New Slash amp gut/chassis shot

[Flump]

I don't think anyone's afraid of technology. We just know that Fender, Marshall and Gibson had it right 60 odd some years ago.

The Esquire and Stratocaster are absolutely perfect in their design as well as the Bassman and the early Marshall amps. Gibson went through a few variations to get to the Les Paul which is an iconic design.

Tell me one other design besides a few Ferrari's that were absolutely perfect in thier design from inception and have NEVER been improved upon like a Fender Stratocaster.

None of those things are perfect. This obviously just means you only want to make one specific sound. Whether you like the sound or not is 100% opinion and I'd never argue that with anybody. I personally enjoy being different than every other guitarist out there.

There's been plenty of improvements to strats and other things like that. Fenders tremolo on the strat is garbage. Hell THEY made a better one with the Jazzmaster trem. For whatever reason guitarists are obsessed with getting a sound from 50 years ago. It's almost all older guitarists too.

I guess it's just the engineer in me, but EVERYTHING can be improved. The problem is that guitarists are so obsessed with the past they refuse to believe anything could be better.

Not true at all. The Fender tremolo works fantastic when set up right and used correctly. And no, the Stratocaster is perfect in it's design. I have personally never seen an improvement made.

Also mimicking a sound from the 50's is absolutely false. I use a Plexi, Bassman and Deluxe Reverb and a Stratocaster and I sound NOTHING like a guitar player from the 50's. Couldn't be farther from the truth. Just about everybody still uses this technology today and music still forges on. Haven't you learned yet that it's the indian not the arrow?

You say you're an engineer? Well you know bands you record that are making modern music still use this technology? Do you still record skiffle?

I would say this is about the most close minded thing I've ever heard, but I've been on TGP before.

First of all, I'm not a recording engineer. I'm a mechanical engineer.

With regards to bands using old technology...that proves my point. Musicians don't want innovation so nobody tries to come up with something new. Hell the fact that they put an auto-biaser in this slash amp is awesome. It's great technology, but people will bitch about it.

Very few companies are innovating because musicians are too closed minded to try it out. Also, don't give me some trite cliche like it's the indian not the arrow. Why the hell do archers use compound bows? Why do golfers use new technology in clubs? Obviously they'd be just as good without it right?

 

[Mailman1971]

Why the hell do archers use compound bows? Why do golfers use new technology in clubs? Obviously they'd be just as good without it right?

because none of those things make sounds that are supposed to be musical in nature

Its apparent you never heard this guy play "Lay it Down"........

 

[Flump]

Why the hell do archers use compound bows? Why do golfers use new technology in clubs? Obviously they'd be just as good without it right?

because none of those things make sounds that are supposed to be musical in nature

Well his original comment on indians and arrows was misplaced anyway. I was not linking an increase or decrease in the players actual performance with newer technology.

 

[Dallas Marlow]

I don't know why all the hate for PCB's and an auto bias feature, I think both things are awesome. I don't know that PTP vs PCB sounds any better, I think if anything the PCB is just an over all improvement in consistency for any product, while PTP is to a degree easier to change components a well made PCB that isn't using little ass micro components or something isn't exactly difficult to work on. Auto-bias is freggin awesome IMHO, less ability for people to fuck stuff up and it makes it that much faster to get back to playing. My biggest complaint about this kind of stuff is the low quality of components used, like in the JVM plastic shafted pots??? Really??? And why skimp on transformers, those are one of the most important parts of the sound of anything.

The truth is, flying leads are not an easy thing to accomplish on a mass production amp, it's very time/cost intensive to manufacture, but at least made decent quality PCB, solid components and pots, and make stuff reliable you know? The truth is anything with a modern production tube in it for the most part is at risk at being totally fucked, regardless of anything else in the amp, things are just made to fail these days, no longer are they made to military standards...

And FYI to the guy who said the stratocaster is perfect, are you out of your damn mind? Theres so many things to improve on a strat, especially the original one, and there have been countless revisions to that instrument as well! There are still a huge number of things I'd change on it, including the trem, I don't care what anyone says the stock fender trem is not that good... eventually the threads will strip and honestly it's just not designed to be setup to slightly float like you have to do to make it work properly, and keep it from constantly going sharp, it changes the string tension a bit when you do that, it's just not ideal but it is a viable work around.

 

[EXPcustom]

I am kind of a gear cork sniffer myself but this whole PTP to PCB argument is just lame and I blame TGP for starting it.

I don't ever remember this much discussion regarding PCB vs. PTP ever, no one ever said anything about Bogner or Diezel when they were doing it but all of a sudden now it matters?

