The AFD100: Developed by Marshall and Slash. But will this amplifier make you sound like Slash?
Is the power scaling an improvement for Marshall guitar amps? Marshall AFD100 'Appetite' SLASH Amp Amplifier REVIEW updated NOTE - this is a VERY long review of the AFD100 Slash Amplifier. This review was updated after the initial review with comments from Santiago Alvarez, the amp designer at Marshall Amplification PLC. Santiago comments in red and my further comments in blue. The History section now includes part 2 from MisterMiniMite - an awesome document. Here's the review: The AFD100 amp from Marshall has been a very long time in coming (or so it seems) and I was waiting for this amp with baited breath after all the hype and talk about it from Slash fans, Marshall themselves and others.
There is so much stuff floating about and often spoken on the internet about that elusive S.I.R #39 that the original appetite slash amp has gained legendary status. So how do you set out to make an amp that you have never seen? And how authentic will that sound and feel be to the original modified amp? It's a bit like Gibson recently who made a guitar 'in the style of Slash'.
Actually the original guitar was not made by Gibson, but was 'based' on a Les Paul. In the AFD100 we have a similar situation - Marshall did make the original, but it was modified by others so is it a Marshall amp as we know it? No it is not. But (like Gibson) here's where it gets weird, they make an amp from something that they don't know what's inside! Its a great idea, but clearly the AFD100 shall we say is in the style of the SIR amp sound in my opinion. Here's a comment from one of the AFD100 design team which in itself is a highly useful piece of information: 'The AFD amp and the #34 Slash's favorite amp are 90% the same amp. It simply needs to switch a gain stage and a couple of other things and there you are, quite simple and effective.
In fact I can 100% assure you that the AFD100 in #34 mode is the same amp as Slash has been playing. The AFD100 never pretended to be a replica of the original amp, just an amp that has that tone and for those purposes we have had Slash working with us. If we had made a 'true' replica it would have retailed form much more than it is now and one of the objectives was to make this amp affordable, but that doesn't mean cheap parts, or made overseas. It is made in the UK and all the parts are the same as we would be using in hand wired amps. There is nothing digital in the signal chain either, no 1s or 0s touching the signal, the only 1s an 0s are for the auto biasing and the footswitch. The transformers are the SAME as in the JCM800, just horizontally mounted instead of vertical.'
THE AMP IN REVIEW Click ANY image for a larger view Heres the amp I received on 22nd December 2010 shortly after it came out of the box, photographed and then placed on top of a 1960B Marshall cab. As you can see from the photo, the amp is really a sort of mismatch of a number of amps - a 'plexi' style, a JCM800 style, old power and standby switches, two guitar inputs, 'fat' sides to the cab and of course the 'small' Marshall logo from that bygone era. And there's new too: The silver anodized brushed aluminum is new to this amp - this is the only amp Marshall make with this finish. Some reviewers (like Guitarist magazine January 2011) have called it 'snakeskin' - well maybe (but only just), if you are drunk or had one coke too many, but where I come from it isn't snakeskin. Theres just about 1 1/2 inches of faded snakeskin in the background on the front right hand side of the silver panel.
It would have looked REALLY cool with that 'snakeskin' etching all over the panel. Also the font used on the lettering for everything is unconventional and while you CAN read it, I don't think it offers any aesthetic benefit to this amp whatsoever - in fact that font is ugly. It is the AFD album font as far as I am aware. Obviously there is much more to this amp than a few colour mismatches and fonts that don't work. But it would have been a nicer product in my view if the panels were gold, the logo was gold and that font was simply more commensurate with this amplifiers status. Well, as usual in these kind of products it is the artist who decides what he wants. That actually makes it easier for us:-DDD.
Its still ugly:-) SERIAL NUMBER One thing I should mention is about the current serial numbers of this amp. Now I don't have this information as a certainty, but I reckon what follows is part of how you can decide on the amp number off production. No one ever talks about this anywhere with new amps from Marshall so here is my opinion for what it's worth (it may be wrong). My amps serial number is: M-20-1 An AFD100 from the first batch like mine which was delivered from the first 100 had a serial number of: M-20-1 (found on the internet in a forum) Careful analysis reveals: M-20-1 is: a UK amp, 2010 Year, 49 Week (November 30 to December 6), Day 2 (1st December) 09 Unit Number and lastly the production line (or this could be the run number - remember this was production run number 1. Checking the other guys serial above based on this analysis his amp is exactly the same except for unit number - so clearly the unit number is related to the units they built. MY OVERALL CONCLUSION IS THAT MY AMP IS NUMBER 9 AND HIS IS NUMBER 40 FROM THIS SAME PRODUCTION RUN.
Of course I could be wrong. I have not seen this information or analysis anywhere else on the internet - it seems that Marshall don't appear to offer up this information to end users, but if someone knows better than my analysis and can PROVE it i will gladly update this info here. In fact the code is: year - week - sequential number - voltage/area code - your amp is 209th. Marshall said they were releasing only 100 pieces before christmas 2010 in the UK. I wonder what happened to the first 200 pieces? I don't doubt SA about the sequencing etc but it does raise questions about those first amps - unless Marshall decided to start off the numbering from 200?
Or maybe those are the 'special edition' amps up for sale at a premium? I would not be surprised.
Time will tell. Heres an amended image of the serial sequencing: Footer Update - Santiago Alvarez has commented later ' the serial numbers, even if the UK amps were shipped first doesn't mean they were built first' - just for clarification purposes. OK lets move on a little. When I took the amp and photographed the inside I noticed a few niceties on the way. For example, gone are the screws that typically hold the back cover on the amp; these are now replaced with 'machine screws' with metal inserts in the back of the amp to take the screw. Long term this has an advantage that the screw is always going to do its job (how many times have you seen the back screws hanging out of those old plexi style amps) for a very long time indeed.
This shows in my view that Marshall have spent time in over engineering the AFD100 amplifier where it matters. Metal inserts for the rear grille are being used already for several years. Not on the amps I reviewed; maybe I forgot; I'm getting older so that's my excuse anyway.
CHASSIS This amp is made actually to stand up well on the road. From its 'plastic' corners, its strong handle (like other Marshall handles but silver) and on through to the chassis which appears to be made of 16 or 18 gauge steel. Its good to see that marshall have not cut any corners with quality. Heres a shot of the chassis: Again that's standard Marshall steel used for a long time. It is 1.6mm thick. Look at the corner of the chassis and you can see what I mean; nice thick steel welded as necessary to make this chassis a really strong bit of kit. RETURN OF THE CHOKE It was nice to see on this amplifier design some common sense.
