Marshall Artist 30

[Baum83]

Anyone know something about this amp? Looks pretty cool, I'd just need to know if its suitable for metal overdrive-wise.

[chrisolson]

Re: Marshall Artist 30

I might be way off here - but I've always understood that the Artist 30 was kinda of a blues amp - kind of an underpowered JCM800 without the growl. Definitely NOT a high gain amp. Might do well with a good pedal in front of it though!

[Baum83]

Re: Marshall Artist 30

[img]graemlins/idea2.gif[/img]
I've got an even better idea now... I'll just ask the seller, he should know [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
On HC it's kinda the same... some say "cool for blues", others say "kicks a 5150's ass", so I'm rather confused now.
I'm kinda intrigued by that amp, though, because 30 watt sounds to me like tube overdrive without waking up the whole neighborhood and it should make a nice recording amp then as well - solidstate preamp, so it's better for my back than the 100 watt JCM900. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[chrisolson]

Re: Marshall Artist 30

That's your first problem - HC reviews!! [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] You can find any "facts" you want to support a decision there! Everything from "amazing" to "sucks" - I always figure that most of the people who leave reviews either love it or hate it - there's not a lot of middle ground. Try to see if you can find one near you to play so that you can get at least an idea of what it's about. I've bought gear based on reviews, and 9 times out of 10, REGRETTED IT! But if you can at least try one, even if it's not the ONE you're buying, it beats the hell out of buying something you'll have to resell.

The DSL20 combo might be a better choice, but personally, I think they kinda blow - I had the DSL40 and found it to be pretty lifeless...

[ August 18, 2003, 02:32 PM: Message edited by: chris_olson ]

[Baum83]

Re: Marshall Artist 30

Yeah I know HC sucks, I just wanted to find info on gain levels there. I don't trust the average reviews there either, I'd be mad and stupid if I did [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

As for the DSL combo, the other guitarist in my band has a DSL40 and I think it sucks. My 900SLX halfstack kills it, even though he won't admit it. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
I'll have to get it outside of ebay anyway, the guy asks 550$ for it, but those go used for 400 and even less - if he doesn't want to go that low, I'll just find something different. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[chrisolson]

Re: Marshall Artist 30

Than you're not alone on the DSL40 combo - I had one for about a month. YUCK. I had the DSL 50 head - I liked that though. I've always wanted an SL-X...

Maybe you should just bite the bullet and go Line 6! The Flextone is killer if you can get past the "no tube" thing. I've been using them the past 5 or 6 years, and have been quite happy. They're not tubes, but they do what they do quite well.

[Baum83]

Re: Marshall Artist 30

I've played some Line6s in stores and, to be honest, I was not very impressed by them. Just not everyones cup of tea methinks [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

As for the artist, I mailed the seller - I just hope he's willing to go down (quite a lot.. hehe) with the price, else I'll just have to find a nice, small tube combo... .22+ maybe? Marshall Studio 15?
Be glad that you got rid of that DSL40, I have to endure it at band practice... it just sounds awful - it doesn't have a sweet overdrive, but rather some harsh, unpleasant fuzz... combine that with a guy who thinks he's a 2nd Kerry King and you're set. [img]graemlins/puke.gif[/img]

[chrisolson]

Re: Marshall Artist 30

[img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] Yeah, the DSL40 was a real "gem"! [img]graemlins/puke.gif[/img] One other amp you should really consider is a Mesa Subway Rocket. I played a rocket 44 this weekend and if they're at all alike, I think you'd really love it. Read up on it a bit - it's a 1x10 20 watter. Very nice high gain sound at low volumes - it uses EL-84's. Cool clean as well, and nice reverb. Very cool - wish I had one... I need $500 right now... [img]graemlins/eyes.gif[/img]

[Baum83]

Re: Marshall Artist 30

Thanks for the hint! Sadly, I can't find any of these on German ebay... Mesas are hard to come by in these parts, as they are freaking expensive.

[charvelguy]

Re: Marshall Artist 30

Actually I wrote one of those reviews.

