Which Guv'nor?

zepp76

After reading that Gary Moore used a Marshall Guv'nor along with a JTM45 on the still got the blues album I thought I'd like a piece of that! So, which Guv'nor to go for? A MK1 U.K made one or Korean built? Or the later MK2+? What are the pro's and cons to each one and what price would I be looking at for a good one? Your help is as always greatly appreciated.

mike_l

Get a Mk1. Either will sound great.

Don't forget that GM's sound came from a cranked and boosted (with the Guv) Marshall  at high volume, sitting at home/in a quiet rehearsal room won't sound exactly like him.

Jonathanthomas83

I had a Guv'nor MkII for years and absolutely loved it. Was my main OD/Distortion though, wasn't boosting anything. Wow, them were the days! The simpler life!

ICBM

The MkI is better with an overdriven amp - up to cranked vintage Marshall levels, maybe up to 2203 - the MkII is better as a full-on 'Marshall in a box' into a clean amp.

There's no circuit difference between the UK and Korean MkIs, although from memory there is a small difference in the components - not sure I would describe it as a 'quality' difference but they're not quite identical-looking. They sound the same, within the variation of normal component tolerances.

Flanging_Fred

I've said it before but I prefer the Mk1 by a mile, however it always comes down to your own ears.  What I will say about them though:

The mk1's are getting old now and can be a bit crackly or noisy, so if can try one before purchase I would recommend it.

The mk2 has the usual problem of not being able to see where the knobs are set when you're more than 50cm away from it.

zepp76

Thankyou for your input chaps, I think a MK1 may just be on the horizon. It's funny, I said I was getting a JTM45 to play purely without pedals and I'm already looking for a second pedal and I haven't even got the bloomin amp yet! 

siraxeman

I've had 2 Mk 1's at the same time - a UK and a Korean - they side by side sounded identical. So don't fuss if you are looking for one. Its just folks think the Korean is inferior...but the truth is it isn't.

Mk 2 - (still got), good pedal, far more powerful EQ but a different sounding pedal...still great though! Just differenter.

Gary used a mark 1.

UnclePsychosis

Flanging_Fred

^   This thread is about a Marshall Guv'nor, not a Way Huge Swollen Pickle.

TimmyO

I just saw a UK MkI in the classifieds.

I have a Korean MkI - it's great. I think I saw an A/B demo video of UK/Korean on Youtube which seemed to prove no audible difference. 

monquixote

Another option is that lots of pedals are based on the guvnor like the crunch box.

TimmyO

Yeah but the Guvnor looks cool :-) 

monquixote

That's true but most are a bit rattly these days and they are getting expensive.

newi123

I agree with ICBM

Had a couple of Mk1s - great giving a kick to an already crunchy amp - used mine with a JCM900 and a Peavey 5150 combo (Clean channel run fairly crunchy)

Used a MK2 into a clean JTM60 and that also sounded fab as a MIAB

Didn`t like the MK1 running into a clean amp at all.