— UK-built, all-valve, 5-Watt Class A combo designed for professionals and novices alike —
MELVILLE, NY, August 5, 2009 — Long known for the iconic amplifier “stack,� Marshall Amplification has just released the Class5, an affordable, premium-appointed combo guitar amplifier that offers all-valve (tube) tone in a simple format that puts guitarists directly in contact with the amplifier’s raw abilities and classic sound.
Featuring a traditional top-loaded format reminiscent of Marshall’s legendary “Bluesbreaker� style, the Class5 provides easy access to an effective yet simple-to-use panel, offering Bass, Middle and Treble tone controls, and a single Volume knob. The volume knob encompasses a full range of tones for a dynamic playing experience. Set low, the Class5 delivers a sweet, clean sound – ideal for more lyrical moments. Positioning the volume knob at its midpoint offers the
familiar Marshall valve-amp crunch; dialing up further provides an organic crunch for soloing and heavier rhythm playing.
The Class5 features a 2 x ECC83 double triode preamp stage; a single EL84 pentode provides five Watts of power – more than enough for a Class A amp of this design. The Class A tone – heavier on second harmonic distortion – is never harsh and delivers a natural, warm sound.
Made in the UK, the Class5 features a hand-built, birch-ply cabinet. Interlocking finger construction provides solid Marshall tone and a road-worthy feel. The amp offers a noticeably more “traditional� design, but finished in the same Black Levant covering and fret cloth (grille cloth) used in other Marshall products, for instant recognition.
The ten-inch Celestion G10F-15 loudspeaker has been specially designed for the Class5. The speaker provides a solid low-end, often missing in combo amps of this size, while retaining an open sound that reflects the Class5’s harmonic content. The 16-Ohm speaker can be bypassed to hook up an external cabinet; a headphone output is also provided. Use of the headphone jack also bypasses the internal speaker for private practice with complete tone intact.
The Class5 will be available Fall 2009 and will carry a U.S. MSRP of $560.00.
