Tips & tricks with a non-master volume Marshall Super Lead 100W

[SockPuppet]

I do have the Axe - which can basically produce the same type of tone. (even better at times) But there is this sentimental thing about amps where the entire room is shaking and you're certain that the cops will knock on your door for public disturbance.

Reason for this thread is just to share some ideas

This is by far my all time favourite amp, but the problem with it is that it's just too damn loud to do anything productive with. I mean once it gets to a reasonable distortion level (think AC/DC, hard rock/classic rock amount of distortion) it feels like it is just about to explode.

I usually place an overdrive infront of the amp as well as attenuate the signal slightly with a THD Hot Plate (about -4 dB to -8 dB). Jumper the two channels and dime everything except the bass which I usually just leave at 0. (this is probably not very safe to do with a 100W amp)

So what are your experiences with this amp? How do you make it work for you? Or any non-master volume Marshall for that matter.

 

[mrstrat]

I have an original '69 SL 100 and would never risk diming everything. I usually will bring it up to a little over half volume (which is still loud enough to crack all the windows in the house) through a Rivera Rock Crusher attenuator, and put a nice drive pedal in front of it. I use a Butler Tube Driver 4 knob and a TS808. Sweet, sweet, sweet.

If you want that dimed plexi tone at room-levels, buy yourself a Friedman BE 100. You'll never look back.

 

[SockPuppet]

I have an original '69 SL 100 and would never risk diming everything. I usually will bring it up to a little over half volume (which is still loud enough to crack all the windows in the house) through a Rivera Rock Crusher attenuator, and put a nice drive pedal in front of it. I use a Butler Tube Driver 4 knob and a TS808. Sweet, sweet, sweet.

If you want that dimed plexi tone at room-levels, buy yourself a Friedman BE 100. You'll never look back.

Haha I'm very well aware of that this amp does not do moderate volume levels by any means

Since I got the axe I'm only using the marshall as a studio amp if I need it. It's more convenient to move a microphone than clicking through a bunch of IR's - at least when you're on a budget, you're not sure what you're going for and time is ticking away. But the attenuator does help a bit with the volume. Running the amp that loud even moves the microphones! So your sound is constantly changing through out the recording... haha.

How are you liking the Rivera Rock Crusher? I feel the THD does color the sound even at -8 dB slightly, even more so as you add more distortion to the signal.

 

[nater]

I've never owned a Marshall, but does it have a power-amp "input", or an effects loop? Have you tried running your AXE as a preamp (using Marshall sims) but using the poweramp stage of your Marshall? This might get you that crushing Marshall tone at a more manageable volume....

I'm currently experimenting with using the AXE as a preamp into my VHT power amp. It's pretty cool for that full amp-in-room vibe, but still trying to tweak to get the best use of the Amp models. By disabling the power amp sims in the AXE it looses a lot of it's functionality, but still sounds great. More importantly, still FEELS like a real amp in the room....

 

[SockPuppet]

I've never owned a Marshall, but does it have a power-amp "input", or an effects loop? Have you tried running your AXE as a preamp (using Marshall sims) but using the poweramp stage of your Marshall? This might get you that crushing Marshall tone at a more manageable volume....

I'm currently experimenting with using the AXE as a preamp into my VHT power amp. It's pretty cool for that full amp-in-room vibe, but still trying to tweak to get the best use of the Amp models. By disabling the power amp sims in the AXE it looses a lot of it's functionality, but still sounds great. More importantly, still FEELS like a real amp in the room....

Nope no FX-Loop, some people have modded theirs by adding an fx-loop. But I wouldn't dare change something with this amp (appart from the occasional tube-changing of course)

I used my Blackstar for a while until I got the Matrix for this. ( I've heard a lot of good things about the VHT (the 2/90/2 to be specific) - (on a side note: I would recommend running it with power amp simulation "on" since it's a very neutral sounding tube power amp, of course this is only what the majority says. I've never tested one personally.)

But back to the Marshall (I tend to get side-tracked easily). I've used the Matrix (GT1000FX) to slave the amp from the Hotplate - sounds pretty good actually. But this amp is definitely not by any means meant to be played at bedroom level. Once you have your tubes working and you bring that signal down to bedroom volume, it kind of sounds like an angry bumblebee trapped in a jar. Not very cool.

 

[zenaxe]

Man, that sounds like a cool amp. If only someone made a product that could replicate its tone and character accurately but at reasonable volume levels! They'd make a fortune!

 

[SockPuppet]

Man, that sounds like a cool amp. If only someone made a product that could replicate its tone and character accurately but at reasonable volume levels! They'd make a fortune!

I think you're missing the point of my thread. I'm not bashing the axe fx at all (I own one and use it every day) nor am I saying tube amps are superior in any way. I'm sorry if I made it sound that way. Sometimes it is just nice to go back to a real tube amp out of nostalgic reasons.

I agree with you (I should say I assume this is your opinion) that the axe fx does sound just as good as my marshall maybe even better.

I simply wanted to know how other people use their non-master volume marshalls and maybe even the axe fx with it (probably a question more suitable for the marshall forum - but this is the only forum I'm active in)

 

[romanianreaper]

I simply wanted to know how other people use their non-master volume marshalls and maybe even the axe fx with it (probably a question more suitable for the marshall forum - but this is the only forum I'm active in)

We all love tubes amps, otherwise we wouldn't even own an Axe. Those tones in the Axe directly relate to the awesome hot tube tones we heard years prior.

