Which Marshall head is for me?

[SSgtP]

I would like to ask some of you Marshall players, which head you would recommend for me to purchase?

I want one that will cover the Marshall spectrum. I want to be able to approximate everything from Hendrix to AC/DC to Neil Schon to Zakk Wylde tone. Also, which cabinet/speakers would you recommend?

Thanks
P

[atomictoyz]

Oh My...

Thats gonna be tough in a all-in-one Amp. Hendrix used the older ones where the only thing you could do for distortion is to overdrive the power tubes. Zakk, if I remember uses a hotrodded Marshall, Metaltronix.....a pretty trypical mod done by Soldano in the 80's. Im not familiar with Neils amps. Any of the 1959 reissue super plexis will do. I bought a 2205 head which is channel switching, I had 6550 Groove Tubes put in for a little more power and replaced the stock preamp tubes with the groove tube equivalents. Whats nice about the mods is I have tons of tone, gain, but in the clean channel I have it a little dirty for that bluesy tone...For clean stuff I used to use a Dean Markly K-50 which was one of the best amps I heard for clean. Soldano amps are nice and Bogners are great too. Most of the Amps used by guys like Zakk are modified. IMO :0)
The JCM900 Heads are to edgy for me but the cabinets are nice...
Peace,
Dennis

[Scriabin]

1959 superlead plexi. I've got one and its my holy grail of amps. Hendrix used them, angus used them and if you put a distortion pedal infront of one you can get metal.

[Griffinator]

Man, Marshall's quality control has gone WAY down in recent years. I wouldn't buy any new Marshall head. Go out and find an old JC made in the 60's or 70's and you'll hear some real Brit tones, and you won't have to worry about it falling apart right after the warranty expires.

[badgas]

Originally posted by Griffinator
Man, Marshall's quality control has gone WAY down in recent years. I wouldn't buy any new Marshall head. Go out and find an old JC made in the 60's or 70's and you'll hear some real Brit tones, and you won't have to worry about it falling apart right after the warranty expires.

I agree, Griff.
Due to cost cutting, trying to keep a competitive price.
I wish when outfits like Marshall, Gibson and other would stick to a few top of the line stock, while cutting the cost on some of the other models.
But, they've never asked for my opinion.

[Griffinator]

Originally posted by badgas

I agree, Griff.
Due to cost cutting, trying to keep a competitive price.
I wish when outfits like Marshall, Gibson and other would stick to a few top of the line stock, while cutting the cost on some of the other models.
But, they've never asked for my opinion.

Soldano still practices that methodology. So does Hartke, SWR Engineering, and many many others. Marshall just can't seem to get their QC shit together.

I had a friend who bought one of those Marshall Valvestate combo amps - the tone was decent, chorus was nice, but right in the middle of the first show we played with it the frickin' pedal cut out on us - faulty connection in the back of the amp. That's crap as far as I'm concerned, especially with the nearest Marshall dealer over 100 miles from here.