marshall people....jcm 800 and plexis

[esandes]

Re: marshall people....jcm 800 and plexis

I think your idea of selling off some stuff and buying a Bogner Helios is a good one. It would be cool to have a 50W version with a low serial number.

I like 100W amps too, but 50 watters are always easier to tame down for normal gigging situations. And the 50W Helios is around $2400, which is attainable.

I stood right in front of that amp and heard the Helios 100 really do it's thing from lush cleans to brutal plexi gain, and it's a thing to behold. Reinhold Bogner is the greatest amp designer of our time, and the Helios is built upon all his knowledge of making Marshalls roar like nothing else. That amp is worth the money, if you've got a place where you can wind one up.

Also worth noting is that I've now had some time with my 3 Bogner pedals, and they are all incredible. They don't sound like pedals...they sound like you've added an XTC or Uberschall channel to your amp. The blue one is great for boosting your Marshall and shaping it's gain structure for a good blues rock tone. The Red pedal is the winner of the 3 in my opinion. It's simply the best sounding heavy OD/distortion pedal I've ever tried. It's not a buzzy piece of crap....it's like adding an XTC red channel to your amp...totally worth the money! The Bogner Red is an instant classic.

And if you want super modern highgain that is like owning an Uberschall or Diezel Herbert, just buy the Ubershall pedal. If you have a good tube amp, that pedal will instantly turn your amp into a killer metal tone.

I've always loved Bogner amps, but I really am impressed with their pedal line. They are amazing pieces of gear. You'll know why they're $300 after you own one for awhile. They're too good to be priced lower....they really are. Just seek out used ones for less money.

i agree that nobody can touch bogner. at a time when amps are being made in china he produces a handwired, made in US hot rod plexi. the 100W is a bit more and it is switchable to 50W. the other responses convinced me to hang onto the 800. i just bought a new guitar and 4x12 so it will be a while until i'm out of the dog house for new gear. lol

 

[75lespaul]

Re: marshall people....jcm 800 and plexis

all he used were plexis (or DSL which is still a plexi).

Okay, I'll bite.... The term "plexi", which I first heard in the early 80s, was a nickname given to the very early Marshall amplifiers because the front and back control panels had a plexiglass covering. They were believed to be the best era for Marshall amplifiers. In 1969, Marshall stopped using the plexiglass panels somewhere around mid year I think, so some 69s are plexiglass, and some are only metal--hence the term "metalface". The innards were the same, but put that dang plexiglass panel on the amp, and the value skyrockets. Up until 1973 the circuit boards were handwired. Around October or so of 73, they started using printed circuit boards in the amps. Now, the theory is that the PC boards ruined the tone, but the general consensus on this forum is that it was actually the change in transformers in early 1974 that thinned out the tone a bit.

So there you have it. A Plexi is a very particular amplifier, and it is not even an official name, just a nickname. A DSL...not a plexi. JCM800...not a plexi. Plexi reissues...not a plexi imho. Crate Blue Voodoo...not a plexi. Sears Silvertone...not a plexi. And so on, and so on, and so on.

 

[esandes]

Re: marshall people....jcm 800 and plexis

Okay, I'll bite.... The term "plexi", which I first heard in the early 80s, was a nickname given to the very early Marshall amplifiers because the front and back control panels had a plexiglass covering. They were believed to be the best era for Marshall amplifiers. In 1969, Marshall stopped using the plexiglass panels somewhere around mid year I think, so some 69s are plexiglass, and some are only metal--hence the term "metalface". The innards were the same, but put that dang plexiglass panel on the amp, and the value skyrockets. Up until 1973 the circuit boards were handwired. Around October or so of 73, they started using printed circuit boards in the amps. Now, the theory is that the PC boards ruined the tone, but the general consensus on this forum is that it was actually the change in transformers in early 1974 that thinned out the tone a bit.

So there you have it. A Plexi is a very particular amplifier, and it is not even an official name, just a nickname. A DSL...not a plexi. JCM800...not a plexi. Plexi reissues...not a plexi imho. Crate Blue Voodoo...not a plexi. Sears Silvertone...not a plexi. And so on, and so on, and so on.

i think the bold, underlined part of your statement sums it all up. the rest is cork sniffery and hair splitting. it's like telling me that a NOS tube will make a world of difference in tone. if you want to get down to the nitty gritty of semantics, i really don't care. unfortunately this thread has expired. i got all the answers i want and you and someone else are getting anal about what a plexi really is. i bet your ass you would not even tell the difference between the 69 HW marshall has and a DSL FWIW.

 

[75lespaul]

Re: marshall people....jcm 800 and plexis

i think the bold, underlined part of your statement sums it all up. the rest is cork sniffery and hair splitting. it's like telling me that a NOS tube will make a world of difference in tone. if you want to get down to the nitty gritty of semantics, i really don't care. unfortunately this thread has expired. i got all the answers i want and you and someone else are getting anal about what a plexi really is. i bet your ass you would not even tell the difference between the 69 HW marshall has and a DSL FWIW.

