Marshall JTM45 Bluesbreaker | What Makes This Amp So Special?
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- Опубликовано: 22 июл 2023
- #marshallamps #ericclapton #guitar #guitaramp @marshallamps @CelestionUK
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What makes the Marshall 1962 Bluesbreaker JTM45 such a special and significant amp? And how can you make it work for the modern guitar player? We're going to talk about all that, hear some great tone, including with the amp TOTALLY CRANKED. And thanks to Jason McDaniel for sharing his tech expertise! Check out Singletone Pickups:
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I'm an AC30 devotee til this day but Clapton is my favorite player of all time and man his tone with the Bluesbreakers is just unreal. I saw a vintage Bluesbreaker a few years ago and it was $17,500. Clapton has made a LOT of things that started out as "affordable" very, very, UNaffordable. LOL!
Clapton also used an AC30 in his early days.
Back in the late 90s I had one of these and was heavily involved in the trend at the time to modify them to "true vintage" specs. On my '89 model I went through the PCB and replaced caps and resistors to original schematic values. I replaced the filter caps with lower values, as per the original schematic. I installed KT-66 tubes and re-biased. I replaced the stock 25 watt Greenbacks with Weber Blue Dogs, which were higher wattage Celestion alnico blue clones. These were my observations: Lowering the filter cap values made the amp looser and not as tight. I really couldn't tell much difference with the KT-66 tubes. The small PCB component changes only made the amp noisier. Speakers made the biggest difference. I actually preferred the Greenbacks, and since they had a lower db sensitivity rating they weren't nearly as ear-splittingly loud as the Blue Dogs. In my opinion, Clapton's Series II 1962 probably had the 20 watt Greenbacks, which would be consistent with what Marshall was putting in their 4x12 cabinets at the time. I don't think we should assume that what we hear on the record is what they were hearing in the room during the recording. I think the tone on the album is due in part to the recording process and distortion at the board. Listen to the Flamingo Club live recordings. Sounds more like early Greenbacks to my ears. I agree he didn't use a Dallas Arbiter Rangemaster. And yes, I agree in the current age it's best as a pedal platform. Get a good overdrive pedal and call it a day. Also, the 2003-Present models have a 10.5" deep cabinet and sound much fuller than the earlier 9" deep cabs (original Series II were 10.5" deep). On elf my biggest gripes with the current Bluesbreaker is that the prices on these new seem to have greatly surpassed the rate of inflation. In 2023, a new Bluesbreaker with PCB board (not the limited edition hardwired edition they came out with a few years ago) will set you back US$4,000. Not worth it, in my opinion, for an amp that's so impractical in so many ways (too loud, too heavy, and not made to the correct specs).
I have a Ceriatone mk4 JTM45 BLUESBREAKER amp with KT66 valves and I checked the original schematic and the Ceriatone is hand wired and is exactly the same as the original Clapton amp. I run it through a variac at 115 volts. It really sounds great. Those new Marshall Bluesbreaker JTM45 amp bluesbreaker are not wired the same. This is as close to the real deal as you can get with a new production amp. Nik Asam does great work.
Originally hand wired as well..
I also own an early 1990 Marshall Bluesbreaker and also did some of the components value changes to get it to original schematic specs. It is only a few parts and they do help. The two mixer resistors from 470k to 270k. The bright bypass mixer capacitor from 220pf to 560pf. There is one 1k resistor changed it to 820. The 330uf electrolytic to 220uf. And the big can capacitors from 50/50 to 16/16 and the other to 32/32. Stock 1990s Greenbacks 6402 cones. The preamp and Rectifier tubes are old US makes and the power tubes are TAD6L6WGC backplates. The amp sounds good. It is a loud amp, with the volume on one it is very loud. The clean sounds are beautiful and they are great pedal platforms. I agree new these amps today get close to $4,000. A lot of money. The tremolo is alright but has a weird ticking noise that is hard to get rid of.
@@gloreano the thing about the Ceriatone is that it only cost me $1700.00. no mods needed. And it's all point to point wiring. A lot less money and getting unbelievable quality. I personally would not buy a new Marshall amp. An old 60's or 70's yes.
You know it's the same old story with Marshall. The new and improved version. Why can't they just fu#$$king build them like they did in the 60's and 70's.
