THD Plexi

THD Plexi 2x10 Combo, Longhorn speakers, Tweed covering. This amp rocks. It is very compact and heavy. It feels very sturdy.

Not many features, but I have very versatile guitars. More features than a Marshall, and built much better.

Mine is basically the same as everybody elses with the exception of an SPST switch across the Cathode of V1. This allows me to change the gain characteristics from Vintage to Mean very easily. The channels are jumped, so I placed the switch in the Channel 2 "Lo" input jack hole.

I like the "Mode" and "Variac" features. They allow me to play at different volumes and get really great results.

This amp will not do Death Metal without a pedal, but it can do any Blues or Classic Rock that I could ask for.

Since both channels are jumpered together, both volume knobs affect the overall tone. I think that the possibillities are virtually endless due to this fact. You can dial in just the right amount of High or Low end gain with just these 2 knobs.

The EQ is very responsive unlike most Marshall based circuits.

I use mine with 6L6's. They just have much better headroom in my opinion.

This amp had an aftermarket reverb installed in place of the Loop. It sounded alright when fully cranked, but that was it. Ed at THD reccomended that I remove it. He was right. By returning the amp back to factory specs, I released it from it's mediocrity. Now the amp is fabulous.

It is the only amp that I own that I did not build myself.

This amp is built like a tank. THD has very tight Quality Control, and incredible insight into build techniques.

The transformers are oversized and never get hot. The circuit boards are 1/8" fiberglass with riveted solder lugs, not just a crappy trace to solder to.It is very easy to mod since you can solder to the board without removing it.

This amp will last forever.

This is where THD really shines. Ed and Andy (the owner of the company) are incredibly helpful.

Ed answered all of my questions regarding the amp.

Andy actually spent about 4 hours on the phone helping me restore the amp to factory specs. How many guys that own the company will do this. He even sent me all of the parts that I needed for free.

These guys are GREAT!!! I could not ask for anything more from a company.

I play anything from Blues to Death Metal. I have to admit that since I got this amp and 2 PRS Custom 24's, I play a lot more Blues and Classic Rock than anything else.

I have been playing for over 20 years and have owned almost every decent amp including some Vintage Marshalls and Fenders. This amp easily takes them all (except my '67 Deluxe Reverb, but hey, it has Reverb). I can gig with outstanding Vintage Tone and never doubt the amps integrity. Try doing that with a real Marshall Plexi.

UPDATE: Just wanted to cue everyone in on how I'm currently running this amp. In my review below, I'm pretty much running the amp stock, the way it's "supposed to be", with effects in loop and stopmboxes out front. Now, I'm running my guitar into a Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp, and one of the main outs from there into the Power Amp In on the THD, and using the Output control on the preamp as my "Master Volume". So, now, I'm pretty much using the Studio Pre as my preamp, and using the power section (2xEL34) and speakers (2x10" Allens) and cab of the THD "Type-O" Plexi (my sales receipt had both "Type-O" and "Plexi" on it, so I guess they're pretty much the same circuit). In this setup, the only control that has any effect on the THD is the Presence control (all others are preamp section based, and therefore "bypassed").

Before, I'd have to e.q. the amp a tiny bit in the studio (though, what amp don't you have to), as the "live" sound always still seemed to lack some bass response (the "Normal" channel gets plenty of bass, but is too muffled, "padded", and muddy sounding - so the slight lack of bass is a trade-off I can live with - I mean it's a 2x10 combo after all). I thought that since the plexi was so naturally a bright sounding amp, and since the Boogie preamp sounds a little on the "dark" side, that they would sound fairly good together.

Well, boy was I right, and more. This is probably the best this preamp has sounded, and (live) this is the best the THD has sounded. Yes, there is a little noise (not all that much, really), but that is most likely due more to the preamp, and the fact that even right now, there's still something wrong with the reverb (it cuts out occasionally, and then sometimes comes in too strong, so all of the sudden I'm Dick Dale playing "Pipeline" - yikes!). So no doubt there may be someting else wrong, as well (most likely minor). I'll probably elaborate more on this setup, once the preamp is 100%, in the Mesa Studio Preamp section.

However, it works right most of the time, and the purpose of this little blurb is to alert anyone who might have both of these pieces (or something similar) as to the magnificent sonic potential that can be achieved by combining these two disparate units in this way. So, these comments relate strictly to how this rig SOUNDS. Which is, positively stunning. I'm hearing more of the THD in the mix than I thought (I guess I was expecting an EL34 loaded MkIIC+). Trust me, I'm not disappointed. The trick is, you have to keep the mids and bass VERY low. As in, turn them all the way off, and then very slowly turning them up. I keep the mids at 1 and the bass at 1.5 (any higher than 2 on either results in typical Boogie flabby bass and cloudy, crowded, congested mids). In every other rig the preamp has been in, these settings sounded just a little too thin, but two notches up on the bass and it starts getting flabby and slightly "flatulent" (the mids start clouding up on 2).

