Marshall AS50R

2003 Production line Marshall AC50R Acoustic Instrument amplifier. Two independent chanels, one with xlr in. Direct (xlr) out & Balanced Line out. Realy could use aux speaker extention. 2 8" speakers with Onboard non-switchable tweeter. Brown tolex with gold piping and panel, very sharp Leather Handle with gold pins. Is a fantastic looking little amplifier, always recieves plenty of gawks from other musicians on looks alone. All solid state design. Used with full alternitive rock band and for acoustic sets with the same.

Use mostly with Ibanez AE10l acoustic in a heavy range modern rock outfit. I imagine lots of folks who try this amp out are looking for mobile PA or for fingerpicking-folk rock type of material. This IS NOT a fingerpicking amp!!! If you need somthing to amplify country/folk, look at the fender Acoustisonic or the Behringer Acoustic amps. The marshall flat out rocks. Excells with complex open tunings and "slack" keyed tunings. great note Definition on complex runs over open strings and palm muting. Great for that "Alice in chains" sound of doom acoustic vibe with the mids scooped out (go figure.. it's a Marshall. Reverb is superb, airy and transparent. Chorus is serviceable expecially in minimal ammounts, but honestly if you need a chorus on your acoustic....

Just loud enough to get a good stage mix with my obnoxiously loud tool inspired percussionist, another guitarist with 100W marshall stacks, and a firebreathing Ashdown bass rig. Surprising how clear it stays IF you can figure out how to tweak out the Volume. Found that the thing will start to break up (distort) slightly with about 7.5 on the chanel one volume. Best to back off this puppy and use the master volume to get clean headroom.

Simply put... great transparent tones on the fly without breaking the bank. For modern styles (dave matthews to Incubus to tool) this is the winner over everything else I tried, including the trace elliots and SWR's.

This being said. had a serious problem with vibration at heavy volume on de-tuned bass notes/runs after a few hours of playing. Found the screws that hold the head into the cabinet do come loose from time to time, so bolted them in with lockwashers and rubber spacers (from my plumber) and no more noise period.

Other issue is clarity while performing with a full electric band. The small stature of this amp realy can kill your stage volume for monitoring yoursle in a working environment. Solution: Fits like a glove on a folding metal chair, or better yet a tilt back amp stand ($29.95 at musicians Friend) and no more problems.

General tone impressions... I am simply in love with this little marshall. Always have recieved compliments on my tone, but even the pickiest soundman in the room loves this little beast. Own one, and your wanna be James Hetfield lead player will never walk on you again.

Is the amp brutal... Yes it is absolutely brutal. Crystal Clear thunderous low end with bacon crispy highs. If you want that hammer of the gods Jimmy page acoustic tone.. this is your tool.

NOTE: the built in direct box and line out are Damn good.. But nothing beats this thing with two good mic's in in front of it. Preferavly 1 Sure sm57 straight on the left cone, and a Senheiser evolution 835 slightly off-axis ( about 3 o'clock at 45 degree angle) on the right

Other than the prob with the loose screws. no issues whatsoever. Have toured this amp solidly over the last 8 months (it hit the road 5 min out of the box.) and has logged about 40,000 miles and 1200+ operating hours without flaw. Has been kicked, slammed, used as a beverage holder, sat on, slept with, and had a run in with a fire extingusher while on stage ( no.. it was not on fire.. but the Mesa was!!!) With all the road abuse, only two scratches on the toughest tolex i have ever seen. Hell, it's a little bitty monster. think I'll name her Christine....

It's a Marshall. should never need warenty service. Have found however it's hard to find accessories like Marshall dust covers etc for this. Do have extra set of knobs and pots for it but at this rate, doubt I'll ever use them. 5 Year Warenty on unit.

Have been playing 20+ years, and am primarily an acoustic guy. Own craploads of high dollar and low budget gear. Love the sound I get through this amp with both my Yari's and Ibanez acoustics.. expecially the Ibanez models with fishman electronics.

