Jubilee to Plexi tone

Hsb

Hsb

Well-known member
Is there a way I can get a plexi type tone from my Jubilee without amp mods? The Jub and Plexi are two different animals, wasnt sure if by playing with the tone stack, presence and gain knob if I could get in the neighborhood.

I know I can run pedals thru it to get there and if thats the only way so be it. Just want to mix up my amp tone a bit without having to go stupid crazy spending money.

If the only route to go is pedals, been kinda eyeing the Dirty Little Secret of Xotic SL.
 
Re: Jubilee to Plexi tone

Mod is the best way to nail it. Jubs have given up some of the bassman based tone and circuit of a Plexi in order to get that nice modern gain.
 
Re: Jubilee to Plexi tone

Some ideas:

Turn down the gain and turn up the volume.

Use the Marshall G12 Vintage speakers. Jubes have a mids center that is lower than most Marshalls and they need a speaker with stronger, but clear, upper mids and with tighter bottom.

Use vintage output pickups. High output pickups cause the preamp to clip harder in jubes and they cause more compression in the preamp stages.

Try a lower gain V1 tube.

Don't be afraid to twist the EQ knobs. The eq section in Jubes is very sensitive and effective. There is a broad range of tones available.

Try slightly different bias settings.

Try KT77 tubes.

Maybe, change the negative feedback wire from the 4 ohm tap to the 8 ohm tap. The increase in negative feed back will mellow the tone a bit making it more vintage.
 
Re: Jubilee to Plexi tone

Thanks guys, think the cab has G12T75s in it already. I have been playing with tone knobs quite a bit lately. As for lower gain tube, say a 12AT7 vs 12AX7 or am I off on that one?

Times Ill have yhe gain down around 2.3-3 but livong in a townhouse, 2 kids and a wife the preamp volume olume up is maybe 3 and master really cant push past 2-2.5, that may not work well for me.

Love the tone of my amp, wouldnt trade it for the world, because of that bigger mods Im not up for. Id be happy in the neighborhood, .

If I go the pedal route, I def have options but it seems a lil odd to use a pedal to make my Marshall to sound like another Marshall, but maybe something to consider.
 
Re: Jubilee to Plexi tone

The town house limitations change the game a little. One thing about the Jubilee is that it has a good loop and a good clean channel followed by an eq section that really works, so using an amp in the box pedal is a viable solution. It also can be a good sounding amp at lower volumes.

You can stay in the 12AX7 tube family but just a mellower one, like the Gold Lion one or a 5751.

Actually the G12 Vintage is the Marshall version of the Vintage 30 not the G12T75. However, the Vintage 30 types will make the amp louder and probably work against your goals here. Plus they take months of very loud playing to break in. Just adjust the eq for the 75s.

I have been able to get good high volume plexi tones out of Jubilees at reasonable volume levels. One thing about Jubilees, they enhance the guitar's qualities rather than hide them, so a good vintage style guitar that is often matched with plexis will bring out more of a plexi vibe too.
 
Re: Jubilee to Plexi tone

Lake Placid Blues said:
Some ideas:

Turn down the gain and turn up the volume.

Use the Marshall G12 Vintage speakers. Jubes have a mids center that is lower than most Marshalls and they need a speaker with stronger, but clear, upper mids and with tighter bottom.

Use vintage output pickups. High output pickups cause the preamp to clip harder in jubes and they cause more compression in the preamp stages.

Try a lower gain V1 tube.

Don't be afraid to twist the EQ knobs. The eq section in Jubes is very sensitive and effective. There is a broad range of tones available.

Try slightly different bias settings.

Try KT77 tubes.

Maybe, change the negative feedback wire from the 4 ohm tap to the 8 ohm tap. The increase in negative feed back will mellow the tone a bit making it more vintage.
Click to expand...

There's some good thoughts here.

I can tell you I can get a Plexi type tone driving my JCM800 hard with a Plexi voiced pedal into the clean(ish) channel with only a little pre gain and mids up.
 
Re: Jubilee to Plexi tone

Ok, couple things for me to think about then. Id be open to changing pickups in the Iceman, currently has a Distrotion in it. The fact it enhances the guitars quailities, maybe thats why Im not quite jiving with my Jackson. Have not really found a good setting while using the Jackson, with or without pedals.

