I have narrowed my amp choice down to two models of amps either the 65 Amps Lil Elvis or the Top Hat Supreme 16. The amp will be basically played in my house so I do not need a high powered amp but I would like something with a master volume or a way to cut the power down. I play blues, 60's blues rock and 70's and 80's hard rock, and I would prefer a head and cab combination. I have no way of trying either of these amps out and the only way I can hear them is on the internet, if anyone owns either of these amps or has played through either of them please let me know what you think. At the moment I am currently leaning towards the Lil Elvis because I love tube tremolo but I guess I could always get a pedal, or a stand alone tremolo unit.
65 Amps Lil Elvis or Top Hat Supreme 16
- Thread starter badco74
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I can't help you with either of those amps as I've never heard them but do want to say welcome to TGP. 
If you don't get a response in this thread, it may be because others have not heard both so they can't offer a "one versus the other" opinion. An alternative you could try might be to use the Search function to find out more about each independently.
If you don't get a response in this thread, it may be because others have not heard both so they can't offer a "one versus the other" opinion. An alternative you could try might be to use the Search function to find out more about each independently.
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The Supreme 16 is going to be more like the Soho and London than the Lil' Elvis, with the ef86 channel. I sold my Soho because i couldn't get along with the EF86 input, and it doesn't have a seperate 12ax7 channel like the Top Hat and the London. I just didn't like the extra harmonics and colouration it gave, so many harmonics it can kind of mask the guitars natural chime sometimes, i love the vox sound though. I use a Mojave Coyote for Vox sounds, with a blue in it it's perfect to me. Punchy, crunchy ,chimey voxyness. That has a big choke in it too like the Top Hat.
You should hear this Nolatone too http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNDbCvcB2Lg Killer! (Soho sounds a lot like this)
and this Coyote http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUnj0KxWQ5c Ooh mama!
Edit; i think you can order a London with the master voltage control now too, that'd be pefect too for what you're asking, you could dial the volume down, have it in a head and cab and get in the Supreme Sixteen and Lil'Elvis ball park with it's two channels. Does the Supreme Sixteen have a master or way to reduce the power? These are all cream of the crop amps in this category, so i don't think you're going to be dissapointed either way.
You should hear this Nolatone too http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNDbCvcB2Lg Killer! (Soho sounds a lot like this)
and this Coyote http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUnj0KxWQ5c Ooh mama!
Edit; i think you can order a London with the master voltage control now too, that'd be pefect too for what you're asking, you could dial the volume down, have it in a head and cab and get in the Supreme Sixteen and Lil'Elvis ball park with it's two channels. Does the Supreme Sixteen have a master or way to reduce the power? These are all cream of the crop amps in this category, so i don't think you're going to be dissapointed either way.
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farlowhigh
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I recently got a Supreme 16 and am playing it in a finished basement and it sounds amazing...the volume is manageable to me although I am in a reasonably sized house with no neighbors immediately next door, and so I can play it loudly most of the time when I want to...the low volume tones on the amp sound great to me too and I really like the cleans on both channels. The EF86 channel is incredible and although there is no master on that channel, it doesn't seem all that loud to me (with a reasonably long guitar cord and not sitting right in front of the amp, obviously). I am playing it with a 1x12 Top Hat cab with a Blue and that is an efficient speaker...but a great match for the amp...I haven't heard the Lil Elvis but I do remember reading here that a recent TGP member selling his Lil Elvis found it a pretty clean amp...I am guessing the Top Hat Supreme 16 has noticeably more gain on tap...as with all Top Hats, the cleans are full, rich and balanced and the overdrive on this amp is just great. I think the Top Hat master volumes are really great as well...at least the ones I have tried...I also have a Top Hat Vanderbilt 33 and I would say the Supreme 16 is noticeably more manageable volumewise...I know doubling the wattage only adds 3 dBs but apparently an important 3 dBs in my comfort level as I rarely crank the EF86 channel on the Vandy while it is not a problem to play anywhere on the dial with the Supreme 16. Really great amp, I think, and definitely already one of my all time favorite amps...the Lil Elvis sounds like a cool amp but haven't played it and just watched the same clips on youtube you have undoubtedly seen.
hope that helps a bit.
