Marshall amps has to be the most F'd up amp company

[lespaul6]

I have been playing guitar for a while now. more than 10 years. I have heard amazing sounds from marshalls on albums and sometimes at shows but, I have not made any amazing sounds with marshalls.

i think i might be the problem between guitar and amp.

I played a JVM at a music store. and It was just ok to me. It wasn't like the baddest mofo tone I have ever heard. It was solid state(ish) to me.

I heard a wizard full on at the amp show one year, and that shook my balls. I was a little scared. I was its bitch.

If Wizard is making amps, that are based on Marshalls, that scare me with their brute power and bristling gain....where is Marshalls answer to this?

Why cant I walk into a music store and play a $2600 marshall that destroys that Wizard?....tell me.

this..

 

[311boogieman]

That being said, Marshall hasn't produced a decent product outside of the DSL since 1987 and that was the Jubilee. Granted, I wasn't around that time frame (1968-1988) I've owned and played enough SL/SB, 800, 900, JMP to get a good feel.

I'm pretty much in this camp and I also do not find anything exciting about the JVM. Granted I've never owned one but I have played 5 or 6 different ones on different occasions. I really try to give that amp a fair shake and I'm just let down every time. And this is in the loud room. Maybe I'm spoiled with my Splawn

I would say the Slash Sig 2555 is the last great Marshall imo, with the exception of the DSL and the Class 5 being pretty decent. I know, the 2555 had diodes. BFD. I think the Vintage Modern could be cool too but have not played it yet.

But yeah, as much as I think they are failing product wise, they are still making money hand over fist.

 

[Anonymous]

Steve you are spot on. I am just frustrated because I feel Marshall has failed to deliver the super hot rodded Plexi I think they should have years ago. Sorry for the venting

No need to be sorry, but plenty of other people are delivering it so you can be happy!

Steve

 

[AssfaceRules]

Please remember this at all times: A DIMED PLEXI STARTED THIS WHOLE THING!!

 

[snowdog]

Marshall does make some hand wired PTP amps, although they are not modded for extra gain...they would certainly be closer of a comparison to Friedman, Suhr etc..(at least quality wise)..Kind of an apples to oranges comparison wise if you are comparing overseas made production models to $3500 amps.

Has anyone owned any of these ?

http://www.marshallamps.com/product_ran ... tRangeId=3

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifie ... plexi-head

I would agree that Marshall should have a modded amp in their line-up. Regardless if anyone knows "forum amps", anyone that has read a guitar magazine in the last 30 years has certainly heard of modded amps.

 

[jabps]

The good thing is we have choice now. In the 80's we had Marshall, Peavy, and Mesa, that was about it. Kinda funny when say that all their 80's hero's picked Marshall........there was not much else to choose from. Mesa's were expensive and not as numerous or easy to find.

But when it comes to fucked up companies what about Gibson?

We do have a ton of options. That's a blessing...some of these youngsters have no clue how good they have it.

Someone stated above...why can't that Marshall destroy a wizard...well, why couldn't my SLO or VHT UL replace my 5150 all those years...I certainly spent the money trying to replace that sub 1k amp for a decade I always came back to it. Why couldn't the SigX I owned replace my JVM. A local guy here in Nashville has an original run Dual Rect, sounds amazing...so much so I tracked one down a few years ago thinking I'm finally gonna make a Boogie work for me...nope same old story...it's just all in how we hear and feel things.

I'll say this much...I don't think I've ever owned a bad amp...just amps that weren't for me.

On Gibson...=Henry.

 

[joepete77]

Marshall's reissue line such as the 2203x 1987x are great amps built practically same as mid 70's on. The handwired series sounded killer as well. The afd and yjm are both kickass sounding amps with some modern useable features. There are those that if the marshall 1959hw head had a germino or whatever boutique badge on it would be hyping it to no end. The reason is many crave boutique because of the exclusivity and rarity along with higher price. Off the shelf doesn't equal lame in every case. It's also nice to have your waranteed Marshall serviced at one of many authorized service centers as opposed to having to pay shipping both ways to Cali and wait a year for an update on the repair.

 

[311boogieman]

I thought the Reissues, like the JVMs and DSL/TSLs suffered from some build quality issues. Inconsistent pots, funky pots, microphonic tubes, rattles and hums. Maybe it is just me. I'm really struggling I guess. Tone was not there either. Guess I need to find YJM or something. Give me an old JTM or 2203 anyday. Overall, I really want Marshall to succeed.

 

[Ventura]

Marshall has history and lineage. It's a benchmark within the amp community. It's also a benchmark as far as circuitry goes. Marshall is guitar amplification in one word. It's iconic.

Does Marshall now rely more on this reputation and history than they due sonic evolution?

The way it sits with me is - they're doing real well financially, I mean, REAL well... They're huge. But the fact is, Marshalls are also the most foundational/popular amps for the majority of offshoots and modifications to be done. Now, is this because of their sheer number and popularity therefore making it more susceptible to being copied, modded and evolved? Or is it because the "basic" Marshall amp/Marshall tone no longer offers what most musicians today are wanting? Or what today's music mandates?

I've been looking at them - sure, they've got their Vintage models, their siggy models, their PTP booteek takes, but for me - personally only - stock Marshalls simply don't do anything for me. I guess the closest thing that really does rock my world is Bogner, but the difference between these two amps to my ears is worlds apart. No contest. Bogner's got it going on man. Marshall? Meh.

 

[IntenseJim]

Listen to this clip....
man this was the baddest stock Marshall I have played thru.
It is a monster.

That sounds awful to me. Which goes to show how one person's tonal bliss is another's beehive.
It's nice to have choices and ......

The masses see Marshalls on stages everywhere. That's what they want.

