Marshall JCM800 head: tell me about gain boost/OD pedals

[DrNewcenstein]

Have not had pedals in over 20 years. I know what used to be available, and what is available.

There's more out there now than there was 20 years ago.

Looking mostly at vintage 80's Thrash (Kill 'em All, Lightning), Iron Maiden (up through Powerslave), and Judas Priest (up to Defenders).

Not looking for stoner sludge or Hendrix or SRV or Hair Metal.

I know the names Tube Screamer, BOSS OD-1, OD-2, DS-1, MXR Dist+, Rat, Tube Driver, etc.

Tell me what you know about what's available new today.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Marshall JCM800 head: tell me about gain boost/OD pedals

those old pedals will do well enough the kind of stuff you want - especially through that amp.

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Marshall JCM800 head: tell me about gain boost/OD pedals

I keep hearing the old gags about old vs new - new version of xx pedal (i.e. TS-9 or TS-10) doesn't sound as good/like the old $$$ '80s version, etc. Any scientific proof or is it cork-sniffing?

 

[Brow]

Re: Marshall JCM800 head: tell me about gain boost/OD pedals

BOSS SD-1 Overdrives work very well with JCM800s.

They don't have quite as much midhump as a TS9, but do retain a bit more bass.

I've used 1 with my JCM800 for about 14 years now and haven't found anything yet that I prefer.

I've found trebleboosters to work well with these amps too.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Marshall JCM800 head: tell me about gain boost/OD pedals

I have always loved the combination of Fulltone Full-Drive with an 800.

 

[xxxplorer]

Re: Marshall JCM800 head: tell me about gain boost/OD pedals

^ +1 for the fulltone. I thought an old mij sd-1 knocked mine off, but turns out the fulldrive is still king of my board.

 

[SongsForTheDeaf]

Re: Marshall JCM800 head: tell me about gain boost/OD pedals

cheap pedal but the Hardwire SC-2 Valve Distortion pedal is a pretty versatile and ballsy distortion pedal that matches up well with Marshalls also the Bad Monkey has treble and bass controls and is a tubescreamer circuit and is a great gritty boost but with the gain cranked can get pretty dirty... maybe not Thrash dirty but a good heavy rock sound. I like my bad Monkey with the level knob 3 quarters the way up, same with Bass and the treble and gain at noon.. sounds beefy!

 

[Petrovsk Mizinski]

Re: Marshall JCM800 head: tell me about gain boost/OD pedals

I keep hearing the old gags about old vs new - new version of xx pedal (i.e. TS-9 or TS-10) doesn't sound as good/like the old $$$ '80s version, etc. Any scientific proof or is it cork-sniffing?

There can be more difference from one TS-9 to another TS-9, than a 9 to 808 due to component variance, which is just a normal part of the manufacturing process.
TS-7 is in fact a TS-9, in a different housing.
The SD-1 is similar enough that you can effectively mod it to 808 specs if you're so inclined.
However, I think it's better to just have both pedals on hand (SD-1 and a TS 7/9/808, whatever of those 3 Tube screamers you can find the cheapest).

I may need to put on the flameshield for this one, but I think unless you are using them for your standalone over drive, all those expensive, fancy TS/SD-1 variations are not worth 200 percent more dollars, for what may be a tiny difference, or potentially not even as good. Most of the perceived 'short comings' with a bone SD-1 or TS running through an amp set clean, are in fact what makes them so magic with an already overdriven/distorted and it's no wonder that many people go through all sorts of variations of these pedals only to come back to the bone stock versions, after they realize there was no problems with them and had forgotten why they were so excellent at the task at hand in the first place.

For amps with a bit of a looser low end and lower mids, like Dual Rectos, 5150s/6505s, the TS pedals are perfecto.
For some amps, the SD-1 is the way to go.
Some amps don't even need any of the high pass filtering offered by the SD-1s and TS pedals, and as such, just running a completely flat EQ pedal set with a little bit more level is great.
With the 800, the SD-1 or Boss GE-7 (or similar EQ pedal) or perhaps even both, would be a fantastic option.

 

[superpete]

Re: Marshall JCM800 head: tell me about gain boost/OD pedals

for those types of tones a rat2 or ts9/sd1 into an 800 is actually pretty ideal. but there are other newer pedals that will get those sounds from any amp plus a few more. What i mean is, a ts9 into an 800 will get you early metal tones, but not if you're plugging into a blues jr. a wampler plextortion or sovereign would do it. mi crunch box could do it. MXR 78 badass or the new super badass could do it. but really, if you got a rat2 into an 800 that's the sound right there!

 

[LatsMcGee]

Re: Marshall JCM800 head: tell me about gain boost/OD pedals

Rats are great with Marshalls, one of the best Marshall tones I've ever heard for any metal was a JCM 800 combo with a Purple Plexi.....sounded like two Marshalls in one!

