If you’re shopping for a new guitar amplifiers then Marshall are a great brand to look at. The have tonnes of choice to suit different requirements and budgets, but they’re range is so large that it can be difficult to work out how much you need to spend to get the type of amplifier you need. In this article, I’ll compare the prices of the different amplifiers in Marshall’s range so you can get a good idea of the models which fit into your budget.
The Quick Answer
Marshall guitar amps cost between $125 and $3800 on average. Starter amps typically range between $125 and $200, and solid state amps with more features and power range between $200 and $450. Marshall tube combo amps range between $500 and $3800, and head units between $450 and $3800.
Types of Amplifier
The cost of a Marshall amplifier is affected by the type, features and power rating primarily.
The first thing you’ll need to do is to decide if you want a combo or a stack setup. A stack setup is when the cabinet (speaker) and amp are separate units, and a combo amp is when this comes as an all-in-one unit. If you are unsure which option is best for you, take a look at my comparison between combo and stack amps to get your answer.
Next, you’ll need to decide if you want a tube (valve) amp, or a solid state amp. Solid state amps are cheaper, lighter and more versatile but many players prefer the warmer and richer tone of a tube amp. If you haven’t already figured out which type is best for you, then check out my comparison between tube and solid state amplifiers to learn about all the pros and cons.
Finally, it’s good to have an idea of how much power you need (wattage). I’ve also written a guide to wattage and how loud an amp needs to be for certain locations to help you narrow down your selection.
The rest of this article will take you through the different types of amplifier and how much the Marshall versions cost. To make things easier, it’s split into the following sections so you can skip to the right one:
- Starter Amps
- Solid State Combo Amps
- Tube Combo Amps
- Head Unit Amps
- Cabinets
In each section, I’ll provide an overview of each model available and a table to show you the average price of each of them at the time of writing.
Marshall Starter Amp Cost
Marshall have an MG series of amplifiers which is designed for beginners and home-use. The Marshall MG10G is the cheapest amp in the range and costs around $125 in the USA and £60 in the UK.
As the price increases, you’ll very more power (higher volume) and some more features such as built-in reverb which saves the need to buy an reverb pedal in the future so will save some players money in the long run.
| Amplifier | Wattage | Price (US) | Price (UK) | Settings |
| MG10G | 10W | $125 | £60 | 2 channels, gain, contour |
| MG15 | 15W | $150 | £80 | 2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ |
| MG15GR | 15W | $180 | £90 | 2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, reverb |
Marshall Solid State Combo Amp Cost
Marshall have the MG-GFX and CODE series of amplifiers which are designed for beginners with a larger budget, or more experienced players looking to upgrade their amp but without paying for a more expensive tube amplifier.
The MG-GFX models have multiple built-in effects, are easy to use and good value for money. Marshall CODE amps are classed as modelling amplifiers, meaning they have many built-in effects and simulate the tone of 14 other amps all-in-one making them really versatile.
Marshall amps in the $200 to $500 are an upgrade compared to the starter amps but do not typically sound as good as the tube amps which cost over $500 (next section).
| Amplifier | Wattage | Price (US) | Price (UK) | Settings |
| MG15GXF | 15W | $210 | £125 | 2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, reverb, chorus, phaser, delay, flanger |
| MG30GFX | 30W | $270 | £150 | 2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, reverb, chorus, phaser, delay, flanger, octave |
| CODE 25W | 25W | $320 | £150 | 14 pre-amp models, gain, 3 band EQ, 24 effects |
| CODE 50W | 50W | $370 | £220 | 14 pre-amp models, gain, 3 band EQ, 24 effects |
| MG50GFX | 50W | $450 | £230 | 2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, reverb, chorus, phaser, delay, flanger, octave |
Marshall Tube Combo Amp Cost
Marshall’s tube (valve) combo amplifiers start at $500 and can cost up to $3800 in the USA. Marshall’s valve combo amps start at £230 in the UK and range up to £1600.
The following series are available (from lowest to highest price):
- DSL: this series is the cheapest and includes 1W, 5W, 20W and 40W options. They all have 2 channels and great value for money.
- Origin: these have more of a vintage tone than the DSL series and have a single channel. They are available in 20W and 50W sizes.
- Studio: the studio range consists of the Vintage, Classic and Silver Jubilee models which are vintage reissue models available in 20W sizes.
- JMV: these amps are considered top of the range (excluding the handwired versions) and are very versatile. They are available in 50W and 100W sizes.
