Why I like Marshalls

[Vinsanitizer]

For me it's the look and sound. Even the worst Marshalls have a signature sound. I think the newer products, beginning with the Valvestate series, have more often become caricatures of the original sound, but they still capture the essence. Even as Marshall have become followers of music and technology trends, they still retain the signature.

And who can argue with the look? That white plastic logo has sold more amps and created more dreams of rock stardom than perhaps any other piece of electronic gear on the planet. I walked into my room today and looked at my new DSL with its white logo and white piping, black cabinet and gold knobs, and I said to myself, "man, what a really nice looking amp that is".

 

[Nudge68]

While I have a few amps, most are Marshalls. My fave today is the '73 Lead & Bass 50 watt. Jumper the inputs and shove a boost in the front, sweeeeeeet as!!!! Last week my fave was the 6100 C channel. Enough gain to rival the 6505. Different tone stack, of course.

I have one amp that was designed on a Marshall and Marshall should have built it - Cornford MK50H II.

The music I love was made with Marshalls. I play the music I love, that's why I have a few of them. I'm sure I will get more

Cheers,

Matt.

 

[plexilespaul]

It's amazing to see just how much sonic territory Marshalls cover over the years. .

i am not surprised... all the artist you mentioned used marshalls

 

[Ricochet]

A lot of new Marshall ampdesigns probably start out as a modified Marshall of some sort... Think about it... this is decades old technology. Basicly all it is, and forgive me if I'm oversimplifying, is the tuning of existing schematics that have been around since Radioshack, with maybe a modern day doodad thrown in here and there.
It's hardly a religious artefact that's disgraced by a mod or two. The fact players/tuners alike are using a Marshall at the core of their personal pursuit of tone, the catalyst of their musical expression, is a tribute and a testament to the quality of a Marshall.
There is a thing called making something your own, just ask EVH and a slew of other musical innovators, who are so adept and tuned in at what they do, stock is simply not cutting it for them. Go tell'm they're wrong.

Ah yes..pertaining the thread. All the guys that made me want pick up a guitar, played Marshalls. NO exception.

 

[axe arsenal]

But really, if you're modifying a Marshall, can you really say that you're playing a Marshall? Maybe you are playing half a Marshall, or maybe 1/4 of a Marshall, but you aint playing Marshall...

I understand what you're saying, but some mods do not change the core sound of the amp. Like this mod: I had a chorus pedal installed on the chassis in the back of my TSL 100 head ; it is connected to effects loop A (clean), instant chorus sound without dragging a pedal around.
Another mod : effects loop in my 2203KK (I've done this to have the option to put a boost pedal in the loop for some extra db (lead sound).

The one mod that my tech did (that I didn't even ask) and that I wasn't too happy with ,was the C83 mod on the JVM 410H.
It took some brightness from my OD 1. I noticed it immediately.
With that mod I can understand your point of view, because the core sound changed with that mod.

 

[50WPLEXI]

I haven't heard a lot of modded Marshalls, but the two that I did sounded VERY good. Not old school Marshall (stock JMP/JTM) but tone wise they were awesome.

Billy Blades on this forum has two in his shop that I got to play/hear. I'll tell you, one of them is next on my list. He does some great stuff with those mods.

 

[blues_n_cues]

just like making a street rod powerhouse out of the basic 350 c.i. block.

 

[strat59]

If you don't appreciate a Marshall for what it is , go build a kit amp.
Marshall kept pace with the changes in the music scene. Each new model
reflected the sound of what players wanted at that point in time.
Me I'm a Plexi guy , JTM-45 Tube Rectifier x KT-66's Blues Heaven.
Rock , Metal , there is a model for every style. I've played every boutique
amp out there but when I got my first Plexi and plugged straight in , THAT was the sound I had in my head. No pedals just plug n play Classic Tone.

The absolute Who's Who of Rock have played MARSHALL over the past 50 yrs
Nuff Said !

 

[Lee J]

I used Fender Twins for years playing Country Blues stuff with a telecaster cranked and always said I'd never use anything else. Then I tried a Boss GT10 and found a great tone through the PA and ditched my Twin and the back ache that went with it. Then, about 12 months ago I joined an indie/rock band and the guitarist used a Marshall AVT150 head with a 4x12 cab. Once I'd tried it I loved it so I bought my own AVT150 head and 4x12 cab. found I didn't even need to put pedals in front of it as some of the built in effects (chrs, delay and reverb) are quite usable for me.

I love the build quality, the feel of playing a Les Paul or my 72 Tele custom (with seymour Duncan hotrails stacked humbucker in the bridge) and the way it compliments the overall sound of the band.

I actually wouldn't by another brand of amp now. It's Marshall all the way for me.

 

[kam4ff]

As for the mod comments. Wasn't Jim a modder? Didn't Jim take a fender circuit and mod it to create the first Marshall's?

Now I don't mod my Marshall's because I love them but isn't the history of Marshall steeped in modding?

 

[mariosoldano]

Reading some of these guys talk about moding makes me think of Tim Allen as Tim "the toolman" Taylor in his old show "Home Improvement"..."MORE POWER"!!!

