This amp is a luxury ride! The MG250DFX is a two channel stereo combo with 50 watts on each side, two 12" Celestion speakers, featuring digital effects, digital reverb, and FX loop, and yes the footswitch is included. Part of the new MG Series, this stereo combo amplifier delivers an incredible array of features, and the full rich stereo sound you want.
MG250DFX
Reviewed by:
Dans, on july 25, 2003 8 of 11 people found this review helpful
Price paid: $ 603.9
Purchased from: Dawsons Ltd
Features: Made in 2002, one of a new line of affordable and flexible combo amps released by Marshall. Has the added attraction of built in digital effects, which may turn some people away straight away, however they are a hell of a lot better than first expected believe me. Looks very much like any other Marshall 2x12 combo, very sturdily built, two channels, clean and overdrive; with the effects layered over when activated. Channel and fx switching takes place through a supplied footswitch. Although you can't change between the effects, only turn them on and off; as well as this the reverb can only be changed from the knob on the amp itself. This however is the only downfall i could find with the overall use of the amp. // 8
Sound: At the moment I am using an Epiphone gibson sg with two seymour duncan humbuckers, so i know what great tone sounds like, and i have to admit that eh mgdfx250 delivers everything i need from a quality amp. I like to think of myself as a versatile guitarist, and i play all styles and the amp compliments all of these, except there is a bit of trouble when wanting to play some overdriven bluesy riffs because the gain on the clean channel isnt really crunchy enough and the gain on the overdrive channel really is too crunchy. However when it comes finding your own signature tone this amp really comes into its own i feel. Whether its a screamingly high mid range, or a gutsy, ditortion ridden metal thrash sound you're going for the mgdfx250 delivers to no end. The fdd (frequency dependant dampening) does actually emulate a valve amp to an extent, although at higher volumes the overdrive channel seems to permanently provide some very low pitched feedback, although this is very difficult to stop it doesnt hinder performance live or at home. Its defintately loud enought to play smaller clubs and pubs live, however bigger venues would probably need you to jack/mic the amp up to a PA. As ive already said the variety of sounds available is immense, add to this the built in fx options, and you really do have a versatile flexible amp. // 10
Reliability & Durability: Theres no point in even asking any questions dealing with reliability because i dont think there'll ever be any problems with this amp model. Its sturdy, well built and would probably withstand even the most neglegent person. I gig with it on a regular basis, and have never needed a backup. The only problem that could potentially arise is the fan at the back, which does make some distressing noises when the amp is warming up, however it stops after about 5-10 seconds and has not lead to anything serious as of yet. // 8
Impression: I've been playing for about 3 years, not really experienced but experienced enough to know that this amp delivers. My friends all have Peavey's or Line 6's, and to be fair the Marshall's tone is second to none of these. Obviously the effects are not in the same league as the above alternatives, but they are good for what they are, and for the price of the amp; im not complaining. If effects were really what i wanted then id buy a seperate unit (which i have: a Zoom gfx 707 II, which also for its price is outstanding). If you're looking for an amp with which to discover your true tone and sound i can think of no amp (for less than £400) that would do the job better. // 10
MG250DFX
Reviewed by:
L2112Lif, on may 18, 2010 1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Price paid: $ 500
Purchased from: Sam Ash
Features: This amplifier has two channels, one clean and one distorted... For the most part. There is a gain knob for the clean channel, and putting it halfway up is gonna give you a little bit of drive. Unfortunately, the clean and crunchier channels will almost NEVER be anything near unity, the clean will always be significantly (And I mean significantly, as in you won't know it exists) softer than the crunch. Its solid state, but with a Switch that makes it sound a little (not much) like its coming from a tube amplifier. It isn't a bad beginners amplifier, but it begs the question, what beginner needs 250 watts of output? // 7
