WINTER NAMM SHOW, ANAHEIM, CA, January 14, 2010 — VOX Amplification has updated its classic AC30 and AC15 guitar amplifiers to create the new Custom Series.

Models in the new series include the AC30C2X, AC30C2 and AC15C1. The VOX AC30 combo amp has long been an icon, known as the sound that powered the 1960’s “British Invasion.” First introduced in 1958, the smaller AC15 combo has been the amp of choice for countless guitar players.

True to their past, the Custom Series amps rely on 3 x 12AX7 dual triode vacuum tubes in the pre-amp stage, and 4 x EL84 pentode tubes in the power stage of the 30-Watt AC30C2 and AC30C2X. The 15-Watt AC15C1 uses 2 x EL84 tubes.

All Custom Series models offer two channels: Normal and Top Boost. Each channel is equipped with its own Volume control, and the Top Boost channel offers highly interactive Treble and Bass tone controls as well. This powerful channel pairing provides an abundance of tone-crafting control. Both channels utilize the Tone Cut and Volume controls in the Master section. The Tone Cut control operates in the power stage rather than the preamp stage, allowing an additional degree of tone-shaping. The Master Volume control works in conjunction with the individual volumes of each channel to create just the right degree of gain-staging. By balancing the individual and Master volumes, the Custom Series can deliver the coveted clean VOX “chimey” sound, a powerful overdriven tone, and everything in between.

VOX Amp Designers Dave Clarke and Tony Bruno combined the coveted sounds of a vintage AC amplifier with modern changes, giving these amps the extra reliability and tonal palette necessary for modern players.  The Custom Series utilizes a solid state rectifier that makes the amp louder, tighter, and more responsive to pick attack while retaining the B-plus voltage, chime, tone and output stage compression of a vintage VOX AC30.

All Custom Series amplifiers provide the VOX Classic Tremolo effect, with adjustable controls for both the speed and depth. A warm Spring Reverb is also included, adding spaciousness to the sound. The AC30C2 and AC30C2X offer an additional tone control in the Reverb section, plus an effects loop that allows users to incorporate their favorite effects into the Custom Series sound. True Bypass switching takes the entire effect loop out of the circuit.

Standard models are equipped with Celestion Greenback speakers; the AC30C2X is equipped with Celestion Alnico Blues. The optional footswitch provides a hands-free method for turning the Reverb and Tremolo effects on and off while performing.

Model Details MSRP Available

AC30C2X 30 Watts; 2 x 12″ AlNiCo Blue Celestion speakers TBD April 2010

AC30C2 30 Watts; 2 x 12″ G12M Greenback Celestion speakers $1500.00 March 2010

AC15C1 15 Watts; 1 x 12″ G12M Greenback Celestion speaker $900.00 March 2010

Additional product information is available at http://www.voxamps.com/us.

EL34 valve power matched to advanced digital preamp captures Marshall history.

WINTER NAMM SHOW, ANAHEIM, CA, January 14, 2010 — Marshall Amplification introduces the JMD:1 Series.

Marking a new era for Marshall, the JMD:1 integrates an all-valve power amp, advanced digital preamp and studio-quality multi-effects to deliver an encyclopedia of classic Marshall tones. Embracing both the benefits of new technologies and the legacy of valve power, the JMD:1 is the ideal amp for the modern musician seeking an authentic tone.

The JMD:1 Series comprises the following models:

MSRP Availability

JMD100 100 Watt Head $1500.00 February 2010

JMD102 100 Watt 2 x 12″ Combo $1650.00 February 2010

JMD50 50 Watt Head $1350.00 February 2010

JMD501 50 Watt 1 x 12″ Combo $1550.00 February 2010

The preamp offers 16 presets divided into clean, crunch, overdrive, and lead categories; all are easily accessed via a single knob. These 16 settings reflect tones from a wide range of current and historic popular Marshall amps. Patented technology, developed in conjunction with the Swedish developers Softube, provides a truly natural playing experience. Unlike preamps that simply mimic a certain sound, the JMD:1 uses complex algorithms to replicate amplifier topologies at the component level, providing a much more interactive performance. Featuring four fully-programmable channels, the JMD:1 Series also include Marshall’s STOMPWARE^® foot controller, providing instant access to 28 programmable sounds.