I noticed (as you can see in the above picture) that marshall have reverted back to installing a 'choke' on the AFD100 design. Typically on the newer amps marshall 'did away' with the choke and simply replaced it with a big fat resistor. Now if you know anything about electronics at all then you will probably understand that the resistor and the choke are two very different things. The choke is next to the big transformer in the above picture and the resistor is not:-). This 'choke' has measurements in 'henries' (something to do with the inventor) Joseph Henry discovered the self inductance) and a resistor is usually measured in 'ohms' (also named after the inventor/discoverer).
( Ohm enunciated the principle known as 'ohm's law'. In fact the impedance of a 'choke', capacitor or anything else is measured in ohms.) I am not a wizard quite like SA but the chokes I bought were sold by measurement of 'henries' but I don't question SA, but MM sell chokes measured in 'henries' - SA will be right. This choke has a direct effect on the design AND the SOUND of your amp. If it did not - I am absolutely sure that Marshall would have installed a cheap resistor in its place. After all 2300 chokes are much more expensive than 2300 resistors!
Yes, but the% of the price of the amp is still low. If a JVM has a resistor it is because when we designed it, for the kind of music it was mainly targeted, we consider that a resistor was more than adequate for the job. Hard to argue with - except to say that the choke does affect the sound in my opinion. I like amps with chokes! I carried out a choke modification on a JVM410H head and you could tell the difference in sound and some other subtleties so don't think that its just a myth that the choke affects the sound - it does. It's good to see that Marshall agrees.
Footer Update - Santiago Alvarez recently commented ' A choke is measured in Henries like a Capacitor is in Farads but what matters is its impedance, which is always measured in Ohms and depends on the frequencies. Of course the behaviour is different from a choke to a resistor but they don't make an amp better in either case. Actually many amps have resistor for example.' So I hope this clears things up a little; I'm more confused than ever:-) actually I'm only joking he he. INSIDE THE AMP Inside the AFD100 it is VERY different than what would have been in that #39 amp. My view is that the original had the old hand wired circuitry a bit like what you see in this picture but maybe even older style than even this.
This type of board was introduced around 1973 but in that elusive amp it might even be an earlier turret board design. However, those days are gone (or are they?) and Marshall have made the insides of the AFD amp using current technology and techniques that simply were not available when the original amp was made.
So below is an image of the AFD board as you get it today. Click for large image. This build also uses 'Dagnall' transformers for both the power and the output transformer. This brand have been around (it seems) forever and Marshall teamed up with Dagnall in the very early years of production.
It is very likely that these transformers have custom made for this amp in the usual Marshall tradition. Output transformers are the same as the 1959's and the JCM800's but mounted horizontally. We used the same transformers in the JVM, 2203KK and YJM100 for example. The mains transformers are a variation of the JVM ones, which are beefier than the JCM800 ones for example. It's interesting to note the transformers are the same as the YJM100 amp.
They don't often take a 'standard' transformer and just put that in. Here again we see Marshall deciding on things that affect the TONE of the amplifier and there are no short cuts on transformers. Most guys know that transformers contribute greatly to the sound of an amp and these will be no exception. Notice how they isolate the output transformer (the one on the right) from the rest of the circuitry with a metal plate - this will contribute to a quieter amp when just sitting there turned on with the standby switched on. That prevents the output coupling in to the preamp as they are physically close. One thing to note is that there are a number of fuses INSIDE the amp which you cannot get to unless you pull the chassis.
This becomes a pain if one of those blows at a gig and you want to change it out just in case it was just an old fuse. Not important now, but later on down the road?
We've put the HT fuse on the outside as that is the only one that should be blowing in case of output valve (tube) failure. The other fuses are mainly to comply with modern safety regulations. I suspect theres one there for prevention in case of surges. Power surges could then take out a fuse? If that is the case, and theres a power surge at the gig, well, at least you will know where to look. I noticed that the tone stack controls (the controls on the front of the amp) were all printed circuit mounted directly on to the tone stack board and had long extensions of the shaft to get to the front of the amp. Again no problem, unless yours is out of warranty and one fails.
However, its pretty unlikely that this will happen so its no real concern. Sealed pots, we have been using them for years and they are very reliable.
I never had issues with pots either; its just that a generic replacement might be harder to find if you are on the road and don't have a Marshall one. But I agree it's unlikely that these will fail. The main PCB is a double sided through plated affair made from thick fiber material in keeping with today's technology and this board should prove good long term. I did notice however that the tube sockets are soldered right to the board which could at some stage offer up a board issue because of heat. The transmission of heat by conduction through the pins is not too big as the pins are relatively small. Main heat source is convected and radiated, blocked by the chassis in a combo. In a head the heat tends to go up away, so the PCB would run quite cool and definitely much lower than the temperature it could withstand.
Well SA is the designer and I'm not going to argue with him; if he does'nt know then no one does! INTERNALS AND BUILD VIDEO Above is a video which shows the build of the amp under review. POWER SCALING Integral to the amp is a feature called 'power scaling'. This allows the amp to output the same quality sound at reduced volumes and clearly, with so many guys playing guitar in the bedroom this is an important feature to have. This is likely to be of a similar design from a well known leader in this technology called London Power who originally invented power scaling in tube amps some time ago. This is a great feature and Ill talk about this later on when we consider the operation of the amp.
In fact Santiago (who was the primary designer of the AFD100) said ' our principles are very similar. Both our system and Kevin's (London Power) are based in some previous works to which Kevin added a HT control that we didn't implement. On the other hand, apart from the input signal we compensate the power amp feedback and we added the biasing to the system'. Like I said the power scaling has been around for a while with little implementation that I am aware of - but it is reasonably clear that these two companies have spoken about this subject. AUTO BIASING Another neat feature is the 'auto' biasing of the power tubes. The AFD100 uses 6550 tubes (probably originating in China in this amp as supplied) ( I am not sure if Chinese or Russian) but in fact it can use near enough all octal base tubes with just a few exceptions - so you can use say 2x6550 and 2xEL34 and the amp can basically solve the issue of impossible to bias tubes. Its worth noting though that this feature is NOT completely automatic in its operation.
