Help me decide on a new gigging amp.

Help me decide on a new gigging amp.

  • Line6 Flextone III plus

    Votes: 2 7.1%

  • ebay Marshall JCM800 2204

    Votes: 16 57.1%

  • ebay Marshall AVT50h

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • DIY JCM800 2204

    Votes: 10 35.7%
  • Total voters
    28
Dirtbagg

Dirtbagg

New member
Forum bros, help me in my quest.
I love the tone from an 1987 JCM800 2204 amp. I use it in my Line6 guitar port for record and love it and have it locked in. I have been looking into Line6's Flextone III for flexability but I don't know if I would need it unless playing four hour bar gigs. I used to have a Marshall AVT50 which was nice but finding one on ebay is not having any results. the old JCM800's are hard to find and can be either very pricey or have the older than '87 circutry. My fourth option was I found a place to build one A.K.A DIY that would have the new circutry and new tubes.

Forum bro's give me your opinions.
 
Re: Help me decide on a new gigging amp.

PM me your phone number man. It's been a few years since we talked. I'm not too good at conveying my message while typing.
 
Re: Help me decide on a new gigging amp.

It's versatile, and no tubes to fret over. Needs the floorboard to get the most out of it, needs to be programmed and all (not a problem if you don't mind that). It's all in how you dial these things in, really. I've heard crap tones from these and I've heard great ones.

eBay'd 2204
I wouldn't buy an old Marshall off eBay simply because I feel that those amps have a lot of individual personality that varies somewhat from amp to amp. Not a bad thing, but what if you get one you don't like? Your preference on that may be a little looser, who knows? You may get a great one. Just be a careful shopper. These things need to be throttled to sound their best (I used to own one, i know) and that volume is louder than you need to be at most gigs. But a well-tuned 800 gets some sick tone.

AVT50H
Eh.... I've gotten good sounds out of them as have other players of them I've known, but I'd pick other hybrid or SS amps over this one. Not a bad choice, but not the best you could do.

DIY JCM800
It'd be a little time consuming but you could build the amp just the way you want it and tweak it to your needs.



What are your main requirements? What are you gonna be using this for? Wattage? effects? etc?

Personally I'd get the DIY 2204 and build an effects loop into it.
 
Re: Help me decide on a new gigging amp.

E-bay one. Or, if you're into wiring and want to give amd building a shot, then a DIY build, though a little more risky in the end result, would be a great learning experience.
 
Re: Help me decide on a new gigging amp.

if you think you can tackle the diy marshall i would go that route. i would make one change though. rig it up so you can run 6V6 tubes as well as el34's. i am making a trainwreck express type amp and it sounds like a monster with the 6V6's at a much lower volume than the el34's. a quick rebias is all that you need to do to make sure you dont hit the smaller bottles with too much juice, the jj 6v6's might not be the best sounding 6v6 ive heard but they can handle higher voltages and sound good.
 
Re: Help me decide on a new gigging amp.

i'd say keep an eye out locally so if a valve head comes up you can actually try it!

the DSL50's a great workhorse gigging amp though IMO, and they're propping up shelves on ebay there's so many used ones about :D
 
Re: Help me decide on a new gigging amp.

Do you know how to bias an amp? Have you ever built an amp before? If not, then I would not recommend starting with a JCM 800. Ceriatone can build one for you at a price that I think you would find surprising. Plus it will be hand wired, with good components:)
 
Re: Help me decide on a new gigging amp.

i went to an outdoor concert 3 years ago.... there was 3 bands... the first band's guitarist had a single Flextone combo and the outfront sound was really very good!!!!! the next 2 acts had Marshall JCM 800 and 2000 half stacks... i was shocked to see the Flextone sounded so good out front compaired to the real Marshalls!!! The soundmen were constantly moving the mics around on the cabs.... by the end of the show they were getting a good tone out of the real Marshalls... Strange night

normally i'd be the first to say go for a real amp over a modeler but sometimes the modelers just win...
 
Re: Help me decide on a new gigging amp.

I voted DIY 2204. I highly recommend http://www.metroamp.com/
I built one from his parts ,And it's sounds awesome! Here are some pics.
BTW, It took me close to 6 months to build this, And the debugging was a real brain twister.

100_1677.jpg

Homebrewback.jpg

2204neked.jpg
 
Last edited:
Re: Help me decide on a new gigging amp.

zzmoore said:
Do you know how to bias an amp? Have you ever built an amp before? If not, then I would not recommend starting with a JCM 800. Ceriatone can build one for you at a price that I think you would find surprising. Plus it will be hand wired, with good components:)
Click to expand...

I have not biased an amp before, but I have experience with electronics. I was going to use the ceriatone layout for most of it also. I would buy like the thansformners here in the us to cut dound costs. I here the ceriatone is very good.
 
Re: Help me decide on a new gigging amp.

Dirtbagg said:
Forum bros, help me in my quest.
I love the tone from an 1987 JCM800 2204 amp. I use it in my Line6 guitar port for record and love it and have it locked in. I have been looking into Line6's Flextone III for flexability but I don't know if I would need it unless playing four hour bar gigs. I used to have a Marshall AVT50 which was nice but finding one on ebay is not having any results. the old JCM800's are hard to find and can be either very pricey or have the older than '87 circutry. My fourth option was I found a place to build one A.K.A DIY that would have the new circutry and new tubes.

Forum bro's give me your opinions.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't give amp building a shot if you're looking for a reliable, consistent gigging amp.

If you like the tone you're getting from Line 6's model, why not get the Line 6 amp? You can get the tone you want at whatever volume you want - IME, its invaluable to get the tone I want without having to crank it to a particular volume level. How many people can tell a Line 6 or other modeller from the amps they model in a blind AB test? You just have to dial them in, which most kids and Line 6 haters alike don't do when they plug in at the guitar store. They're reliable and consistent, which you want in a gigging amp. Plus they're relatively inexpensive, and unless you need to toggle the onboard effects on/off a lot, you can get by with the simple channel switching footswitch.
 
Last edited:
Re: Help me decide on a new gigging amp.

Depends greatly on your needs. I LIKE the flexibility of Line 6. I use an X3Live almost exclusively. It allows me to use vastly different tones at the click of a switch. Although we play mostly originals, the writing styles vary significantly.

I also like the ability to switch to a lead tone with all effects needed with ONE click.

If you want to have "your sound" with slight variations, then an amp with effects pedals is the better route.

All routes have potholes. It depends on which ones you choose to drive around.
 
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