Great Video!! This is one iconic amp, and the only Marshall I've lusted after for years 😀. Nothing else sounds quite like it.
A very comprehensive view of this famous guitar amp, thanks so much for your knowledge and resources! Very interesting, amazing how the Fender Bassman influenced Marshall
You'd have to use a compression pedal to replicate all of the tube recording equipment we used.
Thank you for getting into the clean tone these amps are capable of..!!! Any non master volume Marshall can get a great clean tone but it’s rarely discussed
I have one and love it (recent model 2016/2017). It’s the finest clean platform amp I’ve ever played through. A heavy beast, but still a little lighter than an AC30. A glorious amp
Thoroughly enjoyable and insightful video Jack! The tech part with Jason was quite fascinating and hearing some of the history was great. Would I get one? I would like to, but it is too loud my setting. Besides I already have a loud amp, my 65 Super Reverb. 🙂
Very interesting video Jack.
Great video. You and Keith at five watt world are killing it with these types of video. More!
I love Keith - his videos are fantastic
Great vid Mr. Fosset and great playing!
Thank you kindly!
I hand built a blues breaker at vintage specs. I put in two Celestion g12 65s and it is a monster. I use the Bugera attenuator to tame the volume. It works pretty well
What a fantastic video have a good day
Great video and I really liked the tech side of it because it just went hand-in-hand with everything else, and I think more videos could be done this way with great success. And of course fantastic playing as well. Beautiful tone and right on point. I play country, blues and jazz, and I picked up a '98 for a great price and I think this is just such a cool amp. Usually I'm just Fender into Fender, but you can play a telecaster into these amps and get amazing clean tones. Usually I play a '55 Super or a '67 Pro Reverb, but I don't think I would be disappointed if I gigged with the Bluesbreaker. It only gets played less than I would like because of the size.
Great Jack. My favorites were the clean and the tube screamer.
I have a 1966 jtm50t combo and its the best amp i ever played or heard. Bought in Wurzburg Germany in 1987 used for $1200. This was in the day of pointy guitars and my friends couldn't understand why i bought this "dinosaur"
I had a BBRI and put the Alnico Blues in it and it sounded much better than Greenbacks. I also swapped to KT66 tubes and lowered the filtering in the PS more to the original specs….great amp.
Thank you for another video! Bluesbreaker sounds to my ears as the best Marshall amp. It is not harsh like most Marshalls that I have heard.
Couldn't agree more! As a regular Fender amp user this one has a smoothness to it that I really like.
The LP with the TS around 15:00 sounded really good to me. More clear and cutting through. Thanks!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great video.
Thanks!
I've been fascinated by this amp for years, of course because of Clapton. I heard Eric Clapton talk somewhere on RUclips talking about his gear in the late 70's early 80's his stage amps were huge again... Music man stacks and Marshall jtm 800 for a time. And he says he was in a shop here in America when he spotted an old blonde (tweed) low power Twin. And what impressed him where as all those old tweeds were hand made and all sounded different, was that particular amplifier sounded really warm and thick...sounded great with a Les Paul, that amp he says reminded him of the Marshall he used with John Mayall. And eventually that became his stage amp up til the late 90's when he asked the Fender custom shop to copy it as best they can so he could retire it in fear was wearing it out and damaging the amp. Much he did with his original blackie. So unlike the traditional fender cleans what attracted Clapton was that amps thicker fatter tone that reminded him of his Marshall bluesbreaker I found that interesting.
JTM45 in 1 12 combo cabinet. Great cleans and roars when cranked
I love my 93 jtm 45 head. Killer tones.
I love my 2010 jtm45 head too, it has kt66s in it and has great clean tone.
hi , great video. i have a 2005 1974x with a 2012 extension cab both with the same 12" heritage greenbacks and the old speaker sounds way better and less harsh. ive heard that clapton used vintage brimar 6057 preamp tubes ive tried them and i prefer mullard i63's at v1 since it's smoother with more low mids and less highs. enjoy!
Love my bluesbreaker
The fender tweed twin ( high output ) is the exact same preamp circuit as the 5f6a tweed bassman. So yes it gives same tones as jtm. Just at 80w.
