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Does anyone out there have (or has anyone played) a Marshall combo they truly feel captures that vintage Marshall classic rock tone?
- Keith

A vintage Marshall combo. Sorry, I couldn't resist.

On a serious note, the newer combos are so so anyway and really don't capture that vibe at all to me. Look for used JCM800 combo, or an 18. I've played through both and would love to own either one.

I played a Bluesbreaker that sounded pretty sweet. I love that amp.


Originally Posted by ErikH...the newer combos are so so anyway and really don't capture that vibe at all to me. Look for used JCM800 combo, or an 18. I've played through both and would love to own either one.

For the JCM800 combo, are you thinking 1x12 (4210) or 2x12 (4104)?

The 4103 (100 watts) or 4104 (50 watts) 2X12's or the 4010 (50 watts 1X12). These are the combo versions of the 2203/2204 heads. I haven't played the split channels so I can't really give a good opinion on them.


Originally Posted by FenderStratRock3I played a Bluesbreaker that sounded pretty sweet. I love that amp.

Was it a vintage or reissue?

The only Marshall Vointage reissue in production is the Bluesbreaker Combo. This is the Amp that Clapton used with the Beano album. It was the first time anyone plugged a Les Paul into a Marshall. It is a classic sound. The Reissue is a very close approximation of the original.

Marshall does have the hand wired series. Thes are also close reproduction of some Vintage Marshalls.

Last year I saw Jeff Beck live. He was playing thru 3 Marshall DSL heads. Switching between them for different sounds. He was able to get some amazing tones out of those DSL Amps. Can they sound like a Plexi? probably not, but they are a very nice sounding amp.

I have a 900 50Watt Combo. I can get some very nice Marshall sounds out of this little Amp. It won't sound like a Plexi or a Bluesbreaker, but it works well for me. Taks a close look at the hand wired Marshalls the !8 watt job looks very impressive.

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I love my Bluesbreaker RI Combo, it reproduces the classic rock tone very well...in fact it is a part of the classic rock tone

There's also the other old JMP combos that were made in the 70's that look like a bluesbreaker that has moved into a extension cab, but I've never tried those out though.

And then the original non-reissue Bluesbreakers, they have different parts than the reissue model from Marshalls vintage series. But they cost a whole fortune.

JCM800 combo's seems good as well, though I'm not familiar with which exact year/model that is considered quot;the bestquot;. Might want to check out a Silver Jubilee Combo also if your going for the JCM800 type.

Oh, and the new handwired 18watters of course. Never tried those out either but they seem to be very good, at least what I've read on different forums on the net.

Just so y'all know where I'm coming from, I have a Mesa DC-5 head and Mesa 2x12 cab with Celestion Vintage 30s. I absolutely love that Angus Young crunch and never have been able to achieve that with the Mesa. I don't know if there's something I can do to the Mesa to give it more of a Marshall tone or if they're just two different animals. Also, as another member posted a few months back, lugging around a head and 2x12 has become supremely unwieldy and I've become accustomed to the combo amp style. (I have an AC-30 and a Super Reverb, both reissues.)
I'd love to get a combo amp that can achieve that great Angus crunch, but I don't know if I'm asking for the impossible.
Am I making sense here?
- Keith
Oh, and I'd be playing this using a Les Paul with the Jimmy Page wiring to get all the crazy tone combinations as well as the straightforward 'bucker tones.

I own a Marshall 4212, which is the 2205 2 channel circuit in a 2x12 combo. When it was stock, the clean sounds were rather flat, but useable. The crunch channel is were it is at. Plenty of tones from AC/DC right through to some 80's metal tones. I had mine modded to have the clean channel approximate a Fender BF circuit, and the drive channel modded to Plexi/2204 tones. Now it is a killer amp.

The speaker output and sound will, IMO, always leave something to be desired in a combo, expecially a open back combo. Part of the quot;Marshall Soundquot; is the closed back cab projection that gives it that thump and meat. The combo will do a decent job with good speakers, don't get me wrong, but it just does it better with an extension cab, either a good 2x12 or a 4x12. If you shop hard, you can get a 2x12 combo for around $600-650, but I see them selling as high as $1k in prime condition. I prefer the 2 channel Marshall's myself which are 4212 for 50w and 4211 for 100w, if memory serves.

Also, check out any Marshall JCM 600's that come along. I owned one of those along with my 4212, and it is a killer amp. Best clean channel (stock) I have ever heard on a Marshall, and the crunch channel is nice too. Not quite as nice as a JCM 800, but pretty damn good. You can pick these up for a much better deal than the JCM 800's.


Originally Posted by Jeff_HAlso, check out any Marshall JCM 600's that come along. I owned one of those along with my 4212, and it is a killer amp. Best clean channel (stock) I have ever heard on a Marshall, and the crunch channel is nice too. Not quite as nice as a JCM 800, but pretty damn good. You can pick these up for a much better deal than the JCM 800's.

I couldn't care less what the clean channel sounds like; I've got that in spades from my Vox and Fender amps. What I want is CRRRRRRUNCH. AC/DC, Zep, Van Halen...that sort of thing. Ya know?

I have a Marshall Studio 15 and I think its totally cool. Its kinda like a JCM 800 at 15 watts and a 1-12. They were made in the mid 80s and only like 500 or something wre made. Hard to find. 2 6V6s.

BTW- I realize its small, but its a loud 15 watts, great for small gigs and perfect for reheasing and recording.

How's the AVT combo's? I've been considering trading my roland in for one, But I wasnt sure.

Ill prolly just sell it and try to get something mesa.

Look to your left.

???


Originally Posted by KGMESSIER???

Traynor Blue YCV50. Fender meets Marshall in one little affordable package.

sorry ask a noob question/hijack thread but what is a quot;Plexiquot;. I saw that mentioned a couple times in this thread, but i have never heard of it before. What is significant about it? To add to the thread though, i played the DSL401 combo and thoughgt it sounded great. EL84's are basically slightly watered down EL34's, should give that nice Angus crunch very easily.