Morgan AC20 Thoughts?

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Unicorn Warrior
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Morgan AC20 Thoughts?

Post by Unicorn Warrior » Wed Feb 06, 2019 4:07 pm

I am potentially getting ready to be in the amp market again. I miss my HW AC15 and 30 but want something a bit lighter. I'll be going for the combo

All reviews I read on them are positive, but I've heard that they eat power tubes. Anyone else have any experience with these?

Before I go for the Morgan I'm going to try the new Stapleton Princeton out in a shop to see what's up...completely different beast, but it's intriguing

I made the switch to a Jc-120 some months ago and miss the tube sag after all. I also am tired of carrying a heavy amp such as this

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Re: Morgan AC20 Thoughts?

Post by fever606 » Thu Feb 07, 2019 2:45 pm

Following with interest as this amp has popped up on my radar as well...

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Re: Morgan AC20 Thoughts?

Post by Domm » Thu Feb 07, 2019 7:16 pm

I've had a few Morgan ac20's at different times. they were not gigging amps for me(I play a matamp thru a 4x12 with my band)more studio or home playing. They were ok but I prefer the dr z offerings in that type of amp. I did not feel as the Morgan's were very sturdy from a construction standpoint.

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Re: Morgan AC20 Thoughts?

Post by 601210 » Fri Feb 08, 2019 5:33 am

This is all hearsay but I've heard less-than-good things about their build quality and customer service. There are quite a few threads about it on TGP and the like.

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Re: Morgan AC20 Thoughts?

Post by thisisnickpaige » Fri Feb 08, 2019 7:34 am

Another vote for sound great but not reliable.

Build wise i've been told by people i know who have owned them, plus the scouring of countless forums to come to this conclusion.

Their customer service is notoriously bad, and they burn through tubes worse than an AC30. So even though they sound good, they aren't very practical.

I had to let go, and go another way.
Jesus

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Re: Morgan AC20 Thoughts?

Post by 601210 » Fri Feb 08, 2019 9:25 am

Slightly unrelated, but I remember there was also that bit of controversy regarding the Morgan NKT275 Fuzz that turned out to didn't actually have NKT275s.

I mean, I personally don't care what type of magic crystals are in my fuzzes as long they sound good, but it's a little weird when they're actually named after them and the marketing is all about how rare and special they are.

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Re: Morgan AC20 Thoughts?

Post by Unicorn Warrior » Fri Feb 08, 2019 11:04 am

Yeah..that's enough to turn me off on them I suppose. Thanks for all the input.

Now the question is...do I splurge and get the new Stapleton Princeton or do I do the logical thing and get a normal PR with left overs to buy effects and chip into the audio interface fund

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Re: Morgan AC20 Thoughts?

Post by CorporateDisguise » Sat Feb 09, 2019 7:47 am

Have you looked at the Badcat Cub? It seems to be in a similar vein. I've been lusting after one for a few years now.

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Re: Morgan AC20 Thoughts?

Post by kingmedicine » Sat Feb 09, 2019 8:18 am

Seems like you already reached a conclusion, but I ended up keeping my AC15HW after having both a Morgan AC20 (not the deluxe) and the HW at the same time. I thought the HW sounded better (the Morgan was a little too dark for my tastes, and I play mostly through the normal channel on my Vox). I also bought the Morgan mostly for the hopes of lighter weight as well, but it only felt lighter by maybe a couple pounds.

If you’re looking at the prices of the Stapleton Princeton, would you consider some sort of Brownface clone? Like a Little Dawg amp or something (I think he makes one called the Chocodog that’s a brownface Princeton clone, but with the option for a 1x12).

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Re: Morgan AC20 Thoughts?

Post by marqueemoon » Sat Feb 09, 2019 8:36 am

Allen does a brownface Princeton too.

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Re: Morgan AC20 Thoughts?

Post by Unicorn Warrior » Sat Feb 09, 2019 9:30 pm

CorporateDisguise wrote:
Sat Feb 09, 2019 7:47 am
Have you looked at the Badcat Cub? It seems to be in a similar vein. I've been lusting after one for a few years now.
They look big. Ill have to see how much they weigh. If it weren't for the size of the HW15 combo I'd just go that route because I loved the tone. Just wanting something easier on my back

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Re: Morgan AC20 Thoughts?

Post by CorporateDisguise » Sun Feb 10, 2019 7:17 am

My bad. Yeah, the 1x12 combo is 48 pounds and the head is 31.

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Re: Morgan AC20 Thoughts?

Post by Embenny » Sun Feb 10, 2019 10:10 pm

If you miss the way tubes feel but want something easy on your back, have you considered a Kemper?

It took a bit of time to get to know mine, but funnily enough there's a free Morgan AC20 profile that quickly became one of my favourites when I first got one, which is why this thread caught my eye.

Boy does it ever save a load of weight too. Just food for thought.

Here is a little taste of "Kemper does Morgan" without worrying about reliability issues ;)
The artist formerly known as mbene085.

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Re: Morgan AC20 Thoughts?

Post by thisisnickpaige » Mon Feb 11, 2019 7:41 am

mbene085 wrote:
Sun Feb 10, 2019 10:10 pm
If you miss the way tubes feel but want something easy on your back, have you considered a Kemper?

It took a bit of time to get to know mine, but funnily enough there's a free Morgan AC20 profile that quickly became one of my favourites when I first got one, which is why this thread caught my eye.

Boy does it ever save a load of weight too. Just food for thought.

Here is a little taste of "Kemper does Morgan" without worrying about reliability issues ;)
That's actually what got me into the morgan AC20, was Brian Carl's Morgan AC20 profile. It was, for the past four months my only profile. But now i'm selling my Kemper because i got a Benson Chimera....no regrets. But i will miss the easy of sound, use and weight.
Jesus

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Re: Morgan AC20 Thoughts?

Post by Sid Nitzerglobin » Tue Feb 12, 2019 7:21 am

Zero issues w/ my Morgan AC20 after a year, but then again I'm not touring w/ it or some such. Seems pretty darn well constructed to me, certainly more so than the AC15CC1 or AC4C1-12 I had or the AC30CCH the AC20 replaced, but ???

For the price I got it at it seems like whole lot of great sounding amp. YMMV, etc.

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