Steiner Posted June 16, 2023 Posted June 16, 2023 I'm finding, perhaps a tad late in life - just not too late, that I'm a BIG Plexi fan. 60's Marshalls get my creative juices flowing. Not only are they capable of capturing the 60s/70s riffs, they can generate both face peeling high gain and quaint jazz melodies. The factor I find most appealing is how they wrap every chord and note in an envelope of overtones that dance together in a secondary, complimentary woven blanket of alluring sound. There's this guy out there building amps. I've been aware of him for ~20years, always with respect to Marshall amps. It hasn't been 'till recently that I dipped my toe into his offerings. That dip has officially changed to full immersion. The guy, George Metropoulos, has apparently cracked the code to the early Marshall DNA. His latest release is the GPM 45-1796. It's his take on the JTM 45 Plexi, and what a take it is! Full disclosure, it's less than a day old yet it kept me up into the wee hours last night running it through the mill. So far the amp has graciously shown it likes the H-137, H-575 and H-150. My approach to evaluating amps is simple: plug in your guitar, put everything at 12:00 and see if it sounds+feels good. If the answer is yes, spin the knobs. If the answer is yes, go to the extremes -treble up, bass off and every combination imaginable. If it passes all tests, you've found a good amp! Next, search for "useable" tone. How does it feel at low volume? Go to high volume. Feel? Try high and low gain at different volumes; feel good? These are the traits of a worthy amplifier. The video shows how close the old and new stand. The major difference is the Metropoulos comes with the industry standard effects loop, Proprietary Master Volume that doesn't change the sound or feel at lower volumes, an added gain level that respectfully increases the gain of the amp plus a switchable solid state or tube rectifier option. All in all an homage to 60s Marshall with modern updates. Check it out! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF4IdSgGwv0
big bob Posted June 17, 2023 Posted June 17, 2023 Now that you found your “forever amp” you should sell me that SMF.
kbp810 Posted June 17, 2023 Posted June 17, 2023 Congrats and happy NAD! Now that you found your "forever amp" you should sell me that... shoot, big bob beat me to it ?
Steiner Posted June 18, 2023 Author Posted June 18, 2023 Are you talking about the SMF 15 or 35W version? Now that I have the "forever amp" I'm going to have to shed 3 dozen amps... The difficulty here is that my #1 amp is still the Metropoulos DVL-1. The new Metropoulos GPM 45-1796 sits easily in the top 3. I say that because I'm waiting for their take on the 1959 Super Lead Plexi - AKA Metro Plex; he has hinted that a Mark II is in the works. Dear Santa...
big bob Posted June 18, 2023 Posted June 18, 2023 28 minutes ago, Steiner said: Are you talking about the SMF 15 or 35W version? Now that I have the "forever amp" I'm going to have to shed 3 dozen amps... The difficulty here is that my #1 amp is still the Metropoulos DVL-1. The new Metropoulos GPM 45-1796 sits easily in the top 3. I say that because I'm waiting for their take on the 1959 Super Lead Plexi - AKA Metro Plex; he has hinted that a Mark II is in the works. Dear Santa... Yes!
Steiner Posted June 19, 2023 Author Posted June 19, 2023 3 hours ago, Spectrum13 said: You sir are on a slippery slope. Oh yes! And what a lovely, slippery slope it is. It has culminated in, as I said, happy NADs
DetroitBlues Posted June 23, 2023 Posted June 23, 2023 Okay, so when can we roll it out to the pond and make some waves???
Steiner Posted June 23, 2023 Author Posted June 23, 2023 1 hour ago, DetroitBlues said: Okay, so when can we roll it out to the pond and make some waves??? Sir, you're the one with full-time employment. I'm game Anytime! Let's set a time to rustle leaves and terrify the fish
bolero Posted June 26, 2023 Posted June 26, 2023 Fishes, fishes, fishes....who has seen the fishes? "My God!! There's Harold! He's being eaten!!"
Steiner Posted June 26, 2023 Author Posted June 26, 2023 6 hours ago, bolero said: Fishes, fishes, fishes....who has seen the fishes? "My God!! There's Harold! He's being eaten!!" 'Tis but a tiny, wafer thin mint. Better get a bucket...
greatmutah2112 Posted July 2, 2023 Posted July 2, 2023 Speaking of Santa and George… I have Mk I of the Metroplex. I have zero desire to part with it. HOWEVER, I have a great need to add Mk II to the stable. May be happening sooner or later. Can’t right now. But I’m making plans and looking at things to sell. Of course a Super Plex Mk II could also be on my amp menu. So we’ll see what happens. But I’m very happy for George and his business. Here’s hoping it moved upward. Guy makes the best Plexi style amps in the world.
Steiner Posted July 3, 2023 Author Posted July 3, 2023 1 hour ago, greatmutah2112 said: Speaking of Santa and George… I have Mk I of the Metroplex. I have zero desire to part with it. HOWEVER, I have a great need to add Mk II to the stable. May be happening sooner or later. Can’t right now. But I’m making plans and looking at things to sell. Of course a Super Plex Mk II could also be on my amp menu. So we’ll see what happens. But I’m very happy for George and his business. Here’s hoping it moved upward. Guy makes the best Plexi style amps in the world. Ain't it a beautiful thing? This is George's triumph. He has been after this for decades; the pinnacle of his career. The man is a pioneer. He has resurrected the sound, feel, clarity, overtones and magic of my favorite recordings. For that, I would climb the highest mountain. These won't be available for long.
DetroitBlues Posted July 4, 2023 Posted July 4, 2023 What a glorious day it was. For the record, a neighbor 1/2 mile away heard these amp’s yesterday!
kbp810 Posted July 4, 2023 Posted July 4, 2023 Anyone who thinks you can't hear pictures, clearly hasn't visited this thread.
Steiner Posted July 4, 2023 Author Posted July 4, 2023 Summer is known for many positive attributes; the warm weather, picnics, swimming in lakes, barbeques, pool parties, etc. From a personal perspective, it provides the opportunity to drag these behemoths outdoors and let 'em breathe. Such went the day yesterday. Our own formidable Moderator, DetroitBlues, risked everything to navigate across the state through the infamous summer road construction. Finding him surprisingly unscathed, we set out to unleash some new toys. Having lost electrical power to lightning, we were immediately obligated to be louder than the generator. Good god! Opening these amps up brought smiles to both our faces. You could stand in front of the speaker cabs with the amp dimed and let the sound rinse your soul. I swear the mud-flap girl on the 575's truss rod cover smiled. I got the text from the neighbor girl after we broke for sustenance. It'd only been 3ish hours, she wanted us to resume; so, we got back at it. Eventually we were visited by some curious onlookers who brought their own balcony box. All in all it was the kind of day that makes me yearn for summer.
greatmutah2112 Posted July 5, 2023 Posted July 5, 2023 Ha! A Metro-Plex Mk II already enjoying the great outdoors! Along with a Super and GPM. The Michigan outdoors got treated to pure unadultered British tones in the best way.
Steiner Posted July 6, 2023 Author Posted July 6, 2023 9 hours ago, greatmutah2112 said: Ha! A Metro-Plex Mk II already enjoying the great outdoors! Along with a Super and GPM. The Michigan outdoors got treated to pure unadultered British tones in the best way. Great googly moogly GM2112. How in the wide, wide world of sports did you ID those models?! I am impressed! Monday was The Best day I've had in many months. Good friend, music, weather, guitars... It all went together tight.
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