May 30, 1970. First show, fourth row. I was 15 years old, seeing Jimi Hendrix for my first "big boy" concert. To this day, when I hear "Machine Gun", I start tearing up. That image of Hendrix in front of those Marshall stacks is burned into my brain. Thanks for sharing your visit to this amazing store. Oh....A friend of mine who has since passed away, was a collector of vintage British tube amps. At one time he had not one, but two 200 watt Marshall Majors. The first time he chained those together and hit a chord, all we could do is laugh like crazy, it was so freaking LOUD. Great times with a great friend.
The funny point : the best guitar sound Jimi ever had was using the Fender 2x15" cab with two JBL D130 speakers. I think he was using the 200W Marshall Major plugged in, I'm speaking about the Voodoo Chile, I mean the 15 minutes blues with Steve Winwood playing the organ, not the Slight Return version with the wah-wah... But hey, on my side, I have a hard time having images from the gigs I intended to be burned in my head : I spend the most of concerts with my eyes closed n order to focus on music. BTW, you can absolutely be louder w.o. using a 200W amp : it's all about the sensitivity of speakers, and, each time you double their number, you gain 3dB, just like by doubling the amp's power... Just consider a 4x12 with vintage Greenbacks with 96dB sensitivity : the cab will give 102dB for 1W... A single JBL E120 or an Eminence Wizard or Red Fang, and your 1x12 is louder than the 4x12... In fact, even if the EVM12L is rated at 100dB for 1W, its curves show it as being a 103dB one too... I let you imagine a 4x12 : it will sound louder than having 4 4x12... When i first tested a Wizzard in live conditions, loaded in a Marshall 1x12 and a single channel of the Marshall EL84-20/20... The club had 80 seats (comfy large sofas) and room for 150 standing people ended with a volume so loud that you had to bark in the barmaids' ears to order your drinks... Last time I changed the EL84s, I had 17 Watts per channel, measured with the oscilloscope... It was the first time I tried a 103dB sensitivity speaker, I later switched to the EVM12L which sounds massive too, at the point as I don't even use my Mesa Fify:Fifty or Marshall 9005 at full power, and only use them in low power mode. I even was amused when I bought my 2nd Fify:Fifty from a metalhead : the dude did about 150 concerts with it not even getting the use of the Lo-PWR switch... Metal gigs with four 4x12 while the amp was used as a 2x15W !!!!
" Once you've had that guitar up so loud on the stage, where you can lean back and volume will stop you from falling backward, that's a hard drug to kick." David Gilmour
So you went to the store with a great guitar player with a nowadays Frisco hipster spaghetti western alike outfit, while a young Jimmy Page lend you a black 59 Gibson...throw the Marshall in the mix it sounds like you've entered the Twilight Zone Rhett
@@xCaLLMeGHeTToI'm guessing you and him have the same stylist and I ruffled your hipster plumage. It's either that or you're also one of those annoying noodler's who goes into a guitar store and plays gear you can't afford at an annoying volume level without the skills or experience to at least be entertaining to those whose ears you rape with your inexperienced chops on such gear 🤣😜
It IS intimidating to play a cranked stack. You have to rebuild your confidence, because that kind of rig just will NOT let you hide. What you play will be heard. Every good note, every bad note. No hiding. It's like having a harsh critic breathing down your neck.
@@electricworkshop4462 The proper attitude to play a 100 watt Marshall is "Fuck it. My music is great. Here, check it out!" You've got to be in the "I'm about to drop my pants and waggle my weiner at you" state of mind. It does take some getting used to. And it does encourage you to PRACTICE.
@@Turboy65 also fuck yout neighbours you got a dream to live. I hope to one day be able to play through one. Not at all my style but the marshall/ les paul pairing is too inconic not to try at least once.
I own an old Marshall, and there is a quality about them that’s a little bit unforgiving. Not sure if it’s the lack of tube rectifier or what, but they “attack” quite a bit harder than a similar era Fender and certainly more than modern circuits. Wish I had the opportunity to turn it up more often.
Rhett, December 31, 1969 at midnight I was saying goodbye to the 60’s from the 8th row at the Fillmore East with Jimi Hendrix on stage performing what became the Band of Gypsies album. I recall several stacks like those behind him (3?, 4?). The Fillmore was a small theater sized venue, and I remember when he started playing that I was literally pressed back into my seat by the sound. It actually felt as if someone was pushing on my chest. The physics of this much force coming from speakers is frightening. I had been to many concerts at the Fillmore but I had never been pushed back into my seat by the sound. I simply could not believe how loud it was. I doubt those in front row have their hearing intact now; I got off lucky and somehow survived. This was the loudest concert I had ever been to until a Who concert years later, which required earplugs or you would be rendered immediately deaf.
That’s a cool story. I wasn’t born until 1972 so I missed the early days of arena rock with the legends. I have seen many great shows over the years though. The absolute loudest show I have ever seen was at a small theater in Atlanta (specifically in Buckhead) at a venue that was called The Roxy (I’m not sure if it’s still today or what it’s called now if it is). It was in November of 1992. The headliner was the Atlanta based band Drivin N Cryin who were at their commercial peak and still touring for their Fly Me Courageous album. I had seen them numerous times already and have seen them multiple times since. They were exactly what I expected them to be. The band that played before them (there four or five acts total that night it was a benefit show for the Atlanta Food Bank) absolutely blew everyone minds. That band was the loudest performance I have ever seen by far. The band was The Smashing Pumpkins touring for their first album Gish several months before their break through album Siamese Dream was released. It was one of those moments where you knew this band that you had never heard was about to make it big.
I think showing you guys playing the same rig (Fender amp and white Strat), and getting very different tones, shows how much your hands have to do with the overall sound of the rig. The way you play, attack the notes, dynamics, etc. all affect the sound. Great video!
That part also highlights to me what digital just can't do (yet). That low-med gain, super dynamic and responsive thing. Where you feel you are playing the amp as much as playing the guitar. That's the realm I like living in as a guitarist. And it's magical. Don't get me wrong, these nuances gets lost in a lot of contexts, and I don't hate digital stuff, but I just notice this part of the gain and dynamics where I tend to live as a guitarist is not yet successfully replicated digitally.
All I can say is that back in the late 60s and early 70s, when I was a bass player in a couple loud bands, I had a rig with 3 stacks of 4, 15" jbl speakers per stack with a 300 watt Sunn and a Vox AC 50. The AC 50 had fuzz and flanger for that single stack, while the 2 Sunn stacks were just straight-up loud. My experience was that the relentless sustain and potential noise took so much attention to muting that it was a lot of work to play a great set when we recorded live and everything was mic'd up. I played the Whiskey with that rig multiple times and on one of those occasions, Jimi Hendrix and his girlfriend came to hear our band. They came to our hotel afterward for a party and he spent most of the time there in headphones listening to the 4 track tapes of our sets that night. I still have the tape box that he drew on with a marker while he was listening. He was a very shy, charming guy with gigantic hands that made me wonder how he ever played one string at a time. But, all that extra hand/flesh came in handy for the muting he had to do,
I can confirm that playing an amp like that changes your life, since i had a similar experience recently. I realized that a lot of the sound of my guitar heroes lies in unashamed ear-smashing volume
I love when I crank my AC30 with my 335 and feel the air literally coming out of the f holes on my arms. It's insanely cool. It really does give you this strange sorta primal type feeling that something bigger than you is going on.
Man, my hollowbodies feel like they want to shake themselves apart even on my Blues Jr with some overdrive or fuzz. I can't imagine what that must be like on something with 100 watts. How the hell did Ted Nugent do it with thick distortion?
@@SimpleManGuitars1973 it was that fecking loud on stage with his two 100w stacks that his 335 howled like a banshee! I have a 335 which doesn’t need any of that foam nonsense but I’m using an AC30 as a pedal platform, barely past 11 o’clock. Andy played in a rock band in the late 80s when things were louder and the other lad was wondering how Ted Nugent did it and I thought this was relevant.
