Best amps ever made

[BrownSound1]

In your opinion what are the best guitar amps ever made? My two personal favorites are rock standards ...the Marshall Super Lead Plexi 100 watter, and the venerable Fender Twin. All others are imitators and wannabes. :D

The rules for this are as follows...

Your selection must be an all tube amplifier, combo or head/cab.

No modelling amplifiers can be listed
No solid state amps!!!!

[The Scatologist]

Bogner Ecstacy

[Coyote]

Marshall JCM 900 SL-X

[Panamark]

Originally posted by BrownSound1
In your opinion what are the best guitar amps ever made? My two personal favorites are rock standards ...the Marshall Super Lead Plexi 100 watter, and the venerable Fender Twin. All others are imitators and wannabes. :D

The rules for this are as follows...

Your selection must be an all tube amplifier, combo or head/cab.

No modelling amplifiers can be listed
No solid state amps!!!!


Agree 100% with the addition of the Marshall JCM800....

[SNIPER]

For bass: Ampeg pro2 & pro4 both kick ass.

[tjvhou812]

JCM 900
and

Peavey 5150 ll

[Matt White]

Haven't even thought about another amp after getting my JCM 900 100-watt head.............10+ years ago!

[m4dm4x]

Marshall studio 15, aka 4001

[Brett]

JCM800's for sure

Mesa-Boogie Dual Recto

Soldano SLO 100

[Don Corleone]

The Marshall Super Lead Plexi 100 watter is definately in there, also the Vox AC30 (I've had some killer sounds out of those things).

[BrownSound1]

I wondered how long before someone threw out a Vox AC30.

[Cathedral]

The Soldano Lucky 13 was the best amp i ever owned and used until it died.

I have never been a Marshall fan for some reason.

[ashstralia]

Originally posted by BrownSound1
I wondered how long before someone threw out a Vox AC30.


me too. great amps.

tweed bassmans sound great.

marshalls jubilee series is sadly underrated.

i've had some cool old peavy amps too.

i had this 70's thing with 4 6l6's, fuck it was loud!

[BrownSound1]

Originally posted by Cathedral
The Soldano Lucky 13 was the best amp i ever owned and used until it died.

I have never been a Marshall fan for some reason.

Most of the Marshalls I've owned have been quirky bastards. Just think of it like a woman, she has her ups and downs, but if you treat her good she'll moan for you all night. :D

[Big Fat Sammy]

For clean tones ----> (vintage) Fender Deluxe Reverb

Overdrive----> various Marshalls (if the AMP is having a good night)

For all around ---> the new Traynor combos

[kentuckyklira]

I´ve owned tons of amps.

The only ones I´m sure I´ll never ever sell are my 2 1971 Marshall MKII 100w Super Bass heads and my 1971 Marshall MKII 100w Super Lead head.

Especially the Super Basses rock like nothing else!

[JBall008]

Gorilla practice amp. Tube Crunch, Baby!


kidding...

[BrownSound1]

I can't believe there hasn't been a mention of HiWatt amps or Mesa/Boogie. Actually I can't stand Mesa/Boogie amps so I'm not too upset about that.

[RuzDNailz]

Peavy is always good for bass. Problem is, you gotta get the larger ones because those to me are the better ones. Personally, I use a small Traynor to practice on.

[Nitro Express]

My favorite amp was an original military wired Hiwatt 100. I actually rattled the drywall loose from the screws with that thing. Push it with a good overdrive or fuzz and it's a fucking monster. The clean sound is heaven. Think The Who or Pink Floyd.

[BrownSound1]

Originally posted by RuzDNailz
Peavy is always good for bass. Problem is, you gotta get the larger ones because those to me are the better ones. Personally, I use a small Traynor to practice on.

Thing about Peavey bass amps...well all of the ones I can think of are solid state, and thus don't qualify. Plus, the Ampeg SVT is probably the pinnacle of tube bass amps...although there are some others that are badass.

[Brett]

Originally posted by BrownSound1
I can't believe there hasn't been a mention of HiWatt amps or Mesa/Boogie. Actually I can't stand Mesa/Boogie amps so I'm not too upset about that.

You nut, I said Mesa weeks ago. Look up. :)

[BrownSound1]

You know...as soon as I saw you had posted again I remembered that you said the Dual Recto. Ok...so I'm surprised there hasn't been MORE mention of Mesa/Boogie. :D

[Brett]

These cheap fuckers can't afford them that's why. ;)

[jackassrock]

JCM 800

Seven years and still going strong. But I wish I could find a combo that sounds as good as this thing.

[jhale667]

1986 Mesa MKIII red stripe, simul-class. Heaven and Hell, baby. :)

[hollywood5150]

Peavy stereo chorus 212 combo that is what i use, and to add volume out goes to the crate g212 xl

it works for me

[houseofpain]

1994 Fender Blues Deluxe. Best tone I've ever had with an axe.
I like the Bad Cat Hell Cat for a boutique amp

[jhale667]

The Marshall Plexi Super Lead is a great one, and you can't go wrong with a Fender Twin for cleans...

The Mesa Boogie MK IIC+ is also great...

:guitar:

[CSM]

Carvin x-100b used by Zappa,Vai

http://www.carvinmuseum.com/images/vintageads/gftpmoct86vai-large.jpg

[al3d]

Marshall studio 15, aka 4001

Amen to that brotha..took me 2 years to find one..and i ain't ever selling it

[BlimpyCHIMP™]

The Carvin stock, is a tone-filtered noisey mess of an amp.

Vai and Zappa wouldn't use them stock! And they didn't.

[BlimpyCHIMP™]

my gallery of greats would include a couple solid-states, but that's another thead altogether.

My first amp: Harmony 300.. 12BH7A (awesome little output tube), 50C5 and a little 35W4 rectifier tube. Super simple, 6 inch speaker, Made in Japan in the 60s and there's tons of em around

[indeedido]

Marshall Super Lead/Plexi. #1 in my book. There are a lot of amps I like, such as the Marshall 6100 LSM, JSX (my current amp), JCM 800 2210, etc. But the Plexi is the shit

[houseofpain]

Hard to beat a Marshall Triple Super Lead for crunch and balls.
For pure tone, its gotta be a Fender Twin Reverb, blackface, or a Fender Super Reverb. Also dig the Vibrolux.

[GAR]

I have two Marshall heads, a JMP and an 800 both severely modded.

Fuck stock amps! I'll be adding two more stock Marshall heads, just running as slaves to the other two, but not for tone.

The Twin and Super are basic classics, though. They recorded probably 80 percent of American radio hits, but it was the British amps that changed the world.

My wish list currently is for a set of 4 heads from either Reeves or Fryette.

