Marshall 2555

[ThorK]

Just recently got my dream guitar, a black LP custom. I recently got an amazing amp to match up with it!

My former amp didn't sound too hot with 'buckers, so I decided to start looking for a Marshall again, my LP's have always sounded great through them. Posted this over at the Marshall amp forums, figured at least a couple people might enjoy it over here!

Just happened to browsing my local craigslist on Monday, looking for a good marshall. I wasn't looking for anything huge, but came across an ad for a 2555 jubilee 100 watt halfstack for a grand. And aside from a funky replacement metal front grille, which was added for better airflow while in a roadcase for stage use, seems to be in decent cosmetic shape. Where it counts though, the guts, are perfect; clean bill of health from tech, etc etc.. seller couldn't have been nicer guy, said he knows it's rare but I think he just wanted his old rig to go to a good home. Cab also has 60 or 70 watt Celestions, not a matching cab but still a 1960b cab with nice replacement celestions... great!

I had never played one before but heard it's got a GREAT sound for rock/hard-rock. I think the clean's not half-bad either for a Marshall!

Ordered a replacement front grille for 40 bucks, so 1040 for a great Marshall half-stack, not bad! :foghorn

 

[986ter]

Great amps. Turn the rhythm clip off and the lead channel on, get some Siemens EL34s in there, bias hot and enjoy!

 

[ThorK]

Yeah I noticed that rhythm clip doesn't do any good for the Lead channel. Sounds cool on the clean channel though, kinda makes it crunchy like classic-rock sort of AC/DC sound.

Thanks!

 

[sickboy79]

Great score indeed. I'm a 2553 Silver Jubilee 50w head owner. One of my FAVORITE Marshalls of all time. Enjoy!

 

[ThorK]

Thanks man, it's just a superb Marshall! :foghorn

 

[wild.joz]

2555SL owner here (same as 2555), great amps.
Great score there!

 

[porterburst]

I had a Silver Jub half stack with Siemens that was great sounding.

Enjoy!

 

[ThorK]

thanks guys, still lovin' this amp! forgot how much of a freakin hassle it is to haul around a half-stack but so far so good.

 

[zombiwoof]

I had a Silver Jub half stack with Siemens that was great sounding.

Enjoy!

Got a 50 watter with the same tubes in it. I was lucky enough to get it just as the Slash affiliation was starting to hit, right before the Jubes started to skyrocket in price. I only got the head from this guy, but for $400 in great shape. He had two of the matching silver 4-12's, but he wouldn't let them go because he was going to use them with his new rack system. Still bummed I couldn't get one of those cabs, now they are expensive as Hell.

Al

 

[ThorK]

Finally got a new front grill, so total investment of 1040 bucks (plus 4 screws) for this great hard-rockin' half-stack.

 

[zombiwoof]

Yeah I noticed that rhythm clip doesn't do any good for the Lead channel. Sounds cool on the clean channel though, kinda makes it crunchy like classic-rock sort of AC/DC sound.

Thanks!

The Rhythm Clip only works on the clean setting, it brings in a solid state gain circuit to achieve a slight overdrive on the clean. The clean channel is all-tube path until you engage the rhythm clip. The lead channel has solid state clipping to help get the distortion, sort of like having an built in OD pedal. Unlike some later amps, the SS helpers on this amp actually produce a great sound.

Al

 

[ThorK]

The Rhythm Clip only works on the clean setting, it brings in a solid state gain circuit to achieve a slight overdrive on the clean. The clean channel is all-tube path until you engage the rhythm clip. The lead channel has solid state clipping to help get the distortion, sort of like having an built in OD pedal. Unlike some later amps, the SS helpers on this amp actually produce a great sound.

Al

Shweet, I get it now, I guess it was mental that I was hearing a slight difference on the lead channel :spabout

 

[986ter]

The rhythm clip does affect the lead channel as well, because of the way the circuit is designed. It clearly isn't supposed to but the execution means that it does, so you are not mental!

You don't get the full-on effect that you do on the clean channel but it still has a small but certainly noticeable effect on the gain level and clarity of the lead channel.

 

[ThorK]

Ok, now I'm freakin' out!

haha, just messin'. Ok good deal, thanks for the info.

 

[zombiwoof]

The rhythm clip does affect the lead channel as well, because of the way the circuit is designed. It clearly isn't supposed to but the execution means that it does, so you are not mental!

You don't get the full-on effect that you do on the clean channel but it still has a small but certainly noticeable effect on the gain level and clarity of the lead channel.

I've never noticed any effect of the rhythm clip on the lead setting, but there is so much gain available there it would be hard to notice a little more. How do you know this?. The rhythm clip is supposed to only affect the clean setting, according to Marshall's info. How is it tied to the lead setting? I'm not doubting you, I am just interested in the info about this. I do know that it really isn't a two channel amp, it just has an extra ss gain boost that is added to get the lead setting, but there aren't really two separate channels. Is this why you are saying that the clip is also in the path of the lead setting?

Al

 

[ThorK]

I had very hard time noticing any difference, if there was a difference in gain I think it was in my head.

maybe with the gain turned down on the lead channel, and you pull out the knob, I'll try it when I get home.

 

[986ter]

Without getting too technical the way the Jube works is that preamp tube V1a is the first gain stage after the input jack, common to both channels. This clean signal jumps straight to V2a and onwards (going through the rhythm clip diodes if they are switched in).

In lead mode this clean signal is also routed to V1b, which is the additional gain stage for the lead channel, and this is also fed into V2a, mixed with the clean signal that's already there.

So you always have clean signal in there, which should be completely swamped by the lead signal because it's had another gain stage to really boost it, but will still have a bearing on the tone. The rhythm clip will therefore also affect this.

It doesn't make a night-and-day change but it makes a change nonetheless.

 

[zombiwoof]

Without getting too technical the way the Jube works is that preamp tube V1a is the first gain stage after the input jack, common to both channels. This clean signal jumps straight to V2a and onwards (going through the rhythm clip diodes if they are switched in).

In lead mode this clean signal is also routed to V1b, which is the additional gain stage for the lead channel, and this is also fed into V2a, mixed with the clean signal that's already there.

So you always have clean signal in there, which should be completely swamped by the lead signal because it's had another gain stage to really boost it, but will still have a bearing on the tone. The rhythm clip will therefore also affect this.

It doesn't make a night-and-day change but it makes a change nonetheless.

Thanks for the explanation, I always wondered what the signal routing was on the Jubes. I can see how the rhythm clip could affect the lead setting slightly. So the rhythm clip is the only SS clipping in the amp? I had always thought, from what I'd heard, that there was extra diode clipping on the lead "channel". From what you're saying, it appears that isn't the case, other than the clipping from the rhythm clip (how many times can I say "clipping" in one paragraph?).

Al

 

[sickboy79]

Just turn her up and ROCK! She's a FANTASTIC amp!!! Looking good with the new grill!

 

[kt66]

Great amp! I love jubilees. The rhythm clip definitely makes a difference in the lead setting, and it's more noticeable at lower input gain settings. When it's switched on, I hear a slightly brighter grainier tone.