Marshall 1987X "plexi" Reissue

2006 Marshall 1987XL Plexi Reissue: a straight-forward guitar amplifier that has been used by a lot of artists over the years. Typical Marshall controls: presence, bass, mid, treble and two volume controls (one for each input - High Treble and Normal). No reverb or any other effects. This model has the effects loop, but I currently do not use it, as I use a pedal board between the guitar and the amp.

Here's the gear that I currently use with this amp and then I will detail what I???ve learned over the years playing and recording with a few different Marshall heads:

Guitars: Jackson Soloist SL1 (DiMarzio Tone-Zone in the bridge and Seymour Duncan stock pick-ups in the middle and neck positions). Fender Eric Clapton Artist Series Stratocaster with Vintage Noiseless pick-ups.

Effects Chain: Boss Tuner, Fulltone Fulldrive 2 Mosfet, Ibanez TS-808 Reissue, Boss Chorus, MXR Carbon Copy Delay, Lee Jackson Mr. Springgy reverb and Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor.

Speaker Cabinet: Marshall 1960BX with 25 Watt Celestion Greenbacks.

Other amps: Marshall 1980 JMP 50W Master Volume, Fender Hot-Rod Deluxe. Used to own Marshall JCM2000 DSL 50.

Like others, I only play the 1987XL head with the inputs bridged to get a fuller tone. I've recorded with my 1987XL head and I'm thankful for the things I've learned here at Harmony Central. Stock, the head is brittle and bright. You can't get the amp over 2 on the high treble volume control without getting a very brittle sounding overdrive, and the volume is VERY loud at 2!! The tone controls did not seem to make much of a difference until you turned the amp up to 7 or 8 and effectively eliminate the bright cap across the high treble volume (C5 on the circuit board).

I had the bright cap at C5 volume removed and it made a huge difference. It was very evident when recording. The tone controls on the amp are more usable and much improved. The amps tubes overdrive around 5 on the HT volume control now. It is still a very loud amp, but it has a lot more headroom.

To get the overdriven sound I'm looking for, I keep the HT and Normal volumes at about 4, and use either the Fulldrive or TS-808 to drive the tubes. Both do a GREAT job, it just depends on what sound you're looking for. The TS-808 has the definitive mid-range hump and the Fulldrive IMO retains the amp's tone better while driving the tubes for more overdrive. My favorite setting on the Fulldrive is with the overdrive set between 11 AM and 12 PM and the Volume set at ~ 3 PM.

In a live setting, this works well, because you can turn the OD pedal off, reduce slightly the volume knob on your guitar to get a very pristine, clean tone. By kicking the volume knob full and putting the OD pedal on, you're in classic rock heaven! I've recorded my Plexi reissue using either the Fulldrive or TS-808 and I can get very, very close to Lynch's tone on Dokken's Under Lock & Key CD. I say this to give you a point of reference.

This amp is so loud however; that you will need some attenuator. I use a 16 ohm THD hot plate and it does a great job with this amp. I generally play at the -8dB setting, as this retains the amps tone best while reducing the volume.

For comparison purposes, I've recorded comparison tracks with my 1987XL with various Marshall cabinets (1960A, 1960BV, 1960AX and 1960BX). All had their own great sound, but the 1960BX was by far the clear choice. The 1960AX was very close, but I prefer like many others the flat cabinets for recording and playing. The BX has a deeper tone and it doesn't throw all the sound up to your head.

I also have recorded and compared the 1987XL to the JCM2000 DSL 50. The DSL is very versatile head with its two channels and reverb. It also has a lot more gain. However, when recorded with a good OD pedal in front of it, the 1987XL is much better sounding and pleasing to the ear.

I've not recorded yet with my 1980 JMP 50 Watt head. It is very similar to the Plexi, but with more tube overdrive. The benefit of the JMP is the Master Volume as I can get great Marshall tone at a much lower volume and this is a very good thing. However, when you turn both amps up, there is something in the way the Plexi responds that is unlike any amp I've used. I give it a 9 because of the stock C5 cap that IMO has to be removed; otherwise, it's

Other than having the tubes replaced and the C5 cap removed I've had no issues with this head. It's a Marshall and I expect it to be reliable. BTW, the tubes I???m using now are JJ EL34's and Tung-Sol 12AX7's. The tech that works on my amps tells me that the Plexi is a very reliable circuit.

I've dealt with Marshall only through asking questions through their web-site. Their technical support people have been responsive to my questions and very helpful. The 1987XL, that I bought used, still had 3 years of warranty left when I got it. Marshall gave a 5 year warranty with this head, which I believe is very good.

I provided much of what I wanted to share in the Sound Quality section. If anything ever happened to this head, I'd replace it in as soon as possible. I've been playing guitar for 32 years now (classic rock, instrumental rock and contemporary Christian music) and believe that the Plexi is one of the best amplifiers ever made.

I am a big fan of Marshall tube amps and can honestly say that if you are a rock guitarist, you will not be unhappy with a Marshall, as long as you get the right guitar, speaker cabinet and effects to go with it. I've spent the better part of the last 5 years going through a number of amps, cabinets, pedals and guitars to get the tone I was looking for. With the 1987XL Plexi and the JMP Master Volume (mostly for lower volume applications) through the 1960BX cabinet, my search for great tone has ended (for now of course).

This is a 90's 1987x Plexi reissue so there's no effects loop in this one. This is a rock amp. Basically a one-trick pony. Not ideal for country, metal, etc. It's a very simple one-channel design. While it has very few "features" by today's standards, after playing through this amp you realize that features are overrated and tone is ultimately what inspires us to play. I use this amp with my rock band. It just sounds right to me. It has plenty of power. Too much in fact. I use a THD Hot Plate to help with the volume.

I play my Strat, Tele, Les Paul, and SG through this. SG = Angus Young. Strat = Hendrix. Les Paul can be meaty and bluesy. Tele doesn't get used with this amp very much. I have also run a Fender Rhodes, Cello, Synths, etc. through this amp. Whatever you put into this amp comes out sounding like the rock and roll version of that instrument. Seriously. There is no amp that sounds more like rock music to my ears. The Rhodes turns into a rock rhodes. The cello turns into a rock cello. The Moog turns into a rock moog. It's comical. This amp has a distinct sonic imprint that equals rock and roll. There is no other way to describe the sound. This amp blooms and feeds back in a beautiful and organic way. Inspiring to play. The amp itself is an instrument. You will find yourself working feedback and incorporating it into your sound. It's truly a remarkable beast. I have a Fender Twin, Vox AC30, Ampeg V4, Boogie DC5 and Marshall JCM900. If I could only have one amp, this would be it. I run it through a Marshall 4x12 with greenbacks. These speakers have something to do with the "classic" sound this amp makes and I would recommend greenbacks to anyone considering this amp.

Yes it's dependable and yes I gig it without a backup.

Amp has never broken down.

N/A

This is a special amp to me. It records better than any other amp and sits in the mix so well. The frequency response is perfect. It's expensive but worth it if you like classic rock.

Well this is a 2005 Plexi Reissiue. This means that it is the model with the variable effects loop.
I play mostly rock and metal and is perfect for this style. I bought it originally because I wanted to switch channels without effecting the tone - that is one EQ section for two volumes. I use a standard AB box for this, so I set one volume to rythum and one to lead. Does exactly that.
Passive EQ on this amplifier.
Channel switching is not integral to this amplifier, hence the use of an AB box and two leads into the seperate channel inputs.
No master volume to suck your tone either.

