Any thoughts on low-watt Marshall handwired?

If memory serves, they had lots of problems with these amps when they first came out. I'm not sure if those issues were remedied or not.

I've only played those 18 Watters in the store, but I'm fairly certain I'd never be able to keep it clean with my drummer. I would opt for a 50 or 100 watt 4-hole Marshall with an attenuator before I'd get an 18 Watt.

 

I've recently purchased one, gigged with it twice, and it's a great gigging amp-Not a lot of clean headroom, but enough to keep up with a fairly heavy-handed drummer-Bled a little of it through the PA-The overdrive is simply the best I've heard in a small amp-Used it with a FDII Mosfet, and OCD, and a Keeley Modified Blues Driver-I was very happy with the tone-

 

I tried the Mrshall 1974x I believe it was at a jam and it was OK, but definitely was at a light overdrive at the very least with a drummer. I own an 18 watt Reinhardt, which is a take on the Marshall 18 watter. It is my favorite amp, but it is not the one I would use if I needed pristine cleans. It can get cleanish, but like the Marshall I tried really excels with overdriven tones.

 

I got a 2061x and its a great little amp.

Its got some decent volume too but for clean, maybe lacking if you got a really loud drummer, but that pretty much goes for most amps under 30-watts.

As far as the "issues", there were some cases early on which they should have fixed. I've had 4 go through my hands and none had tranny issues. I picked out the best sounding one of the bunch at the time and I still have it.
But,
Its actually up in the Emporium right now.

 

To do that at gig volume, you likely need more than 18 watts. People really don't buy those amps for the cleans, in general, though the cleans are nice at very low volumes.

 

I have both an 18 and 20 Watt. Both are stinkin loud ..... I would say the 20 has a bit more headroom. If you mic it, there should be no prob with keeping your clean headroom intact.