Lot Essay
Celebrated for their rich tone and powerful overdrive, it is no a surprise that Jeff Beck chose to tour his Marshall JMP MKIII Superlead 100-watt amplifiers around the world. Dating to 1980, these amps were likely in use from the early 80s – amongst a number of other Marshall amp heads – although sadly tour carnets and manifests from pre-2000 do not survive to corroborate this. Speaking to Steve Rosen in 1989 following the release of his album Guitar Shop, Beck clarified the amps and effects he had used to record: For starters, there aren't any pedals other than a Rat (distortion) pedal. There's a Fender Twin and Fender Princeton on 90% of the album. And I did use an (Alesis) Midiverb. I do use studio outboard gear, but I wouldn't use any pedals. I used a (Yamaha) Rev 7 just to give it some wash behind the guitar. We went through a few gizmos, but we ended up axing it. It was just nonsense. I did use the Marshall for the blues; I couldn't see playing a hundred-mile-an-hour heavy thing without that combination of a big stack of Marshalls. It wouldn't have worked out on a Fender Twin. I think the Marshall was a 100, but the tops are so beat up and they don't have any badges (insignias) on them. They could have been 200's, but my feelings are they were 100's. I have about twelve tops and I can't really tell them apart; if they sound cool, I don't care.
The amp labelled ‘JB 2’, with serial number 01469M and lacking a Marshall logo, was taken on the 2010 Emotion & Commotion Tour, including a notable co-headlining show, pictured here, with Eric Clapton at the O2 Arena on 13 February 2010. The amp was also toured in 2011 and 2012, including for Beck’s tribute to his childhood hero Les Paul on what would have been Les’ 95th birthday, billed as Rock ‘n’ Roll Party in honour of Les Paul. The amp labelled ‘JB 1’, with serial number 01472M and sporting the Marshall logo adapted to spell ‘arshole’, was taken on Jeff Beck’s last tour in 2022 with Johnny Depp, and photos of Beck’s stage rig reveal this amp and another from the following lot placed behind a pair of Marshall combo amps (see lot 117) facing backwards, exposing the tubes and valves to the audience.
The amp labelled ‘JB 2’, with serial number 01469M and lacking a Marshall logo, was taken on the 2010 Emotion & Commotion Tour, including a notable co-headlining show, pictured here, with Eric Clapton at the O2 Arena on 13 February 2010. The amp was also toured in 2011 and 2012, including for Beck’s tribute to his childhood hero Les Paul on what would have been Les’ 95th birthday, billed as Rock ‘n’ Roll Party in honour of Les Paul. The amp labelled ‘JB 1’, with serial number 01472M and sporting the Marshall logo adapted to spell ‘arshole’, was taken on Jeff Beck’s last tour in 2022 with Johnny Depp, and photos of Beck’s stage rig reveal this amp and another from the following lot placed behind a pair of Marshall combo amps (see lot 117) facing backwards, exposing the tubes and valves to the audience.