@@robinho1978. Yeah I can't imagine how loud it would be when just 30 watts will blow you away. I run my AC30's on maybe a little above 7 or so on the Top Boost and that works really well with my Strats and Teles but when I plug in my 335 I have to control the volume a little more because the humbuckers are just really hot. I also use pedals as well. I use a T-Rex Mudhoney, J ROCKETT TOUCH, Vox wah, Boss Waza Craft Tone Bender, Boss DD6 Delay, T-Rex Quint, and a Hughes and Kettner Rotosphere. Sometimes I also use a Pedal Pawn Texan Twang boost pedal. Dude that Touch pedal is PHENOMMMMENAL with an AC30 and a 335. I also have an AC10 and it rules with it as well. It's instant British creaminess when you crank it up and that's the holy grail of 335 tone to me. What all pedals do you use with your AC30? I'm always interested in hearing about good pedals for an AC30 since they have a reputation (undeserved in my opinion) of being not a good amp for pedals.
Welcome to the world we grew up in in the 1980s when thunderous volume was, as you kind of say here, part of the intoxication of wanting to be a rock guitarist in the first place. Most of us in a club setting would only use a Marshall 100 watt and a single 4x12 cabinet, but when we got the chance to play in a bigger venue or an outdoor festival setting the second cabinet would come out. And man did that ever feel amazing. I'm guessing that the 'struggle' with the sound you mentioned at such volume was probably similar to the struggle an acoustic guitar player would have the first time they played an electric. It's just a completely different animal you have learn how to tame.
I saw a rig rundown on Angus Young. He runs about bunch of super leads all out so he can hear and feel the sound everywhere on the stage. He does not wear "ears." Pretty intense.
Rhett, just recently started sharing rehearsal space downstairs at Bighouse and finally got to get into the store the other day for the first time and that place is just awesome. glad to see 'em getting some love here.
I had a 1978 Super Lead 100W Marshall from 1997-2017. When i played in bands i couldn't turn it above 1 without it drowning out everyone else & the physical pain of standing in front of it without an attenuator. I don't know how you stood in front of the stack. It does change the way you play & you become so extra aware of every note you play. Its an experience like no other
Those 100 watt marshals are beasts you have to have one for a while and play around with em and find the sweet spots and tones and they're all a little different. I miss my 1/2 stack e very day. Thanks for guitar store tour, what a great place.
I have 2 full 100 W Marshall Stacks. One from 1981 and the other 1987 Silver Jubilee . I know exactly what you felt. I lived in the country for some time and every now and again, I would crank them full blast....it literally felt like a rocket blasting off standing in front of them ... But the sound is unlike anything else.
Rhett’s appreciation and love for vintage guitars and amps is such a joy to watch. It’s not an appreciation for the sake of them being vintage, it’s the appreciation of a musician for the inspiration those glorious tones vibrate within the soul of a musician. We can only imagine that Jimi, Eric, Carlos and all those who came before us had the same experience back in their day
Those wattages we're all we ever knew in the late 60's and through out the 70's. I still have those old amps and my friends still have theirs. We were still rocking with them every weekend until a decade ago.
They teleported Jimmy Page from the late 60s back into that store?? And I want that drape Zapata is wearing… I know, the full stack is pretty rad, seems like from another millennium. Wait, it is…
Most people don't realize speakers have a major part to do of how loud an amp can actually get, me with a 4x12 with swamp thangs and wizards is beyond comparable to a 4x12 with v30s, just keep that in mind
@@aidenmcclendon5457 Yeah Fr. My AC30 with Blue speakers literally shakes the walls with how loud and powerful it is. I attenuate because I run it full tilt with a treble booster in front. Insane for a 30W amp. Speakers do a lot especially with 100 dB efficiency like Blues
Never has there been such a great example of same gear different sound from different fingers beyond attributable to different styles. MUCH aural love!
This is my new favorite shop in ATL. Really great stuff, and a great vibe. Plus they have a great vinyl selection and rehearsal spaces in the basement.
I ran 2 full Marshall stacks in the mid 70’s. Funny thing, I never once worried about tone. They were also flat out. I turned every knob to 10 and they steamed. It’s hard to believe how loud we played back then but myself and most friends from that era are partially or close to deaf. I had a fuzz and echo pedal, later used the first Boss super overdrive and Roland space echo. Never used any more pedals than that.and it sounded awesome. Every gig the sound guy would tell me to turn the volume down but I never did. They would just cut me out of the mix. Haha. FOH system’s were very inefficient back then but now everyone plays so much quieter on stage you don’t need big amps however everyone is searching for tone. Interesting?
You always had a great tone. Never thought about it. Young guitarists have never had the experience of playing really loud. I think it’s what guitars are made to do. I like clean tone but it doesn’t drive you. It why Jimi and SRV and the rest were so good. IMO
Playing through a full stack Marshall is something to get used to for sure. When you can feel it move you physically like that it can make you timid until you get used to it. That is all I played through live for years, but sadly have not played live in a long time. Every time i think about selling it (1973 Marshall Super Lead and 2 1973 Marshall 4x12's) I play it and just cannot do it. I tell you what is louder is an Orange OR-120. I have one of those as well and I cannot physically stand it to be in the room when it is cranked. I am sure Rick Beato can attest to that. Enjoyed the video! All the best.
Love Zapata! Killer player! Edit: Also amazing to see how different the sound is when you guys play. Really shows that the tone is in the fingers. Damn it...
I had neighbours constantly banging around on the other side of my loungeroom wall, pissing me off all the time, a few years ago. Plugged both MF280 cabs into my marshall Mode Four, turned the cabs toward the wall, ran my homemade 1/8th stereo to 1/5 mono cable from laptop to amp input, and gave them a taste of Nine Inch Nails "Wish', and A Perfect Circle's "Judith", at full volume. THAT was loud. And you can bet it shut them the hell up from that point on. Not my fave amp tho, i've sold the head and the angled cab now, but kept the straight cab for my beloved dsl50.
What a privilege to share these moments of friendship with Zapata with us!!!! Absolute fan of his work and Gary Clark's. Hope to see them live as soon as possible in Sevilla!!!!!
I think the "reluctance" you were experiencing while playing is similar to those learning to shoot a high power pistol. The first shot is easy and usually a bulls eye because you do not know how it will feel/hear that first shout. Typically there will be a reluctance to pull the trigger on the next shots because internally you KNOW (and dread) the sound and kick. This causes you to jerk and miss. For this amp internally you knew what the sound would be when you hit that string with your pick. An internally you dreaded this. This reluctance definitely affected your playing. It will take you a while to stand in front of that amp and not internally dread the sound. My 2 cents.
My first LP experience was a black custom through a 100W Marshall, and after all of these years, I am still lusting for that set up. All I can say is, there is nothing like playing at that volume, tone for days. Damn, I miss the 70's. Great video Rhett, that must've been a blast. (I don't have the balls anymore to crank it up like that in public, LOL)
Yeah, I played through a stack such as that at a music store in my youth, I'm 66, and when it's turned up and you screw up..there's nowhere to hide..takes the fun out of it. Plus, back then, who had ear plugs, lol.
Oh hey its dude plays rhythm for gary clark. Awesome! His rig rundown was better than garys lol. His pedal board is a work of art with those sick vibe pedals.
A 100 or 50 Watt four hole is the most versatile Amp ever made. It even works at bedroom levels because it takes pedals so well. You can shape your sound and go after every signature Marshall Sound you want. With a Lead Setup though I'd desolder the Bright Cap. It also gives you clean sounds which are amazing. Of course if you can dime it, ist is another world. One really has to play different. If you have several cabs just grab your Amp and go to rehearsal or Gig or whatsoever. No you don't have to crank a Marshall to have a heavenly tone. It does everything. Good Luck Rhett in finding a decent one.
