1987x - Talk to me about these re-issues!

[Mikeyboyeee]

My current quest for a birth year (and supposedly ultra gainy) 1972 1987 is proving more fruitless then I would like.

Legend has it the 1987x is based on a beast of a 72(within a yr or so) spec wise. Is there much difference in reissue years? I know the early ones (90's) did not have a loop (they would be the 1987XL). That would make it more pure to the circuit.

I have a 1993 Reissue 1959 SLP modded by Monomyth. A supposed legendary year due to transformers and specs. My wife will be selling it long after I am dead along with my 74 1959 Monomyth..

I am no longer thinking of moving my 83 JCM 800 2203 to fund a 72, talk to me bout the various reissue 1987x. Close enough if priced fairly reasonably for today?

I am looking for classic NVM Marshall crunch (think RacerXrated's 72). No mods (other than bright cap swaps, etc) to go along with my high gain superleads and mid gain (high with the Hot Mod) 2203).

So, that is where I am at.

 

[ZEN Amps]

They're good amps. In fact great amps, as are all the Marshall 'reissue' types. That said, if you are a bit flexible with the year (does it really have to be '72?) then hold out for a 70's one if you can. They're pretty special as I'm sure you well know, and will likely keep appreciating in value.

 

[harddriver]

If I were you I would just turn the preamp gain down and the master volume up on your 83 JMC800 SIR34 mod and use a Fryetter PS2 or PS100 powerstation ot Rivera Rockcrusher to shave off some 8-12DB's rather than buy a Reissue 1987X.

The 1987X's are alright if you find one priced right but I think you just need to tweak your 34 mod and enjoy what you got.

Can you plug into the low input on your SIR 34 Marshall?

If a 72 comes along that you want then jump on it then. I think you would be disappointed in a stock NVM Marshall after having what you have IMHO.

 

[Mikeyboyeee]

They're good amps. In fact great amps, as are all the Marshall 'reissue' types. That said, if you are a bit flexible with the year (does it really have to be '72?) then hold out for a 70's one if you can. They're pretty special as I'm sure you well know, and will likely keep appreciating in value.

I actually have the modded 74 1959.

I was able to pick up a mint 1987x from 90s for about half of what a late 70s 1987 is going for now, so I can play around with it for a bit (I do have a PS100) when it gets here.
Can always flip if I don't jive with it, but the price was more than right for today for sure.

Still on lookout for that 72 and can always grab if I find the right one.

I will say my 1993 1959x SLP sounds unreal. Hard pressed to tell the 93 from 74 when dialed in similarly.

We will see how different the 1987x sounds from the 2203 (which is currently running a hot mod).

At some point I'll do some cell phone clips of them all.

 

[Rick Lee]

It's my #1 amp. There was one eBay listed as "for parts only, not working." A late night, drunken bid later and it was mine for $627. It just needed tubes, had it running in five min after unpacking. I got a new head shell from Sour Mash and it slays all other amps. Absolutely love it. Man, it's loud, but tone for days and requires no pedals at all to get great AC/DC tones for days. I also had a real 1972 1987 and A/B'ed with my 1987x for a while, ended up selling the 1972, as I didn't want to beat it up, hauling it around to band practice and gigs and I couldn't hear a different between it and the 1987x.

 

[Mikeyboyeee]

It's my #1 amp. There was one eBay listed as "for parts only, not working." A late night, drunken bid later and it was mine for $627. It just needed tubes, had it running in five min after unpacking. I got a new head shell from Sour Mash and it slays all other amps. Absolutely love it. Man, it's loud, but tone for days and requires no pedals at all to get great AC/DC tones for days. I also had a real 1972 1987 and A/B'ed with my 1987x for a while, ended up selling the 1972, as I didn't want to beat it up, hauling it around to band practice and gigs and I couldn't hear a different between it and the 1987x.

That's awesome!

 

[NVicious]

It's my #1 amp. There was one eBay listed as "for parts only, not working." A late night, drunken bid later and it was mine for $627. It just needed tubes, had it running in five min after unpacking. I got a new head shell from Sour Mash and it slays all other amps. Absolutely love it. Man, it's loud, but tone for days and requires no pedals at all to get great AC/DC tones for days. I also had a real 1972 1987 and A/B'ed with my 1987x for a while, ended up selling the 1972, as I didn't want to beat it up, hauling it around to band practice and gigs and I couldn't hear a different between it and the 1987x.

Amazing deal you got! Cool

 

[Rick Lee]

As great an amp as it is, if I were in the market for another, I'd probably do a DIY build or go with Ceriatone. The factory ones are just too expensive for what they are. If you can find the good transformers, then a DIY build would be amazing and for a lot less $$.

 

[Mikeyboyeee]

As great an amp as it is, if I were in the market for another, I'd probably do a DIY build or go with Ceriatone. The factory ones are just too expensive for what they are. If you can find the good transformers, then a DIY build would be amazing and for a lot less $$.

