Marshall Silver Jubilee

[Mike Oxhuge]

So I hear - what about it is bad? I could see maybe that reverb, but that could go either way.

I had the 50 watt head when it first came out. It is really picky about speakers. The matching 4x12 is best. It is a hot rodded JTM 45 so there are some good tones in it but way to thick and muddy in the lower mids for anything more than classic rock. The 2 dynamic ranges while foot switchable aren't really able to be used and match volumes. Also mine and many others would blow some cap or something in the FX loop. Mine blew it out twice in the year and a half I had it. So I only had it in my possession for use when it wasn't getting fixed for 6 months or so.

 

[JonPearson1994]

It was very misunderstood, and got a bad rap because many thought they could use it as a channel switcher......which you cannot really do.

Also it isn't a set it at noon amp. My setting ( which I got directly from the designer Steve Dawson), is unlike any other amp I've owned.

Issues with it are very minor imho: the jewel lamp led needs you to add a small resistor to its circuit....cost me about $0.05 to do.

The effects loop (which I never use) doesn't make everyone happy....I forget the exact reason?

The reverb is digital, not a huge deal to me, but some folks get right bent over that.

I was always very curious to play one, but they got so overcrowded by the JVMs (which are cool in their own right). Your example was pretty great!

 

[JonPearson1994]

I had the 50 watt head when it first came out. It is really picky about speakers. The matching 4x12 is best. It is a hot rodded JTM 45 so there are some good tones in it but way to thick and muddy in the lower mids for anything more than classic rock. The 2 dynamic ranges while foot switchable aren't really able to be used and match volumes. Also mine and many others would blow some cap or something in the FX loop. Mine blew it out twice in the year and a half I had it. So I only had it in my possession for use when it wasn't getting fixed for 6 months or so.

Bummer! The reliability issues do turn me right off of an amp.

 

[67mike]

I had the 50 watt head when it first came out. It is really picky about speakers. The matching 4x12 is best. It is a hot rodded JTM 45 so there are some good tones in it but way to thick and muddy in the lower mids for anything more than classic rock. The 2 dynamic ranges while foot switchable aren't really able to be used and match volumes. Also mine and many others would blow some cap or something in the FX loop. Mine blew it out twice in the year and a half I had it. So I only had it in my possession for use when it wasn't getting fixed for 6 months or so.

Bummer. Sounds like you had a rough go.

I have owned my 2466 (100 watt ) head and matching 4x12, and absolutely love it. No issues with mine, in fact it still has original tubes except v1. Only thing I had to do was add a resistor to the purple led light.

You hit the nail on the head:It is two completely different amps in one box.

If yours was farting it is because you had the bass and body set too high, period.


As for speakers: the matching special greenbacks are phenomenal with the amp, I have used v30s, t75s, cl90, and b&c Neos with mine all good.

Here:

 

[Mike Oxhuge]

Bummer. Sounds like you had a rough go.

I have owned my 2466 (100 watt ) head and matching 4x12, and absolutely love it. No issues with mine, in fact it still has original tubes except v1. Only thing I had to do was add a resistor to the purple led light.

You hit the nail on the head:It is two completely different amps in one box.

If yours was farting it is because you had the bass and body set too high, period.


As for speakers: the matching special greenbacks are phenomenal with the amp, I have used v30s, t75s, cl90, and b&c Neos with mine all good.

Here:

I can hear that farty low mids in this clip. A JCM 800 is just so much better for almost everything. Glad you like yours though.

 

[67mike]

I can hear that farty low mids in this clip. A JCM 800 is just so much better for almost everything. Glad you like yours though.

Love it, and my JCM 800s and my Jubilee. All great!

That video isn't mine so not sure how he is running the amp, I posted it to show that it can be used with various speakers.

I would suggest looking at the 2466 (100 watt) rather then the 50 watt, many agree the 100 watter has extra oomph that pays off.

In response to your comments about a jcm being so much better: Here is a great video comparing a jcm 800 2203 to a vintage modern 50 watter:

 

[ChurchHill]

It was very misunderstood, and got a bad rap because many thought they could use it as a channel switcher......which you cannot really do.

Also it isn't a set it at noon amp. My setting ( which I got directly from the designer Steve Dawson), is unlike any other amp I've owned.

This ^^^

I've got a 100w VM and it's not the best Marshall I have, but it's pretty damn good. It's not a modern metal amp. It's not a channel switcher, either.

I think a lot of amps suffer from channel switching that isn't really effective. To me, the Jubilee isn't really a channel switcher, either, but to be fair, I don't own one, maybe someday. I think many people hated on the original Bogner Helios for this reason. It's a single channel amp that they should've left the footswitch out of.

Most channel switchers are really just good for one sound, IME. The only amps I've ever owned that did it well are a Bogner XTC and a Diezel VH4. Too many clean channels are an afterthought, and almost all multiple gain channels are really just variations of the same sound. I love my Uber Green, but it's really just two different takes of the same sound, for instance.

 

[67mike]

This ^^^

I've got a 100w VM and it's not the best Marshall I have, but it's pretty damn good. It's not a modern metal amp. It's not a channel switcher, either.

I think a lot of amps suffer from channel switching that isn't really effective. To me, the Jubilee isn't really a channel switcher, either, but to be fair, I don't own one, maybe someday. I think many people hated on the original Bogner Helios for this reason. It's a single channel amp that they should've left the footswitch out of.

Most channel switchers are really just good for one sound, IME. The only amps I've ever owned that did it well are a Bogner XTC and a Diezel VH4. Too many clean channels are an afterthought, and almost all multiple gain channels are really just variations of the same sound. I love my Uber Green, but it's really just two different takes of the same sound, for instance.

