Marshall Amplification AFD100 Owner's Manual

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OWNER’S MANUAL

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ENGLISH

OVERVIEW

Introducingthe AFD100– a dual mode, all-valve 100 Watthead thatrevisits thelegendarytones of oneof, if not the mostimportant,rock albumsof the lastthree decades. As well as reproducing whatis regardedby many as the “Ultimate Rock Sound”, theAFD100 also contains some truly awesome features,the firstbeing Marshall’s new electronic power attenuation. This incredible technology allows you toprecisely adjustthe maximumpower output of theAFD100without losing anyof that sought-aftertone. No limited wattagechoices to click between and no compromising yourtone, justsmooth and consistent powerattenuation thatis simple touse and makes theAFD100 ideal for stage, studio and home use.

The Presence,Bass, Middle and Treble controls dictate the overall toneof the AFD100’shighly interactiveEQ section,meaning that changes to onewill affectthe parameters ofthe others.This allowsfor a greater rangeof tonal possibilities,plus a morefluid and dynamic wayof controllingyour sound.

The power ampvolume is controlled usingthe Master, while pre-amp distortionis governedby the Gain.By using these twocontrols, and depending onyour guitarand playingstyle, it ispossible todial in bothclassic high gainSlash tonesand bitingbright cleans, witheverything in between.Again, theoverall output volume of the AFD100 canbe governedby the Powercontrol.

The twin modes– #34 andAFD – are based ontwo of Slash’s legendary tones. The firstis taken from Slash’s ‘modded’JCM800 2203 (complete withstenciled34 on the side) thathe has usedsince the late ’80s. Thesecond provides an additional gainstage and isof course b

ased onthe infamous ‘AppetiteAmp’, widely believed tobe a modified1959 Tremolo from the mid ’70s.Both modesprovide a unique, harmonicallyrich, natural valve-driventone, ideal for thick crunchy rhythm andwild soaring solosalike. Aswith traditionalMarshall amplifiers, theAFD100 provides twosensitivity inputoptions – one highand one low. Either inputcan be usedand is a matter of personaltaste.

TheAFD100 rearpanel features a series EffectsLoop, whereyou can connect anyoutboard stomp boxes and/orrack equipment youmay have.The ReturnLevel control allows you todial in theexact amountof EffectsLoop signalyou want and can even be used as asecond mastervolume whenleft unconnected,providinga boost of upto +10dB orattenuatingthe signalto a lower volume.A valvefault indicator and self-biasing circuitryhave been includedas well, ensuring that anymaintenancecan be carried outquickly andthat the amplifier’sbias is alwayscorrectlyconfigured.You canalso chooseto have other typesof popularoctal pentode or tetrodepower valvesinstalled(see Rear Panelfeatures, section3). This work shouldalways beundertakenby a qualified engineer – ask yourlocal Marshall dealer for more information.The included two-way footswitchconnects viathe rear panel also, allowing forquick #34/AFD modechanges andEffects Loop on/offtoggling.

Cosmetically, theAFD100 blends key characteristics ofboth an old-school‘seventies’style headand a mighty JCM800. Themodern silver paneland matchingknobs alsopay homageto the 2555 Silver Jubileeson which Marshall’s inaugural Slash Signatureamplifier was based. Classic blackLevant vinyl covering, a small vintagescript logo and white piping complete the uniquelivery ofthis incredible tone machine.

We recommendthat you read through theinformationin this owners manual carefully before poweringup your AFD100 toensure youget the best out ofyour new amplifier.

FROM JIMMARSHALL

I wouldlike to thank youpersonallyfor choosingthis limited AFD100 Slash S

ignature Series Amplifier– our tribute to oneof the greatest rock tones ever recordedand one of the mostinfluentialguitaristsof the past 25 years.

I haveknown Slashsince the early ’90s and Ihave rarelymet a more humblerock star. I remember when we launchedthe JCM Slash SignatureAmplifier back in 1996, thefirst signature Marshallamp ever, Slashwas utterlyflattered bythe conceptand kept asking “Why me?”My r

easonwas, and still is, that in addition tobeing a trulygreat guitarist, Slashpersonifiesthe spiritof rock ’n ’roll. That Silver Jubilee re-issue provedto be a hugesuccess andhas paved the way for numerous Marshall Signature Series amplifiers eversince. So,when Slash came to us withthe idea ofrecreatinghis fabledAppetite ForDestructiontone, I immediatelyput the challengeto the Marshall team. Thiswould be no easy task as,unlike mostsignature models,there was nooriginal amplifier to examine andreplicate.Our Engineers hadto rely on studyingthe original recordingsand information from Slashhimself tofind that elusive sound.Yet, after countlesshours of researchand development, thefirst prototypes were readyfor the ultimatetest – a worldtour! I’mpleased to say this latest addition tothe MarshallSignaturerange is nowa permanent fixture inSlash’s rig.