Sound: I play with two Epiphones, one custom and one Ultra II, as well as a Michael Kelly with coil taps. I played these guitars through every amp in the store before buying them, so I know the sound I get from the 250 isn't the guitar's fault. Here comes the obligatory metaphor; this amplifier is like taking a domesticated cat and trying to sell it as a lion. While it nearly passes for 'classic' rock on the crunch channel, there is no way to push this amplifier to anything else. Its bland, which is bad. I ended up running a multi-FX through the clean channel, and later using the speakers as an output for POD Farm on my computer. // 3
Reliability & Durability: If your tastes are bland, or you aren't looking to use the actual amplifier part, then this is the amp for you. I've dropped it, kicked it, spilled it, had my dogs urinate on it both intentionally and accidentally... It still works! Some people have trouble with the fan breaking, I however, have yet to have this problem. One knob managed to break off, but that was a quick fix. My Ultra II, however, took months. It reminds me of a Jeff Foxworthy joke about cheap sunglasses... I think its that you could never lose a pair of cheap-o's because no one wants them... Same thing applies here. // 7
Impression: I've been playing for some time, and in the beginning this amplifier was awesome. I 'almost' got my dad to shell out the bucks for a Marshall tube head and half-stack, but my dad... Oh boy, he's tricky! If this amplifier was stolen or lost, I'd have to buy it again because I use it for the piezo output on my Ultra II, but I would be wary of the price and downsize dramatically. On second thought, I run the electric section of the guitar through a Vox VT30, so I might just buy another one of those, and perhaps work them with a delay to get orchestrations a la Brian May. Oh well, 500 bucks out the window and I'm one bad experience richer. // 4
MG250DFX
Reviewed by:
JadeFalcon5, on october 24, 2005 2 of 4 people found this review helpful
Price paid: $ 440
Purchased from: Sam Ash
Features: I got this baby used for 440! And the funny thing is, it was only used for 7 months, and its only been made for 9! normally these sell for about 570. Lucky me! This is one of the most versatile amps I have ever used. It can go from deep blues tones to screaming hair metal. It has 4 channels basically: clean w/o FX, clean w/FX, drive w/o FX, drive w/FX. These can all be toggled by a sturdy footswitch. It has some basic( but good sounding) effects. And a headphone and audio in jack. There really isn't a feature that I could add to this. I also use all of the effects and features. I use this amp for practicing and performing. It has so much power! I have compared it to my friends half stack, and it is the same tone, same volume, only cheaper. // 9
Sound: I'm using this amp with an Epiphone Les Paul Standard. Marshall and Gibson sound great together. It suits any music style with great tone. So far I have'nt had any feedback issues. I campared it to a Fender Stage 1000, and the feedback is minute compared to it. Suprisingly, the tone increases with the more volume you add. // 10
Reliability & Durability: I can definately depend on this amp. Before you get concerned about the size of the amp, I need to say, Its a monster. It shakes walls at 3 and a half. At four, you cant even hear the neighbors yelling at you. It's never broken down. And I don't think it will for a very long time. // 9
Impression: I play a lot of metal and punk. And Marshall just sounds good with every music style. I have only been playing for 1 year, but about 4 hours a day. I have a Zoom 606, but I havnt tried it on this amp yet. If this was stolen, I dont think I could get the same deal as I got on it this time. So I don't know if I would buy it again. I would love too, but I don't have any money. I compared it to a half stack and a lot of Fenders. It blows the Fenders out of the water. But with a half stack, the only thing different is the volume, which only varies a little bit. I wouldn't change anything about this amp. // 9
MG250DFX
Reviewed by:
Jawkster, on september 14, 2006 0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Purchased from: andertons.co.uk
Features: I don't know when the amp was made. The amp is versatile enough for me, it sits in my bedroom, suits perfectly for what I play metalcore, emo/screamo/goth-punk/post-hardcore. It has two channels, 1 clean, 1 overdrive, both are bitchin'. Comes with an effects pedal which is damn useful. The best thing about the amp in my opinion is the stereo system, which mutes the lead and plays the rhythm + rest of song when you plug your mp3 in, thus enabling you to play lead (this means that you don't need backing tracks). // 8
Sound: Ibanez RG320FM, twin humbuckers. I play mainly in drop c for my metalcore stuff, suits me fine. I set my overdrive level to 4, and master volume to 3, which is loud enough (like 30 watts). When the amp is switched on, there is some kind of irritating start-up noise (like a computer), but nevertheless quality of sound is good. Overdrive channel is great, though I suggest an additional tubescreamer for best effect. Clean channel isn't that good, rather thick. // 8