Reeves is like a modern Hiwatt, and a Fryette is the former VHT engineer Steve Fryette in Burbank who makes a mutha of a Hiwatt on steroids.. both botique, both handwired but the Fryette has a few more options like better channel switching.

If you run four heads, chaining the switching is a vital and welcome option.

[houseofpain]

Twins and Supers plus a tube screamer equals SRV sound!
No probs with the british amps. I love the VOX AC 30, and Marshall 900, Marshall Bluesbreaker, Bad Cats, Orange, and Laney. Hiwatts are a nice amp as are the original Kustom Tuck and Roll amps. For my money, its either Fender or Marshall.

[GAR]

oooooo... LAY-nee..

http://blog.oregonlive.com/news_impact/2009/03/large_homer.drool.jpg

::auggghgggg..agggghggagaagaaaggggg::

[GAR]

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WG0PVoTJZHs&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WG0PVoTJZHs&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>


Lay.. nee..

[Coyote]

Laney GH50L.

Shit, if it worked for Paul Gilbert...

[ELVIS]

<

Lay.. nee..

I hate it when people say Ozzy could never sing...Especially Dio...

That performance nor this one is are hardly examples of Ozzy's best vocals, but the vibe of each clip is pure magic...puts chills on me...

And check out the bass during the solo...

<object width="500" height="405"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/oJ-fmgv-3LM&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/oJ-fmgv-3LM&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="405"></embed></object>


:elvis:

[ELVIS]

As far as amps, I really like my Fender Deluxes, which I bought three of. Two have vintage 30's in them, but they really shine through a Marshall cab with greenbacks. They actually sound like a warm Super Lead...but I don't plug straight into them...I wonder what a modded one would sound like...

But the best stock amp I ever plugged into is a Fender Super Sonic...


:elvis:

[Gringo]

Nothing beats my Laney GH50L!
I once in a while try out other tube-heads, but no amps get even close to my Laney... It suits my style perfectly! People laugh when they see my Laney on stage- but when i crank the monster up no one laughs anymore.
:-)

[GAR]

Hiwatt DR201, the 200 watter.. it had the best, most perfect guitar string tone ever.

I was going over one at Route66 Guitars in Pasadena years and years ago, Scott and I were looking at this thing wondering "wtf is it?" because there was no badge and no panel, it was bare.

All it said on the back was a tag "Hylite electronics" but wow.. I to this day still haven't heard such a pure amp..

I would like a DR201 for its clean channel, but would add a dirty to it. Maybe they could do it at Fryette

[Diamondjimi]

Nothing beats my Laney GH50L!
I once in a while try out other tube-heads, but no amps get even close to my Laney... It suits my style perfectly! People laugh when they see my Laney on stage- but when i crank the monster up no one laughs anymore.
:-)

Laney's kick major ass,no doubt...

Gringo, how the fuck are ya?


Hiwatt DR201, the 200 watter.. it had the best, most perfect guitar string tone ever.

I was going over one at Route66 Guitars in Pasadena years and years ago, Scott and I were looking at this thing wondering "wtf is it?" because there was no badge and no panel, it was bare.

All it said on the back was a tag "Hylite electronics" but wow.. I to this day still haven't heard such a pure amp..

I would like a DR201 for its clean channel, but would add a dirty to it. Maybe they could do it at Fryette

Who is Scott? Your John!?

[GAR]

Who is Scott? Your John!?

Clamp the urethra, textpisser.

Scott was the owner of Route 66, he was a legendary vintage dealer before the trend started.

That's the shop that had Ian Hunter's two H guitars on consignment for alotta money..

http://www.darkfaery-subculture.com/wp-content/uploads/mott8lg.jpg

[GAR]

The vintage dealers are guys that, even if you can't afford their stuff, you need to develop relationships with them because sooner or later they find the buried treasures that turn up from time to time, as they themselves maintain relations with the players .. and when the rare stuff turns up you dreamed of having as a kid floats to the surface, it usually flows thru them.

Who wouldn't want the bragging rights to a Black Sabbath or Big Brother, or Jethro Tull Laney head? They change hands over the years..

How about a Jimi Hendrix Experience 4x12 cabinet with "J. H. EXP" spray logoed on the backboard, perhaps previously owned by Billy Cox or something with documentation like a handwritten bill of sale?

Or, like the thread we had awhile back, about the doctor EVH sent a new Wolfgang guitar to?

If you can't use a guitar or amp, or it doesn't sound good you cut it loose..

[Nitro Express]

Fender Dual Showman. Great for bass or guitar.

Peavey Penta. Nobody talks about this amp but it's very versatile.

5150 II. With a good set of tubes, a propper bias, and a good speaker cab, this amp can go from clean to warm, to rip your head off. Most people don't know how to EQ these heads or run them with a cold bias or the wrong cab. They are finicky but get eveything right and they are a great amp. Better than the 5150 III in my oppinion.

Kustom Double Cross. One of the best high gain amps for the price on the market.

[Diamondjimi]

Clamp the urethra, textpisser.



:fighting10:Eat a gun ,Nutlump ! :troll:

[ZahZoo]

Of the amps I've owned over the years the best were...

'65 Silvertone model 1485 - 120W with 6 10" speakers. Broke a 10'x6' picture window behind us doing a Hendrix like feedback at house warming party in 74.

'64 Fender Deluxe Reverb

'64 Fender Bassman - Still have the blonde cabinet with one of the 2 original 12" Jensens in it.

Sure wish I'd held onto those amps...

[ELVIS]

The vintage dealers are guys that, even if you can't afford their stuff, you need to develop relationships with them because sooner or later they find the buried treasures that turn up from time to time, as they themselves maintain relations with the players .. and when the rare stuff turns up you dreamed of having as a kid floats to the surface, it usually flows thru them.



Yeah, but ebay kind of put a stop to that...

I had a 69 PARK that I sold years ago for the same $400 I paid for it...maybe it was $600 I got, it made me sick when I watched one like it go for nearly $4000 on ebay...

But it had some traces of white spray paint on the top that someone had tried to remove, so somebody had it...

There's a pic of Sabbath with Tony Iommi standing in front of six of them floating around the internet...

But that amp was neat. It had a quartet of KT88's and was rated at 150 watts. It also had four tubes in the preamp section. I want to say that one was a 12AT7 and I put a 12AX7 in it but it was still very clean...and the chassis was aluminum with beautiful welds in the sides and corners. It looked like it was military grade...

I used it for Bass with the big Peavey cabinet with 2x18 BW's, two 10's and a horn...and wheels. It sounded like an Ampeg setup but brighter, even with the horn turned down...



:elvis:

[ELVIS]

Here's the pic in tiny form...stupid google...

It's four, not six, but that's the exact amp...

