Hi All

[Zube]

Hi to everyone, glad to have found these forums. I just purchased a new MA 50 head to go with a 1960 cab. Been playing since the 80's and use to have a jcm 800 back in the day but got rid of everything back in the 90's. Got the urge recently to start playing again and had been trying to decide what marshall to go with, was gonna go with a used dsl (due to money available) but a local music store was going out of business and i snagged this MA head for 500 $, couldnt pass it up, it was the floor model, its not a re-voiced one but after reading lots of reviews, i think this amp is getting some bad reviews thats not entirely true.

I am running a transtube od booster in front and it does make a big difference, was thinking about throwing in some tung re-issues also, but all in all, bang for the buck, this amp isnt bad at all. Only thing im not sure of, is my reverb doesnt seem to be working at all, dunno wth is going on with it since this was a floor model..

anyway, will be looking forward for post's here as it doesnt seem we are getting much love over on the marshall forums

[SteveD]

Welcome to the forum Zube.

The MA is a very usable amp when you get to know it.

[txslowhand]

Hi Zube,

Yep, you got a good deal on your MA50H. I have the older MA50H version pre-revoiced model and have been happy with it. I might really like a revoiced MA50H but I haven't had an opportunity to hear/play one. Perhaps some slick electronic wizard kind of person will design an easy to do mod for the older MA50H/100H heads some day.

Relative the reverb tank. I'm sure you've already checked the obvious...like the RCA connectors on the reverb pan. I will have to say the reverb on the MA50H is not as pronounced as the reverb you find on say a Fender Blues Jr. I ended up putting card board on the back of my reverb tank and then putting it in a bag. This believe it or not helped the reverb on my MA50H.

If the tank is really dead, no big deal. Just pick up a replacement tank on the net. Accutronics use to make a decent replacement tank but the pre Korean versions are becoming harder and harder to find. Belton tanks are an option as well. Really a matter of taste. In addition to the MA50H I also have a Fender Blues Jr. that I picked up for a song all because the reverb tank was dead. No biggie, installed an Accutronics tank and I was up and running. You'll have to get the correct part number of the replacement reverb tank. I remember reading somewhere on the net that the reverb tanks on the MA50H heads are mislabeled but I can't seem to find that thread now. I'm sure someone at Marshall or somebody else on the forum can help you out with the correct reverb tank part number.

So....bottom line. A dead/DOA reverb tank is easy to replace. You still got a good deal on your MA50H (dead reverb and all).

[Zube]

Hi SteveD, thanks.


Hi txslowhand,
ya i was at this local store a few months ago and tried this head, never checked it for the year, it sounded ok to me at the time but they also had a vintage modern head for $1,000. I am a little leery of buying used stuff when i dont know where it came from, so i figured i would hold out and look around, but like i said, i figured i wasnt gonna get a better deal so i pulled the trigger on it. So far im very pleased with it, i think it sounds good. I do want to try some new preamp tubes though, thing is, this was a floor model and im sure it got some abuse. FIrst time i went in to try it out, all the knobs where at 10 lol, the sales people prolly hate that crap.

Im not really concerned about the reverb right now, i did check out the rca cables and they are plugged in, but i havent pulled the chassis, though i did order a new red glow rocker switch to put in it, with some white piping to dress it up, so ill have a look when i put the switch in, never ran into a amp with a reverb problem so im kinda loss with it, i never played with much reverb anyway and i do have a old gt-3 multi effect, so i could tweak that if i wanted to. That clean boost on the front end really made a big difference in sound in this thing, i was surprised by it. Its been so many years, i cant remember my sound from my 800, i really kick myself for losing that damn thing and see'ing the price tags on these things. i have some old combo amps but they arent the same as a nice marshall.

Well im off to find me a old kramer on ebay lol, i had 2 of those also, with the german floyd, im trying to rejuice my 80's heyday lol

[jagermike66]

Hey Zube,

Welcome to the forum!

Adding a boost pedal really throws the MA into 800 land. Probably just the addition of a harsher clipping circuit (diodes) is causing it. I don't really understand all the bad press the MA gets. Alot of people say its too fizzy in the top end....but most of the older marshalls are very bright. Guess if its old and made in the UK its called 'vintage', but if its imported its called fizzy. Most people critisizing it have never cranked an MA properly and experienced the madness.

What speakers you running through?

Mike

[Zube]

hi mike,
im running threw a 1960 a cab, with g12t's in it. i happened to get the cab a few months ago from a friend who doesnt like the marshall tone and got a mesa instead, so i only paid 300 for it and its like brand new.

The more ive been playing this head and cab, the more im liking it. i havent had a chance to crank it up yet but even at lower levels i seem to be getting nice results.

I think because the amp is new and not alot of guys playing them yet, you seem to have those who frown a bit on the unknown of them, honestly, i can hear nice marshall classic tones comming threw, and you do have to take some time to dial in what tone you have inside your head, but so far i cant see this amp having a problem for what i play. Seems to me, every player has his own tones and they start in his fingers..