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Anyone know where to look for used Marshall Plexi heads (preferably someone with an online store)? I’d like to get one but the reissues are insane, they list for like $4000. I see there are a few companies making clones which is cool, they are a lot cheaper (around $650. for just the amp with no enclosure around it), but still think it would be cool to have an old Plexi.
Or I wonder how hard it is to make your own. I also saw some kits online for making a Plexi heads. Only problem is I don’t know much about wiring amps and such. Plus I don’t think I would want the headache of doing something without someone who knows what they’re doing to help out.
I suppose too we could talk about amp building and cloning in general, since it would be fun and interesting to do.
Thanks in advance for the help, should be a fun discussion.
Ughh – I think a Vintage used one in good working order will cost more than a new one. That’s why Marshall came out with the clone because they were missing out on the action.
Marshall is making reissues (not clones) and they are pricey!
Here is one clone I found
http://www.ceriatone.com/productSubPages/marshallPlexi50Lead/marshallPlexi50Complete.htm”>http://www.ceriatone.com/productSubPage … mplete.htmjust an amp with no enclosure, but it sounds nice.
You can find a case for it here:
http://www.metroamp.com/head_case_small_box.php”>http://www.metroamp.com/head_case_small_box.phpSo for less than a grand you can build a plexi, and save yourself some dough. I just thought it was neat you could do this. There are kits for all kinds of amps if you look. It looks like most of the time these clones are made exactly like the originals and sometimes with upgrades so they are nicer.
[img]http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/tremspeed/mascismarshall.jpg[/img]
the ceriatone amps look pretty reasonably priced. with a cabinet (for the chassis, that is) you’re looking at like 900 bux, which is roughly what a used marshall plexi 50 watt reissue will cost you. actually the 100 watt super lead reissues are pretty much the same price as well. this is for the older version, not the current ‘handwired’ version that is thousands, and endorsed by J up above. everything i’ve read about ceriatone indicates they’re pretty reasonable, but bear in mind they’re made in malaysia. all of a sudden that part of the world seems to be the new place to make amplifiers: vox, celestion (speakers), fender, peavey are all making amps in china now. hell, i like $200 fender champs and stuff like the peavey windsor, a jcm-800 esque amp for $400 new, but i can’t say i don’t have issues with stuff that is produced so cheaply. not that i don’t have issues with what marshall is charging these days (across the line) but those handwired amps are THE SHIT – a store near me has the ltd hendrix full stack and it is a sight to behold.
if you have the technical ability and the time, there is a wealth of info online for diy’ing your own marshall amps. you should have some basic electronics knowledge as the voltages are extremely high- you could easily kill yourself by assembling an amp incorrectly. some of the kits have step by step, wire by wire instructions, but most are just a bag of parts. the ones with detailed instructions are the pricier ones. this is a major full time hobby for many marshall enthusiasts.. i know a dude whose built several marshall clones using premium parts and they come out great… but take forever.
as for used, you’re not going to find a true ‘plexi’ for less than a few grand these days – i played a 68 or 69 once, and i believe it was 3000 dollars, this was like 10 years ago. i just searched completed items on ebay and one in red tolex went for $7500. if you’re willing to live with 70s models with master volumes you can find something for around a thousand.
also, just consider if you can really use a plexi-style marshall in the first place. J has stated that he uses 15 watt amps like the Vox AC-15 for recording, and live he gets a distorted sound from a JMP-1 preamp, using the Major and Plexi(s) as power amps only. Very very few people are satisfied with the plexi sound out of the box at reasonable levels- most people use boost pedals or dummy loads (like hot plates) in order to tame these amps. most people aren’t aware how clean these amps truly are- they don’t distort until they are -hella- loud- i don’t mean kinda loud, i mean twice as loud as any band you’ve ever seen loud. these were designed for stadiums without PA systems, not smaller clubs and certainly not recording studios. if you’re the type of person who uses pedals for gain and shit you’ll probably like them – if you’re an amp-distortion (as in preamp distortion ala jcm-900s, mesa boogie) as i am, you won’t be immediately satisfied with these amps.
Awesome post unchained, thanks for the info.
The shop down the street has a Jimi Hendrix reissue stack, you are correct it is the dope!
I know the plexi’s are clean amps. Thats what I want, that ballsy clean with my Big Muff, & Metal Muff, man that would sound so big and sweet. Thats the whole idea.
I am still considering a Vox AC30 on a Marshall 4X12 cab, but think the plexi would be a little less trebley.
Tonas, DYI amp building is something I took up about a year ago. I’ve built a tweed deluxe clone, and started off with a couple of kits from a great company called Guytronix. It’s a lot of fun, but it’s more about the process than the product, if you know what I mean. My amps sound great, but when you consider the time and money I put into them (things like speaker upgrades and premium transformers), the things weren’t cheap. But that’s not the point – the point is I have a great time and learn a lot about amps while I build them.
Marshall clone kits are something I’m working toward. I don’t think I’ll ever build a 100 watt clone, because I’ll never use it. My neighbors would kill me if I tried to (and my wife would probably help them). However, there was a great 60’s era Marshall called the 1974x that was recently reissued (fairly pricey, I believe). 18 watts of vintage Marshall crunch. There are a number of companies that sell these 18 watt kits.
Another thing about the high wattage Marshall clones is that they’re among the more complex builds, probably out of my league at this point.
It’s a great hobby for those who are into this sort of thing. Late at night, when my wife and kids are asleep, I can’t really play my guitar at the volume I’d like to, but I can go out to the garage and work on my latest build.
Thanks Window Grazing, that sounds cool. Yeah I’m just learning about this. I had no idea people were building vintage amps themselves. Though my motivation would be to save a few bucks, I’m starting to realize that this would be a pretty fun hobby.
Hey man, try http://www.torresamps.com/build_your_own_amp.htm that and if you don’t feel up to paying that much money for something you may not be able to build yourself, then they will build it for you for a fee. For custom looking cabinets for the head/s (they also sell those too) http://home.insight.rr.com/kressamps/
That looks like a lot of fun. Plus, with the first link, you can make a custom amp! The idea still rocks to me. A Fender power section with a preamp from a Plexi or however you want it. That rocks!
R/J
the more i read about ceriatone, the more it looks like a completely killer deal.
the 1974x is awesome, but they keep breaking. marshall reissued them pretty much exactly, and the output transformers can’t handle being run flat-out at all times, which everyone natrually does.
"unchained " wrote:the more i read about ceriatone, the more it looks like a completely killer deal.Yeah the more I read about them, the more they seemed legit. Search em’ on youtube, there are a couple of videos of guys playing em’. They sound good, and I think they may be more reliable than the original.
I’ve got my eye on a GDS kit. I’ve read goof things about them.
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