RIP Jim Marshall

RIP. I haven't seriously played guitar in > 15 years, but I still get all warm and tingly inside at the sight of a Marshall half-stack (and/or a nice Les Paul).
 
What a very cool guy he was. I met him at a NAMM show, probably around '94. We talked for about 20 minutes. I was so surprised that he had the time. No one was rushing him to do anything. It was so chill. Like just talking to someone at a party (then again, NAMM is one big 4 day party).​
If anyone made a mark on the "rock n roll" history page, Jim's the guy. As famous as all the cats who ever played thru one of his amps. Long live the legend of Jim Marshall.​
 
Marshall will always be a HUGE name in music. I was so happy when the guitar player in my band got a Marshall to go with his Fender amp. There is nothing, and I do mean nothing, that sounds quite like a Marshall!
 
I hear the memorial service is at 10, and might go to 11...
Superb!

& yes, other than drum stuff, I think the sight of a Marshall stack is just about the only piece of stage gear that instantly brings a smile to any drummer's face. Marshall stack = show time. Iconic brand, & Jim leaves a legacy almost without peer.

As a coincidental, my brother has a head signed by Jim only last year.

RIP Jim.
 
...

Jim's a part of Rock n' Roll history, I guess.

He helped Hendrix create his iconic sound and he is the man behind the single most recognizable cliche of a Gibson les Paul screaming though a Mashall stack. An audio visual signature for an entire genre of music almost..

...but me, I've always hated Marshalls.

Too much gain, too raw, too much natural dirt and all the guys I ever played with could never control their tone or volume. Give me a Fender twin reverb, Mesa Boogie, Vox ... any day.

...
 
Jim Marshall is a legend, and he very well deserved it. And still Jim has been extremely earthed all his life.

As for amps - now that this aspect has been mentioned - and ignoring the historic impact of Marshall as a brand - there are literally _hundreds_ of great amp manufacturers out there. So there is no "best" in this category of course. Who of us has the "best" taste to judge??

Personally I've always avoided anything Marshall, Fender & Gibson in my own gear arsenal (guitarist obviously). Why? Not because this stuff is bad (quite the opposite usually) but because... everybody uses them. So do I have to use it as well? As if those brands were the only ones to choose between... (Admittedly I have something Marshall... Their Guv'nor pedal booster is top notch. As for amps I have a Mesa. For now - this could change.)

Marshall amps sounding raw does have one sonic advantage though: Due to this property, usually they cut well in a band context or mix. Still I prefer it a bit more creamy.
 
...

Jim's a part of Rock n' Roll history, I guess.

He helped Hendrix create his iconic sound and he is the man behind the single most recognizable cliche of a Gibson les Paul screaming though a Mashall stack. An audio visual signature for an entire genre of music almost..

...but me, I've always hated Marshalls.

Too much gain, too raw, too much natural dirt and all the guys I ever played with could never control their tone or volume. Give me a Fender twin reverb, Mesa Boogie, Vox ... any day.

...
Abe, I'm mostly with you on that, & as a drummer, it almost pains me to say this, but that raw "lack of control" is sometimes the making of the performance. Our guitarist uses all Marshall gear, but I must admit, he has some super special valve power amp thingy that's out of the ordinary. His level of dynamic & tone control is a constant surprise to me.

sorry for the minor derail.
 
Abe, I'm mostly with you on that, & as a drummer, it almost pains me to say this, but that raw "lack of control" is sometimes the making of the performance. Our guitarist uses all Marshall gear, but I must admit, he has some super special valve power amp thingy that's out of the ordinary. His level of dynamic & tone control is a constant surprise to me.

sorry for the minor derail.

There's way too much history with great guitarists playing Marshalls for mine to be anything other than a quirky personal opinion, Andy. Maybe its just the guys I've played with over the years..

Most of the good ones used very few pedals and really knew how to get 'everything' from just the guitar and a valve amp.
The Marshalls were a little harder to tame for them. It does have a one-of a - kind beautiful thick tone when you get it right, but with my guys, that was easier said than done.


...
 
There's way too much history with great guitarists playing Marshalls for mine to be anything other than a quirky personal opinion, Andy. Maybe its just the guys I've played with over the years..

Most of the good ones used very few pedals and really knew how to get 'everything' from just the guitar and a valve amp.
The Marshalls were a little harder to tame for them. It does have a one-of a - kind beautiful thick tone when you get it right, but with my guys, that was easier said than done.


...
Completely agree Abe :)
 
88 is plenty. He must have had an amazing life. Huge achievement, but ...

Too much gain, too raw, too much natural dirt and all the guys I ever played with could never control their tone or volume. Give me a Fender twin reverb, Mesa Boogie, Vox ... any day.

Agree Abe. I found them a bit macho - seemingly designed to be cranked. Imagine if the music industry was more organised and JM had to pay compensation for all the industrial deafness claims :)

Still, someone like Jimmy Page seemed to work out how to get the most out of them across a range of dynamics but, at my level, when I saw them it meant ringing ears.

Fender Twins have always been my fave.
 
..... when I saw them it meant ringing ears.

Fender Twins have always been my fave.


I guess there are two kind of people in this world. The Gibson gold top driving a Marshall JCM kind, and the 58' sunburst Strat on a Fender Twin Reverb kind. I belong to the latter.

I doff my hat to ol' Jim, though : )

...
 
...but me, I've always hated Marshalls.

Too much gain, too raw, too much natural dirt and all the guys I ever played with could never control their tone or volume. Give me a Fender twin reverb, Mesa Boogie, Vox ... any day.

...

That suits me just fine Aydee. No need to suffer when I'm here to lend a hand. You can send 'em over to my stage and I'll willingly let 'em take my head off any day of the week.

Dirty, raw, power.......wouldn't have it any other way baby!!

Still, someone like Jimmy Page seemed to work out how to get the most out of them across a range of dynamics.......

And I'd crawl into the very pit of hell itself to get his on my stage.


Sad to see Jim go, but I'm eternally greatful for what he left behind.
 
Back in 1974 I was a kid drummer of 12, a family friend who worked at the Marshall factory in Bletchley where I lived got word to Jim Marshall and he agreed to hear me.
My dad and I duly cycled the 10 miles to his house in Aspley Guise where upon hearing me play he agreed to let me be his last private pupil.
We made that cycle trip weekly for the next 2 years as I learned my trade from the great man, he even wanted no money for teaching me but took a token gesture simply so that I did my work - he needn't have worried about that.

I became the 'Saturday boy' at Marshall Music - his Bletchley shop, where he eventually opened a drum school upstairs, I taught the beginners and he the advanced.

Now I'm 50 this year and am still plying my trade as a pro player, I've travelled the world over the past 30+ years and am currently on a show in London.

I returned to his Bletchley factory only once, we spoke, we reminisced, and then his son Terry took me round the factory, it was a lovely day.

I never addressed him as Jim but always Mr Marshall, RIP Mr M, I owe you everything.
 
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