On the power stage side, the JMD:1 uses the acclaimed EL34 pentode vacuum tube to provide the distinctive Marshall sound. The 50-Watt models use two EL34 valves; the 100-Watt models employ four. External speaker jacks are provided in both 8-Ohm and 16-Ohm configurations. The amps’ design allows changes in the digital preamp settings to affect the valve power stage, creating a more musical and well-defined character for each sound.

The JMD:1 effects fall into three categories. Modulation Effects include a choice of Chorus, Phaser, Flanger or Tremolo. The Delay offers Tap-Tempo timing, as well as Hi-Fi, Analog, Tape or Multi voicings. The custom-voiced Reverb operates independently. The Series/Parallel FX Loop offers a dedicated Dry/Wet Mix control.

The back panel provides a balanced XLR line output featuring emulated speaker cabinet characteristics. This can be used live without the need to mic up the amp’s speakers. The Standby/Silent Recording mode allows this output to be used while muting the speakers, for recording in a confined space. A Headphone Output, Line Input, and unbalanced (1/4″) Line Output are also provided. MIDI ports allow up to 128 sound memories to be accessed via MIDI.

For more information, please visit www.marshallamps.com.

For those who are after that “Holy Grail” of tone, there are ways to find it. Many fell most confident with vintage guitars and Guitar Amplifiers. That makes perfect sense in many cases because you are in fact using the exact same gear. Granted the gear today reflects the sound and retains its integrity all these years later. But what about those of us who can’t afford the rare and hard to find? We turn to a more modern solution. The building of the great amps in todays market is all around us. Brands that are becoming well known from stage view and Studio. One way to judge a good amp is by its sound. Even if they are overbuilt and look exactly like the amps of yesteryear, you need to be certain your tone is what comes first and hopefully all the benefits of the upgraded new amp come with it.

Enter the Mojave Plexi 45 Special Edition. Under the unique and privileged opportunity of amassing 26 very rare and excellent condition Marshall JTM45s, so many of the greatest early JTM45s all at once, Mojave Ampworks (Also operating the business known as The Plexi Palace or Vintageamps.com) had the opportunity to build a great and exact likeness of the Marshall JTM45 but do it in its earliest of versions.  The close study of these amps gave us a unique and privleged opportunity to truly uncover the exact characteristics that make those old amps sound like they do in such a wonderful way. The Plexi 45, a member of the Mojave Ampworks amp line was already in production. the Special Edition was created from that model.

We had this gem which sold to our good customer Thomas H. in Germany. I have only seen a few but this one was hands down the finest example I had actually had in our possession. As the story goes, the JTM logo stood for Jim and Terry Marshall. In 1967 this was the last year the JTM was used on the Gold Plexi front face panels. It was soon changed to the more familiar JMP logo which is commonly found on most of the early Marshall Plexi and metal face models. The JMP logo stands for Jim Marshall Products. According to rumor, the change occurred when Jim Marshall divorced his wife and the trade logo was changed to reflect his sole ownership of the product.
As a reference you will see both JTM and JMP 1967 50 watt Marshalls which will be identical in every respect other then the front panel logos. The JTM logo is commonly referred to as the “BLACK FLAG” Logos. These are also found on the first 100 watt steel chassis which are well know for their use by Jimi Hendrix. The irony is the JTM100 is an EL34 based 100 watt version of the JTM50 but with the solid state rectifier power supply rather then the valve rectifier which is found in the JTM50. There were also JTM/JMP50s that were built with solid state rectifiers. You will find these with power transformer that still include the 5 volt heater windings on them to support valve rectified power supply operation. Not only do these solid state JTM/JMP50s have PTs with valve rectifier windings, but they also have the chassis punch for the tube socket for the valve rectifier. There are a number of interesting features on the JTM50 that should be noted. The first in the evaluation on the Marshall amp is the change from the 6L6/KT66 power tube, to the EL34 power tube. This change required a new output transformer with lower primary impedance. The designation #s on the output transformer for an originally equipped JTM50 will be 784-128. Earlier JTM45s would have the 784-103 on the top of the output transformers. The 784-103 was the 6L6/KT66 output tube transformer and would average 6500 ohms. The 784-128 would average 3400 ohms. Later plexi Marshalls, JMP logos with EL34s would have the 784-139 number atop the output transformer. The 784-128 was the earliest JTM45/50 version EL34 50 watt output transformer. Up to the point of the JTM50, JTM45s never made 45 watts, more often they ran in the low to high 30s in terms of actually wattage made. The JTM50 was a significant jump, mainly due to the power tubes and solid state power supplies.

