2023.11.09 - Music Radar - Has Slash just parted ways with Marshall after 30 years to sign with Magnatone amps?

Has Slash just parted ways with Marshall after 30 years to sign with Magnatone amps?

The British amp company is either losing or sharing its highest profile signature artist

By Rob Laing

The Edge is using amp pedals, now what? With a number of signature tube amps and a 30-year history of playing its stacks, the last artist we'd predict to fly the Marshall Amplification nest is Slash. But whether he is or not, we do know he's signed wth Magnatone and the US company now working on a "killer" new signature version of its Super Super Fifty-Nine M-80 tube amp for the Guns N' Roses man.

“I used a Magnatone 50-watt M-80 in the studio earlier this year and was blown away by how it sounded,” said Slash in a statement announcing the move. “Since then, I've been working with Magnatone on a 100-watt version of the M-80 and I absolutely love what they have come up with. It’s killer.”

Billy Gibbons already has a limited edition signature M-80 with Magnatone, and the company is understandably giddy to have another icon in its stable. But while its easy to assume a signature model means exclusivity, we can't imagine Slash is going to put all his existing Marshalls into storage never to be seen again.

“We could not be more excited that Slash embraced our quality engineering and commitment to tone excellence as the platform for designing his next generation of Signature amplifiers,” says Rod Washburn the General Manager of Magnatone.

“We are thrilled to welcome Slash to Magnatone and with his signature tone and style, our Master Collection of models will be taken to the next level,” adds Ted Kornblum, President & CEO, Magnatone.

Slash is set to co-design the new signature model amp and 4x12 cab with Magnatone engineer Obeid Khan. It's due out in early 2024 when Slash will be touring it with Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators.

https://www.musicradar.com/news/has-slash-just-parted-ways-with-marshall-after-30-years-to-sign-with-magnatone-amps

Another article; Guitar World, same date:
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“I was blown away by how it sounded”: After 30 years of Marshall stacks, Slash has switched to Magnatone – and a “killer” new signature amp is in the works

Is this the end of an era as the Guns N’ Roses rock legend joins Billy Gibbons and swaps Marshall for Magnatone?

By Jonathan Horsley

Resurgent U.S. high-end guitar amp brand Magnatone has pulled off one of the biggest coups in electric guitar history, announcing a partnership with Guns N’ Roses’ Slash, who will have a new-look backline when he tours the States with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators.

You think you know someone. C'mon, we all knew Slash; he wears a top-hat, sunglasses 24/7, even in the shower... He likes Gibson Les Pauls and enjoys the company of snakes in his downtime. Oh, and he plays through Marshall amps.

All that looks set to change with Magnatone’s announcement and Slash revealing that he has been working with the brand on a “killer” 100-watt version of its flagship British-voiced Super Super Fifty-Nine M-80 tube amp.

“I used a Magnatone 50-watt M-80 in the studio earlier this year and was blown away by how it sounded,” said Slash. “Since then, I've been working with Magnatone on a 100-watt version of the M-80 and I absolutely love what they have come up with. It’s killer.”

Slash joins Billy Gibbons on the Magnatone roster, with the ZZ Top frontman collaborating on a limited-edition M-80 signature amp, covered in custom crocodile skin finish. They only made six of them, and each was signed by Gibbons, and had his own settings taped to it.

Perhaps Slash will go for a snakeskin effect on the covering. What we do know is that his signature M-80 will be co-developed with long-serving Magnatone engineer and “tube amp guru” Obeid Khan, and it will come with a matching 4x12 cabinet.

Unsurprisingly, Magnatone’s higher-uppers are delighted by this news.

“We could not be more excited that Slash embraced our quality engineering and commitment to tone excellence as the platform for designing his next generation of Signature amplifiers,” said Rod Washburn, general manager.

“We are thrilled to welcome Slash to Magnatone and with his signature tone and style, our Master Collection of models will be taken to the next level,” said president and CEO Ted Kornblum.

