All user reviews for the Marshall MG100DFX

I came across this amp on the internet after searching for months for a new amp. I bought it from a my local store nevada for £239 on sale.

For under £300 this is a great amp alround. I play rock/indie music and this amp delivers everything from light distortion heavy distortion to a warm clean tone. It comes with a 2 channel marshall footswitch which is great for gigging when needing to change from clean to distortion and for turning effects on and off. That is also another great thing about the amp, the built in effects. These include chorus, chorus/delay, Delay and Flanger. It also has a seperate Reverb effect with its own volume control. 100W of power.

Well being only 15, its quite a heavy amp to carry to band practices and gigs. Nothing else is bad about this amp and ive had no problems so far. Also I would realy like to be able to put an extension cabinet for more power but you cannot put one of these into this amp.

The amp is briliantly put together and as i said above ive had no problems so far. Nothing is lose on it.

Great amp for an affordable price, great tones and effects. Get one of these if you have this price range.

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

$429 from Musicians Friend
I bought it to get an amp that would be small enough to practice with but loud enough to gig with.

This thing rocks. EXCELLENT distortion sounds (sounds about as close to tube distortion as you are going to get with solid-state technology) and the effects are great! I play mostly nu-metal/hardcore and this amp is adequate for what I need. You get very smooth sounds all around. My favorite effect is the chorus but it boosts the volume big time so prepare to go deaf. Oh yeah and this amp is LOUD AS HELL. I have never turned the master volume up past about 6 even at practice with a full band. We don't even bother hooking this thing up to the PA...it can hold its own.

It would be nice if the reverb was switchable on the footswitch, but thats not a huge deal to me. I definitely don't like the fact that the amp gave up on me (hahaha)...read on!....

Alright, here it is.......
I'm not going to hold this against Marshall because with solid state technology (basically circuit boards and s%#* from countries like Japan) you are going to get lemons. Try ordering a computer motherboard nowadays...you have a 50% chance of it working out of the box. Well anyway, this amp worked GREAT for 6 months. I got it in August of 2003. About 4 weeks ago I was practicing with my band at a reasonable volume with OD2 on and we started hearing a wierd noise. At first I didn't believe it was coming from my amp but it only got worse and worse. It sounded like I had a BROKEN noise gate hooked up or something.....the amp was cutting out half of the sound and there was NO sustain whatsoever (even with a Flying V with EMG pickups!).
I had also been having problems with the fan making noise but it was only about twice a month or so and it never lasted long.
I took the amp to an authorized Marshall warranty/repair tech and had him look at it...he didn't find ANYTHING wrong with it. (after waiting 2 weeks for him to get to my amp and check it out). When I took it home, the exact same problem started over again. This time I called him and made him listen to it over the phone!! Now the amp is BACK in the shop and he HAS heard it make the stranged noises. Marshall is sending two fans (one for my amp and one for a MG250DFX that he has in the shop with the same fan problem) which should arrive early next month.....either way it is going to be another 3 weeks before I have an amp again.

Like I said, I definitely won't hold this against Marshall...and I WOULD buy another Marshall even after a hellacious experience like this. Their warranty service is great but slow.

The bottom line is I ordered a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier. I have been without an amp for 3 weeks now because of this thing and I'm getting tired of playing through a PA with distortion pedals!
I still love the sound of this amp and when I get it back it will be my practice amp until it blows up!
I would reccomend this amp to anybody but get it from a local dealer if possible so they can replace it on the spot if anything goes wrong...you DON'T want to have to go through what I'm going through!

I'm giving this amp a 4 but ONLY because of my experience!

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

Paid $360 out-the-door. Brand new at Guitar Center / Tucson, Arizona. Need gig capable amp with above average tonal qualities and some built-in effects, needed mostly reverb and perhaps chorus, as well as decent clean channel and some type of distortion. Since I have all kinds of pedals, I wasn't putting to many expectations on the amp I was seeking. Wanted the tube sound without the tube cost and hassles.

