You should try the higher channels, i prefer 99 (soulful lead) just adjust the treble. the thing is, it probably sounds different bc of my cheap-ass ltd m-400
All use the Code in a wrong way..The Power Amp is ok,only the Preamp ist crab..connect a Boss GT-100 or a different Preamp with its Return and all will be ok!
After spending years on TH-cam, the following amps are no good: Fender, Peavey, Mesa, Marshall, Vox, Laney, Fuchs, BlackStar, Buddha, Bogner, HiWatt, Hughes & Kettner, Roland, Ampeg, Dr. Z, Dumble, Traynor, Orange, Yamaha, Yorkville, Johnson, Tone King, Matchless, Two Rock, Magnatone, Valco, Supro, Sunn, Carvin, Randall, EVT, Egnater, Diezel, Kustom, 65Amps, Gibson, Roland, Boss, Bad Cat, Friedman, Morgan, Carr, Guytron, Soldano, Splawn, and the amp the dude down the street made on his workbench..... sigh...
I think the problem with a lot of people that get offended is because they made a purchase then go to see reviews after the fact and want validation that they made a good purchase. When they do not get it, they get offended. My opinion is to each their own, & I appreciate your personal honesty. We all have our personal tonal likes, not everyone is going to agree. If we all did, music would be boring and non-diverse
Nothing beats a good old-fashioned tube amp. People want to take shortcuts and buy these modeling crapheaps, instead of a nice tube amp from a lesser-known manufacturer. Dunno why.
It's due to funds usually. For example the Code 100 combo comes in at around £329 GB. How much would it cost for an equivalent 100 watt tube amp? Possibly double that. Having said that I love my Code 100 combo, I also love my Blackcstar HT Stage 100 and my H||H IC100S. Yes, I have a 1970's H||H transistor amp. I was gigging with that back in the 80's when Phil Campbell (ex Motorhead) asked me how I got my sound. So it ain't just about tube amps.
@@SuzanneKowalski Like you, for my taste I love older style amps. For the people that can't afford them, there are so many nice options now that don't cost much more. Also, online sites like reverb have madd\e finding deals so much better that people don't have to settle. I feel a lot of people buy the latest because it's "in style" where if you just hunker down for a minute and save for a bit, you can get something you can grow with. Plus with a smaller wattage tube amp you can get those tones. If you look around right now there are so many good options in amps, guitars, & effects. We really are in another resurgence of great gear like the 60s. So many tonal options and educational videos now on different platforms that manufacturers are pushing the creative line further because videos like this call them out and sales will reflect it. In the past all we had were magazines, which usually said everything was good LOL
It's a brilliant amp. I love it. I somehow agree that you need to tweak it quite a bit, but that's the purpose of the amp in the first place, to offer all kinds of possibilities for users so they can mod it at will. You'll love it after you understand it.
Problem is, 75% of players don't know how to tune an amp to their environment and setup/playing style and wonder why they can never get a good sound from their amp.
I find that Fender excels at Blues/Country/Jazz tones. For everything else, you can't go wrong with a Marshall, the company that put legendary Rock guitarists on the map.
My son gigs his Code 100 and loves the simplicity of using the optional footswitch to go straight to his presets. Just plug it in and it's all there. Quiet enough to practice in the bedroom, more than loud enough for the club he recently played. I would love a JCM800, Mesa or 5150... but for the majority of playing (practising at home at low volume), the Code kills them.
Yeah well, unless the club houses 3000 people, 100 watts are overkill. A tube amp in the bedroom, should have no more than 5 watts, or you'll end up with terrible low volume but way too high volume for great sound.
@@MundMoriginal I've never heard a guitarist ever dime a 100-watt amp no matter how big the venue. Everything in a live show goes through a powered mixer anyway, so 100-watts is only for bragging rights, nothing more. 50-watts is all you need for any gig.
If Marshall was smart, they would automatically engage the cab sim when the amp detects that headphones/usb/line out are being used, and then automatically disengage the cab sim when they're no longer being used. Thats how it works on the VOX VT40X. Cab sim is applied only when headphone out is used.
Oh, and I have been tweaking my Code 100H and have finally been able to get some good results. The Nosie Gate, Presence, and resonance settings make a major impact on tone on this amp.
You can also place a cigarette-pack size block of wood, (10-cents, or even free from any wood shop) under the front of the amp to project more toward the listener's head and get a better tone as it gives the speaker more air to push around.
100% true. I bought a code 50. Set it up and loved it. Moved it to a different spot and hated the sound. Then realized what caused the difference... and that was it. It's been propped up ever since by a block of wood. But sounds great.
Yeah, my problem with the CODE 50 for myself has been the low end "blown speaker" muffle. I got it brand new just a tiny bit over a month ago, and can't quite figure it out. Maybe it's time to trade it in/return it.
Same issue here, I just cannot get this thing to sound good and it's annoying to fiddle with the presets. I can't get any low end chunkiness out of it.
I've been working with this amp for about 3 years, I've gotten some really good tones out of it, but it's not an easy task at all. Rn the best tone I've gotten with it is with the AMP set to JTM45 with 2.4 gate, classic marshall 100w power amp, cab and everything else turned off, with a boss ds-1 as the distortion
Have they improved this at all? I see they are $199usd now. Worth it or better to spend $80 more and get the Katana EX? The thing I like about this is the Bluetooth. The Katana doesn't offer that.
I've played every digital combo amp known to man, dating back to the original Line 6 Axsys. Any 1x12 that attempts to simulate a 4x12 isn't going to produce anything even remotely accurate or pleasing to the ears. Turn the power amp option off, the cab sim off and just push it through the stock speaker and go from there. Once Ola turned the cab button off, it was as if he had suddenly discovered an entirely different amp.
