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Post by Snoop Droobie Doge Doge on Aug 26, 2017 3:41:25 GMT
I have no intention of ever selling my JCM 800, but for whatever reason I am really drawn to 4 hole Marshalls with some tweaks. And this dude isn't helping. It's a 100 watt Superlead with a one wire mod, which cascades one of the channels (which one depends on how you choose to wire it up), a ppimv to help control the gain structure and volume level, and a few small changes in the tone stack to tame the extra bass added by the extra gain. So really, it's a JCM 800 with a darker tone stack, different filtering, and more gain because a changed resistor value going into V1 lets a louder signal pass into it. And I so very much want to buy a Superlead and "ruin" it exactly like that.
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Post by Snoop Droobie Doge Doge on Aug 26, 2017 9:50:39 GMT
This amp has a regular PPIMV, but with a really high end PEC pot instead of a cheapo alpha pot. Turns out that makes a huge difference in sound quality as you dial the volume down. The tone really holds up, which can't be said for a PPIMV that isn't set up well with good components.
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Post by Colchar on Aug 26, 2017 15:56:08 GMT
The Vintage Moderns are essentially four holers. The 'body' and 'detail' controls work like the two volume controls on a jumpered four holer. I have also read about a couple of very simple mods for them that add some bass and make it a bit darker. You could get a used VM for much less money than either of those amps, and they come in 100 watt (2466) and 50 watt (2266) heads as well as the 50 watt (2266C) 2x12 combos (the one I have). I have also read that a simple preamp tube change (just one of them, but I can't remember which position) really tames the fizziness one can sometimes find with them. And they have a PPIMV and effects loop.
They use the KT66 valve so are like the old JTMs. The low dynamic range is basically a jumpered Bluesbreaker and the high dynamic range is supposed to be like a hot rodded, and jumpered, JMP.
Just a thought.
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Post by Snoop Droobie Doge Doge on Aug 27, 2017 4:25:27 GMT
Yeah I really quite like the VM, the fizz is worst at low volume. I wish Marshall had put more time into the Master Volume setup on those, I think with a little tweaking a VM could easily stand toe to toe with a Friedman for a third of the money.
I think to pull the trigger on a VM I would need to fall more in love with KT66s. For starters, I've mostly gravitated to amps with EL34s or EL84s. The midrange hump as you push those tubes is a bit more pronounced than KT66s. But I would like to spend more time with a KT66 amp and really dial it in, because they do have firmer bass response if you aren't pushing "flub" levels of bass.
BTW, without even googling, I'd bet you money that "tube change" is a 12AT7 in V1 or V2. It'd probably add brightness in the PI spot, and if the pre amp is bright enough, lowering the gain in V1 or V2 would likely let more bass response come in. A 12AY7 in a circuit with that much gain might not make as much a difference. But maybe that's what all the cool kids are doing these days?
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Post by Snoop Droobie Doge Doge on Aug 27, 2017 4:56:27 GMT
Honestly I may mod the 2203. Since it's already cascaded and just a few resistor value changes would get it going, plus I can mod the low (non cascaded) channel to be a bit more in the angry plexi ballpark that it is because it's choked off by the circuit intentionally. I also have a mind to mess with the tone stack til it's basically a plexi with some SLO sort of definition going on - also actually mega simple. And I already plan on doing a full service on it myself when I get around to buying a new soldering iron, a set of tubes, and filter caps. I've actually got half a mind to start a side business as a tech for a bit extra cash. This stuff isn't really too difficult. I've been taking shit apart and putting it back together for as long as I can remember.
I also want to move the 2203 chassis into a head cabinet, from the combo, because in combo form the whole thing is just too heavy. Heavier than an AC30 - which is oh my god. Awful. So awful. One reason I don't own an AC30 combo- it would never leave my house.
