• From: Pittsburgh
  • Registered: 2008-05-22
  • Posts: 261

Re: Fender or Marshall?

I'm reading a lot of these posts which talk about hotplates and headroom, 100 watts vs. 50 etc.  I play small club dates, medium sized theaters (we just did the Paramount Theater in Asbury Park-great theater, sold out show of about 2, 500 people. to large outdoor ampitheaters (75,000 at Point State Park, Pittsburgh in October) and honestly, my 50 watt Fuchs ODS head's Master volume is on 3-4 and never changes.  The band is what it is.  Why is everyone playing louder just when they are in a bigger space?  Is the drummer playing louder, too?  Once you're mixed onstage, let the FOH engineer handle it.  Larger stages/venues usually have bigger sound companies handling the sound chores.  Usually you get several monitor mixes so if you do need to hear the keyboard player better on the other side of the stage you can add a touch of him to your mix. 

I had the opportunity this summer to A/B a 100 watt Fuchs ODS and my 50 watt ODS.  I know guys like Joe, Eric J.  and Robben Ford all say that 100 watt amps sound better but when A/B ing the 100 and the 50 side by side, the 50 sounded fatter cause at the same volume level, the 50 was cranked just a tad more making the tubes work a little more. 

I don't know what kind of funds you have or were looking to spend but if you want a very clean and dynamic clean channel and sweet OD tone lead channel the look into a Fuchs.  You're not going to get the Marshall gain but it's an amazingly versatile amp.

Just my two cents.  Carry on smile

DannyG's Website

  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-10-26
  • Posts: 2,926

Re: Fender or Marshall?

Thats another good point.  I've never played anywhere that required that kind of fire power.  The biggest place I've gigged was maybe 75 at the most and I doubt it was that much.    In our little 3 piece band we don't even mix the amps we do it "old school" Basically my wife goes out and tells us if she can hear everyone and we go with that.  Not the best way to dial in tone but effective on a budget it is.  I don't own a hot plate and I don't use pedals much anymore.  I plug into a Peavey Windsor 100 watt head and I use my Les Paul Classic that I've put 57' classics in with a RS Guitarworks Volume and tone kit.  Nothing else.  The amp has a master volume and I turn the pre amp all the way up.  Its cheap and sounds pretty darn good at all the levels I've played it.  I've got $400 in an all tube amp that doesn't need a hot plate.  But its one channel and there is no such thing as clean on this amp.

AD3THREE's Website

  • Registered: 2006-04-22
  • Posts: 1,168

Re: Fender or Marshall?

I'd buy the marshall.. It's a much more versatile amp than just a bassman head..  just my two cents
Joe B

  • Registered: 2008-02-14
  • Posts: 2,578

Re: Fender or Marshall?

Joe Bonamassa wrote:

I'd buy the marshall.. It's a much more versatile amp than just a bassman head..  just my two cents
Joe B

Take it from the man himself smile

"The recently formed Edinburgh Blues Club has identified an appetite for the personal communication between musicians and audience that the blues long ago perfected." The Herald Newspaper (Scotland)
http://www.edinburgh-blues.uk
  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-10-26
  • Posts: 2,926

Re: Fender or Marshall?

Thats good enough to shut me up!  Thanks Joe

AD3THREE's Website

  • Registered: 2008-10-27
  • Posts: 176

Re: Fender or Marshall?

The Man has spoken... Marshall shall be the answer!
Thanks a lot Joe, and see you on Sunday! smile

25 Reply by Danny! (edited by Musicinmysoul 2008-11-14 23:19:07)

  • From: Sandy Eggo
  • Registered: 2007-04-29
  • Posts: 1,369

Re: Fender or Marshall?

Ahaha now, whose gonna say they recommend the Fender after that? Who here is gonna challenge The Man?

"Music is the only thing that you can share with a million million people and you don't lose, you gain. It helps you to get energy and to live long, because when your soul is very happy then you don't want to die." - Ali Akbar Khan