Superlead Vs. Plexi?
- Thread starter jerryjg
- Start date
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: Superlead Vs. Plexi?
A Marshall "Super Lead" was a name used by Marshall used on ALL 1959 amps, that is all 4 input 100 watters.
The Plexi tag simply refers to amps made using plexiglass face plates, these were from 1965 until maybe early/middle 1969. I have seen several 69 model 100 watters that were already metal fronts however on the 50 watters it seems like a plexiglass panel lasted a tad longer...maybe early 1970.
A Marshall "Super Lead" was a name used by Marshall used on ALL 1959 amps, that is all 4 input 100 watters.
The Plexi tag simply refers to amps made using plexiglass face plates, these were from 1965 until maybe early/middle 1969. I have seen several 69 model 100 watters that were already metal fronts however on the 50 watters it seems like a plexiglass panel lasted a tad longer...maybe early 1970.
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: Superlead Vs. Plexi?
As for the various differences in Marshall amps from the middle 60's into the 70's...there are lots of minor changes that took place all the time, too many to count and list to be honest. As a general rule Marshall amps from the mid 60's until the 70's got brighter, nastier (gainer) and more aggressive but 1974 they were VERY aggressive amps that were IMO overly bright and quite hard to control at anything like a managable volume shortly after than came the MV amps then 800's and so on...
As for the various differences in Marshall amps from the middle 60's into the 70's...there are lots of minor changes that took place all the time, too many to count and list to be honest. As a general rule Marshall amps from the mid 60's until the 70's got brighter, nastier (gainer) and more aggressive but 1974 they were VERY aggressive amps that were IMO overly bright and quite hard to control at anything like a managable volume shortly after than came the MV amps then 800's and so on...
Dr.Mavashi
neonderthalotonalogist
Re: Superlead Vs. Plexi?
My question is, what is the difference between those 1965-1969 circuits and JMPs from late seventies early 80s alas Randy Rhoads, Wolf Hoffman.
My question is, what is the difference between those 1965-1969 circuits and JMPs from late seventies early 80s alas Randy Rhoads, Wolf Hoffman.
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: Superlead Vs. Plexi?
All the 4 input 100 watters were by and large the same circiut but Marshall made tweaks all along the line from the first one built until the last one built...too many changes and tweaks to count but as a general rule the later the amp is the more aggressive, gainy and bright it is...
RR's Marshall was factory hot rodded by Marshall and is a different kind of thing all together...
All the 4 input 100 watters were by and large the same circiut but Marshall made tweaks all along the line from the first one built until the last one built...too many changes and tweaks to count but as a general rule the later the amp is the more aggressive, gainy and bright it is...
RR's Marshall was factory hot rodded by Marshall and is a different kind of thing all together...
Dr.Mavashi
neonderthalotonalogist
Re: Superlead Vs. Plexi?
P.S.
I dont know if you have checked in on this, how accurate is the RR re-issue to what the man actually played?
You see, I've never played one myself but to me those 1965-9 era holy grails that everybody talks about are bit too overly bright for me, almost "ice-picky" but I love how Uli and George Lynch play those on the other hand. I've always been a huge fan of JMP, especially RR and Wolff Hoffman, I think they are just beasts i like them better than any of th JCMs.
P.S.
I dont know if you have checked in on this, how accurate is the RR re-issue to what the man actually played?
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: Superlead Vs. Plexi?
JTM-45 are voiced much fatter in the lows and mids, those amps are still voiced a lot like the Fender bassman amps...big bottom, and if you want a JTM-45 in a 100 watter you want the JTM-45/100...quite different than a 1959 Super Lead...
JTM-45 are voiced much fatter in the lows and mids, those amps are still voiced a lot like the Fender bassman amps...big bottom, and if you want a JTM-45 in a 100 watter you want the JTM-45/100...quite different than a 1959 Super Lead...
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: Superlead Vs. Plexi?
The 1959RR is supposed to be pretty dang close...
The 1959RR is supposed to be pretty dang close...
Lake Placid Blues
New member
Re: Superlead Vs. Plexi?
Basically one has the plexi panel and the other has a metal panel if we are talking a 69 plexi and 70 metal panel. At the end of the plexi era the amp had evolved to the point that it was rather bright, but it also had more gain. The earlist 100 watters used the JTM45 pre-amp with a 100 watt power amp that used KT66 tubes.
Two important modifications occured during the period between 1967 and June 1969 when the plexi era ended. One was the change to EL34's and the other was the change from a shared cathode on V1 to what "plexiologists" call the split cathode. The split cathode made the bright channel a lot tighter and gainer, and made jumping the channels more effective. There were also numerous changes in cathode caps, bright caps, tonestack's, and filtering, and transformers, made to the design. There seems to have been a lot variation between plexi amps especially during late 67 to mid 68, but generally the amp was becoming brighter, tighter, louder, and with more gain. It's been said that no two plexis sound exactly alike, but by 69 they had settled into a more consistant set of design specs that were not much different in actual sound and tone from the early 70's superlead amps.
Basically one has the plexi panel and the other has a metal panel if we are talking a 69 plexi and 70 metal panel. At the end of the plexi era the amp had evolved to the point that it was rather bright, but it also had more gain. The earlist 100 watters used the JTM45 pre-amp with a 100 watt power amp that used KT66 tubes.
Two important modifications occured during the period between 1967 and June 1969 when the plexi era ended. One was the change to EL34's and the other was the change from a shared cathode on V1 to what "plexiologists" call the split cathode. The split cathode made the bright channel a lot tighter and gainer, and made jumping the channels more effective. There were also numerous changes in cathode caps, bright caps, tonestack's, and filtering, and transformers, made to the design. There seems to have been a lot variation between plexi amps especially during late 67 to mid 68, but generally the amp was becoming brighter, tighter, louder, and with more gain. It's been said that no two plexis sound exactly alike, but by 69 they had settled into a more consistant set of design specs that were not much different in actual sound and tone from the early 70's superlead amps.