I like absolutely everything about this amp. From its very fine clean channel, to the OD2 distortion, which is extremely compressed at the high end. An OD1/OD2 contour button, along with the 3-band eq allows an enormous amount of tone sculpting, provided you give yourself the time to experiment. The FDD button really does a fine job of emulating the tube sound and I never turn it off, so the FDD button on, along with the OD1 channel sounds pretty much like an overdriven tube amp... I'd know, because my buddy owns a JTM60 head and 1960 4x12 cab. Oddly, I think this amp sounds much better at all volume levels... clearer, finer and much smarter.

There is nothing I don't like about this amp. When I bought it, I knew what I was buying and why and it has and surpassed expectations. I have read complaints about the circuitry cooling fan being too loud... and I roll my eyes in disbelief. The fan is barely audible. Yes, perhaps the headphone out/emulated line out is not very loud, but surly loud enough me thinks. A little more foot control would have been nice, I suppose... such as reverb on/off, but that is a minor quibble and seeks not to detract from this amps enormous qualities.

This Marshall amp is actually made in the USA by KORG, but this is not so much an issue of quality, because it is actually much better built than most Marshall amps I have seen in recent years that were made in England by Marshall. This licensing was a measure to reduce the price, and it has. The amp is built like a tank.

This amp has its detractors. Arguments against this amp are mostly very subjective and would not apply to you nor I. I find this amp to be very versatile, for it packs a huge volumetric punch in a suitcase sized box. It has some standard effects built in, so one has not to worry about dragging all the stomp boxes around. The amp is a gig capable and gig worthy pick-it-up-and-go-to-the-show type of amp. It also sounds very good at low volume and can stand in as a pratice amp with potential. Most of all though, this amp sounds very good, can emulate a tube amp very closely and you will never have any tube expenses or tube worries... and we all know about that. Good tubes are expensive. If you are in the market for a high wattage amp, just go to a music store that has one of these on diplay for sound testing and play a few chords... that is all it will take, I'm pretty sure you will walk away with one of these. I know I did.

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

I got this from a local star music store.The people were nice and also gave me an extra strap and picks and stuff. My dad bargained to around $420.

Well, everything! 100 watts.Best distortion ever.Great effects.Great for gigs and everything else.

When I switch from clean to lead it blasts way too loud and scares the crap out of me.
Wheighs way too much definitley needs wheels.

Built so thick you could run it over with a tank. Grade AAAA quality.

If you get it.You won't regret this buy.Comes with footswitch.For serious players

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

Joining a band I needed more than my feeble little practice amp to contend with the drums and bass, and to play rock I wanted an explosive overdrive channel. Seeing the amp in my local music store ("Professional Music Technology"-Oxford) for £300, I tried it out and was blown away by its power, tone and simplicity. After laboriously saving up all the cash I was told by the guy at the till that he would sell it for £280! No problem, I just threw in some mean headphones as well. Sorted!

One word springs to mind, flexibility. This amp has a clean channel for blissfully sweet jazz or rolling ballads, and a parallel 'crunch' channel for those driving rock rhythms or a disgustingly dirty punky mess. One tap on the footswitch provided and the tone is sent flying into flaming overdrive or screaming distortion. The best bit being you control the degree of intensity with the gain knobs, and the 'contour' control for the overdrive channel; which allows your own unique modelling of the distortion from good old drive to pure thrash mayhem. Both channels have 3-band E.Q, leaving the possibilities endless. Also provided is Marshall's special F.D.D button (frequency dependant damping) that brilliantly simulates that timeless marshall valve tone without the need to pawn away your family heirlooms. I never even turn it off! The reverb is authentic and adds texture and depth to any of the channels (don't get carried away though!) The CD in jack lets you attempt to play along with those guitar heros you aspire to, and the emulated line out jack is perfect for studio/home recordings and for playing silently away past your neighbours' bedtime (as long as you have some decent headphones).
What more could we ask for? I hear you say. Well, the icing on the cake has to be the parallel digital effects (chorus, flange, dalay, delay + chorus), selected with a knob that also determines the speed of the desired effect. There is an additional 'FX level' control, letting you add either subtle or overpowering layers to your sound, and its still all up to you! The effects loop is another welcome addition (if the three internal effects weren't enough for you demanding guitar players!), I personally use my Crybaby wah pedal through it, but no matter if that doesn't float your boat, just stuff any pedals you want onto it.
Both at home and on stage the amp can cut through the mix, while being light enough for most people to carry on their own.
Overall, however, the tone is what satisfies me the most about this amp, and every time I turn it on I can hardly believe that the thick, rich vibes could possibly be from a solid state amp, but hearing is believing.