This projectrepresentedanother first forMarshall, asevery stageof developmentwas made public through theAFD100.com website. From initial research, includingthe intriguingAFD amplifier back-story, to prototypes andfull production models,every move was documentedand followed by thousandsof fans around theglobe. Visitors tothe site were also treatedto engineerblogs, newsupdates andeven behind-the-scenes videofootage, aswell as beingable to post comments andask questions directly to the Marshall team. It wasa great experience, one which I’m sure we’ll useagain.

I wouldlike to take thisopportunityto wish youevery success withyour newAFD100 SlashSignatureSeries Amplifierand I hopeit brings you many years ofplaying pleasure.

Welcome to the Marshall family.

Yours Sincerely

Dr JimMarshall OBE

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In 1987Guns’n’Roses released their debut albumAppetite For Destruction,the recordthat redefined rock musicin the ’80s.Raw, unrelenting and ‘in-yer-face’ from start tofinish, thewhole albumwas drivenby Slash’sinspired fretboard mastery and unique sound, regardedby many as theultimaterock tone.

The intriguinghistory ofthe Marshall amp used by Slash onAFD and its subsequent disappearance has now passed into rockfolklore. Widely believedto be a hot-rodded, 100Watt, pre-mastervolume modelfrom the early ’70s, this legendary ampwas hired specifically forthe ‘Appetite’sessions in1986. Eagerto hold onto the amplifier, Slashtold rentalcompany S.I.R. that it hadbeen stolen, only tohave it ‘stolen’back a yearlater duringtour rehearsals.Ever since,there has been little to noword on thewhereaboutsof that mysterious100 Watt head, only time willtell whether it resurfacesagain!

In January 2010, Slash and MarshallAmplification announcedthat theywere to join forces torecreate that revered “AppetiteTone”with the launch ofthe AFD100 project. Rather thandevelop thisSignatureSeries ampbehind the closed doors of Marshall HQ, it wasdecided that everystage of this collaboration should be fullyopen to thepublic. www.AFD100.comwas createdfor just thispurpose, allowing theworld to viewand commenton projectupdates, picture galleries and blogsby the Marshall design teamas well asexclusive Slash interviewsand behind-the-scenes development videos. This was the very first trulyinteractiveproject between Marshalland guitarists from allover the world. We’re pleased to sayit has proven to bea huge success.

The MarshallAFD100 Slash Signature Series Amplifier you now ownis arguablythe most anticipatedMarshall amplifier ever and partof the ever-growing“Appetite Tone” legacy.

THE

APPETITE TONE

LEGACY

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IMPORTANT:READ BEFORE POWERING UP

Before powering-upyour Marshallamplifier youmust ensurethat an appropriate speakercabinet(s) or dummy load isconnected tothe correct impedance Loudspeakerjack onthe rearpanel.Failureto do t

hiscould resultin serious damage beingcaused toyour amplifier. Always usean unshielded speakercable toconnectthe ampto the speaker cabinet, never use a screened (shielded) guitarlead. Whenpowering-upthe amplifieralwaysengage the Power Switch(1) firstto allow thepower valvesto warm-up,we wouldalso recommend setting all volumecontrolsto zero.Afterabout two minutesthe power valves will beat theircorrectoperating temperatureand theStandby Switch (2)can beengaged.Toprolongvalve life, the StandbySwitch aloneshouldbe usedto turnthe amplifieron and off duringbreaks in a performance.Also, upon full power down,always disengage the Standby Switchprior tothe main Power Switch.Alwaysallow the amp to cool down beforemoving.

1. POWERSWITCH

On/Off Switch for mainspower to the amplifier. Pleaseensure the amplifieris switched off andunplugged from the mains electricity supply before being moved.

2. STANDBYSWITCH

The StandbySwitch is used in conjunction withthe Power Switch (1) to ‘warmup’ the amplifierbefore use and to prolong the lifeof the outputvalves.

3. INDICATOR

Indicatesthat power is being supplied to theamplifier.

4. FXLOOP SWITCH

Switchesthe AFD100’s FXloop on and off. Thiscan also be controlledfrom the included footswitch.The LED is on when the FX loop is enabled.

5. POWER

This controlprovides access tothe AFD100’s ElectronicPower Attenuation(EPA) feature.The internalattenuatorallows youto adjustthe overalloutput volume of the amplifier whilst retainingall of your tone. This works byelectronically reducing the voltages to components within the amplifier instead ofplacing resistiveloads in thecircuitry. Output of between100% and 0.1% can beachieved,making the AFD100ideal for stadium,studio and home use! Theadjacent diagram shows the amount ofpower shownas a percentage inrelation tothe dial setting.