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ZSNYwKVh5Dt9uM:http://www.solarnavigator.net/music/music_images/black_sabbath_ozzy_osbourne_tony_iommi_1977.jpg

This is probably the 75 watt version as it's not as wide. Mine was 29 inches wide with an offset handle so you could carry it level, unlike a Marshall...and it was deeper too. It fit perfectly on top of a slanted cabinet.

http://www.jamesstevenson.info/images/tools/Park&#37;2045%201969.jpg

But I needed money and I chose to sell the Park over my '69 Super Bass which I still have.


:elvis:

[indeedido]

Here is one on the bay

1969 Park 75 ( Marshall Plexi ) dead mint UNREAL - eBay (item 270387449165 end time May-15-09 06:52:21 PDT) (http://cgi.ebay.com/1969-Park-75-Marshall-Plexi-dead-mint-UNREAL_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ66Q3a2Q7c65Q3a1 0Q7c39Q3a1Q7c240Q3a1318Q7c301Q3a0Q7c293Q3a1Q7c294Q 3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem3ef4590d4 dQQitemZ270387449165QQptZLHQ5fDefaultDomainQ5f0QQs alenotsupported)

[redfire]

Just for grins and giggles, anyone play on the Line 6 Spider Valve? I don't know exactly what the tubes in that do..... At any rate, I'll say this for a Laney, I wasn't exactly teaching this kid, but I would jam with him and show him scales and what not and he had this old 50 watt Laney that was killer. But the guy hated it because he couldn't get a good sound out of it. I lowered his bass from 10 to about 7.5, mid from 9 to 4, and raised the treble from like 2 to 6.5 and he decided it sounded great. To bad too, as far as amps I've owned and played that my friends owned, that was the best sound I've ever got just from the amp. And by contrast, the worst I'd ever played... or let me rephrase that, the most disappointed I've ever been is with a 5150 II. I don't know if someone had some different tubes in there, but it sounded like crap no matter how I EQed it. Probably why Ed's tone sounded like an electric ham sandwich on the VH3 tour.

I guess that's my point here, no matter what amp I play through, I need something else to make it just right. Whether that be various stomp boxes, or a digitech pedal (Rp-12 was the best), or whatever, the amp by its own has never been enough for me.

I guess to play ball and actually answer the question, I'd tow the party line here and say either a JCM 900, or a Vox AC30 (which I recently have come to appreciate.)

[BrownSound1]

JCM 900? Are you kidding? Man, I think those could be some of the worst Marshalls ever made.

[al3d]

JCM 900? Are you kidding? Man, I think those could be some of the worst Marshalls ever made.

NOt realy true..the first 2 years they used the JCM800 circuit with some mods..those were awsome. when they total redesigned it and added reverbrs, 2 channels, etc etc..they went downhill.

[indeedido]

I don't appreciate the JCM 900 series either. I also can't stand the 5150 II. The eq section in that amp is weak. You can turn any one of the controls from 3 to 9 and you won't hear a change. I bought one as soon as they came out. Thought it would be like the original but with separate eq sections so I sold mine before the II came in. I got it home and threw up.

[BrownSound1]

The JCM 900s I remember used diode clipping for that big gain they kept harping about. Sounded like total ass. I'm not a big fan of master volume amps to begin with, and to use diode clipping in one is just plain wrong. Hell, just use a stompbox.

[redfire]

The JCM 900s I remember used diode clipping for that big gain they kept harping about. Sounded like total ass. I'm not a big fan of master volume amps to begin with, and to use diode clipping in one is just plain wrong. Hell, just use a stompbox.

See, and that's prolly why I like it. I played basic Marshalls when I first started (since I'm not a pro, I wasn't going to spend more than $500.00) so I learned to balance a channel volume, gain and the master volume to get what I wanted.

[GAR]

I dumped some stuff in the last year of this thread, but kept two JCM800's: the 50 and the 100.

Not that they were fantastic amps, but the mods were from xlnt engineers who knew the math.

I've tried the Laney 50 and 100s, very very good and get the deep Diezel tone for a third of the price.

But the Diezel amps are rediculously good and are really special, I'll probably wind up with one eventually.

I do like the online demo's of the Mesa mk 5, but I really don't like the whole "crammed in a breadbox" thing, they way they package the mk series heads. I like having space for my big fat stubby fingers to roll the knobs without dinking the knob next to it. Maybe if they widened out their shit chassis or something, but for under 2K they're priced right at the Laney VH100 range, and the Laney's only a two channel amp. Mk5 is three.

[Blackflag]

In your opinion what are the best guitar amps ever made?

Mesa Blue Angel.

End of thread.

[kentuckyklira]

Bogner Ecstacy

Diezel VH4S

[kentuckyklira]

For clean tones ----> (vintage) Fender Deluxe Reverb

Overdrive----> various Marshalls (if the AMP is having a good night)

For all around ---> the new Traynor combos

Roland Jazz Chorus 120 for cleans! Can´t get any better!

[GAR]

I had a JC120 head version, was very happy with it.

One of the most oft-recorded and underrated amps ever.

[Hardrock69]

Marshall 100-watt Super Lead Plexi for dirty
1950s Fender Twin for clean.

A close second for the dirty would be 50-watt JCM800.

My head is a JMP 100-watt MK II Super Lead, and I love it. It gets the true Marshall tone I dreamed of having for my whole life.

[GAR]

You probably like cold oatmeal too.

Unmodded JMP's aint that great at all.

[Hardrock69]

YOU GODDAMNABLE FUCK!
Where in the FUCK did I say anything about my amp being stock or modded?!?!?!?!?

SHUT THE FUCK UP, LOSER!

Nice thinking from the fucking retard asshole with the plywood copy of a Charvel! :mad:

Unmodded JMPs may not be that great to YOU, GARFUCKLE, but your opinion is not worth the crap that comes out of your dog's ass after you spent the night fucking it!!

In fact, just about everything anyone posts in this fucking thread is something you do not like, are disgusted by, or you hate.

GO FUCK YOURSELF IN THE ASS WITH A RUSTY POST-HOLE DIGGER!!! :mad:
SIDEWAYS!

[Blackflag]

Look like somebody got offended...

[Hardrock69]

Garfuckle is always offended by people who actually own guitars, amps, and HIM.

You shut the fuck up also. Garfuckle is angry because you took his cock of your mouth, loser.

[Blackflag]

I love how 1) you have a tantrum like a child, right before 2) creppy homosexual defensive accusations. Such a predictable pattern.

[Hardrock69]

No accusations to it. You are a creppy homo-sekshul, cock-breath. Take your mancrush-fantasies to Garfuckle. He will love you all the more for it.

[Blackflag]

No accusations . . . You are a . . .

Very logical.


And your amp is not modded, either.

[GAR]

He's not saying whether he has or has not modded it.

Very telling, because after owning and playing a JMP for a year with rock album classics you start discriminating tone.. or at about age 16 whichever occured first.

Then after the dissatisfaction settles in, you realize "could it be possible so n so didn't use a JMP" even though concert photos show the fancy white logo?

Labels are for jars.. once the circuit board is diddled, it's not really a Marshall anymore is it, and if he had his JMP taken to a proper service guy to increase the gain I think he'd have mentioned it by now.

AND one more thing: purists after the "stock tone" have to be cornered in these type conversations as to what type of tone really is stock on these things, because none.. NO ONE, not a single one, had ever used a stock Marshall. Even when Hendrix or Townsend picked up their amp right off the bench, I bet Ken Bran or whoever the tech was that voiced the early ones, tweaked em from the get go because the only "stock" tone I have ever heard on a Who or Hendrix album were the Fenders.. or Boogies they bought later on.

[GAR]

IMO if you really love your pre-JCM900 and want to invest more than 300 in a new pedal to sound better?

You find a tube jockey who's into guitar first, that can massage another five 12AX7's up in that chassis..

[Nitro Express]

Actually peddles had a lot to do with the tone Hendrix and Townsend got. It had a lot to do with Jimmy Page's sound too. Hendrix used a Fuzz Face. Townsend used a Supra Fuzz, and Page used a Tone Bender. I get a great Hendrix tone running a Fuzz Face through my modded Valve Jr. amp using a 72 Strat with 68 reissue pickups on it. I get lot's of compliments. These old peddles seem to work the best with non master volume amps that are pretty basic. Of course if you crank the amp into clipping your power tubes and speakers become part of the overall thing happening. I've heard good tapes of Jimi playing through Fender amps and most people wouldn't hear the difference. His guitar and peddles had a lot to do with his tone.

[Nitro Express]

Actually when I lived in Salt Lake City I got to meet Jimmy Page at a fundraiser. His wife was raising money for their foundation that helps get Brazilian women out of prostitution. Jimmy was in Salt Lake making an appearance to raise money and I went and got to meet him. He's super nice actually and I got to hear him explain his take on amps and peddles. He said he actually liked smaller amps but had to use big stacks because Bonham was such a heavy drummer. He said the Tone Bender was a big part of his sound. He loved the Supro amp he used on the first album.

[GAR]

.. Jimmy page was really good friends with every good amp tech you read about from back in the day, you've lost the point by bringing in pedals.

We all know the pedals sound kicks in when someone from that time used a Supro, Silvertone or Fender, and they're nice sounds we know.

This thread's about Best Amps Made, and the JMP's that got famously recorded were modded to sound that way - aside from the production we got here in the states.

Different amps: the one on records, and the one you got in a music store. Therefore, the JMP and basically all "steel-paneled" ie nonplexi JMP Marshalls ARE NOT eligible candidates for "Best Amp Made." It's simply not true.

now the point then you bring up, the Fenders.. nobody doubts what a Deluxe or Twin do. Those are def among best amps made.

[Diamondjimi]

and if he had his JMP taken to a proper service guy to increase the gain I think he'd have mentioned it by now.


Excessive gain mods are for HACKS who use it to cover up their sloppy assed playing. (And yeah, I know it helps increase sustain, but so does a good guitar and some old fashiones VOLUME!) I tend to believe you fall into the first category.



This thread's about Best Amps Made, blah, blah, blah.horseshit on a shovel.....

If you were paying attention, HR was stating his opinion of what the best amp is to him ,Dipshit...

You own nothing as far as anyone here has seen. You're nothing but a simple yammering Cliff Clavin, no one cares what you have to say.

[jhale667]

Actually peddles

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/peddle?jss=0

Have nothing to do with guitar amps. Killin' me over here. Stop mis-peddling pedals. :rant:

There's a long history of amp-snobbery in this thread, especially from GARfail , who ironically in at least 6 years has failed to prove he even owns one. Tone is subjective so it's kind of asinine to sit around pontificating about how one example or the other couldn't possibly get someone a decent tone. But then consider the source.


I personally know people that dig their (un-modified) early JMPs. Some of them use clean boost or overdrive pedals in front of them. If it works for them, rock.

Here's an interesting read about JMPs...which also suggests the use of a hot-plate, btw...very cool for getting old Marshalls to growl at lower volumes, and cooler than excessive preamp gain mods...
http://www.marshallforum.com/marshall-amps/558-marshall-jmp-50w-1977-a.html

BS1's love of Plexis is documented...lol I love 'em too. I think we're in agreement Boogies after the MK III were meh, and Rectos are definitely meh IMO, but they're popular amps...but who are we to judge?

But if you wanna talk modified Marshalls...have heard some amazing ones.. like Doug Aldrich's Cameron modded one...holy crap..here's one with a similar mod...

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4gqMMmCK4Yo&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4gqMMmCK4Yo&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

[VanHalenFan5150]

Marshalls for sure! That or Mesa/Boogies!

[jhale667]

Marshalls for sure! That or Mesa/Boogies!

Exactly, exactly. :baaa:

Hey, here's a Cameron-modded JMP!

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/w1Ir5eYXFBA&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/w1Ir5eYXFBA&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

[Hardrock69]

Firstly, I stated that to me the best amp for a dirty sound is one I do not even own. A Marshall 100-watt Super Lead Plexi.

Garfuckle cannot understand English, so it does not surprise me he is making statements that make no sense.

His comments about Nitro's post are idiotic at best. Nitro posted that Jimmy Page mentioned (in a conversation with HIM) using a Tone Bender, but the other two items Nitro quoted were that Jimmy loved smaller amps, but used the Marshall stacks because of Bonzo, and that he loved the Supro he used for the first album. So any criticism by Garfuckle about Nitro's posts is unfounded, as he WAS talking about amps, and only mentioned the Tone Bender in passing.

Again, Garfuckle is doing a brain-damaged version of Don Quixote, tilting at imaginary windmills.


He's not saying whether he has or has not modded it.......Labels are for jars.. once the circuit board is diddled, it's not really a Marshall anymore is it, and if he had his JMP taken to a proper service guy to increase the gain I think he'd have mentioned it by now.

In all truthfulness, I posted about the amp a long time ago. Not my fault if you are a lazy, incompetent, lying fuck.
Your statement is like saying that replacing a carburetor on a Camaro mean it is no longer a Camaro.
It is not a requirement that I repost anything for you, other than to constantly remind you that your mother should have killed you when you were born to save everyone who ever met or communicated with you from wasting valuable time they can never get back having to listen to your infantile, ignorant, trolling bullshit.


telling, because after owning and playing a JMP for a year with rock album classics you start discriminating tone.. or at about age 16 whichever occured first.

