Amp 101
- Thread starter ColD
- Start date
Is that the same as the MG15DFX sold in the US? If it is it is a fairly small solid state combo with built in effects in Marshall's import lineup. I've played the MG15DFX before, and I was not terribly impressed. It has a marshall like character to it, but it really was not a great sounding amp to my ears. The distortion was pretty unpleasant, with a very shrill/brittle sound to it and it was kind of mushy sounding at lower gain. There is very limited adjustability to the fx parameters, and most are a little too wet/strong in my opinion. I guess try one and see if it is your thing or not, as one man's idea of good sound is often different from another's.
If it were my money, I'd look into some of the new Fender small solid state amps...assuming you can find them in Australia. The Fender mustang series I tried last week was a really nice sounding little amp. The champ XD series is also really great sounding. Don't be put off by the styling and name fender on these amps, as they are basic modeler type amps and have lots of sounds, including a good marshall tone. Anyway, they just sound a lot better than the Marshall MG series to my ears. They were really great little amps. The vibrochamp Xd might be a little more than the marhsall, but it is worth it. The mustang has amps in the same price range, and even a little cheaper than the MG. This is what I would go for if I was looking for a small inexpensive amp.
http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=2331000000
http://www.fender.com/products/mustang
If it were my money, I'd look into some of the new Fender small solid state amps...assuming you can find them in Australia. The Fender mustang series I tried last week was a really nice sounding little amp. The champ XD series is also really great sounding. Don't be put off by the styling and name fender on these amps, as they are basic modeler type amps and have lots of sounds, including a good marshall tone. Anyway, they just sound a lot better than the Marshall MG series to my ears. They were really great little amps. The vibrochamp Xd might be a little more than the marhsall, but it is worth it. The mustang has amps in the same price range, and even a little cheaper than the MG. This is what I would go for if I was looking for a small inexpensive amp.
http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=2331000000
http://www.fender.com/products/mustang
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telecaster911
Kick Henry Jackassowski
I'd buy the champ XD and vibro XD. 
Help!I'maRock!
Mediocringly Derivative
for the money, they're a good starting platform. they take a lot of tweaking though.
as resident pedal whore, i'm going to suggest that you stay away from wah pedals until you can coax a sound you like out of your amp. always start with a good base tone and then add effects. that includes distortion.
+1
I don't think those Marshalls are necessarily crap at all. They're a perfectly good option for practice/home playing.
Well, it certainly is better than my first amp, a gorilla GA-5. I just think there are better sounding options out there for the money. As I said it my original post, good tone is subjective, so play it and enjoy. Regardless of my feelings on the sound of the MG, I wouldn't call it a crap amp. It does exactly what it was designed to do, provide a marhsally sounding amp with fx in a small 'starter model/practice' amp.
What kind of question do you have about it if you already own it?
What kind of question do you have about it if you already own it?
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ColD
WannaBe
Sorry for the belated reply, I've been camping for the last week when I miss my guitar as much as hot showers. Really should buy an "expendible" acustic for these occasions. Anyway I'm thinking my main problem is my ignorance, said amp came with minimal instructions. Sure I play around with it and usually settle in the same setting but find I'm mucking with it again as I change styles of music. No idea what the fdd button does? Perhaps I should leave it as "No idea." As if that wasn't obvious. But learnin' thru my dopey questions so keep it coming guys. TA.
Some talk about it here..sounds like the kind of thing I'd leave on all the time on that type of amp.
http://www.guitarzone.com/forum/topic/95238-i-dont-understnad-what-the-fdd-switch-does-on-amp/
Help!I'maRock!
Mediocringly Derivative
play with it off. after you get a sound you really like, turn it on and see what happens.
I agree. It is like the EQ on my mesa boogie. The desire is to turn it on and then tweak the sound, and I did this for a long time, but it is best to dial in a sound you like first without the EQ, then use the switchable EQ to get another sound.
parrotheada1a
Resident Pitmaster
Unfortunately, most musical gear has minimal instructions. Pedals are probably the worst in that regard it seems. I'm as much a pedal junkie as Howie, mebbe more so I think. I've seen many instruction sheets/ booklets that describe what controls are supposed to do, then go on to say 'experiment to find what you like'. Then, I've seen/have a few that have some actual control settings. You still have to experiment, but at least you're given a starting point. I will say this. Fun and frustration are partners, and learning what your controls do are a huge part of the learning process for an electric. Don't be afraid to write settings down, especially if you find something that sounds sweet. Get a good base tone like Howie said, and try to stick to it. Enhance with pedals as your wallet allows, keeping in mind that not everything will sound good out of the box. If you buy at Guitar Center, use that 30 day GC return policy to your advantage. If you find something that works with what you play, keep it. Otherwise, return it. Your ears & audience will thank you for it. Your wallet will thank you for not having to pay for an unused electronic gizmo.