Academy of Tone #229: Friedman PLEX vs Marshall vintage Plexi & AMP1

Join us for Academy of Tone #229, where we dive deep into one of the most iconic amplifiers in rock history: the Marshall Plexi! This legendary amp, produced from 1965 to 1968, helped shape the sound of rock and blues and has been used by some of the greatest names in music, including Eric Clapton, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Van Halen, and many more. Today, this sound can be found on any modeling device, and there are hundreds of copies. But have you ever played, experienced, or compared such a real Plexi “Rock monster”? Thomas, a Plexi enthusiast and collector, will take us through the tones and unique qualities of this historic amp. We’ll explore the different Plexi models and his famous 1987 JMP, which helped define Thomas’s personal tone. Los Angeles-based Amp Designer Dave Friedman is also a Plexi enthusiast. In this episode, we'll take a closer look at Dave Friedman’s Plex, the amp that is based on Dave’s own favorite Plexi, featuring a vintage circuit design with modern tweaks to capture the ultimate “brown sound” by Van Halen, along with a Mastervolume. Thomas will compare his original vintage 50W JMP Plexis with Friedman’s new release, demonstrating how the Plexi has evolved and why it continues to be sought after by rock guitarists. And of course, he will compare all these Plexis to his own AMP1 Mercury Edition. Get ready to immerse yourself in the world of classic rock tones as Thomas showcases this iconic amp in all its glory. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about the Plexi’s history, its use in famous rigs, and how artists today are still finding new ways to push its limits. Tune in and discover the sound of rock history! #podcast #bluguitar #friedman #plex #amp1 ____________________________________________________________________________________ Get your AMP1 MERCURY EDITION and IRIDIUM EDITION with 3 YEARS WARRANTY and FREE SHIPPING (within EU): https://bluguitar.com/en/products/ ____________________________________________________________________________________ https://bluguitar.com/ 00:00:00 - Intro 00:00:40 - Thomas plays I'm going down from Freddie King 00:05:08 - Welcome to AOT 229 00:06:19 - What is a Plexi? 00:07:21 - 50 vs 100 watt Plexis 00:08:35 - Bridged inputs 00:09:34 - Sound examples of the 69 Plexi with bridged channels 00:13:07 - Sound examples of the 68 Plexi with bridged channels 00:15:33 - Dialing every amp to it's own sweet spot 00:16:00 - Sound examples of the Friedman Plexi and it's bright switches 00:22:20 - Comparing it's sound with the Amp1 Mercury 00:23:57 - What is going on in the Friedman Plex? 00:25:25 - Clip of the inside of the Friedman Plex 00:29:50 - Friedman's taste and some Marshall beer taste 00:32:39 - Looking at the schematic again and Friedman's choices of changes 00:35:54 - Looking at the master volume circuit 00:38:20 - The low and high voltage switch 00:40:04 - Comparing with the vintage Plexi 00:43:59 - The difference between a 50 and 100 watt plexi 00:46:40 - Modding a Plexi 00:47:28 - Poweramp clipping 00:48:38 - A nice side effect from the Friedman Plex 00:50:22 - What is actually happening 00:52:35 - The american vs the Brittish approach 00:54:22 - The father of loud 00:58:10 - The legacy of Marshall 01:00:35 - AB between the Plex and Amp1 on Vintage channel 01:05:38 - Let's change to the Strat, and AB again 01:08:36 - And a final AB with the vintage Plexi amp 01:09:02 - Final recap, and the use of pedals to boost the plexi 01:14:48 - Thank you all for watching, see you next week 01:15:26 - Outro