Bought me a 52 lb stomp box

I threw a ridiculous number at a guy on CL that had this Marshall MG100DFX 1x12 combo and he took to my utter surprise. It is in excellent shape weighing in at a whopping 52 pounds... On its own it is not the greatest sounding amp, could be the Eminence speaker that is heavily doped. I don't know. I took it out and put in another noname 8 ohm I had sitting around and it did sound somewhat better. I don't have any other large wattage speakers around to try in it. I thought what the hey, I hooked the simulated line out to my channel jumpered DRRI to see what it would sound like with another speaker and woah nellie... Like the thread title says, this thing becomes one heavy hittin stomp box hooked up like this. I've been looking for a pedal that would give me a more Marshall like sound but I hate buying them and then they don't sound the way they did in the store or on my equipment and I take them back. This is not what I want but it sure gives me a sound I like.

Now I want to flip the amp and try maybe a Radial Tonebone or maybe a Maxon ROD881 Real Tube Overdrive / Distortion Guitar Effects Pedal
...what do you guys suggest for a very good Marshall sound?

Sorry, I'm not sure what forum to have this in since its about both an amp and a pedal question...haha a hybrid post...

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk163/pchilson/Marshall_MG100DFX/full_angle.jpg

Well, my first suggestion for a good Marshall sound (not being a smart alec either, there just really is no perfect subsitute) would be a Marshall amp. I love MArshalls, and have owned several.

They aren't cheap, or light, but a 50 Watt JMP combo, or JTM 45 will do the job quite well, without having to haul around a 4X12 cab. That said, you will need some kind of attenuator to hit those tones at anything resembling useable volume levels.

Short of that, the newer Guv'nor II pedals get it pretty good. But can be very bassy, and not in a good way, if you don't watch yourself with the low-boost function.

What you need, with that amp is a distortion (not OD) pedal with a good mid boost to it. Fender amps, like the Deluxe RI, and their vintage counterparts, are very scooped out in the mids. It's just the way they're voiced. Leo didn't care for the sound of midrange freqs. very much. And after the tweeds, designed his amps accordingly. Classic Marshalls, which is the sound we all identify as the Marshall "thing", have a huge low-mid presence, which contributes tons to their signature tonality. You gotta get that growl if you want to get into Marshall territory.

Marshall DSL 401 combo. 1x12; 40 watts. Not very heavy, not obnoxiously loud.

I love it for the clean sounds, myself, but it can definitely get you a rock tone if that's what you want.

Yeah, I could buy a Marshall and have a Marshall sound. That is kinda what I have in the MG and through the DRRI it does sound good. Can't buy a Marshall tube amp unless I give up the DRRI or find one for a very good price.
I did see a DSL 401 for decent money the other day on CL but its an EL84 based amp and although I've never heard a 401 I have had several different EL84 based amps and I just don't dig that tone...

How bout the Marshall Jackhammer? Sound clips sound good but the problem with clips is they rarely tell you what the setup is.

How bout the Marshall Jackhammer? Sound clips sound good but the problem with clips is they rarely tell you what the setup is.

Well, what kind of sound are you after? The Jackhammer IMO is a much more modern sound. Good for the super heavy stuff, but not the classic Marshall grind, crunch, and punch. If you're into the more modern high-gain sounds, it might make you happy. If you're looking for a more classic old school Marshall distortion, I think you'd be disappointed.

I suggested the Guv'nor II, because it gets closer to that old full out plexi, JMP, JTM, vibe, and can even carry you well into JCM 800 territory. It's not the real deal, but it does get some very nice and useable approximations of those sounds. The Jackhammer is a higher gain more modern situation IMO. If that's you want, as I said, you'll probably like it. I just assumed (quite possibly wrongly:oops:) that you were after a more classic type Marshall thing.

Edited to add: If you want a Marshall stack-in-a-box on the cheap, look for an old Peavey Bravo. It is an EL-84, which I don't usually dig either, so I get you're point on those. However, the drive channel in that amp is one of the most Marshally Marshall sounds I've ever heard, including the Marshalls I owned. For full out Marshall rock tones, the thing is a freakin' beast. And at 25 watts and 1X12, it's very manageable volume wise, but plenty loud enough to gig with too.

Oh wow! I haven't seen one of those in a while. I got one of those for my 18th birthday. I begged and begged and told my folks "It's 100 watts and it has a line out for headphones and an extension cab! I'll never need another guitar amp EVER!" ... and here I am... 16 amps later.

Edited to add: If you want a Marshall stack-in-a-box on the cheap, look for an old Peavey Bravo. It is an EL-84, which I don't usually dig either, so I get you're point on those. However, the drive channel in that amp is one of the most Marshally Marshall sounds I've ever heard, including the Marshalls I owned. For full out Marshall rock tones, the thing is a freakin' beast. And at 25 watts and 1X12, it's very manageable volume wise, but plenty loud enough to gig with too.


+++1 got one and he's right...there was one on Ebay yesterday.

if it's pedals you want my suggestions are Tonebone (either Hot British or Plexitube), Crunch Box, or one of Marshall's own pedals (Guv'nor is my favourite).

I've had one for about eight years and it never leaves my pedalboard. I find it great for mid to hi-gain stuff; Using the OD setting, it can be AC-DC in a box. I don't use the DIST. setting, it's too fizzy for me.

I'd definitely recommend checking it out!!

The Dano Cool Cat CD-1 DIstortion will get you in the "British" neighborhood.

$40.00

I love my Z.Vex Box of Rock. I got the Vexter version, which is cheaper. I do admittedly usually use it through a Marshall Vintage Modern, but I also use it through a Laney LC15 sometimes, and it gets a very similar sound. I always take it off my board and drop it in my gig bag for gigs where I have to use someone else's amp, and it's always got me the Marshall sound I was after.

It also has an excellent, independent boost. I really can't recommend it enough. Here's a link. The demo video is very good.

http://zvex.com/vexterbor.html