Anyone own a Park amp?

  • Thread starter Thread starter glassjaw7
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glassjaw7

glassjaw7

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Word has it that some of the later Park models made by Jim Marshall were more like "hot rodded" Marshalls and had more gain and more aggressive voicing. Does anyone have experience with these? I passed up an opportunity to play one at a vintage shop because I had no idea the history of Park amps. :doh: Now it's gone. I hear they are rare amps.
 
I had a opportunity to get a all original 100 watt Park for a great price but since I never heard of them I passed. :cry:
 
I had one back in the 90's.
THe adds had them to be Marshalls Little brother or something along them lines.
It wasnt too bad from what i remembered.
I had a 50 watt combo.

Sorry I couldnt give you more info. ;)
 
Mailman1971":2h2nqi8g said:
I had one back in the 90's.
THe adds had them to be Marshalls Little brother or something along them lines.
It wasnt too bad from what i remembered.
I had a 50 watt combo.

Sorry I couldnt give you more info. ;)
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All I know is that Jim started making them with a friend after regretting a decision to sell marketing and distribution rights of Marshall amps to the Rose-Morris company temporarily. So he basically tried to "out-Marshall" his own designs.
Sort of like Leo with G&L. I think it'd be cool to get my hands on one. Have something unique. :thumbsup:

BTW Dan, is there any amp brand you haven't owned? :confused: :lol: :LOL:
 
I have played on several Park's. I do not think they have any more gain than the Marshall that were being made at the same time. They did have different sounds than them.

By far the best one I had played was owned by a bass players father. It was one of the famed red ones. It's sound was a blend between a Plexi and a Fender Bassman. It was a amazing amp. He took it to many of our band practices in the late 80's. I was going to buy it when his father backed out of the deal. Easy one of the best amps I had ever played on.

My main rig then was a Twin and a Super Lead half stack.
 
stephen sawall":3mefi0pq said:
I have played on several Park's. I do not think they have any more gain than the Marshall that were being made at the same time. They did have different sounds than them.

By far the best one I had played was owned by a bass players father. It was one of the famed red ones. It's sound was a blend between a Plexi and a Fender Bassman. It was a amazing amp. He took it to many of our band practices in the late 80's. I was going to buy it when his father backed out of the deal. Easy one of the best amps I had ever played on.

My main rig then was a Twin and a Super Lead half stack.
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Sounds like a killer amp! I've heard that the old 50 watt red Parks were like the ultimate Marshall type amp. Wish I could hear one in person.
 
I've played a few different ones over the years and they've all been stellar...essentially Marshalls except for the 75...it had it's own thing going. Aspen Pittman claimed his 45 was the best "Marshall" in his collection.

This guy has a cool website with his Park collection:

http://www.rockometer.com/amps/
 
I think I just saw one in the local CL down here of this side of MI :confused: I'm gonna look and see real quick :D
 
glassjaw7":lkp0852b said:
stephen sawall":lkp0852b said:
I have played on several Park's. I do not think they have any more gain than the Marshall that were being made at the same time. They did have different sounds than them.

By far the best one I had played was owned by a bass players father. It was one of the famed red ones. It's sound was a blend between a Plexi and a Fender Bassman. It was a amazing amp. He took it to many of our band practices in the late 80's. I was going to buy it when his father backed out of the deal. Easy one of the best amps I had ever played on.

My main rig then was a Twin and a Super Lead half stack.
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Sounds like a killer amp! I've heard that the old 50 watt red Parks were like the ultimate Marshall type amp. Wish I could hear one in person.
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He was going to sell me it for $250 :doh:
 
I had a MINT NOS Park 50 watt head in the late 80's that a friend of mine found in a warehouse in NY.

It was fantastic. I sold it. :doh: :doh: :doh: :doh: :doh: :doh: :doh: :doh: :doh: :doh:
 
My understanding of it is that they were Marshalls, made with surplus parts and distributed by CMI. They really would not have any difference as far as gain structure, and were very similar to the Narbs and the Kitchen-Marshalls of that era. I think they made them for around 15 (approx) years.
 
JTyson":38dw0don said:
My understanding of it is that they were Marshalls, made with surplus parts and distributed by CMI. They really would not have any difference as far as gain structure, and were very similar to the Narbs and the Kitchen-Marshalls of that era. I think they made them for around 15 (approx) years.
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Did some more research on Park amps, and yes you're right for the most part. Although some of the earlier models had some Fender-like attributes as well. And he used KT-88's in some of the later models. How cool would a Fortin or Friedman modded Park be? :yes: Or shit, a stock one would be killer as well.
 
hell yes!!!! i actually have one that i've held onto. it's a park 1207 100 watt . exactly like a jcm 800 with more gain on tap. sounds killer. what makes this one even rarer is that it is levant green tolex. if i get a chance to record a vid with it i will do so this evening.
 
tituba":10kkwqua said:
hell yes!!!! i actually have one that i've held onto. it's a park 1207 100 watt . exactly like a jcm 800 with more gain on tap. sounds killer. what makes this one even rarer is that it is levant green tolex. if i get a chance to record a vid with it i will do so this evening.
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Nice!
 
Any of the old "Marshall" amps are great. What ever you do if you find one do not modify it. It's like putting a boob job on a 80 year old women. There are enough amps around that can be modified with out messing up these classics.
 
Found a couple amps I'd like to try at Willies Guitars in St. Paul, MN. I'm going to be there in a couple weeks so I'll have to plug into em! :rock:
MarshallPark1.jpg
 
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