5 watters, what chu lovin?

[Lach]

Looking for a new amp for some glorious lower volume grunt to slam with some Bendery goodness, any rec's? What do you use and love/dislike about it? Playing with a ~1K max AU budget, looking at the Ulbrick Firebottle 5, Vox AC4, Marshall Class 5, Blackstar Artisan maybe? Would love be encouraged or warned off on any of those avenues from the experience here if you'd care to share? Cheers for any input. Looking at some vintage options too but I don't really want something that needs service/repair every 6/12 months either

[squarewave]

Go the ulbrick 8 days a week if you can get one

[simonm]

I was lucky enough to get a vintage Supersound 5 watter last year, and also a 5W Ampmaker Marshall-style kit amp recently (not 100% my taste but useful for my fuzz demos)

Before this is I had surveyed the market and wasn't too impressed with the AC4 or the Class 5 or the Blackstar (don't know the Ulbrick), and resolved to hang around and pay up for an AC4HW, but they are hard to find and relatively expensive.

However Matt S /vanguard recently shared his AC4C1 mods on Insta - he says "With these mods, this amp is head and shoulders above the AC4HW" (granted, he was selling one of two of these amps at the time, but we all know his attention to detail and that he knows his stuff).

These were the two most significant mods:

"Dropped in a brand new made-in-UK Celestion Heritage G12M. I'd say this is the best greenback since the originals. Only the Heritage is 98db, rather than the loud 100db of Chinese ones. It's got rich, creamy mids and lots of detail. A very vintage sound that I prefer to the alnico blue."

"Replaced the crummy stock output transformer w/a killer Hammond 5w audio OT (125BSE). This is the most important mod. It takes the AC4 from being essentially a rad little fuzz box to a proper, full-voiced, chimy tube amp."

he also replaced a bunch of resistors and caps - not sure how much impact these would have on the sound - but left the stock Chinese valves.

If i was looking for a 5W amp now I would get an AC4C1 and follow Matt's recipe. I was tempted to do this anyway, but don't have the floor space. The blue one is cute. Changing output transformers and speakers isn't hard, but it probably wouldn't cost much to get a tech to do it for you.

[Lach]

I was lucky enough to get a vintage Supersound 5 watter last year, and also a 5W Ampmaker Marshall-style kit amp recently (not 100% my taste but useful for my fuzz demos)

Before this is I had surveyed the market and wasn't too impressed with the AC4 or the Class 5 or the Blackstar (don't know the Ulbrick), and resolved to hang around and pay up for an AC4HW, but they are hard to find and relatively expensive.

However Matt S /vanguard recently shared his AC4C1 mods on Insta - he says "With these mods, this amp is head and shoulders above the AC4HW" (granted, he was selling one of two of these amps at the time, but we all know his attention to detail and that he knows his stuff).

These were the two most significant mods:

"Dropped in a brand new made-in-UK Celestion Heritage G12M. I'd say this is the best greenback since the originals. Only the Heritage is 98db, rather than the loud 100db of Chinese ones. It's got rich, creamy mids and lots of detail. A very vintage sound that I prefer to the alnico blue."

"Replaced the crummy stock output transformer w/a killer Hammond 5w audio OT (125BSE). This is the most important mod. It takes the AC4 from being essentially a rad little fuzz box to a proper, full-voiced, chimy tube amp."

he also replaced a bunch of resistors and caps - not sure how much impact these would have on the sound - but left the stock Chinese valves.

If i was looking for a 5W amp now I would get an AC4C1 and follow Matt's recipe. I was tempted to do this anyway, but don't have the floor space. The blue one is cute. Changing output transformers and speakers isn't hard, but it probably wouldn't cost much to get a tech to do it for you.

Wowzers, thanks man for such a detailed response! Just like your amazingly detailed pedals! Lots of food for thought in there...I'm slowly building up to your appreciation of tones but ain't there yet! I know what I want in my head, but not how to describe, nor what might get me there, but that helps, so thanks!

[Lach]

Go the ulbrick 8 days a week if you can get one

I've struggled to find a bad word... anywhere! you have? Combo 10" I'm lookin at

[Spook]

I have a Ulbrick Megalodon boost that i love, would love t try an amp by the dude !

[innerflight]

Mate I’m not sure how easy to get down under but the Matamp Minimat cannot be beaten for a 5 watter, comes as a head but even getting a matching cab with it should be on your price range, think I paid about £450 gbp for my matching set

Clean tones, grunt from the amp if needed and loves fuzz pedals.

Been through loads of amps at that wattage and never found anything to compare.

If you can get the four knob version (Minimat 2???) then that’s the one as it has a gain knob as well as a boost knob and they work brilliantly together for getting those tonezzzz

[Electric Warrior]

Class 5 with plexi mod: http://sndup.net/y68b

[Lach]

Thanks Ian! Yep, I could go the head route too, as I have a great little 1x12 pine cab with an old Tungsten driver that sounds great. Hmm... gonna look at that Mini mat

And thanks Electric Warrior! That Class 5 sounds great with the plexi mod! Is that common for these? Off to research some more... thanks again for the input chaps

[squarewave]

Go the ulbrick 8 days a week if you can get one

I've struggled to find a bad word... anywhere! you have? Combo 10" I'm lookin at

No a one. I’d wager you’d get more bang for your buck with the ulbrick. Hand made and better components.

There is one on gumtree for 900$