Any guys here still playing a stock 2203

lespaul6

lespaul6

Well-known member
I play using the old jake e lee/ demartini levels of gain, which is kinda dry and not a totally balls out distortion, you still have work a bit... anyone still doing this? It seems to be either blues guys or the new metal style in my area.. not a whole lot in the middle.. is it dead? lol
 
Great question. I have a modded 2203X but use it with the mod switches turned off. Still boost it but using the standard level up and gain down method. I bought a SC20H a month or so ago and found that it had less gain than the 2203 by a good amount. To get it up to where I wasn't fighting it too much, I had to raise the gain on the pedal up to noon or more.

Some of that could be due to poor technique and using too much gain in the past so IDK.
 
fek said:
Great question. I have a modded 2203X but use it with the mod switches turned off. Still boost it but using the standard level up and gain down method. I bought a SC20H a month or so ago and found that it had less gain than the 2203 by a good amount. To get it up to where I wasn't fighting it too much, I had to raise the gain on the pedal up to noon or more.

Some of that could be due to poor technique and using too much gain in the past so IDK.
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i will run my SD 1 at unity with the gain just before 9 oclock, i can solo and play rhythm with that setup
 
Nope! I’ve got a modded 2203 or a Metroplex which is more hybrid 1959, but nothing in between.

My excuse is that if all of the mods aren’t able to be turned off, then that gives me an excuse to get another 2203 :rock:
 
I use a stock 2204 and stock SD-1 (level full up, gain between off to 9:00 depending on the mood etc).

I enjoy other amps/tones, but this is just my go-to thing and has been for years. I feel like it delivers anything from low gain rock all the way up to saturated nasty metal. I'm more likely to switch between speaker cabs (V30s v G12M) to get different tones than I am to switch amps.
 
I love my stock 2204 boosted with either a boss sd1 or j Rockett archer. If I want to turn it into a serious chug machine, the Fortin 33 gets the job done!
 
Shredneck said:
I love my stock 2204 boosted with either a boss sd1 or j Rockett archer. If I want to turn it into a serious chug machine, the Fortin 33 gets the job done!
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Ive been wanting to try one of those archer pedals... how does it compare to the boss overdrive?
 
lespaul6 said:
Ive been wanting to try one of those archer pedals... how does it compare to the boss overdrive?
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To my ears it has a stronger mid range and doesn’t cut as much low end. It’s still tight sounding but it has more body to the tone…pushes the 800 nicely. Get the silver one if you end up buying one!:)
 
Yes, I like all sorts of different tones and my stock ‘79 JMP2203 is one of them (with and without a boost (mainly just my Klon)). Still an amp that’s hard to beat over 40 years later. My Naylor though can be dialed in to sound pretty similar (not close enough to send it packing though) and covers a lot more ground
 
Shredneck said:
To my ears it has a stronger mid range and doesn’t cut as much low end. It’s still tight sounding but it has more body to the tone…pushes the 800 nicely. Get the silver one if you end up buying one!:)
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Agreed tried both and the Silver Archer sounded better with my 800 but not so different than my modded SD-1 so I sold it..
 
Sold my 83 2203 since my stock 72 Trem destroyed it. But the gain I can get is BARELY boosted 2203 levels...so yes I'm counting this in the same conversation since it's at or a little below the boosted 2203 level of gain. Dry, but not too dry and has the perfect amount of gain IMO. I have to double boost (everything at noon or a touch less) to approach what I got gain wise from the 2203 + SD1 or OD1X.
But it's SOO damn good.
Whether it's a boosted MV or NMV Marshall, the tone is amazing and in the end, all anyone really needs.
 
Don't get me wrong, I love mods but I have a couple 800s (2203 and 2204) and 1980 JMP 2203 that I just really love plugging straight into with a good OD/Boost. So many great modern OD/Boosts out there these days that it has kinda changed the game for me as far as my 800s go.
 
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Amps are amps, mods or not. Not a huge difference.
After a fatty and some booze the average concert goer has no idea what you're playing anyway.
 
I've got a Ceriatone 2203, with 3-way (giggity) bright switch and NFB control. Not significant mods really, and can be set to stock. An SD-1 or another OD does the trick for me. The bright switch is really to account for differences in brightness as you turn up the MV. I might give the Hot Mod or Lynch Mod a whirl though, just to see how well I like goosing the amp that way.
 
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