Help needed choosing a Marshall valve combo

[Johnt]

Happy NAD.

As I said, happy to discuss settings etc, once you've had a play and have your first impression.

JohnT

 

[Les Paul Lover]

Cheers John!


Did get it last night, and after coming back home and all the chores, it got a bit late, so didn't really have the time to play with it.


Early impressions are that the reverb is pretty disappointing - it nice, but very light, you'd either have it on max or not at all.
It sounds good on max, just doesn't go very far.

I like the clean channels cleans - I've noticed the amp sounds a lot better with the master volume on max and low gain on clean rather than medium gain and lower master- for the same volume level the difference is striking!


Tried the crunch on the clean channel, but had to run the master pretty low as it was late - it didn't sound good, but I can't really judge the amp on that from what I've seen the master do to the clean channel.




I was really impressed with how warm that clean channel appears to be though - but I think the real test will come this weekend wen I'll get to try it out more.

I'm pretty pleased, it's been recently revalved and rebiased (all JJs), and the tolex only has two small nicks - very good condition. I'm really pleased with the price got it for!

 

[Johnt]

And that was pretty much my first impression too.

BUT...

Do not be downhearted, this amp is seriously good and in coming days as you start to discover possibilities (and if I can be of any help to shortcut some of the issues), I hope that you'll see this for yourself.

I wouldn't part with mine now.

By the way what year is yours and what speaker are you running? Stock Marshall (Celestion) Goldback is not good...

JohnT

 

[JayCM800]

Happy NAD!

 

[JohnH]

LPL - I agree with all your first impressions - that is how most people find them. I still like mine after 6 years with it and still am finding new ways to drive it. If it has the stock Marshall Goldback speaker in it, just get rid of it unless you will be using a cab anyway. The best sound comes when you use a good speaker in the combo and a 16Ohm cab under it, but a V30 in the combo on its own is good too.

Johnt 's, loop mod (available from his tech) sounds like a good idea. But I am getting great results as stock with a small Zoom processor in the loop to add extra delays, reverbs, chorus etc - need to max the output volume of it.

The oD is actually a basicly good quality valve-driven sound, but needs EQ at lower gain and lower volume since the tone of it is set for the high-gain OD2 channel. EQ in the loop can do this if needed (my Zoom also has that job).

Alternatively, just try a patch cable in the loop and turn up the FX knob.

Have fun

J

 

[Les Paul Lover]

Do not be downhearted, this amp is seriously good and in coming days as you start to discover possibilities (and if I can be of any help to shortcut some of the issues), I hope that you'll see this for yourself.


JohnT

Hi John, I wasn't down hearted at all, actually encouraged by the tone on the clean channel.

The joint channel master volume affects the tone quite a lot, will have to get used to it I expect.

 

[Les Paul Lover]

Happy NAD!

Thanks a lot!!!

 

[Les Paul Lover]

LPL - I agree with all your first impressions - that is how most people find them. I still like mine after 6 years with it and still am finding new ways to drive it. If it has the stock Marshall Goldback speaker in it, just get rid of it unless you will be using a cab anyway. The best sound comes when you use a good speaker in the combo and a 16Ohm cab under it, but a V30 in the combo on its own is good too.

Johnt 's, loop mod (available from his tech) sounds like a good idea. But I am getting great results as stock with a small Zoom processor in the loop to add extra delays, reverbs, chorus etc - need to max the output volume of it.

The oD is actually a basicly good quality valve-driven sound, but needs EQ at lower gain and lower volume since the tone of it is set for the high-gain OD2 channel. EQ in the loop can do this if needed (my Zoom also has that job).

Alternatively, just try a patch cable in the loop and turn up the FX knob.

Have fun

J

Thanks!!!!

It's a lot of fun too getting to try out a new amp! It' so nice to be able to do that at home ad perhaps in pracice/jam. Muc better than in a shop wi different guitars to yours!




@ JohnT & JohnH:

The speaker in is a Celestion G12T-75 - no idea if if a good celestion or not.
The amp was made in 2006, which I'm quite pleased with as the infamous heating issue should be solved.
And all the valves are newish JJs, seemingly barely played since revalve, the chap seemed genuine - I obviously can't really check that out, but he looked and acted like a stand up chap.

