Thoughts on the Marshall Class5 ?

starmaker

starmaker

New member
I'm without an amp right now (My Mesa has gone to amp heaven), bucks are a big issue currently. I know you guys are pretty much like me, eat,sleep,dream,think guitar 24-7. I have heard really good things about the Class5, I would like to know what you guys think or your experiences have been with this little amp. Any input, good or bad would be greatly appreciated .
 
Re: Thoughts on the Marshall Class5 ?

I've got to the stage with Marshall that means I don't even want to try any of their new products, they just keep on disappointing me.
Maybe one day they'll prove me wrong.
 
Re: Thoughts on the Marshall Class5 ?

I feel the same as UK Ant. I think Marshall have lost the plot and their cheap amps are just that - made from cheap components and poorly constructed. There's no excuse for this. Peavey, Laney, Fender etc manage to produce some budget amps that are none the less well put together.
 
Re: Thoughts on the Marshall Class5 ?

I regret that I have to agree with Uk Ant and richard parker.

Marshall amplification built itself a reputation on a robust and relatively simple product. This product makes its own very distinctive sound. Unfortunately, maintaining this standard requires time and attention from a skilled workforce. This, in turn, costs money; more money than many would-be owners can afford.

Then, there is the apparent need to be seen to be innovating. If your product already does what it does as well as it can be done, where can you go? Should you excel in a narrow field or diversify at the risk of diluting that hard-earned reputation?

Right now, I own a heap of Marshall DBS bass kit and a Haze 40 guitar combo. One of these is rather more solidly constructed than the other. ;) I confess that I rarely find any enthusiasm for new Marshall product announcements. This could be down to my advanced age.
 
Re: Thoughts on the Marshall Class5 ?

The sentiments in posts 2, 3 and 4 are what i have felt about their products for the last thirty years.
 
Re: Thoughts on the Marshall Class5 ?

I tested the 1st Class5 in my city and fell in love w that classy looking 5watter !

Not much headroom, but that is not a problem for me !
I really did sound like a smaller JTM45.
I WIL get one of these amps one day, and just do a speaker swap for a more efficient 10incher.
Probably an Emi Delta Demon.

All in all, i honestly think Marshall did real GOOD on this amp - i am a fan !

I would LOVE to hear this amp through a 4X12 cab.
 
Re: Thoughts on the Marshall Class5 ?

Tried this amp several times in more than one store...It comes in green and black....It is made in England so perhaps I could be inclined to believe the components are better than average...I would not say it is a very versatile amp: single channel only three knobs and no reverb.

IMHO it might be a good one to get as an addition to your collection but not as a main amp. I would have to be prepared to bring along a lot of pedals and such...Oh and did I mention I liked the sound....In Canada they sell for about $450 to $500 dollars...IMO I would rather spend the same kind of $$ on a Peavey Classic 30....
 
Re: Thoughts on the Marshall Class5 ?

ya in a way Marshall needs to get back to the sounds they once were famous for... and revamping their modern amp's sounds would be great... Something is lacking from their current models... and ya i own some Marshalls and use them... they just don't blew the roof off the place like you would think a Marshall should...


that being said...
-many local players are saying these cheap Class 5 things are great!
-but I've also been hearing that in side by side tests the tone can change from amp to amp, so try out a few of them out to get the right one
-and the last note i've heard locally is quite a few of them are being returned because of some sort of rattle in the chassy
 
Re: Thoughts on the Marshall Class5 ?

I've never played one of these Class5 guys. But I don't understand all the Marshall hatred here either. The JVM in a lot of ways has raised the bar recently. No, it's not a cheap amp, but I don't think Marshall has ever made cheap amps. This is a new foray for the company, and they may or may not be doing it right. That doesn't mean the stuff they're known for they stopped doing well.

Okay, maybe when the TSL was the flagship of their lineup that may be the case, but when you've got amps like the Plexis and the JCM800 under your belt, you've pretty much innovated yourself out of the market. At least until the technology develops a little further, then you've got the JVM series. And they're trying again with the JMD:1. I think the amplification market would be a WHOLE lot different without them.

But if you're looking for a cheap amp, my infatuation at the moment is the Jet City JCA20. Give it a shot if you can find one. It's only $300 in the USA, and I think it sounds great.
 
Re: Thoughts on the Marshall Class5 ?

Allow me to chime in here please. I was reading the posts and felt the need to express my humble opinions. I think it's the hands of the player. Marshall makes very reliable amps, or at least nothing less dependable than any other brand so quality is based on how you take care of your amp.

The JVM are very expensive and Marshall seems very proud of them but I don't think they sound as good as the older models they made with JCM 2000, except when I hear some other players using them. Joe Satriani used them on Chickenfoot and I didn't think his sound was as good as it used to be, but there have been other bands where the JVM sounds superb. It's not the amp for me however.