Equalisation Note: Thetone network is highlyinteractive; altering one control

affectsthe behaviour of others. Experimentation is thebest way to achieve your desired sound, a good place to start isto set all EQ dials to half way and adjust from there.If you are looking fora particulartone it is importantto bear in mind that your choice of guitar plays an important role as well.

6. PRESENCE

This controladjusts thepower amplifier’s high frequency response, makingyour tone more cutting and‘present’.

7. BASSCONTROL

Controlsthe amount of low frequencies or bottom-end in yourtone.

8. MIDDLECONTROL

Dictatesthe middle register ofthe amplifier.Turning up this control will make your guitar sound fatter. Conversely, reducing the amount of middle in your tone will resultin a sharper and thinner guitar sound for a more ‘scooped’ tone.

9. TREBLECONTROL

Controlsthe high frequenciesor top-end in your tone.

10. MASTERVOLUME

Controlsthe volume output fromthe AFD100’s pre-power amp section.Used in conjunction with the POWER (5) function, it is possibleto overdrive the poweramplifier even at reduced power output.

11. GAIN

Governs theamount of signal passing throughthe pre-amp valves. Turningup this control overdrives the pre-amp and creates a desirable,harmonically richdistortion. Reducingthe Gain level will begin to clean up your tone.

12. #34/AFD

This switchtoggles between theAFD100’s two distinct gain structuremodes. The #34 modeof the amplifier replicates the modded Marshall JCM8002203 that Slash has been using since the late ’80s. Switchingto AFD mode provides a thicker, more driven, higher gain tone,based of course on Slash’s legendary Appetite For Destruction sound. The LED indicator will be litwhen in AFDmode.

Inputs Note:As with most vintageMarshall amplifiers,the AFD100 has

more than one guitar input. InputI is the high sensitivity input forthe amplifier, traditionally thiswas used for guitars with lower output pickups.Many guitarists now take advantageof this input, which allows themto drive the amplifier harder as itprovides +6dB more than the lowsensitivity input.Which input you chooseis purely down to personal taste andexperimentation.It is also possible to daisy-chain amps from the low input tothe high input of thenext amplifier.

13. HIGHSENSITIVITY INPUT

Traditionally usedfor guitars with low output pickups.

14. LOWSENSITIVITY INPUT

Traditionally usedfor guitars with normaloutput pickups.

FRONT PANEL (LEFT TORIGHT FEATURE BYFEATURE)

1. LOUDSPEAKEROUTPUTS

WARNING! Never usethe amplifier withouta load attached! There are five speaker outputsavailable on the rearpanel. They are labelled according to the intended impedances:

4Ω: Connecta single 4 ohm guitarcabinet or two 8 ohm guitar cabinets. 8Ω: Connecta single 8 ohm guitarcabinet or two 16 ohmguitar cabinets.

16Ω: Connect any 16 ohmguitar cabinet to this jack.

WARNING: Although theAFD100 amplifier hasfive speaker

outputs,never attempt to connect more speakers than rated, the safe combinations being1x4 Ohm or 1x8 Ohm or 2x8Ohm or 2x16 Ohm or 1x16Ohm. Any other speaker configuration may stress the power amplifier sectionand in extreme casesmay lead to valve and/or output transformer failure.

2. EFFECTSLOOP

The AFD100 providesa series Effects Loop where you canconnect any outboard FX equipmentyou might have. This feature canbe toggled onand off from eitherthe front panel or thesupplied footswitch.

Connect your external FXgear input to the SENDjack and the FX output to the RETURN jack.

Return Level – This control allowsyou to adjust the levelof the return signal from yourEffects Loop. Reducing the levelto 0 will mute the signal from yourEffects Loop, whereas increasing it to 10 will allowthe maximum signal volume to be used.The loop can also be used as asecond master volumefor attenuating or boosting (up to +10dB) the signal by leavingit unconnected and using the Return Level as a solo boost/rhythm attenuation control.

3. BIASFAULT

Like any high performancemachine, parts suchas valves wear out over time.It is essential thatthese all-importantcomponents are working properly and that’s where thevalve fault indicator comes in very useful. This system allows youto monitor the AFD100’s power amp and clearly indicatesany valve that has developed a fault while performingthe biasing procedure. If lit under normal use,it may indicatethat a valve is faultyor that some kind of temporary fault was detected and the valveneeds to be examined.If all four LEDs are lit, this could signalthat the HT fuse hasblown and needs to be replaced.Only use the same HTfuse type as indicatedon the rear panel.