Firstly you have to look at a table in the back of the manual that refers to input power AND bias voltages for different tubes. Then you set a preset on the back of the amp to match the tubes fitted and lastly run through an automated feature where you hold the loop switch on while turning on the amp. There is a reason for making the feature semi-automatic. We wanted the amp to be as close as possible to one with standard bias so the natural dynamics are preserved. There are some other systems that monitor the current while in use and adjust the bias continuously but that would be different from a classic biasing topology. The fact that you need to start the biasing procedure could be understood like biasing the amp once and then closing the cabinet, having the bias fixed to what ever we wanted. My view is that this procedure works so it's no real deal breaker that it has to be 'initiated' in the first place - a massive improvement over most amps.
The amp will then and only then bias itself according to what you set the preset to so its not quite 'completely automatic' but is a massive improvement over previous Marshall biasing methods. In some ways this makes the Mesa Boogie answer to biasing a little redundant.
THE REAL #39? The AFD amp has a switch to switch to Slash's current amp sound #34 (yes that's right not #39). It is likely that this switch will modify the tone stack in some way on this amp. You will notice a difference.
The tone stack is the same. It removes a gain stage and reconfigues the existing gain stages. Now remember the image of the amp at the top of the page on this site about the of the Slash amp? If you have not read that yet that's no problem - here it is again: Well what's all that about I hear you ask?
The image shows a Slash era amp that may well have been the #39 amp that everyone and their dog is looking for. Notice the pull switch on the front. That modifies the tone stack in that amp and makes it sound very much like #39 (i.e. The non #34 mode on the AFD100). You will notice in the non #34 mode on the new amp that there is increased treble and presence on the amp - and its REALLY more than on an average amp. I suspect that the AFD100 amp has its tone stack modified similarly to the amp shown above - maybe with other modifications as discussed elsewhere on this site. None of that is rocket science, but it does also increase the overdrive of the amp (Marshall actually confirms that in their videos, online and in the manual of the AFD100).
So maybe the 'magic' in the original Slash amp (apart from Slash playing it) was a simple tone stack mod - highly likely, given the sounds from the old amp shown here and the AFD100 similarities in sound in that respect. Like I said - the gain in that old amp is increased dramatically and it can cut your head off with treble and presence being overly abundant at 20 paces. But let's get back on track with the review of the new AFD100. T he difference in tone from #34 to AFD can be clearly heard by listening to Slash's song 'Back from Cali'. In his solo album he used the #34, in the iTunes session the AFD.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS PLUGGED IN Cab Choice When it was time to plug in this amp to find out what it could do the first problem was which 4x12 cab should I use. I have 1960A and B cabs, I have the Vintage Modern cab, I also have an JTM45 Reissue cab all from Marshall and a number of other cabs from other manufacturers. But for me, the cab that sounded 'right' was in fact the 1960B cab (you can check the specs of that cab on the marshall site I chose that cab because it has volume (no not sound volume but rather cab size volume) and I wanted to get a reasonable bottom end out of the amp. I used the 16 ohm connector on the amp and the cab. Heaven benchmark advanced download software free.
Its worth mentioning that the amp supports all the ohms ranges you will need i.e. 4, 8 and 16 ohms.
I also used a monster cables speaker cable. While not cheap, these cables are almost indestructible, they are really fat (as they should be) and I'm sure they offer a great connector between the amp and the cab. There are others, but look for a fat one!
(no not the girls). Heres a shot of the cab with the amp on. The cab is probably just six months old.
OTHER EQUIPMENT USED FOR TEST For my first foray with this amp I used an Ibanez RG550LTD (and later a Les Paul), an original Cry Baby pedal and a decent guitar cable or two. One thing to note here was that I usually use a pedal. That pedal has a gain structure within it (check out the review on this site) and I can tell you that the Clyde wah and this amp did not get on too well. Right from turning the amp on I could tell this pedal was not going to do it for me - so I used the Cry Baby. Indeed in all the videos I have made of this amp the was the pedal of choice for this amp. INITIAL SETUP Actually I am a bit of a distortion freak and I admit it.
So what did I set the amp to before I switched on? Yes that's right - I REALLY am a drive freak.
Actually I did turn the amp on with master and gain at 9 o clock, but that was just to confirm everything worked - it did. ACHIEVED SOUNDS I proceeded to set the amp up as above.
Actually it's not entirely true. Once I had the amp running in AFD mode I rapidly turned the presence to 8 o clock and the treble right off. Why, I hear you ask? Well the treble coming out of the amp was cutting my head off. At first I thought the wah pedal was the cause but that was not the case. Its no problem once you are used to it, and those settings above are what I used to record all the video.
I also tried the #34 mode out. That gave a more subdued and more smoother guitar tone. Now some reviewers have suggested that the #34 mode is better for chords. This amp (once you get used to it) sounds awesome for lead guitar in ANY mode and indeed its the same with rhythm guitar - its just a ball breaking awesome amp sound. If you want that old PLEXI sound but at manageable volumes (strike that out - should have been ANY volume) then this amp can do it.
If you want a JCM800 sound (all of them) this amp can do it in two flavors - a modified amp (the AFD mode) or another modified amp (the #34 mode) in either case, some shuffling with the tone controls and gain structure will have you with that sound in less than five minutes. Compare that to a HD500! Actually don't waste your time - there is no comparison. UPDATE: Do bear in mind that this amp is VERY toppy - in fact the most toppy guitar amp I have played through for some time. It may be good for you - it may not. Remember because its basically a one channel amp the tones once set will not change themselves like on other amps. The problem I found was that if you get a great sound in one setting, when you hit that tone shaping the sound changes dramatically.
One channel amps can be hard to get right. That Treble and Presence control on this amp is everything. Remember I told you on this update. Check the sounds - there are many throughout the video: Now I'm not a player that plays 'Slash' music so don't look for any! But there are some nice enough tones on there as examples of the amp.
If you back off the guitar in any of those modes this amp cleans up in a nice sort of way. Check my video - sound starts of on the first clip (using Les Paul Spotlight Reissue) with superb sustain that bleeds through to the next note - I could play with that sound all day. Clip two (Spotlight Special Again) backed off the volume and that gave me a more laid back lead tone that was still as good as any Marshall I have ever played through. Later in this clip I turn the guitar volume back up to the level of the first clip. Clip three did a similar thing with an Ibanez RG550 - the volume was down initially and I turned that up to show some sustain at about 2:48 to 3:10.
