I started collecting guitars and amplifiers a few years back. I tend to buy gear because its unusual or has a particular interest to me. Its not because I play in a band or anything, in fact I don’t even play very well. Its more the fact that I view these beautiful instruments as works of art, objects of desire, something to be looked at and admired. I like to seek out an old music shop on the back street of some town and have a dig around to see if I can find something which grabs my interest. I also like going to the odd car boot fair. In fact some of my best finds have come from car boot fairs. I've had many wonderful guitars and amps go through my hands over the years, some of which I wish I still had. I keep telling myself that that’s enough, and this is my final collection. Well you know how that goes!! Anyway click on each photo and enjoy.
Amplifiers – Owned and Sold
I’ve had many fantastic amplifiers go through my hands over the years. I sometimes look at these and think how lucky I’ve been to acquire so many great amps. I just wish I’d been able to keep them all. There are definitely some I wish I still had. You will notice from the list below, that I am a big Marshall fan and collector. I don’t why, but that’s the way it is. They are not all Marshall’s, there are loads of other interesting amps below, so scroll down and enjoy these for yourself.
This was a awesome Marshall JCM 2000 Head. One of the early versions from 1998 and Made in the UK, of course. Not much to say about these Marshalls, other than they rock like hell. It is one of those great heads that I should have kept.
Thus was a rocking Marshall 4×12 1960 ‘lead’ speaker cab. These Marshall 1960 cabs are an iconic piece of rock history with a heritage that stretches back to the early 1960s. This cab is fitted out with a quad of Celestion T1221 ‘Blackback’ speakers which will rock any stage. For those of you who know, Celestion used black plastic for their covers due to a shortage of green plastic, but these are exactly the same iconic ‘Greenback’ T1221 speakers.
A great sounding Marshall 4×12 speaker cab. Its a 1960b cab.
Marshall 1960A Speaker Cab in a rare red colour This was a speaker cab to die for and it had so much stage presence and it makes a fantastic looking backline in its rare red. The cab is a Marshall 1960A (lead) cab with four UK made Celestion G12T-75 speakers. This was my go to amp for a long time. It was a 1991 JCM 900 50 watt head through a 1960ax cab. It had got all the growl that you’d ever need. It’s amazing just how good these older classic Marshall amps really are. It didn’t get any better than this. I do not know why the hell I sold it. Absolutely gorgeous Marshall in factory red tolex. Looked great, sounded great and sustained foreverI just love these old Marshall’s. This is a 1973 Marshall ‘Artiste’ 50 watt head. Its in excellent condition and sounded glorious. I’ve had a couple of these Artistes over the years
A lovely old mid 70’s Fender ‘Silverface’ Pro Reverb. How cool do these old Fenders look. With one of these behind you, you are the envy of everyone. And it had a sound to die for.
A fantastic 1969 Marshall Model 1930. Fully original and a 2×10
A 1971 Marshall Model 1930. Fully original and a 1×12
Another 1971 Marshall Model 1930. Fully original this time a 2×10
And now a 1972 Marshall Model 1930. Fully original and a 1×12
1971 Marshall 2×12 speaker Cab. Unusual in this configuration
A very nice Limited Edition 4×12 speaker cab. This sounded great
1971 Marshall 4×12 Speaker Cab. I just love these ‘checkerboard’ cloth cabs and I must have had a dozen or so of these wonderful cabs go through my hands
1970 Marshall 4×12 Speaker Cab with metal handles. What a cracking cab this was
This a Marshall 4×12 Speaker Cab. The back story on this is that it was used by ACDC on the ‘Black Ice’ tour. I bought this from a roadie that was part of the tour. Apparently the crew got the chance to buy these as Marshall could not take them back and resell them as they were tour used / thrashed
The number 15 sticker and the yellow identify label indicate where this cab sat in the bands wall of Marshall’s throughout the tour. I wished I’d kept this one now
1970 Marshall 100 watt Superbass. Fully original. There is no doubt in my mind that this was one of the best Marshall amps I have ever owned. It really doesn’t get much better than this
A first year of issue (2004) Marshall 1974X. This is a reissue of the bluesbreaker and in my opinion is one of the best reissue amps that Marshall have ever made
Another 1974X. This one is from later in the run (2012 I think) and it just didn’t sound as good as the earlier model
A model 1987X. This thing was insanely loud and was totally unusable at home or even small gig levels
This is a nice rig. A 2061X and a 2×12 cab. Lovely
1971 Marshall 50 watt combo. Very clean sound and modeled on the Fender Bassman
A 1976 Marshall ‘Artiste’ 50watt Head. This had the less desirable PCB circuit board. Still sounded very good though
This is an odd one. Basically it appears to be a 1971 Marshall ‘Artiste’ head. However all the Artistes that I have seen have the word ‘Artiste’ written on the rear panel above the serial number and on the inspection label on the inside of the amp. But this one didn’t have this. So that makes it unusual. I was told by the seller that this head was used by KISS during their early 70’s European tours. The seller was a collector who owned a whole batch of KISS stuff. He said that he got all the gear when the tour ended and the band went back to the US. I don’t think that KISS would’ve have been particularly bothered about what gear their management hired and they would have used whatever Marshall made available to them at this time. So there is a chance that this could be true. Who knows!!!!!