No one will steal this amp. My road crew would pummel any into a little green pile with their eyeballs bugging out. My soundman loves it. Threw my direct boxes and old rack mount Sonic maximiser and eq gear into the corner of the studio where they still sit. If you do rock, or play with an agressive band. This is bar none the best value on the market. Look Out Trace Elliot & SWR.. there's a new kid in town !!!!!

Follow-up to my May 10/03 review of the Marshall AS50R. I still love this amp and all its features. I still get a great sound and have had no problems with it. Just one caution from a sound perspective... some like to push the sound by maxing the treble bass controls. On my Fender KXR Keyboard amp, this worked - great, rich, full. Not so for this Marshall. Particulalrly on the first channel, you will get a very bright, brittle tone which is definitely not what you want. I put the bass and treb in the 6 position and work from there. Great sound! Thanks

For what I paid for it this AMP the king of the hill, top of the crop, very beautiful sound, it doesn't have too many featrues but if you like to have your own sound and add effects to vocals independently and to your instrument independently then there is no worries... i should give this a 10 based on the fact that it is an acoustic series amp but i will downgrade it simply because i wish i could control the reverb on the channels independently from one another.

Vocals- Use a Peavey PMV 49 Diamond... sounds utterly spectacular through it

Guitar- Ibanez AW w/ Fishman Pickup... sounds completely beautiful, i thought i liked it in the store but once i got hot home and added my preamp to it and all of my bells and whistles it was great!

i haven't noticed any real issues with the sound, the problems that others face is diffrent than me, i don't seem to have the issues that they do, i keep all the knobs dead center and use my preamp to get what i want out of the amp itself, and from what i can tell it was the best money i have ever spent! i will never understand needing something hug on stage, when you can XLR or 1/4" it out to a PA, the sound that I want is at my hands, and with the ability to output to a pa, the EXACT sound I have been looking for is now MINE!! THANK YOU MARSHALL!! replicates the guitar and vocals with the right amount of reverb and with the cut offs i can adjust accordingly.

it is pretty heavy and with the name on it "Marshall" it should resell for preactically every penny i bought it for come time to upgrade. it is solid state built so no worrying about tubes or interferance, This amp will last and if it doesn't marshall is good from my past knowledge they will adjust accordingly.

I have been playing for 10 years and finally have the AMP that is what will give me MY signature sound, coupled with my setup I am confident that I sound like "ME" and that is what I have always wanted!!

Bought the amp in 2003. My Martin 000 sounds great through it. Chorus sounds nice, tone is very woody. Reverb is ok. I use this as a soloist amp. Mic and guitar. The mic (SM58) sound great running though it. Simple design, not alot of whistles and horns..but thats what i like for acoustic playing.

sounds great. 50W is pleanty for the small venus that I play. I play a folk/blugrass/Rock style...it seems to do the job just fine.
Amp has virtually no noise, a little his with more treble. Very clean... It should have come with a foot switch.

to early to tell

never dealt with them

Its a great amp for the price. Would have givin it higher ratings but nothing is perfect. Its nice and light and easy to travel with.
I run it through a pa and it sounds great. I would bye another if something happened to this one

Bought in April 2003. Chinese made, solid state 50 watts RMS ? 25 /side, 2 x 8 in speakers + horn, two channel system ? Vol/Treb/Bass for each channel + a Master Vol. Ch 1 for acoustic instru, Ch 2 for mic /other (1/4 in. or RCA or XLR inputs!! ? very nice feature!), effects loop, chorus (push button on/off for ea. channel), reverb, Feedback control that really work (phase reverse/notch filter), XLR and ? in outs on back (Great Features many others are missing ? see below), Footswitch jack (footswitch and amp cover are optional)
Standard Marshall look ? gold backplate + controls, med brown tolex with plastic corners ? looks pretty rugged and should stand up to lots of gigging.
Not the most powerful amp around, but for acoustic material, there is certainly plenty of room. I?ve used a 100 watt acoustic amp for the last five years and I am sure I have never used more than a ? of its capacity, so 50 watts is plenty.