I then introduced the Cry Baby pedal - awesome sound. You will notice how the guitar sustains more at this time - it really sounded great especially in the studio. Clip four (from 4:00 onwards) shows a heavier rock sound while I played 'Timeport' from my 2007 album 'Eniac' downloadable from iTunes etc. (that's the plug over:-) ). This is a far more aggressive style and was in AFD mode. At about 4:58 you can hear that chunky sound - I love that sound on a Marshall. At 7:50 there is some tapping which just rolls out of the amp at those settings with the Ibanez fitted with 'Vai' pickups.
8:20 shows some rhythm on the track to the end. Clip five (8:36) is basically a short take on 'Black Magic Woman'. Its a laid back Santana style.
You will notice right at the start that there is feedback (of the bad type) and I quickly backed off the volume knob a little on the guitar. I did later turn it back up. This clip used a Gibson Jimmy Page Les Paul from 1996. Clip six (9:43) was a backing of 'Jungle Strut' from Santana. Obviously its my take on the lead guitar and not Santanas but it does drive the amp quite hard with extended sustained notes. I also use the Cry Baby pedal to drive the amp even further. The JP Les Paul was used on this clip.
At 10:48 I tap the guitar HARD to the end of the clip. The sound in the studio was really awesome.
At 11:10 I discuss some of my basic views about the AFD100 and just how much I was impressed you will have to watch the video to find out. EFFECTS LOOP While reviewing the amp I did check out the SERIAL effects loop.
If you plug nothing in to the loop you can use that pedal on the floor switch to give the amp a boost for solos or indeed a reduction in output depending on how you set the adjustable control knob on the back of the amp. I'm just glad its a serial loop because you can get in to some issues on parallel loop equipped amps. This loop worked well. I installed a HARD WIRE Reverb pedal in the loop, switched it to a nice reverb and hey presto a fantastic reverb sound. You can of course use rack kit for effects and if you use a GCX switcher (or switchblade - which I may review soon) then you can feed this amp with many great effects. POWER-SCALING I did talk about this earlier but just wanted to confirm that this does work surprisingly well. Just one thing, its not quite like a regular knob for control.
This aspect of the amp is being clearly controlled by digital means and probably with embedded firmware. Marshall say that the sound path is completely non digital (i.e. Analogue) and I believe that to be true. Yes, the sound path is 100% analogue. The digital control shows itself in the use of the power scaling knob. You don't get a regular smooth change on power - you will notice that its more of a 'stepped' change in power as you turn the knob. Its a weird effect the first time you use the power scaling knob and one which I thought I should mention just to confirm that your amp is working right if you hear that (and you will).
The reason for stepped change is becaise the change in output power is followed by a change in bias. By fixing the power levels we can properly bias the amp in each step for the best tone. Doing it this way we don't have to follow any relationship between power amp voltages and bias, we simply bias the amp wherever we want and that allowed us to go down to 0.01W which is 1000 times less power than 100. We also considered that 21 steps are good enough to provide a rather continuous change in power without an interminable biasing procedure.
Bear in mind that every step is biased several times to average and balance the amplifier properly, so increasing the number of output settings would make the biasing procedure way too long. The power scale is logarithmic to provide a linear change in volumen.
Linear power scale would feel like an abrupt change followed by no variation. SA has the word on this - I could not have put it better myself:-) - whatever SA says on this I believe! OVERALL SCORE I have used some amps in my time as a guitarist since 1968. Probably most (if not all) Marshall tube amps at one time or another so I have some really good things to compare this amp to. When I watched this amp being developed my thoughts were 'well, I'm not a Slash fan, maybe this amp is not for me'.
But as I continued to see the enhancements fed to the public this amp started to intrigue me. One of the reasons for buying this amp was that it was actually designed as a sort of hybrid amp with all those Marshall tones in there that COUNTLESS world famous guitarists have used since the end of the sixties right through the most important times of rock guitar. Indeed, no other brand of amp comes close to the Marshall history and heritage (or sound in those days) no matter what anyone says. So even though this is a 'Slash' amp I ordered one. The truth is that this is NOT just a Slash amp - this is a Marshall amp that has been effectively modded by Marshall themselves - now THATS what this amp is all about. Forget that this amp is a one channel amp, forget that its big, heavy AND expensive, forget that there's no real 'clean' coming out of this amp. Those are EXACTLY the reasons why you should own one.
Except for the price! But limited runs do cost money. What's the score of this thing out of 10? Even though I have made some pertinent points in this review about the build and things like that, this amp remains extremely hard to criticise - unless you are a HD500 user:-) So my overall score for this amp is actually 10 out of 10. Trust me - I'm not someone who gets paid to write reviews. Indeed this review was written over about a week of playing, messing around with and simply typing - effectively using up my 'spare' time in the effort - and that's something I don't have a lot of. I don't get paid one penny.
So what's my review worth? I'll tell you. Its worth a thousand times more than the dealers, the magazines, the manufacturers, the HD500 guys who think they know what an amp sounds like and so on and so on. Take my word for it - if you play rock guitar (no not that heavy modern detuned stuff - you want an E670 for that) in the style of any classic and more melodic stuff then this amp will suit you down to the ground - and it will not wake the neighbors up if you play in the bedroom as many guys do.
AFD100 REVIEW CONCLUSION Simple. There are just 2300 of these worldwide. If you live in the UK its easier to get one. If you live anywhere else you really should have to look around a little or you are seriously at risk of paying more for one in the future. I'm sure these amps will increase in value and in three or four years time you will really wish you had bought one. Actually that's a lie! If you go to a gig and hear one of these you will wish you had one right now.
But do bear in mind that this AFD100 has a high top end and while its cool for Slash it may or may not be cool for you! I controlled all of that with the presence and the treble knobs no higher than 9:00.
Final score 8 out of 10 or four stars if you want it that way. Its one of the VERY few items I have ever reviewed with a result of that original. score of 10 out of 10 (.this score was later reduced for reasons of the treble output on this amp being very high. Last time I was as excited with an amp it was an Engl E670 and before that a TriAxis and 2:90 all of which remain world leading amps. Now add the AFD100 to that list. I hope you liked this review - its long, but don't forget to take a look at the AFD100 pages on this site that show aspects of use of the amp and offer general advice for users of this amp.
