Jump to content

Who makes the best Plexi


messenger

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 117
  • Created
  • Last Reply
  • Members
Posted

 

Originally posted by messenger

OK. So whats a "Plexi" then:confused: I thought The SL 4 inputers were Plexis?

 

 

The term Plexi refers to the front panel of early Super Leads. These were made of Plexiglass. Hence, Plexi. In '68 (I believe) Marshall replaced the plexiglass panels with metal panels. Along with this change, there were some circuitry changes. But if you do a bit of reading, you'll find that Marshall changed values of the parts quite often based on what was readily available. Hence, some sound awesome and others don't. This all used to be very mysterious, but with all the info available on the internet, anyone can get the specs of the much coveted Plexi's and mod or demod their Super Leads to those specs. The early 70's metal panels are quite close to the old Plexi's as far as I've been told. They're still point-to-point wired and many of the values are the same or close. In 1973 (I believe) Marshall switched to PCB. From what I understand, this change alone didn't really change the tone of the amp. Marshall didn't just stop with the PCB though. They replaced some components that made the amp brighter. This switch probably made alot of people think that PTP sounds better than PCB... Anyway... I'm no expert on Marshalls, I know what I've read and what I've experienced tinkering with my Super Lead.

 

Clay Finley, our very own Olaf Krampe, Plexi Palace and Metro Amp all have alot of great information if you're looking for some info.

  • Members
Posted

Originally posted by messenger

OK. So whats a "Plexi" then
:confused:
I thought The SL 4 inputers were Plexis?

A *true* Plexi was those Marshall amps (circa 1967-69) that feaured plexiglass faceplates. Marshall switched over to metal faceplates in the 1970s, although they maintained production of the 4-input Super Leads up through the introduction of the Master Volume amps in 1976.

 

The transformers and mil-spec "parts du jour" define the build and sound quality of the early Marshalls. Since parts were obtained, quite literally, adhoc from parts bins on an "as needed" basis...there in lies the mystery inheret to the "Plexi" amps ... some sound killer, while others are real dogs. It was a crap shoot, because there wasn't any real consistency across those amps as far as parts/values went. Esp. true with the transformers used.

 

That's what makes the V-Plex such a great sounding amp. Voodoo happened to have an all-original 1968 come into the shop for service. It happened to be one of those "good" sounding amps. So good, that Voodoo paid the owner retarded money to purchase it from him. They then reverse engineered it to design an amp replica of it. Upon doing so, they actually found a "flaw" in the amp -- that turns out was a key "ingredient" to the key to it's great tone. :idea: This "flaw" was specifically engineered into the new amps -- making the V-Plex one of the true 1968 Plexi clones out on the amp market today. Other companies may come close with part values and what not, but they don't hold the secret to the tone that Voodoo has.

  • Members
Posted

Originally posted by BerkleeBill

A *true* Plexi was those Marshall amps (circa 1967-69) that feaured plexiglass faceplates. Marshall switched over to metal faceplates in the 1970s, although they maintained production of the 4-input Super Leads up through the introduction of the Master Volume amps in 1976.


The transformers and mil-spec "parts du jour" define the build and sound quality of the early Marshalls. Since parts were obtained, quite literally, adhoc from parts bins on an "as needed" basis...there in lies the mystery inheret to the "Plexi" amps ... some sound killer, while others are real dogs. It was a crap shoot, because there wasn't any real consistency across those amps as far as parts/values went. Esp. true with the transformers used.


That's what makes the V-Plex such a great sounding amp. Voodoo happened to have an all-original 1968 come into the shop for service. It happened to be one of those "good" sounding amps. So good, that Voodoo paid the owner retarded money to purchase it from him. They then reverse engineered it to design an amp replica of it. Upon doing so, they actually found a "flaw" in the amp -- that turns out was a key "ingredient" to the key to it's great tone.
:idea:
This "flaw" was specifically engineered into the new amps -- making the V-Plex one of the
true
1968 Plexi clones out on the amp market today. Other companies may come close with part values and what not, but they don't hold the secret to the tone that Voodoo has.

 

in what components can those flaws be found?

  • Members
Posted

 

Originally posted by Negative K3 fan

in what components can those flaws be found?

 

Sorry, but I consider that to be proprietary information that I don't believe I am authorzied to disclose. Lets just be fair and say it exists, they found it, they proved that was the key, they replicated it.

  • Members
Posted

Originally posted by BerkleeBill


Sorry, but I consider that to be proprietary information that I don't believe I am authorzied to disclose. Lets just be fair and say it exists, they found it, they proved that was the key, they replicated it.