Wasn't too much of a difference price was from a new Ceriatone 50w 1987.

 

[harddriver]

I hope you like it when you get it! If you do... then that is all that counts.

 

[panhead]

They are to high now to be reissues imo

 

[Mikeyboyeee]

I hope you like it when you get it! If you do... then that is all that counts.

We shall see . If not, I'll easily recoup what I'm into it for and on to the next ?

BTW, the 2203 has Tung-Sol 6550s and the 87x has Seimens El34s from what I'm told. I'm Def expecting them to sound fairly different. Both going to thru PS100 (even 2203 unusable without).

 

[Racerxrated]

I actually have the modded 74 1959.

I was able to pick up a mint 1987x from 90s for about half of what a late 70s 1987 is going for now, so I can play around with it for a bit (I do have a PS100) when it gets here.
Can always flip if I don't jive with it, but the price was more than right for today for sure.

Still on lookout for that 72 and can always grab if I find the right one.

I will say my 1993 1959x SLP sounds unreal. Hard pressed to tell the 93 from 74 when dialed in similarly.

We will see how different the 1987x sounds from the 2203 (which is currently running a hot mod).

At some point I'll do some cell phone clips of them all.

When you find the right boost combination(the difference between combinations was surprising; use ALL of your pedals no matter how cheap/expensive they are) the difference between the NMV and any 2203 stock or modded is eye opening. You thought your 2203 sounds good, just wait....

 

[Ratou]

I don't have a 1987x but picked up a '72 50 watt JMP for a good price a few years ago. As you said, the '72 is a gain monster - clean tones are pretty much non-existent but it sounds absolutely amazing, can get pretty heavy tones just straight into the amp and can easily play metal with a bit of boost. I've heard multiple clips & recordings of the reissues (never heard one in flesh though) and they seem to all sound great to my hears, probably my favourite recorded tone out of the modern production Marshall's. If you can find a original metal panel at a good price would not hesitate to get it though, you won't regret it.

 

[Anxiety Serum]

As great an amp as it is, if I were in the market for another, I'd probably do a DIY build or go with Ceriatone. The factory ones are just too expensive for what they are. If you can find the good transformers, then a DIY build would be amazing and for a lot less $$.

Are Ceriatone amps any good? That price is nice. Like you said US prices are $3800-3900 vs $1700 overseas for Marshalls.

 

[PurityS.L.G]

Awesome amps! I skeptically bought one back in 2014 and was blown away by the shear power and authenticity the way they sound and play. When I say the word "authenticity", I mean true to the original. My uncle and one of my close friends own the OG models and the difference was the reissue I had was quite a bit brighter but lets face it...the age of both of their amps and difference in some components I'm sure was the playing factor. Otherwise, it was all there. Glorious amp to crank and have fun with the vintage type stuff to play but man is it loud LOL!

Are Ceriatone amps any good? That price is nice. Like you said US prices are $3800-3900 vs $1700 overseas for Marshalls.

Ceriatone is top notch stuff! I own a Chupacabra and the build quality is up to par with every boutique amp I've ever owned and/or currently own. You will not be disappointed. In fact I jammed with a friend just recently who owns one of the new DSL's and it sounds almost fake and digital compared to my Chupa. Obviously its all analog (at least I'm pretty sure it is) but it had no heft or any type of organic feel to it. His DSL still sounded good, especially in higher gain settings, but it couldn't keep up with the Chupa. Also my Chupa is 50w and his DSL HR is 100 which tells you a lot...

 

[dstroud]

Are Ceriatone amps any good? That price is nice. Like you said US prices are $3800-3900 vs $1700 overseas for Marshalls.

I got a Ceriatone 1987 about a year ago. I also have s Roy Blankenship 1987. The Ceriatone sounds real good. A bit stiffer than the Blankenship, but tone wise very similar.

 

[Nolly]

They are great amps but as with most of the non-MV reissues Marshall decided to use the same coupling cap value for both bright and normal channels - I guess so the amp sounds fuller at lower volumes on the bright channel, but as a result the gain sounds a lot flubbier than an actual 1987x once you turn it up.
It’s a very easy fix though, just a single capacitor to swap and you have yourself an authentic sounding amp.

 

[Mikeyboyeee]

They are great amps but as with most of the non-MV reissues Marshall decided to use the same coupling cap value for both bright and normal channels - I guess so the amp sounds fuller at lower volumes on the bright channel, but as a result the gain sounds a lot flubbier than an actual 1987x once you turn it up.
It’s a very easy fix though, just a single capacitor to swap and you have yourself an authentic sounding amp.

Which amp? You referred to 1987x 2xs example.

 

[Nolly]

Which amp? You referred to 1987x 2xs example.

Sorry for being unclear, I meant the reissue 1987x circuit differs from the original 1987xs in that the reissue has more bass on the bright inputs than the originals do. You can swap one capacitor on the reissue’s bright channel to get it to sound like an original does.