Electric Guitar Amplification

 Marshall 30th Anniversary 6101 Combo

For electric guitar amplification, I choose Marshall.

Below is a picture of my amp of choice over these past 20 years.

When I began playing professionally, I began looking for an amplifier that would meet and exceed the needs I would have in the band. The venue's were small clubs, from 50 - 200 people, with any luck there would be a stage, which was usually small. I chose to go with a combo and after looking and playing many, I came across this amp.  The Marshall 6101 and the 1912 extension cabinet were the perfect solution.

The amp has midi switching between three channels, 1) Clean 2) Crunch and 3) Lead. These are three uniquely different channels that provided all the variety required for the diverse musics we were playing. Combined with an ART SGX2000 and X-15 midi controller, there was a midi channel patch for each song in our repertoire. This combination allowed me to dial in and sound as close to the original song as desired which was a big part of what we were trying to achieve in the band.
Each channel has its own controls including three band eq and switches that allow you to tune into the exact tone that you are looking for. For example, there are brightness and a mid shift switch on channel one,  three modes on channel two to dial in a JTM 45, 1959 Super Lead amp and a JCM 900 and channel three has "gain boost" and contour switches, as though there would ever be a need for a gain boost on channel three !!

The 6101 combo comes with a single 12" 200 watt speaker.

But as you might already know, the difference in sound between a one speaker and two speakers rig is like night and day. A 30th anniversary extension cabinet was made but unfortunately I was never able to locate one. I decided to go with the 1912. It is a 150 watt, closed back extension with provide a nice alternative sound to the partially open back combo. The combination of the two speakers as independent components is also nice from the standpoint of lugging them around. An amp is only one part of the many pieces I setup and broke down each show.  There was a cool setup the other guitarist and I would do. He also had a combo amp with a 12" extension speaker. Each of us picked up a 20' speaker extension cable and I would stack my combo on his extension and visa versa. We could easily hear each other even through we were on opposite sides of the stage. This was most valuable in assuring a good balance between our guitars.
 

 As, mentioned, the 6101 provides midi channel switching. Included with the amp is the three channel switch at left. At the time I purchased the amp, I did not quit understand the value of midi until I later began using midi control for my effects. I began using a Art SGX2000 and X-15 midi controller for my effects because I could pre-program a single channel of the 200 available for a given song. I simply punched in the channel and bang, reverb/chorus/echo/whatever was dialed right in.  I would run a power chord and a midi chord out to my mic stand, and control the SGX2000 with the X-15, and from the SGX 2000, run a pass through to the back of the Marshall and program a midi out with each channel setting. So when I pressed channel 15 on the SGX 2000, it would pass a 1, 2, or 3 to the amp to set the amp channel. Not everything on the 6101 was midi controlled. When channel two was configured to sound like a 1959 Super Lead, that is where it stayed unless I went back to the amp and manually changed it.

 Here is the back of the 6101. You can see that massive 200 watt speaker. Talk about heavy. Imagine a standard Marshall amp head combined with that speaker!  What was seriously cool about this amp is the Power and Pentode/Triode switching. Power allowed turning on 2 or 4 values, and the Pentod/Triode allows for full or half power.

With 4 valves, there is 100 watts in pentode - 50 watts in triode. With 2 valves there is 50 watts in pentode - 25 watts in triode. So there are two different tones at 50 watts. Talk about flexibility!
Other features I use are the effects send and return and line out. In keeping with the design, there is tremendous flexibility with setting to adjust to the types of effects that will be used.
Have you ever seen so many tubes in a single amp? The engineers at Marshall had a field day with this one !!.

When you have an amplifier with all of these features why would you ever need another??
HERE IS THE MANUAL

Practice Amp
Fender Bullet Amp TYPE: PR 241

When the Marshall is packed away, and I want a little amplification at home, this is my solution. 
It came home one day with my wife who came across it at an auction.  Its turned out to be a great find !
The Fender Bullet is small (12"x13"x7") and weighs in at 15lbs.. Output is 15 watt through an 8" fender speaker. It has two channels. Channel One is the clean channel has a volume control. This channel shares a three band eq with Chanel Two, the Drive Channel. Channel two has both a Gain and a Volume dial that can be dialed in to find a nice little growl. It also has an ext speaker which I have used to connect the 1912. Again, night and day in sound when you add that second speaker. It is a nice little amp for practice.  Small enough to be able to crank it up and make it growl and still be at in home volume levels.