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Marshall Studio Vintage - Any Reviews?

CatManDoo88

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Mar 3, 2019
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Hey, I've done a search of this subforum and I was surprised that I didn't find any reviews of Marshall's new Studio Vintage amps, which are supposed to reasonably replicate Plexi tones at studio/home friendly volumes.

Has anyone had any experience with these? Based on the YouTube demos, they sound pretty good at doing the 1959 Super Lead type tones. Anyone know if they are any good at replicating Bluesbreaker-type tones (I know different output tubes)? I'm considering replacing my Origin 20c with one because I find it leans a little too modern sounding with its preamp-based gain. I'm a hobbyist and 20 watts seems to be the most volume I can get away with in the basement without my wife divorcing me.
 

jrgtr42

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Mar 24, 2005
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As far as I can tell, they haven't been released to the wild yet (or if they have, it's been just a few weeks.)
I do like the theory behind them, and hope they do what is claimed. Not as thrilled with the price, though - $1300 street I believe.
 

sonar

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Jan 10, 2003
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Some people on the other forum bought a few. It's hard to gauge an amp, solely based off the internet, during the initial honeymoon phase.

I almost plugged into a SV20 combo (the model that's supposed to be a 20 watt Super Lead) at CME a couple weeks back, but decided to audition a Tone King Falcon Grande instead.
 

Supronaut

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Jun 29, 2016
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I went against the grain and bought a SV20C 10" Combo. I just like Combos and I don't have a cab to pair a head at the moment.

I like it so far. Really nails that super lead tone to my ears.

I can't play it like I can my Supro Black Magick. It's friggin' loud. But with a volume pedal in the FX loop I can enjoy it at decent levels.

The High Treble channel has the most treble of any amplifier I have ever played. It's really meant to be channel jumped. That's where you get the best sounds.

Idk if I will keep it. I went back and played my Supro Black Magick again after a month of not playing it and it blew my mind again. I just can't top it.
 

CatManDoo88

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I went against the grain and bought a SV20C 10" Combo. I just like Combos and I don't have a cab to pair a head at the moment.

I like it so far. Really nails that super lead tone to my ears.

I can't play it like I can my Supro Black Magick. It's friggin' loud. But with a volume pedal in the FX loop I can enjoy it at decent levels.

The High Treble channel has the most treble of any amplifier I have ever played. It's really meant to be channel jumped. That's where you get the best sounds.

Idk if I will keep it. I went back and played my Supro Black Magick again after a month of not playing it and it blew my mind again. I just can't top it.

Thanks, the combo is also what I am considering for both expense and convenience. How does the normal channel sound? My main reason to get one would be to be able to play Bluesbreakers and Cream-era Clapton stuff and I understand Clapton always used the normal channel on his Marshalls. Speaking of which, any idea if it can get you in the range of JTM45/1962 Combo tones?
 

Supronaut

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Thanks, the combo is also what I am considering for both expense and convenience. How does the normal channel sound? My main reason to get one would be to be able to play Bluesbreakers and Cream-era Clapton stuff and I understand Clapton always used the normal channel on his Marshalls. Speaking of which, any idea if it can get you in the range of JTM45/1962 Combo tones?

I prefer the Normal Channel over the High Treble Channel if I'm not jumping. The High Treble channel is far too bright to be usable by itself IMO. Running the Normal Channel flat out with everything dimed is pretty great.

Are you going for a Beano tone or Cream tone? From what I understand, when Clapton joined Cream in 66' he swapped out his Bluesbreaker / 62' Combo for a 59SLP with KT66's. I think you can very definitely get Cream tones with this amp. It doesn't have the thump or woofiness of a JTM45. It's brighter and more focused.

Either way I think that you can get a pretty great sound with it that will work for Cream tones.
 

CatManDoo88

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I prefer the Normal Channel over the High Treble Channel if I'm not jumping. The High Treble channel is far too bright to be usable by itself IMO. Running the Normal Channel flat out with everything dimed is pretty great.

Are you going for a Beano tone or Cream tone? From what I understand, when Clapton joined Cream in 66' he swapped out his Bluesbreaker / 62' Combo for a 59SLP with KT66's. I think you can very definitely get Cream tones with this amp. It doesn't have the thump or woofiness of a JTM45. It's brighter and more focused.

Either way I think that you can get a pretty great sound with it that will work for Cream tones.

My ideal would be to find a tube amp that could do Bluesbreakers AND Cream tones at a home volume. Too much to ask? :nut

I also understood that Fresh Cream was recorded with a JTM-45/100 and Clapton's Super Leads after that were KT66 based like his 1962 combo, so I thought it might be possible to get a reasonable enough approximation of both with a single amp. If not, I was also considering a mint JTM1 that has come up for sale locally. As primarily a basement hobbyist, I don't need the volume of a bigger amp.
 