I use a couple of guitars with this amplifier. The first is a stock Ibanez RG1570 Prestige and the second is a maple bodied custom guitar with EMG 89 pickups. Sounds great with both of these guitars with no complaints.
I also use a 'Carlsbro' 4 x 12 straight speaker cabinet wired to 8 ohms rated at 120 watts. The cabinet contains 30 watt Rola Celestian G12H speakers and code from about 1984/5. Birch ply cabinet like a regular Marshall cabinet and also has been fitted with an 11" Marshall logo, Marshall castors, Marshall edge protectors and Basket Weave cloth. In effect it looks like a '60s cabinet. The G12H speakers have better bass definition in my opinion - although they are very hard to get and don't think they are produced 'new' by Celestian anymore.
The amplfifier is 50 watts with two EL34's and 3 x 12AX7 pre-amp valves. It is extreamly loud for 50 watts and would probably destroy most 100 watt amplifiers in terms of shear volume! Buying a power attenuator is probably a wise investment (like a THD hotplate for example).
Effects wise, I use a Digitech RP14D valve based effects unit and Snarling Dogs Wah pedal. I normally set the amplifier to '5' accross the EQ and rely on the active pre-amplifier within the RP14 to modify the tone. I use the two volumes to act as a 'boost' during solos and plug an AB box after the RP14D to give two volumes with the same EQ.
The amplfier gives a great range of tones when using the EQ. With two independent channels on the RP14D and an AB box this, in effect, gives me four channels in total. Obviously EQ on the amplifier is of the 'passive' not 'active' variety. So you need to 'dial it in' as the bass settings effect the mid setting effect the treble settings etc.
I had the 'bright capacitor' removed at 'C5' on the ciruit board and wire bridged in the ciruit gap, after it was 'inspected' by Marshall (see below). This improved the headroom considerably. When I aquired it, it gave its full volume on about '2' with just more distortion as you increased the volume, now it is clean upto '6' or '7' before it begins to breaks up and the volume increase is much more 'gradual', not simply 'on-off'.
This is a much more useable amplifier for me now and the modification only cost me ??15 by my local amp tech. Of course, I have the 1400uf capacitor retained in case I wish to revert to 'stock'. Before the modification it was simply too dirty for what I wanted - and the volume was more-or-less an 'on-off' switch.
I reply on the effects board for all my distortion as this contains a 12AX7 valve.

Well it's a Marshall, you can throw them off a cliff and they still work. I've owned a few...including a JCM800 and JCM900. Love all Marshall products.
My 1987x has never broken down on me. Of course, being full valve you need to have it serviced but thats about it. If you start blowing fuses, it's time to change your power tubes. Of course your tube life will depend on how hard you care to drive the thing really.
The only thing that worried me was the 'smell' of the power transformer. This is perfectly normal - see below.

Absolutely amazing. I had a 'smell' eminating from the power transformer (like burning) - I got paranoid and thought something was wrong. I contacted Marshall, they checked it over for FREE. I only paid for a courier. Everything was fine with the amplifier anyway. The 'smell' is just normal basically (although my previous Marshalls had not 'smelt' like this).

I've been playing guitar most of my life, from about the age of 10. I am now 35.
I bought it because I wanted a Plexi (I love plexi tone). I would buy the same amplifier again, and I would have it modified in exactly the same way.
I tired it against most of the current Marshall range (TSL, DSL, vintage/modern etc).
I have previously owned a JCM 800 and JCM 900 and other valve amplfiers (such as Hiwatts and a vintage Sound City L120).
I like the 'simplicity' of it. You can't get confused with this amplifier, and you almost can't fail to hear just about every classic rock sound ever recorded coming from the amplifier. Okay you could argue you need an overdrive pedal - but its your taste really. Remember it will take pedals better than most due to the simplicity of the ciruit.
I really liked it. I like it even more now I've had it modified very slightly.
The only slight detraction is the cost of these amplifiers new. I took off two points for this - like every other manufacturer the word 'reissue' doubles the price despite it being an extreamly simple ciruit not with a vast quantity of components! (bit like 'Reissue' Fenders or Gibsons).
They couldn't even argue research and development costs!
What makes me also 'smile' is that it is not even a true 'Reissue' as the original 'small' logo Marshall 1987 had a 'point-to-point' ciruit board (pre 1973), not the PCB as in this one. If you wanted a history lesson (and you'd go to sleep), a post 1973 PCB model 1987 had the 'large' logo.

Not sure the year this one was manufactured. Mine is a slightly modded version of the 1987x with a new P2P circuit board and Mercury OT. Bright Caps removed. 2 Mullard EL34's in the power section. No F/X Loop on this one either. Very simple, basic features. On/Off, Standby, Bass, Mid, Treble, Presence, and two channel volumes. 4 Inputs. High & Low Gain for each channel.

I use this amp in an AC/DC Tribute band for the Malcolm role. I use a Gretsch Malcolm Young model guitar with Filtertron pickups strung with 12's. This amp is perfect for raw simple rock tones and if you use your guitar volume to control distortion it cleans up nicely. A very warm sounding amp that is incredibly loud. I use it with a Marshall 1960BV 4x12 and a Mesa Recto 4x12. This amp sounds great through either. The beauty of this amp is that each note blooms and seems to have a more independent influence in the mix than the other amps I have (Boogie, Peavey). Did I mention that it's loud? In small clubs I actually need to face the 4x12 backwards. A Hotplate is definitely in order. In larger venues this works perfectly and when you turn up to about 4-5 it really starts to sing.

Never gig without a backup. That's like driving without a spare tire. I've not had any problems with the amp so far and it lives in a shock mounted road case.

Not had any need to contact Marshall

I've been playing guitar for almost 30 years. Rock, Metal, Blues mostly and have played countless gigs with different amps. Mesa Boogie, Peavey, and Marshall primarily. Each has its place and distinct voicing. What I love about this Marshall is that it doesn't pretend to be something it's not. It is simply a loud, raw amplifier that rocks. If you want that Back in Black, early Def Leppard or that Foreigner 4 tone, this is THE amp for you. If it were stolen I'd file a claim and get another one.

This is a 2009 head made in the UK. It has one channel. Loud 50 watts (more on that later). Very simple and that is the purpose.

I am writing this review based on my experience. I read every review on this site for the amps I was considering and even then I did not have enough insight, that's why I'm writing. I considered an Orange AD30, Marshall JTM45 and this 1987x to be the dirty amp alongside my Fender Twin Reverb clean. I play a Gibson Les Paul standard with no fx.

Tone - Everyone says 'classic tone' like Page Hendrix Cream Angus Young etc. Yes. It is classic but that's because they are classic players. It can be used in modern rock applications like the Vines, or The Black Crowes, Foo fighters or any rock music to great effect. It will never do grunge. It's clear in that every note rings through chords, but not as clear as say a JTM45 and by no means a clean amp (although roll back on the guitar for a mellow crunch); that's why it can't do grunge. But it can do palm muting heavy stuff. Overall in a word I would say this amp is aggressive. It can be a bit 'hissy' sounding, not nasty or bad ass but aggressive.It's a beautiful aggressive sound and makes you realise how important your amp is.

