I Went To Marshall Heaven . . . No it wasn't a dream either!
Yeah, fantastic trip out to my ideal home!
(See photos below)
Entering into the reception area of the repairs department at 'Marshall Amplification' in Bletchley UK, the first thing that hits you is the astronomical amount of 10"x8" framed photographs running along the back wall of a corridor that accesses the glass offices that run off of it.
All the 10x8s are of every conceivable famous rock star the planet has ever seen, all with there arm round Jim, or standing next to a Marshall stack or two with big cheese grins on there faces, absolutely mesmerizing.
Some are signed band publicity shots, and some are great in concert shots of the artist giving it there all. Some of em looked real old too, I found myself trying to put names to the hundred and fifty or so that were directly in front of me, Angus, Page and Slash being the ones that popped out straight off.
After I got my gear booked in I had a wonder along the corridor and checked the lot out, completely awe-inspiring, I felt a great sense of respect and admiration for being at such a place.
Immediately around me were all sorts of Marshall amps ready to go back to there owners, plus combos and various 4x12 cabs here there and everywhere.
Off to the side were two half stacks, one with a Les Paul Standard plugged into it, and the other with a Fender Strat propped up against the side of the cab. Both cabs had 100w JCM 800s a top of them. These (I was told) were there so that you could test your gear after they had repaired it. Plug in and crank it up!!
Off to either side were more offices, one of these I was shown into to sign some final paperwork before the engineers took my two Marshall 350W Mode Four heads off to be repaired and serviced.
This room too was also full of kit, more JCM 800s just stacked up on the floor in the middle of the room, more cabs and more guitars, I'm like, ***k - this is heaven or what, just look at all this kit! I was in the Aladdin's cave of all Aladdin's caves!
Two big sofas ran along the back and side of this office of which both had coffee tables in front of them. This looked like a proper works chill-out room. One table still had half full coffee cups on it, and on this sofa was a Gibson SG laying there plugged into a Marshall combo humming away nicely. Looked like I had just interrupted someone's early morning jam?
For people like me (that eat sleep and breath guitar) it truly is an amazing place. After they had fixed up my two heads I got the chance to take a look around the main reception area, and check out all the equipment on show there. The guys did me a treat with the photos. Bloody great stuff. Cheers Marshall, totally ROCKIN!
PS: Incidentally - Now that the two heads work properly, I can now use one as a slave amp to the other, and generate 700w of power going out to 1200w of Mode Four cabs.
Absolute HEAVY ***KIN METAL!! Can't wait for the next rehearsal. More picks and write-up on that to follow.
Cheers all
Rob
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