« Marshall Mode Four Half Stack »

I packed up My Gibson SG, Fender Limited edition Fat Strat w/active EMGs and my GNX3 and headed for my local Guitar Center and Sam Ash to check out the 'The Big Amps". It was kinda fun watching them inventory my stuff and fill out the paperwork. This has to be some of the tightest security I've ever seen! I tried every high gain amp and cab combo I could. I mean Crate, Mesa Boogie, Randall, Marshall, Vox and a couple 'off' brands. Honestly, every one of the major brands ROCKED BIG TIME. I wanted a couple of them, but I'm not rich. They all had good points and poor points. I have a Crate 120w combo, but I was after some sort of stack and wanted higher volume (read in Tim 'Tool Time' Taylor type POWER VOLUME). I didn't want to pay for a full stack, but wanted the sound and power. I got it, This was the Amp for me.

The FX loop is way cool. I also like the Amp2 mid three way switch, the EQ mid works with it, both Amps scoop switches work with the EQs too. Having tube preamps means it sounds better loud. This bad boy is LOUD. I chose the 400A cab as to get the full 350 watts from a half stack. I thought the MF cabs easily sounded the best with the MF head, and I tried other cabs because the MF cab is a couple hundred bucks more. I try and get the most for my money. The 400A cab is 8ohms. The 400 cab needs to be plugged into the number 2 plug. The 280 cab in #1 for half stack or both for full stack. There's a chart on the back of the head. This is to match up the impedence of the speaker cab to the amp. The 280 at half stack is 235watts, still not shabby. The angled (A) cab produces a more cutting upper mid and treble that I liked over the (base) B cab. When you 'tweak' the controls for the first time turn the knob quickly from side to side to understand the amount of variation of the tonal control. You can make the amp sound bad to you (to each his own 'bad') by over adjusting the tone from your liking. The Marshall has a definate 'sweet' spot. There is just that much adjustment available in the tones. The manual is available from the Marshall web site. Pay attention to the hints and tips. The balanced outputs for silent recording are awesome. I get the tones through the recorder and don't have to worry about the cab volume. I do have to add bass if I don't mike the cab due to the deep sound of the cab vs. straight to the recorder through the head. I also hook up my amps the the PA and this feature makes it a breeze. I play every style of Rock and Blues and I can get whatever tone I want out of the Mode Four. I also get those tones at extremely high volume. Too Cool

I had to buy a clamp on console light for the head strap handle and color in the dots on the adjustment knobs to see them at low light levels. I think I'll hit my local gun shop for 'dots' like you use on night sights. Marshall should do this. I had to tighten my knobs when I got it. It needs one more handle on each side of the cab as it's heavy. Don't expect your girl friend to help you, no offense ladies, but my wife could really hurt herself tryin' to help me muscle this beast up on stage. The cab weighs in at about 150lbs.

Please, it's a Marshall. It is extremely heavy as it weighs in at about 150lbs.
Seems tough as hell. No major brand of amp I know if is built 'cheap', or nobody would use them due to the high replacement cost.

As far as looks go this is one badass amp.
It's beautiful as well as intimidating. I love the tones and the volume of my Marshall Mode Four Half Stack w/400A cab.
I'm already recording with it. I swear sometimes she....it gives me wood.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com