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...
The JTM45 Reissue
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.
Marshall 2045 Cabinet
Two "suitcase" cabs- a 2045 & early 1936.
Ply Throughout
T1221 Black Back
T1221
G12M25
Mueller or Pulsonic?
"3" stamped back of cone.
Check Grill
1975 Hardware
Great Sounding Cabinet!
1995 JTM45 Reissue with a 1975 'Big M' Cabinet. Punk rock approved. Click on the photo to hear this rig live, in a dive-bar.
Gibson R8 Plaintop
Gibson R8 Plaintop