I have a BB reissue. It is definitely my forever amp. Just wondering where you have the presence set?
i had one. Heavy is one word that comes to mind. Good amp for some things. Best plain dry sound. Love that but dimension wise they're not the same as Clapton's amp was and certain tube sizes won't fit due to cabinet.
I didn't know the Clapton Rangemaster story was disproven. That would be an inconvenient fact for Analogman 🤣
I don't know that anything with it will ever be 100% proven or disproven, unless actual photographic evidence comes out. But it does seem the general consensus has moved on from and disregarded the Rangemaster theory. Although a treble booster still sounds great into it.
No, Mike makes the most accurate range master treble boost that exists… the Analogman beano boost is a very simple circuit but being so simple makes every component all the more important in how it sounds..
mike is a huge clapton fan and only used the title beano as a tip if the hat to clapton , not a claim that clapton used a treble booster with his JTM 45 combo..
I could be wrong .. if so.. who cares .. the beano boost is still a very accurate rengemaster clone
At 73 years I would still love to have a JTM45 and a 5E3 Deluxe, but now-days I'm gonna need a good attenuator if I want to remain living here.
Do you ever write something, then later realize you accidentally borrowed the melody from something somewhere you heard? Haha, I heard that melody theme from Shrek in the first part (think, the scene Fiona is singing in the woods and explodes the bird). Sounded great!
Jack, I really enjoy your thoughts and comments (in addition to listening to you play guitar). To follow are atrictly my opinions of having played music for neatly 52 years and played in the day 100 watt Fender Dual Showman with Reverb and the 2 x 15 " matching JBL speaker to Marshall Plexi 8 speaker stacks. But now, times have changed (as will be discussed below). In my opinio, two things are against the Marshall 1962 Bluesbreaker Amp. First, the power. Unless you are gigging and even then, 30 watts from 2 xx 5881's and 2 x 12" speakers the amp is simply LOUD! Many venues and certainly practice cannot handle the triple digit decibel level. You need an attenuator. Second, is the weight. 66.58 lbs. (30.26 kg.) is way too heavy and big 24"h x 29"w x 10"d is big unless you have a road crew. Lastly, there is no matching head/cabinet option, unless you go to the JTM 45 2245 Plexi 30 watt head with the 5881's, add an attenuator and a cabinet. But, that makes things real expensive (possibly into the $4,000 range in price and there is no matching 1 x 12" or even 2 x 12" cabinet - Marshall makes you go to the 1960 with 4 x 12" speakers) To me the Marshall 1974x Handwired 18 watt amp is a better option even though they are EL84's but it has a 1 x 12: speaker does not make your ears bleed and while it is 42 lbs. (19 kg,) while still heavy and at 21"h x 24"w x 9"d is more manageable even though there is no head/cabinet option. I am just not sure about the Marshall ST20C Studio JTM yet, there has been criticism about the quality and there is no tube tremolo built in. But, it seems to check all of the right boxes: (a) It is a 20 watts (switchable down to 5 watts); (b) It has 2 x 5881 tubes; (c) there is the option of a combo or head/speaker; and (d) the size and weight are getting better. 18.1"h x 19.7"w x 10.4" d7 and it is 39.2 lbs. (17.8 kg.). So, until I can get what I want from Marshall, I will be sticking with my Tone King Imperial MkII . The Tone Kin is 9.25"h x 22.5"w x 10.5"d and 44 lbs./20 kg. but it has a built-in tube and tank reverb, a tube tremolo and an attenuator (yes, I really like the amp - it is my current go to rig), I am getting additional flavors of distortion out of an outboard unit and while I have resisted, I am now even considering a Fender Tone Master Pro (yes, you can call me a sell-out). In summary, in theory the Marshall 1962 Bluesbreaker and the 1974x Handwired combo amps are mighty fine, I am not sure they are practical for gigging in a small venue or even practice. I hope Marshall comes out with a version of the 1962 Bluesbreaker and the 1974x Handwired Combo's that those amps are offered with a built in attenuator and with the 1962 Bluesbreaker come out with a head/cabinet in 1 x 12" option to reduce the weight.
LOOOOOVE my JTM45 Head ❤ ...every other amp I have is a Fender
The catalinbread 5f6 is a good pedal btw.
looks like you had the channels jumped with a patch lead? did Clapton actually do that then? i was under the impression that those guys back then like Clapton and Hendrix didn't jump the channels together like everyone seems to automatically do these days. Surely makes a big difference to the sound?
