Which Marshall in a box type of pedal are you guys loving with your LP's?

[etzeppy]

Can you get someone to mod your Guv'nor to make it true bypass I wonder, without fookin' it up?

It's too valuable at this point to mod, which why I built one using the original design. My DIY version sounds very close to the original. I just need to get around to boxing it up. Right now it's just the guts.

 

[BanditPanda]

Ok well... I started this thread to have fun and learn a few things, not fight. I hope we can all get along. The topic seems to have sparked some interest and I'm very happy about that.

Anyways I see both sides of that argument. Yes the world has changed and loud guitarist are few and far between. And yes, most players back in the day played their 50 - 100 watt amps straight in very loud. With pedals, if any, being more of an effect vs. to achieve a certain volume level. Yup, nothing quite like a cranked Marshall 1/2 stack. But a close second IMHO is a good amp/pedal combo. Pedals have come a long way and when you get the right match it is quite satisfying. Not to mention very practical. The bottom line is those good ole days of cranking big gear ain't never coming back. I remember several years ago when one of my guitar heroes, Chris Duarte, said he stopped bringing his signature Marshall 1/2 stack out to club gigs. He said he had a few OD pedals and that got him close enough. Made me think.

At 50 yrs old I've been playing through both sides of that argument. I remember when a 50 watt 112 combo was considered the absolute bare minimum to bring to band practice or a jam. Never mind a gig, unless you plugged it into a 4x12. I'm not talking blues here.

Heck I still have my Marshall 100 watt 1/2 stack (1990 JCM 900 2100 w/1978 cab w/original blk backs) in my upstairs guitar room. It looks cool, reminds me of the glory days and screams rock & roll. Plus the 900's have enough gain at lower volumes to sound like a Marshall. My 800's had harder to hit sweet spots. I still turn the 1/2 stack on weekly to play through and use it to judge my MIAB pedals for authenticity. Ingenious, right?

Surprise nobody mentioned Slash (among many other LA strip band guitarist back then) was pushing the front end of his JCM 800's with a tube screamer. Even though it wasn't for volume, he did do it to achieve that hot rodded sound. I actually had a 1970 JMP 100 watt metal panel four holer (we never called them plexi's) that was modded (no extra holes) to sound just like the tones Slash and company were getting. But when those amps started getting pricey I had it put back to stock and sold it for $1,200. I only paid $450 for it. Imagine that!

Anyways it's still a great time to be a guitar player. It's just for different reasons. And it is cool that we can all look back once in a while.

Great post '59 ! Just to say your metal panels wouldn't be plexis now would they lol.
BP

 

[BanditPanda]

Funny you mention that. I was just listening to an episode of that pedal show on you tube and they where comparing different variants of the angry charlie, etc. to an original guv'nor and that guv'nor sounded really good, sort of the pedal to beat.

I also think that my next MIAB will have a three band EQ, with mids, cause that is one thing that I wish the Friedman BE OD, for example, had. Can you get someone to mod your Guv'nor to make it true bypass I wonder, without fookin' it up?

Right now I'm looking quite intensely at that Alexander Silver Jubilee, and maybe even the Wampler Plexi Drive, either the small box or the deluxe.

Read some reviews and have some listens to the Ramble Marvel FX V3 for that plexi sound if that's what you're looking for. Has the tone controls you\re looking for too as well as a 9V and 18V switch for a little more juice. I sent the Plexi Drive back. Didn't do it for me.
BP.

 

[Rich]

It's too valuable at this point to mod, which why I built one using the original design. My DIY version sounds very close to the original. I just need to get around to boxing it up. Right now it's just the guts.

You could always build or buy a true bypass/loop box for it so that it's taken right out of your chain when you switch the bypass box out.

 

[RocknRollShakeUp]

Read some reviews and have some listens to the Ramble Marvel FX V3 for that plexi sound if that's what you're looking for. Has the tone controls you\re looking for too as well as a 9V and 18V switch for a little more juice. I sent the Plexi Drive back. Didn't do it for me.
BP.