Over-all I am quite pleased with the sound. On its own, the amp produces a very believable acoustic sound, with a deep rich bass and nice trebles. Ch 1 is voiced/eq?d more for acoustic guitar (don?t know about other instruments- mandolin-fiddle?) Channel 2 appears to be full range, less shaped and I have experimented with both. While I like to voice/eq on my own, (I usually put everything into a Mackie 1202 mixer), when I use ch. 1 ,the sound is very good. Ch 2 is a bit more open ? just depends on your setup and what you prefer. While reverb can add some hiss, I only add a bit to round out the sound.
The ? in and XLR line-outs on the back of the amp are fabulous. Because I like the sound from the amp, I have used the AS50R as a preamp, for some tv recording, and for going into house pa?s at gigs. This leaves the amp more as a monitor which is not bad. Actually, the sound produced using the AS50 used this way as a preamp is the best amplified acoustic guitar sound I have ever heard.
I gigged last night using just the AS50R for the first time just on its own for a bookstore gig. The sound was so good, I realized I was ready to write this review up and post it. My acoustics are all set up with Rare Earth magnetic sound hole p/ups as well as LR Baggs saddle transducers and microphones ? a lot to balance ? thus the reason for the Mackie ? and the sound from the AS50R is clean, credible acoustic sound, particularly rich in the low end but the highs still have a good sparkle.
Another thing that is good about this amp is using an electric though it. My Route 101 Solimar with 3 Duncan designed SC-101 single coils has a very rich clean sound compared to what you might get from a traditional guitar amp eg. Fender Deluxe. This Marshall is phenomenal for clean sound.

Too early to tell. This is my second AS50R. The first had to be returned due to some rough bumps in shipping ? the effects did not work and one of the corners was damaged.

Have not dealt with Marshall. My dealer, Woodshed Music in Guelph, Ontario, was great at replacing the damaged product within 2 days.

For those with lots of cash to throw at acoustic amps, you could look at the Marshall 100 or 150 or some higher end Trace Elliot, etc. But, for those on a budget and want to spend in the US$350 range and you plan to use at small/med venues or plugged into a PA at larger events, you just have to consider this product! I tried the Trace Elliots (not very impressed for what they want for them) and the SWR line ? very good as well but not necessarily better than the Marshall. And for those experimenting with rich clean sounds from electrics, you should check out the AS50R.

Bought it brand new in 2002. Two channels 1 guitar and one guitar and or mic. I wish it had the tilt back legs like the fender accousticsonic Jr. The reverb is not much use, I can't tell much difference. Plenty of power for me, I use this amp at home and for coffee house gigs and church. I like it alot, the sound is clear and bright with no distortion and a beautiful chorus channel. I bought a foot switch to turn the chorus on and off. It should have come with the amp.

I have a Martin SWD with a Martin Gold + under saddle pickup. The amp works great for me. I play Beatles, Dylan and folkie stuff. Its quiet as a mouse and I put it to the limit. No distortion at any level you can use. 6 was plenty loud.

Seems to be solid as a rock. Would definitly use without a backup

No problems

Been playing again the last 6 years. I have a AR accoustic amp. Its small and was just a starter amp. I can find other uses for it. I would rebuy the Marshall AS50R. I compared it to the Fender Accoustisonic Jr. The Marshall was less money and sounded as good or better. The Fender does not have a direct output to a pa system, so its less flexable that way. The Marshall is just plain a pretty amp, very classic styling. I think I will need to buy a better mic thought, the one I have is just a cheapie and does not sound as good as it could. Singing lessons could help that too!

The amp under discussion is a two channel Marshall AS50R acoustic instrument amp. Channel 1 is specifically voiced for acoustic guitar and has volume, bass, and treble control. Channle 2 is more neutral sounding--no scooped mids. It has three choices of inputs: XLR (mic), 1/4 inch, RCA style. Channel 2 also has volume, bass, and treble controls. Both channels share on board reverb, chorus, and an effects loop.

The reverb and the effects loop share a single mix pot which allows the user to balance these between the two channels. The chorus has speed intensity controls, and can be switched on or off via pushbutton for Channel 1, Channel 2, or both.

