He Designed the JVM, AFD and Much More | The Santiago Alvarez Story

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[@LeonTodd]

Huge thanks to the one and only Santiago Alvarez for joining us!

[@santiall73]

thank you for having me!

[@n0nyabznss]

Leon, YOU ARE THE MAN!!!!! Thanks for doing this video!

[@hoosierdaddy2308]

Yes, great interview.. Thanks for having him and thank you Santiago.. Great stuff.. PS. I loved the Vamp.. I had one for awhile..

[@santiall73]

@@hoosierdaddy2308 thank you :)

[@hoosierdaddy2308]

@@santiall73 Absolutely sir. Did I hear you say you designed the Camp and the Marshall Origin? I'm half deaf and couldn't hear the first few minutes. ?? Thanks I'm advance. By the way. The Camp was great. I recorded with it and got great times just having hobby fun.. ♥️🤘

[@robstonezone354]

Thanks for this video Leon….Santiago is a true genius in our industry. He brought me back to Marshall after over a decade with Mesa Boogie. I heard the JVM and it was a eureka moment. That led me down a path that ended in a studio of modern and classic Marshall’s. Santiago along with Dave Friedman saved tube amps!! Thank you Santiago for all you have given us!

[@santiall73]

well, thank you for your kind words, I'm humbled.

[@adiecummingsshredguitar9306]

Thank you this was absolutely amazing Santiago is such nice person and has an amazing legacy

[@LeonTodd]

Right?

[@adiecummingsshredguitar9306]

@@LeonTodd yeah right it was a great interview

[@santiall73]

hopefully more legacy in near future and not just the Marshall stuff :)

[@ianblackburn1018]

Wow, Santiago! Had a JVM 410, + then bought an AFD after seeing them being made during a Marshall factory tour. Had them both for 10+ yrs now. Amazing + both "keepers" for sure!

[@LeonTodd]

Superb amps!

[@santiall73]

thank you!

[@ianblackburn1018]

@@santiall73 Thank you Santiago for these wonderful amps! With my old 5150 (thank you James Brown!) + these I'm not missing anything. Just add 4x V30s or G12Ms. I'll have these for many years to come. Such a shame most of my work as a backing musician requires me take the digital route these days!

[@ianblackburn1018]

@@LeonTodd Thanks Leon. I've been through so many amps over the years, but seem to have stuck on these. No more constant trade ins, so I guess Santiago's saved me money!

[@santiall73]

@@ianblackburn1018 if I had to do guitar work I'd use digital stuff for sure. For playing and enjoying nothing beats a tube amp ;)

[@Sylvain44]

That was 2h16 well spent! Great content here, he looks like a really great guy. Wish Marshall would still release new amps as cool as the JVM410... It's been released in 2007 and it's still the best Marshall amp for metal IMO.

[@Dan_Ranger]

What a fantastic interview. Now I know why the V Amp was so good! I really enjoyed the whole video. What a legacy to have.

[@SuperCMO79]

Anytime I hear from Santiago makes me want to play my JVM thats awesome. Also a great great amp ,really good to see this video Leo and thats awesome you all had this, happy for you! AlsoI have my reverend coming tomorrow and looking forward/anxious to running it through and hearing these railhammer pickups.

[@LeonTodd]

Enjoy!

[@heavybrett-al4082]

Smashing it lad's! Every guest has been awesome, insightful, diverse and just perfect for the show🙏

[@jcwear89]

Fascinating interview! Hes a really interesting guy, I first heard about Santiago when he was working on the Slash amp 👍

[@43loudman]

Leon, this is cool, I love all your videos man, you inspired me to pick up the guitar again after so many years away from it,. THANK YOU. keep these great vids coming, and yes, Thank you Santiago TUBES ARE THE BEST,.....

[@santiall73]

thank you!

[@simonmaton]

That was fascinating! What an interesting and incredibly knowledgeable guy! Thanks.

[@LeonTodd]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jasons.3921]

This was a really cool hang with Santiago. Puts a lot of things in perspective. When ya'll mentioned Kyle Bull, that was cool too. He is definitely doing some good things on his YT channel. Great podcast guys.

[@LeonTodd]

Love Kyle. Need to get him on

[@Jaidezilla]

I think the jvm 410 is Marshall's greatest amp design ever.

[@peterschaefer1665]

Great job guys but I really wanted to hear more about working with Satriani and the process involved in the transformation between the 410 and the 410HJS. Maybe a return visit show dedicated to the HJS development (nerdy).😊

[@LeonTodd]

Noted! Would love to do this again.

[@Robstafarian]

I feel like Joe Satriani could write a pretty good article about why he loves the Marshall 6100 (which was the basis for his JVM410JS).

[@lordgraga]

I ATE THIS UP. Santiago is a great story teller! I feel like there are easily 2 hours more left here, damn! I would love to hear Santiago’s take on what wound be the ideal modern amp to build on the experience of the JVM, modern trends, etc.

[@santiall73]

glad to hear!

[@Gearhorder]

⁠@@santiall73thanks for all the great work you have put into Marshall amplifiers, those JVM’s are absolute demons to play!!

[@santiall73]

@@Gearhorder thank you!

[@MarcusW87]

Love my JVM205, it’s all I’ll ever need really. Thx Santiago!

[@santiall73]

thank you

[@PooNinja]

Awesome interview!!!

[@silverbeetle]

Great chat! Just love my Satriani JVM, remember watching vids of Satch when it was released and he always sung Santiago's praise loudly.

[@santiall73]

Joe has always given credits to whoever has worked with him, it is once again so humbling that one of your heros does so!

[@liammagowan5185]

You guys are killing it!

[@DavidSL2H]

Delicious episode, I have listened to it as podcast and as video. I got to know Santiago in the RIP JVM forum, he was always so friendly .... as a fellow Spanish I am very happy and proud for his success in an iconic brand as Marshall, and anything else he does in the future.

[@santiall73]

thank you David

[@eds4754]

Great interview Leon, what a great guy Santiago is. Regarding T75’s - Some of Andy Sneap’s absolute best guitar tones were with T75’s - Exodus TOTD, Nevermore DHIADW. On MANY more killer sounding albums over the years and deserves a better reputation than they get

[@santiall73]

yeah, it is one of those 'internet things'. It is true that T75s aren't the 'best' speakers for some amplifiers/some metal styles, and probably they got the reputation from there, but otherwise are much more popular than some people would actually believe

[@StratsRUs]

Excellent .Thanks, guys !

[@TheOtherJohnBrowne]

This was amazing and should have been twice as long

[@LucaMilierimusic]

OMG I totally missed this! So cool! Thanks!

[@LeonTodd]

You are so welcome!

[@pablokettenhofen]

@Leontodd thank you very much. A living leyend who shapped the modern marshall tone.

[@nickvankempen]

Great interview! Would love to hear more on Santiago’s experience with Yngwie. Next interview perhaps?

[@LeonTodd]

Definitely need him back again!

[@Old-Skull.]

Baron por siempre, Good to see you Santi from another Spaniard stranded in London a big, big hug. and remember " los rockeros no son buenos"

[@santiall73]

thanks a lot, Baron were such an inspiration back in the day. Well, still are!

[@patricetrahan7287]

Such a great interview, that section about country regulation impacting gear imports was educational - never thought there was such a thing! So was the whole gate explanation, wondering if marshall will release such a gate as stand alone pedal ;) THANKS!

[@LeonTodd]

Santiago is the best! I've got another video with him coming this week

[@darthslater6077]

MY SATRIANI 410 IS THE BEST MARSHALL I EVER HAD..I DID HAVE ANOTHER VERY NICE 69 IT WAS MODDED AND HAD 6550S IT ALSO HAD A REALLY GOOD TONE BUT WAS MODDED HEAVY I HAD A REGULAR 410H I GOT RID OF IT TO GET THE JS..APPLES AND ORANGES, THE JS IS SO MUCH BETTER IN ALL ASPECTS.

[@tylerscott1217]

Everyone sleeping on these podcasts are really missing out. There is some great information here.

[@petemarshall254]

Thanks!

[@Robstafarian]

It saddens me to hear that Cliff from Fractal Audio did not include Steve Fryette in his list of respected amp designers.

[@LeonTodd]

He mentioned Fryette in an older post here - forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/for-those-wishing-for-an-archon-in-your-axe.122013/#post-1451925

[@Robstafarian]

@@LeonTodd Thanks for that link and understanding that I was not being a fanboy (well, maybe a little).

[@hoosierdaddy2308]

Thank you guys for having Santiago on .. What a great story.. I had both the VAMP and the Rack POD.. THe Vamp was better and actually sounded great.. I one time recorded For the love of god using the backing tracks Vai sold and my ex gf kept embarrassing me by showing people the recording.. Too funny.. Great video.. Great info.. Thanks guys.. Really appreciate it and thank you Santiago! You are the man sir! Best regards from the Heartland USA. Tim

[@LeonTodd]

What a guy hey!

[@hoosierdaddy2308]

@@LeonTodd Absolutely man.. Great guy..

[@santiall73]

thank you!

[@Gearhorder]

@@santiall73are you still designing amps for Marshall?

[@santiall73]

@@Gearhorder hey, no, I left some time ago. I am working on some amplifiers, just not for Marshall

[@marvelharris9540]

Is Santiago designing amps for other companies now? I didn't catch what he was saying about his electronics business

[@LeonTodd]

I believe so

[@Wyldwulf]

Leon, Santiago apparently designed the Guitarslinger 87 pedal. It's an ass ugly pedal trying to capture that Sykes 87 tone. There are abyssally few demos of that pedal. As a Sykes fan it would be a good one for you to try. I have been apprehensive to pull the trigger on one, but its intent makes it hard not to.

[@fabiol.9161]

Was it live? What a pity i missed.. But i live in Italy..

[@LeonTodd]

We pre-record these

[@fabiol.9161]

​@@LeonToddok thanks

[@wabisabi7399]

Guys, let him talk. Don't interupt.

[@rtaylor1105]

I have both a v amp rack mount and a head. I was impressed with both not just the price. still use them

[@martincockburn6821]

Great interview 👍 love my jvm and jvmhjs... Thank you @santiall73 for these amps 🤘

[@LeonTodd]

The circle is complete now!

[@martincockburn6821]

@@LeonTodd would've been good to hear more on the hJS...but good excuse to have him back on 😛😅

[@santiall73]

thank you!

[@martincockburn6821]

@@santiall73 so many good tones... such inspirational amps. every time i plug in and crank it I just go oh yeah with a big smile on my face 🙂

[@santiall73]

@@martincockburn6821 that's the goal, isn't it?

[@SimmoPlaysGuitar]

That was Awesome! Great show gents 👍 Mr Alvarez brought up a lot of points that as guitar players I don’t think we think about, like compliance of products. With each podcast I feel like I gain a little more knowledge 🤘

[@santiall73]

probably better if guitar players don't know hahahah