Check it all out: here. And don't forget to check out that 'history' page kindly written by MisterMiniMite - he did a really great job of that. With these enhancements from Santiago Alvarez from Marshall Amplification PLC I think that the review has been improved, and offered an insight by the designer himself. SA seemed to like the original review so I guess I got something right! Don't forget to visit the AFD100 Forum if it still exists - theres some great stuff on there and is supported by 'Santiago' himself too. Oops - looks like that site has now expired. Never mind there's more on the internet somewhere.
© A B Mckenzie 1997-2018. All Rights Reserved.
A 3 × 6 stack of Marshall ModeFour guitar cabinets on the main stage of in 2008. This setup belonged to of. Marshall Amplification is an company that designs and manufactures music, brands personal and earphones, and, having acquired, drums and bongos. It was founded by drum shop owner and drummer, and is now based in, Buckinghamshire. Marshall's are among the most recognised in the world.
They are known for their Marshall 'crunch'. This signature sound was conceived by Marshall after guitarists, such as, visiting Marshall's drum shop complained that the guitar amplifiers then on the market didn't have the right sound or enough volume. After gaining a lot of publicity, Marshall guitar amplifiers and loudspeaker cabinets were sought by guitarists for this new sound and increased volume. Many of the current and reissue Marshall continue to use, as is common in this market sector. Marshall also manufactures less expensive solid-state, hybrid ( and solid state) and modelling amplifiers. Site of Jim Marshall's first shop, now a men's barber After a successful career as a drummer and teacher of drum technique, first went into business in 1962 with a small shop in, London, selling drums, cymbals and drum-related accessories; Marshall himself also gave drum lessons.
According to Jim, and were the three main guitarists who often came into the shop and pushed Marshall to make guitar amplifiers and told him the sound and design they wanted. Marshall Ltd. Then expanded, hired designers and started making guitar amplifiers to compete with existing amplifiers, the most notable of which at the time were the amplifiers imported from America. These were very popular with guitarists and bass players, but were very expensive. The three guitarists were among the first customers of the first 23 Marshall Amplifiers made. First amplifiers: birth of the JTM 45.
Main article: Jim Marshall thought he could produce a cheaper alternative to American-made guitar amplifiers, but as he had limited electrical-engineering experience he enlisted the help of his shop repairman, Ken Bran, an technician, Dudley Craven, and Ken Underwood. They most liked the sound of the 4×10-inch and made several prototypes using the Fender Bassman amplifier as a model. The sixth prototype produced, in Jim's words, the 'Marshall Sound'. The original idea was talked about late one night in early 1963 in a bar in Ealing in West London.
The first six production units were assembled in the garden sheds of Ken Bran, Dudley Craven,and Ken Underwood in the same year, in, and, all in West London. They were almost copies of the Bassman circuit, with American military-surplus 5881 power valves, a relative of the. Few speakers were then able to handle more than 15 wattswhich meant that an amplifier approaching 50 watts had to use four speakers. For their Bassman, Fender used four in the same cabinet as the amplifier, but Marshall chose to separate the amplifier from the speakers, and placed four 12-inch speakers in a separate closed-back cabinet instead of the four 10-inch Jensens in an open-back combo. Other crucial differences included the use of higher-gain valves throughout the preamp, and the introduction of a capacitor/resistor filter after the volume control.
These circuit changes gave the amp more gain so that it broke into sooner on the volume control than the Bassman, and boosted the treble frequencies. This new amplifier, tentatively called the 'Mark II', was eventually named the ', after Jim and his son Terry Marshall and the maximum wattage of the amplifier. Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and other blues rock-based bands from the late 1960s, such as Free used Marshall stacks both in the studio and live on stage making them the most sought after and most popular amplifiers in the industry.
Distribution deal Marshall entered into a 15-year distribution deal with British company Rose-Morris during 1965, which gave him the capital to expand his manufacturing operations, though it would prove to be costly. In retrospect, Marshall admitted the Rose-Morris deal was 'the biggest mistake I ever made. Rose-Morris hadn't a clue, really. For export, they added 55% onto my price, which pretty much priced us out of the world market for a long time.' Park amplification The new contract had disenfranchised several of Marshall's former distributors, among them his old friend Johnny Jones.
Marshall's contract did not prevent him from building amplifiers outside the company, and so Marshall launched the Park brand name, inspired by the maiden name of Jones's wife. To comply with his contract stipulations, these amplifiers had minor circuit changes compared to the regular Marshalls, and minor changes to the appearance.
For instance, often the Parks had silver or black front panels instead of the Marshall's gold ones, some of the enclosures were taller or shaped differently, and controls were laid out and labeled differently. Starting in early 1965, Park produced a number of amplifiers including a 45-watt head.
Most of these had Marshall layout and components, though some unusual amplifiers were made, such as a 75 watt keyboard amplifier with tubes. A 2×12-inch combo had the option of sending the first channel into the second, probably inspired by Marshall users doing the same trick with a jumper cable. The 1972 Park 75 put out about 100 watts by way of two KT88s, whereas the comparable 50-watt of that time used 2 tubes.
In 1982, Park came to an end, though Marshall later revived the brand for some transistor amplifiers made in Asia. The Parks made from the mid-1960s to around 1974 (the 'golden years'), with point-to-point wiring – rumoured to be 'a little hotter' than regular Marshalls – fetch higher prices than comparable 'real' Marshalls from the same period. Other Marshall brand names. Main article: To reduce costs Marshall started sourcing parts from the UK. This led to the use of Dagnall and Drake-made transformers, and a switch to the valve instead of the tube commonly used in the United States. The changes gave Marshall amplifiers a more aggressive voice, which quickly found favour with players such as, who would sit in Jim's shop practicing. Clapton asked Jim Marshall to produce a combo amp with tremolo, which would fit in the boot of his car, and one of the most famous Marshall amps was born, the ' amp.
This is the amplifier, in tandem with his 1960 Standard (the 'Beano') and a that gave Clapton that famous tone on the ' 1966 album,. The Plexi and the Marshall stack. Main article: Other early customers included and of, whose search for extra volume led Marshall to design the classic 100-watt valve amplifier.
Ken Bran and Dudley Craven, Marshall's developers, doubled the number of output valves, added a larger power transformer and an extra output transformer. Four of these amplifiers were built and delivered to Pete Townshend, and the, the original Plexi, was born in 1965.
