Marshall Class 5 and 1974x

[Crewcutsamson]

So, i got a chance to play both of these side by side to night at Main Stage Music in Dayton, TN. Here's the thing. I like the Class 5 almost as much as the 1974x. Granted i will probably buy the 1974x sooner or later, but still i was surprised by how much i liked the class 5. The bottom end was bigger that the 18 watter. It is almost as loud as the 18 watter..... of course not quite the same quality of overdrive, but it's also over $1000 cheaper..... or $2000 if you buy it new. I didn't really get to crank either of them up a ton (i'm overly sensitive of other people and not wanting to bug them with my volume in a store) but they both sound AWESOME. The 18 watter is exactly the tone i was looking for (the tone of my '51 Gibson GA-20 cranked, only louder and more defined). So all i'm saying is that i will probably at some point have both..... anyone else feel the same?

[slagg]

the 1974x is by far the best amp I've ever played.I love the tone and feel of that amp.I must say when I played the class 5 I did'nt feel the sameas the x ,but I dug it just the same.I think the class 5 is great affordable entry to the famous Marshall tone.I want the x but can never really afford it.After the Christmas season I'll own a class 5 tho.Ho,Ho..

[Crewcutsamson]

nice. i'm selling my princeton to fund most of it, but i may have to sell my little gibson too and get both of them ;) one for church and one for gigs

[Don A]

I've never played a 1974x but my Class 5 has way more bottom end and sounds way bigger than it has a right to! It has 5 watts, a 10" speaker and thumps! No wonder there have been so many complaints about rattles in these amps!

[schwa]

I have and love my 2061x (head version of the 1974x without the trem). The only problem is I haven't found a good way to play it at home - it is quite loud. I've heard rumors about a Class 5 head, and will definitely check it out if it comes to pass.

It's a shame you didn't get to really turn up - that's where these amps really shine.

[Aslan]

I've played both and the 1974x is my ideal amp but I couldn't afford one so I got a Class 5 and I could not be happier. I put a Visual Sound Route 66 in front and run the compressor all the time so I have enough clean headroom for chords and such and kick in the OD side of the pedal for pure Marshall crunch. I gig with mine with a Sennhiser e609 in front and everyone from band mates to crowd tell how much they like my sound now.

[Crewcutsamson]

Awesome. I think they would compliment each other very well. Maybe run both of them at the same time....interesting thought

also, i just realized this ends my latest "obsession search" that i've been on the last few weeks. The answer it 1 1974x and 1 class 5.......now i can put my computer down whilst i save and sell my way to tone heaven


CCS

[sinner]

I am reviving this thread because I just got a Class 5. I really love this little amp, sounds great opened up and even at home with pedals. Looks great too!

It's got me thinking about a 1974x. I guess they don't make them anymore or perhaps just not importing to the US (?). Too bad I never picked one up when they were around, but they are much more expensive than the little Class 5 anyway.

18 watts and the 12" speaker does seem the next logical step from the Class 5, or perhaps some here are thinking about the Class 5 MKII head are the best upgrade.

Does anyone here have both the Class 5 and 1974X? Do you also have the 12" Extension Cab for the 1974x? I wonder if the little Class 5 would sit happy on top that Cab and how it sounds pushing that 12" speaker? Would there be a way to use both the Class 5's 10" and the 12" together? Do using unmatched sized speakers created problems?

Just a thought. Really like the little Class 5 and the 1974x might be a good big brother for it!

[ToneGrail]

When is the Class 5 Head coming out. I want one now dammnit!

[schwa]

When is the Class 5 Head coming out. I want one now dammnit!

I've heard they're coming out in May. I'll be getting one as soon as I can find it. It's going to be fun, I already have 5 cabs to try with it.

[Bluedawg]

I am reviving this thread because I just got a Class 5. I really love this little amp, sounds great opened up and even at home with pedals. Looks great too!

It's got me thinking about a 1974x. I guess they don't make them anymore or perhaps just not importing to the US (?). Too bad I never picked one up when they were around, but they are much more expensive than the little Class 5 anyway.

18 watts and the 12" speaker does seem the next logical step from the Class 5, or perhaps some here are thinking about the Class 5 MKII head are the best upgrade.

Does anyone here have both the Class 5 and 1974X? Do you also have the 12" Extension Cab for the 1974x? I wonder if the little Class 5 would sit happy on top that Cab and how it sounds pushing that 12" speaker? Would there be a way to use both the Class 5's 10" and the 12" together? Do using unmatched sized speakers created problems?

Just a thought. Really like the little Class 5 and the 1974x might be a good big brother for it!


I have a Class 5 as well as a 1974X and the 1974CX cabinet

I like the Class 5 a lot .. although my efforts to fix a singing tube seem to have resulted in other vibrations showing up ... hopefuly I can tame the rattles and such

Plugged into my 1974CX the internal speaker is cut off and the rattles and singing tube are not a problem ... The C5 sits nicely on top if the 1974CX.

But so far I like the internal C5 speaker better ...

And at cranked volumes the Class 5 is still not too hard on the ears

The 1974X gets loud quick ... so I haven't given it the attention it deserves

I've considered getting rid of the 1974X, but I'll have to mess with it some more before I do that


But maybe I'm not the best source of info on these ... the more I mess with Marshalls .. and my Top Hat King Royale ... the more I think I am just a Fender guy


I see that while it is still on the Marshall web site .... GC and MF no longer list the 1974X on their web site and that Sweetwater even has it listed as unavailable

Did they quit making the 1974X or just quit importing them?

