Marshall amps hype or truly worthy?
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Mattr4president
New member
Re: Marshall amps hype or truly worthy?
I'm not sure really what you're getting at. My answer would be that I'm not a Marshall Fan. I like the JVM series but don't love it. And i don't really like other marshall products but i'm not old enough to know marshall in its' hay-day. Todays Hi-gain amp manufacturers all owe a debt of gratitude to Marshall for starting it all but it seems that Marshall has been slow moving giant that is following trends instead of creating them now.
I'm not sure really what you're getting at. My answer would be that I'm not a Marshall Fan. I like the JVM series but don't love it. And i don't really like other marshall products but i'm not old enough to know marshall in its' hay-day. Todays Hi-gain amp manufacturers all owe a debt of gratitude to Marshall for starting it all but it seems that Marshall has been slow moving giant that is following trends instead of creating them now.
brunogio
New member
Re: Marshall amps hype or truly worthy?
Marshall has put out a lot of stuff over the years. There are some winners and some duds.
I have a JMP which was the last run in late 79. It has great clean, overdrive and crunch tones depending on which settings and inputs you use. Some days I just can't believe how good it sounds. Also I got the thing for $160 about 13 years ago and invested about $300 in having it repaired and brought back to original spec which to me makes it even more special to me.
I wouldn't trade this for anything and believe it's worth the hype.
Somebody who has only played the MG or whatever the solid state series is may not be that into them which is understandable since it's certainly not their best product.
Marshall has put out a lot of stuff over the years. There are some winners and some duds.
I have a JMP which was the last run in late 79. It has great clean, overdrive and crunch tones depending on which settings and inputs you use. Some days I just can't believe how good it sounds. Also I got the thing for $160 about 13 years ago and invested about $300 in having it repaired and brought back to original spec which to me makes it even more special to me.
I wouldn't trade this for anything and believe it's worth the hype.
Somebody who has only played the MG or whatever the solid state series is may not be that into them which is understandable since it's certainly not their best product.
FuseG4
Our Neighbor Totoro
Re: Marshall amps hype or truly worthy?
i couldn't care less wether marshall is a leader, follower, or what. I've played a few of their amps and I like them. I can see how they became this popular.
this DSL happens to have a damn good set of features, great tone, and versatility, without breaking the bank. There's some other amps in the same price range that give the same satisfaction to different people but I play blues, blues rock, classic rock, and punk. I love the sound of overdriven el34s, and wanted reverb and channel switching. I really got all of that. So at least to me, they're worth the hype.
i couldn't care less wether marshall is a leader, follower, or what. I've played a few of their amps and I like them. I can see how they became this popular.
this DSL happens to have a damn good set of features, great tone, and versatility, without breaking the bank. There's some other amps in the same price range that give the same satisfaction to different people but I play blues, blues rock, classic rock, and punk. I love the sound of overdriven el34s, and wanted reverb and channel switching. I really got all of that. So at least to me, they're worth the hype.
ACH91332
New member
Re: Marshall amps hype or truly worthy?
Marshalls are bright and very middy. They have a good upper mid bite and crunch that no other amps have unless they are trying to copy Marshall. The whole British sound is based on how Marshalls perform. If you want an aggressive and crunchy tone you go Marshall but if you want something smooth and mellow you look elsewhere. I have a JVM and I love it but thats after I had to tinker with it. It's not that its a bad amp it's just that I like the feel and response of single channel amps so I had to cut some gain down and toss a choke in it. Basically it sounds like an older Marshall now but is still that classic Marshall sound. You cant make another amp sound like a Marshall unless it was made to and you sure cant make a Marshall sound like another amp. It is its own sound in its own class. Yes, Marshalls are a bit pricey.. but guys who've had to have their Marshall serviced (me) understand why it might cost more because you get such a badass warranty and customer service. I'm not saying that if you get a Marshall it will break down but any amp with usually have to be serviced at some point and Marshall has it covered. It's totally worth the price if you want that Marshall sound.
Marshalls are bright and very middy. They have a good upper mid bite and crunch that no other amps have unless they are trying to copy Marshall. The whole British sound is based on how Marshalls perform. If you want an aggressive and crunchy tone you go Marshall but if you want something smooth and mellow you look elsewhere. I have a JVM and I love it but thats after I had to tinker with it. It's not that its a bad amp it's just that I like the feel and response of single channel amps so I had to cut some gain down and toss a choke in it. Basically it sounds like an older Marshall now but is still that classic Marshall sound. You cant make another amp sound like a Marshall unless it was made to and you sure cant make a Marshall sound like another amp. It is its own sound in its own class. Yes, Marshalls are a bit pricey.. but guys who've had to have their Marshall serviced (me) understand why it might cost more because you get such a badass warranty and customer service. I'm not saying that if you get a Marshall it will break down but any amp with usually have to be serviced at some point and Marshall has it covered. It's totally worth the price if you want that Marshall sound.