You cannot control the channel mix of the reverb and effects loop separately, as mentioned before. This is the one design compromise that is most glaringly insufficient for me since I use the effects loop for a Trace 7 band EQ. So, for example, if you want onboard reverb and outboard EQ via effects loop in Channel 1, but only want reverb without the EQ in Channel 2, you are going to have to use a reverb stomp box in front of the amp for Channel 2...or move your EQ from the effects loop to the front end. Most users probably will never use the effects loop, so if you fall into this category, no worries. Also, I suspect that many users will only use one channel at a time, so again this is not an issue.

In addition to the effects loop, this amp has a balanced XLR out and a line level 1/4" out on the back of the amp; so you have a couple of choices for hooking into a mixing board or larger PA system. Both outs are pre master volume which makes the most sense for an acoustic amp.

The 50 watts of solid state power are quite adequate for most acoustic coffee house or church applications. In larger venues, you can always use the DI or mic the amp and still use it for monitoring purposes.

Overall, for the price this amp has an excellent set of features, all of which I plan on using at one time or another. What's missing? A footswitch for the chorus, perhaps. I also wish manufacturers would all start installing 8 ohm speaker outputs on these small amps so that you could add a large woofer or try a different cab for some alternative sounds. Also, phantom power for the XLR input would be great.

I bought this amp because my wife started playing acoustic guitar in our band and co-opted my Trace Acoustic TA40 CR (40 watt, two 5" speakers, reverb, chorus). Occasionally we have a need for two acoustics, so I did some homework and settled on this Marshall to fill the void.

I play lots of styles--acoustic rock ballads, folk music, blues, gospel, and modern rock--with my acoustic guitars. The major feature that I was looking for was accurate acoustic sound reproduction. In reality, there is no such thing if you are using piezo pickup systems, so I guess what I wanted was an amp that was flexible enough to make these undersaddle gizmos sound cool. This amp fits the bill nicely.

I have five acoustic guitars, and a madolin...all fitted with LR Baggs or Fishman pickup systems. I have two Martins (D-18, 000c-16RGTE) an Ovation Custom Balladeer, a Takamine 12 string, and a Tacoma Papoose. My mandolin is a Kentucky KM 200s with a Fishman under saddle transducer. All of these instruments feature solid wood throughout...except for the Ovation of course.

I have to say right off that my five year old Trace Acoustic amp sounds noticably better balanced from bass to treble and more natural than the Marshall. But the Trace, with its two 5" speakers is not nearly as loud as the Marshall. Also the Trace is quite pricey and has very limited features.

That said, the Marshall sounds very good. Channel 1 is slightly scooped in the midrange, and my Martins sound large and powerful. The bass is good, not great, and the high end rings nicely. Overall, with all of my guitars the sound is very convincingly acoustic.

Channel 2 is shaped more traditionally with more midrange. Depending on the application this may be a good choice for some musical styles--perhaps slide guitar. My Rickenbacker 360 twelve string sounded fantastic through this channel! I plugged an AKG C5900 condenser stage microphone into Channel Two, and with a bit of tweaking I was able to get some reasonably accurate sound reproduction. I even sang into the mic and my wife said it sounded pretty good. So this amp may be a good choice for coffee house giggers.

In general, this is a good sounding amp that has lots of potential especially through the use of outboard effects. As I mentioned, I hooked a Trace Acoustic 7 Band EQ (no longer available--too bad, great unit) into the effects loop and it really improved the sound of my big dreadnought Martin D-18 and Takamine 12 string. A good EQ will help make the top end shimmer and tighten up the bass.

I was able to get the preamp to clip into some pretty nasty distortion, even though the built in limiter is supposed to prevent this problem. I was really leaning on the strings with an aggressive attack when it occurred, but if you play your axe hard, make sure you audition this amp carefully. Under most circumstances, this will not be an issue.

I have not been able to get a great mandolin sound out of this amp yet, but I have not tried very hard, and I am not a great mando player. I'll get back to you on this.

