'72 Metal Face Superlead 100

[DonaldBort]

So I was noodling on my Plexi reissue one evening while sipping on a snifter of Basil Hadens bourbon <the more I drink the better I sound >. Nonetheless, the evening is coming up on 11pm, so I turned all my gear off getting ready to head to bed, I decided to take a quick look at the local craigslist Musical instruments listings. The very first item that was time stamped 5 minutes prior to my local time was simply "Marshall superlead 100---looks old". The price was listed at 300 bucks.
I figured it was a beat up reissue that maybe I could fix and turn around for a couple bucks providing I get into it cheap enough. So I responded with my cell number and an offer of 200 bucks and that I would pick it up tonight.
We went back and forth a bit on the price and eventually got into it for $215.00USD. Once I seen the amp...I immediately made the exchange before he changed his mind.
I got it home and played it for about 15 minutes before it died. But it sounded good for those 15 minutes. The next day I took it apart and the pictures are posted below. Also the next day, I received a text from the former owner stating he wanted me to give him more money and that he ripped himself off by selling for 215. Further stated he had offers of 1,000 for it. In the end I have one the the last hand wired PTP board original '72's that I will bring back to its glory. Btw the serial number is 1465D, I really wish Marshall would have kept a registration log of previous owners or a site when subsequent owners can see the trail of the AMP... Heck they have a site to track dollars bills and where they've been.
Anyhow, enjoy the pics and comments are welcomed/appreciated.
Don

 

[DonaldBort]

here are a few more pics

 

[Groovejunkie]

Holy cow!

 

[GIBSON67]

What a great steal, ha!

It has some modifications especially an extra 12AX7 tube, but test your tubes and try her again.

 

[DonaldBort]

I am not exactly sure at this point what that extra tube is doing. The extra preamp tube is wired to a pots switch on the back and then wired from the preamp tube to the presence knob on the front. At first glance It appeared it was an FX loop since there are 4 input jacks on the back (2 labeled "speakers" 2 unlabeled), however after taking it apart and seeing all 4 jacks are speaker inputs, I pretty sure that its just a master volume.
Tonight I bit the bullet and ordered everything necessary to do a complete restore on it. after all is said and done I am into the unit for under 400 bucks and a few hours of my time to do the replacement/soldering/clean up on it.

 

[charveldan]

Id be more concerned about pissed off CL dudes with a gun ...

 

[peterichardz]

DANG!!!!! I musta been outta town that day!

 

[pdm1968]

Wow... What a score! Congrats!

 

[jerryjg]

you have link to the original ad? Npt that I don't beleive you but....Yeah, Id say I didnt know what it was either to the guy, but id probably send him the rest of the 300.00, but thats just me.

 

[mplecha]

that sucker must have been stolen.

 

[DonaldBort]

I looked to see if the ad was still up, however it was already removed.
Let me tell ya, if I wanted to fabricate a story about a Marshall, i personally wouldn't have picked a 72 metal plate... Not too much out there on the web about the 72's nor demos on you-tube either. I would have picked sometime a bit more collectible to make the yarn worth reading.

I did finally get this unit fully operational after a couple months of work. The board is all original with the exception of 2 bias caps that needed replacing. All power and pre amp tube sockets were replaced. all cliff jacks, all pots, some replacement wiring was needed. The power cords has been upgraded to a grounded cable that is hard wired as the original was. the polarity switch and cap of death removed. After it was up and running, the output tranny was really noisy so that was replaced with a CLASSIC TONE vintage unit. (BTW, these transformers that Classic tone is putting out are high quality units that sound better that the original or anything Mercury is charging twice the money for....Try one out and you will not be sorry) Pictures of the rebuild are on Classic tone's web site. Lastly the B+ voltage was dropped to 470 and since the previous owner modded the amp with a tube master volume, instead of leaving a hole in the back of the amp I added a post phase inverter master volume, both these mods were from Granger amps and I could not be more pleased with Curt and his responses, parts and custom made front replacement panel.
Anyhow....after all was done as said I am into this rebuild of the 72 for just about a grand (including the cost of the amp). And this is one of the best sounding Marshall's I have heard. Very agressive, yet clear and articulate, sensitive and responsive to to pickup switch position and types of guitars plugged into it. It doesn't like my strat all that much, but it loves all my humbucking axes. I even have a lil 59 in one of the pickup positions of the strat...still don't like it.
So a few of my friend work at the local guitar center and wanted me to bring it in when I was done with it, when I did the crowd gathered and the offers to buy started. pics were taken and many went home jealous and will continue to search for the tones that were coming out of this amp by the various people who played through it.


Nonetheless everyone, I put a lot of time and hard work into the restore of this unit. With the parts and help from all the real deals at Valve storm, Curt Granger @ Granger amps, Jeff Scarborough @ Scarborough amps and last but not least Joe Janisch over at Magnetic Components/Classic Tone transformers. This amp is singing once again[FONT=&quot][/FONT] and I am one happy owner.

Thanks for taking the time to read and give me your feedback.
Don [FONT=&quot]
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