thing was haha. I'm not sure if it was because of the cab or what but I could barely put the volume up at all without blowing out the room. And that was on low mode as well. Cool little amp though!
You can control the brightness of the amplifier easily by jumping the high and low volume knobs and working them together. This provides a whole lot of flexibility in all sort of applications.
Got the 2 12 cab used and replaced the speakers with a Celestion Gold & Celestion G12H 75 + another 1 12 cab w/ Celestion Gold hooked up together…I’m happy!
The unit doesn't have a sootswitch however it has a great solid clean sound if dialled in correctly and take pedals so well you really don't need a switch. Put your favorite pedal in front and you are rocking!
Any new Marshall gets thumbs down from reputable amp techs. Buy an old Traynor they’re very close to Plexi/Bassman’s and you won’t be heartbroken in 5 -10 years when the tech turns you away.
Just Forget that b.s.about whats supposidly wrong with it,for players the sv20 is a beautiful beyond belief musical instrument .i've noticed that most of the negative attitude seems to be from non-owners.
I absolutely love mine. It sounds right and almost as important it looks right. It should be said though that if you want bedroom volume you still need an attenuater cause it‘s hella loud
Hey Tony, I just love this amp. So many tones you can get out of this amp it's incredible. I'm running it through a 2X12 cabinet with Green Backs in it. It's a loud amp even in 5 watt mode. I use a reactive attenuator even in my basement !
HEy, Which attenuator are you using?
@@KRSinDUB I’m currently using the captor x and it is pretty cool, you may choose between Voice level or night level(I call them like that hahaa) because it has 3 attenuation modes
I bought my first Marshall amp almost 40 years ago. And have been playing Marshall ever since. The SV 20 is my favorite. I play it over two old Marshall 4x10 cabinets from the 80's. Every time I turn it on it's like coming home. It's just that sound. And somehow I feel young again! Thanx for your video!
I remember those old 4x10 cabinets. I thought that they were really superb sounding, but they didn't seem to catch on with players...
I built a 4x8 and it's the greatest thing shy of the full size deal.
I purchased one a couple of months ago and I love it to bits. neverhad a better amp. The search is over 🙂
Great to hear that! I love mine also! Thanks for watching!
I play this one at home through a Marshall 1974CX 1x12 - sounds amazing
After like 30+ amps, this is my favorite amp! Add the Legendary Tone Mr Scary mod and it´s a beast!
I use a Bogner 4x12 with old uk G12T-75 + WGS ET-75 speakers in X-pattern and that´s my favorite mix.
Instant 80's goodness!
Boost it with a klon for keeping the low end, add a ts808 for more metal inspired music... this amp is PERFECT
I also own this amp and would recommend it to anyone chasing those 70's tones. And yes it is loud at 20w and 5W , but it dose that thing !
hi ,if you do change the tubes, i recommend a vintage mullard i61 at v1, it's what the first jtm 45 had and regardless the best sounding preamp tube ever made for guitar amps .the rest of the tubes will make a difference as well but not like the first one and nos is getting very rare and expensive. enjoy!
SV20H and a Tone King Iron Man II, awesome combo!
I am using the Bulgera because it is inexpensive and it seems to work great also!
Great review! I know I'm "very late to the party"........but I just have to say the following: I'm 62 yrs old and gigged locally for decades here in central Florida. I "semi-retired" from the club scene in '02/'03. During all of that time, among several amps I owned & used, my favorite was my 50w JCM 800 2x12 combo. But there was a continuous problem using it: Containing sound levels in smaller to medium sized venues..........the amp would lose a fair amount of that magic tone at lower volumes. But still, I always made the best of it via pedals of course. But after I "semi-retired" ( I will NEVER be "done making music" ), and this little Marshall SV20 had just been released & available in my local music stores, I decided to take one for a spin. I am here to tell you, I love this little gem FAR MORE than my 50w JCM800.........this little SV20 absolutely smoked it. I played this little Plexi re-issue at all volume levels in the music store, and this little gem delivered IN SPADES......and on all levels. I looked at everyone in the store who was watching me and said: "Now why in the hell couldn't they have made this little beauty available back when I was gigging every week for all of those years?" .......and everyone laughed in agreement. The little Studio JTM is a gem of an amp too. Ya can't go wrong with either one of em. The only "new amp" that could out-perform these and also be more durable.......you would have to go with a Friedman.......such as a Pink Taco. Those are killer little amps, and all top-quality components such as the pot's.........better than the new Marshall's. But for the price.......these little studio Marshall's ( SV20 and JTM ) are amazing. The cherry on top is the fact that both amps are indeed made in England.
Great review. I love my Marshall Studio Plexi too. Great amp. Far too loud for home use though! Records great with a load box.
Totally agree!
This is a great example of well executed review.
Awesome dude
Thank you for the kind words
I love Marshall amps.
Sound fantastic.
I still have my 1970 Traynor combo though so never really considered buying one.
Good video Tony.
