[TVE]

Tell me about my Marshall Super Tremelo Amp

I am after as much info as possible on my Marshall, year etc. Keen to get her valued also.

- Super Tremelo 100w Head
- Serial # 20171

I think the head has been modified, as it hs a master volumn knob. It also allows a footswitch to be plugged in.. presuming its for a tremelo but I dont have it. A quad box also came with it.. but I dont think its orig.

Pics attached.

Cheers
TVE

 

[red5]

The serial number should have a letter at the end of it (after a space) which will tell you the year. It is probably stamped on the back, so check out this site...

http://www.blamepro.com/mar/date1.htm

The master volume is a mod. That amp is nice enough that you should probably have a tech check out the master volume to make sure whoever installed it did it right. A MV installed proplerly when turned to 10 will not have ANY effect on the original sound of the amp (despite some people still have having MVs on their amps... probably because they use them). A poor MV can effect the tone however.

The footswitch jack was not a mod - that is original.

It is a jmp era, could from 1969 all the way until 1979 or early 1980. I do not believe they made the super tremolos after 1974 however, so you can narrow this from 69-74. Which also means it would be handwired.

I do believe they may have changed the chassis or logo at some point but maybe not during the 69-74 era, and that looks exactly like a 69 or 70!

 

[TVE]

Have double checked and the serial number does not have a letter after it, unless its hidden somewhere else. Have checked out the site, its great thanx.

Thought the master volume was a mod, that would indicate why the P is missing off JMP. I will have it checked out.

I dont think the box is orig...have exceeded my attachement upload so can email you direct if you like. Know where I may be able to locate a footswitch and any idea what sound it produces? Keen to get her valued, any recommendations?

Obviously there was no register kept or serial numbers that can say exactly what year, etc.

Your help really appreciated...keep it coming.

Cheers

 

[TVE]

Update FYI:

Finally got onto a Marshall Dealer here in OZ... he was great.

Advised it is a Pre 69, between 62-69 as the letter code A started in 69. Great resource: The History Of Marshall - The illustrated story of sound and rock. By micheal doyle…p143.

The search continues... need a pic of an original chassis..any ideas?

Cheers
Tania

 

[red5]

It is not pre 69 because it is a JMP. The JMP era officially began in '69 but there were some JMP models made in late '68 (like the plexi-paneled Major). This makes me want to verify my Major is a '69 and not actually '68

I think you have a '69 (or a late 68, technically a '69) that was made before they added the letters at the end of the serial number.

Also, Marshalls from prior to '65 or '66 I believe did not have the black cabs like that one does.

Anyway if you wish to will it to me, that would be accepted

 

[JTM45]

Any modifications on an old Marshall will seriously affect the value of the amp.

Collectors (the people who pay big bucks for old amps) want everything as original as possible.

You really need it to be inspected by a Marshall expert so you can establish what's been changed. I wouldn't be surprised if it's had componenets (resistors,caps+transformers)changed along the way at some time.

 

[red5]

Master volumes don't effect the volume of the amp too much as long as they either use an input jack or a speaker jack, or drill the hole in the back of the head. Nor do caps.... unless we're talking about a '66 JTM45 that is worth $30,000+...

Things like transformers however will.

 

[TVE]

Maybe these help.... a girl on a mission last night......

So.. if in 1969 The Plexi panels were replaced by gold brushed aluminium panels, which do I have?

Whats going on with the spare spot on the RHS???

For all the techs out there, can you please tell me is this the chassis? Is it safe to remove this and have a look inside further?

What else is there for me to know?

Cheers
Miss Keen to Know...
Tania

 

[JTM45]

It should be pretty safe to remove the chassis (the metal bit that everything is mounted on) as long as it hasn't been powered-up lately.
The large capacitors should discharge themselves within a short time even if it has been used recently. There is a way to manually discharge them to be sure but i don't think you need to go there.
It's probably best to remove the valves before removing the chassis from its cabinet just to ensure they don't get broken.

There should be four large screw-headed bolts on the underside of the cabinet. These need to be removed and then the chassis will just lift out of the back of the cabinet.
Be a bit careful because the weight of the tranformers tends to throw the balance of the chassis when you lift it. Just get a good grip on it.

I'm pretty sure the hole on the right hand side of the chassis is where the rectifier-tube would go if this was an earlier amp. They used the same basic chassis for a while and your amp has a solid-state rectifier so the extra hole wasn't used.

Your amp looks to have the brushed aluminium faceplates as opposed to the plexi type but it's difficult to tell from the picture.
As said earlier, it is probably a '69 amp.

I hope that helps a bit .

PS: The model number of the amp is (i think) a Marshall T1959.
This is a great place to find out about vintage Marshalls;
http://vintageamps.com/PlexiPalaceUBBcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum;f=1

It's worth registering there. You'll find a lot of info about your amp there and you can always post some pictures of what you find inside the chassis and get some feedback from some very knowledgable people there.

 

[TVE]

JTM45.. Thankyou very much for such infomative info.. it certainly helps more than just a bit

She hasnt been powered up lately so it should be fine. Yes there are 4 large screws bolted on the underside.. thought these would need removing, but really arent keen to play unless I know what Im doing (espcially with vintage gear). Am sick off work this week, so its going to be done.

I presume that tubes and valves are the same thing??