Re: Marshall amps hype or truly worthy?
Lately I've just been curious about marshalls at first I turned away because I wanted something more creamy but I changed my mind lol. And I wanted to see what average Joe guitar players think about them not an endorsee.
Lately I've just been curious about marshalls at first I turned away because I wanted something more creamy but I changed my mind lol. And I wanted to see what average Joe guitar players think about them not an endorsee.
Re: Marshall amps hype or truly worthy?
Thanks for the reply and out of curiosity how does your DSL sound at low bedroom volumes?
Thanks for the reply and out of curiosity how does your DSL sound at low bedroom volumes?
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: Marshall amps hype or truly worthy?
Pre 1974 Marshalls are amazing amps, some of the best out there IMHO but Marshall amps are made to be played LOUD and I just can't really get the goods from them at lower club volumes so I use small old Fender combos...it works for me.
The finny part is that I hunted down a few amps that, to me sound liek a Marshall but are lower wattage!
If I could play at any volume levels I'd use Marshalls almost all the time!
Tat said I don't believe in things like "They are the best amp ever"...there are loads of great amps and they all do great things and do them well. I wouldn't want to have to live off of one kind of amp all the time...
Pre 1974 Marshalls are amazing amps, some of the best out there IMHO but Marshall amps are made to be played LOUD and I just can't really get the goods from them at lower club volumes so I use small old Fender combos...it works for me.
The finny part is that I hunted down a few amps that, to me sound liek a Marshall but are lower wattage!
If I could play at any volume levels I'd use Marshalls almost all the time!
Tat said I don't believe in things like "They are the best amp ever"...there are loads of great amps and they all do great things and do them well. I wouldn't want to have to live off of one kind of amp all the time...
Simon_F
Super Moderator
Re: Marshall amps hype or truly worthy?
Back in my teens when I first started playing every guitar player I loved was standing in front of a Marshall amp. So when I had the money to buy decent gear Marshall was obviously my first choice. I wasn't disappointed. Over the years I've owned quite a few different Marshalls and I've also occasionally tried and owned other amps. I always come back to that Marshall sound though, and I've yet to play an amp that out-Marshalls a real Marshall. Currently I own three, a 1980 JMP Mk II, a 1987 Jubilee and a 2006 DSL50. Not even classic JTM45s, Plexis etc. but I love them all. Marshall is one of a handful of iconic rock and roll hardware brands and is truly worthy of that status IMO - I'm proud to play Marshall!
Back in my teens when I first started playing every guitar player I loved was standing in front of a Marshall amp. So when I had the money to buy decent gear Marshall was obviously my first choice. I wasn't disappointed. Over the years I've owned quite a few different Marshalls and I've also occasionally tried and owned other amps. I always come back to that Marshall sound though, and I've yet to play an amp that out-Marshalls a real Marshall. Currently I own three, a 1980 JMP Mk II, a 1987 Jubilee and a 2006 DSL50. Not even classic JTM45s, Plexis etc. but I love them all. Marshall is one of a handful of iconic rock and roll hardware brands and is truly worthy of that status IMO - I'm proud to play Marshall!
ratherdashing
Kablamminator
Re: Marshall amps hype or truly worthy?
IMO Marshall peaked with the 1959 Super Lead, and have been gradually going downhill since then.
That said, if the only amps they ever made were the JTM45 and the 1959, the brand would still be worthy of its legendary status. The tone from the early Marshalls (and their reissues) is heavenly.
But, as TGWIF says, you have to really wind them up to get them to sing, and very few people can realistically gig with one because of that. Plus, it seems that nowadays there are amp brands that do the "Marshall thing" better than Marshall does.
There are a couple modern Marshalls that I like: the DSL-50 head, and the JCM 900 Dual Reverb (even though everyone else seems to hate it, I've always found it to be pretty nice).
IMO Marshall peaked with the 1959 Super Lead, and have been gradually going downhill since then.
That said, if the only amps they ever made were the JTM45 and the 1959, the brand would still be worthy of its legendary status. The tone from the early Marshalls (and their reissues) is heavenly.