Reliability & Durability: No comment here, because I haven't gigged yet and the damn thing is heavy as hell, thus making it seem ultra toolage with reliability & durability. The carboard box which it was delivered in stunk like hell which annoyed me, hopefully it will annoy you too! // 10
Impression: Overall impression, great amp for what I payed for (£250), yet I don't understand why some people got it so expensive. I've been playing for nearly 3 years and I use an Ibanez RG320FM as my axe. I wish I chose another amp at the time though because the majority of UGers despise these MGs with a passion that makes me feel queezy. However, for the price I paid, it was good I suppose. // 8
MG250DFX
Reviewed by:
Love_METAL, on february 27, 2006 0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Purchased from: www.gak.co.uk
Features: I play mainly metal but I do play a bit of everything. This amp caters for my every need in a guitar sound. The two channels and digital FX are easy to switch between using the footswitch (included). There's a headphone jack / emulated line out. The headphone jack is great obviously to practice without annoying anyone. I use all of the features on my amp but sometimes dont use the DFX. Not because they're not very good but just because I don't use them in any of my songs, the effects ont his amp are aboslutely amazing. I don't need any more features on this amp, it has everything I need! Well I also use a Jim Dunlop CryBaby but built in wah always sucks! I use this amp when gigging with my band and for bedroom practice, it does me well for both and kicks ass at any level of volume. // 10
Sound: I use a Fender Squier Strat which has three single coil pick-ups in it. As I mentioned higher up, I play metal and mixed with my DigiTech Death Metal distortion pedal it sounds absolutely amazing. My one problem with this amp is the annoying feed back that you get when it's booted up to gig worthy volumes. The amp has standard clean and distorted channels and plenty of effects (chorus, delay, chorus & delay, flanger and a seperate reverb). The clean channel never sounds distorted at high levels and never lets me down. The distortion is damn good but not brutal enough for the kind of thrash metal I play. // 9
Reliability & Durability: I use it at all my gigs without any backup and it never does me wrong. It never breaks down and works everytime. // 10
Impression: I don't think this amp is a typical metal amp but it does extremely well with a good distortion pedal. I have a Jim Dunlop Cry Baby, DigiTech Death Metal distortion and a Digi-Tech RP100 Multi FX. I use them all with this amp and works well with them all. If this amp was lost or stolen I'd probably go for an MG stack, the same as this but in stack form, but I would deffinitely stick with the MG range, they're amazing. // 10
MG250DFX
Reviewed by:
GuItAr_LeGeNd44, on september 04, 2008 0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Price paid: £ 239
Purchased from: Merchant City Music
Features: First off the versatility of this amp is staggering, I can go from a creramy blues tone to a hard crunchy overdrive with just a flick of a few knobs. I use an Ibanez RG370DXL and I'll play anything from punk to blues an this amp gives every tone possible! One thing I feel is mising is an LED to show if the DFX channel is active or not, as there is one for the o/d but no effects. The range of effects is again staggering. there's chourus/delay, delay, chorus, and flanger and all of these can be tuned to give different sounds such as phaser etc. // 9
Sound: As I said before I use an Ibanez RG370DXL and it works a treat with any music style. The clean channel has a nice tone to it and doesn't distort, even when maxed out. The o/d channel is very versatile, giving a wide variety of sounds. With 2 50W speakers this thing packs one hell of a punch. I played an outdoor gig with this thing and I had the master volume at 4/10, although it was miced up. Even in indoor venues I've never had to raise the volume above 5! Overal a great sound for the price! // 10
Reliability & Durability: This amp is built like a tank! Weiging in at 3 1/2 stone this things no feather an I've had absoulety no problems with any part breakin an I've had this amp for about a month now. it's had a few bumbs and knocks but it just shrugs them off. Overall a a very reliable amp. // 9
Impression: Overall, this amp is absoulety amazing for the price I paid. It gives me a massive sound, good Marshall reliabilty and build quality I can rely on at gigs and a tonne of features to give me the perfect sound. If I were to have this amp stolen I would definatley buy another one, it's just brillant. there's also the option of buying extension cabinets which I am lookin into to pump up the sound even more! I would recommend this amp to any beginner to intermediate player Who wants a big sound for a low price, from a brand they can rely on as well. You just can't go wrong. // 9