Volume - At 25 I still like volume but am a tiny bit more sensible than at 18. I've always liked amps louder than most. This was my main concern about this amp reading the reviews, contrasting opinions and mentioning of power brakes. I tried it out full blast in the shop as I did the JTM45 and AD30. They are all loud. I loved the JTM45. Through 25 watt greenbacks it broke up nicely and the 1987x seemed too aggressive. The thing is the 1987x at volume 2 is the JTM45 at volume 8. In the shop it was obviously loud but I could sit next to it full blast and my ears were fine. In the house is another matter. This amp is truly on or off. At 2 it's not far off the volume of 10. It just gets dirtier. And at 2 I don't want it to be but it is too loud for the house. I play my 100watt head loud but this gets loud so quick the radiators shake the sound waves play your acoustic guitars for you the room rattles. It's fine out of the house and ok for pubs and clubs I'd say. I never wanted a power break they are too expensive and suck tone. This bothered me for a while. I thought I should have got the JTM45 so I tried it again and it just wouldn't break up through 25watt speakers full blast. I have decided that rock and roll is not playing in your bedroom. Practice with something else. This is a reissue, a vintage, a classic rock n roll amp it's not for keeping the neighbours happy. Neither will an AD30 or a JTM45 or any amp you crank for tone. Accept that it's for use outside the house or in a basement etc if you buy it. I hate saying this because I am a screw the neighbours let my ears bleed type of guy. Well I thought I was.

Mods - I wouldn't bother. I tried 2 they both sound amazing. Get it biased that's it. There's people who like to hoard equipment and modify equipment and waste their lives making minimal changes and researching mods and this becomes their hobby/interest. Not playing the guitar which they forget about.

The orange AD30 sounded thin compared to this. The JTM45 was more mellow but the 2nd one I tried just wouldn't break up. This is a classic Marshall. Search 1987x on youtube for an accurate demo of sound.

Speakers - So important. Don't bother with vintage 30's which are actually 60 watt or the 75 watt celestions. They are not suited to this amp and won't actually push air. The 25 watt greenbacks are good. But as you may guess the 30watt celestion re-issues as found in the orange anniversary cab or the anniversary Marshall CAB '100' I have (basketweave) are the best. They have such an insanely tight low end, but push air because they are bothered by 50 watts (unlike the 75 watt speakers) and help the 'break up sound'.

I had a 100watt TSL before this and that Marshall head was fine.

warranty is 3 years in the UK if you register the serial number

It's loud. I don't want it to be too loud for the house. It is. On or off. But it represents everything rock n roll is. It's not for your bedroom. You can sit next to it at full volume with a slight wince on your face though if you live in a detached. For gigs it's fine.

Tone wise the high treble is too trebley and the normal input too bassy. Compensate with the tone controls and you get amazing singing rock tone with overtones everywhere. Beautiful. Not as mellow as the JTM45. If you bought a JTM45 or this either would be good.But this is for rockers, the JTM for bluesy rockers. The Orange AD30 is too crispy and thin - a novelty.

I'm happy with it. I won't fiddle with it. When I get it out the house it will shine. The Fender twin reverb I use it with is the nicest clean amp in the world. This is not often disputed. Recommended also.

Made in 2006. A loud 50 watts. 2 x EL34 valves in the power amp, 3 x ECC83 valves in the pre amp. 2 channels (1 normal, 1 high treble), no footswitching, 4 inputs, simplistic operation, simple as you can get apart from maybe the Epiphone Valve Junior head, Presence, Treble, Mid, Bass, then two loudness controls for the two channels. These reissues have an effects loop, though I have no need for it. No headphone jack, don't need that either, I have good neighbours and even if i didn't, **** em. If you are looking at this amp you know what you are getting, straight up tone, simple operation and sounds from spanky cleans to raunchy crunch. If by features you mean a surplus of knobs, switches, effects loops and built in effects then this head doesn't rate, but less is more for me, and the ability to patch the channels together and blend them for tonal control is all the features I need for the music I play. For those who like to keep it low in their bedrooms I can see that a master volume would come in handy and some may like to take up the option of a Power Brake or Hot plate.

I use either a Gibson Explorer or Firebird running into a TS808 Tubescreamer placed smack bang in front of this thing. Got the head going through a 1960AX 100 watt cab loaded with Celestion Greenbacks. The overall sound and tone of this head running through the cab and pedal is exactly the sound I was looking for. The band I play in probably sounds like a glass of The Vines, two pieces of Foo Fighters and a big bowl of feedback. I like the old school rock sound, The Angels, ACDC yada yada. This provided that tone. Crank it to 5 and it breaks up nicely, especially with this cab, not so much with a stock 1960A. Distortion is not there with this amp, it is all overdrive. If you need or want high gain then get a Boogie, Peavey or a TSL. But if you want tone and extreme clarity from your notes and rich harmonic feedback when you're standing in front of this thing at it's lowest volume, then this is the amp for you. We play small to medium size venues and this has more than enough bark. 100 watts is too much and all techs will have you turn it down to the point where you might as well be using a ****ing Peavey Rage. As previous reviews have said, it is a one trick pony with a few variations, but I'm yet to hear another amp do the same trick as well.

Who gigs with a back up? Imagine lugging two of these things around, you'd either need a good roadie or a permanent myotherapist. I never gig with a back up, if our amps blow up we just finish early and get pissed. Does seem nicely built though, pretty tough I'm tippin. Still, that doesn't give you a license to ****in spill **** all over it, take care of it or it will take care of your wallet.

Never dealt with em. Figure they've got enough whinging bastards withouth me getting on their goat. They're probably alright, few of em might be down on their luck but nothing too major.

I've been playing 10 years, I own alot of amps, 8 in all. From my first little practice amp (Peavey) through to a Mesa Roadking. I play Gibsons, got a few, but i like my Explorer the best. I've compared it to alot of amps, Fender DeVille, VOX AC30, my brothers old skool Vardis, and this takes the cake, just. The Vardis sounds pretty rad. I love it's simplicity, it's tone and obviously it looks killer, with the cab (tolex covering) especially. This amp does what I want, but spend some time with it, really work the knobs and patch the channels, blend em and **** with the presence, get your sound and you won't be dissapointed. Vote Quimby.

Depends on what your idea of features relates to. If its knobs and buttons and all the in betweens - It wouldn't score highly as it only has the bare essentials but...Judging it on the variety of sounds this baby can achieve...It's up there. The ability to jumper 2 channels and balance accordingly makes it really diverse

Effects loop - can't complain

I use a Les Paul through this amp and connected to a Marshall TV cab - unbelievable!!!! These vintage re-issue amps are renowned for there clean/crunch sound and rightly so. But don't be fooled into thinking thats all it can pull off. Turning this amp anywhere between 6/7 onwards is an experience I would recommend - it's got some real crunch to it and breaks up nicley, perfectly in fact.

Unless you play huge venues - forget the 100w 1959slp. You'll never get a chance to crank it up like it ought to be. This 50w version is ideal and LOUD as it is - besides, when amps are mic'd up at gigs most of the time anyway, it is beyond me why anyone wants 100w

Although there are only a few pots on the amp - each one effects the other in unique ways and can create all sorts of lovely tone. You won't get the pure filth distortion you'd find on the crappy valvestate amps but if your looking at these plexi amps you know what you want. You can always stick a pedal on if you want that anyway

Great for hendrix sounds - lets face it - everyone wants this

Natural compression is spot on....eveything is spot on....buy one and get a tv cab.

