Pricing and availability

We compare 600+ stores and found this item at 1 store. Prices updated .

Average Price: $2,376

High-end/Boutique

$300

$801+

Price Tier

Budget

Standard

High-end

* Product prices and availability are updated by Equipboard every 24hrs and are subject to change. Equipboard may receive compensation for purchases made at participating retailers linked on this site. This compensation does not affect what products or prices are displayed, or the order of prices listed. For more information, please refer to our affiliate disclosure.

Description

Unleash the power of classic rock with the Marshall Super Lead 100-Watt Head. Revered by guitar legends for its robust sound and remarkable tonal versatility, this amplifier head is a cornerstone in the evolution of rock music. Known for its iconic all-valve design, it delivers a timeless, harmonically rich tone that has defined the sound of generations.

The Super Lead 100-Watt Head features a quartet of EL34 power valves, providing an unmistakable punch and dynamic range. Its dual-channel capability allows for seamless transitions between clean and overdriven tones, making it perfect for any style—from the crisp, articulate sounds of blues to the heavy, saturated tones of metal. The addition of three ECC83 preamp valves ensures that your sound remains pristine, even at high gain levels.

Built with the touring musician in mind, the Marshall Super Lead 100-Watt Head is housed in a robust, road-ready casing that can withstand the rigors of life on the road. Its master volume control offers precise adjustments, making it easier than ever to dial in your perfect sound. Whether you're playing in a small club or a large stadium, this amplifier head has the power and flexibility to meet your needs.

Key Features:

  • 100-watt all-valve head
  • EL34 power valves and ECC83 preamp valves
  • Dual-channel design for clean and overdriven tones
  • Master volume control for precise sound adjustments
  • Road-ready construction with a durable casing
  • Ideal for a range of music styles from blues to metal
Guitar Hangar - Lessons, Rentals, Repairs, and More

Guitar Hangar - Lessons, Rentals, Repairs, and More

Vintage Marshall Super Lead 100 Watt Amp Head Demo | Guitar Hangar

Video thumbnail for Vintage Marshall Super Lead 100 Watt Amp Head Demo | Guitar Hangar by Guitar Hangar - Lessons, Rentals, Repairs, and More

Vintage Marshall Super Lead 100 Watt Amp Head Demo | Guitar Hangar

Guitar Hangar - Lessons, Rentals, Repairs, and More

Guitar Hangar - Lessons, Rentals, Repairs, and More

Video thumbnail for Vintage 1972 Marshall Super Lead 100 Amp Head Demo AC/DC and More! by Brad

Vintage 1972 Marshall Super Lead 100 Amp Head Demo AC/DC and More!

Brad

Brad

Reviews

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Marshall Super Lead 100-Watt Head.

Build quality

  • The presence of a laydown power transformer is notably rare, seen in some 1975 models.

    Source
  • The circuit board is not made of aluminum; it's the front control panel with volume and tone knobs that has this finish.

    Source

Features and functionality

  • Older models typically have four speaker outputs, while some later versions, like a 1975, feature only two.

    Source
  • The Super Bass typically has a shared cathode on the first gain stage, while the Super Lead has a split cathode, offering slightly more gain.

    Source
  • Anti-slip pads are recommended to prevent the amp from moving due to its powerful vibrations when cranked up.

    Source

Setup and maintenance

  • Checking the transformers and pots for date codes can help pinpoint the production year of the amp.

    Source

Mods and upgrades

  • Switching from 6550 to EL34 power tubes is recommended by owners to achieve the classic Marshall tone.

    Source
  • Modifying a Super Lead to switch to a Super Bass setup involves changing the V1A cathode cap/resistor, tonestack, and PI coupling caps.

    Source
  • A master volume mod, typically bypassable, is often added to these amps for better volume control without sacrificing authenticity.

    Source
  • Adding an effects loop and an extra speaker output are common mods that enhance the Super Lead's functionality.

    Source

User experience

  • A Fryette Power Station can effectively attenuate the Super Lead’s volume, making it more suitable for home use without sacrificing tone.

    Source

Comparisons

  • The Super Bass, with higher headroom, is described as a step towards Hiwatt-like clarity, but still retains a thicker, JTM45-like tonal character.

    Source
  • The OR50 is considered by some to surpass the Rockerverb in sound quality, though the OR100 with its switchable power levels offers unique convenience.

    Source

Use cases and applications

  • The Super Bass is noted for its suitability in achieving Malcolm Young’s rhythm guitar tone, as heard on AC/DC's "Ball Breaker" album.

