Marshall 1959

Year of manufacture 1967. All caps under the chassis, no cap next to the huge dual secondary power transformer. With a guitar volume knob the amp is versatile enough to use as a single amp at a gig. Just make sure you're playing a really big room. Very basic amp. Jumper the two input channels and crank the volumes to 7, everything else wide open, adjust the presence to taste. Has all the features I need which is simplicity & ferocious tone. I record with the amp, don't use it live.

This amp unleashes the monster within every guitar. The playing experience is unlike any other amp I've auditioned or owned. Very close to Eric Johnson's "Cliffs of Dover" and different variants depending on the guitar used. Notes spit from the cabinet and bloom into a richness that can not be adequately described. The distortion is nothing short of heaven.

I use it at home for recording and it is very reliable. Servicing is pretty much just replacing the tubes.

Not applicable. I have my local tech do all my work.

Playing 30 years. Own other vintage Marshall and JMI Vox equipment. If it were stolen I wouldn't be able to afford another! Love everything about this amp, the tone rules. I used to own various Matchless amps, and while they were excellent, they were'nt the real thing. In my collection, nothing beats the genuine article.

-My amp was made in 1971. Transformers were replaced with ones meeting 1968 specs.
-Very versatile. Just turn one or two knobs and I am all set. I enjoy the musical syles of Led Zepplin, Early Boston, Rush, Jimi Hendrix. It does all of these.
-I don't have an effect loop. Standard two channels.
-I wish I could get some good echo, reverb, phaser to work with this amp. Without an FX loop it is not so easy. There are no features of this amp that I don't use.

It is capable of producing the nicest distortion sounds. My style of music is hard rock.

Dependable amp, however would recommend a backup in the case of gigs.

Never had to deal with customer support.

I have been playing for 28 years. I own a Vox Wha, Boss super overdrive SD-1, MXR 6 band eq, dbx 160x compressor/limiter, Lexicon MPX G2 with R1 floorboard. My electric guitars are Gibson Les Paul Standard and Fender Stratocaster. The only negative thing at the moment is that I can't get my Lexicon to work well with my amp since my amp is not equipped with an FX loop. I don't like the thought of modifying my beautiful amp either. Besides not having special effects, I am really pleased with my tone through the Marshall. I would want to buy another if it were stolen. My rating would be a 10.5 if I could get my Lexicon to work with my Marshall.

The superleads are easy to recognize with their four input-/no

master volume-design. The amps feature two channels (two inputs for each,

the inputs are wired so that they can be used to connect both channels, thus

giving you two different sounds in one, and the level of each controllable

with a volume), bright and normal, individual volumes for each channel and a

standard 4-band EQ.

First off a cranked 100W amp is VERY LOUD!!!!!!!
The sound of this amp is very "rock and roll", and very sought after. With the lack of a master volume, these amps rely heavily on power tube distortion. This means high volume tone!

never had a problem. only maintenance by my tech once in a while.

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Overall this is the best amp I've owned for rock and metal music. I play mostly Vanhallen Hits and Zack Wylde hits from the Ozzy days. Metallica is right here from ride the lightning and earlier. I'd buy 2 more if I had the cash but the two I have now are my workhorses and run like a finely tuned muscle car! RRRahhh!!

This is a 77 model. Not too big on features, but that why I bought it!! Modded with a master volume, which helps things out tremendously.
Plenty of power.

I play through a les paul classic, and an american fat strat texas special. With either guitar this amp sounds fantastic. It sings with the strat, and has tons of balls with the les paul. It compresses heavily at higher volumes, which makes playing leads a real treat. I can definetely see how Eric Johnson gets his tone. Fat and warm with tons of bally goodness. Reacts well to overdrive pedals. Crunches like a MOFO with my jeckyll and hyde!!

Ummm...had it about 6 months. No problems yet, but it is old....so I dont expect it to be perfect.

I've been playing about 8 years, and I've owned Fender, Ampeg, and other Marshalls(jcm900), none of which did what I wanted them to. this amp lets you create your own tone because it is so responsive, it doesn't define your tone for you. The only reason I would sell it, is to buy a Bad Cat Hot Cat....it's incredible!!! But, I am EXTREMELY happy with this marshall. I can see why it's a classic.

Mine is a 1966 super tremelo, and has the aluminum chassis. Aside from having an extra 12AX7 for the trem., the features are the same as any other 1959, and the amp is completely stock and origional, save for the tubes. Not alot of features on these amps, but I like 'em simple! I especially like the way you can mix the two channels to get a more even treble/bass response...