It's such an amazing experience! I have a 1973 Super Bass which I run through a Marshall 4x12 with Greenbacks. It's a really different way of playing, not as much sustain as one would think, you have to just be super confident in your ability due to the extreme amount of volume. It's really awesome to be able to feel the noise though. 100 watt Marshall with a 4x12 is a magical thing. Especially with a Les Paul. My parents think I'm crazy, I only just turned 18. Many complaints from the neighbors. I hope you find the Marshall you are looking for soon Rhett, they have a reputation for a reason. Love the playing by the way, sounds great!
This video has some amazing sounds and guitar playing. Even through my headphones i could feel that the guitar moved different like you mentioned but i can only imagine how amazing it is when you're in front if it playing. Very cool video Rhett.
Fighting the amp because a true overdriven valve amp doesn't sustain like a pedal with the gain on 10. It sustains, but you do have to attack the strings harder. Took a minute to get used to that when I quit using pedals and just let the amp do what it does naturally.
I was gonna comment the same thing! Not to mention that J also has a cranked Fender Twin that it mic’d as well! Just crazy. I often hear people say that nobody uses full stacks, let alone multiple full stacks, in clubs anymore. It may be much more rare, but there are bands that do use them! J has his heads at about noon on the volume, but he says they don’t get much louder from noon, only more distorted.
It has been compared to riding a wild horse, and it is kind of accurate. I used to do it often and it is exhilarating to feel the notes with your entire body. The guitar becomes alive in your hands, like you can feel the electricity running through the whole rig … that said, now there is a permanent ringing in my ears I wish I could shake … but there’s nothing like it.
Had a stack like that in the 70's, and yes, the high air movement sometimes literally kills the notes. I had observed Ritchie Blackmore standing off axis from his two stacks, and the sustain is better when doing that. However, like Jimi, there are definitely places you can stand to get crazy feedback. Cigarette butts were the ear protection of the day...!!!
Yes, your position in relation to the amp/stack is critical for getting the sounds you want out of the amp. If you look at Jimi, L.S. from Blue Cheer (very loud players) they are all off axis to the front of the stack, they're kind of diagonal to the stack. There's usually a place you can stand so when you move your body ever so little, feedback will roar through or clear up.
Love my 1959/1960A/B full stack. The punch of picking a string infront of the full stack is like firing a .45. The Marshall is unforgiving on your playing. It exposes every note, how you play it and how clean your fingers play it.
Yeah, I played those things 5-6 nights a week in clubs, in the 70's all across the country. When the clubs were packed, like thursday-Saturday, the mass of people absorbed the sound. When it was slow it could be brutal. Learning to control it is what we all learned to do. I remember Jimmy Vaughn playing "jeffs Boogie" to a T on a stack, before he "became" a Chicago stye bluesman. I preferred that Jimmy but there were plenty of guys (I would hope me included) in Texas perfectlly controlling those things & playing beautifully dynamically. Fun times..
I was blessed to have a 100 watt Laney full stack during the hair metal hay daze. Change perspective? Yes, I am not so sure if I fought the amp but it downright scared me sometimes. We had a party once and we were set up to play. It was still over an hour until stage but I snuck up to my amp and dimed it. Then I turned up the volume on my trusty Kramer Stryker and just thumped the e string while the guitar was still in the stand. The whole party jumped and yelled and screamed all at once! That's comedy.
Nice - Laney - did you have one of the AOR amps? I got a 100 watt early 6 knob Pro-Tube (no aor, just pro-tube). Best $300 ever spent on a used amp. It's like a modded JCM-800 straight out of the box!
Rhett, awesome video. You’re absolutely correct, those vintage Marshalls really make you play deliberately. I’ve only gotten to play Jtm45 watt, I can’t imagine what the 100 watt beast feels like.
Gotta say that your choice of what to play on the Les Paul/Marshall Stack was perfect. usually, people plug in at the guitar store and just play their stock 3 or 4 riffs and their favorite song. everything you played was perfect for that combo. Watched that part twice.
I saw Twisted Sister way back in '84 when they were supporting Dio. We ended up with front row tickets, stage left not 10 feet from JJ's wall of Marshalls. The pressure of the sound coming off those cabs was ridiculous. I thought my heart was going to stop. I was physically ill by the time their set was over.
I love the modern day shock and awe at playing through a stack like this! LOL! Back when I started out in the mid '70s, it was pretty much the expected rig for any reasonably successful band on a local UK scene. So, straight out of school in my first band and facing our debut in front of an audience, we were lucky enough for one of the main local groups to invite us out to their rehearsal space and let us use their amps - a bit of a step up from my Carlsbro Stingray combo to a full Marshall stack... But it wasn't a "kneel down and worship at the altar of tone" moment the way you might imagine, it was more of a "Nice, I'll get one of these soon" experience! And the thing was then, a rig like that wasn't at all out of reach if you'd got regular gigs lined up - and audiences expected that kind of volume (you hadn't got your money's worth if your ears weren't still ringing the next day!). In retrospect, though, I have to admit that first Kerranngg through a full Marshall stack was pretty f*cking satisfying! ;)
I played in a band as one of two guitarist. We both ran full Marshall jcm800 100 watt stacks. Hence particularly hearing lose in right ear. Loud as hell! It was awesome!
I really never enjoyed playing through Marshall stacks for the exact same reason, you have to fight to get a note. There's something about an overpowering rig that refuses to be tamed, guess you need to get back on a horse after being bucked.
I have been playing guitar since 1976, and have had the pleasure of playing through many 100 watt non master volume amps, original JMP's and reissue 1959's, there is nothing like that experience of playing at 125+dB, but you have to learn to play a lot differently, I currently use a 100 watt non master volume half stack with a 30 watt 2X12 combo in my home, with no attenuators (hate them) or earplugs, and I had to re-learn how to play that way, even though I started out playing that way! Great video as always!
I now own a Fender 400PS that I repaired, in addition to my 100 watt Marshalls. The 400PS is on another level of power, 435 watts RMS of all tube power to the speakers, to be exact. If a Marshall Superlead stack is LOUD, then the 400PS cranked is like something out of the Old Testament. It is SO blisteringly loud. I have driven it cranked with a Tube Screamer boosting the input. It feels like someone should be standing by with an AED to rescue you after playing that. Rhett is welcome to come on down to central Florida and check it out!
Loved seeing the tour through the new store and the amazing tones out of those sweet old amps. The thumbnail got me though, at first I thought you were sitting down listening to Brad Pitt in a poncho play some licks. Zapata is unreal!
I have this exact amp it is painfully loud I’ve had it since 72 the only way to control the amp is to put an OCD pedal in front of the amp. You’re not looking to color the sound but believe it or not the volume knob on the OCD is the best master volume for this beast. This amp is virtually unusable unless you try this particular hack. I know this because I suffered 40 something years with this amp. I have broken every window out of my girlfriends fathers house when I was in high school with this amp. The amp tech told me that my particular head was the loudest he had ever had on his bench of any Marshall ever 146 wide RMS I believe you told me it was
Gilmours mid 70s rig consisted of three 100W Hiwatts running six 4x12s and a tube preamp for the leslie. And of course there was a Arbiter Fuzz Face in front of that... I'm amazed 90% of 60s and 70s musicians aren't deaf.
They are. I have hearing problems from too many loud amp days. I said in another comment being around a Ampeg V 4 stack. It was in a basement. I played out of a Super reverb. Could barely hear it.
⚓️ Thanks Zapata, Rhett 😎 wow… didn’t know the hillbilly fashion critics frequented this channel 🎸 The poncho looks like a good way to keep buckle rash at bay. 🤨
haven't ever played a marshall full stack. but i did live with a Sunn 300T and an 8x10 for a number of years. i was careful with my hearing, for the most part, but it did rearrange my guts on occasion. luckily enough for everyone, we used Sunn Model T and MusicMan tube amplifiers, both with 4x12. unnecessary, unruly, unhealthy. and some of the most fun i've ever had.