I also thought the AFD was a Super Tremolo head, so even if the AFD Marshall was based on a JCM800 it would still be wrong? I know that is what Slash has now but I dont think that is what he actually used for the recording back then. If I remember correctly some guy on the Marshall forum owns the old Tremolo head that came from Andy Brauer...

 

[Tawlks]

Ferrari's that were absolutely perfect in thier design from inception and have NEVER been improved upon like a Fender Stratocaster.

Don't you mean 'Conception'

Good movie.

 

[Tawlks]

I am kind of a gear cork sniffer myself but this whole PTP to PCB argument is just lame and I blame TGP for starting it.

I don't ever remember this much discussion regarding PCB vs. PTP ever, no one ever said anything about Bogner or Diezel when they were doing it but all of a sudden now it matters?

I also thought the AFD was a Super Tremolo head, so even if the AFD Marshall was based on a JCM800 it would still be wrong? I know that is what Slash has now but I dont think that is what he actually used for the recording back then. If I remember correctly some guy on the Marshall forum owns the old Tremolo head that came from Andy Brauer...

This.

Though I will say it seems like they're fucking with it alot and I doubt it will sound like AFD.

 

[charveldan]

I might buy one if it resemble my other amps above instead of my PC.

 

[Badronald]

I don't think anyone's afraid of technology. We just know that Fender, Marshall and Gibson had it right 60 odd some years ago.

The Esquire and Stratocaster are absolutely perfect in their design as well as the Bassman and the early Marshall amps. Gibson went through a few variations to get to the Les Paul which is an iconic design.

Tell me one other design besides a few Ferrari's that were absolutely perfect in thier design from inception and have NEVER been improved upon like a Fender Stratocaster.

None of those things are perfect. This obviously just means you only want to make one specific sound. Whether you like the sound or not is 100% opinion and I'd never argue that with anybody. I personally enjoy being different than every other guitarist out there.

There's been plenty of improvements to strats and other things like that. Fenders tremolo on the strat is garbage. Hell THEY made a better one with the Jazzmaster trem. For whatever reason guitarists are obsessed with getting a sound from 50 years ago. It's almost all older guitarists too.

I guess it's just the engineer in me, but EVERYTHING can be improved. The problem is that guitarists are so obsessed with the past they refuse to believe anything could be better.

Not true at all. The Fender tremolo works fantastic when set up right and used correctly. And no, the Stratocaster is perfect in it's design. I have personally never seen an improvement made.

Also mimicking a sound from the 50's is absolutely false. I use a Plexi, Bassman and Deluxe Reverb and a Stratocaster and I sound NOTHING like a guitar player from the 50's. Couldn't be farther from the truth. Just about everybody still uses this technology today and music still forges on. Haven't you learned yet that it's the indian not the arrow?

You say you're an engineer? Well you know bands you record that are making modern music still use this technology? Do you still record skiffle?

I would say this is about the most close minded thing I've ever heard, but I've been on TGP before.

First of all, I'm not a recording engineer. I'm a mechanical engineer.

With regards to bands using old technology...that proves my point. Musicians don't want innovation so nobody tries to come up with something new. Hell the fact that they put an auto-biaser in this slash amp is awesome. It's great technology, but people will bitch about it.

Very few companies are innovating because musicians are too closed minded to try it out. Also, don't give me some trite cliche like it's the indian not the arrow. Why the hell do archers use compound bows? Why do golfers use new technology in clubs? Obviously they'd be just as good without it right?

Comprehension is your friend. Try it some time.

How is stating that 5 different players using the same amp playing 5 different styles of music close minded? Wake up man.

 

[Badronald]

Oh, and do you really not get the indian/arrow analogy? Really? Are you serious?

Sorry. I'm done here.

 

[skoora]

This thread took a turn for the retarded.

Nobody here has a problem with it being pcb based. No-one I think would have expected a hand wired amp. But for a maintenance and road-worthiness perspective I would like to see pots and tubes separated from the pcb. I think how much is in there perplexes people as it's basically a single channel amp with a boost (loop too?). I definitely could see how there could be a small pcb for the loop, a small one for the auto-bias feature and maybe even for the switchable boost, include these with the main board and there could be some ribbon cables. Plus I heard no-one complain about an automatic biasing feature either (which is quite nice). No-one here questions innovation or improvement but we're talking about art, as expressed through music, as expressed through the tools we use to create it. If no-one for an individual player has eclipsed the tone of a certain amps from 1962 or 1969, or 1979 it does not matter how much more efficient or clever a new design is if you can't get a sound that helps you express your art as well as the older design. If advanced midi switching, multiple voicing and power section changes on the fly = guaranteed better tone for you then great but for a lot of us it rarely has turned out that way.