Bottom line: less detail and not as evenly balanced as a comparably powered Trace Acoustic amp. With some additional effects, especially a good EQ, you can get it to sound surprisingly close to the Trace Acoustic...which clearly makes it an outstanding amp. For the money, this is a fantastic sounding amp!

No idea...yet.

Have not dealt with them.

I am in my mid 40s and have been playing for more than 30 years. I play all kinds of music, but I prefer good old fashioned straight ahead blues and rock in the vein of Tom Petty, Govt. Mule, Nickelback, Kenny Wayne Shepard, Stevie Ray, Peal Jam, etc. You can check my website for some examples of my original stuff and photos of some of my gear:

http://home.attbi.com/~drjeffreyb

I own lots of gear including two Gibson Les Pauls, an American Series Strat, an American made '52 Tele reissue, three Rickenbackers (my favorite guitars...check my website), and some other odds and ends. I have lots of amps...a Vox AC15TBX, a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, a Marshall JCM 2000, and an Ampeg Jet.

When you put it all together, this Chinese buitl amp is a great value. On the surface it appears to be as well made as any of my US or UK made gear, however, I am sure that the components are not as robust as what you would find in a US built Fender. Attention to detail is evident in the construction.

In my opinion, the Marshall sounds better than its Fender cousins (Acoustasonic 30 or Jr.). Listen to Pete Townshend's DVD "Lifehouse" for a good example of the Acoustasonic sound. Pete obviously loves it, so who am I to disagree:-)

I have not tried the Crate acoustic amps--I have a Crate and an Ampeg tube amp, both made by the same parent company (St. Louis Music), and I have not been impressed with the quality of these amps. I decided not to buy another product made by St. Louis Music. It took me months to work the bugs out of my second Ampeg Jet (don't even ask about the first one). It does sound fantastic, but some of the problems in both the Ampeg and the Crate were related to the design of the cabinets...and I was sick of having to fix the rattles and squeaks. So, I did not even consider another St. L Music product.

The Kustom may have some promise, but it looked too cheesey to me. The one amp that I may look into in the future is the Ashdown. I could not find one anywhere in Colorado to audition.

My advice...if your budget is unlimited and you have a strong back, buy the 100 watt Trace Acoustic amp with the four 5" speakers.

If you have lots of money but don't need alot of volume or features, buy the Trace 40 or 50 watt acoustic amp.

A cheaper alternative to the Trace Acoustic is this Marshall AS 50 Acoustic Soloist. It sounds almost--but not quite--as good. It is less than half the price of a small Trace Acoustic. With some outboard effects it comes very close to the best sounding acoustic amps. Invest in a good acoustic guitar EQ and perhaps a multi effects device (The Yamaha Acoustic Stomp is probably overkill unless they decide drop the price significantly).

Oh yeah, almost forgot--this amp carries on the traditional classic good looks of the entire Marshall line. It looks fabulous with its dark brown tolex cover, brushed gold alloy front panel, and delicate gold piping. It puts the Trace Acoustic to shame in the swimsuit competition.

Don't forget to check out my website for some photos and sounds:

http://home.attbi.com/~drjeffreyb

...call it a bargain, the best I ever haaaaaddddd.......the best I ever had

The features are listed in the other review. However it has a line out that will run to the pa if you need extra power. I have no real need for the second channel but the primary is awesome. I play in a primarily electric band and in small venues this amp can cut through anything we throw at it.

Mine didnt come with a footswitch, but I dug an old one out of a drawyer and it allows me to bring the chorus in and out, the left switch doesn't seem to do anything. I wish it came with a footswitch or at least some description of what a footswitch can do... I haven't used the effects loop, but it is there if I need it. I am sure that eventually I will have a distortion pedal and a wah wah hooked up to it!

This amp sounds great! Prior to this I have been playing through our Mackie 808M PA and this has virtually eliminated feedback problems. It also frees up a channel on the PA. Those two issues alone make it worth $300. Its great having controls right there instead of the soundboard, much more practical. It makes NO noise. I am amazed at how clear it is at all volumes. Naturally no distortion.