The Marvel is also under consideration! Did you have the Plexi drive deluxe, or the original small one? What did you find lacking? What amp where you playing it through?

I think the other problem for me is that I like to have a pretty bright chimey clean sound as my basic tone, which lots of drive pedals can't handle well.

I feel like I'm on the dangerous verge of a MIAB buying splurge (yikes...must maintain!)

 

[RocknRollShakeUp]

You could always build or buy a true bypass/loop box for it so that it's taken right out of your chain when you switch the bypass box out.

I think that's a great idea.

 

[RocknRollShakeUp]

It's too valuable at this point to mod, which why I built one using the original design. My DIY version sounds very close to the original. I just need to get around to boxing it up. Right now it's just the guts.

That's really cool, i wish I had those mad skills

 

[alnico59]

Great post '59 ! Just to say your metal panels wouldn't be plexis now would they lol.
BP

Thanks!

I don't about now? But there was a time when every non-master four hole Marshall head were being called a "plexi's" LOL. That was when I sold mine and tripled my money. However it's probably now worth more! I also had a '71 and a '73 50 watt. Oh well, I think I'm more of a JCM guy anyways.

 

[GibsonKramer]

Pretty much all I own is Marshalls... and I still run pedals. I just like the extra bite.

Just got a JHS Angry Charlie v2, that so far I'm really liking. And already have, and always enjoyed my EHX Soul Food. Traded an OCD for the JHS. The OCD is a great pedal, and worked well with my Egnater... was too muddy with the Marshalls. The JHS is actually more articulate than the SF, even at its highest gain setting.

 

[GibsonKramer]

[DELETED]

 

[efstop]

I have a near mint Class 5 but it sits unused in my apartment. Technically I don't need a MIAB, but I bought a (quite cheap) Outlaw Deputy Marshal. I wanted to run that into my old mixer but haven't got it dialed in yet. It has tons of gain, but might sound better without the gain and my DS-1 ahead of it instead.

If I can get a suitable sound out of it, next I'll try a Dumble In A Box, but it's more than three times the price for a One Control Golden Acorn Overdrive Special.

 

[BanditPanda]

The Marvel is also under consideration! Did you have the Plexi drive deluxe, or the original small one? What did you find lacking? What amp where you playing it through?

I think the other problem for me is that I like to have a pretty bright chimey clean sound as my basic tone, which lots of drive pedals can't handle well.

I feel like I'm on the dangerous verge of a MIAB buying splurge (yikes...must maintain!)

No not the Deluxe. I have this thing about too many control knobs lol. I work on the premise that I have a pedal for every tone I want to use i.e. MIAB for that tone, a FIAB for that tone, an Ampeg IAB for that tone. I set each up for the perfect tone and step on 'em when I need 'em.
With these multi knob boxes it's like you'd need to be kneeling down and adjusting the knobs
for every freaking tone you want. ymmv lol.
I use a Marshall DSL40CV. Lacking? Well of course some people love that pedal and of course Wampler is a first class maker but it didn't give me the Marshall thump that I was looking for. Read about the Marvel's High Treble and Normal channels which allows for the dialing in of the " jumpered " Plexi tonality which of itself is pretty dang cool!
BP

 

[RocknRollShakeUp]

No not the Deluxe. I have this thing about too many control knobs lol. I work on the premise that I have a pedal for every tone I want to use i.e. MIAB for that tone, a FIAB for that tone, an Ampeg IAB for that tone. I set each up for the perfect tone and step on 'em when I need 'em.
With these multi knob boxes it's like you'd need to be kneeling down and adjusting the knobs
for every freaking tone you want. ymmv lol.
I use a Marshall DSL40CV. Lacking? Well of course some people love that pedal and of course Wampler is a first class maker but it didn't give me the Marshall thump that I was looking for. Read about the Marvel's High Treble and Normal channels which allows for the dialing in of the " jumpered " Plexi tonality which of itself is pretty dang cool!
BP

I can dig it. I think I like just enough knobs to get me the tone I want, hehe. I think having a presence knob to help adjust for amp brightness and a mid knob to help punch through the mix may be very helpful. Let the search continue...I keep telling myself that it's really about the journey and not the destination...us and our first world problems LOL

 

[rogue3]

The original Marshall Guv'nor,in my book,is the closest thing to a Marshall in a box.Got the logo too.

