Zoner Posted June 12, 2007 Posted June 12, 2007 I have a chance to pick up one of these locally and need to know if they are capable of doing the deed properly. I have owned/loved a Silver Jubilee in the past and am a big fan of the "classic" Marshall crunchy tone that my Boogie MKIIC+ doesn't seem to like to do. The Jubilees are now out of my price range and I am not a big fan of the more recent stuff from Marshall since I have also owned/blown up a DSL401, a JTM30, and a JCM800 50 watter. The hybrid aspect is what makes me think twice I guess, but I'm not a total tube snob. I am wondering if this can get the power tubes going pretty good without getting painfully loud. I want to know if the Artist is a decent crunch machine and am curious about their reliability as well. I don't expect much on the clean side so any comments about the drive quality are what I'm after. Thanks for any input. Z
BCR Greg Posted June 12, 2007 Posted June 12, 2007 Add a set of JJ EL34s and it will do fine. I have had one for 20 years and I love it.
MCChris Posted June 12, 2007 Posted June 12, 2007 Owned one since 1989 and it was my main amp thru most of the '90s. First of all, these are not true channel switchers but rather single channel amps with a footswitchable boost. So basically your options are low-gain crunch and higher gain saturation, though with the boost off and your guitar's volume rolled back you can get it cleaner.Also, these are LOUD amps. The sweet spot on mine is at about 4 on the master, which is certainly gig volume and flat-out roaring thru a 4x12.Cool amps, basically a poor man's JCM800 and a red-headed stepchild of the Marshall line for sure.
silentman Posted June 12, 2007 Posted June 12, 2007 Bought one new back in the day. Had the matching 4x10 for a long time.
Zoner Posted June 12, 2007 Author Posted June 12, 2007 Thanks for the input. If I'm not mistaken the Marshall 1965A 4x10 was the cab that went with it originally? Does it play well with distorto pedals in front for that "extra added something" when it's time to solo? Z
MCChris Posted June 12, 2007 Posted June 12, 2007 Thanks for the input. If I'm not mistaken the Marshall 1965A 4x10 was the cab that went with it originally? Does it play well with distorto pedals in front for that "extra added something" when it's time to solo? ZI used either a Boss Super Overdrive or an MXR Micro Amp in front of mine for years with excellent results. Plus it has a great effects loop, so running something through that will give you a significant volume boost that you don't get from modern loops designed for rack gear.I had the matching 2x12 but there was no turning back after I plugged it into a 4x12.
halide Posted June 12, 2007 Posted June 12, 2007 with a few minor tweaks they can be really good sounding amps. ss preamp circuit, 12ax7 PI and a 2xel34 power amp section. they shine at louder volumes when the power tubes get pumping.
Zoner Posted June 16, 2007 Author Posted June 16, 2007 Thanks all for the feedback on the 3203. I picked it up and found it to be a perfect representation of the classic Marshall "crunch" sound - it totally nailed it! I found the "clean" side to be a crispy, raspy mess however until I did a simple mod that seems to be universally recommended on the Marshall Forum and HC reviews. One clipped resistor to take the bright circuit out of the chain and it is suddenly a 2-channel masterpiece. I also found that before the mod it had nothing to offer when rolling back the volume knob on the guitar in the "boost" channel, but now it responds beautifully to pick attack and volume knob manipulation. I'm digging it. Loud little bastard, though. I'm running the master volume WFO, clean volume WFO, gain at 8.5 and boost volume around 4. Sweetness! Thanks again, gents. Z
MCChris Posted June 16, 2007 Posted June 16, 2007 Thanks all for the feedback on the 3203. I picked it up and found it to be a perfect representation of the classic Marshall "crunch" sound - it totally nailed it! I found the "clean" side to be a crispy, raspy mess however until I did a simple mod that seems to be universally recommended on the Marshall Forum and HC reviews. One clipped resistor to take the bright circuit out of the chain and it is suddenly a 2-channel masterpiece. I also found that before the mod it had nothing to offer when rolling back the volume knob on the guitar in the "boost" channel, but now it responds beautifully to pick attack and volume knob manipulation. I'm digging it. Loud little bastard, though. I'm running the master volume WFO, clean volume WFO, gain at 8.5 and boost volume around 4. Sweetness! Thanks again, gents. ZSweet! Loud little bastard is right! Whatcha running it thru?
