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NAD - 1987 Marshall Artist 3203


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I got a fair deal on a pretty clean this 30 watt, 80's JCM era, two channel Marshall head.  2 x EL34 tubes, solid state pre-amp, 12AX7 inverter.  I like the clean channel, and when cranked up it sounds real good too.  The dirty channel only has a volume, gain, and tone but I can get easy good sounds with it.  
Previous owner had a couple minor mods  done, supposedly to make it work & sound better.  Not sure what it sounds like without them but this amp sounds great to me.  The wattage and physical size, being smaller than a full size head, is a plus to me.

Running it thru a 1x12 open back cab with a Legend GB128 at home.  Possibly would buy a matching 1965 or 1966 cabinet or maybe build a 2x12.  Not sure.  Next year should have better prospects for playing Live with it so a bigger cab is not a priority yet.

Story is,, I saw this amp on CL in March and set up a time to see it but it was the start of COVID so I backed out.  I told the seller I would be sitting tight for a while.  He pulled the listing.  I didn't know if he had sold it or what.   I'd been thinking about the amp for a couple months so at the end of June I found his number to see if he still had it and would sell. No response for two weeks.  Then out of no-where he texted back so we got it done.

 

Any other 3203 owners, fans or detractors out there?

 

 

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I had the combo version for a while. I liked it but never majorly bonded with it, so I moved it on. Probably should have given it more of a go, but I was kinda in "TUBES ONLY" mode at that point. I wanted to see what a solid state preamp with tube power amp could do.

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Crank that clean channel and be prepared to be sterilized afterwords. When I was a kid, a local player played a 68 LP Custom into a full Artist Stack. I purchased one 2 years ago and like most Marshalls, I could not stand the overdrive but loved cranking the clean channel to break up. 

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53 minutes ago, bubs_42 said:

Crank that clean channel and be prepared to be sterilized afterwords. When I was a kid, a local player played a 68 LP Custom into a full Artist Stack. I purchased one 2 years ago and like most Marshalls, I could not stand the overdrive but loved cranking the clean channel to break up. 

Cranking the clean is awesome, I can see an attenuator in my future for sure.   I do like the overdrive on this amp, so two usable channels.  My other amps are a Classic 30, with a great cleans that break up nicely but an overdrive that really stinks. and a H&K 20th Anniversary where the clean channel is pristine and doesn't break up but the overdrive channel is a little too harsh for me

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6 minutes ago, butcher said:

I'm kinda partial to them

 

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Anyone else get the feeling that Rob Halford is about to ride out on a Harley and by those stacks in that photo?

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I used to gig with one back in the early 90’s.  I had the same head with a pair of matching 4x10 cabs...a slant & a straight...a full but smaller stack.  It was fun.  Both channels sounded good to me at the time.

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17 hours ago, butcher said:

I'm kinda partial to them

Ha, I had no idea. I respect this man even more now!

10 hours ago, bsteff666 said:

I used to gig with one back in the early 90’s.

As did I, first through the matching 2x12 slant cab, then through a 4x12. Sounded great live. Still have it and literally just plugged into it about a half hour ago after not having done so in a while. Sadly it's not working properly.

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Great replies on the thread, I appreciate it.  Looks like we've got some current/former owners here @The Shark @tbonesullivan @bubs_42 @Biz Prof @bsteff666 @MCChris
The clear expert here might be @butcher with his room full of cabinets, but to all I ask:
What's your preferred cabinet with these, and why?  I've got some time to wait for a Mashall 1965 (4x10) or  Marshall 1966 (2x12) to come up for sale.  Other wise I've been thinking about buying something like this StageCraft Blackjack  or building a diagonal 2x12. I'd definitely consider a 4x10 if it's that much better.  I'm way more familiar with 12 inch speakers, prefer them in 1x combos I've had and frankly, it's less expensive to use two 12s over 4x10s.   Goals is getting sound closer to my ears, moving some air, but  also having a practical size is my thinking.  I got rid of my 4x12 a few years ago and I don't see myself going back them.

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As I mentioned, I owned the slant 2x12 cab and a friend has the straight 4x10 cab. I actually prefer the sound of the 4x10. Fuller with a faster, tighter response.

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3 minutes ago, MCChris said:

As I mentioned, I owned the slant 2x12 cab and a friend has the straight 4x10 cab. I actually prefer the sound of the 4x10. Fuller with a faster, tighter response.

I've seen comments elsewhere, preferring the 4x10 which is why I ask.  I hope you can get your 3203 working better without too much hassle. 👍

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1 minute ago, JOE_CPWE said:

I've seen comments elsewhere, preferring the 4x10 which is why I ask.  I hope you can get your 3203 working better without too much hassle. 👍

Me too, although I mainly keep it around for nostalgia. It doesn't get much use, but the sentimental value far exceeds what I'd get for it on the used market.

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33 minutes ago, MCChris said:

As I mentioned, I owned the slant 2x12 cab and a friend has the straight 4x10 cab. I actually prefer the sound of the 4x10. Fuller with a faster, tighter response.

Yes.  I agree.  Tight low end.  I loved the 1965 A&B cabs.  Sounded really good & so much easier to toss in the car & take to gigs.  This discussion is making me wish I still had that rig.

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25 minutes ago, MCChris said:

It really did roar through a 4x12:

 

Yeah, there's no shortage of 4x12's out there these days, that's for sure.

3 minutes ago, bsteff666 said:

 This discussion is making me wish I still had that rig.

Guitar forums tend to do that!
Seems like I can't help myself from turning on my 'new' 3202 at least once a day,

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I had the combo version. I forget what type of speaker it had in it, but it was nice. I wish I had given it more of a try.  I've historically had bad luck going after Marshall amps. I don't see WHY they couldn't have made a DSL 50 COMBO instead of the 40 with its high chance of catching on fire when they still made them in the U.K. Instead I have a TSL122 Boat Anchor that will probably sink into the ground before I find a buyer.

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20 minutes ago, tbonesullivan said:

I had the combo version. I forget what type of speaker it had in it, but it was nice. I wish I had given it more of a try.  I've historically had bad luck going after Marshall amps. I don't see WHY they couldn't have made a DSL 50 COMBO instead of the 40 with its high chance of catching on fire when they still made them in the U.K. Instead I have a TSL122 Boat Anchor that will probably sink into the ground before I find a buyer.

 

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5 hours ago, tbonesullivan said:

I had the combo version. I forget what type of speaker it had in it, but it was nice. I wish I had given it more of a try.  I've historically had bad luck going after Marshall amps. I don't see WHY they couldn't have made a DSL 50 COMBO instead of the 40 with its high chance of catching on fire when they still made them in the U.K. Instead I have a TSL122 Boat Anchor that will probably sink into the ground before I find a buyer.

Mine came with a Vintage 30. 

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