Simply the best amp I've ever heard! I play mostly Blues on the Eric Johnson-fusiony side, and for that, it is better than perfect. It does have a few other tricks in it's bag, A great clean tone and that wonderful "Thin Lizzy" rock sound, but I'd be a liar if I called it versatile. You really have to be a slave of "That Sound" to love this amp...and I am! I play Fenders, and usually use my "Lone Star Strat" which is stock, save for the bridge pick-up which I have changed to a SD Pearly Gates (not the +). From that, I go to a Vox wah from about 1975, into a Boss overdrive, then to a Boss Digital Delay/Reverb. From here, I take both outputs (the boss d/r is stereo) and it goes straight to the amp, one in the High treble input, one to the normal so I can get a nice warm blend. That's it! I have noticed that a little time spent blending the two channels can yield some very rewarding results! On the down side, it is a little noisy when turned up, but I usually don't turn the volumes past "4"...WAY TOO LOUD! When lights, my computer, or anything else makes it noisier, My blue hush "the Pedal" stomp box cleans it right up. Oh yeah, one last thing. I can definatly confirm that these ol plexi's sound ever so slightly different every day! Humidity? Temp? Tube Gremlins?!

Knock on wood, this amp has never let me down. I would use it on any gig with no back-up. But to be honest, with the value these early plexis are starting to command, I'm reluctant to take it out that much. I do give it new tubes, and have the bias checked every year, which I would highly recommend to anyone who has a tube amp and uses it alot, or hard. My 50W Silver Jubilee has NEVER failed on scores of live shows under varying conditions with this maintainence schedule. Consider it cheap insurance!

Wouldn't know....My other Marshalls are from '75 and '87 respectively, so they're all long out of warranty, and I bought them all used. I've never dealt directly with the company..

I got mine real cheap! Friend had it under a work bench in his garage for nine years and practically gave it to me. The $625.00 includes a complete tune-up and new tubes, which were all it needed. So, for me, it was the buy of a lifetime! I'm in my mid-30's and have been playing for 27 years now, and this is "The One"! If it were lost or stolen, I would definatly try to get another...Although I doubt I'd be able to afford or find one like it now. I'd probably look for a 70's aluminum panel model and save the $$. To be honest, I've heard quite a few 71-73 models that sound just as good...Although they are all different. I do wish it had one feature that my Jubliee does. The triod/pentode switch that cuts the power in half would be nice! But I love it just the way it is.

It does not have many features except it is the fattest sounding
amp I have owned which has been for about 12 years. It is a 1974
super lead with EL34 power tubes. I still think is got to be one of
the best rock amps ever.

I use the amp for rock, blues, and I have used it with with
a roland GP-8. And other effects units. This amp has stood the test of time. I love it.

Never had a problem with them. I dont like there web site but it
is better than rolands.

I cant use this amp as much as I would like to due to noise restrictions in our venues in Australia. But it is still my Number 1
Amp

My 1959 Super Lead s/n: SL/A 5381F was made in 1974. I bought it used at a music store, about 15 years ago, that knew NOTHING about Marshalls and got it for a great price! It had a really bad mod with a master volume and sounded like crap. I have had it in the closet for many years, playing it a couple times a month, until I broke down and had it re-built to original factory standards.
The re-build cost me a little over $ 300.00 (US) and has been worth every single penny. I'm sorry that I waited so long to do this. For the last 8 years I have been using a 1990 JCM-900 High Gain but have been a little un-happy with the thin pre-amp sound from a master volume head.
This Super Lead is right down to basics. Four inputs, No effects loop, no master volume, no gain control, no half power switch, no heaphone jack (yea right), no channel switching. Just plug in and crank!
In 1974 there was a shortage of EL-34 output tubes, so Marshall put in 6550's for US export only. 6550's is NOT the Marshall sound and I have re-tubed my box with EL-34's (russian made). WHAT A DIFFERENCE!! It also has 3 12AX7's pre-amp valves.
I play funk, classic rock, metal - you name it, and this amp can do it all. This amp has so much power that you better get a Power Brake for it - you will go deaf.