 

[mrstrat]

How are you liking the Rivera Rock Crusher? I feel the THD does color the sound even at -8 dB slightly, even more so as you add more distortion to the signal.

I like the rock crusher. I don't detect any "tone" to it, and it's very versatile. Allows me to select the cabinet resistance, and it has a huge amount of control over the volume level, plus it has a nice line out feature that I can feed into the Axe Fx, and then into a power amp => cab. So to the previous posters question, there is no effects loop, so I run Wet/Dry/Wet when using this amp. The Marshall feeds directly through the attenuator dry into the cab, and then my line out feed from the attenuator goes to the Axe Fx, then to the Matrix GT1000FX into two cabs, which gives me my left and right Wet.

 

[boogieman75]

I like the rock crusher. I don't detect any "tone" to it, and it's very versatile. Allows me to select the cabinet resistance, and it has a huge amount of control over the volume level, plus it has a nice line out feature that I can feed into the Axe Fx, and then into a power amp => cab. So to the previous posters question, there is no effects loop, so I run Wet/Dry/Wet when using this amp. The Marshall feeds directly through the attenuator dry into the cab, and then my line out feed from the attenuator goes to the Axe Fx, then to the Matrix GT1000FX into two cabs, which gives me my left and right Wet.

I just ordered the rock crusher today to use with my bluesbreaker reissue! My 71 super bass currently has a ppimv that I plan to revert back to stock spec eventually. I also plan to use the RC to try and tone match my modded SB... Right now it is an absolute beast!!! Wired more like a 2203 lead amp. Split cathode etc...

SockPuppet, I assume your Marshall is vintage?

Good thread guys!

 

[SockPuppet]

I like the rock crusher. I don't detect any "tone" to it, and it's very versatile. Allows me to select the cabinet resistance, and it has a huge amount of control over the volume level, plus it has a nice line out feature that I can feed into the Axe Fx, and then into a power amp => cab.

I should check that out! The Axe FX sounds really good in a W/D/W the few times I've tried it.

SockPuppet, I assume your Marshall is vintage?

Good thread guys!

That's correct! It's a 1979, so no PTP. I had to change all the pots on it, but no major mods.

 

[boogieman75]

I should check that out! The Axe FX sounds really good in a W/D/W the few times I've tried it.



That's correct! It's a 1979, so no PTP. I had to change all the pots on it, but no major mods.

Sweet!!! Right now I am using the axe fx as effects only into the super bass. It works really well! One reason being I sold most of my good dirt pedals a few years ago. Also I set an IA on the MFC to "bypass" so I can skip the axe fx and go straight to that raw crushing Marshall tone! The problem I am running into going back to this more traditional amp set up is varying my lead/rhythm volumes. We run our sound from the stage and sometimes that's difficult to maintain.

What kind of speakers/cab are running it through?

 

[mrstrat]

Sweet!!! Right now I am using the axe fx as effects only into the super bass. It works really well! One reason being I sold most of my good dirt pedals a few years ago. Also I set an IA on the MFC to "bypass" so I can skip the axe fx and go straight to that raw crushing Marshall tone! The problem I am running into going back to this more traditional amp set up is varying my lead/rhythm volumes. We run our sound from the stage and sometimes that's difficult to maintain.

What kind of speakers/cab are running it through?

You can increase your volume for leads simply by putting a boost pedal before the amp. There are some good ones out there. Keeley makes a really nice one (Katana).

I'm using a stock Marshall 4x12 1960B cab for dry, and two custom 1x12s (EVM12L and Celestion G12T-75) for the wet channels.

 

[boogieman75]

You can increase your volume for leads simply by putting a boost pedal before the amp. There are some good ones out there. Keeley makes a really nice one (Katana).

I'm using a stock Marshall 4x12 1960B cab for dry, and two custom 1x12s (EVM12L and Celestion G12T-75) for the wet channels.

I have tried that...at the volume and with the way I am running my Marshall, a boost/OD in front - and it never gets louder....the boost just slams the front harder making it distort more with no discernible difference in overall volume.

 

[mrstrat]

I have tried that...at the volume and with the way I am running my Marshall, a boost/OD in front - and it never gets louder....the boost just slams the front harder making it distort more with no discernible difference in overall volume.

Hmmm...strange. What is your signal path?

 

[SockPuppet]

What kind of speakers/cab are running it through?

I'm using the Marshall 1960B 4x12 and sometimes a Zilla Super Fatboy 2x12 with a v30 and a G12H-Creamback (really good cabinet!)

About the level thing; an OD pedal will make the amp slightly louder, but you're not going to get your entire signal boosted without any alteration to the sound. Also, if you already have a bunch of distortion the less apparent this effect will be . As you've already noticed, you're just sending a hotter signal into your preamp giving you a slight boost in volume but mostly just more preamp distortion.

There is this thing though: http://www.masterplant.com/electronics/ATTENUATOR SOLO.pdf

it is basically an attenuator but it lets you switch between rhythm and solo (ie. attenuated or bypassed)

 

[Hotplate]

I love old Marshalls and have owned a few.. I just find them impracticable for most any scenario I would encounter these days. Using a really good attenuator does help some, but I think there's better options these days (for non pros anyway). I like what the more current amp designers are doing based on vintage Marshalls with more modern features. I've heard Dave Grissom's signature PRS amp quite a bit over the last couple of years and I would probably be buying the 30 Watt version for that amp if I were going for a Marshall amp these days.

I ran across this demo of JD Simo's rig and it might give a few pointers for you... some good info anyway and JD is a great player.
Rig Rundown - J.D. Simo - YouTube