Park Lead 50

Made around 1972(?), all valve, this amp is a Marshall by another name. It's not one of the cheap ones you see today, but a proper Marshall with a very 70's appearance - black vinyl with black/white woven speaker cloth and white trim, black knobs with a silver cap and a big white PARK sign. A single channel amp with two inputs - low and high gain - controls: gain, reverb, bass, mid, treble, presence and master volume. Out back is a socket for footswitches. Using a stereo 1/4 inch lead you can switch in and out reverb and also cut the gain of the high gain channel by a preset amount - i.e. go from subtle crunch to modest lead. Not much else. It's got a red speaker in the back but I haven't had a good look to see what it is. Construction is excellent using good quality ply. The pots are a bit worn but many amps of this age have that problem. Valves (tubes) are standard 12AX7s (ECC83) (possibly 12AT7(ECC82) for the driver) and 2 x EL34 power valves.

What a marvellous amp! The clean channel isn't too fantastic but the high gain has more character. I prefer to use this channel all the time and roll back the guitar volume to get clean sounds. It works best with a Les Paul or Gibson derivative - I use a Gordon Smith with it and it's fantastic. There's enough gain here to get a great 70s rock sound with plenty of clarity, but if you're looking for a high gain metal sound, you'll need a pedal to assist. With my Strat there isn't enough gain to get the sort of overdrive I'd like, even with a DiMarzio HS2, but it comes close.

Sometimes I think this amp is a bit old and a bit too heavy to carry round and a bit limited - but when I compare it to anyone else's amp it reminds me just how good it does sound - full, clear and just enough overdrive without messing up the sound of the original guitar.

Not bad. The pots are a bit scratchy and could do with cleaning or replacing. Other than that, I can't see much to go wrong.

Who knows? This is an old amp.

I got this amp by part exchanging a Hiwatt Custom 100. Now that was a much higher quality amp but had no character. This amp gives me most of what I want.

It would be nice if this had switchable channels and a bit more gain but that would be missing the point. This amp is very good at one sound - 70s rock - and messing with the circuitry tends to stuff up the inherent sound of the amp.

This Park amp was built in 1972 (before Park amps became budget versions of Marshalls). All valve, 1x12 speaker and still all originals in place and working. Only one channel but excellent overdrive. There is the option of a footstwitch for the reverb but I bought it second hand so I don't have one. This amp is very easy to play in the bedroom but has more than enough power to play live.

I use a Fender telecaster and a Fender Jazzmaster. The tele has Jim Dunlop Humbuckers on the bridge pick-up. I play alot of old rock and punl like the Clash and Jimi Hendrix through it and it sounds fantastic. With two volume contraols, one input and one output, there is quite a lot in the variation of overdrive and cleanish sounds. The overdrive does not get that harsh when played at a resonable level but even at full it is not very brutal, but I like light distortions.

Well all the original components have are still in this amp since 1972 so I think this amp passes this test.

I have benn playing for only four years and I also own a Vox Ac30 and well, almost nothing can match them, but this Park certainly comes close. If it was stolen I would have a hard time trying to find another one, and if I did I would have to pay upwards of #500. Also it has a chequered front that not many new Marshalls have so it looks amazing. One problem, it does not have an old Park logo. It must have got knocked off down the line sometime. Which is a shame