Marshall Super Bass Mk II Head

The amp was built in 1982
I use it for bass, playing Blues, Rock, Funk (Finger-style and slap)
Thank Marshall for the EQ - Nearly every sound is possible
It has 2 inputs, I don't know the difference, The amp is very simple, no DI, no Loops - nothing - True vintage =)
In my opinion, the DI-out should be included if there were a new model (not the lenny - version)
Also the impedance-switcher shoult be splitted for the two outputs.
I love this amp, but it's so damned loud, I wish, I could use it at home - also it's very heavy.

I play it with my yamaha bass and it makes me wonder, how good this bass can sound!
Slapping is so much fun with the treble-poti.
It has a very powerful EQ, which allows a lot of sounds.
The amp offers an extreme clean sound- At big gigs I can nearly play at 6 of 10 at volume, and it's always clean.

I never used a backup! Sometimes it humms, than I change the input and everything is great =)

Because I had no problems till today, I can't give a statement.

I own this amp now for 2 Years.
If it were stolen, I would kill the thief ;-) Because it's so unique here, I think I would find it. Otherwise, it would be my personal apocalypse.

I think I can say, I love this great live-amp! But It's (how I telled before) very heavy and hard to carry! But that's the price for a piece of rock 'n' roll...

Well, I think if there were a (perfect) version of this amp, there must be a DI-out

a Marshall tube amp for bass. Can't be bad! It seems to me like a non master volume amp with a more powerful EQ. Very,very loud

this amp sound excellent with bass. An amp like this can only enhance your playing (in a very good way!)

built like a brick

Its a 1977 Mark2 Superbass 100 with the large logo, brass carrying strap & white piping accross the front. Usual Marshall setup of 4 inputs, 2 channels , bass/mid/treb/prescence and it has the removeable impedance selectors on the rear panel. 4xEL34 power tubes, 2 ECC83's and a high gain Peavey 12ax7 in the preamp. Apart from the Peavey tube its completely stock.

I've always played rock with this amp, competing with 100watt superleads and its very very loud. Used it over the years with various cabs. Best setup was with a 1970's tweed front 4x12 cab which had vintage 30 celestions and it was a MONSTER sound from a monster rig. Also used a Musicman 1x15cab with a blackwidow and that was more portable but sounded incredible too. Volume has never been much past 4 on the dial and it stays clean and powerful till about halfway before it starts to growl. When i 1st bought this amp I used an MXR compressor limiter & a boss GE7 graphic for extra tone and to control the power and still use both with it to this day. I run a 79 Musicman Stingray & a stock USA P-bass and it really sings! Never had any probs with the amp buzzing.

Only trouble i've had in 22years was a blown transformer after I loaned the amp to someone! Its never let me down at a gig and provided you keep an eye on the tubes you'll be ok. Never blown a fuse in all the time i've owned it and never needed a back up.

Most amp shops know someone who is good at fixing broken Marshalls because they've been around for so long. The guys at the Marshall factory were brilliant after i asked if they could supply me the wiring diagrams from my 1992 model because it was so loud i thought it may have been modded. Thankfully all the wiring was stock.

If this amp was lost or stolen it wud be like losing a best friend! I'd definetly look for another but mostly these amps have a very unique & individual character and sound. It does weigh a ton though and the transformer is SO heavy it tips to one end when you carry it. The sound is still current and if marshall were smart, they'd build a re-issue 1992 model. its a classic.

I have several super bass 100`s a 65, 69, and 79
these are my all time favortie marshall amps
the amp has 4 inputs 2 brite and two normal
it rates a 9 cause you can`t carry it with you everywhere
two volumes, treble, middle bass and presence
voltage and impedance selectors on the back
kt88 (65), and el34 tubes

I use the amp for guitar with a 4-12 cab
plug straight into the brite channel and go
sounds killer with strats, tele`s and les pauls
for overdrive there are many pedals that work and provide distortion
with a fuzzface the tone is just like the Hendrix records
without any drive the amp is huge fat and shimmery
I also have a 57 4-12 tweed bassman and this is a bigger louder version of that tone

I don`t think there`s a rock blues or R&B style that this amp won`t work for... whith any distortion device the amp takes on a mean and monsterous character it does it all from hendrix to ZZ including the Eric Johnson 500lb violin thing... and of course you use a pedal silly, that plug straight into the Marshall bit is just a myth, a red herring designed to throw people off. How do I know, easy, I have the marshall and many of the old pedals...