But, as TGWIF says, you have to really wind them up to get them to sing, and very few people can realistically gig with one because of that. Plus, it seems that nowadays there are amp brands that do the "Marshall thing" better than Marshall does.
There are a couple modern Marshalls that I like: the DSL-50 head, and the JCM 900 Dual Reverb (even though everyone else seems to hate it, I've always found it to be pretty nice).
Nightburst
New member
Re: Marshall amps hype or truly worthy?
The general misconseption about Marshall is that they are bright and buzzy!
This is by no means true, you can get a very thick tone with a marshall and yes even a smooth tone if you pick the right tubes and set-up on the eq.
To my ears most marshalls only start to sound good when you start cranking the volume, that's where a marshall shines IMO. Talking about the tube-one's here, the budged line marshalls are awfull.
The good thing about marshall is that you can get a good tube amp that takes pedals very well with a tried and true name for a decent price especially 2nd hand.
Just listen to any music, old or modern, chances are very big that a marshall is used in some ways. Def. earned their place in music. Is that hype?
I've played a 900 dual reverb at a studio I went to every week and left my Bogner at home because it sounded good enough to save me the gear lugging!
The general misconseption about Marshall is that they are bright and buzzy!
This is by no means true, you can get a very thick tone with a marshall and yes even a smooth tone if you pick the right tubes and set-up on the eq.
To my ears most marshalls only start to sound good when you start cranking the volume, that's where a marshall shines IMO. Talking about the tube-one's here, the budged line marshalls are awfull.
The good thing about marshall is that you can get a good tube amp that takes pedals very well with a tried and true name for a decent price especially 2nd hand.
Just listen to any music, old or modern, chances are very big that a marshall is used in some ways. Def. earned their place in music. Is that hype?
I've played a 900 dual reverb at a studio I went to every week and left my Bogner at home because it sounded good enough to save me the gear lugging!
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JeffB
Let it B
Re: Marshall amps hype or truly worthy?
To answer your poll-
Yes.
Many of them are truly worthy, and many are hype.
Like guitars they need to be take on a case by case basis- sometimes even talking about the same model amplifier- this is especially true of the old NMV heads.
In addition, speaker choice is half the battle for giving up the tonal goods. You can absolutely castrate a brilliant sounding marshall with some speakers- and again it can vary from amp to amp of the same model.
In general I'm mainly a fan of anything 800 series and older. In particular my faves are early to mid 1970s , 1987 models (NMV, 50W). But I love JMPs, 800s (2203/4 , 2205/2210), Majors, and plexis of all stripes (87s, 58s, 59s) as well. On the whole, not much of a fan from the Jooby and beyond. MKIII 900s are decent, as are DSLs with the right speakers and someone who has a good ear for tweaking.
As mentioned none of them sound all that great unless you run 'em near or at full throttle. Even the newer models meant to sound better at lower volumes (DSLs, VM/JVM etc) don't sound all that great until you really open them up, and for most people and places, it's way too loud.
To answer your poll-
Yes.
Many of them are truly worthy, and many are hype.
Like guitars they need to be take on a case by case basis- sometimes even talking about the same model amplifier- this is especially true of the old NMV heads.
In addition, speaker choice is half the battle for giving up the tonal goods. You can absolutely castrate a brilliant sounding marshall with some speakers- and again it can vary from amp to amp of the same model.
In general I'm mainly a fan of anything 800 series and older. In particular my faves are early to mid 1970s , 1987 models (NMV, 50W). But I love JMPs, 800s (2203/4 , 2205/2210), Majors, and plexis of all stripes (87s, 58s, 59s) as well. On the whole, not much of a fan from the Jooby and beyond. MKIII 900s are decent, as are DSLs with the right speakers and someone who has a good ear for tweaking.
As mentioned none of them sound all that great unless you run 'em near or at full throttle. Even the newer models meant to sound better at lower volumes (DSLs, VM/JVM etc) don't sound all that great until you really open them up, and for most people and places, it's way too loud.
FuseG4
Our Neighbor Totoro
Re: Marshall amps hype or truly worthy?
it's fine. A lil thin but I like the DSL at bedroom volume more than I like most "practice amps" at bedroom volume. *most* practice amps. I'm considering getting a small fender combo (old Silverface champ or something) for clean noodling, just because... those sound awesome!!!!1!!