Plugged directly into my 1989 Bluesbreaker combo..ala Gary Moore of the period...and it just wails with sustain and cutting tone...makes you want to bend and vibrato,squeeze that note till it sings with feedback!

I still have mine in storage.I got it in '89.The reason i don't play it is precisely because it does what its supposed too!

... along the way it makes every amp i play sound like a Marshall,including my Fenders and Hiwatts.Some may want that,i don't.I prefer a pedal that leans toward letting an amp keep its own voice.This is a very coloured pedal,in favour of Marshall,despite the eq flexability.

Nevertheless, that 3-band EQ is very useful in a club setting where sometimes you need to dial up the sound to suit the room characteristics.You cannot get a fender tone out of it,imho.Just my ears say so...You can plug this sucker directly into the PA and sound like a Marshall stack.

I've never sold it because,while i have no use for it now...down the road,it could be useful again,as it is an outstandingly well built,solid,great sounding pedal.Could be the go-to in a small club requiring that Marshall stack sound out of a fender combo,or directly into the board/PA.

 

[BanditPanda]

Well yes Rogue that's what the Amps In A Box are built for. To provide the tone of the amp they are made to emulate. In fact they will not provide what you are looking for i.e....".I prefer a pedal that leans toward letting an amp keep its own voice."....
That's why the Guv'nr is not on your board.....'cause you don't want to sound like you're playing thru a Marshall...... lol.
Sorry, guess I'm stating the obvious lol
BP

 

[BanditPanda]

I can dig it. I think I like just enough knobs to get me the tone I want, hehe. I think having a presence knob to help adjust for amp brightness and a mid knob to help punch through the mix may be very helpful. Let the search continue...I keep telling myself that it's really about the journey and not the destination...us and our first world problems LOL

First World problems...yeah..I hear ya.
It's about the journey AND the destination.
The journey is foreplay and the destination is........fill in the blanks lmao.

 

[RocknRollShakeUp]

First World problems...yeah..I hear ya.
It's about the journey AND the destination.
The journey is foreplay and the destination is........fill in the blanks lmao.

Hehe Brilliant !

 

[RocknRollShakeUp]

The original Marshall Guv'nor,in my book,is the closest thing to a Marshall in a box.Got the logo too.

Plugged directly into my 1989 Bluesbreaker combo..ala Gary Moore of the period...and it just wails with sustain and cutting tone...makes you want to bend and vibrato,squeeze that note till it sings with feedback!

View attachment 246023

I still have mine in storage.I got it in '89.The reason i don't play it is precisely because it does what its supposed too!

... along the way it makes every amp i play sound like a Marshall,including my Fenders and Hiwatts.Some may want that,i don't.I prefer a pedal that leans toward letting an amp keep its own voice.This is a very coloured pedal,in favour of Marshall,despite the eq flexability.

Nevertheless, that 3-band EQ is very useful in a club setting where sometimes you need to dial up the sound to suit the room characteristics.You cannot get a fender tone out of it,imho.Just my ears say so...You can plug this sucker directly into the PA and sound like a Marshall stack.

I've never sold it because,while i have no use for it now...down the road,it could be useful again,as it is an outstandingly well built,solid,great sounding pedal.Could be the go-to in a small club requiring that Marshall stack sound out of a fender combo,or directly into the board/PA.

Maybe the Guv'nor was so good It was competition for the amps themselves
If Marshall reissued the guv'nor, made it true bypass or gave it a righteous buffer, and maybe made it smaller, it would sell like crazy!

 

[etzeppy]

Maybe the Guv'nor was so good It was competition for the amps themselves
If Marshall reissued the guv'nor, made it true bypass or gave it a righteous buffer, and maybe made it smaller, it would sell like crazy!

The circuit itself it not very big. It would easily fit in a smaller enclosure.

 

[Jack S.]

JHS Angry Charlie. I love it with any amp I've ever put it in front of.