From Jim Marsha ll
I would like to personally thank you for selecting
one of my new MF350, 350 Watt, MODE FOUR
amplifier heads.
The very first Marshall amplifier, the JTM45, was
built in 1962 as a direct result of my listening to the
requests of the guitarists who frequented my music
shop at that time. Forty years later, we are still
listening to the thoughts and wishes of guitar players
from all walks of life. The amplifier you have just
acquired is, once again, the direct result of us paying
attention to feedback from guitarists, coupled with
the latest innovations in amplifier technology from
my Research and Development team. By continually
building on our heritage of classic guitar tones and
always keeping our ears and minds open, we are
able to bring you the next generation of Marshall
amplifier.
The MODE FOUR is completely designed,
engineered and manufactured in the UK and like all
of our products, the most rigorous quality control
procedures are followed to ensure that it meets the
standard of build and reliability you have come to
expect from Marshall Amplification.
I would like to wish you every success with your
new amplifier and welcome you to the ever-growing
Marshall family.
EN GLI SH
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WARNIN G! - Im port ant safet y inst ruc tions
!
WARN I N G: THIS APPARATUS MU ST BE EART HED!
A PLEAS E read this instruction manual carefully before switching on.
BALWAYS use the supplied mains lead, if a replacement is required please contact your authorised
Marshall Dealer.
C NEV ER attempt to bypass the fuses or fit ones of the incorrect value.
D DO N OT attempt to remove the amplifier chassis, there are no user serviceable parts.
E Ref er al l se rv ic in g to q ua li fied servi ce pe rson ne l includ ing repla c e ment of f uses a nd
va lv es. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as when the
power supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus,
EN GLI SH
the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally or has been dropped.
F NEV ER use an amplifier in damp or wet conditions. No objects filled with liquids should be placed on the
apparatus. When cleaning, only use a dry cloth.
GALWAYSunplug this apparatus during lightning storms or if unused for long periods of time.
H PROT ECT the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience
receptacles and at the point where they exit from the apparatus.
I DO N OT switch the amplifier on without a loudspeaker connected.
J ENS URE that any extension cabinets used are of the correct impedance.
➲
EU RO PE ONLY - No te: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the
requirements of the EMC directive (Environments E1, E2 and E3 EN 55103-1/2) and the Low Voltage directive
in the E.U.
➲
EU RO PE ONLY - Not e: The Peak Inrush current for the MF350 is 30 amps.
Not e:
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant
to part 15 of the FCC rules.
These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential
installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and
used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However,
there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause
harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and
on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
◆ Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
◆ Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver.
◆
Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
◆ Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
➲
CAUT I ON: Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance
may void the users authority to operate the equipment.
➲
Not e: It is recommended that all audio cables used to connect the MF350, with the exception of the heavy
duty speaker lead, are of a high quality screened type. These should not exceed 10 metres in length.
Always use a non-screened Marshall approved heavy duty speaker lead (CABL-00031) with the MF350 head
and extension cabinets.
➲
WAR NIN G: Do not obstruct ventilation grilles and always ensure free movement of air around the
amplifier!
USA ON LY - DO NO T defeat the purpose of the polarised or grounding type plug. A polarised plug
has two blades with one wider than the other. A grounding type plug has two blades and a third
grounding prong. The wide blade or the third prong are provided for your safety. When the provided plug does
not fit into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.
FOLLOW AL L INS TRU CTI ONS A N D HEED ALL WARN I NGS
KEEP T H ESE INST RU CTION S !
MODEFOUR
EN GLI SH
Over the years a great many amplifiers have claimed to offer both classic and modern tones but,
in truth, have fallen well short of the mark. While designing the MODE FOUR we quickly realised
that in order to truly produce both modern and classic performances within the same amplifier, we
would have to go a lot further than simply switching a few pre-amp components when changing
channels. Instead we needed to switch the whole amplifier......
Tw o in One
As a result of this simple but undeniable truth, the MODE FOUR boasts a true ‘Two Amplifiers in
One’ design. AMP 1 (Classic) takes you from clean through to front-ended 2203 crunch, while
AMP 2 (Modern) takes you into modern, high/extreme gain. To make this possible, not only do
AMP 1 and AMP 2 have totally separate valve (a.k.a. tube) pre-amplifier circuits, but the MODE
FOUR also completely reconfigures its power amplifier section depending on the AMP type
selected.