Loud, clear, melodic, flexible... Really loud....

I have only had it for a week, however I cant imagine needing any customer support, it is solid state and it works...hence I assume it will always work!

I am a little disappointed with the manual. It is a page and a half of irrelevant descriptions (in 18 different languages) of the knobs. With an acoustic amp I would have appreciated more of a BOOK explaining how to achieve different tones, eliminate feedback and use peripherals. Basically you have to figure it all out yourself. I have only ever owned tube,(electric) guitar amps and have no experience with this sort of amp. Anyway, I eventually figured it all out. With acoustic/electric when you are doing it wrong,you know...immediately!

I have been playing for 35 years. I own a 01 Taylor 614ce Limited, 76 Les Paul Custom, 84 Tele, 80 Epiphone Sheraton, 96 PBass, 99 Prosonic, 65 Bassman (amp and 2.12) and a 00 Bassman 60. If it were stolen I would replace it immediately.

I like everything about it, especially the cool look and leather handle. The sound is huge and incredible for a little amp. I bought it because I have spent too much money on gear this year and couldn't bring myself to spend $459 on an Acoustasonic JR. I saw this on MusciansFriend in the scratch and dent section and read a couple reviews and ordered it. New it cost what a used Acoustasonic would cost. I am amazed at what a tremendous value it is! I have played it at 3/4 volume and my ears started bleeding! The chorus is practically bell like and the reverb is cool. I would say it is at least as good as the Fender if not better.

I've never owned a Marshall, and I have never owned a solid state amp, but you cant go wrong! Great choice for an acoustic in the midst of an otherwise electric band, and I am sure it is great for the coffee house/church crowd as well...

Brand new Marshall AS50R acoustic guitar combo amplifier purchased in 2002. I currently play classical and jazz in solo and small group settings. The amp, which is 50 watts RMS, is perfect for these small groups and for playing small venues. For larger groups and/or performing spaces (which I don't currently do), I would probably send the balanced line out of the Marshall to either a PA or a separate bi-amped extension speaker.

The AS50R features two channels each with separate volume, bass and treble controls. Two 8" speakers, 1 piezo horn in closed back combo cabinet. Master Reverb and reverb channel balance control. Chorus with speed and depth assignable to either or both channels. Anti-Feedback controls comprising a phase switch and frequency sweepable notch filter affects both channels. Master volume control. 1/4" phono input on channel one. Channel two has the following possible inputs: 1/4" phono, L/R RCA (for input from a CD player), or XLR in (for a balanced mic). Though you cannot switch channels (without an external A/B box), you could simultaneously input your guitar to channel 1 and a mic to channel 2. Line out, DI out, parallel effects send/return.

Brown tolex with leather handle. The amp looks so beautiful that I bought a separate padded Tuki cover to protect it! Weighs in at only 31 pounds which even a classical weakling like myself can lift with one hand.

This is an acoustic amp offering clean sounds; no distortion channels. Before describing exactly how I use this amp, let me say that in general it offers a broad frequency response with a warm, punchy bass and crisp highs. The AS50R has little to no hiss at all. At very high volumes (Master past 7 or 8), or with the treble all the way up, there is some hiss, but even this is less than many other amps (such as Crates, the Peavey Ecoustic [sic], Fender Acoustisonic series) I tried at low volumes! The reverb, produced by a spring unit, is natural sounding and can be dialed in or out of either channel with its overall intensity being adjustable by a separate master. The chorus is subtle and beautiful, and while it can be turned on or off, and adjusted for speed and width, there is no control to graduate how much chorus is in or out of your signal path. Nonetheless, combining the reverb and chorus leads to heavenly, magical sounds. (Nothing extreme or unusable, i.e., no effects-for-effects-sake).