This is a much later Marshall ‘Artist’. Its a 4203 Combo. Notice how the name has changed from ‘Artiste’ to ‘Artist’
Marshall AVT150 Head
Marshall AVT150 Combo
1969 Marshall 2×10 PA Cabs and with original covers below
1970 Marshall 4×10 PA Cabs, and with original covers belows
This is a Marshall CMI Combo from 1976. This is a 30w Master Lead Tremolo ‘solid state’ guitar amplifier. Cleartone Musical Instruments were part of the Marshall group
Marshall Class 5 watt Combo
Marshall Class 5 watt Head
Marshall DSL 201
Marshall DSL 201 HeadMarshall JCM900 Head
A truly fantastic and original JMP 50 watt Head from 1971. Just a classic piece of British amp building history
Marshall JTM 45 reissue Head. I don’t know what the originals sounded like, but this one just rocked. A brilliant reissue amp
Marshall Lead 12. These were made famous by Billy Gibbons who used one on a recording. I can’t remember which recording
A very nice and original Marshall Mercury 5 watt Combo from 1972
Marshall Master Reverb 30 watt Combo
Marshal TSL602 Combo
Peavey Classic 50 watt 2×12 – Made in USA
Totally underrated amplifiers particularity these older USA made Versions.
A vintage 5 watt Audition Combo
And its big brother the 15 watt Audition Combo
A Blackstar Artisan 15 watt Head. These are great amps
I have no idea who made this amp. I can’t find out anything about it on the web. It is however a 100 watt PA Head
I have had quite a few of these Carlsbro amps as you will see. This is a 60 watt 5 channel mixer amp which actually sounds fantastic as a guitar amp
and another
This is the 100 watt version. The one thing I remember about this head is that it weighted a ton to lift and carry around. Again, fantastic as a guitar ampMuch the same as the Carlsbro’s above, just in the smaller 50 watt PA configuration
You can’t beat a bit of tweed. A Cornell Romany Plus
But when it comes to tweed, then the much sought after and very highly desirable Lazy J just can’t be beaten. This is the J40 – wonderful in every way
Probably early to mid 60’s Elpico AC88 amp. 10 to 15 watts.
A very nice Fender ‘red knob’ Champ 12
Fender Super 60 with the desirable red knobs
Fender Ultra Chorus 2×12 Combo. A beast of an solid state amp
A junk shop find. A FET solid state amp with tremolo and reverb. Nice
HH Studio Fifty. A 50 watt 1×12 Combo from back in the day. Happy memories
A Kelly (i.e. Selmer) 100 watt PA amp. Another great guitar amp which weighed a ton
Another Kelly (i.e. Selmer) – this time a 30 watt 1×12 Combo
Laney LC30 Mk1 30 watt all valve amplifier combo 1×12
Leech PA SystemAnother junk shop find. A Norman G60 PA HeadYet another junk shop find. A Peavey Blazer 158 Combo
A lovely little Retro looking 5 watt amp. I do not know who made this amp as there are no marking whatsoever on it
Early 60’s Rosetti 5 watt Combo
What a great amp this was. A Selmer Treble-n-Bass Fifty. This amp looked absolutely brilliant in its croc skin effect covering. It also sounded brilliant
Another Selmer. This time a 30SS. So its a 30 watt solid state 2×10 Combo
Session all valve 30 watt 1×12 Combo
Sound City 50 watt PA amp. A great guitar amp
Late 60’s early 70’s Sound City Studio 20 watt Head
A very nice VOX AC15 in custom Red
VOX Escort 1×6 Combo
VOX V15 Solid State amp
WEM ER40 Head
Another WEM ER49 – this one was a car boot findWEM PA100 Head – Insanely loud with matching PA speaker columns below
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