MG250DFX
Reviewed by:
unregistered, on november 06, 2006 0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Purchased from: Mom's Music in Jeffersonville, IN
Features: I worked an entire summer frying chicken to buy this amp, and I am extremely pleased with it. I'm pretty sure that this amp was made in 2005 because it stayed in the showroom for about a year before I bought it. The versatility of this monster is amazing. I can anything from early Metallica or Pantera to Sabbath or Zeppelin to nearly acoustic or blues tones with the turn of a few knobs. The only bad thing about it is it's weight and it's headphone jack because I can still hear sound coming out of the speakers whenever I use my headphones. And it is kinda akward to carry it by yourself. All of the effects sound great and it is definately loud enough to play in my drummer's basement. // 10
Sound: I'm currently using an Ibanez AR300 with the stock pickups with this amp. I usually play Metallica, Pantera, and Sabbath, but I also enjoy the blues and clean Zeppelin songs. This amp does a great job of creating all of these sounds with my current guitar. Another great thing about this amp is that you can hear the notes (generally) and not the noise. The clean stays very clean in high volumes with the suggested clean setting on the back of the "directions" that came with it. I have also played a Gibson Explorer through one of these at guitar center and loved it. That will probally be my next purchase. // 10
Reliability & Durability: I've only owned this amp for about a month, but it has been very reliable and durable for as long as I have had it. I will definately use this amp whenever my band starts gigging. I've heard of people having amps like this for 10 years and only having to replace a blown fuse every once in a while. I expect the quality of Marshall amps to be true with this one too. // 10
Impression: If you're looking for an amp that has great sound, volume, and reliability, this is the amp for you. I've played a lot of amps in my 2 years of playing and this has proven to be the best one for the money. I probably wouldn't buy another one if this were stolen or lost. I would probaly get a Krankenstein, Peavy 6505+, or Marshall Mode-Four half stack instead. The only thing that I wish it had were side handles so that it would be easier to carry with 2 people. This amp definately kicks ass. // 10
MG250DFX
Reviewed by:
unregistered, on september 25, 2006 0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Purchased from: Billy Hyde Music
Features: This amp has 2 channels: clean/overdrive which you can alternate between using the provided footswitch. It also has 4 inbuilt effects (chorus/delay, delay, chorus and flanger) but you can't switch between them, you can simply choose the one you want by the knob on the amp, and then turn it on and off. There is also an inbuilt reverb effect but you have to turn that on at the amp and this can't be turned on and off by the footswitch which is pretty useless if you're playing at a gig (unless of course you're happy to quickly go over to the amp and turn it on/off between songs). // 6
Sound: I play a Squier Californian Series Strat that came standard with a humbucker in the bridge but I have since replaced it with a Fender Noiseless. I play mainly blues and rock but it's probably more suitable for metal or heavy rock as the distortion on the OD channel is too crunchy if you're just after a mild blues overdrive. The gain knob set at 10 on the clean channel doesn't give enough crunch for a mild blues overdrive so you have to you use a pedal if you're after that sort of sound (I just use a Boss DS-1 and it sounds awesome). Also feedback starts to kick in and it buzzes a fair bit if you're on the OD channel and the volume is about 4 and upwards, which is pretty bad if you plan on playing gigs. But never the less, this amp definately doesn't lack in volume. // 8
Reliability & Durability: This amp is very durable, never had any problems with it at all. It is very solid and well built so I wouldn't worry too much about it breaking. Yes, I would use it at a gig without a backup, mainly because it's the only amp I've got (apart from a 0 Watt practice amp), and also the fact that taking 2 amps to a gig would be a hassle but yeah, I definately would be confident that it wouldn't fail. // 10
Impression: Overall, a pretty decent amp. Clean channel is great, but as I mentioned the OD channel is a bit too intense for my liking, but you can definately make it sing with a pedal or 2. If it were lost or stolen, I probably wouldn't buy it again. I'd probably go for a Fender DeVille or something. I also wish the reverb effect could be operated by a footswitch. // 8
MG250DFX
Reviewed by:
unregistered, on february 27, 2006 0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Price paid: $ 456
