Guitar Gear Forum

... after weeks of gushing about the Marshall, but God help me, I'm starting to have a couple of nagging second thoughts. Not about tone, mind you -- she still sounds quite glorious. I guess it's more about features, for want of a better term.

Get a beer, folks; this'll take a few minutes.

I knew before I bought the Plexi that I'd have to do something about a master volume, as an untamed 1987x is just all kinds of impractical for me with a wife & two very young kids in a small, non-soundproofed home. It's a reissue, so I figured a master volume mod would be no big deal. I meanwhile have been running an "volume pot in a box" (Omnisonic) in the loop as a makeshift master.

But now I've been playing the Marshall side by side with an amp I'd planned -- and till recently had been trying -- to sell (which I've since decided to keep), my T.E. Bonneville combo. Hadn't played the Bonneville seriously in forever ~ one reason I was gonna sell it ... but now I'm starting to suspect (with a sinking feeling in my stomach) that I actually prefer the Bonneville to the Plexi.

I know.



I KNOW!!!


So what's the deal? Well, with the Bonneville's gain at noon, it's just the perfect rock crunch for my style, and it still cleans up great from the guitar. The Marshall needs a boost pedal, even with the volume (not the "master") dimed, to get that same "perfect" level of crunch. If I could run the Plexi wide open it wouldn't matter, because the power tubes would get cookin' & make up the difference, but even when I get back out into gigging that will rarely if ever be a viable option.

I guess part of what's bugging me there is I like the idea of being able to play a gig with *just* the amp, if I want/need to ~ it's nice to have the pedals on my board, but I don't want to be dependent on them. The recent "where do you get your gain" thread brought this back to my mind. The Bonneville, with more gain available out of the gate ~ and with two footswitchable master volumes for solo boosts ~ is gigable as is (though my pedals add a lot more versatility).

Now I can certainly throw a Microamp pedal in the Marshall's loop (and have, at a couple gigs) for solo volume boosts, and I could talk to my tech I suppose about goosing the gain in the Marshall a bit when he adds the master volume ... but at that point, that's two mods right off the bat, and what will that do to possible resale later, if I want to go that route? Add to that the size of the Plexi (requiring a 2x12 cab), vs. the B'ville's 1x12 combo format, plus the money wrapped up in the Plex before having it modded ... Like I said, nagging second thoughts, none of which have to do with the sound/tone of the amp, which should be the first (and only?) concern, right?

Maybe I just picked the wrong Marshall for my needs? Prolly should've been smart and looked for something that already had the master as part of the design, and a bit more gain built in to boot. There is something magical about the Plexi sound/feel, though. Can't deny that. But man, I could sell the Plex, pick up a second 1x12 combo to back up the Bonneville, and still have a chunk left to go in savings, couldn't I? Ugh...

Welp, it's 3:36 in the a.m. here, and this pathetic whinging isn't really helping to alleviate my insomnia, but it was worth a shot. Hopefully, nobody'll click on this thread just to point out how annoying it is when I whine & agonize over my gear. If you came in here and got annoyed, though, I sincerely apologize. Feel free to move on, with my condolences. Just had to rant psychotically for a moment. <deep breath> Okay. Er.

Back to bed, y'all. Nothing to see here...

If it were me, I would just buy a power attenuator and bring down the levels just enough to not piss the wife off.

You can use less attenuation when you're playing out too so sound men or bar owners don't bitch at you about your stage volume.

To me, that's an ideal fix. No modding necessary. I love the Marshall tone and I love using my pedals too.

Use whatever makes you happiest. It's easy to get bogged down in details, but best to keep it simple.

:flack: :flack: :flack: :flack: :flack:



Simple solution, keep the Bonneville and sell the Marshall.

Plexis are great amps but they are not the be-all end-all amp.

You gotta go with what feels right to YOU.

This is your thread, Drae;

Any piece of musical gear is merely a tool and it's always nice to have the right tool for the job. If the tool no longer suits your needs, move on to a tool that does.

Simple? Yes. Easy? No and it can be just as maddening as it is fun...but you already know that.

lol.... ahhh yes... this happens to the best of us... get the one thing you've been lusting after forever, then realize what you already have works better...lol... I say get an attenuator, might be a little expensive but at least you don't have to Mod your amp and depending on which model you get it will give you more options than a master volume Mod... Don't give up on the Plexi man...

Just go ahead and send your plexi to me, man. I'll take good care of her and won't even charge you for storage.

Yeah. This has happened to me a few times with my 2203. For the exact same reasons. I've had amps that are just easier to control and have multiple channels, etc.

Keep the plexi around. Trust me. You'll go back to it because of the response and feel of it. My 2303 has survived every onslaught of a new amp. I use my DSL for gigs that I may need to be quieter at, but that doesn't happen often.

Buy 2554. Sell plexi and bonneville.

100 watt plexi, or SYGDFM

So you have both amps you want already?


Just keep em both


Your pedalboard is sweet too.


Overthinking



You're there man

over thinking is right......and stop trying to use big gig amps at home (especially since you can't turn them up).

Get a nice quiet practice amp and use your pedalboard or some sort of POD like device. reserve your amps for when your family isn't home, practice or gigs.

