MA100C yay or nay?

[1neeto]

A good friend of mine (more like a little brother, I'm good friends with his parents) just moved to NYC in pursuit of his music dreams with his band. So he left a bunch of gear at his folks home including a 2x12 Marshall that looked like my old MG250DFX, but with a stand by switch, which means it's all-valve! I looked it up and it seems like it's Marshall's entry-level tube amp series, but after listening some YouTube videos, I dig the tone which is classic Marshall to say the least.

The problem is that one, I only saw one lead connected to the back which means only one speaker is working, two I didn't find a foot switch, and some of the knobs are missing. I want to pay a fair price for it because this is also to support his dream, but at the same time I don't want to be stuck with a crappy amp. What would be a fair price for it? I was thinking $200 but that seems a bit lowball.

Other gear I saw was a Squier Jazzmaster that I'm sure it's barely two years old. Ugly guitar but it has a nice neck. But what I'm interested in is that amp.

 

[Georgiatec]

I think $200 for something you will have to spruce up a bit is about right. As you said, you don't want to insult a friend by seeming to be a cheapskate. There is not a lot of love for the MA series of amps on the forum, why?, I don't know. I have no experience of them myself. If you like what you hear on demos though go for it.

 

[1neeto]

I think $200 for something you will have to spruce up a bit is about right. As you said, you don't want to insult a friend by seeming to be a cheapskate. There is not a lot of love for the MA series of amps on the forum, why?, I don't know. I have no experience of them myself. If you like what you hear on demos though go for it.

Ultimately I wanna plug in my guitar (SSS strat) and listen how it sounds through it. Having only one speaker doesn't bother me much because I won't be doing much playing outside my place. But the amp does seem well used, probably the tubes need replacement, the already mentioned missing foot switch and I also didn't see a power cable but I think I have one laying around.

 

[Blueslicks]

The problem is that one, I only saw one lead connected to the back which means only one speaker is working

I'm not sure what you mean by this...

There are two 8 ohm inputs and one 16 ohm input.

There is "one lead" as in the lead which is wired to your combos two speakers that you can plug into either one of the two 8 ohm inputs. Or disconnect the two speakers all together by removing the "one lead" and either run two 16 ohm cabs into both 8 ohm inputs, or one 16 ohm cab into the single 16 ohm input.

This from the manual...

22. Speaker Output Jack Sockets x 2
These two jacks are tapped from the 8Ω winding of the
output transformer and are wired in parallel. The required
total load impedance of 8Ω will be realised with either of
the following configurations;
One 8Ω cabinet plugged into one of the 8Ω outputs.
Two 16Ω cabinets plugged into each of the 8Ω outputs.*
Note: The cable from the internal speakers of the
MA100C combo should be plugged into either one of
these sockets. If using an extension cab, then the internal
speakers must be disconnected, otherwise the total
impedance will be too low for the amp!
* 16Ω and 16Ω in parallel gives a total impedance of 8Ω.

23. Speaker Output Jack Socket
This jack is tapped from the 16Ω winding on the output
transformer. When using a single 16Ω cabinet it should be
plugged into this socket.
Note: The cable from the internal speaker of the MA50C
combo should be plugged into this socket. If you want to
use the internal speakers and an extension cab then the
internal speaker lead must be transferred to one of the
8 Ohm outputs and the extension cab itself must be
16 Ohms and plugged into the other 8 Ohm output. If the
internal speakers are not required then simply ensure the
impedance of the extension cab is matched to the amp.
WARNING! Do not use the 8Ω outputs when using the
16Ω output (and vice versa) and never operate the
amplifier without a load connected.

 

[1neeto]

I'm not sure what you mean by this...

There are two 8 ohm inputs and one 16 ohm input.

There is "one lead" as in the lead which is wired to your combos two speakers that you can plug into either one of the two 8 ohm inputs. Or disconnect the two speakers all together by removing the "one lead" and either run two 16 ohm cabs into both 8 ohm inputs, or one 16 ohm cab into the single 16 ohm input.

This from the manual...

