What happened to the 18watt forum?

[NitroLiq]

I just get the feeling that, regardless of how much of an undertaking the amps are jhere or even if they were 18Wers, the atmousphere here is more geared towards the amp not the kit. In that way theres less of an emphasis on kits since people think nothing of saying go with this tranny or those caps.

I know where you're coming from but when you think about it...once you start working through a kit, you're building the amp and are going to have the same old amp questions. Now obviously there are kits that do the "hand-holding" thing (which I think is great for folks getting started) with step-by-step build guides but there are alot of kits that are basically just the parts and a layout, saving you the time from sourcing everything yourself. Many people going for these will research parts beforehand so they can customize the kit how they need....whatever the case...building an amp is building an amp. I think you really get out of it what you put into it. The more question you ask, the more you learn.

No I agree. But I think your taking me a little out of context. He was asking why the 18Wers didnt make it on the 5 all time marshall lists. Theres so many marshall classics and the 18/20Wers seem to be more a new fad then anything and a new fad because they offer the general marshall tone in a small package. You cant deny that. Whether you wind up liking them as much or more or not is a personal thing

Sorry about that...the 18 watt is a bit of an underdog, I'll agree...I just had to throw a wrench in the list of 67, 68, 69 plexies and jtm-45...variety is the spice of life.

Well we know the 'speaker' guy's marshall kits arent anything to write home about. With his new move and everything and business growing Im kinda shocked he even would get involved in mudslinging.

And now he's getting ready to offer a trainwreck kit...after so much work has been done over at the wreck forum.

[rjgtr]

18watt vs other Marshalls - it isn't a classic because it wasn't considered a pro amp when it was produced, in the same way a Deluxe reverb wasn't. Now that P.A.s are better people are rediscovering the 18 watt as a great blues and rock amp. I've built a lot of different amp designs, including 1watt 1U rack amps to 18 watts and 50 watt channels switchers. They all have their place.

That isn't to say it is any better than a JTM-45, JCM800, Plexi 50, Superbass or SLP. But it is a great amp at what it does, which are great semi-crunch and power tube saturation sounds.

As for being easier, it really is just about as hard as any other Marshall to build. Marshalls aren't anything like as complex as blackface Fenders.

As for the crowd at 18 watt, it is a nice friendly place just like here. A lot of great people helping other people build amps - mostly 18 watt, but also just about anything else too. As for speaker guys kits, while they aren't always "authentic" I don't think people really had any more trouble with them than other's kits. They just had a few early teathing pains the others had gotten past. Even the "easy to build" PCB amp had people who had issues.

This whole thing has blown up out of all proportion due to the actions of all parties involved. It's a real shame.

And don't think it couldn't happen here - that's what we thought there.

[Billy Batz]

18watt vs other Marshalls - it isn't a classic because it wasn't considered a pro amp when it was produced, in the same way a Deluxe reverb wasn't. Now that P.A.s are better people are rediscovering the 18 watt as a great blues and rock amp.

Im with ya there to an extent. Deluxes and Champs may not have been what people were drooling over back in the day but they certainly are on more recordings then probably any other fenders. Thats why their classics wereas, and correct me if Im wrong, the 18Wers are kind of a 7th round pick that turned into teh league MVP in the last few years. Was there anyone using them really? Otherwise, if it did have thta kind of studio jewel history that the champ did it probably would be a classic.

As for being easier, it really is just about as hard as any other Marshall to build. Marshalls aren't anything like as complex as blackface Fenders.

Yeah your right about that. I actually was with that the entire time. Its more like, lets say, as a newbie its easier to take in the smaller space then all tahts going on in a 100W chassis and its huge trannys and big filters though the 100W is barely more complex.

And don't think it couldn't happen here - that's what we thought there

Hopefuly not.

[newking70]

ummmmm scumbag?

[Billy Batz]

No

[rjgtr]

Dan,

Status of 18 back when.

If there was anyone using them it wasn't publicized. But neither was the drum machine on the beginning of hot for teacher.

Nobody really thought much of them way back. But Parks were also considered 2nd class.

Part of it was also the fashionability of Fenders in England. The Beatles used Deluxes. Clapton and Harrison (and there for tons of others) got into Champs through Delaney Bramlette, who used suped up Champs to record with. From whar Delaney has said, these Champs has new transformers and a diode rectifier. Most likely they also had a second output tube for possibly more like a Princeton output. The speaker was changed out for a 10. It was one of these Champs that Clapton used on his 1sr solo album, Derek & TD and 461. It is not your garden variety champ.

I worked in a Music Store around 1980 and we had a funny incident. We had a british musician come in and ask about Peaveys. He was amazed at how cheap he could get a Mace. We got to taking and Peaveys had this big mystique in England, whereas Marshalls were no big deal (like we felt about PV here). He was ready to trade a couple '74 100 watts for some Peaveys. It was sort of funny to us, but just shows perspective makes a difference.

[NitroLiq]

It's back up.