Y'know, maybe I'm being a bit hard on the Marshall MG range...

After all this time wrestling with my V-amp and my Fender 650 (which is one heck of a good box, but just not working too well with the v-amp), I tried plugging my blue thing into the crummy little marshall MG15 DFX I got along with my guitar. And it sounded good - the V-amp sounds warmer, and the crunchy models sound good after they're quot;Marshallisedquot; a bit.

Then, in a moment of majestic abandon, I plugged my guitar right into the MG. And you know what?

It actually wasn't that bad.

Don't get me wrong, it sounds pants compared to when it had the V-amp going through if... and it DEFINATELY sounds pants compared to the sparkling cleans and tight ODs of the fender.... but still....

For the first time, I'm hearing the Marshall in this little thing. I really like the onboard effects, the cleans are a bit stodgy but reassuringly familiar (thanks to the 59 on board my 335 ), and even the fizzier-than-coca-cola gain channel had something very.... well, Marshallyabout it. Whack up the reverb and I got closer to Sweet Child O' Mine than I have done on the V-amp.

MGs ain't very good amps - but still, have we just maybe been to harsh on them?

May I ask, quot;sounds pantsquot;, what does that mean? Is that a Scottish colloquiallism?


Originally Posted by Guitar ToadMay I ask, quot;sounds pantsquot;, what does that mean? Is that a Scottish colloquiallism?

Crappy

pants = very bad


Originally Posted by Jimbojsr
MGs ain't very good amps - but still, have we just maybe been to harsh on them?

If it works and gives you good tone, then what's the problem? We all want to sound like Slash, EVH, etc...and when we don't, it's gotta be that amps fault. Even using a calculator we can get the wrong result, and we blame the calculator not the operator.

Nice report jimbojsr. Keep up the good work. Make that MG rock on!

Can we call you Jimmie?

lt;=== proud owner of an MG250DFX

Glad you came around!

I was wondering about what quot;pantsquot; meant myself!

What is the origination of that, that's an interesting word for crappy, seems totally unrelated.

I have a little MG 15dfx with reverb and I think it has a real nice tone, but I prefer the behringer tone also.

Marshalls cost to much.

Yeah the crate 2x12 is a 200 bucks less.


Originally Posted by Guitar ToadNice report jimbojsr. Keep up the good work. Make that MG rock on!

Thankyou! I shall.

Originally Posted by Guitar ToadCan we call you Jimmie?

No. But you can call me Jim. My REAL name isn't jim or Jimmie, but I'm rather reluctant to reveal it as it turns out that it's largely a girl's name in the States... so Jim'll do just fine Originally Posted by jaykI was wondering about what quot;pantsquot; meant myself!

What is the origination of that, that's an interesting word for crappy, seems totally unrelated.

It's actually quite closely related - bear in mind that, over here, we call pants quot;trousersquot;, and when we say pants we really mean quot;underpantsquot;. Wierd but true...


Originally Posted by Jimbojsrit turns out that it's largely a girl's name in the States

I'm going to guess and say...Leslie

Back when I was selling MI, I spent a lot of time with the MG series. I never found them to be competitive with other models in the same price range, but that doesn't mean you can't get some useful sounds out of them.

I have an Irish male friend named Erin....his middle name is Ashley...I can't stop mocking him!!

It's actually quite closely related - bear in mind that, over here, we call pants quot;trousersquot;, and when we say pants we really mean quot;underpantsquot;. Wierd but true...

This is really actually true, we brits are crazy with words and stuff. Mental!

You speak English! The Americano's are wrong! Stay strong brother Jim, or whatever your real name is.

We speak American, which is a hacked up version of English.

To the topic, the MG series is not bad for what it does. You can't ask a 15 watt SS combo with an 8quot; speaker to sound like a full stack of 4X12's and 100 watts of tube bliss. It just isn't going to happen. As much as they get ragged on, they are good for their class of amps. The little MG15 stack is pretty cool. I've played all sorts of guitars through it at GC and all of them sounded good. For noodling around, they're fine. I think I spent two hours in there that day while our house was being looked at by potential buyers.


Originally Posted by Guitar ToadIf it works and gives you good tone, then what's the problem? We all want to sound like Slash, EVH, etc...and when we don't, it's gotta be that amps fault. Even using a calculator we can get the wrong result, and we blame the calculator not the operator.

I don't know man, I've gotten some pretty sweet tones that sound close to Slash, but it's the technique that sounds nothing like him.

The only MG I played was pretty bad. My friend had a 100W Valvestate, and not only did it sound terrible, it broke like 3 times (cap, output transformer, transistor). Let's just say the Line 6 he bought sounded way better.

The MG's are ok, i own two amps, my JCM800 and, as backup, an MG100dfx. Now the MG doesn't compare at all, especially if i'm playing the 800 and someone else playing the MG simutaniously the huge tone difference becomes even more apparent, but they are quite useable, some fair tones can be coaxed out of them and its a reliable amp.

Would i use it as a main amp?.....No way
Do i use it as a reliable and not half bad backup?......Heck yes i do

It's awful expensive to be used just as a backup. Thats my main thing with marshalls. PRICE.

Well, I got my MG15 for £100, which is less than $200. I suppose they cost more in the US, seeing as they are made here. But then, now you know how we feel with Gibbys and Fenders!!! Also, you don't have valves to replace every year...

The MG CDR is about 130€ and the DFX 160€ over here...