1 -You lose gain when you jump channels 2 - Blackmore used a reel to reel tape machine pre-amp to boost his guitar signal. I don't ever recall seeing him jump channels on his Marshall. I can't think of any rock players jumping channels on their Marshalls
In his case,He didn't need to. In addition to using his Akai and Revox tape recorder, he used a modified RangeMaster, specially during Rainbow Era. It's a mod that adds more compression without create lot of drive. This is the secret to achieve his tone without using the 200w behemoth. Other thing is that his plexis are also modified to have extra tube and an extra gain stage, similar to the Orange heads. He used to blow them montly: there is an interview he said such amps were boosted to about 250 or 300W
High power plexis are all about the clean - you dont have to be cranked up to enjoy that side of things. As a fender guy forever I've only realised that the plexi clean is fab
I never play my 72 Major above volume 6, which gives the best clean tone. Then when I engage the fuzz face or big muff, all hell breaks loose. It's the ultimate pedal platform!
What speakers are you playing through? Hendrix had a favorite type of speaker he used, the G12H 55Hrz 30watt speakers. Speakers are a huge part of a tone for the guitar.
@@waltgracevintage8620 Nice, I love the sound of those. The G12H 55hrz 30watt are a type of Greenback, they just have a bass speaker cone I believe, instead of the regular cone the Greenbacks have
I'd rather hear this LP slightly out of tune through a dirty Marshall half stack than like most of other demos through a boring pedal with a cleanish fender combo amp. That's how a LP should be played!
Hey, the amp naturally compresses and sags as it gets pushed into higher volumes and saturation. Sag is a form of compression where the amp momentarily chokes as it gets closer to its peak output. This is a phenomenon difficult to describe in words, but yes you can hear the amp sag a little in this demo. You can definitely tell what it is once you experience it in person.
Hey, you're right. We stand corrected, this is been highly debated but it turns out that what we believed was a Major, was in fact a modified Super Lead with KT88 that he used in the late 70's got in order to get more headroom. Our apologies, we will be removing that portion of the video soon. Thank you.
@@waltgracevintage8620 no worries - exactly, the nature of work done on his supposed ‘69 and exactly when has been hotly debated. Though the end objective (ie louder, higher headroom) through those changes seem to be pretty commonly understood - ironically, objectives that could have been satisfied by a Major too! Lol
@@waltgracevintage8620 there were at least 2 versions of the major, the first having a very narrow front panel, the second issue having more of a "super lead" styling. It appears this is what you have here. The KT88 has higher specs than a 6550 (an american tube) but will only produce what the power supply can provide. Both can be used in any Marshall of the era (including 50W amps) with only a bias change. In other words you will get a somewhat cleaner sound compared to an EL34 but no increase in power output. I have heard that Hendrix used 6550's in his super leads for better clean tones when dialing down the volume control on his strat. Quite possibly Page did the same but Blackmore definitely used the Major with an Aiwa reel to reel tape machine as a preamp booster as the major has much less "natural" distortion than the super leads amps had. Good to see you guys highlighting these old monsters, they really blew the roof off and sounded great doing it lol Cheers!
Hi, here's a few options from our selection that resemble the the tone of the Major: - waltgracevintage.com/collections/all/products/marshall-1974x-18-watt-1x12-tube-combo-amp - waltgracevintage.com/collections/all/products/marshall-sv20h-studio-vintage-20-5-watt-tube-amp-head
I am sure its a great amp, and defiantly sounds powerful & loud: but did it record well here? I didn't think it sounded very good here; playing was great, but sounded as if maybe it needs a pedal in front to tighten up the sound?
Jimmy Page never played 200 watt Marshall majors . He had his stock Superleads modded for 200 watts and KT88s but his main amp was a 68 super bass with 6550 tubes . Page using stock 200 watt majors was debunked long ago . I hate this type of misinfo becaue it causes people to spend stupid money on the wrong gear . Jimmy Pages modded Marshalls are not the same as a 200 watt Marshall Major . Majors have way too much low end for proper Page tone .
This was answered on an older comment so i'll just copy and paste it here: You're right. We stand corrected, this is been highly debated but it turns out that what we believed was a Major, was in fact a modified Super Lead with KT88 that he used in the late 70's got in order to get more headroom. Our apologies, we will be removing that portion of the video soon. Thank you.
Yes he did! According to a special edition of Guitar Player magazine from 1975, Eric Barret (Hendrix's equipment manager from 1967 to 1970), stated that right after the end of Hendrix's contract with SUNN he went back to Marshalls, first using a pair of Super Lead full stacks that were shorty after replaced by a pair of Majors. He didn't play Majors frequently but certainly used them towards the end of his career.