I think the Haze 40 sounds incredible and the price is nice too. I don't have much interest the new MA series or JMD because the I rather want to see a Haze 100 w head instead. I say all this after having owned the best Marshall amps like the Randy Rhoades signature head and a JCM 900. Now I have only a Marshall JCM 800 reissue from 2006 and it makes me happy enough.

So in the Marshall debate I really think it comes down to if the amp fits the player or not like any other amp. One thing important to keep in mind is that Marshall caters to the entire globe. They developed a diverse line to meet the needs of player all around the world. We Americans are often too self-centered to consider the appeal of the rest of the world.

I'm happy with what Marshall offers now because they still make 1959, 1987, JCM 800 & 900 and JTM 45 reissues along with everything else they offer. As for the Class 5 well it appears to be Marshall's attempt at offering a low powered boutique. I don't think Marshall needs to try and make boutique since most boutique amps are based on Marshall and Fender.

It sounds good for a little amp but to me all the little amps are not good enough for my sound. I want a 12" speaker and at least 30 watts of tube power. This is my opinion though and thanks for reading.
 
Re: Thoughts on the Marshall Class5 ?

Marshall is just doing what the guitar companies are, offering a cheap import type line of amps that are affordable. When price goes down, quality goes down. The highend Marshalls sound fine, I personally like the pre 2005 DSL's

The JVM stuff that I tried was good, a company needs to grow to survive, there's not many people out there who would buy (or could afford) a new Plexi. There's too much competition for player's dollars these days for any company just to focus on one product, especially an old product

You want an old school Marshall? Then buck up and buy one used
 
Re: Thoughts on the Marshall Class5 ?

richard parker said:
I feel the same as UK Ant. I think Marshall have lost the plot and their cheap amps are just that - made from cheap components and poorly constructed. There's no excuse for this. Peavey, Laney, Fender etc manage to produce some budget amps that are none the less well put together.
Click to expand...
totally agree. recently I was in the market for a tube amp and it came down to the Orange ThunderVerb 50 and the JVM 410H.
I liked the sound of the JVM but it felt very cheaply built. The push buttons just felt like garbage, and the knobs were very loose. The Orange on the other hand feels like it is built to last. So solidly constructed......oh, and imho it slays the Marshall in every way (aside from versatility; 2 channel Orange as opposed to 4 channel 3 mode Marshall).
Having said that, even the amount of stuff on the Marshall worries me - it has so many options packed in. It reminds me of my old physics teacher when he was asked what a 5 band graphic EQ on a stereo was.

"Five more things to go wrong with your stereo!" :D

I just dated myself terribly.
 
Re: Thoughts on the Marshall Class5 ?

misterwhizzy said:
when you've got amps like the Plexis and the JCM800 under your belt, you've pretty much innovated yourself out of the market.
Click to expand...

I agree with this- Marshall gets it's MAGIC-ness from wide open high volume and (by todays standards) low (preamp) gain. Models like the 900s, T/DSLs, JVMs, etc with higher and higher gain levels lose that magic crunch/sparkle/"bwang", it's just the nature of the beast as they compress and oversaturate- and those old amps sound much better goosed with a good pedal to up the gain, than modded with extra preamp stages.

Thats not to say some of the new marshalls do not sound good, they just don't sound nearly the same as those old models.
 
Re: Thoughts on the Marshall Class5 ?

Thanks very much for the input guys ! I was in hopes, being made in England the Class5's would be much better than the import boutiques floating around. The Jet City 20 watt amp does sound rather nice, but so do the Class5's on You Tube. I know you guys get out there and do your homework. I just need something to play at room volume levels, I have some pretty cool pedals to put in front of a small amp (although there is nothing as sweet as the sound you get from some pushed tubes). I'm not able to get out of the house right now, and the nearest music store is about 2 hours away. Thanks again for being my eyes and ears, your input is much appreciated.
 
Re: Thoughts on the Marshall Class5 ?

Class 5 owner here - kicks as$. Don't believe the blah blah blah hatred of Marshall - yeah whatever, everyone was better x years ago.
 
Re: Thoughts on the Marshall Class5 ?

Starmaker, you've now said that you need an amp to play at 'room volume levels'. Even a 5W amp is probably going to be too much especially if you want to push the tubes unless you don't have neighbours. 20 watts - forget it, this is gig level stuff. If you want something to play at home you might be better off with solid state. I wouldn't dream of using a solid state amp at gigs but I'm more than happy to plug into my little 2w Microcube at home. Even this tiny amp can generate neighbour annoying volume levels but you don't have to turn it up to get a decent sound unlike most tube amps.
 
Re: Thoughts on the Marshall Class5 ?

My Mesa was 20 watts, and I had no problem with volume issues. Just my Wife and I at home...I have a two story house, so I just go up stairs, shut the doors, and jam away. The nearest neighbors have two Son's, one is a Drummer, the other a guitarist...so, I'm in good company : )
I sure do thank you, and appreciate the input...I know I'm being greedy as poor as I am, but I just love the sound of tube amps...even little ones : )
 
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