I use a 5u4g rectifier , though its made for gz34 ive heard. Having tried both i like the former for cleans bettet
Why not ask Claption which speakers were used in his amp? He IS still with us.
Great! I'll give him a call.
Thats an amp id love to play thru , i just love the beano album , and i happen to dig les pauls tò.
Yeah im as old as dirt, but i still dig the british blues boom bands . And hail hail rocknroll!
Jack, go back to All Your Love on the Bluesbreakers album, or Disraeli Gears and tunes like Outside Woman Blues. One of the things that modern guitarists get wrong, is that you can still hear the strings, even when he used the woman tone for the leads. It not as broken up and grainy as most people think. It’s that touch of clean inside the dirt that gives it that sting!
I crank my JTM50 all the time. Just put it through a 2 notes. In the studio, with the drummer I'm playing with, 40-50 watts is perfect.
Hi Whats the year of your amp? Thanks
Great video! I've always wandered if you use some ear protection when cranking such loud amps or how do you stand the painful volume? I find annoying even my Blues Jr at 6...
No, but I only record at that volume for a very limited amount of time. Saves both ear life and tube life.
Very insightful analysis. As much as the Beano album changed my life, just don't think I could live with the BB.
Way too loud to obtain the tone in my head. Knowing an attenuator can help, it still is a bit too much for me as a home-playing non professional.
Game changing tone for sure!
I feel really bad for players that don't have the room to crank their tube amps. I live on a 40 acre farm and have a pretty good size house and keep my AC30 just blaring constantly and never even think about it. Then I come to youtube and hear people talking about not being able to truly crank their amp and I realize how much I take that ability for granted. Although I can't hear it thunder as a result. LOL!
I was thinking maybe the cream Alnico’s, but the golds are awesome
I think ur right about the speakers the English guys have done a lot of work on this they believe the “Clapton bluesbreaker” amp is an 18watt enclosure speakers output transformer with a 40 watt power section and the sound produced this combination makes sense. The blueback speaks are very efficient and would be glorious with a 40 watt power section.
14:48 I really liked the tone with a Tube Screamer.
it is quite easy to get the Beano tone tonewise, but what is really hard is to get that sag and bloom that comes the combination original unsufficient power supply (tube rectifier, small reservoir cap and a choke) and cranked fixed bias power stage. Just listen when Clapton hits that G on the eight fret in the second riff of the solo in Steppin Out. I have not heard anybody who has ben able to recreate that bloom. Not even Eric himself. :D
To be fair to Eric, he probably doesn't remember at this point.
Jack, I heard that Clapton used to place the microphone far from the amp in order to get the sound he was hearing.... But it does not work like this. That's why I always thought that the Marshall is too bright with the treble booster and nothing like the Beano recordings
Clapton has said in interviews that he would get into it with engineers because they would constantly try and just walk in and set the mic where they wanted to put it because they had put it in these place previously but he would refuse and tell them they'd put the mic where he wanted it. I'm glad he did because it resulted in some of the most incredible tones ever laid to wax.
I didn't see you wearing any ear plugs. The volume must be somewhat usable then aye?
It isn't unbearable, but I also just don't crank it for terribly long.
Clapton also played my 77 Music Man amp
During the Backless years he did for sure. I'd say Lay Down Sally was recorded on one. Those amps are actually still really affordable to this day.
alex lifeson used these on the rush moving pictures tour
I want I digital version of it!! Like the Fender Tone Master.
That would be awesome. While they're still expensive and heavy, I would definitely also suggest a JVM combo as a suitable substitute. Essentially you can get great classic Marshall cleans and classic overdrive that sounds good at more reasonable volumes.
@@JackFossett Yeah it’s also great. But I’m so in love with my Tone Master Deluxe Reverb with a Celestion Creamback, I can’t return to tubes anymore. I really think the Tone Master concept is the future. It’s time for Marshall to jump in it!!
Hello everybody
I have an,, easy,, question here
ruclips.net/video/3lz3px4dTU8/видео.html
Alvin Lee's tone here is fenderish or marsallish or something?
