JTM45 and 1959SLP

Re: JTM45 and 1959SLP

The JTM45 is going to have more "neutral sounding" mids whereas a plexi, 1987 or 1959, will have more midrange. Specifically they'll have more upper midrange. The 1959 is going to feel like it has a tighter low end too due to having more power, and a solid state rectifier.

Check out Greg Germino's site, you can learn a LOT about Marshall there.
www.germinoamps.com

Luke
 
Re: JTM45 and 1959SLP

Never played a Plexi, I have played and used to own a JTM60. Amazing amp, regretting I sold it. The JTM series has one of the best by far cleans in Marshall History. The crunch channel is awesome. It won't reach high gain territory but boosting it with a TS and who have some heavy distortion.
 
Re: JTM45 and 1959SLP

If you want a used 1959SLP reissue, theres a store by my place selling it for $1200. Free shipping
 
Re: JTM45 and 1959SLP

Never played a Plexi, I have played and used to own a JTM60. Amazing amp, regretting I sold it. The JTM series has one of the best by far cleans in Marshall History. The crunch channel is awesome. It won't reach high gain territory but boosting it with a TS and who have some heavy distortion.

JTM60 has nothing in common with any of the vintage Marshall amps...nothing like a JTM45 or a "Lead" amp...
 
Re: JTM45 and 1959SLP

In short JTM-45, JTM-50, 1986 and Super Bass all have the same voicing...which is a fat, round tone with lots of mids, big lows and glassy highs...

The "lead" amps are voiced for a tighter brighter sound with more gain and more upper mids...they often lack the glassy highs that the JTM amps have and have less bass overall.

Hendrix and early Clapton are great examples of the JTM sound...

Billy Gibbons is a classic example of the Super Lead sound...

For more detailed info visit Germinio amps website...Greg is a walking book of Marshall info!
 
Re: JTM45 and 1959SLP

IIRC the jtm45's were still pretty much bassman's, just with a different rectifier and kt66's, I think the new ones come with 5881's or something though?

A plexi is somewhere between that and a JMP
 
Re: JTM45 and 1959SLP

The JTM45 has a lot of fat bass response. You usually don't turn up the bass knob more than about 2 1/2 and still has plenty of bass. The JTM45 has a tubby clean to it.

The EQ on a 45 is hour glass shaped rather than the thick swirling mids of the plexi. The 45 is more glassy up top run clean. The JTM45 is KT66 transparency as oppossed to EL34 "texture".

The JTM45 compresses as it gets pushed more than it distorts. The Plexi is the classic rock-n-n roll distortion tone as it gets pushed, while the JTM45 is the classic singing blues tone. Those that want tight punchy lows under gain will find the plexi much more to their liking.

The JTM45 "growls" as it gets compressed more than it crunches on chords.
 
Re: JTM45 and 1959SLP

the SL is a 100 watt amp - much louder (and punchier) than the 40 watts jtm
 
Re: JTM45 and 1959SLP

IIRC the jtm45's were still pretty much bassman's, just with a different rectifier and kt66's, I think the new ones come with 5881's or something though?

A plexi is somewhere between that and a JMP

JTM-45's and Bassman amps despite being very close in their circiut really don't sond that much alike...

As for Plexi...a JTM-45, JTM-50, 1987, 1986, Super Lead, Super Bass as well as the Super PA, 18 and 20 watters are all Plexi amps...

JMP's are the slightly later lead amps...but all these amps are Plexis...
 
Re: JTM45 and 1959SLP

I would just to say that my JTM45/100 and my '73 1959 will be with me to the grave.
 
Re: JTM45 and 1959SLP

the examples of marshall lead circuits (1959 and 1987 bright channel) are Hendrix Woodstock, fist 4 or 5 VH's, YJM (1987), 80's Steve Stevens' work, 80's Lynch, early Shenker (scorpions)....
 
Re: JTM45 and 1959SLP

And still, nobody has mentioned the valve versus solid state rectification.
 
Re: JTM45 and 1959SLP

For a tonal reference for the JTM45 the classic one is EC with John Mayall of course. Thats a JTM45 electronics through open back 2x 12" Celestions.

The early Cream and Jimi Hendrix recordings will be mostly JTM45/100 type amps, or 100 watt power amps being driven by JTM45 type preamp circuits. The filtering on the JTM45/100 amps is much different than later 100 plexi amps so the response is more like 30 watt JTM45.

As TGTIF pointed out above, the Bass versions of the Plexi amps carried over the basics of the JTM45 preamp design. A good comparison is therefore Dicky Betts and Duane Alman. Duane used two 50 watt bass spec plexis and Richard used a 100 watt plexi.

Take for example live Statesboro Blues; Duane takes the 1st solo with his liquid slide, and Richard follows up after the second turn around coming in suddenly through his 100 watt superlead. Just amazing alchemy of the slightly different amp voicings and the interplay by two very talented players.
 
Re: JTM45 and 1959SLP

And still, nobody has mentioned the valve versus solid state rectification.

I find the JTM45 is not as "saggy" as say a Deluxe Reverb for a tube rectified amp. But you can hear it in most of Angus Youngs solos (He used for the most part a JTM45 head, but w/ EL34 through GB 4x12's)-that note that "sounds like it it is being pushed out of a tube of tooth paste" to borrow a desrciption from Lew. The low filtering of the early JTM45/100s tend to help give the early 100's more of softer bottom compared to later 100s, but once again a two guitar band can be used as reference. Malcolm Young often used a JTM45/100 loaded with KT66 tubes for the driving rythim tracks.
 
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