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Jeff Seal Modded 2205 - Just 3 Words To Describe It...

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  • Jeff Seal Modded 2205 - Just 3 Words To Describe It...

    Holy Freakin' Sh!t

    I finally got a chance after a week of unpacking and working to put it back together and play it for an hour. This mod is far more than I ever expected. Absolutely amazing, and I haven't even scratched the surface as far as the settings go. I'll give a brief rundown of the changes.

    First off, the amp has been completely changed to a point-to-point wiring scheme. The old PC board has been removed and is sitting in my closet completely intact.

    Clean Channel - modded to Fender Black Face specs. Sounds as good as any Fender amp I have ever plugged into...period. Sparkling clean, warm, articulate...all the things you want from a clean channel. This channel will go from jangle and spank with my Strat to warm and smooth with my Dean. Also on the inside of the chassis is a mid control, which was not a standard BF option, but some of the original Twins did have them. It has a 100k sweep on it for amazing tonal range. I cannot tell any real difference between the clean channel on my Marshall now and the Twin Reverb patch on my Boss GT-6.....it's that good. Jeff also included a bright switch. Not my cup of tea normally, but I haven't had a chance to explore all of what it really does. It's a nice feature none the less.

    Drive Channel - annother big WOW. Modded to 2204/Plexi specs. Simply amazing is all I can say. All of that classic Plexi grind up to the roar of a 2204 at full throttle. No buzzy or thin sounding distortion at any level. With the standard 2205 controls...my gain sweep only really came into effect between 7 and 10. Below 7 I noticed more volume change than gain change. Now, I have a useable gain sweep from 2 thru 10. Nice blues crunch thru classic rock crunch range all the way to balls to the wall classic Marshall gain. Like most Marshall's, if I want metal type distortion a pedal will still be necessary.

    The gain mod is like having the best of the Marshall tone I used to get at max gain and volume levels (but thicker and more refined) available at much more useable levels. The tone is still classic Marshall....I can just dial the gain down to 2-3 and not loose that Marshall crunch. It stays saturated and thick...not watered down. It also stays articulate and does not muddy up, even when I dime the pre-amp and master volume. As I turn up the master volume, I find I need to turn down the pre-amp gain a litte...the power tube saturation is much more noticable. It's also noticably louder since the power transfer is cleaner. I can really get those Drake transformers cooking now! Also, I have never heard the bridge on my strat sound as thick and full on any amp. I had to look down to make sure I wasn't playing my fat strat!

    Some other features I have now are:

    Gain Knob (drive channel) - Push/Pull knob for a gain boost. Puts me in TSL teritory, but with the noise as well.

    Bass Knob (drive channel) - Push/Pull to engage a bass/mid freq shift. This helps optimize sound at lower volume levels. It also helps the amp push more low's at max volume than most other amps.

    Master Vol Knob - "Silent Mode"...allows very useable tones for quite practice or recording with the volume knob under 1.5. Sounds killer with the bass/mid shift option.

    The amp also now defaults to the clean channel as opposed to the drive channel when I turn it on...a really nice feature. Annother cool feature is that there is now a green led for the clean channel that switches to red for drive....neat!.
    My Sound Clips

  • #2
    Re: Jeff Seal Modded 2205 - Just 3 Words To Describe It...

    All I can really say at this point is that this is what Marshall was trying to do when they invented channel switching amps. Amazing clean to all of the classic Marshall crunch tones you could want. I haven't played a ton of high end boutique amps, but I have spent some time with the Soldano Hot Rod 50+. My Marshall is every bit as amazing...plus it has that added EL34 sag and saturation that you don't get with 6L6's. I'd put this up agains't any Soldano. Bogner and the like may be a different story....but now you're talking about $3k amps!

    This will be all the amp I ever need for my talent and use level. If I can't get any clean or dirty sound out of this amp...either from the amp itself or with some pedals...I'm not capable of making that sound. It really is that good.

    For any of you who have Marshalls, and are continually trying different manufacturers amps, boutique amps and OD pedals to get the sound you want....STOP. Call or e-mail Jeff Seal www.speakersurgeon.com and talk to him about modding your amp...you won't be dissapointed. Otherwise, go out and buy a stock old JCM 800 and send it to Jeff. It's the Marshall sound you hear on recordings and live from your favorite bands....and more. It sounds like Marshall used to sound in their glory days.

    Cudo's to Jeff Seal. He is an amazing tech, and a hell of a nice guy. He really worked hard to make this the amp I wanted. I probably sound like a damn ifommercial....but I can't help it. This is the best money I have EVER spent on tone. Simply AMAZING!

    I thought my stock 2205 was about a 7-8 as far as tone and sound quality. This thing is now a 20+.
    Last edited by Jeff_H; 06-26-2004, 12:25 PM.
    My Sound Clips

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    • #3
      Re: Jeff Seal Modded 2205 - Just 3 Words To Describe It...

      That is fantastic to hear!

      Not only is it great to hear that Jeff's work is all that it is reputed to be but you deserve it in everyway shape and form. Enjoy it for all it is worth and thanks for such a great description.
      My Bands -
      https://kamikazechoir.hearnow.com/
      www.instagram.com/kamikazechoir
      www.reverbnation.com/theheartlessdevils

      Just some fun guitar stuff from time to time
      GUITAR KULTURE

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Jeff Seal Modded 2205 - Just 3 Words To Describe It...

