Cant stand my marshall

[Chris Jahn]

Ive been playing heavy high gain guitar for who knows how long, and about a year ago i switched from a line 6 rack mount modeler that ran through a power amp, to a plain old marshall jcm 900, and i hate it.


I wanted tubes, i wanted straight forward, but it's just not the sound i wanted with any guitar, or any cab.

I want the versitlillity to go from heavy heavy hardcore metal sounds, to more AC/DC rock and roll sounds, to nice clean tone.

Ive been looking at the Orange rockaverb 50, and i love it, but its really expensive, almost 2 grand. anyone out there have a recomondation for somthing that does what i need for a lot cheaper!!!!

[BrentDomann]

If you really liked your modeling pre-amp, what about coupling that with a Marshall power amp, like a 50/50? Have you looked for one of the older JMP-1s? You could put one of those in front of a poweramp as well. I think MF still has them, and they are about $1400, but they seem like a good compromise...more straightforward, but still MIDI controlled, etc. I don't know what they run used.

[NL5]

Originally Posted by Chris Jahn

I want the versitlillity to go from heavy heavy hardcore metal sounds, to more AC/DC rock and roll sounds, to nice clean tone.

Randall MTS is about the only amp I know of that can do all that..........And more.......

Want a killer hard rock/metal tone - Put a Keeley 808 in front of a RM20B with the tweed module.

[giraffe]

Originally Posted by NL5

Randall MTS is about the only amp I know of that can do all that..........And more.......

second.........

[metalhead28]

Originally Posted by Chris Jahn

Ive been playing heavy high gain guitar for who knows how long, and about a year ago i switched from a line 6 rack mount modeler that ran through a power amp, to a plain old marshall jcm 900, and i hate it.


I wanted tubes, i wanted straight forward, but it's just not the sound i wanted with any guitar, or any cab.

I want the versitlillity to go from heavy heavy hardcore metal sounds, to more AC/DC rock and roll sounds, to nice clean tone.

Ive been looking at the Orange rockaverb 50, and i love it, but its really expensive, almost 2 grand. anyone out there have a recomondation for somthing that does what i need for a lot cheaper!!!!

Well....I've gotten all of those sounds out of a JCM900.

[IronFlippy]

Have you tried using an overdrive pedal in front of the amp? What cab are you using? Guitar? Pickups? There are a ton of factors that contribute to the sound of a tube amp. The Line 6 you had produced basically one sound, no matter what guitar you used. Switching from a modeler to an SS or tube amp will give you a more pronounced mid range. Before chucking the Marshall, I'd experiment with settings and trying out different pickups. The Marshall should produce the sounds you're looking for. The sound is light years away from a modeler, and takes a while to adjust, especially if you've used the modeler for so long.

[NL5]

Hmmmm,

In my experience, the 900 never had too great of a clean sound. But I guess thats a matter of opinion. I've always been partial to a "Fendery" kind of clean. The 900 is a decent amp though, which should do an OK job of doing an Angus Young sound, and do an OK metal sound - however, I don't think it does either well, and certainly has nowhere near the versatility of a MTS amp- especially if you get the 4 channel preamp and mate it with the dual power amp - one side is 6L6's and the other is EL34's - pretty much covers 95% of the bases.......

[metalhead28]

Originally Posted by NL5

Hmmmm,

In my experience, the 900 never had too great of a clean sound. But I guess thats a matter of opinion. I've always been partial to a "Fendery" kind of clean. The 900 is a decent amp though, which should do an OK job of doing an Angus Young sound, and do an OK metal sound - however, I don't think it does either well, and certainly has nowhere near the versatility of a MTS amp- especially if you get the 4 channel preamp and mate it with the dual power amp - one side is 6L6's and the other is EL34's - pretty much covers 95% of the bases.......

I agree, it's not the pinnacle for any of those sounds. I just figured it was worth mentioning since he already has the amp.

However, I think they smoke for lead guitar tone. That's why I have one.

[Chris Jahn]

Its kinda to thin, i guess, i play a less paul through it, and i use a 1960 lead 4x12 cab.

The guitar is a deluxe that somone messed with at some point, i forget what the bridge pick up is, but its been changed.

its funny, i went to the local guitar shop (the one that actullay knows what its talking about as apposed to guitar center) and told them my problem so they suggested a new pick up, so i bought the one they suggested and had them install it, they call me a day later and say that when they opened it up it already had THAT pick up in there. so im kinda lost with what to do with that one.

I guess i just used to a more recitfied sound ( the sound i used on my line 6) and im not used to the marshall. Ill check out some of the suggestions people posted.

[Chris Jahn]

yeah for leads, its fine, anything that needs to cut through like that, but for chords and power chords it loses toneality, it jsut kinda blurs toghether, and no matter how i set the eq, there is an ever present anoying high end.

And the clean SUCKS. i want clean like a twin verb, and heavy like a mesa boogie, with in between like a really cranked 800

[NL5]

Originally Posted by metalhead28

I agree, it's not the pinnacle for any of those sounds. I just figured it was worth mentioning since he already has the amp.

