What amp would you pick?

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MadAsAHatter

MadAsAHatter

Well-known member
This is mostly me thinking out loud, but any feedback would be appreciated.

Let's say you have the Marshall tones covered pretty well in some form, but have never owned a Marshall before (though you have played through them many a time). You're able to get one more amp without having to offload something. Do you finally break down and by a Marshall for yourself because nothing beats the original? Or having the Marshall vibe covered do you go for something completely different?
 
Personal opinion. The Marshall sound is distinct, but there are a lot of variations on it, and some are pretty unique. It sort of depends what style of music you want to play. I have M style amps, and I have actual marshalls (2 for sale now, shameless plug). I think there are a lot of great Marshall-style builders. I think a Marshall, particularly an old Marshall, is also distinct in itself. If you want that flavor, get that flavor. If you have enough to cover it or have an M amp that gets you close it may be unnecessary

For what it's also worth. If I had to pick 1 Marshall for my tastes, 2203. I have that 1970 Super PA now, and owned a 77 Plexi, old 2204, have the 1987 jubilee, and still have a gower modded 78 jmp. 2203 if I had to pick just 1 real Marshall amp.

If I had to pick 1 non-marshall M-style amp, Landry G3. Again for the things I like to play.

I have a lot of other bases covered for other tones but keep fucking buying M style amps because that is what my ear likes. If I just had 1 Marshall style amp and didn't want a variation on it I would probably get something else to keep it interesting. A modded Recto or a mark series or a 5150. But if you like Marshall sounds and will only use the M style amps you have then just grab something you like and will use.
 
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IME nothing else out there that I’ve tried (almost all at this point lol) still quite has a what a real deal vintage Marshall from the ‘70’s or early ‘80’s has (the rawness, punch and midrange voicing). I think your Naylor with EL34’s can get sorta close and a killer amp in it’s own way, but doesn’t fully get what those old Marshall’s do imo. Depends on how picky one is I guess though. Some guys feel some amps like the Metroplex or other metropoulous’s and other clones get there, but to me they sound filtered/a bit sterile vs the real deal. Couldn’t off mine fast enough. Ymmv
 
If you like Marshall style amps why would you buy something not based on it? I have two modded Marshall’s and various amps that are based on them in one way or another. However I know I wouldn’t like a diezel or something non Marshall and unique because my ears wouldn’t adjust to them easily.

I personally like the modded Marshall platforms over bone stock Marshalls unless it’s a 2203. With a 2203, all you need is a healthy amp and a boost pedal of your flavor. It’s timeless and double tracks well with many amps and is also reliable. If you haven’t looked into a 2203x, I recommend it.
 
They pair well together. Get a Boogie,VHT or a Diezel and enjoy recording them layered. :D


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At a minimum I’d try one out for a few months, I find they have a distinct personality that will punish you for playing lazily and reward you for playing perfect. And it takes time to adjust. It’s akin to never owning an sd1 while owning boutique copies of an sd1, while you may have a preference for one or the other, it’s important to see where your preferences lie in relation to the original.
 
itsgoodnow said:
Personal opinion. The Marshall sound is distinct, but there are a lot of variations on it, and some are pretty unique. It sort of depends what style of music you want to play. I have M style amps, and I have actual marshalls (2 for sale now, shameless plug). I think there are a lot of great Marshall-style builders. I think a Marshall, particularly an old Marshall, is also distinct in itself. If you want that flavor, get that flavor. If you have enough to cover it or have an M amp that gets you close it may be unnecessary

For what it's also worth. If I had to pick 1 Marshall for my tastes, 2203. I have that 1970 Super PA now, and owned a 77 Plexi, old 2204, have the 1987 jubilee, and still have a gower modded 78 jmp. 2203 if I had to pick just 1 real Marshall amp.

If I had to pick 1 non-marshall M-style amp, Landry G3. Again for the things I like to play.

I have a lot of other bases covered for other tones but keep fucking buying M style amps because that is what my ear likes. If I just had 1 Marshall style amp and didn't want a variation on it I would probably get something else to keep it interesting. A modded Recto or a mark series or a 5150. But if you like Marshall sounds and will only use the M style amps you have then just grab something you like and will use.
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This is sort of what's rolling through my head. I have a couple of non-Marshall type amps that I really like and will never part with. But most of my amps are Marshall-esq because that seems to be what my ears like best. I'm not hyper anal about precise tone so any of them could well enough substitute for the real deal to me. So a Marshall would likely be a bit redundant. Then again, no matter how close nothing fully sounds 100% like the real thing.
 
Chubbs said:
At a minimum I’d try one out for a few months, I find they have a distinct personality that will punish you for playing lazily and reward you for playing perfect. And it takes time to adjust. It’s akin to never owning an sd1 while owning boutique copies of an sd1, while you may have a preference for one or the other, it’s important to see where your preferences lie in relation to the original.
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That's a very good point.
 
MadAsAHatter said:
This is mostly me thinking out loud, but any feedback would be appreciated.