@@MrPolevaulter it’s not a suitable product for you, as you’re more into edge of breakup, blues style playing and not too much into high gain (you said that in a video of yours) Another thing: CODE series is at fault for introducing amps higher than 50W Marshall shouldn’t have done that in the first place, they should have focused on 10-15W models for bedroom beginner guitar players. This product is suitable only for them. But for their needs, it’s pretty good. Most of us will never play open air stages anyway…. Also the line out to a dedicated full size cab is very useful IN CASE you wanna use it live. It’s not soooooooo bad, just people who are used to full stacks and all tubes won’t ever like it. It’s for a different market
@@adityabali1939 I have the Code 50 combo amp. You need to understand that a Line out controls other power amps and does not and can not power speaker cabs. Howerever, my Code 100 212 Combo amp besides having a Line out also has an 8 ohm speaker out jack, which can be used to power speaker cabs. I use it to power my Marshall Full Stack 412A (16 ohms) and 412B (16 ohms) for a total impedance load of 8 ohms. A perfect match! -Peter
In Brazil it's the better beginner-intermediate option, since it can be bought for R$ 2.000,00 ($364) while the Katana costs around R$ 3.200,00 ($583).
Hello! Amazing playing! Well, aren't all "modelling" amps a very beginner-oriented "toy like" concept to start with? The idea is to let us beginners with not too much money or space available to kind of play around with famous or vintage sounds we had no other way of getting. But today there's a large number of plugins- and just like these things, some are nice some are really bad and some really shine. A quick question- do you think that changing the speaker in that could "save" it somehow? Thanks!
I’m watching this in 2021, and I have to say: this is by far the most clarifying review I’ve seen about this amps series - and probably saved me from swap my little valve amp for the stack version of this (code100h plus 2x12 matching cab). That goes to show how timeless this reviews can be. And just to drop my 2 cents on why there’s so many people hooked by this amp, I guess the general experience they had prior to get one of this is a huge fatctor on anyone’s decision. If all you had was a five inch speaker practice amp, if you learn to play the guitar with headphones, a soundbar or your computer audio monitors, a big speaker is a big speaker. It will give you goosebumps like none of the former would. But you still hearing whatever technology behind of it is offering - which to my mind is shockingly reassembly of the dirt sounds in a old zoom multi fx: you can tweak as much as you like, but you’ll aways be “quite there”. The sound you expect to hear, that that will make you stand on a band soundcheck, the one you can perfectly adjust p, control and even change with just your guitar knobs, that will come from a good amp. And before you spend some time with one, I’d suggest you hold your fire.
LMAO I own this exact amp and its a FANTASTIC amp. Tons of features, sounds great and all for under $300 bucks. You literally cant go wrong with this amp.
@@PhilipSalisbury Go on the Marshall website, they have tons of info, an app for it with presets other owners made that you can download and put on your amp. Also, you dont need to use the presets, you can adjust everything manually like with any other amp.
I've had the code 100 head and cab for a while. Through frustration with it, I haven't been using it. Now I'm trying again hoping to find help with this thing. Thanks
Final verdict: you shouldn't used only plexi and nothing more in it, other pre-amps sounds much better 😀 I don't sell this amp and I don't even make reviews, my videos are honest reviews of this amp 😉
Your videos are great and so are your presets on the Marshall Gateway! Do you mic up your amp or do you use the USB output to record? You don't seem to get the boxy effect Elmo has.
I agree,there are other sounding good pre- amp models that Elmo did not even try!Elmo you are a very good guitar player but your review is just unfair and seems biased.You mentioned in your review about the amp not having a external speaker out,most modeling amps in this price range do not have the external out jack,you can buy a 1/4"TRS Headphone jack for under $5.00 and install in the code,then you can hook it up to your choice of cabinets.
Thanks for the review, this is definitely not the kind of amo I would normally get. I got it in a package deal with an SG. Still looking forward to trying it out and playing around.
I was concerned after I started playing and heard all that bass. But I've read multiple times that you have to spend a lot of time fine tuning this thing to get a tone that you really like, and it seems like you got closer to that in just 20 minutes.
There’s no bad amp...just lousy player. A guy like Edward Van Halen can make a piece of wood and a 10w amp sound amazing. It’s all corporate and by products...live and learn 😶
Is this better than boss katana 50 for metal? Just got the katana, it sounds too mid range for me..like the bass and highs are pretty much non existent in high gain sounds.
@@norbertittermann725 You think and say that 'cause you bought it and you just wanted to see some review just for your pleasure, and when you seen how many people hate this amp you felt compellet to defend it. You and probably all people who say "I get as many sound as I want!! And they're all really nice!!". Don't say this isn't true, 'cause it's true.
I appreciate you giving your honest opinion. I have a Mustang GT100 and I wish someone would have gave their honest opinion during the review I watched before buying it because I'm not thrilled with it at all. I nearly bought this amp the other day but didn't pull the trigger, glad I didn't now.
I appreciate your honest review of this amp. Although tone can be vry subjective, the line between sounding crappy and good usually doesn't fall too far apart. The low cost certainly comes into play, but the marshall name does also. I would expect a little more from them even in their bottom end amps. I was considering looking at a used COD50 recently and i think youve saved me from wasting my time. Sometimes i believe its worth saving another couple hundred bucks to step up to the next tier of amps. Most of the time we get what we pay for. Its refreshing to hear somebody with the balls to say exactly what he feels about reviewed amp. Thanks Elmo.
I own this amp and the cab sim is horrible and it takes major tweaking on every setting to get this to sound as it should. I almost took mine back but after I adjusted the noise gate and dove into the major setting on ALL levels of FX it sounded amazing for a 1x12 modeling amp! Don’t try and change the speaker! It’s a proprietary speaker specifically engineered for this amp!
CODE 100 has a speaker out and an effects loop. Its actually a good amp, the modeled sound is very nice, and it also has the attack of an analogue amp, ie, it chugs. I never use my Peaavey VK212, or any of my pedals, though I might put the wah and octavier on the effects loop, they are quite useful. All other effects, chorous, distortion, delay, are built in to the amp, and you can set up a load of maps they way you want, then switch between them at play time. Its a good system, and loud enough to play in your average pub no problems.
