Magnatone Lil' Viper 8W Tube 1x8" Combo Amp – Slash Purple Python

Brand New w/ Warranty. We are an authorized Magnatone dealer!

The Lil’ Viper is an ultra-portable 8-watt combo designed by Slash and Magnatone Chief Engineer Obeid Khan to deliver the unmistakable Master Collection voice in a remarkably small format.

Built to sound full, bold, and authoritative, it is equally at home in the studio, at home, or backstage before a show. Finished in Slash’s signature Purple Python cosmetics with gold-accented hardware and a backlit Magnatone logo, the Lil’ Viper makes a striking visual statement. A single 12AX7 preamp tube and a matched pair of NOS 6AQ5 power tubes deliver 8 watts of push-pull Class AB output through a Magnatone Custom 8-inch ceramic speaker.

What Does Josh Think

I get it. A hand-wired practice amp in Purple Python covering sounds a little Kitschy. But seriously, you need to try it before you knock it. Every member of our team at Guitars To Be Played was left wondering how Magnatone got that sound out of an 8” speaker. Let alone the raucous amounts of gain on tap.

As you might expect, this amp mics up gloriously. But what will really surprise you is just how big it sounds in the room. It is not top end heavy. The amp sounds rich and robust with a meaty chug in the low register. The single tone knob is truly all you need and has a very usable sweep. Looking for chewier and looser tones Dial it back. Or tighter and more aggressive Dial it up.

While I would not purchase this amp as a clean amp, it is certainly able to get some nice British clean tones on the Lo Gain mode. And on up into JTM45 crunch. But Hi Gain mode is where the real “wow” happens. I personally did not find need to hold the gain past noon with a humbucker guitar. It is THICK. But hey, it keeps on going so there’s more there if you need it!

I would not be afraid to put this amp on stage. Don’t expect it to fill a large venue without using a microphone, but you’re definitely going to hear this amp behind you. Quite frankly, you can cause some serious ear fatigue with the volume this little rig is capable of!

And if your main usage of this amp is going to be more like Slash’s… a massive sounding warmup amp in the green room… then Magnatone has added a couple features you might be interested in. The headphone jack bypasses the internal speaker for silent use, and the amp also features a line input in case you need some program material to jam with or warm up to.

FEATURES

• Developed in conjunction with Slash
• British influenced 8 watts of power to 8” ceramic speaker
• LO and HI gain
• Master volume
• 12AX7 and (2) 6AQ5 tubes
• 1/4” Speaker-Emulated Headphone Output
• Hand-wired & Made in the USA

SPECS

Tube Complement: (1) 12AX7, (2) 6AQ5

Power: 8 watts Push-Pull, Class AB

Input: High-impedance 1 MΩ Input

Gain Select: Lo Or Hi Gain Mode

Impedance: 8 ohm

Speaker: Magnatone Custom 8” Ceramic Magnet

Additional Feature: Backlit logo

Additional Feature: 1/4” Speaker-Emulated Headphone Output

Additional Feature: 1/8” AUX Line Input

Combo Dimensions: 16 1/2” x 13” x 8”

Combo Weight: 18 lbs.