Marshall 6100

[stephen sawall]

So I picked up a 6100LM last Sunday. I sold my last Marshall in 1988. I have played on and borrowed many since then. Just have not owned one. It was made in April 1994. I had borrowed a friends 6100LM about a decade ago for several months.
So far I really like. Took it to band practice Tuesday. Unusually clean for its age. Fresh tubes and maintenance.

What do you guys think of the 6100 series ?

 

[rsm]

Never tried the Lead Modified, but I remember these. Weren't they for an anniversary before the Jubilee?

I think these were sleeper amps in the rack days, and in the shadow of the JCM 800, and it shared the 5881 with it's contemporary JCM 900 SL-X (which I own and love)

I was full into rack gear around that time IIRC, by the time I got back to amps, I was into Vox for awhile, Engl, before getting back to Marshall, and got a JVM410H for versatility.

Good score IMO. Enjoy!

 

[rsm]

it was a 30th anniversary model

 

[stephen sawall]

They are the 30th anniversary amp. Originally part of the 900 series. But not ready on time.
2100
4100
6100

Channel 2 Crunch mode C is the SL-X circuit. The LM Lead Modification have 5881 and higher gain on Channel 3 Lead. The change to EL34 is a easy modification. I am leaving it 5881 for now. I like the extra bass.

 

[Shevek]

The other guitar player in my band has the purple and gold half stack in this model. Always sounded good. It blew up a couple times and the tech said it was a pain to work on. Paired well with my Mark IIC+.

 

[skoora]

I had an EL34 LM around 97/98. Used it with my band at the time in San Diego, so got to routinely play it turned up. I really liked it. It unseated a Pitbull UL. It just sat better in the mix. I’d just plug straight in with a Les Paul, CH3, no boosts or drives. I would use the low compensation switch to bring up the bass but set the bass knob low to balance it. Played in D standard and drop C back then. It was tight, raw and sure recorded well on a boombox at practice .
I’ve toyed with getting another one but it would be for pure nostalgia as I have Marshall covered up the wahzoo, but I did get the sig 5150 out of nostalgia and don’t regret it.

 

[Racerxrated]

These came out in 92-93. After the Jubilee. They sound good. Not as good, as the Jubilee IMO. Only because they are more complicated. More channels, less tone. They also tend to break down. I have a friend who swears by his 3 that he rotates in/out of his gear room. Then he swears AT them as he HAS to rotate them because they unfortunately break down lol.

 

[skoora]

These came out in 92-93. After the Jubilee. They sound good. Not as good, as the Jubilee IMO. Only because they are more complicated. More channels, less tone. They also tend to break down. I have a friend who swears by his 3 that he rotates in/out of his gear room. Then he swears AT them as he HAS to rotate them because they unfortunately break down lol.

I’ve owned several 87 Jub’s and the black ones from ‘88 and I would take the LM over them. Mine seemed to be rock solid for the time I had it. I know the 1x12 combos had heat dissipation issues and it would fry the midi but the heads weren’t known to be problematic.

 

[Racerxrated]

I’ve owned several 87 Jub’s and the black ones from ‘88 and I would take the LM over them. Mine seemed to be rock solid for the time I had it. I know the 1x12 combos had heat dissipation issues and it would fry the midi but the heads weren’t known to be problematic.

Not me. I've played the 30th anniversary amps. They are ok. Very versatile. To each their own. My friend who has the 3 heads reached out a year ago as his 3rd head just developed a problem. Our main local tech just retired, so he needs another tech. He still gigs heavily. Something in the foot switch relay system is what always fails in his amps. Even without the footswitch in use, the amp starts to change channels randomly. Strange.

 

[stephen sawall]

There is a guy over at the Marshall forum that developed and sells a new EMROM board that is not as sensitive to heat. The other issues are the common ones of Marshall. Thin boards etc. I'm not worried about it. I looked inside everything looks clean.

Did not have the footswitch. I might buy a replacement or use it with a Boss ES-8 MIDI switching for the channels.

 

[bubucci]

Fantastic clean channel but thats where it ends. There is always something little bit off on crunch channel, not the same body and dynamic as JCM800. Channel 3 is slighly scooped Marshall tone but not enough fluid for great lead tone. The amp look almost perfect on paper but not so much in reality.
They goes really cheap in EU and I always wondered if I make something wrong when I but it third time ... but no, just average amp
The Jubilee is much better amp for me, still very good clean channel and amazing crunch.

 

[Sick Michael]

I had both the LM and non-LM versions and the EL34 (non-LM) was more to my liking. The LM model has a bit more gain on the lead channel, but its not really significant as it doesnt add much in a usable sense.

I'd get another again, I loved that amp. All 3 channels were great, I know some think the lead channel is a bit compressed...it is, but I liked it.

Keep the comp switches off, and then tighten with an OD pedal....

 

[Deleted member 77333]

First congrats on the Marshall. They can be complex to work on but if in good shape should be fine.
You're gonna want a footswitch with that.
Enjoy.

 

[ZEEGLER]

I had the non LM, EL34 version head. I loved mine, until it melted down. One of the major ICs died along with a bunch of caps and who knows what else. I took it to an authorized Marshall repair place. It took them about a year to repair it, and cost almost as much as I paid for the amp. Apparently, it took so long because Marshall had some parts on back order.

When I finally got it back, it never sounded as good to me, in fact, I was kinda disgusted by it, so I sold it.

 

[Braciola]

I've owned a couple in the past.
The Crunch Channel is great.
The lead Channel, not so much.
However, I prefer a 2203/2204

 

[BackCrack]

If you ever completely lose output but yet everything is operating fine, plug a little jumper cable in loop. If the amps sounds normal with the jumper in, the cheap switching jacks in the series loop need to be replaced. I learned this the hard way with my 30th.

 

[stephen sawall]

Playing with the band changing channel with the small buttons on the front of the amp is not practical.

With all the options I'm still becoming familiar with the range.

Definitely easier to get a good sound at a lower volume than the Marshall amps I owned decades ago.

I have been looking for something in the 2203 flavor. Still am. I have the Plexi and JTM stuff covered.
This one does those types of sounds okay. Feel and sound is a bit different. But it ballparks all of them. Much more versatile and easier to control.

Have not decided if I am keeping it. I like it so far.

 

[skoora]

Playing with the band changing channel with the small buttons on the front of the amp is not practical.

With all the options I'm still becoming familiar with the range.

Definitely easier to get a good sound at a lower volume than the Marshall amps I owned decades ago.

I have been looking for something in the 2203 flavor. Still am. I have the Plexi and JTM stuff covered.
This one does those types of sounds okay. Feel and sound is a bit different. But it ballparks all of them. Much more versatile and easier to control.

Have not decided if I am keeping it. I like it so far.

I only ever used channel 3 because I was in my heavy devy phase and can’t say I got a sound out of channel 2 that would have me using it instead of a 2203/4.
But the one heavy sound I was getting was really working for me so I just used volume roll off and called it good.

 

[guitarmike]

I had the el34 version, I liked it. I bought a midi mouse to change channels.

 

[Anje]

It's one Marshall model I've never played but have been always curious about.
Ty sounded great with his on the Ear Candy album: