I recently bought a '91-'92 JTM45 and when it arrived tonight I could see that the front & back panels have several small, round light-colored "spots" between the lamination of the front acrylic clear piece and the gold portion. The amp is in excellent condition and looks well-maintained, with no rust or signs of having been in excess humidity, etc.. Is this a common occurrence with these reissues? The plates also look dark-ish compared to newer ones, so is this normal as well?
If the spots are on the surface you can try some car wax and polish them out . The clear coat on cars is just a hardened plastic
It's common for the old ones to do that, so I am guessing the newer ones would do it too. I heard if you don't play the amp loud enough for extended amounts of time parasites grow between the layers and lay eggs once the eggs hatch the damage is irreversible. lol, kidding of course.
Not sure I'd say it's "normal", but totally dependent on the environment the amp lived in. If the clear panel and faceplate can be easily separated, you might be able to polish them up a little. I'd make sure you had a line on replacements, before attempting it.
It is quite common on 60s versions, even those well loved and taken care of - usually between the plexi and the aluminium. The gold paint will sometimes also stick to the aluminium (they are not glued in place like the rear panels). Yours will be steel and the panels are MUCH thinner on the reissues so not surprising, they are also glued with self adhesive layer. You see all sorts of marks and stains when people have been too liberal with the contact cleaner spray. I would be interested in pics.
I have yet to come across any image of a faceplate resembling what I see on mine - original or vintage. Anyone have a photo of one like this? I'd be curious to see it. Is it possible to get an authentic Marshall brand replacement faceplate anywhere? I don't care about the rear panel, of course. Lastly, how are the faceplates affixed to the chassis? They appear to be glued on.
Never seen one like this ,.......you could get a repro made and if I were you ,I'd get both front and rear but would keep the existing ones wrapped in case you sell the amp some day .
That is sunlight damage. The current Marshall offerings, as I mentioned are thin (just used one up on a clone I am making as I removed it from a 60s amp that had been 'serviced' at Marshall and installed a Valvestorm repro that is much more like my originals than that).
