The Truth About Vintage Marshalls

The Marshall Plexi (JTM45/100) is considered the holy grail of high gain amplifiers. But most people don't realize just how clean they are. The argument that these amps are inherently high-gain monsters could not be further from the truth, and today I’ll be demonstrating that. Using my 1969 Marshall Superlead 100, I’ll show the true characteristics of the vintage Marshall sound. I’ll also show you how famous players (e.g. Hendrix and Van Halen) used external devices to get the high gain sounds we associate with Marshall "Plexi" sound.

If you learned something in today’s video or have qualms with the findings of our test, tell us in the comments below!

Table of Contents
00:00 Intro Jam
00:27 The Plexi Sound Is Not What You Think
02:32 What Does a Plexi ACTUALLY Sound Like?
06:53 Recreating Hendrix's Plexi Tone
08:37 Recreating EVH's Plexi Tone
12:05 What Have We Learned?
13:20 Support Us!
14:26 Thanks For Watching!

⬇ GEAR IN THIS VIDEO ⬇
1969 Marshall Super Lead 100

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CREDITS:
Host/Co-Production: Mason Marangella
Video: Nico Sotomayer
Video Editing: Mason Mejia
Co-Production/Design: Mason Mejia
Audio Engineering: Hunter Harrison

#marshallplexi #tubeamps #guitargear

[VertexEffectsInc]

If you learned something in today’s video or have qualms with our findings, tell us below!

⬇ GEAR IN THIS VIDEO ⬇
1969 Marshall Super Lead 100

[mmatthewias]

It may be a gross overstatement but I think our classic rock heroes generally had/used a lot less gain than most ppl today when they try to dial in/mimick those tones.

[matthewgonzales]

I bought a modified 1971 Marshall in 1992. It had what looked like the "Rhoads" mod: channels jumped internally, Master Volume added, and a "squeezer" trim pot on the jump circuit. I bought it with its matching Greenback-loaded 4x12's.

It was a metal face, not a true "Plexi, " but it was the loudest amp I've ever owned. Even with a Master Volume, it could peel paint!

The metal face 70's non-master heads were reportedly more aggressive, and this amp was no exception. With the channel volume on 5 the amp sang like a bird, but power chords had a bark and a tone that was unmistakable. Best sounding amp I ever had.

[dawstep]

Wish everybody did demos as clear and informative as this.

[Nblades]

Funny, this is the first I've ever heard of people thinking the Marshall Plexi was a high-gain amp. I thought the whole idea behind that famous "Plexi" sound was playing through a cranked Plexi to achieve natural breakup. The Strat and Les Paul both through the Greenback at 100% did it for me!

[Turboy]

One thing you have to know about the Plexi (1959 Superlead) is that their gain levels, and tonal character, can vary wildly from one example to another. Due to intentional or accidental parts value changes, substitutions due to stock levels, engineering changes, and other factors, you can have two 1959s made a year apart that are as different as peanuts and pistols. Some are all about incredible clean headroom and basically won't distort unless you get out a drive pedal and push them really hard, while others are really sensitive thanks to large bright cap values and other circuit quirks and approach heavy metal levels of available drive when plugged straight in and turned up.

Being the owner of currently five JMP era Marshalls, I swear that this is true.

[mikesolomon]

Having been the marketing product manager for the EVM Series when I worked at Electro Voice in Buchanan, Michigan many years ago, where we constantly were evaluating our prototypes, exisiting speaker models as compared to all the major other speakers which were then available. I found this video very informative, fascinating, and was Exellent ! Being a Marshall, Fender and Vox user for many years, it took me awhile to really understand what the Plexi really was sonically all about. Many do not realize how versatile an amplifier it can be. Bravo on your series of informative videos, they are terrific.

[PaulSter]

This is why, after many years of owning Marshalls, I finally realized (and could afford) that the JTM45 is the best compromise for me. It's still crushingly loud, but it's not insane, especially when you blend the channels. A few months ago I added a Freyette Power Station to the rig so it's more versatile than ever. Absolutely love my tone through this Marshall rig.

[danceswithbadgers]

I bought my JTM45 reissue in 1990-ish BECAUSE it wasn't a high gain amp and would be a pedal platform. It replaced my very ordinary and unloved master volume JCM 800, which I had for less than two years. The versatility you get from pedals through a great clean amp is where it's at for me.

