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iamqman « Rock history »
Published on 07/11/11 at 21:59One of the most highly sought after Marshall in history. This amp was a modern marvel at the time. It had features that Marshall guys put in it that put it above anything they have ever done at the time. This thing was a tone monster and the features were out of this world. Today you can still find them in the classifieds and online but you'll pay a lot of money for a 15 watt combo. These amps sounded more like Vox amps then they did a Marshall. Most likely because they used 6v6 power tubes instead of El34 or 6l6's. This was the first and only amp from the fellas at Marshall to feature these tubes.
UTILIZATION
# 15 watts, all tube. 2 6V6 power tubes. The first and only Marshall to use 6V6's.
# Built-in attenuator: 25 watt, 10 ohm, wire-wound power resistor. The "speaker emulator" [one user's term] is "nice for headphone use or for recording use". The first and only Marshall amp to include a built-in attenuator.
# Balanced direct XLR Out - the only guitar amp in the brochure to have this.
# Headphone jack on the back. The first valve amp that had a headphone jack.
# To use the attenuator, you unplug the cable of the built-in speaker from the Speaker Out jack, and plug it into the Headphone Out jack instead.
# Made 1986-1992.
# Controls on the front: From left to right: Input / Gain / Treble / Middle/ Bass / Output Level / Standby / Power.
# Controls on the back: Left to right: Power cable connector / Fuse / Balanced Direct Out (Floating Ground) / Speaker Out 8 ohm (disconnect speaker jack for muted or h'phone use) / Headphone Out / Line Out (unbalanced).
# 1x12 combo.
# 1 channel.
# 12" Celestion Vintage 30 speaker - the first Marshall amp to use this speaker.
# DC preamp tube filaments to minimize hum and noise.
SOUNDS
The tone is fairly Marshal-esque. The ton sounds more like a Vox Ac15 than anything else. The distortion is mild and not as hotrodded as other amps they have done. It has a good breakup but the voicing sounds more of a milder Marshall instead of the angry distortion we have come to know from Marshall.
Like all Marshall's Gibson Les Paul's work best in my opinion. I just prefer this tone of a Les Paul over anything else when dealing with a Marshall amp. I also like a Charvel or a Superstrat of some kind to get that alder body wood tone and still have some beefy humbucker pickups installed.
OVERALL OPINION
These amps have been discontinued in the early 90's. You can find them on evilbay for about $850. That is a bit high for what you would think the used price for an amp like this. I think it is the 6v6 power tubes and the built in attenuator than make this amp unique and more of a collector's piece.
UTILIZATION
# 15 watts, all tube. 2 6V6 power tubes. The first and only Marshall to use 6V6's.
# Built-in attenuator: 25 watt, 10 ohm, wire-wound power resistor. The "speaker emulator" [one user's term] is "nice for headphone use or for recording use". The first and only Marshall amp to include a built-in attenuator.
# Balanced direct XLR Out - the only guitar amp in the brochure to have this.
# Headphone jack on the back. The first valve amp that had a headphone jack.
# To use the attenuator, you unplug the cable of the built-in speaker from the Speaker Out jack, and plug it into the Headphone Out jack instead.
# Made 1986-1992.
# Controls on the front: From left to right: Input / Gain / Treble / Middle/ Bass / Output Level / Standby / Power.
# Controls on the back: Left to right: Power cable connector / Fuse / Balanced Direct Out (Floating Ground) / Speaker Out 8 ohm (disconnect speaker jack for muted or h'phone use) / Headphone Out / Line Out (unbalanced).
# 1x12 combo.
# 1 channel.
# 12" Celestion Vintage 30 speaker - the first Marshall amp to use this speaker.
# DC preamp tube filaments to minimize hum and noise.
SOUNDS
The tone is fairly Marshal-esque. The ton sounds more like a Vox Ac15 than anything else. The distortion is mild and not as hotrodded as other amps they have done. It has a good breakup but the voicing sounds more of a milder Marshall instead of the angry distortion we have come to know from Marshall.
Like all Marshall's Gibson Les Paul's work best in my opinion. I just prefer this tone of a Les Paul over anything else when dealing with a Marshall amp. I also like a Charvel or a Superstrat of some kind to get that alder body wood tone and still have some beefy humbucker pickups installed.
OVERALL OPINION
These amps have been discontinued in the early 90's. You can find them on evilbay for about $850. That is a bit high for what you would think the used price for an amp like this. I think it is the 6v6 power tubes and the built in attenuator than make this amp unique and more of a collector's piece.