 

[Mesa\Kramer]

All I know is Marshall should have made a bad ass hot rodded Plexi years ago and never did. The continue to make amps that require outboard gear to get the sound I want. So I am frustraded. Don't misunderstand me. Marshall amps have helped make some of the best tones I know of. Anthony Lococo gets killer tones from his Marshalls. My issue is that I know they could easily produce a hot rodded Plexi for the masses but for whatever dumbass marketing reasons haven't. I am a fan of Marshall but a frustrated fan.

Isn't that what the AFD is?

 

[aftec]

THE Hotrodded Plexi is the YJM.

Working power attenuation.
Boost
Gate
Reverb
FXloop
50/100w
Auto bias

If you need anything else, you don't need a hot rodded plexi, but something else. With it's own boost it's well enough for AIC.
Can it do the brootz? Nope. But none of the Marshalls will.
The shame is, that they made 1500 and that's it. In 5-10 years the price of these will sky rocket like nothing.

 

[glip22]

Steve you are spot on. I am just frustrated because I feel Marshall has failed to deliver the super hot rodded Plexi I think they should have years ago. Sorry for the venting

I would bet they have explored it. Bottom line probably is they do not because they do not have to. The guy that designed the AFD is a member here. Maybe he can chime in.

 

[Rogue]

Why cant I walk into a music store and play a $2600 marshall that destroys that Wizard?....tell me.

While I really, really like everything I've heard from Wizard (including being at an amp show like yourself and heard someone rocking one out, it was an experience), I'm kind of confused why there is an expectation that a $2600 amp should destroy a $4500 amp.

 

[baron55]

Marshall could really care less about making a killer amp, why? They as others have mentioned they have the branding. The average Joe, housewife and non musicians know who Marshall is. They are in countless movies, videos, TV commercials, you name it. Same as Gibson and Fender. The non educated public thinks Marshall is the best rock in roll amps made ever. So why lower profit margins and make a killer reliable amp when you really don't need to. Guys who don't use Marshall are Marshall endorsed for the big bucks and have the fake cabs and heads on stage.

 

[Devilinside]

Why? Look how much money other amp builders are making by building a better Marshall. The writing has been on the wall for 20 years. Friedman, Suhr, Bogner... Just to name a few are building a better Marshall and making money hand over fist. Between this and the Kempers and AxeFX stuff i have to wonder of the future of the brand isn't in question. Even rockstars that have a Marshall back line aren't always using stock Marshalls if Marshalls at all. Marshall has had a legendary run but if the company continues to fail at building what the public wants from them they completely deserve to fall to mediocrity.

Rant over

No offense, but Friedman, Suhr, Bogner (insert Marshall style boutique amp builder here) are not making money "hand over fist" when compared to Marshall. They may charge more for an individual amp, but Marshall sells thousands of amps per year. A small fraction of guitar players even know the boutique brands you mention. Marshall wins, period and is making huge cash by selling many, many, many more amps at a smaller margin. They made $37M in revenue last year.

Totally agree! Some people think marshall and Fender are the only companies that make amps..they don't deserve something that cool

Steve

 

[Devilinside]

Why? Look how much money other amp builders are making by building a better Marshall. The writing has been on the wall for 20 years. Friedman, Suhr, Bogner... Just to name a few are building a better Marshall and making money hand over fist. Between this and the Kempers and AxeFX stuff i have to wonder of the future of the brand isn't in question. Even rockstars that have a Marshall back line aren't always using stock Marshalls if Marshalls at all. Marshall has had a legendary run but if the company continues to fail at building what the public wants from them they completely deserve to fall to mediocrity.

Rant over

No offense, but Friedman, Suhr, Bogner (insert Marshall style boutique amp builder here) are not making money "hand over fist" when compared to Marshall. They may charge more for an individual amp, but Marshall sells thousands of amps per year. A small fraction of guitar players even know the boutique brands you mention. Marshall wins, period and is making huge cash by selling many, many, many more amps at a smaller margin. They made $37M in revenue last year.

Totally agree! Some people think marshall and Fender are the only companies that make amps..they don't deserve something that cool

Steve

 

[Devilinside]

Totally agree! Some people think marshall and Fender are the only companies that make amps..they don't deserve something that cool

 

[311boogieman]

Santiago is the Marshall engineer I believe you are thinking of.

Why would they only make 1500 YGMs? They get close to doing something right and then they limit the production. For who's benefit? It will only benefit the few that get to sell them used on the street in 10 years from now. It might add a little mystique I suppose if that is what they were going for. Some things they do though make me go

 

[headlessdeadguy]

That being said, Marshall hasn't produced a decent product outside of the DSL since 1987 and that was the Jubilee. Granted, I wasn't around that time frame (1968-1988) I've owned and played enough SL/SB, 800, 900, JMP to get a good feel.

I'm pretty much in this camp and I also do not find anything exciting about the JVM. Granted I've never owned one but I have played 5 or 6 different ones on different occasions. I really try to give that amp a fair shake and I'm just let down every time. And this is in the loud room. Maybe I'm spoiled with my Splawn

I would say the Slash Sig 2555 is the last great Marshall imo, with the exception of the DSL and the Class 5 being pretty decent. I know, the 2555 had diodes. BFD. I think the Vintage Modern could be cool too but have not played it yet.

But yeah, as much as I think they are failing product wise, they are still making money hand over fist.

Goes to show that we all hear things differently. We used to have a DSL, JVM, Quickrod and Ceriatone Chupacabra in the jam room. We experimented with different pre/power tubes in all of them. All are great amps IMO but after playing all of them for a while the Quickrod and Ceriatone are gone and the DSL and JVM remain.
The DSL is still there because of the "bang for the buck" factor.
The JVM is still there because it was the best sounding of all of them.