NAD: ´75 Marshall 1959

[Dave L]

I´ve had two 1987 heads before... a JCM 800 version and one of the X ones from the 90s... but never a proper Super Lead. Long story short I did a swap with a store and sent a horizontal input 2204 I didn´t bond with and cash the other way, and I´ve played this for a couple of days now. Just a killer amp, straight up metal panel JMP goodness. It´s in nice shape and stock apart from some fresh bias resistors, even if it has had a simple master and a jumper switch added and removed as you can see from the filled holes on the front. About as clean as you can expect from something that turned 50 yesterday.

I have some other nice amps with more of a ´68 and Eddie thing going on and these 70s JMPs do bring a different vibe. I´m absolutely not sure the ´68s are inherently better, as it´s often claimed. I haven´t even used any overdrives or boosts yet, just fooled around going straight in with very good results. Lots of gain when cranked up, for sure.

 

[Dave L]

In related news I went by my local shop to pick up some strings and came home with a cheapo EH LPB1. Works pretty well with the JMP, I only tried it with a strat just now and it rolled off the highs quite nicely and added some muscle in a natural way. Another score for "vintage warmth" by way of lousy input impedance, I guess, it was blisteringly bright when fed a buffered signal.

 

[shar-vell Dan]

Congrats on the amp its very nice. Some of the very best ever Marshall tone is by the metal panels.
Some 70's transitionals had metal front & plexi rear.

 

[Racerxrated]

I´ve had two 1987 heads before... a JCM 800 version and one of the X ones from the 90s... but never a proper Super Lead. Long story short I did a swap with a store and sent a horizontal input 2204 I didn´t bond with and cash the other way, and I´ve played this for a couple of days now. Just a killer amp, straight up metal panel JMP goodness. It´s in nice shape and stock apart from some fresh bias resistors, even if it has had a simple master and a jumper switch added and removed as you can see from the filled holes on the front. About as clean as you can expect from something that turned 50 yesterday.

I have some other nice amps with more of a ´68 and Eddie thing going on and these 70s JMPs do bring a different vibe. I´m absolutely not sure the ´68s are inherently better, as it´s often claimed. I haven´t even used any overdrives or boosts yet, just fooled around going straight in with very good results. Lots of gain when cranked up, for sure.

Congrats! The sound of Rock.

My 72 is a killer amp; stock it was a destroyer of worlds and now even more so with a 5 gain stage mod. But, I picked up a 68/69 SuperTrem and it's even got more '3D' tone than the 72. Biggest difference is the C1998 OT in the 68; vs the C2668 in the 72. The 1998 is the classic 100w Plexi OT. That has to be the secret sauce in the Plexi Superleads. That 1998 started being used in 67 I believe. During the 1971 year Marshall phased out of the 1998 and moved to the 2668.

 

[Dave L]

Congrats on the amp its very nice. Some of the very best ever Marshall tone is by the metal panels.
Some 70's transitionals had metal front & plexi rear.

Yeah, by this point we´re way beyond those transitionals, this is into the early PCB era. But still, a good and very familiar sound.

 

[skoora]

I got lucky with a ‘75 several years ago. Normally I wouldn’t even look at a mid 70’s one. I was definitely a ‘72 or earlier believer, as the later ones I had tried over the years seemed harsher sounding. But the ‘75 sounded so good as soon as I plugged in, I had to get it…and it even had a full Merc Magnetics replacement of Iron and choke, even more for a snob to be worried about.

 

[Dave L]

Thought I´d revisit this thread, since as it turned out it wasn´t all stock, some minor stuff had happened as part of upkeep over 50 years. 500K volume pots and stuff like that. I just got it back from a full tune-up and restore to factory (EL34) spec, and it sounds absolutely vicious. Smiles from ear to ear tonight, for sure. I have to think some folks looking for more lightly modded plexis might be equally at home with a 70s metal panel instead.

 

[JonPearson1994]

Any time I hear them compared, I think the 70s Super Leads, feeding into the JMP 2203/4s, sound better for my tastes. Very cool!

 

[JiMB]

Well tuned 70s metal panels are great!

 

[Dave L]

I´ve played this one a lot this past week, thru my regular Blubox ´67 greenback IR it is aggressive and gainy but not overly so. The sweet spot is around 7.5 or a hair above on the volume, at that point it´s mega crunchy and full-sounding but still has all the definition. Gets a bit fat and loose after that.

 

[LPMojoGL]

Thought I´d revisit this thread, since as it turned out it wasn´t all stock, some minor stuff had happened as part of upkeep over 50 years. 500K volume pots and stuff like that. I just got it back from a full tune-up and restore to factory (EL34) spec, and it sounds absolutely vicious. Smiles from ear to ear tonight, for sure. I have to think some folks looking for more lightly modded plexis might be equally at home with a 70s metal panel instead.

A good Super Lead with a good ppimv kicks.
That and a pedal or 2 is all you need to do just about anything. I dig the metal panels. All the krang.

 

[Dave L]

I run this into a Suhr load, so no need for the PPIMV in this case, but it is of course not remotely usable without one otherwise. At least not if you want the PI crunch and the sound of the big bright cap. Slightly unnerving to hear the load in the room, to be honest, but I know it can take a Super Lead without worry.

You know, I haven´t used any boosts or overdrives with it all week. Just leaning into the natural overdrive

 

[Anje]

Congrats! I love a good 70's Metal Panel Marshall; slight different flavor than the earlier ones as discussed above, can be just as good depending on what you're looking for and the rest of your rig.

On the other hand I've never been a fan of PPIMV on old Marshall, always felt it messes with what makes those amps so special. I actually prefer a standard JCM800 MV, or a load/reamp setup.

 

[skoora]

Congrats! I love a good 70's Metal Panel Marshall; slight different flavor than the earlier ones as discussed above, can be just as good depending on what you're looking for and the rest of your rig.

On the other hand I've never been a fan of PPIMV on old Marshall, always felt it messes with what makes those amps so special. I actually prefer a standard JCM800 MV, or a load/reamp setup.

The Masters take the presence control out of the equation when they’re at low volume and the presence control getting up there is part of the secret sauce when you want to blaze on a non master Marshall. They’re not awful but I would prefer to use an attenuator.

 

[311boogieman]

Yeah, by this point we´re way beyond those transitionals, this is into the early PCB era. But still, a good and very familiar sound.

For sure Enjoy

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Are any of the reissues worth it tonewise? The price i see the reissues go for vs the originals are actually not that far off these days. Wonder if at some point i should just drop cash on an OG.

 

[Beyond Black]

A good Super Lead with a good ppimv kicks.
That and a pedal or 2 is all you need to do just about anything. I dig the metal panels. All the krang.

A NMV SL with a Fryette PS is the way.

 

[LPMojoGL]

A NMV SL with a Fryette PS is the way.

I didn't dig the 2 PS, 1&2, I had.
But lots of folks love em.

 

[Beyond Black]

I didn't dig the 2 PS, 1&2, I had.
But lots of folks love em.

What didn’t you like about them?

 

[LPMojoGL]

What didn’t you like about them?

The attack/feel on my Germino LV55 felt slower, not as sharp, def took away from the feel. I preferred a ppimv on that amp to running thru the PS. Which sux, because I would've liked to have had an effects loop with that amp.

It didn't sound any better on amps with a mv, than the mv. A cranked 2204 thru the PS turned down, sounded like the 2204 turned down.
The modern mode on a dual rectifier sounded like mud thru it.

The only case I found I would've used it was to boost the power of a lower watt amp in a band setting, which I'd never utilize, so I flipped it.