I've owned two, and I still have one, and I wish I had the other back now. (brown grill)
The amp is as it is described in History of Marshall..."good distortion characteristics"

I was just thinking yesterday of running the parametric into the effects loop and seeing what improvements it would have on the single tone control for the gain channel.

The amp is basically like a built in analog or solid state distortion pedal driving a tubed output section. When you crank the thing up, it has a ton of thick gain, but has a tendency to feedback when loud. It's a pretty loud amp. I had one in the studio and I think it's kickin thru a 4x12 or two.

Back a few years ago, they were really affordable, 200-275.00, now they're going up in value.

[ August 18, 2003, 10:07 PM: Message edited by: charvelguy ]

[charvelguy]

Re: Marshall Artist 30

Btw, the heads aren't light either as you might think a 30watter, smaller lighter right? Not by much.

I first seen these at a Michael Schenker concert back in the mid 90's. He had one either in the backline or as a backup sitting on the stage after teardown (I believe his backline was already down) So I became interested in trying one after seeing that.

I think they have the distinctive Marshall tone of a JCM. They are built much like a Musicman amp with the addition of a tubed phase inverter. There's a couple mods that can be done to these I know of that can increase gain and the clear up the clean channel as well. I had a guy named Tony Krank Krank amps give me a simple mod for this amp to kick up the gain stage. All I can say is if your worried about it not having gain.. don't.

The biggest turnoff is the noise level of the gain stage when it's kicked up and the single tone control that governs the entire shaping of that stage.

I ran mine straight as well as with a six band MXR. With a graphic in your signal chain, you'll probably need a hush unit or noise reduction of some sort. These are not high tech amps..the Valvestate series taht came after these were just a twist in the reverse and also good at low volumes.

If you're looking for something that is an all in one inclusive package..the Mesa Studio 22+ with a built in graphic has been spoken well of around here. Haven't tried one myself, but I heard Pete's clips of him playing thru one. Marshall studio 15's are a nice all tubed amp and well reputed.

You should hit Pete (Twisteramps) up and see if he has any suggestions on a good small combo.

Personally, for an small watt amp head with flexibility..my choice would probably be with a Univalve now that the're coming into reason on price.

[ August 19, 2003, 08:02 AM: Message edited by: charvelguy ]

[raymo]

Re: Marshall Artist 30

The DSL 401 is a sweet amp! You guys just need to get your ears adjusted! haha J/k guys. To each his own, right? [img]graemlins/toast.gif[/img]

[chrisolson]

Re: Marshall Artist 30

Originally posted by Marshall tone:
The DSL 401 is a sweet amp! You guys just need to get your ears adjusted! haha J/k guys. To each his own, right? [img]graemlins/toast.gif[/img]

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">We can't all like the same stuff - no doubt! Otherwise Line 6 would be in trouble. We'd probably all be playing Fenders! [img]graemlins/puke.gif[/img] Heh... [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] To each their own. I didn't like mine, but lots of folks don't like my Flextone either!

[Demon]

Re: Marshall Artist 30

Are you talking about the Marshall Artist 3203? I have one of those. I don't know what charvelguy is talking about, the head is very lightweight. Everytime someone picks it up to carry it for me they mention that. Yeah the gain channel is noisy. It has a nice growl. It's not brutally high gain, not high gain by today's standards anyway. And 30 watts, it's very loud. 30 watts db wise is not all that quieter than a 50 watt head. I can maybe get it up to "2" in a live setting. But if you want to the tubes to work a little you can crank the master and lower the channels volume. another downside is that the clean channel kinda stinks. UNLESS you crank the master like I just said and then the clean channels volume will be low enough to get a decent clean.

[horns666]

Re: Marshall Artist 30

I REALLY like the old Marshall artist heads ...Very Cool indeed ...great tone and nice distortion for Marshall....To Hell with DSLs [img]graemlins/puke.gif[/img]

I didn't read anyones post talking about the amp ...just saw some "DSL" jibberish..but I'll vouch for the coolness of that artist head!!!

I've been wanted this one local dude's for a while but ...he'll never give up his Artist ...it's in perfect shape too...Damn