At the request of Pete Townshend, Marshall produced an 8×12-inch cabinet (soon replaced by a pair of 4×12-inch cabinets) on top of which the 1959 amplifier head was placed, giving rise to the Marshall stack, an iconic image for rock and roll. The size of the wall of Marshall stacks 'soon became an indicator of the band's status', even when rendered obsolete by improved PA systems; indeed, many of the 'ridiculously huge arrays of heads and cabs' included dummies. Still, most modern 100-watt heads have roots in Marshall's design, even though they often contain many more features (or different tubes, such as the more American-sounding tubes).
Another valve change. Rare 1971 200-watt Marshall Major At this time, the KT66 valve was becoming more expensive, as the faced greater competition from. Hence, another valve change was made, with Marshall starting to use European-made Mullard power stage valves. These have a different overdrive character than the KT66s, which gave Marshalls a more aggressive voice still.
In 1966 was in Jim's shop, trying the amplifiers and guitars. Jim Marshall expected Hendrix to be 'another American wanting something for nothing' but to his surprise, Hendrix offered to buy the amplifiers at retail price if Jim would provide him with support for them around the world. Jim Marshall agreed, and several of Hendrix's road crew were trained in the repair and maintenance of the Marshall amps through the years. The amplifiers from this era are easily identifiable by their acrylic glass (a.k.a. ) front panel, which earned them the nickname 'Plexi'. In 1967, Marshall released a 50-watt version of the 100-watt Superlead known as the 1987 Model. In 1969, the plexiglass panel was replaced by a brushed metal front panel.
Mid-1970s and 1980s models The JMP's After 1973, to streamline production, labour-intensive handwiring was discontinued and Marshall valve amplifiers were switched to (PCBs). Much of the debate about the difference in tone between the plexi- and aluminium-panel Marshall amps originates from 1974 when a number of circuit changes were made to the 1959 and 1987 amplifiers; with the addition of 'mkII' added to the 'Super Lead' name on the back panel and 'JMP' ('Jim Marshall Products') added to the left of the power switch on the front panel. Marshall's US distributor Unicord also had them change all the amps sold in the US and Japan to the much more rugged instead of the EL34 output tube. The combined effect of different tubes and a modified circuit gave these mid-1970s Marshalls a very bright and aggressive sound that was punchier than the EL34 sound, but not as rich, compressed, and had less poweramp distortion. In late 1975, Marshall introduced the 'Master Volume' ('MV') series with the 100W 2203, followed in 1976 by the 50W 2204.
This was an attempt to control the volume level of the amplifiers whilst maintaining the overdriven distortion tones that had become synonymous with the Marshall brand. In order to do this, Marshall designers connected the two input stages in series rather than parallel on the 2203, but not initially on the 2204, and modified the gain stage circuitry to preserve the tonal characteristics of the 'cranked Plexi' sound and converted the now obsolete second channel volume control to a Master Volume by wiring it between the preamp and EQ circuit. The 2204 followed suit in early 1977 and changed its preamp circuit to match the (then) more popular 2203. Per Rick Reinckens, who was a short-term Unicord employee electronic technician who tested the first units when they arrived from England, Tony Frank, Unicord's chief design engineer, came up with this idea for a dual-volume-control (a preamp gain and a master volume). The circuitry modifications were optimized to replicate the sound of the earlier non-MV Marshall's with the Master Volume control set 'low', however players quickly realized that 'cranking' the MV of these new Marshall amps would yield even more overdrive distortion, the tone of which was more cutting and edgy, and later found favour with players such as, and. The 1959 and 1987 non-master volume models also continued under the JMP line until about 1980. Main article: Soon after the Rose-Morris deal had ended in late 1980, Marshall repackaged two MV models, the and the (at 100 and 50 watts, respectively), along with the and non-master volume Super Lead in a new box with a new panel, and called it the ' series (named after his initials and the registration plate of his car).
Marshall made several amplifiers under the JCM800 name. The Jubilee A landmark year for Jim Marshall was 1987. It marked 25 years in the amplifier business and 50 years in music. This was celebrated with the release of the Silver Jubilee series of amps. The Silver Jubilee series consisted of the 2555 (100 watt head), 2550 (50 watt head) along with other 255x model numbers denominating various combos and even a 'short head'. The Jubilee amps were heavily based on the JCM800s of the time, featuring a very similar output section along with a new preamp.
Their most publicised feature was the half-power switching, which is activated by a third rocker switch next to the standard 'power' and 'standby' switches. On the 50-watt model this was reflected in the numbering – 2550 is switchable from 25 to 50 watts – and also reflected Marshall amps' 25th anniversary and Jim Marshall's 50 years in music. The amps were trimmed in silver covering, and had a bright silver-coloured faceplate, along with a commemorative plaque. The Jubilee also featured a 'semi-split channel' design, in which two different input gain levels could be set, running through the same and master volume control. This allowed for a 'classic Marshall' level of gain to be footswitched up to a modern, medium to high gain sound, slightly darker and higher in gain than the brasher JCM800 sound that typified 1980s rock music. 'The sound of these amps is particularly thick and dark, even on the Marshall scale of things. The gain by today's standards is medium.'
The distortion sound of the Jubilee range is typified by Slash's live work with Guns N' Roses. He rarely used anything else live, but oddly the Jubilee did not appear on any Guns N' Roses studio albums – instead these feature a modded 1977 JMP mkII (non-MV) on (1987) and a modded JCM800 on the subsequent albums. It can be heard on some of the material though. The Jubilee amps also featured a 'pull out' knob that activated a diode clipping circuit (similar to boosting the amp's input with an overdrive pedal).
Other notable Jubilee users include theand , who used it extensively in the recording of Rush's (2012) album. After the Jubilee year, production of the 25xx series amplifiers continued for one more year (with no internal changes), but reverted to a standard Marshall livery of black and gold. These are sometimes referred to as the JCM800 Custom amplifiers. Mid-1980s and 1990s models Competition from American amplifier companies Marshall began to see more competition from American amplifier companies such as and. Marshall then updated the JCM800 range with additional models and new features such as 'channel switching', which meant that players could switch between clean and distorted tones with the push of a foot-operated switch.
