Marshall's next step...

[B2D]

In my humble opinion Marshalls last truly great original amp was the JCM800 series. The JCM900's were a response to the trend of modding JCM800's and the current JCM2000 line is the sucessor (and much more well-received) of the 900's.

The 2000s generally are nice-sounding pieces of hardware. And the Plexis and 800's have been reissued by popular demand and are solid-sounding amps. But I find that there are several shortcomings of the 2000 series line (undesirable tone at low volume, PCB-mounted controls, occasional reliability problems) that could easily be fixed with a trip to Voodoo Amps or Jeff Seal.... or maybe just better engineering and not cutting corners?

I'd love to see Marshall make a really killer tube amp on par with a Deizel or a Bogner, even a Boogie-level of quality would be more than sufficient. Something with lotsa modern capabilities but with the raw power and raw tone of a Plexi, JMP, or 800... like a JCM800 2205 Deluxe GT or something like that LOL

I honestly think that, other than reissues, Marshall has not put out very many really exceptioal amps in the past few years. The Mode 4 is good but its got more power than is useable in most places and its valvestate... the AVT series stuff is sub-par and the SS stuff just keeps getting tinnier and tinnier.

In your opinion... what would you like to see marshall put out in the future and what do you think Marshall needs to do to be king of the hill as it once was? Or has the company already hit its zenith?

what do you think?

[Chi3f]

Re: Marshall's next step...

go back to the route that they started with and make that better instead of going in cheaper directions... e.i. avt...

[beandip]

Re: Marshall's next step...

I would like to see a Marshall JCM800 2203x in my hands.

[ledzepp29]

Re: Marshall's next step...

I think they should stop making reissues and just make the reissues regular models again...like start making all those jcm800 heads and combos and all the different plexi styles again as regular standard models. Because now the only regular marshall tube amp is the jcm2000 series which is really good but they should have more variation, fender has all kinds of different production amps.

[flank]

Re: Marshall's next step...

they are making "new" old ones....hehe....... they are called the handwired series, and there gonna set you back big time to own one of those babies he he

[some_dude]

Re: Marshall's next step...

It's my opinion that Marshall has lost it's place as an innovator, and has started to copy it's competition (JCM 2000 and Mode 4). The only place they have been innovative is in the hybrid catagory, which is a place I think most people would rather they stop.


I think Marshall should stick to what it does best and stop trying to make amps that do the Rectifier thing.

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Marshall's next step...

I don't see Marshall making a boutique level amp, simply because the parts would cost too much. Most boutique amplifiers have massive, high quality transformers. These are very expensive (and heavy). Secondly, I think for Marshall to hire people who will solder point-to-point, or even point-to-board (if that's a real phrase), would not be "cost effective", and will cut into profits. And I don't think that Marshall would produce enough of these amplifiers to keep these technicians on hand full-time. And, lastly, I'm afraid that the lure of making cheap amplifiers to sell to the masses is just too great! From the Valvestate on, I've been sorely disappointed with every product following the JCM800 ... (with the exception of the JMP-1 and the EL34 100/100) Just my personal opinion.
I agree with the idea that it's ridiculous for Marshall to try to make an amp to follow trends instead of setting new ones.

[\m/(00)\m/]

Re: Marshall's next step...

well lets see what the new generation of guitarists and tone nerds bring.

maybe when rock makes it's big comeback, people will start using those marshalls again and they will catch on?
i certainly hope so.

[Naps]

Re: Marshall's next step...

IMO, the only thing I would want Marshall to do is to go in a more "Marshall" direction. Mesa is Mesa, and Fender is Fender, Vox is Vox, blah blah blah. However, it seems like almost every band that came out in the past few years is going for the Mesa rectifier sound. And the new generation of guitar nuts (the ones not as dedicated as we are) want that sound. Marshall has to relase some products that go for that sound becasue there is a big demand for it.

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Marshall's next step...