Then after the dissatisfaction settles in, you realize "could it be possible so n so didn't use a JMP" even though concert photos show the fancy white logo?

Unlike you, there are many (probably over 99% of) musicians who know that not all Marshall amps are JMPs. In fact, as the JMPs were only produced for a few years, a MAJORITY of concert photos showing the "fancy white logo" are of OTHER models. And, once again, you demonstrate that you truly are one of the few humans born with a head full of shit by thinking that everyone on the planet is required to be satisfied by having a Marshall. Any person with an intellect equivalent to that of a retarded tree sloth could simply read this thread with the wide-ranging variety of responses, and actually understand that not everyone thinks a Marshall is the greatest amp of all time.


one more thing: purists after the "stock tone" have to be cornered in these type conversations as to what type of tone really is stock on these things, because none.. NO ONE, not a single one, had ever used a stock Marshall.

You have not spoken with every purist on the planet, therefore you have no idea how many 'purists' have used a stock Marshall.
That fucking statement is another example of your stupidity.
And please tell us, from your 'extensive experience' :hee: what is a 'stock tone' on a Marshall?

Also, anyone with any knowledge of amps at all will understand that no two sound exactly alike, even coming off the assembly bench one after the other, but of course, you could not possibly comprehend so lofty a concept, loser.


when Hendrix or Townsend picked up their amp right off the bench, I bet Ken Bran or whoever the tech was that voiced the early ones, tweaked em from the get go because the only "stock" tone I have ever heard on a Who or Hendrix album were the Fenders.. or Boogies they bought later on.

How can you tell by listening to a Hendrix or Who album what amp they were using, hmm? Please tell us. Inquiring minds want you to list exactly what amps were used on all the tracks on all the albums Hendrix and The Who ever did. You obviously are able to tell them apart just by listening. Please tell us the difference between a Tweed Fender Twin with a Fuzz Face plugged into it and a Marshall Plexi plugged into a Fender 2 X 12 cabinet.

And simply by definition, regardless of who the tech was (Ken Bran or whoever), when the amp leaves the factory, not afterwards, it is considered 'stock'. No matter what Ken Bran did or did not do, when Hendrix or Townsend picked their amps up from Jim Marshall's music store, it was a STOCK amp.
Sure it may have been tweaked before leaving the factory, but that would just make it a tweaked version of a standard production model, and still, a factory-produced amp i.e. "stock".


This thread's about Best Amps Made, and the JMP's that got famously recorded were modded to sound that way - aside from the production we got here in the states.

Prove it. Tell us all, from your extensive knowledge, what JMPs got 'famously recorded'. Define 'famously recorded'. Recorded by a famous engineer? Recorded in a famous studio? Recorded by a famous artist?

Now, tell us, Mister Information, how you are able to determine how many and which of the JMP's that were 'famously recorded' were modded, and which are stock.
You claim to know so much on this subject. So tell us in detail.



Different amps: the one on records, and the one you got in a music store.

Prove it. You are claiming that no one in the history of music since JMPs were first introduced has ever recorded with a stock JMP.


Therefore, the JMP and basically all "steel-paneled" ie nonplexi JMP Marshalls ARE NOT eligible candidates for "Best Amp Made." It's simply not true.

So says you. This thread is not devoted to the "Best Amp Made" as an absolute. This thread is devoted to everyone's opinion of the "Best Amp Made" as there is no way on the planet to determine what the best amp made is, any more than anyone can say beyond a shadow of a doubt what the "Best Car Made" is, or the best "whatever".

There is no doubt whatsoever, and it can be said with absolute certainty, that you are the dumbest idiot ever to claim to know anything about ANYTHING related to music, guitars, or life in general. It is most likely that even that worthless piece of shit named Lefty can say he has had better blowjobs from toothless winos than the slobbery choke-jobs you foist off on him in vain attempts to prove to yourself that you have some kind of worth to someone....ANYONE on the planet...even societal rejects such as him.

Now go play on the 405. Somewhere out there is a semi-truck with your name on it's front bumper.

My apologies to all for wasting my valuable time owning this reject from The School For The Mentally Unbelievable. It is a dirty job, but everyone's got to do it.
:biggrin:

[Hardrock69]

Excessive gain mods are for HACKS who use it to cover up their sloppy assed playing. (And yeah, I know it helps increase sustain, but so does a good guitar and some old fashiones VOLUME!) I tend to believe you fall into the first category.


Well, he WOULD fall into the first category if he even owned an amp. But I agree about excessive gain mods.

IF I needed more gain from my JMP before it had even been worked on, a Tube Screamer would have done the trick. Not interested in hi-gain mods, as more gain = more noise.
Just give me some nice thick crunchiness, and I am off to the races. When I took my amp in to the top amp gurus in Gnashville a few years back, they had me play it in the shop when they were done doing the work I had asked (caps were old, one had died, had them put in new ones, along with NOS Siemens EL34s I got from Terry Kilgore and some matched preamp tubes). I did ask them to give me a bit more pre-amp gain, as it did not quite have the grind I wanted, though the thing sounded great as it was. Turning it up to 5 would have given me all the grind and sustain I ever wanted, but I do care about my hearing, and also wanted to get some good grind at lower volumes. So they changed a resistor on the spot for a little more grindage, and it is exactly what I wanted.

BUT, it is not what I would consider "The Best Amp Ever Made". I was not going to pass up the chance to buy it for $275, which is why I have it to begin with.

[Igosplut]

.
It is not a requirement that I repost anything for you, other than to constantly remind you that your mother should have killed you when you were born to save everyone who ever met or communicated with you from wasting valuable time they can never get back having to listen to your infantile, ignorant, trolling bullshit.


OUT-FUCKING-STANDING!!!!!

I'm not one for sigs, but this was too good to pass up! Too fucking funny, thanks Rock...

[Diamondjimi]

GARfail, pwn3d again!

[Nitro Express]

When Jimmy Page talked about his equipment, I was in a small group of people around him and he was answering various questions the people in the group were asking him and he was doing a bit of story telling. Something Page loves to do and is good at. Jimmy basically said he liked to use small amps in the studio and he went to bigger amps because Bonzo was loud as hell on stage and Jimmy needed to compete with that. Jimmy also told us when he was first tipped off to a fuzz peddle it was like finding the holy grail. You have to remember this was in the late 1960's and they didn't have the equipment or options we have now. No master volume amps, no pre-amp distortion. Jimmy also said people were fascinated by the new transistor technology and there wasn't the tube obsession they have now. He said the Tone Bender to him was a magic box and everyone from Hendrix to Townsend had some sort of fuzz peddle and it was a huge part of their sound. He also made the point you can get a thick sound out of smaller amps and used the first album as an example. He said it was a Telecaster going through a small Supro amp and it sounded huge. He said it was doing it's job. He said he went to a Les Paul and Marshall because he liked the combination and had to compete with Bonzo's huge hitting volume on stage.

