Marshall sounds like ass

[Prada3353]

seriously.. every marshall amp that i`ve tried sounded like shit
tried a lot of them from jcm800 to tsl 2000 even an mg series, they all just sound almost the same like all marshalls very thin and dry and their gain section is pointless couse if you add more gain then it`s add just fuzz and muddiness to the sound even laney gh50l with a laney cab sounds much alive and organic then marshall jcm 900 with that scooped mid 1960 lead cab junk and laney costs much less
i`m very dissapointed in marshalls

most pro's get theirs heavily modded, more gain, less fizz, much more musical, and all around, a kickass amp, also, marshalls really arent a metal amp, but sound great for rock tones
and the TSL, from what people have told me, doesn't have the balls that the dsl does

get a EQ and a good OD pedal, and they will sound a little better, get the gain/distortion mods, a better transformer, and you have yourself a damn good amp

 

[SplinteredSoul]

seriously.. every marshall amp that i`ve tried sounded like shit
tried a lot of them from jcm800 to tsl 2000 even an mg series, they all just sound almost the same like all marshalls very thin and dry and their gain section is pointless couse if you add more gain then it`s add just fuzz and muddiness to the sound even laney gh50l with a laney cab sounds much alive and organic then marshall jcm 900 with that scooped mid 1960 lead cab junk and laney costs much less
i`m very dissapointed in marshalls

I don't agree with that at all, but then everyone has different tastes. If the sound of Marshalls isn't your taste, then it's unfair to say it's just shit. I'm not a fan of ENGL amps, but I know a lot of other people here would be surprised since they love them.

Most Marshalls have a more vintage or classic rock sound, and if you're into that, they are perfect. Modern Marshalls have a more scooped high gain sound, again, depends on what you want. If you're an American, and you're used to the sound of Mesa's or Krank, then you're perhaps unlikely to like them as you've grown up listening to American amps. You wouldn't buy a Gibson 335 Dot if you were into shredding would you? I know someone out there is going to argue that lol but you get my point.

Frankly I like different amps for different sounds, for different purposes. I quite like Mesa for that all-out growl, but I am British, and I appreciate the legendary sound of Marshalls.

 

[stuh84]

Never liked the Marshall sound, always sounded like an amplified fuzz pedal to me. I've heard them at gigs, played through lots of them, been in a band with them, everything from the MG series all up to the JCM800s, DSLs, TSLs, Plexis, whatever, I just have never found anything in them that made me go wow thats great, always hated playing through them and hearing them.

I don't have a problem with people liking them, I just dont get on with them at all, and have a problem with people acting like if you don't like Marshall, you aren't a guitarist. Maybe because I have no affinity with blues licks and therefore the blues "greats", that kind of tone appeals to me less than getting shot in the face.

 

[TimSE]

im with the 1st post
marshalls suck giant dog balls
every one iv played has ALWAYS sounded like shite

 

[hirah]

one of the things i find with marshalls is that your technique has to keep up with the amp. there isnt a lot to hide behind. thats one of the reasons i dont care for marshalls live. but i love the sound of a good marshall in the studio.
plus a jcm800 without a boost isnt going to have the gain of a mesa , engl or vht. its just a different animal. love it or hate it, doesnt mean it sucks though. there are too many great recordings done with marshalls.

 

[thedonutman]

I've played a few cheap MGs, a DSL401 and a JCM800

IMO the DSL was too "crunchy" for metal. Though I'm sure its a great amp for lower gain stuff.

The JCM with a boost pedal did sound quite nice though.

 

[zimbloth]

All Marshalls don't 'sound like ass'. I guarantee there are a lot of metal albums some of you guys love that were recorded with Marshalls. I'm not a Marshall fan by any means, but if you know what speakers to pair them up with, if you know how to bias them, what tubes to use, what boosts to use, how to setup the amp, etc - they can sound really good.

So, while I would never want a Marshall to be my main amp, the idea that they don't sound good for metal is preposterous and unfounded. I gig with bands that use Marshalls who get crushing metal tones all the time, and my bandmate uses one that sounds really good too.