Purchased from: Academy Of Music
Features: Not sure exactly when it was made, I'm guessing fairly recently, maybe the last 3 months. This amp is a killer, it has that lovely Marshall tone, you can play any style with it, clean/blues/jazz/classic rock/alternative/metal. It fits into all categories. It has two channels, clean and overdrive with FDD (Frequency Dependant Dampening). It has 4 effects onboard - chorus/delay, delay, chorus, flange and reverb. Headphone, footswitch, CD in, and a bunch of FX jacks. You can also hook this upto a cabinet with the connectors. The only features I wish it had would be: a volume pedal and maybe a second overdrive channel, but god I don't care, it's great. I am yet to use this amp at band practice, I will by the end of the week. It is bloody loud, I've only turned it upto notch two! Very good solid state amp. // 10
Sound: It's a Marshall so the sound is great obviously. I use a Maton Mastersound MS2000DFX with humbuckers and it sounds so hot in this amp. As is said, it suits any style of music, I mainly play blues/rock with some metal sometimes. I hardly get any feedback, unless I'm about 30cm away from it with full distortion kicked in. It has a lot of variety. I am yet to try the clean channel at high volumes so I'm not sure if it distorts, but there is a gain control on the clean channel. The normal distortion is very brutal, it reverberates through your body, god it's good. // 10
Reliability & Durability: Can I depend on this amp? Hell yes! this thing weighs like 30 kg and its very sturdy. I would definitly gig without a backup. Has the amp ever broken down? Well, this is my second MS250DFX. The first one, get this, was missing a bloody speaker! Yes that's right, they forgot to install the speaker in it. Must've had a big night before hand. Anywho's I took it back straight away and got a brand new one with free picks. I probably should've taken it to the Marshall office and seen if I could get upgraded, but I don't care, I love this amp. // 9
Impression: Great amp, great amp. Buy it now! // 10
MG250DFX
Reviewed by:
cointurtlemoose, on october 24, 2005 0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Price paid: $ 350
Purchased from: Guitar Center
Features: This amp has 2 50 watt speakers, 2 channels (clean and overdrive), and 5 built in effects (chorus/delay, flanger, chorus, delay, and reverb). You can switch the channel through a footswitch and you can turn effects on and off through the footswitch but you can't change the effect by the footswitch. This amp is plenty loud for most places unless your playing at some massive place, but, honestly, I've never taken it over 5 (out of 12). // 8
Sound: The effects aren't top notch but they do their job fairly well. The overdrive channel offers many different types of distortion. By messing with the contour, treble, and bass nobs, almost any tone is possible. The clean channel is also very rich although it gets just a little harsh when it's turned up really loud, but that is barely a problem. I use this amp with a Parker NiteFly with its standard pick-ups and I haven't found a legitimate flaw in this amp's sound yet. // 9
Reliability & Durability: I did get this amp used (hence the incredibly low price) so I am kind of worried about something bad happening, but nothing has happened yet. The amp's fan does make some pretty annoying sounds when you first turn it on, but that really doesn't matter. It has been reliable for me so far. // 10
Impression: My overall impression of this amp is very good. It is very loud and at the same time offers solid, versatile distortion sounds and also a nice clean tone. Although I have only had it for 2 months, I haven't been dissapointed yet. // 10
I wish I would've waited longer before posting my review... At the deal I got mine for, the amp is strictly OK, but at the retail price, it's a ripoff. The overdrive with the gain and contour past midway breaks up and sounds like bumblebees when the volume is past 4. Save up more and buy a better amp. I'm lucky my Parker Nitefly makes actually improves the tone of the amp...
great amp, really great. It's a tank too, it's been dropped off trucks and out vans (much to my dismay), and is still in perfect working order. Happy Day, Au Revoir
I owned one of these but I have to be honest I didn't like it much. I traded it with a mate for a Laney GH50L and 4x12 cabinet. Which is worth like twice as much.
As i am still a student, it is half impossible for me to buy decent gear with my salary. I bought this amp after my fender blew the morning of a band practice. At first yes, the overdrive didnt cut it and i wasnt impressed. But when i ran my DigiTech Metal Master through it, it promptly tore my singer's balls off. This amp is a beast with the right pedals. And it sounds fine clean, i dont know what you guys have against this amp.