Using a decibel meter would be cool and give us some perspective on all kinds of room levels. Including in the studio. Cool video!!!! It’s cool to have a “Back to the Future” moment.
From my experience I can tell you that if you play in front of a cranked Marshall JCM800 (100w) the level will be approssimatively 125db, if you go beside the cabinet it will swing between 119 db and 123 db and if you move away a few meters it will be between 115 and 118 db
The way Zapata is playing his guitar next to the half-stack at 10:54 gives me some other-worldfly impression of an ancient priest of a religion of sorts, tying to summon the statute of god. Playing some old prayer on the guitar trying to summon somewhat forgotten gods of rock & roll.
Try a HiWatt DR103 cranked next - OMFG!!!! The old stack I used to own was hands down the most beastly valve amp I've ever owned. For pure insane volume, try cranking an Ampeg SVT and say your prayers first. Oh, and a Randall Titan (solid state) head at 300w was ungodly loud.
I was amazed Rhett could even stand in front of it fully cranked .. my old Holden VBL is only 100 watt and over 8 it would do serious ear damage... would it work better to go through say ,a Fender Twin to get the tone and then through the Marshall for fullness ..?
I own a pair of 100w Hiwatts and running them full tilt in stereo is an experience beyond playing a cranked plexi. It goes beyond the loudness, its controlling the sound youre so engulfed in.
I’ve experienced what you said about the sheer power from multiple full stacks many times. I’ve been a Robin Trower fan for over 35 years and an Alvin Lee fan too. These guys can control your breathing in a small venue! See ing Robin in the Round many times is an awesome experience. 3 Marshalls is loud as balls when he’s not facing you. When the stage comes around, it’s a sonic school bus coming to run you down!!
WHAT'S THAT ?? I CAN'T HEAR YOU OVER THIS RINGING/WHINING IN MY EARS ... lol , I still have my full stacks from back in the day . I remember the days of a trio of 100w full stacks .. Hiwatt , Marshall , and Peavey ,and a 300w Ampeg SVT .. all cranked in my dad's garage back in the 80s . My GOD that was a glorious racket... the volume made you feel like you were going to puke ! 🤣 it was awesome.
What makes most Marshalls (especially plexi's) so great isn't the volume, it's the sustain. Every hammer on, every pull-off, every bend, is going to be all there. Great adventure, you've got all the chops, but you never stop looking. Good Luck to all.
Yeah, I know that feeling. I am very lucky that my first neighbor lives 4km (2.5 miles) away.😀 I don't have 1972 (my birth) full-stack Marshall but I am the owner of 1978 Orange OR120 with old Orange 4x12 and Hiwatt 4x12 ..Rock "N" Roll 🤘🏼🎸
Guitar players like myself who are in their late 50s, are used to playing big rigs like that all the time. That’s all that really was. Smaller amps came in to vogue towards the late 80s and early 90s and me and my buddies used to marvel at how some people struggled to play through our big rigs. Learning to play an amp like that is a skill all it’s own. In the day we used to call it putting a machine gun in a babies hands.
I live up in N Gwinnett and have been wanting to check that place out. Definitely going now. I checked out Righteous Guitars after watching one of your videos and wasn’t disappointed.
Summer of 1969, I was in a rock band playing in the Cleveland area. We were booked into a "Teen Fair" at the Cleveland Public Auditorium. Huge place, the Beatles had played there a few years before. The venue provided a backline for us, so I showed up with my red ES-335, a Vox Tone-Bender, and a wah pedal that I used mostly as a volume adjust. My amp was a full stack, 100watt Marshall - had never played one before (never even seen one before!) After a short sound check, we started our set. All went well until it came time for a lead solo, so I floored my wah pedal for a volume boost - I remember feeling a WIND at my back, and the loudest sound I had ever heard! Quickly pulled the volume down and finished the set OK. What a difference from my little blackface Bandmaster! Never will forget that.
May 30, 1970. First show, fourth row. I was 15 years old, seeing Jimi Hendrix for my first "big boy" concert. To this day, when I hear "Machine Gun", I start tearing up. That image of Hendrix in front of those Marshall stacks is burned into my brain.
Thanks for sharing your visit to this amazing store.
Oh....A friend of mine who has since passed away, was a collector of vintage British tube amps. At one time he had not one, but two 200 watt Marshall Majors. The first time he chained those together and hit a chord, all we could do is laugh like crazy, it was so freaking LOUD. Great times with a great friend.
That's a great story james. Your one of the lucky ones who were able to see hendrix live sounds incredible
The funny point : the best guitar sound Jimi ever had was using the Fender 2x15" cab with two JBL D130 speakers. I think he was using the 200W Marshall Major plugged in, I'm speaking about the Voodoo Chile, I mean the 15 minutes blues with Steve Winwood playing the organ, not the Slight Return version with the wah-wah...
But hey, on my side, I have a hard time having images from the gigs I intended to be burned in my head : I spend the most of concerts with my eyes closed n order to focus on music.
BTW, you can absolutely be louder w.o. using a 200W amp : it's all about the sensitivity of speakers, and, each time you double their number, you gain 3dB, just like by doubling the amp's power...
Just consider a 4x12 with vintage Greenbacks with 96dB sensitivity : the cab will give 102dB for 1W... A single JBL E120 or an Eminence Wizard or Red Fang, and your 1x12 is louder than the 4x12... In fact, even if the EVM12L is rated at 100dB for 1W, its curves show it as being a 103dB one too...
I let you imagine a 4x12 : it will sound louder than having 4 4x12...
When i first tested a Wizzard in live conditions, loaded in a Marshall 1x12 and a single channel of the Marshall EL84-20/20... The club had 80 seats (comfy large sofas) and room for 150 standing people ended with a volume so loud that you had to bark in the barmaids' ears to order your drinks...
Last time I changed the EL84s, I had 17 Watts per channel, measured with the oscilloscope...
It was the first time I tried a 103dB sensitivity speaker, I later switched to the EVM12L which sounds massive too, at the point as I don't even use my Mesa Fify:Fifty or Marshall 9005 at full power, and only use them in low power mode. I even was amused when I bought my 2nd Fify:Fifty from a metalhead : the dude did about 150 concerts with it not even getting the use of the Lo-PWR switch... Metal gigs with four 4x12 while the amp was used as a 2x15W !!!!
@@Haroun-El-Poussah Great information! Thanks!!
Wow man! Good times. :)
I was born later exactly 5 months later that year. October 30th
" Once you've had that guitar up so loud on the stage, where you can lean back and volume will stop you from falling backward, that's a hard drug to kick." David Gilmour
So you went to the store with a great guitar player with a nowadays Frisco hipster spaghetti western alike outfit, while a young Jimmy Page lend you a black 59 Gibson...throw the Marshall in the mix it sounds like you've entered the Twilight Zone Rhett
Spaghetti western SF hipster lmfao. Truer words have never been said. Glad I'm not the only one who smelled that pretentious bullshit 😭😂😜😂😜
@@chasphotography Glad you have such opinions on what the guy is wearing. Sounds like somebody has a crush! 🙊🙊🙊
@@xCaLLMeGHeTToI'm guessing you and him have the same stylist and I ruffled your hipster plumage. It's either that or you're also one of those annoying noodler's who goes into a guitar store and plays gear you can't afford at an annoying volume level without the skills or experience to at least be entertaining to those whose ears you rape with your inexperienced chops on such gear 🤣😜
By hipster, you mean the dude who plays rhythm guitar for Gary Clark Jr?
@@Mudder1310 - Yes. The dude who plays rhythm guitar for Gary Clark Jr dresses like a hipster.
