Sound City 120 Head

I had a L-120, 120 watts, about 10 years ago. This amp was the stongest, most bright, amp I have ever used. It had four inputs and I had it modded to bridge 2nd High Input 1 into Input 2. The earphone jack didn't work so I had a Master Volumn added, but it didn't add much gain at all by itself. It had no effects loop like modern amps today. It had no reverb. Dan Reeves who designed Sound City L-120 amps, started modifying them for "The Who", under the name of Hylight Electronics, which became Hiwatt Amplification. The same guy designed the Hiwatt DR-100 that was used by Pete Townsend. Page and Clapton also used Sound City amps before they changed over to the Marshall Plexi.

This amp was the brightest amp I have ever used, like a Plexi and old Orange 100 together on steroids, very sterile sounding. I ran this amp through a Marshall 1960A cabinet with G12T-75's. I used a 1980 TS-9 Tubescreamer to drive the tubes and it would get ungodly harmonics off of chords. I also used an EH Big Muff Pi distortion box and got violin sustain out of this amp. I had to use a Tom Schultz Power Soak to keep from drowning out the two SL100's and the Ampeg SVT in the mix. Played a 1979 Les Paul Custom with Duncan pickups through it. EQ was Bass=8 Mids=10 Highs=4, Volumn=8 plus Tubescreamer with Overdrive at 3 o'clock, level set about same, and Power Soak on 4, was the only way to overdrive this amp. It was a one trick pony, typical British rock amp, AC/DC crunch and Page-Zepplein tone to spare. The clean was cleaner than any Fender I've ever played if that is possible.

This L-120 was made in late 60's and built like a tank. It weighed a ton. It was all hand wired just like a Plexi. Dan Reeves the guy that designed Hiwatt DR-120's also designed the Sound City L-120's. The first Hiwatts called Hylights were actually modified Sound City L-120's. It was British, so still finicky. Using the Power Soak made the four EL-34's run hot, so I had to mount a small electric fan from Radio Shack, on the back grill to cool them off. This amp could get rather noisy at times if you let the tubes get too hot and didn't run the fan. This amp was pretty hard on power tubes which wasn't as expensive back then as it is today. Usually carried a back up when using this amp in case an EL-34 tube blew.

Sound City had long gone out of business, so a moot point.

When I had this amp I had been playing for about 15 years. At the time I was playing in an 80's Hard Rock band, so it was great for that time period. Would not be versatile enough today. Would have to have some other high-gain amp with it. If it were lost or stolen I would have bought a Marshall JCM800 100 Watt. This amp had great harmonics, but was very hard to overdrive. It should have had an effects loop and reverb for amp of this price range when new. The amp it most compared to was probably an Orange 100 watt more than a Marshall Plexi. If you like clean, bright amps, pick one of these up if you can find one.

a very powerful tube amp with tons of tone. Beautiful in it's simplicity

I get a world-class sound from this head,both with my Gibson SG and my strat. It loves pedals,and with the very powerful EQ, you can really shape your sound!

built to last! some of the best build-quality I have seen!

120 watts all-tube head with amazing British tone!

I have one of these incredible amps,it has a volume to bring down Jericho,and sounds incredible! I use it with a 200 watts powerbrake,I get a sound to die for!!!!

built to last ages,an huge amp with a big heart,like a San Bernardo!

I Believe my amp dates to 1970. I aquired the amp incidentally and it sat for years in storage. I gave this to the local amp shop about a year and a half ago and forgot about it until I rec'd a call last week. . This amp has no reverb and no foot switch but a simple a/b box works frine for me. Will discuss more below. This amp is disgustingly loud and was made when PA systems were not what they are now. Pete Townsend at Wembley Stadium comes to mind. Use of some sort of power soak is best to keep the volume in check and still push the tubes. Compared to today's amps the features are not so good.

This amp has 2 inputs. I ran an a/b box into the 2 inputs. I am able to get pure clean sounds on 1 input and mighty distortion on the other input. It appears that this amp had a simple mod done on it that bridged the preamp tubes. The bottom line is that this amp can get brutal distortion which is very uncharacteristic of this amp. I don't know who or why someone did this but the effect is devastating.

The amp buzzes a bit. I have no idea how old the tubes are as I have never changed them. I had the amp serviced as I have stated but I think it could be cleaned up sonically with some new tubes and maybe another tweaking.

This amp is simply too loud for any application I have. I am currently looking to sell it as I have no use for it ( I also have a Mesa Dual Retifier 100watt head and a 50 watt solo head).

Not sure here. I have only plugged this amp in once. I would be thinking of using a backup with any 35 year old amp.