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Marshall JCM800 head: tell me about gain boost/OD pedals

My go to pedal for my JCM800's and my JMP is the old TC Electronic Line Booster+ Line driver/distortion. I only use the boost settings this pedal is incredible for me it is always on and might as well be part of the head. I bought one of the reissues that TC electronics did and it did really disappoint it lacked the transparency as a booster compared to the old one. I really wish I could find something new that I find as good.

I used to use a Chandler tube driver with them also and the already mentioned TS9's and SD-1s but I always come back to the TC electronic.

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Marshall JCM800 head: tell me about gain boost/OD pedals

Thanks for the input so far :friday:

Any other opinions?

I know that "good" is always subjective - one man's great is another man's meh, so I'm looking for as much input as I can get.

I'm not sure what dealers are nearby, nor what pedal inventory they have that I could take me head/cab to try out. Need to look into that I guess.

 

[alteredbeast]

Re: Marshall JCM800 head: tell me about gain boost/OD pedals

Maxon, i'd say. Never messed with OD808, but own OD9, and Pro+. I'm pretty content with them.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Marshall JCM800 head: tell me about gain boost/OD pedals

IMO SD1 > everythign else except a Mesa V-Twin, but that isn`t a boost pedal but rather a full blown preamp put into a steel armadillo shell.

 

[Simon_F]

Re: Marshall JCM800 head: tell me about gain boost/OD pedals

My main gigging amps are a JMP 2104 (same circuit as an early JCM 800) and a DSL 50 I use in green channel crunch mode. I run them medium crunchy then boost with a pedal for solos.

Currently I'm using a Joyo Vintage Overdrive and loving it. Bad Monkey is fantastic too. I've also used a Boss SD-1, which was good but brighter and more aggressive. There's a smoothness to the others that works better for me. I don't feel the need to go boutique - in my experience you don't need to spend a lot of money to get a great sounding boost for a Marshall.

 

[Brow]

Re: Marshall JCM800 head: tell me about gain boost/OD pedals

I'll 2nd Simons opinion of the Bad Monkey too.

Although I haven't used it with my JCM800 I have used it with my Splawn Quick Rod, which is based on the JCM800 'thing', and it works well.

 

[blues]

Re: Marshall JCM800 head: tell me about gain boost/OD pedals

Rats are great with Marshalls, one of the best Marshall tones I've ever heard for any metal was a JCM 800 combo with a Purple Plexi.....sounded like two Marshalls in one!

Are you talking about a Lovepedal Purple Plexi? I have the PP100. Thats the Marshall Plexi tone. The PP 800 is more Hi gain like the JCM 800 or a hot rod plexi.

I dont know if the OP is using his amp and cranking it for his tone but that should get him close to the tones he wants. I had a JCM 800 when they first came out. Back then there was not near as many options like there is now. I used a mxr 6 band eq for boost. Not as a stand alone distortion pedal. I also tried using a mxr dyna comp but not for compression. If you turn the knob about 3/4 of the way up it would act as a boost and sustain well.

If you are looking for a stand alone and dont want to crank your amp the PP800 will work well. If you crank your amp you can set the PP100 with the gain turned down as a boost. You would be surprised.

You will get lots of opinions. I dont think you need to spend a lot of money to get what your looking for. A cranked amp and a simple eq pedal will work. What ever pickup you are using could factor in also. Keep it simple.

 

[everdrone]

Re: Marshall JCM800 head: tell me about gain boost/OD pedals

which jcm800? I had a 100 watt head, and it did not matter what pedal I used for that type of music, since I never played in a venue that required that amount of extreme volume!

all I got were solid state analog type tones from the pedal I used and the preamp, cause I could not crank that amp. it did not sound good at all :banghead:

 

[Simon_F]

Re: Marshall JCM800 head: tell me about gain boost/OD pedals

A cranked amp and a simple eq pedal will work.

Good point. Apart from the pedals I mentioned above I've also used a Boss GE-7 as a solo boost into a Marshall. And that was great too!

There are a lot of good options. The trick is in dialling in the pedal's sweet spot for your amp settings. Got to tickle that amp in just the right place.

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Marshall JCM800 head: tell me about gain boost/OD pedals

which jcm800? I had a 100 watt head, and it did not matter what pedal I used for that type of music, since I never played in a venue that required that amount of extreme volume!

all I got were solid state analog type tones from the pedal I used and the preamp, cause I could not crank that amp. it did not sound good at all :banghead:

2203 with the fx loop.

I have cranked it (Master on about 8) through a 2x12. Definitely shakes the sheetrock.

Trouble is, at that volume it's just not as smooth as I want. I've run an ADA MP-1 into the low sens input, and like it, but I could do that with a rackmounted power amp.

Looking to keep it simple and as portable as I can, using anything from Distortion pickups to P-Rails to Customs.