[denismorgan]

Jim Marshall was our neighbour in Bletchley, Milton Keynes England this place is also home to the code breakers of ww2 and the enigma machine and the bombe, Jim Marshall's son now plays clarinet and my grandson as a contract as a jazz keyboard player with Marshall's recording studios.

[benhull]

When I was in high school in the early 70's, I had a 50 watt plexi head. Someone had hot-rodded it. It absolutely screamed at all volume. It was literally on total 100% kill. I used to play it through an Ampeg Porta-Flex 4x12 cabinet. I'd plug the Marshall into the "extension amp" jack and put the Porta-Flex head on a table while the Marshall rested across the open top of the cabinet. I was playing a Kapa Continental through it before I got my 1st strat and it didn't matter- it was just unbelievable. Not knowing that it had been modified, I thought that was how Marshalls sounded and me and my buddies were in total awe. It started blowing fuses so regularly that I finally took it to a Marshall shop. When I got it back, it was a totally different amp- no more kill at all. I called the guy who worked on it and when I asked him what he did to my amp he yelled at me, saying, "That's the way it's supposed to sound!". lol

[BuddyBlues]

Mason’s been hitting the guitar gym holy moly that was awesome 💪🏼

[AnalogOpher]

Superb demo! Possibly best Plexi demo on youtube. This particular amp sounds especially amazing. No high gain here for sure. Incredible demonstration of speaker contribution to overall tone.

[TVoltG]

I did some work at a recording studio back in the mid 90's. Was there during a lot of Modern Rock bands recording their albums. A lot of producers and artists used a lot of "Plexi" amps with pedals to get some amazing thick hard rock tones. Recently I have heard a guy here locally using a 73 Super Bass with, a Helix in the front for his tones. Was shocked on how good it sounded.

[brucemason]

thank you for doing this! As one who lived through the early Plexi days, I've never had the audio to show youngsters the real sound. Now I do. Thanks

[Jakal-pwyq]

I have a 1966 JTM 45, a 1969 Small Box aluminum panel and an early 80's JCM800 w/vertical inputs. I run them thru a 1968 Marshall slant cab with pre Rola 12" greenback speaks. The ONLY amp that is hi gain is the JCM800 and it sounds glorious! I still love my JTM 45 over my many different amps though because it has such a beautiful clean, high headroom tone. Btw, I bought all these amp heads and the cab waaay before the vintage gear thing kicked in. Late 60's early 70's kind of thing. Been playing over 50 years and worked in vintage instrument shops for over 30 years so I got first choice and killer deals! Certainly, couldn't afford them now!! Just wonderful! Thanks for the upload Mason!

[rolandr]

Thanks for video. When I hear Marshall Plexi I think of Allman Brother's Filmore East, Angus and Malcom Young's tone, Paul Kossoff tone. All that heavier distortion Marshall tone, I think of JCM800 Marshalls.

[tylergorham]

This was everything I love about watching/learning from tone breakdowns on YouTube. Thanks for making this!

[jimshorts]

Old post but you're correct. I bought a Super Lead in the 80s and was 100% happy with its quality and sound, but it wasn't what i was expecting. Its cost, and easy to steal head, relegated it to my home and sometimes the studio. I ended up using 4 Fender Super Twins. Yeah, they were heavy as a tank but nobody stole them. They were also notoriously clean, and notoriously cheap to buy... and that got me into pedals. After 40 years I still prefer a dead clean amp with boost, OD, and a rare distortion pedal for grit. My old Super Twins are gone but using a Furman set at 115v made the tubes last 6 years. I let my ears rest by using sub 35 watt combos in the last year or so, but i let the Marshall out for a spin every once in a while.

[kalebaldwin]

I think a lot of the tones on our favorite recordings are less distorted than we perceive. The classic “Brown Sound” really isn’t all that dirty. A lot of it is just Eddie’s percussive attack, and of course, he had graphic EQs and the Echoplex boosting the signal, and the Variac doing its thing. But it’s not high gain. Other players who were using treble boosters and/or pedals like the Distortion+ had more distortion, but it was fuzzier and more midrange-focused. I find it ironic that Eddie later ended up putting his name on the most high gain tube amps on the market.