They de-aged Jimmy Page. And, now he works at a guitar-store. Cool.
I was thinking the exact same thing!
He’s the new custom shop NOS Jimmy page
Back to the future Jimmy Page
With authentic accent!
Thinking the same thing. And I would absolutely take his word for what was the best LP in the store. Just keep him away from the groupies.
Thanks for stopping by the store and featuring me Rhett look forward to having you back!
Man I was about to ask if that was really you!! Follow you on IG man, love your playing!!
Hi Jack
lovely seeing you here Jack, I hope I get to visit your shop sometime soon
I thought that was you but wasn't 100% sure lol
i don’t think he will when he finds out you’re a racist creep who hits on younger girls Jack, i dont think the “rebranding” is going to work
It IS intimidating to play a cranked stack. You have to rebuild your confidence, because that kind of rig just will NOT let you hide. What you play will be heard. Every good note, every bad note. No hiding. It's like having a harsh critic breathing down your neck.
Wow. I am getting anxious just thinking of that.
@@electricworkshop4462 The proper attitude to play a 100 watt Marshall is "Fuck it. My music is great. Here, check it out!" You've got to be in the "I'm about to drop my pants and waggle my weiner at you" state of mind. It does take some getting used to. And it does encourage you to PRACTICE.
@@Turboy65 also fuck yout neighbours you got a dream to live. I hope to one day be able to play through one. Not at all my style but the marshall/ les paul pairing is too inconic not to try at least once.
You just gotta watch Neil Young with Crazy Horse 1994, Down by the River 1994 live
I own an old Marshall, and there is a quality about them that’s a little bit unforgiving. Not sure if it’s the lack of tube rectifier or what, but they “attack” quite a bit harder than a similar era Fender and certainly more than modern circuits. Wish I had the opportunity to turn it up more often.
Rhett, December 31, 1969 at midnight I was saying goodbye to the 60’s from the 8th row at the Fillmore East with Jimi Hendrix on stage performing what became the Band of Gypsies album. I recall several stacks like those behind him (3?, 4?). The Fillmore was a small theater sized venue, and I remember when he started playing that I was literally pressed back into my seat by the sound. It actually felt as if someone was pushing on my chest. The physics of this much force coming from speakers is frightening. I had been to many concerts at the Fillmore but I had never been pushed back into my seat by the sound. I simply could not believe how loud it was. I doubt those in front row have their hearing intact now; I got off lucky and somehow survived. This was the loudest concert I had ever been to until a Who concert years later, which required earplugs or you would be rendered immediately deaf.
That’s a cool story. I wasn’t born until 1972 so I missed the early days of arena rock with the legends. I have seen many great shows over the years though.
The absolute loudest show I have ever seen was at a small theater in Atlanta (specifically in Buckhead) at a venue that was called The Roxy (I’m not sure if it’s still today or what it’s called now if it is). It was in November of 1992. The headliner was the Atlanta based band Drivin N Cryin who were at their commercial peak and still touring for their Fly Me Courageous album. I had seen them numerous times already and have seen them multiple times since. They were exactly what I expected them to be. The band that played before them (there four or five acts total that night it was a benefit show for the Atlanta Food Bank) absolutely blew everyone minds.
That band was the loudest performance I have ever seen by far. The band was The Smashing Pumpkins touring for their first album Gish several months before their break through album Siamese Dream was released. It was one of those moments where you knew this band that you had never heard was about to make it big.
You saw Machine Gun live?!!
Holy! What an amazing story
This has got to be the coolest Hendrix story ive heard🤘🏼
@@Ohbubbano yes.
Thanks for dropping by guys! It was amazing to hear you put that vintage amp through the paces!!
I think showing you guys playing the same rig (Fender amp and white Strat), and getting very different tones, shows how much your hands have to do with the overall sound of the rig. The way you play, attack the notes, dynamics, etc. all affect the sound. Great video!
Nice transition to the edit screen too!
Dudeeeeeeeeeee, I got chills when Rhett got hold of the white Strat. The magic IS in the hands.
That part also highlights to me what digital just can't do (yet). That low-med gain, super dynamic and responsive thing. Where you feel you are playing the amp as much as playing the guitar.
That's the realm I like living in as a guitarist. And it's magical.
Don't get me wrong, these nuances gets lost in a lot of contexts, and I don't hate digital stuff, but I just notice this part of the gain and dynamics where I tend to live as a guitarist is not yet successfully replicated digitally.
All I can say is that back in the late 60s and early 70s, when I was a bass player in a couple loud bands, I had a rig with 3 stacks of 4, 15" jbl speakers per stack with a 300 watt Sunn and a Vox AC 50. The AC 50 had fuzz and flanger for that single stack, while the 2 Sunn stacks were just straight-up loud. My experience was that the relentless sustain and potential noise took so much attention to muting that it was a lot of work to play a great set when we recorded live and everything was mic'd up. I played the Whiskey with that rig multiple times and on one of those occasions, Jimi Hendrix and his girlfriend came to hear our band. They came to our hotel afterward for a party and he spent most of the time there in headphones listening to the 4 track tapes of our sets that night. I still have the tape box that he drew on with a marker while he was listening. He was a very shy, charming guy with gigantic hands that made me wonder how he ever played one string at a time. But, all that extra hand/flesh came in handy for the muting he had to do,
What band were you in?!
That's cool as shit - I noticed yrs ago how big his hands were - good grief he covered a lot of real estate on the neck
Really dig Zapatas atmospheric stuff that he adds into Gary Clark's music. Very underrated player.
Zapata is the man.
Agreed
Oh That Zapata!
@@RhettShull No shade thrown on GCJ at ALL, but Zapata!?! Mannnnnnnnnnnnn. Such a huge part of the bands sound.
@@LordOfThisWorld74 Very, very true. ALSO… Johnny Radelat’s drumming.
8 1/2 minutes in and we have a young Jimmy Page helping Rhett out with this beast!! Even has the accent.
Thought the same man! Mini Page 🤣
Twas me hah
sounds like Brian May, looks like Jimmy Page lol.
his accent is totally fake. he's a terrible person
@@lanaboyd4776 do you know where the stuff is that his ex gf exposed about him?
I can confirm that playing an amp like that changes your life, since i had a similar experience recently. I realized that a lot of the sound of my guitar heroes lies in unashamed ear-smashing volume
I was half-expecting it to be a Hot Rod Deluxe on 1 1/2.
I love when I crank my AC30 with my 335 and feel the air literally coming out of the f holes on my arms. It's insanely cool. It really does give you this strange sorta primal type feeling that something bigger than you is going on.
Man, my hollowbodies feel like they want to shake themselves apart even on my Blues Jr with some overdrive or fuzz. I can't imagine what that must be like on something with 100 watts. How the hell did Ted Nugent do it with thick distortion?
@@charlesrense5199 a friend of mine tried stuffing the f holes with foam. Maybe Ted did that
@@robinho1978. Why would he do that? To reduce feedback or something? The air pushing out of the f holes is part of the experience to me.
@@SimpleManGuitars1973 it was that fecking loud on stage with his two 100w stacks that his 335 howled like a banshee! I have a 335 which doesn’t need any of that foam nonsense but I’m using an AC30 as a pedal platform, barely past 11 o’clock.
Andy played in a rock band in the late 80s when things were louder and the other lad was wondering how Ted Nugent did it and I thought this was relevant.
@@robinho1978. Yeah I can't imagine how loud it would be when just 30 watts will blow you away. I run my AC30's on maybe a little above 7 or so on the Top Boost and that works really well with my Strats and Teles but when I plug in my 335 I have to control the volume a little more because the humbuckers are just really hot. I also use pedals as well. I use a T-Rex Mudhoney, J ROCKETT TOUCH, Vox wah, Boss Waza Craft Tone Bender, Boss DD6 Delay, T-Rex Quint, and a Hughes and Kettner Rotosphere. Sometimes I also use a Pedal Pawn Texan Twang boost pedal. Dude that Touch pedal is PHENOMMMMENAL with an AC30 and a 335. I also have an AC10 and it rules with it as well. It's instant British creaminess when you crank it up and that's the holy grail of 335 tone to me. What all pedals do you use with your AC30? I'm always interested in hearing about good pedals for an AC30 since they have a reputation (undeserved in my opinion) of being not a good amp for pedals.
