Marshall builds a Champ - the new Class 5

[Colin Johnston]

Check this wee beauty out - 5 watt, 1x10, valve, made in UK, Marshall

Class 5 page at Marshall site

Press announcement

and heres Joe Bonamassa at the launch in Ronnie Scotts

[f13ndus]

Hmm, 2x12AX7, 1xEL84... sounds like it's pretty high gain! Then again, it's got a full TMB tone stack so I'm sure there's a gain recovery stage in there, but still...

I dunno about Champ, though - more like a Valve Jr that's been working out!

Wonder what it'll sell for?

[Colin Johnston]

Originally Posted by f13ndus

I dunno about Champ, though - more like a Valve Jr that's been working out!

Wonder what it'll sell for?

True! £349 UK retail

[Rose Jackets67]

Demo from Marshalls site : http://www.marshallamps.com/marshall...clipCat=class5

I'm not totally impressed by what's shown there... would love to hear a strat or tele through one though. Any idea on when these will be hitting shelves?

[Colin Johnston]

Originally Posted by Rose Jackets67

Demo from Marshalls site : http://www.marshallamps.com/marshall...clipCat=class5

I'm not totally impressed by what's shown there... would love to hear a strat or tele through one though. Any idea on when these will be hitting shelves?

Yeah, everytime I watch those Marshall demos I wish he'd use some single coils at some point.

[imsilly]

Is it handwired?

[Wally]

Single coils? Then, if we wanted to hear some good distortion, we would have to have a boost or OD pedal, now, wouldn't we...unless the single coil was a healthy
GibsonP90? (;^) With a humbucker or the P-90, you can turn the volume down on the guitar and clean things up as well as have the big push with full volume on the guitar.
With all due respect, a Fender single coil just doesn't get an amp working like a P-90 or h'bucker does. HEnce, the boost/od thing that all Fender single coil players use.
Don't get me wrong, I love a FEnder guitar. However, when someone is demo'ing a 'Marshall' sound, we are going to want to hear some distortion, right? Adn....you just can't use a pedal when you are trying to sell an amp, imo.
This amp sounds like a good single ended 5 watt amp. The 3 level tone control is cool, imho. Does it go to 11 or 12?

[Rose Jackets67]

Wally - Not trying to stir the pot at all, but there are a LOT of single coil guitar players that own/play Marshalls... It would make sense for there to be a few minutes of Strat or Tele picking thrown in then, no?

[4 Strings]

Can't help but think of Rick Danko when seeing that Bonamassa clip: "And when you leave space, it's easier to hear everybody. But if everyone is just up there churnin', it's going to sound like buttermilk."

Not that a little buttermilk evey now and then doesn't taste quite good.

To everything - churn, churn, churn. There is a season - churn, churn, churn...

[nielsnielsniels]

Ooooh sexy amp!

Its got the bluesbreaker look, the Marshall sound, it has TMB controls, a nice 5 watts.. too bad it only has a 10''. I hope Marshall releases a 12'' version too

Sounded quite ok, but like others said, i want to hear it with SC's.

[Wally]

RoseJackets, I am well aware of the FEnder single coil players that play on Marshalls. You will also probably understand that everyone of them uses/used boost or overdrive pedals of some sort to get that signal hot.....when they are looking for distortion. If you read my post carefully you will see that I made this distinction. I have played too many guitars through too many amps to be unaware of what certain pickups do.

[tiktok]

That looks like fun. Maybe I'll finally own a Marshall?

[Colin Johnston]

Originally Posted by Wally

RoseJackets, I am well aware of the FEnder single coil players that play on Marshalls. You will also probably understand that everyone of them uses/used boost or overdrive pedals of some sort to get that signal hot.....when they are looking for distortion.

Don't count me in that "everyone" - I gigged a couple of Marshalls over the years with Strats & Teles and never used any pedals. Always plenty of distortion for my needs. I've made the swap to mostly Fender amps - now I use OD & boost pedals.

I'd still like to hear a demo with single coils to get a sense of how relevant it might be to my kinda tones.

[Colin Johnston]

Originally Posted by imsilly

Is it handwired?

Given the price point, I'd say no.

[Hiker]

Competition can make for some interesting choices, Marshall....who else is developing 4 or 5 watt tube amps for the home? Bring 'em on!

