A question for you Marshall tooob amp guys

[JammerMatt]

I play a Line6.

Now, I usually play the Brit Hi-Gain channel for my metal (modeled after a JCM800). However, today just for S&G's, I tried dialing up the Brit Classic (modeled after a Marshall Plexi), and stuck the TS9 in front of it. I've never really spent much time on this model before since I just always went right for the grandaddy of metal amps. My impression was that, though not as gainy and chunky as the JCM800 model, I thought that it had a deeper, smoother, warmer and more *mellow* distortion sound, for lack of better adjectives. In truth, it had a more pleasing lead sound in my opinion, and perhaps better harmonics for chords under high gain. I don't get the opportunity much to crank that amp, and so the jury's still out on that sound. But, I do know that the JCM800 model can sound a bit "screechy" to me, but maybe it's supposed to.

But I digress. So, I was wondering, for those of you who've owned or played both (the real McCoys that is), did you find this to be true also, and which did you prefer and why?

Thanks

-Matt

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: A question for you Marshall tooob amp guys

I havent ever owned a real plexi my closest would have been my 72 Super Bass I also have a 1959 SLP reissue... And my opinion on them is close to the same as yours... For as popular as they have gotten lately I hard time getting tones I liked out of 800's until I had them modded. For that matter when I started playing you couldnt hardly give away 800's stock they didnt have girth or the fullness of the earlier amps... atleast to my ears... As far as which I prefer... Well for all out metal its very hard to beat a modded 800... But for warm ballsy tone I like the non master volume ones... Each has its own place...

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: A question for you Marshall tooob amp guys

I think the Marshall models on modeling amps are too buzzy, when trying to get them to be highgain. You've really got to set them with the gain lower, like they actually sounded without overdrives in front. The Recto models usually sound the best for highgain, and actually sound pretty good with the gain lower too. Another good idea is to use your banks of 4 for different guitars, so you've got all your guitars dialed in......like Les Paul 1abcd,
strat 2abcd, tele 3abcd.

 

[TheArchitect]

Re: A question for you Marshall tooob amp guys

It depends to some extent what line 6 product you have. They changed the JCM pretty significantly in the various POD's for example.

That said, my plexi and early metal face amps are decidely smoother and less bright than the JCM800. I would expect accurate models of them to be the same.

 

[Reckless Abandon]

Re: A question for you Marshall tooob amp guys

Cranking a line 6 will not matter.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: A question for you Marshall tooob amp guys

Old time Plexi's are bigger fatter, just as open as you want them, but with a whole less buzz than a JCM800 since they are much cleaner and has a different filtering, more headroom than gain.

 

[JammerMatt]

Re: A question for you Marshall tooob amp guys

I think the Marshall models on modeling amps are too buzzy, when trying to get them to be highgain. ...Another good idea is to use your banks of 4 for different guitars, so you've got all your guitars dialed in......like Les Paul 1abcd,
strat 2abcd, tele 3abcd.

Yeah, buzzy. When I have the volume down, I really like how the JCM800 model sounds... sorta compressed. But, when I turn it up, it gets... yeah... buzzy, and a bit painful to listen to actually.

As for your suggestion, I agree. The LP is bright, and the two Jacksons are somewhere's darker, and they need different EQ's.

 

[JammerMatt]

Re: A question for you Marshall tooob amp guys

I agree a little with Mattt. I have an older generation Line 6. And after the chip update, the JCM model became usable for me. But, I've never played a real deal Marshall, so WTH do I know.

But enough of the Line 6, I wanna hear about the real deals!!!

 

[75lespaul]

Re: A question for you Marshall tooob amp guys

Okay, I've had a Pod Pro v1, a Pod XT and now a Vetta I upgraded to II. I have owned a 68 100w plexi, a 73 50w metal face and an 81 50w JCM800 as well as a 50w plexi reissue, a JTM-45 reissue and a bluesbreaker reissue.

Now remember, this is only my opinion but on the Vetta and Pod XT I think the plexis are VERY close but the JCM800s are way off. Mine and the ones in the rehearsal studios I played in (modded 100 watters) sounded nothing like the line 6 model. To me the Line 6 800 is very trebly and harsh even with different cabs. The Silver Jubilee on my Vetta sounds great combined with the Hi-watt cab.

My JCM800, even though not in the same league as the plexis, was a warm and full sounding amp (used with both Les Paul and Strat):smoker: :cool3:

 

[Stevo]

Re: A question for you Marshall tooob amp guys

I have owned a couple of jcm800s and now I own a plexi reissue 50w. The tone on the plexi is smoother than the jcm800, to my ears. It also has a much nicer clean tone, and that point of breakup is very sweet. I am not dissing the jcm800 in any way though. That raspy tone comes in handy for certain tunes With some volume, the jcm800s and the plexis are just killer.