Damn, this store has everything vintage. Even has a 70’s Jimmy Page
Welcome to the world we grew up in in the 1980s when thunderous volume was, as you kind of say here, part of the intoxication of wanting to be a rock guitarist in the first place. Most of us in a club setting would only use a Marshall 100 watt and a single 4x12 cabinet, but when we got the chance to play in a bigger venue or an outdoor festival setting the second cabinet would come out. And man did that ever feel amazing. I'm guessing that the 'struggle' with the sound you mentioned at such volume was probably similar to the struggle an acoustic guitar player would have the first time they played an electric. It's just a completely different animal you have learn how to tame.
I saw a rig rundown on Angus Young. He runs about bunch of super leads all out so he can hear and feel the sound everywhere on the stage. He does not wear "ears." Pretty intense.
Rhett, just recently started sharing rehearsal space downstairs at Bighouse and finally got to get into the store the other day for the first time and that place is just awesome. glad to see 'em getting some love here.
I had a 1978 Super Lead 100W Marshall from 1997-2017. When i played in bands i couldn't turn it above 1 without it drowning out everyone else & the physical pain of standing in front of it without an attenuator. I don't know how you stood in front of the stack. It does change the way you play & you become so extra aware of every note you play. Its an experience like no other
Those 100 watt marshals are beasts you have to have one for a while and play around with em and find the sweet spots and tones and they're all a little different. I miss my 1/2 stack e very day. Thanks for guitar store tour, what a great place.
That octave fuzz was N A S T Y.
Zapata’s got some chops.
I have 2 full 100 W Marshall Stacks. One from 1981 and the other 1987 Silver Jubilee . I know exactly what you felt. I lived in the country for some time and every now and again, I would crank them full blast....it literally felt like a rocket blasting off standing in front of them ... But the sound is unlike anything else.
Rhett’s appreciation and love for vintage guitars and amps is such a joy to watch. It’s not an appreciation for the sake of them being vintage, it’s the appreciation of a musician for the inspiration those glorious tones vibrate within the soul of a musician. We can only imagine that Jimi, Eric, Carlos and all those who came before us had the same experience back in their day
I grew up with this type amp set up . Glad you got to experience it . It really kicks ass don't it .
Those wattages we're all we ever knew in the late 60's and through out the 70's. I still have those old amps and my friends still have theirs. We were still rocking with them every weekend until a decade ago.
They teleported Jimmy Page from the late 60s back into that store?? And I want that drape Zapata is wearing… I know, the full stack is pretty rad, seems like from another millennium. Wait, it is…
Shh don’t tell anyone
I wanted to leave the exact same comment 😸
So true...
Drape? I thought someone stole my curtain.
it's a poncho isn't it
“This is the LOUDEST amp I ever played.” Deep Purple, “Hold my beer.”
Laughs in 200 watt major
Ya when he mentioned the Jimmy's, E C and such I immediately thought of Blackmore's 200 watt Majors. Jeez that had to be loud on stage.
Soldano 100W:
Ok boy, now sit down and watch.
Most people don't realize speakers have a major part to do of how loud an amp can actually get, me with a 4x12 with swamp thangs and wizards is beyond comparable to a 4x12 with v30s, just keep that in mind
@@aidenmcclendon5457 Yeah Fr. My AC30 with Blue speakers literally shakes the walls with how loud and powerful it is. I attenuate because I run it full tilt with a treble booster in front. Insane for a 30W amp. Speakers do a lot especially with 100 dB efficiency like Blues
Never has there been such a great example of same gear different sound from different fingers beyond attributable to different styles. MUCH aural love!
This is my new favorite shop in ATL. Really great stuff, and a great vibe. Plus they have a great vinyl selection and rehearsal spaces in the basement.
I ran 2 full Marshall stacks in the mid 70’s. Funny thing, I never once worried about tone. They were also flat out. I turned every knob to 10 and they steamed. It’s hard to believe how loud we played back then but myself and most friends from that era are partially or close to deaf.
I had a fuzz and echo pedal, later used the first Boss super overdrive and Roland space echo. Never used any more pedals than that.and it sounded awesome.
Every gig the sound guy would tell me to turn the volume down but I never did. They would just cut me out of the mix. Haha.
FOH system’s were very inefficient back then but now everyone plays so much quieter on stage you don’t need big amps however everyone is searching for tone. Interesting?
searching for tone ! It lives in a dimed Super Lead !!!
You always had a great tone. Never thought about it. Young guitarists have never had the experience of playing really loud. I think it’s what guitars are made to do. I like clean tone but it doesn’t drive you. It why Jimi and SRV and the rest were so good. IMO
Two guys with musical instruments that know what to do with them. Thoroughly enjoyable video.
Once Rhett said, “Zapata” that confirmed why I recognized the player. Became familiar with Zapata via Gary Clarke, Jr.
Cool cat.
Playing through a full stack Marshall is something to get used to for sure. When you can feel it move you physically like that it can make you timid until you get used to it. That is all I played through live for years, but sadly have not played live in a long time. Every time i think about selling it (1973 Marshall Super Lead and 2 1973 Marshall 4x12's) I play it and just cannot do it. I tell you what is louder is an Orange OR-120. I have one of those as well and I cannot physically stand it to be in the room when it is cranked. I am sure Rick Beato can attest to that. Enjoyed the video! All the best.
Yes I used to dime my orange 120 when nobody was h9me and it completely shook my house...
Love Zapata! Killer player!
Edit: Also amazing to see how different the sound is when you guys play. Really shows that the tone is in the fingers. Damn it...
Where did time machine Jimmy page come from?
I was so pleased that he had an English accent
I had neighbours constantly banging around on the other side of my loungeroom wall, pissing me off all the time, a few years ago. Plugged both MF280 cabs into my marshall Mode Four, turned the cabs toward the wall, ran my homemade 1/8th stereo to 1/5 mono cable from laptop to amp input, and gave them a taste of Nine Inch Nails "Wish', and A Perfect Circle's "Judith", at full volume. THAT was loud. And you can bet it shut them the hell up from that point on. Not my fave amp tho, i've sold the head and the angled cab now, but kept the straight cab for my beloved dsl50.
so we have a Jedi a vintage Marshall full stack and a young jimmy page all in the same store... pretty amazing.
8:12 rare Jimmy Page Reissue model (not the guitar, the kid). Looks to be in mint condition too!
What a privilege to share these moments of friendship with Zapata with us!!!!
Absolute fan of his work and Gary Clark's.
Hope to see them live as soon as possible in Sevilla!!!!!
I think the "reluctance" you were experiencing while playing is similar to those learning to shoot a high power pistol. The first shot is easy and usually a bulls eye because you do not know how it will feel/hear that first shout. Typically there will be a reluctance to pull the trigger on the next shots because internally you KNOW (and dread) the sound and kick. This causes you to jerk and miss. For this amp internally you knew what the sound would be when you hit that string with your pick. An internally you dreaded this. This reluctance definitely affected your playing. It will take you a while to stand in front of that amp and not internally dread the sound. My 2 cents.
My first LP experience was a black custom through a 100W Marshall, and after all of these years, I am still lusting for that set up. All I can say is, there is nothing like playing at that volume, tone for days. Damn, I miss the 70's. Great video Rhett, that must've been a blast. (I don't have the balls anymore to crank it up like that in public, LOL)
Jack boadens at this shop, that’s sick!
Yeah, I played through a stack such as that at a music store in my youth, I'm 66, and when it's turned up and you screw up..there's nowhere to hide..takes the fun out of it. Plus, back then, who had ear plugs, lol.
Jimmy Page's grandson?? Great vid. Thanks, Rhett.
That white Strat sounds straight-up INCREDIBLE! WOW!
Jesus, so does that black LPC/Marshall combo!
Oh hey its dude plays rhythm for gary clark. Awesome! His rig rundown was better than garys lol. His pedal board is a work of art with those sick vibe pedals.
Ya I remember him from Rig Rundown also.
A 100 or 50 Watt four hole is the most versatile Amp ever made. It even works at bedroom levels because it takes pedals so well. You can shape your sound and go after every signature Marshall Sound you want. With a Lead Setup though I'd desolder the Bright Cap. It also gives you clean sounds which are amazing. Of course if you can dime it, ist is another world. One really has to play different. If you have several cabs just grab your Amp and go to rehearsal or Gig or whatsoever. No you don't have to crank a Marshall to have a heavenly tone. It does everything. Good Luck Rhett in finding a decent one.
For a quick second I was thinking “you’re not gonna play that les Paul while wearing that denim jacket with metal buttons, are you?!?”
It's such an amazing experience! I have a 1973 Super Bass which I run through a Marshall 4x12 with Greenbacks. It's a really different way of playing, not as much sustain as one would think, you have to just be super confident in your ability due to the extreme amount of volume. It's really awesome to be able to feel the noise though. 100 watt Marshall with a 4x12 is a magical thing. Especially with a Les Paul. My parents think I'm crazy, I only just turned 18. Many complaints from the neighbors. I hope you find the Marshall you are looking for soon Rhett, they have a reputation for a reason. Love the playing by the way, sounds great!
I need that an a place in Montana where my nearest neighbor is 10 miles away, and still get mad at me because it's too loud.
This video has some amazing sounds and guitar playing. Even through my headphones i could feel that the guitar moved different like you mentioned but i can only imagine how amazing it is when you're in front if it playing. Very cool video Rhett.
Fighting the amp because a true overdriven valve amp doesn't sustain like a pedal with the gain on 10. It sustains, but you do have to attack the strings harder. Took a minute to get used to that when I quit using pedals and just let the amp do what it does naturally.
Great video/store AND rocking “The Final Cut” t-shirt!
Next time Dinosaur Jr comes around, check em out. J still plays three full stacks in smaller clubs and it sounds incredible.
I was gonna comment the same thing! Not to mention that J also has a cranked Fender Twin that it mic’d as well! Just crazy. I often hear people say that nobody uses full stacks, let alone multiple full stacks, in clubs anymore. It may be much more rare, but there are bands that do use them! J has his heads at about noon on the volume, but he says they don’t get much louder from noon, only more distorted.
I saw the Darkness a few years ago and they use full stacks. Loudest show I've ever been to.
I saw them open for the black keys about 15 yrs ago. It was painfully loud not wonderfully loud. Painful. I just wanted it to stop loud
It has been compared to riding a wild horse, and it is kind of accurate. I used to do it often and it is exhilarating to feel the notes with your entire body. The guitar becomes alive in your hands, like you can feel the electricity running through the whole rig … that said, now there is a permanent ringing in my ears I wish I could shake … but there’s nothing like it.
Had a stack like that in the 70's, and yes, the high air movement sometimes literally kills the notes. I had observed Ritchie Blackmore standing off axis from his two stacks, and the sustain is better when doing that. However, like Jimi, there are definitely places you can stand to get crazy feedback. Cigarette butts were the ear protection of the day...!!!
Yes, your position in relation to the amp/stack is critical for getting the sounds you want out of the amp. If you look at Jimi, L.S. from Blue Cheer (very loud players) they are all off axis to the front of the stack, they're kind of diagonal to the stack. There's usually a place you can stand so when you move your body ever so little, feedback will roar through or clear up.
Used to play a full jtm stack back in the ‘80s in a rehearsal room. Yep, amazing sound. With a Strat it was pure Hendrix.
Love my 1959/1960A/B full stack. The punch of picking a string infront of the full stack is like firing a .45.
The Marshall is unforgiving on your playing. It exposes every note, how you play it and how clean your fingers play it.
Yeah, I played those things 5-6 nights a week in clubs, in the 70's all across the country. When the clubs were packed, like thursday-Saturday, the mass of people absorbed the sound. When it was slow it could be brutal. Learning to control it is what we all learned to do. I remember Jimmy Vaughn playing "jeffs Boogie" to a T on a stack, before he "became" a Chicago stye bluesman. I preferred that Jimmy but there were plenty of guys (I would hope me included) in Texas perfectlly controlling those things & playing beautifully dynamically. Fun times..
I was blessed to have a 100 watt Laney full stack during the hair metal hay daze. Change perspective? Yes, I am not so sure if I fought the amp but it downright scared me sometimes. We had a party once and we were set up to play. It was still over an hour until stage but I snuck up to my amp and dimed it. Then I turned up the volume on my trusty Kramer Stryker and just thumped the e string while the guitar was still in the stand. The whole party jumped and yelled and screamed all at once! That's comedy.
Seeing the term for the second time, "Oh, that's what he means by dimed." Pre-spinal-tap amp markings ...
Nice - Laney - did you have one of the AOR amps? I got a 100 watt early 6 knob Pro-Tube (no aor, just pro-tube). Best $300 ever spent on a used amp. It's like a modded JCM-800 straight out of the box!
Rhett, awesome video. You’re absolutely correct, those vintage Marshalls really make you play deliberately. I’ve only gotten to play Jtm45 watt, I can’t imagine what the 100 watt beast feels like.
Like that Murder One stack that was in the back ground. Would love to hear that!
Murder one lemmy used thiat amp
Gotta say that your choice of what to play on the Les Paul/Marshall Stack was perfect. usually, people plug in at the guitar store and just play their stock 3 or 4 riffs and their favorite song. everything you played was perfect for that combo. Watched that part twice.
I saw Twisted Sister way back in '84 when they were supporting Dio. We ended up with front row tickets, stage left not 10 feet from JJ's wall of Marshalls. The pressure of the sound coming off those cabs was ridiculous. I thought my heart was going to stop. I was physically ill by the time their set was over.
I love the modern day shock and awe at playing through a stack like this! LOL! Back when I started out in the mid '70s, it was pretty much the expected rig for any reasonably successful band on a local UK scene.
So, straight out of school in my first band and facing our debut in front of an audience, we were lucky enough for one of the main local groups to invite us out to their rehearsal space and let us use their amps - a bit of a step up from my Carlsbro Stingray combo to a full Marshall stack... But it wasn't a "kneel down and worship at the altar of tone" moment the way you might imagine, it was more of a "Nice, I'll get one of these soon" experience! And the thing was then, a rig like that wasn't at all out of reach if you'd got regular gigs lined up - and audiences expected that kind of volume (you hadn't got your money's worth if your ears weren't still ringing the next day!).
In retrospect, though, I have to admit that first Kerranngg through a full Marshall stack was pretty f*cking satisfying! ;)
Try dropping the mains to 110-115VAC range, Some of them loosen up a little and they sound sweeter too.
I played in a band as one of two guitarist. We both ran full Marshall jcm800 100 watt stacks. Hence particularly hearing lose in right ear.
Loud as hell! It was awesome!
I really never enjoyed playing through Marshall stacks for the exact same reason, you have to fight to get a note. There's something about an overpowering rig that refuses to be tamed, guess you need to get back on a horse after being bucked.
That's called Riding the Lightning!
I have been playing guitar since 1976, and have had the pleasure of playing through many 100 watt non master volume amps, original JMP's and reissue 1959's, there is nothing like that experience of playing at 125+dB, but you have to learn to play a lot differently, I currently use a 100 watt non master volume half stack with a 30 watt 2X12 combo in my home, with no attenuators (hate them) or earplugs, and I had to re-learn how to play that way, even though I started out playing that way! Great video as always!
that shop looks wild!!