I think the last great Marshalls were the two Anniversary models, the 87 Jubilees and 92 30th Ann Blue Marshalls. They were among the last to feature Drake Transformers.
Of course the Plexi Reissues and DSL's are the best of the newer stuff.

Handwiring on their production line these days is totally outta the question, due to cost and supply demand, as others pointed out.

Personally, I think great amps can still be made using modern manufacturing techniques....they just have to use the same quality transformers and circuit boards as their boutique competitors. Because Marshall is so big, I just don't buy the fact that they can't step up their component quality a few notches, while still cranking out the same number of amps, and also keeping the prices the same. They've cut way too many corners IMO. Axiom trannies are not good enough. If they've got to mount power tube sockets on circuit boards for easy construction, fine, use ceramic ones, not plastic. Is it too much to ask to have them wire the jacks to the board, and not use board MOUNTED jacks which break easily??? If they just addressed those issues, and started learning from Diezel, Bogner, THD, and Tophat, they'd actually put out a good amp, for not much more cost than they do now.

If I was in charge at Marshall, I'd hire a consultant like Bogner, Bruno, or Andy Marshall from THD to come in and use their 30th Ann as the framework, but make it sound better. Just replace all the tiny components with larger ones, tweak the preamp section to sound better, and make 3 channel amps that cover the history of Marshall the way a Bogner Ecstasy does. Even if it came a close second, it'd still blow away any amp Marshall's ever made. I could put 8 Marshall amps next to an Ecstacy, turn some knobs and put them all to shame. If Marshall could do that, they could charge $1500 for that head and sell them all day long. That's how much Mesas cost, so why is Marshall's best amp only $1150, and still sounds mediocre?

[milkbone]

Re: Marshall's next step...

I wish Marshall or someone would make a low wattage(20-40), 12" (1or2)speaker, closed back combo with 2 channels and a solo boost function. I want to be able to use 6l6s or el34s like the Mesas do. I have a Hughes and Kettner Edition tube 20 and love the el84s but they just don't have that big bottom thump that the big bottles can put out. I also have a rack setup with a Marshall 9001 tube pre and Mesa 20/20 through a Marshall 4/12. Big sweet sound, just doesn't have that thump.

[BluesNRock87]

Re: Marshall's next step...

i would like to see marshall produce some good stuff. more diversified, and all tube. screw the ss stuff for the most part, put out some good, solid marshall stuff. maybe even make a custom shop or a smaller "boutique" area where marshall could have a handfull of guys turning out super sweet innovative, handwired, amps, that they could charge 1500-3000 for, as custom shop models or whatnot, in limited numbers. up the quality of the regular stuff, stop making ss stuff, dedicate to tube. id like to see many more cool models. low watt models that come in combo and head form. uniquely voiced channels, incorporated attenuators on large wattage models (true bypass too), amps that can change tubes, all sorts of cool stuff, different colored tolex and stuff, heck, i want a stack (2 X 4X12 cabs) with 2 heads on it, one low watt with one vioce to it and one with bigwattage and a totally different vioce to it, and i want it all covered with zebra print, or suede, or brown shag rug......lets make it interesting....

[FenderBoy]

Re: Marshall's next step...

All these are good ideas. The only thing is that you should be telling Marshall these "gripes" and "ideas" . Then we must follow up by buying the high quality amps from Marshall. We can complain all we want about this but until people start buying higher end amps from Marshall and use the market place to get them away from SS stuff ... well you get the idea.

[Biu]

Re: Marshall's next step...

MF is selling those new "Hand-wired" reissues that Marshall just released like Flank said. They are HUGE $$$ though.

[B2D]

Re: Marshall's next step...

Hmmm.... I like a lot of what you guys are saying. Frankly I expected quite a few "Fook You, all marshalls kick azz." type flames but apparently I struck a chord here.

Whaddya say we try to get someone from Marshall or Korg (the distributor in the states) to look at this thread?