22. Speaker Output Jack Sockets x 2
These two jacks are tapped from the 8Ω winding of the
output transformer and are wired in parallel. The required
total load impedance of 8Ω will be realised with either of
the following configurations;
One 8Ω cabinet plugged into one of the 8Ω outputs.
Two 16Ω cabinets plugged into each of the 8Ω outputs.*
Note: The cable from the internal speakers of the
MA100C combo should be plugged into either one of
these sockets. If using an extension cab, then the internal
speakers must be disconnected, otherwise the total
impedance will be too low for the amp!
* 16Ω and 16Ω in parallel gives a total impedance of 8Ω.

23. Speaker Output Jack Socket
This jack is tapped from the 16Ω winding on the output
transformer. When using a single 16Ω cabinet it should be
plugged into this socket.
Note: The cable from the internal speaker of the MA50C
combo should be plugged into this socket. If you want to
use the internal speakers and an extension cab then the
internal speaker lead must be transferred to one of the
8 Ohm outputs and the extension cab itself must be
16 Ohms and plugged into the other 8 Ohm output. If the
internal speakers are not required then simply ensure the
impedance of the extension cab is matched to the amp.
WARNING! Do not use the 8Ω outputs when using the
16Ω output (and vice versa) and never operate the
amplifier without a load connected.

Thanks a bunch for the clarification. I was using my old MG as reference because that amp had a lead for each speaker, but that one was a stereo amp so it makes sense that both speakers had their own leads. Again, thanks!

 

[Micky]

I have always wanted a MA50 head, if nothing for just to take it apart and see how it differed from other Marshalls.

I bet I could make one sound sweet...

 

[Ken]

I'd pay $200 for a no questions MA but no more than that. With a few pedals it'll sound okay. I'd offer only $150 for this one due to the speaker issues. Pass if he wants more.

Ken

 

[Ken]

I have always wanted a MA50 head, if nothing for just to take it apart and see how it differed from other Marshalls.

I bet I could make one sound sweet...

Yeah I've always wondered how different the circuit is from a DSL. The MA doesn't get a lot of love but it seems an all tube Marshall should be at least okay. I think of them like the 900 DR: lots of people get good tone from them even if lots of people don't.

I think people don't like the MA because of the original price point: why get an "entry level" amp when you can get a DSL for the same price?

Ken

 

[1neeto]

I'd pay $200 for a no questions MA but no more than that. With a few pedals it'll sound okay. I'd offer only $150 for this one due to the speaker issues. Pass if he wants more.

Ken

The speaker issue is no issue at all as it was explained to me by Blueslicks.

 

[Ken]

The speaker issue is no issue at all as it was explained to me by Blueslicks.

Ah, I thought you had 2 speakers mounted but only one was connected. If both work, $200 is a reasonable price if you like the tone of the amp.

Ken

 

[wallythacker]

Semi-necro?

I picked up a used MA100c a month or two ago simply because it was, 1)Marshall, 2)all tube, 3)$250 (asking price $400)

Is had been in the local buy-sell for over a month with very few views. I thought even at $400 ask it wasn't bad for 100 watts of Marshall.

When I got there it was set up and ready to rock and it did. Sure, the speakers aren't all that, but to be fair, they weren't broken in.

It was the vendor (living in a condo) who said he wasn't too worried what he got for it as it had to go and he tossed out the idea of $250. Well, for a mint shape Marshall with decent sound I wasn't going to insult the guy and offer him less. $250 later I was lugging this thing though the condo complex (lesson to self, always take a trolley when looking at Marshall combos, those ****ers are heavy and don't have wheels like a lot of Fenders.)

It's been home but not played a lot and an A-B with both my 900 combo (ya, ya, the DR) and my TSL100 head was more than satisfactory. I plan on dropping some GT12-65's or V30s into it just to see. I think the box might be MDF, the back sure is, so that would be the only major piss me off point about this amp to date.

For the price you get Marshall tube for Marshall SS price. Hard to lose.

 

[BeardedRetroGuy]

For $200? I'd scoop that amp up in a heartbeat. Hell, I'd even offer up to $300 for a decent working amp. The knobs on the front are flippin cheap to replace. It's the TUBES that I'd worry most about. That and if I wanted to upgrade the speakers to something higher-end....like Creambacks. Yeah, that's probably the ticket right there...