Played Tele/Marshall 1974X today

chabby · May 11th, 2008, 01:26 AM

My Gawd people - 1974X JTM 2x12 Combo 30 watts of unimaginable bliss. One of the tope 3 amps I've ever heard in my life. Almost hard to even explain, but the euphoria was as good as I've ever had with an amp.

Now my Shiva is an incredible amp too and does very close if not exactly what the 1974X does and alot more. But not quite as touch sensitive as this Marshall was. It would be similar to comparing a Black Face deluxe to a 57 Tweed, but not quite, because the Marshal does clean very well unlike the 57 tweed, not that the tweed doesn't do some clean.

But it's hard to put into words but the sound was like you could chew it, or more dimensional. I don't know if I can verbalize it other than to say if any of you have yet to try this Marshall, make it a point to do so with a Tele.

The Tele was by far the best guitar I played with it, which went against what I thought going in. I was ready to be floored by the LP I tried with it, but the Tele was superior. This amp sells for $2300.00 at this store, my Bogner was 2600.00 and more versatile, with a better cab/speaker and definitley more powerful. But the Marshall was a gem and it would have been a tough call had they been side by side at the time I bought. The Marshall maybe a touch lighter to carry and had trem. But my Shiva has Reverb.

Didn't really mean to do a face off with these so sorry about that. Just meant to tell you all to go plug one in ASAP if you can. You will be floored.
I was told by a guy about a month ago that it was the best Marshall ever, he was a dealer, but he maybe right.

markinlondon · May 11th, 2008, 01:48 AM

A 1974x 2x12? You have me wondering. I thought the 1974x was the reissue 18w 1x12.

rhinocaster · May 11th, 2008, 01:54 AM

Didn't the 1974x have trouble eating transformers? You might want to do some research on that. Well, anyone that's interested in relying on the amp.

I've also found that no matter how much I love the Marshall overdriven sound, it simply doesn't work for me live. I get some of the greatest sounds playing them by themselves, but live all I hear is midrange. It just doesn't work for me.

I bought a Blockhead clone a while back and I still dream of that tone. I played it at one show, and swore, "Never again!"

OaklandA · May 11th, 2008, 04:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markinlondon

A 1974x 2x12? You have me wondering. I thought the 1974x was the reissue 18w 1x12.

Because it is...1974x=18 watt 1X12.

More likely he was playing a 1962 Bluesbreaker...an equally great amp (essentially a JTM45 combo).

austintele · May 11th, 2008, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhinocaster

Didn't the 1974x have trouble eating transformers? You might want to do some research on that. Well, anyone that's interested in relying on the amp.

I've also found that no matter how much I love the Marshall overdriven sound, it simply doesn't work for me live. I get some of the greatest sounds playing them by themselves, but live all I hear is midrange. It just doesn't work for me.

I bought a Blockhead clone a while back and I still dream of that tone. I played it at one show, and swore, "Never again!"

Yep, The transformers are underdesigned in 1974X. I'm an amp tech and we just replaced one last month.

chabby · May 11th, 2008, 03:24 PM

You guys are pointing out exactly the things I was telling the dealer about the 18 watts JTM45 etc. We then checked the amp very thoroughly and went on the Marshall website.

No, this wasn't the 18 watter....it was 30, and not 1x12 but 2x12. It has JTM written on the chassis alright, but isn't a JTM45. And no, this amp would be incredible in a live situation or anything else. As for eating transformers, I have no idea.

chabby · May 11th, 2008, 03:30 PM

Just got off the website.....it was a blues breaker 1962, 30 watts.

Mystery solved. What an amp!

http://www.marshallamps.com/product....pageType=SPECS

JohnnyCrash · May 11th, 2008, 03:37 PM

1974x and it's other incarnation, the 2061x are 18 and 20 watts respectively. The 1974x is a 1x12".

The ONLY Marshall that seems to fit the bill is the "Bluesbreaker" JTM45... which simply says "JTM" on the chassis, or faceplate. 2x12"s, 30 watts... it was a JTM45.

JohnnyCrash · May 11th, 2008, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chabby

Just got off the website.....it was a blues breaker 1962, 30 watts.

Mystery solved. What an amp!

http://www.marshallamps.com/product....pageType=SPECS

Oops, didn't see this post :)

Angus Young uses a JTM45 often for solos. Very cool amps.

jimmtimm · May 11th, 2008, 03:46 PM

I played the 1974x when it was first reissued and I too had an amazing experience. It sounded so good and was perfect for that Black Crowes tone.

