If MJW Amps started up again, would anybody buy one?

Jimbro66

Well your amps are very highly regarded Martin and you seemed to have plenty of orders in the years before you took a break so there is no real reason why that should not be the case if you started building again. But didn’t I hear that you had moved from Chapel up to the north of Scotland? If that’s right would it make it less easy to meet up with customers than before?

I always fancied one of your V6-20s. Thought I’d missed my chance.

It would be nice to see you building again

Edit: by strange coincidence I was at your workshop exactly two years ago today picking up the 65 DRRI you modified for me.

Stevepage

Would depend on what you'd offer. I'd be tempted by something in the ball park of a Mark IIc+ with a db boost 

Lodious

Get a new logo designed, label all controls on your amps with Dymo tape, get your place of birth changed to the US, add few drops of snake oil to each amp, double the price of everything you make and you're all set. 

Lodious

Joking aside, it would be great to see you back!

beed84

Considering the fact that you and amps are held in high regard, I was slightly perturbed when I found out you were no longer producing them. If you decided to set up again, I know I'd queue up for one of your finest. Do it.

Bridgehouse

If you made a custom Ampeg B15 clone I would get in the car right now, drive to yours, pitch a tent outside your house and put up a placard saying "MAKE ONE OR THE GNOME GETS IT!" 

And stay there until you did. 



Er, I might pop out for coffee and bacon sarnies from time to time tho.

(I don't doubt for one second that if you did a "one at a time" policy you would have a full schedule for 5 years in a matter of months..)

juansolo

If I was working and had the cash, I'd definitely buy another. I even know exactly what it'd be...

hotpickups

Well it certainly won't help my gas if you did

horsehead

@juansolo is it the one we discussed?

menamestom

If a 2x10 Electra Twang Reverb combo was a possibility I'd be interested at some point.

FRockStar

Only became aware of your amps just before you stopped building, and was pretty gutted they were no longer available when I started looking into getting one. So, yes!

shaunm

Yes! 

@martinw I most certainly would. Your amps are one of best plug and play amps that I’ve used. As you know our full album was recorded using your amps. I’d love to do the new album using just your amps too (so I will have to order). 

Let me know now if you are making a come back as i would like to discuss an option or two. Nothing crazy or that different. 

Thanks
Shaun

Dopesick

I've always shown a major interest in possibly owning a 50w hot rodded plexi in a smaller, lighter package (say about the same size as the Brunetti Pleximan) if it's possible.

Chester

No lack of potential demand Martin. Small scale operation and ... go!

mark_jwedge

Yes yes yes! Next year I will be in the position financially to go all out for my dream amp. Single channel Plexi style voice with a footswitchable gain/mids boost (a bit like adding a treble booster or SD1 to the front end), FX loop and a way of getting an effective solo boost (2nd master volume???). You had an amp similar to this in your old line up I think (without checking the old website).

I have been thinking about what features I wanted for a very long time and you were my first choice for the build. Have been looking into other builders while you have been away but if you do decide to produce some amps again it would be great if you would consider this build!

TTBZ

Yeah I was looking into one a while back just before you stopped trading! Not sure if it's something I can really afford now but I like the idea of that V6-20.

martinw

Well, I hadn't expected so much of a positive response straight away, so I guess that pushes me strongly in the direction of starting up again. I've been reflecting on it for the last couple of days, and frankly think that building amps is what I know best, having done it for the last 10 years and been pretty much all-consumed by it; building, reading, playing, gigging, experimenting etc.

I needed a break, and have now had one. I've had some time to consider how I'd like to do things.

Thanks for all the comments, much appreciated.

In answer to the question, what would I make, I think my strength and niche has been making what customers want to buy! More specifically, custom stuff, the slightly unusual, standard designs with a bit of a twist, as well as my own variations on the classics, with things like Power Scaling and extra channels, built-in reverb etc. I don't want to tread on the toes of anyone else, and given the volumes I'm talking about, I don't think anyone needs to worry!

I'm not going to take deposits in the way I did before. I'll have an expression of interest list, and work down it one at a time, a la Analogman. When you get to the top, you place a 50% deposit (or cancel if you've changed your mind) and that way the actual waiting time for your amp could be as little as 2 weeks, maybe a month for a complicated build that needs a fresh design.

I'm not going to build cabinets (so will need to find a good supplier) and won't be doing anywhere near as many repairs, so this will allow time to focus on building the electronics and working on the designs, bits of the job I love.

The other point raised is my location. Yep, some people won't buy from me because they can't see the amps or talk to me face-to-face.I think  maybe 70% of my customers bought like that anyway, so it's not all bad, but I can live with that as an outcome.

Prices will go up. I was way too cheap for far too long. I still think there's room to supply at less than the big US boutique brands, whilst still making a reasonable profit for what is certainly a one-off, hand-built, custom product.

One last thing: I'd like to apologise to anyone I told I wouldn't build amps again! Clearly I know amps, guitar tones, and other stuff better than I know myself.

(I've subconsciously gone from 'would' to 'will' in the process of typing this post. Perhaps the last brick in place of making the decision? That being the case, if anyone is properly interested, I'm open to discussions, ideally by email at the usual martin@mjwamps.com )

I've realised this thread really needs to be moved to Made in the UK so I'll do that.

Thanks again.

Bridgehouse

Would you do a bass amp head? Or are you guitar only?

martinw

Bridgehouse said:

Would you do a bass amp head? Or are you guitar only?

I can and have done bass heads. The Taranis is a standard model, but not everybody wants a heavy 200W+ beasty like that. A bass head is basically a guitar amp with a different frequency optimisation and a different range of features that bassists prefer, such as DI outputs and more focus on midrange control. (If that's what they want, you can of course have a more vintage feature set - the first bass amps were of course  exactly the same as guitar amps apart from, well, more bass). You could easily have something like a little Ampeg.

It does have to be a valve amp though. I don't think there's any point in me developing SS stuff, even just for the power amp.

Rowby1

Brilliant news. My L6-40 is a superb amp, and if I was in the market for another amp I’d be straight on to you.