Rowbinet – Rowbi's Guitar & Recording Blog

It’s the eve of Musikmesse 2012, and despite the fact that I’m not going this year, I am totally excited about a few products that we’ve seen info or rumours about so far.

Blackstar have hinted about some important new products they’re releasing.  My guess is either a solidstate amp including built in FX (see the tempo light flashing in the video below), or if it’s not solidstate, then a hybrid amp with digital preamp and tube power amp.  At a push you could say it might be a full tube amp with built in FX, afterall that’s nothing new that Marshall haven’t already done (Marshall Vintage Modern has digital reverb).

Obviously if it’s solidstate or hybrid, they’ll have to put in some effort to win market share from Line 6 with their Spider IV solidstate amps and Spider Valve MKII hybrid amps which have sold in excess of a million units, and are the best selling amps in the US.  The same could also be said for the DT25/DT50 amps which standalone include some very sought after HD amp models and built in digital reverb, but with the potential when connected to a POD HD via Line 6 Link to have access to a whole host of HD amp models, which then also control the true analog tube power amp in the DT amp for the best tone and best flexibility… I think it’s time for Line 6 and Blackstar to drop trousers, and see who has the biggest!  That’s of course assuming Blackstar does release a product that’s in direct competition with Line 6….. You’ll have to wait and see

Here’s the teaser Blackstar video:

If you’ve been living in a cave in the Misty Mountains for the past 18 months, you may have missed that Joe Satriani is working with Marshall to create his new signature JVM.  This we know is being released at Messe, and you can see more info HERE.

Propellerhead are also due to announce something this evening, at an invitation only VIP event.  It would seem that the announcement will be something for the new iPad, because the invitations for this VIP event went out only 1 day after Apple announced its new iPad.  A coincidence perhaps… I doubt it!

That’s all for now…

It’s almost official!  The Satch JVM will be released at Musikmesse 2012, Which starts in less than one week.  Marshall will also be showing off their 1 watt Anniversary amps, and a few other surprises.  All of which I’m sure Chris George will be doing a fine job of demonstrating just like the AFD100 and YJM100 I saw him demo at Messe last year (See the photo below).

For more info just follow Marshall Amps UK on Twitter (which is the source for this information): https://twitter.com/#!/MarshallAmpsUK

Here is the first official photo of the Satch Sig Marshall!

What we can see from from the pic, and what can we learn from the chaps at Marshall who tweeted about it?

Well the tolex is a very nice shade of blue (Flying In A Blue Dream, cool), gold piping seems likely because of the cover having gold piping. The handle seems to be a cross between modern and vintage Marshall handles, with the actual handle part modern plastic style but the metal end piece, gold.

Did anyone else also notice the real amp name? JVM410HJS, or JVM Joe Satriani Edition!… That’s for the standard black one though, and the blue limited edition will be called JVM410HJSB (those names are confirmed by Chris George of Marshall… Thanks Chris).

We also learnt that Chris George is cool for posting this, but him and the Marshall Custom Shop guy like a good joke! Nice1 guys… Keep the pics coming.
Follow @chrisgeorgeband and @bubblephart to see more in the next few weeks!

If only this were the real Golden Jubilee… I’d certainly be happy with a JCM800 as the Golden Jubilee (perhaps with a few extras like an additional gain stage that’s switchable with a pedal, power scaling and 50 watt switchable, and of course gold tolex)…

Just to be clear though, we have no official word from Marshall about whether there will be a Golden Jubilee (although all the hints suggest their will be), and the photo above is a production model JCM800 2203X reissue, with a custom shop option of an image printed on the grilles of both cabs and the head, specially for Marshall’s 50th anniversary year.

For more info on custom shop options, visit the Marshall Custom Shop

The first time I saw Zakk’s ‘Iron Curtain’ was at the Cambridge Corn Exchange in February 2011, and what a sight it was!  There were no fewer than 24 Marshall amp heads, and 28 4×12 cabs all arranged in full stacks with double amp tops, and another 4 cabs centre stage…. Or was there?  I can assume you that I wore ear plugs and it was LOUD, and some friends I went with who didn’t wear plugs had cotton wool ears for a couple of days!  It certainly seemed like a very loud gig!

