Marshall SV20H vs Suhr Badger 18 vs Dr Z MAZ 18 vs Friedman Dirty Shirley 20

aarontunes

Somewhere in the middle of nowhere.
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I'm considering a new amp in 2023, and I think I have it narrowed down to these. Anybody have experience with all of them?
 
I've seen inside all of those amps except for the Friedman. If they all sounded the same (and you liked the tone), I would go with the Dr. Z.
Why? It's better built. And not by a little either, but by a lot. Makes the amp much more reliable and easier to repair as well. One of those Dr. Zs would probably last your lifetime.
 
I've seen inside all of those amps except for the Friedman. If they all sounded the same (and you liked the tone), I would go with the Dr. Z.
Why? It's better built. And not by a little either, but by a lot. Makes the amp much more reliable and easier to repair as well. One of those Dr. Zs would probably last your lifetime.

I've heard the same of the Friedmans.

But I can't lie: I sure like seeing the Marshall logo.

I know, I know...
 
I’m with MayFly here. The problem with a lot of stuff nowadays - like tube amps - is that they might very well sound great, but they’re seldom built well or not built to last. So it might work ok a couple of years, or if one is unlucky, just a couple of months, and then it’s repair time which means a lot of money.

Here’s some insight from Psionic Audio regarding a Marshall Studio Vintage combo

Go to 8:10
 
And this is why I hang on to my Marsh Buffalo Reverb. Of course DR. Z is a higher build quality than the others, that is a given. I didn't know the Marshall was is the same price ballpark, as it is certainly not a great build. :oops:
 
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