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Post by Colchar on Nov 14, 2016 22:35:52 GMT
I have been thinking lately that I kind of want a new amp. Don't get me wrong my Traynor YGL1 is a very good amp, especially for home use, but I want something else. My favourite tones have always been the Marshall Plexi type tones as well as the classic blackfaced Fender tones (moreso the Marshall than the Fender, but it is very close). I have been thinking of grabbing a Deluxe Reverb but am also wondering if perhaps I should grab a good Marshall instead? The thing is, I can't afford a vintage Marshall so I don't know which more recent Marshall offering would get me close to the classic Plexi sound. I would want this amp for playing blues and classic rock and would be primarily playing my Partscaster '60s style Tele through it (four way switch so it goes from twang to Yardbirds/early Zeppelin), although I also have a Gibby LP Traditional and an Epi Les Paul Custom (currently set up for slide, although I am still just learning to play slide).
Does anyone have any suggestions for which amps would meet the following criteria?
1) Combo 2) 12" speaker 3) 50 watts or less 4) Classic Plexi type sounds 5) Preferably under $1000 (I am more than happy to buy used so the original seling price can be higher than that)
The following videos were done by a member across the road and his tone haunts my dreams:
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Post by Maxwell on Nov 15, 2016 1:48:09 GMT
See if they have one of the Marshall RI Silver Jubilee combos up there in your stomping grounds... My tech has a real Silver Jubilee combo and it is bad to the bone...
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Post by Colchar on Nov 15, 2016 2:54:59 GMT
See if they have one of the Marshall RI Silver Jubilee combos up there in your stomping grounds... My tech has a real Silver Jubilee combo and it is bad to the bone... The store I deal with has one of those heads in stock (at least I think it is the same head). Some regular customers I know were trying it out a couple of weeks back and it sounded OK through the Marshall cab. When they plugged it into a Traynor cab the amp sounded much better. Through that cab it was a righteous amp.
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Post by Snoop Droobie Doge Doge on Nov 15, 2016 18:05:28 GMT
I got my JCM 800 for under 1000 USD.
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Post by Colchar on Nov 15, 2016 23:03:36 GMT
I got my JCM 800 for under 1000 USD. I would love to find one. I was at the guitar store earlier today and asked my buddy who works there to do a search for me but none came up. He said that the last time one came into their store they priced it at $899 but it didn't even make it onto the floor - a customer snagged it immediately. The one that came in before that didn't hit the floor either and was snagged by another friend of mine who used to work there.
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Post by Snoop Droobie Doge Doge on Nov 16, 2016 3:55:10 GMT
An original run single channel or jubilee in good shape is worth scoring. They actually sell for less than the reissues do. I don't have much love for the split channel amps. Single channel sounds much warmer, and responds well to volume changes before the amp, and pedals. No need for channel switching here. Though a boost for leads is highly recommended.
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Post by Marshall 'n' Moonshine on Nov 17, 2016 1:15:39 GMT
My JCM 800 4104 (2204 circuit) is all of that, but a 2x12 combo. There's a 1x12 version, but it can't be THAT much lighter, compared to being able to mix speakers. They're less than a grand, all the time. It's not EXACTLY a plexi tone, but damn close, if you set it right. Easy to do. They're not collector items yet, so you can mod the shit out of em. PPIMV might be a good one. Metro amp makes a loop that'll go in, as well, if you need that.
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Post by Snoop Droobie Doge Doge on Nov 17, 2016 2:19:54 GMT
Imo Marshall goodness through a 1x12 is sacrilege.
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Post by Colchar on Nov 17, 2016 3:02:27 GMT
Imo Marshall goodness through a 1x12 is sacrilege. Since I only play at home I don't ever have to move the amp more than a few feet so I am happy to go with a 2x12. Another option is a vintage, or vintage style, Traynor. The originals were copies of the Bassman, which is what the original Marshalls were copies of. A bunch of vintage Traynor models are so damned close to vintage Marshalls they they can be modded to those specs with just a few simple component changes.
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Post by Snoop Droobie Doge Doge on Nov 17, 2016 4:17:21 GMT
Yeah, a YBA-1 is what, 500 bucks? I've thought about getting one myself.
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Post by Maxwell on Nov 17, 2016 22:15:37 GMT
Traynors are loud as hell.... Sound good too....
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Post by jdto on Nov 17, 2016 22:57:09 GMT
It's funny, I've been having similar Marshall GAS, but thinking about getting something small and low-powered for living room and late night. The 1W anniversary models might be a decent option for that, although they seem pricy when you can even find them.
My YBA-1 Mod1 sounds good. It's more Marshally than the YGL1, and even on the 0.1W setting, it gets pretty loud. Apparently, the "attenuator" on it is actually a PPIMV. Either way, it works pretty well. I was also considering getting a Weber Mass attenuator so I can push the YBA-1 Mod1 a little harder while still controlling the volume.