I recently purchased a Marshall Code 100 amp head. I have a question about the pre-amp options as I don't understand why there is a selection for AMP (pre amp) AND power amp. When I choose an amp model doesn't that amp already have a pre-amp AND power amp within it? For instance if I choose a Marshall JTM45 amp doesn't that already have a power amp with 5881 tubes/valves inside it? Why would I need or want to also add another power amp to the amp? And what happens if I don't select (turn off) the power amp? Does that mean I'm running the amp model without a power amp section?
@@MrPolevaulter I get that but why I would they separate them or make it optional to have them turned off? For instance if I want a JTM45 sound/tone then I want the pre-amp and power amp that comes with the JTM45. By the way, I enjoy your channel and reviews.
@@MrPolevaulter Lol, well they were/are trying to market to those of us who like line6, fender mustangs, etc. It's a cool idea but they tried putting too much into it maybe. As I said I'm getting better sounds every time I tweak it a bit more. It doesn't help that I keep comparing it to my Engle Rock Master 20 head which puts out such a warm, throaty tone you can "feel".
This amp is really awesome. But the amp sim and power sim has to be turned off unless you are using headphones or record through usb (which makes sense when you think about t). I had the same problem as everyone with this amp until I found this info after 7 hours of pure frustration.
I can't decide between this one, the MG50GFX and the Boss Katana 50... Any suggestions? The Katana seems to be the best choice by now for me (I'm playing classic rock on a Squier Strat most of the time, and I'm using a few pedals frequently)
From what I've seen the marshall code 50 has the worst reviews. Boss kitana has the best reviews and I haven't hear about the other amp but boss kitana 50 is the best amp you can get
Very honest review and I guess that's what these reviews should all be about. Opinions may vary from the person to person, but their honest opinion is what matters. Ah, I should add I don't like any reviews (no matter what the product) where they have links to where you can buy the item. That's a Red Flag for me personally. Be well. Philip NYC Area
@@StratsRUs I ended up sending it back to Sweetwater and going with the new Yamaha. There is a 3rd party Wireless foot pedal that works perfect with it and has 5 pedals I can use as effects, channels or banks.
I had few modeling amps, same problem with plastic and boxy sound but if you bravely open last side of box and modeling wood part by your self like on some Fender and Vox amp sound will be less boxy...just put out back wood plate and amp will be more response...
You tried the no cab option with the neck pickup and the Bassier strings of the guitar, that always sounds muddy, on most guitar with most amps,, try that on other amps. in your arsenal I went through hell to figure that out.
I have a hard time with this amp. There's so much bass, and I can't seem to dial it away. Basically I found a great preset for a chunky metal rhythm tone, but not much else. And I can't seem to stack pedals in front in any way that makes it better. On the plus side, it's light, and decent enough for a practice amp I guess.
I’ll keep my Marshall one watt JVM. Made in England they were a 50th anniversary limited edition. Great sound and unbelievably loud plugged into a 1x12 cab. I actually like the 8 inch speaker for home use it’s kinda like a champ at low gain with mids cut
This amp isnt 100% bad Presets are just garbage....like SUPER garbage No cab sim as well as turning "RES" in the POWER settings to 1.2 takes away the warbling bass without making it weak sounding. Might change the speaker though, any recommendations?
Rather than changing the speaker in the Marshall Code 50 combo amp, it's wiser to just install an 8 ohm speaker out jack that disables the internal speaker when you connect an external speaker of the appropriate imedience. The Code 100 212 combo amp. already had an 8 ohm speaker jack (which also disconnects the internal speakers when using an external speaker). I use a Marshall Full Stack of 412A (16 ohms) and a 412B cab (also 16 ohms) for a Total impedance load of 8 ohms. Perfect! - Peter age 72
Haha :D Sorry about that. Personally I rather liked the Fender Mustang LT25, the Boss Katana, or my favourite, the Roland Cube series. You can get those probably very cheap second hand.
This is not bad, cheap, shit or something else speaker. This speaker was made for built-in cab simulation that emulates frequency range of 8 different speakers.
Denis your right,i also have the code 50 and after i tweaked it i am getting good tones from it,i would also break in the speaker for a month or longer to loosen it up and then you will hear better tones from it.Why don't you nay sayers listen to Denis Moysienko's demo videos of the code 50 and then tell me it still sounds bad!I already mentioned in a previous post about how to get better tones by using a tube screamer type overdrive to filter out the low end bass on some amp models and also improve the overall tone of this amp!
Brilliant review I love this amp personally small fun portable price point is fantastic the cab setting is junk in my opinion also. Thanks for your review on this product! Very enjoyable to see something I love using to be reviewed.
I am gigging with this amp, direct to PA, and it sounds great. I have the 100 watt head, I don't use a cab with it. I use the effects send as a direct out into a DI box. I think the biggest weakness with these amplifiers is the speakers that Marshall puts in them. They are a generic grade guitar speaker. Since these amplifiers have built-in cabinet simulation, they need a flat response speaker, like a Celestion X-200.
I have been giging for most of my adult life with ..you name it amps..and I thank Marshall for the code 50 , it gives me the sound i need for any situation with convincing results without breaking my back ...from jazz to metal and anything in between ..the rest of my amps sit at home .or I have sold them..use an sm57 to mic it ...love this amp..people don’t give a shit what amp I’m using as long as my fingers deliver...my two cents
Sounds fine for my ears - probably would do the few tones I would use it for, and probably well worth the $250 price. (Some high-end effects pedals cost that much.) I have a DSL100H but will get a Code 100H soon for band practice. I just can't turn the DSL up enough to get to the sweet spot without damaging our ears in a small practice room. A Marshall Code might make good sense for this application.
Hi Elmo thank you for the review video. I have a Marshal Code 50 and lifting it onto a floor stand improves the sound so much. As it’s a closed cabinet the sound is of a typical Marshal amp. It’s worth while taking some time to adjust the various levels and I am one happy bunny with this amp.