JTM and JMP output transformer designations:
Click on photos below to see lager detailed pictures.

784-103, 6500 Ohms, 8ohm, 16 ohm and 100 Volt taps. Used with 6L6 and KT66 power tubes. (Used on JTM45s)

784-128, 3400 Ohms, 8 ohm, 16 ohm and 100 Volt Taps. Used with EL34s (Found on very few JTM45s, Mostly used on JTM50s) The JTM50 front logo is a reverse Black Letter coined the Black Flag logo

El34 Equipped with 100 Volt Tap

JTM50 equipped with the EL34 100 Volt Tap Output transformer

784-139, 3400 ohms used with EL34s (found on JMP 4 ohm, 8 ohm, 16 ohm model amps, 4 ohm tap replaced 100V tap) EL34 Equipped with 4 Ohm Tap

JMP label with 784-139 OT

The JTM50 is a favored amp for those looking for the JTM45 voice but with that EL34 grind. The EL34s were a significant jump for Marshall towards the ultimate Marshall tone they were so well known for.

The big Round up

Nearly 50 years since its creation, the Marshall JTM45 remains both a relevant and near-perfect example of what a great rock ‘n’ roll tube amp should be. It was originally built around the design of one of Jim Marshall’s favorites, the Fender Bassman; like the Bassman, the JTM45 was actually a fantastic guitar amp. Because of its consistent popularity, Marshall has offered a reissue version of the head— more than 20 years after production of the original JTM45 ceased. While the reissue is built with modern components and assembly techniques, it retains much of the tone, responsiveness and character of the original, hand-wired versions of the early days. No wonder builders today still carry on the tradition of the JTM45, and guitarists continue to seek out the pure simplicity and touch response of this tone machine. To celebrate the JTM45, I got together with my Sunday afternoon amp group, after contacting a handful of respected amp builders who sent us their versions of the amp. We fired them all up alongside an original and a reissue JTM45 to take a listen—and to enjoy one of the best amps ever designed.

About the Authors About 5 years ago, while playing a 9/11 benefit show, I had the good fortune to meet two people who would not only profoundly impact my life with tube amps, but would become lifelong friends. John Rossi and Tony Burns were there that day; Tony, a killer player and a regular on the Tempe/Phoenix music scene, and Johnny, his friend and amp tech, making sure Tony’s amps were running well in 115 degree heat at the outdoor amphitheater. When I saw Tony’s wall of Marshalls next to my backline of Marshalls, it was an instant conversation starter. We spent time between sets that day discussing the various finer points of our amps and gawking at each other’s rigs. The show went great but my ’67 Super P.A. felt a bit stiff, and wasn’t reacting in the most flattering way. This incident proved to be the catalyst, as Johnny was an underground semi-retired tech and ultra-fanatic Marshall enthusiast, and he had some ideas that he wanted to try out. He invited me over the following Sunday to check out the amp, and to experiment with various preamp and power amp tubes while BBQ-ing and having a beer. Tony was there, and it became clear that we all had a deep respect for these amps; rather than modify them, we wanted to bring them back to their former glory. After five years, and dozens of hacked-up Marshalls coming back from the dead, here we are. Over that time we’ve learned more about these amazing amps than any of us ever anticipated, and we’ve have had a blast in the process. I have no doubt in my mind, based on my readings of the various amp forums, that there are plenty of groups just like us all over the world doing the same thing.