Not had enough use out of it yet.....

Marshall have extended their warranty from 1 to 3 years so you can't argue. Given the fact that Marshall are so big, you can always get replacement parts so there's no messing about. Some people moan about marshall support - I see no reason why....

I'll always use this amp and there's no going back. I hate 90% of marshalls but adore this one. Lots of people mod these amps so go ahead but I personally wouln't change a thing.

I tried the JTM-45 as well in the shop and it was awsome too - just didn't have as much BITE as this beast

This amp is PERFECT and sounds great through the marshall TV. JUST BUY ONE

Made in 2006. Tailored for early 1970's British rock tones. No bells or whistles. Does have an effects loop though. I wonder why? Luckily bypassable. Has all necessary features to achieve a great rock tone. 50 watts of Marshall is much too powerful for home practice. You'll need some kind of attenuator to obtain the right crunch at a bearable sound level.

You'll need to get rid of the silly bright cap they still put on there. It makes the amp distort very early (like at 2 on the volume knob) and gives an overly bright and brittle tone. They now put this capacitor on the board at C5. Snip it off and the tone will improve 100%.(IMPORTANT: Make sure you know what you're doing when you open up that chassis, it contains LETHAL VOLTAGES!!! If you're not sure, have it done by a qualified tech!) You'll have nice cleans and warmer distortion. IMO, this amp is made to be played with humbucker equipped guitars (such as Les Pauls, SGs), although strats can sound great with it too. I play it through a greenback loaded 4 x 12" 1960TV cab which is the right match for this type of amp. Since I value my hearing and got more than my share of decibels in the past, I use a THD Hotplate to keep the sound level at an acceptable level while enjoying the great distortion that we rockers love.;-)

I baby all my gear, always have, always will. So I never had any failure. But I guess I'm not truly representative of the typical on the road hard working rock n roller. I never had any reliability issues with any Marhshall amp that I owned in the past. My very first one was a 1969 100w Superbass. It unfortunately was stolen. I wish I still had that one.

Never needed service.

I've been playing for 35 years. I've owned or played almost everything available out there at some point or other. I just keep a 1997 Celestion Blue equipped Vox AC-15 which I truly love, a Gibson GA-15RV, a Gibson GA-5 Les Paul Jr. and a MetroAmp JTM45 clone which I assembled myself. The MetroAmp JTM45 blows the Marshall clean out of the ballpark in all respects. Quality of the components, quality of assembly (;-)), sound quality are truly miles above anything Marshall makes nowadays. If you want that classic Marshall sound that you've heard all your life on records and on the radio, do yourself a favor and check out www.metroamp.com.

I have a 2005 model 50w with the basic tone features - treble, mid, bass and presence. Two channels high treble and normal. There's an effects loop which I don't use. This amp leans more towards the 70's era Marshalls. Limited features but I'm after that classic/prog rock sound so don't expect for it to have 8 channels and 100 eq knobs

I've own this amp for a year now and its the only one I really love to play everyday. The sound is warm and not overly aggresive. The distortion has a singing quality to it. I like to set the volume past 5 to get the most tone out of this amp.

I've never had to mod it. Everything is stock. To my ears it's perfect for the kind of music I play which are classic, prog, blues rock and electric blues.

I mostly play my Les Paul Standard through it and occasionally my strat. The Les Paul just sound, in my opinion, better and stronger and it's the time tested classic combo for rock. My rig is pretty simple - Dimebag wah and TS9 tubescreamer but it's also lovely plugged straight in. The cab I use is the 1960a marshall 4x12 with celestion g12 75w stock speakers.

When I first bought this amp a year ago I played it for 3 weeks and it went south on me...I was pissed but I had my dad who's experienced with amps and electronics fix it and rebiased. So I won't slam Marshall for my amp because it's not an issue that occurs that often (been reading forums about my problem). I just happen to get the one with a loose connection. But since then (about 8 months after the fix) it has not failed me, even after 4 hours a day jammin.

I would have sent my amp in for the warranty repair but didn't feel like sending it or driving all the way out to long island which is 2 hours away to get it fixed. Just let my pops handle it which took only an hour or less to fix. I haven't had to deal with Marshall yet so I really have no opinion on their customer support

I've been playing for 4 years and since then I've own mostly Fender amps and other Marshall models. So far I'm very satisfied with this amp. It just gives me what I need and more. I just love the simplicity of plugging straight in and getting that classic rock marshall sound. I don't need anything else. For some time now I've been chasing "that sound" kind of like a Paul Kossoff, Eric Clapton, bluesbreaker sound and I must say I'm pretty much there. My hats off to Marshall.

Its got what you need.

They nailed it. (but you have to spend some time with it)...clip the brights, and patch the channels manually( 6 inch patch cable from channel 1 "bottom input" to channel 2 "top input". invest some time tweaking the knobs on the amp and any effects you run and you'll get the sound/tone you want. A speaker attenuator is a must. I originally tried the Hotplate, and it worked well. However, the Power Brake is the sh**. Plexis are very unforgiving amps. They pick up everything***especially mistakes**
I bought a 1996 1987xl from a guitarist that hated it. Instead of experimenting with it himself he just tried suggestions from other players.. used it for 1 or 2 gigs, sounded horrific and gave up. After a gig I offered him 750 for it. He said I was nuts for wanting it, even more so for buying it without playing it..that was about 4 months ago.. He popped up at one of my gigs a few weeks ago.. He says I had to have had major mods done,. All I did was clip the brights, mix the channels and use the pb. He wants it back now..I think Im gonna keep this beast. Like it so much I just picked up another. I found a 2006(the number says it was made in november, so its brand new). found it on ebay from the second owner. 6 months old and Im the third owner. This one cost me 900 and is worth every penny of the 1800.00 they go for in stores,. The new one has an effects loop, I run a gt-8 through the loop and a PB before the cab, Its a reissue PLEXI.. and can hold its own against the original.

The bad reviews the RI plexi's get are few and far between. Theyve been selling the reissues at insane prices longer than they made the originals.

I live near the Marshall factory in Melville. Any time Ive gone there theyve been great

This is an amazing amp

It's got the power. No wimpy master volume. Want more? Turn it up! Want clean? Roll back that knob on your geetar! That's what they're there for...


Is it supposed to do something else besides give the magic rock sound? Have 8 footswitchable channels with flange and delay and built in hardrive with automatic porn downloader?

Roars like a Lion. Not fuzzy distortion just rich big delicious sound penetrating to the back of your brainstem.

It's strong. It's Heavy.

Marshall's dont break do they?

It's that sh!t.

Say you want a 50 watt plexi but you feel that a real plexi is ptp wired and say you want a post phase inverter master volume as standard and say you want a new one because the old ones are collectable/potentially unreliable you could go here:
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar+Amp/product/Akselrud+Amplification/50+watt+plexi/10/1

1995 re-issue 1987x 50w "plexi"
I have spoken with Marshall England regarding the amp circuit.
It has the "67-69" plexi face but its innards are the more favoured "72-73" metalface era, these have increased treble and more gain/crunch.

Its got everything you need for a good tone and nothing you dont.
I like the FX loop but dont think its a great design, I do like it being in series though.

Been playing this amp for 2 years now, the honeymoon is over but Im happily married now ;]

The amp is 100% tube, nice and simple as any guitar amp should be if you like big tone,
Definitely in the top ten amps of all time and for good reason.

