Marshall Model 1987 (1967–1975)
The Model 1987 is Marshall's 50-watt lead head - the JMP 50, the "Plexi" that sits one step below the 100-watt Super Lead 1959. It runs two EL34s instead of four. Same circuit lineage, roughly half the output, and players reputedly find it the more usable of the two. The JMP50 watt Plexi amps from the late sixties are considered by many to be the best amps built by Jim Marshall since the original JTM45, and the Model 1987 is generally described as a more manageable version of the 1959. Period listings put its production span at roughly 1967 to 1975, though no single source states a formal run - the years come from individual units dated 1968 through 1976.
The amp is generally described as a dual-channel, four-input design with shared EQ and no master volume. That's the classic Plexi arrangement: you turn it up and the output stage does the work. Power comes from a pair of EL34s with ECC83 preamp tubes. Sources are inconsistent on channel count, with some listings calling it single-channel and others two-channel, so check a specific unit instead of trusting the general description. The Model 1987 is also frequently confused with its relatives: the 1987T (a tremolo variant), the 1987X (the later Vintage Series reissue), and the "JMP SL50" name used in auction listings. Marshall's own documentation on the 1987 is thin. The circuit is usually discussed through its relationship to the 1959 and the JTM45 rather than on its own terms.
The record does preserve the sound. Contemporary listings describe it as "powerful, biting and yet transparent," and one 1972 example is tied specifically to the early-'70s rock tone of Michael Schenker with UFO. A 1976 listing calls it "direct, unfiltered sound with just the right amount of aggression and dynamics." Gary Moore owned a 1969 Model 1987, later auctioned by Bonhams. That unit's dimensions were catalogued at 26 inches wide, 8½ inches deep, and 10 inches high. Serial numbers on surviving examples follow Marshall's SA-prefix pattern (SA10919, SA3404E, S/A 2140A).
Survivors turn up regularly with the usual vintage-Marshall wear: extra holes from old "upgrades," swapped output transformers, replaced plexi panels, chipped logos. One 1973 example was noted as fully original and recently serviced. Others have been rebuilt to spec with original transformers retained. Asking prices have run as high as $4,995, and the model is popular enough for DIY replica builds. No original retail price, weight, impedance or frequency-response figures, or manufacturer-published production totals have surfaced.
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