Suggestions for Marshall Superlead/Plexi with master volume?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anxiety Serum
  • Start date Start date
Anxiety Serum

Anxiety Serum

Well-known member
I'm interested in the 100w Superlead sound but need a good master volume/to play it at reasonable home levels.

What are some amps that fit the bill?

Friedman Smallbox comes to mind but that is 50 watts right?

Others I should research?

Or should I just get the real thing and attenuator? I've heard Marshalls current geration isn't as good though yes????
 
I had a 90's SLP NMV for a while, had a guy put a PPIMV in it. Easy to reverse. Sounded great! Turn the high input up until it broke up, add low until it filled out, boost as needed.

Shoulda kept that amp lol
 
I cannot stand any of the PPIMV types. I installed them several times and tried a few different variations. They overdrive the PI tube so you do get more gain but it imparts a very specific type of tone I dislike. It also neuters your power tube saturation which is a bad thing. Most cannot tell or have not gotten used to that type of tone you get with a ppimv. Not for me at all.
 
Last edited:
Don’t laugh … but you might audition a few of today’s remarkable ‘Amp-In-A-Box’ pedals feeding a NMV Marshall head. I’ve got a ‘73 50 watt, non-master that has so much color and character as a canvas for AIB pedals. I dime the tone stack, jumper the inputs, and blend volume 1 & 2 for lows and highs. I have fed this amp a Wampler Pinnacle Deluxe, Plexi Drive, a BE-OD Deluxe and a JHS Andy Timmons @. Every pedal sounds incredible while still sounding unique and distinct through this head. Depending on the pedal, I can get everything from warm, round, singing SRV cleans to angry AC/DC crunch to searing 80s leads. And because the stomp is where I’m getting all my gain, I can put my time based FX after my AIB for the same functional effect as having a dedicated effects loop.

If you don’t mind toting the NMV head, it adds something a sterile power amp can’t match, and it looks cool in the backline when the crowd hears these killer gain based tones coming out of your old-school 4-hole head.
 
In
PDC said:
Don’t laugh … but you might audition a few of today’s remarkable ‘Amp-In-A-Box’ pedals feeding a NMV Marshall head. I’ve got a ‘73 50 watt, non-master that has so much color and character as a canvas for AIB pedals. I dime the tone stack, jumper the inputs, and blend volume 1 & 2 for lows and highs. I have fed this amp a Wampler Pinnacle Deluxe, Plexi Drive, a BE-OD Deluxe and a JHS Andy Timmons @. Every pedal sounds incredible while still sounding unique and distinct through this head. Depending on the pedal, I can get everything from warm, round, singing SRV cleans to angry AC/DC crunch to searing 80s leads. And because the stomp is where I’m getting all my gain, I can put my time based FX after my AIB for the same functional effect as having a dedicated effects loop.

If you don’t mind toting the NMV head, it adds something a sterile power amp can’t match, and it looks cool in the backline when the crowd hears these killer gain based tones coming out of your old-school 4-hole head.
Click to expand...
Interesting.

My interest stems from just getting a MIAB Catlinbread Dirty Little Secret and running it through my small Handwired Tyler HM-18 to get some decent dirty tones in my more portable amp.

It sounded great and then I ran it into my Diezel VH2 and it sounded great. Made me jones for another amp (if I like it why not try the real thing and not just the pedal). That's how I ended up with my VH2, tried the VH4 pedal and loved it. A few grand latter....

Part of my interest is in the fact that Marshalls are like $3800 new here in the states and 1800 over seas (chaps my ass). I was hoping there might be a better option from a local builder (Splawn, Germino, others I don't know) that was worth looking into that might even be more cost effective.

Also anyone know how hard it is to turn a 1959HW marshall into a 120V. It has a knob on the back, but I feel like its more complicated than that to switch to US power outlets. Maybe not???
 
You should be able to just switch the power on the back to 120, without any issue. One thing to remember though is if you get a Euro version make sure the Mains fuse is the right value. 4A for 120v and 2A for 240v.
I have a 72 and it is just a force of nature; my favorite tone ever. I have an attenuator for it; I don't use it much but after hearing this amp stock I wouldn't think about modding it ever.
 
Racerxrated said:
You should be able to just switch the power on the back to 120, without any issue. One thing to remember though is if you get a Euro version make sure the Mains fuse is the right value. 4A for 120v and 2A for 240v.
Click to expand...
So if I have contacts in the UK and they can get me one there for cheap and bring it next time they come, all I have to do is flip the switch and make sure the valve is right?