I have to agree with an earlier post that as much as I loved the tone I'm not too sure it would work for me most fo the time...

RomanS · May 11th, 2008, 08:19 PM

Yeah, a JTM45-clone is the main amp I use with my Tele (and I only use it clean) - that's a great combination, indeed; a friend of mine also uses his Tele with a Bluesbreaker RI combo for clean, also loves it!

And, as JC already pointed out: the Bluesbreaker combo is indeed the same amp as the JTM45, just in a 2x12" combo format, and with tremolo added.

Do you know what tubes the one you tried was using? The RIs come with 6L6 or 5881, AFAIK - you really have to try one with KT66 tubes, that adds yet another dimension of warmth, a glorious full (but admittedly, not too twangy) clean tone!

reverbbb · May 11th, 2008, 11:38 PM

I test drove a Blue Breaker about 8 years ago. It was not the sound I wanted. It was basically too phat and boomy for my taste. However, I currently own a 1974X & 2061X and love them both. They are more of the tonal approach that I dig.

candh · May 11th, 2008, 11:54 PM

I build a lot of different circuits and after all the Blackface's, Dumble's, Tweed's, and Wrecks..I always gravitate back to my 18 watters. They're like coming home after a long business trip.

chet · May 13th, 2008, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chabby

Just got off the website.....it was a blues breaker 1962, 30 watts.

Mystery solved. What an amp!

http://www.marshallamps.com/product....pageType=SPECS

I sold one to a guy in Washington a few months ago.

It was too loud for me to use around the house.

chet · May 13th, 2008, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reverbbb

I test drove a Blue Breaker about 8 years ago. It was not the sound I wanted. It was basically too phat and boomy for my taste. However, I currently own a 1974X & 2061X and love them both. They are more of the tonal approach that I dig.

If I find a used 1974X at a good price I will probably get one as well. I liked one I tried with a Gretsch at a Guitar Center a couple of years ago.

Poppatwang · May 13th, 2008, 05:01 PM

Ceriatone 1974x clone. Avatar Hellatone 30 (G12H30) Modded MIJ 62 RI w/ SD Broadcaster in the bridge. Roy Hubbs "Train Whistle"

Teletale · May 13th, 2008, 05:16 PM

tt

May 11th, 2008, 01:26 AM	#1 (permalink)
chabby Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 1,264	Played Tele/Marshall Blues Breaker today My Gawd people - 1974X JTM 2x12 Combo 30 watts of unimaginable bliss. One of the tope 3 amps I've ever heard in my life. Almost hard to even explain, but the euphoria was as good as I've ever had with an amp. Now my Shiva is an incredible amp too and does very close if not exactly what the 1974X does and alot more. But not quite as touch sensitive as this Marshall was. It would be similar to comparing a Black Face deluxe to a 57 Tweed, but not quite, because the Marshal does clean very well unlike the 57 tweed, not that the tweed doesn't do some clean. But it's hard to put into words but the sound was like you could chew it, or more dimensional. I don't know if I can verbalize it other than to say if any of you have yet to try this Marshall, make it a point to do so with a Tele. The Tele was by far the best guitar I played with it, which went against what I thought going in. I was ready to be floored by the LP I tried with it, but the Tele was superior. This amp sells for $2300.00 at this store, my Bogner was 2600.00 and more versatile, with a better cab/speaker and definitley more powerful. But the Marshall was a gem and it would have been a tough call had they been side by side at the time I bought. The Marshall maybe a touch lighter to carry and had trem. But my Shiva has Reverb. Didn't really mean to do a face off with these so sorry about that. Just meant to tell you all to go plug one in ASAP if you can. You will be floored. I was told by a guy about a month ago that it was the best Marshall ever, he was a dealer, but he maybe right. Last edited by chabby; May 11th, 2008 at 03:31 PM. Reason: errors

May 11th, 2008, 01:48 AM	#2 (permalink)
markinlondon Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Wellington, NZ Age: 48 Posts: 426	A 1974x 2x12? You have me wondering. I thought the 1974x was the reissue 18w 1x12. __________________ Helping to invent english country dance guitar since 1981.

