Forum newbie - Hello

[JDavidAdrihan]

Hello all! new here and just getting back into electric guitar. I have been out of electric for over 20 years, I've been doing the bluegrass thing and mostly playing mandolin. Anyhow I picked up a Epiphone Les Paul and a Vox AC10 and really want to get a Marshall that I can play at home. I never have been an amp aficionado and when I played back in the day I had a solid state Yamaha something. Really digging the sound out of the Vox but I want the Marshall tone and even thought the Vox is 10 Watts it is really loud. I really like to keep it at a grand or less so I have been looking at the used market alot. The problem is I really don't know much about attenuaters or such. The Vox sounds best when pinned and man is it loud. I was wondering what the options are and what the opinions where on this:

 

[tce63]

The DSL-series are great, i use to have the DSL20HR, and that was no problem to use at home at low volume.

The MX112R Cab is solid, but you maybe in the future like to change the speaker.

And to the forum, a great place.

 

[GIBSON67]

Welcome to the forum, MFer!

 

[BanditPanda]

For your needs that rig will do the job.
As tce63 said the DSL series is highly thought of.
If you can, always put yourself in the position of being able to return it for refund.
BP

 

[JDavidAdrihan]

The DSL-series are great, i use to have the DSL20HR, and that was no problem to use at home at low volume.

The MX112R Cab is solid, but you maybe in the future like to change the speaker.

And to the forum, a great place.

Thanks for the info. Would it be better to get a used cab with better speakers and also would a cab with 2 speakers sound better?

 

[tce63]

Thanks for the info. Would it be better to get a used cab with better speakers and also would a cab with 2 speakers sound better?

For home use one Speaker is enough, Maybe you like the Celestion Seventy 80, I like Greenbacks and Creambacks, but thats me.

 

[Shane Stevenson]

Keeping it at a grand or less might be tough. I’m kind of a loser, so when I’m not playing I’m window shopping and I have a good idea about the used market. Maybe I need more friends...or A friend lol.

Anyway, I had the AC10, nice little beast but in its own way. I listen to lots of different Marshall tones and to me the vintage tones are best fitting. If you could toss in say, maybe an extra $500, that would get you closer to a used Studio Classic and 1X12 cab. Nice at lower volumes! I also wouldn’t rule out the Studio Classic Combo 1X10 for your needs, which can probably be found at a grand since their a little more than $1,400 new I believe. No extra cab to worry about and no need for an attenuators with it’s awesome master volume.

You asked about two speakers as opposed to one. Two speakers will naturally sound better and less boxy. Just because it’s two speakers doesn’t automatically mean it’s gonna be double as loud. I like the fullness.

I personally don’t like attenuators, even the great ones. Plus, if your looking to add an attenuators then there’s more money outta your pocket.

 

[JDavidAdrihan]

Keeping it at a grand or less might be tough. I’m kind of a loser, so when I’m not playing I’m window shopping and I have a good idea about the used market. Maybe I need more friends...or A friend lol.

Anyway, I had the AC10, nice little beast but in its own way. I listen to lots of different Marshall tones and to me the vintage tones are best fitting. If you could toss in say, maybe an extra $500, that would get you closer to a used Studio Classic and 1X12 cab. Nice at lower volumes! I also wouldn’t rule out the Studio Classic Combo 1X10 for your needs, which can probably be found at a grand since their a little more than $1,400 new I believe. No extra cab to worry about and no need for an attenuators with it’s awesome master volume.

You asked about two speakers as opposed to one. Two speakers will naturally sound better and less boxy. Just because it’s two speakers doesn’t automatically mean it’s gonna be double as loud. I like the fullness.

I personally don’t like attenuators, even the great ones. Plus, if your looking to add an attenuators then there’s more money outta your pocket.

That looks like a great amp. I did some quick checking online and used the head alone is anywhere from high nine hundred to 1200-1300. That would be pushing what I want to spend.

 

[Shane Stevenson]

That looks like a great amp. I did some quick checking online and used the head alone is anywhere from high nine hundred to 1200-1300. That would be pushing what I want to spend.