- Handwired: these are the most iconic and expensive Marshall amps available and are typically smaller and have fewer features as they are reissues of ’60s and ’70s amps.
| Amplifier | Wattage | Price US | Price UK | Settings |
| DSL1CR | 1W | $500 | £230 | 2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, reverb |
| Origin20C | 20W | $650 | £400 | Gain, 3 band EQ, boost, tilt, presence |
| DSL5CR | 5W | $650 | £340 | 2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, reverb |
| DSL20CR | 20W | $750 | £400 | 2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, reverb, presence, resonance |
| Origin50C | 50W | $800 | £500 | Gain, 3 band EQ, boost, tilt, presence |
| DSL40CR | 40W | $900 | £500 | 2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, reverb, presence, resonance |
| Mini Silver Jubilee | 20W | $1900 | £880 | Gain, 3 band EQ |
| Studio Classic 20W | 20W | $1900 | £850 | 3 band EQ, presence |
| Studio Vintage 20W | 20W | $1900 | £900 | Presence, 3 band EQ, high treb |
| JMV215C | 50W | $2700 | £1000 | 2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, reverb, presence, resonance |
| JMV210C | 100W | $3000 | £1300 | 2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, reverb, presence, resonance |
| JMV410C | 100W | $3550 | £1400 | 4 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, reverb, presence, resonance |
| 1974X Handwired | 18W | $3700 | £1700 | 2 channels, tremolo, tone |
| 1962 Bluesbreaker | 30W | $3800 | £1600 | 2 channels, 3 band EQ, presence |
Marshall Head Unit (Tube) Cost
Marshall have several series of tube head units which start from around $450 in the USA and £200 in the UK. The following series are available:
- DLS
- Origin
- Studio
- JMV
- JTM
- JCM
- Plexi
They follow the same principles as described above in the tube combo section but there are some additions which need explaining. Notably, the JTM, JCM AND Plexi models.
JMV amplifiers have a more modern and aggressive tone, particularly when cranking the gain compared to JCM amps which have a classic ’80s tone. The JTM amp is a vintage reissue model which has more of a ’60s tone. The Plexi amps have an early Marshall style tone.
| Amplifier | Wattage | Price US | Price UK | Settings |
| DSL1HR | 1W | $450 | £200 | 2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, reverb |
| Origin20H | 20W | $550 | £350 | Gain, 3 band EQ, tilt, boost, presence |
| Origin50H | 50W | $650 | £450 | Gain, 3 band EQ, tilt, boost, presence |
| DSL20HR | 20W | $650 | £420 | 2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, reverb |
| DSL100HR | 120W | $1050 | £650 | 2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, reverb, presence, resonance |
| Mini Silver Jubilee | 20W | $1700 | £750 | Gain, presence, 3 band EQ |
| Vintage Studio | 20W | $1700 | £750 | Presence, 3 band EQ, high treb |
| Studio Classic | 20W | $1700 | £750 | Presence, 3 band EQ |
| JMV205H | 50W | $2200 | £900 | 2 channels, 3 band EQ, resonance, presence, reverb |
| Silver Jubilee 2555X | 100W | $2300 | £1000 | 2 channels, 3 band EQ, presence |
| JMV210H | 100W | $2400 | £1150 | 2 channels, 3 band EQ, resonance, presence, reverb |
| JTM45 | 45W | $2900 | £1200 | Presence, 3 band EQ, high treb |
| 1987X Vintage Plexi | 50W | $2900 | £1350 | 2 channels, 4 band EQ, presence |
| JMV410H | 100W | $3050 | £1250 | 2 channels, 3 band EQ, resonance, presence, reverb |
| JCM 2204 Vintage | 100W | $3450 | £1550 | 3 band EQ, presence |
| 1959HW Plexi | 100W | $3800 | £1700 | 2 channels, 3 band EQ, presence |
Marshall Amp Cabinet Cost
Marshall amp cabinets typically start at $400 in the USA and £200 in the UK. They follow the same naming system as the amplifier heads and vary in size from 80W to 300W with either a 1 x 12″, 2 x 12″ or 4 x 12″ speaker.
| Cabinet | Power Rating | Speaker | Price US | Price UK |
| MX112R | 80W | 1 x 12” | $400 | £200 |
| OR1212 | 160W | 2 x 12” | $450 | £280 |
| MX212E | 160W | 2 x 12” | $500 | £280 |
| Origin412 | 240W | 4 x 12” | $550 | £350 |
| MX412AR/BR | 240W | 4 x 12” | $650 | £330 |
| Studio Classic | 70W | 1 x 12” | $1050 | £400 |
| 2512 Silver Jubilee | 70W | 1 x 12” | $1050 | £400 |
| Studio Vintage | 70W | 1 x 12” | $1050 | £400 |
| Studio Vintage | 140W | 2 x 12” | $1150 | £520 |
| Studio Classic | 140W | 2 x 12” | $1150 | £600 |
| 1936 | 150W | 2 x 12” | $1150 | £550 |
| Silver Jubilee | 140W | 2 x 12” | $1350 | £550 |
| JMVC212 | 150W | 2 x 12” | $1350 | £600 |
| 1960 | 300W | 4 x 12” | $1550 | £700 |
| 1960V | 280W | 4 x 12” | $1850 | £700 |
| 1960BX | 100W | 4 x 12” | $1850 | £700 |
| 1960TV | 100W | 4 x 12” | $1850 | £700 |
| Silver Jubilee 2551AV | 240W | 4 x 12” | $1850 | £800 |
| Silver Jubilee 2551BV | 240W | 4 x 12” | $1850 | £800 |
| 1960AHW/BHW | 120W | 4 x 12” | $2000 | £900 |
In the market for a new amplifier? Check out my complete amplifier buyer’s guide to help narrow down your selection and find the perfect amp for you.