However, I think they smoke for lead guitar tone. That's why I have one.

They are a good amp no doubt - the 900 is why I'm half deaf - Our guitar player back in the early nineties had a full stack and insisted on playing it on 11. We had a 10x30 concrete walled storage shed to practice in. I had a 1200W bass rig, and we mic'd the drums with a 3k watt PA. It was badass, but left me half deaf...

[NL5]

Originally Posted by Chris Jahn

And the clean SUCKS. i want clean like a twin verb, and heavy like a mesa boogie, with in between like a really cranked 800

Sounds like you need an MTS amp........

[capnkid]

Originally Posted by Chris Jahn

Its kinda to thin, i guess, i play a less paul through it, and i use a 1960 lead 4x12 cab.

The guitar is a deluxe that somone messed with at some point, i forget what the bridge pick up is, but its been changed.

its funny, i went to the local guitar shop (the one that actullay knows what its talking about as apposed to guitar center) and told them my problem so they suggested a new pick up, so i bought the one they suggested and had them install it, they call me a day later and say that when they opened it up it already had THAT pick up in there. so im kinda lost with what to do with that one.

I guess i just used to a more recitfied sound ( the sound i used on my line 6) and im not used to the marshall. Ill check out some of the suggestions people posted.

Call Bill Lawrence, he'll listen to what you need and make you a custom pickup. Do it, you won't be sorry, and it won't cost you much more than a massed produced pickup. I built a warmoth guitar about 3 years ago and Wanted a pickup that went from clean to good disortion and he made it happen, for like $80 bucks plus shipping I got a custom made bill lawrence pickup.

[Chris Jahn]

Ill check it out for shure, but have you heard the orange, they came out with a line of super high gain amps about three years ago, and they ROCK, its jsut the price.

Its the "rockaverb" series, check it out!!!!! Basically i know what i want, but was looking for a cheaper alternitive that mabye wasnt priced by name brand, mbye your randall is the answer!!

[Chris Jahn]

Ill chck out he pick up guy also, that last one was for NL5

[legionserial]

Originally Posted by Chris Jahn

Ill check it out for shure, but have you heard the orange, they came out with a line of super high gain amps about three years ago, and they ROCK, its jsut the price.

Its the "rockaverb" series, check it out!!!!! Basically i know what i want, but was looking for a cheaper alternitive that mabye wasnt priced by name brand, mbye your randall is the answer!!

Have you tried any Peavey 6505's or 5150's? I finally got the money together for a 6505 a few weeks ago (my first all-tube amp after 15 years of playing... embarrassingly ), and I fucking love it.

[Chris Jahn]

Yeah actually, the other guitar player in my old band back in seattle had one (the 5150) with a gibson, and it was quite nice now that i think about it. ive never heard the ohter one you mentioned, is that a new series?? What the claim to fame on those?

[legionserial]

The 6505 is the same amp. They don't make 5150's anymore since EVH broke his contract with Peavey. So they started calling them 6505's basically.

[Myriad_Rocker]

This thread makes me gas for an MTS.....screw you NL5.

[Farview]

Originally Posted by Chris Jahn

i want clean like a twin verb, and heavy like a mesa boogie, with in between like a really cranked 800

Yet you bought none of those amps. Tube amps tend to be one trick ponies. Even amps that will let you dial in a couple different sounds normally won't let you switch between them. If you really want a diverse set of sounds, the Pod is the way to go. I would send the pod through either a Marshall or Mesa power amp. It makes a BIG difference.

[Chris Jahn]

I do have a twin verb ( at my disposal) and even a nice low noise A/B switch, but i cant really do it live at the the moment cuz its it use. I wanted an all purpose amp for live aplications, fro recording ive got a bunch of stuff i can use anytime. and i no longer own the pod, it was sold a long time ago during a very desperate couldnt pay the rent period in my life (so sad)

but on that note, why not A/B/C through the best of everything? but thats tons of money, i dont know theres options out there, ill get it figured out!!

[jonnyc]

Originally Posted by Myriad_Rocker

This thread makes me gas for an MTS.....screw you NL5.

Got one sitting right behind me on loan from one of the bands I record and it's fan-fucking-tastic.

[NL5]

Originally Posted by Farview

Yet you bought none of those amps. Tube amps tend to be one trick ponies. Even amps that will let you dial in a couple different sounds normally won't let you switch between them. If you really want a diverse set of sounds, the Pod is the way to go. I would send the pod through either a Marshall or Mesa power amp. It makes a BIG difference.

You want diverse sounds w/o a crappy modeler? Get an MTS amp - it's the ultimate "modeler". Certainly not a one trick pony. It's the next best thing to owning 20+ EXPENSIVE amps......

[tom18222]

POD and an atomic amp.

you'll get everything and more.

[jonnyc]

Originally Posted by NL5

You want diverse sounds w/o a crappy modeler? Get an MTS amp - it's the ultimate "modeler". Certainly not a one trick pony. It's the next best thing to owning 20+ EXPENSIVE amps......

Yep, it's by far the coolest, most versatile amp I've ever had in the studio and if it's good enough for Michael Wagener it's good enough for me.