Thanks
Sounds fantastic.
only amp i like better than my sv20 is my 1959HW. problem is there is a modest difference in the two heads that i end up using the SLP most of the time. the SLP notes sound just so much bigger even when the volume is the same.
However, the SV20 is a great amp
Great review Tony.
Thanks for the visit
A very very good amp. Changed the bright cap from 4.7nf to 100pf and we're away, that took the amp hiss down by a good measure. Now we've got the JTM20 to play with also, can't complain at all.
How did that affect the tone
@@joeysgear1419 Not one iota, all good.
I bought one about 3-4 years ago. Back then they cost about $500-650, then a sudden price jump to $1300!!! They come with JJ EL34's. I bought some vintage EL34's to see if they improved the sound, and they didn't. I took them out and forgot about it, went to play it today and power tubes I couldn't find them so I had some modern Mullard EL34's, put those in and WOW! Now it sounds way better than it did. Highly recommend switching to those tubes. They are cathode biased, so you can use several several different power tubes. Haven't tried that, but am sticking with the Mullards. Yeah, they are pretty loud even on low power. The best speakers to use are 25 watt Greenbacks, you get the full-on early British Clapton sound with those speakers.
@@SDPickups i’ll have to try the Mullards at some point. Thanks!
Agreed. This amp has “THE” sound. And is not a one trick pony- can dial in many shades as you pointed out.
However, I must admit that they cheated out on the effects loop…does not sound good. I suspect it’s a typical IC/op amp design whereas a tube buffered series/parallel would’ve been ideal.
Nice video
I like the speaker cab outputs. Very easy for the inexperienced player to understand.
I couldn't afford the SV20 so I went with an Origin 20h. I dont know how much better the SV20 is (over the Origin) but I'm very happy. I did have to invest in a cheap attenuator (Bugera PS1) to get to the amps sweet spot though, as my neighbours are quite close. Even at the lowest setting (0.5 watts iirc) it's still quite loud.
@rocknroll1973 So, your suggestion is I use the gain and mv the way they're intended to be used? This isn't my first amplifier, mate. I'm well aware of how they work.
@rocknroll1973 Was there something in my first comment that gave the impression that I didn't understand how the amps gain and master volume function? Did I say that I was seeking advice in any way, or was not getting the desired tones out of the amp? I could give you plenty of advice on how to convey your thoughts in a less confusing manner, but, as you haven't asked,...
@rocknroll1973 How is giving an extremely long repetitive explanation of how to use the gain and master volume controls on the Origin20 relevant when comparing the sonic differences between the Origin 20 to the SV20?
@rocknroll1973 I said that the speaker outputs on the SV20 were easy for inexperienced players to understand. That had nothing to do with the controls on either the SV20 or Origin 20.
You just read, "I don't know how much better the SV20 is, over the Origin 20" and decided that I didn't know how to use an amplifier, and even after I told you I didn't require (or ask for) an explanation of how to use the gain and master volume, you thought you'd tell me again.
Here's some advice for you in general: when someone tells you they didn't seek advice, your reply should be "you're right. I assumed a whole lot of things that I should not have."
wow, how dare you try to offer a friendly suggestion .what a defensive dick @rocknroll1973
Takes most pedals great although I have had issues with high gain overdrives like a Friedman BE-OD & Catalinbread Sabra Cadabra. Convinced me to get rid of the BE-OD. I tend to just run it straight with just a vintage FuzzFace and blues overdrive pedal. Great overview on the amp and on target with what it delivers😀.
I also did not bond with the BE overdrive. But it was not the fault of the amp. I tried it with other amps too. Thanks for watching!
Sometimes I run high gain pedals in the low inputs , they become more tame and easily usable
@@melexdy excellent tip!
Sounds killer!
Hey man, great video. I'm this close to ordering the SV20H. By the way, what do you think of the Marshall 1987X compared to the SV20H?
The 1987x is great but too loud. You would need to use it with an attenuator.
Sv20h plus tone king ironman mini attenuator 😎
Fx loop doesn't work in these I had both of mine replaced. I run. Stereo 2x12 cream backs x 2 amazing sounds!!!!
Mine works fine
Great review mate. Lots of great info.
Blessings from England. 😎👍🏻
Hey Tony, you nailed the sound I'm looking for - great job. I have a similar set-up: SV20 with Les Paul Standard (Steve Jones Pick Up's - 496R) and a 4 X 12 with 2 Greenbacks and 2 G12 30W. I wanted to ask you (and anyone else on this thread who can help) the following:
1. What Pick Ups in the LP are you using?
2. What are your settings on the SV20?
3. What do you think of switching out the G12's for 2 more Greenbacks? My sound lacks clarity and bite. The G12's are thick and syrupy, maybe too much. I know you're using 65's, but I figured I'd go with 2 more Greenbacks for practicality and hopefully clarity. Angus Young has used both Greenbacks and the 65's and that's what I'm going for.