Mind you if this is going to be limited run production it would have been nice to see a more hands inspired touch to the build as opposed to taking scheduled runs on the assembly line next to some MG's.

 

[Flump]

Oh, and do you really not get the indian/arrow analogy? Really? Are you serious?

Sorry. I'm done here.

Yea, I completely get it. Hence my comparison two sports where the tools shouldn't matter but the top guys use the most expensive tools. Exactly how it is SUPPOSED to be used.

Also, I was saying you were close minded because you honesty think a strat is design perfection. That's honestly absolutely absurd.


When in rome.

 

[Ancient Alien]

I don't think anyone's afraid of technology. We just know that Fender, Marshall and Gibson had it right 60 odd some years ago.

The Esquire and Stratocaster are absolutely perfect in their design as well as the Bassman and the early Marshall amps. Gibson went through a few variations to get to the Les Paul which is an iconic design.

Tell me one other design besides a few Ferrari's that were absolutely perfect in thier design from inception and have NEVER been improved upon like a Fender Stratocaster.

I think they are. I think those companies had a good starting point which has since turned into much better products on all levels, including much worse products due to marketing.
A strat is a strat, and they bore the hell out of me and play like shit, just like a stock LP. But some like them the way they are.
You like Chocolate, Vanilla or Strawberry?
Dumb response would be to say what tastes best......right?
As for the Ferrari, sorry to say, ok design, but not flawless. Hell the Z06 vette smokes most ferraris out of the box.
I have a Camaro that will run circles around a Ferrari in every aspect, 1/4 mile, top speed, handling, braking, and all for under $20k.
But just because I didn't spend a few hundred grand doesn't make it any better or worse of a car.

 

[domguy]

I don't think anyone's afraid of technology. We just know that Fender, Marshall and Gibson had it right 60 odd some years ago.

The Esquire and Stratocaster are absolutely perfect in their design as well as the Bassman and the early Marshall amps. Gibson went through a few variations to get to the Les Paul which is an iconic design.

Tell me one other design besides a few Ferrari's that were absolutely perfect in thier design from inception and have NEVER been improved upon like a Fender Stratocaster.

Well................IMO the new 458 is VERY close to being perfect but past ferraris all had flaws that could have been fixed.

Les pauls are a perfect example of needing an update and re-engineering, shit heel, rib spreader edges, etc.

Perfection is in the hands of the owner, one man's perfection is another's mod platform.

All we can do here is agree to disagree. Of course you and I know based on the popularity of the Stratocaster TODAY that most people agree with me.

Regarding Ferrari's, we'll have to disagree as well.

I'd say that Leo Fender disagreed with you.

http://www.glguitars.com/

 

[gbsmusic]

 

[Digital Jams]

I am kind of a gear cork sniffer myself but this whole PTP to PCB argument is just lame and I blame TGP for starting it.

I don't ever remember this much discussion regarding PCB vs. PTP ever, no one ever said anything about Bogner or Diezel when they were doing it but all of a sudden now it matters?

I also thought the AFD was a Super Tremolo head, so even if the AFD Marshall was based on a JCM800 it would still be wrong? I know that is what Slash has now but I dont think that is what he actually used for the recording back then. If I remember correctly some guy on the Marshall forum owns the old Tremolo head that came from Andy Brauer...

Oh the good days of HCAF there was plenty of ptp, really not cause turret board is not ptp, and pcb debates that included most of the builders in the day.

Not a TGP thing.

 

[EXPcustom]

I am kind of a gear cork sniffer myself but this whole PTP to PCB argument is just lame and I blame TGP for starting it.

I don't ever remember this much discussion regarding PCB vs. PTP ever, no one ever said anything about Bogner or Diezel when they were doing it but all of a sudden now it matters?

I also thought the AFD was a Super Tremolo head, so even if the AFD Marshall was based on a JCM800 it would still be wrong? I know that is what Slash has now but I dont think that is what he actually used for the recording back then. If I remember correctly some guy on the Marshall forum owns the old Tremolo head that came from Andy Brauer...

Oh the good days of HCAF there was plenty of ptp, really not cause turret board is not ptp, and pcb debates that included most of the builders in the day.

Not a TGP thing.

Back in the 90's there were always those two guys in the music store arguing over it but TGP took it to a whole new level where the "cork sniffers" were claiming based on clips alone they could tell between PTP and PCB.

 

[DEWD]

I think the most important question is why would you want the AFD tone?

 

[tonmazz]

I think the most important question is why would you want the AFD tone?

 

[TTripp]

Marshall set themselves up for some unreasonable expectations by implying they were cloning "the amp" (wich they weren't), but ok, they're cloning one of Slash's modded JCM800's (which they obviously didn't)...and here we are.