In reality Zakk and Black Label Society’s 2nd guitarist, Nick Catanese, both use three Marshall 2203ZW amps (Zakk’s original signature, from 10 years ago, released in 2002), and some of the cabs that are on stage (probably 6 each).  Some more cabs (as you can see at the bottom of the stacks in the photo above) are bass cabs, and the rest are dummy cabs.  The Iron Curtain heads (2203BLS it seems they may be called) are just front panels and tubes that light up to look like they’re real amps (see the link below for photos of these dummy amps/cabs)

The interesting question is when will Marshall release the new Zakk Wylde signature head, and will it look like the Iron Curtain head?  If it does, I’m sure Marshall will sell a lot of these amps, as many Zakk fans have shown interest in these new amps being used on tour (even though they were dummies). I know I’d love to own one when they’re released (a man can dream!).  Zakk’s also been interviewed in various guitar magazines recently stating that a new signature Marshall will be released in 2012, and will be a copy of one of his currently owned heads.  Whether he means an existing 2203ZW or another amp he uses, we don’t know.  But he’s famous for using JCM800 heads, so I can’t believe it would be anything other than a JCM800 2003 clone, with perhaps a couple of little extra features (FX loop and built in OD pedal perhaps (like the YJM100), and maybe even power scaling like the AFD100 and YJM100).

Some info and photos of ‘The Iron Curtain’ are here: http://www.marshallforum.com/marshall-amps/33803-zakk-wyldes-iron-curtain-not-so-much.html

Well it looks like someone is either guessing, or do they know some inside info?

The rumour is that there may be a September 2012 release of the Marshall Golden Jubilee 100 watter (although as yet we have no idea what that amp will be). Realistically anyone could have a guess that at some point near the end of this year Marshall will release their Golden Jubilee amp…

Anywy, the hint comes from the Marshall Forum, and the poster actually links to a video where a Marshall demonstrator also suggests (as Chris George has hinted at in the past) that the 1 watt amps are just the start of other things to come in this 50th year of LOUD!

Source: http://www.marshallforum.com/marshall-amps/37332-official-50th-anniversary-thread-19.html

As previously mentioned, the ‘word on the street’ is that Marshall will release a standard production model of the Satriani JVM signature head, and also a limited edition model in blue.

The rumour at the moment is that the standard production model will be around £1400, but final pricing details have yet to be announced.  The pricing for the limited edition model are to follow…  So remember to subscribe to this blog, or bookmark and keep checking back to the Satriani Signature Marshall category on this blog here: http://rowbinet.co.uk/category/news/amp-news/marshall-amplification/joe-satriani-signature-jvm410js/

After all the speculation and even confirmation from Joe Satriani himself that hi signature Marshall would be released at Winter NAMM 2012, it seems we are to be disappointed.

Chris George, Marshall’s official demonstrator said the following on Twitter in the last 6 hours:
“I’m getting shit loads of questions so… the Satriani JVM signature isn’t being launched at NAMM, you’ll have to wait a few more months…”

Great work guys, looks like Marshall’s 50th year of loud is being started with some 1 watt amps… Great as they look and sound, I am still left wanting a 100 watter. Sure there will be some later in the year, but why not start the year with a bang too and release the Satch Sig too?

Follow Chris George on Twitter: @chrisgeorgeband

UPDATE 23rd Jan 2012: It seems that despite this information, Marshall did not release the Satch Sig amp at Winter NAMM 2012.. Apparently it will be out in a few months.  Perhaps we should get a lucky Chicken Foot, to help speed things along.?

Satch confirms that his new signature amp WILL definately be released at NAMM.  Check the video below, and watch from around 1 minute 30 seconds for the info on the Signature Amp.

No more needs to be said.  Prices actually differ for the different models… I presume as some likely have more complex circuits to them (like the dual channel DSL1 and JVM1) compared to the more simple JTM1. Prices range from £479 for the JTM1H to £649 for the DSL1C and JVM1C

Pre-order your 1 watt 50th Anniversary Marshall at Andertons UK. Click Here To Order