How do I verify the valve and can I easily change the valve if its wrong or do I need an amp tech for that...assume I am an electrical idiot... because I am.
 
If the above is all it takes there is an arbitrage to be made. I'll buy 10 and sell on reverb.
 
Anxiety Serum said:
So if I have contacts in the UK and they can get me one there for cheap and bring it next time they come, all I have to do is flip the switch and make sure the valve is right?


How do I verify the valve and can I easily change the valve if its wrong or do I need an amp tech for that...assume I am an electrical idiot... because I am.
Click to expand...
If you buy one there, unless it's super vintage like a 65-67 you should be able to just select the proper voltage for the US, switch it from 230-120. When you do that on an amp that was running at 230/40 you'll have to replace the mains fuse, from a 2A to a 4A. On the older ones like from 65 they were hard wired for 230 or 110. Or, they may have been modded for the multi tap selector.
When it comes to tubes, if it's a British sourced amp it should be all set for EL34s. If it's a USA amp it may be using 6550s...although many have been converted back to EL34. But if you want to replace the power tubes it comes with, you'll have to learn to re bias the amp yourself or take it to a tech. When you get the amp/amps start a thread here with pics and we can certainly help you figure things out after the purchase. Many on here are much more qualified than I to tell you exactly what's going on circuit wise on your amp.
 
Ignorant question but are the transformers impacted by changing from uk to us voltage?
 
Racerxrated said:
If you buy one there, unless it's super vintage like a 65-67 you should be able to just select the proper voltage for the US, switch it from 230-120. When you do that on an amp that was running at 230/40 you'll have to replace the mains fuse, from a 2A to a 4A. On the older ones like from 65 they were hard wired for 230 or 110. Or, they may have been modded for the multi tap selector.
Click to expand...

Thank you Racerxrated. It's nice that Marshall has this voltage selector. I wish Diezel did that (also $1K cheaper in Europe).


This is from the manual of a brand new 1959HW amp.

How difficult is it to change the Mains and HT fuses?


1658194088244.png


1658194408245.png






1658194467810.png
 
The Bogner Helios does the plexi thing and much more.
I actually did a comparison next to a 71 50 watt and both the owner and me thought it was very convincing.
Mine is a 100 watt but you can run it at 45 watts as well.
 
The metroplex I have for sale can go 1966, 1968, and a modded 1959 tone all in one, and it has a built in high voltage 30 dB boost with its own gain knob and master volume to hit the front end even harder. There’s also a low input and high input. All in all you have 8 different superlead tones all in the same amp.

If you’re looking for a Swiss Army knife superlead with gig friendly features, the metroplex is bar none the bar to beat.

Splawn quickrods are more JCM800/2203 style and less 1959 style. It’s all personal preference of course, no one is better than the other IMO.
 
glpg80 said:
The metroplex I have for sale can go 1966, 1968, and a modded 1959 tone all in one, and it has a built in high voltage 30 dB boost with its own gain knob and master volume to hit the front end even harder. There’s also a low input and high input. All in all you have 8 different superlead tones all in the same amp.

If you’re looking for a Swiss Army knife superlead with gig friendly features, the metroplex is bar none the bar to beat.

Splawn quickrods are more JCM800/2203 style and less 1959 style. It’s all personal preference of course, no one is better than the other IMO.
Click to expand...
Nice. I'll check it out.
 
Anxiety Serum said:
Nice. I'll check it out.
Click to expand...
That Metroplex is a beast of an amp with TONS of tones/options in there. I'd definitely look at that amp first. As far as changing the fuse on a vintage Marshall, it's just a flathead screwdriver to twist off the back of the fuse holder; pull the old fuse out and replace with the new. But this would only apply if you bought a Euro Marshall. Buy one here in the US and you won't have to change anything(probably).
 
Racerxrated said:
That Metroplex is a beast of an amp with TONS of tones/options in there. I'd definitely look at that amp first. As far as changing the fuse on a vintage Marshall, it's just a flathead screwdriver to twist off the back of the fuse holder; pull the old fuse out and replace with the new. But this would only apply if you bought a Euro Marshall. Buy one here in the US and you won't have to change anything(probably).
Click to expand...
Yeah but they are $3850 here at Sweetwater and $1690 on Thomann, so I'd want to buy the Euro model, hence the questions.

I have business partners overseas. Well worth $2200 in savings. We used to buy them iPhones when they first came out and were double the price in Europe...so they'd be happy to return the favor, even if it means a heavy carry on. Or hell, shipping it should be less than $2k.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top