This feature debuted in the 2205 (50 watt) and 2210 (100 watt) series and these amps contained more pre-amp gain than ever thanks to a new innovation; diode clipping. This meant a solid-state diode added additional distortion to the signal path, akin to adding a distortion pedal. As such the split channel JCM800s were the highest gain Marshalls yet built – 'When they were first released, many players were shocked (some were even put off) by its bright, intense distortion – far more than any other amp of the day.' While hotly criticised today among valve purists, these amps were more popular than ever, finding mass acceptance within the hard rock community and still in use today by many. The split-channel JCM800s are still used by Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave) and were played exclusively by Michael Schenker (UFO) for many years.
Marshall around this time began further experiments with amplifiers, which were increasingly improving in quality due to technological innovations but were still considered beginner level equipment. Regardless, solid-state product lines with the Marshall name on them were and still are a wild (if critically discounted) success for the company, allowing entry level guitarists to play the same brand of amp as their heroes. One particularly successful entry-level solid-state Marshall was the Lead 12/Reverb 12 combo series, which featured a preamp section very similar to a JCM800, and a particularly sweet-sounding output section. These amps were actually used on record by of, and are now in some demand. The 1990s.
Guitarist playing a Marshall amp in 1994 JCM 900 In the 1990s, Marshall updated its product line again with the JCM900 series. Reviewed by Guitarist magazine in the UK and given the line, 'Shredders, here is an amp you won't need to have modified', this move by Marshall was again an outgrowth of musicians' desires, featuring more distortion than ever and retaining popular aspects of the late JCM800 models. However, despite such marketing claims they were not as hi-gain as advertised and lacked a full gain stage. Marshall rectified this with the SL-X series (as used by the group ). This model was one channel, 2 switchable master volumes, and was given an additional pre-amp ECC83/12AX7 instead of diode-based distortion. Still, if not for shredders, the JCM900 was well received by younger players associated with pop, rock, punk and grunge which was widespread by the early 1990s.
The Dual Reverb was also notably used by Dave Navarro. The early JCM900 range featured the 4100 (a split channel, dual reverb head descended from the 2210), and the 4500 (same in a 50 watt configuration), along with the usual range of combos along the same lines.
It also featured a single-channel descendant of the 2203/2204 line (the 2100 or 2500 Mark III), which is now quite rare and was essentially replaced by the SL-X (2100 or 2500 Mark IV) in the early 1990s – itself quite rare in EL34 form. Although the EL34 had at this time begun to return to prominence, a number of these were shipped with valves, a now uncommon valve similar in tone and build to a 6L6. Most of the JCM900s and 6100s built between 1994–1998 left the factory with the 5881s. Around this time, Marshall released a few 'special edition' amps in this range, including a 'Slash Signature' model, a first for the company.
This was actually a re-release of the earlier Silver Jubilee 2555 amplifier, with identical internals, a standard Marshall look, and a Slash logo. This amp retained EL34s and was produced 3,000 units from 1996 to 1997. 30th Anniversary 6100 series 1992 marked 30 years in the amplifier business. To commemorate this milestone, Marshall released the 30th Anniversary series of amplifiers, the EL34 powered 6100LE with commemorative blue covering and gold faceplate, which was followed by the 6100 (in blue tolex and still EL34 powered) and then in 1994 the 6100LM (in standard Marshall livery but now 5881 powered like the JCM900s of the time). All versions of the 6100 had three channels; clean, crunch and lead. The clean channel featured a mid shift, which gave the option of a more 'Fender-like' voicing, and the crunch channel featured three modes recreating all the classic Marshall crunch tones of the past three decades.
The lead channel featured a switchable gain boost and a mid-range contour switch, which gave it the tone and gain levels, which Marshall's engineers hoped would keep it competitive in the high-gain world in the early to mid-1990s. In fact some players felt the lead channel was perhaps the weaker link in the amplifier's arsenal, and it came in for revisions in the third year of production (the LM standing for 'Lead Mod'). This revision featured even higher gain. The Anniversary series found prominence with in particular, who favoured the early EL34 powered versions and used only the clean channel live along with his signature Vox Satchurator distortion pedal which is based on his old modded. Satriani used these older Boss pedals almost exclusively for live work and on a number of studio albums including (1992) until the early 2000s. The Anniversary models were probably the most complicated Marshall ever (other than perhaps the later JVM), with channel selection, half power switching, pentode/triode switching, adjustable speaker excursion, and a low volume compensation switch.
Despite all this complication the amps had a pure signal path that did not share preamp tubes between channels (unlike later Marshall designs like the TSL and JVM). Other famous 6100 users included on 's album (1996) and (OCS) guitarist.
Current models. This section needs additional citations for. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2009) Marshall currently produces a number of amplifiers, which are a mix of modern designs and vintage reissues.
Most models attempt to include the 'classic' Marshall 'roar'. Modern series As of 2012, Marshall produced a wide range of amps with the look and sound of the Marshall valve amp. The longest running of such models is the JCM2000 range, which is split into the two- and three-channel series, known as the Dual and Triple Super Leads. These amps are a continuation of the JCM800 and 900 series, although the controversial diode clipping circuit used in the later 800 and 900 amps has been removed in favour of additional valve gain stages. Although lumped together as JCM2000 models the DSL and the TSL have different circuits and are more distantly related than the model range suggests. The DSL is an extension of the JCM800 series with several changes including dual reverb controls and is generally considered to be an excellent workhorse although it lacks the direct foot switching of all 4 possible channel options – clean/crunch/OD1 and OD2 – instead it only offers 2-channel switching and both channels share the same tone knobs.
Marshall looked towards a new flagship to nail all the compromising of the earlier models, the JVM, made in a variety of models and ranges. These amps have up to four channels, each with three-foot-switchable modes, dual master volumes, reverb controls for each channel, and a foot-switchable effects loop. These features can be programmed into the standard foot-switch to be foot-switchable as 'patches', so now the user can switch from, say, a clean channel with a chorus in the effects loop and reverb, to a medium-gain rhythm sound with no effects, to a high-gain lead sound with boosted output volume, with one click of the foot-switch per sound. The JVM range consists of a 100-watt four-channel head, JVM 410C (2×12-inch speaker combo), a 100-watt two-channel head (JVM 210H, used by Joe Satriani for some time), JVM 210C (2×12-inch speaker combo) and 50-watt versions of these (JVM 205H (head), JVM215C (1×12-inch speaker combo) and JVM205C (2×12-inch speaker combo), respectively). Around the same time as the release of the JVM, Marshall also released an amp called the Vintage Modern, which is designed to be much simpler, with a single channel and designed to be controlled more by the player's style and guitar than by channel switching or multiple settings, reminiscent of the vintage 'Plexi' and JCM800 range, but with modern conveniences such as foot-switchable dynamic ranges (distortion levels), effects loop and reverb. The Vintage Modern series consists of the 2466 100-watt head and 2266 50-watt head with matching combos and a matching cabinet loaded with G12C 25-watt Greenbacks. The Vintage Modern is the first Marshall since the late 1960s to be powered by KT66s, a European version of the 6L6 tube.
