I wish Marshall would make....

ICBM

An amp with two channels, channel one is an exact JMP 1987/1959 circuit, channel two is an exact JMP 2203/4 circuit - it could have a few options like "channel link" for the first channel, and gain boost (moderate) or mid-shift (to give a more 'modern' sound) for the second channel. Selectable solid-state or valve rectifier. Decent valve-driven reverb, flexible FX loop, and tremolo - all footswitchable or channel-assignable. Overall master volume. Built-in 'Variac' switch. Choice of EL34 or KT66 power valves. Excellent build quality - it can be PCB but it must have decent quality pots and jacks, and preferably chassis-mounted power and rectifier valve sockets. Available as a head or a combo.

Moon on a stick? No... because this amp exists - OK, it doesn't sound *exactly* like those classic Marshalls, but if you set it up right it's surprisingly close to it, closer than you would believe if you've never heard one A/B'd with the actual Marshalls through the same speakers.

The only problem is that Marshall didn't make it.

Mesa did.

ThePrettyDamned

ICBM;48016" said:

An amp with two channels, channel one is an exact JMP 1987/1959 circuit, channel two is an exact JMP 2203/4 circuit - it could have a few options like "channel link" for the first channel, and gain boost (moderate) or mid-shift (to give a more 'modern' sound) for the second channel. Selectable solid-state or valve rectifier. Decent valve-driven reverb, flexible FX loop, and tremolo - all footswitchable or channel-assignable. Overall master volume. Built-in 'Variac' switch. Choice of EL34 or KT66 power valves. Excellent build quality - it can be PCB but it must have decent quality pots and jacks, and preferably chassis-mounted power and rectifier valve sockets. Available as a head or a combo.

Moon on a stick? No... because this amp exists - OK, it doesn't sound *exactly* like those classic Marshalls, but if you set it up right it's surprisingly close to it, closer than you would believe if you've never heard one A/B'd with the actual Marshalls through the same speakers.

The only problem is that Marshall didn't make it.







Mesa did.

Might this be your favourite amp of all time?

If so, I have seen them sell before for less than a grand. Significantly less, in fact. So much so, I reckon if I can't find a suitable solid state head, I'll get one in the next year or two...

Catthan

ICBM said:

An amp with two channels, channel one is an exact JMP 1987/1959 circuit, channel two is an exact JMP 2203/4 circuit - it could have a few options like "channel link" for the first channel, and gain boost (moderate) or mid-shift (to give a more 'modern' sound) for the second channel. Selectable solid-state or valve rectifier. Decent valve-driven reverb, flexible FX loop, and tremolo - all footswitchable or channel-assignable. Overall master volume. Built-in 'Variac' switch. Choice of EL34 or KT66 power valves. Excellent build quality - it can be PCB but it must have decent quality pots and jacks, and preferably chassis-mounted power and rectifier valve sockets. Available as a head or a combo.

Moon on a stick? No... because this amp exists - OK, it doesn't sound *exactly* like those classic Marshalls, but if you set it up right it's surprisingly close to it, closer than you would believe if you've never heard one A/B'd with the actual Marshalls through the same speakers.

The only problem is that Marshall didn't make it.

Mesa did.

and which Mesa would that be if you don't mind my ignorance? I d be very interested in it if what you say is true. Let me know so I can look it up brgrds,

ICBM

ThePrettyDamned said:

Might this be your favourite amp of all time?

If so, I have seen them sell before for less than a grand. Significantly less, in fact. So much so, I reckon if I can't find a suitable solid state head, I'll get one in the next year or two...

Of course! But if Marshall had made it, I'd have been equally happy. I was always a Marshall player originally, and although I did get a bit diverted by Fender and then Mesa/Boogie in the 90s, the 'sound in my head' has really always been an old-school Marshall of some sort. The Trem-o-verb is actually *very* Marshally, more so than the straight Dual Rectifier.

I've seen them sell for as little as £600, for the combo version. The offputting weight is the reason, especially if the seller is in the back of beyond and/or won't ship it. The head version is always far more expensive, even though it comes without two free V30s...

Catthan

@ICBM I thought you meant the stiletto as iirc it's supposed to be inspired by Marshalls.

octatonic

A £100 amp that 100% nails the Plexi, JCM800 and Bogner Uberschall tones, weighs under 3kg and gives me a blowjob after making me a sandwich.

No, wait, before making me a sandwich.

cosmiccarrot

ICBM said:

OK, it doesn't sound *exactly* like those classic Marshalls,

But isn't that a compromise? there are a lot of pedals and amps that claim to 'sound like' and some so close that a lot of people can't tell but I'd rather have one classic marshall sound than two or three close but no cigar tones, although great the mesa is


To me the secret with the classic marshall sound is mainly in the power section, although I think the 2204 and 2203 were marshall's finest all rounder, the old superleads were a tone monster but are unforgiving to the slightest player mistakes unlike a lot of the latter high gain amps that followed.