TM1

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Maybe pop in a pair of KT66’s and have it rebiased and you can probably get pretty close..
 

Supronaut

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Maybe pop in a pair of KT66’s and have it rebiased and you can probably get pretty close..

Even at 5W this amp is almost too loud for home use. Without a volume pedal in the FX Loop it has to be played very loud to get a good distorted sound.

I would say switching to KT66’s would give it too much headroom to play at home.

I hate to be that guy, but if you had an amp that takes pedals really well and a SL Drive / Plexi in a box and a Bluesbreaker Pedal then you could die happy with the sounds that you want.
 

Supronaut

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My ideal would be to find a tube amp that could do Bluesbreakers AND Cream tones at a home volume. Too much to ask? :nut

I also understood that Fresh Cream was recorded with a JTM-45/100 and Clapton's Super Leads after that were KT66 based like his 1962 combo, so I thought it might be possible to get a reasonable enough approximation of both with a single amp. If not, I was also considering a mint JTM1 that has come up for sale locally. As primarily a basement hobbyist, I don't need the volume of a bigger amp.

Have you checked out anything that Fargen builds?

He made me a micro Plex once that switched between JTM45 and JMP sounds on the fly. Was one of the best sounding amps I’ve ever played. And it’s built so you can swap tubes without re-biasing.
 

J.D.

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Maybe pop in a pair of KT66’s and have it rebiased and you can probably get pretty close..

My understanding is that the power tubes are self-biasing (no adjustment) so it is questionable if KT66s will drop in or not.

I've played the mini Jubilee of this same Studio series and will say it sounded surprisingly good. Not cheap though.
 

DonRowe

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Feb 1, 2005
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To get a none master volume unattenuated 20 watter cookin' it will be gig volumes not bedroom levels. Unless you have a liberal bedroom LOL The vid does sound good :dude:
 

CatManDoo88

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To get a none master volume unattenuated 20 watter cookin' it will be gig volumes not bedroom levels. Unless you have a liberal bedroom LOL The vid does sound good :dude:

Oh, we are pretty liberal here. I'm not talking bedroom volumes, more basement volumes in a good sized house. As long as it is not the middle of the night, my wife is fine with me running my Origin 20c full out on the 5 watt setting.
 

Supronaut

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I’m eating my own socks here but - After talking about it I decided to move the Studio Vintage to my bedroom and play it unattenuated on the 5W mode.

I think you can get pretty dirty at a usable bedroom volume. I think it will depend on the reflective ness of the room you’re playing in and your living situation. But with the volume at 6-7 and presence full I was getting some pretty great sounds at a volume I didn’t think was too ear splitting.
 

CatManDoo88

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I’m eating my own socks here but - After talking about it I decided to move the Studio Vintage to my bedroom and play it unattenuated on the 5W mode.

I think you can get pretty dirty at a usable bedroom volume. I think it will depend on the reflective ness of the room you’re playing in and your living situation. But with the volume at 6-7 and presence full I was getting some pretty great sounds at a volume I didn’t think was too ear splitting.

Thanks, Supronaut for all of the feedback. Sounds like a solid amp. Given the risk of not being able to more of the Bluesbreakers/JTM45 type tones that I am looking for with the SV unless KT66s can be swapped in, I ended up pulling the trigger on the JTM1 that came up instead. It was mint with original packaging and such. I have to say that I am extremely glad that I did. It is exactly what I was looking for tonewise. For basement volumes, I have already dialed in really good facsimiles of the Beano tone as well as Fresh Cream and some Disraeli Gears tones. I am also loving the bluesy clean and edge of breakup tones I am getting out of it. All of this with just my Epiphone ES-339. It blows my Origin 20c out of the water soundwise. I can't wait until I get my CS9 back from the shop with OX4 Beanos installed.
 

CatManDoo88

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I too have the JTM1C. How are you dialing in FC and DG?

I'm a noob and it's pretty rough after only a day of having the amp, but I find with my guitar, having the tone at 5 and volume at 7 works well for Beano. For Cream-era tones, I find cranking the tone up to 8-10 gives you more of the high end of an early plexi. I also crank the volume a bit more for a little more gain. Seems to work well for Woman Tone. I'm just really happy with the gain structure. It sounds more vintage than my Origin.

I should give this the disclaimer that I've never played through a real Bluesbreaker or Plexi, so I'm going by the recorded sounds.
 
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