Yep! It’s a great amp and can be pricey. That’s why I also mentioned a used combo Studio Classic. There’s a used Studio Classic combo on Reverb for $806.65 plus $50 shipping. The “make offer” option is also there. I have a feeling that the little Marshall combo would absolutely kill the ac10 in a shootout.

Just suggestions. I’m sure you’ll land on something great. Good luck!

 

[JDavidAdrihan]

Yep! It’s a great amp and can be pricey. That’s why I also mentioned a used combo Studio Classic. There’s a used Studio Classic combo on Reverb for $806.65 plus $50 shipping. The “make offer” option is also there. I have a feeling that the little Marshall combo would absolutely kill the ac10 in a shootout.

Just suggestions. I’m sure you’ll land on something great. Good luck!

So a dumb question if you will, is there any sound(tone) difference from a head vs a combo if the speaker and cabinet size are same or close?

 

[Shane Stevenson]

Well as far as this particular amp goes, I’m not sure since I only have the head and matching 2X12 cab. I’ve had lots of combos and head/cab rigs in the past from other brands and I’ve always liked the head/cabs. To me, head/cabs sound a little bit tighter, focused, 3D and less boxy. I also have combo amps that sound glorious and I wouldn’t want those any other way. There are advantages to having both. For some crazy reason when I think about the Marshall amps I grew up loving they have always been head / cabs.

I wanted the 2X12 cab with my Marshall because I play out sometimes. I love the way the slant cab points one speaker up just enough to keep me from having to have an amp stand or tilt a combo back so it’s not pointing at my knees. With my 2X12 cab I can get more of a realistic tone when dialing it in...what I mean is that when I have a combo sitting down low I always need to come up on the treble or presence. This can make the amp too bright for the audience and perfect for me lol. Amp stands work ok but I like the coupling of an amp to the floor rather than putting a combo in a stand or a chair or something. I do have a Princeton that sounds awesome on an amp stand, so go figure.

If it were me in your shoes, with a thousand dollar budget, I’d be looking at a great price on a used SC20 head and cheaper, used MX 1X12 cab, or just the Combo version of the Studio Classic. The common denominator is Studio Classic. That’s true Marshall tone!

 

[G the wildman]

Read the SC20 thread.

 

[Filipe Soares]

Welcome to the forum.

If you want a cheap good cab go for a Harley Benton 1x12 with a V30. But first i'd suggest testing the amp you want with a V30, if the tone is good enough for you go for it!

And man... go to a store and test everything you can. there's no better judge than your ears.

 

[MonstersOfTheMidway]

@JDavidAdrihan :
one of the great Marshalls on the used market is the Vintage Modern Series. The Vintage Modern series is available in head and combo versions with the 2466 head at 100 watts, 2266 head at 50 watts, and the 2x12 combo 2266C at 50 watts. You should be able to find most of these amps for under $1000 in most used markets. All these amps are single channel amps but they have some cool tone features (like "mid boost" and "dynamic rage") that easily let the player dial in a variety of tones. Additionally, all Vintage Modern amps have built-in reverb, built-in effects loop, and footswitch for reverb toggle on/off and change "dynamic range" switch.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[JDavidAdrihan]

Everyone seems to be not mentioning the 1 watt dsl, is that not a good choice?

 

[dragonvalve]

Would it be better to get a used cab with better speakers and also would a cab with 2 speakers sound better?

For home one cab will do, two is more but depends on how much room you have and how insulated is your room from the rest of the house/neighbors.

If you're recording, the B cab is favored. If just jamming got the A.

Classic stack Vintage 30 Celestions are a must IMO.

For attenuation this is nice:

Can be used without speakers into a DAW. It provides a load on the amp.

 

[scozz]

Welcome to the Marshall Forum @JDavidAdrihan! There's a great bunch of guys here with a plethora of information. You'll learn a lot just reading thru the threads, and you're making a great decision in getting your first Marshall.

I can help a bit with your decision, I own two of the Marshalls that have been mentioned.

First the Dsl1hr and a MX112 cabinet,....a great little amp that's perfect for playing at home. Even at 1 watt it's loud, (it's a Marshall), but you'll be able to crank it and get some great tones. It's a 2 channel amp, green, (clean) and red, (overdriven). Both channels sound great and it's a bargain at $299.

