1987 v 1987x v A. N. Other

Si_

I'm still gassing for a good Plexi but vintage ones are very expensive. How do the re-issues compare to the original vintage ones?

Are there aye other good plexi clones out there that with their salt without costing a fortune.

hywelg

The best reissues are not made by Marshall. Think Metropoulos, Germino maybe even the Dr Z Antidote though it is not a reissue, just a reworking of the design.

Check this out
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121170721107?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

benvall

I saw the Germino on there. Looks nice. There is also a Friedman brown eye at the moment but it's 2k.

Are you any good with a soldering iron? There are very comprehensive instructions for a jtm 45, 1987 and 1959 on the metro amp site.

ICBM

The 1987x reissue is close, but sounds more like a metal-panel than a Plexi 1987, in that it's brighter and a bit harder-sounding - even with old-production valves in. Not a huge difference though, and for value-for-money it's hard to beat. They're well-made and reliable too.

I can't actually think of any ready-built amps which will get you closer for less, or even the same money.

Most importantly they look right and say Marshall on the front .

Si_

That's what I thought, you can pick up a 1987x for £500 ish which I thought was a good price.. I'm not looking for a £1000+ Plexi clone.

There is a VERY clean 1971 JMP 50 for sale just down the road from me but I don't have the cash unfortunately as that would be my ideal amp (especially since I was born in 1971), shame no-one seems to want to buy a Jubilee these days.

ThePrettyDamned

Just steer clear of jtm 45s and 60s. ICBM steered me away from those in the old days

I don't technically know what a plexi sounds like. I thought I got a plexi sound from a dsl! But the 1987x is one I've heard good things about.

ICBM

ThePrettyDamned said:

Just steer clear of jtm 45s and 60s. ICBM steered me away from those in the old days  

No, not JTM45s! They're great - originals and reissues. It's the JTM30s and JTM60s to stay away from.

hywelg

Ceriatone then? They are better built than the 1987X being turret handwired and generally come up for around the £500 mark S/H on eBay. Not often though.

Zodiac51

My JTM60 sounds just awesome, just stick a grill in the top, maybe add a fan in the back if you want, you could also do the drive channel diode bypass thingy.

I just use the clean channel with the master cranked and a bit of extra boost from an [insert favorite drive pedal of the moment here] 

They have a bad rep for being badly designed and overheating, but it is easy to fix (as above). Because of that you can pick them up for nowt, but the sound is pure classic Marshall all the way.

fretmeister

Suhr Badger 30

ICBM

Zodiac51 said:

My JTM60 sounds just awesome, just stick a grill in the top, maybe add a fan in the back if you want, you could also do the drive channel diode bypass thingy.

I just use the clean channel with the master cranked and a bit of extra boost from an [insert favorite drive pedal of the moment here] 

They have a bad rep for being badly designed and overheating, but it is easy to fix (as above). Because of that you can pick them up for nowt, but the sound is pure classic Marshall all the way.

They're not easy to fix - or not properly. You can increase the ventilation, which will cover up the overheating problems for longer, but to fix them completely you'd have to do so much work it would be easier to start with a new amp... the overheating is only part of it.

They also sound nothing like a classic Marshall, at least in my opinion.

If you like the sound, that's cool - I know someone who had one too, it sounded good on the clean channel, although he gave up on it after two replacement output transformers and an intermittent cutting-out problem that we could never get to the bottom of - but I really would never recommend anyone to buy one unless they want trouble.

Zodiac51

mmmh better add fire extinguisher to "stuff to pack in my gig bag" list then  :-< >:D<