Send my Marshall to Splawn or Friedman for mods?

[Racerxrated]

Very odd observation on the Friedman mod you played. I'm not saying you're full of shit but I've had Dave mod numerous Marshalls and never had an issue where the amp didn't hold together at band volumes with any of them.

Indeed. You could say bad things about all amplifiers in reality though. Guitar players know no end. Years ago there was a weird mids discussion for all of Splawn's amplifiers which I'm sure you remember. Some of Splawn's earlier series of quick rod models had an ice-pick to the forehead problem with certain speakers, this could go on and on. It's all a matter of perspective, preferences, and certainly speakers being played through at the time.

But I can guarantee although Friedman does excellent work, the Friedman KS I played was falling apart and was not able to keep the same dynamics at slightly above band volumes. Other amplifiers in the studio had no problem with similar loudness settings through the same cabinet. All amps were very well maintained. I was surprised and overall disappointed. On raw recordings though, it sounded just fine. It's an honest observation based on playing one first hand. I'd consider Friedman's work for studio use
only. YMMV.

So who's amp was it? I would like to know because it sounds like it's broken or just not functioning properly. Guys please remember Mods are often tweaked for people and power sections are not always the same on different amps. A lot of times a full service and recapping and tubing is not done on a amp when a mod is getting done. Results on old amps will vary.

Exactly. Only consistent amps will be your builds I'd assume. Since all Marshalls vary, same thing with modded vintage. Mine was average, but the modded 1987x Reza has? Oh holy hell that sounds killer!

 

[Rick Lee]

That leads to my next question. Just played my 50w. I dimed it and it still barely has any crunch. Sounds like a Twin Reverb, well, without the reverb. Will a Friedman, Splawn or Bray, etc. mod give it a Brown Sound? I don't like using distortion pedals, but this head simply has no organic breakup, or at least very little.

 

[AndyK]

That leads to my next question. Just played my 50w. I dimed it and it still barely has any crunch. Sounds like a Twin Reverb, well, without the reverb. Will a Friedman, Splawn or Bray, etc. mod give it a Brown Sound? I don't like using distortion pedals, but this head simply has no organic breakup, or at least very little.

My '76 1987 breaks up with the volume on 1! Is yours a bass spec maybe? What kind of tubes?

PS- The Splawn mods are not brown at all, IMHO.

 

[Rick Lee]

It has Siemens NOS power tubes, Merren transformers, etc. It's a 1987 50w.

 

[sjk]

That leads to my next question. Just played my 50w. I dimed it and it still barely has any crunch. Sounds like a Twin Reverb, well, without the reverb. Will a Friedman, Splawn or Bray, etc. mod give it a Brown Sound? I don't like using distortion pedals, but this head simply has no organic breakup, or at least very little.

Strange, I don't know anything about Maruadian except the guy is apparently no longer alive RIP but by comparison the 50 watt Metropoulos Plexi replica I just sold last week that I had for the last year was quite gainy with the volume dimed and loud as hell lol. Sounded like old late 70's early 80's van halen almost to a tee with the right guitar. Killer amp and I still have my 100 watt Metropoulos Plexi. A good quality attenuator is needed to bring the volume down some with both of them. Just picked up a Suhr PT100SE a month ago that is just killer and comes very close to the 100 watt Metropoulos w/gain set lower.

 

[Rick Lee]

This Mouradian has great tone and top of the line components, it's just very clean with minimal breakup even when dimed. I imagine it'd be serviceable by someone who does the right kind of mod I want. Curious, though, if an amp that's already very clean requires more than whatever the standard mod is.

 

[Racerxrated]

Something's off there..any true stock Marshall nmv circuit should have decent gain with some volume. Not 80s gain but certainly 70s tones?

 

[311boogieman]

What preamp tubes do you have in there specifically?


Maybe time to roll some new ones (or NOS) because you should have more gain than that.

 

[Rick Lee]

Pre-amp tubes are JJs in V2-3 and Tung-Sol in V1.

 

[AndyK]

Here's my '76 1987 w/LarMar PPIMV - not clean unless the volume is below 1!

 

[Rick Lee]

Mine doesn't get that distorted unless dimed and even then probably not that much. I was using a Les Paul with Wolfetone Marshallhead pups today. I have a lot of 12AX7s laying around, so will do some tube rolling tonight, since band practice was just canceled.

 

[mdc1mdc11]

don't mod an older amp, just buy a head with the mods built in. Why alter an old marshall and make it sound like something that you should just buy.

 

[Rick Lee]

don't mod an older amp, just buy a head with the mods built in. Why alter an old marshall and make it sound like something that you should just buy.

The 50w is a handwired clone built in 2009. My 100w is a reissue made in 2001. There is no vintage value in either of them.

 

[glpg80]

So who's amp was it? I would like to know because it sounds like it's broken or just not functioning properly. Guys please remember Mods are often tweaked for people and power sections are not always the same on different amps. A lot of times a full service and recapping and tubing is not done on a amp when a mod is getting done. Results on old amps will vary.

I sent an email with a name, owner, time & date it was played.

Damnit. I'm sending it to Dave Bray. I don't care how long it takes. No rush at all. He's two hours closer to me than Friedman and I don't need all the mods he and I previously discussed. Every sound clip or video I hear of the Mod 1 is just ridiculous. I can't imagine wanting anything more than that. Question is which amp to send him. Do I send the HW clone because I just can't sell it, so I might as well keep and use it? Send him the 100w RI because it's a common and easily replaceable head?

David Bray is awesome and one of the best with Friedman and Fortin. You'll love it

 

[AndyK]

Damnit. I'm sending it to Dave Bray. I don't care how long it takes. No rush at all. He's two hours closer to me than Friedman and I don't need all the mods he and I previously discussed. Every sound clip or video I hear of the Mod 1 is just ridiculous. I can't imagine wanting anything more than that. Question is which amp to send him. Do I send the HW clone because I just can't sell it, so I might as well keep and use it? Send him the 100w RI because it's a common and easily replaceable head?

I would send the Marshall. It will be worth more after the mods and it's already messed with. You can play around with the clone while you wait for Bray to work his magic.

I would definitely get the push pull options along with the Mod 1. Makes the amp more versatile.

 

[Rick Lee]

Just heard some Dookie mod clips. I'm not a Green Day fan, but that sounds pretty cool.

 

[AndyK]

What's a Dookie mod?