Marshall Amplification SL5 Owner's Manual

OWNER’S MANUAL

SLASH SIGNATURE 5 WATT COMBO

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Follow all instructions and heed all warnings.

KEEP THESE INSTRUCTIONS.

Warning:

Before going any further, make sure that your amplifier is compatible with your electrical supply. If you have any doubt, please seek
help from a qualified technician – your Marshall dealer can help you in this respect.

Mains Input & Fuse:

Your amplifier is provided with either a detachable mains (power) lead which should be connected to the mains input socket on the
rear panel of the amplifier or a fixed mains (power) lead attached to the rear of the amplifier.
The specific mains input voltage rating that your amplifier has been manufactured for is indicated on the rear panel of the amplifier.
The correct value and type of mains fuse for valve amplifiers is specified on the rear panel of the amplifier.
NEVER attempt to bypass the fuse or fit one of the incorrect value or type.

Transporting your equipment:

Please ensure that your amplifier is switched off and unplugged from the mains electricity supply and that all removable cables
have been disconnected from your equipment before attempting to move it.

Important set up information:

1. Make sure that the cabinet(s)/speakers, where appropriate, are connected to the correct impedance LOUDSPEAKER jack(s) on
the rear panel of the amplifier. See the Speaker Output guides in this handbook, if applicable, for specific information regarding
impedance matching. When using an extension cabinet make sure that you are using a proper speaker cable. Never use a
screened (shielded) guitar cable for this purpose.

WARNING! Failure to do any of the above may damage your amplifier.

2. Ensure that the VOLUME controls on the front panel are set to zero.

3. For amplifiers provided with a detachable mains (power) lead, connect the supplied mains (power) lead into the MAINS INPUT on

the rear panel first and then into an electrical outlet

4. Plug your guitar into the INPUT jack socket on the front panel.

5. Turn the front panel POWER switch on and, if a valve amplifier, wait a couple of minutes before going to point 6.

6. Turn the volumes up to your preferred level and your amp is ready to play.

EUROPE ONLY – Note:

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.

EUROPE ONLY – Note: the average half-cycle r.m.s. inrush current, on initial switch-on, is 5.789 amps
the average half-cycle r.m.s. inrush current after a supply interruption of 5 s is 4.557 amps

F R OM S L AS H

To me the SL5 gives you the essence of the AFD100
in a portable, tube amp. Sure it’s small but it kicks
*@#$in’ ass and the tones are 100% AFD. The
thing is, as cool as it may seem on paper, it’s just not
always possible or practical to have a Marshall half
stack - let alone a full stack - in your bedroom or your
house. The SL5 is perfect for that - plus recording,
writing and warming up backstage too. You can carry
it with one hand and if 5 Watts is too loud, you can
switch it down to 1 Watt, crank it up and get that
unique Marshall tube tone happening at a volume that
won’t have your neighbors calling the cops!

Just like my live rig, the SL5 features a Celestion
Vintage 30 speaker to give you that ful l, warm,
midrange ‘bark’ that’s an essential part of the AFD
tone. I hope you dig the SL5 as much as I do, it’s a
blast to play.

ENGLISH

INTRODUCTION

Thank you for purchasing this SL5 Slash Signature, all-valve, 1x12" combo. Slash worked extremely
closely with us in developing this amp and we know it will bring you countless hours of portable playing
pleasure. “I use it at home as as a practice amp, and I also use it in the recording studio because it sounds

so good.” Slash states. “The fact you can go from 5 Watts to 1 Watt makes it that much more flexible. I
actually use the 1 Watt setting pretty regularly because it sounds and feels great, plus no one else can hear
me when I’m practicing or noodling around.”

Your SL5 contains one of the most highly acclaimed guitar speakers in the world – the Celestion Vintage

30. “When you add it to my Les Paul and my Marshall it’s just the perfect combination.” Slash explains.

“This combo is something you can take anywhere… and it works! It’s not like a lot of amps that sacrifice a
lot of sound just to be small. The SL5 is a mini AFD in a box!”

Welcome to the Marshall family.

The Marshall Team

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SLASH SIGNATURE 5 WATT COMBO

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INPUTS

II

I

VOLUME

CLEAN

OD

CHANNEL

GAIN VOLUME TREBLE MIDDLE BASS REVERB PRESENCE

REVERB

POWER

OFF

STANDBY

ON

EQUALISATIONCLEAN OVERDRIVE

SL5

FRONT PANEL

INPUTS

NOTE: Similar to vintage Marshall amplifiers, the
SL5 has more than one guitar input. Input I is the
high sensitivity input for the amplifier, traditionally
this was used for guitars with lower output pickups.
Many guitarists now take advantage of this input,
which allows them to drive the amplifier harder as
it provides +6dB more gain than the low sensitivity
input. Which input you choose is purely down to
personal taste and experimentation.