The DSL gets loud FAST (2.5 is too loud for an apartment, even through a 1x12) but on 1.5 or 2 you can hear yourself well and still feel the amp. It's nowhere near the same as opening the amp up to 3 or 4 (I've never had an excuse to hit 5 on the gain channel), but 1.5 or 2 doesn't sound bad.
it's fine. A lil thin but I like the DSL at bedroom volume more than I like most "practice amps" at bedroom volume. *most* practice amps. I'm considering getting a small fender combo (old Silverface champ or something) for clean noodling, just because... those sound awesome!!!!1!!
The DSL gets loud FAST (2.5 is too loud for an apartment, even through a 1x12) but on 1.5 or 2 you can hear yourself well and still feel the amp. It's nowhere near the same as opening the amp up to 3 or 4 (I've never had an excuse to hit 5 on the gain channel), but 1.5 or 2 doesn't sound bad.
JOLLY
Super Simonologist
Chickenwings
Alnico 6/8
Re: Marshall amps hype or truly worthy?
depends on the amp....but to make a massive generalisation:
Marshalls : crap for some things. Irreplaceable for others.
depends on the amp....but to make a massive generalisation:
Marshalls : crap for some things. Irreplaceable for others.
Mattr4president
New member
Re: Marshall amps hype or truly worthy?
Yeah like i said, I'm not that old so I dunno, I always thought Marshall was the "elitist old guy" amp. It by no means is but it's the amps AC/DC and Guns and Roses, 80's hair metal bands (too many others to even list here) that i saw play in guitar magazines growing up. I always thought of them for playing classic rock and that stuff, and it would be an amp demo'd by a guy with real annoying british accent or whatever. Whatever it was just the perception i had growing up.
Conversely I remember seeing my first local hardcore show somewhere around 96-97 and I heard someone playing a peavey 5150 and i was blown away. it was just crushing. It was like the working guys amp. it was just monstrous sounding no need for cleans, just brutal.
Now that I've grown up I don't hate marshalls, it's just not my style, I can think of so many other amps i'd rather own.
Yeah like i said, I'm not that old so I dunno, I always thought Marshall was the "elitist old guy" amp. It by no means is but it's the amps AC/DC and Guns and Roses, 80's hair metal bands (too many others to even list here) that i saw play in guitar magazines growing up. I always thought of them for playing classic rock and that stuff, and it would be an amp demo'd by a guy with real annoying british accent or whatever. Whatever it was just the perception i had growing up.
Conversely I remember seeing my first local hardcore show somewhere around 96-97 and I heard someone playing a peavey 5150 and i was blown away. it was just crushing. It was like the working guys amp. it was just monstrous sounding no need for cleans, just brutal.
Now that I've grown up I don't hate marshalls, it's just not my style, I can think of so many other amps i'd rather own.
PFDarkside
of the Forum
Re: Marshall amps hype or truly worthy?
So true. I got my Mesa and thought that was loud. Then the Splawn, and thought OK, now this is loud. Then I got the Marshall 800 and holy hell you have to knock down a building to get the goods. They sound great cranked up but unless you're playing stadium rock or stoner rock it can just be too much. Still fun as hell to crank it up though.
What was Lew's quote? 
So true. I got my Mesa and thought that was loud. Then the Splawn, and thought OK, now this is loud. Then I got the Marshall 800 and holy hell you have to knock down a building to get the goods. They sound great cranked up but unless you're playing stadium rock or stoner rock it can just be too much. Still fun as hell to crank it up though.
What was Lew's quote? 
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: Marshall amps hype or truly worthy?
I'm a big fan of good Marshalls, and if you look at all the true guitar greats, they've all used them....for British EL-34 tone at least.
But my ultimate conclusion is that Reinhold Bogner grabbed the torch and ran with it, and his dream is what I always chased. So for me, Bogner is the amp company I'm totally happy with. In a perfect world, I'd own every single one of them. My XTC, a Metropolis, Duende Seco Mojado, Shiva....all of them. I would be 100% happy if all I owned for amps was the entirely expensive Bogner line.
I'm a big fan of good Marshalls, and if you look at all the true guitar greats, they've all used them....for British EL-34 tone at least.
But my ultimate conclusion is that Reinhold Bogner grabbed the torch and ran with it, and his dream is what I always chased. So for me, Bogner is the amp company I'm totally happy with. In a perfect world, I'd own every single one of them. My XTC, a Metropolis, Duende Seco Mojado, Shiva....all of them. I would be 100% happy if all I owned for amps was the entirely expensive Bogner line.
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: Marshall amps hype or truly worthy?
Stand in front of it and feel your pant legs blowing in the wind!
Still fun as hell to crank it up though.
Stand in front of it and feel your pant legs blowing in the wind!
