Many guitarists are somewhat captivated by the concept of an amp head. While combo amps are great, the whole “mix-and-match” element is appealing; your favorite head with your favorite cabinet... fun stuff. Also, you get to stack your head on top of you cabinets, and plug in more cabinets, angle your cabinets the way you want, put your head over here and all your cabinets way other there, burn rubber, drive real fast... er.. oh yeah, that’s fast cars... same thing. Guitar amp heads tend to appeal to those who have a more specific idea of what they want, and like to take things a bit more to the extreme. Vintage guitar amp heads capture our imagination because before racks and digital modeling, there were just combos, heads and cabinets. Also, you had to really rely more on the head because amps did not do as much back in “the old days” as they do now, and pedals were fewer and more expensive. There is something very special about the right head through the right cabinet. These heads are some of the best ever made. They hearken back to an age where tone mattered as much as technique, and stage volume was a very real part of the whole experience.Best Vintage 50W Guitar Amplifier Head:
50 Watts is often just perfect; loud enough to cut through, but just enough of a power-shortage to allow for the head to be run hot. Back in the day, when everyone was out blowing all of their paper-route earnings on 100 Watt heads, and then blowing even more of it on pedals that helped you compensate for the fact that it could not be turned up past "2", a few smart folks were simply using 50 Watt heads. All of the heads in this list represent the perfect balance of vintage tone and craftsmanship, as well as the ability to actually put the head through its paces.
Marshall JCM 800 2204 Guitar Amp Head
The little brother to the model 2203, this 50-watt head offers the same awesome simplicity, but at a more manageable volume. The JCM 800 does not offer any extreme levels of gain, so low volumes are a bit un-eventful. But when you turn this one up, things get wonderfully out of control. Because of the 50-Watt rating, you will be a bit less un-popular with the neighbors. The end result though ... Read Full Review »
Fender Bandmaster Guitar Amp Head
Although more like about 40 Watts, I have always considered this head low-powered member of the 50 Watt class. It does not get too much better the Bandmaster when it comes to the perfect combination of chimey clean tones that break up quickly at about "4". The natural growl from this head when it does break up is fantastic as well. What many forget is that the original Bandmasters ... Read Full Review »
Marshall JMP MKII Guitar Amp Head
A precursor to the JCM 800 series, this model was a natural bridge between the classic '60s and more modern sounding '80s line. Just as with the 1959, the feature set is simple: Volume, Treble, Middle, Bass and Presence. The four-input front panel is also very much reminiscent of previous models. The sound is, just as expected, very raw and powerful. You can't mistake that signature EL34 tone ... Read Full Review »
Music Man Sixty-Five Guitar Amp head
Although a bit over-powered for this 50-watt group, the Music Man Sixty-Five is absolutely one of the best in class. The pair of 6CA7 "big bottle" power tubes really delivers when you want that snarly UK tone. Just as with the HD-130, you've got a half-power switch as well as "deep" and "bright" switches. Leo Fender really out-did himself with these amplifiers; ... Read Full Review »
Hiwatt Custom DR504 Guitar Amp Head
Like Sound City products, this 50 Watt amplifier boasted Partridge transformers, which are the secret behind the amazing power and clarity. Pete Townsend pretty much put these heads on the map over the years and the play a starring role in just about every reel of classic Who footage. The EL-34 power tubes are right in-line with the traditional "British Sound" and the tone is just ... Read Full Review »
Best Vintage 100 Watt Guitar Amplifier Head:
High-Powered guitar heads have come a long way and grown into some very sophisticated and feature-rich devices. But sometimes, you just want a big ol' loud guitar head. If so, then this list is just for you. These five amplifiers are the best vintage 100 Watt heads of all time. They represent the best of what guitar was all about when PA systems were not so powerful and everyone's hearing was much better. Simple, simple, simple; in most cases just volume and EQ settings. It is great that nowadays, you can get some fantastic sounds in your headphones, for pro-tools, or just at low settings. This is both politically correct and very considerate of others. But, remember when plugging your guitar into a 100 Watt head and turning it up all the way was in the same category of fun as driving extremely fast in your parents' car without their consent? These heads are your passport to hedonism.
Marshall 1959 - Super Lead Guitar Amp Head
This is the one. Jimi Hendrix, Pete Townsend, Jimi Page, Eddie Van Halen, just to name a few of the legendary guitarists who built their entire legacy on this very head. Virtually any muscle-amp-head ever built modeled itself after the 1959 and with good reason. This head offers only one thing: raw power. I can think of no other amplifier that sounds amazing even on 3 or 4, with no pedals. As ... Read Full Review »
Marshall JCM800 2203X 100 Single Channel Head
Gain, Treble, Middle, Bass, Master. That's all folks. The JCM 800 line was a masterpiece in simplicity. It does not give up the goods easily though; you need to turn this one up a bit. Granted, when you do, you will not be very popular with the neighbors, but man oh man, what a sound. As the ambassador to the next generation of "The Marshall Sound", the JCM 800 offered a ... Read Full Review »
Music Man HD-130 Guitar Amp Head
The Music Man HD-130 sounds fantastic at higher volumes - something that can't always be said about the competition. This amplifier features a lot more performance than its modest specifications suggest, and the sound quality can be pumped up even further by taking advantage of the various adjustment settings offered. Read Full Review »
Carvin X100B 100W 2 Channel Head
At the time of its release, Carvin's marketing approach was quite simple. They appealed to those who would be willing to stop for a moment, and consider that this head was significantly more versatile than a Marshall. This 100Wtt head offered incredible volume, true foot-based channel switching, excellent reverb, an assignable 5-band parametric EQ and a low-Z direct out. In addition to all ... Read Full Review »
Sound City 120 Head
Let's get right to the point: This head boasts a set of SIX EL34 power tubes... yes, "Six"...this is no typo. What an incredibly loud amplifier. Even better, what a great British sound. This is the only head I've ever come across that rivals the Marshall 1959 with regards to raw power thanks the amazing Partiridge transformers nestled inside.
When you plug in, the ... Read Full Review »