12kg = 26.46 lbs.

349.00 GBP = $575.63 USD - Retail or everyday price? We'll see...

[Colin Johnston]

Originally Posted by Hiker

349.00 GBP = $575.63 USD - Retail or everyday price? We'll see...

That's retail, UK advertised "street" price will be no more than 10% off retail.

[Wally]

Colin, you are correct, sir. My 'everyone' was a bit overstated. You have to admit that thick overdrive tones with a FEnder single coil are rarely achieved without pedals unless one is playing through a modern high gain amp.

[baseggio]

Interesting. I was just calling around looking for a Haze to try out last night. None to be found. Would this guy be in the same "family"?

[bradpdx]

Ugh. That video is just awful, tacky music. The amp may be just fine, but those are pretty uninteresting, generic hard rock (yawn!) guitar sounds.

He's like a guy with a bad record collection who learns to play anyway.

[nielsnielsniels]

Originally Posted by bradpdx

Ugh. That video is just awful, tacky music. The amp may be just fine, but those are pretty uninteresting, generic hard rock (yawn!) guitar sounds.

He's like a guy with a bad record collection who learns to play anyway.

+1, your post made me giggle

[bradpdx]

Originally Posted by Wally

With all due respect, a Fender single coil just doesn't get an amp working like a P-90 or h'bucker does. HEnce, the boost/od thing that all Fender single coil players use.

Not quite. I only use an OD pedal because I don't want to push my Deluxe Reverb - it's simply too loud for the rooms and music I do. An OD pedal simply allows me to use distortion at more reasonable levels, that's all. And it means I can go right back to my standard "clean" sounds at the right levels as well.

Single coils all the way for me. Humbuckers are like trying to thread a needle with boxing gloves, way to loud, fat and clumsy for the stuff I hear in my head.

[Colin Johnston]

Originally Posted by baseggio

Interesting. I was just calling around looking for a Haze to try out last night. None to be found. Would this guy be in the same "family"?

Last I heard there's no Haze on the ground in Ireland yet and AFAIK virtually no-one (if anyone!) has stock on mainland UK - despite what you may see in adverts!

[mistermullens]

Definitely looks cool.

[baseggio]

Originally Posted by Colin Johnston

Last I heard there's no Haze on the ground in Ireland yet and AFAIK virtually no-one (if anyone!) has stock on mainland UK - despite what you may see in adverts!

I'm in the US, and the guy at GC told me (I think) that combo was out, but not the head version. But they didn't have any because they'd all sold.

[DanielM]

Sounds interesting but I think I'll stick to my similar spec Matamp Minimat MkII (which is handwired btw). Which I have running through a 2x12" which is something that little Marshall won't.

But if I didn't have the Matamp, I might think about this thing. Providing it does some nice warm cleans though.

[Colin Johnston]

Originally Posted by DanielM

Sounds interesting but I think I'll stick to my similar spec Matamp Minimat MkII (which is handwired btw). Which I have running through a 2x12" which is something that little Marshall won't.

The wee Marshall will take a 16 ohm extension cab. I hear good things about the Minimat, but the Matamp I had years ago wasn't my kinda thing.

[Colin Johnston]

Originally Posted by baseggio

I'm in the US, and the guy at GC told me (I think) that combo was out, but not the head version. But they didn't have any because they'd all sold.

Wow, the new Marshalls are more readily available in the US than the UK!

[Guitarmadcat]

They're gonna sell BUCKETLOADS!!!

[Wally]

Originally Posted by bradpdx

Not quite. I only use an OD pedal because I don't want to push my Deluxe Reverb - it's simply too loud for the rooms and music I do. An OD pedal simply allows me to use distortion at more reasonable levels, that's all. And it means I can go right back to my standard "clean" sounds at the right levels as well.

Single coils all the way for me. Humbuckers are like trying to thread a needle with boxing gloves, way to loud, fat and clumsy for the stuff I hear in my head.