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I have been playing for 22 years. I have a Les Paul Custom, Les Paul 1960's neck, Prs Singlecut, MusicMan Axis Supersport, Peavey Wolfgang , Ibanez Baritone and an old Jackson Dinky. I am working on instrumentals and I play in a local cover band doing modern rock a la Disturbed and Tool. I am partial to Mesa Boogie amps and have no reason to try anything else. Again, I acquired this piece of gear in lieu of money I was owed and never really had much interest in it. I am looking to sell this amp as is. If interested please contact me.

i have three from thee early seventies very powerfull puts the bass player in his place

i.m using allsorts strats yamaha sgs and sa 1200 also a telecaster.great with my boos distortion very loud and clean i also have a fender twin clean amps are the best in reality who uses an amp with built in distortion only bedroom boys

its an old amp so it would be unwise to rely on just one amp ive had new stuff go down on me the amp went down i think a valve took something out not sure yet i'll find out when i get it back thats the first fault in 20 years

1971 English made L-120 (seems to be all original, including the factory tubes). Has 6 inputs on face, headphone jack, and "active" EQ? No channel switching, but you can bridge th2 together (like a Plexi). No effects loop. This is a mark 4 L-120, and resembles a Hiwatt DR-103 (couldnt be because the same guy designed both....DUH!)

I remember the seventies (whoops), and I recall these things being extremely LOUD! I also remember seeing Hendrix, Page, Rick Neilson, Nugent, and a host of others (Leslie West not withstanding), cranking away on this particular head, (all using different bottoms).
Surprizingly, this thing is reletively quiet for an old class A amp. I have tried a 57 Black Beauty, and a Gallagher strat through it, and (GOD I hate to say this), sounds a little edgier than my Plexis. Try to immagine a cross between a Marshall(brutally loud), a Hiwatt (clean with headroom to spare), and a Fender Bandmaster (good ole rythem machine). There you have it. It has an active EQ, and is very sensitive, but the presence control is fucking useless!
Like a Plexi, (but to even a greater degree), this thing doesnt distort or break up at all till you hit the stratosphere! Hey, with todays pedals...a non-issue.

35 years old, works perfectly, and looks damn near new.....Im not complaining. The same maintainence rules apply as any other all tube amp.

Well, Im not sure where Id get another Partridge tranny if one went, but this thing is pretty basic. I would guess that any and all parts from a current Hiwatt would do.

Company has long been out of buisness, but I was surprized to see how many have these. If you need schematics and descriptions ect...go to www.plexipalace.com ( and go to discussion forum, as theres a whole lot of photos, and info there....not to mention pictures of all the rock legends playing these!

Like having a Hiwatt, a Marshall, and a Bandmaster all in one, with the ability to switch tones, and cripple eardrums all in one neat package.

You really dont see these every day anymore, but Ill be keeping my eyes open. The price is right and youre getting a monster.

This amp is great if you are looking for a straight forward vintage brittish tube amp. it is VERY LOUD. Mine was clocked with a db meter pushing around 118 db. With 120 watts of all tube power you shouldnt have a problem in any venue. One really cool feature is the slave jacks which let you bridge the Normal and Brilliant Channels while bypassing the attenuated input. The presnece control doesnt do much it really shouldnt be there. The eq on this amp is active which allows for some very cool tones to be created. This amp does have an effects loop but I dont really use it. This amp only does one channel at a time anyone with a good knowledge of gain effects can create a very versitile rig.

I use this head with a 77 les paul standard which is 100% stock and a 99 PRS McCarty. It sounds great. It is a bit noisy but that is due to some old caps but what do you expect from an amp which is over 30 yrs old and is all original minus the tubes. It does what i want very well I use a pretty big floor rig but it is mainly to have several gain stages at my disposal. The amp is set up to run lound and clean. The amp distortion sounds great but you have to run the amp wide open and I do mean wide open. It isnt dirty like a marshall but it is a very big sound. Tone wise when it gets dirty it falls between a Marshall crunch and a Hiwatt zing. While clean it is between a Hiwatt and the glassy bell like tones of a Fender.

This amp is very dependable. I run it really hard. Most of the time cranked up almost wide open just before it breaks up and I keep a THD Hotplate on it to keep it from killing my ears.

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I love this amp. If it were stolen i would have to buy another one. I have played through several different amps and owned several this is by far one of my favorite amps I have owned.