I'm semi beginner and i want to achieve that tone with an sg
Thanks 😊
Try two tone tubby red alnicos.
Did Hendrix slice his Marshall speakers with a blade so that he could get his sound at lower volume?
I’m not sure about Hendrix but I’m pretty sure the Kinks did that
@@JackFossett Maybe I’m remembering incorrectly.
Nice video! I own a JTM45 2245 head with stock 5881's and a Marshall 1936 with Alnico Golds that sounds much smoother and ballsier. No harshness or graininess anywhere. Same tube complement and speakers but sooooo different. Go figure. No disrespect in any way. Just my observation.
I own jtm45 2245 head too but with kt66s and 1966b cab with g12t75's, sound great but maybe golds sound better, more $$ though
that's where an EQ peddle before a good overdrive pedal comes into play
Those golds aren't twice as bright as the greenback and Vintage 30? Weird
No they're much warmer. In fact, the bright channel was unusable before, now it sounds great.
@@JackFossett I'll have to give them a try now!
I love too many tones. I've wanted a bluesbreaker amp but I have other Marshalls that while not the same, can be tweaked to achieve tones close enough to not justify my investment. But who knows...
This amp is such a legendary amp….. but at the end of the day…. It was made with wire, tubes , transformers , and throng that were available then. To built an amp exactly like this today…. It could be done and better than the original. Capacitors, resistors, tubes, speakers and even cabinets…. Are way better and more reliable than back then. There ARE builders that know this legend inside and out. Marshall always missed the point about not trying to duplicate the greatest amps they built. Having a rare amp like this is key to getting people onboard to want this amp all over again.
I thought you were doing the Shrek Theme at first
I prefer the Range Master.
I’ve always thought Clapton was over rated until I saw him play a concert with Jimmy Page. He left Jimmy Page in his dust. Now I get it. Dude can Jam! Roger Waters’ Pro’s and Cons of hitchhiking is my favorite Clapton guitar tone. He really takes his Stratocaster to a new level on that album.
When you pair a Gibson guitar and a Marshall amp. together, they are unbeatable, no offense, just an opinion!😊 I do have a sixties Vox stacker!
Tube Screamer
You sounded fine but didn’t get close to the Beano tone. Dunno why, but there wasn’t enough clarity or brightness. Perhaps it was the ‘60 burst that made the difference. Enjoy playing a bluesbreaker loud.
Totally agree. Jack does indeed sound fine, but I’m sure he could duplicate his sound here with the proper pedal and the amp turned down. With Clapton on the Bluesbreakers album it truly sounds like a loud, cranked amp on the edge of feedback, but the notes are still clear and distinct. It’s not a muddy sound at all. To me, Peter Green was able to get the same sound during his stint with Mayall. I guess it doesn’t hurt that both Clapton and Green were genius guitarists.😉 It was interesting that, to me, the Strat really didn’t work here. Maybe it needs to be boosted to properly drive the Marshall.🤷♂️
That's a fabulous amp but it is like having a Tiger Tank when all I need a is a BB gun.
☝️might be my favorite metaphor for this amp.
J'en est acheter un 1600 euros en belgique, je suis dans un appartement, j'ai une stratocaster masterbuilt, l'ampli et la gratte suffise, le problème est le volume, je doit acheter un atténuateur, avec cette ampli, j'ai le son que j'aime, un compresseur, une distorsion, un délay et un whawha, ta le son quoi qu'il arrive.
How can you judge the sound when your plugged into pedals,dont tell me the guitarist isn't a pedal.
…?
I wonder if anybody can do an amp review plugging straight into the amp and not use pedals. Get the true amp sound
There are more straight into the amp clips in this video than pedal samples.
... Clapton purportedly played one. That's it.
I have two. A JTM45 head with kt66 going through a Marshall 4x12 1960a and a combo. All I can say is this is kinda misleading.
Geez, can't hear anyone turn the bastard up...
?
The tone is in your hands, and you can't buy that.
There is nothing special about this amp. It was a Bassman knock off played by a driven and gifted young Eric Clapton. Clapton sounded like Clapton; it didn't sound like him. Folks think they're searching for a 'tone' when what they should be doing is practicing and playing with passion. No equipment will save you
sounds pretty crappy actually