It does make a difference, music today is concentrated on the low end ,,it’s like a subwoofer on the floor ha ha even with the bass backed off all the way it deeper than any open back combo except maybe my old Randell man that was an metal amp perfect tone.
Hello)) Please compare Marshall Code 50 and Boss Catan 50. It is very interesting to know your opinion. It is very interesting to hear how they sound in comparison.
Ive has this amp as well for 3 years for the money you cant get much better ive played live with it no problem but i did take the factory speaker out and installed a eminence texas heat speaker and it handles the bass issue very well....on a side note mine just stopped producing sound just out of the blue has anyone had this issue and if so how did you resolve it pls any imfo would be much appreciated
IMO you need a Les Paul (preferrably), or similarly equipped dbl humbucker or H/S/S to flesh out these amp reviews, I'm guessing that less than 50% of the viewers are playing a 3 vintage-sounding single coil p/u's...even the best Strat is going to have issues with a solid state Marshall modeling amp. My tinnitus flares up due to the unfriendly frequencies of an American Deluxe and a 50-watt solid state Marshall. I love your reviews btw.
I have some experience with it, as soon as I got it I replaced the speaker with a Celestion Vintage 30 I had laying around, being rated at 16 Ohms it was just an experiment and I didn´t crank it or anything but I liked it better than the stock speaker, so I got a Veteran 30 from WGS for a direct swap (the amps output is optimized for 4 Ohms so that´s what I got), at low volumes it gets the job done (it´s a practice amp) if I turn the speaker sim OFF. Thing is I´ve been having more fun connecting an old Tonelab Desktop thru the effects loop of a Peavey Windsor Studio to fart around the house, so I´m selling mine and maybe I´ll swap the Vet30 into it.
Check out more of my amp reviews here: th-cam.com/play/PLNaLwTdlpQNHNo5bubVjV1OW04gkqU8rM.html
You should try the higher channels, i prefer 99 (soulful lead) just adjust the treble. the thing is, it probably sounds different bc of my cheap-ass ltd m-400
@@isaakjones3542 I sold the thing ages ago.
All use the Code in a wrong way..The Power Amp is ok,only the Preamp ist crab..connect a Boss GT-100 or a different Preamp with its Return and all will be ok!
Guitar amp reviews be like, "Every amp sucks."
Yes, that's exactly what I've said in every amp review I've ever made.
Amps are more of a preference thing really. Whether an amp sucks or not depends on the player.
@@MrPolevaulter seems to be! what do expect for an amp that $430 aus dollars, what do you expect studio quality ffs
@@dalebennett5799 Yes. I expect it to THAT good. Because I'm really stupid.
After spending years on TH-cam, the following amps are no good: Fender, Peavey, Mesa, Marshall, Vox, Laney, Fuchs, BlackStar, Buddha, Bogner, HiWatt, Hughes & Kettner, Roland, Ampeg, Dr. Z, Dumble, Traynor, Orange, Yamaha, Yorkville, Johnson, Tone King, Matchless, Two Rock, Magnatone, Valco, Supro, Sunn, Carvin, Randall, EVT, Egnater, Diezel, Kustom, 65Amps, Gibson, Roland, Boss, Bad Cat, Friedman, Morgan, Carr, Guytron, Soldano, Splawn, and the amp the dude down the street made on his workbench..... sigh...
Except this amp is not 'no good', it's excrement. Trust me, I've owned one
Want a good cheap marshall? Get a DSL5CR. Have that now and it is brilliant
I picked one up used it’s a code 100 2x12 I love this thing I think it sounds great
I think the problem with a lot of people that get offended is because they made a purchase then go to see reviews after the fact and want validation that they made a good purchase. When they do not get it, they get offended. My opinion is to each their own, & I appreciate your personal honesty. We all have our personal tonal likes, not everyone is going to agree. If we all did, music would be boring and non-diverse
Nothing beats a good old-fashioned tube amp.
People want to take shortcuts and buy these modeling crapheaps, instead of a nice tube amp from a lesser-known manufacturer. Dunno why.
It's due to funds usually. For example the Code 100 combo comes in at around £329 GB. How much would it cost for an equivalent 100 watt tube amp? Possibly double that. Having said that I love my Code 100 combo, I also love my Blackcstar HT Stage 100 and my H||H IC100S. Yes, I have a 1970's H||H transistor amp. I was gigging with that back in the 80's when Phil Campbell (ex Motorhead) asked me how I got my sound. So it ain't just about tube amps.
Spot on.
So true..that's why I bought the Boss Katana head..the reviews were quite good
@@SuzanneKowalski Like you, for my taste I love older style amps. For the people that can't afford them, there are so many nice options now that don't cost much more. Also, online sites like reverb have madd\e finding deals so much better that people don't have to settle. I feel a lot of people buy the latest because it's "in style" where if you just hunker down for a minute and save for a bit, you can get something you can grow with. Plus with a smaller wattage tube amp you can get those tones. If you look around right now there are so many good options in amps, guitars, & effects. We really are in another resurgence of great gear like the 60s. So many tonal options and educational videos now on different platforms that manufacturers are pushing the creative line further because videos like this call them out and sales will reflect it. In the past all we had were magazines, which usually said everything was good LOL
I love this amp! High-tech and provides good sounds. I recommend.
It's a brilliant amp. I love it. I somehow agree that you need to tweak it quite a bit, but that's the purpose of the amp in the first place, to offer all kinds of possibilities for users so they can mod it at will. You'll love it after you understand it.
Problem is, 75% of players don't know how to tune an amp to their environment and setup/playing style and wonder why they can never get a good sound from their amp.
Appreciate your honest reviews, your cracking sense of humour and your breathtaking playing. Keep up the great work.
Cheers Kevin!
For me is a good amp, much better than Fender mustang1, 2 and 3.
I find that Fender excels at Blues/Country/Jazz tones.
For everything else, you can't go wrong with a Marshall, the company that put legendary Rock guitarists on the map.