[Nitro Express]

What cracked me up is Page reffered to Bonzo several times as this huge earthquake of sound. He said being on stage with Bonzo was way the hell louder than any other drummer and Page had no idea how the guy could hit that hard for a whole concert night after night. I almost got the impression it got too loud for Page at times.

[Hardrock69]

Just a reminder, man....you mean "pedal". Peddling is when someone is trying to foist something off on, or sell something to people. ;)
At least you can say you met him! How fucking cool is that!

In the late 70s when I was in the US Army, I would go to the base recreation centers, and check out a guitar and amp and take it off to some room to make an ungodly sound. Most of the guitars were either Fender Mustangs or Musicmasters, or cheap Japanese electric guitars. Once in a great while (if you were lucky) you would find a rec center that would have a Fender Telecaster. When I got to Ft. Lewis, Washington and got in my first real rock band in 1978, a friend of mine told me in awe how McChord AFB (just north of Ft. Lewis) had nothing but brand-new Stratocasters.

Anyway, as for the amps, mostly it was cheap piece of shit stuff......the best you could hope to find would be black tolex Kustom II 120-watt 2 X 12 combo amps. In mid-1977, I was at Ft. Jackson, SC. They had these ancient Supro 2 X 12 combo amps...the kind with big white gnurled plastic knobs. I had no effects at the time, certainly the rec centers did not. So the only way to get any kind of distortion was through SHEER VOLUME.

Let me tell you, those Supros were loud as HELL! Amazing tube-driven fire-breathing monsters.

Unfortunately I would only have one cranked up for a few minutes before rec center staff would open the door and yell at me to turn it down! Supros rock! Billy Cox still owns a Supro amp that he and Jimi used to practice through when Jimi was living in Nashville. I can see why Jimmy Page liked the sound of them.

[Hardrock69]

One other thing about excessive gain mods. The more you overdrive your amp, the less impact it has. More preamp gain turns your sound into sludge, where it gives you the impact of a wet towel upside your fool haid. Whereas, a Marshall 100-watt Plexi with no overdrive and no talent-boxes (stomp boxes) is like having your head removed by a freight-train with a samurai sword welded to the front of it.

With my JMP I wanted to have just enough grind from it without having to use any kind of Tube Screamer or whatever. That way I could still have that impact, while still having the grindage I so dearly love.

[Nitro Express]

I don't appreciate the JCM 900 series either. I also can't stand the 5150 II. The eq section in that amp is weak. You can turn any one of the controls from 3 to 9 and you won't hear a change. I bought one as soon as they came out. Thought it would be like the original but with separate eq sections so I sold mine before the II came in. I got it home and threw up.

Mine is just the opposite. If I tweak the EQ knobs a little bit I get a HUGE change. 5150II amps are real pickup and speaker picky. If you have the wrong cab or guitar they will sound like shit. If you have everything meshing right like my rig, they sound great. I can see why people hate them though.

[GAR]

Really? So those Peavey "Sheffield" speakers that came in the combos and fourtwelves, those are considered the perfect match by Peavey?

That was a tinny, buzzy amp. I could see how it could benefit from the lower sensitivity threshold, and dead frequency range would help in killing off unwanted peak highs, that makes more sense than playing with the eq I guess.. or adding a graphic EQ to boost lows and mids using Celestions huh..

[GAR]

With my JMP I wanted to have just enough grind from it without having to use any kind of Tube Screamer or whatever.

To do that, I had to resort to using a power attenuator on the amp output and I still wasn't happy. Tube compression wasn't like what I heard on records (name any guitar rock you hear on the radio.. ) and the harmonic distortion from turning up with the output choked like that did get somewhat deeper, but at the cost of overheating the amp and potentially shortening the lifespan of temperature-sensitive components such as capacitors.

Glad you like your three-bills JMP. Now go spend another 3 bills on a guy who can engineer, like the dude who does engineering for Goodsell amps: at the mathematical level. You'd be shocked at the difference and agree with what I'm saying in that the stock JMP was never adequate enough professionally and for a reason, but we won't go into that now.

AND when Marshall was still operating out of the back of a music store, they had the time to let the guitarist see it and work with it while it was on the bench with the tech. You can't sit there and expect me to believe Page or Hendrix or Clapton or anyone else who walked thru there didn't get special attention such as the suggestion "well, if you really like the raunch, we'll have you come back tomorrow and I'll have it sounding really rounchy" because they did, and I know it.

Proof alone is in the classic recordings. Why anyone would strip out a modded JMP back to stock, I dunno but they should be shot unless it was a shitty mod. People like that who do this, are only trying to go CorkSniffer Mode and the approval you won't get when your idiot purist buddies come in and play Smoke On The Water for all 20 seconds of the song they know, but go "hmm, what are all these extra knobs - why'd you destroy your amp, you know you just decreased it's value"

[GAR]

Oh, and that amp was a pullpot master-volume modded into one of the four inputs, a 74 done by Jose which I used the Altair on.. I've heard some Jose modded amps that sounded really good but mine unfortunately wasn't boosted enough. It was nearly stock and while I liked it, bands I played with did not.

Why? Because they were looking for the amp sounds they heard on the radio.

If it's that beautiful of a find, and so lovely and blahblahblah, let someone else buy it off ebay from you then toss a better dollar into a better amp.

[Hardrock69]

Glad you like your three-bills JMP. Now go spend another 3 bills on a guy who can engineer, like the dude who does engineering for Goodsell amps: at the mathematical level.

No I won't spend any more money on it, most certainly at your suggestion. Firstly, it is MY fucking amp, so SHUT THE FUCK UP. Secondly, there is no need to do anything further to it, as it sounds like I want it to. I AM satisfied with my amp, something that bothers you to no end. Poor widdul Garfuckle is all sad because many of us here have incredible guitar/amp collections you only wish you could dream of having.

You are quite pathetic, Mr. Know-It-All. :hee:


If it's that beautiful of a find, and so lovely and blahblahblah, let someone else buy it off ebay from you then toss a better dollar into a better amp.

That has to be one of the most asinine things you have ever posted here, and that is putting it lightly.

So what you are saying is that everyone who has a guitar, amp, whatever that they are perfectly satisfied with, should sell it just be because YOU say so, and should buy something 'better', even though you do not have a clue what that might be, and no one in their right mind would bother to listen to what your definition of 'better' would be.....simply due to the fact that you are a fucking jackoff with nothing useful to say about anything to anyone.