With the Bonneville, sometimes you just can't deny an amp that works well for you......no matter how much you try to tell yourself it shouldn't.

Just because the Marshall Plexi is a legendary, top three amp ever doesn't mean it's going to work for everyone in every situation.

You're a victim of round peg, square hole my friend.

Your Bonneville suits you,...and that's ok. Just roll with it.

Turn on amp, plug in guitar, wail.

No need to use brain. Too many options are crippling.

sleewell wrote:So you have both amps you want already?


Just keep em both


Your pedalboard is sweet too.


Overthinking



You're there man

this

You need a DSL. I am just saying.

guitarbilly74 wrote:You need a DSL. I am just saying.

The Jube combo/head if you want dark and fat or DSL for hot rodded super lead.


The dsl can be found for amazing prices so that's probably your best bet. They kill.

There is nothing wrong with using pedals for gain with a plexi. If that actually bothers you then yeah it's probably not going to work for you. But if you sell it I predict 100% that you will regret it and post threads about you wishing you still had it

A wise man once said.......

guitarbilly74 wrote:You need a DSL. I am just saying.

......The logic. It is sound.

If the bonneville is your perfect rock crunch tone, and thats the tone you want, then it sounds like that amp solves all of your issues. You would have a MUCH easier time selling the marshall.

Man, this thread turned out amazing. There once was another forum I could mention, but which for now shall remain nameless <ahem>, which ~ had I posted such drivelling whinery ~ would have mercilessly yorn me a new one. This feels more like a 12 step for GASaholics.

Me: Hi. My name's Draelyc, and I'm pathologically neurotic about my gear choices.
Y'all: HI, DRAELYC!



So, yeah, thanks for not crucifying me for these late night ramblings. And thanks for the advice. Even though some folks say "keep the Plexi" & some folks say "sell it nao," it's helpful to hear all these perspectives. Being "locked up" at the house recovering from back surgery has left me WAY TOO MUCH TIME to obsess over gear, and poor Mrs. Draelyc has to hear the brunt of it ... But she isn't "one of us" and can't really understand, y'know? So yeah, "overthinking"? Doesn't quite cover it!

Billy, I've wondered if a more modern Marshall like the DSL wouldn't be the ticket. The more I think on that, the more I like the idea! Wonder how the 50 watt head would sound through my Greenbacks? Or maybe I should look at the new combos? Either way, I'm now thinking it might be better not to mod the Plexi & just to look for something a little closer to what I know I dig, feature wise.

Again, thanks for indulging me, folks ~ I really needed that!

[CARTMAN] I luv you guys! [/CARTMAN]

draelyc wrote:Man, this thread turned out amazing. There once was another forum I could mention, but which for now shall remain nameless <ahem>, which ~ had I posted such drivelling whinery ~ would have mercilessly yorn me a new one. This feels more like a 12 step for GASaholics.

Me: Hi. My name's Draelyc, and I'm pathologically neurotic about my gear choices.
Y'all: HI, DRAELYC!



So, yeah, thanks for not crucifying me for these late night ramblings. And thanks for the advice. Even though some folks say "keep the Plexi" & some folks say "sell it nao," it's helpful to hear all these perspectives. Being "locked up" at the house recovering from back surgery has left me WAY TOO MUCH TIME to obsess over gear, and poor Mrs. Draelyc has to hear the brunt of it ... But she isn't "one of us" and can't really understand, y'know? So yeah, "overthinking"? Doesn't quite cover it!

Billy, I've wondered if a more modern Marshall like the DSL wouldn't be the ticket. The more I think on that, the more I like the idea! Wonder how the 50 watt head would sound through my Greenbacks? Or maybe I should look at the new combos? Either way, I'm now thinking it might be better not to mod the Plexi & just to look for something a little closer to what I know I dig, feature wise.

Again, thanks for indulging me, folks ~ I really needed that!

[CARTMAN] I luv you guys! [/CARTMAN]

I have the 50 Watt DSL. That, with the C12 mod is great for low volume jamming. Great clean channel. Great crunch mode and the Red channel 1 is great at low volumes with the C12 clipped.

atrox wrote:I have the 50 Watt DSL. That, with the C12 mod is great for low volume jamming. Great clean channel. Great crunch mode and the Red channel 1 is great at low volumes with the C12 clipped.

Cool ~ so, what exactly does the mod change from stock, soundwise? Also, what speakers are you running your DSL with?

Thanks, mang!

draelyc wrote:

atrox wrote:I have the 50 Watt DSL. That, with the C12 mod is great for low volume jamming. Great clean channel. Great crunch mode and the Red channel 1 is great at low volumes with the C12 clipped.

Cool ~ so, what exactly does the mod change from stock, soundwise? Also, what speakers are you running your DSL with?

Thanks, mang!

The C12 is a bright cap, but it's on the gain control, not the volume. So it basically makes it very ice picky at lower gain settings. Clipping it keeps it fuller sounding and usable at low volumes. It also makes the red channel more compatible with the green channel, so the shared EQ is not an issue.

I use Marshall cabs with a 75/65 X pattern.