1972 Super Lead - Original?

[Rob_Zingler]

Hi all,

New poster here, I'm actually a vintage Fender nut and in truth I don't know enough about vintage Marshalls yet, but I've developed a bit of a hankering for a vintage Super Lead now that I own a Fryette power station I feel like I'm halfway there and the biggest thing holding me back was being able to tame one. Anyway, the plan was to do some research and become as much of an expert as possible before looking but one's come up that I quite like sooner than I expected so I thought I'd come and ask any experts here that are willing to help out. Can you see what if anything has been changed and is not original on this 1972 super lead, and what the implications of that might be on both sound and I guess resale if it ever came to it (although that's not the plan)

I'm already aware that it has apparently had a replaced 'plexi' front panel? I think I'm a little confused why somebody would do that, perhaps to cover up if holes have been drilled in the chassis??

 

[boola1]

The components look 100% original to me except perhaps a replaced pilot light. Looks like a bulging filter cap which should be changed. I think somebody has forged a Rosemary signature on the assembly sticker.

Can't see holes drilled in the front but an extra jack is on the back which must have been attached to something at some point. So I'd say this has been restored back to stock and appears to have been done very well.

 

[Rob_Zingler]

So looking at the capacitors, are the yellow squares replacements for the mustard coloured cylinders? Pictures I've seen of super leads have the mustard cylinders throughout like this:


But I have managed to find a picture of one with the yellow squares aswell:


Are they all original, and do they sound different to each other? I ask this because in the Fender world the blue-molded ajax caps are essential to the sound


And what do you make of the front panel by the way, is that different to what you'd expect to see on a 72 super lead? Some from what I can make out seem to have 3 rocker switches on the far left but this one has 2?

 

[racerxrated2]

The yellow ‘chicklets’ are stock; my 72 Tremolo has them as do other examples from 72. They say the 72s are the most aggressive of any NMV year Marshalls; esp the 50s. All I know is this: after owning 50+ modded/stock Marshalls (JMPs and 800s), my 72 is the first totally stock non master I’ve owned. When I boost mine, through 2 cabs it is the best most crushing hard rock tone imaginable. If I’d only tried one years ago, I’d have saved myself a TON of cash.

 

[neikeel]

Looks good
Boola and Racerxrated2 have given you good info.
The lamp has been repaired. The coupling caps are typical for 72 and are part of the aggressive tone (I’ve experimented with these cw mustards in same amp). The filter caps will certainly need inspecting carefully. Odd to see one bulging as they typically vent white powder from the moulded vent underneath. If it is bulging, if it is venting or tests are off beam it will need a cap job (and I would include the bias caps in that too).
The plexi panel was likely replaced as for a while you could not get decent metal panels @Matthews Guitars has some now.

 

[Matthews Guitars]

The bulging capacitor...that's just the black plastic protective disk that's popping up a bit. It doesn't prove overheating and the can under it probably is NOT bulged.

That disc is there for safety reasons. Two of the four caps in the cluster of four run with their cases "hot", elevated about 230 volts above chassis potential.
It's important that the cans be fully insulated and the shrink wrap label and the plastic disc accomplish this task.

See if the vents between the cap terminals have popped up. If they have, the caps have limited life remaining. Flat is good, bumped up is bad, actually vented and spewed electrolyte is definitely a failed capacitor. If one needs replacing, replace all six because none will be far behind the leader.

Being a '72, it should properly have a metal face front panel. (Back, too.) I have those. I make them. Some people like to do a plexi panel retrofit on the metalface amps.

I've made prototype plexi panels that will pass muster, I just haven't had a production run made of them yet. It's been a bit more of a learning curve to get them made right than I was expecting.

 

[LoudStroud]

My '72 Park 75 has the same chiclet caps. As everyone else above is saying, very aggressive sounding, where the "mustard" caps tend to be smoother. LOVE the sound of mine. Pretty brutal.