You can't sit there and expect me to believe Page or Hendrix or Clapton or anyone else who walked thru there didn't get special attention such as the suggestion "well, if you really like the raunch, we'll have you come back tomorrow and I'll have it sounding really rounchy" because they did, and I know it.

I am not concerned with what you believe. You are a deranged moron whose goal in life is to tell others what to do with THEIR equipment.

And obviously, it only serves to make you look like the JACKASS you are. Which is not a bad thing, as people will immediately understand that your opinions are worthless.

Go fuck yourself, loser.

Or better yet, go give the wino in the cardboard box next to you a rim job. You are probably better at that than advising anyone about their gear.

[ZahZoo]

For me the 1964 Fender Deluxe Reverb & Bassman's stand out over a lot besides the big Marsall plexis....

[Hardrock69]

Jim Marshall and friends were basing their original amps on the Bassman circuits. Those were (and still are) some of the best amps available.
Fender was trying to clean them up for their country music players, but Jim wanted more volume and grit.
Lookit whut they dun wif dey own amps?

[GAR]

Jim Marshall and friends were basing their original amps on the Bassman circuits.

How on EARTH did you come to that cuntclusion...

[GAR]

people will immediately understand that your opinions are worthless

The base-JMP circuit is a plain-Jane waiting for a set of matched output tubes, an added gain stage or three, and an effects loop you can patch a hush rack unit and wireless into to kill the newly acquired hiss.

Learn to be more discriminate of taste in your instruments, or learn to let go. That's all I'm saying. Besides "quit collecting junk.." which I know is hard to do, where the pastures smell of cowshit pig feces n horsepiss as the heat of the day rises. My last time thru Nashville I had to roll the fucking windows up from the stench.

Oh - that's another thing I'll be reiterating to you: MOVE>..

[Hardrock69]

How on EARTH did you come to that cuntclusion...

That is irrelevant. You would not understand, dumbass.



The base-JMP circuit is a plain-Jane waiting for a set of matched output tubes, an added gain stage or three, and an effects loop you can patch a hush rack unit and wireless into to kill the newly acquired hiss.
So?


Learn to be more discriminate of taste in your instruments, or learn to let go. That's all I'm saying. Besides "quit collecting junk.." which I know is hard to do, where the pastures smell of cowshit pig feces n horsepiss as the heat of the day rises. My last time thru Nashville I had to roll the fucking windows up from the stench.

I do not have to learn anything from you, loser. You should take your own advice, and actually buy a REAL guitar. That plywood Charvel copy has got to go.
The reason you had to roll your windows up last time you were in Nashville was that you were forced to by the local residents, as you smelled worse than anything they ever encountered.

[jhale667]

Prove you even OWN an amp, GAyR - or SHUT THE FUCK UP.


Put up or shut up time. 'Til then IT IS ACCEPTED AS A FACT you don't own a guitar, or amp...you're just completely full of shit, and have no reason to post in these threads other than the "you're a sad, bitter, pathetic jackass" thing - which is past old. Just like you.


Pictures. NOW, bitch. Otherwise -

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7bF9lxl9N6I&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7bF9lxl9N6I&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

[Hardrock69]

Funny, he claims to know everything, yet does not know the first Marshall amps were based on a Fender Bassman circuit. Guess he had a hard time with Google.

[jhale667]

Funny, he claims to know everything, yet does not know the first Marshall amps were based on a Fender Bassman circuit. Guess he had a hard time with Google.

True, and he'd probably dispute that the first Boogie was a modified Fender Princeton, bet Google didn't cover THAT either.

[Diamondjimi]

The base-JMP circuit is a plain-Jane waiting for a set of matched output tubes, an added gain stage or three, and an effects loop you can patch a hush rack unit and wireless into to kill the newly acquired hiss.

Learn to be more discriminate of taste in your instruments, or learn to let go. That's all I'm saying. Besides "quit collecting junk.." which I know is hard to do, where the pastures smell of cowshit pig feces n horsepiss as the heat of the day rises. My last time thru Nashville I had to roll the fucking windows up from the stench.

Oh - that's another thing I'll be reiterating to you: MOVE>..

http://media.ebaumsworld.com/mediaFiles/picture/704901/80686348.jpg

[GAR]

That is irrelevant.

Distortion pedals should be irrelevant.

[GAR]

... the first Marshall amps were based on a Fender Bassman circuit.

AND again, you know this - how? Ah, that silly Googlethingy.

[Igosplut]

AND again, you know this - how? Ah, that silly Googlethingy.

I guess GARgle showed you fuckers, Huh????

[Hardrock69]

Distortion pedals should be irrelevant.

You ARE irrelevant, Garfuckle.


AND again, you know this - how? Ah, that silly Googlethingy.

It is common knowledge, loser. I have been aware of this for at least 30 years. Any musician who knows anything about Marshalls knows this.

Once again you have demonstrated your stupidity. But that is par for the course. Garfuckle owning himself. Always and forever.:gulp:

[jhale667]

AND again, you know this - how? Ah, that silly Googlethingy.

Anyone who knows anything about Marshall history knows that without Google, dumbass...EXCEPT YOU. Try to keep in mind just because that's YOUR primary crutch doesn't mean it is for everyone else.

All that time in the library, and you've never even bothered to crack open a book... :fufu:

[GAR]

It seems to me, that most answers here reflect those amps in personal possesion of the poster and I don't think it's fair.

I like some amps I have, but they are hotrods and require special maintenance. So they are not the "best amps ever made" in fact, neither of the two I'm thinking of have much resemblance electrically to their clones back in the day they were produced.

The answers I'm most interested in, are those makes that have fewer numbers.. less production, you know the secret silver bullet amp you never thought sounded any good.

Anyone?? Somebody here has got to have had an uncle or somebody that played and you thought gee I never thought those sounded anything great...

[Nitro Express]

Just for grins and giggles, anyone play on the Line 6 Spider Valve? I don't know exactly what the tubes in that do..... At any rate, I'll say this for a Laney, I wasn't exactly teaching this kid, but I would jam with him and show him scales and what not and he had this old 50 watt Laney that was killer. But the guy hated it because he couldn't get a good sound out of it. I lowered his bass from 10 to about 7.5, mid from 9 to 4, and raised the treble from like 2 to 6.5 and he decided it sounded great. To bad too, as far as amps I've owned and played that my friends owned, that was the best sound I've ever got just from the amp. And by contrast, the worst I'd ever played... or let me rephrase that, the most disappointed I've ever been is with a 5150 II. I don't know if someone had some different tubes in there, but it sounded like crap no matter how I EQed it. Probably why Ed's tone sounded like an electric ham sandwich on the VH3 tour.