He fixed the footswitch and replace the flimsy cable by a 1/4 stereo jack plug - and even suppplied the stereo cable to go with it.



Tried it a bit more last night, but barely had 15mns on it - enough to confirm my impressions about the master volume. It's got to be on quite high or it affects the tone badly.

Once that joint channel master s way up, the tone is very open and full - and I haven't even jacked up the FX loop yet. It seems to go to just short of high gain on the OD channel.

I will have to try out out more.
It sounds good, but the amp isn't as dynamic as others, and I'm surprised that the small touches I put in don't exactly translate as I would hope too, it doesn't seem to respond to changes in pick attack so well - but early days.

I''m hoping to escape DIY long enough this weekend to spend more time with it.... but got a heavy schedule again.....

Oh well, if knocking off plaster and rendering isn't rock'n roll, I just don't know what is.......

 

[Les Paul Lover]

Further update:




I managed to try it out more extensively, with and without my PPC212 (2*V30).

The amp is pretty good fun.

The existing speaker will have to go though if I keep it.
That G12T75 is too bright and too tight.

With my PPC212, the V30 have really smoothed out its tone, brought more low end, the highs aren't as stridents, just a lot smoother and pleasing.

I got some nice tones ot of it, nice cleans, nice light crunch, and I do like that boost on the OD channel - especialy if using lower level of gain in Orange mode, you then get quite a good volume/gain boost, it's very useful.


The only thing that bugs me about that amp is the lack of playing dynamics. However lightly you pick, it doesn't seem to quieten down volume wise.

I don't think it's compression, it's probably just the way the circuit is I reckon?

 

[Johnt]

Hi,
I gig regularly, most weekends and am now using my DSL 401 on top of my 2 x12. The DSL 401 shines with its V30 now broken in.

I tend to run my master volume at around 6. Past 5 it starts to shine.
Clean gain is around 3 max and the cleans are fantastic with my Strats. Perfect with chorus and delay, add a little MXR Dyna Comp and Marshall Guvnor for high gain Strat (80s) lead tone with use of the trem arm.

On both clean and OD channel my mid control knob is at zero whilst bass and treble are up around 8.

With the Les Paul I use the same settings but tend to use OD2 more for the classic rock stuff, again with OD channel gain set at around 3.

I find that this amp with my pedal board and use of Strat and Les Paul really meets my needs. We cover everything from jazz / easy listening through to classic and modern high gain rock and I need an amp that is portable and versatile. This amp does it and its cleans are to die for.

The loop mod has opened up all sorts of possibilities for me.

I've also had the brightness cap lifted on the clean channel, so I have a more useable EQ selection on clean, rather than an over bright clean at low volume.

Happy to discuss further...

JohnT

 

[Les Paul Lover]

I tend to run my master volume at around 6. Past 5 it starts to shine.

First time I switched it on, I'd put th master on 3 - I couldn't believe how poor the tone was!
Then open it up fully and understood that it's usable range is is between 6 and max. I've kept t at 8 so far and changed things around that.


I do like that amp's tone, and will probably give it a go next with the band I've been trying to play with. Then I will decide if it'll be keeps or move on.

It's ge some really good points, the basic tone is pretty good, clean, light crunch to almost high gain (my amp seems to just stop short of high gain? how's yours in that departement? I mean it's got plenty gain for all things you'd want to play, just no uber gain?), I'm still to try it with my Vigier Expert (strat like), but I think that'll be fun too.

I like that tighter tone, with more highs than I get from my rockerverb. Sounds like it would cut through the mix very nicely.

The only thing I'm disappointed about (and could easily live with) is the lack of responsiveness/dynamics to pick attack in terms of volume, and the tone isn't as 3D as my Orange's.

BUt it's still pretty good overall, and I really like that Clean/OD/OD boost setting. Wth low/mid OD gain the boost really takes it up a very usefull notch.

I migh start a thread to see if people would recommend me another marshall - I'm not intent on changing, but I'd like to know.

 

[Johnt]

Hi, when you gig it, be sure to put a 2 x 12 cab underneath it. Big sound, great range of tones.

JohnT