You can't just come down with a final judgment on an amp without really testing it. My bandmate's DSL100 sounded fairly weak in its stock form, but after a JJ re-tube, adjusting the bias to optimal levels, boosting it with a TS, and running it through a Mesa 4x12 w/ C90s - it sounds great. You can't do those things with an amp at Guitar Center or at a buddy's place.

The overwhelming amount of great sounding metal albums recorded w/ Marshalls speaks for itself. I'm not a big Marshall fan either, but let's not go overboard here fellas

 

[eaeolian]

Dave and I were playing a modded JTM45 reissue yesterday (with a SG61 that was the best Gibson I've played in YEARS) and it sounded pretty damn awesome. That said, it would be useless to me in Division - but if I was playing AC/DC...

 

[stuh84]

You can't just come down with a final judgment on an amp without really testing it. My bandmate's DSL100 sounded fairly weak in its stock form, but after a JJ re-tube, adjusting the bias to optimal levels, boosting it with a TS, and running it through a Mesa 4x12 w/ C90s - it sounds great. You can't do those things with an amp at Guitar Center or at a buddy's place.

Not to disagree with you, because I do agree with you to an extent, but to be honest, that could be said about nearly any amp. Play about with a Crate Blue Voodoo enough and I bet it could give most peoples on here's amps a run for their money, but I sure as hell aint gonna sing from the rooftops about them

My personal problem with them isn't anything to do with them sounding weak or anything like that, its purely in the voicing, it just isn't a voicing I like at all. Plus, there aint a lot of albums I listen to with Marshalls on them for rhythm tone (this is where I think amps matter the most, as lead tends to be more about the player than the amp), this I know from being obsessive about finding out what people are playing on albums I listen to. I really should get out more

 

[Jeff]

seriously.. every marshall amp that i`ve tried sounded like shit
tried a lot of them from jcm800 to tsl 2000 even an mg series, they all just sound almost the same like all marshalls very thin and dry and their gain section is pointless couse if you add more gain then it`s add just fuzz and muddiness to the sound even laney gh50l with a laney cab sounds much alive and organic then marshall jcm 900 with that scooped mid 1960 lead cab junk and laney costs much less
i`m very dissapointed in marshalls

The problem with this blanket statement is that you're applying it to a company that has made both the Silver Jubilee and the Zakk Wylde MG ministack.

Not only that, but 75% of the amps you actually did mention are crap. Marshall has been around since the 60's. They've made more than these 4 amps.

EDIT Just saw the age of the thread.

 

[Stitch]

A¥B is really getting out of hand.

 

[stuh84]

A¥B is really getting out of hand.

Seconded

 

[rainman123]

I have yet to hear a marshall that sounds any good: the clean is wayyyyyyyyyy too bright and hurts my ears even when I turn back the treble. Since the clean is non-existent, one would think that the drive channels would make up for it, like Krank amplifiers have done. Sadly, it is just run-of-the-mill British distortion. As a matter of fact, any amplifier that you need any help from effects to make sound better, needs to be sold lol. I owned a JCM 900 when in high school bc I was a victim of marketing and teenage ignorance. I wound up putting around 10 pedals into my chain to make that amp sound like I wanted. I then bought a Mesa Mark IV and haven't looked back. I have tried other Marshall's over the years to see if they have improved, but to confirm my prior judgements, the only thing that has been updated is the cost. I have a Fender Mustang I practice with that sounds 10x better than any Marshall I have played. Which leads me to this question: how does Zakk Wylde and other badass Marshall users make them sound so good?

 

[Jacksonluvr636]

Some marshalls are truly great...

either you played stuff (gear) that sucked or you didn't set them right.

I have played some 800's & 2000's that are great when used right.

Look at NILE....ALWAYs with their marshall rig...

And this is absolute proof good tone is 100% matter of opinion.

 

[Jacksonluvr636]

Which leads me to this question: how does Zakk Wylde and other badass Marshall users make them sound so good?

Have you heard this live and in person?

I just realized we are replying to an 8 year old thread.

 

[vick1000]

What's with all the necro lately, Halloween is over, enough of the zombie threads.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

A shitty opinion and a necrobump at the same time?

Wooooow.

The JVM and 2203KK are two of the best amps ever, IMO.