J
jonnyc
New member
I already researched it. It's not a tube output. It just has a preamp tube in the distortion section of the amp, according to the literature Marshall has on the amp.
I already researched it. It's not a tube output. It just has a preamp tube in the distortion section of the amp, according to the literature Marshall has on the amp.
ZoSo58LP
rock guy
damn so i dont even have close to a tube amp 
haha time to get spendin
haha time to get spendin
J
jonnyc
New member
damn so i dont even have close to a tube amp
Don't feel bad, I was duped(sp?dooped?) by Marshall as well. I thought for sure my amp was a "tube" amp. Boy was I wrong.
CoolCat
Well-known member
well I went again and played it. frkn damn nice. I can't find anything wrong with it. Only thing I haven't done is play it for 5hrs and see if it shuts down (which was mentioned in a review...I hope its not that guys!
)
there's some really bad reliability reviews on this model at musicians friend. but there's some really good reviews too. a wash out.
at $500 or so, its enticing...at retail of $1100 new, I wouldn't even be thinking about it.
I didn't pull the trigger, to be honest, I waited today again, and wanted to checkout the Vox AD30fx first. Its rated high around here as a great versatile HR amp. And everything I've purchased being highly rated around here was above my expectations... a pretty good fit but a totally different family of amps.
Only had about 20 miunutes with the Vox30w modeler and it was cool. the knobs felt very firm, and seemed to be pretty well built for this price. Great effects and quiet, very quiet, the knob in the back seemed like it would be useful, adjusting the volume and maintaining the od. I'm familiar with the modelers and this was a hell of a lot more in my price range.
but I been here already, like Lt. Bob helpfully pointed out to me, I already have a POD and a Peavey clean amp, which is great for cleans and a fine modeling setup and DI tool...so why get another modeler?
i guess it comes down to cash at this point......or 5qty Epi Valve jrs?
oh no...
)there's some really bad reliability reviews on this model at musicians friend. but there's some really good reviews too. a wash out.
at $500 or so, its enticing...at retail of $1100 new, I wouldn't even be thinking about it.
I didn't pull the trigger, to be honest, I waited today again, and wanted to checkout the Vox AD30fx first. Its rated high around here as a great versatile HR amp. And everything I've purchased being highly rated around here was above my expectations... a pretty good fit but a totally different family of amps.
Only had about 20 miunutes with the Vox30w modeler and it was cool. the knobs felt very firm, and seemed to be pretty well built for this price. Great effects and quiet, very quiet, the knob in the back seemed like it would be useful, adjusting the volume and maintaining the od. I'm familiar with the modelers and this was a hell of a lot more in my price range.
but I been here already, like Lt. Bob helpfully pointed out to me, I already have a POD and a Peavey clean amp, which is great for cleans and a fine modeling setup and DI tool...so why get another modeler?
i guess it comes down to cash at this point......or 5qty Epi Valve jrs?
oh no...
J
jonnyc
New member
Go try it one more time, really crank it up and get it howling. If it holds up buy it. Worse case scenario is you put it up on ebay and get your money back on it. I'm telling you, you're going to kick yourself if you don't buy it.
Lt. Bob
Spread the Daf!
One of my stable of amps is a Marshall 6101 .... three channel all tube 30th Anniversary model.
It's a modern Marshall amp so it's probably typical of many or most of the assembly line Marshalls being made now.
I work on my own amps unless it's really bad so when I got it it had fractured solder joints I needed to fix and when I opened it up I was extremely disappointed .... teeny tiny pots surface mounted on PCB's ......... really a piece of crap buildwise.
But oh that glorious tone ...... so I used it and after about 6 gigs it blowed up real good!
It was tough to find a tech that could even work on it ..... the first two (techs that I knew were fairly decent) gave up after trying and when I found one that could fix it it ended up costing $350.
So I went and read the reviews and they mentioned the same sort of durability problems that you're referring to.
But I've continued to use it with one change .................. I put a strong fan behind the amp that blows directly on the tubes and back plate and always keep it cool to the touch even if it's cranked. I pretty much don't even let it get warm.
Also, I'm very particular about throwing switches like the power level switch or anything like that. I only flip them if the amp's off.
So far I've had no more problems but I do always feel like I'm looking over my should when I use it.
It's a modern Marshall amp so it's probably typical of many or most of the assembly line Marshalls being made now.
I work on my own amps unless it's really bad so when I got it it had fractured solder joints I needed to fix and when I opened it up I was extremely disappointed .... teeny tiny pots surface mounted on PCB's ......... really a piece of crap buildwise.
