# Found in a closet



## Lemmy Hangslong (May 11, 2006)

The story I got is this was found in a closet of a house full of belongings willed to the owners nephew here in Calgary two years after he aquired the estate.
Upon the advice of a friend the amp was brought to Long and McQuade Calgary south store where it was purchased from the guy by L&M.
I come strolling into the store with Art ( Blakkstone Hexx Bass Player ) looking for a DMX lighting controller. I see Shane and Ranjit and say Hi hows it going ? Whats new? the reply was, well we got something very cool...

A 1969 Marshall JMP 50 watt Plexi! Its the 1987 circuit in Red Tolex. They say timing is everything. When I was in the sound room playing it cranked it started to draw attention. There were at least 4-6 people lined up behind me waiting to see if it was sold. Some guys came right in the sound room to have a look and ask me straight up... Are you buying it? Are you taking it home?

YES I DID








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Its an early 69 so it still has the actual plexiglass front and back facia. There have been a couple of things done to it nothing major. Still has original tranny's and all the important tone defining components. It is 98% original. Tubes, bias caps, and cord have been replaced. The HT fuse was moved from the board to the back facia and a fuse holder was installed. Thinking about getting screen grid resisters installed, which I will do myself.
Its sounds fantastic. Everyone that heard it at L&M said it was the best sounding amp they have heard. These 50 watt plexi's have a great reputation for tone. Many recordings have been made with them. For me it's a great find a once in a life time purchase. This is the first one I could actually touch in my 46 years. The red tolex ups the cool factor. I will use it to record and pass it on to one of my children.

Cheers
Craig


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## Cups (Jan 5, 2010)

Great to hear these stories. Nice little piece of history there.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Geeze, why couldn't it have been my day to pass thru Calgary? Congrats dude.


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## blam (Feb 18, 2011)

awesome little amp. congrats


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Congrats again. I want a 100W jmp to try some time.

I still dont see exactly which part is plexiglass :/


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

The gold panel the knobs and jacks are on.

Is there consensus as to whether the tolex is original?


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## Lemmy Hangslong (May 11, 2006)

on the marshall forum the tolex was questioned. Red is rare. I just yesterday recieved HD photos of a 68 that just sold in the states for $6800. I verified from those photos that the tolex and piping match up. For me that is enough proof  To add to this I see no indication of a re-tolex... no old glue lines or strange cuts.

marshall started using anodized aluminum faceplates in the second half of 69. A true "plexi" has the actual plexiglass faceplates. Many JMP's with aluminum faceplates are still called "plexi's" because of the circuit.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Theres an '80 6550 loaded 100W jmp up the road from me. I want it (because modding my 800 to 6550's will be $250 in tubes alone...)


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## DrHook (Oct 28, 2013)

He shoots, he SCORES! Awesome find and purchase, don't ever sell the thing.


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

well, that is just awesome!!!


a big plus that it went to someone who will actually use it....lots of those old Marshall's just end up in a pile of amps in someone's basement 


tolex looks original to me


congratulations!


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## ed2000 (Feb 16, 2007)

khingpynn said:


> . This is the first one I could actually touch in my 46 years. The red tolex ups the cool factor. I will use it to record and_* pass it on to one of my children.*_
> 
> Cheers
> Craig


Adopt me now!


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## gtone (Nov 1, 2009)

Congrats - great score! *numb41* and myself each have early metal-plate 50W JMP Lead 50W's built on the same day in Apr/70 and can both attest to the fact that they are probably the best amps either one of us has ever heard or played.

The only thing that would have me question the originality of the tolex/piping would be the slight imperfections in how they've been laid. Factory tolex and piping from Marshall is typically done in a very tidy fashion and yours appears to have a number of noticeable "glitches" for lack of a better word. Notwithstanding, it looks like a great amp and one that's getting rarer all the time.

Enjoy that red beastie!!


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## Lemmy Hangslong (May 11, 2006)

Thanx much guys. Dr Hook I don't intend on ever selling it. Tolex does have some imperfections. When I had the chassis out I had a very good look at the tolex. I cannot see an indication of a re-tolex. Its a keeper regardless


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## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

Wondering what you paid for it? Curious. 

Wonder what L&M paid for it.


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## ElectricMojo (May 19, 2011)

Wow, amazing.
Congrats!


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Very cool.
Great timing.

Enjoy!


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## rhh7 (Mar 14, 2008)

Congratulations on a beautiful find!


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## pattste (Dec 30, 2007)

Congrats khingpynn! This is a dream amp for many here I'm sure.


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## TubeStack (Jul 16, 2009)

Wow, that amp is off the charts coolness. Congratulations!


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## nonreverb (Sep 19, 2006)

A rare amp indeed! Nice find!


