Anyone run an old Marshall like this?

[V-Killer]

Master on 10, preamp to taste slammed with an o.d.?? Is this a safe/sane thing to do??

 

[rlord1974]

Some would argue this is the only thing to do.

Totally safe. This is precisely how you get the "goods" from the power tubes (provided you run the Master on '10' and the Gain at a reasonably high setting as well, such as '5' or above).

 

[Heritage Softail]

With earplugs

 

[rlord1974]

WHAT?!

 

[fek]

I used to run a Mig 60 like that which is basically a Marshall. Master up to 3:00, volume up as needed, hammer the front with a dirt box. Sounded huge with just the right amount of sag.

 

[V-Killer]

Yeah I haven't tried it yet. I have a '77 2203. I doubt I could get the preamp above 2 doing it like this.

 

[Nodnarb25]

It sounds like you have kind of turned a 2203 into a 1959 using that method. Of course, not exactly... But kind of.

 

[Ventura]

Yeah I haven't tried it yet. I have a '77 2203. I doubt I could get the preamp above 2 doing it like this.

It's a wild animal... You'll need to get it outside for this kinda play.

 

[petejt]

My single channel JCM800 is too loud for that.

I might try it on the Low input channel- not as much gain there so won't be as loud. Then I could try the overdrive pedal to crunch it up.
But at the moment I'm not really keen on using overdrive pedals at all.

 

[Anonymous]

Getting the preamp up to around 5-6 you'll realize a much thicker tone due to the bright caps affect/effect? (if still there?) being minimized the higher the preamp control is but of course, would mean dialing back the master

 

[Anonymous]

face your cabinet towards the floor and try it!

 

[ericsabbath]

a horizontal input late 80's 2203 with gain 5 and master 1 is enough to bury the entire band on a moderately loud band practice volume

 

[mniel8195]

i just set the pre amp gain as high as it will go before i losses clarity than depending on the boost i will keep it anywhere from unity to max. than i raise the master volume for the volume i need at that moment

 

[rlord1974]

a horizontal input late 80's 2203 with gain 5 and master 1 is enough to bury the entire band on a moderately loud band practice volume

So, what's the problem?

 

[petejt]

I'm not sure if my Marshall has the bright cap or not. It's a single channel 50 watt model from 1981, with the vertical inputs (Low input & High input).

 

[stratotone]

Hotplate, hotplate, hotplate. I ran my '72 100 watt stack (matching '72 stock cabs) halfway up at an outdoor gig and I was louder than the PA. Old Marshalls are deadly loud

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

My JCM800 vertical input from 82 is loud as f-ck. As someone mentioned, you could not only bury the whole band but bury treetop birds within ear shot of the thing if you turn it to 4.

 

[Anonymous]

from what i understand, if you're running 6550's, it's like that scene in the "hulk" (ed norton hulk) where they try to stun him with sound.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

haha yeah it totally is... this is why i converted to EL34's. (also less expensive!) Don't kid yourself though, it still gets plenty loud.

 

[MississippiMetal]

Old 2203's were rated for 100 Watts, but cranked they were producing something just shy of twice that. And I don't even wanna think about the Marshall Major.

I've sat in front of a 2204 with dimed gain and MV on 7 while tone testing it after a few mods, and that was quite possibly the most damage I've done to my hearing in a single session since I began playing guitar 18 years ago.