Tried the Marshall 1959 HW

[michael.e]

Originally posted by KTT
ps: forgot to ad that i have a bunch of original plexis too, and the hand wired 100 sounds better to me,no need to re cap,brand new components,no comparison

Cool! Let's see a shot of the whole stable! M.E.

[KTT]

Originally posted by jpage
Since you currently own a few plexis, can you tell me whether or not Marshall has tried to tame the high end? Too many modern builders have "darkened" the classic plexi tone IMHO.

Bright and in your face is how I like 'em...

Yes you are right,alot of the copy amps are "to dark" mentioning no names, the top end is great! just like my originals,only this amp deosnt hum,has a hell of alot more headroom,does not fart out when i turn it up,because the filter caps are fresh and new,and is a hell of alot more reliable,let me tell you i have been looking for the perfect plexi for a VERY LONG TIME and its funny i tried this amp last! i mananged to pick it up second hand,but even over here in the uk these amps are expensive

[KTT]

Originally posted by michael.e
Cool! Let's see a shot of the whole stable! M.E.

If you PM me i will send you some photos(one amp at a time)i have a 67 super lead a 68 small box 50 a bunch of metal panel 70s amps,a couple of plexi pa heads(actually three of those) i dont really fancy dragging this lot outside though! so use your imagination,if you want shot of all of them together

[Rid]

Hmm gotta try one of those...
Mayby I can get it to sound like a Dumble
Hehe love that clear open Marshall sound..perfect mids and all that.

[pfrischmann]

Originally posted by jpage
Rock on--if it's your amp, knock yourself out.

Just seems a bit insane to me to spend around $3000 on a mass produced amp that I didn't believe to be perfect. If you are going to frig around with replacing caps and such, why wouldn't you just either build your own with your own choice of components or have an experienced amp builder (there are approximitely 65,000 of them in the US right now...) do it for you? You'd save about $1000.00 or so also.

Many players in the 70s ripped PAFs out of their 1959 Les Pauls because they "preferred" DiMarzios, too.

too true....
I actually did build an amp....more on that next....

[pfrischmann]

The amp does not need "sozo caps" or any of that crap you must be joking,its perfect,nothing boutiqe amp wise ive had sounds this good,if you want a brand new marshall plexi this is it [/B][/QUOTE]


NO, I'm not joking, and it's hardly crap.

I was going to GC to try out different cabs for a newly completed Marshall clone I had built. I and several of my frinds thought this amp sounded very good but this would give me an oppty to compare amps while I'm there.


We (me and two GC guys)all agreed my '78 mKII bass converted to a split cathode '68 plexi was as good if not better than the Marshall HW. The biggest thing was the difference in the top end.

My amp has a 10H choke and a self lead OT from Mercury. and Sozo caps.

The high end was noticebly fuller and rounder than the HW. It wasn't as tiring on the ears as the HW.....BTW, I have the bright cap on the pot as well.

I've listened to my amp break in and I've heard the difference between Mallory, Sozo and Hovland caps in this exact circuit. They can make a difference and will change over time.

It's possible that the marshall will sound better as it breaks in. It still sounded damn good.


Total cost of my marshall killer. $1300.00

[pfrischmann]

I still think the Marhsall Hw is cool, after all. It is a Marshall.

[Tone]

Hey guys.
Were most of the Plexis of the old days very bright amps? I've never heard one, so could someone give me an example of how bright one usually is?

Thanks!

[KTT]

Originally posted by pfrischmann
The amp does not need "sozo caps" or any of that crap you must be joking,its perfect,nothing boutiqe amp wise ive had sounds this good,if you want a brand new marshall plexi this is it

NO, I'm not joking, and it's hardly crap.

I was going to GC to try out different cabs for a newly completed Marshall clone I had built. I and several of my frinds thought this amp sounded very good but this would give me an oppty to compare amps while I'm there.


We (me and two GC guys)all agreed my '78 mKII bass converted to a split cathode '68 plexi was as good if not better than the Marshall HW. The biggest thing was the difference in the top end.

My amp has a 10H choke and a self lead OT from Mercury. and Sozo caps.

The high end was noticebly fuller and rounder than the HW. It wasn't as tiring on the ears as the HW.....BTW, I have the bright cap on the pot as well.