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

Sweet man. Those old Marshalls are nice. Dido on the price, what was it?


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## Lemmy Hangslong (May 11, 2006)

sambonee said:


> Wondering what you paid for it? Curious.
> 
> Wonder what L&M paid for it.


I know what L&M paid and it was a fair price for the amp walking straight in off the street the guy got good money for it. 
Tried all my "beat down" techniques ... lol. But with guys lining up behind me to snap it up and it had not been put out on the floor yet L&M did not budge. 
I paid just over $5k taxes in.
A 68 the same color and maybe a lil worse condition just sold for &6800 on a vintage amp site in the US.
What I bought is essentially a 68 that rolled out late from production and was serial numbered in 69 once all that stock rolled out the new aluminum panels followed. It was the same story with my 1983 JCM800 4104 2x12 with white tolex. It was a late 82 stamped in 83. paid $1000 for that and it was modded by John Macyntire... sold it to a studio... it was a killer amp that weighed a ton!


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## Petey D (Sep 8, 2011)

Damn. That's rad.


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)




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## skilsaw (Nov 4, 2014)

Sweet. I was in L&M today. All I got was 2 sets of strings for free when I bought a guitar.
But L&M are good. They really are Canada's music store.


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## parkhead (Aug 14, 2009)

khingpynn said:


> The story I got is this was found in a closet of a house full of belongings willed to the owners nephew here in Calgary two years after he aquired the estate.
> Upon the advice of a friend the amp was brought to Long and McQuade Calgary south store where it was purchased from the guy by L&M.
> I come strolling into the store with Art ( Blakkstone Hexx Bass Player ) looking for a DMX lighting controller. I see Shane and Ranjit and say Hi hows it going ? Whats new? the reply was, well we got something very cool...
> 
> ...


you may want to consider replacing that 50 /50 can cap in the pre amp with a 32/32 likewise the other caps if they are 50/50 caps as well 
I have two very similar amps 69 50 watters where the pre amp can is mounted inside the chassis it has been my experience 
that those cans were of lower value MFD rating 
this affects the touch of the amp with the lower filtering being more boucy brown and Bluesy with the higher filtering being more METAL oriented, and requiring you to push the amp harder to make it give 

FWIW one of my 69 50's with the lower filtering is easily the best sounding Marshall I have ever heard there was some serious magic going on with those 69 50 watters 
My other plexi 100's are nowhere near as magical 

p


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## Lemmy Hangslong (May 11, 2006)

Thanx Parkhead... this sounds like a mod I'm willing to at least try so I can hear for myself


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## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

Thanks for sharing. L&M 's motto is to pay 70% of what they are sure they'll get for it. 

A lady had a '62 all original red strat and was lost as to how to liquidate. Licht she went to L&M because the sold it for $33,000. She did get 70% of that. 

I respect that policy.


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## Lemmy Hangslong (May 11, 2006)

Its business... They procured it and brought it to my attention... otherwise there is Ebay and such and my story might not get told  
I've bought and sold with L&M and they are always fair to deal with. I got my Peavey Wolfgang there for $850. Tag said $950 but it had a bad ground noise hence the reduced price. Not saying they do that everytime but for the Peavey usa Vault Wolfgang that sold new for $2600 I was pretty happy about the price. Took it home and found the spring claw ground factory solder failed. 2 minutes later and to this day it sounds stellar. I gig that one the most. Looks great, sounds great, plays great and hey it's paid for it'self 5-6 times over!


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## bluesmostly (Feb 10, 2006)

I love that story, those are the ones that you just love to hear about and everyone loves to talk about. congrats. that is the coolest amp.


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## Lemmy Hangslong (May 11, 2006)

Thanx SNEAKY for posting that magazine article. 
Thanx also bluesmostly... I love to hear these stories as well. Usually about other so this time I feel privileged to say the timing was right and I was able to become an owner. It truely is a very cool amp. I just read Sneaky's article he posted. How they describe the 69 is how this one sounds. Very touch sensitive with a little more grind and some upper mid teeth. It responds very very well to effects pedals and a boost just takes it over the top. Its hard to describe the details of the tone... but here's how I hear it. Its not a dry in your face type of sound it breathes and has air around each note and sounds very electric and alive. 

I should also share that I'm in a local Calgary area band called Blakkstone Hexx... find us on Facebook, Reverbnation, youtube, twitter, and Instagram... wow that was a mouthfull... lol and apologese for the shameless plug... just wanted to share. We have been gigging for 30 months at over 20 venues and over 100 nights. Having so much fun doing it. When we record I will be using the Plexi and of course the EVH 5150III 50 watt... did I mention I love 50 watt heads 

Our Promo Video
[video=youtube;G1V949YrKVU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1V949YrKVU[/video]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1V949YrKVU


Cheers all

Craig


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