Thanks,
Ben
I love mine. I’ve had it for 2 years now, however I do wish that it had a better form of power scaling because it was so loud that I ended up getting a Fryette Power Station ( poor me, right) and I wish the effects loop “worked” because in my experiences it’s useless at pretty much any setting. That being said I would still highly recommend the SV20H if you absolutely must have a Plexi and don’t want to spend 1959HW money. It is still my best amp and my daily driver so to speak.
I agree my brother!
Effects loop is useless on the sv20h or effects loop in the powerstation. Why is the effects loop useless ?
@RG-yz8ov it's useless on the SV20. It's great on the Powerstation. The SV20s preamp hits the power section too hard and squashes all your effects. I'm not sure how anyone uses it.
What do you mean retain ? Did your 74 superlead have a loop ?
Mine didn't, neither does my 77 jmp. I think you mean added...
Hey Tony, you nailed the sound I'm going for! I have a similar set-up: SV20 with Les Paul Standard (Gibson 496R - The Steve Jones PU's) and a 4 X 12 consisting of 2 Greenbacks and 2 G12H 30W. I wanted to ask you three things:
1. What Pick Ups are you using on your Les Paul?
2. What are the settings on your SV20 in this video?
3. I know you're using 65's, but what do you think about replacing my G12H 30W's with two more Greenbacks? My sound lacks clarity and bite and I've read that the G12's are syrupy, thick, and warm sounding. Plus Angus Young used Greenbacks (and 65's) - and that's the sound I'm going for.
Any advice would be appreciated from you or anyone else on this thread.
Thanks, Ben
The pick ups are original Tokai pick ups. I haven’t changed them out.
For the pick ups, I would recommend using your greenbacks with WGS 65 speakers.
I got to try one out at a music store yesterday. Compared to my DSL the SV20H was way brighter. The other thing I noticed was how damn loud that thing was haha. I'm not sure if it was because of the cab or what but I could barely put the volume up at all without blowing out the room. And that was on low mode as well. Cool little amp though!
You can control the brightness of the amplifier easily by jumping the high and low volume knobs and working them together. This provides a whole lot of flexibility in all sort of applications.
Where are you from Tony? Montreal?
I love mine…got the 2
Got the 2 12 cab used and replaced the speakers with a Celestion Gold & Celestion G12H 75 + another 1 12 cab w/ Celestion Gold hooked up together…I’m happy!
Hello !
I am hesitated to buy it..
No switchable/footswitchable channel…
Need clean and overdrive channels with my band…
The unit doesn't have a sootswitch however it has a great solid clean sound if dialled in correctly and take pedals so well you really don't need a switch. Put your favorite pedal in front and you are rocking!
Sweet Tokai Love Rock man! What year and model is it? I'm looking to get one myself, what do you think of yours?
I have 3 Tokais and all of them are great. As a matter of fact one in particular is my number one guitar! I wish I could find more...
sounds great through this tokai! What Pups does it have?
Stock Tokai pickups
I agree even crappy pedals sound good
The Marshall T Shirt makes me feel like this is an objective review. 😂
Marshall is the Cat's Pajamas !!
What cab and speakers pls thx
@@michaelschuerman8826 Marshall cabinet loaded with G1265 celestion speakers
Have you tried the JTM equivalent?
Not yet…
These sound great until I see it in comparison with a real plexi, then it sounds thin. It sounds like it’s missing a lot of low end.
@@BullyMaguire4ever that’s why you have a bass knob. Cheers!
The only problem is that the knobs are placed chiply electronic wise...bummer for me
I guess when they break it could be a problem?.. it will probably never happen tho.
can i get Van Halen 1984 out of this amp ?
Yes
🌞🌞🌞
Note to self: Never in a YT video admit that you feel like a young schoolgirl. lol
Lol I’m perfectly comfortable with my manly hood.
Obviously has no problem finding, or showing, his feminine side. Good for him.
@@REM1956 LOL
I remember the days when I felt like a young schoolgirl. In fact, when I was a young schoolboy I felt quite a few 😂
@addictedtogear No! You're not. Clearly, you're not! Not only are you confused, but in denial.
That is a great amp and still very louD))))))))!
What??? Did you say something?
Any new Marshall gets thumbs down from reputable amp techs. Buy an old Traynor they’re very close to Plexi/Bassman’s and you won’t be heartbroken in 5 -10 years when the tech turns you away.
Pretty basic stuff in the unit. If your amp tech can’t fix it. Get a better amp tech! Just saying…
Just Forget that b.s.about whats supposidly wrong with it,for players the sv20 is a beautiful beyond belief musical instrument .i've noticed that most of the negative attitude seems to be from non-owners.
2 much for a pcb board.
marshall now made in vn r no good👎
@@good2020grief I don’t know man it sounds good to me!👌
overated ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,overpriced
You don't know what your missing.
Amp is fantastic but your crappy playing made it sound worse than it is
I'm glad you liked the amp. Still working on my playing. Send me the link to your playing videos so I can learn a few things...