What Is Better Sounding Than A Plexi Marshall?

[Joey Voltage]

Re: What Is Better Sounding Than A Plexi Marshall?

Hey Boogie Bill - how about a Mesa Boogie IIc+ ?

IIc+ and the III are nearly identical depending on the stripe particularly the no stripe, black stripe, and red stripe. Most III are just IIC+'s with the added pull rhythm. There were some variations with the purple, and the later Blue and Greens were voiced a little brighter for the lead channel. But for the most part that was the only difference with those models of the III and they are slight at best. I've worked on enough of them for a lifetime, they are nightmares.

 

[67Mopar]

Re: What Is Better Sounding Than A Plexi Marshall?

Ampeg V4 is oh so sweet! Marshall and Ampeg, nothing else for me. Not unless someone gives me a Matchless DC30.

 

[67Mopar]

Re: What Is Better Sounding Than A Plexi Marshall?

IIc+ and the III are nearly identical depending on the stripe particularly the no stripe, black stripe, and red stripe. Most III are just IIC+'s with the added pull rhythm. There were some variations with the purple, and the later Blue and Greens were voiced a little brighter for the lead channel. But for the most part that was the only difference with those models of the III and they are slight at best. I've worked on enough of them for a lifetime, they are nightmares.

The best sounding Mark IIC+ I ever owned (owned every iteration) was a 60 watt with no EQ. Sold all of them.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: What Is Better Sounding Than A Plexi Marshall?

Ampeg V-4, or the combo version, VT-22.

The thing about them is that they have their own distinctive tone...but so much more/better tonal control than a Marshall or a Fender that with a few knob turns and switch flips, they can easily do Marshall and Fender tones as well. Plus they have a bit "more oomph" than a 100W Marshall to my ear. They are also built like brick **** houses, which Marshalls were not IMO. Finally (and it's a big ****in' deal IMO), the V-4 has reverb – and a damned fine reverb at that. I generally do not like amps that don't have reverb.

Plexis are great at the things they are great at...but as a general purpose great amp...no. Not for me.

 

[saladin]

Re: What Is Better Sounding Than A Plexi Marshall?

 

[dystrust]

Re: What Is Better Sounding Than A Plexi Marshall?

AFD has more gain, and maybe diode clipping, nor sure. The AFD is more a hot rodded MV JCM/Jubilee type amp, a Plexi has less preamp gain. Not knocking the AFD though, great amp I'm sure, definitely not for bedrooms unless you are planning on some demolition.

The AFD was an attempt to sort of reverse-engineer SIR #36 which was an early 70s metal panel with an added master volume and a pair of additional 12AX7 gain stages.

I've never played the AFD, but I have played a Caswell #39 mod and it sounded like a MV metal panel with a boatload more gain. The Caswell circuit is all tube and I'd guess that the AFD is too, though I don't know for sure. It really doesn't sound anything like a Jubilee which has a pretty distinctive sound for a Marshall.

 

[devastone]

Re: What Is Better Sounding Than A Plexi Marshall?

Yes I have heard of the fabled Caswell #36 (wasn't it #39?). I know Slash used/uses Jubilees pretty regularly, I thought the AFD was more related to those, thanks for the info.

 

[Joey Voltage]

Re: What Is Better Sounding Than A Plexi Marshall?

Yes I have heard of the fabled Caswell #36 (wasn't it #39?). I know Slash used/uses Jubilees pretty regularly, I thought the AFD was more related to those, thanks for the info.

39 was the original caswell modded amp, 36 was the one Levi modded to be like the 39 after it was always requested as a rental at SIR. Slash originally stole the 39 because he liked it so much and wanted to buy it, until the crew at SIR stole it back. I think it was 36 that was used to cut afd because the 39 was on loan to George Lynch at the time. Slash later bought the 36, and that’s what marshal used for the afd. Nobody knows what happened to 39.

The afd is still a little different from both. It uses a parallel input stage unlike the 36 or 39, and has add ins like fx loop and power scaling.

I don’t think slash started using jubes until the uyi tours. He used them because he needed something reliable for touring.

 

[devastone]

Re: What Is Better Sounding Than A Plexi Marshall?

Had to go look up the AFD, yeah, memory glitch there. Sweet amp! Kinda miss my old Marshalls, fun to mod, but no where to use them anymore.

 

[dystrust]

Re: What Is Better Sounding Than A Plexi Marshall?

The afd is still a little different from both. It uses a parallel input stage unlike the 36 or 39, and has add ins like fx loop and power scaling.

I don’t think slash started using jubes until the uyi tours. He used them because he needed something reliable for touring.

I don't know about the original #39, but Tim will do an effects loop if you want the #39 mod for your amp. He also offers it with 1 extra gain stage (like the original #39) or with 2 extra gain stages (like #36). If you opt for both added gain stages, Tim's mod includes a bypass switch for the second stage unlike #36.

