Anyone use Marshalls or the Matrix VB800

[Heybopper]

Hi
Just wondering why no one uses Marshall amps. Im after just a clean tone and a matrix vb800 that is I believe based on a Marshall has come up really cheap. I did try one years ago but found it a bit harsh and bright but since then I have changed my guitar and wondered if I changed the 12ax7s I might be able to get a more American tone any advice would be great, cheers

[Alter]

That's a 800 watt amp right? It has the preamp of a Marshall Jcm 800, with a solid state power amp. I have a Jcm 800, i like it a lot for modern jazz sound with effects etc, but it is way different from the mainstream clean jazz sound. I wouldn't use it for a straight clean sound, I play it on the high input and just clean it up with the guitar volume knob, great responsive amp for that considering it has a master volume. I like all the hybrid amps i have tried, they are a good compromise, Marshall Valvestate, MusicMan, Fender Rock Pro..

[pingu]

i once played an old marshall
head with a 4x12 cab in a reheasal space that had
a great clean sound ….

they are similar to a fender Bassman
cct

that said i believe marshall concentrate on getting good
distortion tones out of their amps

[RJVB]

(On the complete opposite of the spectrum I found that the Marshall 10W amp had a rather nice clean tone in the recordings that gave a decent demo of that.)

[st.bede]

Here are my thoughts: if you can get enough clean that when you voice an alt chord, you do not get too much ugly intermodulation, and there is enough note definition to hear into the chord, then it works. (If you want to use a certain tone then the chords have to be shaped to work with that tone).

Outside of the questions of physics, are just personal preferences and dealing with social norms.

I dislike being told what I can or can not do, unless it is in good faith, and based on knowledge and experiences.

There is nothing wrong with respecting tradition, just like there is nothing wrong with trying something new. There are problems associated with either when they are held onto as a prejudice.

When I was a teenager, I believed new was always better. I then realized that belief was holding me back from expressing my inner voice, and picking up great musical ideas.

When I let go of that prejudice, it opened me up to all the music that I had living in me from my youth.

That allowed me to focus more on my own voice, and that made me become more unique.

Uniqueness was one reason I held onto my prejudice of “new is better” in the first place. As mentioned that rigidity in my thinking was having the contradictory effect as I wanted.

I have seen the opposite happen with other musicians also: “old is good, new is bad”. When they let go of that assumption, they also have a similar experience as mine.

[lesyeuxnoirs]

There’s a very fine player in France called Hugo Lippi. I believe he uses a Marshall, with an Elferink Tonemaster plugged into it

sounds great and he’s the real deal

[Sean65]

I use a Marshall Origin 20 head plus a 1x12. Loosely based on a plexi. Its a single channel clean amp.

I like Marshall clean tones. I’d describe it as forward and authoritative. The highs can be an issue but with controls for treble, presence and tilt you can dial them in.

Even though it has power scaling, its not an ideal home amp. Too much top end but live, it sits well in the mix and is quite reactive.

[coyote-1]

Hi
Just wondering why no one uses Marshall amps. Im after just a clean tone and a matrix vb800 that is I believe based on a Marshall has come up really cheap. I did try one years ago but found it a bit harsh and bright but since then I have changed my guitar and wondered if I changed the 12ax7s I might be able to get a more American tone any advice would be great, cheers

I’ve used Marshalls since 1978, with the 200w Major being a fave for virtually everything. It does rock guitar justice when the front end is boosted; I looooved how simply varying the pick attack would change the sound from clean to crunch. No other amp I’ve used does it quite that well.

I’ve also used that amp for electric bass, and for Hammond organ in prog-rock settings. Used it with a MotionSound Pro 3T, and sent the low rotor sim signal to it. In those days I also ran a virtual analog synth into it. It sounded awesome in that configuration.

But those days are past. The amp itself weighs around 120 pounds, and that’s without a speaker. Some years ago Sweetwater had a deal on the Marshall DSL40c combo with a Creamback speaker, so I picked one up. While its design is rock, on the clean channel it makes beautiful jazz sound.

[Heybopper]

Hi, thanks for the comments, much appreciated, cheers. I went and bought the vb800 im going to swap the 12ax7s for two 5715 valves as I have heard they are lower gain and a bit more American sounding. Ill post a video on here when it arrives, cheers and thanks again

[Christian Miller]

Old school Marshall’s have a lot of head room for sure….

[Alter]

I’ve used Marshalls since 1978, with the 200w Major

A friend has a major, I've only heard it once but... 200 watts, it does sound great, but puts ears and back/spine in peril! I can't imagine carrying that to gigs even younger, he used to take a 4x12, sometimes two if it was a big gig. But these days you 'd always have many friends around, and with not much else to do..

[Heybopper]

Hi
just to say I bought the matrix vb800 as it was only £200 and thought it was worth the risk. I really like it. Last time I was using it through a marshal cab with a guild artist award with floating pickup. I think I was also using the high gain input and it sounded very midrange heavy and brash but now im using it with a set hum bucker and 2x10 cab on the low input. I can turn the volume all the way up and put gain on full and its still clean even with my guitar volume up at 7 but I keep the gain at around 3 or 4. I did a quick video but my recording set up isn't great

it has two outputs for cabs and an fx send that doubles as a DI. does anyone know if I can plug my fender blues deluxe reissue into the DI and run the blues deluxe and my 2x10 cab? cheers and thanks for all the advice and help its much appreciated

[jim777]

Hi, thanks for the comments, much appreciated, cheers. I went and bought the vb800 im going to swap the 12ax7s for two 5715 valves as I have heard they are lower gain and a bit more American sounding. Ill post a video on here when it arrives, cheers and thanks again

5751s? I swapped out the gain stale 12AX7 in my 1980 Acoustic G100 amp for a 5751 and it made a decent amp a great jazz amp. It's still far too heavy to move out of my house, but my teacher loves it.