It has a special soft, yet hard tone that just has something that puts a smile on your face. it takes pedals like no other, roars at any volume but especially up high.

Ive played alot of amps with the intention of buying whilst owning this one and have bought none of them, nothing compares to it at all.
Ive tried the Twin Reverb, "59" Bassman LTD, "57" Twin, Blues Jnr, all the Hot Rods, Most other Marshalls [although I like any Marshall before the JCM-800] Vibroverb, Supersonic, Vox AC-30 [came close to keeping that one] Roc Pro's, Stage series Fenders, Concerts, and so on,

As for people that bash this amp compared to original specimens I say nonsense, apart from using metal film resistors instead of carbon comp which go out of spec after years of service [not a desired effect at all] and re-issued transformers and some other current production parts, the amp is well built and does sound as good if not better than the amps of the day [I actually prefer the re-issue myself]
Marshall have always used off the shelf, cheap parts for their amplifiers, now these "cheap parts" have an apparent mojo with some amp snobs.

I wouldnt worry about installing MM tannys and point to point turret boards, that would be a total waste of money, but a boutique clone if thats your intention.

Marshall are now using Svetlana winged C tubes as standard, thats my tube of choice, always has been.

Ive had no problems with mine.

Electric Factory [Marshalls Australian distributor] are really bad for service.

Im a Marshall dealer and feel bad selling their products because I know how long it takes to get any spares for any Marshall product.

Its a big shame because I really like their products.

Been playing for about 20 years,
I love my strats and old Marshall amps, I play in a hard rock cover band and dont need any other amp, Its as versatile as they come and has the biggest tone.

I use a low SPL rated 4x12 cabinet so I can usually crank it at most gigs without using an attenuator or blowing patrons away.

I really love it, what more can I say?
Build quality is good, sounds great, easy to use, versatility in its 4 inputs, I always play it bridged.
Plus they look really really cool.
Pretty expensive though but its all good Jerry.

This is a 1987X model plexi reissue amplifier (head). nothing fancy at all which is good in many ways. Bass, mid, presence, volume, standby switch, no effects loop. I recently had mine repaired by my tech because it was blowing fuses every ten minutes. Luckily, it was just a shorted tube and therefore an easy fix, but when he was in the amp, my tech said that it has a circuit board. The big selling point on this amps is supposed to be POINT TO POINT "HAND" WIRED. He told me that it was built cheap and that anyone who buys this amp thinking he or she is getting an exact replica of an original plexi has another thing coming.

I usually run a Bunker Prostar (early seventies model) with a Bill Lawrence 500 xl keystone humbucker in the bridge and a seymour duncan (can't remember what kind) humbucker in the neck both with coil taps. The amp does ONE thing extremely well and that is rock and roll. It has that glassy kind of distortion that angus young is known for and you can really nail some of the harder zeppelin tunes etc. with it, but in terms of clean tone... give me a break. I don't understand why everyone is giving this amp such a great review for sound quality! If you crank it too far, it tends to get mushy and the headroom is limited at best. I have found that I mess with the knobs on this thing trying to get it to sound good more than I actually play it. I think another guy nailed this phenomena quite well when he said that the amp is inconsistent. I can't put my finger on it, but the amp doesn't ALWAYS sound good. When it sounds good though, it sounds great for that ONE kind of music.....

I run it on seven or ten for volume almost all the time. I've been doing that for a year and a half now with a marshall power break attenuator and it's only screwed up on me once... I'd say that's pretty good for any amplifier.

Never dealt with them

The bottom line is that this is a dependable ONE TRICK PONY at best. If you want to sound just like angus young and jimmy page, then this is the amp for you... but it's not that special of an amp because everybody wants or has that very sound. Very fun to play with and it's like a tank. Phony point to point wiring upsets me... it's an OKAY amp for the price if you buy it used for eight hundred and not new for double that.

Recent model (2005). Features...hmmmmmmm...well, not a lot of bells and whistles, but the simplicity was what I was after, and that's something I think just about all of the real classic amps share. Of course, these have the effects loop, but I leave that on "bypass" mode, so it's not really part of my review. I've heard so much about everybody having to "mod" these, and that the effects loop really trashed the tone...blah blah,etc., that I kind of expected something vaugely hideous. Which brings me to the next section...

When I first plugged this in to my Sonic 4X10" cab (Celestions), it had wayyy too much treble going on. I mean WAYY too much. I had some experience with a couple of older (mid 70's) 4-input Marshall heads that I used to have, and opened it up to look for the capacitor they used to solder across the volume pot. I had found before that by clipping that, it warmed the amp up considerably without losing anything in the tone section. Well, this was just a little different, but after going online and finding the right schematic, I figured out that they were still doing that, just that it's on the pc board now. I removed that 4u7 cap..problem solved. That's it. My only mod. Sounds great now..all the tone controls do what they're supposed to, Strat sounds like a Strat, ES-335 sounds like an Es-335, etc. I use minimal effects..a Boss OD-3 for overdrive, a digital delay, and a chorus once in a while. By the way, I do a house gig with a band that plays everything from funk to classic rock to country, and my simple rig covers it all. BIG TONE from this amp. It's why they're still around, and such an icon in the music industry. I use Strats, a Firebird, Les Paul, Lonnie Mack V, Jerry Jones..Marshalls in general really like humbuckers, but after ditching the bright cap, the single-coil stuff sounds good too. Quieter than my Dr.Z too.

I used my mid-70's head for 12 years without a glitch. Wish I hadn't gotten a case of the dumb-ass and traded it off, but...I digress. My point is, I've always had good luck with Marshall reliability. I've always just owned 50 watt heads (and one Bluesbreaker combo)though..your mileage may vary. This one gets used every week at the gig since I got it a few months ago, and sounds exactly and consistently the same every time. I've also been in road situations where the amps got moved around a lot..still didn't have any problems. I don't consider reliability to be an issue with these amps.

I've never had to deal with Marshall directly. These amps are kind of like Harleys though..parts are always available if you need them. Aside from a yearly power tube change and bias check, never really had to mess with it that much. I bought mine in used-but-clean condition, so I suppose no warranty applies.

I've been playing for almost 40 years (yikes!). My other amp is a Dr.Z MAZ 38. It sounds great too, just different. Guitars are a Historic Firebird III, ES-335, Eric Johnson Strat, Early-90's Custom Shop Strat, 2001 Relic Strat, Jerry Jones Neptune, Mid-90's L.P Standard, Lonnie Mack V, and a Gretsch Anniversary. This amp lets the individual character of these guitars come thru. The less crap you put between your guitar and these simpler classic type amps, the better they sound, I think. I have a few Boss pedals and a Budda Wah, and that's it (there's a space left over in my 6-space Boss board/case). I can get the classic Marshall thing without cranking it to 10 by the way. You gotta NOT let your effects overwhelm the amp. The inherent tone of a good Marshall 50W is the beautiful part. Listen to, say, David Grissom for a lesson in amp/guitar tone. Yes, I would definitely replace this with the same thing. It works and it's easy to use. If you need 128 presets, then run as fast as you can from this amp; you don't 'get' it.

Less is more in this case, I bought this amp for what it doesn't have!

