Marshall amplifiers. The sound of Rock n’ Roll? At the very least, we can certainly say that Marshall has played an important role in defining the sound of the electric guitar, and especially rock guitar. 

In this episode, we are looking at two of Marshall’s most classic amplifiers, from about a decade apart. The first captured the sound of classic rock in the late 60’s and 70’s. The second helped spawn the next generation of 80’s hard rock, metal, and beyond.  

The first is the towering titan that is the “plexi” amp. In this case, it’s a Metal Panel Super Bass 100 from 1973. Generally, a “plexi” Marshall is considered to be Non-Master Volume amp with 4 bridgeable inputs. 

The second amp is the venerable JCM 800. This one is the Single Channel 50 Watt Model from 1984. In head form it is called the Model 2204. This one is a combo Model 4010. 

The general understanding is that the earlier amps were lower gain and were a bit more versatile, while the later JCM800’s were higher gain and a bit of a one-trick pony. We put these notions, and others to the test, sampling everything from clean tones, to crunch, to cranked up devastation. We think you will find the results interesting. 

Gear Used:

1973 Marshall Superbass 100
1984 Marshall JCM800 4010
Late 70’s Marshall 4x12 Cabinet with original Celestion G12H30 Blackback Speakers
Custom Built “Tele”
Smitty Custom Classic “Strat”
Gibson SG

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It's another Feedback Loop episode! This time around we touch on the drawbacks of the Loud Lounge, a secret weapon for getting that Supernatural sound , the mid-90's rock opus Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, and much more!

What is more classic than a Blackface Fender Amp? A Tweed Fender Amp perhaps? What about the Brown Fenders, which are experiencing a renaissance in popularity?  

Few amp companies have more than one classic amplifier design. Incredibly, Fender has at least a dozen classic amps, and three entirely distinct era’s; each unique both sonically and aesthetically.

Today we are diving deep into each of these classic amplifier eras (with apologies to the Silverface era, which we consider to be mostly similar sonically to the Blackface amps- see our Blackface vs Silverface Episode), to discover what makes each one distinctive, and learn the strengths and weaknesses of each. We have a low/mid powered example from each era, and a lot of ground to cover. 

Think Tweed amps can only do raunchy overdrive? Think Blackface amps are scooped and overly bright? Press play and prepare to open your ears and your mind. 

Gear Used:

1954 Fender 5D3 Deluxe- Original Jensen P12R
1962 Fender Princeton-  Celestion G10 Greenback
1965 Fender Deluxe Reverb- Jupiter 12LC
Custom Built “Tele” 
Custom Built “Strat” 
Gibson SG 
Gibson ES-335

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Put down that soldering iron - it's a new Ground Wire Feedback Loop episode! This time around we chat about the surprising difference a speaker change can make, the benefits of even the smallest of setup tweaks, and a little-known release from a British Invasion band!

How many amps do you need to own to get all the sounds in your head? For some of us, that answer could be many. But what if the biggest difference between amps was not in fact the amps themselves, but the types of speakers and cabinets that were used? Also, if you own a bunch of amp heads, but run them all through the same speaker cabinet, will they end up sounding quite similar?

Well, these are the questions we are tackling today. We will compare 3 classic combo amps, each through their own cab/speaker, and then start swapping cabs/speakers to see whether it is in fact the amp itself, or the cabinet that makes the most difference. 

To be clear, you cannot make a high gain metal amp sound like a 70’s Silverface by swapping speakers. We are talking about relatively similar styles of amps here, however, this is especially useful if you have ever wondered if you need a Deluxe Reverb and an AC15, or a Marshall and an Orange.

Speakers are probably one of the most overlooked elements of the tonal signal path (at least here at the Ground Wire). Many guitarists will change pickups, overdrive pedals, and even cables, before considering a speaker swap. Have a listen, and let us know what you think. We found the results to be rather surprising. 

Gear Used:
1965 Fender Deluxe Reverb- Jupiter 12LC
1983 Marshall JCM800 4010 Combo- Original Celestion G1265
1962 Fender Princeton-  Celestion G10 Greenback
“Control Cab”- Mesa/Boogie 1x12 Thiele Ported Cab with EVM12L
Custom Built “Tele”
Custom Built “Strat”
Gibson SG

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It's time for another Feedback Loop! This time around we share our final thoughts on the three classic fuzz variations, Nick explains the benefits of his two-amp setup, and we share why Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks' guitar opus Real Emotional Trash is worth repeat listens.

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Welcome to season 2 of the Ground Wire Podcast. We're kicking off with the Three Pillars of Fuzz. Most modern fuzz pedal circuits are based, at some level, on one of three iconic fuzz designs: the Tonebender, Fuzz Face, and Big Muff Pi (nevermind that the very first fuzz design was the Maestro Fuzz Tone, and that it inspired the Tone Bender, which inspired the Fuzz Face… that is the subject of a whole other podcast) which all sound very different, and are each responsible for some majorly iconic tones.

From Hendrix to Page, Ronno to Gilmour, Corgan to Mascis, these Fuzz designs have created the sonic foundation for some of our favorite music. So let’s dive deep, in true Ground WIre fashion. We are comparing these fuzzes, into small, medium, and high powered amps, with various guitars, and seeing how they stack with other pedals. We put each one into, and out of, it’s comfort zone. We also compare them in a band mix with bass and drums.

Hopefully this episode will provide some insight on the merits of each, and help you determine which fit your playing style, and for which applications. Now let’s get fuzzy…

Gear Used:
Expresso FX Fuzz Bender MKII - Tonebender MKII Clone
Jam Pedals Fuzz Phrase- Germanium Fuzz Face Clone
MJM Foxey Fuzz- Triangle Big Muff Clone
Vick Audio Mt. Pleasant OD- Marshall Bluesbreaker Clone
1965 Fender Deluxe Reverb
1983 Marshall JCM800 4010 Combo
1962 Fender Princeton
Custom Built “Tele”
Custom Built “Strat”
Gibson SG

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Here's another Feedback Loop episode to close out Season 1! This time we around we both breathe a sign of relief that Wood vs Pickups is finished, Tim tries out a new speaker for his Reverberocket, and we just can't help but worship the rock perfection of Thin Lizzy's Jailbreak.

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