NOTE: It is possible to havedifferent octal pentode or tetrode power valves installedin your AFD100. Some popular options include EL34s, 6L6s, 5881s, KT66s, KT77s and KT88s.

WARNING: This workshould only be carried out by a qualified engineer, never attempt to removeand replace the powervalves yourself.Ask your local Marshall dealerfor more information.

4. AUTO-BIASAND BIAS CURRENTTRIMMER

The Bias setting of an amplifier ensures correct operation. Inorder to adjust the bias level of youramplifier press and hold the FX Loop switch on the front panel whilepowering the amplifierup until the

FX Loop and#34/AFD LEDs begin toflash. This procedure will take about threeminutes after whichthe amplifier is readyto be used. Whilst setting the biasof an amplifier is notsomething that needsto be done everyday,having the correct bias will prolongthe life of your valvesand ensure your amplifier functions smoothly. We recommendeither engaging theauto-bias function every time the amplifieris powered-up (likea warm-up procedure)or at least performingthe operation everytime the amplifier ismoved to a differentplace. This will ensure that theamplifier is takingcare of possiblemains voltage variations and adjusting itself tothe different conditions.

The desiredbiasing current canbe selected by turningthe trimmer control located to the right of the valve fault indicator LEDs before activatingthe bias procedure.Possible values rangebetween 20mA and 50mAwith every mark representing 3mA.Since there is not a ‘perfect’bias setting, we recommend values between 30mA and 40mA.

The chart on page 25 can be used asa guide for setting bias levels for theAFD100

If you are unsure how to properly biasan amplifier, wesuggest you speak to your authorisedMarshall Amplification dealer who will be able to advise you.

5. FOOTSWITCH

Both the #34/AFD modes andEffects Loop canbe accessed via the includedAFD100 Footswitch(PEDL-00053). LEDscontained in the footswitchwill illuminate whenthe AFD mode andEffects Loop are engaged. The defaultsetting for the FX circuit is off. The defaultsetting for the amplifier isAFD mode. NOTE: When the footswitch isconnected to the amplifier, the relevantfront panel switcheswill not function.

6. HTFUSE

This is theaccess point to replace the amplifier’s HT fuse.This should onlybe done by a qualifiedengineer. Theamplifier MUST be switchedoff and disconnectedfrom the mains beforereplacing the HT fuse.If unsure, contact yourlocal authorised Marshall dealer who will beable to assist you. Usea T1AE250V fuse only.

7. MAINSINPUT

Youramplifier is provided with a detachable mains(power) lead, which is connected here.The specific mainsinput voltage rating that your amplifier has been built for is indicated on the rear panel. Warning: Before going any further, make sure your amplifier is compatiblewith your electricalsupply. If youhave any doubt, please seek help from a qualifiedtechnician – your Marshall dealercan help you inthis respect.

The correctvalue of mains fuseis specified on the rearpanel of the amplifier. NEVER attempt to bypass the fuse orfit one of incorrect value.

PLEASE NOTE: Extremecontrol settings mayresult in compromised audio performance due tothe extreme gain settings availablein this ADF100 all-valve amplifier.

BACK PANEL (LEFT TORIGHT FEATURE BYFEATURE)

7 8 9 1

12 14

2 3 4 5 6 7

0.1

0.3

0.5

0.8

100

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24 25

GAINMASTERBASS MIDDLE TREBLEPRESENCEPOWER

XLOOP

OWER STANDBY

INPUTS

Slash’sAFD100Settings

Bias Current(mA) EL34,6L6,5881, KT66,KT77

Bias Current(mA) KT88,KT90,6550

Bias Current Settings

MainsVoltage Europe 200v 210v 220v 230v 240v 250v 260v MainsVoltage US/Canada 104v 110v 115v 120v 125v 130v 136v MainsVoltage Japan 87v 91v 96v 100v 104v 109v 113v

Very hot, overloaded Hot, not recommended

Recommended

Cold Very cold

Slash has traditionally been setting all thecontrols around 6 inboth AFD and #34 modes. However, depending on the venueor stage acoustics,he fine tunes the controls usuallyfinding his preferred settings between 5 and 7. The Power control should be adjusted tothe d

esired volume. Verylow power settings tend to benefitfrom slightly highergain settings.

NOTES

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Whilst the information contained herein is correct at the time of publication, due to our policy of constant improvement

and development, Marshall Amplification plc reserve the right to alter specifications without prior notice.

BOOK-00098-00 / 11 / 2010

Denbigh Road, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK1 1DQ, England.

Tel : +44 (0)1908 375411 Fax : +44 (0)1908 376118

www.marshallamps.com