 

 

Sounds like "voodoo" :D

 

I just listened to the clips of the V-Plex... Sounds like a Super Lead expertly recorded.

  • Members
Posted

 

Originally posted by BerkleeBill


Sorry, but I consider that to be proprietary information that I don't believe I am authorzied to disclose. Lets just be fair and say it exists, they found it, they proved that was the key, they replicated it.

 

 

hehe, you know with saying that without exactly telling what it is, it absolutely means nothing and it might just be a very odinary marketing trick...

 

I have no doubt the V-plex's sound excellent though!

  • Members
Posted

Originally posted by Negative K3 fan



hehe, you know with saying that without exactly telling what it is, it absolutely means nothing and it might just be a very odinary marketing trick...


I have no doubt the V-plex's sound excellent though!

 

:D

 

Pretty much what I think... And yes... the V-plex clips on the Voodoo site sound most excellent. They sound like a great Plexi tone.

  • Members
Posted

i have mine setup to the 12 series specs.main difference is that the v1b is 820ohm/.68 instead of the later 68and 69 v1b of 2.7k/.68.its warmer and fatter sounding!thats what the VH amp was probably had!

  • Members
Posted

 

Originally posted by sah5150

I vote Mojave! I bet you're all surprised...


Steve

 

 

I'm both shocked and awed! To be honest with you, the Peacemaker clips I've heard sound best to me.

  • Members
Posted

Originally posted by bmf5150

i have mine setup to the 12 series specs.main difference is that the v1b is 820ohm/.68 instead of the later 68and 69 v1b of 2.7k/.68.its warmer and fatter sounding!thats what the VH amp was probably had!

 

Hmm... I might have to try that... The beauty of all of this is that it costs about $5 to try this {censored} out... :D

 

I spent about $11 on this amp :D It sounds so good... :D

  • Members
Posted

 

Originally posted by vlad



I'm both shocked and awed! To be honest with you, the Peacemaker clips I've heard sound best to me.

 

 

I'm shocked and awed every time I plug into the damn thing!

 

Steve

  • Members
Posted

 

Originally posted by sah5150



I'm shocked and awed every time I plug into the damn thing!


Steve

 

 

Do you have that Power Dampening feature?

  • Members
Posted

Originally posted by Negative K3 fan

hehe, you know with saying that without exactly telling what it is, it absolutely means nothing and it might just be a very odinary marketing trick...

Whatever man. I mean, do we not remember all of the Mark Cameron histrionics? C'mon now...

 

I'm not on the Voodoo payroll. I'm just a guitarist like everyone else here - looking for the best tone available and spending some serious coin to do so.

 

I'm fairly new here, but I look at HC as a family of sorts to share information and experiences as to be helpful, no? What I can tell you from my experiences are: I've owned a V-Plex and a Germino Lead55. Both are marketed at 1968 plexi clones. Both amps should then be the same amp in concept, right? Truth is, they are very different from one another, and one sounds a lot better than the other.

 

If the Germino kicked the V-Plex's ass, I'd tell you so. I don't think it does, so that's the story you'll get from me. Simple as that. If you think that's a marketing trick, that's your prerogative. Me - I'm just trying to be helpful...that's it, that's all, that's skeball!

 

:wave:

  • Members
Posted

Originally posted by anti-flag193



man that sounds amazing! It can get pretty mean!

 

Yes it does sound great... But it's a little too mean...;)

  • Members
Posted
Originally posted by vlad



Hmm... I might have to try that... The beauty of all of this is that it costs about $5 to try this {censored} out...
:D

I spent about $11 on this amp
:D
It sounds so good...
:D

yeah for .20 you could try it!

  • Members
Posted

Originally posted by bmf5150

yeah for .20 you could try it!

 

Yup... :D

 

I'd spend more on shipping from Metroamp, then the actual parts...:D

 

I usually wait until I accumulate about $15 or so of stuff then place the order... :D

 

I love how that 12000 series that George is building looks. The built-in variac is a great idea.

  • Members
Posted

 

Originally posted by anti-flag193



eww

 

 

Believe it or not, that actually sounds more like a vintage Marshall Super Lead than the V-Plex clip. Those Thunder Tweak clips could be recorded better, but that's pretty much what a Super Lead sounds like. The V-Plex sounds like a heavily-modded Super Lead. At least in the clips on the Voodoo amps site. I have no idea in person.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...