There is no confirmation that Slash has officially decommissioned his trusty phalanx of Marshalls, with whom he has enjoyed a longstanding relationship, single-handedly responsible for re-popularizing the superb 2555X Silver Jubilee.

Slash was Marshall’s first-ever signature artist, putting his name to the Silver Jubilee-inspired JCM 2555SL, channeling the spirit of ’87 once more for the AFD100 Appetite For Destruction head. He has also used a variety of modded JCM800 heads over the years.

The M-80 is not a radical departure. It traffics in British-voiced tube tones, with a complement of EL34 power tubes under the hood. The M-80 is a Magnatone hybrid of sorts, bringing together the gain stages of its Super Fifty-Nine MKI and MKII amps, and making them footswitchable.

Who knows exactly what specs the Magnatone Slash Signature 100-Watt Model will have, but we won’t have to wait too long to find out – Magnatone says it will be coming out in early 2024, and if you’ve got a ticket for Slash ft. Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators in their upcoming tour, you will see and hear it in action.

https://www.guitarworld.com/news/magnatone-partners-with-slash-signature-amp

Article with update (new statement from Slash); Guitar.com, Nov. 10:
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Slash announces Magnatone partnership – with signature amp on the way

Slash has confirmed that he’s working on a new amp with Magnatone but has now released a statement that he will ALSO continue to work with Marshall’s “incredible team”

By Rachel Roberts

UPDATE: Slash has confirmed in a statement released to Guitar.com that he will in fact be continuing his relationship with Marshall while also working with Magnatone.

“To clear up any misconceptions that might arise,” Slash writes in the statement. ”Although Magnatone and I have been working together to create a new amp, I still maintain my long relationship with Marshall and look forward to continued collaboration with their incredible team.”

https://guitar.com/news/gear-news/slash-switches-to-magnatone-amps-marshall/

Another updated article on Music Radar, Nov. 10:
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Slash confirms his relationship with Marshall will continue despite the development of a Magnatone signature amp for early 2024 release

Update: Guns N' Roses man seeks to end online speculation

By Rob Laing

Slash has released a statement confirming he is still a Marshall Amplification artist following yesterday's announcement (9 November) that he is working on a new signature amp with Magnatone.

In a recent statement from the US amp company, the Guns N' Roses guitarist revealed a "killer" new signature version of its Super Super Fifty-Nine M-80 tube amp was on its way. While other parts of the guitar media and over-eager YouTubers were keen to jump the gun and assume that meant the end of his relationship with Marshall Amps after 30 years, the guitarist has now confirmed this isn't the case.

“To clear up any misconceptions that might arise, although Magnatone and I have been working together to create a new amp, I still maintain my long relationship with Marshall and look forward to continued collaboration with their incredible team,” said Slash in a statement released on 10 November, 24 hours after the Magnatone news broke.

“I used a Magnatone 50-watt M-80 in the studio earlier this year and was blown away by how it sounded,” Slash revealed in the initial statement announcing the move. “Since then, I've been working with Magnatone on a 100-watt version of the M-80 and I absolutely love what they have come up with. It’s killer.”

Billy Gibbons already has a limited edition signature M-80 with Magnatone, and the company is understandably giddy to have another icon in its stable.

“We could not be more excited that Slash embraced our quality engineering and commitment to tone excellence as the platform for designing his next generation of Signature amplifiers,” says Rod Washburn the General Manager of Magnatone.

“We are thrilled to welcome Slash to Magnatone and with his signature tone and style, our Master Collection of models will be taken to the next level,” adds Ted Kornblum, President and CEO of Magnatone.

Slash is set to co-design the new signature model amp and 4x12 cab with Magnatone engineer Obeid Khan. It's due out in early 2024 when Slash will be touring it with Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators.

https://www.musicradar.com/news/slash-magnatone-marshall-amps-statement