    Source
  • It's noted that the amp can be impractically loud, making it challenging to achieve natural overdrive at manageable volumes.

    Source

Critic Reviews

Legendary Tones - 100 Watt Marshall Super Lead

legendarytones.com

The Marshall Super Lead 100-Watt Head is heralded as the quintessential amplifier for iconic rock tones, revered by legends like Hendrix and Page. Its simple, hand-wired design and dynamic distortion characteristics make it a staple for achieving classic soundscapes. However, its lack of pre-amp or gain control requires ear-splitting volumes to unlock its full potential, limiting its practicality in today's volume-conscious environments. Despite this, its historical significance and tonal prowess still make it a coveted piece for those who can accommodate its demands.

positive

5.0 out of 5

Based on 1 Review and 10 Ratings

5 star
4 star
3 star
2 star
1 star
nikkiangelus

An OK-sounding vintage amp.

Let's face it: You can never quite go wrong with a Marshall since it's been the quintessential rock tone for what, 50-60 years now? This particular amp would be great if it wasn't for the outdated design, though. It looks and sounds good, but has only one measly channel. In order to push any drive out of it, you have to crank it all the way up to 11 and this motherfucker LOUD! There's no way a sane person would use it live without reamping it.

In a nutshell: The vintage points are cool and it's hot crunch sounds great in the studio, but there are a tons of newer amps that are capable of doing the same thing without bursting an eardrum.

jimmarchi1

ummm, a superlead has 2 channels, normal and bright? I've owned many, used to be my amp of choice when I played big venues, definitely 2 channels, split cathodes into a mixer gain stage, shared cathode follower tweed bassman EQ and then into the power section. do you mean it doesn't have independent EQ? Its just for fien tailoring, this is an amp where you start with everything but presence at 10 and turn down from there until it sounds right in the room you're playing.

jimmarchi1

its really loud, yes, but in a 500+ seat venue you don't even need any attenuation, its just enough level where you don't need to waste floor wedge headroom on your own guitar sound and you can have it full of kick, snare and bass guitar

its a specific tool for a specific job.... I got rid of my superleads because in my current situation, even with a little hotplate attenuation, the rooms they would be in are so small that any living thing standing directly in line with the cab will evaporate into the atmosphere as plasma... but in a big space where the sound can diffuse and there's a few hundred tightly packed bodies absorbing up the high frequency reflections? not that loud.... I would also debate that there are master volume amps that cop the sound.... I've heard close but the feel is never there and if you DO wanna turn up in a big space then you lose something because of all the extra preamp gain. Some of the Soldano's get close to a JMP version and the bogner stuff gets plexi-ish in the right mode or whatever, but this is one of those eleusive sounds, especially because every superlead sounds different. I've never used 2 that sounded the same. I ahd 4 of them in the studio at once and every single one was very different whereas an 800, 900 or a 90 Laney is pretty consistent amp to amp even with different tubes and biasing.

also, you can rebias this amp (and almost any other EL34 amp that runs 700v or less plate voltage) for JJ's very robust 6V6es and run it at 1/2 impedance to make it a fire breathing 30 watter. I've tried this toconvert one of my 50 waters into a 15 watt head for home recording with great results. Its an easy, non-destructive mod.

Artist usage

Add artist
See how Frank Marino uses Marshall Super Lead 100-Watt Head

Frank Marino

Guitarist

Mahogany Rush

...
Verified via YouTube

1:57 Of the video portion cover's Frank Marino's Marshall Super Lead 100

See how Jan Akkerman uses Marshall Super Lead 100-Watt Head

Jan Akkerman

Guitarist

Focus

...
Verified via Prog Sphere

In the Prog Sphere article "Revisiting Jan Akkerman's Pleasure Point," a photograph shows Jan Akkerman with the Marshall Super Lead 100-Watt Head amplifier in the background.

See how Chris Holmes uses Marshall Super Lead 100-Watt Head

Chris Holmes

Guitarist

W.A.S.P.

...
Verified via guitarworld

What was your main guitar and amp setup in the W.A.S.P. days, and what are you using now? —Jonathan Green

My main guitar back in the day was a Charvel Jackson. A yellow bolt-on Star. It’s the same one I use now. I’ve broken it about five times—I just glue it back together and put a new neck on it. The amps were Marshall Super Leads, 1971 or ’72, 100-watt tops. I used a Nady [Wireless], and I went into a parametric equalizer, then a Lexicon [effects] processor and then into the Marshalls.