The Lineup
The lineup consisted of our own 1965 original and 1990 reissue heads, two MetroAmp JTM45s (a kit version as well as the GPM 45), a Germino Classic 45, a Wallace Amplification BKW45 and Mojave Ampworks’ new Special Edition Plexi 45 head. After searching through our collection of cabinets, we settled on both an eighties Marshall JCM800 4×12 with blackback 25s, and a Mojave 2×12 cab with 1963-era Celestion Alnico Blues. It may sound strange that there were no pinstripe or basketweave cabs used for the roundup, but that wasn’t for lack of trying. Among all the members of the amp group, we actually have a pinstripe, a basketweave and a variety of Marshall 4×12s, but for some reason we always come back to the early-eighties JCM 800 cab with blackback 25s.

That particular cab has more clarity, tone and authority than any other, and it remains our favorite in the bunch—despite the cool factor of the older cabs. The 2×12 with Blues was a natural choice, as that flavor shares similarities with the mid-sixties Marshall cabs and is also a popular speaker configuration for Bluesbreaker combos. The guitars we used were our standard array of Les Pauls from the ‘70s, ‘80s and 2000s, as well as a newer 2008 Fender Strat and two early-seventies Strats. With everything in the room (it was quite a sight!) we were ready to begin.

Read this story 

This has grown and expanded into a larger wider net that now includes many of the famous acts who are no more, everything from the 50s to the 90s. Some acts are running in the shadow of the very bands that they emulate who are alive and well and still touring but it seems perfectly acceptable to the clubs and the show going crowds who want these bands. Frankly there is a slim chance in hell the real band will make it to their home town if they are still in existance. Some of the bands that are tribute acts are probably as good or in some cases, better then those they are covering at least live. That might be because they have the advantage of gear, or simply a more refined sound and the demand to produce a good product is high and expectations are high since people have listened to these bands in the studio for years on the radio or in their homes for decades. Doing a Pink Floyd set measured against the back drop of the studio is no short order. I would say it might be harder then even for the real band since you can do what you want if you are the real Pink Floyd. If your covering Led Zeppelin, you better get it right. These are things that are part of the game in the world of tribute.

Mojave Ampworks has a guitarist using the Coyote Amp and 2X12 G1230H Cab, Guitarist Steve Zukowsky who plays Lead guitar for the band Led Zepagain and Which Ones Pink, both fabulous tribute acts in Los Angels. I have the bands tour dates here for anyone who might find it interesting to check out, they do tour all over including out of the country and in other states. 

Led Zepagain
4/17/09 - Brixton, Rdondo Beach, CA
4/25/09 - Romano’s, Riverside, CA
5/1/09 - Coach House, San Juan Capistrano, CA
5/8/09 - Paladino’s, Tarzana, CA
5/9/09 - Fishlips, Bakersfield, CA
5/15/09 - Oak Tree Festival, Glendora, CA
5/16/09 - Tijuana, Mexico
5/23/09 - Fiesta Hermosa, Hermosa Beach, CA
5/28/09 - WOW Hall, Eugene, OR
5/29/09 - Showbox at the Market, Seattle, WA
5/30/09 - Aladdin Theater, Portland, OR
6/6/09 - Pala Casino, Pala, CA
6/12/09 - San Diego County Fair, San Diego, CA
6/13/09 - The Galaxy, Santa Ana, CA
6/20/09 - Whisky A Go Go, Hollywood, CA
6/27/09 - Santa Fe Springs Swapmeet, SF Springs, CA
7/11/09 - House of Blues, San Diego, CA
7/18/09 - Santa Clarita Park, Santa Clarita, CA
7/25/09 - Key Club, Hollywood, CA
8/15/09 - Lake Arrowhead, CA
8/22/09 - Powerhouse Pub, Folsom, CA
8/23/09 - Los Gatos, CA

