Marshall's answer to the Badlander

[JacksonCharvelAddict]

I am sure that Marshall has a new fridge line up that will blow the Badlander out of the water.

 

[Trelwheen]

I just don't get how Marshall can't do a really good Soldano or Friedman type high gain channel, especially since they are all hotrodded Marshall circuits.

Why does Marshall have to do it when we've got monster amp gurus like @NewReligion who will breathe fire into your Plexi, 2203, 2204.... ?

Get your hands on a Pandora 1987x or 1959 and you'll never want to turn it off.

And fwiw Marshall does make several higher gain amps - the JCM900s, the DSLs, Jubilees, 6100, JVMs....and besides, the old trusty 2203 and 2204 take ODs and boosts very well, and it's amazing what they can do

 

[Neptical]

Mesa will be. Dont forget they were actually innovative with the Mark series, while Marshall only copied the Bassman

Boogie Mark Series started out as a Bassman circuit as well smushed in to a Fender Princeton 1x12.

In my experience after using Mark III heads for years, then switching to Marshalls...Marshalls take the cake for doing that FAT Bassman sound a lot better. You can really crank the bass on a Marshall (say 7-8) and it sounds very fat, round, and full.

The Bass in my Boogies flubs out WAY too early...like on 2-3 max. Engaging the 5 Band EQ seems to muddy up a bit when you bring the bass back in. They really do work the best with EVM12L speakers and those old half back metal grill cabs. Very picky for speakers and definitely not set and forget knobs.

Another bonus for Marshalls ( speaking from all 9 of mine ha ha), they aren't as picky with any of my speakers/cabs. It makes it hard to turn the Boogies on these days.

 

[Sapient]

i think Friedman ,Diezel ,MESA and Even Matchless are pushing to NEW TERRITORY!

Lol.

Where is this "territory" anyway? Soundcloud?

 

[Matthews Guitars]

I've probably posted enough in this topic already but let me say that I'm a fanboy of both Marshall and Mesa and I'm happy to have both brands well represented in my gear collection. I wish for both companies to enjoy continuing success for a very long time, and for both to be worthy competitors for the guitar player's discretionary income.

The two best amps I've ever owned are radically different: My restored '73 Superlead, which blows my mind but requires cranking so it blows my ears at the same time, and the blue stripe long head Mesa Mark III amp I had for all too short a time. (I want to buy it back or another one like it.) They could hardly be more different, one being low gain but when played loud and boosted with a drive pedal, it's all that classic rock tone I can't live without, and the other is this mean, crunching, grinding, soul-shredding and yet eminently controllable TERROR even at volume levels that are compatible with someone taking a nap in the next room.

How can two amps that are so utterly different both be my favorite? Well...I think we all know that this is possible.

I love both brands! I will always have amps by both brands! I don't have to choose one or the other so I choose both.

 

[BftGibson]

Yes, but you're an electronics fellow.

what..lol...never worked on a circuit ever than tube changes. Have great tech friends tho.. just line em all up & switch cabs & guitars until a match hits & then its a rig. What really works is looping & playing your rigs against eachother..that exposes it all.

Speakers..to myself,,everyday reminder..mic position & speakers got me more than any amp changes. Kinda ended up with the set up that is layers almost. Always thinking which ones to layer in a mix after main rhythm is done. The OR 15 & JCA20hv have become recording monsters cause of where they sit. My base tone was always the 2204 & now the 50 Caliber+ right beside it..its the constant i use to build on. Sorta a reference point. Then each song. play all the guitars into all the rigs for a few days..when the mojo hits..run with it & commit to the recording.The recto is a great weapon in so many areas.

 

[Dogs of Doom]

The balance of power is shifting as far as professional quality amps goes , all the British ( made in England ) greats have pretty much gone . All the good stuff is now made in the U.S ( mainly Cali. as I understand ). If I had to buy a quality made in England amp I would be limited to Victory amps ( great amps mind ) can’t think of anyone else . Marshall currently have nothing that interests sadly. Correction I think Orange sill manufacture their top of the range amps in England , I would like to try the Rockerverb mk iii .

HiWatt seems to have a bunch of British logos all over their page still...

http://www.hiwatt.co.uk

 

[NewReligion]

Why does Marshall have to do it when we've got monster amp gurus like @NewReligion who will breathe fire into your Plexi, 2203, 2204.... ?

Get your hands on a Pandora 1987x or 1959 and you'll never want to turn it off.

And fwiw Marshall does make several higher gain amps - the JCM900s, the DSLs, Jubilees, 6100, JVMs....and besides, the old trusty 2203 and 2204 take ODs and boosts very well, and it's amazing what they can do

Thank you Trelwheen. Very kind of you to speak so highly of my work.

Much respect. David...♫

 

[Ufoscorpion]

Hiwatt , of course why do I always overlook them , they don’t make my type of amp is probably why . Also never seen one in the flesh let alone play one , rare as hens teeth even here in UK .

 

[Ufoscorpion]

Why does Marshall have to do it when we've got monster amp gurus like @NewReligion who will breathe fire into your Plexi, 2203, 2204.... ?

Get your hands on a Pandora 1987x or 1959 and you'll never want to turn it off.

And fwiw Marshall does make several higher gain amps - the JCM900s, the DSLs, Jubilees, 6100, JVMs....and besides, the old trusty 2203 and 2204 take ODs and boosts very well, and it's amazing what they can do

I did contemplate getting a 2203 jcm 800 to Dan Gower as he only lives about an hour from me , but would have worked out way more expensive than buying my Runt 50 new with delivery, warranty better build quality etc , and sounds fecking awesome .