I have become quite emotionally attached to the soft whirr of the cooling fan as I turn the amp on, although some might find this irritating at first. One feature I do have complaints about is the way one has to lean over and press the little button in order to swith between crunch and clean instead of being able to use the footswitch mid song. However, I find that lowering the gain on the crunch results in a slightly overdriven clean tone that is now a definite favourite for me. Any devotee to analogue effects and real sizzlin' tubes will not be attracted by the prospect of an amp that simulates these, although I for one am utterly convinced. An addition I would have made would be to include a volume control for the headphone and emulated line out jack, as I find it a bit quiet sometimes, but maybe I'm just going deaf. My last quibble is the lack of a reverb on/off switch on the footswitch, but come to think of it I don't think anyone cares!

Having dropped it on my feet on numerous occasions I can safely say that the moulded plastic cabinet is tough and durable, while remaining surprisingly light. Nothing has broken on my amp yet, and the knobs especially avoid that common affliction of being easily knocked off. The speaker is safe behind the solid mesh which has survived many an onslaught by the odd flying drumstick. The handle feels very secure, and I can only hope it will stay this way. After considerable bashings the amp has kept its Marshall reputation of being a very well put together piece of kit, and I almost wonder whether it shouldn't come with a lifetime guarantee!

The Marshall 100DFX amplifier is the perfect choice for any guitarist seeking a loud, flexible and affordable amplifier that will not require a great deal of additional purchase. For guitarists, especially ones joining a band or looking to start playing at live venues or in the studio, this amp provides ample means to do so, and accomodates for a vast range of musical styles. My technique has greatly improved since I bought the amp, and it has allowed me far more freedom with my instrument. If it sounds like the amp for you, then its time to start saving!

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

I needed a really good amp that had TUBE-AMP qualities without the hassle of replacing tubes and that ever-dreaded TUBE-AMP price tag. I went to my local Marshall dealer and found the new MG series. I tried out the whole line and was most satisfied with the MG100 DFX. i bought it immedately. I paid $500.00. An EXCELLENT deal!!!

My amp has a great FULL sound. I love it when i kick in the FDD. The overdrive channel is amazing. Also the effects are to die for!!!! I love it because the louder it gets THE MORE TONE IT HAS!!!...and it's not huge!!!

The clean channel is super but ti could be a little bit more clean. Other than that this amp rocks!!! I would recommend it to anyone!!!!

The quality is superior!!! You will not find an amp this good for this price from any other manufacturer!! I guarentee it!!! It's solid, solid, solid. I've taken it everywhere and have not had the problems I've experienced with other amps!!! And it's super easy to use!!!! Thanks Marshall!!!

I love this amp. I'm going out to buy the FULL MG100HDFX STACK next summer!!! Marshall just keeps getting better and better!!!

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

I bought this amp at my local Guitar Center. Me and my friends have a band and my Crate Gx30m just wasn't loud enough compared to my friends Valvestate 80 (8080). I payed $425 i believe.

My Marshall is nice and loud. The effects on it Are great. I also liek the fact that it comes with a foot pedal. The FDD but is great it makes the amp sound so much better, almost like a tube amp.

There isn't much that I don't liek about this amp. The distortion is pretty good but it could be better, the OD2 channel is a little sqeaky but it is still nice.

