Best Non Marshall Amp & Les Paul Combos

Rodip · May 18, 2025

Not sure if they are still available, but I sure do love my Valvetrain Thundertrain (Valco/Supro clone). Nails the Led Zep 1 sound...

ThunderTrain - ValveTrain Amplification

ValveTrain ThunderTrain American Made 35 Watt Tube Amplifier The ValveTrain ThunderTrain is inspired by the highly revered Valco (S*pro) Thunderbolt of the mid 1960’s. What sets The ThunderTrain apart from the other versions of this classic amp is that its circuit is accurate to the tube rectified

www.valvetrainamps.com

Shadow13 · May 18, 2025

Bogner Shiva 20th Anniversary

BayouGTR · May 18, 2025

mzblues1 · May 18, 2025

Sounds like you may lean more towards a cleaner Fender style Amp. But if you want the versatility of clean that will also step easily into Marshall territory (and some), I am happy with the Little Sister Combo (mine has a Celestion 100).

And no, I don't have a effects rack hidden behind it...just Tuner, Reverb (sometimes) through the loop, and an Attenuator for the concern of my neighbor.

Just LP into LS...that's all I need.

Mr Da Vinci · May 18, 2025

If you can find one, try - or just go ahead and buy - an Egnater Tweaker 15, available as either a head+cab or combo. Criminally underrated, the Tweaker is a 15-watt Fender + Vox + Marshall amp all in one. I have the head and cab and it’s fantastic value and an awesome tone monster. YouTube has a bunch of stellar reviews - the one from Anderton’s is a great example. Also look for the videos where Bruce Egnater explains how it contains the different tone circuits of those three classic amps; it’s a brilliant piece of amplifier design at an absolute bargain price.

TLmix · May 18, 2025

Deluxe Reverb. Tweed Twin

mbm1972 · May 18, 2025

Shadow13 said:
Bogner Shiva 20th Anniversary View attachment 851115

Couldn’t agree more - Les Paul plus Bogner shiva is epic. Were I ever to replace my mesa lonestar rig (50/100 head through a 2x12 rectifier cab), it would be a shiva. If I had the space, I’d have both of them.

tmgcustom · May 18, 2025

My choice..

robertray · May 18, 2025

Sounds great.

BluesDudeAK · May 18, 2025

I don't play them much but have two 1990 Classics with Sigil Holy Grail old wire pickups. 58 model in one and 59 in the other. Play them through either an old Danelectro M8E or a Vox AC15H2TVL 50th Anniversary amp. One of mahogany ones. I met a guy online that owned the AC15 and talked me into getting a Mercury Magnetics transformer they made especially for this amp. The tech that put it in told me he thought I was nuts as the amp sounded like a million bucks. He laughed and said it sounds like 2 million now. The other owner recommended some different caps and resistors for it too, but I haven't felt the need to pursue that. Definitely brings a big smile to my face playing those LP's in that amp,

Deed I Do · May 18, 2025

My LP Custom (1978) sounds wonderful through a 1970-ish Vox AC30 TB. But that amp is just too heavy to take anywhere these days. My Fender DRRI sounds different, but just as good. I sometimes use a Kelly (UK) 50w head - similar to a Selmer TnB 50 and that in turn was based on the Bassman - and that is just... excellent...!

Cruzcampo · May 18, 2025

I’m using these two at the moment…Matchless Lightning Reverb 15 and a Matchless Mini 6w. Pretty impressed with both!!

DADF#AD · May 18, 2025

Memphis Soul said:
I want to try out a Mesa Boogie. I’ve never even heard one live. The closest I’ve come is playing the models in Amplitube. Those sound good but I’m sure they’re not close to the real thing.

If you get a chance (and can find a nice one) try this Mesa combo w/your LPC. Mesa Electra Dyne. The cleans are pristine - more preferable to me than a Fender DRRI but a bit rounder & not as spiky sounding. The blue channel is superb. Awesome spring reverb too. Also, the Black Star HT5-R is nice for low volume indoor stuff. It can be dialed in to match most Marshall settings.

scottnfld · May 18, 2025

I play my R8 through a handwired DR w/pine cab loaded with a celestion alnico cream….honestly it sounds glorious. If I want some Marshall flavoured dirt I just step on my origin effects hot rod compact!

Deftone · May 18, 2025

My long gone Mesa Heartbreaker.....

This was actually the amp I had around '00 when I bought my 1st LP.....an '00 Standard Raw Power. (on the right)

captdan61 · May 18, 2025

Memphis Soul said:
Everyone knows that a Les Paul sounds killer through a Marshall but what are some other combos that sound great? I have a Fender limited edition 65 Twin Reverb reissue that has Celestion Creamback speakers with a solid pine cabinet. My Les Paul sounds great through this setup. Running it through either my Boss Blues Driver Waza Craft or my Ibanez TS9 TS it sounds perfect for blues/blues rock. I plan on buying the Marshall DSL40CR but I’m also interested in other amps such as a Fender Princeton Reverb, Fender Deluxe Reverb and a Vox AC30. I know all these amps sound great with Fenders as I’ve played through all of them except the Vox. How do you think a Les Paul would sound through these combo amps? Name some of your favorite non Marshall and Les Paul setups.

dc007 said:
I feel ya. I think for me the tweed just doesn't cut thru the mix well. If you running a low stage volume they do better

I pair a tweed deluxe clone with a headstrong lil’king S. Into a wah,fuzz( which fuzz depends on my mood) then into a notaklon then a Kingsley page, then a analogman envelope filter. Then the analogman analog dual delay. Then either a strymon flint. Or a A/B/Y. Sounds glorious! I also have a trainwreck type amp heap and a 4-10 cabinet killer but large heavy and loud. Or a vibrolux with celestion 10’s. Or a 1956 little mot super 5 watt. And which les Paul humbucker or p90?

leofender55 · May 18, 2025

My Les Paul's sound great through my '69 Twin with original JBL's. But my favorite is my '63 Fender Vibrolux. Setting the volume at 5 is an amazing rock sound.

jimijam33 · May 18, 2025

Let's see now. What are the early Marshall JTM-45's based on?

The original rock & roll amp. Tweed 4x10 Bassmans..........

The reissues don't have the same bottom end (or gain) as the original 4x10 Bassmans of the late 50's but they still sound great with a Les Paul cranked...

Memphis Soul · May 18, 2025

jimijam33 said:
Let's see now. What are the early Marshall JTM-45's based on?

The original rock & roll amp. Tweed 4x10 Bassmans..........

The reissues don't have the same bottom end (or gain) as the original 4x10 Bassmans of the late 50's but they still sound great with a Les Paul cranked...

View attachment 851439

I almost bought the new 59 Bassman reissue instead of the Twin. Had actually ordered from Sweetwater but called before they shipped it and put the money on the Twin. I really wanted an amp with reverb.

BurstPaulFutureStradivari · May 19, 2025

Lots of great amps listed here. Another good one is the Magnatone Super 59er. Great for a Les Paul or Les Paul clone. Especially the mkI first version with the tube recto. Very LZ or ZZish. The amplitude modulated tremolo and frequency modulated vibrato are also outstanding and controllable via an expression pedal. Kind of like a super Marshall with bonus features.

Best Non Marshall Amp & Les Paul Combos

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