:huh

[Don A]

I don't think Marshall sells handwired amps in the US anymore.

[Bluedawg]

I don't think Marshall sells handwired amps in the US anymore.


I asked about the 1974X in a seperate post yesterday ...

The response I got is that they are working through some issues with UL ... probably a safety issue or something like that

once that's cleared up we may see them again in the states

:cool:

[dsmc80]

I do not hear much I like in the Class 5. I have a friend who owns one and I played it at his house and then later when I sat in on a song for him live. I thought it was murky and small sounding. I played it with a Strat and an LP. Same thing.

I think a nice 1974x sounds light years ahead of the Class 5. Like a baby Plexi. :)

[North]

Rather than a 1974X and a Class 5 I would go with 2 x Class 5s in stereo. I use a TC Electronic Flashback delay in modulated delay mode with a HardWire distortion pedal in front.

Try it, or something similar, and be prepared to be surprised how incredibly fat, tight - and loud it is. I actually tried with 3 Class 5s in W/D/W mode and I may end up buying one more ...

[sinner]

3 x C5s = I like the sound of that rig!

[Unadan]

Sounds cool but for the cost of thee C5s you could get one killer kit JTM 45.

[grizdeluxe]

Sounds cool but for the cost of thee C5s you could get one killer kit JTM 45.



Or a 1974x for that matter.

[North]

Or a 1974x for that matter.

I am aware of that, but have you tried 2 or 3 class 5s in stereo or W/D/W?

I have tried both amps mentioned and I have do doubt about what I would do ...

[alexandergj]

you don't need to buy a Marshall. Must be dozens of American builders doing the 18 watt thing. Or someone like Ceriatone would most probably be more affordable and arguably a better built amp than the Marshall.

[Peppy]

The 1974X gets loud quick ... so I haven't given it the attention it deserves

I've considered getting rid of the 1974X, but I'll have to mess with it some more before I do that




Did you get it from Rainbow?
If so, fairly recently?

[Grenville]

I like the concept of the Class 5, I'm surprised there aren't any upgrade kits for the thing, seems like there's a lot that could be upgraded internally.

[grizdeluxe]

I like the concept of the Class 5, I'm surprised there aren't any upgrade kits for the thing, seems like there's a lot that could be upgraded internally.


Mercury sells a transformer kit for the C5.

[grizdeluxe]

I am aware of that, but have you tried 2 or 3 class 5s in stereo or W/D/W?

I have tried both amps mentioned and I have do doubt about what I would do ...


Ive owned one but I am not interested in running three of them at once. I used to run my Special 6 with a C5 all the time and it sounded pretty good, but it still didnt cut through the mix during rehearsals without miking the whole affair up. I now use a Jet City 20 head into an unmiked 2x12 and have the Special 6 aimed towards me for a floor monitor.

[RectoGriz]

Ben Fargen upgrades the C5 to just mind-blowing tone.

I used 2 C5s as a portable stereo rig for most of 2010. Still not sure why I stopped. It was a wonderful rig for low $$.

Head will ship in the USA in September.

[mattymel]

after playing a number of 18 watt clones i was sure that style was the ultimate gigging amp. i played a goodsell, 65, ceriatone, and reinhardt...then i played the 1974x and it sounded better than ALL of them. so thats what i got. the clones just didnt have the presence. got the matching 1974cx cab and with that it just kills.

i have upgraded the speakers from the G12Ms in both to a Scumback Scumnico and a H55...mini plexi city.

i would say that the Class 5 is cool little amp, but in no way does it have more low end than a 1974x. there may be the initial impression of that if you had the class 5 cranked and the 74x set at 3 or so. truth be told though, no el84 amp is designed for much low end. even my 74x and 74cx cranked still dont have near the low end of a cranked 1987x or any el34 amp. not designed for that. el84s are all about the mids, which is where you want your overdrive to be in a band mix anyway. the 1974x is perfect for that.

[Bluedawg]

Did you get it from Rainbow?
If so, fairly recently?


I've had my 1974X for a few years ... it is one of the early release Guitar Center versions .. only 100 IIRC

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v62/Bluedawg/Guitars/Marshall18WwithR9andCU22.jpg

It has a different cloth pattern on the front

I picked up a 1974CX cabinet later at Rainbow .... so it has the standard pattern

The C5 sounds great in the 1974CX IMHO

:munch

[jp1977]

I own a 1974x and love it, when the class 5 came out I was interested but after playing it I was left feeling like it was missing something especially when compared with the 1974x which is light years ahead of the class 5 tone wise and otherwise. The 1974x nails the classic marshall sound and is pretty versatile with the different inputs and channel jumpering blending ability and the trem and it also takes pedals beautifully. with that being said, the class 5 is a great amp for that price and it looks great to boot.

[Mapleneck]

I owned the Class 5 for a while. Somehow the affect of it being a small, light, affordible, fairly good sounding OD amp wears off after a while and it just comes down to it being small and boxey sounding. I think you could stack 15 of them together, it would just be that much more boxey. Champs do the same thing to me. Cool at first, then I can't get past the boxey tone. The Class 5 head might sound good through the right cabinet though.

I have never owned the 1974x. I usually don't care for the way el-84s sound (unless it is a really loud AC-30). I have almost bought a 1974x several times just because they are so darn pretty. I love that look. The Class 5 was cute too. Right now I have an old Studio 15. Not the same sound as either the Class 5 or the 1974xat all, but 10 times the amp that the Class 5 was IMO.