The quality of this amp is good overall we have had a few gigs and it has help up well. It seems to be very stirdy.

If you need a loud reliable amp, to use for gigs or just to mess around with you should consider spending your money on a Marshall Mg100dfx.

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

Living in the UK, I purchased this amp from Nevada Music in Portsmouth (www.nevada.co.uk). I have to say the service was excellent, living at the other end of the country, in the middle of the countryside, I recieved this within 24 hours of ordering!
I paid £269 for it, with free shipping since they ship for free on orders over £100.

It may not be a valve amp, but it is Marshall and so the build quality and sound for a solid state is excellent. The price is great for what it offers. The distortion is pretty damn good, and the clean channel is superbly clean.
Offering a crunch mode on the clean and two overdrive channels, with ample effects built in it is great value for money. The FDD feature (which they claim replicates the valve sound) works fairly well. Doesn't match a valve amp, but definitely improves on the plain solid state sound. Adds that bit of warmth and roundness to it.
Plus with it being a 100watt amp, it is more than loud enough to play small gigs, and more over, for my band to practice effectively.

Well, only thing I can complain about is that it's not a valve amp, but for the price it's kind of unfair to complain about that!
I do plan to get a valve head and cabs, but for now with the money I had this was the best I could get, and it certainly pleases!

Being Marshall, the build quality seems excellent. It's extremely sturdy, and weighs in fairly handsomely! It's about 1 and a half foot square, and half as deep, and weighs in at about 25kg. Getting it all positioned on a decent 'plinth' I think I almost tore a muscle...

Superb value for money, and a remarkably good sound quality. Definitely worthy to hold the Marshall badge.
Looking forward to seeing how it deals with pedals, and the effect input on the back, to add another stage of effects to the preamp seperate from the guitar line.
It get's 5 stars in my heart for being so good for the price, but loses a star technically since a Marshall valve amp will always beat it.

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

I just played this head 3 days ago at a local dealer. I dont have one of my own yet but I will be buying one very soon.

The Best thing about this head is the price. Its a great sounding head to be solid state. The price at the local dealer in NC is $399. Where are you going to find a Marshall head for that price ??? I used to have a Marshall 50 Watt Tube Head that was made in 1980 and this amp doesnt even compare to the Awesome tube sound but still its probably the best solid state distortion Ive ever heard. Really great for Heavy Metal. And the Clean Channel is just that "CLEAN" with no flaws whatsoever.

Well first off its not a tube head. Yeah some guys say it sounds as good as a tube head but I guarantee you if they play through a Tube Marshall a week they wont tell you that. Nothing can compare to the warmth a EL34 Tube makes. BUT your not going to find a NEW WARANTEED Tube head for nowhere near this price. And thats why Im going solid state myself is for the money factor. Like I say for a Solid State head you cant go wrong. If you can afford a Marshall tube head Thats what you should buy. However if your a poor broke countryboy like me and still want a great sound this is the amp. Hey it sure beats the crap out of the TUBE Yamaha head I used to own.

Well as I said I just played it at a dealer and dont yet own my own but the construction seemed really durable. Ive never once saw a Marshall Tube, Solid State, or whatever that wasnt built like a brick wall. Hey on the construction they kill. But what do you expect from a name like Marshall ???????

The bottom line is Money. Buy what ya can afford. If ya cant afford tube Marshalls then this is what ya need to buy. Ive been playing Metal over 13 years now and in the past a new Marshall Head at this price was unheard of regardless of being Valvestate, or Tube. Even the Valvestate Marshalls which are sorta the cross breed of a Tube head and a solid state head are going to cost you much more than this head. If your on a budget buy this amp and you wont be sorry. No doubt about it!!

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

Upgraded from Marshall MG30DFX
Was interested in the additional headroom. outboard effects loop and master volume control.
cost £270 delivered

For the money this is one serious amplifier; winner of sub £900 cat in the 2002 Guitarist poll.

Great range of controlable tones both clean and distorted. The master volume allows thise tonies to be turned down to suit a small playing area.

