Can the JCM800 / JMP 2203 do modern metal?

  • Thread starter Thread starter saxxamafone
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In short...........YES..............:yes:

The VFE standout is very good but the Maxon ST9 Pro+ is absolutely killer into a stock 2203 or modded 2203. I got a Maxon ST9 after watching Killtertones video and it's crazy good into my Splawn modded 79 2203 with stock levels of gain on the 2203. The pedal drives the shit out of the 2203 and the ability to adjust the mids and highs really add to how aggressive you want it.

Here's Killtertones totally stock 2203 verus a Dual Recto and the Marshall keeps up with the Recto IMHO. He is using SD Black Winter pickups in the video.
 
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Lee Malia from Bring Me The Horizon boosts his 800 live. Sounds huge. The tubes are biased a bit hot.
 
harddriver said:
In short...........YES..............:yes:

The VFE standout is very good but the Maxon ST9 Pro+ is absolutely killer into a stock 2203 or modded 2203. I got a Maxon ST9 after watching Killtertones video and it's crazy good into my Splawn modded 79 2203 with stock levels of gain on the 2203. The pedal drives the shit out of the 2203 and the ability to adjust the mids and highs really add to how aggressive you want it.

Here's Killtertones totally stock 2203 verus a Dual Recto and the Marshall keeps up with the Recto IMHO. He is using SD Black Winter pickups in the video.
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I tried the St9 pro+ (and 7 or 8 other boosts) into a stock 79 JMP 2204 and it did nothing for me for thrash and up. Was still just too vintage. The ST9 was my least favorite. Maybe it was that particular amp? Even the VFE Dragon into that amp was still lacking enough modern attack on the low end...just too round, warm, vintage on that one.
 
MetalHeadMike said:
I tried the St9 pro+ (and 7 or 8 other boosts) into a stock 79 JMP 2204 and it did nothing for me for thrash and up. Was still just too vintage. The ST9 was my least favorite. Maybe it was that particular amp? Even the VFE Dragon into that amp was still lacking enough modern attack on the low end...just too round, warm, vintage on that one.
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I guess it would all depend on what one consider vintage type of tones and attack then as the player and what works for them. I like what the Maxon does into a Marshall but I like Marshalls.

If those pedals into a Marshall can't get it to where you like it then I guess the only alternative would be a Diezel, Engl or Wizard MTL.

Even a Randall RG100ES has kind of a loose bottom end which is why running EQ's up front really makes them tight metal amps.
 
Erock said:
really?!? is modern metal that far off a boosted JCM? Gat dayum I'm old. Even my Trec must be dated these days! :LOL:
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We are into old man metal Mr Erock...........................................:LOL: Get with it!

Hell... a Dual Recto is considered a vintage amp now.................................:dunno:\:D/
 
saxxamafone said:
Many would say modern metal came from 5150s and rectos
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Genesis of "metal" was 35 yrs B4 a 5150 was ever made.
And for the record a 5150 is not a great amp in terms of build quality if you know your amps.
They all started on Marshalls for the most part including Ed.
 
shar-vell Dan said:
Genesis of "metal" was 35 yrs B4 a 5150 was ever made.
And for the record a 5150 is not a great amp in terms of build quality if you know your amps.
They all started on Marshalls for the most part including Ed.
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Yes I'm not talking about the 70s or 80s mate.

My thread is about the 2203 doing modern metal, not 'classic or original' metal.

You can't be talking about the peavey 5150 reliability?
Absolute workhorses, toured by guys for decades without issues.
Mine fell out the back of the tour van onto the road and didn't miss a beat.
 
RaceU4her said:
of course they can. i dont know how much more "modern" and brutal you can sound than this



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And this is why I stil love RT. Hearing some good shit

Also, has anyone mentioned pickups yet?
 
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I never liked JCMs, and I've tried reaaaally hard to like them since all my heroes were using those... Without a proper boost you can't play metal with those, If you don't want to use a boost or an external pedal... go for a Friedman BE100, it will get you there
 
Erock said:
really?!? is modern metal that far off a boosted JCM? Gat dayum I'm old. Even my Trec must be dated these days! :LOL:
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Some old man metal for ya Erock...............................It ain't Killswitch Engage but the clips are with Marshalls:p

 
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Can an Indy car do Indy ?
 
saxxamafone said:
Ok the peppers dirty tree sounds pretty good, i'm impressed:

here's a clip:

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And there you go....that sounds modern to me. Modern isn't always about uber gain and compression. The Marshall will still be pretty raw and middy with some clank to it... but that's what makes it a Marshall.

If you feel the Pepper dirty tree gets you modern metal you may like the VFE standout and or the Maxon ST9 pro+ as well. The Marshall will never have the compression of the diezel nor the extended low end unless you install a depth mod into your Marshall which is easy to do BTW.

I am glad you got some good results with the Dirty Tree!:2thumbsup:
 
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I hear Marshall’s with the TC style and other boosts as still a vintage sound that can still be effective in some modern metal contexts. Likewise there are some modern amps that can still work in vintage music contexts

The type of rawness and other nuances around the notes in these Marshall’s is just a quintessential vintage sound of its era to me that it can’t fully escape from and modern amps are like with respect to being modern. Not that one is better or worse, just different colors/texture they offer. I love quality examples of both
 
My 0,02€ on this. With a stock JCM 800 you will not get into Modern Metal territory simply because, as many said in this thread, that’s not what the amp was built for. It lacks compression, gain and bass cut. That can be fixed with a Pedal might you ask ? The answer is no, it can get you in the direction but it will never sound as you are searching for.

I had my JCM 800 boosted into oblivion with a Fortin modded ts808 (this pedal is hot af) and it sounded good but loose, muddy and not clear enough to be called modern. It did not sounded modern compared to a Diezel, Mesa or 5150.

Now before I get bombed with Slayer and Meshugga used 800s, yes in studio situations with eq, different mics/cabs or to complement another amp, everything is possible. Even Lee Melia, as referred before, go watch his rig rundown and see how he uses the 800 ;).

Recommendation, if you want a modern sounding amp go elsewhere, there are many options with a similar flavor.
For Rock, Blues and 80s Metal is a great amp tho ;)
 
To the average metal ticket-buyer, after a case of beer & bag of weed nobody pays attention what you're playing anyway.
 
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