Product: Marshall 1966 Major PA
Price Paid: 1150 (euro) used
Submitted
12/24/2003
at
12:37pm
by
Mike the Trigger
Email: mikethetrigger<at>hotmail dot com
Features
:
9
Mine is a 1968 Marshall Major, but unlike the other reviews, this is a P.A. MODEL. It has 4 instead of 2 inputs, each hi and lo. As usual, each input has his own volume. Since I've modded the channels - no, I'm not a purist ;) - I can add bass by crancking up the 'bass lead' modded channel or define my sound with turning up the 'super lead' modded channel. This works great for me.
It also has 'a little bit more' power: 200 watts! Powertubes are 4 KT100's. These tubes are BIG. This amp is ultralineair, so it has an enormous clean tone. If you're a guitarslinger that dig clean headroom, this would be Mecca. I'm a bassplayer and use it with the tubes 'on the edge'. This gives a slightly crunchy fuzzy warm tone that IS the sound of the 70ies...fizzl cha rizzl is da dizzl.
BTW: what features? Four channels, that's it! (And I use three of 'em.)
Sound Quality
:
10
My axe is an American 7ender Jazzbass w/ Standard pu's.
Let me tell you something about my personal sound: I use one amp for ultralow depths and another for definition. Besides the Marshall Major, my other amp is a Ampeg SVT-II. I use the Ampeg with a 8x10"-cab for the definition in the mids and highs; the Marshall produces the round and deep lows for my 2x15"-cab (with 2 Eminence Kappa speakers, EACH 600 watts...:)...).
Needless to say, this is quite a loud sound. (But the end is not in sight...)
Reliability
:
7
Well, since I drive all my amps to the edge, there's always the risk of pushin' it over the edge. It happened to me one time when I cranked it up way beyond the sign 'are you nutz?'... I also heard some stories about this baby being not the most reliable beast around. Since it's quite an old Plexi (35 years, man) you can expect that there are some parts you need to update. Make sure that a real classified person sees this baby. When that's done, you're off to go!
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Tssssssssss, customer support? The current Marshall is definitely NOT what the Marshall company was in the sixties and seventies. I would never go to Marshall for customer support - I have an amp technician that is much more into the whole plexi-thang than those who produced the Triple Super JCM Lead 900 AVT 2000 DSL 201 whateverrrrr...
Overall Rating
:
9
This amp has the 60ies/70ies sound I was looking for. It's not as loud as I'd like it to be. Well... 200 watts thru 4 KT-100's may sound impressive, but how about 400 watts thru 8 KT-100's...? And a broken back, in that case...
I especially like the round deep warm clean sound. There are not much amps that can produce something warm like a Marshall Major. I guess the Fender 300PS and 400PS would do the trick - and louder, so I GOTTA get me one of these - but a true plexi like this isn't bad either!
