Marshall

[Gas Hed]

All the bands I love play Marshalls, all the stages of the world have Marshalls, yet I don't have a Marshall. Why is it that there are Marshall clones we seek, "modified" Marshall sounding clones out there that so many of us go after (including me), and I walk right by the Marshall display at my local G.C. without looking twice. Yet I am looking for a Marshall sound - even went on a search for the best pedal to get me there. What happened along the way? Is there a Marshall amp that I should be checking out?

 

[drewl]

That is a journey you will have to take alone grasshopper.


I lucked into a few of the great classic sought after Marshalls years ago and have been using them ever since.

 

[Orm-D]

I'm really loving the tone I'm getting from my new DSL 40c. its small enough to be easily transportable,is plenty loud enough for gigging but it isn't TOO loud

 

[8len8]

Any of the newer Marshalls I've tried at my local GC sound terrible. Thin and ice picky.

 

[Gas Hed]

Any of the newer Marshalls I've tried at my local GC sound terrible. Thin and ice picky.

That's what I hear and that blows me away - don't fix something that ain't broke - you know? What happened to the formula?

 

[Gas Hed]

That is a journey you will have to take alone grasshopper.


I lucked into a few of the great classic sought after Marshalls years ago and have been using them ever since.

I feel the force, but I can't control it. This will be a difficult journey.

 

[Gas Hed]

More evidence:

 

[scottpic]

The Splawn amplifiers have fully satisfied all my Marshall cravings
in a USA hand built, boutique amp.

They have THE sound!
I love them!!!

 

[Promit]

If you've got the scratch, the JVMs are really really good. The rest of the non-reissue amps are forgettable, no I don't care how many times Bonamassa ran a DSL backline. The rest of the Marshall amps aren't bad but nothing about them stands out. As for the reissues, they're great amps but the prices are insane. I can get boutique hand-wired versions of any of them which are made better and have more features and sound better for less money. $2400 for a JCM800? Please. Same goes for the 1 watters, cool amps but the prices are ludicrous.

 

[Jason_77]

Any of the newer Marshalls I've tried at my local GC sound terrible. Thin and ice picky.

They don't at band volumes, in a band setting.

 

[ugameus]

There is a JCM900 on KC craigslist for $500

 

[Gnarlly]

I like Marshall's, old and new
(Have a DSL40C on the way to try out)

 

[ggwwbb]

I've kind of been in the OP's shoes.....I picked up a Marshall Vintage Modern last week and I'm done looking for the Marshall tone. To me, the VM does some great Marshall tones from the 60's to the 80's...Low Dynamic Range is Malcolm Young, High Dynamic Range is Angus Young....doesn't get much more Marshall than that!

Great very early Pearl Jam pic too!!

 

[8len8]

They don't at band volumes, in a band setting.

So their master volumes suck? There are plenty of great amps available that sound good at both high and low volumes. If the new Marshalls only sound good loud then they have limited use to many IMHO.

 

[Jason_77]

Ok... which amp did you try playing on 1 that you weren't happy with?

 

[TelecasterBlues]

I'm fine with my DSL50, it does what I want it to do.

 

[kingsxman]

Like the OP, I had many amps but not a Marshall. I always thought most Marshalls, other than old ones, were thin and buzzy. Then I heard a buddies Marshall JVM. That did it. They sound nothing like the DSL or the crappy TSL series. Actually, DSL's don't sound bad on the crunch channel.... but that drive/lead channel left allot to desired imho.

 

[Steve Ouimette]

Marshall's just sound like rock and roll. Of course the new ones I can't really speak of but you can easily find a late 70's 2203 or 2204 and nail so many rock tones it isn't funny. JCM 800's were to me the last great Marshall amp.

You'll find 2203's or the slightly more manageable 2204's in the $1200-1500-ish range these days. Master volume works great and if you need a gain boost for solos throw an MXR Micro Amp on the front end and you're set!

 

[EastCoastRocker]

Marshall's just sound like rock and roll. Of course the new ones I can't really speak of but you can easily find a late 70's 2203 or 2204 and nail so many rock tones it isn't funny. JCM 800's were to me the last great Marshall amp.

You'll find 2203's or the slightly more manageable 2204's in the $1200-1500-ish range these days. Master volume works great and if you need a gain boost for solos throw an MXR Micro Amp on the front end and you're set!

Hello Steve. Nice to see a guy like you jump in!

Gotta love those 2204's. I'm getting one on loan next week . I can't wait!
To the OP, if you haven't tried an 800, start there. Do some reading about the different revisions first, because
There are some tonal and construction differences. If memory serves me the 50 watt used Drake Transformers.
They had a lot to do with the tone, so try to get an original transformer.

 

[Serenity]

I love my Marshall's. Class 5, JTM45, JCM800, Silver Jubilee and Vintage Modern all sound great. But Marshall's need to be cranked to get the best from them. They can sound thin at low, home volumes, but in a band setting they're fierce.