I wasn't trying to be an ass, and too bad if you took it that way. I was only try to pass on some of the things I've learned over the years because it is way obvious you know nothing about Marshall amps. One day the info I posted here may save you some money when someone is trying to screw you in a deal. Loosen up a little, eh? Oh, and the day I can't tell the difference between a 69 Marshall, and buzzy, crappy DSL is the day I put down my guitar for good. I'm not a "cork sniffer" either. I've got cheap amps and love them. I just happen to have owned a real JCM 800, a real Plexi, a few 73 metal face amps, a bunch of other Marshalls, and I just wanted to try and help you out. Sue me.

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: marshall people....jcm 800 and plexis

all he (G Moore) used were plexis (or DSL which is still a plexi).

Gary used a JTM45 for the studio version. A JTM45 is a plexi in my opinion. He often boosted the front end of a plexi with a pedel like the Gov'ner. The amp behind him in the video is a big box plexi type head or likely a model 1959... aka 100 watt plexi or re-issue. He used Marshalls (don't know the models) during the 80's often with a stock 61 strat. He also used Charvel strats during the 80s. He used Soldano SLO-100s during the early 90s if my sources are correct.

SLO stands for Super Lead Overdrive. The intention was to get the sound of a cranked plexi's overdrive at any volume level. A SLO is a great amp but its not a plexi. I agree that a plexi is by definition mid to late 60s four input Marshall circuits without master volumes. A tweed bassman or tweed twin has a lot in common with a plexi circuit though.

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: marshall people....jcm 800 and plexis

Okay, I'll bite....

So there you have it.
A Plexi is a very particular amplifier, and it is not even an official name, just a nickname.

A DSL...not a plexi.

JCM800...not a plexi.

Plexi reissues...not a plexi imho.

Crate Blue Voodoo...not a plexi.

SHOCK

HORROR

NNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo :argh:

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: marshall people....jcm 800 and plexis

i bet your ass you would not even tell the difference between the 69 HW marshall has and a DSL FWIW.

 

[JeffB]

Re: marshall people....jcm 800 and plexis

This thread is FUBAR.

If anyone here cannot tell the difference between a plexi and dsl having played them, then just go buy a zoom modeller, or digitech distortion box, and save yourself a whole pile of cash.

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: marshall people....jcm 800 and plexis

This thread is FUBAR.

If anyone here cannot tell the difference between a plexi and dsl having played them, then just go buy a zoom modeller, or digitech distortion box, and save yourself a whole pile of cash.

AMEN MATE.

 

[75lespaul]

Re: marshall people....jcm 800 and plexis

This thread is FUBAR.

If anyone here cannot tell the difference between a plexi and dsl having played them, then just go buy a zoom modeller, or digitech distortion box, and save yourself a whole pile of cash.

Yeah, I'm sorry. I made it FUBAR, and I apologize to you guys and the original poster. Not for my original post, but for the second. Again, I was just trying to spread what limited knowledge I have, and I was trying to be humorous with my comparisons at the end. The op doesn't know me, and didn't realize I was NOT trying to belittle him, and I did just that with my second post. Dude, I apologize. I was just taken aback at some of the things you said about me. I should have kept my cool.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: marshall people....jcm 800 and plexis

what is it with marshall amps that makes this happen? I left the marshall forum because there was not a single thread where people started getting their knickers in a twist about something.

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: marshall people....jcm 800 and plexis

what is it with marshall amps that makes this happen? I left the marshall forum because there was not a single thread where people started getting their knickers in a twist about something.

Thats funny. Why would you be on the Marshall Froum? Do you have a Marshall?
But yeah,basically everything there is hotly contested if at all remotely questionable, but I like that about it. A long time ago I felt bad and was subject to ridicule here about what was Pexi and not, and what exactly the specific Marshalls were, and so on and so forth... but come to find out, its very much a gray area, subject to quite a bit of lengthy clarification by experts even.Lots of gear discussion that way..nothing set in stone as of yet on many topics. People who seem to know it all just haven't really bothered to go into the specifics to see that there is no clear cut definition of exact terms and definitions on lots of stuff as of yet. These people have the 'power', if you will, to make it seem like they know precisely about nebulous topics, when they are just fools like everyone else.

 

[Simon_F]

Re: marshall people....jcm 800 and plexis

what is it with marshall amps that makes this happen?

Marshall is one of the big three icons of rock and roll hardware, along with Fender and Gibson. There are a LOT of opinions out there. And you know what they say about opinions

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: marshall people....jcm 800 and plexis

Thats funny. Why would you be on the Marshall Froum? Do you have a Marshall?

I've had a few Marshalls over the years, but i sold my last one a year ago. I joined to get some specific info on one of my amps.

 

[Falloffthebonetone]

Re: marshall people....jcm 800 and plexis

I actually prefer the Jcm 800. Tighter sound with more gain on tap. The 1959slp is a lot warmer and cleaner in my experience. Guess it just depends what style you prefer.