Marshall Bluesbreaker

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The Marshall Bluesbreaker was a guitar amplifier made by Marshall. The amplifier was a combo amplifier available with four ten-inch speakers (model 1961), or two twelve-inch speakers (model 1962). The amplifier was introduced in 1965 and was discontinued in 1966. The amp was not 45 watts as is popular belief, but 30 watts (the name "JTM45" usually makes people believe it is 45 watts) there were, however, variations of the jtm45 including a 50 watt model. The amp featured tremolo. Today the 2x12 model is the best known iteration as the 4x10" Bluesbreaker has never been reissued.

When Eric Clapton was invited to join John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, he asked Jim Marshall to produce a combo amplifier with tremolo which would fit in the boot of his car, and this most famous Marshall amp was born, the so called "Bluesbreaker" amp. It is essentially a JTM45 in a combination cabinet and unlike later Marshall amps, it did not use EL34 output tubes but instead KT66. Clapton is prominently heard playing his Gibson Les Paul guitar through the Bluesbreaker on the 1966 Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton album, popularly known as the "Beano" album. Using this amplifier Clapton was one of the first to popularise the now-familiar sound of a Les Paul being played through a heavily distorted Marshall amplifier. It is not known whether Clapton used the 1961 or the 1962 and the subject is often debated among dedicated Clapton enthusiasts. After his stint with the Bluesbreakers Clapton formed Cream and began using larger and more powerful Marshall amplifiers, and in doing so moved away from the distinctive sound he had created with the Bluesbreaker.