Marshall 2001 Bass Amp Head

I still have my 2001 amp read my earlier review. I have updated my email address , anyone want to chat about this incredable amp.

This unbelievably heavy (about 39 kg) and rare amp was made in 1981. I was actully looking for Ampeg SVT or maybe a pair of Hiwatt's when I got to know about this amp from my friend. I had never heard about this model but as I was looking for a powerful all tube bass head I wanted to check this one. Amp was modified to accept EL 34s (to save on tube costs) but the mod was not made professionally and at the time of purchase only pre amp worked. The previous owned did not have money to have the amp serviced but he was not willing to sell it either so I had to pay quite a lot even I did not know how expensive the repair cost would be. I had the amp completely serviced and re-tubed (Svetlana KT 88 power amp tubes and NOS Mullard pre amp tubes) with insane cost of 909 euros (the tubes alone were about 600) but once I plugged it in to pair of Hartke XL cabinets (1 x 15 and 4 x 10") I knew the money was well spent.

The amp has two channels A and B. The A channel is very simple with volume bass and treble pots while B-channel has volume sweepable mid, bass and treble controls. The channels can be swithed by foot switch or mixed together. The amp has also a compressor for limiting the peaks. In the back panel there are effect loops for both channels and also for mixed channel and DI with ground lift.

The amp sounds very tubey indeed and unlike many other tube bass amps it can be tweaked for various useful tones as the eq section is very versatile. Due to it's output power (375 W specified with 6550's, but now easily over 400 with KT 88's) the amp has very open and resonant sound with serous punch. It is very SVT-like in many aspects but has a tone of it's own. Great sounding amp!

Do not know as I have had this only for a month now. Anyhow it's about 23 years old and still works very well, pots are not noisy, amp is not noisy and everything works fine.

I have been playing bass for almost 30 years. My main basses are '65 Jazz and Precision basses but I also play MM stingray and Sabre a lot. Overall the amp is excellent and it can be easily compared with classic all tube Ampeg SVT but with more options for tweaking the sound and it has more power though classic SVT is already more you really ever need.

Marshall 2001 Hard Rocking Bass hound from H*ll made about 1980. The versatility of this amp is astounding. I play Rock Jazz and Blues this thing has the tone for all of em. My studio is used to make instructional videos for guitarschool.net creating lessons for both guitar and bass. There are two channels. One with gain bass and trebile. The other channel has bass, sweepable mid range, trebile and gain. There is also a channel switching that lets you use one, the other or both at the same time. There is a very extensive effects loop on the back that lets you put effets on ether or both channels. One thing that kicks is the totally clean compression on the power section that adds punch to the low end even if you only turn it up a little bit. This is realyy to good to add the thump in under the tone shaping of the mid sweep in the EQ. I bought this one to use in the clubs because of it's wopping 375 watts of pure valve tone from the eight 6550 monster power tube under the hood. The tone is so good I will use this for every studio gig from now on. One thing I really like and belive other amps would benifit from in the design is that the EQ knobs are set to zero at the top so you can add boost turning to the right or cut turning to the left.

I sold all of my basses to buy one but it rocks as all Fender 1964 Jazz bases do. You can play every style of music from Led Zepplin to country music with this bass and amp combination. I have been rattling the walls at my house and also next door as the really deep tones seem to go on for days when you add even just a little bass EQ to the bottom but it stays nice and clear with punch on the top end and the sweeping middle give the bass many personalitys from Jaco to John Paul Jones. The choices of tone are truly endless I love the vast list of tonal choises available on this beast that I have never been able to get with other amps. With one cabinet I can get very loud and it stays very clean but I can see useing two cabinets when I get a chance as the power is probaly to much for only one Marshall cabinet with two 15 speakers.

I bought it used and in non working condition but it just turned out to be a broken screw on a filter cap. With that fixed along with the new tubes and bias freashly adjusted this thing seem rock solid. I plan to take it to all of my club gigs with out fear. I have many marshalls mostly all old and vintage ones and none of them have ever let me down.

I have not ever bought a new Marshall since my taste runs to the great old ones but I am a number one fan of the company and can only say that people that have delt with Marshall over the years have always given them the highest possible recomendation for excellent service and top qaulity.

I have been playing for over thirty years. I have a large collection of vintage Marshall amps and cabinets. that holly grail thing really is true!!! You wuld need a fork lift to steal this one as it is not only the loudest Marshall bass head I have heard to date but also the heaviest. I am definatly going to bring my dolly to the gigs to get it on and off stage. I may buy another as a back up if I can find one in case it ever get stolen but as of now we are buddies for life. I will never sell this head as it smoke every other model I have ever tried. To me an amp is like a member of the family and this this one is going to be my brother for life. I have never seen the 2001 matching cab but i would really like to get it and have the perfect match. If you find one for sale give me a buzz. Marshalls rule !!!

The rarest production marshall ever made! How many of the 2K series stuff have YOU seen? I'm glad that most people don't even know this stuff exists. My first exposure to these monsters was when I toured with Fastway. Eddie had three of these brought over from across the pond. I saw one other in a store in Houston about 15 years ago & the owner said he thought it had been stolen from Billie Gibbons. I have collected Marshall stuff for 25 years or so, & this piece is the only thing that I have hung on to. Like the Tucker car, this thing was TOTALLY ahead of its time! 375 RMS! No PA required!

Approaches Fender clairty with the raunchy PUNCH of a true Marshall! Used it with 4X12's & Marshall 800 bass cabs. Haven't heard it with the 2001 speaker cab. Tonal range & power are stupid! Better than sex!

The usual Marshall reliability X 10!!!! Unless you're rich or own a tube factory, this amp is best left still!!! To retube it would be the average persons weekly paycheck! LOTS to go wrong with this beast! But thats the fun of it, isn't it?!

I doubt Jim would want anything to do with this thing. He's a forward thinking guy.

Woulden't trade it for nothing. Pro equipment for a pro. When these were new, wow. To this day nothing has been made like'em. Good.

UPDATE: I have updated my email address , anyone want to chat about this incredable amp.

This must be the rarest Marshall Bass amp ever I have NEVER seen another except im the Marshall book!!!375w Valve head to rival the mighty SVT11 8x6556 in the out. Dual channel with the ability to mix both channels 6 position swith to control mid frequencies on one channel. This is the heaviest amp I have ever tried to lift..37kgs. I use this amp at home it stays where it sits..on top of my Acoustic 301 cab. The power of this thing is truly awesome..even with a couple of dodgy output valves. Great tone, vintage 70's rock..I use Status graphite Series 11's..should use P bass with this thing!!

Great tone..vintage 70's rock. I use Status Basses, Series 11's which give more tonal range than say a P Bass which should be used through this thing!!!

I bought the amp in London secondhand in 1997...havent used it in a live gig situation...too heavy to lift onto a full Marshall stack!!

I have been playing since 1963have a few Status Basses, Gibson EBO 1964(not to play)Marshall 7400 bass head Trace 2x15 cab Acoustic 370 head and 301 cab..and some other stuff..
I love the rarity of this amp..would love to know if there is another one out there!!