        I want one now haha.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Jeff Seal Modded 2205 - Just 3 Words To Describe It...

          Mmm. Sounds great.

          Is that the same Jeff Seal from the forum?

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Jeff Seal Modded 2205 - Just 3 Words To Describe It...

            Jeff,

            So I guess you like it?? When are you going to sell it?? Seriously in order for a proper evaluation and review you will have to send it to me, I will then take it out in the "real world" and give it a hammering and then put up an unbiased review - when you send it to me could you say it's not worth anything!!

            Joking aside - what Jeff (Seal) has done is put together some very serious mods to that amp and made it sing the way you want it too. Very difficult in this day and age to find someone who knows how to voice amps properly or to make the necessary mods. I was concerned when you said that you were going to get certain things done to that amp, because it must have been a lot of work for Jeff (Seal) and was asking a lot. So great work to him and kudos as well.

            I am sure that amp is going to sing ever so sweetly - I would love to hear those tones. Bet your Hardtail is going to get some serious use...

            Norman
            Normans Guitars

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Jeff Seal Modded 2205 - Just 3 Words To Describe It...

              Originally posted by Tom M
              Mmm. Sounds great.

              Is that the same Jeff Seal from the forum?
              +1
              I'm glad you like it, Jeff! Can we get some clips too?

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Jeff Seal Modded 2205 - Just 3 Words To Describe It...

                Great Jeff, sounds to good to be true. How much did all that modding set you back if you don't mind? What was the turn arround time?
                His Grace is Amazing

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Jeff Seal Modded 2205 - Just 3 Words To Describe It...

                  2205's aren't really considered the best Marshalls, so it's really cool that you had it completely overhauled. There's no vintage value to worry about, so all his mods are nothing but improvements. Good mods on Marshalls make me wonder who the hell Marshall hires as engineers??

                  I love Marshall amps, but something's wrong when the engineers at Marshall are being surpassed on a daily basis by guys like R. Bogner and all the guys making Marshall clones, and all the techs with major improvements. Marshall had better get it together, because the only good amp they have these days is the DSL 50 and 1987X.
                  The boutique guys are whippin their ass, while all they have to offer us is more Solid State Garbage.
                  Originally posted by Boogie Bill
                  I've got 60 guitars...but 49 trumpets is just...INSANITY! WTF!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Jeff Seal Modded 2205 - Just 3 Words To Describe It...

                    Well, Jeff is not only a great tech, he's a damn fine guitar player. He hosted a forum jam at his place last summer. We had a good time.


                    www.CelticAmplifiers.com

                    "You can't save everybody, everybody don't wanna be saved."

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Jeff Seal Modded 2205 - Just 3 Words To Describe It...

                      Well Guys....I've spent another hour or so with it today....and it continue's to please me on all settings. I want to experiment with some of those GT Mullard reissue tubes, and some other NOS pre-am tubes to tweak the tone a little....but those are just fine tuning items.

                      Jonesy...you're right about Marshall engineers. If there are litterally a dozen world class amp builders just in the US, plus a dozen or so world class modders who all take the Marshall sound to where it is supposed to be...what is Marshall thinking putting out moderate at best products.

                      Lou - can't reveal the exact price, because mods are so specific to what you want done, but suffice it to say you can get it done for less than $500. I've spent more on pedals, tubes, speakers, amp and effects modelers in the last year than this mod cost me.

                      Norman - I'd send it to you if I could....but customs would have it for a year! LOL

                      Wattage...hop in the car and come down to test drive this thing....you could do it justice!

                      I'll try to get some clips up when I can. I have to track down where the disc's to my recording program are packed, and see if I can install it on my laptop. Otherwise I'll need to figure out something else. Jeff really did an amazing job with this amp...It's wonderful to play a hand wired amp that makes the kind of noise you want to hear!
                      My Sound Clips

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Jeff Seal Modded 2205 - Just 3 Words To Describe It...

                        Any pics of the circuit? I love to see good PTP jobs!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Jeff Seal Modded 2205 - Just 3 Words To Describe It...

                          happy for ya jeff .. with all the tumult you went through, it seems like your good kharma is starting to show off in surplus ... enjoy the new tone machine in your new environs

                          cheers
                          t4d
                          gear list in profile

                          "no seymour - no tone ... know seymour - know tone!"

                          Is it not the glory of the people of America that, whilst they have paid a decent regard to the opinions of former times and other nations, they have not suffered a blind veneration for antiquity, for custom, or for names, to overrule the suggestions of their own good sense, the knowledge of their own situation, and the lessons of their own experience?" - James Madison - Federalist #14

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                          • #14
                            Re: Jeff Seal Modded 2205 - Just 3 Words To Describe It...

                            speaking of PTP picture porn, you gotta check out the latest guitar player magazine. the review of the Bad Cat Trem Cat has a picture of the guts of this amp. Crazy stuff man.


                            www.CelticAmplifiers.com

                            "You can't save everybody, everybody don't wanna be saved."

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Jeff Seal Modded 2205 - Just 3 Words To Describe It...

                              .....happy to know it's working out OK, but even more happy you finally have time to relax and do something besides unpack.....I hate moving, even though I usually find a few "toys" I'd forgotten about......found my slot car track last time I moved....original Aurora AFX!....
                              Hope everything's going well for you, Bro!

                              Jeff Seal
                              ..lots and lots of toys!

                              "...swords and tequila, carry me through the fight!"

                              "I am Phil"....
                              www.houstonamprepair.com

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