Ive played through that amp for two hours and didnt find a good sound. But it is good for people who have never played through a GOOD amp (like JCM800 etc)
I played the half version of the MG100dfx. This amp( MG250dfx) is the same thing but with two speakers. The MG100dfx half stack has an awesome tone, but it leaves you wanting more.
its a rip, plain and simple. this amp is ok but if i had my choice, i wouldnt have one. the price is kinda extreme and the sound can give it too much of a buz effect when u dont want it. my rating: 3
I think Marshall is over rated... if your gonna use a pedal on this amp why get it? you could buy any other amp with a great distortion and switch it to clean andput the pedal through it and sound the same as before.
i have this amp. it will please people with no/not that much experience with tone. i have experience. it is really not very good tone: the clean is lifeless, the distortion is wayyyyy too fizzy, and if you use an EQ pedal to get rid of the fizz, it sounds very weak, weaker than it did before, and that was weak on it's own. with high gain settings, it feeds back like crazy, and is uncontrollable. you have to change channels to avoid it.
it hasmore power than the smaller MG's and is louder, which does make it better as you can get a more crushing tone. but not crushing enough.
i'm upgrading to a valve amp, because, as someone has said, it leaves you wanting more. i might get the Orange tiny terror.... real valve tone at a volume that doesn't destroy your ears!!!
Pretty good for blues and classic rock. For heavy metal it is not the greatest, it can dohair metal pretty good also. The best thing about this amp is the leads those I found to be quite amazing, so I run both my Marshall 8100 and this, 8100 for rythums, mg for leads.
i have this amp. it will please people with no/not that much experience with tone. i have experience. it is really not very good tone: the clean is lifeless, the distortion is wayyyyy too fizzy, and if you use an EQ pedal to get rid of the fizz, it sounds very weak, weaker than it did before, and that was weak on it's own. with high gain settings, it feeds back like crazy, and is uncontrollable. you have to change channels to avoid it.
it hasmore power than the smaller MG's and is louder, which does make it better as you can get a more crushing tone. but not crushing enough.
i'm upgrading to a valve amp, because, as someone has said, it leaves you wanting more. i might get the Orange tiny terror.... real valve tone at a volume that doesn't destroy your ears!!!
well why get 250 watts if you dnt wnt it 2 be loud????
i had this for one day, bought it used for... 350 i believe, and didn't even play it and took it back to guitar center and bought a fender fm 212r for a little more... new. i think i made the right choice, seeing as this amp is about 500 new... i had heard bad things about it anyway. go me. btw... the fender is great if you wanted to know, loud, a little sensitive on the knobs but you get used to it.
btw... the fm 212r doesn't come with any effects (get the 212dsp for that) but it does come with a decent spring reverb (i just read the mg has digital...) and overdrive.
"At the moment I am using an Epiphone gibson sg with two seymour duncan humbuckers, so i know what great tone sounds like"
LOL man you made my day, lol omg i might need surgery from this
Try a GIBSON GIBSON LES PAUL with two GIBSON pickups and an amp with some VALVES and then we can talk about great tone
I've noticed people say they are getting feedback when they turn it up.. thats cause their guitars are crap, cause the amp doesnt do it with my mg250dfx...
if they something which was better than a squier or epiphone this wouldnt happen..
"At the moment I am using an Epiphone gibson sg with two seymour duncan humbuckers, so i know what great tone sounds like"
LOL man you made my day, lol omg i might need surgery from this
Try a GIBSON GIBSON LES PAUL with two GIBSON pickups and an amp with some VALVES and then we can talk about great tone
i have this amp. it will please people with no/not that much experience with tone. i have experience. it is really not very good tone: the clean is lifeless, the distortion is wayyyyy too fizzy, and if you use an EQ pedal to get rid of the fizz, it sounds very weak, weaker than it did before, and that was weak on it's own. with high gain settings, it feeds back like crazy, and is uncontrollable. you have to change channels to avoid it.
it hasmore power than the smaller MG's and is louder, which does make it better as you can get a more crushing tone. but not crushing enough.
i'm upgrading to a valve amp, because, as someone has said, it leaves you wanting more. i might get the Orange tiny terror.... real valve tone at a volume that doesn't destroy your ears!!!
[quote]
if its too fizzy, why dont you try turning the treble down?
and turn the distortion down instead of hiding behind it,
when the amp is above say 1 on the master volume, do you know how much distortion you have?
and the reason it is feedbacking uncontrollably is because you're... a shit guitarist.
i have this amp. it will please people with no/not that much experience with tone. i have experience. it is really not very good tone: the clean is lifeless, the distortion is wayyyyy too fizzy, and if you use an EQ pedal to get rid of the fizz, it sounds very weak, weaker than it did before, and that was weak on it's own. with high gain settings, it feeds back like crazy, and is uncontrollable. you have to change channels to avoid it.
it hasmore power than the smaller MG's and is louder, which does make it better as you can get a more crushing tone. but not crushing enough.
i'm upgrading to a valve amp, because, as someone has said, it leaves you wanting more. i might get the Orange tiny terror.... real valve tone at a volume that doesn't destroy your ears!!!