I use this amp in two ways. . .
With my very expensive classical guitars (which have no internal pickups or electronics) I use a microphone and send the lo-Z balanced XLR directly into the AS50R's channel 2 XLR input. With this method the Marshall is very accurate in reproducing the sound of both of my classicals (one has a spruce top, the other a cedar). Marshall offers no frequency specs either on their website or the manual which comes with the amp, but I suspect the frequency response is much, much wider that a normal guitar amp (which is all midrange). The Marshall contains not only two 8" speakers but a also a piezo horn which helps in more accurately reproducing the higher transients of my natural acoustic instruments. As the volume increases, the possibility of feedback also increases. The AS50R's phase switch and notch filter help in dealing this, though the notch filter really does cut: 10db at the specified frequency (not sure what the Q is, again no specs!). So while it helps eliminate feedback, it also does lower the overall volume noticeably. I'd like to try the Marshall using a classical guitar with internal pickups and electronics, but for this I'll have to wait to buy another guitar (my current instruments are too expensive to take any chances altering).

My other setup is with a nylon-string Soloette. This is a travel guitar which sets up to feel exactly like a classical guitar and is so incredible sound-wise that it is of use during real gigs. Check out Soloette's website for specifics, but in essence this is an electric nylon-string guitar which has a normal 1/4" phono plug out, though no resonating chamber. The benefits of using this guitar is that you get all the warmth of a nylon-string without the possibility of feedback at any volume! I use this setup for mainly for jazz. Since this is a direct input (i.e., no sound loss as in the microphone-only setup), the Marshall's volume is much louder when I use the Soloette. The sound in general is wonderful - warm and rounded for chords, though with clear highs to ensure the chord voicings are clear. At louder volumes the sound gets a bit muddier, but that is par-the-course for almost any amp I've ever used and can be cleaned up considerably by turning down the bass as you increase the volume. Especially with the Soloette, the Marshall's reverb and chorus sound wonderful. (Not that I'm a big fan of his, but the sound approaches that of Pat Metheney with this setup.)

Here's the one drawback, though it may not be entirely the amp's fault. At higher volumes using the Soloette, or with the bass on the amp at anything past mid-way, there is a vibrating type noise from somewhere in the amplifier. I don't know what exactly is resonating, whether it's the reverb tank, the circuit boards, or the speakers themselves, but when the amp is really pushed, I do hear it. However, I know for a fact that the model of my Soloette from Sept. 2000 has a ve

I have had this amp for 2 months now and have had no problems. I have used it, and will continue to use it, on small gigs without a backup. As the amp has no tubes (it is totally solid state) I think it should remain rather maintenance free (fingers crossed!).

This amp was made in China under Marshall's supervision and is impeccably constructed - I have owned many American-made products which were not constructed as well. Not only does this arrangement seem to have resulted in a well-made product, but it also must contribute to the incredibly low price compared to similar amps on the market from other companies. (More on this below).

Sweetwater, from whom I purchased the Marshall, has knowledgeable and friendly salesmen, and is an overall super company. I was told they offer tech support on the amp should I ever need it, but to date I have not had any reason to contact them.

I have never dealt directly with Marshall. Marshall's website is not up-to-date in that they list not only the AS50R, but also a no-longer-available 100-watt acoustic model, as well as a manual download for the no-longer-available 80-watt acoustic model. How hard should it be for them to delete these obsolete items from their web site?!? Hope I don't have to deal directly with them. . .

I've been playing for 25 years. All previous amps I had were more the garden variety rock/tube amps with distortion channels and limited frequency response, such as Mesa Boogie Mark II, Music Man, a few Peaveys. For my current tastes and needs, an acoustic amp is currently the only way to go. I tried and compared MANY acoustic amps before purchasing the Marshall. They were Trace Elliott, SWR California and Strawberry Blond, Fender Acousticsonic series, Peavey Ecoustic, Roland's acoustic model, and Crate. The bottom line is that the Marshall was absolutely the best value for the money. (Note that I got a great price from Sweetwater, $325, because the amp was not in stock and I had to wait a few weeks for delivery. Normally the amp sells for $379, which is still great value). I would replace the Marshall immediately if it were stolen. Since I did try many other amps, for comparative purposes, I'll note a few of my findings below. As a matter of fairness, please keep in mind, that the Marshall is only a 50 watt RMS amp, while many of the other amps I tried were 100 watts. This means that some of those other amps might have been better for huge gigs, and for those who play with large, loud bands (which I do not), and it will also, at least partly, account for price differences. . . (I would have preferred a more powerful Marshall, but both the earlier 100-watt and 80-watt acoustic models are no longer made).

