Gear Gallery
From the dive-bar, to the studio.
“Life is trying things to see if they work.”
— Ray Bradbury
Gear Gallery
First, a gear story...
Gear Geeks #4. "The Red Ramblers". Tone. Timing. Attitude. & How The Master-Volume Amplifier Almost Killed Rock 'n Roll.
...Utilizing all these things, I learned to play. Well, all these things, except the internet in the early days. I utilized a teacher until I developed a sense of pitch, learning to play by ear, and at that point my record collection became my teacher. Anyways, eventually I played good enough to join a band. It seemed like a dream come true. I felt I'd arrived. Little did I know that the real education was yet to begin. And the teachers would always be around, when I was ready...
Marshall Origin 50 with 4x10 Cabinet
Marshall Origin 50
ORI50H
This is the amp head I used on all of the electric guitar and bass on the I Can Shine album, except for on the title track. This is a late model amp (2018 model) which harkens back to the plexi era. Or at least I think that was Marshalls intention. It does have an effects loop and built-in boost, which you won't find on an old plexi amp. It also has a master-volume but does not do insane levels of gain like a DSL or a 900, thus, the "plexi" like sound. Being my roots are in what we refer now to as classic rock, the level of gain in the Origin suits me fine. The cabinet shown is a JCMC410B 120 watt, 16 ohm, 4x10 from 1998. These were originally sold to pair with the short lived JCM600 series amps. The speakers are Marshall/Celestion Gold Back Speakers. In 2019 and 2020 (pre-pandemic) I used the ORI50H onstage playing as a member of The Pretty Uglys, a real rock band, who plays at real rock volumes. The Origin amp shined both onstage, and in the studio. Click on the photo for more Origin video's and stories.
Marshall
JCMC410B Cabinet
Here is a gut-shot of the JCMC410B. These were produced for the JCM600 series from 1997 to 1999. The 10" 'Gold Back' speakers used, were all custom-voiced Marshall Celestion Heritage models. These are a 30 watt, 4 ohm speaker. The cabinet can be wired series/paralell to run 4 ohms, or the speakers can be wired in series to achieve a 16 Ohm cabinet. My preference, especially for live shows, is to run the cab series/paralell. This way if you blow a speaker, the rig will still run on the pair that's not blown, so you can at least finish the song your on (of course at your first opportunity you want to switch the head from four to eight ohms, to impedance match to the survivng pair). These MDF cabinets and speakers were UK made. The check-grill cloth was for a special anniversary run. Overall, with the small magnet speakers and MDF construction,these cabinets are comparable to the current Marshall Origin cabinet line coming from Vietnam.
The JTM45 Reissue
1995 JTM45 Reissue with a 1975 'Big M' Cabinet. Punk rock approved.
Marshall JTM45 Reissue Mk II
1995 Marshall JTM45 model 2245
This amp has seen action with all the Ventura Bands I've been in, since I got it. It has the 5881 (stock reissue) power tubes, and a real UK Mullard in V1. My preference over the years has been to play it on 10, or with a Tubescreamer at lower volumes. This is "The British Bassman". Legend has it that the first Marshalls (of which this is a copy) were designed by copying, or reverse engineering, a Fender Bassman. But building them with the British parts which were available to them at the time in the UK. This amp is a tone machine. The reissue's construction includes UK made Drake transformers. The sound sample is JTM45 & 2045 CABINET, NO MASTER VOLUME AND NO PEDALS.
Marshall 2045 "Suitcase" Cabinet
Marshall 2x12 Cabinet
1975 marshall model 2045 2x12 g12M-25 speakers
This Marshall Model 2045 2x12 from the JMP era is in stock trim and pretty good condition. Marshall sold these as a "Lead, Bass, Organ' cabinet. Guys nicknamed these the "suitcase" cabinet due to it's shallow 9" depth. The first JCM 800 model 1936 cabs were just this suitcase style cabinet re-badged. Then in the early 80's the JCM's went to the more common, deep 1936 cab. This cabinet has G12M-25 T1221 black-back speakers. These are date stamped Nov '75. They also have a '3' stamped onto the back side of the cone which could possibly identify them as Pulsonic cones. More likely though, they are some sort of 'transitional' Mueller cones. This cabinet, combined with the JTM45 (or a 1959SLP with a PB100 Power Brake) is replacing my Princeton Reverb as the 'go-to' amp cab in the studio.