Zoner Posted June 16, 2007 Author Posted June 16, 2007 Thanks all for the feedback on the 3203. I picked it up and found it to be a perfect representation of the classic Marshall "crunch" sound - it totally nailed it! I found the "clean" side to be a crispy, raspy mess however until I did a simple mod that seems to be universally recommended on the Marshall Forum and HC reviews. One clipped resistor to take the bright circuit out of the chain and it is suddenly a 2-channel masterpiece. I also found that before the mod it had nothing to offer when rolling back the volume knob on the guitar in the "boost" channel, but now it responds beautifully to pick attack and volume knob manipulation. I'm digging it. Loud little bastard, though. I'm running the master volume WFO, clean volume WFO, gain at 8.5 and boost volume around 4. Sweetness! Thanks again, gents. ZSweet! Loud little bastard is right! Whatcha running it thru?Just so happens I have had the Marshall 1965A 4x10 cab for the last several years - the cab that this bugger was designed to work with. Been running my Boogies, an old Kustom, and a THD Univalve through it but now have a proper 1/2 stack and it is a match made in heaven. Well, Great Britain actually, but it sounds mighty fine! Extremely portable as well, which is a bonus for my aging carcass. Z
El Kabong Posted June 17, 2007 Posted June 17, 2007 They are the secret bargain of the Marshall's. After clipping the resistor, swap out the OT for a Mercury Magnetics unit and and smile for days.
Zoner Posted June 17, 2007 Author Posted June 17, 2007 They are the secret bargain of the Marshall's. After clipping the resistor, swap out the OT for a Mercury Magnetics unit and and smile for days.Well, the power tranny has already been swapped out for the MM version due to the stocker popping (previous owner), but the original Drake OT is in place. I thought the OT's were good to go but the PT's not so much? Any sonic payoff in swapping the Drake OT for a Mercury or is it just a reliability thing? It sure seems like a bargain at.............................................Tree Fiddy! Z
Brooks Posted June 17, 2007 Posted June 17, 2007 I am not a big fan of the more recent stuff from Marshall since I have also owned/blown up a DSL401, a JTM30haha!! i feel ya chris, i blew up a jtm60 about 7 years ago, great sounding amp while it worked.
Zoner Posted June 17, 2007 Author Posted June 17, 2007 Brooks, I have that "magic" touch, but hope this one survives! Z
El Kabong Posted June 17, 2007 Posted June 17, 2007 They are the secret bargain of the Marshall's. After clipping the resistor, swap out the OT for a Mercury Magnetics unit and and smile for days.Well, the power tranny has already been swapped out for the MM version due to the stocker popping (previous owner), but the original Drake OT is in place. I thought the OT's were good to go but the PT's not so much? Any sonic payoff in swapping the Drake OT for a Mercury or is it just a reliability thing? It sure seems like a bargain at.............................................Tree Fiddy! ZThat depends on your personal taste in sound and what is important to you. I can spend all day, rolling vintage tubes, mixing and matching just to hear something that most couldn't care less about. MM makes a few different types for different tastes. If the price is more than you wish to spend Heyboer makes a good product and they don't need to recoup ad revenue. The best and most economical improvement in many amps I have experimented with, is using *Analysis Plus speaker wire internally. For about $20 off the spool, you will not believe the extra *extention, clarity, *soundstage and *bloom you will gain effortlessly. I agree that with many of the high end studio cables, a gigging musician would be wasting his/ her hard earned cash. But in the cab, you will not believe the marked improvement a little cable makes.*This lexus has been preapproved by Dr. Hollice P. Buttermoore, 6 stringed furniture collector.
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.