Rip Jim Marshall

[looksgoodinred]

April 5, 2012

 

He was known as "the father of loud": legendary guitar amp pioneer Jim Marshall has passed away. His Marshall amps are used by some of the most well-known names in rock 'n' roll, including Slash, who tweeted "The news of Jim Marshall passing is deeply saddening. R & R will never be the same w/out him. But, his amps will live on FOREVER!"

 

Marshall grew up in Acton, West London, where he was an electrical engineer by day and a drummer and singer by night. He created his first portable amplifier as a way to make his vocals audible over the drums. Eventually, Jim started teaching drumming to others, and with the money he made, opened a musical instrument shop. His customers - including Pete Townshend and Richie Blackmore - were looking for a specific kind of amplifier. Jim seized the opportunity, and founded Marshall Amplification.

 

A statement on the Marshall website says "Jim rose to become one of the forefathers responsible for creating the tools that allowed rock guitar, as we know and love it today, to be born". But he'll be remembered for more than just the Marshall Sound: "Jim was also an incredibly humble and generous man who, over the past several decades, has quietly donated many millions of pounds to worthy causes".

[Nespa]

Celtic and Liverpool will have black armbands on this weekend!

[Pudgie]

Good loon and graced the earth with the best, if not then certainly most iconic, amps in the history of music. RIP min!

[Mouse]

Met him at a signing session at the Old Kings Highway next to R&B in 2004. Got 2 Marshall amps myself. RIP Jim, rock music would have been a lot different without him

[Chrisyboy81]

Fantastic amps, iconic sound and styling. I hope they continue on in his vein.