I have the version of this amp with the effects loop, I might be posting in the wrong section, sorry if I am. I hate to think of the junk in the loop, but it really works very well, Marshall finally learned something. I have loved and lusted after that hard raunchy vintage Marshall tone all my life. I like Yngwie's type tone btw so my comments here on out is usually me driving the head with a modded YJM 308 along with my trials and tribulations until I finally landed in heaven and got it all right. In stock form (no pedal) I was already prepared for what I got: A very loud, violently bright and brittle monster that was totally unuseable for me but I was ready to get down to business and tame this beast so I could enjoy it without going deaf which would have been a matter of days. First up was a must: a master volume and I installed a post phase inverter type (thank you Rich whoever you are) and it worked like a charm. Sounds loud and cranked at low volume and does not get the miserable raspy, mushy broken amp sound as do all other master volume mods I've heard. This mod adds NO gain to the preamp, it leaves the phase inverter in the equation to distort as it does with the amp is cranked. Next, it was time to voice because highs were still out of control, yes even with the channels jumped. I replaced coupling caps a few at a time with Mallory polyester type and this was starting to help. Then I put a small 47pf cap across the phase inverter plates which tames just a touch of the extreme highs. Thank you Thundertweak! Now I was in the ball park but it was not quite there yet. Tried vintage carbon comp resistors and went too far, this was TOO vintage for me; too dull and grainy and I had lost the electric chime that keeps a strat twangy. In went audiophile caliber Holcro metal films, half watt (my personally fav), and finally got the cap right on the volume pot; a 3.7nf film type after a 5nf Ceramic was just a bit too abrasive. Stock it didn't have one at all btw. Now I'm done! Massive, devistating upper mid presence that only a good Marshall does! A tone orgy any day ever day! You really hear that solid clanking iron bar type of tone that I just can't get enough of. I like sustained sound, but must hear my strat tone loud and clear, without being screechy. My strat sounds at all times like an electric guitar, meaning hard and clear with all the cluck and quack and at very manageble volume too. I couldn't be happier. The above is a bit out of order and oversimplified but I wanted to make the point that this amp can be made into the Marshall of your dreams and total parts cost was probably less than $20.00. It was much more fun than frustrating and I had faith there was no reason I couldn't get it right. Just one innapropriate cap value or even wrong type of cap is all it takes to stand in the way. Since I can't resist tinkering here and there, I may go off and drop in full hard wired board ala metroamps, that way swapping parts is simple. Prying up the board to get under it with solder iron as I've been doing must be done VERY carefully, and one day I'll cook a trace for good. Hope my comments are helpfull, anyone is welcome to e-mail me and I'll answer if I can. Modern metal music needs more amp tones like this!

A1 for me, and that is from someone who knows just enough to be dangerous inside the amp, that included a bad solder joint (mine) on a 220K by the phase inverter that put the nuclear meltdown on the power tube and the amp didn't fry. That was the brightest I've ever seen a power tube glow!

NA. I havn't ever tried to contact them, but with 30 million heavy metal morons e-mailing them from around the world every minute of the day, I would not be surprised if getting a response from them is tough.

I"ve been playing 25 years now. Even at the height of my ultra hi gain metal days, I always secretly envied the clear, electric tone of a great Fender amp. Now I've got the twangy tone, but heavy and mean too and all the sustain I could want. I may buy other amps (LOVE the Soldano hot rod 50) for other styles but I'll never turn my back on this tone ever!

Plexi Magic!

First let me say my head has been up my ass for decades.
The only Marshall I've yet to own or play, etc... is a Plexi.
I've owned a Bluesbreaker, JCM 800, JCM 900, JMP & I'm sure a couple more. My only problem with all of the Marshalls I listed is there's No Low-End. Even my Bluesbreaker lacked Chunk.
Not the Plexi, it has the tone of a JTM 45 with the Low-end of a Bassman or Bandmaster.
My Les Paul sounds great thru it, but my LP Jr. is amazing thru this Head.
I run a Barber LTD in front of it or a Zakk MXR pedal. Both are Low Gain & work well with the amp.
This is a very good sounding reissue. I know it's not Point to Point & that's OK. I've owned many vintage amps & I can do without the repair bills that go along with them.

I'm sure it will last!

USA support blows for Marshall products.

I don't really know where my tone quest has taken me, but I hope it stops here with this amp. I fell in love Bandmasters about a year ago & after a couple big repair bills I had to move on. This amp is the best of both worlds for me. I can use it in the studio without a pedal & use it live with a pedal to keep all sound-men off my back.
Over 20 years of doing the Rock & Roll thing & when you have great tone it makes everything easier. If you ever wonder where AC/DC & Thin Lizzy got their killer tone, then buy a Plexi. If you like Chunk with Clarity, buy a Plexi. If you hate the high-end shrill of most Marshall & Hi-Gain amps, buy a Plexi.
I feel like a dumb ass to never have played through one of these amps.
The Boutique amps can kiss off! I've tried most of them & owned a few. They always do the trick for a while & then from Ghost notes to overall weird tones I end up moving on.
The Fender Bandmaster led me to this amp in a round-a-bout way.
Now I know why my guitar heroes from the late 60's & 70's used these amps. If you think you can get this tone out of a 2 channel amp YOU"RE WRONG! It will never happen. If you need more than one channel then stop playing guitar. Find a Great tone a milk it!
This Amp RULES in every way!

2005 made in England. I really love this amp!. Very basic feature. Two channels high treble and normal. You can also blend these two channels for some tonal varieties via patch cable. Normal treble, mid and bass with a presence control. I love the simplicity of these vintage series amps. I play a lot of blues, classic rock and also modern stuff like RHCP and it fits perfectly with these styles.

Some claim to get a distortion but I wouldn't call it your classic high gain distortion but more of a cleaner crunch. But along with turning up the amp to try and get that crunch sound you'll bound to say "holy shit" and quick to turn down your amp because these things are loud. Again a lot of headroom meaning it stays clean upon higher volume where most amps will break up. It does break up but not what people might assume as the classic Marshall break up of a JCM 900. The break up is there but retains a lot of clarity but has a lot of warmth and retains the textures of your single notes and chords. I play exclusively a Gibson Les Paul Standard and Vintage series Strats and both sound amazing through this amp.

I play straight into the amp when playing chicago style blues and turn on the pedals when I'm doing some modern rock or harder classic rock like Hendrix and Cream. You can get some classic rock tones with straight into the amp but you won't get that far. Remember the old rock bands like the Who, Cream and Hendrix used effects pedals to create and experiment with new sounds so don't limit yourself.

Some classic rock purist claim that this amp is good plugged straight in for classic rock...I would really like to hear this. In order to get a really classic overdriven tube crunch you need to at least have some some pedals. Most of us would go deaf within a week playing this thing at high volumes in order to obtain that overdriven crunch. However this amp has so much headroom that you'll be hard press to get that crunch anyways. Don't get me wrong Marshalls are meant to be cranked for optimum tone but how many of us play with the volume at 10 for 1 to 3 hours straight? ok ok if you play stadiums then you are an exception. But I play gigs in clubs and I hardly go past 5 or 6

Been gigging with this thing for 4 months and hadn't had anything blown out. Just retubing which is standard pratice with tube amps. I think it might last a life time. If you follow standard tube maintenance pratices then you will have a, in my opinion, great amp that will be very reliable for a long time

I've own mostly Marshalls and their customer service is great. Although there was an issue I had with them in the past where it took 4 months to replace a faulty footswitch but I haven't had any beef with them ever since then with getting advices on replacement parts and taking my amps in for dealer services.