[quote]
if its too fizzy, why dont you try turning the treble down?
and turn the distortion down instead of hiding behind it,
when the amp is above say 1 on the master volume, do you know how much distortion you have?
and the reason it is feedbacking uncontrollably is because you're... a shit guitarist.
You guys buying guitars at Walmart? If you are serious about music spend some coin & buy a decent axe. This amp sounds great. Try a REAL Fender or a REAL Gibson & see. IF cash is a problem the PRS SE models are a bargain @$550, I have a Taylor Solid Body & get any sound or tone I need, I use it live weekly ( or more) & it has not let me down yet - I will say if you must have that annoying metal sound - get a pedal - feedback a problem ? nonono - dont stand 2" in front of it with pos pick ups - I use a MFX Processor only, and usually stand 8-10 feet away master set at 1/4-which is pretty loud & have no trouble at all, I have been playing almost 40 years - I know tone - if you are having issues with tone play with those knobs & see what happens
wow, 40 years of experience and you're recommending a pos amp with pedals to get the tone you want.
spend most of your money on a good amp, then less on a decent guitar - but keep in mind your amp is going to make up most of your tone. and dont get an inappropriate amp and then try to get the tone you want with pedals
wow, 40 years of experience and you're recommending a pos amp with pedals to get the tone you want.
spend most of your money on a good amp, then less on a decent guitar - but keep in mind your amp is going to make up most of your tone. and dont get an inappropriate amp and then try to get the tone you want with pedals
Actually I agree on buying a good amp / also agree that is where your tones are being shaped. but with a crappy guitar you're spinnin your wheels. I only recommended the pedal for that heavy dist for metal, this amp won't get you there without it. However - distortion in my opinion is not a tone - it is an effect - tone is sweetness or fullness - call it whatever - you'll not get tone with a $150 guitar thru a $5000 amp - be better off with a $500 amp and a $1000 guitar. I also have a Rivera tube amp 212 combo, the Marshall sounds better a 1/4 the price. I value your opinion, but do not agree it is a POS amp. Pedals will not shape your tone unless it is designed to do so, think of mod. effects - thats all that do. WIthout a starting point (guitar) even the most expensive mod effects sound cheap
'I wish I chose another amp at the time though because the majority of UGers despise these MGs with a passion that makes me feel queezy. However, for the price I paid, it was good I suppose. // 8' DOUCHE.
I've noticed people say they are getting feedback when they turn it up.. thats cause their guitars are crap, cause the amp doesnt do it with my mg250dfx...
if they something which was better than a squier or epiphone this wouldnt happen..
I agree dude i use this amp with 75% gain and high 60% contour. I play at about 60% volume and dodn't have a problem with feed back. Although you can get that with any guitar just being to close with too much volume. My guitar (esp ltd ec 1000) with seymour duncan buckers doesn't seem to have this problem.
i like this amp but i have to admit the distortion..well at first it sounded ok but then it just sounded like a pos so i decided to go and by a distortion pedal (Boss Ml-2 and yes i know people dont like this pedal to!) but this does the job for me now
"At the moment I am using an Epiphone gibson sg with two seymour duncan humbuckers, so i know what great tone sounds like"
I'd have ANY pair of Seymour Duncans instead of Gibson stocks. IMO Gibson guitars are over-priced and
LOL man you made my day, lol omg i might need surgery from this
Try a GIBSON GIBSON LES PAUL with two GIBSON pickups and an amp with some VALVES and then we can talk about great tone
I'd take any pair of Seymour Duncans instead of Gibson stocks. IMO Gibson guitars are over-priced and overrated, anyway.
Huh, I like my MG250 a lot. I've always had Fender amps (pre cbs Princeton, Deluxe and Twin Reverb with EV-SRO speakers). I had been using a Fender FM 25R (Mexican). This is no pre cbs twin reverb but it's loud and clear. No problems with fan noise, or any other unwanted clutter. I don't use the effects much but the reverb is pretty strong. I can get some decent tremolo type sound with the effects but the only other effect I use is Wahwah (old Vox).