Ok i have no idea when my apm was built. Ive heard it must be around late 60's or early 70's as Pete Townshend from the Who used to use them before he replaced them with Hiwatt - interestingly the same guy who designed Hiwatt designed this amp with is probably why the tone is so similar. The main reason I bought it was that is was a litttle different from a Marshall or Laney tube head. The head is very basic with no spit channel, no built in reverb (reverb loop tho which i use as effects send and return carefully!!!!). Has six inputs and very much in a Marshall Superlead style so you can cross them and link amplifiers together. I use the amp for clean but distortion isnt upto much without a good pedal (I use a RP14D Digitech unit and it sounds top rate). Slightly noisy but that is down to the high gain pre-amp valves I installed - when I first had it it had the original Brimar valves and was a quiet as any Marhshall Ive tried. This is 120 watt so plently of headroom clean and really good with my current effects. Only thing Id critisise is the lack of Master Volume but then thats what you would get with any 60's or 70's amplifier - im gonna get a power attenuator to solve that problem. As i said very much like an old Marshall from the same era but with lots more bottom end definition and more sweep of presence than a standard Marshall superlead.

I use the guitar for everything. From blues to metal it sounds good very versatile. Suits my style perfectly, more bottom than a Marshall and definitely something different if thats what you want. Being a class-A amplifier definitely makes it more noisy but then with vintage Partridge transformers thats what you get - check out an old Vox AC-30 and you get the same noise - this has a lot to do with high gain preamp valves I use and certainly with a nice set of Mullards this would significantly reduce as the noise was boosted a lot when I changed the original valves recently.
'Natural Distortion' (without a pedal) isnt good...you really have to crank it up and that means annoying the neighbours level of volume. I would suggest that anyone who buys tyhis ampo gets a really top-notch overdrive like a MXR Distorition Plus, Ibanez Tubescreamer or Boss OD-1. I found mine works best with a valve overdrive pedal which my RP 14D has.
The preamp section of the amp is unlike any ive heard (except maybe a Hiwatt), really varied and with lots of presence, can be a bit too cutting but then the bottom end has lots of definition and is really tight.

Had the amp for about 10 years and never even blown a fuse. Partridge transformers go on-and-on unless you do something really stupid with them. Needs the regualr maintenance in that the valves need replacing every so often but nothing more than the Marshall Superlead I had prevsiouly.

Well, Sound City were Dallas Arbiter and went away long ago. With point-to-point wiring I guess if anything dod go wrong its nothing a reasonable technican could fix. Has no PCB's or anything that complex. Interestingly all the conponent s are 'gold' class too (in terms of resistors etc) so dont expect anything to go wrong, its worked for 30 years!!!!

Excellent amp, I love this amp. I would never go back to a Marshall!!!! The only thing id change is that it takes 6xEL34 so is a little bit more expensive in terms of replacing valves than say a 100 watt XXXXXX brand. I would like to get another one in similar condition, mines is absolutely mint condition and wouldnt part with it. I keep it regualrly serviced and this keeps the reliability of the amp and with this sound its money well spent. This amp isnt the kind you can just play and play and play you need to be prepared to spend a little money on it from time to time to maintain it.
When i got it I sold my Marshall within about a month and this is now my regular amp with a 50 watt version as a stand-by. With a mult-effects unit it doesnt miss a reverb (although they did produce one!!) but would change a single thing about it. I use Celestion G12H speakers for even more bottom end and this is fantastic!!

This is a very, very loud amplifier. It has six EL34s, a Marshall only has four. It won't distort like a Marshall, but if you overdrive the input with a fuzz box the valves seem to have no limit. I have actually blown a 2x12 cab with the Sound City, from sheer volume. Now the best bit... there's a switch on the back which puts the valves into bridged operation - and you just wouldn't believe how loud it becomes, though now very noisy.

They're built like a tank, cheaper than a Marshall or Hiwatt and as powerful as you like, but you don't get the tube distortion unless you turn it right up - and then you'll soon annoy the neighbours.

Used it with a Strat. Single coil pickups. Needed a pedal to boost the input in order to get overdrive. Nice for blues, not so good for metal.

Blew an EL34 once. A few times the fuse went.

What company? They disappeared years ago.

Sold the Sound City for thirty quid ten years ago. Wish I had it now, worth #200 on ebay. I'm currently using a Peavy backstage which is ok but without the grunt of the Sound City.

1970's Amp with two non switchable channels. You can get an extreamly heavy sound if presence is turned down and a 4x12 cab is used. Or you can try a more bluesy sound with presence half way. I always use a distortion pedal so i dont need any gain this attracted me to the 120. Tubes light up orange and once the amp is warm its hard to beat.

I use a range of guitars and this amp suits them all. You can get so much tone all the way up to ten with no loss in sound quality either. You can get realy good feed back if you want but also you can avoid it by altering the settings.

My AMP still has its original tubes and has only ever broken once the fuze blew and in five minutes it was back excelent!

As Sound City ceased to be several decades ago they cannot help with parts or servising but the simple layout and easy to find parts from other amps means they will never die.

ive bin playing several gigs with it and its useually running on 10 nd it still sounds amazing these amps are becoming hard to find and combined with my 4x12 marshall it makes an awesome pair. You'l heat the sound man say "can you turn down please" tell him no because they work better on 10