Marshall Class 5 - 5w Head
LOOKS LIKE LEMMYS LUNCHBOX
The Class5 is not exactly a shrunk-down Plexi and at 5 watts of Class A power, it doesnt exactly claim to be but Marshalls engineers have been careful to funnel as much of that classic Plexi mojo into this little bruiser as they could manage. Instead of the Plexis quartet of EL34 power valves, the Class5 rocks a single EL84, along with a pair of ECC83 preamp valves. Controls are ridiculously simple: volume, treble, middle and bass. No presence, no input gain, no reverb, no channel switching, no bright switch nada. If you want a clean sound, keep it low. If you want it to distort, turn that puppy up. Theres no effects loop, so what you hear is what you get. As with other non-FX amps, if you want to add reverb or delay, youll have to find a way around it either pedals through the front end (if you dont need too much amp distortion), or outboard effects at the mixing desk will do the trick nicely. The Class5 weighs a mere 6.75kg, and frankly, its adorable. It reminds me of a chihuahua that doesnt realise its tiny and still tries to maul you.
The Class5 is also available in a combo version, once again all valve, UK made and at a mere 5 watts. I must confess to really digging the look of the combo, which really brings to mind the classic Bluesbreaker styling. Or, if youre more into the head and cab thing but you want to maintain the look, theres the 15-watt C110 extension cab, which also has that Bluesbreaker vibe but features a single 10-inch Celestion G10F-15 speaker.
SIZE ISNT EVERYTHING
The Class5s quieter settings have a soft, sweet, vintage lilt to them, which is pleasingly warm with humbuckers and tames the edge of single coils quite nicely. The dynamics are nicely interactive complex Jeff Buckley chords sounded great and it really responds favourably and interactively to pedals. Crank the volume up past about four, though, and youll be rewarded with a punchy, hairy, snappy overdriven sound not dissimilar to Malcolm Youngs clean-but-tough rhythm tone. Humbuckers freaking love this setting, and open chords ring out with brilliance in the high end and a mighty wallop in the low. Turn the volume up further and the tone gets all New York punk and maybe even LA Sunset Strip rock, but fatter and without the hairspray. Use a clean boost or an overdrive pedal to give the preamp tubes a further push and youre in lead guitar heaven.
GOOD THINGS COME IN SMALL PACKAGES
The Class5 is a godsend for club and studio guitarists who play rock, blues, indie, punk and even some kinds of metal. I could imagine its tones being very much at home in a band like Mastodon or Baroness, for example. Its portable, its powerful, its simple and if feels almost bulletproof.
Q & A
Reviews
Protect your investment with the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty
A warranty can be a very important factor when making a buying decision. Because repairs can be very expensive in terms of parts and labour costs, manufacturers usually only provide one year limited warranties that generally only cover items that malfunction due to a manufacturer’s defect. With an important purchase such as a musical
instrument or piece of studio gear, however, many people want to have the peace of mind in knowing that their investment will be protected should the product no longer be performing at 100%.
Because of this, Long & McQuade provides our customers with a FREE one-year Performance Warranty on most of our products. The Long & McQuade Performance Warranty supplements the manufacturer’s warranty to ensure that our customers receive complete “no hassle” warranty coverage within their first year.
How does the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty differ from most manufacturers' warranties?
- Performance Guarantee: Normal wear and tear is covered, so your product will be performing as well as the day you purchased it for the entire duration of the coverage. Band and Orchestral Performance Warranty does not include replacing pads or cleaning for woodwind instruments, unless deemed necessary by our repair staff. Ultrasonic cleaning for brass instruments will be provided if deemed necessary by our repair staff, but is not routinely offered under the Performance Warranty.
- Product Replacement: If your product cannot be fixed or costs too much to fix, we will replace it with the equivalent model for no additional charge. If this is not possible, a full refund will be provided.
- No Lemon Policy: Your product will be replaced should the same problem occur multiple times.
- Convenient: Easy drop off and pick up of the product at any Long & McQuade location.
- Guitar Setup: Guitars purchased at Long & McQuade come with 1 free setup, to be redeemed within 1 year for new guitars and 90 days for used guitars.
- Loaners Available: A loaner product may be given while the product is being repaired.
- Power Surge Protection: Your product is covered even if damaged from a power surge.
- Accessory Coverage: Any peripheral devices or accessories that come with your product (i.e. foot pedal, case) are also covered.
- Commercial Use Coverage: Music and recording professionals who purchase gear for “heavy-use” commercial purposes will still be covered.
Long & McQuade reserves the right to restrict the purchase of additional years of Performance Warranty. Used products come with a 3-month Long & McQuade Performance Warranty. Some products (i.e. computers, software, cymbals and other items) are covered only by the manufacturer‘s warranty. Consumables (i.e. strings, reeds, drum sticks, batteries, tubes, cross faders) are excluded as they are designed to be replaced. Cosmetic Damage, Accidental Damage, or problems caused by Humidity or Temperature Issues are not covered. Speakers damaged by overpowering are generally not covered. Our coverage does not provide compensation for loss of use. As of June 2018 the Performance Warranty is no longer transferable. The warranty is only valid in Canada.
Purchasing additional years of coverage
Some manufacturers provide warranties for longer than 1 year; however, these are usually limited warranties that do not provide the same coverage as the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty. Customers interested in more complete and convenient (but not necessarily longer) coverage are still able to purchase additional years of the Performance Warranty.
If you are interested in receiving this coverage for longer than one year, you have the option of purchasing additional years of the Performance Warranty. The pricing is as follows:
- NEW products: Starting at 4% of the current new selling price to double the warranty from 1 year to 2 years. Starting at 4% for each additional year.
- USED products: Starting at 4% of the current new selling price to increase the warranty from 3 months to 1 year. Starting at 4% for each additional year.
- GUITARS: 4% of the current new selling price to double the warranty from 1 year to 2 years. 4% for each additional year. $45 maximum. An additional free setup is not included with additional purchased years of Performance Warranty.
- BAND and ORCHESTRAL instruments: 4% of the current new selling price to double the warranty from 1 year to 2 years. 4% for each additional year.
Great Additions
Reserve in Store
| Product | SKU | Qty |
|---|---|---|
| Class 5 - 5w Head | 347532 |
