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MGL50 Amp NOW AVAILABLE!!

markguitar

Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2001
Messages
2,375
I am now taking orders for the new MGL AmpWorks Lead Master 50 head. Below is the description for the amp. The head is available in either a tolexed Baltic Birch head cab at $2,700.00 or hardwood cab at an upcharge of around $300.00(I have a few being made right now and won't know the exact charge until they are done). A number of tolex colors are available: black, purple, dark green, white, cream(Swanson Cabinets had a roll of cream made for them and it looks like the creamy white that was used on the Plexi era Marshalls). There will also be a matching tolexed 2x12" speaker cab available loaded with Celestion 25w greenback reissue speakers for $800.00. Amp heads and speaker cabs will be made to order and will require a deposit.

As some of you know, last year I did a run of 20 MGL heads with Greg Germino and they were great amps. But after the 20 Greg decided that he just didn't want to build master volume amps and so that was the end. And I completely respected his decision if his heart wasn't in it. I continued to be contacted by interested customers over the next few months. So about 5 months ago I decided to do a new version of the amp myself along with some long time local friends. First is Guy Harvey who has been building amps on the side for local customers for years and he will be doing the actual builds. My other friend, Evan Cantor, who was half owner and designer for Bedrock amps years ago has been a great help and advisor. Another long time friend and guitar player is a furniture and cabinet builder so he will be making the hardwood head boxes. And Jeff Swanson of Swanson Cabinets will be making the tolexed head boxes and matching speaker cabs.
The amp is based on my personal Marshall 2204 that I've owned for over 20 years. My amp has always had lower voltage than a typical amp from that period and it has a lot to do with the warmer, fatter and creamy tone that it has. Between my store and personally I've probably had about 75 of the JMP 50w master volume heads and none of them had the voice of this amp. We spent endless hours choosing parts and listening side by side with my original amp. we sourced a lower voltage mains transformer which is producing within a few volts of specs of the original. Listened to a number of the top replacement 784-139 output transformers and decided to use the hand wound Chris Merren version which will be stock in the amp. Chris makes amazing sounding transformers! I had a local metal shop help with the layout and then make custom .090" aluminum chassis with welded and finished ground corners. Then another local business took care of black powder coating and silk screening. The Metropoulos "Zero Loss" effects loop comes stock along with a couple of other extra switches. The mini switch on the front next to the preamp knob allows you to remove the .001 cap on the preamp pot from the circuit. The "Voicing" switch on the back allows you to choose between 2 different negative feedback resistors. The "Classic" position voices the amp like my original and in the "Modern" position it gets a little more aggressive, brighter and a bit more gain. all hand wired and all made locally right here in New Hampshire. Amps will come with reissue Mullard EL34 power tubes and NOS Chinese 12AX7 preamp tubes. I have added a few pictures of the completed circuit and the hardwood head box. Here's a build component list: Custom made .090" aluminum chassis that is powder coated gloss black and then silkscreened with metallic gold ink, Low voltage mains power transformer, hand wound Merren Audio output transformer, mil spec teflon coated 18 AWG stranded silver plated copper wire, JJ filter caps, NOS Amphenol power tube sockets, Belton preamp tube sockets with gold anodized shields, PEC 2W mil spec pots, 9 SoZo caps and 1 Mallory, mostly 1w carbon film resistors, real UK Cliff jacks, Metropoulos "Zero Loss" effects loop, gold plated and knurled brass knobs. Also will be working on a number of various sound clips.

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markguitar

Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2001
Messages
2,375
Just finished MGL serial number "001" for a good friend in custom cream tolex. He has a matching 2x12" speaker cab also on order

MGL001.jpg
 
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