I have 8 guitars that I use through this head. Mostly Gibson's and Fenders (even a '71 P-Bass sounds great through it) But, my favorite axe to use is my '74 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe. You MUST run this amp through a vintage cab with 25 watt Greenbacks if you want the tone of God!
Ok, let's talk about tone. OH MY GOD THE TONE! Let me tell you people with your stupid little foot pedals, racks and pre-amps - you will never hear tone like this in your life. Plug straight in and crank the volume to around 7 and rip. The tone will go straight to your soul and excite every cell in your body. Just hit a fast chord and stop it - and it will be hit you so hard in the chest you will not be able to breathe! This is the amp that made the rock guitar famous. Every single classic guitar tone can be squeezed out of this monster - I mean it!
Anbody who put's anything in front of this amp besides a wah or univibe should be taken out back and shot in the head. I have a small semi-pro 8 track studio and I close mike it with a SM57 and it records really nice. I might add some studio verb during mix down to give a little space to it. I have found that Marshall's, in general, record the best out of the amps I have had in the past.
I play very dynamically - meaning, I like to use the volume on my guitar to go from clean to death without having to stomp or switch anything. I can have this amp full blown and tubes ready to blow up and turn down my guitar volume and have the warmest and fullest clean sound you have every heard -Marshall style. Solid state, pre-amps, and wannbe Marshall's just can't even come close to these dynamic inputs. Play soft, clean - Play hard - well I'll leave it to your imagination.
If you think that you can't have gain without a pre-amp or gain knob, well think again. I can get sustain that last a good 2+ minutes on my Les Paul.

I have never had a problem in the 15 years I have owned this amp. These boxes are made by hand and really show it. With any tube amp you will have to replace the tubes in about 2-5 years. Sooner if you keep it cranked all the time.

Well, never broke down. Never had to deal with the company but their new web site is pretty cool and you can get contact infomation there and ask them questions. http://www.marshallamps.com

I've been playing for about 24 years now and I have been through alot of amps before I started using Marshalls. My studio partner has been saying for years "Dude, you gotta try some effects....." Well, a few months ago I bought a Digitech 2112 Multi-Effects guitar pre-amp. I really tried to like it, really! But, within a week I sent it back.
NOTHING, I mean NOTHING can compare to an all tube head and everybody is trying to get the "Marshall" sound. Listen to me when I say, get the real thing! If I want a different sound I'll buy the amp that makes it. I wanted an old blues tone that was off the Blues Breaker Beno album. So - I bought the 1962 Blues Breaker re-issue from Marshall and I got the tone. I wanted an old surf sounding amp so I got an early 70's Fender Deluxe with warn out tubes - I got the tone.
I would buy this amp many times over, but it will be hard to get a '74 again. I have plans on getting the 1959 SLP re-issue in a few months so I can daisy-chain the two Super Leads together.

My 1959 100w is not a reissue. It's an original, almost. I've had it modified: Footswitch Effectsloop 4 channels: Clean, Crude, Crunch, Lead
It's very versatile. I have a Roland GP-8 in my rack and I can switch the channels on the amp with help of MIDI. This makes it even more versatile.
I use this amp when I'm gigging in all kinds of places. It's perfect for small pubs as well as big arenas. This amp has got power.
I can use it for getting that 60's sound all the way to that Metallica Black Album and Pantera sound.
It's loaded with four EL-34 and two 12AT7.

I use my amp with a Gibson Les Paul Standard '72 equipped with Seymore Duncan '57. Those pickups have slightly more mids and have much greater output. I run the amp through a Marshall 1960AX 4x12" cab which is equipped with 25w greenbacks.
It's almost noise free at any volume settings and always sound great. The sound goes great with all kinds of music. If you use the Crude channel (a clean channel which you can distort so you get that really cool AC/DC top of the world sound) you get this really nice twang in the high-end. And I play a Les Paul!
The clean channel doesn't distort at any volume settings and the ditorsion is very brutal. Like I said I can make it sound like John Fogerty or maybe Dimebag Darrel.

I guess you could depend on it quite well. The thing is that those tubes that I am using doesn't have that long life time so I always have a set of 12AT7 with me on tour.
This amp is about 30 years old and has never given me any problems at all except for tube changes.

I haven't dealt with them myself, but a friend of mine got his 100w Valvestate Combo repaired. And it was done under warranty. The warranty for that unit I think is 5 years.

I've been playing for 4 years and I own besides the gear previously mentioned an Alesis Midiverb 4, Behringer Autocom MDX 1200, Digitech Mono28 Eq, Jimi Hendrix Wah and a DOD Bi-Fet Pre-Amp. All is controlled by MIDI.
I would certainly by it again if this unit was lost. What I love about this amp is that it looks really cool and it sounds killer in all kinds of music. And I play in a '60s '70s band, a metal band and a fusion band.
I previously owned a modified JCM 900 and a 1960A cab and a Valvstate 8080 combo amp (which doesn't sound good at all). But this JMP sounds so much richer, fuller, bigger and louder.
What I hate about it is that it doesn't reproduce itself.