I just brought my lt25 mustang back to guitar center and got one of these used instead for the same price, its 10x better
My son gigs his Code 100 and loves the simplicity of using the optional footswitch to go straight to his presets. Just plug it in and it's all there. Quiet enough to practice in the bedroom, more than loud enough for the club he recently played. I would love a JCM800, Mesa or 5150... but for the majority of playing (practising at home at low volume), the Code kills them.
Yeah well, unless the club houses 3000 people, 100 watts are overkill. A tube amp in the bedroom, should have no more than 5 watts, or you'll end up with terrible low volume but way too high volume for great sound.
@@MundMoriginal This isn't a tube amp.
@@MundMoriginalno tube amps there, cowboy!
@@MundMoriginal I've never heard a guitarist ever dime a 100-watt amp no matter how big the venue. Everything in a live show goes through a powered mixer anyway, so 100-watts is only for bragging rights, nothing more. 50-watts is all you need for any gig.
@@PaulChoate-s4v Tubes/noobs, what does it matter? You can tuna fish, but can you tune an amp?
I appreciate your honest reviews 👍🏻
If Marshall was smart, they would automatically engage the cab sim when the amp detects that headphones/usb/line out are being used, and then automatically disengage the cab sim when they're no longer being used.
Thats how it works on the VOX VT40X. Cab sim is applied only when headphone out is used.
Appreciate the honesty 🤞🏻
Would you like to do to it what Glenn of SpectreSoundStudios did at the end of his review of the Marshall Code 25?
Nah. It wasn't that bad :D
Oh, and I have been tweaking my Code 100H and have finally been able to get some good results. The Nosie Gate, Presence, and resonance settings make a major impact on tone on this amp.
If you place the code 50 on a stand an inch or two off the ground a lot of the boxiness goes away and sounds better.
I did it and it takes a few sessions before the chip picks up on gain
You can also place a cigarette-pack size block of wood, (10-cents, or even free from any wood shop) under the front of the amp to project more toward the listener's head and get a better tone as it gives the speaker more air to push around.
100% true. I bought a code 50. Set it up and loved it. Moved it to a different spot and hated the sound. Then realized what caused the difference... and that was it. It's been propped up ever since by a block of wood. But sounds great.
Yeah, my problem with the CODE 50 for myself has been the low end "blown speaker" muffle. I got it brand new just a tiny bit over a month ago, and can't quite figure it out. Maybe it's time to trade it in/return it.
Same issue here, I just cannot get this thing to sound good and it's annoying to fiddle with the presets. I can't get any low end chunkiness out of it.
I've been working with this amp for about 3 years, I've gotten some really good tones out of it, but it's not an easy task at all. Rn the best tone I've gotten with it is with the AMP set to JTM45 with 2.4 gate, classic marshall 100w power amp, cab and everything else turned off, with a boss ds-1 as the distortion
An actual boss ds-1? Or is it that a preset?
@@doughreaper No, there is no Boss effects, but it does have Marshall effects ala guv'nor and dist.
Have they improved this at all? I see they are $199usd now. Worth it or better to spend $80 more and get the Katana EX? The thing I like about this is the Bluetooth. The Katana doesn't offer that.
Nice demonstration.
My favorite tones:
Stones “”Get Yer Ya Ya’s Out”
Johnny Winter And “Live”
Neil Young “Ragged Glory”
Johnny Thunders “LAMF”
Should have just used a les paul :)
I just got this amp and love it. Pedals into the input work incredible and really balls up the tone. My Line 6 doesn't sound great with pedals.
Cool :)
From what you were playing, I think it sounded pretty good.
For real. He must be picky asf
Dude your fingers got magic mate. I'm going to try learning the techniques you used. Sounds effortlessly done
Thanks!
I've played every digital combo amp known to man, dating back to the original Line 6 Axsys. Any 1x12 that attempts to simulate a 4x12 isn't going to produce anything even remotely accurate or pleasing to the ears. Turn the power amp option off, the cab sim off and just push it through the stock speaker and go from there. Once Ola turned the cab button off, it was as if he had suddenly discovered an entirely different amp.
I did that too. It just sucked in a different way.
@@MrPolevaulter it’s not a suitable product for you, as you’re more into edge of breakup, blues style playing and not too much into high gain (you said that in a video of yours)
Another thing: CODE series is at fault for introducing amps higher than 50W Marshall shouldn’t have done that in the first place, they should have focused on 10-15W models for bedroom beginner guitar players. This product is suitable only for them.
But for their needs, it’s pretty good. Most of us will never play open air stages anyway…. Also the line out to a dedicated full size cab is very useful IN CASE you wanna use it live. It’s not soooooooo bad, just people who are used to full stacks and all tubes won’t ever like it. It’s for a different market
@@adityabali1939 I have the Code 50 combo amp. You need to understand that a Line out controls other power amps and does not and can not power speaker cabs. Howerever, my Code 100 212 Combo amp besides having a Line out also has an 8 ohm speaker out jack, which can be used to power speaker cabs. I use it to power my Marshall Full Stack 412A (16 ohms) and 412B (16 ohms) for a total impedance load of 8 ohms. A perfect match! -Peter
In Brazil it's the better beginner-intermediate option, since it can be bought for R$ 2.000,00 ($364) while the Katana costs around R$ 3.200,00 ($583).
Fair enough.
Hello! Amazing playing! Well, aren't all "modelling" amps a very beginner-oriented "toy like" concept to start with? The idea is to let us beginners with not too much money or space available to kind of play around with famous or vintage sounds we had no other way of getting. But today there's a large number of plugins- and just like these things, some are nice some are really bad and some really shine.
A quick question- do you think that changing the speaker in that could "save" it somehow?
Thanks!
Elmo, Fender Mustang LT25 vs Marshall Code 25, what would you prefer? 😅🙏🏻
Fender.
@@MrPolevaulter finally, i buy secondhand Cube 40GX...😅🙏🏻, btw thanks mr. Elmo
I have one. I love it.
