Gr8Scott
Wookieologist
Went to pick up the Aeropress coffee maker today and thought I'd pop into a music/pawn shop on a whim to see if they had anything cool there and to see what the retail price on the Blackout Modular preamp was if they had that info yet.
Saw a JCM-800 2204 model when I walked in the door that looked really dirty and old. Some idiot had spray painted white around the output jack on the back and there were a couple of small tolex rips. White paint specks are dotted all over the top of the tolex. Thought to myself "lets see what kind of exorbitant price these jokers are charging for this" when I started to flip over the tag.
$599.99
That's right. $599.99..
I strolled over to ask the proprieter if the amp worked and he affirmed that it did. I told him that I would buy it if it was functional and didn't sound too bad. The idiot he sent over to plug everything in didn't know how to do it properly and turned the amp on with no cable plugged into the back end of the amp. I was sitting in front of it holding an Ibanez while he did his thing and nearly fried the OT I'm sure. The other attendant who knows amps happened to stroll by and set the idiot straight and plugged it in for him. I assumed that since he worked at a pawn/music store that he knew not to run a head without plugging it in. Bad assumption on my part. No damage done from what I could tell as he didn't crank up the master and apparently we got lucky.
Running with the guitar straight into the amp, it was very clean when ran at lower volumes. Didn't dirty up all that much when cranked either. That was exactly what I expected it to be. I didn't have the cash to take it home with me, so I put it on lay-away. I might have to sell off my stuff, but I'll definitely be happy with this amp. Though I do enjoy the sound of the Peavey Butcher I've modded quite a bit, I don't enjoy the intense volumes it requires to sound good and I also don't enjoy the heavy cabinet etc. Good for the cost and effort involved, but nowhere near as good as a lower wattage and real-deal JCM-800 will be I'm sure. My fragile ears will thank me as well.
I may be getting a bonus at the end of this month to pay for the rest of this amp. If I don't get that bonus, I will still be able to pay it off using extra cash left over from my paychecks. Either way, I will be taking that amp home with me even if I have to sell my plasma.
For those purists and collectors out there, this amp would require a pretty heavy investment to return it to collectible status. I bought it to play and to keep. I do intend to slightly mod the pre-amp just the same way I modded the Butcher's pre. Nothing other than some value changes in two or three places and that will be all I do to it. Every part of the mod will be completely reversible and I won't be getting rid of the original components. I'll find a way to keep them inside the head enclosure. The mods will noticeably increase the gain and the bass response of the amp while still retaining the Marshall roar that these amps are noted for.
Saw a JCM-800 2204 model when I walked in the door that looked really dirty and old. Some idiot had spray painted white around the output jack on the back and there were a couple of small tolex rips. White paint specks are dotted all over the top of the tolex. Thought to myself "lets see what kind of exorbitant price these jokers are charging for this" when I started to flip over the tag.
$599.99
That's right. $599.99..
I strolled over to ask the proprieter if the amp worked and he affirmed that it did. I told him that I would buy it if it was functional and didn't sound too bad. The idiot he sent over to plug everything in didn't know how to do it properly and turned the amp on with no cable plugged into the back end of the amp. I was sitting in front of it holding an Ibanez while he did his thing and nearly fried the OT I'm sure. The other attendant who knows amps happened to stroll by and set the idiot straight and plugged it in for him. I assumed that since he worked at a pawn/music store that he knew not to run a head without plugging it in. Bad assumption on my part. No damage done from what I could tell as he didn't crank up the master and apparently we got lucky.
Running with the guitar straight into the amp, it was very clean when ran at lower volumes. Didn't dirty up all that much when cranked either. That was exactly what I expected it to be. I didn't have the cash to take it home with me, so I put it on lay-away. I might have to sell off my stuff, but I'll definitely be happy with this amp. Though I do enjoy the sound of the Peavey Butcher I've modded quite a bit, I don't enjoy the intense volumes it requires to sound good and I also don't enjoy the heavy cabinet etc. Good for the cost and effort involved, but nowhere near as good as a lower wattage and real-deal JCM-800 will be I'm sure. My fragile ears will thank me as well.
I may be getting a bonus at the end of this month to pay for the rest of this amp. If I don't get that bonus, I will still be able to pay it off using extra cash left over from my paychecks. Either way, I will be taking that amp home with me even if I have to sell my plasma.
For those purists and collectors out there, this amp would require a pretty heavy investment to return it to collectible status. I bought it to play and to keep. I do intend to slightly mod the pre-amp just the same way I modded the Butcher's pre. Nothing other than some value changes in two or three places and that will be all I do to it. Every part of the mod will be completely reversible and I won't be getting rid of the original components. I'll find a way to keep them inside the head enclosure. The mods will noticeably increase the gain and the bass response of the amp while still retaining the Marshall roar that these amps are noted for.
Last edited:
