Got my modded JCM800 yesterday ...

[TwilightOdyssey]

I picked up my Harry Kolbe modified JCM800 yesterday from Soundsmith here in NYC ... it sounds amazing! It's a 1985 50-watter, so it has the DI output, as well as the selectable voltage switch on the back (useful when I go to Europe). I had the amp completely overhauled, and then had the power supply modified so it draws more current, like the transformers in boutique amplifiers. The difference is astounding: the gain is much cleaner, the amp is less noisy, and it is more dynamic. I will be playing this head on Friday when my band plays @ Don Hill's. I will be checking out the amp with my M1 Tiger tonight, since that is the guitar I will probably play on Friday.

Edit: Forgot to mention: The phase inverter is a Groove Tubes-branded tube (unsure of the actual manufacture, but I think it came from the new factory here in the USA. Preamp tubes are late 1960's Siemens from Germany, and the two EL34 power tubes are NOS Sylvanias.

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: Got my modded JCM800 yesterday ...

awwessomme man!! Have fun with it!

 

[shred-dog]

Re: Got my modded JCM800 yesterday ...

sounds cool bro!!!! enjoy hey good luck at don hill's friday!!!!!!!!!! i got that moding bug too i was going to drive from CT to voodoo amps(ithaca ny) 5hr on monday but some stuff came up but in the next 2 weeks i will get my marshall 50 watt sl-x up to trace to get voodooed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Panzer]

Re: Got my modded JCM800 yesterday ...

JCM800 you say? *Drool*

 

[jeremy]

Re: Got my modded JCM800 yesterday ...

i had trace modify a jcm 800 for me and it sounds killer!

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Got my modded JCM800 yesterday ...

Trace is mad cool; Harry's just as good, and he's local, so I use him, but you can't go wrong with either one! With Trace you can wait and he'll do the work on the spot; with Harry, it's like a 3-week wait.

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Got my modded JCM800 yesterday ...

Got my 2205 in with Jeff Seal right now having a complete mod. Should take about 4 weeks, I can't wait to get it back.

If you can, post some clips of your modded amp.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Got my modded JCM800 yesterday ...

Got my 2205 in with Jeff Seal right now having a complete mod. Should take about 4 weeks, I can't wait to get it back.

If you can, post some clips of your modded amp.

I'm actually working on an instrumental this weekend that I'm writing for the band, and I'll use the Marshall for the demo; then the band gets the demo and you guys get the clips! lol

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Got my modded JCM800 yesterday ...

I wish the guys at Marshall would spend more time learning how to make a versatile and good sounding tube amp, by learning from these modders. Unfortunately, they spend all their time dreaming up ways for solid state to NOT sound like crap.

I love modded Marshalls, when they're done by guys who improve the circuit.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Got my modded JCM800 yesterday ...

I wish the guys at Marshall would spend more time learning how to make a versatile and good sounding tube amp, by learning from these modders. Unfortunately, they spend all their time dreaming up ways for solid state to NOT sound like crap.

I love modded Marshalls, when they're done by guys who improve the circuit.

I totally agree! I think that channel switching was the begining of the end for Marshall. (Technically, the original JCM800 is still one channel, and the 'switiching' just adds an additional gain stage to the signal) And now kids have no reference to how a real Marshall is supposed to sound, and they think that the current crop is actually good!! Blech!! :earl:

 

[Grandor]

Re: Got my modded JCM800 yesterday ...

I completely agree with that Statement Twilight!

"And now kids have no reference to how a real Marshall is supposed to sound, and they think that the current crop is actually good!! Blech!!"


So many times, I have seen kids with AVT50's or VST series Marshall's, and their all like
"It's a f*cking Marshall, Its the best amp in the world; Hendrix used these"

Then I plug in my v-amp2 to my fender and it blows 'em away.
My V-amp2 nails the plexi tone 10 times more than the AVT Hybrid SS crap.


*mind you, I am a tube snob, but a poor one*

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Got my modded JCM800 yesterday ...

The way I see the JCM 800's in there stock form, there are 2 flavors. The single channel can be clean and dirty at the same time, is more touch sensitive and more responsive. The dual channel was a stab at a more versital amp. The problem is that the clean channel is not very good. That leaves the overdrive channel.....which still sounds good at times, but just like the single channel you have to crank the master volume to get the tubes cooking. If you rely on the pre-amp gain it gets buzzy and less organic.

I think amps like Soldano, Bogner, Matchless took the Marshall sound, refined it, improved it and combined it with a very decent clean channel and did what Marshall was trying to do with the dual channel 800's.

The bottom line is Marshall set the standard for overdriven tube amp tone, and instead of them continuing to improve that sound and stay the masters of that sound, they have tried too hard to diversify, cut cost and corners....essentially become what all larger companies are about....profit only.

Anyhow...long ramble that had a point originally that has spun into me babbling.

 

[casblah]

Re: Got my modded JCM800 yesterday ...

Cool deal man, hope it's everything you wanted. I'm on the fence about having some mods done to mine, but I don't want to chop things up inside. I like the way it sounds, so I prolly shouldn't f__k with it; then again maybe I'm missing out on a tone-from-hell by not having it done. Needless to say, I'm anxious to hear the sound clips from everybody.