I found this very helpful, Thank You!
I’m watching this in 2021, and I have to say: this is by far the most clarifying review I’ve seen about this amps series - and probably saved me from swap my little valve amp for the stack version of this (code100h plus 2x12 matching cab). That goes to show how timeless this reviews can be. And just to drop my 2 cents on why there’s so many people hooked by this amp, I guess the general experience they had prior to get one of this is a huge fatctor on anyone’s decision. If all you had was a five inch speaker practice amp, if you learn to play the guitar with headphones, a soundbar or your computer audio monitors, a big speaker is a big speaker. It will give you goosebumps like none of the former would. But you still hearing whatever technology behind of it is offering - which to my mind is shockingly reassembly of the dirt sounds in a old zoom multi fx: you can tweak as much as you like, but you’ll aways be “quite there”. The sound you expect to hear, that that will make you stand on a band soundcheck, the one you can perfectly adjust p, control and even change with just your guitar knobs, that will come from a good amp. And before you spend some time with one, I’d suggest you hold your fire.
Cheers!
@@MrPolevaulter anytime mate, congrats on the video. Thank YOU!
LMAO I own this exact amp and its a FANTASTIC amp. Tons of features, sounds great and all for under $300 bucks. You literally cant go wrong with this amp.
Cool it works for you.
I cant get any good heavy tones. I know nothing about making presets either so its a pin for me.
@@PhilipSalisbury Go on the Marshall website, they have tons of info, an app for it with presets other owners made that you can download and put on your amp. Also, you dont need to use the presets, you can adjust everything manually like with any other amp.
At this price point do you like the Marshall Code 50 better than the fender LT 50 or GTX 50
Nope.
How do you put distortion on it?
I’ve tried many times and can’t get anything.
Just go through the presets.
@@MrPolevaulter Thank you for the answer, but I have already tried that, and even in classic metal, it continues to be with no distortion.
Palm mute
Ho hum. another "reviewer who seems more interested in showing how well he shreds, instead of giving info about the amp.
Not at all. That's just how i try gear.
Lol well i wouldn't want to hear a review with someone who couldn't play.
Best video I've seen on this amp by far....
What's the best Marshall to get ?
I've had the code 100 head and cab for a while. Through frustration with it, I haven't been using it. Now I'm trying again hoping to find help with this thing. Thanks
Here are my settings > Marshall Code50 (35 JVM Clean)
Gain -10
Bass -4-5 ish
Mids- 5
Treble -7
Volume - 10
Master 2-3
Final verdict: you shouldn't used only plexi and nothing more in it, other pre-amps sounds much better 😀 I don't sell this amp and I don't even make reviews, my videos are honest reviews of this amp 😉
Your videos are great and so are your presets on the Marshall Gateway! Do you mic up your amp or do you use the USB output to record? You don't seem to get the boxy effect Elmo has.
@@MarcPoppleton I record via USB. I own my code 2 years and I already know how to make it sound good.
As do I, I love my Code 100 combo.
They might, but on the other hand I like a Plexi :D
I agree,there are other sounding good pre- amp models that Elmo did not even try!Elmo you are a very good guitar player but your review is just unfair and seems biased.You mentioned in your review about the amp not having a external speaker out,most modeling amps in this price range do not have the external out jack,you can buy a 1/4"TRS Headphone jack for under $5.00 and install in the code,then you can hook it up to your choice of cabinets.
I have one and I'm totally satisfied I paid 250 bucs for it ,It seems u have a problem with it. Well then, what's better for the same price??
Fender Mustang LT25, Vox Cambridge 50, Boss Katana 50, Roland Cube (whichever model), all cheaper or the same price. I probably forgot one or two.
Thanks for the review, this is definitely not the kind of amo I would normally get. I got it in a package deal with an SG. Still looking forward to trying it out and playing around.
No, not a highly sought after pro like you…never!
You connect your phone to it and use the app? You can alter a bit more things on it to make it sound better
Tone is a matter of preference, and i prefer something else. Just stumbled across your channel and liking it. Keep up the great work your doing.
Thanks!
Sir.. I know this post is a little old..but can I have the values of the preset you last used. ??
I don't remember.
@@MrPolevaulter I think I figured it out. Took some digging but I think I got it.
Gets really into it:
“Yeah it sucks”
I was concerned after I started playing and heard all that bass. But I've read multiple times that you have to spend a lot of time fine tuning this thing to get a tone that you really like, and it seems like you got closer to that in just 20 minutes.
There’s no bad amp...just lousy player. A guy like Edward Van Halen can make a piece of wood and a 10w amp sound amazing. It’s all corporate and by products...live and learn 😶
Now that is a great point!
Yes, but you can buy a better product with that money
For this price point, is there another amp out there with blutooth youd recommend?
Katana air
I don't use bluetooth, so I'm not sure.
Is this better than boss katana 50 for metal? Just got the katana, it sounds too mid range for me..like the bass and highs are pretty much non existent in high gain sounds.
I'm the wrong guy to be asking. I though this amp really sucked.
Do you think its worth getting it for 140 bucks?
How would a pair of them work with the stereo outs of another processor/amp sim?
Came because of the amp,
Stayed because of the AMAZING PLAYING.
Thank you very much :)
I GET ALL THE SOUNDS I WANT !!
Badly.
@@tomahawk4131 No very good
@@norbertittermann725 From this amp you get as much sound as you want, but it sound really bad.
@@tomahawk4131 like i said before i get good sounds
@@norbertittermann725 You think and say that 'cause you bought it and you just wanted to see some review just for your pleasure, and when you seen how many people hate this amp you felt compellet to defend it. You and probably all people who say "I get as many sound as I want!! And they're all really nice!!".
Don't say this isn't true, 'cause it's true.
I appreciate you giving your honest opinion. I have a Mustang GT100 and I wish someone would have gave their honest opinion during the review I watched before buying it because I'm not thrilled with it at all. I nearly bought this amp the other day but didn't pull the trigger, glad I didn't now.