But oh that glorious tone ...... so I used it and after about 6 gigs it blowed up real good!
It was tough to find a tech that could even work on it ..... the first two (techs that I knew were fairly decent) gave up after trying and when I found one that could fix it it ended up costing $350.
So I went and read the reviews and they mentioned the same sort of durability problems that you're referring to.
But I've continued to use it with one change .................. I put a strong fan behind the amp that blows directly on the tubes and back plate and always keep it cool to the touch even if it's cranked. I pretty much don't even let it get warm.
Also, I'm very particular about throwing switches like the power level switch or anything like that. I only flip them if the amp's off.
So far I've had no more problems but I do always feel like I'm looking over my should when I use it.
CoolCat
Well-known member
well I went back to put it on layaway and the other Dickhead sales-ass, said "nope...$799".
I said the other guy offered it at around $500 with tax...550 or so...?"
He said "well go talk to him because I'm not selling it at that."
I said hell with it, and left....
but being a gear addict, i call them back to talk to someone else yet again.
The 3rd dude said $500 out the door.
I said the other guy offered it at around $500 with tax...550 or so...?"
He said "well go talk to him because I'm not selling it at that."
I said hell with it, and left....
but being a gear addict, i call them back to talk to someone else yet again.
The 3rd dude said $500 out the door.
T
Thurgood
New member
The 401 sounds pretty good. Go for it.
ZoSo58LP
rock guy
go back and get it for 500, argue until you get your way, if they work on commission they'll want to sell it.
CoolCat
Well-known member
yeah I got it.
er...my friend came and actually bought it on plastic..for me,.,,well, not for me.,,,he wants paid....someday, no hurry. which will be done for sure.
he's a big tube amp lover and gearhead. it was really nice of him to frkn give the extra stamp of approval to by playing it and looking it over.
size wize the 401 fits, not a lot bigger than the Blues Jr. he'd recommended, a bit bigger.
appreciate the inputs here too....
$541 out the door. mint-used.
mission accomplished.
er...my friend came and actually bought it on plastic..for me,.,,well, not for me.,,,he wants paid....someday, no hurry. which will be done for sure.
he's a big tube amp lover and gearhead. it was really nice of him to frkn give the extra stamp of approval to by playing it and looking it over.
size wize the 401 fits, not a lot bigger than the Blues Jr. he'd recommended, a bit bigger.
appreciate the inputs here too....
$541 out the door. mint-used.
mission accomplished.
J
jonnyc
New member
yeah I got it.
er...my friend came and actually bought it on plastic..for me,.,,well, not for me.,,,he wants paid....someday, no hurry. which will be done for sure.
he's a big tube amp lover and gearhead. it was really nice of him to frkn give the extra stamp of approval to by playing it and looking it over.
size wize the 401 fits, not a lot bigger than the Blues Jr. he'd recommended, a bit bigger.
appreciate the inputs here too....
$541 out the door. mint-used.
mission accomplished.
Welcome to the club, now the addiction begins.
therage!
Wicked Machine
I had one of them for awhile and they sound good. You can hook a 4x12 to it also and get some good sound.
IMO they are WAY overpriced by Marshall. A few years ago Marshall increased the price of that amp by hundred's. I'd consider $500 since even new that amp isn't worth a penny over $650 new. Mass manufactured amps using PCB's just don't add up tp that kind of cost...unless your name is Marshall/
CoolCat
Well-known member
clean distortion and dissection of a $500 tube amp
yes, very pleased with the tones. the simplicity of just having a cable and a guitar to hit the od tones is too cool.
at $500 it was pushing my billfold but...there's more here.
the coolness of the Valve Jr, was neck and neck, close finish.
I was going to need more pedals at $100 each approx..I have none pedals!! nun!! so $$$$$...so a OD box, reverb-multi effects... $200
and more cables! and 9volts or wallwarts..speaker cabinet. I did have two brit celestion speakers.
I won't list the endless good things of the Vjr.
So $500 on this used Marshall combo.
Lets dissect it..and compare to the $100 Vjr. .
$500, there's many more tubes, two channels not one, the cabinet & speaker, the namebrand crap (which means a lot of people's checks attached to the sales).... resale is ok, no doubt.