@@waltgracevintage8620 Interesting, i wonder if those were Majors at Woodstock since there only 2 heads on his side at Woodstock . He did have a different sound at Woodstock 🤔😲
@@waltgracevintage8620 So if he didn't play the Major frequently and used them only towards the end of his career, it seems inaccurate/misleading to say the Major is the amp that gave Hendrix his signature sound.
Why? That is what existed back then. U can’t be more authentic than the actual instruments used. A 1969 norlin is fine by me. Id rather have it than a jazzed up recreation.
It should be mentioned that David Bowie's guitarist from the Spiders From Mars the late Mick Ronson was also a major user of this amp.
He used a marshall 200 which was 200 watts but different circuit
You can hear those microphonic Les Paul pickups wanting to howl. Turn that 4x12 around and you could strip that Corvette down to bare metal. Awesome.
Strip to bare fiber glass kk
1 -You lose gain when you jump channels
2 - Blackmore used a reel to reel tape machine pre-amp to boost his guitar signal. I don't ever recall seeing him jump channels on his Marshall. I can't think of any rock players jumping channels on their Marshalls
You are correct,Blackmore used an Akai reel to reel as a preamp.
@@bradsmith7311Aiwa
In his case,He didn't need to. In addition to using his Akai and Revox tape recorder, he used a modified RangeMaster, specially during Rainbow Era. It's a mod that adds more compression without create lot of drive. This is the secret to achieve his tone without using the 200w behemoth. Other thing is that his plexis are also modified to have extra tube and an extra gain stage, similar to the Orange heads. He used to blow them montly: there is an interview he said such amps were boosted to about 250 or 300W
I don't think he was using the Akai until Deep Purple MkIII, by which time the classic 'Blackmore' tone had already been cemented.
It’s an aiwa solid state tape machine. Tp1001
your playing is magnificent !
Damn son! Not many people can deal with that level of Marshall and flourish! You did! Well done!
Had a 68 plexi 50 watt head in 70’s with 6 x10 Marshall cab and an sg ..damn was that a throaty sustained tone ..😊
I have no words.. this is pure bliss
I have 1973 Super Bass, it's loud but man does it sound good! And what a pedal platform. Great video.....Loud and Proud
Jim Marshall was a genius...RIP!
High power plexis are all about the clean - you dont have to be cranked up to enjoy that side of things. As a fender guy forever I've only realised that the plexi clean is fab
Vintage Stratocaster, Vintage Gibson, Marshall amplifier....... don't think it can get much better 👍
I’d never heard one in person until the other day and it blew my mind!
Sweet sound. well Mic'd my friend.
I never play my 72 Major above volume 6, which gives the best clean tone. Then when I engage the fuzz face or big muff, all hell breaks loose. It's the ultimate pedal platform!
love the introo!
Sounds fantastic
Nice work!
The Marshall Major.
Righteous intro
Its never too loud.
Pretty sure Randy Bachman (BTO) used a major sometimes.
I'd really appreciate it if you could tell me what EQ settings you used on your amp for "Foxey Lady
Every control is pretty much at noon
@@waltgracevintage8620 OK thank you
awesome playing m8
Vro you was going in on that intro 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
What wattage speakers did they use for the Major?
Not enough. They just used more cabs
30 watters. The cabs w the 100 in the corner often times. G12h30 and G12h30-55
I don’t usually comment on anything, but this is excellent
What speakers are you playing through? Hendrix had a favorite type of speaker he used, the G12H 55Hrz 30watt speakers. Speakers are a huge part of a tone for the guitar.
Greenbacks
@@waltgracevintage8620 Nice, I love the sound of those. The G12H 55hrz 30watt are a type of Greenback, they just have a bass speaker cone I believe, instead of the regular cone the Greenbacks have
I'd rather hear this LP slightly out of tune through a dirty Marshall half stack than like most of other demos through a boring pedal with a cleanish fender combo amp.
That's how a LP should be played!
Is that tone compressing? Or sagging? Or is compression just another name for sag?
Hey, the amp naturally compresses and sags as it gets pushed into higher volumes and saturation. Sag is a form of compression where the amp momentarily chokes as it gets closer to its peak output. This is a phenomenon difficult to describe in words, but yes you can hear the amp sag a little in this demo. You can definitely tell what it is once you experience it in person.
You'll sometimes hear "sag" when a chord is first struck - the amp has trouble keeping up with the input you can hear it recovering a moment later.
T-TOPS BABY!!!
When did Page use a Major?
good question!
Hey, you're right. We stand corrected, this is been highly debated but it turns out that what we believed was a Major, was in fact a modified Super Lead with KT88 that he used in the late 70's got in order to get more headroom. Our apologies, we will be removing that portion of the video soon. Thank you.