I may be better off getting a plexi in a box vs delving into mods of the amp.

Definitely afraid of playing with eq stack and gain knob.

Thanks for all the help and advice Lake Placid, gives me plenty to consider.

If I go plexi in a box, I have plenty options available to me locally from Wampler and JHS. Local shop has a used JHS Angry Charlie v1 I may go give a try plus they have new Wampler plexi deluxe pedals.
 
Re: Jubilee to Plexi tone

As someone who hasn't directly compared these, how do they differ?
 
Re: Jubilee to Plexi tone

By virtue of power, a true Silver Jubilee is a JCM series amplifier. As far as I know, which isn't much... the reissue "Silver Jubilee" X uses DSL series transformers. To my ears, the reissue does not seem to exemplify the lower-mid character/warmth that the originals are known for. To some, this may be preferable. As far as getting a SJ to sound like a plexi, you can shut-down the SJ clipping circuit, and then max the MV to simulate NMV "plexi" operation. IMO, no Marhsall sounds like a plexi, except a plexi. Whether or not you enjoy the sound of the SJ w/o the diode clipping is up to you.

Speakers play a huge roll. The UK made G12T-75 is a wonderful speaker! Nothing at all like the China made version. The UK G12T-75 is essentially a G12-65 with a poly voice-coil cylinder. They remind me of a greenback, but without the "hair" around the lows; when used with a MV Marshall. I'm not a fan of the V30 speakers, so those are out for me. If they weren't so heavy, I'd likely use a quad of vintage EVM's in my SJ cabinet. Those, or some vintage JBL's.

The SJ is its own amp. If you're looking to get a plexi sound out of a MV Marshall, you would likely be better-off with a Anniversary 6100LM. A mess of an amp IMO, but it's plexi mode does come close.
 
Re: Jubilee to Plexi tone

Mincer said:
As someone who hasn't directly compared these, how do they differ?
Click to expand...

the Plexi tone is basically the most famous rock tone. Think Led Zep, Cream, Hendrix, ACDC -It literally is the sound of late 60s and 70s rock. -like Fender was for 50s and 60s.

the JCM tone is the Marshall plexi mid with a heavier growl like 80s Hard Rock, Metal and Punk -Think Motley Crue, Metallica, Slayer, even Fugazi and Bad Religion.
 
Re: Jubilee to Plexi tone

The answer is typically "no".

I even had a plexi paneled JTM45RI (much closer to the "plexi tone" than the Jubilee), and it still didn't cut the mustard for "plexi tone".

So, I modded it - to '68 50W Plexi specs.

Now it sounds like a plexi (that famous plexi tone), because it actually is one.
 
Re: Jubilee to Plexi tone

The Silver Jubilee is never going to sound/react like a traditional Marshall. You will read many comments on its diode clipping assembly, but, this is not what makes the Silver Jubilee tone (and feel) so unique. The most affective difference, is the Silver Jubilee plate-driven tone stack vs traditional Marshall cathode-follower arrangement. No amount of discussion will convince, nor am I trying... I've owned many Marshall amplifiers since 1978. IMO, the Silver Jubilee is the best sounding MV amplifier that Marshall has ever made. MV is spot-on, tone controls give incredible control, effects loop is the best in the biz, 1/2 power has variac-like response, bass stays tight - yet musical. A fabulous amplifier! I sold my Cornford MK, and Bogner 100B, after playing a 50 watt '87 Silver Jubilee.

If you do get a Silver Jubilee, try to secure a made for Canada model. They don't come with a 16 ohm load setting, but that doesn't matter. These are (and this is just my opinion) the best sounding of the Silver Jubilee line. Apparently, the PT is a more robustly built, laydown type design. Also... The 1988-1990 black tolex models are the same as the late model silver tolex version.

As far as diode clipping goes, who cares? If it sounds good, it is good. I use diode clipping pedals with my Ampeg and VOX rigs with stellar results! As a matter of fact, my gigging rig for nearly 20 years was a 1972 Marshall Super Lead + diode clipping distortion... I don't recall anyone ever complaining about my tone. Not from the audience, or from those who played through my rig. Leave the diode clipping vs tube clipping guff to the nutswingers on TGP.

This 2554 combo arrived this afternoon via UPS. Yeah... I'm a fan.

IMG_2676 copy.JPG
 
Re: Jubilee to Plexi tone

LLL said:
The answer is typically "no".

I even had a plexi paneled JTM45RI (much closer to the "plexi tone" than the Jubilee), and it still didn't cut the mustard for "plexi tone".

So, I modded it - to '68 50W Plexi specs.

Now it sounds like a plexi (that famous plexi tone), because it actually is one.
Click to expand...

HSB, I don't know a lot of people's backgrounds on SDUF but LLL is an expert at dialing in and approximating famous tones -check out his YT videos.

I bailed at JCM900s, but the traditional Plexi tone is more similar to the classic Fender Bassman circuit than it is the later high gain circuits 40 years later

even so, if you want "Plexi-ish" (that dynamic mid range growl). buy a good Plexi pedal and go around as much of the clipping on your Jubilee pre as possible.
 
Re: Jubilee to Plexi tone

67Mopar said:
The Silver Jubilee is never going to sound/react like a traditional Marshall. You will read many comments on its diode clipping assembly, but, this is not what makes the Silver Jubilee tone (and feel) so unique. The most affective difference, is the Silver Jubilee plate-driven tone stack vs traditional Marshall cathode-follower arrangement. No amount of discussion will convince, nor am I trying... I've owned many Marshall amplifiers since 1978. IMO, the Silver Jubilee is the best sounding MV amplifier that Marshall has ever made. MV is spot-on, tone controls give incredible control, effects loop is the best in the biz, 1/2 power has variac-like response, bass stays tight - yet musical. A fabulous amplifier! I sold my Cornford MK, and Bogner 100B, after playing a 50 watt '87 Silver Jubilee.

If you do get a Silver Jubilee, try to secure a made for Canada model. They don't come with a 16 ohm load setting, but that doesn't matter. These are (and this is just my opinion) the best sounding of the Silver Jubilee line. Apparently, the PT is a more robustly built, laydown type design. Also... The 1988-1990 black tolex models are the same as the late model silver tolex version.

As far as diode clipping goes, who cares? If it sounds good, it is good. I use diode clipping pedals with my Ampeg and VOX rigs with stellar results! As a matter of fact, my gigging rig for nearly 20 years was a 1972 Marshall Super Lead + diode clipping distortion... I don't recall anyone ever complaining about my tone. Not from the audience, or from those who played through my rig. Leave the diode clipping vs tube clipping guff to the nutswingers on TGP.

This 2554 combo arrived this afternoon via UPS. Yeah... I'm a fan.

View attachment 103045
Click to expand...

Oh I have an original 1987 Silver Jubilee, it sounds amazing.

Congrats on your new amp and welcome to the club.
 
Re: Jubilee to Plexi tone

NE, I agree about LLL, if anyone would know, def him.

Between here and a few other things Ive read, I think I will venture to a plexi toned pedal. Have a couple in mind, but want to do more checking before I commit to one or the other. I guess, in hindsite I probably should of just started looking for a plexi in a box first as I really dont to mod the amp itself, love the SJ as it, was thinking/looking for new variation of what I already have.
 
Re: Jubilee to Plexi tone

Hsb said:
Oh I have an original 1987 Silver Jubilee, it sounds amazing.

Congrats on your new amp and welcome to the club.
Click to expand...

Thanks. This (Canada) combo has way more gain than my (USA) 2550 head had. Other than a lack of choke, and that this one is a made for Canada model, they're basically the same amp. My 2550 was a 1988 model, so it has all the factory revisions. I ran JJ, Tung-sol, and Mullard V1... I don't recall any change in distortion level. On this one, there's audible break-up with the preamp set to 1. My 2550 sounded fairly clean at that setting. On the combo, the pull to "rhythm clip" setting sounds stellar! It was good on the 2550, but not like this.
 
Last edited:
Re: Jubilee to Plexi tone

I bought it used in the mid 90s, had the tubes changed then, Ive considered just flat out retubing the amp, at least the preamp tubes. Not that I play out, its just me playing it so it really doesnt get a chance to get loud w the wife and kids at home. A tube is an easy mod if I want to try it. Someone else earlier in the thread mentioned a lower output preamp tube. May look into that and see what happens but also as said above, maybe better off with really good plexi in a box pedal.
 
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