Marshall 5210

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guitargeek62guitargeek62 Frets: 4067
edited July 2021 in Amps
So one of these has cropped up for sale locally on ebay, and if I'm to understand it right there's some heavy linkages to the JCM800 4210 model in some way (other than an apparently shared chassis and cab). I'm curious to see what the forum's opinion of them is too!

I've put a low bid in as it's an intriguing spec but in quite tatty condition:

50w solid-state
Twin-channel, footswitchable
Long-tray spring reverb 
12" Celestion G12M-70

I only picked up a Reverb 12 recently which is a pretty neat-sounding and compact amp, but I don't see me keeping both if I do go for the 5210 too. 

I'm mostly running a Helix setup, though my core tone on that is usually JCM-esque anyway so this has the potential to displace some of my setup and give me a simpler home rig option.

Dave Simpson makes it sound pretty damn good, as usual!

https://youtu.be/vxaS4_9rdAo?t=76


*edit* Or should I just pull the bid and keep an eye out for a used DSL20CR, or perhaps even a 6505MH?
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Comments

  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71960
    Yes, they're very solidly-built, essentially JCM800 valve amp standard just without the valves.They don't sound quite as valve-like as you might expect though - although the circuit appears to copy the split-channel 2205, it does have much more of an inherent 'transistor' sound to it... a bit crude even compared to the Master Lead 75 and Mosfet Lead 100 which followed it.

    A good player and the ability to crank it a bit will help a lot of course. The speaker is the fairly unpopular G12M-70, which can sound quite 'soft' and muddy with valve amps, but with these it actually works well - it thickens the sound and stops it being so buzzy - but you have to push it fairly hard for that.

    I wouldn't pay more than £100 for a tatty one, maybe up to £200 for a mint one with the footswitch and you really want it, but not as much as that if you're not sure and might need to re-sell it, more like £75/£150 respectively. Does that help?

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • DdiggerDdigger Frets: 2335
    There are two versions of this amp.  Mk I has 4 jacks on the back.  Mk II has 5 jacks (DI, Send, Return, Headphones, Footswitch).

    I have a Mk II that had the headphone jack converted to a speaker out jack.  If the footswitch is not plugged in, you can blend both channels together.

    I think the prices ICBM mentioned are reasonable and realistic.  There have been a couple of threads about these in the last 3 years, which you should be able to find with the search function.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71960
    Ddigger said:

    I have a Mk II that had the headphone jack converted to a speaker out jack.
    That's a very sensible upgrade. Headphone jacks on old amps like this, without speaker emulation, are worse than useless.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • I have a similar amp - thread here. I really like it - it is a solid state jcm800 tone. Mine is one of the less desirable models, but still has a decent spring reverb, a great clean channel (that can do a nice, soft, warm fuzzy drive) and the excellent drive channel but doesn't have a full eq on the drive channel.

    It doesn't need it to my ears, but it would limit it for recording or gigging where you might want to fine tune the sound a bit. It's also solid state sounding - that can be a good thing, I like it. It's a bit harder and the dynamics are more immediate/less forgiving in some ways (volume especially - you'll know if you clang a string!). In others, it's not as good - it's a bit harder/drier sounding and has a slightly stiff quality to it.

    I love mine - but they ain't for everyone!

    https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/206170/new-amp-incoming-can-you-guess-now-with-pics-on-page-2/p1
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  • guitargeek62guitargeek62 Frets: 4067
    ICBM said:
    I wouldn't pay more than £100 for a tatty one, maybe up to £200 for a mint one with the footswitch and you really want it, but not as much as that if you're not sure and might need to re-sell it, more like £75/£150 respectively. Does that help?
    That does, thanks - my bid's only up to £80 anyway - same as I paid for the Reverb 12! :mrgreen: This one is a Mk1 unit with the four jacks on the rear, and has also had a micro-toggle fitted to blend the two channels.

    @ThePrettyDamned - that's promising too, I don't mind the harder/stiffer-edge element at all. A lot of my favourite tones these days are from hi-gain JCM-derivatives, and I struggle to hear the valves in them anyway :lol: The clean channel seems to cover a really good range of JMP/JCM tones too to my ears from the YouTube demos I've heard - very promising for a Frusciante-type tone which I'd normally look for.

    @ICBM - I've also got a G12H-65 loaded Zilla cab which I can run it into for comparison, though I suspect it wouldn't be too dissimilar from the stock one to my ears at least.
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  • ICBM said:
    I wouldn't pay more than £100 for a tatty one, maybe up to £200 for a mint one with the footswitch and you really want it, but not as much as that if you're not sure and might need to re-sell it, more like £75/£150 respectively. Does that help?
    That does, thanks - my bid's only up to £80 anyway - same as I paid for the Reverb 12! :mrgreen: This one is a Mk1 unit with the four jacks on the rear, and has also had a micro-toggle fitted to blend the two channels.

    @ThePrettyDamned - that's promising too, I don't mind the harder/stiffer-edge element at all. A lot of my favourite tones these days are from hi-gain JCM-derivatives, and I struggle to hear the valves in them anyway :lol: The clean channel seems to cover a really good range of JMP/JCM tones too to my ears from the YouTube demos I've heard - very promising for a Frusciante-type tone which I'd normally look for.

    @ICBM - I've also got a G12H-65 loaded Zilla cab which I can run it into for comparison, though I suspect it wouldn't be too dissimilar from the stock one to my ears at least.
    With a strat or tele you'll comfortably get hendrix/frusciante type sounds. 

    I have not tried mine with drive/boost pedals yet but I don't see why it wouldn't work.

    I really like mine, it's a great amp for well under £150 and built very well. I think proper play cab, really thick chassis, thick pcb and a celestion speaker (mine has a PA speaker in it!).

    It's not the best for that edge of breakup stuff, but there are pedals you can run into a clean amp for that - boss df-2 is my usual choice, but I really want a boss da-2.
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