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* EDIT: Up-to-date information is available in Yek's Guide to the Fractal Audio Amplifier Models *
1987X: based on Marshall 1987 Plexi
The world’s greatest rock amp is a Marshall “Plexi”. These came to the market in the mid ‘60s, when Marshall and Fender started to make loud amps. These amps are referred to as “Plexi” amps because of the gold Plexiglass front panel, later replaced with gold aluminum. Plexis with 4x12 cabinets gave rise to the "Marshall stack". The Plexi was built for almost 20 years, and was then replaced by the JCM 800. Even today amp builders still design amps based on the Plexi, such as the Bogner Helios. And its looks are being copied for all kinds of guitar amps.
So why has the Plexi become such a popular amp? According to Legendary Tones:
A Plexi is raw, unrefined, honest and touch sensitive. Hit a chord on a Plexi and feel that explosion of sound in your face and body...
Numerous guitar heroes played some kind of Plexi: Pete Townsend, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Angus Young, Yngwie Malmsteen, Jeff Beck and of course Eddie Van Halen.
The Plexi came in various incarnations. Some of these are modeled by Fractal Audio. Many (but not all) Plexis have a JMP logo.
The 1987X is a re-issue of the original ’67 50 watts JMP Marshall, model number 1987. The original is no. 11 on Vintage Guitar's list of valuable amps. The 1987X re-issue, made in the ‘90s, is part of Marshall’s Vintage Re-issue series. Our respected forum veteran @javajunkie owns a real 1987X, if I'm not mistaken.
Not only do we have the model of the 1987X re-issue in our Fractal Audio, we also have a model of the original: the Plexi 50W.
So in what aspect is a 50 watts Plexi different from a 100 watts Plexi? Not a lot in volume (the 50-watter is also a very loud amp) and not a lot in gain either. The 50 watts Plexi maybe is a little more aggressive and compressed, while a 100 watts Plexi sounds more open and bigger with more “kerrang”. IMHO the 1987X sounds and feels really juicy. It’s a versatile amp, that can handle anything between ballads and hard rock.
Marshall:
Cliff:
The re-issue has two EL34 tubes and blasts 50 watts through (preferably) a 4x12 cabinet. It provides two channels: Normal and Treble, and two inputs per channel. Both channels are modeled by Fractal Audio.
The Treble channel is not as bright as the one in the 1959SLP. In the model the Bright switch is turned off by default.
Apart from the Volume controls for both channels, the amp has Bass, Middle, Treble and Presence controls.
Some players of a real Plexi use patch cables to “jumper” the inputs (2nd input of channel 1 goes into 1st input of channel 2). This enables them to have the benefits of both channels at once. This is modeled in the “Jumpered” model of the 1987X in the Axe-Fx II and AX8. That’s why this specific model has two Drive controls. Set them at the same position, or keep Normal Drive lower than Treble Drive.
Like an original Plexi, the 1987X doesn’t have a Master Volume, so keep the Master control in the model dimed. Without a Master Volume control, Plexi amps rely on power amp distortion. To achieve a nice overdriven rock tone, you need to turn up the 100 watts Plexi a lot. This makes it a very loud amp in real life.
If you like to experiment, turn up Supply Sag in the model for more compression. Note that high Sag settings may cause "ghosts notes". Exactly like on the real amp at high volume. If you don't want ghosts notes, switch Supply Type to "DC".
Another tweak is to turn on Boost on the Advanced page, to slam the model's input stage for more gain.
You can’t discuss Marshall Plexi amps and leave out speakers, in particular: greenbacks. Early Marshall amps were used with 4x12” cabinets with Celestion G12M speakers. Greenbacks have a sweet midrange and good bass reproduction. The rear of those speakers was green, and the nickname “greenbacks” was born. They are the reason that 4x12 cabinets were designed: the G12M was only 20 of 25 watts, so you needed four of them to prevent blowing them up.
Another popular speaker in those days (and it still is): the G12H. A 30 watts Celestion speaker that compresses less than a greenback and has a flatter response. It’s the “Jimi Hendrix” speaker.
You check this page for the stock "greenbacks" cabs, suitable for the Marshall models. Personal favorites among the stock cabs are: 54 and 55 (Cab Pack 20), 58 and 59 (Cab Pack 8), 103 (Cab Pack 2), 131 and 132 (Cab Pack 14, I think…).
Click to open the 1987X’s handbook.
A selection of YouTube videos:
1987X: based on Marshall 1987 Plexi
The world’s greatest rock amp is a Marshall “Plexi”. These came to the market in the mid ‘60s, when Marshall and Fender started to make loud amps. These amps are referred to as “Plexi” amps because of the gold Plexiglass front panel, later replaced with gold aluminum. Plexis with 4x12 cabinets gave rise to the "Marshall stack". The Plexi was built for almost 20 years, and was then replaced by the JCM 800. Even today amp builders still design amps based on the Plexi, such as the Bogner Helios. And its looks are being copied for all kinds of guitar amps.