May 11th, 2008, 01:54 AM	#3 (permalink)
rhinocaster Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Oregon Age: 44 Posts: 1,509	Didn't the 1974x have trouble eating transformers? You might want to do some research on that. Well, anyone that's interested in relying on the amp. I've also found that no matter how much I love the Marshall overdriven sound, it simply doesn't work for me live. I get some of the greatest sounds playing them by themselves, but live all I hear is midrange. It just doesn't work for me. I bought a Blockhead clone a while back and I still dream of that tone. I played it at one show, and swore, "Never again!" __________________ Just because I "Don't" get it doesn't mean I "Won't" get it!

May 11th, 2008, 03:46 PM	#10 (permalink)
jimmtimm TDPRI Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Provo, Utah Age: 30 Posts: 56	I played the 1974x when it was first reissued and I too had an amazing experience. It sounded so good and was perfect for that Black Crowes tone. I have to agree with an earlier post that as much as I loved the tone I'm not too sure it would work for me most fo the time... __________________ "Anything, everything is possible." Thomas Edison 1908

May 11th, 2008, 08:19 PM	#11 (permalink)
RomanS Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Vienna, Austria Age: 37 Posts: 2,989 14 Photos	Yeah, a JTM45-clone is the main amp I use with my Tele (and I only use it clean) - that's a great combination, indeed; a friend of mine also uses his Tele with a Bluesbreaker RI combo for clean, also loves it! And, as JC already pointed out: the Bluesbreaker combo is indeed the same amp as the JTM45, just in a 2x12" combo format, and with tremolo added. Do you know what tubes the one you tried was using? The RIs come with 6L6 or 5881, AFAIK - you really have to try one with KT66 tubes, that adds yet another dimension of warmth, a glorious full (but admittedly, not too twangy) clean tone! __________________ http://www.pbase.com/romans http://www.myspace.com/romans212

May 11th, 2008, 03:24 PM	#6 (permalink)
chabby Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 1,264	You guys are pointing out exactly the things I was telling the dealer about the 18 watts JTM45 etc. We then checked the amp very thoroughly and went on the Marshall website. No, this wasn't the 18 watter....it was 30, and not 1x12 but 2x12. It has JTM written on the chassis alright, but isn't a JTM45. And no, this amp would be incredible in a live situation or anything else. As for eating transformers, I have no idea.

May 11th, 2008, 03:30 PM	#7 (permalink)
chabby Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 1,264	Just got off the website.....it was a blues breaker 1962, 30 watts. Mystery solved. What an amp! http://www.marshallamps.com/product....pageType=SPECS

May 11th, 2008, 03:37 PM	#8 (permalink)
JohnnyCrash Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lost Angeles and Orange County Posts: 7,128	1974x and it's other incarnation, the 2061x are 18 and 20 watts respectively. The 1974x is a 1x12". The ONLY Marshall that seems to fit the bill is the "Bluesbreaker" JTM45... which simply says "JTM" on the chassis, or faceplate. 2x12"s, 30 watts... it was a JTM45.

May 11th, 2008, 11:38 PM	#12 (permalink)
reverbbb Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Just Plano, Texas Age: 50 Posts: 3,733 36 Photos	I test drove a Blue Breaker about 8 years ago. It was not the sound I wanted. It was basically too phat and boomy for my taste. However, I currently own a 1974X & 2061X and love them both. They are more of the tonal approach that I dig. __________________ "I come here to reflect a little."™ Buffalo Blues Band

May 11th, 2008, 11:54 PM	#13 (permalink)
candh Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Ito city, Japan Posts: 179	I build a lot of different circuits and after all the Blackface's, Dumble's, Tweed's, and Wrecks..I always gravitate back to my 18 watters. They're like coming home after a long business trip.

May 13th, 2008, 05:01 PM	#16 (permalink)
Poppatwang Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: St. Paul, MN Posts: 1,909 13 Photos	Ceriatone 1974x clone. Avatar Hellatone 30 (G12H30) Modded MIJ 62 RI w/ SD Broadcaster in the bridge. Roy Hubbs "Train Whistle" __________________ The Dieselfitters http://www.dieselfitters.com Roy Hubbs http://www.royhubbs.com

May 13th, 2008, 05:16 PM	#17 (permalink)
Teletale Voluntarily Removed Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: USA Posts: 144	tt Last edited by Teletale; July 29th, 2008 at 12:52 AM.