However, in this rig, there's just enough beef present, and "live" tests have yielded some VERY impressive results thus far. Seems to bring out the best qualities of both the Boogie sound (I've never heard a Boogie sound this good) and the THD. It seems to have most of the "chunk" of the plexi, and now the clean channel (sounds the best ever now). The overdrive on the Boogie is, as you all probably know - well, there's a lot of it. "2" is about as high up as I have the gain on the drive channel (clean's is all the way up - I like a bit of grit to my clean sounds, and this is still pretty clean). Put the drive on 3, and it's more gain than even a Soldano SLO at the same setting - and it'll melt your face right off. The drive now doesn't have any of that "Santana" lower mid congestion, which sounds like the signal "crash

For what it is (essentially a vintage non-master combo amp), this amp is solid with features, even if they are only a Pentode/Triode switch (hard for me to tell the difference), and tube buffered fx loop (send and return levels). It's a 50-watt 2x10 combo, in blonde and oxblood "Type-O" cab, and uses a 2xEL34 power stage. The THD original speakers blew (a common occurence I hear, which is I guess why they only make it in a 2x12 now), so the ones in my amp were replaced by Allens, and actually they sound quite good. It's so nice to have someone make a well-built and reliable vintage style amp, but for it to have an effects loop (handy for not overdriving those reverb and delay effects, which always sounds "board clipped"). I've seen even modern builders who make a modern, hi-gain channel switching amps (with switches out the wazoo) and won't build a loop into it - seems to defeat the purpose of having a modern amp. Anyway, the other standard "feature" is that the inputs are already "jumpered", so the volume of the unused channel affects the tone of the channel you're plugged into, useful for those looking for that subtle shading of the gain structure.

I have to say, when I initially played through it, it sounded a bit hard and rough to my ears. I don't know if I just didn't have it "dialed in", or if the Allens were new and eventually broke in, but now that I've used it a bit, I'm getting AWESOME sounds out of every guitar I plug into it. Mainly, my main Strat (maple "soft V" neck, Duncan Pearly Gates in bridge) and my Heritage H-535 "ES-style" hollowbody, both of which sound incredible. I can roll the volume up and down a few nothces to control the overall gain, which, with my Strat's volume full up (bridge pu), is in "almost early Van Halen" territory (sometimes beyond in some ways), with both volumes about noon. For "knock those walls over" hi gain leads, I employ a Fulltone Distortion Pro, which I set to conjure a mixture of Eric Johnson viola, Cream, "Phys. Graffiti" era Page, and Hendrix's E.L. "Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)" type of tone. Very tasty, and I've even plugged in wilder, tighter gain boxes and gotten perfect metal sounds (I mean all the chunk, and minus the swarm of killer bees around the highs). All of this in the studio with just a mic hanging in front of the 2x10 combo (no fancy cabs). On the neck pickup, depending on volume settings, gets variations on SRV, Hendrix, EJ's bell-like clean, Blackmore, etc. Best sound I've ever gotten, period. There just seems to be something about plexi style amps (or maybe just this one) in that they all sound pretty much the same, but there's something about it, when it's goosed a little, that it lets your fingers REALLY dictate the sound to it. This is certainly the case for me, as I hear the inherent sounds of thousands of other guys when I play this amp, yet it doesn't sound like any of them, it sounds like me. There's very little natural compression, even when the amp is really overdriven, which means the harder you dig in, the more it cries. Very dynamic. Very complex. And on top of that, it's small enough I can use a two amp rig (a 2x10 Fender), fit it all in a small car, and use the fx loop in the THD and get a great plexi overdrive and STILL have nice reverb and delay - live.

Don't really know for sure, but THD does have a reputation for their stuff not blowing up on the road (just their 10" speakers, it seems). Worked without flaw so far, and hopefully it will continue to do so (I don't expect it won't).

Andy Marshall is reputed to be another "nice guy in a crummy business". All my dealings with anyone from THD have been smooth and incident free. The guy is NOT an idiot. Hey, it's more than you can say for some. All kidding aside, he really is a nice guy and pleasant to deal with, and THD is a great company.

Gotta give it a 10, especially after it performed so perfectly for me in the studio rehearsal we did last week (and I have the tape to prove it). Really. This amp is a great one to set for a lightly crunchy sound (so it cleans up really well with volume changes), and can be turned into a giant sledgehammer for the ultimate "plexi times ten" hi gain lead and rhythm sounds. Ultimately, just like your old late 60's half stack, only much more portable and with a badass loop, but still with the same great sounds. And just think about the possibilites with several choice vintage or boo-teek gain boxes. You can do rack fx, combo, and pedal board all at the same time. For me, this is the ultimate mix. I've got that "armed to the teeth" feeling, like the alien in Predator. With this, my fender, and an A/B box (not to mention the effects), I now have every sound I could possibly want. It may not be your cup of tea, but oh boy, it sure is mine! ...and I've had it a half a year or longer.

By some luck I happened across this amp from some friends working at a music store. Great sound. I like the bridged inputs from bright to normal are bridged already. No jumpers neccessary. Pure EL-34 power coming from this amp. It has an effects send and return system that has adjustable levels. And also the icing an extra jack for a hook into another cabinet.

I use Strat style guitars exclusively and combined with this amp it kills! The amp is hand made. Point to point wiring etc.. The amp sounds very clean and really takes off with a good fuzz. I have Fulltone 70' and Soulbender and they both work great. The sound is rich and warm. There are many tones to be found and I've just started using it. It is a complex sound that can built upon any way you like. I found the Hendrix Maniac Depression tone instantly. This is the sound from an Amp I've been searching for and finally found. For me this is the Holy Grail of amps.

It is new to me but built like a tank. No problems yet.

I called the company today and talked to the owner Andy Marshall. I was impressed with him. He is a nice guy and he knows his stuff and remembered the details of the amp I purchased. The amp was alot of money and I feel after talking to him even more satisfied with my purchase.

I have been playing for about 13 years and this amp is the best I have played through. This amp is perfect for the tones I'm looking for. Most of the tunes I know (besides my own) are Hendrix and it gets that with ease. I play better when I have the tone and this helps immensly. I had a chance to get a Marshall Bluesbreaker and I'm glad I opted for this instead. The amp was expensive but the fact of being handmade and the tone that eminates from within is a great value to me. You have to pay for good. If it were stolen I would get a new one in a heartbeat. I can't ask for anything else from this amp. Its' got it all for me.