I've been playing for 15 years and I have always been impressed and a little bit partial to Marshall amps. I've own Fenders but I always seem to come back to Marshalls. I know some people that looked at the specs of this amp and say "what? no reverb?" well it could use reverb but I find that it doesn't at all. If you need reverb you can always get some pedals. But for me its fine like it is.

Hell yeah I'll replace it if it is lost or stolen. These vintage series are of course on the expensive side but you won't regret the investment you put into these awesome amps.

it is an amp that does basically 1 thing and does it very, very well.
The tone is amazing!
got mine in 2003 and made 2 records with it and played many gigs.
I play loud rock'n roll and only rely on pedals for drive and volume boost for solos, so this amp does not need to be versatile (I hate, multi channels, reverb, FX loops and other features).

I'm a vintage Fender player: 2 Strats ('69 and '74) and a Tele ('68). So, it's single coils heaven!
I'm a Marshall user as well: 2 Marshall tube heads and 3 Marshall cabs (4x12 25w greenback reissues, 4x12 75w and 2x12 65w).
The 1987x is the best amp I ever owned (have a Marshall 100w Super Lead plexi reissue and had two JCM800's and rack models tube power-amp and a transistored pre-amp).
I record direct to the amp and use a Power Braker to push the amps to the limit.
The tone and drive are fantastic when cranked!

Hit the floor a couple of times, played many gigs and traveled some other time: sound JUST LIKE when I took it out of the box!

Never needed.
I only posted a couple of months ago a picture for the "reader's amps" at the Marshall web site and they published. Very kind!

It's my main amp. It's rock sound to me!
I play very loud and love when it overdrives.It's very beautiful!

Buy it new today so its a 2005...I was not a Marshall fan,,i had manny before,,jcm 2000 triple lead,,valvestate,,,jcm 900 and the last before my 1987x,,,the handwire 2061x..But i decide to try a plexi vintage 50 watts and decided to order that one..I had a good feeling even if there is no gain control,,no reverb and one channel only. They now have an effect-loop with a real bypass and power reduction for that one.

I use a Gibson les paul classic 1960, a strat usa with texas special and a hand-made fast guitar with a paf and 2 fender single-coil...I play blues-rock and hard-rock and let me tell you,,,that this amp is not only a good amp,,it s the best i have never had..Im happy to find out that Marshall have continue to make vintage-plexi amp,,because that one is the king,,,as i said before,,i think all the others kind of marshall are,,sorry for that,,,SHIT. 1987x give you a warm sound,,a perfect clein sound,,,sustain in solos,,,,and a perfect rythm rock sound..Its like a mesa-boogie but with the marshall caracter,,a dry dry sound.You can hear all notes in a chord even if you push the amp to 10. Its very loud for a 50 watts,,,the over-drive is wonderful when you push the amp,,put it come so loud that you may need an over-drive pedal when you turn it down..I use a guv-nor marshall stomp box..It give the guts you need and keep the character of the amp. I know there is many guitar players that consider that marshall amps have no sustain,,,that the distortion is agressive and thin,,,,,,Try that one,,,you will start to beleive in Marshall again..As i said before,,i manny amps before,,peavey classic,,traynor tubes amps,,fender tone master,,marshall 2000 triple lead,,soldano,,manny mesa-boogie that i still have,,,and manny manny more...YOU MUST HAVE THIS ONE IN YOUR GEAR,,THATS THE PERFECT CLASSIC ROCK TONE. I have mention before that my last was a handwire 2061 x marshall that is more expensive and have only 20 watts..That one sound good,,,,but is nothing beside the 1987x.

I dont know for that one because its too soon to tell,,,,but i never had a problem with my others Marshall amps in 25 years.

Im a dealer so i order it from Erikson music in montreal...Tony,,one of the representant was very helpful with me,,,because i had order the 2061x and did not like it and return it and change that for the 1987x without any problems...Received it the day after,,,wow

Im 35 and play since im 9. Having tour a lot and record a lot too. I think i have try all guitar and amps that is possible to name..I say it again,,that one is a king,,,Marshall should stop to make all there shit and concentrate on their vintage amps...I like to trade a lot,,had never keep my musical instrument too long except for my gibson les paul classic 1960,,my strat,,my mesa-boogie subway-rocket and finally,,i will always keep that 1987x marshall head that is not only a classic but the end of my long search for THE TONE.

1997 Marshall 1987X 50W "plexi" reissue w/ standard controls & two channels (4 inputs) bought used in 2000. I play rhythm and lead in a two-guitar "classic rock" band that gigs regularly & covers everything from Grand Funk, Bad Company & Lynyrd Skynyrd through to AC/DC & Van Halen. I bought this amp specifically for this type gig and also to check out the Marshall reissue series.

Since I was looking for the "features" this map had it gets a 9:)

I Primarily use a '61 SG reissue, a Les Paul standard (both w/ '57 classisc p/u), or a Les Paul Special w/ P90s w/ this amp.

When I first got this amp and really had the chance to run it up (through a THD Hot Plate: the "keep it down" music store did not have a power attenuator available when I demo'd the amp) I was a bit disappointed in the tone which seemed to be very mid-focused w/ no top end even when only using Ch 1 high input (not at all like other early non-MV Marshalls that I had played). I messed around w/ it for a few weeks and tried a variety of different settings, pedals, and preamp tubes in an attempt to get a tone I was happy with but with no luck. Eventually I opened the amp up (I also run a small audio repair business and maintain all my own gear) to see how it was setup circuit-wise and to bias a new set of output tubes. I was a bit suprised to find the circuit was from a late era ('74-on) amp that Marshall had used for the "68 plexi reissue". Since I really liked the overall vibe of the amp (looks cool, small-box head, etc.), and had just read the ToneQuest report on the Peter Stroud Marshall conversion to "plexi spec", I decided to mod the amp back to the '69-'71 era version. Essentially, here's what I did:

-Changed the OT to a Mercury Magnetics O50JM
-Changed the PT to a Mercury Magnetics P50JM which gives the "correct" 390V B+ for a '69 era amp.
-Changed the preamp filter caps to 32/32UF JJ can
-Changed the presence cap to a 0.1uF (was 0.68uF) & the prescence pot to 5K.
-Used the old prescence cap to bypass the 1K cathode resistor on V2 for more gain
-Added a 4.7nF cap on Vol1 pot (none was present originally)
-Changed the Ch1 V1 plate coupling cap to a 2.2nF (was 22nF)
-Retubed the amp w/ JJ EL34 (15W dissipation) and NOS RFT ECC83.

After the mod, this amp sounded totally different. Big crunch sound (almost bordering on high-gain) with good top-end, mid-range balls, and a solid bottom end was available w/ CH1 & 2 patched and the CH1 vol on 6 and CH2 vol on 3-4. Everything else is set at 6 except the prescence which is set on 3. Rolling back the guitar volume brings on a semi-clean tone w/ a bit of bite to it (there's no real "fender clean" in this amp when the volumes are set over 1). Note that I always run this amp through a THD Hot Plate set on -12 or -8dB because it's too loud for practical use otherwise.

So, pre-mod I give this amp a 5 and post-mod it's a 9:)

The original amp was very well made, particularly when compared to "modern" amps. It's never failed in over 4 years of use and the only maintenance I've ever done (post-mod) was change the power tubes.