Anyway, I don't think the YBA-1 Mod1 sounds exactly like a Marshall, but it's in the right neighbourhood and it rocks.
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Post by Colchar on Nov 18, 2016 1:10:52 GMT
Yeah, a YBA-1 is what, 500 bucks? I've thought about getting one myself. Unfortunately the prices are going up. People have figured out that they are desirable and are asking much more for them now. There was some discussion of this on a Canadian guitar forum and someone there was saying that the market will correct itself. But at the moment, prices are high.
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Post by Colchar on Nov 18, 2016 1:13:56 GMT
Traynors are loud as hell.... Sound good too.... If there is any paint or wallpaper in your house that needs peeling, just crank up a vintage Traynor and let 'er rip.
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Post by Colchar on Nov 18, 2016 1:45:16 GMT
It's funny, I've been having similar Marshall GAS, but thinking about getting something small and low-powered for living room and late night. The 1W anniversary models might be a decent option for that, although they seem pricy when you can even find them. Those one watters are a great idea, but the prices are a bit out of line for a one watt amp. I was actually going to ask you about your YBA and whether it got into Marshall territory. I think I might have posted these before but Donna Grantis, who used to teach guitar at Long & McQuade's Mississauga location and later became Prince's guitar player, plays both the modern and vintage YBAs and here are a couple of videos of her playing hers (I think these vids are done using the modern one, but it could be one of her modded vintage ones - modded by the assistant manager at the Mississauga store). I think she sounds great in these vids and would be more than happy with this kind of sound (granted, I will never have fingers like hers but still......): After she joined his band Prince went out and got a couple of the new YBAs as well and there is at least one video out there of her on stage with Prince and all the guitar amps are YBAs.
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Post by jdto on Nov 18, 2016 3:23:01 GMT
Yeah, she sounds great. I am quite pleased with the tone of my YBA-1 so far.
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Post by Snoop Droobie Doge Doge on Nov 18, 2016 4:08:35 GMT
I'm sure careful EQ would get you pretty close. But it's not hard to find good deals on old Marshalls if you look long enough. Though, I would imagine they are just a tad more plentiful down here. I would definitely call around local guitar stores and keep an eye on CL, Kijiji, and eBay.
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Post by Colchar on Nov 18, 2016 8:52:41 GMT
I'm sure careful EQ would get you pretty close. But it's not hard to find good deals on old Marshalls if you look long enough. Though, I would imagine they are just a tad more plentiful down here. I would definitely call around local guitar stores and keep an eye on CL, Kijiji, and eBay. The store that I shop at is part of Canada's largest chain of gear stores. I have friends who work there and not only can I have them check their national inventory, I can have them keep their eyes open and let me know when anything comes in.
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Post by Maxwell on Nov 18, 2016 13:40:46 GMT
I think you need a full stack because you've never had one before as we have. You could put a cab on each side of your recliner and get the full effect.
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Post by Maxwell on Nov 18, 2016 13:41:48 GMT
Of course we can't hear shit anymore but it'll be fun...
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Post by Colchar on Nov 18, 2016 14:52:05 GMT
I can't hear shit anymore either. Too many years spent listening to loud music, and working in bars where loud music was playing (often right next to the stage speakers while working as a bouncer), means that my ears are shot. I have noise induced hearing loss already.
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Post by Maxwell on Nov 18, 2016 15:48:06 GMT
Hell, everybody does nowadays....
These damn kids that are merged with earbuds are gonna be deaf as hell in their thirties...
I try like hell to watch my hearing around loud... Bought some good ear plugs a while back to wear at rehearsal as we've been practicing with a horn section for a festival early spring... Gets loud as two hells with the full band with horns...
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Post by Snoop Droobie Doge Doge on Nov 18, 2016 18:56:29 GMT
I'm kinda pissed I sold my 1960A cab, it was nice and broken in. But, the '90s GT12T-75s don't sound nearly as good as the first run speakers from the mid '80s. Think they made some small changes in the first few years. Really wanna get a couple cabs with creambacks in 'em. Love the fat greenback sound but for the heavier stuff, a slightly higher wattage speaker with firmer bass is good to have. Only reason I even bring this up, is that as good as the 2x12 JCM 800 combos sound, they are open back. And there is nothing like turning up into a closed back 4x12 and blasting away. Yes, it's louder, and it's not as practical, and you lose a little bit of presence... But fuck me, it's just special. Ed, when I was in jazz band, for three years every day I had a full trumpet section right behind me blasting into my left ear. THEY WERE NEVER FUCKING IN TUNE EITHER. Seriously I had to yell at them to tune together to the fucking piano.