But really, if you're modifying a Marshall, can you really say that you're playing a Marshall? Maybe you are playing half a Marshall, or maybe 1/4 of a Marshall, but you aint playing Marshall.

When players keep it stock, they are playing a real Marshall, and then they can really reflect and post "WHY I LIKE MARSHALL".

pretty stupid

 

[Codyjohns]

I modded my Marshall's a little bit.
I think they still sound like Marshall plexi's, just with more gain.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIom1x23GLs]Marshall JMP & V30's. (D11) - YouTube[/ame]

 

[plexilespaul]

I modded my Marshall's a little bit.
I think they still sound like Marshall plexi's, just with more gain.

Marshall JMP & V30's. (D11) - YouTube

yeah i like it...but i am thinking what went in the minds of marshall's engineers way back in the day and i guess they knew that changing a couple resistors (no offence but i guess that's what you did in that amp) is going in your "modded" amp direction but maybe they were thinking on a broader scale tone wise thinking of artists that needed a distinct tone but more easy on the gain department like blues artists bands heck even jazz and pop ...at the end of the day that's what made marshall beautifull and dominant not only in the metal/hard rock scene but other artists from other styles (think "the police" and the likes of those bands)

 

[V-man]

@OP: ... A I am in the same boat for the same reasons. Discounting that 9v microstack, I have had 10 amps in my lifetime. 8 are Marshalls. I now own 8 amps, they happen to be the 8 Marshalls for a reason.

@Midway: The Marshall essentially a began as a modified Fender Bassman IIRC. Then for about 20 years, successive Marshalls were mods of previous models (JTM>JMP>JCM) before the diode-driven and solid state developments in the 80. So, in effect, some legendary Marshalls are both "Marshalls" and (sanctioned) "Modified Marshalls).

That's something I tend to appreciate about Marshall. Gibson for example is a stagnant company. They have about a dozen solid designs a half dozen or so of those being legendary platforms. They have nowhere to go but the rehash of their traditional series. Marshall OTOH, has come to regard its heritage as its foundation but it moves with the times in a manner that responds to both modern and classic players.

I suppose it depends on where one decides to carve the turkey. To some "Marshall" = Guitar>Cord>STANDARD PRODUCTION Amp, with everything else being modified. Some broaden that to anything that Marshall made stock. Some sanction the use of a boost. Some sanction light modification (i.e. different brand/type valves). Some go further.

I do agree that modification of components can in fact change the character, and I daresay that some of these can pose a challenge to the character of what a Marshall is. My interpretation is a little more loose. I get as far as using boosts and changing tubes and call all that under the Marshall umbrella. I do appreciate others modding Marshalls insofar as that being the heritage of how we got the next great Marshall. I just leave that monkeying to others and when an established winner arrives, I'll buy the sanctioned finished product from Marshall. Meanwhile I can get what I need simply by going from Marshall X to Marshall Y, or if necessary adding a boost.

More of my two cents than disagreeing with any of your points (if we even disagree on anything)

 

[Codyjohns]

yeah i like it...but i am thinking what went in the minds of marshall's engineers way back in the day and i guess they knew that changing a couple resistors (no offence but i guess that's what you did in that amp) is going in your "modded" amp direction but maybe they were thinking on a broader scale tone wise thinking of artists that needed a distinct tone but more easy on the gain department like blues artists bands heck even jazz and pop ...at the end of the day that's what made marshall beautifull and dominant not only in the metal/hard rock scene but other artists from other styles (think "the police" and the likes of those bands)

Both my amps are '78 JMP's and in a late 60's Marshall the circuit was a little different.
So I kinda went backwards and modded my 78's like a plexi's circuit.
A plexi in '78 JMP box.

 

[spacerocker]

What if you take a new Marshall, and mod it to make it sound like an old Marshall? Is that not making it more of a Marshall?

What about if Marshall themselves take a classic component out of a design (say a choke?) Does that mean they are de-Marshalling themselves?


What if you put different pick-ups in your Les Paul? is it no longer a Gibson? What if you use a non-stock brand of strings?


If you're happy with completely stock tones, why feel the need to ridicule those who are more adventurous?



.

 

[dudu]

I have an AFD100. Is that still a Marshall (it's a factory modded design, so to say)?

 

[Far Rider]

I love the Marshall Roar, and the Marshall Whisper. And everything in between

 

[Hollowbody]

As for the mod comments. Wasn't Jim a modder? Didn't Jim take a fender circuit and mod it to create the first Marshall's?

Now I don't mod my Marshall's because I love them but isn't the history of Marshall steeped in modding?

Yes. Jim Marshall used a 5F6 Tweed Bassman circuit and added a gain stage and also did a couple of other things to it in the process.

 

[GIBSON67]

My baby has a JCM800 Mosfet head shell, an old 4210 chassis, OT and choke and sockets, knobs etc...but now I've hand wired a 1987 circuit along with a PPIMV. And it sits on a MG cab with Greenbacks, vintage and new...

It's always going to be a Marshall to me...