Eric
hope that helps a bit.
Eric
farlowhigh
Silver Supporting Member
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sorry...can't recall who it was...the ad has been deleted as the amp sold a little while ago.
There must be some TGP members who have experience with the Lil Elvis. They will chime in, I bet.
There must be some TGP members who have experience with the Lil Elvis. They will chime in, I bet.
Hello Badco74,
I also have a Supreme Sixteen but haven't heard the L'il Elvis. The Supreme Sixteen is an amazing amp! I've been playing mine all day after not using it for a while. Farlowhigh mentioned it in another thread and it made me start thinking about the amp. It sounds GREAT!
I live in an apartment and would have to say that for my situation the amp is actually REALLY loud (if you're also using the EF86 channel which doesn't have a master volume as farlowhigh mentioned). There is NO WAY I could turn the EF86 channel even halfway up without having the cops at my door, and remember the one knob on the EF86 channel is your gain and volume, so if you want that beautiful dirt, you've gotta crank that knob. It's loud enough to use with a drummer if that tells you anything. If you just used the EQ channel (which has a master) you could keep it down low, but the EF86 channel is one of the best features of the amp, especially for the 70's and 80's hard rock you want to play. I actually use mine with a Ho attenuator so I can really clamp it down at home and still crank the EF86 channel.
One really cool thing about the Ho attenuator is that you can actually turn it up louder than the amp can go on it's own. I've used the Supreme Sixteen with a loud drummer before without the Ho and there were times when I wanted more volume. When I use the Ho I can get some extra wattage out of it and that's been a real plus.
By the way, whenever I bring up the Ho attenuator I feel the need to mention how poor the craftsmanship is on this thing. It really works great and I love mine, but man, it's pretty scary inside. The first thing I did was wire in a master power switch so that when I turn it off, it's really off. The way it came, you had to unplug it to turn the fan off. Maybe he's selling them this way now. If he doesn't, either add a switch or unplug it when you're not using it. Looks like a potential fire-starter inside to me. Mr. Ho is a really good guy to deal with by the way.
I also have a Supreme Sixteen but haven't heard the L'il Elvis. The Supreme Sixteen is an amazing amp! I've been playing mine all day after not using it for a while. Farlowhigh mentioned it in another thread and it made me start thinking about the amp. It sounds GREAT!
I live in an apartment and would have to say that for my situation the amp is actually REALLY loud (if you're also using the EF86 channel which doesn't have a master volume as farlowhigh mentioned). There is NO WAY I could turn the EF86 channel even halfway up without having the cops at my door, and remember the one knob on the EF86 channel is your gain and volume, so if you want that beautiful dirt, you've gotta crank that knob. It's loud enough to use with a drummer if that tells you anything. If you just used the EQ channel (which has a master) you could keep it down low, but the EF86 channel is one of the best features of the amp, especially for the 70's and 80's hard rock you want to play. I actually use mine with a Ho attenuator so I can really clamp it down at home and still crank the EF86 channel.
One really cool thing about the Ho attenuator is that you can actually turn it up louder than the amp can go on it's own. I've used the Supreme Sixteen with a loud drummer before without the Ho and there were times when I wanted more volume. When I use the Ho I can get some extra wattage out of it and that's been a real plus.
By the way, whenever I bring up the Ho attenuator I feel the need to mention how poor the craftsmanship is on this thing. It really works great and I love mine, but man, it's pretty scary inside. The first thing I did was wire in a master power switch so that when I turn it off, it's really off. The way it came, you had to unplug it to turn the fan off. Maybe he's selling them this way now. If he doesn't, either add a switch or unplug it when you're not using it. Looks like a potential fire-starter inside to me. Mr. Ho is a really good guy to deal with by the way.
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I dont own either amp, but Ive seen many videos on the L.E. and I dig this amp a lot...Make sure you listen to as many videos of this amp before buying...Plus the guys at 65 are very cool imo.......The L.E. has great trem and effects loop to boot..Let us know what you get.
