This listing is for a vintage Marshall 1959 SLP (Super Lead
Plexi) 100 watt guitar amplifier head. This is not a re-issue amp!
It was built in 1976 and maintains most of the original parts. The only replacement parts are cosmetic (front and back metal panels, logo) and of course the tubes (currently JJ).
As you
know, 1976 was a conversion year for Marshall where they went from a small,
gold logo to a larger, white logo on the front of the amp cabinet. The
original owner did some cosmetic changes to the cabinet with intent to make it
look like a 1967 Marshall Plexi. Thus, he replaced the larger white logo
with a replica small, gold Marshall Logo. As a result, there are 3 small
holes on the front of the cabinet around the logo that can be seen in the photos. He also replaced the
front and back metal panels with plexiglas replicas. They actually look
authentic and are in excellent condition. Repro metal faceplates can easily be purchased online if you want to go back to that look. Unfortunately, he did a deep
cleaning inside, which removed the paper tag that's typically affixed to the
chassis. Thankfully, the serial number is still clearly visible on the chassis
(5433H) which dates the amp to 1976. To the best of my knowledge, these
are the only replaced parts, other than the tubes, of course. It's
possible some of the knobs aren't original, but I can't tell. The top
strap, cabinet, piping, tolex, caps, diodes, resistors, transistors, power and output transformers, pcb, wires, switches, metal grilles, jacks, power cord, tube and other hardware, etc. all appear to be original to the amp (1976). I took pictures from every angle so you should be able to see all the inner workings of the amp.
I have owned this amp for about 10 years and it has only left my home studio
for annual checkups by my tech where he'd bias the amp, clean the pots, and do
bench testing. This amp has newer JJ EL34 tubes with at most 50 hours of use
on them. They are biased at 70/70 (or 70%). The pots are clean and noise-free. Everything else is very clean and in excellent condition. Please see all of the photos of this amp.
Lastly, a master volume mod was made by my amp tech, which can easily be undone
and made undetectable. Because I never gigged or played outdoors with the
amp, I needed the M/V mod done. I tried a couple attenuators but in my
opinion they soaked up too much of the Marshall Tone. I'm sure I could
have gotten better results with a more expensive attenuator, but the m/v mod
was a lot cheaper. ;-)
Please examine all of the pictures and ask any questions you have prior to
bidding. I've described the amp to the best of my knowledge. It sounds like a vintage 100w Marshall 1959 SLP should sound! It doesn't have high gain of modern amps, unless you put a clean boost or distortion pedal in front of it. Other than the
cosmetic mods and the m/v mod, everything else is in excellent working and cosmetic order. I have 3 of the 4 chassis (bottom) screws to keep everything in place and I'm sure you can find the same size screw at your local hardware store for the one that's missing. They can also be found online for $1.25 at a Marshall parts store.
I've never
gigged with the amp, dropped it, or abused it in any way. I'd always let the tubes warm up before playing. This amp has been
meticulously maintained and will not disappoint you. The vintage 100 watt Marshalls are becoming more difficult to find. If you're looking
for (my favorite) AC/DC tone, place a Schaffer Replica pedal or tower in front
of it and welcome to tone heaven! The amp loves to be pushed or sing
along with pedals. It can run the full gamut of guitar tones. This is the real deal - not a reissue!
I will ship anywhere in the USA via Fed Ex or UPS ground - your choice.
As you know, the amp is heavy! Once packed, it will weigh well over 50
pounds. I've shipped amp heads before and will pack this one appropriately and with care at my expense. I will also insure the amp for the full value.
Check my feedback and bid with confidence. Please examine all the photos of the actual vintage 1976 Marshall 1959SLP amp and ask any questions you have prior to bidding. Due to the size and weight, I will not ship outside of the USA. Thank you.