Marshall MB Series

[angrymatt]

I've long wanted a small 30 or so watt practice amp simply for my bedroom, but all the really good ones were, in my mind and wallet, a little too pricey for such an application.  For a long time (and actually still) I was looking at these little Roland things with four 4" speakers and an integrated drum loop thingy.

That all ended last weekend when I went to the local music store, mainly to BS with a buddy and his coworkers, and play all the basses and guitars I can't afford, when I stumbled upon the Marshall MB30.  It was a basic little Vietnamese hussy, that whispered softly to me with its cheap plastic knobs and likewise plastic logo.  So plugged in an Ibanez ATK300 (another new infatuation of mine) and was blown away.  It was deep, and gritty.  It sounded like war in a little package.  I compared it to the Fenders and the Genz Benz and the Hartkes and all that, they all sounded super clean, and stringy, and 2 - 3 times as expensive.  But this little beast chugs and thumps, and even has a "modern" channel if you want the super slick and clean tone (albeit not as slick and clean as the Hartkes and such). 

Well, $200 US later it came home with me.  It took a little tweaking around to find that same grit it had with the Ibanez, but I got it dialed in, and I love the damn thing.  I am actually planning on getting the 450 watt head for my main rig, and relegate the Ampeg to emergency back up duties.  Anyone have any experience with the larger head version?  The whole series is new, so reviews on the interwebs are few and far between (the only one I found on Harmony-Central was someone else asking about the thing).

[godofthunder]

 Sounds real cool, I have tough time with "new" amps they are all to clean even when you try and drive them. Sounds like a good score. Let us know how you like the 450, is it tube or ss ? I have some Marshall Majors that I just love but I wish they had more head room.

[angrymatt]

The 450 is hybrid.  The modern channel is all solid, and the classic channel is mostly solid state, but has a tube or two in the pre-amp.  If I get it, it's going to be in a few months, not quite yet.