Four M ode s
To further add to the flexibility of the MODE FOUR’s revolutionary design, each of the two
amplifier types it features, boasts two, footswitchable gain stages. AMP 1 offers CLEAN and
CRUNCH modes while AMP 2 has OD1 and OD2.
AM P 1
As already mentioned, AMP 1 is effectively the ‘Classic’ side of the MODE FOUR. Whenever
AMP 1 is selected, the power amplifier reconfigures to recreate the unmistakable sound and feel of
our world renowned, 100 Watt Super Lead Plexi. By using this as a sonic foundation, AMP 1 has
the characteristic Marshall openness and roar that have made amps like the aforementioned Plexi,
the 2203 and the Silver Jubilee 2555, timeless classics.
While AMP 1’s CLEAN Mode produces incredibly dynamic, three-dimensional clean and bluesy
crunch sounds, its CRUNCH Mode unleashes the un-bridled aggression and bite of the JCM800
2203, but with levels of gain never imagined in 1981, when this much-lauded model was first
launched.
AM P 2
In terms of sheer gain, AMP 2 takes over from where AMP 1 leaves off, with OD2 Mode offering
more gain than any other Marshall before. This said, thanks to the MODE FOUR’s radical design,
the player retains maximum control while searching for their ultimate high-gain signature sound.
The Pow e r t o Delive r
Whenever AMP 2 is selected, the MODE FOUR’s power section reconfigures itself so it can create
the deep, dark-sounding, loose low-end that has proved itself to be so popular with many modern
players who either detune regular six-strings, or use 7-string or detuned Baritone guitars.
Due to the unique design and the incredibly high headroom that the MODE FOUR’s 350 Watt
power stage possesses, AMP 2’s impressively wide bottom-end not only has the sound and feel of
an all-valve amp, it also doesn’t lose definition at high stage volumes – a problem that many other
similar sounding, all-valve systems suffer from.
2
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Fully Loade d For Profe ssional Use
From the very start, the MODE FOUR was created with the professional guitarist in mind. To this
end it boasts a host of carefully thought out features that have been designed to give you, the
player, the ultimate in professional flexibility and control. These include:
Tw o independent, footswitchable amplifiers – AMP 1 and AMP 2.
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Each amp type offers two footswitchable modes, giving you four in total: CLEAN, CRUNCH, OD1 &
OD2.
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Each AMP has separate controls for GAIN, VOLUME, BASS, MIDDLE and TREBLE.
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Each AMP has a front panel SCOOP switch.
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AMP 2 has a three-way TONE MATRIX control.
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Footswitchable, built-in Digital Reverb with separate REVERB controls for AMP 1 and AMP 2.
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A Parallel / Series FX Loop with individual FX LEVEL controls for AMP 1 and AMP 2.
EN GLI SH
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A footswitchable SOLO LEVEL control.
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Master controls for RESONANCE, PRESENCE and VOLUME.
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The power stage is fan cooled to ensure reliable and efficient operation.
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A TUNER OUT jack with a front panel TUNER MUTE switch for ‘silent’ tuning between songs.
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XLR and 1/4" jack EMULATED LINE OUTPUTS.
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LOAD PROTECTION CIRCUITRY.
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6-way LED footcontroller supplied that controls CLEAN, CRUNCH, OD1, OD2, SOLO and REVERB.
MODE FOU R Front Panel Fe a t ures - see panel page 70
1. INPU T Jack
Use a good quality guitar cable (i.e. one that’s
screened) to plug your guitar in here. The
quality of your guitar cable is particularly
important in a very high gain amplifier design
such as the MODE FOUR. Any fault in the cable
could lead to unwanted hum, noise, or highpitched feedback.
In common with most high gain designs and in
order to avoid unwanted noise, the MODE
FOUR is automatically muted when there is
nothing inserted into the INPUT Jack. This
means that if no guitar is plugged in, the amp
will be very quiet regardless of the settings.
TONE TIP: For using a separate pre-amp with
the power amp section of the MODE FOUR,
see Frequently Asked Questions (page 12)
TONE TIP: Microphonic (i.e. loose) guitar
pickups can lead to unwanted low-end feedback
at high gain settings. If your guitar suffers from
this, we would suggest you visit a qualified
guitar service technician to remedy the problem
so you can get the optimum performance from
your MODE FOUR at all Gain settings.
