SFW
Well-known member
Does the Smallbox have enough gain to cover the song below without a boost? I don't mind using a boost for solos, but hate doing it for rhythm tones. Thanks for the help!
Jccobb2
Active member
With hot pickups, yeah.
napalmdeath
Well-known member
No. It's too polite and polished. I had a Smallbox, and boosted, it's a killer amp. It's more raw than a BE, however. It's closer to the Runt 50's gain channel. But, it doesn't have the gain and saturation you're after, without a boost.
I'd look at a Helios or Splawn.
I'd look at a Helios or Splawn.
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burger
Well-known member
The smallbox is great but it’s a 3 gain stage plus CF arrangement, also no SAT circuit if you’re into that kind of added compression. You’re probably after a 4 gain stager by the sounds.
SFW
Well-known member
Well that sucks. Neither of the Friedman 50 watters that are in my price range will get where I want them to go. I have played a few of the newer Splawns, and I don't care for the voicing change that Scott did. So Splawn is a no go as well.
LPMojoGL
Well-known member
Low volumes, probably too polite. MV around noon, yeah no prob.
cragginshred77
Well-known member
Why is using a level boost an issue? With it this amp can do anything. I will say it shines with a Les Paul like the Bogner Helios but way more Raw.
H
harddriver
Well-known member
Maybe the Twin Sister is more of what you are looking for. I guess the Twin Sister is more JCM800 than smallbox plexi. I have always thought the Smallbox was a good sounding amp and less compressed than the BE100.
Actually for your style of music I think the JJ100 Cantrell amp would check all the boxes.
Actually for your style of music I think the JJ100 Cantrell amp would check all the boxes.
gibson5413
Well-known member
Not sure if these are still being built but Friedman and Wildwood guitars had a special version of the Smallbox 50 that added some additional gain and features over the production version. Almost grabbed one but decided on the 3rd power Kitchen Sink (which I love). Maybe reach out and see if they are still available or maybe they can order one for you.
https://wildwoodguitars.com/product/WWSMALLBOXBLK/wildwood-small-box-50/?cat_id=299
From the site description:
"This hot-rodded Small Box features a premium micro-preamp to a new channel that pushes the Small Box into a whole new realm of saturation and compression. This is NOT your daddy's traditional HBE mod. It's an entirely different animal. It takes the Small Box's organic, juicy feel and pushes it over a cliff into total tonal nirvana, and it will handle anything from hard rock to ballsy metal tones. This built-in boost-channel also has its own master volume, too, which allows you to set separate levels for each of the Plexi, BE and BE+ modes. To push things one step further, we've added a tone-shaping presence knob to the back of the amplifier, which allows you to dial in juuuuuuust the right amount of cut and sizzle in your tone."
https://wildwoodguitars.com/product/WWSMALLBOXBLK/wildwood-small-box-50/?cat_id=299
From the site description:
"This hot-rodded Small Box features a premium micro-preamp to a new channel that pushes the Small Box into a whole new realm of saturation and compression. This is NOT your daddy's traditional HBE mod. It's an entirely different animal. It takes the Small Box's organic, juicy feel and pushes it over a cliff into total tonal nirvana, and it will handle anything from hard rock to ballsy metal tones. This built-in boost-channel also has its own master volume, too, which allows you to set separate levels for each of the Plexi, BE and BE+ modes. To push things one step further, we've added a tone-shaping presence knob to the back of the amplifier, which allows you to dial in juuuuuuust the right amount of cut and sizzle in your tone."
SFW
Well-known member
It's mainly a personal preference. I like to have the amp be able to cover my desired rhythm gain level on its own. I don't mind hitting it with a boost to make it sing for leads. I know a lot of people run boosts all the time. I've done it in the past. I just prefer to have the gain in the amp handle rhythm needs.
I also just fixed the issue by picking up a 5150 III Stealth. lol
S
SoooRad
Well-known member
I definitely relate to that "not wanting to have a boost on all the time" sentiment.
Its funny, the language guitar players use seems to be fairly understood across the board, but then I read one comment about a Small Box being way more raw than a Helios, and it makes me feel like we aren't all meaning the same thing.
I want my amp to be more "trebley", higher "presence". And it seems like a lot of modern amps are designed to not be like that.
Its funny, the language guitar players use seems to be fairly understood across the board, but then I read one comment about a Small Box being way more raw than a Helios, and it makes me feel like we aren't all meaning the same thing.
I want my amp to be more "trebley", higher "presence". And it seems like a lot of modern amps are designed to not be like that.
skoora
Well-known member
SFW
Well-known member
I always love the comment, "This amp has more gain than anyone will ever use."
B
Beandust
Well-known member
I tried the Smallbox with a few pedals before a BE100. I never got enough gain for what I was after. Like the el34 5153 50 watt. The 3rd channel was usable ,however I couldn't bond with the blue channel. I didn't spend much time with it to make a fair decision tho. But the 6l6 5153 50 watt, it had more gain than I could use, sure I could use it and only with a gate, it was fun to play but all that gain got buried. I'd like to try the 5153 el34 50. Probably just needed more time. Congratulations on the amp
LPMojoGL
Well-known member
Congrats! I have the 50w Stealth. It's great. The clean channel is bland without some king of pedal, and the blue channel cuts a lot better with some sort of pedal up front to tighten it up and make the upper mids poke out. But really, the amp is a blast to play and doesn't need pedals to rock.