Even so, I never gig w/o a back because of the Murphy factor:)

Bought the amp used so never had to deal w/ Marshall (the website is pretty good) or even the music store. Since I do my own maintenance, lack of a warranty or factory support is not a big deal.

Been playing for 20 years in and out of bands. Also own a Marshall 1959SLP 100W reissue, '74 Marshall 1987 50W, Marshall JCM900 Model 2500 50W, a Mesa Stiletto Deuce, and a Peavey Revolution (for late night quiet practice;) along with a dozen pedals.

In it's original form this amp was ok but post-modification this amp rips and I'm really happy with the tones I can get for use in the "classic rock" gig. Tweak the guitar volume and semi-clean, big crunch tone, and, with a boost pedal, fluid lead tones are all available from this amp.

2005 plexi re-issue,
Simple circuit design, the usual 4 inputs
I am glad the amp has no features because they all rob tone.

I use strats with dimarzio hs-3 pups,
I actually bought this amp after many weeks of reading reviews on this site!
I can tell you that i was;nt dissapointed when it arrived,
If tone is what you want then thats what you get with this amp, great dynamics, can be sweet or nasty all at the turn of your guitars volume knob,plenty of power on offer as this is 50w rms, its about the most anyone who isnt playing stadium gigs will ever need for most applications. I gig with it using two overdrives to boot and use the volume knob for clean passages, really works well.
This amp has nowhere near the amount of gain as say a jcm-900
If you want heavy overdrive youre gonna have to use a booster as the power amp distortion on offer is classic rock old school.
I have since compared it to the new dual and triple super leads and must say I really dont like the 2000 series at all,
The amp is so good that its really quite hard to find anything to compare it to apart from the obdvious.

The only thing thats happened so far is a burnt out valve,
The output transformer gets unusually hot so i had a box fan installed it runs smooth now.

Marshalls support in australia is very bad,
I once waited for a power transformer for 6 months, this is the norm in oz.

I have been playing for about 18 years and have owned played quite a few high end amplifiers in that time, I especially like the vox ac-30 which i think has some of the same characteristics as the 1987.
I reckon i would buy another one if it were stolen or something.
I just love everything about this amp, it even looks cool!
I ended up choosing the 1987x because i love Yngwie and think he has the best tone around now i do too.
The amp responds particuarly well to preamp effects, which most of todays makes really dont work too well because of the amps gain stages,
If you want a clear, warm, dynamic amp that has the ability to shake your balls then look no furter, you wont regret it.

Newer model with bypass-able effects loop. 4 inputs, 1 high and 1 low for each channel (hi-treble and normal). Nothing fancy-It's an old school guitar amp, with a simple circuit design, that can be as versatile as your imagination and ability will let you be. For what it is supposed to be, I'll give it a 10, but for the real world where there are channel switching, multiple voicing, rectifer, effects loops, I'll have to go lower.

Whew! where do I start. OK here it goes.
When I first plugged my SG into the channel 1 high input, volume on 2...HOLY CRAP it's loud!!! Bright and loud. I used a jumper on the channels and brought the other channels volume up, hmmm, more low end. Anyway, after playing around and getting some volume up, THIS IS THE CLASSIC MARSHALL SOUND, once above 3 or 4, it's not any louder, it just adds bloom and sustain, controlled feedback, and an AWESOME clean tone at the roll back of the volume knob. This is THE sound. I ended up getting a hotplate to tame it for gig levels (yes, 50w will overpower a 5kw PA system!!). All those classic tones, that are classic because they sound good, and are still viable today! With a little help from a pedal you can have brutal distortion, but you can play 99% of the rock songs from hendrix to van halen to judas priest to ??? without any pedals. This is the sound other amps try to copy, for a good reason. I hate to gush and give a 10, but, anything less and I would be in denial.

So far, so good (knock on wood). 5 year warranty. I own 3 other marshalls and have never had anything other than a tube or fuse go. I guess that's why you see all years of Marshall amps on ebay, fetching good money.

5 year warranty, we'll see!

Here goes the life story...
Been playing pro and semi pro since 1982, went through the 80's with a 78 master volume 50watter, still have that amp, still love it, it is the standard of tone in my book. I also have a 1986 jcm800 2205, and a 1998 TSL, a block letter 5150, and a Budda SD30II. I have used the TSL for the last 6 years as my main gigging amp, and before that, the jcm800. They are fine amps, but the 1987x is more like my old 78, there is a tightness and tonality to those amps that nothing else has, once you can play with those sounds, it's hard to go to something compressed and dark. I call myself a "reformed" shredder, I started out when rock covered everything from sabbath to pat travers, then went the metal route for a while, still like metal, but I play in a classic rock cover band, and enjoy it. This is the amp I like playing on most now, I'll muzzle it with a hotplate...-12db for practice, -8db for recording, works great for me. If I lost all my amps, I would replace this one FIRST. This is the quitessential marshall sound.

Made in 1997, gets me all the blues, classic rock and hard rock tones I want. The only downside is that so much power must be managed properly or else alienate everyone within 1000 feet.

I have a Les Paul Standard (Jazz/JB) and an SG Special (490r/490t) and can cover all the styles listed above. It is loud but not noisy, as long as the pre-amp tubes are in good shape. For me the best settings are on Channel 1 (top left input), pres 5, bass 3, mids 5, treble 7, vol 2 for blues and 5 for rock - no effects are used, as the amp always sounds better without them. Think of the volume knob as a gain control, as there is no master.

I can depend on it, but there's always a backup at practice and for gigs.

n/a

I've been playing seriously (in a gigging band) for 6 years. This is the ultimate rock amp, especially through my 4x12 Marshall cab, and it would be hard to find something better to get that ultimate tone. Portability and loudness are somewhat of a problem and the only thing I need to make things better is to get a smaller tube amp for practice and smaller gigs. Mind you, I use a Dr. Z attenuator and a speaker shield and am able to tame the beast enough to play at 5 in the basement and not have the police knock on my door. Price was a bit of an issue, especially that 4x12 cabs aren't cheap, but I have yet to hear a better amp.

Brand new 2004. Simple. Basic. Two EL34 tubes. Very loud 50 watts. Bridge the two inputs for best sound and versatility. Guitar volume plays a HUGE part in the sound on this amp.

Loved it from the day I brought it home. Gets better as I get to know it better and mod my style to the amp. I play Strats and Teles. Sounds great with both. Classic rock distortion, not metal. Chunky at max distortion, but not brutal and metallic like a maxed out Mesa. Bass gets mushy at max distortion. Very loud for 50 watt. Great clean sounds if you roll back guitar volume. I use a 16ohm THD Hotplate and it sounds GREAT. Highly recommend the hotplate for this or any Marshall head.
I've had Mesa's and Fenders, great amps, but this is THE rock sound amp. No pedals needed. Makes you want to be a better player to get the sounds you want. VERY responsive to guitar volume/tone settings and your picking style. Super expressive, you hear every string. Only a 9 for the mushy bass at very high distortion.

So far so good. I think these heads have a strong reputation. Marshall combos seem to have lots of problems.

Never used them...

I bought this amp based on reviews in this forum. Totally satisfied. You cant judge these things until you've played them for hours at all volumes. 45 days to return if not satisfied made it worth paying retail cost. If I knew what to look for, I'd buy a used one....Great amp. After many amps/pedals, finally got a great sound.