AMP 1 CON TROLS
2. CLEAN M ode Se lect Sw itch
Push this switch to select the CLEAN Mode of
AMP 1. When this mode is selected via the front
panel or the supplied 6-way footcontroller, the
red LED within this switch will be illuminated.
3. CRUNCH Mode Sele c t Sw it c h
Push this switch to select the CRUNCH Mode
of AMP 1. When this mode is selected via the
front panel or the supplied 6-way footcontroller,
the LED within this switch will light up.
4. GAIN Control
When AMP 1 is in CLEAN Mode, this control
will take you from shimmering, bell-like, clean
tones at low settings, to edgy, valve generated
bluesy distortions at higher settings.
When CRUNCH Mode is selected you enter
the hallowed world of a front-ended JCM800,
which will give you classic Marshall metal and
alternative rock tones. Low GAIN settings will
yield the truly dynamic, touch sensitive,
overdriven valve roar that made the JCM800
2203 a hard rock legend. Higher levels of GAIN
give you dense, saturated tone with endless
sustain and a slamming, low-end thump without
losing any of that all-important note definition,
even when playing complex chords.
AMP 1 GAIN CONTROL SWEET SPOT: The
CLEAN and CRUNCH Modes of the MODE
FOUR offer a huge degree of flexibility in terms
of gain.
As the GAIN Control is shared between the
CLEAN and CRUNCH Modes some change in
4
MODE FOU R Front Panel Fe a t ures - see panel page 70
level may be experienced when switching
between these modes, especially at extreme
settings.
The diagram below shows the 'Sweet Spot'
area of the AMP 1 GAIN Control where the
levels of CLEAN and CRUNCH are well
balanced.
GAIN CONTR OL 'SWE ET SPOT '
(CLEAN & CRUNCH balanced)
CRUNCH mode
louder than
CLEAN
Obviously, when using GAIN settings on
either side of this ‘sweet spot’, if you switch
between AMP 1’s CLEAN and CRUNCH
modes, you’re going to have to compensate for
the resulting level differences with your guitar’s
volume control &/or pickup selection.
TONE TIP: At low CRUNCH settings, ballsy
crunch can be transformed into wonderfully
rich clean tones by merely reducing the guitar
volume control.
0 10
CLEAN mode
louder than
CRUNCH
5. BASS Control
This controls the amount of low frequencies
(bottom end) in your tone. Adjusting this control
in conjunction with the RESONANCE control
(12) will drastically affect the size and tightness
of your low end. The more BASS and
RESONANCE you dial in, the fatter your
bottom end will become.
6. VOLUME Cont rol
This control determines how loud or quiet
AMP 1 is. This control should be used in
conjunction with AMP 2’s VOLUME control (19)
to set the relative levels of the two amps. Once
this is done you can use the MASTER volume
control (16) to set the overall output level of the
amplifier.
7. MIDDLE Control
This controls the all-important mid-range of
your sound. Higher settings will make your
guitar sound fatter and fuller. Conversely, lower
settings will reduce the mids in your sound,
giving you a more aggressive, ‘scooped’ sound.
8. SCOOP Sw it c h
This control has been specifically fine-tuned
to give the most crushing mid ‘scoop’ sound
imaginable. By reconfiguring the entire post-EQ
voicing of AMP 1, the tone becomes extremely
aggressive – tight, punchy and focused with
the highs and lows accentuated and the mids
‘scooped’ out.
9. REVERB Cont rol
This controls the level of the MODE FOUR’s
specially designed, built-in, digital Reverb for
AMP 1.
10. TREBLE Cont rol
This control determines the amount of highend and makes your guitar’s tone brighter and
more cutting as it is turned up. Adjusting the
TREBLE Control will allow you to fine-tune
upper-end ‘shimmer’ on your CLEAN sounds
and aggressive bite on your CRUNCH –
especially when used in conjunction with the
PRESENCE Control (13).
TONE TIP: AMP 1’s tone network is highly
interactive and altering one control can change
the shape of the sound in relation to the other
tone controls. Experimentation is the best way
to achieve your desired sounds.
11. FX LEVEL Control
When you’re using an external effects device
in the MODE FOUR’s Parallel to Series FX
loop, this control adjusts the amount of the
chosen effect that will be mixed in with AMP 1’s
dry (uneffected) signal. Please refer to the FX
Loop section on page 8 for further details.
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EN GLI SH