I appreciate your honest review of this amp. Although tone can be vry subjective, the line between sounding crappy and good usually doesn't fall too far apart. The low cost certainly comes into play, but the marshall name does also. I would expect a little more from them even in their bottom end amps. I was considering looking at a used COD50 recently and i think youve saved me from wasting my time. Sometimes i believe its worth saving another couple hundred bucks to step up to the next tier of amps. Most of the time we get what we pay for. Its refreshing to hear somebody with the balls to say exactly what he feels about reviewed amp. Thanks Elmo.
What an awesome player
I own this amp and the cab sim is horrible and it takes major tweaking on every setting to get this to sound as it should. I almost took mine back but after I adjusted the noise gate and dove into the major setting on ALL levels of FX it sounded amazing for a 1x12 modeling amp! Don’t try and change the speaker! It’s a proprietary speaker specifically engineered for this amp!
I didn't. I just sold it.
Hey man, thanks for the video. Which other in the same price range do you recommend?
Katana or a second hand Roland Cube. Or maybe the Harley Benton Tube15 (I think it's called Stage Right in the US).
CODE 100 has a speaker out and an effects loop. Its actually a good amp, the modeled sound is very nice, and it also has the attack of an analogue amp, ie, it chugs. I never use my Peaavey VK212, or any of my pedals, though I might put the wah and octavier on the effects loop, they are quite useful. All other effects, chorous, distortion, delay, are built in to the amp, and you can set up a load of maps they way you want, then switch between them at play time. Its a good system, and loud enough to play in your average pub no problems.
I recently purchased a Marshall Code 100 amp head. I have a question about the pre-amp options as I don't understand why there is a selection for AMP (pre amp) AND power amp.
When I choose an amp model doesn't that amp already have a pre-amp AND power amp within it? For instance if I choose a Marshall JTM45 amp doesn't that already have a power amp with 5881 tubes/valves inside it? Why would I need or want to also add another power amp to the amp? And what happens if I don't select (turn off) the power amp? Does that mean I'm running the amp model without a power amp section?
One's just pre, the other just power.
@@MrPolevaulter I get that but why I would they separate them or make it optional to have them turned off? For instance if I want a JTM45 sound/tone then I want the pre-amp and power amp that comes with the JTM45. By the way, I enjoy your channel and reviews.
@@PaulChoate-s4v I don't know why they'd do that. I don't actually knos why they made the whole amp 🤣
@@MrPolevaulter Lol, well they were/are trying to market to those of us who like line6, fender mustangs, etc. It's a cool idea but they tried putting too much into it maybe. As I said I'm getting better sounds every time I tweak it a bit more. It doesn't help that I keep comparing it to my Engle Rock Master 20 head which puts out such a warm, throaty tone you can "feel".
I’m buying the Marshall code 50 is it any good your opinion please it’s between loney head and cab amp your that one thank you for your help
TL;DR opinion about this: 6:02 - 6:08 .
26:56 D'oh!
Haha :D
This amp is really awesome. But the amp sim and power sim has to be turned off unless you are using headphones or record through usb (which makes sense when you think about t).
I had the same problem as everyone with this amp until I found this info after 7 hours of pure frustration.
Where is this setting :'power sym'
I noticed on mine that boxy sound. I use it clean with an effects processor on the floor
I can't decide between this one, the MG50GFX and the Boss Katana 50... Any suggestions? The Katana seems to be the best choice by now for me (I'm playing classic rock on a Squier Strat most of the time, and I'm using a few pedals frequently)
From what I've seen the marshall code 50 has the worst reviews. Boss kitana has the best reviews and I haven't hear about the other amp but boss kitana 50 is the best amp you can get
Can't say as I haven't tried an MG. Sorry.
If you got $400.00 for the MG50 then get a Katana 100 MKII for $360.00, later on get another Kat100 and hook the them up in "Stereo Link" mode!
Very honest review and I guess that's what these reviews should all be about. Opinions may vary from the person to person, but their honest opinion is what matters.
Ah, I should add I don't like any reviews (no matter what the product) where they have links to where you can buy the item. That's a Red Flag for me personally. Be well.
Philip
NYC Area
I love this amp. I think you must have ear problems from club days
Probably does 😂
I actually do like it. It's a nice little practice amp, I have it sitting right next to my JVM410 and 1960A
It is great with the updates.Editing is key.
@@StratsRUs I ended up sending it back to Sweetwater and going with the new Yamaha. There is a 3rd party Wireless foot pedal that works perfect with it and has 5 pedals I can use as effects, channels or banks.
What do you think about the Orange Crush 35RT?
I haven't tried it.
@@MrPolevaulter tried that orange crush 35rt yet?
I had few modeling amps, same problem with plastic and boxy sound but if you bravely open last side of box and modeling wood part by your self like on some Fender and Vox amp sound will be less boxy...just put out back wood plate and amp will be more response...
Does it sound better in person than the recording ??
About as bad.
You tried the no cab option with the neck pickup and the Bassier strings of the guitar, that always sounds muddy, on most guitar with most amps,, try that on other amps. in your arsenal I went through hell to figure that out.
What fender amp are you using
Sorry? Fender? Not sure I understand.
I misunderstood it was the fender overdrive pedal.
Is the fender gt40 better than the code 50
Pls can you give me your opighon cause need to buy one of them
Not sure, as I haven't tried the GT40. I did like the LT25 though.
Is this better than line 6 spider
Haven't tried the Spider.
I have a hard time with this amp. There's so much bass, and I can't seem to dial it away. Basically I found a great preset for a chunky metal rhythm tone, but not much else. And I can't seem to stack pedals in front in any way that makes it better. On the plus side, it's light, and decent enough for a practice amp I guess.
I believe the main reason you're getting that weird tone is because you're using single coils in an amp designed for humbuckers?
