Marshall 1962HW Bluesbreaker Handwired
From Don Carr:
As a brief history, this is the amp that set a new standard for blues-rock guitar in 1966 when a young Eric Clapton, who was featured on an album by John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, brilliantly played this amp to its potential, showcasing not only his talent but the touch-sensitive ferocity of the Marshall amp that became known as the “Bluesbreaker Combo.” When I plugged my PRS 513 into the front-end of the Marshall 1962HW, I was greeted with a combination of explosive energy and fine detail that responded to every performance nuance I put into it. It seemed more like another instrument as opposed to a sound generator; it worked with me, not just for me, which is a rare find in the world of guitar amplifiers.
The appearance of the 1962HW is as refined and classic as its tone. The large, salt-and-pepper grille cloth edged with white piping sets off the discreet Marshall logo and gives the amp a polished look, especially with the cleanliness of top-mounted electronics. The familiar Marshall-standard controls — Presence, Bass, Middle, and Treble — are shared across both Channels I and II. Channel I is brighter than II so they are a natural complement to one another. Two inputs per channel allow them to be connected together and blended, benefiting from the range of the two voices. The tube-based tremolo has a warm, organic sound and the controls for intensity and speed take it from shimmery to throbbing and hypnotic slow to chopper-blade fast.
Looking under the hood reveals the mojo in hand-wiring. When I pulled out the chassis, I was met with a wonderfully clean, simple layout of discreet components. On the underside, the company who made the transformers for the original Bluesbreaker, Drake, went to great lengths to re-create those transformers for 1962HW. Three ECC83 (12AX7) preamp tubes and a fourth for the tremolo, a pair of KT66 output tubes, and a GZ34 rectifier tube are more than just numbers; they create a sonic stew that is at the heart of the 1962HW. At lower volume settings, they stay taut and focused. Increasing the volume yields glowing power amp break-up and rectifier compression for an undeniably musical experience.
This package is complete with all original paperwork and manuals, Marshall Slip cover, and footswitch.
USED
$4500
As a brief history, this is the amp that set a new standard for blues-rock guitar in 1966 when a young Eric Clapton, who was featured on an album by John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, brilliantly played this amp to its potential, showcasing not only his talent but the touch-sensitive ferocity of the Marshall amp that became known as the “Bluesbreaker Combo.” When I plugged my PRS 513 into the front-end of the Marshall 1962HW, I was greeted with a combination of explosive energy and fine detail that responded to every performance nuance I put into it. It seemed more like another instrument as opposed to a sound generator; it worked with me, not just for me, which is a rare find in the world of guitar amplifiers.
The appearance of the 1962HW is as refined and classic as its tone. The large, salt-and-pepper grille cloth edged with white piping sets off the discreet Marshall logo and gives the amp a polished look, especially with the cleanliness of top-mounted electronics. The familiar Marshall-standard controls — Presence, Bass, Middle, and Treble — are shared across both Channels I and II. Channel I is brighter than II so they are a natural complement to one another. Two inputs per channel allow them to be connected together and blended, benefiting from the range of the two voices. The tube-based tremolo has a warm, organic sound and the controls for intensity and speed take it from shimmery to throbbing and hypnotic slow to chopper-blade fast.
Looking under the hood reveals the mojo in hand-wiring. When I pulled out the chassis, I was met with a wonderfully clean, simple layout of discreet components. On the underside, the company who made the transformers for the original Bluesbreaker, Drake, went to great lengths to re-create those transformers for 1962HW. Three ECC83 (12AX7) preamp tubes and a fourth for the tremolo, a pair of KT66 output tubes, and a GZ34 rectifier tube are more than just numbers; they create a sonic stew that is at the heart of the 1962HW. At lower volume settings, they stay taut and focused. Increasing the volume yields glowing power amp break-up and rectifier compression for an undeniably musical experience.
This package is complete with all original paperwork and manuals, Marshall Slip cover, and footswitch.
USED
$4500