They had caps on them which were easy to remove, the actual valves seemed very tight, do they twist out or do I need to unscrew them? No problem with the weight, its already heavier at one end anyway, so I am use to it.

In regards to the hole on the RHS, puppiesonacid had one of these amps and he said the missing "thing" is really a filter cap and he wasnt sure why its not there (@ my post "Could my head be missing a valve). Your thoughts? Must ask what a filter cap is used for.

How do you tell the diff b/w plexi and aluminium and how did you determine the model?

I will register at that sight.. thanx for the link.

Many thanx again. Its people like yourself that make this forum one of the best around.

If it helps I can send you more pics direct.. have exceeded my quota for uploads here.

Cheers
Tania

 

[TVE]

The model number of the amp is (i think) a Marshall T1959.

1959 head (4 inputs, 2 channels. "Super Lead". Tremolo model T1959 discontinued early 1970's.) - off http://www.blamepro.com/br01310.htm.

Mine is uper Tremelo so possibly cant be this model.

Cheers

 

[red5]

Yeah make a post on the forums on www.plexipalace.com there are some vintage Marshall experts there. I am pretty good myself, but some of those guys who all the technical specs of the amps, how they were wired, etc.

 

[TVE]

Posted on Plexi Palace.. will update you all as I found out more

 

[TVE]

Info for you all about my amp:

Made in late '67 and definitely is NOT a '69.

A few strong indications of it being a '67. First, it has the larger 2" sized output transformer and 2.5" laydown power transformer. While some of that trickled into '68, it's typically associated with '67. Also, the serial number style that on the rear panel is the square window-type, again that's the earliest type as used in '66-'67. Also, there are no filter caps on the amp on the top board - with them all being mounted to the bottom.

Red5:

Plexi Palace have said JMP amp era started in 67. Check it out at
http://vintageamps.com/PlexiPalaceUBBcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=012857

So there you have it. Thanks everyone..

Cheers
Tania

 

[red5]

After some digging around on the internet, I found some pics of a '67 Marshall assuming it was dated correctly and they said JMP on them. I guess they switched from Mk. II to JMP when they changed tubes to EL34s.

I have heard JMPs first started appearing in '68, but Marshall themselves said 1969. Guess that goes to show they are not the same company they were back then.

 

[JTM45]

JTM45.. Thankyou very much for such infomative info.. it certainly helps more than just a bit

She hasnt been powered up lately so it should be fine. Yes there are 4 large screws bolted on the underside.. thought these would need removing, but really arent keen to play unless I know what Im doing (espcially with vintage gear). Am sick off work this week, so its going to be done.

I presume that tubes and valves are the same thing??

They had caps on them which were easy to remove, the actual valves seemed very tight, do they twist out or do I need to unscrew them? No problem with the weight, its already heavier at one end anyway, so I am use to it.

In regards to the hole on the RHS, puppiesonacid had one of these amps and he said the missing "thing" is really a filter cap and he wasnt sure why its not there (@ my post "Could my head be missing a valve). Your thoughts? Must ask what a filter cap is used for.

How do you tell the diff b/w plexi and aluminium and how did you determine the model?

I will register at that sight.. thanx for the link.

Many thanx again. Its people like yourself that make this forum one of the best around.

If it helps I can send you more pics direct.. have exceeded my quota for uploads here.

Cheers
Tania

No problem Tania .
Glad i could be of some help to you. I don't know everything but i try.

I found some pictures of the same model amp as yours and i'm pretty sure there isn't anything missing from the RHS of the chassis.
The one in the pictures i found actually had a blank-plate over that extra hole.

Anyway, i'm sure you'll find everything you need to know over at Plexi-Palace.

Good luck and all the Best............Dave.

 

[red5]

No problem Tania .
Glad i could be of some help to you. I don't know everything but i try.

I found some pictures of the same model amp as yours and i'm pretty sure there isn't anything missing from the RHS of the chassis.
The one in the pictures i found actually had a blank-plate over that extra hole.

Anyway, i'm sure you'll find everything you need to know over at Plexi-Palace.

Good luck and all the Best............Dave.

You know, on my Major (and all Majors) there is a hole for a 4th tube socket cut right into the chassis that is just covered up. So that is not unheard of. Could probably find a cover on an old chassis, or just a cover that looks semi authentic for it. I had found a parts site that has all sorts of random parts for old Marshalls and they could have a cover for a hole like that.

 

[TVE]

Hi Red5,

Maybe this bit of info I got from a guru helps:

As for JMP vs. NON-JMP, I think people get confused because the amp heads that were made for export to the U.S. had an additional switch on the front panel for "polarity" next to the power and standby switches. On these configurations, there was no room to put the JMP lettering so it was deleted on the front. But it was still the same amp otherwise from a JMP built for the rest of the world (which only had two switches on the front).

Cheers
Tania

 

[TVE]

BTW...

I understand the spare spot on the RHS was for a filter cap, but apparenlty they are underneath the chassis. Will remove soon to have a look.

Great help hear from you all..and from plexi palace.

Cheers
Tania

 

[TVE]

You know, on my Major (and all Majors) there is a hole for a 4th tube socket cut right into the chassis that is just covered up. So that is not unheard of. Could probably find a cover on an old chassis, or just a cover that looks semi authentic for it. I had found a parts site that has all sorts of random parts for old Marshalls and they could have a cover for a hole like that.

Whats the parts site Red5?