The Guv’nor (1989)

A well-driven Marshall in a box.

The only issue with the Marshall Guv’nor MK1 is that it was only produced for four years. In the late ’80s, Marshall decided to recreate the legendary tone of the hard-rocking JCM800 as a pedal effect, and from 1988 till 1992 they did just that.

The Guv’nor MK1 is a lot of fun to play and definitely delivers that full power Marshall tone which made the JCM800 a staple of the ’80s rock and metal sound.

There was a debate whether or not the Drive Master which came into production early ’90s is a direct replacement of the Guv’nor. Why “was”?
A former product manager of Marshall’s distribution in the US contacted us and here is what he wrote:
“I can tell you that for certain the Drive Master was called the Guv’nor II while in development and was intended to be the direct “improved” follow up to the Guv’nor.”
How cool is that?!

Did Marshall succeed improving the Guv’nor? We did not compare the circuits, but the tones is what matters to us as players. Go ahead and add both to the player for a true AB comparison.