Marshall MG100HDFX Amp Head

[Panzer]

Anyone use one of these or have any experience with them in general? I have been in the process of researching to upgrade my amplifier to something giggable, I was thinking I could just go to a Marshall MG50DFX or possibly a Line 6 Spider II 112 And I came across the Marshall MG100HDFX head for only $50 more than the 50 watt combo, Just wondering if its a worthwhile amp head, something to last me for a year or 2 while I go on a hunt for a nice Tube amp.

[HardRockSinger]

yo, those amps are cheap as f*** !!!

(good deals on ebay...)

static x - wayne used em for live sounds - check it out at guitargeek.com

Id get that head as a backup if I were an all out- guitarist

[Panzer]

as for the cheap as F*** part, is that a "Made in China" Style Cheap or a Good cheap, If Something in that price range is going to blow up and catch fire while im Jamming Ill play accoustic untill I can afford a JCM800 or something lol.

[HardRockSinger]

go to harmony-central.com and read up on the reviews. I have; like I said, I would buy one (I have not tried one out though - I would do that before buying)

[y2stevo]

Nope i'm nearly 100% sure that all marshall stuff is made in the UK..teh reason the MG series is soo F'n cheap is because jim marshall wanted to make something affordable for a guitarst of any financial class so (i think) he made the "G" series ... the now "MG" series is just the improved G series and the first all SS head made by marshall... The New MG's also have The FDD(Frequency dependant damping) switch which i have no idea what it actually does(supposed to emulate a tube amp) but makes the amp sound better too...

All-in-all a great low priced SS amp..Its alos quiet versatile..

[Mr Wolf]

ive ended up with them a few times in the rehearsal studio, seem very solid. The tone is ok, ive played some bad solid states before and this is not one of them. Its an ok amp, not hugely amazing. Thats about it really. I prefer it to the AVT series and errr hmmm for the money i dont think you can go wrong. It may not be tube but then again it is so cheap. Ive managed to get sum pantera-ish sorta chug out of it. Look 2nd hand u may find an awesome deal.

[Closed Eye]

I have an MG250DFX, it's a 50W + 50W stereo combo with an excellent clean channel and pretty nice/useful distortion channel.
The FDD is supposed to be tube emulation, and there's a very noticable difference when it's not on. It's almost like you get two amps: one good and one not as good, depending on weather you turn the FDD on or off.
Also, my first 30 watt was a MG30RCD, it's a nice little amp to begin with...and I'm still using it! It's my dorm room amp!

EDIT: Oh yeah, I just remembered that before I got the MG250DFX I played the MG100DFX combo and it was a really quality piece of product.

[y2stevo]

Yeh so for the Money its a good bet...you'll also have to get a decent cab to go with it to...
I dunno about America but in europe theres alot of stores and online places that sell MG100HDFX and cab as a package...

You should look up for these,

But your best bet is poboly ebay ,theres always a few knockin around..

[Rich_T]

although it is a great amp for not much dosh (ive got the 30 watt myself) i would suggest looking at the Line 6 Spider head too. Its got so many great tones for next to nothing. Blew me away for the price.

[y2stevo]

Just about to suggest lookin at that too...

A moddling amp may be better for versatility aswell...

Both really good so either way you wont go wrong for the cash..

[Alex_In_Chains]

The MG line of amps is made in India. Only the quality control takes place in the UK.

[Panzer]

although it is a great amp for not much dosh (ive got the 30 watt myself) i would suggest looking at the Line 6 Spider head too. Its got so many great tones for next to nothing. Blew me away for the price.

Im using the MG30DFX right now as a practice amp, the tone is ok and everything, but I hope the MG100HDFX would have a better tone. Also, I have some experience with higher end Line 6 Heads and im not really impressed, they have alot to play with, and thats good, but they dont have a testosterone enduced kick in the nuts distortion sound. I am looking for something with a marshall crunch.

[Guitarist]

I used to the have the combo and in my experience it was a very reliable and hearty amplifier. It was cheap and it was probably one of the best choices I could've made for the money. It has a great clean channel (aboard with reverb and chorus effects) and a good versatile dirty channel.

My verdict, buy if it's all the money you got - because it is indeed a good amp. However, if you can make the extra dough in a reasonable amount of time, you'd probably be happier with a fine tube amp.

[Panzer]

The reason im looking at value based solid state amps is because the tube amp Im saving for is going to take me a while. I want a mint JCM800 with 1960A cabs, a conservative estimate for the head and a full stack will put me in the $3800 range or so. Right now I want something for about a grand or less to hold me off for a year or 2 while I look for a good JCM800

[HardRockSinger]

The reason im looking at value based solid state amps is because the tube amp Im saving for is going to take me a while. I want a mint JCM800 with 1960A cabs, a conservative estimate for the head and a full stack will put me in the $3800 range or so. Right now I want something for about a grand or less to hold me off for a year or 2 while I look for a good JCM800

huh?

used, jcm half stacks can go for around $650 (I don't know about the cab...). I sold mine used for $450 cause I needed the $$ (that was head and marshall cab- I think it was a jcm 800 cab(?)). it was a little torn up and I think a tube was not working. Dude, look around and plug in!

[Duncan]

The reason im looking at value based solid state amps is because the tube amp Im saving for is going to take me a while. I want a mint JCM800 with 1960A cabs, a conservative estimate for the head and a full stack will put me in the $3800 range or so. Right now I want something for about a grand or less to hold me off for a year or 2 while I look for a good JCM800

You're looking wrong, son. Used JCM800's you can get in the US for around the $650-$750 figure. I think you'd be best saving your money and looking for one of those - you'll be a lot happier and wont have to upgrade it to get a quality gig sound, which you will with the MG (although I agree for the money they are pretty good . The 2203/2204 vertical input is the most desired JCM800, and so will cost you the most, the 2203/2204 with horizontal input will be a bit less. The real sleeper used to be the 2205/2210 channel switching head. That used to go real cheap, as people felt the diode clipping that was introduced into the circuit made the distortion too thin and buzzy. However those models made after 1986 had the schematic changed that allieviated that problem. The post 86 2205/2210's (set up properly) actually get a remarkably similar tone to the jubilees everyone pays mega $$$ for. Also now people are starting to realise they dime the master volume and use an attenuator and you avoid most of the high gain pre-amp distortion. A quality re-tube and bias on a post 86 2205/2210 through a decent quad will give you a killer tone. I have a JMP, a 2205 and a 2204 (all great heads) but the 2205 is definately not the poor cousin and is probably the most versitile for gigging...

Just my advice being a Marshall nut with three (two JCM800's) heads and two quad boxes!!!

[italic zero]

Agreed ^

[Che]

I hav got a 100 watt DFX and it does me great and I have 2 freinds that hav a marshall cab and the hed top marshall HDFX

[strat_master]

Its a good amp for the money. Much like the AVT series it a SS with the "sound" of a tube amp. Of course this is only partially true. Im not sure about the MG series but i know the AVT series does not use poweer tubes BUT its pre amp valves ( not sure what they are called imigth be wrong,...but im talking about the biger tubes) are used in the AVT amps. The MG may or may not be similiar. Your ebstbet it to go in tot he sotre and try one out. If you like it they buy it. If you dont then look else where. REgardles its a marshall on a budget and thats whats your gonna get for the money remeber. you pay for every step of the way.