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Amps

This downsized version of Marshall’s first amp still spans a sweet range of British and American tones and packs a punch—even in its 5-watt mode.

A well-designed, ruggedly built, and downsized update of the classic JTM45 platform. Suited for contemporary club and studio needs. Five-watt mode sounds excellent. Spans classic Brit and American tones.

Expensive for a 20-watt PCB-based combo.

$1,949


Marshall JTM Studio ST20C
marshall.com

4.5
4.5
5
4

Marshall ventured ably into smaller and quieter realms with 2018’s Studio Series, which reduced the plexi, JCM, and Jubilee platforms down to a much more manageable 20 watts. The JTM45 is the latest Marshall legend to undergo the shrink treatment—yielding the Studio JTM ST20C, a 20-watt, 1x12 combo that harnesses big-bottle, 5881 output tube power in an amp suited for modestly sized clubs and studios.

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The good doctor refines an old mid-power favorite that dishes beautiful American-style clean and overdriven tones while packing a muscular punch.

A killer reimagining of an already great design. Bold cleans and toothsome overdrive in an impressively portable package.

No effects loop.

$2,049

Dr. Z Z-28 Mk. II
drzamps.com

5
5
4.5
4

Though he’s built bona fide iconic modern guitar-amp designs—and a reputation that he could happily ride into the tube-glow sunset—Dr. Z’s head honcho, Mike Zaite, has always stayed creative. He’s steadily revamped his lineup over the years. And the new Z-28 Mk. II represents a thoughtful update of an amp that many of us assumed couldn’t get much better. The original Z-28, discontinued in February 2018, was a robust 22-watter that reveled in simplicity and thick, versatile tonality. Players loved it. And more than a few lamented its discontinuation.

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A 50-watt tube combo that weighs just 24 pounds.



Light! Powerful. Wide range of sounds.

Channel one can sound flat without pedals.

$1,299

Blackstar St. James 50 EL34 Combo
blackstaramps.com

3.5
4.5
4.5
4

Whether or not the push toward lightweight amplifiers is a lasting trend (and why wouldn’t it be?), the quest for less tonnage is definitely yielding interesting amps. Fender’s recent digital simulacrums of the Deluxe and Twin demonstrated that light weight and vintage-correct style can co-exist. Blackstar, too, has made “lighten the load” its modus operandi for the new St. James series. But rather than using digital means to drop pounds, Blackstar stuck with tube amp architecture. That leads us to the St. James 50 EL34 reviewed here: a proper 50-watt, 1x12" tube combo that, remarkably, weighs just 24 pounds.

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A modeling amp in vintage disguise.

Pros: Great balance between digital power and simplicity. Lightweight and super affordable. Nice app for editing.

Cons: Footswitch not included. Some functions are not intuitive and require a look at the manual. No digital readout.

$399.99

Line 6 Catalyst 100
line6.com

4
4.5
4
5

Line 6’s Catalyst series is the latest in a generation of amplifiers bridging the gap between digital modeling’s enormous possibilities and many players’ desires for old-school simplicity. These amps offer detailed, convincing amp models—but not too many of them—in a compact, vintage-style design that makes avoidance of option fatigue a priority. The very accessible prices also make the series a direct competitor to Boss’ ultra-successful Katana amps. The Catalyst is offered in three models: Catalyst 60 and Catalyst 100 (both of which have one 12" speaker), and the Catalyst 200, which has two 12" speakers. For this review I tested the Catalyst 100, which sells for a very modest $399.

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An accessibly priced gateway to a high-gain playground.

Killer sounds in a reasonably priced package. Huge gain range.

Begs for more footswitching options.

$899

EVH 5150 Iconic Series 40W 1x12 Combo
evhgear.com

5
4.5
4.5
5

The late Eddie Van Halen spent much of his early career in search of what’s now known as the “brown sound.” Years after cracking the code, he helped bottle various versions of the recipe into the 5150 line of amps. Various iterations of these amps are now studio and stage staples, and are often used in heavy genres that transcend Van Halen’s vision.

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