Marshall Amps

[RicLytham]

Hello everyone,

I have a budget of £150-200 and I was just wondering if there is a good marshall amp available for a beginner who is looking for a guns n roses type sound.

Thanks

[Dad3353]

Marshall Valvestate 8240..?

Marshall MG100DFX..?

Marshall Valvestate VS-100..?

Marshall Valvestate S80..?

Marshall Valvestate 8080..?

50W amps cost less, and do the job, too.

[Si600]

I've got an MG50 DFX, I don't know whether it's still available, but I'm perfectly happy with it.  It can go to far too loud for home use if you want it to.  I don't think I've ever turned it up to full chat!

[Lozz196]

Depending on volume levels required, the MG range as Si600 says above is very good for that type of sound. I have the 1x8 15watt version and it has more volume than I can use at home (unless being inconsiderate of my neighbours). Coupled with my Les Paul Studio it sounds just like I want, that classic Les Paul/Marshall sound.

[EdwardMarlowe]

This raised a chuckle from me. Years ago, I went amp shopping, asked what the Marshalls were like, and the guy in the store - trying his sales pitch - gave me a full on "Oh, you'll love this, they're great for that Guns 'n' Roses sound." He looked aghast when I said "oh, oh dear. Have you got something else, then?" Horses for courses. 

My sonic tastes have moved sharply away from Marshall in the last twenty years, but I never found their quality lacking. Main thing I'd suggest is  - if and when possible -go to a guitar store and try as many different amps as you can with *your* guitar. Some maps work great with some guitars, others less so. 

The Valvestate range are pretty good at capturing the "Marshall Sound" as far as I remember, though there are also plenty of alternatives out there, especially with modelling amps now. Buy the sound you like, though - don't fall for perceived versatility if you know for sure there's only one sound you'll ever use. Equally, the point above about 100watters is well made. Literally nobody needs 100watts nowadays. You'll only end up with an expensive looking bit of novelty furniture you can't play in the house. IMO, 5 tube watts (10-15solid state) is plenty loud enough unless you're playing with a drummer and no PA. I have one of the older Vox Valvetronix 120w models, size of an AC30, capable of 2 x 60w in stereo. I've never played it higher than the 2 x 1watt setting in the house. Big maps are overrated; in ten years time, I expect amps will start to disappear from stages, mostly replaced by preamp pedals into the House pa. Already happens more often than you'd think. 

 

 

[EliasMooseblaster]

23 hours ago, EdwardMarlowe said:

 IMO, 5 tube watts (10-15solid state) is plenty loud enough unless you're playing with a drummer and no PA. I have one of the older Vox Valvetronix 120w models, size of an AC30, capable of 2 x 60w in stereo. I've never played it higher than the 2 x 1watt setting in the house. Big maps are overrated; in ten years time, I expect amps will start to disappear from stages, mostly replaced by preamp pedals into the House pa. Already happens more often than you'd think.

Couldn't agree more - I have a 1W Blackstar hybrid at home and even cranking that feels like risky business unless I know the neighbours have gone out! There's definitely a lot to be said for amps on the scale of the Blues Junior for the size of gigs most of us would have been playing pre-pandemic.

Speaking of preamp pedals, that's exactly the route I've gone down for live-streaming while I've been unable to gig in a conventional fashion: no "normal" amp, just a Joyo American Sound running out to the desk. Sure, it won't respond quite like a real Fender amp, but it sounds close enough, and once the sound's been through the interweb tubes, and compressed through Facebook's streaming software, is anybody really going to hear that much difference?

...and on a note more relevant to the @RicLytham's OP: the Joyo British Sound pedal is supposed to emulate a handful of "classic" Marshall amps, and can be had for £30-40. You'd need something to amplify the output (another practise amp / small mixer with headphones / powered speaker / get creative) but if the "Voice" knob is as flexible as the one on the American Sound, it may be a good way to play with a range of tones and see if you can find the GnR tone you're looking for. Also worth doing some research into competing pedals which might get you there - there's quite a big market for pedals that emulate those tones on a budget.

[EdwardMarlowe]

A friend and I went sopping for a dirt pedal for her years ago. In the end it came down to the Coloursound fuzz, the Boss Blues Driver, and the Marshall Bluesbreaker II. All sounded good, but we agreed the best of the bunch was number 3 -which also turned out to be the cheapest. The great thing about pedals these days is that it doesn't cost much to get a pedal which is durable enough to last for awhile - around £20 now. And once it's durable, everything else is wholly subjective - from the cheapest £20 Chinese import mini-pedal to a £400 boutique, handmade job. 

[EliasMooseblaster]

16 hours ago, EdwardMarlowe said:

A friend and I went sopping for a dirt pedal for her years ago. In the end it came down to the Coloursound fuzz, the Boss Blues Driver, and the Marshall Bluesbreaker II. All sounded good, but we agreed the best of the bunch was number 3 -which also turned out to be the cheapest.

Oh, good shout - I've had a BB-2 for something like ten years now, and it's a great pedal. The 'Blues' tone is a stonking good overdrive (pure Gary Moore!) and the Boost mode makes it that bit more versatile. Just a shame you can't switch between the two with a second footswitch, but back in 2010-ish I certainly felt like I couldn't grumble at that price point!

[Dad3353]

Mine was so good it got stolen..! 

[EliasMooseblaster]

The proof of the pudding is in the stealing of it?