1. HIGH SENSITIVITY INPUT

Traditionally used for guitars with low output
pickups. Please experiment as suggested in the
above Note.

2. LOW SENSITIVITY INPUT

Traditionally used for guitars with normal output
pickups. Please experiment as suggested in the
above Note.

3. CLEAN VOLUME

Controls the volume of the Clean channel.

4. CLEAN CHANNEL INDICATOR LED

Glows green when the Clean channel is selected.

5. CHANNEL SWITCH

Selects which channel is being used. It is overridden

if the footswitch is being used.

6. OVERDRIVE CHANNEL INDICATOR LED

Glows red when Overdrive channel is selected.

7. OVERDRIVE GAIN

Controls the gain of the Overdrive channel.

8. OVERDRIVE VOLUME

Controls the volume of the Overdrive channel.

9. TREBLE CONTROL

Controls the high frequencies or top-end in your
tone.

10. MIDDLE CONTROL

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

11. BASS CONTROL

Controls the amount of low frequencies or bottom­end in your tone.

12. REVERB SWITCH

Turns the built-in Reverb on and off.

13. REVERB INDICATOR LED

Glows red when Reverb is selected.

14. REVERB CONTROL

This control lets you add a lush reverb to the
selected channel, from a subtle hint to cavernous
and all points in between.

15. PRESENCE

This control adjusts the power amplifier’s high
frequency response, making your tone more
cutting and ‘present’.

REAR PANEL

1. MAINS INPUT SOCkET WITH MAINS fUSE

Your amp is provided with a detachable mains
(power) lead, which is connected here. The specific
mains input voltage rating that your amplifier has
been built for is indicated on the back panel. Before
connecting for the first time, please ensure that
your amplifier is compatible with your electricity
supply. If you have any doubt, please get advice
from a qualified technician. Your Marshall dealer
will help you in this respect.
The correct value of mains fuse located in the small
compartment at the bottom of the mains socket
is specified on the rear panel of the amplifier. The
compartment also contains a space for a spare
fuse.
NEVER attempt to bypass the fuse or fit one of an
incorrect value!
NOTE: It is wise to carry spare fuses at all times.

2. fOOTSWITCH

By connecting the supplied 2 button footswitch
(PEDL-00009) to this jack you can footswitch
between the Clean and Overdrive channels, plus
switch the Reverb on/off. The footswitch overides
the front panel Channel & Reverb switches.

3. 8Ω ExTENSION SPEAkER OUTPUT JACk

This is the output used to feed an 8Ω extension
cabinet, a typical example being a Marshall 2x12".
IMPORTANT NOTE 1: only one of the Extension
Speaker Outputs can be used at once - so, if
using an external 8 Ohm cabinet please unplug the
internal speaker.
IMPORTANT NOTE 2: NEVER use the SL5 unless
the internal speaker or an external cabinet is
attached correctly.

4. 16Ω ExTENSION SPEAkER OUTPUT JACk

This is where the internal 16 Ohm speaker is
connected. If an external 16 Ohm cabinet, like a
Marshall 4x12", is used, please switch the amplifier
off before making the change.
ALWAYS ensure you use a good quality speaker
(unshielded) cable.

5. 5 WATT/1 WATT SWITCH

This switch allows you to select either 5 Watt
(switch ‘left’) or 1 Watt (switch ‘right’) output for
your SL5.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Please ALWAYS put your SL5
into STANDBY mode (via Power Switch on front
panel) before switching between these two modes.

16. POWER

This switch not only powers-up your SL5 (switch
‘down’), it also allows you to put in STANDBY mode
(switch ‘up’). As is the case with all valve amps, the
valves need a little time to warm up when the amp
is first switched on, so STANDBY is

useful for putting your amp into ‘idle’ mode during
breaks in playing.
IMPORTANT NOTE: You should also ALWAYS
switch the amp to STANDBY whenever you switch
between the 1 Watt and 5 Watt options on the rear
panel.

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1 2 3 4 5

ENGLISH

IMPORTANT: READ BEfORE POWERING-UP

Note: The specific mains input voltage rating
that your amplifier has been built for is shown
on the back panel. Before connecting to the
mains electricity supply, always ensure that
your amplifier is compatible with your electricity
supply. If you have any doubt, please get advice
from a qualified technician. Your Marshall dealer
will help you in this respect. Please ensure the
amplifier is switched off and unplugged from the
mains electricity supply before being moved.