Most versatile Marshall type setup with two modules?

RMosack · Mar 9, 2020

Looking to jump into the Synergy realm, and my goal is Marshall sounds (I already have other amps). I'm hoping to get recommendations here from those that may know.

By my count, there are nine Synergy modules that are clearnly Marshall-derived, covering the range from Plex, through hot rodded Plexi to JCM 800.
- Synergy Plexi
- Synergy 800
- Bogner Ecstasy (maybe not released yet?)
- Friedman BE
- Friedman BE-BB
- Friedman DS
- Friedman HBE
- Metropolous Metro Plex

If you were going to use either the SYN2 or the SYN50 Head to create the most versatile Marshall-flavored two module (four channel) setup, which two would you pick and why?
Looking for four channels that cover the Plexi to high gain range. In a way, it's like a Synergy-based spin on what Marshall sort of did with the JVM.

Most important single constraint to the whole thing is that one of those four channels has to do the vintage early '70s Plexi edge of clean thing.

Parker22nd · Mar 11, 2020

I can only speak to my first-hand experience but the Synergy BE-BB gives you a fantastic clean tone on one of its channels with the second channel an old school Marshall-type dirt that nails 80's metal and early 90's grunge medium (borderline high gain tones) with the gain turned up. Probably gets a more old-school tone with the gain turned down (don't know, because I'm a high gain guy and the lowest gain I'd use is the red channel all the way up). This way you've got a fantastic clean tone and a great medium/almost high gain distortion. For your second module, hopefully the other guys chime in because my second module varies between an Engl Savage and a Diezel VH4 (the diezel gets a good Marshall-y tone, but I'm sure there are modules that are much more Marshall-y).

RMosack · Mar 11, 2020

Thanks for the reply. I have read that the BB side of the BE-BB gives a great clean tone. But it’s supposedly a purposeful Fender type clean. The BE-BB might indeed be a cool module in one of the two spots. But I’m really wanting to check the box for the classic low gain Plexi thing. I’m trying to figure out which of the many Marshall inspired Synergy modules provides the most convincing low gain Plexi tone on its Blue channel.

RMosack · Apr 16, 2020

I went ahead an purchased a Plexi module on Reverb a week or so ago. It arrived yesterday and I got to spend a few minutes with it. I have a SYN-1 in the FX loop of my Mesa Mark V. It has had a Morgan AC module for a bit. I swapped in the Plexi module.

In the limited time I had, only using my Les Paul, I think this might be the module for me. It's never super clean - and it's not really supposed to be. But with the volume I and volume II set rather low, I can easily dial in that edge of breakup tone that easily gets dirty if I dig into the Les Paul with the guitar volume dimed. But lighter picking and/or nudging the guitar volume back a hair gives the exact thing I was looking for. This is all out of the blue channel.

For me, and again, it's just a few minutes, it seems the red channel channel can be dialed in to sort of pick up where the blue left off for another lighter gain, vintage '70s type tone. Or, it can be cranked for serious gain. Being able to effectively add two Marshall-based channels to my Mark V is exactly what I set out to do with Synergy stuff. It's rather convincing, especially considering it's through a 6L6 power section and coming out of an open back 1x12 cabinet. This isn't EL34 tubes and a closed back 4x12.

I guess the most surprising part was how lively or present the tones were compared to how I've been dialing my Mark V. It's as if I'm playing an entirely different amp. Maybe I need to rethink how I've been setting channel 2 and 3 on this amp.

The Morgan AC model was spoiling me a bit. It was fun to add some Vox vibe (again, even if it's not a class A EL84 power section and not Alnico blue speakers) to the Mesa. It was kind of a bummer to pull the AC module out of the SYN-1. Geez! I may need a SYN-2.