Help Needed - Marshall 80s Handle

barnsleyboy

This is probably a long shot, but I've recently bought an old 1980s Marshall Master Lead Combo - a truly awesome solid state
amp which sounds absolutely amazing. My first ever amp was a lead 12 which at the tender age of 17 I really didn't appreciate (oh how I wish I'd kept hold of it!).

The amp's in need of some cosmetic attention - the usual brown faded grill problem, and a new Marshall logo required. The plastic end caps on the handle have been totally b*ggered (they are both split and have sustained some heavy duty screwdriver abuse!

 

I think what usually happens is that people try to remove them, and in the process they break the first one before googling the correct removal process (a small square of wood and a gentle tap with a hammer along the line of the handle - if anyone is interested!).

With this in mind, if there are any kind souls out there that have one or possibly two un-mullered ones that they wouldn't mind donating - I'll happily pay the postage. I know Marshall sell replacement handles, but the ends are different. I'd like to try to keep the amp as original looking as possible! PM me if you can help!

Many thanks!!!

ICBM

Unfortunately I'm out of those...

For what it's worth, the correct removal method is to slide a small flat screwdriver along each *side* of the cover and spring it off - this should be obvious if you look at how it's held on. Tapping it off with a block of wood chews up the tang that holds it in place so it's less secure when you put it back.

If it was me I would probably replace the whole thing with a standard brass-ended reissue handle - they used those on the earliest examples of these amps, so it's not *that* historically wrong...

The faded grille is not a problem, it's an upgrade! There are people who genuinely believe it was a cosmetic option at the time, until you lift the logo and show them the 'negative' under it .

barnsleyboy

Thanks ICBM. I tried the small flat screwdriver for quite a while without success, and concluded that I would either graunch up the soft plastic of the end cap, damage the Tolex, or I would end up doing a "Pete Townsend" on the amp in frustration!!!
The hammer made sense due to the 5mm gap between the metal anchorage, and the cap when in its final position, which is the same length as the tang. Obviously, It's not something that I would do on a regular basis - probably once every 35 years or so LoL!!!

I kinda like the black handle, but as a last resort, I may have to go for brass.

The only place that seems to sell suitable replacement grill cloth is here:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Marshall-Black-Weave-Grill-Cloth-81x45cm/391476051268?hash=item5b25ca7d44:g:kB4AAOxy14VRK8Bd

Do you know of any other supplier?

ICBM

barnsleyboy said:

Do you know of any other supplier?

Marshall.

But really, I would leave it alone unless it's torn. It's harder than it looks to do a good job of replacing it, and time-consuming. The faded colour is normal for these amps and for most people is much more desirable.

barnsleyboy

Hmm, I have wrestled with whether or not to replace it, but the original is a bit stained and is giving off a bit of a fusty smell!

I'll probably do some damage to the cloth when I try to get the snapped off logo lugs out to replace that, so may as well go the whole 9 yards! I hear what you're saying about the desirability factor - at the moment they are dirt cheap to pick up - I wonder when that will change and people will realise that they are a cracking amp!!!

ICBM

Punch the broken pins out through the back, that will avoid damaging the cloth.

You can take the baffle out and wash the whole thing in the bath if you like .

Alnico

barnsleyboy said:

Thanks ICBM. I tried the small flat screwdriver for quite a while without success, and concluded that I would either graunch up the soft plastic of the end cap, damage the Tolex, or I would end up doing a "Pete Townsend" on the amp in frustration!!!
The hammer made sense due to the 5mm gap between the metal anchorage, and the cap when in its final position, which is the same length as the tang. Obviously, It's not something that I would do on a regular basis - probably once every 35 years or so LoL!!!

I kinda like the black handle, but as a last resort, I may have to go for brass.

The only place that seems to sell suitable replacement grill cloth is here:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Marshall-Black-Weave-Grill-Cloth-81x45cm/391476051268?hash=item5b25ca7d44:g:kB4AAOxy14VRK8Bd

Do you know of any other supplier?

That's 'Sol',

He runs 'Solsound' and he's a top bloke.
He sells the handle parts and all other spares although he insists on your serial number from your amp before he'll supply a new badge for the front.

Top guy, brilliantly helpful and the replacement cloth he sent me was absolutley spot on, delivered in a tube package.
I cannot recommend him highly enough.

Here's the 1985 Lead 12 I got from @impmann last year and restored using Sol's parts and help.
Last seen with @photek ...

https://i.imgur.com/uN38sea.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/HAB3tFM.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/KvYwQro.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/hs9Tdmf.jpg

barnsleyboy

That is a really nice restoration - I will most definitely will be talking to Sol. How did you find fitting the grill cloth? ICBM has worried me that it's not as straightforward as I first imagined. Any top tips would be gratefully accepted. Did you replace the corners? The rivets look super shiny, or did you find a way of renovating the originals?

My Master Lead is not going to look anywhere as good as that, as it has a split in the tolex near the handle. I'm wondering if I heated it up with a hairdryer before gluing to soften the material, whether I could get close to an invisible repair.

I've got a Reverb 12 too which not surprisingly is the Lead 12, but with a reverb. I always hankered after reverb on my original 12, but now I've got it, I find it's a bit too splashy. It's only got tiny springs, so I shouldn't really expect too much.

Alnico

Look at the grille cloth above the last two letters of 'Marshall' on the front badge. See where it's slightly out of line?
The answers to your questions are.

No, I didn't replace the corners as they were intact and in very good condition. The rivets were rusted to hell so I masked off around them (Mask over them then cut around them using a sharp craft knife), Scraped the worst off with a Stanley blade, rubbed them with various grades of wet n dry and then polished them. Ballache of a job but it came out nice.

The vinyl Tolex cleans up day 1 brand new if you use leather cleaning/restoring cream. It gets into the elephant grain and really brings it up like factory new. Leave it to dry for a satin finish or buff it for a slight sheen to it.

If I had to do it again, I would but I wouldn't do it myself again.
I had help from @Bridgehouse with mine, in fact, he mostly did it with me helping where I could because he's done it before and even then it wasn't dead easy.

 

barnsleyboy

Last ditch desperate bump on the plastic covers before I buy the more modern looking one!