Marshall JCM800 vs VintageModern

[Luke Duke]

Re: Marshall JCM800 vs VintageModern

800 is always a good bet, but the VM has more vintage tone. So for metal 800 and VM for rock and more classic metal tones.

What? :eyecrazy:

The 800 has waaaay less gain on tap. The 800 doesn't really grind until it's really breathing and your ears are ringing.

In the end it's a matter of personal preference. If you can crank it up to the lock the 800 will make you happier I think, if not get the VM and tweak.

Luke

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Marshall JCM800 vs VintageModern

I'm not a fan of the JVM, but the Vintage Modern I've had some fun with. In those clips, I'm actually not a fan of the JCM 800. I think I'm just not a fan of uber-tight bass. For all out metal and heavy gain the JCM 800 sounds better, but for classic rock sounding Marshall, I dig the Vintage Moderns. Then again, I am making a judgement based on two amplifiers goosed with a tube screamer. To me, the Vintage Modern sounds bigger. The JCM 800 is more focused and better for technical playing.

 

[oilpit]

Re: Marshall JCM800 vs VintageModern

What? :eyecrazy:

The 800 has waaaay less gain on tap. The 800 doesn't really grind until it's really breathing and your ears are ringing.

Correct, I WTFed when I read that post as well...

 

[YHWH]

Re: Marshall JCM800 vs VintageModern

... the VM has preamp fuzolla a-plenty, but it'll get mushy and jumbled up if you add a od/dist pedal in front. An 800 can do high gain - it's pedal friendly, so goosing it w/ a Tube Screamer, a DS-1, SD-1 or RAT can add the extra bump and grind if you need it... clear and articulate w/ no mush to it, unless you dump the mids out... :friday:

 

[B2D]

Re: Marshall JCM800 vs VintageModern

forget the video i don't even need to watch it to know i'd take the 800 hands down. the VM just doesn't do it for me.

-Mike

Pretty much. Even the least impressive sound JCM800 I've ever tried was much better than the VM. The clean tones on the VM were slightly better but you don't buy a Marshall for clean tones.

 

[Northwinds]

Re: Marshall JCM800 vs VintageModern

What? :eyecrazy:

The 800 doesn't really grind until it's really breathing and your ears are ringing

I could not have said it better. I REALLY liked the 900 SL-X also and that's basically an 800 on steroids

 

[JOLLY]

Re: Marshall JCM800 vs VintageModern

I'll stick with my JVM410H.

 

[SlowGroove]

Re: Marshall JCM800 vs VintageModern

I'm not a fan of the JVM, but the Vintage Modern I've had some fun with. In those clips, I'm actually not a fan of the JCM 800. I think I'm just not a fan of uber-tight bass. For all out metal and heavy gain the JCM 800 sounds better, but for classic rock sounding Marshall, I dig the Vintage Moderns. .

Another person here who can NOT get to like the JVM's at all . . . just not my thing !


James

 

[SlowGroove]

Re: Marshall JCM800 vs VintageModern

James,

I tried one about a year ago at Guitar Center. 50W head through a 4X12 bottom (Marshall). It was a bit muddy at first, but once you monkey with the control (body and detail knobs especially) it sounded awesome. Great old Marshall tone. Worth a look for sure. I agree the Emi speakers or even Warehouse speakers would improve the sound

Jeff

Thanx for the feedback !
The very first thing i said to myself when i heard the VintageModern 2X12 combo is, "this is not the right speakers to come as stock units".
If I want an amp for a Marshall tone, (the tone i hear, when i think about Marshall) is most likely a 50W VintageModern head into an oversize cab w four Emi Swamp Thangs.



James

 

[Gr8Scott]

Re: Marshall JCM800 vs VintageModern

Pretty much. Even the least impressive sound JCM800 I've ever tried was much better than the VM. The clean tones on the VM were slightly better but you don't buy a Marshall for clean tones.

I've played both myself and came up with the same conclusions. The JCM-800 just sounds right even if it is loud. The Vintage Modern sounds weird to my ears. It doesn't sound classic to me at all. It sounds more modern than vintage. Had a kind of peaky treble that just wouldn't go away without killing the tone of the amp.

 

[SlowGroove]

Re: Marshall JCM800 vs VintageModern

To every one who display a disliking in the VintageModern . . .


. . . i am sure it can ot be as bad as you guys make it out, as even Slash is using it in his back line these days !
Yes, it is not his only amp, but he seems to rant and rave about this Marshall every now and again.
Just thinking aloud.


James

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Marshall JCM800 vs VintageModern

To every one who display a disliking in the VintageModern . . .


. . . i am sure it can ot be as bad as you guys make it out, as even Slash is using it in his back line these days !
Yes, it is not his only amp, but he seems to rant and rave about this Marshall every now and again.
Just thinking aloud.


James

Well, the Vintage Modern is on the fizzy side of things, but it is classic Marshall. Like most amps, it takes some tweaking to get it "just right" (I've never had a problem with it being too bright or peaky - any harshness seemed to be able to get dialed out pretty easily). For some reason, I've never cared too much for the JCM800. It sounds tighter than what a classic Marshall should be. Who are the players that use them? Typically the shredder guys who need to play a million notes per second and need them all the be really focused and clear. I've always liked Tom Morello and his playing, but his tone has almost always made me cringe, it's not very warm or fat, just a kinda thin and hard sounding crunch.

 

[Simon_F]

Re: Marshall JCM800 vs VintageModern

I'll stick with my JVM410H.

I'll stick with my JMP 2104, Jubilee 2553 and DSL 50. Because if I don't my wife will probably kill me. :friday:

 

[Gr8Scott]

Re: Marshall JCM800 vs VintageModern

To every one who display a disliking in the VintageModern . . .


. . . i am sure it can ot be as bad as you guys make it out, as even Slash is using it in his back line these days !
Yes, it is not his only amp, but he seems to rant and rave about this Marshall every now and again.
Just thinking aloud.


James

I've only played one of them and it could have been a bad specimen. Maybe the tubes weren't the best choice or the bias wasn't properly set. I can't say because it was in a showroom and I spent about 30 minutes tweaking and playing on it. I just was not impressed with what I heard. Regardless of the output tubes, it doesn't do the JTM-45 sound very well and it doesn't do the EL-34/JCM-800 sound all that well. It sounds like a weird mix of the two with a very brittle top end. It had nice cleans, but that isn't what I buy a Marshall for and my JTM-45 clone and blackface bassman have much better cleans.

I can't trust Slash's ears because they don't sit on my head. I have to trust the messed up set that does reside on my head.

And NO I won't trust anyone who offers to or somehow manages to sit on my head. That only applies to ears. :scratchch

 

[StrangeSound]

Re: Marshall JCM800 vs VintageModern

JCM800 for me. The VM sounds like cardboard to me in this video.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Marshall JCM800 vs VintageModern

Heh you can keep both....do not like any of them much!

 

[StrangeSound]

Re: Marshall JCM800 vs VintageModern

Heh you can keep both....do not like any of them much!

You don't know what's good haha j/k