The clean sound on the super basses is astonishing listen to the clean Hendrix stuff and you get the idea, big complex chunky, and harmonically huge...

well you shouldn`t use it for a wedding gig

maintain your tubes and these never break. period.

marshall is great but no support needed on this one
just a request hey jim where`s the super bass re-issue

prices paid $500 each

always looking for another one
I will always own at least 2 of these

Built in 1974. Still has the Original Tung-Sol 6550s (that's gotta be worth a point in and of itself) characteristic of "American" marshalls. Although this thing was made in Bletchley, England, it lacks the line current selector (hardwired to American 120v), which is a head-scratcher for Marshall. Aside from that, it has all of the standard features of a 4-input, non-master volume Marshall amp from that period, and it's ALL good.

Ooh......heh heh heh.Yup. Sounds like a Marshall should, and that is WONDERFUL! Put a Les Paul in front of it, and just listen to to the floodgates of tone open. A little more tweaking of the EQ is required for a strat, but cut the treble and mids a bit, and it is completely worthy. Is it as smile-inducing as plugging my Strat into my Tweed Princeton? No, but then again, nothing is. The Princeton was designed to sound great with a Strat. But this Marshall is infinitely more giggable, and it still sounds pretty damn good. Who needs reverb? with a sound this good (and this loud) too much reverb will just make the sound muddy. Why drown out your own sound? Drown out the lazy bassist instead :P

Well, it's lasted this long....Besides, it's a Marshall: 90% of all techs around today are VERY familiar with these amps. I know Jim Marshall isn't too hot on the 6550's his old American distributor put into his amps-he hates 'em. But they don't detract from the reliability or the sound too much, and modding it back isn't that difficult. Besides, schematics of this thing are available if you know where to look, so it really shouldn't be too much of an issue.

Never had to deal with them.

Question: How much is sounding like all of your guitar heroes worth? I mean YOWZA!!! What a great amp! Plug in, turn on, turn up and WOW! I can sound like Jimmy Page! I can sound like Eric Clapton, Mick Ralphs, Mick Ronson, Johnny Ramone, Joe Perry, the Scorpions, Paul Kossoff, Pete Townshend-Randy Rhoads, for crying out loud! What's that worth? Was it worth the price I paid? Hell Yeah!

Built in '77, all-valve, and very heavy. Two channels, with low & high inputs for each. Basic controls - presence, bass, middle, treble, and two volumes (one for each channel) - no master volume. Each channel has it's own characteristics - one bass-y, one treble-y. However, as seemed to be a standard feature on the JMP Super Bass & Super Leads, you can use both channels at the same time by linking a lead between to inputs, and then balance the bass & treble of the sounds by using the volume.

When I got it it had unsafe impedence & voltage selectors (now illegal under EEC law), which were replced the first time it had a major repair)

When working properly (see below), it sounds fantastic, especially when using both channels together. Rated at 100w, but massively loud - I've used it for bass at big gigs with a two-guitar thrash metal band (in my sordid HM past), and never needed to turn it above 4. Individually, the two channels are a bit average, and lacking in power, but that might be down to my style. My favourite sound is to get the volume just on the edge of distorting.

I use a Rickenbacker 4001, and an active Warwick Streamer Jazzman 5-string, with a variety of styles (pick/slap/finger-style/but largely Entwhistle-style string tapping), though I favour a fairly treble-y sound. It's mainly used with a Marshall 1 x 15 cab, which is fine - I also have a Marshall 8 x 10 which sounds good too, but is too big to transport for rgular use!

The sound does vary due to the valves - bright & powerful with new valves, fading a bit as the valves get older.

It also sounds fantastic when used for guitar, again when the two channels are linked together plexi-style. i also have a Super Lead II combo of the same age, and if anything the bass amp has a better tone.

Overall, not a lot of variety, but if you want a really powerful, punchy sound, it comes up trumps.

The downfall of the amp. I've had it for about 15 years, and it's had major repairs three times. It's cost me easily twice the purchase price in repair bills. It regularly blows fuses (especially if it hasn't been used for a while), but also has the very annoying habit of going haywire just before a valve is about to blow. the last time it did this was three days before a gig, and convinced it had finally given up the ghost I gave in & bought a new amp. How annoyed I was when a change of fuses fixed it! The Marshall is now sadly relegated to the studio for occasional recording (guitar & bass) rather than used for gigs.

