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Today, I was hanging out in Los Angeles and after seeing an outdoor concert and stopping for dinner, I drove by a Goodwill Store and decided to stop, just to see if they had any shirts or whatever. Anyway, I intantly spotted an '86 Marshall Master Lead 1-12 combo. Unfortunately, it's a solid state not tube, but the $50 price tag grabbed me. Unable to test it in the store, I was hesitant, till an announcement came over the PA quot;all audio gear is 50% off today.quot; For a measly $25, I gambled and bought it.

After getting it home, I realized all the pots were scratchy as hell, so I disassembled it, and sprayed contact cleaner in the pots, and twirled them for awhile. I cleaned up the cabinet, and put it all back together. After turning it on, I jumped for joy, as the thing was like new again! They sure made SS amps better in 86, than they do now, and it even has a nice Celestion G70M speaker in it. It actually sounds really good.....straight up KISS or Judas Priest tone. 98% condition and TWENTY FIVE BUCKAROOS!!!!!!!!

Since I have most of the amps in one place right now, I took a picture of the wall of tonal delight!

2550 Jubilee Fullstack, Bogner 101B halfstack, Marshall Master Lead Combo, Matchless Chieftain 2-12, and Fender Bassman LTD. (not pictured Vox Valvetronix head and Bogner 2-12 cab).

Nice score !! Good thing i didn't find it. Hmmmm, it has 6 knobs. I'd have the
chasis out already ploting a way to convert it to a 50 watt plexi PTP.
I already have the board, So a pair of trannie and some tube sockets and what ever odds and ends later. My madness would be hard at work drilling
holes and soldering. I'm probaly the only manic who would think
of such a thing. I should find a different hobby.

eBay, I presume?


Originally Posted by kmcguitarsNice score !! Good thing i didn't find it. Hmmmm, it has 6 knobs. I'd have the
chasis out already ploting a way to convert it to a 50 watt plexi PTP.
I already have the board, So a pair of trannie and some tube sockets and what ever odds and ends later. My madness would be hard at work drilling
holes and soldering. I'm probaly the only manic who would think
of such a thing. I should find a different hobby.

Nah, that's one of the first things I thought of when I pulled the chassis out. Unlike new Marshalls, it has a thick steel chassis. I'll probably hang onto it for awhile, and maybe sell it at some point. However, it's the perfect project combo, because like you said, it just needs to be gutted, then you could put a PTP board in there, a couple trannies and 5 tube sockets. I'm not qualified, but I'd love to have it done. I just don't know if I want to spend the dough on it.

Like I said, eBay. A quick buck for being in the right place at the right time.

You know, that photo makes me want to vomit, or cry. I'm not really sure which.

Seriously though, cool score!


Originally Posted by GearjoneserNah, that's one of the first things I thought of when I pulled the chassis out. Unlike new Marshalls, it has a thick steel chassis. I'll probably hang onto it for awhile, and maybe sell it at some point. However, it's the perfect project combo, because like you said, it just needs to be gutted, then you could put a PTP board in there, a couple trannies and 5 tube sockets. I'm not qualified, but I'd love to have it done. I just don't know if I want to spend the dough on it.

Hmmm. I notice the speaker is off center. looks like ample room for the big PT.


Originally Posted by HamerPlyrLike I said, eBay. A quick buck for being in the right place at the right time.

I'm wondering what the going rate is for Marshall practice amp like this...I'm guessing around $200. Maybe I'll find someone with an American Strat neck to trade for it, so I can finish my new strat project. I was actually surprised how good it sounds; it's not as buzzy sounding as new Marshall practice amps. It sounds pretty tube-like, so I could imagine that it'd record well. It sounds like a low-volume JCM800, which is sort of expected, being from 1986.

Billy Gibbons is fond of those old SS amps. He recorded with em a bunch. I have a lead 12 that I hook into my cabs and it can get some good rock tones. Definately fussier to get the goods but they are still cool little amps. Much like the newer Vox SS guys that sound fantastic.

Sweet. GJ. Can you play through all of them at the same time?! You truly have your own inndoor sound garden, that's for sure.

I need to start skipping pawnshops amp; hit the Goodwill

I bet it would sound cool thru a 4x12

Nice score, I've got the full-stack. The Lead12 was great, mine was made in England, and has 2 10quot; Celestions. Soundwise, It was based off the JCM 800's.

Nice gear, btw.

GJ, you're magnet for good gear at good prices.
Clips? Actually, if you have time, clip a bit of everything!

Cool score! That is the amp the BFG used to record Recycler...the whole ambul was a Lead 12 with the speaker leads run out to a single G12 Celestion just laying on the ground and miced up!


Originally Posted by PUCKBOY99I need to start skipping pawnshops amp; hit the Goodwill

I bet it would sound cool thru a 4x12

Heck, all I find at Goodwill is old clothes that people write there name on the tags. Who in the heck is Calvin or Tommy

I keep saying it....those old 80's Marshall SS amps KICK @$$ for what they are...far cry from the MG crap they produce today!

I had that exact amp Joe..52xx something or other, IIRC? Scratchy pots are quite common with these. And yeah, those were top quality..made in England..good celestion speakers, etc

Yeah about 200-300 is the going rate for those. I've been looking for a lead 12 HEAD only to run into a 2x12 cab. I used to run my lead 12 head into my Laney cab for home practice..BIG BEEFY Marshall tone. Back off the gain a bit and run a TS in front of it...very fun lead tones!

heh... they were forced to make GOOD SS amps if they wanted them to sell good cos the valve amps were a dime a dozen back in the day

Killer Diller! Keep it Bro, they don't make 'em like that anymore! They take Boss pedals like a champ too (low input) for the mostly most! Tap that wood too. Solid, aint it???!!!

I can see it now, a bunch of guitar heads will all be hitting their local goodwill resell shops in hopes of scoring old amps!

Very cool find in an odd place.


Originally Posted by the guy who invented fireCool score! That is the amp the BFG used to record Recycler...the whole ambul was a Lead 12 with the speaker leads run out to a single G12 Celestion just laying on the ground and miced up!

It doesn't surprise me that people would use it as a recording amp, since it's a 30W amp that sounds exactly like a scaled down JCM800 halfstack. It has a nice tight low end, and the whole amp is voiced so good I might actually keep it.Originally Posted by JeffBI keep saying it....those old 80's Marshall SS amps KICK @$$ for what they are...far cry from the MG crap they produce today!

I had that exact amp Joe..52xx something or other, IIRC? Scratchy pots are quite common with these. And yeah, those were top quality..made in England..good celestion speakers, etc

Yeah, I kinda knew what to expect with this, since I remember the SS Marshalls from the 80's, but I always wanted more gain when I was a teenager. Now that I know what tone these were designed for, I appreciate it much more, for what it does. The pots were REALLY scratchy and dropping out, so I thought I might need to replace them. As soon as I'd soaked them and twisted them for awhile, they came back sounding flawless.
This one is called a model 5010.