The Jubilee can be a channel switcher BUT, you need to know where the bear shits in the woods to do the balance dance between tone and volume.

 

[JonPearson1994]

This ^^^

I've got a 100w VM and it's not the best Marshall I have, but it's pretty damn good. It's not a modern metal amp. It's not a channel switcher, either.

I think a lot of amps suffer from channel switching that isn't really effective. To me, the Jubilee isn't really a channel switcher, either, but to be fair, I don't own one, maybe someday. I think many people hated on the original Bogner Helios for this reason. It's a single channel amp that they should've left the footswitch out of.

Most channel switchers are really just good for one sound, IME. The only amps I've ever owned that did it well are a Bogner XTC and a Diezel VH4. Too many clean channels are an afterthought, and almost all multiple gain channels are really just variations of the same sound. I love my Uber Green, but it's really just two different takes of the same sound, for instance.

They have their detractors of course, but this is where I feel Mesa really shines. Their 3 and 4 channel monsters really do give you a solid selection of good to great tones.

 

[ChurchHill]

The Jubilee can be a channel switcher BUT, you need to know where the bear shits in the woods to do the balance dance between tone and volume.

Yep! The Jubilee is one of the few Marshalls I haven't owned and probably should at some point.

 

[ChurchHill]

They have their detractors of course, but this is where I feel Mesa really shines. Their 3 and 4 channel monsters really do give you a solid selection of good to great tones.

Better than most to be sure! Most of this is just me, but I always felt like those 4 channel Mesas were a compromise. Either the cleans were really good and the gain channels didn't quite live up to the Rectos and Marks or vice versa. I haven't played the Mark VII, but I've got that sound covered enough for me. While there are definitely some great cleaner sounds in the older Marks, to me, it just doesn't quite get there the way the lead channel does.

Going the other way, it's just not possible in any practical sense to cart around 4+ different heads and switch between them without roadies, big stages, and bigger budgets. So, what I eventually settled on was using amps that sound good with the guitar volume turned down. A 2203 is a great example of that and is one of the reasons I've been really happy with the Jose. I went through many channel switchers to get there and it's still a compromise, but at least a little more practical for me.

 

[JonPearson1994]

Better than most to be sure! Most of this is just me, but I always felt like those 4 channel Mesas were a compromise. Either the cleans were really good and the gain channels didn't quite live up to the Rectos and Marks or vice versa. I haven't played the Mark VII, but I've got that sound covered enough for me. While there are definitely some great cleaner sounds in the older Marks, to me, it just doesn't quite get there the way the lead channel does.

Going the other way, it's just not possible in any practical sense to cart around 4+ different heads and switch between them without roadies, big stages, and bigger budgets. So, what I eventually settled on was using amps that sound good with the guitar volume turned down. A 2203 is a great example of that and is one of the reasons I've been really happy with the Jose. I went through many channel switchers to get there and it's still a compromise, but at least a little more practical for me.

I agree with a caveat - I think the fact that you are typically limited to one or two cabs and they are optimized for one sound or the other is the real compromise.

 

[ChurchHill]

I agree with a caveat - I think the fact that you are typically limited to one or two cabs and they are optimized for one sound or the other is the real compromise.

Absolutely! Without taking the whole chain into consideration, the power amp and the speakers are always going to be a compromise.

 

[67mike]

Yep! The Jubilee is one of the few Marshalls I haven't owned and probably should at some point.

If you truly dive into it, the Jubilee is extraordinary in terms of versitility. So much so, that I sold my Mesa Mark V due to the fact that with a sd-1 and my od pedal.....the Jubilee covers those bases.

My brother-in-law gigs heavily with a hard rock band, I convinced him to buy a 2555x ( he has numerous marshalls, Mesa, Rivera, amps)........it rapidly became the only amp he gigs with replacing both a 2203 and jcm 2000 dsl.

The Jubilee seems to be a love it or hate it amp: which I bet is mostly due to user error.

 

[67mike]

I agree with a caveat - I think the fact that you are typically limited to one or two cabs and they are optimized for one sound or the other is the real compromise.

Agree. I was fortunate to buy the matching 4x12 for my 2555x, those speakers are made for that amp!

 

[Mike Oxhuge]

Love it, and my JCM 800s and my Jubilee. All great!

That video isn't mine so not sure how he is running the amp, I posted it to show that it can be used with various speakers.

I would suggest looking at the 2466 (100 watt) rather then the 50 watt, many agree the 100 watter has extra oomph that pays off.

In response to your comments about a jcm being so much better: Here is a great video comparing a jcm 800 2203 to a vintage modern 50 watter:

Me looking at the 100 watter would be like looking at the fatter twin sister of the crackwhore that gave me the clap and thinking its a good idea. No thanks. It is good for 60's rock tones and for much cheaper a DSL will out do it at any other genre.

 

[67mike]

Me looking at the 100 watter would be like looking at the fatter twin sister of the crackwhore that gave me the clap and thinking its a good idea. No thanks. It is good for 60's rock tones and for much cheaper a DSL will out do it at any other genre.

Cool, we all get it that a vm fucked your ass.

Now, scurry along. I am talking to the grown-ups.

 

[Mike Oxhuge]

Cool, we all get it that a vm fucked your ass.

Now, scurry along. I am talking to the grown-ups.

It even came with a T-shirt that said " I paid $1300 for an ass fucking and all I got was this lousy amp." They should have engraved veins on the purple tolex.

 

[Rottweiler]

Agree. I was fortunate to buy the matching 4x12 for my 2555x, those speakers are made for that amp!

Do those cabs have the G12 "Vintage" speakers? I think those are the OG formula V30s

 

[67mike]

Do those cabs have the G12 "Vintage" speakers? I think those are the OG formula V30s

Yes Sir.