See how James Honeyman-Scott uses Marshall Super Lead 100-Watt Head

James Honeyman-Scott

Guitarist

Pretenders

...
Verified via Pretendersarchives

His guitar signal runs to three Boss pedals - a chorus, an overdrive, and a compressor. From there it goes to one of three 100-watt Marshalls (the other two are spares): "I always play with the guitar flat out, and I set the level as it would be for a live rhythm sound. Then if it comes to showing off and doing a solo, I flip on the overdrive. I like a really loud rhythm sound."

See how Brian King uses Marshall Super Lead 100-Watt Head

Brian King

Guitarist

Japandroids

...
Verified via Photo

In an Instagram post by japandroids, Brian King is seen using a Marshall Super Lead 100-Watt Head. The amplifier features a small, solid black border around the front, six visible knobs, and a section of toggle switches. The distinctive Marshall font matches that of the Super Lead 100 model.

See how Christian Lembach uses Marshall Super Lead 100-Watt Head

Christian Lembach

Singer, Guitarist

Whores

...
Verified via Photo

"Both of my amps are 100-watt Marshall Super Lead heads. One is a late-sixties model and one is a reissue. I use Svetlana EL34s for the output tubes and varying brands of 12AX7s, 12AT7s and 12AU7s in the preamp sections."

Source: http://www.metalsucks.net/2013/11/11/rigged-whores-guitaristvocalist-christian-lembach/

See how Hank Shermann uses Marshall Super Lead 100-Watt Head

Hank Shermann

Guitarist

Mercyful Fate

...
Verified via Photo

As seen in Hank Shermann's Mercyful Fate photo on Instagram.

See how Jerry Finn uses Marshall Super Lead 100-Watt Head

Jerry Finn

Music Producer, Audio Engineer

Blink-182

...
Verified via reverb.com

This is the famous white Super Lead used to record on Blink-182’s Untitled album.

See how John Konesky uses Marshall Super Lead 100-Watt Head

John Konesky

Guitarist

Tenacious D

...
Verified via Kone Home

On his website, John Konesky lists the Marshall Super Lead 100-Watt Head as part of his gear collection.

See how Marshall Crenshaw uses Marshall Super Lead 100-Watt Head

Marshall Crenshaw

Guitarist

...
Verified via Guitar

"I also have a nice 70's Marshall with a Super Lead head. But if I had to get rid of everything and keep just one amp, it would be the Vox."

See how Ian Moss uses Marshall Super Lead 100-Watt Head

Ian Moss

Guitarist

Cold Chisel

...
Verified via I Heart Guitar

"No. Unfortunately I wish I had some of the gear that I ended up using on the Cold Chisel Light The Nitro tour, which was all Hiwatt amplifiers. But for the No Plans album it was a mixture of a Hiwatt Studio Stage 30 watt amp and an old Marshall 1974 Super Lead."

See how Kenny Greenberg uses Marshall Super Lead 100-Watt Head

Kenny Greenberg

Guitarist

...
Verified via YouTube

The 1969 Marshall Super Lead was bought after Greenberg's Marshall Plexi was stolen (the only amp that was stolen from him). This amplifier head is 100-watt and he describes it as "loud", but not to loud for most of his applications.

Genre Usage

Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.

Used With

Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Marshall Super Lead 100-Watt Head, it is most commonly used with the following gear.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Gibson Les Paul Standard Solid Body Electric Guitars
5
Fender Esquire
Fender Esquire Solid Body Electric Guitars
4
Boss TR-2 Tremolo
Boss TR-2 Tremolo Tremolo Effects Pedals
4
Fender Telecaster
Fender Telecaster Solid Body Electric Guitars
3
Fender Stratocaster Electric Guitar
Fender Stratocaster Electric Guitar Solid Body Electric Guitars
3
Marshall 1960A 4x12'' Cabinet
Marshall 1960A 4x12'' Cabinet Guitar Amplifier Cabinets
2
Gibson ES-335
Gibson ES-335 Semi-Hollowbody Electric Guitars
2
Klon Centaur Professional Overdrive
Klon Centaur Professional Overdrive Overdrive Effects Pedals
2

Community setups

Show yours
jimmarchi1

jimmarchi1

Gear IQ 41029

fazliemreguven

fazliemreguven

Gear IQ 238

1 alternative for Marshall Super Lead 100-Watt Head, curated by the Equipboard community.

More Marshall Guitar Amplifier Heads

Accessories & Related Items

Gear Guides

  • Added to Equipboard on by

    austinmw
    austinmw

    Gear IQ 5227