The Truth About Marshall Stacks (there, I said it)

[Tenafly Viper]

If I could somehow find a a combo of reasonable weight and size that sounded like a Magnatone Tonemaster at 40watts or just a loud 30. I would never use a half stack again. That just doesn't exist at my budget or at all really.

 

[oldrockfan]

I've not used a magnatone but will say it is sure nice having a relatively light 30 watt 1x12 combo. I still love the sound of a marshall half stack but have to say I sure do not miss lugging that thing around. Now that I have the orange thunder 30, I can carry it plus my guitar in one trip! Also nice to be able to just put the guitar and amp right in the trunk of my civic. With a half stack, it was a big ordeal to haul it around not to mention that those 1960A cabs were a real pain to load and unload with just one person.

I think there is still a place for half stack setups and still love the feeling of a powerful half stack but for the convenience of a small lightweight 30 or 40 watt combo, I'll gladly make that tradeoff.

 

[Tony M]

I agree.
The HIWATT sounded really good but
now my load in can be done in 1 trip.
Guitar, small combo and shoulder bag.

 

[Tenafly Viper]

I've not used a magnatone but will say it is sure nice having a relatively light 30 watt 1x12 combo. I still love the sound of a marshall half stack but have to say I sure do not miss lugging that thing around. Now that I have the orange thunder 30, I can carry it plus my guitar in one trip! Also nice to be able to just put the guitar and amp right in the trunk of my civic. With a half stack, it was a big ordeal to haul it around not to mention that those 1960A cabs were a real pain to load and unload with just one person.

I think there is still a place for half stack setups and still love the feeling of a powerful half stack but for the convenience of a small lightweight 30 or 40 watt combo, I'll gladly make that tradeoff.

Hmm, I thought the thunder 30 only came in a head version. Those sound pretty nice, more like older Orange stuff than the Rockerverb.

 

[oldrockfan]

I think the combo version is fairly new. I've only had mine about a month or so but so far, I am lovin it! Gets classic rock tones just like all orange amps do but also does harder rock stuff really well and the clean channel is actually very usable. Oh and it is footswitchable which was one of the things I really wanted.

 

[Tony M]

and it has an effects loop to add just a hint of delay.
(If you can actually hear the delay, it's too much.)

 

[oldrockfan]

yep, forgot to mention the the effects loop which reportedly is very good on this one. I haven't used it alot yet as I really am digging the sounds it makes with no effects.

 

[SnowtheBaritone]

Hey Guys,

I love to feel the air pushing from the cabinet of a half stack. Power attenuators let you saturate your tubes while maintaining reasonable volume levels. I use a Tom Sholtz Power Soak for the JCM 800.

what is that AWESOME piece is Gibson goodness on the left?
It looks like something I can put my Alchemist on top of and get high off of the extreme dopamine my brain will pump through me

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

I used to have a sweet little Fender Princeton chorus as my go to practice amp, sadly sold it. Then I got my 1972 Marshall JMP and 4x12 Cabinet. Sadly had to sell cabinet for bills. Wound up replacing it with newer 300 watt 1960A. Next, I was looking for a small combo to replace my Princeton and wound up with the infamous and maybe misnamed, Evil Twin... the red knob one. Beautiful amp with nice cleans and ok distortion using gain settings. To quote the last words of the owner's manual in the specifications.

"SOUND: Really Loud"

Nothing like being straight to the point and not mincing words. Very versatile amp settings wise, and with 25 watt setting just an extra bonus for smaller gigs. Also sounds great driving the Marshall 4x12 cab.

Hoping one day to add a little more variety as money permits. A Vox, Fender 59 Bassman and several other Fenders would be nice, Also enjoy my buddy's Jet City JCA 20 H. Nice little head unit.

 

[smitty_p]

Hey Chilipepper,

Nice to see a post from you. It's been awhile. Sorry about the rough times, but its good to see you're still checking in.

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

Does anyone else use any of the variations of Fender twins? Black face, reverb, red knob etc?

Thoughts, tips, settings, pedals used?

 

[oldrockfan]

I've used them in the past but I am becoming more of an orange guy these days. I will say the fender twins can be a great clean amp for those that like to run pedals. I've seen a number of guitarists use them that way to good effect. Makes the amp setup a breeze... just give it lots of clean power and let your pedal train do all the dirty work. Did hou check out youtube? there are tons of videos of fenders twins and such so might get some good setup ideas there.

