Easing back in

[Charlie_M]

I used to play a lot as a kid and now 20+ years later starting to pick it back up again. Played in rock bands mostly back in those days doing a lot of what was popular then (older sabbath, zep, and then-current zz top, ac/dc, scorpions, judas priest, rush, etc...).

In those days I had a 100 W marshall half stack, but frankly always felt that the 50W half-stack my friend had at the time (this is around 80-82 timeframe) sounded fuller somehow. It was as if the harmonics just lined up better with that 50w. I never reached the point of being a true connissuer of amps and playing with different kinds of tubes and whatnot to tune up the sound, so I may not be describing what I heard very accurately. I was playing a les paul deluxe into that amp and also a charvel starbody with DiMarzios so I doubt the deficiency in tone was related the guitar. I guess anythin is possible - my buddy with the 50w played a LP standard with DiMarzios into his.

I'm to a point now were I probably could afford to go back and buy one of those older 50W heads and a 4x12 cabinet but.... not at the point where I have an entire room in the house to dedicate to my guitar gear so I'm considering the half-stack a non-option for now.

SO much has changed since those days of my mis-spent youth!! It looks like the technology has come so far (especially in terms of what you can do with a very simple home recording rig). The amps scene confuses me now. I stopped by the store and saw marshalls with a thing called an "effects loop" and marshall half-stacks with no presence knob. I didn't know what to make of all this and really was only in the store with a protools question anyway and didn't want to get diverted in an amp discussion that coudl have easily gone on all night.

I'm sure that some of these changes represent progress and some do not.

And I wonder if any of that progress has translated to amps to the extent that there might be a 1x12 or 2x12 integrated (head+speakers) amp out there that faithfully captures the tone and ****th of the old 50W marshall into 4x12 marshall cabinet.

I'll have to go try some amps out but wondering if people might be able to offer some inputs/direction on what items belong on my short list of amps to check out. Appreciate any advice/experience people can share.

Charlie

[brandondrury]

In those days I had a 100 W marshall half stack, but frankly always felt that the 50W half-stack my friend had at the time (this is around 80-82 timeframe) sounded fuller somehow.

A lot of guys like the 50 watters. I stole a buddies '79 50 Watter and I love it. It's qute a bit thinner sounding than my '71 100 watt Super lead, but that can be a great thing. You are right about the harmonics in the 50 watt Marshalls.

I'm sure that some of these changes represent progress and some do not.

Yeah, you are probably right. For the most part, there hasn't been much progress. The tones on recordings are still old vintage amplifiers. That's just the way it is. Amps have no improved as far as tone is concerned.

The digital amps are a joke most of the time. When real guitar tone is a must, the digital amps do not hold up. If you are used to an old Marshall, you will be quite dissapointed with a digital amp.

As far as finding the right amp for you, it depends. If you want to crank up a 4x12 cabinet, you most certainly can. You know what this sounds like. It's one way of getting "the tone".

Personally, if I was looking of a home amp, I would look into some of the boutique super low wattage amps. I'd try to find some of the 1/2 watt amps out there. I've heard great things about these.

I guess it really depends on how low of volume you want to be at. I played on the Mesa Boogie Subway Rocket years ago. (About the size and wattage of a Fender Champ). I loved it. I'm not sure if they still make those anymore. I'm more a Marshall guy too, though.

Of all the amps I've heard, nothing sounds like the old Marshalls.

Brandon

[Charlie_M]

Thanks Brandon. I'll look into the low wattage amps as you suggest. Need to go in and get some new strings for my classical guitar today anyhow. THe store will probably be mobbed today since it's jsut a week before christmas, but if I can find someone free I'll ask what they have along those lines. I'll use your terminology "boutique low wattage" and see where that leads me.

However I also fear that the real truth may be this:

Originally Posted by brandondrury

Of all the amps I've heard, nothing sounds like the old Marshalls.

I may have to face that and just plunk down the cash some day. Meanwhile I need to get the old skills back....

Thanks.

Charlie

[brandondrury]

Nothing sounds like an old Marshall, but....

There are a lot of really fun amps that are MUCH more practical.

I have a feeling that your local music store probably won't have any boutique amps. That's kind of the deal. A boutique amp means someone created it in their basement, much like the amps you linked to earlier (only those are mods).

I know they make 1/4 watt, 1/2 watt, and 1 watt amps. If you understand decibals, you will quickly realize that a 1 watt amp is still quite loud, but saturates quite a bit quicker.

Brandon