Eric Clapton With Cream: Which Marshall?

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Ted B
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Re: Eric Clapton With Cream: Which Marshall?

Post by Ted B » Wed Jan 18, 2012 4:15 pm

That this promo video was taken in Dec '67 pretty much confirms it. Also, live photos from early '68 show the same tall bottom cabs, and mix of regular (G12M-20 75Hz) and '100' (G12H-25 55Hz) cabs that appeared at the beginning of '67. It looks to me that Eric's amps (a Lead and a Trem) remained a constant from mid '66 until the end of '67. I suspect some of the regular cabs were the originals from mid '66 as well, with the '100s' being added later.

Photos reveal ...

In Feb of '68, in the USA, Jack is playing what looks like a JTM head (given the distance between jacks and edge), but it has a polarity switch (a USA feature), so this suggests it is new. It is not the same one he is playing in the Dec '67 promo video.

In March of '68, in the USA, Jack is still using the tall bottom cabs.

In March-April of '68, in the USA, Eric is still using one Lead and one Trem head. At least the Trem head appears a bit tattered and not new. I suspect this is the original '66 model. This head, now with missing 'M' on the "Marshall" logo, disappears by Nov '68.

Newer speaker cabs begin to appear around this time for at least a few shows, on account that there are now slanted cabs with casters. But then again, the caster-less cabs reappear, as well as some "Bass" cabs (Jack) through the end of '68.


What I see change at the end of '67 - beginning of '68, at least one of Jack's heads and Eric's Lead amp now have polarity switches, which almost certain means they were replacements. Eric's eventual replacement (JMP) Tremolo head, acquired in mid '68 and used through the final show (RAH) however, remains without a polarity switch.

jackdc100
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Re: Eric Clapton With Cream: Which Marshall?

Post by jackdc100 » Tue Jan 24, 2012 4:45 pm

Ok so I just want to make sure I'm on the same page with everyone here. We're deciding it's probably a JTM45/100 trem model with KT66 tubes from 1966 then? Thanks for all the info guys. That's a hell of a sound.

Ted B
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Re: Eric Clapton With Cream: Which Marshall?

Post by Ted B » Tue Jan 24, 2012 5:58 pm

From all the photos I've looked at in consideration of this question, it seems the Cream discography through Disraeli Gears, and live recordings until sometime in the first half of 1968 involve a JTM 100, so you would be correct.

Keep in mind that the amp is only part of the sound. The cabs used for that particular video appear to be both model 1960, which would have the G12M20w T1221 Greenbacks at that time, comparable to Sumback's 'PVC' 20w.

The '64 SG he's playing has the early patent sticker pickups, and those have a particular sound. Also, he's probably using nickel wrapped, round core strings, and those have their own sound as well.

The complete picture is comprised of numerous small pieces.

HurtwoodEdge
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Re: Eric Clapton With Cream: Which Marshall?

Post by HurtwoodEdge » Sat Aug 07, 2021 4:37 am

Eric Clapton's Marshall amps:
1966 Marshall JTM45/100 (with“MK II”on the left side of the front panel and "JTM45"on the right side of the front panel ; "MK III" and handwriting "Super 100 Amplifier" on the white back panel).
19XX Marshall JMP Super Tremolo 100w ( I don't know the exact years of this 8 knobs amp).
In 1968, live at Hyde Park with Blind Faith, according to the photos, Eric used two black flag JTM45/100 (with "Super Lead 100w" on the back panel, also could be Marshall JMP Super Lead 100w, but I think black flag JTM is more possible).
These amps were Eric Clapton's stage amps, I didn't find enough studio photos that could prove which amps he used.
Please correct me if I was wrong.

BrownIsound
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Re: Eric Clapton With Cream: Which Marshall?

Post by BrownIsound » Fri Apr 01, 2022 6:56 pm

Sounds like KT66’s to me.

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