School Me on Plexis

  • Thread starter Thread starter SFW
  • Start date Start date
SFW

SFW

Well-known member
I have decided that I really want a Marshall 1987 amp. I want the 50 because it will breakup earlier. I am not getting this amp to modify. I want to leave it stock and run a pedal or two in front of it. My question is this: Do the reissues stand up to the originals in terms of tone and feel? If I have to track down a 70s model to get the tone goods, I will... but the reissues seem to be more common. Thanks for the help!
 
Be prepared to have a very clean, very loud amp. Break up happens at crazy volume levels....even with a 50w.
 
Yeah, the 3 DB difference between the 50W and 100W is almost nothing (1DB is the threshold of human hearing difference). Even with a 50W, you better be playing a huge room, or have an attenuator, etc. To get a distorted tone, you are gonna go deaf without an attenuator or PPIMV installed...

Steve
 
what they said ^^^^

There will be no vids like the ones you do with you 5150III with those bedroom levels :no:
 
The bigger, tighter low end is totally worth it to step up to the 100w IMO...the volume difference is slight, the "bigness" difference is not.
 
rupe":1wnm6d4c said:
The bigger, tighter low end is totally worth it to step up to the 100w IMO...the volume difference is slight, the "bigness" difference is not.
+1

Steve
 
I have a '69 1959 (100w) and it is ungodly loud. Now it breaks up around 2 on the dial, but after about 5 or so, you are really only adding saturation; volume is maxed.

Definitely recommend an attenuator or PPIMV. I won't do the mod to mine; therefore it gets played infrequently because it's so impractical in most of my situations. On the flip side, it's the best sounding and feeling amp I have ever owned, and I've been through most of the HG boutique stuff (Henning's amp not included....yet!)
 
INSANELY loud amps. Great tone, but not very practical.

I had a 100 watt superlead that would move your intestines, it was so loud.
 
Get a modern boutique one. Lots of builders making them. Less maintenance issues out of the gate and great MV's already installed. I would recommend Trace's take on a Plexi the VooDoo V-Plex.
 
I love my 30 watt JTM45.
I can crank it up quite a bit. It is LOUD but manageable.
A couple boosts, a delay and a wah. Perfect for everything but the really heavy stuff.
Also my favorite cleans ever. Love the glassy Plexi cleans with just a bit of hair around the edges. Perfect. :inlove:
 
sah5150":2zlni7yq said:
rupe":2zlni7yq said:
The bigger, tighter low end is totally worth it to step up to the 100w IMO...the volume difference is slight, the "bigness" difference is not.
+1

Steve

this
 
It's pretty easy to use a plexi at sane vol levels, alittle more stuff to carry but worth it. You guys can have those ppimv's, they suck.
 
The 1987 reissues I've played break up very fast. Some of the older ones (early 70's) I've played also break up very quick. If it's older you have to play it first. If it's a reissue, you can demo one and feel confident if you need to get the actual amp elsewhere, you could go sight unseen. I second going for a hundred water for more oomph but that's where some old 50's can work as they have plenty of oomph sometimes. Most of the reissues I've played aren't as beefy as the 100's. But for basic hard rock playing a 50 will still sound sweet. Hell, Judas Priest famously used 50 watt heads for years.
 
i know youre talkin plexi's, but my 50 watt jmp will still kick me in the kidneys and make me want to leave the room. more than enough oomph for me man.. me and my other guitarist both went to 50 waters, as the 100 watt 800's we used were just too loud together in a room with the rest of the band.
 
Try one of those Henning Cherry Bomb, or Surreal plexi's.

If you get it, 5 years from now your hearing will still be included!

:lol: :LOL: :lol: :LOL:
 
As others have said either one, the 50 or 100 watter will function as no more than a platform for your pedals. Those amps were designed in a different era, when cranking an amp up to 10 was expected and needed because pa gear was weak. I have owned various years of them and everyone had to be cranked too loud to get it to sound good without pedals. I tried an attenuator and did not like it but that may be a solution. I would look at the YJM or some of the custom builders, you will get the plexi sound at volumes you can handle.
 
When it comes to amps why are some 100 watters considered louder than others. 4 EL34's will only output a certain amount whether it is 100 watts or 90, or 120 possibly. In my book I always thought a 100 watts is a 100 watts. I have a Reissue and its louder than hell as soon as I crack the master. My perception tells me its output is almost max as soon as the master is on 2-3. The master volume control is the difference? Some amps have better taper in the master so they are not considered too loud as they are manageable. I am not sure what the best type of master to use is but I do know different manufacture's have different tapers. You need a different value or one with a different taper. Steve will know.
 
I recently got a Fargen miniplex. If you want classic marshall sounds with new construction I can't recommend it enough. The Olde 800 might be just what you are looking for and can be had used for $1200-1400.
 
Thanks for the input guys. I have no delusions of diming this amp. I just like plexi cleans and want to use the amp with some good dirt boxes. I'm a rock guy, so brutal gain is not what I'm after. The 50 water interests me because most of my favorite plexi tones were recorded with a 50.
 
Back
Top