 

[malice95]

Marshall has the newish 20 watt series which is great. It took many years to listen to their fans. They make great stuff but move slowly.

If you want a Marshall with Badlander features.. pickup an attenuator (any will do) and a Two Notes Cab M+. Silent recording, can use any IR you want. I use it for silent playing late at night through headphones and the occasional quick recording thing when I dont feel like micing up the 4x12.

 

[Sacalait]

The dudes that think Badlander (haven't checked them out yet) is the total shit are ignoring history and science. Almost ALL modern amps are based on these amps: Fender, Vox, and Marshall. Yeah, some have taken those circuits to new levels but these guys are the innovators. There are more frickin' hit rock LP's with Marshalls than all the other stuff combined I'm pretty certain.

 

[wayne856]

Hywatts are hard to get because Pete Townsend destroyed them all back in the 60-70's....marshall has to be the best who came out with the head design with the controls along the bottom...who ever made that,,,,they all copied the same design.. fender has its own, ampeg had its own vox had it own. the first person ive seen used marshall was hendrix

 

[MarcOfWar]

All i really want from Marshall right now is a modern quality amp. And when i say modern i dont insist in bells and whistle. Just a new amp serie that would be called something different, and avoid the word Reissue at all cost. You know, maybe MSL(Modern Super Lead) or VSL (Vintage Super Lead) (That could be a voicing switch but they would fall in Mesa territory which may not be that bad of an idea in these days and age)... one or 2 channel, Epic tone, some versatility but not too much type of amp. Cant be that hard to make...i would like to get an older 1980 jcm, but the price is now ridiculous, and the maintenance can be something to consider as well.

 

[ronald a aguiar]

Im just hoping we are going to get something new from Marshall to compete the criticaly accaimed Badlander. A new flagship amp serie or something. It would be pretty awesome.

Here is my 2 cents worth and that may be over rated! Marshalls are pretty much one trick ponies- but oh what a trick it is!! That said I don't mean to imply that Marshalls can't or haven't done other thins and some of them pretty well, but many of those "other" things have been done by other companies as well or better than Marshall. So what is the trick? Well it's that grind that a Marshall has particularly as it comes off it's clean sound right into overdrive- that five o'clock shadow as I call it. Just enough overdrive to have great mojo without losing the guitars character. Yes they can get really rainy and distorted but almost everyones mental picture of a Marshall has that Hendrix, Page, Beck tone as a basis. That is what Marshall does best. Think of all the stupid false steps that Gibson has made on the Les Paul in the last few decades, from robotic tuners to chambered and semi-hollow bodies, None of them have lasted because that is not what Les Paul players want- they want what made a Les Paul great.

 

[BadSeed]

All i really want from Marshall right now is a modern quality amp. And when i say modern i dont insist in bells and whistle. Just a new amp serie that would be called something different, and avoid the word Reissue at all cost. You know, maybe MSL(Modern Super Lead) or VSL (Vintage Super Lead) (That could be a voicing switch but they would fall in Mesa territory which may not be that bad of an idea in these days and age)... one or 2 channel, Epic tone, some versatility but not too much type of amp. Cant be that hard to make...i would like to get an older 1980 jcm, but the price is now ridiculous, and the maintenance can be something to consider as well.

I think this is exactly what Marshall needs. The JVM has been a flagship for a LONG time, and it really covers all ground you could want and still competes with modern tech. What they really need to do is focus on the Modded 2203/1959 designs, as that is where Friedman's bread and butter is. Marshall being the originator of the design should really start producing their own modded/updated versions of these amps to compete with that market.

 

[BadSeed]

The Badlander is the first MEsa amp I've been truly impressed by. The EQ dials actually work like......EQ dials. The amp sounds good with everything at Noon. They finally figured that one out too. The low end is tight, the mids are low focused but there are finally enough in the rest of the frequencies to sound better in a mix. I'm a Marshall/modded Marshall guy at heart, but this is the first Mesa I've ever really liked, besides the Stiletto, which is an attempt at a Marshall sound, ha!

 

[Zado]

criticaly accaimed Badlander

Acclaimed by who?

 

[sir john maxwell]

There is a time for Marshall

there is a time for Mesa

the is a time for Orange

there is a time for Fender

there is a time for Vox

had 13 Marshall's last year at this time talk about being boxed in creative wise..what..mod ..boost....vintage ..clones..same ol same ol.. love the M's but soon as i got the others the creativity exploded..then many cabs to sit them on, more explosion....choice is good ..none is better but dont take my 50 caliber +..no way.. that is when the tide turned

i have a 50cal+ head also. and a mkiii blue stripe and triple rec and 20 other heads. the 50 cla+ beats em all ...to me ..just my taste...

 

[sir john maxwell]

The Badlander is the first MEsa amp I've been truly impressed by. The EQ dials actually work like......EQ dials. The amp sounds good with everything at Noon. They finally figured that one out too. The low end is tight, the mids are low focused but there are finally enough in the rest of the frequencies to sound better in a mix. I'm a Marshall/modded Marshall guy at heart, but this is the first Mesa I've ever really liked, besides the Stiletto, which is an attempt at a Marshall sound, ha!

i like it also.. i dont like the muddy marshall low end!