I guess that's my point here, no matter what amp I play through, I need something else to make it just right. Whether that be various stomp boxes, or a digitech pedal (Rp-12 was the best), or whatever, the amp by its own has never been enough for me.

I guess to play ball and actually answer the question, I'd tow the party line here and say either a JCM 900, or a Vox AC30 (which I recently have come to appreciate.)

5150 II amps sound like complete shit through the wrong cabinet or if any of the knobs are tweaked wrong. Presence and Resonance do more on these amps. Good pre amp tubes are a must and changing these; especially, the first one makes a HUGE difference. If you want a warmer sound you need to run the bias voltage higher. Peavey runs their amps cold at the factory. Most people buy the 5150 II/6505+ amps for high gain and a colder bias makes the power tubes last longer and the amp more reliable.

With everything tweaked right the amp can sound great and very warm on the crunch setting. It works great with the EVH phase 90 and Flanger and I can get the classic brown sound. Marshall cabs are better for this by the way.

[Nitro Express]

Funny, he claims to know everything, yet does not know the first Marshall amps were based on a Fender Bassman circuit. Guess he had a hard time with Google.

Which reminds me to add the JTM 45 to the list. The original marshall and a great rythum and blues amp. A little different vibe than the Fender Bassman due to the British components and closed 4x12 speaker. Add a good fuzz and it will get the job done. Cleans up nice with the volume knob. Cranked it sounds more honky than a Super Lead but with a good fuzz it's a nice rig. I have the reissue version of this amp.

[Nitro Express]

Just a reminder, man....you mean "pedal". Peddling is when someone is trying to foist something off on, or sell something to people. ;)
At least you can say you met him! How fucking cool is that!

In the late 70s when I was in the US Army, I would go to the base recreation centers, and check out a guitar and amp and take it off to some room to make an ungodly sound. Most of the guitars were either Fender Mustangs or Musicmasters, or cheap Japanese electric guitars. Once in a great while (if you were lucky) you would find a rec center that would have a Fender Telecaster. When I got to Ft. Lewis, Washington and got in my first real rock band in 1978, a friend of mine told me in awe how McChord AFB (just north of Ft. Lewis) had nothing but brand-new Stratocasters.

Anyway, as for the amps, mostly it was cheap piece of shit stuff......the best you could hope to find would be black tolex Kustom II 120-watt 2 X 12 combo amps. In mid-1977, I was at Ft. Jackson, SC. They had these ancient Supro 2 X 12 combo amps...the kind with big white gnurled plastic knobs. I had no effects at the time, certainly the rec centers did not. So the only way to get any kind of distortion was through SHEER VOLUME.

Let me tell you, those Supros were loud as HELL! Amazing tube-driven fire-breathing monsters.

Unfortunately I would only have one cranked up for a few minutes before rec center staff would open the door and yell at me to turn it down! Supros rock! Billy Cox still owns a Supro amp that he and Jimi used to practice through when Jimi was living in Nashville. I can see why Jimmy Page liked the sound of them.

It was very cool to meet Jimmy. He's more refined in an English gentleman sort of way and no pompus attitude to him at all. His eyes would beam and he would smile when we would bring up certain things. He loves talking about gear, rock and roll, and all the rumors. He loves that stuff. It was a lot of fun.

[BrownSound1]

First off congrats to you nitro for meeting Jimmy Page!

Second, who in the fuck doesn't know that the JTM45 is almost IDENTICAL to the Fender Bassman? That's been common knowledge since forever. My sources for this are Jim Marshall and Ken Bran, no Google Fu needed. Perhaps someone should buy the book "The History of Marshall." As many schematics as there are of the Fender Bassman and the JTM45 on the net, you'd think there wouldn't be any question.

[GAR]

First off congrats to you nitro for meeting Jimmy Page!

Second, who in the fuck doesn't know that the JTM45 is almost IDENTICAL to the Fender Bassman? That's been common knowledge since forever.

uh, HELLO McFly.. thanks for stating the obvious!

The Fender Bassman circuit isn't exactly a far stretch from the original General Electric's tube manual recommendations, but what I always found was the really cool comparison is that if you lay the original tweed Bassman 4x10 on it's back and stare at the panel, it isn't a far stretch to imagine where the inspiration for the chassis cutout for the original Marshall head BOX came about.

So even the chassis enclosure is not original to Marshall, either but anyone who's seen and played one knows this from looking at the thing.

[Seshmeister]

In the late 70s when I was in the US Army, I would go to the base recreation centers, and check out a guitar and amp and take it off to some room to make an ungodly sound. Most of the guitars were either Fender Mustangs or Musicmasters, or cheap Japanese electric guitars. Once in a great while (if you were lucky) you would find a rec center that would have a Fender Telecaster. When I got to Ft. Lewis, Washington and got in my first real rock band in 1978, a friend of mine told me in awe how McChord AFB (just north of Ft. Lewis) had nothing but brand-new Stratocasters.

Anyway, as for the amps, mostly it was cheap piece of shit stuff......the best you could hope to find would be black tolex Kustom II 120-watt 2 X 12 combo amps. In mid-1977, I was at Ft. Jackson, SC. They had these ancient Supro 2 X 12 combo amps...the kind with big white gnurled plastic knobs. I had no effects at the time, certainly the rec centers did not. So the only way to get any kind of distortion was through SHEER VOLUME.

Let me tell you, those Supros were loud as HELL! Amazing tube-driven fire-breathing monsters.



And people wonder why the US military spending is through the roof...? :)

[Seshmeister]

Exactly, exactly. :baaa:

Hey, here's a Cameron-modded JMP!

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/w1Ir5eYXFBA&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/w1Ir5eYXFBA&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

Wow I want one of these...

[Hardrock69]

uh, HELLO McFly.. thanks for stating the obvious!

The Fender Bassman circuit isn't exactly a far stretch from the original General Electric's tube manual recommendations, but what I always found was the really cool comparison is that if you lay the original tweed Bassman 4x10 on it's back and stare at the panel, it isn't a far stretch to imagine where the inspiration for the chassis cutout for the original Marshall head BOX came about.

So even the chassis enclosure is not original to Marshall, either but anyone who's seen and played one knows this from looking at the thing.

Except you, loser. :hee:

Come on. Try to cover up your previous statements, ignorant Garfuckle. :biggrin:

[GAR]

Wow I want one of these...

I like it too, slightly thinner than my Jackson-mod jcm100 but that's what one would expect from an old JMP - yet people buy one, plug in and are immediately disappointed!

It's like I say, modded amps kick stock amps' ass any day of the WEEK, and this Cameron guy's work sounds like what I'd expect to get back if I sent a 100w top out for engineering.

[Diamondjimi]

I would be inclined to believe that imaginary amps are the best amps ever. But I've never heard one, personally.

I own real amps...