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Marshall Plexi: How does it sound?


Brown Rug

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The Plexi is one of those amps I'm considering purchasing in the near future, though it will be a while since I can step into a shop and try it out. For those who have one or have tried it, how does it sound? I'm told that it's a pretty clean amp, though it has some nice crunch when the volume is increased.

 

And this is a stupid question, but if I wanted to get that Plexi crunch but without increasing the volume or getting a hot plate, would getting a JCM 800 make sense? Or is it completely different?

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The Plexi is one of those amps I'm considering purchasing in the near future, though it will be a while since I can step into a shop and try it out. For those who have one or have tried it, how does it sound? I'm told that it's a pretty clean amp, though it has some nice crunch when the volume is increased.


And this is a stupid question, but if I wanted to get that Plexi crunch but without increasing the volume or getting a hot plate, would getting a JCM 800 make sense? Or is it completely different?

 

 

The JCM800 really needs to be cranked to sound good, too, though it gets crunchier at lower volumes.

 

Honestly, if you want a Plexi sound at low volumes, you might do better either getting a good pedal (see Brian Wampler's stuff) or trying Plexi clones build by boutique builders that are specifically designed to sound good at lower volumes. I'm not much of a Marshall guy, so I can't remember who those builders are.

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Fargen makes some great lower watt alternatives. They are pretty expensive though. I had a JCM 800 for awhile, awesome amp, just too much for me. With an OD it could do great rock tones at lower volume. Obviously you don't get anywhere near the potential til you crank it, but still sounded fine at lower volumes nonetheless. I can't comment on the Plexi though.

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it's the best sounding amp ever made, :love:marshall got it right the first time, Im talking about the jmp mk2 and also the jtm 45's the jcm 800 is't a plexi, this is the year they switched to pcb's and some crappy digital stuff in the circuit, jcm800 sux big time! they are weak and thin sounding, stay away from them, unfortunately you gotto crank these old amps up to get saturation and they are LOUD! it's unplayable without a attenuator of some sort but I hate attenuators cus they mess up the tone, but what can you do? that goes for all of these old amp, I would love one with a master volume, but so far I haven't seen one, have a look on you tube, there are plenty of sound samples there

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it's the best sounding amp ever made, :love:marshall got it right the first time, Im talking about the jmp mk2 and also the jtm 45's the jcm 800 is't a plexi, this is the year they switched to pcb's and some crappy digital stuff in the circuit, jcm800 sux big time! they are weak and thin sounding, stay away from them, unfortunately you gotto crank these old amps up to get saturation and they are LOUD! it's unplayable without a attenuator of some sort but I hate attenuators cus they mess up the tone, but what can you do? that goes for all of these old amp, I would love one with a master volume, but so far I haven't seen one, have a look on you tube, there are plenty of sound samples there

 

:facepalm: you have a rot to rurn, Glasshoppah

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it's the best sounding amp ever made, :love:marshall got it right the first time, Im talking about the jmp mk2 and also the jtm 45's the jcm 800 is't a plexi, this is the year they switched to pcb's and some crappy digital stuff in the circuit,
jcm800 sux big time
! they are weak and thin sounding, stay away from them, unfortunately you gotto crank these old amps up to get saturation and they are LOUD! it's unplayable without a attenuator of some sort but I hate attenuators cus they mess up the tone, but what can you do? that goes for all of these old amp, I would love one with a master volume, but so far I haven't seen one, have a look on you tube, there are plenty of sound samples there

 

 

yeah those JCM 800's really are garbage..............................:rolleyes:

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it's the best sounding amp ever made, :love:marshall got it right the first time, Im talking about the jmp mk2 and also the jtm 45's the jcm 800 is't a plexi, this is the year they switched to pcb's and some crappy digital stuff in the circuit, jcm800 sux big time! they are weak and thin sounding, stay away from them, unfortunately you gotto crank these old amps up to get saturation and they are LOUD! it's unplayable without a attenuator of some sort but I hate attenuators cus they mess up the tone, but what can you do? that goes for all of these old amp, I would love one with a master volume, but so far I haven't seen one, have a look on you tube, there are plenty of sound samples there

 

 

plexis rule. they're amazing amps, it's true. but this is kind of crazy talk. jcm 800's are amazing amps, with no digital anything in the circuit, by the way. if you want to get crunch at lower volumes you should consider a jcm 800 or a jmp with master volume, like the mk2. maybe look into 50 watt ones. please, if you find an original old plexi, don't mod it. it's such a shame. just by a master volume model. look into a 2203 or 2204, like the later master volume jmp's and the single channel 800's. i have two of them and totally love them. they still do better cranked, but you can get crunch at lower volumes.

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jcm 800 is't a plexi, this is the year they switched to pcb's and some crappy digital stuff in the circuit, jcm800 sux big time! they are weak and thin sounding, stay away from them

 

Dumbest thing I've read here in a while.

 

:facepalm: doesn't even begin to express the stupidity.

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Here's the thing, I do tend to play 'loud' though I'm not sure playing at 10-11 o'clock is considered loud to you guys, but if I played at that volume on a plexi would I get that crunch?

 

 

depends how hot your pickups are. youll probably get into a pretty mild to average classic rock crunch there....which is pretty loud.

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Dont buy a plexi unless you're in a loud band. You can cobble on a master volume easy enough and for what its worth a PPIMV doesnt sound all that great to my ears, or at least for what I'm doing.

 

 

 

Was going to post something along these lines.

 

Take the next with a grain of salt as I've never played a plexi:

The Marshall Vintage Modern is supposed to be Marshall's own PPIMV "vintage" style amp in the vein of the Plexi and JTM45. The store guy where I bought it is a cranked plexi kinda guy.

 

He *hated* the VM.

 

 

Now, I love mine, but I put two and two together which makes me think a cranked plexi doesn't sound the same as a PPIMV-modded uncranked plexi.

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