Drew_TNBD

octatonic said:

A £100 amp that 100% nails the Plexi, JCM800 and Bogner Uberschall tones, weighs under 3kg and gives me a blowjob after making me a sandwich.

No, wait, before making me a sandwich.

I'd have gone "during"

p90fool

I wish Marshall would make...
...the JTM45 Reissue cheaper. It already does everything I need,the last thing I want is all that outboard stuff built into the amp so I can't change it around.

If you want a high gain valve preamp, plug one in. If you want FX, plug it in, if you want an attenuator, plug one in.

I never heard a modded 4-hole Marshall that sounded better than a stock 4-hole Marshall.

ICBM

Catthan said:

@ICBM I thought you meant the stiletto as iirc it's supposed to be inspired by Marshalls.

Possibly, but so is Rhythm 2 on the Mark series and the 'Brit' mode on the Road King... )

I tried one once - I though it sounded brash and a bit thin, didn't like it at all really.

p90fool said:

I wish Marshall would make...
...the JTM45 Reissue cheaper. It already does everything I need,the last thing I want is all that outboard stuff built into the amp so I can't change it around.

They couldn't without reducing the quality. It's one of the best-made amps they do, don't spoil it! It's already cheaper than the boutique 'clones'.

p90fool said:

If you want a high gain valve preamp, plug one in. If you want FX, plug it in, if you want an attenuator, plug one in.

I never heard a modded 4-hole Marshall that sounded better than a stock 4-hole Marshall.

Agreed. I said that in the 'modded Marshall' thread too .

Catthan

As I said I'd be really interested to try a Mesa sometime and if it somehow approximated a Marshal it'd be even cooler.

I checked some demos  of the tremoverb last night but it seems that people associate Mesas with super gain metal sounds -which I don't really like- and that's what they go for in the demos I watched. 

Might need to dig a bit more to find a demo about the options and features that @ICBM described.

re Marshalls and power scaling, if it's implemented like on the Suhr Badger, I wouldn't say it would make a loud Marshall playable/ enjoyable at low volumes. I'm not sure how PS is marketed, but I'm realizing it is smth that helps maintain the amp's feel at smaller/ different venues.. Not at home. 

afaik and understand from my badgrer 30, it's more of a feel thing- adding power stage compression- But the more you scale down, the more prone to clipping the power stage becomes. So if you dime the pre-gain and eq you're essentially sending a strong signal in a power stage which doesn't like it. So, either scale down just a bit and let it breath (>> bedroom vols), or compensate by lowering the eq. 

If a single channel Mashall was fitted with PS like that, I'd expect it to be more of a venue adjustment thing so expecting to crank a SL 1959 while the baby sleeps could be utopic.. 

I'm curious though about how soultone did it in their jtm45 klone-version.

I know the AFD and YJM have some sort of power modulation but not sure how they achieve it. It's supposed to be pretty good too..

Brgrds,

 

guitarfishbay

Catthan said:

As I said I'd be really interested to try a Mesa sometime and if it somehow approximated a Marshal it'd be even cooler.

I checked some demos  of the tremoverb last night but it seems that people associate Mesas with super gain metal sounds -which I don't really like- and that's what they go for in the demos I watched. 

Might need to dig a bit more to find a demo about the options and features that @ICBM described.

 

I've not found a Tremoverb to try but I own a Roadster, which is also a variation of Dual Rec.  It is capable of a huge range of sounds but again you'll struggle to find anything other than high gain rock/metal online.

This guy has some nice clips of his strat and DR Roadster playing classic rock stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdOMCEpIwZs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PH5JQ4EXqB4

p90fool

ICBM said:

Catthan said:

@ICBM I thought you meant the stiletto as iirc it's supposed to be inspired by Marshalls.

Possibly, but so is Rhythm 2 on the Mark series and the 'Brit' mode on the Road King... )

I tried one once - I though it sounded brash and a bit thin, didn't like it at all really.

p90fool said:

I wish Marshall would make...
...the JTM45 Reissue cheaper. It already does everything I need,the last thing I want is all that outboard stuff built into the amp so I can't change it around.

They couldn't without reducing the quality. It's one of the best-made amps they do, don't spoil it! It's already cheaper than the boutique 'clones'.

I know, I'm just being greedy My latest one was £300 second hand, totally unmolested and barely used.

p90fool

.

Fez

What I would like Marshall to make is a head version of the DSL401 but with a serial FX loop, digital reverb if any.

koneguitarist

I wish they would reissue the lead bass 50w 2x12 combo. Best Marshall ever !