I haven't played the Top hat, but I have a Lil Elvis and love it. IMHO it is a mesh of AC15 and Marshall 18 watter on the clean sounds and superb OD (the best EL84 OD that I have played). Plus, the master volume controls the output wattage, very useful. It works great with my e-type.
Tube Guy
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I own a Supreme 16 (thru a Blue and Scumback 55Hz) and a Mallard Marshall 18W clone (thru Scumback 55Hz + 75Hz), and borrowed a Lil ELvis combo for an hour.
I thought the Lil Elvis sat midway between the Vox channel of the S16 and my Mallard. It sounded like the perfect Vox/Marshall hybrid.
I found it sounded slightly better thru my Blue and Scumback but not as marked a difference as some amps I've tried. It didn't work with the 55 and 75, way too bassy.
The Master volume worked well but seemed to add some mush in the mids. I preferred the sounds of my other amps clean with pedals (Stage Hog into the Mallard, Durham Zia and KOT into the S16 EF86) to the lower volume Elvis as they had more clarity (if that makes sense).
I struggled to dial in a good clean tone on the Elvis (the one I had was bright and brittle) but have to believe it's in there as I owned a London before that was great.
If I had to replace my two 18Wers with one amp it would be the Elvis. Fortunately I can get the Elvis tones by running both together as well as Marshall and Vox tones.
The tremolo was OK but I don't much like these circuits, I use a ToneCzar PowerGlide instead for swampy brownface and shimmering blackface tones.
Finally, I didn't try the 12AX7 channel of my S16 as I can't seem to bond with it and no longer use it, the EF86 channel is just that good.
I thought the Lil Elvis sat midway between the Vox channel of the S16 and my Mallard. It sounded like the perfect Vox/Marshall hybrid.
I found it sounded slightly better thru my Blue and Scumback but not as marked a difference as some amps I've tried. It didn't work with the 55 and 75, way too bassy.
The Master volume worked well but seemed to add some mush in the mids. I preferred the sounds of my other amps clean with pedals (Stage Hog into the Mallard, Durham Zia and KOT into the S16 EF86) to the lower volume Elvis as they had more clarity (if that makes sense).
I struggled to dial in a good clean tone on the Elvis (the one I had was bright and brittle) but have to believe it's in there as I owned a London before that was great.
If I had to replace my two 18Wers with one amp it would be the Elvis. Fortunately I can get the Elvis tones by running both together as well as Marshall and Vox tones.
The tremolo was OK but I don't much like these circuits, I use a ToneCzar PowerGlide instead for swampy brownface and shimmering blackface tones.
Finally, I didn't try the 12AX7 channel of my S16 as I can't seem to bond with it and no longer use it, the EF86 channel is just that good.
FFTT
Member
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- 28,354
There's a few clips of the Lil Elvis up on youtube.
Sounds like a great recording amp and the alternative voltage adjustment
sounds quite interesting.
You might also look at the Reeves and Reinhardt 18's with power scaling too.
It's hard to tell what the street price is on the Lil Elvis.
Retail on the web site is a bit much.
No experience with the Top Hat, but they do make great amps.
Sounds like a great recording amp and the alternative voltage adjustment
sounds quite interesting.
You might also look at the Reeves and Reinhardt 18's with power scaling too.
It's hard to tell what the street price is on the Lil Elvis.
Retail on the web site is a bit much.
No experience with the Top Hat, but they do make great amps.
Nolatone Ampworks
Member
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- 2,779
Sorry, I took that clip down as that unit had a master volume and the production ones don't. I hope to have some decent Limey clips up again soon (the ones that are up now are a bit weak, admittedly).
I will say though, I've owned and gigged with a Soho and though the translation on video and the general type of crunch tone between the two may be similar, they are two very different animals! Both excellent, but different.
sixstringsteve
Member
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- 728
the clips on youtube do not do the amp justice. And it sounds killer at low volumes too. The only vox-ish amp I've played with a decent master (and by decent I mean perfect). I haven't played a supreme 16.
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