Now the 1-12 MX112 cabinet is a perfect cab really for any Marshall, but you'll likely want to upgrade the stock Celestion 70/80 speaker. I changed mine out to a Celestion G12M-65 Creamback, what a huge improvement. The stock 70/80 is a very bright, shrill speaker, kind of like an ice pick in your ear bright!

Also that's a real nice deal for the Dsl1hr and the MX112 cab at $519. Here's a pic of mine,...



Now the other amp,... The Marshall Studio Classic 20. Now this amp is a beast! It is based on Marshalls legendary JCM800, it's a more manageable 20 watts. But make no mistake it is LOUD!!!! I'm a at home player so I bought a attenuator so I can crank this amp up a bit and not have the paint peeling off the walls

The SC20 does a great job capturing the Marshall JCM800 phenomenal tones, you really need to hear one for yourself, words do not do it justice. I have the head version and I'm playing it through my MX112 cab, I'm using a different 1-12 cab for my Dsl1hr.

I realize the SC20 is way above you budget, but it's worth every cent.

The Dsl1hr and that 1-12 Marshall cabinet make the most sense to me as a first Marshall, especially for an at home player,....but beware,...G.A.S is inevitable! You may find yourself looking for a second Marshall in the very near future. So, with that in mind the SC20 also makes sense as your first Marshall!

Play both amps if you can, or at the very least listen to as many videos as possible, so you can make the best decision.

Best of luck! (pic of my SC20 and the same 1-12 cab)

 

[marshallmellowed]

Hello all! new here and just getting back into electric guitar. I have been out of electric for over 20 years, I've been doing the bluegrass thing and mostly playing mandolin. Anyhow I picked up a Epiphone Les Paul and a Vox AC10 and really want to get a Marshall that I can play at home. I never have been an amp aficionado and when I played back in the day I had a solid state Yamaha something. Really digging the sound out of the Vox but I want the Marshall tone and even thought the Vox is 10 Watts it is really loud. I really like to keep it at a grand or less so I have been looking at the used market alot. The problem is I really don't know much about attenuaters or such. The Vox sounds best when pinned and man is it loud. I was wondering what the options are and what the opinions where on this: View attachment 63202

The question you have to ask yourself, is do you feel lucky? Well, do ya? Sorry, just my attempt at humor. Marshall's can be bit tricky, as you'll get tons of opinions on what you need, especially when you're talking about a home practice amp. My advice, just save your money and get a SC20 head and a small cab. They can be found for around $850-$900 in like-new condition (paid $850 for mine). With combos, you're stuck with the sound of the combo cab, unless you want to add an extension cab, but then there goes the reason you bought a combo. With a head and separate cab, you have more options. You could start with a DSL, or whatever, but if you plan on sticking with playing for a while, you'll soon find yourself wanting something better. The SC20 is the one small master volume amp that everyone agrees is a killer little amp, so you might as well start out right. My 2 cents.

 

[DLW]

+1 on the Vintage Modern if we are talking if I had a $1,000 or under. I usually go used and great condition. Thats why some are mentioning amps other than the smaller DSL stuff etc. Nothing wrong with any of those others mentioned or what your interested in. Just thinking how to get the most quality tone for under a grand.

You can get a VM 100 watt for $700-750 at times and a VM 50 watter for $650-700. Get 4 greenbacks $300 or WGS Green Berret $200-225 or two WGS ET65 $100-120 and any cab to put them in you can afford or a $50 one off Craigslist. Or a 50 watt VM combo for $700 which is a great way to spend $700 and be done and ready to go.

Or a JVM 50 watter DSL 100 watter and a beat to shit 1960 cab.

The SC20 sounds like a great option too. I have never played one. You can find a decent cab with good speaker/speakers if patient too for $150/200.

You can spend $1000 quick and get a alot for it used.

Or go new and have no worries or risk and a warranty.

Many good options. Just make sure you have good speaker/speakers. Speakers are so important. Speakers are the best money spent.

 

[Mitchell Pearrow]

Welcome to the forum new MF’r. Cheers Mitch