Slash started using Jubilees sometime in 1988; if you watch the '88 VMAs (Sept. '88) Slash's backline is all Jubilees. Prior to that he was using a 2203 slaved into a 2210 with four 4x12s which he seems to have acquired in the Summer of '86 based on photos in the Reckless Road book. Slash's sound with the 2203 wasn't anything special IMO, and it can be heard on Live at the Ritz from Feb. '88 if you're that interested. I'd guess he switched to Jubilees as a readily available option that sounded closer to his AFD album tone.

As an interesting side note, Slash rented SIR #39 for the Illusions sessions but was unable to duplicate his AFD tone even after recording in the same room in the same cheap studio where the AFD overdubs were originally cut. The general consensus is that Slash didn't know that he'd actually used #36 on AFD because SIR didn't want to tell him that George Lynch had already rented #39. After the unsuccessful tone search, Slash ended up using a Jubilee on Illusions.

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: What Is Better Sounding Than A Plexi Marshall?

So what role does amp #34 play in the above discussion? I ask this because I looked up the AFD100 reviews and it can operate in two modes: AFD (#39, #36 ?) and #34.

 

[Joey Voltage]

Re: What Is Better Sounding Than A Plexi Marshall?

I don't know about the original #39, but Tim will do an effects loop if you want the #39 mod for your amp. He also offers it with 1 extra gain stage (like the original #39) or with 2 extra gain stages (like #36). If you opt for both added gain stages, Tim's mod includes a bypass switch for the second stage unlike #36.

Slash started using Jubilees sometime in 1988; if you watch the '88 VMAs (Sept. '88) Slash's backline is all Jubilees. Prior to that he was using a 2203 slaved into a 2210 with four 4x12s which he seems to have acquired in the Summer of '86 based on photos in the Reckless Road book. Slash's sound with the 2203 wasn't anything special IMO, and it can be heard on Live at the Ritz from Feb. '88 if you're that interested. I'd guess he switched to Jubilees as a readily available option that sounded closer to his AFD album tone.

As an interesting side note, Slash rented SIR #39 for the Illusions sessions but was unable to duplicate his AFD tone even after recording in the same room in the same cheap studio where the AFD overdubs were originally cut. The general consensus is that Slash didn't know that he'd actually used #36 on AFD because SIR didn't want to tell him that George Lynch had already rented #39. After the unsuccessful tone search, Slash ended up using a Jubilee on Illusions.

He used jubes with a boss geq and some other stuff in the loop to try and get his sound. But I’m not the biggest slash fan, so you would know more than I would about the dates he used what.

Yes the original 39 was three stages, the Levi 36 is 4, and the afd is 4 with parallel input.

 

[67Mopar]

Re: What Is Better Sounding Than A Plexi Marshall?

39 was the original caswell modded amp, 36 was the one Levi modded to be like the 39 after it was always requested as a rental at SIR. Slash originally stole the 39 because he liked it so much and wanted to buy it, until the crew at SIR stole it back. I think it was 36 that was used to cut afd because the 39 was on loan to George Lynch at the time. Slash later bought the 36, and that’s what marshal used for the afd. Nobody knows what happened to 39.

The afd is still a little different from both. It uses a parallel input stage unlike the 36 or 39, and has add ins like fx loop and power scaling.

I don’t think slash started using jubes until the uyi tours. He used them because he needed something reliable for touring.

I think Slash's best tone was on Civil War. Love it!

 

[IMENATOR]

Re: What Is Better Sounding Than A Plexi Marshall?

I came here to say this. So thank you.

Me too

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: What Is Better Sounding Than A Plexi Marshall?

dystrust.... when you say a 2203 slaved into a 2210, what exactly do you mean? Is the 2203 running through the effects loop of the 2210? I know the 2203/2204 are generally regarded as having better tone than the 2205/2210, but I guess I just don't understand the process of slaving an amp or what purpose it serves.

Thanks....Jeff

 

[dystrust]

Re: What Is Better Sounding Than A Plexi Marshall?

dystrust.... when you say a 2203 slaved into a 2210, what exactly do you mean? Is the 2203 running through the effects loop of the 2210? I know the 2203/2204 are generally regarded as having better tone than the 2205/2210, but I guess I just don't understand the process of slaving an amp or what purpose it serves.

Thanks....Jeff

That's based on a few pics of his rig from back then, but he appears to be running a line out from the 2203 to the 2210 effects return; essentially using the 2210 as a power amp to drive an extra pair of 4x12s.

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: What Is Better Sounding Than A Plexi Marshall?

Totally depends on style and needs...kinda like saying does any guitar sound better than a '59 Les Paul?

Well no, nothing does.

 

[Jacew]

Re: What Is Better Sounding Than A Plexi Marshall?

Well no, nothing does.

Nah... overrated

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: What Is Better Sounding Than A Plexi Marshall?

I hate saying better, but many Marshall lovers move to Bogner Helios or Ecstasy or Metropoulos Metro Plex. Any of those amps will inspire you, no matter if you still love old Plexis.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: What Is Better Sounding Than A Plexi Marshall?

I have a bunch of Marshalls and my main amp has been a Bogner XTC for a long time.

If I had the money, my next amp would be the new Helios Eclipse. Ridonculous tone!