@@waltgracevintage8620 no worries - exactly, the nature of work done on his supposed ‘69 and exactly when has been hotly debated. Though the end objective (ie louder, higher headroom) through those changes seem to be pretty commonly understood - ironically, objectives that could have been satisfied by a Major too! Lol
@@waltgracevintage8620 there were at least 2 versions of the major, the first having a very narrow front panel, the second issue having more of a "super lead" styling. It appears this is what you have here. The KT88 has higher specs than a 6550 (an american tube) but will only produce what the power supply can provide. Both can be used in any Marshall of the era (including 50W amps) with only a bias change. In other words you will get a somewhat cleaner sound compared to an EL34 but no increase in power output. I have heard that Hendrix used 6550's in his super leads for better clean tones when dialing down the volume control on his strat. Quite possibly Page did the same but Blackmore definitely used the Major with an Aiwa reel to reel tape machine as a preamp booster as the major has much less "natural" distortion than the super leads amps had. Good to see you guys highlighting these old monsters, they really blew the roof off and sounded great doing it lol Cheers!
even SRV used to have one
What amp comes close to the Marshall Majors tone
Hi, here's a few options from our selection that resemble the the tone of the Major:
- waltgracevintage.com/collections/all/products/marshall-1974x-18-watt-1x12-tube-combo-amp
- waltgracevintage.com/collections/all/products/marshall-sv20h-studio-vintage-20-5-watt-tube-amp-head
5:45 Dani California!!!
I never heard the words 'Hendrix' and 'Major' used in the same sentence before.
I am sure its a great amp, and defiantly sounds powerful & loud: but did it record well here? I didn't think it sounded very good here; playing was great, but sounded as if maybe it needs a pedal in front to tighten up the sound?
Never knew Hendrix used a Major
they need boost
Yeah, that thing is LOUD
why is no one golfing ?
Hahahaha
Bruh
…Nufff said
Jimmy Page never played 200 watt Marshall majors .
He had his stock Superleads modded for 200 watts and KT88s but his main amp was a 68 super bass with 6550 tubes .
Page using stock 200 watt majors was debunked long ago .
I hate this type of misinfo becaue it causes people to spend stupid money on the wrong gear .
Jimmy Pages modded Marshalls are not the same as a 200 watt Marshall Major .
Majors have way too much low end for proper Page tone .
This was answered on an older comment so i'll just copy and paste it here: You're right. We stand corrected, this is been highly debated but it turns out that what we believed was a Major, was in fact a modified Super Lead with KT88 that he used in the late 70's got in order to get more headroom. Our apologies, we will be removing that portion of the video soon. Thank you.
I know why mamy guitarist use s treble booster with Marshall . Sound is muddy .
wax pickups, they are microphonic
Putting Frusciante in that group is funny.
A good way to wreck your ears!
Hendrix did not use Majors! Do your homework my man!
Hey, it's been answered on a comment below. Feel free to check it out! Thank you
the les paul is out of tune, besides that great demo and great amp
Out of tune just like Hendrix and Frusciante. It’s intensional…
No, it’s not
Your mom is out of tune
Y’all need Jesus
@@sugashakeshakeshake852 Jesus have mercy and save our souls 🙏🙏🙏😂😂😂
Invest in a tuner ya twonk.
Hendrix used a major? Are we sure about that? Thought they were all 100 watt JTM’s(Super 100’s), and very later 1959 Super Lead’s at the end. ..
Yes he did! According to a special edition of Guitar Player magazine from 1975, Eric Barret (Hendrix's equipment manager from 1967 to 1970), stated that right after the end of Hendrix's contract with SUNN he went back to Marshalls, first using a pair of Super Lead full stacks that were shorty after replaced by a pair of Majors. He didn't play Majors frequently but certainly used them towards the end of his career.
@@waltgracevintage8620 Interesting, i wonder if those were Majors at Woodstock since there only 2 heads on his side at Woodstock . He did have a different sound at Woodstock 🤔😲
@@poisedforduty I don’t know much about the amps in Woodstock but he did have the Univibe on almost at all times in the gig!
@@waltgracevintage8620 So if he didn't play the Major frequently and used them only towards the end of his career, it seems inaccurate/misleading to say the Major is the amp that gave Hendrix his signature sound.
It is not way too loud you kids have just gotten soft ! Grow a pair
120dbs can make your ear drums soft, and those don't grow back. Believe me.
Everything is good except for the Norland and the CBS , next time use vintage or a custom shop
Why? That is what existed back then. U can’t be more authentic than the actual instruments used. A 1969 norlin is fine by me. Id rather have it than a jazzed up recreation.