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View Full Version : BBC4: Play it Loud: The Story of the Marshall Amp



Marco
19-01-2017, 16:07
Dudes,

If you didn't watch it last night, just a heads-up on a programme you might like to see, if you've got access to catch-up TV, on Sky or Freeview. It was shown on BBC4 last night, at 9.30pm, see this link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04c3l7j

It's a brilliant programme, showing the history of Marshall amps, and how the design of the first amp came about, how the musicians embraced the design, tons of footage of rock music concerts, and all sorts - really superb stuff!!

A truly must watch for all rock music lovers, valve amp and Marshall amp fans! :cool:

Marco.

Barry
19-01-2017, 16:14
And they're British as well! :)

Marco
19-01-2017, 16:22
Yup. Did you watch the programme, Barry? :)

Marco.

Barry
19-01-2017, 16:25
Yup. Did you watch the programme, Barry? :)

Marco.

Yes I did; I've seen it before, but after watching James May reassemble a 1960's Dansette record player, I thought I would watch the programme about Marshall amps as well.

jollyfix
19-01-2017, 16:31
I went for a curry with Jim Marshall years ago, nice guy, great amps. Have not seen the programme, may check it out.

Audio Al
19-01-2017, 17:32
I have seen it before well worth a look ;)

Magna Audio
19-01-2017, 18:46
Cool sounds right up my street.
Hope they explain why they sounded the way they did, compared to say a Fender or Peavey.

Arkless Electronics
19-01-2017, 19:01
I've fixed hundreds of 'em and they're nowt special.... (not bad neither though, and they did make a few iconic models). Usual case of the biggest company with the most instantly recognisable brand name gets all the kudos....
Same as if you ask joe public non biker to name a really good motorbike they'll likely say Harley Davidson.... LOL!

Sherwood
19-01-2017, 20:05
I saw this a while back. If I recall correctly, not the best advert for British dentistry!

Barry
19-01-2017, 20:08
I saw this a while back. If I recall correctly, not the best advert for British dentistry!

Oh, that's only one music correspondent - Jim Marshall had a perfectly good set of nashers.

Sherwood
19-01-2017, 20:12
not just one, though yes there was one in particular!

Jac Hawk
23-01-2017, 23:36
I've fixed hundreds of 'em and they're nowt special.... (not bad neither though, and they did make a few iconic models). Usual case of the biggest company with the most instantly recognisable brand name gets all the kudos....
Same as if you ask joe public non biker to name a really good motorbike they'll likely say Harley Davidson.... LOL!

Completely not the case Jez, obviously you didn't watch the documentary, Jim Marshall started out his amp business from his music shop and copied an American amp (it's name escapes me) but because he couldn't get hold of the same parts, he used what was available, the distortion was an accident, but luckily was what the guitarists were looking for. The reason for the success was down to the fact that a lot of up and coming bands of the time hung out in his shop and bought their instruments from him, he just happened to make the right product and importantly, listened to his customers developing his products to suit their needs.

Maybe next time watch the program before making a comment....

Arkless Electronics
24-01-2017, 00:33
Completely not the case Jez, obviously you didn't watch the documentary, Jim Marshall started out his amp business from his music shop and copied an American amp (it's name escapes me) but because he couldn't get hold of the same parts, he used what was available, the distortion was an accident, but luckily was what the guitarists were looking for. The reason for the success was down to the fact that a lot of up and coming bands of the time hung out in his shop and bought their instruments from him, he just happened to make the right product and importantly, listened to his customers developing his products to suit their needs.

Maybe next time watch the program before making a comment....

Not only have I watched it I was well aware of the background anyway and I'm an official Marshall service agent. He was lucky in that several people he knew in bands and as customers became really famous just as he was trying to expand from a garage builder to something bigger... A good international distributor saw the potential, took them on and handled the advertising etc... the rests history. Today they are probably the pre-eminent brand in guitar amplifiers and that combined with their history gives them instant brand recognition and kudos. Did they have superb designs, amazing build quality and top of the range components? No. Did they work bloody hard and also have some VERY lucky breaks? Yes.
The Who famously moved on to using better designed and built plus more powerful (and yes more expensive IIRC) Hi-Watt amplifiers.

Oddball
24-01-2017, 22:48
Completely not the case Jez, obviously you didn't watch the documentary, Jim Marshall started out his amp business from his music shop and copied an American amp (it's name escapes me) but because he couldn't get hold of the same parts, he used what was available, the distortion was an accident, but luckily was what the guitarists were looking for. The reason for the success was down to the fact that a lot of up and coming bands of the time hung out in his shop and bought their instruments from him, he just happened to make the right product and importantly, listened to his customers developing his products to suit their needs.

Maybe next time watch the program before making a comment....
It was a Fender amp he copied , (I forget the exact model name )one that was mainly for bass quitars according to the documentary - very good viewing ,and the prog before it where James may rebuilt the Dansette Bermuda record player

Stratmangler
25-01-2017, 00:37
It was a Fender amp he copied , (I forget the exact model name )one that was mainly for bass quitars according to the documentary - very good viewing ,and the prog before it where James may rebuilt the Dansette Bermuda record player

It was the Fender Bassman that was copied.
When it was opened up it was found to be a well known and standard circuit.
Marshall, operating in post war Britain, sourced the UK equivalent components from Army Surplus stores, and that's the reason why the amps sounded different.
The transformers were wound differently, and the valves were UK equivalents to the US types.

RothwellAudio
25-01-2017, 10:12
I have an early 50W Marshall and there's something about old Marshalls that seems to have escaped the entire rest of the world - they sound great at low volumes!! :lol:
Yes, they don't have the classic rock guitar sound when quiet, but they make a superb jazz amp with a lovely "springy" feel. Shhh... don't tell anyone ;)

struth
25-01-2017, 10:23
Bro has one that he uses for his keyboard strangely. Sounds great as well. Had been a band one for guitar or bass. Seems to work well for keys too.

Stratmangler
25-01-2017, 13:03
I have an early 50W Marshall and there's something about old Marshalls that seems to have escaped the entire rest of the world - they sound great at low volumes!! :lol:
Yes, they don't have the classic rock guitar sound when quiet, but they make a superb jazz amp with a lovely "springy" feel. Shhh... don't tell anyone ;)

They are really nice sounding if you're not caning them, with plenty of overhead.
But as you say, that's not what people buy them for.

Stratmangler
25-01-2017, 13:07
Bro has one that he uses for his keyboard strangely. Sounds great as well. Had been a band one for guitar or bass. Seems to work well for keys too.

Jon Lord (Deep Purple) used to feed his Hammond B3 through Marshall heads and cabinets.

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