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Post by Colchar on Aug 27, 2017 16:51:50 GMT
Yeah I really quite like the VM, the fizz is worst at low volume. I wish Marshall had put more time into the Master Volume setup on those, I think with a little tweaking a VM could easily stand toe to toe with a Friedman for a third of the money. I haven't bothered yet, but there are a couple of simple mods that get rid of that. As mentioned above, one of the simplest solutions seems to involve simply swapping one of the preamp tubes for one with a lower gain factor. I felt similar but always loved the Bluesbreaker and the VM are kind of a cheaper Bluesbreaker (especially the combo that I have). I think it might have been a 12AU7, but I am going from memory so could be completely wrong about that. And I cannot remember which position they were talking about. When playing mine last night I noticed some noise from it (white noise I guess you'd call it). It existed on low dynamic range and was really pronounced in high dynamic range. I guess that means I will have to take it into the shop to have it sent out for repair. They will either send it to their head office (same company as Traynor amps so it would be Traynor people working on it) or to an amp tech who lives around the corner from me and is the go to guy for Marshalls around here. Either way, it is under warranty so it won't cost me jack shit. Once the noise has been taken care of I will look into the tube swap.
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Post by Colchar on Aug 27, 2017 16:54:57 GMT
Honestly I may mod the 2203. Since it's already cascaded and just a few resistor value changes would get it going, plus I can mod the low (non cascaded) channel to be a bit more in the angry plexi ballpark that it is because it's choked off by the circuit intentionally. I also have a mind to mess with the tone stack til it's basically a plexi with some SLO sort of definition going on - also actually mega simple. And I already plan on doing a full service on it myself when I get around to buying a new soldering iron, a set of tubes, and filter caps. I've actually got half a mind to start a side business as a tech for a bit extra cash. This stuff isn't really too difficult. I've been taking shit apart and putting it back together for as long as I can remember. I also want to move the 2203 chassis into a head cabinet, from the combo, because in combo form the whole thing is just too heavy. Heavier than an AC30 - which is oh my god. Awful. So awful. One reason I don't own an AC30 combo- it would never leave my house. There is a 2203 (I think that is correct - it is a 100 watt JCM800, but the Canadian version) and mint 4x12 cab with Vintage 30s available about 45 minutes from me for $1300. That amp is waaaay too loud for my needs but I am sorely tempted to buy it simply for the purposes of flipping it.
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Post by Snoop Droobie Doge Doge on Aug 30, 2017 5:32:31 GMT
I actually prefer the early KT66 Superleads. Those amps were running like 600+ plate voltage. Fucking insane. Almost no one will do that these days except boutique builders. The tone of those things Without hearing said white noise myself, I'd be tempted to speculate that's just part of the amp design. Mind you I haven't played a VM in a few years, but pretty much all tube Marshalls except the JVM are very noisy, and I don't remember the VM striking me as any less so. In fact, with the pre amp dimed, and volume on ten on the guitar, at any volume on my 2203 there is a good bit of noise. And it has less gain the VM maxed on the low dynamic range. But my house has crap wiring and I definitely need a retube and probably some new filter caps. ... There's a reason the signature Kerry King 2203 model has a noise gate built in along with an eq boost based on the 10-band put in front of his stock 2203s. He runs KT88s but that doesn't bring the noise floor down at all. If it's the 100 watt single channel amp, it's the 2203. For the 1300 with the cab that's a great deal if everything really is mint. I mean that is a seriously good deal.
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Post by Colchar on Aug 30, 2017 15:51:45 GMT
That JCM800 sold. Someone got a great deal.
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Post by Snoop Droobie Doge Doge on Aug 31, 2017 5:26:04 GMT
No joke. When I bought mine I felt like a king. A king with absolutely no cash left. But a king no less. That really wasn't how I felt when I bought my JCM900 50w Dual Reverb. Don't get me wrong having a 4x12 halfstack crammed into my tiny ass room impressed every girl I brought over. I did have fun with that amp, without girls.
But my god the gain, especially on the distortion channel was so fizzy and ragged sounding compared to the 2203s - and I paid more for the goddamn thing than my 2203! Sure as FUCK didn't sell for what I paid. That really was the grunge era amp. Not the worst sound and it got used on a lot of post-grunge and alternative records, hell Billie Joe Armstrong even used one for Kerplunk! and on tour way back when - even though he didn't use it when Green Day recorded Dookie, it's in the music video for Basket Case. It's a case in point though the guitar sound got way better when he switched to modded Superleads. And what he uses is basically just one-wire-modded with a master volume. The live sound, with four of those going into a full stack for each is fucking nuts. Billie as a player doesn't sound like EVH but gear wise he's been trying to cop his tone (and coming close) for years.
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