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Post by Colchar on Nov 18, 2016 19:11:05 GMT
Hell, everybody does nowadays.... These damn kids that are merged with earbuds are gonna be deaf as hell in their thirties... I try like hell to watch my hearing around loud... Bought some good ear plugs a while back to wear at rehearsal as we've been practicing with a horn section for a festival early spring... Gets loud as two hells with the full band with horns... The only reason I am looking at a 50 watt or less amp is that I figured I had to. If I could, I would go for something a lot smaller not only because I can't really crank an amp, but because I don't want to so as to preserve my hearing. Someone on another forum has a boutique 5 watt Marshall clone that he has offered me. I know the guy who built it, not well but I've met him a couple of times as he is a friend of friends of mine. And those friends, all of whose opinions I trust unreservedly, say that the guy builds great stuff. The guy on the other forum is only getting rid of it because he has two of them and is keeping the one that he added some stuff to (effects loop, if I remember correctly) along with his JCM800. He hasn't posted clips of the amp he has offered me, but he has posted clips of the other one and it does early to mid career AC/DC all day long. I'll have to ask him what it is like for more vintage, bluesy stuff. Or maybe a Deluxe Reverb is the way to go. If I buy a Marshall in a box pedal (no shortage of those out there) I can have the bluesy Fender sounds and then at least get something approximating the Marshall sounds that I am after by turning on the pedal.
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Post by Marshall 'n' Moonshine on Nov 18, 2016 23:22:46 GMT
I'm kinda pissed I sold my 1960A cab, it was nice and broken in. But, the '90s GT12T-75s don't sound nearly as good as the first run speakers from the mid '80s. Think they made some small changes in the first few years. Really wanna get a couple cabs with creambacks in 'em. Love the fat greenback sound but for the heavier stuff, a slightly higher wattage speaker with firmer bass is good to have. Only reason I even bring this up, is that as good as the 2x12 JCM 800 combos sound, they are open back. And there is nothing like turning up into a closed back 4x12 and blasting away. Yes, it's louder, and it's not as practical, and you lose a little bit of presence... But fuck me, it's just special. Ed, when I was in jazz band, for three years every day I had a full trumpet section right behind me blasting into my left ear. THEY WERE NEVER FUCKING IN TUNE EITHER. Seriously I had to yell at them to tune together to the fucking piano. ^^^ That's the truth, all day long. My open back 2x12 combo sounds entirely different than a closed 4x12. To me, that's in a good way. I don't play anything that requires tight bass or that kind of volume. I love the looseness of the open back, and how it floods a stage with sound. They really are tools for the job. If I played something that really needed to thump, I'd certainly have a slant cab. It my stuff is mostly the Americana/country side of bluesrock/ southern/classic rock and the combo is ideal for me.
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Post by Maxwell on Nov 19, 2016 5:33:42 GMT
All bullshit aside, a DR and a Soul Food boost is all you need. Blues machine from hell... Push on the DR preamp with the Soul Food and you got more stank than you can stand... You can leave the overdrive knob at zero and just crank the V knob on the Soul Food.. Mondo Badassery...
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Post by Snoop Droobie Doge Doge on Nov 19, 2016 13:01:14 GMT
I haven't found something the Soul Food sounds bad in front of yet. It even sounds good through my little Epiphone Studio 10, which I never use, and does not sound good.
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Post by Colchar on Nov 19, 2016 13:57:25 GMT
All bullshit aside, a DR and a Soul Food boost is all you need. Blues machine from hell... Push on the DR preamp with the Soul Food and you got more stank than you can stand... You can leave the overdrive knob at zero and just crank the V knob on the Soul Food.. Mondo Badassery... If that combination can do fat and creamy I am in. I have been thinking about it since my last post and, the more I do think about it, the more I realize that a DR and some pedals is the way to go. That will provide more versatility than other options. Want Fender sounds? Covered. Want overdrive? Easily accomplished with pedals. Want Marshally sounds? A Marshall in a box pedal gets you there.
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Post by Marshall 'n' Moonshine on Nov 19, 2016 15:07:06 GMT
All bullshit aside, a DR and a Soul Food boost is all you need. Blues machine from hell... Push on the DR preamp with the Soul Food and you got more stank than you can stand... You can leave the overdrive knob at zero and just crank the V knob on the Soul Food.. Mondo Badassery... If that combination can do fat and creamy I am in. I have been thinking about it since my last post and, the more I do think about it, the more I realize that a DR and some pedals is the way to go. That will provide more versatility than other options. Want Fender sounds? Covered. Want overdrive? Easily accomplished with pedals. Want Marshally sounds? A Marshall in a box pedal gets you there. Pussy.
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Post by jdto on Nov 19, 2016 15:25:04 GMT
I played a DSL5c last night at L&M Bloor and it didn't sound great. I'm wondering if it was the shitty cables they had there or that particular amp. It was fizzy and farty at the "low power" mode on the classic channel and there was a lot of noise. I fiddled with it a bit, but didn't have much time, so couldn't dial in a good tone. The OD channel with the gain at about 1 and the volume at 4 or 5 got me some decent sounds. They had the cowboy tolex model right beside it, but it was closing time, so I didn't fire it up.
I played a Gretsch 5122 and an Epi ES-339, as they were right there at hand.
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