I now own a Fender 400PS that I repaired, in addition to my 100 watt Marshalls. The 400PS is on another level of power, 435 watts RMS of all tube power to the speakers, to be exact. If a Marshall Superlead stack is LOUD, then the 400PS cranked is like something out of the Old Testament. It is SO blisteringly loud. I have driven it cranked with a Tube Screamer boosting the input. It feels like someone should be standing by with an AED to rescue you after playing that. Rhett is welcome to come on down to central Florida and check it out!
Jack making a guest appearance, that’s rad!
who is this Jack fella?
@@THRILL606 No idea, heard he’s friends with some Will guy and his band. Something about voodoo stuffed animals or some shit
Loved seeing the tour through the new store and the amazing tones out of those sweet old amps.
The thumbnail got me though, at first I thought you were sitting down listening to Brad Pitt in a poncho play some licks. Zapata is unreal!
I have this exact amp it is painfully loud I’ve had it since 72 the only way to control the amp is to put an OCD pedal in front of the amp. You’re not looking to color the sound but believe it or not the volume knob on the OCD is the best master volume for this beast. This amp is virtually unusable unless you try this particular hack. I know this because I suffered 40 something years with this amp. I have broken every window out of my girlfriends fathers house when I was in high school with this amp. The amp tech told me that my particular head was the loudest he had ever had on his bench of any Marshall ever 146 wide RMS I believe you told me it was
Zapata moving the reverb to see if it splashes, gold moment.
Wanting to drop in there, but I'm afraid I might try to buy something.
Gilmours mid 70s rig consisted of three 100W Hiwatts running six 4x12s and a tube preamp for the leslie. And of course there was a Arbiter Fuzz Face in front of that...
I'm amazed 90% of 60s and 70s musicians aren't deaf.
They are. I have hearing problems from too many loud amp days. I said in another comment being around a Ampeg V 4 stack. It was in a basement. I played out of a Super reverb. Could barely hear it.
⚓️ Thanks Zapata, Rhett 😎 wow… didn’t know the hillbilly fashion critics frequented this channel 🎸 The poncho looks like a good way to keep buckle rash at bay. 🤨
For real. The only funny thing about their comments is that they think it hides their raging insecurities.
@@queenhenryviii Yes one must be mindful of the tender hillbilly sensibilities 😬
Spring reverb jumps out of the Fender. Sounds great.
Was that Jimmy Page from the 60’s at the store?
Shhhh
Paul Kossoff blasting his ears out in front of a stack at Isle of Wight festival comes to mind.
haven't ever played a marshall full stack. but i did live with a Sunn 300T and an 8x10 for a number of years. i was careful with my hearing, for the most part, but it did rearrange my guts on occasion. luckily enough for everyone, we used Sunn Model T and MusicMan tube amplifiers, both with 4x12. unnecessary, unruly, unhealthy. and some of the most fun i've ever had.
The Model T was just nuts. I have never heard (or indeed felt) anything louder. Disclaimer... I have never played through a Marshal Major though...
Using a decibel meter would be cool and give us some perspective on all kinds of room levels. Including in the studio. Cool video!!!! It’s cool to have a “Back to the Future” moment.
From my experience I can tell you that if you play in front of a cranked Marshall JCM800 (100w) the level will be approssimatively 125db, if you go beside the cabinet it will swing between 119 db and 123 db and if you move away a few meters it will be between 115 and 118 db
The way Zapata is playing his guitar next to the half-stack at 10:54 gives me some other-worldfly impression of an ancient priest of a religion of sorts, tying to summon the statute of god. Playing some old prayer on the guitar trying to summon somewhat forgotten gods of rock & roll.
I don’t play guitar and wow can I appreciate the warm tone from that guitar and amp stack!!
Try a HiWatt DR103 cranked next - OMFG!!!! The old stack I used to own was hands down the most beastly valve amp I've ever owned. For pure insane volume, try cranking an Ampeg SVT and say your prayers first. Oh, and a Randall Titan (solid state) head at 300w was ungodly loud.
I was amazed Rhett could even stand in front of it fully cranked .. my old Holden VBL is only 100 watt and over 8 it would do serious ear damage... would it work better to go through say ,a Fender Twin to get the tone and then through the Marshall for fullness ..?
I own a pair of 100w Hiwatts and running them full tilt in stereo is an experience beyond playing a cranked plexi. It goes beyond the loudness, its controlling the sound youre so engulfed in.
I’ve experienced what you said about the sheer power from multiple full stacks many times. I’ve been a Robin Trower fan for over 35 years and an Alvin Lee fan too. These guys can control your breathing in a small venue! See ing Robin in the Round many times is an awesome experience. 3 Marshalls is loud as balls when he’s not facing you. When the stage comes around, it’s a sonic school bus coming to run you down!!
i play one of those every day actually :) for the last 30 years...and I now have tinnitus
WHAT'S THAT ?? I CAN'T HEAR YOU OVER THIS RINGING/WHINING IN MY EARS ... lol , I still have my full stacks from back in the day . I remember the days of a trio of 100w full stacks .. Hiwatt , Marshall , and Peavey ,and a 300w Ampeg SVT .. all cranked in my dad's garage back in the 80s . My GOD that was a glorious racket... the volume made you feel like you were going to puke ! 🤣 it was awesome.
But, I mean, it's gotta be worth it.
What makes most Marshalls (especially plexi's) so great isn't the volume, it's the sustain. Every hammer on, every pull-off, every bend, is going to be all there. Great adventure, you've got all the chops, but you never stop looking. Good Luck to all.
As a working player in the 70's, the P.A's were such shit you had to have a ballsy back line. And it's true, its a lot more work on the stacks🔊🔊🔊🔊🔊🔊🔊🔊
All you needed was a good boost pedal to kick it into compression heaven. SD1 . Smiles for days.
Hey everyone, feel free to come by the store anytime if you're in Atlanta and Thank you Rhett for the support and sharing the store!!
Yeah, I know that feeling.
I am very lucky that my first neighbor lives 4km (2.5 miles) away.😀 I don't have 1972 (my birth) full-stack Marshall but I am the owner of 1978 Orange OR120 with old Orange 4x12 and
Hiwatt 4x12 ..Rock "N" Roll 🤘🏼🎸
Guitar players like myself who are in their late 50s, are used to playing big rigs like that all the time. That’s all that really was. Smaller amps came in to vogue towards the late 80s and early 90s and me and my buddies used to marvel at how some people struggled to play through our big rigs. Learning to play an amp like that is a skill all it’s own. In the day we used to call it putting a machine gun in a babies hands.
I really enjoy listening to Rhett play he is so soulful.
[Insert image of Nigel Tufnel]
I live up in N Gwinnett and have been wanting to check that place out. Definitely going now. I checked out Righteous Guitars after watching one of your videos and wasn’t disappointed.
So nobody's gonna talk about the fact that Rhett is wearing a The Final Cut t-shirt?
One of the first things I noticed!
Lol I didn’t notice
Summer of 1969, I was in a rock band playing in the Cleveland area. We were booked into a "Teen Fair" at the Cleveland Public Auditorium. Huge place, the Beatles had played there a few years before. The venue provided a backline for us, so I showed up with my red ES-335, a Vox Tone-Bender, and a wah pedal that I used mostly as a volume adjust. My amp was a full stack, 100watt Marshall - had never played one before (never even seen one before!) After a short sound check, we started our set. All went well until it came time for a lead solo, so I floored my wah pedal for a volume boost - I remember feeling a WIND at my back, and the loudest sound I had ever heard! Quickly pulled the volume down and finished the set OK. What a difference from my little blackface Bandmaster! Never will forget that.