PSA: Marshall AS50D £169

Fortheloveofguitar

Peach pre Black Friday deal 

http://www.peachguitars.com/guitar-amps/acoustic-amps/marshall-as50d-black.htm

ICBM

That's actually very nice, not least because it's black instead of the horrible brown that amp companies seem to think all acoustic amps should be for some unfathomable reason.

It's a shame they still fit them with such a crap handle, and chorus instead of a better reverb/delay DSP, but I suppose you can't have everything .

Kalimna

How would you rate them as amps themselves? I seem to recall you have reservations about some of the Marshall acoustic range  but i dont remember which ones.
Cheers,
Adam

ICBM

It's this one to an extent - and the older 'R' version with the spring reverb. They're not bad-sounding, but the power output chip is right on the edge of its performance and can't actually sustain full power indefinitely. It's not usually an issue in normal use, but I've come across a couple where people have used them as essentially a 'mini PA' with either a backing track or a keyboard going through them as well as guitar and vocals. In both cases the thermal protection worked properly and the chip shut itself down rather than blowing, but that meant the amp was unusable until it cooled down. I've come across another one or two where they probably did this just with a guitar going through them too, but when the amp was being used with a rock band and being pushed to the limit. Or at least I have to assume that was the problem and cause, since there appeared to be no fault when I later checked the amps...

Apart from that they seem fine, and none of them actually died because of it. On the older R version the reverb is a bit fragile and often fails - and sounds pretty poor as well, compared to the digital version - so I would avoid one of these unless it's really, really cheap given that you can easily find the D version second hand for around £100.

So for @Fortheloveofguitar who I saw has bought one - don't worry, it will be fine if you just use it normally for guitar and/or vocals and don't try to compete with a drummer .

Kalimna

Thanks ICBM - always very generous with your knowledge.

Adam

Phil_aka_Pip

I would most definitely advise buying an AS50D for that price if it's in good nick. Every time I use mine I get complimented on the sound. tbh I've never tried to make it compete with a rock band, so never seen the thermal cutout do its thing.

Fortheloveofguitar

Arrived today and is a lovely amp.  Especially at that price

Kalimna

Very nice - i think ive missed tbe boat on this one, the cheapest i can find it now is £199.....

Adam

Whitecat

Kalimna said:

Very nice - i think ive missed tbe boat on this one, the cheapest i can find it now is £199.....

Adam

GG has a "used" one at £169... brown.

It was a weekend-only deal - I snagged a cream-coloured one from Coda (the black doesn't do it for me in an acoustic amp and the brown is, well, brown) - they told me that the offer was going to end (yesterday). Very good deal despite it being imperfect, it's still a lot of useful acoustic amp for the cash.

Kalimna

I know - irritatingly I had placed one in the online 'basket' and just never got around to clicking 'payment'.

I may just stomach the £200 price though - still seems reasonable. But I'm not after a used one right now.

Adam

And yes, the cream would have been my preferred choice too....

Fortheloveofguitar

I love the black as it blends with my lounge decor lol. As does my black Cornford Roadhouse 

Whitecat

The black definitely looks like a Marshall. I think that's my problem - that colour scheme is associated with heavy midrange to me, exactly the opposite of what I like in acoustic tone.

@Kalimna yeah £199 still ain't bad, that's £80 or £90 in beer money otherwise...

ICBM

Whitecat said:

The black definitely looks like a Marshall. I think that's my problem - that colour scheme is associated with heavy midrange to me, exactly the opposite of what I like in acoustic tone.

Oddly enough, brown 'sounds' more midrangy to me. I don't know whether that's the Van Halen reference or something else, but it's something I associate. Black is more scooped.

Whitecat

ICBM said:

Whitecat said:

The black definitely looks like a Marshall. I think that's my problem - that colour scheme is associated with heavy midrange to me, exactly the opposite of what I like in acoustic tone.

Oddly enough, brown 'sounds' more midrangy to me. I don't know whether that's the Van Halen reference or something else, but it's something I associate. Black is more scooped.

I think it's the experience of the amps I've owned or played lots built up over nearly 25 years of playing... a very loud Marshall 2x12 was one of my first with those exact aesthetics. TBH I'm not sure what brown sounds like, I've never owned a brown amp...

crunchman

Kalimna said:

I know - irritatingly I had placed one in the online 'basket' and just never got around to clicking 'payment'.

I may just stomach the £200 price though - still seems reasonable. But I'm not after a used one right now.

Adam

And yes, the cream would have been my preferred choice too....

At full price, I would pay a bit extra and get a FIshman Loudbox Mini. It's a better amp.

If you keep your eyes on the big retailers a B stock one will come up eventually, which wouldn't be a stupid amount more than the Marshall.

Kalimna

Thanks for the advice, Crunchman, I was coming to that conclusion anyway. In fact, I was even looking at the Loudbox Artist vs Boss ACS. But having seen them in the flesh for the first time recently - they are both tiny!

Cheers,

Adam

ICBM

Kalimna said:

Thanks for the advice, Crunchman, I was coming to that conclusion anyway. In fact, I was even looking at the Loudbox Artist vs Boss ACS. But having seen them in the flesh for the first time recently - they are both tiny!

I haven't heard the Artist, but I think the Loudbox Mini is bigger-sounding than the Marshall despite its physical size. I haven't compared them side by side, but from playing them separately I would say the Fishman is louder and has more bottom-end.

I haven't tried the Boss.

Whitecat

Kalimna said:

I know - irritatingly I had placed one in the online 'basket' and just never got around to clicking 'payment'.

I may just stomach the £200 price though - still seems reasonable. But I'm not after a used one right now.

Adam

And yes, the cream would have been my preferred choice too....

Peach have put the black one back on offer today...

Kalimna

Many thanks for that - and I note Andertons have a white one at £200. To be awkward to myself, Im also now considering the Fishnman Loudbox....... I will dither, and then regret not clicking 'buy' when the deals are gone, no doubt....

Adam