Vintage series. Retrieved 31 March 2012. Retrieved June 18, 2015. The Guardian. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
The New York Times. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
Marshall Amp Serial Number Check
^ 13 December 2010 at the. Salter, Trent (April–May 2003). Archived from on 13 December 2010. Retrieved 10 February 2011. History of Marshall from Guitar World Magazine, September 2002, page 84. ^ Pittman, Aspen (2003). ^ Hunter, Dave (July 2013).
'The Park 75'. Tronto, Canada: XMC Branded Products Inc. History of Marshall from Guitar World Magazine, September 2002, page 86.
Marshall Amplifier Serial Numbers
Pittmann, Aspen (2003). Millard, A.J. Doyle, Michael (1993). Thompson, Art; Darrin Fox; Dave Hunter; Matt Blackett (January 2013). 'Nine 100-Watt Tube Heads'. Maloof, Rich (2004).
Nichols, Ritchie Fliegler; editor, Jon Eiche; assistant editor, Leslie (1993). Amps!: the other half of rock 'n' roll. Milwaukee, WI: H. Nichols, Ritchie Fliegler; editor, Jon Eiche; assistant editor, Leslie (1993).
Amps!: the other half of rock 'n' roll. Milwaukee, WI: H. 10 November 2012. 16 July 2009 at the. with from Guitarist magazine, August 1994. Fox, Darrin. 'Yngwie Malmsteen: Total Control'.
Pp. 64–72, 136. Retrieved 20 April 2012. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to. at bbc.co.uk. Interview for NAMM Oral History Program (2002).
Hey Guys, I have a Marshall I am trying to identify. I have done my research and have referenced the Marshall serial number link here. What I know for sure is: 'Super Lead 100W' is writtin on the back 'S/L 12XX1 is stamped on the back (no 'X' of coarse, just blocking the S/N for privacy) It has 4 power tubes and 4 inputs on the front Based on it saying Super Lead 100W, and the 4 power tubes I can confirm it is 100W, also as per the above link the 'S/L' also confirms it's a Super Lead. So everything makes sense, but what year is it? How can I tell? There is no date letter anywhere on this thing. Can someone who is knowledgeable in this area assist?
I know pictures are worth a 1000 words but I sadly do not own a camera (or a cell phone with one). But I can provide more info if needed, I just couldn't think of anything else I could mention. The first number is 1.
I was inquiring on behalf of someone and didn't want to provide info without consent. My general rule why I don't post serial numbers is, it allows scammer to skim through postings and obtain info that they can in tern use to create a false post and try to trick someone in to buying and paying for something that doesn't exist.
Just my point of view, I've seen it happen. Funny enough, I bought a Mesa amp on eBay and the seller put the serial number and then after I bought the amp and had already received it and was playing it I seen another dude (a scammer of coarse) try and list the same amp, serial number etc. Thanks a lot for the info, I will direct the owner of this amp to visit the board. Much appreciated!
Hey there, I'm also searching for the year of 'birth' of my 'Super Lead 100W' The serial number on the back reads SL/A 1026X (again X for privacy) and according to the link Wiseblood postet earlier. It's either built in 1969/70 because of the 'A' after SL/, or from 1984 to 1992, because of the info given above (FONT=arial,helveticaSIZE=-1 From Jan 1984 to October 1992 the model letter first, then the date letter second, were before the serial number)/SIZE/FONT Does anyone got further info? Thx in advance. PS: Luckily I got a camera, so here are some pictures. Cloud Nine, the A reference relates to metal panelled amps which have the letter stamped at the end of the serial number. The A after the SL/ part doesn't indicate 69/70, it's unrelated (but it's a common mistake to make). Your amp has plexiglas panels and a rounded cabinet lip at the bottom of the front control panel, which narrows the dates down to spring 1969.
However the super clean plexi panels you have give cause for concern, as it's fairly common to retrofit metal panel amps with Plexi panels to increase the value of the amp. Post an inside pic or two if you can. Particularly the circuit board and the choke (the smallest of the three box-like transformers on top of the chassis). Okay thanks for helping out, I made some pics of the 'interieur'. I asked the guitar mechanic of my local store and found out that the plate on which the stuff is installed was much smaller before 1984, so that the plate was smaller than the box. And after 1984 they replaced it with plates that will take the complete space of the box.
Since mine has a wide plate, I don't think that it's from 1969, but here you go with some more pictures anyway, i'm still interested because mechanics can be wrong;-) Thanks in advance, CloudNine PS: Since you probably need higher resolution images to read the details on the capacitors, resistors, etc. And the forum doesn't support files bigger than a few pixels, I took the liberty to upload it to a imagehoster, which allows bigger pictures.
Pictures: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. The serial numbers are not used in consecutive order and for instans 10XXX numbers are found from 67-69 on plexis.
Most 69 in the 10XXX series have as mention before an A before but I have seen a couple of 69 without the A but they differs from the early ones as they have all cans on top of the chassis, big vent and round lip cabinets. In many cases I can find date codes on the Mullard caps for ibstans like b8 indication the second quarter of 1968. They are also applied differently. 10xxx can be stamped thin in black into the plexi panel and are found in 1967-1969. 10xxx can also be applied on a sticker on the chassi and the have a window through the clear plexipanel, this is only found in the lower 10XXX in 190 series are found with two different fonts a thinner and a thicker one.
One reason for the differencs in serialnumbers could be that they had different suppliers of panels and I have been told (don´t know for sure if its true) but that most panels were more or less handmade in the Marshall factory up till about 1967-68. The inverted letters applied on the clear plexi sheet, a layer of gold paint and then various coats of green to seal it in. I have seen some real plexipanels with just gold paint were they haven´t had the time to use the green. Best regards plexi.
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