I’ll keep my Marshall one watt JVM. Made in England they were a 50th anniversary limited edition. Great sound and unbelievably loud plugged into a 1x12 cab. I actually like the 8 inch speaker for home use it’s kinda like a champ at low gain with mids cut
What do u expect out of 299.99 amp? It’s no jcm 800
Does he have the cab simulation turned on?
Guitar snobs seeing anything non-analog: No.
This amp isnt 100% bad
Presets are just garbage....like SUPER garbage
No cab sim as well as turning "RES" in the POWER settings to 1.2 takes away the warbling bass without making it weak sounding.
Might change the speaker though, any recommendations?
The guy has a pedal going through it. What's the point??
Rather than changing the speaker in the Marshall Code 50 combo amp, it's wiser to just install an 8 ohm speaker out jack that disables the internal speaker when you connect an external speaker of the appropriate imedience. The Code 100 212 combo amp. already had an 8 ohm speaker jack (which also disconnects the internal speakers when using an external speaker). I use a Marshall Full Stack of 412A (16 ohms) and a 412B cab (also 16 ohms) for a Total impedance load of 8 ohms. Perfect! - Peter age 72
Elmo, just tell me. What amp I have to buy now since you've ruined my purchase lol. For about $300 or less
Haha :D Sorry about that. Personally I rather liked the Fender Mustang LT25, the Boss Katana, or my favourite, the Roland Cube series. You can get those probably very cheap second hand.
one thing I do not understand. Why put bad speaker in?
This is not bad, cheap, shit or something else speaker. This speaker was made for built-in cab simulation that emulates frequency range of 8 different speakers.
ok, i see what it is. thanks
It keeps down costs, but it makes a bad combo.
Denis your right,i also have the code 50 and after i tweaked it i am getting good tones from it,i would also break in the speaker for a month or longer to loosen it up and then you will hear better tones from it.Why don't you nay sayers listen to Denis Moysienko's demo videos of the code 50 and then tell me it still sounds bad!I already mentioned in a previous post about how to get better tones by using a tube screamer type overdrive to filter out the low end bass on some amp models and also improve the overall tone of this amp!
I got the 100w head only rather than the combo.i absolutely love it.
Brilliant review I love this amp personally small fun portable price point is fantastic the cab setting is junk in my opinion also. Thanks for your review on this product! Very enjoyable to see something I love using to be reviewed.
Play it brother! I enjoy your picking!
Thanks!
Honestly this is the *BEST* amp review I have ever seen 👍👌✅☑️✔️‼️ Hitting your notifications '🔔' ! ! !
*Like* *#489*
Thanks man :)
@@MrPolevaulter welcome as always bro👌!
I am gigging with this amp, direct to PA, and it sounds great. I have the 100 watt head, I don't use a cab with it. I use the effects send as a direct out into a DI box. I think the biggest weakness with these amplifiers is the speakers that Marshall puts in them. They are a generic grade guitar speaker. Since these amplifiers have built-in cabinet simulation, they need a flat response speaker, like a Celestion X-200.
Can the code 100 head be used with out a cab and not blow up then? Looking for silent recording with no cab
I’ve played a couple they sound pretty solid
I have been giging for most of my adult life with ..you name it amps..and I thank Marshall for the code 50 , it gives me the sound i need for any situation with convincing results without breaking my back ...from jazz to metal and anything in between ..the rest of my amps sit at home .or I have sold them..use an sm57 to mic it ...love this amp..people don’t give a shit what amp I’m using as long as my fingers deliver...my two cents
Sounds fine for my ears - probably would do the few tones I would use it for, and probably well worth the $250 price. (Some high-end effects pedals cost that much.) I have a DSL100H but will get a Code 100H soon for band practice. I just can't turn the DSL up enough to get to the sweet spot without damaging our ears in a small practice room. A Marshall Code might make good sense for this application.
Hi Elmo thank you for the review video. I have a Marshal Code 50 and lifting it onto a floor
stand improves the sound so much. As it’s a closed cabinet the sound is of a typical Marshal
amp. It’s worth while taking some time to adjust the various levels and I am one happy bunny
with this amp.
It does make a difference, music today is concentrated on the low end ,,it’s like a subwoofer on the floor ha ha even with the bass backed off all the way it deeper than any open back combo except maybe my old Randell man that was an metal amp perfect tone.
Hello))
Please compare Marshall Code 50 and Boss Catan 50.
It is very interesting to know your opinion. It is very interesting to hear how they sound in comparison.
на ютубе есть несколько сравнений катаны с кодом
Ive has this amp as well for 3 years for the money you cant get much better ive played live with it no problem but i did take the factory speaker out and installed a eminence texas heat speaker and it handles the bass issue very well....on a side note mine just stopped producing sound just out of the blue has anyone had this issue and if so how did you resolve it pls any imfo would be much appreciated
Replacing the speaker will help, definitely.
Just picked it up today, so far it's great coming from a fender mustang lt25.
Fair enough :)
Never had any issue with mine.
IMO you need a Les Paul (preferrably), or similarly equipped dbl humbucker or H/S/S to flesh out these amp reviews, I'm guessing that less than 50% of the viewers are playing a 3 vintage-sounding single coil p/u's...even the best Strat is going to have issues with a solid state Marshall modeling amp. My tinnitus flares up due to the unfriendly frequencies of an American Deluxe and a 50-watt solid state Marshall. I love your reviews btw.
I have some experience with it, as soon as I got it I replaced the speaker with a Celestion Vintage 30 I had laying around, being rated at 16 Ohms it was just an experiment and I didn´t crank it or anything but I liked it better than the stock speaker, so I got a Veteran 30 from WGS for a direct swap (the amps output is optimized for 4 Ohms so that´s what I got), at low volumes it gets the job done (it´s a practice amp) if I turn the speaker sim OFF. Thing is I´ve been having more fun connecting an old Tonelab Desktop thru the effects loop of a Peavey Windsor Studio to fart around the house, so I´m selling mine and maybe I´ll swap the Vet30 into it.
how can you say that marshall code 50 is bad I have that amp and its very good
Oh, if I'd known you have it, I would have said it's good.