 

[dbb]

I will say the fender twins can be a great clean amp for those that like to run pedals. I've seen a number of guitarists use them that way to good effect. Makes the amp setup a breeze... just give it lots of clean power and let your pedal train do all the dirty work.

Or a Showman...that was my rig for years, Fender clean + pedals. I admit I like the Super Champ XD's channel switching to some dirty amp models too.

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

Thanks oldrock and dbb. I am so in love with youtube and really appreciate those who have posted gems of historic music I was too young to go see while the artists were alive but grew up listening to. I HAVE seen numerous vids using my Red Knob twin. I even found one that was Charlie Musselwhite playing a harmonica thru the red knob just like I have. I never would have imagined that happening.

 

[dbb]

Those amps are pretty versatile!

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

Those amps are pretty versatile!

I'll say.... 2 channel, gain, 1/4 power switch, reverb,pull on boost for ,treb, mid bass, presence, effects loop, external speaker jack, etc. I think I did great picking it up for $400 about 8 yrs ago. Funny, how I still like the 59 Bassman LTD which is just a straight up tone machine. Of course a new one is over $1000 now, wish I had the $939 my mom n pop shop had them for 8 yrs ago. I love tweed and liked the 4 -10's too!!!
Sadly tight bills situation might force me to sell many of my treasures like my 72 Marshall and Speaker cabinet, guitars, basses and drums if work doesn't pick up soon.

 

[Tah-lee]

what is that AWESOME piece is Gibson goodness on the left?
It looks like something I can put my Alchemist on top of and get high off of the extreme dopamine my brain will pump through me

Welcome to the forum, Snow. The amp or the SG Supreme?

Assuming you mean the amp...it's a Gibson Super Goldtone - the best all tube half stack ever made.
Wonderful clean channel, great blues rock channel, and a higher gain channel.

Made in England by Trace Elliot after Gibson bought T.E. All gold plated electronic bits and gold solder inside!
Pretty rare amp; made about 15 years ago. I've owned her for 10. Love it!

 

[mikeystool]

Does anyone else use any of the variations of Fender twins? Black face, reverb, red knob etc?

Thoughts, tips, settings, pedals used?

with my hotrod deville 2x12, i use a big muff(tone wicker) for my dirt..really sounds sweet, i keep the dirt on the muff around 9 oclock, just enough but not too much...i really love this amp, its not the best fender cleans, but it sure is sweet imo, and LOUD..

 

[happy_tom]

Does anyone else use any of the variations of Fender twins? Black face, reverb, red knob etc?

Thoughts, tips, settings, pedals used?

Yeah, I've got a Red knob twin; recently completely overhauled, but all stock.

It's a great amp to use with pedals, the clean chanell is one of the best ever (to my ears at least);
drive is somewhat 'specialized' - well it's been made in the 80s; but still more versatile than most fener amps...

Anyway, this amp has very touch sensitive controls, so you wanna really take time with the settings.

I usually play it with a TS 808, Bad monkey, or Behringer TO 800;
and some nasty fuzzes.

I like a mid-rangey sound so I usually leave the controls almost flat (Bass-5, mid-5 treble 4.5).

I play rhythm and if I get lost in the mix or too muddy, I turn everything up a notch (B-7, mid-7, T- 6) - it works like a presence control, which the clean channel does not have.

Of course, the twin always has enough power so there's no danger to get lost in the mix. I've never gone past 4,5 onstage...
I dont' really care for the 25 watt setting; the sound does get somewhat warmer, but I always had the feeling that someting gets lost there - and it's still too loud to overdrive in 'normal' conditions.
I don't really like the 'naturally' overdriven sound of the red knobs that much, though maybe it needs to run a bit hotter?
Still, clan + pedal is its strong point, me thinks.

Get'em while they're cheap, the prices are already goin' up steadily.

 

[happy_tom]

Oh, another thing: lots of folks on teh intranetz say Red knobs are a nightmare to work on.

I asked the tech who was working on mine, and he said Bollocks, it's the same as any other PCB amp, it has some weaknesess, but then again, so do all other amps.