Solid contruction.
Supplied 2 way foot switch.

Its a 100 watt Marshall.......

At this price can not think of anything.

Looks pretty tidy and able to take a few knocks. Cheap enough to replace if you are seriously gigging with it every few years.

If you try one ~ you will buy one.

Its a 100 watt Marshall on the cheap.


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

Aquired the unit at Macron Music Central Coast, Sydney, Australia. I'm 18 years old and after going through a couple of fenders there was only one place to go. I was after the next step up in my guitar playing and this amp offered everything i wanted in design, sound and price. I was going to get the 50 watter but was reccomended against it by a few people for issues concerning quality rather than wattage. But don't worry all thise people also reccomended this amp.

AUS$880 - $450US

The amp has 2 or 3 channels depending on how you want to look at it. The thing just sounds amazing. I love playing the blues so for me it's everything i wanted and more. By just turning the contour knob you can come from belting out an ACDC riff to non-stop punk rock. I seem to use the overdrive channel more than the clean, but with four different kinds of marshall distortion wouldn't you!

If there was only one thing i could comment on it would have to be the clarity. No matter how distorted this thing gets you can still hear every note.

The construction is solid and it looks beautiful and hey it doesn't sound to bad with your stereo running throught it either!

the unit is perfect, i have only one problem at the moment. If you're after a high range tone with the bass lowered this might not be the amp for you but hey, that's the reason i went for a marshall!

The clean channel has a smooth creamy clear tone with an independant gain control, mid, bass and treble and a clean crunch button so you can have distortion on both channels.
The overdrive channel has the same but contains contour, independant volume and a switch to change from distorted to really distorted.
The digital effects include chorus, delay, flange and independant reverb. These are contolled by the FX level control.
Finally there is a master volume and a switch that allows the combination of new marshall technology to create valve emulation.

Just a couple more things
cd input
line out and headphone jack
some fx jacks on the back
oh, and a fan to keep your 12 inch speaker nice and cool.

The construction is as solid as a rock. There's nothing on it you can break if it's reasonably looked after.

The footswitch provided feels like solid metal with chrome buttons to switch between channels and turn the FX on and off.

It is pretty big having something like a 59cm by 57cm face and weighs 23.5kg but i'm 6'2 so i don't notice.

Probably one of most affordable combo amps on the market and also the best. If you want something to play on stage with and hate the weight of a stack this is the amp for you. I'll never need another amp again.

Get out and buy one of these

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

I was looking for a realtivley cheap, gig ready amp that had greta tonal qualities and was reasonably versatille. I paid £225 new.

This amp is great. Its got a really great sounding clean channel with soundds mimicking exactly that of a valve amp. The reverb is very natural sounding and when turned up delivers a great live sound. The Overdrive is superb. OD1 has a blues like Hendrix'y sound whereas OD2 has got tonnes of low end grunt- great for metal

The effects on this amp are a little limited but what there is of premier Marshall quality

This amp is solidly built, the finnish is great ohb and its heavy...very heavy.

Great amp, why spend £400 on a valve when you can spend £200 and get the same sound

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

All Tansist, 100W

UTILIZATION

The manual is adequate
Configuration disastrous, of the channels with enormous volumes of diference!
Do you get a good sound easy?
Haha good joke, Des soufles, treble has to tear out your eardrums and bass choke '
Effects programmed by a deaf, Serious!

SOUNDS

It is inappropriate in any way, in no style, no heat, no attendance.
I have a Pod X3 Live, which is great, but this amp is really a waste.

OVERALL OPINION

It's not my style to be mean, but truly, I say what I think.

A beginner will find nothing wrong parcontre, ca 4 years do I have this amp, I always felt a mnanque.
This impression was real when I start trying other amps.
My other amp has nothing to do with this 'thing' that is the Marshall MG
I know its sound, hard to find more crap.
250-300 euros for the piece of scrap metal, it's a scam ...
It is worth 100 and more!

I agree with all those who rated poorly!
Do not get fooled!