NOt to stray to far from the topic....
I understand what you are saying, Brad; and I understand the sonic differences between singles and humbuckers....and all of the varieties within those types.
What I am saying is that when push comes to shove, a humbucker will take an amp into distortion levels on its own before a single coil will. I have plugged into many an amp where a Tele or a Strat will get the amp right to the point of distortion but won't keep it there...there is a raggedy edge of
i-and-out of the distortion level...the heat if you will. IT happens. PUT a p-90 or a humbucker into the amp, and the distortion smooths out and is constant.
Humbuckers...loud and clumsy.....good laughs there. And here I thought the prevalent thought on this board was that tone was in the fingers?????
I have heard many Fender players that can't find a way to play humbuckers. HEy, I have listened to Strat players who can't find a way to use the bridge pickup because they set the amp up for the neck to be bright. When they go to the bridge, the sonics will cut your head off. Ime, a goodplayer can take a guitar and an amp and find a way to paly it well. That same palyer may have their likes and dislikes, but they won't let that get in the way of working with what they have at any one time. Too many great players have used humbuckers in aritculate manners in order for the 'threading a needle with boxing gloves' to be applicable to the everyone in every situation.
Les Paul himself never sounded like he was wearing boxing gloves....far from it. HE can take a LEs Paul and turn it into the most articulate instrument you coudl want to hear. WEs Montgomery definitely never sounded like he could find a way to make the note listenable???? Jimmy Page? Page did record some cuts with a TEle....through a smaller amp dimed to thickness but still articulate. HE covered those songs on stage with a LEs Paul and big amps.
Every note was there....and played too quickly to be likened to 'boxing gloves threading a needle', right? I have seen a LEs Paul on stage with Merle Haggard picking some of those famous Tele lines. Imagine that!
PErsonal perefernces are things I understand....I like humbuckers, I like single coils....like it all. Soemtimtes I like it thick and creamy, sometimes I like it sharp ;and defined. ON an amp like that little Marshall, one can do all of that with one gutiar if it has a good volume pot taper and the player has control over pick attack.
'Put on your boxing gloves,
In case some fool might want to PICK?"
All in good fun and friendship, Brad.

[Ben Harmless]

As a serious devotee of classic Marshall designs, I really hope people don't judge all Marshalls by the Marshall website's demo. The clean parts sound like there's two or three blankets over the amp, and the dirty bits sound like a wet fart.

Seiously. Did Marshall design an amp without any highs on purpose?

Joe makes it sound all right, but it's still in the "ignore this amp" category for me. I'd rather have a Vox Night Train for the price.

...Or I can honestly say, I can build a better sounding amp than that one.

Stick with Champs, I'd say.

[Guitarmadcat]

Hahahaha!!!! C'mon guys, there's no way you can judge the sonic performance of any piece of equipment - Amps/ Pups/ Anything! thru soundbytes!

I think I've got a pretty neat sound system linked to my P.C. but it aint hi fi. Everything(well played) sounds great, be it from Youtube or that Marshall dem. You cannot realistically say that there's no top/ the bass is woolly/ the mids are - etc etc...

There's just no substitute for bringing your own guitar to your fave seller and trying the gear for yourself.

I think most of us here are familiar with Marshall gear and the firm itself. There's not much chance of 'em bringing out a lemon in this day and age of critical players/ buyers.

So go out and try before you buy - the buyers' motto! Knowing Marshall as I do, I reckon this'll be a winner!

[Ben Harmless]

Originally Posted by Guitarmadcat

You cannot realistically say that there's no top/ the bass is woolly/ the mids are - etc etc...

I don't mean to simply contradict you, but I'm pretty sure I can say that there's no top, and the lows are loose.

First, in the Marshall recording, there is a human voice that comes through very nicely. If the demo itself is not lacking in a full range, then I'm lead to conclude that relative to the human voice in the recording, the amp puts out very little in the way of highs - especially seeing as how the very first settings used were at 3/4 on the treble knob. Further, the EV mic that they've got pointed at the amp typically reproduces highs fairly well.

Second, Marshall chose to go ahead and release that video because they felt comfortable with its representation of the amp. If the demo did not provide a fair sample of the amp, they wouldn't have released it. Marshall's not that dumb.

Finally, I've got some prosumer "monitors" hooked up to my computer too, and they don't have a problem with high end. If it was there, I'm confident I would have heard it. If the lows were tight and articulate, I'm not aware of anything outside of a horribly shaped empty concrete room or a badly overdriven mic preamp (which would be immediately detectable) that will make them sound loose and undefined.

