Marshalls...Do I need one?

ICBM

Actually the The Twin/Evil Twin are mentally loud - it's those big vented-magnet speakers they have, which are some of the most powerful-sounding speakers I've ever heard in any amp. Much louder than a Twin Reverb with anything other than JBLs. I'd agree they get up to JCM800/4x12" levels, although I still think a 2203 (louder than the split-channel models, and definitely louder than a 900 of any description) takes it for sheer volume, if you don't want anything other than distortion. Although even then the speakers make a difference, the 75s in the standard cabs don't have the punch.

I know what you mean about the 'sparkly' vs 'grubby' clean sound - I prefer what I would call a 'ringing' clean which is closer to the slightly dirty type. I find Fender cleans too thin, hollow in the mids and plinky at the top end. What I like so much about the Marshall distortion is the vibrant crunch you get from it, which isn't the same as what you get from a pedal through a clean amp at all somehow - you almost feel the difference more than hear it.

I was exclusively a Marshall player when I started out and for several years afterwards. The sad thing for me is that they never made the amp I really wanted, even though they could easily have done so - they already have all the circuit elements. I simply wanted an amp with a clean channel that was exactly the same as a Plexi and a dirty channel that was exactly the same as a 2203, built to JCM800 standard and with an FX loop and reverb. But every time they brought out something new it was always different circuit-wise, had more gain, was buzzier-sounding and less well built. Eventually I got into Mesas and discovered that the Trem-o-verb is in fact almost the perfect Marshall they never made - it's surprisingly similar-sounding, I even once A/B'd it directly with the best-sounding 2203 I ever heard, through the same speakers, and you could set them up to be almost identical.

To answer the original question, everyone should try a *proper* Marshall at least once though, at reasonable volume. For me that means a 50W or 100W single-channel Plexi or MV model through a closed cab with at least two speakers, and just turn it up! You can't get that sound with anything more polite really… which is probably a lot of the point .

57Deluxe

I'll get one one day but many modern makes are able to deliver the classic Marshall sound to some degree so unless I need that badge I will wait until I have filled a few more gaps in my GAS lineup... My Cornford Roadhouse currently delivers that EL34 era tone easily enough...

ThePrettyDamned

meltedbuzzbox;272326" said:

i think with modern amps going for a metal amount of gain they all sound mushy and thin (I'm looking at you blackstar).

Never played a 6505, diezel or bogner? the Laney gh 50 and vh100r are good too. And dual and triple recs don't need to be mushy.

The uberschall twin jet is basically sex in an amp. But better. And with more gain.

There is something about a jcm800 though.

GuyBoden

A Marshall stack, a pair of leather Jeans and a bald head are essential as you get older, especially, when playing in your bedroom.:P

thisisguitar

I never owned a Marshall until I got my 1w Offset Custom, and I absolutely adore it! If you are recording I would venture it's a perfect option as you can just turn it up to 11 :-)

My mate came around the other day and played his custom 62 strat into my Two Rock Studio Pro 50w. He started playing a new track he has written (at quite some volume!), and I took a solo over it with my 54 relic strat… I thought it sounded epic and cut through beautifully against the other part. I had a Wampler Paisley drive plugged into it, and nothing else, and thinking how amazing it sounded I went to switch it off when we stopped…. it was never on!

So I'd say.. yes :-)

jeztone2

I've always used Marshalls. Mainly a 70s Artiste model combo, then a Silver Jubilee combo then after my break from playing (too many drugs). I got the JCM2000 tsl 60 & 100 heads.

I'm still keen to buy a 50watt plexi. However I just bought a modern Vox AC30 C2. This was actually for 2 reasons. The first was I'd borrowed one and they take pedals very well. The second was I'd noticed at gigs that some sound engineers would get really arsey about a big amp on stage and start turning you down before you d even played a note ( The tsl60 is the quietest head ever IMHO). So a lot of it is psychology for people.

Early 1998-2001 TSL 100s are to be avoided though. They do have a fault on the PCB that can make them go bang. This was a bitter wallet raping experience I can tell you.

ICBM

All the DSL and TSL 50 and 100W models are potentially prone to this - they all use the same main PCB - despite a couple of board layout revisions they haven't cured it completely. I agree that the TSL60 is the quietest "60W" (or even 50) amp I've ever heard too. And very poorly made, even compared to the 100.

I would avoid this whole series. The best of the bunch is the DSL50, but it's still not exactly great, although a lot of people like the sound of it.

Sad what's happened to Marshall's quality over the last twenty or so years really.

richardhomer

It's a 'no' from me.

Rather like Les Pauls, I recognise Marshall amps are a staple of many classic guitar sounds; there are plenty of players I like who make them sound good - unfortunately I'm not one of them!

I have tried a number of Marshalls over the years I have never been able to make one work for me.

I find the cleans 'stiff' (lacking the dynamic 'give' under the fingers which more Fender-like amps seem to have) and the drive sounds too harsh and cutting.

It really is a matter of tonal preferences - they 'mesh' with Les Pauls particularly well. If they 'do' what you want, they're great. They 'do' just about everything I don't want from an amp.

57Deluxe

kelv_w said:

why not?  

oooer - your wallpaper is making me queasey... must be hell playing in there especially when you click on tremolo too!-ooo-ooo-oooer----

StefB

You do need one, and may I recommend this little bargain as a good place to start?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Marshall-Limited-Edition-Amp-1997-/171366004476?pt=UK_MusicalInstr_Amplifiers_RL&hash=item27e635b6fc

ICBM

StefB said:

You do need one, and may I recommend this little bargain as a good place to start?

Misdescribed, since he says he's had the valves changed, and there's only one in that amp.

Good amp actually.

… for £150.

GavRichList

I've never played through a Marshall that I didn't hate. Shrill, horrible bloody things. I'm sure they do a billion great things, but they just don't do it for me in any way whatsoever. Give me a fender or my Blackstar artisan any day.

Phil_aka_Pip

GavHaus said:

I've never played through a Marshall that I didn't hate. Shrill, horrible bloody things. I'm sure they do a billion great things, but they just don't do it for me in any way whatsoever. Give me a fender or my Blackstar artisan any day.

This may be because you're plugging a shrill horrible bloody Fender guitar into it and not a proper Gibson

GavRichList

Hahaha

ICBM

Try a cranked Super Bass 100 .

gubble

As much as a I loved my VS100...............

I saw these ltd combos being built when i had a factory tour. Good day out that were !

p90fool

GavHaus said:

I've never played through a Marshall that I didn't hate. Shrill, horrible bloody things.

This is so indicative of the generation gap. To old farts like me Marshalls are deep-voiced, thunderous amps which can knock you to the floor with a chest punch, but a few short years into the master volume era they became silly fizz-boxes in comparison. I still love some of their reissues but they actually don't make a proper production line amp anymore. At least modern Fender amps attempt to incorporate modern features alongside classic own-brand tones, instead of completely replacing them. What modern Marshall has a channel which really sounds and behaves like a Superlead, other than the reissues? None that I've heard anyway.

ThePrettyDamned

ICBM;274348" said:

StefB said:You do need one, and may I recommend this little bargain as a good place to start?Misdescribed, since he says he's had the valves changed, and there's only one in that amp.



Good amp actually.

































… for £150.

Dontcha know it's been on top of the pops though?

p90fool

ThePrettyDamned said:

Dontcha know it's been on top of the pops though?

Too risky, you might buy it then it'll get impounded by Operation Yewtree...

cm01

You need a '70's 50w JMP running at full tilt... drummer in my old band nearly shit himself when he heard mine!