Let's say you have the Marshall tones covered pretty well in some form, but have never owned a Marshall before (though you have played through them many a time). You're able to get one more amp without having to offload something. Do you finally break down and by a Marshall for yourself because nothing beats the original? Or having the Marshall vibe covered do you go for something completely different?
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For me, once I tried a real deal original unmodded vintage Superlead I had no more interest in trying any other modded Marshall, or even the tried and true 2203/4 with a boost. It simply lays waste any other modded or stock Marshall I’ve owned. Only other amp that would compare is another Superlead.
It has to be stock; no tone sucking MV mod, no loop, and absolutely HAS to have the 5K Lemco bright cap. Anything less and it’s gonna be a neutered version of the real thing.
You’ll have to find a pedal or two to get enough gain for hard rock and beyond, but my 72 is so good I sold a great Wizard MC and a rare C+ Coliseum because of it.
The 2 pedals I use cost 100 bucks for both…you don’t need an Uber rare spendy pedal to get the goods.
For reference I’ve been through 60+ stock 2203/4s, Jubilees and modded Marshall’s at this point. Previous vintage non MV Marshalls I tried, all had MV mods + gain mods.
All cool but none compare to my 72.
 
2203. I've got a Ceriatone 2203 with bright switch and NFB control. Easy to "mod" with a pedal in front, or tweak things on the turret board. Definitely scratches my marshall itch.

If I wanted a real Marshall, a 2203 or jubilee will cover the ground for me.
 
Racerxrated said:
For me, once I tried a real deal original unmodded vintage Superlead I had no more interest in trying any other modded Marshall, or even the tried and true 2203/4 with a boost. It simply lays waste any other modded or stock Marshall I’ve owned. Only other amp that would compare is another Superlead.
It has to be stock; no tone sucking MV mod, no loop, and absolutely HAS to have the 5K Lemco bright cap. Anything less and it’s gonna be a neutered version of the real thing.
You’ll have to find a pedal or two to get enough gain for hard rock and beyond, but my 72 is so good I sold a great Wizard MC and a rare C+ Coliseum because of it.
The 2 pedals I use cost 100 bucks for both…you don’t need an Uber rare spendy pedal to get the goods.
For reference I’ve been through 60+ stock 2203/4s, Jubilees and modded Marshall’s at this point. Previous vintage non MV Marshalls I tried, all had MV mods + gain mods.
All cool but none compare to my 72.
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Never had the pleasure of playing a full stock NMV Superlead. The ones I got to play all had a MV added. Those sounded pretty darn good, but I have no reference of comparison. Your description makes me want to look for an unmodded one to try out.
 
RaceU4her said:
just get a DSL for $500 :dunno:
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DSL's are so underrated but I think people are starting to discover how good they can sound once you spend a little time dialing it in. Seems like with everything else being so expensive people are getting DSL to "get by" since they're still relatively cheap and slowly discovering what they're really all about.

Truth be told though, the Jubilee reissue is what has put Marshall in my brain.
 
glpg80 said:
If you like Marshall style amps why would you buy something not based on it? I have two modded Marshall’s and various amps that are based on them in one way or another. However I know I wouldn’t like a diezel or something non Marshall and unique because my ears wouldn’t adjust to them easily.

I personally like the modded Marshall platforms over bone stock Marshalls unless it’s a 2203. With a 2203, all you need is a healthy amp and a boost pedal of your flavor. It’s timeless and double tracks well with many amps and is also reliable. If you haven’t looked into a 2203x, I recommend it.
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I second this⬆️. If a 2203 is not in your budget, buy a jcm 2000 dsl year 2004 to 2007.
 
MadAsAHatter said:
Never had the pleasure of playing a full stock NMV Superlead. The ones I got to play all had a MV added. Those sounded pretty darn good, but I have no reference of comparison. Your description makes me want to look for an unmodded one to try out.
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This one here....
https://www.ebay.com/itm/3346328587...PLm0269nktkaCxVBX2lH7U4Po=|tkp:Bk9SR5D_nIibYQ
...is a decent deal. Last year of the PTP, 5K Lemco still there, no MV added. If I had the cash I'd get it, even with my 72 here. Lol

Really, no other Marshall does what these amps can do. Not a 2203, Jubilee, modded Marshall, and no a DSL ain't even in the conversation. They are to me the ultimate Marshall experience.
 
The DSL is a lot of amp for the money and capable of some very good sounds, but since you have that Naylor imho the DSL or Jubilee would just get humiliated by it and be a waste of time imo. If you go Marshall I'd not mess around and just a get a good vintage NVM superlead or a good example of a vintage 2203/4. The superleads will have unmatched punch with how hard they hit, while the good 2203/4's have more growl on powerchords and not as light on the lows. The Jubilee's sound good, but imo sound too smooth & polite vs a good vintage 2203/4

Some guys find those Marshall's I'd suggest to be too fatiguing on the ears or harsh (imo they either have wimpy ears or don't know how to set them up well), but try them yourself and you'll know if they're your thing or not. For my taste, they are among my favorite amps of all the stuff I've been through and with my real klon boosting it, it can get some really amazing sounds. In fact, with those great ptp nmv's from 1972 or earlier, I find they have in a way such a purity to their tone that besides my klon, most of my other boost pedals (which are more recent made stuff) seem to diminish from the core tone of the older nvm's I've had. The more inherently plastic-y, filtered tone of those pedals really gets exposed with these amps. They're kinda prima donnas in a way that they want you to use the best stuff with them for the best results, but worth it imo
 
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