To be fair, it has been gigged very hard over the years, and as long as you take a supply of spare fuses it shouldn't give too many problems. It is, after all, over 25 years old now.

Way past the warranty by the time I got it, so I've had to pay for all the repairs, and it's never gone back to Marshall. I have dealt with Marshall on various matters, and always found them very helpful, but no real opinion as applies to this amp.

A great amp, but suffers from the problem of all valve amps - unreliability. I've now got a Hartke HA2000 head, which hasn't quite got the balls of the Marshall, but is far more versatile & reliable. If stolen I'd take the insurance money, and if someone made me a reasonable offer I'd probably take it, but i would miss it.

The serial number suggests that this is a late 1970's model. The key thing about the head is that it is a Super Bass - designed to complement the thick fat and punchy sounds of a Bass. So it will distort at max but will generally provide a clean and fat sound alll the way up to that point. It provides all the veratility a Bass player needs if you are predominantly thumping out that rich valve round sound reminiscent of South London R&B combos that would fill pubs and clubs in the 70's 80's - think Dr Feelgood, 9 below 0 etc. With a little bit of care and fiddling, you can also get thet punchy top end slap vibe going - though this is pretty much associated with the type of Bass you play. The head has 2 channels and 2 iputs per channel, I spose for active and non active, it doesn't really matter which you choose - go with wehat sounds good for you. This is a no frills valve amp, no compression, effects loops etc. But it is deffinately a full on Thrills amp for Bass.

I use it with a USA Fender P-Bass and an old 70's H&H 2x15 and horns cab. It sounds great. I also use the head with a Marshall 4x12 for use with a standard USA Fender Telecaster - and it provides the sweetest yet edgy bite rhythm that you would die for. Either rig provides enough versatility for small to medium size venues - larger venues you'd probably PA up anyway.

If you do the 'all on 10' routine you get the Marshall growl, but for people who want distortion at low volume, forget it -or buy and effects pedal.

This Baby has been around since the 70's - it is proven and dependable. I left in a damp cellar for 2 years without using it and it came to life at the flick of the switch - grumbled a bit whilst it dried out, and since it has been as quiet as a mouse.

Marshall's are a great small company. Despite being the pre-eminent amplification company in the world, they still have that Ma Pa corner shop tradition that makes you feeled valued and at home. I think it is still possible to talk with Jim himself if you needed to and he would be genuinely wish to ensure that your Marshall experience is as good as it could be. Marshall people all seem to work with the same ethic and have always been helpful, even if you drop in. Just about every town in the world has someone who can service these amps - so there should never be a reason to write it off.

I've been playing for 20 odd years now. I've always aspired to play with Marshall amps but have played with Laney, H&H, Peavey etc - but always come back to Marshall - it's a Rolex.

If I won the lottery I'd buy the Marshall 7400 Bass rig......one day

This amp has two channels and four inputs. no FX loop. This amp has build in 1972, and it has no master volume. I have to keep volume up to make enough good distortion. Master volume would be perfect. Marshall started use master volume since 1975. 100 watts are too much to make original tube distortion in stage.

I use Les Paul and humbukers are only way to play hard rock ! I play old style hard rock n roll like Deep purple, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin etc etc.. and if i take two tubes off amp turn 50 watts and it sounds great ! If polarisation are wrong, amp make humms. This is almost perfect for old hard rock.

I noticed something couple of weeks ago. Amp was in bad shape, switches was burned out, and fuseboxes was broken. I turn volume up, and in 8 it was oscillate itself, making feedback ! I chanced switches, fuseboxes and tube sockets, and now i can turn volume up to the 10 !

I bought this amp from worst shop. They were unfriendly. I didn't like the store. Who needs customer support ? I repair all stuff myself and every time i survive. My friend has amplifier repairshop and he sell anything about tube amps. This one built in 1972 so no warranty anymore...

I bought this amp couple of months ago. this is my only amp right now. I love old marshalls, they are very beatiful amps. I don't like if amp doesn't have master volume. If i want more distortion then i want old MESA/BOOGIE mkI or mk III/IV.