The Trace Elliotts, which are lauded by so many purists as the best-of-the-best, did not impress me at all. For an amp which retails at close to $1200 (!), it was not only hissy, but also buzzy on low notes, and employed only 16-bit digital signal processing (which is fine for a stomp box under 100 bucks, but an utter joke on a super expensive amp touted as the top-of-the-line. It should be nothing less than 24-bit DSP!). I purchased an SWR California Blond, though returned because it had a defective reverb unit. Though the SWR amp sounded quite good, I did not replace it with another because I did not think that it was really worth the $800 I paid. Keep in mind that all these acoustic amps are solid state with pretty basic circuitry - no tubes, no huge transformers, no huge speaker magnets. There is not all that much to charge one for - though I guess they will try to convince you otherwise and charge what the market will bear. (Perhaps a company like SWR has higher labor costs being based in the USA than does Marshall with its factory in China). The Peavey Ecoustic model was barely on the border of being a professional amp as the hiss which emanated from it at even low volumes was extreme. The so-called Presence knob should have more accurately been called a Hiss knob. Try it and see. Same problem with the Crate amps. The Fender Acousticsonic amps were very muddy, buzzy in the bass, and noisy at high volumes. They also had some sort of special patented circuitry, called String Dynamics I think, which in essence acted as a compressor, changing the dynamics with which you hit the strings. I've spent 25 years perfecting a classical technique - do the people a Fender really think I am going to pay money for some cheesy circuit which is going to change my dynamics?!?!? I cannot believe their target market is serious professionals.

If I could change anything about the Marshall AS50R amp it would be the following. . .
1) I wish it were a bit more powerful, say 75 watts.
2) I wish it had switchable phantom power for channel two.

A very well made, versatile amp. 2 channels, one for guitar, one for another 1/4" or XLR mic. Plenty loud to be used as portable PA for small coffeehouse gigs...I've been playing it in a band for about 6 months...started out just playing acoustics thru it...then started playing my electric thru it too...it's very very clean, and i use TubeScreamer for distortion anyway, so what the heck? Don't get me wrong...it's not a Fender Deluxe or anything, but more than loud enough and versatile enough to do the job in the band. Pressed for space in our band, and I just play rhythm anyway, so it works for me.

Again, very very quiet, very clean. I like the chorus effect, and reverb is very sweet...not overpowering, even at higher levels. Suits me perfect...when playing acoustic, I play a lot of James Taylor, Buffett, typical acoustic stuff...this amp plays very clean and very true. Also forgot to mention, has notch filter as well as phase switch to dial out feedback...i usually use a feedback buster anyway...we're crammed for space in our band and I can't really hide from this thing, so feedback is an issue with no 'buster in my acoustic.

The ONLY problem I've ever had...when sitting level, if bass is turned up past say, 2 o'clock, it has a tendency to vibrate a little, almost like feedback on the open A string....and i've found 2 solutions to this...either turn the bass down some, or for some reason, if you tilt the cabinet back about an inch or inch and a half, or set this thing on a tilting amp stand, the problem is SOLVED. Not sure why this is..haven't asked an expert. I have had a person or 2 tell me this "vibration" is sometimes typical of any amps with onboard reverb and is probably the spring vibrating...don't know about that, but I always play with it in my stand, so it's not an issue. Don't let this one thing stop you from trying this amp...it's well worth the money.

N/A...never had to contact them.

I've been playing for 12 years or so...I play a Larrivee OM body, a Tacama DR20, and a DeArmond el-cheapo electric. I'd buy another Marshall in a heartbeat if lost or stolen...might try to get the AS80, but just because I like volume...even though it wouldn't be very practical. I played Acoustisonics before playing this...no comparison in my opinion as far as tone. Marshall has done very well. Also, I waited a year before I made this review, so I think I'm being pretty honest.