Infamous late-80s metal amps

[Sirion]

As should be obvious by now for those who have followed I am rather addicted to the tones of the late eighties, and would love to be able to experiment with different dialects of it over the years and decades to come. I therefore wanted to see if I could get a list of gear to look out for up and running, since most of it will have to be bought used (and, honestly, much of it will probably need capacitors and other electronic parts changed by now). The period in question would be c1985–91, i.e. the last wave of antediluvian heavy metal. I am more interested in the traditional heavy metal spectrum and glam than speed/thrash metal in this context. I suppose it makes sense to split into two categories, with heads and rack pre-amps separated.

I'll add any suggestions given to the list below if its inclusion can be justified. Most of the ones I've started with should be obvious. (Note: I've left Mesa/Boogie off the list. They did have a place in this repertoire, but mostly as a live solution for players before Marshall got their proverbial in gear and started making rack units in 1989.)

Heads:
Marshall JCM 800
Modded 70s Marshall Super Lead or JMP
Randall RG80/RG100
Soldano SLO 100

Pre-amps:
ADA MP-1
Kitty Hawk Quattro
Peavey Rockmaster
Rockman Sustainor/Distortion Generator

These were just the ones I could think of on the top of my head. Any others?

 

[Ascension]

Re: Infamous late-80s metal amps

Would add a few amps.
The JCM 900 Dual Reverb and the awesome Dual Master's plus the red hot SLX amps both hit around 1990 and were designed specifically to compete with the Soldano and Jackson modded amps out of the box for those metal tones you are seeking.
Also may want to look at the Hot Rod mod Carvin X100B heads starting around 1988 or so as those are just flat ripping amps!
Fender had a couple with the Bruce Zinky Custom Shop designs in the Prosonic and also the Arena rocking Tonemaster's.
You hit on the Soldano amps but also be aware that Lee Jackson also did a lot of those hair metal amp mods. Jackson designed a couple amps for Ampeg and crate in that era the Crate Stealth in particular is a vicious metal amp.
On the rack stuff the JMP-1 Marshall Pres and 9100/9200 set up's ripped. Also the Rocktrons in the VooDoo Valve and chameleon hit very early 1990's.
The Peavey Rockmaster was indeed a killer I played through Rex Carrol with Whitcross's rig a couple times. I ran a PAG series Triumph back in that era for a while have a very early 1990's Ultra Plus head for sale now on ebay that was pretty much just a Rockmaster pre with the 120 mono tube power amp in a head shell. They also had the Butcher.
Since I was a hair band player in that era will likely think of a few more.
Be aware many of those bands did run Boogie in the Studio as well as live so don't discount them as they were very much a part of the metal tones from that era. In particular Brad Gillis was playing Boogies with Ozzy right after the death of Rhodes.
This was all Boogie here

One solid state amp to look out for would be the Ampeg SS 140. Another would be the Sun Super Leads.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Infamous late-80s metal amps

+1 on the Carvin X amp and the Randall RG-120ES.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Infamous late-80s metal amps

I've always loved Jubilees, and if finances allowed, I would have taken advantage of the 2555x blowout that happened a few weeks ago for $1250. Such a bargain.
I have a 2550, 2204, and 4103, so it's not like I needed a 2555x, but I still wanted one because the 2555 was what I used back then and it's a bit thicker than my 2550.

I have owned every rig you're wanting. There's great tone to be had in a JCM 800 plus an OD like MXR or Maxon. The only thing I don't like about 800's is the lack of an FX loop. JMP-1 is the preamp to have.

A good thing to own would be a DSL 100 or 50 and a few OD's.

I'd mention all the other late 80's amps like Randall, Crate, Carvin, Soldano, Peavey, Mesa....but after seeing zillions of bands from that era, even being part of the Sunset Blvd scene, the best tones were always hotrodded Marshalls, with or without OD's.

Paul Gilbert thinks the same way. He went from Lee Jackson modded Marshalls to a bunch of stuff like ADA and Laney, and he's now back to basics.....DSL 100 and a couple OD pedals.

 

[Ascension]

Re: Infamous late-80s metal amps

I've always loved Jubilees, and if finances allowed, I would have taken advantage of the 2555x blowout that happened a few weeks ago for $1250. Such a bargain.
I have a 2550, 2204, and 4103, so it's not like I needed a 2555x, but I still wanted one because the 2555 was what I used back then and it's a bit thicker than my 2550.

I have owned every rig you're wanting. There's great tone to be had in a JCM 800 plus an OD like MXR or Maxon. The only thing I don't like about 800's is the lack of an FX loop. JMP-1 is the preamp to have.

A good thing to own would be a DSL 100 or 50 and a few OD's.

I'd mention all the other late 80's amps like Randall, Crate, Carvin, Soldano, Peavey, Mesa....but after seeing zillions of bands from that era, even being part of the Sunset Blvd scene, the best tones were always hotrodded Marshalls, with or without OD's.

Paul Gilbert thinks the same way. He went from Lee Jackson modded Marshalls to a bunch of stuff like ADA and Laney, and he's now back to basics.....DSL 100 and a couple OD pedals.

Ran a jubilee slant 2/12 cab for years with a Dual Master.
best tone I ever heard was a Soldano SLO but had my share of Modded Marshalls.
Agree on the JMP-1 ran a 9200 with mine here is a studio clip from I guess around 1994 with that rig.
https://app.box.com/s/dj8ykf22zdvko5qdm8vshy6goov0q9vo
What in the WORLD prompted me to sell that rig i will never know!
Damon Johnson with Brother Cain had a couple JCM800"s that were modded by Lee Jackson I have to admit were bad bad boys though! One head sat in a local shop here for years until maybe 2013 or so. Could have owned this bad ***** !

 

[Sirion]

Re: Infamous late-80s metal amps

Thanks for the suggestions so far!

I have owned every rig you're wanting. There's great tone to be had in a JCM 800 plus an OD like MXR or Maxon. The only thing I don't like about 800's is the lack of an FX loop. JMP-1 is the preamp to have.

I guess the woraround would be an ISO box and a dedicated power amp. I already have the equipment needed.

I'd mention all the other late 80's amps like Randall, Crate, Carvin, Soldano, Peavey, Mesa....but after seeing zillions of bands from that era, even being part of the Sunset Blvd scene, the best tones were always hotrodded Marshalls, with or without OD's.

Not even a Soldano?

Paul Gilbert thinks the same way. He went from Lee Jackson modded Marshalls to a bunch of stuff like ADA and Laney, and he's now back to basics.....DSL 100 and a couple OD pedals.

Then again one needs to take matters like availability, endorsee money and roadworthiness when looking at how a rig like Gilbert's has developed. Besides, is anybody trying to cop his MODERN guitar tones in any case? (to be fair I don't think tone was ever Gilbert's forte.)

 

[Sirion]

Re: Infamous late-80s metal amps

Sorry, I'm trying to reply to the rest of you but the Internet here is 90% down at the moment, so it'll have to wait a little.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Infamous late-80s metal amps

I've always loved Jubilees, and if finances allowed, I would have taken advantage of the 2555x blowout that happened a few weeks ago for $1250. Such a bargain.

I came soooo close. Don't remind me.
And When did the Marshall 900 SL-X come out? THAT is the Marshall mod sound IMO that we seek, in a from the factory package. (Thanks for the tip on the KISS amps again Joe, if I had the cash....)


I was going say Mesa-Boogie, Mark V or Triple recto to the original list.

Also, the Crate Blue Voodoo

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Infamous late-80s metal amps

Did anyone use Mesa Strategy amplifiers?

 

[DankStar]

Re: Infamous late-80s metal amps

In the late 80s I wanted a Lee Jackson Ampeg VL502 - started with a key lol.

If you're into glam - weren't poison and some other glam band using crate heads? as bad a rep as they get, they were one of the first amps with a lot of onboard gain at a normal price.

don't forget the gallien kruegers on maiden's somewhere in time.

you could probably geek out on the pedals going into marshalls as much as the amps - while most in rock seemed to gravitate to marshalls, there were a fair number of pedals used to push em (rat, super od, boss HM, TS, DOD, MXR, TC electronics...)

in the late 80s I always saw ads for the gainiac rack preamp & wanted it based on its name alone, but years later after the advent of the internet I seldom saw one good review of that unit.

 

[devastone]

Re: Infamous late-80s metal amps

Did anyone use Mesa Strategy amplifiers?

Strategy amps are just power amps.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Infamous late-80s metal amps

Strategy amps are just power amps.

So did anyone use them? Big 80's racks?

 

[Obsessive Compulsive]

Re: Infamous late-80s metal amps

Roctron Piranha, hell...if you are into rack get all Rocktron gear you can afford. And don't forget ART.

 

[Sirion]

Re: Infamous late-80s metal amps

Hughes and Kettner had a nuch of half-rack amps as well that could be fun. Then again, let us be realistic: A lot of what is being suggested (keep coming with it, I'm loving it!) are economy solutions or gimmicks rather than genuine alternatives considering how much money certain people here have sunk into other parts of their rig. But it is fun, and as a musicologist/historian/nerd I'd love to get my hands on more of this stuff! Also a lot of it might be difficult to find with European specs.

I really need to get a proper collection of Guitar for the Practicing Musician (I only own a few select numbers) to try to get an overview of what was out there.

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: Infamous late-80s metal amps

And When did the Marshall 900 SL-X come out?

Early 90's. Seems to be no specific known release year

 

[MkIII Renegade]

Re: Infamous late-80s metal amps

Must include the Mesa Boogie MkIII and Quad Preamp, which essentially had two MkIII preamps. I believe Brad Gillis used a MkIII, as did many others.

If you have a Marshall that needs a shove, check out the DOD Preamp 250 pedal.

 

[Ascension]

Re: Infamous late-80s metal amps

So did anyone use them? Big 80's racks?

I did for a while. Carvin Quad X, Marshall JMP-1, ADA MP1 and 2, Art 80/80, Rocktron Voo Doo Valve and a Chameleon that come to mind right now. Power amps are critical with racks and had a number from Rocktron, Boogie Peavey and Marshall over the years. Got sick of all the programing + had reliability issues on the road ( never lived until you get a close lightening strike and surge with a big midi rig in the middle of a set!!)so went back to a JCM 900 Dual master or Carvin x amp.

 

[Ascension]

Re: Infamous late-80s metal amps

Early 90's. Seems to be no specific known release year

The 900 series came out in ether late 1989 or very early 90 and the SLX was right behind by late 90 or early 91 (I'm an old fart hair band guy who was running those amps on the road back in that time frame so--).

 

[Ascension]

Re: Infamous late-80s metal amps

Roctron Piranha, hell...if you are into rack get all Rocktron gear you can afford. And don't forget ART.

Had several Rocktron rigs but never liked the Piranaha in particular. Still running a Rocktron Deep Blue Chorus on my board and the Rocktron Chorus and delays were fantastic!!
This was me sitting round the house bored with a drum machine a Rocktron Chameleon a nice midi expression pedal controller plugging straight into an old Yamaha porta studio 8 track CASSETTE recorder!
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=2478707

 

[Jacew]

Re: Infamous late-80s metal amps

I have to add Gallien Krueger SS amps, just because they're different and very affordable: Iron Maiden, for one at least, used 250 ml on Somewhere in time and 2000 pcl preamp on Seventh son of a seventh son.