Can the JCM800 / JMP 2203 do modern metal?

  • Thread starter Thread starter saxxamafone
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saxxamafone

saxxamafone

Well-known member
I own a JEL mod 2203 JMP.

Currently have tried boosting with an SD1 and OD808.
V30 speakers

Guitar has rather high output pickups

It sounds good don't get me wrong.

Wouldn't say it's as modern as my old 2ch dual rect.

Any tips on really taking these into modern high gain territory?

My definition of modern is like dual rectifier, 5150/6505, uberschall etc.

Or am I trying to make the amp do something it really can't?
 
You should be able to get close with an 808, but the real keys are

1. modern boost like a deadweald duality or KSR eros or TC PRE
2. careful eq, especially in the loop


A lot of the "modern" ness of the tone is in the post production, especially the hi-lo passing, 57 slightly off cone etc
 
I know many say yes and love it for high gain metal but I just couldn't get the three separate JMP 2204s I had there. They were stock late 70s and despite the boost (tried like 7-8) it was always just too vintage in gain structure, voicing, and attack on the low end. I've not tried a stock JCM800 and haven't despite wanting to because I sense it'd be more of the same.
 
DanTravis62 said:
You should be able to get close with an 808, but the real keys are

1. modern boost like a deadweald duality or KSR eros or TC PRE
2. careful eq, especially in the loop


A lot of the "modern" ness of the tone is in the post production, especially the hi-lo passing, 57 slightly off cone etc
Click to expand...
I do have a Peppers Dirty Tree boost that I haven't tried with it yet, that might be worth a shot.
 
Not for anything that needs to be really tight or technical. Key words there.
 
Lose the V30’s. Run through some G12-T75’s…..old or current. Greenbacks work well too unless you are really pushing the volume.

Try an 808 and SD-1 as a boost and pick your flavor. I recommend Griffin’s Super Drive. With the Griffin, you will need to push the gain up a hair over a Boss SD-1. If still not there, then try an EQ or BBE Sonic Stomp in the loop. The Sonic/Xciter gets bashed, but it’s great at making a vintage amp more modern sounding.
 

If I can get this out of a stock ‘71 Super Tremolo with an added master volume and a VFE Standout in front, I would think one should be able to get something close to a modern metal tone out of a 2203 with the right boost. It’s always going to sound like a Marshall though, you aren’t going to transform it into a 5150 or Rectifier.
 
Others covered it. With the right boosts, pickups, speakers, etc it can certainly work, but will always to me have a more vintage flavor that I don't consider modern, but can still work for it. For most modern metal styles I'd ultimately just go with other amps if you can. Honestly just more effective to me

If you want brutal heaviness they just won't rival an early Uber or Recto or Beta or Hell Razor. If you want the other end of the spectrum of tight, razor sharp and attack-y they'll never rival a Dino or Hermansson or Hell Razor again. If you want classic juicy midrange goodness then yes, hard to rival, but for modern metal it's just not as natural a fit for it imo
 
Lots of great info here, thanks all! Going to try the peppers boost and enjoy and use the tones for whatever they are. If it doesn't go full modern for me, that's ok, i'll switch to the 2ch recto and keep the 2203 for a different flavour and for good breakup/crunch tones
 
Our own @Simon Dorn always got great modern metal tones boosting his 2203 with either a TS9 or a Deadweald Duality, which on the red mode is just a TC integrated preamp boost, which is also the same as the Dirty Tree pedal. On this video you can see he's got the gain on his TS9 cranked to noon as well as boosting the volume to 3 o'clock.

 
Soundstorm said:
Our own @Simon Dorn always got great modern metal tones boosting his 2203 with either a TS9 or a Deadweald Duality, which on the red mode is just a TC integrated preamp boost, which is also the same as the Dirty Tree pedal. On this video you can see he's got the gain on his TS9 cranked to noon as well as boosting the volume to 3 o'clock.

Click to expand...

That sounds awesome, love the clarity in the marshall in that clip
 
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