 

[JammerMatt]

Re: A question for you Marshall tooob amp guys

This is all good news to me. Because I've been gearjonesin' for Marshall for as long as I can remember. But if the real deal was sounding like this Line6 model at high volume, I was starting to rethink it. I suppose I'll just have to go and finally plug into one and crank it up. Back in the day, I didn't have near the chops to go into a music store and crank an 84 JCM800. Now, it wouldn't be so bad, but you can't find an 84 JCM800 in a shop anywhere. Not to mention a Plexi.

-Matt

 

[Stevo]

Re: A question for you Marshall tooob amp guys

Now, it wouldn't be so bad, but you can't find an 84 JCM800 in a shop anywhere. Not to mention a Plexi. -Matt

True - and music stores don't always make it convenient to crank up the amps that should be cranked :32:
If you could try out a plexi reissue with an attenuator, and some volume, you might just get hooked :saeek: It's a beautiful rock tone.

 

[nuntius]

Re: A question for you Marshall tooob amp guys

Are you sure the Brit High gain is meant to be a JCM 800? I always thought it was menna be a 900, but I have no idea where my manual is atm to check it.

I use the brit high gain for my rhythm sounds, it takes a while to EQ it - you have to make sure to EQ it for the volume you're gonna play it at. Even though it's not a tube amp, the tone will seem different at different volume levels because your perception of the amount of bass etc will be different due to er.. volume differences :laugh2:

Are you turning cab models off when you turn up? I do that, because when I turned the amp up when using 4x12 cab models the sound got unbalanced, especially using high gain amp models

 

[nuntius]

Re: A question for you Marshall tooob amp guys

Oh, comparison between real thing and line 6 model - at volume : no contest :laugh2:

Never played through a plexi, but I have heard one (attentuated) a couple of times at marshall demo's... what a tone.

The recto models have gone downhill in my opinion, the models on the POD 2.0 are much more realistic than on the PODxt, however, the free update did go a long way to 'rectifying' this problem and they do sound a bit better now.

I agree.

 

[Metalman_666]

Re: A question for you Marshall tooob amp guys

I don't think any amp modeller could ever capture the sound of the real thing. End of story.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: A question for you Marshall tooob amp guys

I don't think any amp modeller could ever capture the sound of the real thing. End of story.

+1, with an asterisk. You can get very close with the best of modelers, like a Roland VG88, which is what I use for tracking solos.
A "real" JCM800 does get buzzy when the gain is turned all the way up. That is why I only use the gain at 5 and throw a badass OD in front of it. That's the quickest way to old school metal heaven, Matt. You have been warned.

 

[JammerMatt]

Re: A question for you Marshall tooob amp guys

+A "real" JCM800 does get buzzy when the gain is turned all the way up. That is why I only use the gain at 5 and throw a badass OD in front of it. That's the quickest way to old school metal heave, Matt. You have been warned.

That's what I've been doing lately, like you told me some time ago. I like the tone much better that way. "Deep Dish" like you say. But still, at high volume it's sounding a tad screechy.

One of these days, one of these days.

 

[JammerMatt]

Re: A question for you Marshall tooob amp guys

TO, one last thing. This thing really gets that "Deep Dish" sound at low volume, and I love it. But, once it gets past about 4, it starts to screech. Does this phenomena occur with the real deal?

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: A question for you Marshall tooob amp guys

TO, one last thing. This thing really gets that "Deep Dish" sound at low volume, and I love it. But, once it gets past about 4, it starts to screech. Does this phenomena occur with the real deal?

Nope.

 

[JeffB]

Re: A question for you Marshall tooob amp guys

+1, with an asterisk. You can get very close with the best of modelers, like a Roland VG88, which is what I use for tracking solos.
A "real" JCM800 does get buzzy when the gain is turned all the way up. That is why I only use the gain at 5 and throw a badass OD in front of it. That's the quickest way to old school metal heaven, Matt. You have been warned.

I would add that some of the modellers sound much better The 800s were so hit and miss for sound quality (all marshalls are, really). Get a good one and WHOAH. But many of them sounded like crap, 6550 or El34s..no matter.

Doesn't sound so good with single coils, but with a good humbucking equipped guitar the Vox VT series has a very good 800 model, better than most of the actual 800s, AFAIC.

And yes, dialing up the pre-amp all the way was usually a mistake. Goose it with a good pedal.