I've listened to my amp break in and I've heard the difference between Mallory, Sozo and Hovland caps in this exact circuit. They can make a difference and will change over time.

It's possible that the marshall will sound better as it breaks in. It still sounded damn good.


Total cost of my marshall killer. $1300.00 [/B][/QUOTE]

Ive no doubt your amp sounds good,if you have the time to do all that then great! im actually going to re build my own 78 super bass when i get time,but amps dont need to be broken in,the "breaking in caps" myth has been done to death,i dont believe caps of any kind need to "break in" yes filter caps need to be "formed" but not broken in, and i dont believe there is anything"special" about sozo caps,flame away!

[pfrischmann]

No Flame.

My practical experience tells me there is something to it. I cannot tell you that I know Sozo caps need to break in....I would tell you they sounded better than the Mallory's I had in there before them. I would also tell you that the amp has sounded better the more I've played it, as do most amps IMHO.


That's it...Still not crap.

[Roccaforte Amps]

Originally posted by jpage
1959HW + immediate modifications = wrong amp.

Are any of these in your sig modded? (just curious, no flame)

1987 Gibson Les Paul Studio w/JB/JB set
2002 Gibson Les Paul Standard w/BB Pro's
Warmoth parts Strat w/Fralins (N&M) and Kinman in bridge
5150 clone w/trembucker
Tacoma DR20 w/baggs
Guild 12 string
Voodoo Amps 50w V-Plex
Marshall 4x12 w/"x" pattern greenbacks and V30s
Mesa/Boogie Lonestar Classic 1x12 w/Fane Alnico
Voodoo amps 18w plexi clone
Fulltone OCD
Ibanez TS-9 (808 mod)
Vox true bypass wah

[KTT]

Originally posted by pfrischmann
No Flame.

My practical experience tells me there is something to it. I cannot tell you that I know Sozo caps need to break in....I would tell you they sounded better than the Mallory's I had in there before them. I would also tell you that the amp has sounded better the more I've played it, as do most amps IMHO.


That's it...Still not crap.

Fair comment,no problem,i used the word "crap " because sozo caps are over hyped and over priced IMHO but they are not crap! the hype is!

[jpage]

Originally posted by Roccaforte Amps
Are any of these in your sig modded? (just curious, no flame)

1987 Gibson Les Paul Studio w/JB/JB set
2002 Gibson Les Paul Standard w/BB Pro's
Warmoth parts Strat w/Fralins (N&M) and Kinman in bridge
5150 clone w/trembucker
Tacoma DR20 w/baggs
Guild 12 string
Voodoo Amps 50w V-Plex
Marshall 4x12 w/"x" pattern greenbacks and V30s
Mesa/Boogie Lonestar Classic 1x12 w/Fane Alnico
Voodoo amps 18w plexi clone
Fulltone OCD
Ibanez TS-9 (808 mod)
Vox true bypass wah

I think you know exactly what has been modded, Doug. And not one of those items was bought new or in any way collectable condition. That's why I bought a beat up 900 cab and a Tacoma with buckle rash. And a used RI screamer.

My next $3000 amplifier will have a tone I can live with. If it is a HG100 you can be sure that I will not be contemplating changing the caps before it is put on order.

[earx]

just change my caps from mallory to sozo, and the sound is better..
the mallory needs a few hours to be less "deaf"
and there's a lot of mid (with a celestion v30 and a shure sm57 this is too much),and harsh trebble
too much mid that u can listen to the fingers sliding the strings
it is still better than a lot of caps.

And they need 20 hours to change ...the amp is really different from
new to a few hours later (so don't try changing caps on the fly to see difference)

The fresh sozo , is more clearer, and it is better for soloing
if the sozo needs to break in, they will be very very good.
in a lot of cases this is just a matter of taste.
And orange drop is too much hifi for me and less smotth than mallory and sozo, the OD are better in soldano , fender style amps..

I guess they're still using lousy transformers (since '69).
Already got the 1st requests for modding those amps and replacing the OTs...

With a good plexi OT the brightness/harshness doesn't be there anymore.

For less $$$: get a regulkar plexi-reïssue and let your tech replace the outputtransformer.

Hope this helps,