New Host, Founding Father of Marshall!!!!

[G3SDW]

The ones that i can remember well are Fender, Selmer and Vox, they were the only ones that appeared via the media.

The British rock scene was very young and i know that there were a few home made amps being used by bands that were just starting out and did not have a lot of cash.

Have a look at this site http://www.california-ballroom.info/ it was the place to see all the up and coming bands of the day. You will see if you look some names that made it very big like The Who and the Rolling Stones and a lot that you have never heard of but it was part of the start of it all.

Enjoy

Ken

[Eddie]

The ones that i can remember well are Fender, Selmer and Vox, they were the only ones that appeared via the media.

The British rock scene was very young and i know that there were a few home made amps being used by bands that were just starting out and did not have a lot of cash.

Have a look at this site http://www.california-ballroom.info/ it was the place to see all the up and coming bands of the day. You will see if you look some names that made it very big like The Who and the Rolling Stones and a lot that you have never heard of but it was part of the start of it all.

Enjoy

Ken

Cool site, lots of good info. Thanks a bunch Ken!

[jcs]

Thanks Ken, Selmers and Vox were obviously huge names and great tone machines,but, as i asked earlier i am more interested in American amps that managed to get to your side of the pond,,,such as did you see tweeds or blonde Fenders?

Was there a desire for something different tonally early 60s (more headroom)?

Fender of course had the Twin amps with lots of power by the late 50s, who in England was building bigger amps such as the Fender Twins,anyone obscure?

[G3SDW]

Well the simple answer is no, that is the reason that we did what we did, no Tweeds or Blonde Fenders only Vox and Fender.

So the answer is quite simple, sorry.

Marshall was put on this earth for a good reason don`t you think??

A good question which puts it all in perspective.

Regards

Ken

[jcs]

Maybe its been answered but did you guys experiment with 10 inch or 15 inch speakers before settling on 12s?

[G3SDW]

Good question, well if it was it would have been done by Ken Bran but i think that the answer has got be no, he had his reasons i am sure.

Ken

[jamme61]

Hi Ken, great to have you here. I have read that Jim Marshall had taught Mitch Mitchell to play the drums, is that true? Also did JM have any electronic knowledge? What was your favorite power tube for a Marshall? Thanks for your time on this, love reading all the info.

[G3SDW]

Hi there and thanks for the questions, First of all yes JM did teach Mitch Mitchell to play the drums and as you know he did a pretty fine job just a shame that he is not with us any more. JM`s drum school was over his shop in Hanwell West London.

Contrary to belief JM had no electronic experience at all although it is written that he did.

As for my favourite tube well i have to say it must be the 6V6, this being the very first tube to be used in the original JTM45.

Thanks for the questions so much so for a little while now i have been badgered by many guys over here in the UK to put all my memories down on paper so you will be the first to know that this is what i intend to do. Do not know if it will ever get published but we will cross that bridge when we come to it. I will from time to time update you all as to how it is coming on.

Not to sure how long it will take but we will see.

This has been a golden opertunity to announce this.

Regards

Ken Underwood

[jamme61]

Great news!! I will be the first on line to buy a copy. We need more Marshall books, YES! All the best

[demonufo]

Hmm, now that really was an interesting question (and answer).
I don't suppose by any chance you had a favourite brand of 6V6? (for all us corksniffers out there)
I really like Brimars myself, but perhaps that's probably because they're quite like EL34's! (I can't help what I've gotten used to )

The only reason I ask this, is because I find that different brands of 6V6's tend to vary tonally more than other original (not modern) power tube types (although I'll admit to only being familiar with EL84's, EL34's, 6V6's, 6550's, KT66's and 300B's.)

You probably didn't give it much thought though, as I suspect you didn't have access to all of the US/European brands etc the way that we have nowadays with this fabulous interweb thingy.

[G3SDW]

Yes you are so correct then we were biased and that is not a pun to Mullard, Brimar was available but our first choice was Mullard.

Now over the years we all have lots to choose from and we know the ones that give us the sound that we like but in those days we did not have the choice, in `63 the only tubes were British and as far as i know we were unaware of US/European types.

Ken Underwood

[jcs]

Well a 6V6 wont dissipate near the power of EL34-KT66-6L6 etc, did you use pairs or quads of 6V6 in the prototypes?

I agree 6V6 is possibly one of the finest guitar amp power tubes ever created.

USA had so many versions of 6V6 in the 40s-50s-60s and most were excellent built tubes, though yes they vary somewhat in tone, i wonder if Mullard and Brimar relabeled any USA 6V6 tubes.

[G3SDW]

Yes you are right but the question was what was my favourite tube and yes again they were used in pairs.As far as the JTM45 then my personnel opinion is that the best all rounder is the EL34.

As for the last question then i would of not thought so, do not loose site of the fact that we are talking about the very early `60s

Ken

[jcs]

Thanks Ken, so no attempt to use quads of power tubes early on i gather?

Do you think any version of early Marshall prototypes with 6V6 exist?

[G3SDW]

Well there`s a challenge for any one to take up, would be nice to think so but some how i doubt it.

Any one out there would like to prove me wrong.

Regards to all on this May Day.

Ken