We're not going to build the Marshall 401 for $100. I think all would agree.
many things are the same... multi ohmage output , efx send/return
the 12" speaker & cab...add $200...the marshall thing on the front, the pcb, the gold knobs, the grill cloth.piece parts... so I can see the $500.
fhk? I couldn't build one for $500..and this thing is frkn nice to the eyes, as Marshall can be...or any gear.
but I know nothing of tube amps, really. I started learngin due to the Epi Valve jr. and an old guy at work that builds tube circuits and had for many years at Texas INstruments (because there was nothing else invented yet!! he says.)
so at $1100 its an entirely different competition....like studio monitors I would assume. Maybe subtle, but its there. I had an excellent weekend with some DynAudios and YSM1p's...and the Dyns are too cool.....but the YSM1p's were tweaked into match and I couldn't afford the subtle improvements.
I think that'd be a blast for me. I now have a nice tube amp...and a PV ss and POD, so maybe I can tweak it in my own matching tones I been searching for, instead of the presets? but in this case I predict there is no matching as closely because the tube does have things, such as harmonics the PV ss womn't have. I can hear it.
yes, at $1100 we could buy almost 11qty Valve Jrs, class A all tube amps!!!
or a whole pile of things for HR.... Vjr $129, Utopia pedal $189, Epiphone Gold top P59 used $300, Fender Squier 51 hardtail NOS $150, new cables.......a nice 12" cab $200....
yes, very pleased with the tones. the simplicity of just having a cable and a guitar to hit the od tones is too cool.
at $500 it was pushing my billfold but...there's more here.
the coolness of the Valve Jr, was neck and neck, close finish.
I was going to need more pedals at $100 each approx..I have none pedals!! nun!! so $$$$$...so a OD box, reverb-multi effects... $200
and more cables! and 9volts or wallwarts..speaker cabinet. I did have two brit celestion speakers.
I won't list the endless good things of the Vjr.
So $500 on this used Marshall combo.
Lets dissect it..and compare to the $100 Vjr. .
$500, there's many more tubes, two channels not one, the cabinet & speaker, the namebrand crap (which means a lot of people's checks attached to the sales).... resale is ok, no doubt.
We're not going to build the Marshall 401 for $100. I think all would agree.
many things are the same... multi ohmage output , efx send/return
the 12" speaker & cab...add $200...the marshall thing on the front, the pcb, the gold knobs, the grill cloth.piece parts... so I can see the $500.
fhk? I couldn't build one for $500..and this thing is frkn nice to the eyes, as Marshall can be...or any gear.
but I know nothing of tube amps, really. I started learngin due to the Epi Valve jr. and an old guy at work that builds tube circuits and had for many years at Texas INstruments (because there was nothing else invented yet!! he says.)
so at $1100 its an entirely different competition....like studio monitors I would assume. Maybe subtle, but its there. I had an excellent weekend with some DynAudios and YSM1p's...and the Dyns are too cool.....but the YSM1p's were tweaked into match and I couldn't afford the subtle improvements.
I think that'd be a blast for me. I now have a nice tube amp...and a PV ss and POD, so maybe I can tweak it in my own matching tones I been searching for, instead of the presets? but in this case I predict there is no matching as closely because the tube does have things, such as harmonics the PV ss womn't have. I can hear it.
yes, at $1100 we could buy almost 11qty Valve Jrs, class A all tube amps!!!
or a whole pile of things for HR.... Vjr $129, Utopia pedal $189, Epiphone Gold top P59 used $300, Fender Squier 51 hardtail NOS $150, new cables.......a nice 12" cab $200....
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CoolCat
Well-known member
I think I'll do this, its cheap and I've worked on semiconductor tools for ever and heat, is the number one killer...it's the basics of physics.
I worked Intel when they did the fan on the CPU... electrons banging into each other and all that, creating heat. it has to be removed or it will start other things to react, glue, tape, solder.... temperature.
think I'll go get a fan today....thanks so much.,....cheap insurance...and I can't afford $350 for a repair. And keeping things cool, temperature controlled is just smart.
Lt. Bob
Spread the Daf!
I use a small ummmm..... what do you call those squirrel cage type fans? Walmart has some small ones for about $10 ....... I like them because they throw a fairly focused beam of air plus the air intakes are on each side so if I'm playing a club and the amps up against the wall it doesn't block the fan where it won't blow. And they're fairly quiet so for recording I don't think they'd be a problem.
Ummmm the fan company's name is Lasko.
Congrats on the new amp. As you play it more and more you'll tune in to the things that you get out of tubes and you'll like SS amps less and less although they certainly have their uses.
Ummmm the fan company's name is Lasko.
Congrats on the new amp. As you play it more and more you'll tune in to the things that you get out of tubes and you'll like SS amps less and less although they certainly have their uses.