I'll agree that there's no substitute for trying out an amp with ones own gear, but seeing as how I made the most direct criticism of the amp in this thread, I'll assume it was be that you were laughing at, and I'll go ahead and point out that I only said that I hoped that people don't form an opinion of Marshall amps based on the Marshall video.

[holgaguy]

Originally Posted by bradpdx

Ugh. That video is just awful, tacky music. The amp may be just fine, but those are pretty uninteresting, generic hard rock (yawn!) guitar sounds.

He's like a guy with a bad record collection who learns to play anyway.

+1 - I'm giggling too. And he's supposed to be a blues player?

[bradpdx]

Originally Posted by Wally

NOt to stray to far from the topic....

What I am saying is that when push comes to shove, a humbucker will take an amp into distortion levels on its own before a single coil will.

No disagreement there. They have significantly higher output and (generally) more midrange, the ingredients you need for amp drive.

Originally Posted by Wally

Humbuckers...loud and clumsy.....good laughs there. And here I thought the prevalent thought on this board was that tone was in the fingers?????
I have heard many Fender players that can't find a way to play humbuckers.

That was me you heard.

I was having my fun with that statement, but it's also my experience. Of course many people make that "Gibson sound" work for them (that's a given), but when I was a young man it was truly a revelation to switch from a Les Paul/335 world to a Tele/Strat one. Suddenly the "bright" switch on the Vibrolux DID something, and it was much closer to the sounds I heard and wanted to make. I never went back, I leave those "heavier" sounds to others.

I am a limited, stylized player - as are most of us. I'd never claim to be able to play anything, or to enjoy any sort of music - it isn't true. There are just things I like to hear and like to do. And they are more often than not twangy.

Originally Posted by Wally

Les Paul himself never sounded like he was wearing boxing gloves....far from it. HE can take a LEs Paul and turn it into the most articulate instrument you coudl want to hear.
All in good fun and friendship, Brad.

I love Les Paul, but on his classic recordings he used either homemade or Gibson guitars with LOW IMPEDANCE SINGLE COILS for the super-clear sound he had, so I won't hand him over to the humbucker crowd just yet... on the other hand, he really isn't a Fender guy, either.

It is all in good fun, yes indeed!

[OaklandA]

Not quite a Champ by any means.

Can't wait to try one when they hit the stores. Hard to believe it sounds as muddy as the Marshall demo shows. Would like to hear it live before I completely diss it.

[endzone]

I'm anxious to try this amp out in person. I too wasn't very impressed with the Marshall website demo, but thought the Bonamassa video sounded pretty good. I wonder if he was using any fx's? I'm also amazed that some can find ways to trash players as good as Bonamassa. Good grief, the guy is a monster player that can make a 5 watt amp sound pretty large. He isn't "supposed to be a blues player"....he IS a blues player.

[tiktok]

Originally Posted by endzone

I'm anxious to try this amp out in person. I too wasn't very impressed with the Marshall website demo, but thought the Bonamassa video sounded pretty good. I wonder if he was using any fx's? I'm also amazed that some can find ways to trash players as good as Bonamassa. Good grief, the guy is a monster player that can make a 5 watt amp sound pretty large. He isn't "supposed to be a blues player"....he IS a blues player.

Yeah, the only thing lacking in the Bonamassa clip was that Joe can't sing that song as good as Billy Gibbons. Otherwise, it's smokin'.

[Michael Bolt-on]

Originally Posted by holgaguy

+1 - I'm giggling too. And he's supposed to be a blues player?

What does it matter really. He is in a different league than pretty much anyone. Its not like he's Yngwie trying to play blues or something. He surely is a blues player, but just a bit more muscle to his playing IMO. Thats refreshing and a good thing if you ask me! Blues shouldn't be just for blues-box type of playing! Not trying to be an ass or anything, just sayin'.

[addisj]

I heard the Marshall 5 at a demo over the weekend.

Its true about the lack of highs. I was very unimpressed with the clean channel but I was impressed with it cranked. Sounded much bigger and more powerful than what it was.

The Marshall rep used a Marshall OD pedal for the OD part of the demo. So we didnt get to hear it with out.

[Warren Pederson]

I can't believe any guitar player could knock Joe Bonamassa. Blues, Rock, jazz fusion, funk....he's all over it. My bet is Joe B will be a household name like Chet, Dwayne, or Roy Buchanan. It would be nice if he could remain alive though