Which One’s Pink
5/ 25 - Fiesta Hermosa, Hermosa Beach, CA
6/27 - Key Club, Hollywood, CA
7/31 - Canyon Club, Agoura Hills, CA
8/1 - Coach House, San Juan Capistrano, CA (Tentative)
8/29 - Lake Arrowhead, CA

Sheptone P90 Model

If your looking for some good demos of Sheptones pickups and what they sound like, you will find loads of audio and video demos on the Sheptone website. Jeff is a super cool cat, you can contact him by email at: sheptone@gmail.com

Sheptone pickups are built with the highest of standards and quality. Jeff Shepherd uses his years of experience to make fine products and has gone to great lengths to provide anyone looking for that something special all the details and variety they might be looking for. His website is packed with lots of pictures and detailed information about his pickup line. Mojave Ampworks has a number of product demonstration videos done by a long time friend, Steve Ouimette. Steve is an avid user of the Sheptone line of pickups. In each of our demo videos Steve provides great tone varieties and each of them done with his Sheptone equipped guitars. One of my favorites is the Sheptone Growler 

There are also P90s, Single Coil models as well as Tele, Humbuckers and his Aged line of pickups. I would invite anyone who likes to get the most out of their guitars to check out Jeff superior line of high quality and great sounding pickups. The first place a good tone is created is at the guitar. The main delivery of that tone is the guitar pickup. That being said, it can’t be a more important part of any good guitar player to find the best sound with good pickups. Jeff offers lots of good info and fine product demos for anyone interested in exploring these kind of upgrades. 

Jeff Shepherd of Sheptone is also a highly skilled pickup repair man. If your looking to salvage and sort out a problem with your own high value vintage pickups, Jeff is a safe and reliable guy to take this up with. You want only the best working on your valuable and delicate pickups.  Trusting someone with your valuable guitar pickups is a hard thing to do without good word of mouth. We are not in the habit of recommending anyone we don’t trust and Jeff is the one guy you can trust. 

You can ask Jeff directly about your pickup needs and you can also find him on our vintage amps message forum. I invite all those who are interested in advancing the tone of their personal guitar collection to check with our forum members  in the Getting Great Tone section of the message forum.

Just added this today for a taste of what’s in this load:

Rare Radio Spares EL 84 output transformer

Rare Radio Spares EL 84 output transformer

First, don’t buy anything that is close to what you want and plan to have it modified. That usually means more investment and in the end, your buying an amp that wasn’t really designed to do what it’s supposed to do. Try to find exactly what you need or would like and start there. Many times our company Plexi Palace is asked if we could “Modify” a plexi reissue to sound more like this or that and we are asked to change out complete circuit boards in new amplifiers for the sake of making them point to point or specked out to older style amps. The problem there is these newer amps with PCs are not made for the hookups and typically start out with lower quality parts to begin with. You’re throwing good mony towards bad at that point. 

Second, if your after something older style but can’t afford an older vintage amp to begin with, consider a hand built amp either by a company that is hand building amps now, and there are to many to mention, or find a used hand built amp that is what you wanted to start with. Deals are all over the place and all you really need to do is look real hard. Be sure to consider what the tonal result is even though they might be well built and considered good stuff, do they sound good?

Third, if your not able to afford or find the amp your looking to buy, consider a kit amp. these are good products that offer a fine alternative to buying a more expensive boutique amp but without the labor and sometimes you have the option to buy them with standard grade or upgraded parts.  This is a fun and cool way to learn and enjoy the whole process of of getting your new gear.

But not everyone can build an amp or wants to build an amp. I can think of a lot of people who just want to get a great sounding amp that they can plug in and play. If your one of those people, you need to do some research for sure. If your in any of the three previous categories you also need to do some research and be sure you learn a bit more about the topic before pulling the trigger. I suggest the Vintage Amps Message Forum for starters. This board offers a Vintage amp index, A modern amp index called the Modern Zone, a do it your self builders forum, and finally a place to figure out what you need to get your favorite tone, a forum index called Getting Great tone. This index includes a section called signature tones and tubes transformers and components. All of these forums are of high value to the new amp or tone hunter.