I mostly use a 58/60 Fender strat custom (Fender hardware, Beautiful Warmoth neck and body, Rio Grande Tallboy pickups).
I play R&B, soul, blues and reggae. I have no trouble finding good tones.
I bought this amp off ebay in excellent condition for $151.00 US. The price was great so I bought it as an investment. My wife and friends tell me I'm crazy to sell it, even at twice the cost. So I'm keeping it, for now.
Funny how people play an MG15 and then rip this out. Swap out the speakers and you have one of the best solid states around. Sure its no JCM, but its cheap, hard, and loud.
This is hands down the WORST pos I have ever owned. By reading these posts I must have bought the lemon. I have had nothing but problems with this amp. It started 30 days after buying it. It is now taking up room in a corner because for the fourth time it has crapped out. It is completely un-useable now and I have pretty much given up on it. It is/was my practice amp and has been replaced by a Roland Cube which has turned out to be bulletproof. Pretty sad considering it was a USED Roland I bought for $80.00. Hopefully anyone else with these amps gets a better deal than I did.
i traded some doucher on craigslist an ipod for this amp and a BOSS DS-1. Sounds good to me. maybe people on here are stupid and cant get good tone on their own, and have it so engrained in their mind that their bad tome is their amp and guitars faut, and then when they sound shitty, they look waywartd for a piece of equipment to blame. if paul gilbert can shred on an ibanez gio and a 10 watt POS than you can get good tone off a marshall and a (probably) shitty epiphone youre using anyway.
"At the moment I am using an Epiphone gibson sg with two seymour duncan humbuckers, so i know what great tone sounds like"
LOL man you made my day, lol omg i might need surgery from this
Try a GIBSON GIBSON LES PAUL with two GIBSON pickups and an amp with some VALVES and then we can talk about great tone
While I agree that the Gibson Les Paul does have impeccable tone and that one can't compete with valve distortion (the difference between my old Marshall MG50FX & my Mesa 5:50 Express is like the difference between a Chevy Aveo & a BMW M3), I wouldn't be so quick to judge Epi SGs. I own one with Alnico Classic humbuckers and get brilliant tones out of it. And the majority of Seymour Duncan's pickups are just hands-down better than Gibson's stock pickups. I mean, a JB/'59 combo or P-90s? Give me the Duncans any day. That's just my opinion, though
This amp sounds great in my opinion (have had it and gigged with it for.. 3 years?). True, it isn't gonna get you an extremely heavy tone, but if you have really hot pickups, the tone you can get out of it can absolutely tear through Slayer or Megadeth. It has a very classic sort of tone (it is Marshall after all). Trick to getting this amp to sound good: Treble pretty high, bass very low, in my opinion.
I got this amp a few years back and I didn't quite like it at first, but then again, I was running a cheap strat-copy through it and I had no idea what the the contour knob did, now I play a Gibson Flying V Faded through it, with the contour on about six with the treble pulled back a good bit and I love the sound I get.
Honestly, I think this amp's party piece has to be the contour knob- run a Fender Jazzmaster infront of it and put the contour to about two and you can get a pink floyd-style tone with a little delay/chorus and should you put the contour all the way over and switch to humbuckers, I managed to get Disturbed levels of distortion.
All in all, I like this amp, yes, player error has a lot to do with it, but assuming this has a good player, then it will not thank you for using a bad guitar.
Would recommend for punk through to havy metal, the clean tone isn't too nice, but the old trick of rolling the volume right back on the distortion channel works nicely for me (particularly when using the Jazzmaster on the jazz circuit)and for lower-gain stuff, you're better off going for a Fender- the low-gain stuff on this amp is nice, but a more dedicated amp would probably suit you better for that.
Finally, I have the master volume on this really high and the channel volume quite low, so that it plays in the power stage when it's at low volumes- that has helped a lot, I think.
I have had this amp for 5 years and never loved it but it just got better. Stock it's too dense and undefined. I removed the back and that helped the density x10. I had a speaker from an old solid state fender amp and put that in and that cured the bottom heavy sound. It sounds so much better now, away from the modern JCM tone it was trying for and closer to the Plexi days. If I have to remove the marshall tags so be it.
btw... the fender is great if you wanted to know, loud, a little sensitive on the knobs but you get used to it.