So why has the Plexi become such a popular amp? According to Legendary Tones:
“Many things. First and most important perhaps is the sense of dynamics and rich harmonics. No large-production amp created before or since the early Marshall plexi series has been able to capture the feel of the player through varying degrees of dynamics and coloration from the (mostly) EL34-based tube circuits of these Marshalls. Call it a lucky accident with the folks at Marshall, but they were able to create amplifiers that really responded well to the guitars that played through them. A wide palette of distortion color that is rich and full and just powerful and timeless in tone is what these amps deliver. It takes some time to really get used to playing a basic amp such as a Marshall plexi. No multi channels or reverb or effects and no master volume controls. Turn up the amp and play – play hard and the amp rewards you with fullness of tone and smooth distortion. Back off your playing and the amp will respond, and move into lighter shades of overdrive. Roll down your guitar volume a touch and you’ve got a warmed up clean sound. There just isn’t anything like the ability to feel a set of power and preamp tubes overdriving together musically.”
A Plexi is raw, unrefined, honest and touch sensitive. Hit a chord on a Plexi and feel that explosion of sound in your face and body...
Numerous guitar heroes played some kind of Plexi: Pete Townsend, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Angus Young, Yngwie Malmsteen, Jeff Beck and of course Eddie Van Halen.
The Plexi came in various incarnations. Some of these are modeled by Fractal Audio. Many (but not all) Plexis have a JMP logo.
The 1987X is a re-issue of the original ’67 50 watts JMP Marshall, model number 1987. The original is no. 11 on Vintage Guitar's list of valuable amps. The 1987X re-issue, made in the ‘90s, is part of Marshall’s Vintage Re-issue series. Our respected forum veteran @javajunkie owns a real 1987X, if I'm not mistaken.
Not only do we have the model of the 1987X re-issue in our Fractal Audio, we also have a model of the original: the Plexi 50W.
So in what aspect is a 50 watts Plexi different from a 100 watts Plexi? Not a lot in volume (the 50-watter is also a very loud amp) and not a lot in gain either. The 50 watts Plexi maybe is a little more aggressive and compressed, while a 100 watts Plexi sounds more open and bigger with more “kerrang”. IMHO the 1987X sounds and feels really juicy. It’s a versatile amp, that can handle anything between ballads and hard rock.
Marshall:
“While the 50 Watt 1987X head shares the same ‘Plexi’ front and rear panel features as the 1959SLP, it has its own distinctive sonic personality. More aggressive than the ’60s ‘Plexis’, the 1987X is much more of the ’72 period, with a heady, sweet/aggressive tone. These tonal characteristics are what define this much respected all-valve head."
Cliff:
"The 1987x doesn't have the 0.68uF cap on the last triode. Gives it a smoother distortion.”
The re-issue has two EL34 tubes and blasts 50 watts through (preferably) a 4x12 cabinet. It provides two channels: Normal and Treble, and two inputs per channel. Both channels are modeled by Fractal Audio.
The Treble channel is not as bright as the one in the 1959SLP. In the model the Bright switch is turned off by default.
Apart from the Volume controls for both channels, the amp has Bass, Middle, Treble and Presence controls.
Some players of a real Plexi use patch cables to “jumper” the inputs (2nd input of channel 1 goes into 1st input of channel 2). This enables them to have the benefits of both channels at once. This is modeled in the “Jumpered” model of the 1987X in the Axe-Fx II and AX8. That’s why this specific model has two Drive controls. Set them at the same position, or keep Normal Drive lower than Treble Drive.
Like an original Plexi, the 1987X doesn’t have a Master Volume, so keep the Master control in the model dimed. Without a Master Volume control, Plexi amps rely on power amp distortion. To achieve a nice overdriven rock tone, you need to turn up the 100 watts Plexi a lot. This makes it a very loud amp in real life.
If you like to experiment, turn up Supply Sag in the model for more compression. Note that high Sag settings may cause "ghosts notes". Exactly like on the real amp at high volume. If you don't want ghosts notes, switch Supply Type to "DC".
Another tweak is to turn on Boost on the Advanced page, to slam the model's input stage for more gain.
You can’t discuss Marshall Plexi amps and leave out speakers, in particular: greenbacks. Early Marshall amps were used with 4x12” cabinets with Celestion G12M speakers. Greenbacks have a sweet midrange and good bass reproduction. The rear of those speakers was green, and the nickname “greenbacks” was born. They are the reason that 4x12 cabinets were designed: the G12M was only 20 of 25 watts, so you needed four of them to prevent blowing them up.
Another popular speaker in those days (and it still is): the G12H. A 30 watts Celestion speaker that compresses less than a greenback and has a flatter response. It’s the “Jimi Hendrix” speaker.
You check this page for the stock "greenbacks" cabs, suitable for the Marshall models. Personal favorites among the stock cabs are: 54 and 55 (Cab Pack 20), 58 and 59 (Cab Pack 8), 103 (Cab Pack 2), 131 and 132 (Cab Pack 14, I think…).
Click to open the 1987X’s handbook.
A selection of YouTube videos:
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