Marshall JTM45 (Cabs Sold) – UK 2017

*Sold*

Perhaps one of the greatest ironies in rock in roll history is that Jim Marshall, inventor of the most iconic UK guitar amplifier brand of the sixties and seventies, was a drummer.  

Back in 1962, Mr. Marshall opened a drum shop/lesson studio, and a couple of characters by the names of Pete Townshend and Ritchie Blackmore started hanging around his shop, bugging him to make a louder amplifier. Alas, the public address systems of the early sixties were rather wimpy, and guitar players had to push a ton of air to be heard in big venues.  

Mr. Marshall gladly obliged them, and he built twenty-three one-off amps for rock and roll's elite.  

But Marshall's first handful of amps were quite expensive, and Jim wanted to produce something that would be more accessible to more players. Having little electronic experience himself, he enlisted the help of Ken Underwood, Ken Bran, and Dudley Craven to build an affordable amp based on the Fender Bassman circuit.  

In their respective garden sheds around West London, the three men built six prototypes of the JTM45. Though they based their design on the Bassman, it quickly morphed into an entirely new animal. It was much easier to kick into overdrive, and it had more treble presence. 

Guitar players like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Ritchie Blackmore thought it was awesome, too, and the JTM45 immediately became their amp of choice. Thus, Marshall's status as the backbone of sixties rock was established. 

It is a 30-watt head is an authentic reissue of Marshall's very first amp, the JTM45. Celebrated by guitar enthusiasts for its groundbreaking sound, the original JTM45 has become a true classic, and the 2245 JTM45 authentically recreates that inimitable tone. 

This meticulously designed reissue is incredibly accurate, and the key is the painstakingly reproduced GZ34 rectification. The rectifier interacts with the other valves in the amp to create subtle harmonics that shift and smoulder under notes, producing that one-of-a-kind, much-emulated Marshall sound.  

Loud and dynamic, the two-channel 30-watt Marshall JTM45 amplifier recreates a true vintage '60s tone. 
 
Features (Head)
 
·       Model 2245 (JTM45) 
 
·       Vintage spec 
 
·       2 channels 
 
·       All valve technology 
 
·       30W 
 
·       2 X 2 inputs 
 
·       Controls: Presence, Bass, Middle, Treble, Volume 1, Volume 2 
 
·       Pre amp valves: 2 x ECC83 
 
·       Power amp valves: 1 x ECC83, 2 x 5881 
 
·       Rectifier: 1 x GZ34 
 
·       Weight: 14.6 kg 
 
·       Dimensions in mm (W x H x D): 665 x 265 x 205 
 
This amp was bought a couple of years ago by its current owner who has used it sporadically mainly in a home studio setting. It has not been changed or modified in any way. As seen in the photos, there is some imperfection on the control panel where the perspex has slightly lifted, but is only superficial, it is said to be fairly common on these models.

The amp is joined with two 4 x 12" Cabs - a Marshall 1960AX & 1960BX. Both are in near new condition and complement the JTM45 perfectly. They also look fantastic with the Marshall check grille cloth.  

All in all, it's one of the cleaner vintage-style Marshall amps, making it a perfect pedal platform for players that want a little extra Marshall grit. Its clean sound is warm and woody in the mids and lows and sweet in the trebles, and it works beautifully for just about every application.  

However, when you crank it, you'll understand why its vintage predecessor shaped the sound of rock and roll. It has the midrange bark, low-end punchiness, and singing high-end that inspired countless guitar players to plug in, crank up, and rock out.