BFG modded Jet City 100 - John Sykes mod

[ZR4400]

For the last few months I have been intrigued with the YouTube clips I have heard from Brian @ BFG Amplification. His different mods to the Jet City 20, 22, 50 & 100's have blown me away. I recently acquired a Jet City 100, and quickly sent it off to Brian to work his magic. We visited about an idea that we both had for a mod to this amp that would get me in the ballpark of the tone John Sykes had while in Blue Murder. I realize I do not possess John's fingers, guitar or playing style, but when I listen to the tone of Blue Murder "Valley of the Kings" this is my holy grail tone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfsZ4EzSn80

From the email I received from Brian this evening I can hardly wait for the head to arrive. "I got it to sound pretty darn close to his early stuff and I took some cues from the Mesa MKIII Coliseum head that he used. The crunch channel is pretty hot by itself and will do great rhythm and leads...lots of gain but very open. The OD channel is similar but voiced more towards the Mesa and has much more sustain, but still retains some nice articulation."

BTW - Brian has some unique names for the different mods he performs, and we decided on Blue Murder mod for this one. He even created a special name plate for the front of the amp with the mod name.

Although the amp is not here yet, I couldn't be happier with the communication, response & turnaround time for the mod from BFG Amplification. If you have not yet heard of briango2000, I highly suggest you check him out.

More to come........including sound clips & pics.

 

[Rev]

Looking forward to hearing some clips. It seems Brian has the perfect ear for Marshall/Jet City modding! I've been itching to send him and amp for a while now. I'd like to see some "from the ground" up amps from him in the future.

 

[skoora]

I dug BM when it came out but cue to 1min in this vid and laugh your ass off and at 2:18 I threw up in my mouth a little.

Looking forward to hearing some clips

 

[LP Freak]

Said it before and I'll say it again.............Brian's the man! You'll be pressed to find a better guy to work with.

 

[Mr. Willy]

Yeah, man. That Blue Murder disk has killer, killer tone. Definitely in my top 5. Post some clips when you get it.

 

[Gainzilla]

Id LOVE to hear this!!!

 

[Mr. Willy]

Love the tone on this one.

 

[Gainzilla]

Yeah, man. That Blue Murder disk has killer, killer tone. Definitely in my top 5. Post some clips when you get it.

Preaching to the Choir Bro, both Blue Murder Albums blow me away...JS is a bad Mofo , the guy can play and sing his ass off and damn if he cant write some incredible tunes as well..

 

[Mr. Willy]

Coverdale really screwed the pooch when he dumped Sykes and got Vai. WS gave us Slip of the Tongue when they could've put out something like BM.

 

[verderacer]

Do you know how high Brian is pushing the plate voltage? I am pretty sure those Mesa MkIII Coliseum heads I saw on the Blue Murder tour were modified most likely by Jose Arrendondo. They sounded huge!

Looking forward to hearing some clips !

 

[Mr. Willy]

Yeah, man. That Blue Murder disk has killer, killer tone. Definitely in my top 5. Post some clips when you get it.

Preaching to the Choir Bro, both Blue Murder Albums blow me away...JS is a bad Mofo , the guy can play and sing his ass off and damn if he cant write some incredible tunes as well..

I love watching him play. He always sways side to side and cannot, for the life of him, keep from checking the volume knob to make sure it's dimed. It's like a nervous tick or something. I've never heard one clip of him with bad tone.

 

[crwnedblasphemy]

Coverdale really screwed the pooch when he dumped Sykes and got Vai. WS gave us Slip of the Tongue when they could've put out something like BM.

Well, he actually dumped him for Vandenburg and Cambell right before the 1987 album was released....but yeah...recording wise, went all Vai for slip...I am pretty damn sure Vandenburg didn't play a single note on that album, even though he was in the band all through that period. Maybe he was just a paid touring guy? Don't really know Coverdale's deal?

Someone should actually write a book about all this drama. I would love to get the skinny.

 

[Bow]

Well, he actually dumped him for Vandenburg and Cambell right before the 1987 album was released....but yeah...recording wise, went all Vai for slip...I am pretty damn sure Vandenburg didn't play a single note on that album, even though he was in the band all through that period. Maybe he was just a paid touring guy? Don't really know Coverdale's deal?

I believe Campbell left, but Vandenberg broke his arm (Skateboarding?) and couldn't play...

Vai was a hired gun for the Album and he and Vandenberg played on the Tour...

 

[mrTapp]

Love the tone on this one.

Me also

Will this amp be all tube or will it have diode-clipping?

 

[Marshall Law]

I can't wait to hear your amp, I think it will blow you away, everything Brian has done for me has always been KILLER,
He is the man, he modded a Marshall for me, and a Jet City 20, that would blow your mind if you could hear it in person, I could not be happier, and I'm lucky I have the privilege of living just 45 minutes away from him and we have become pretty good friends, he knows his stuff and you couldn't meet a nicer guy PS he is going to do something else for me as soon as the parts get here

 

[Gainfreak]

John Sykes is One of my favorite guitarist ever. His song writing skills,Tone ,Singing and playing are pretty amazing in my book.
I can listen to Bad Boys over and over and be amazed by the Rhythm work when I really listen to what he is doing!

That is a tone that I'm very familiar with since I've nailed it.

I don't think that Jose Modded Johns Mesa Coliseum and I only say that because I can get that sound with a Stock Boogie MKIII Coliseum head.

It will be cool to see what Brain has come up with!! )

One thing I can ask you though is how close do you want to get? There are other things that you will need for that sound and that's why I'm asking


Congrats with the Project!!

~R~

 

[rupe]

Well, he actually dumped him for Vandenburg and Cambell right before the 1987 album was released....but yeah...recording wise, went all Vai for slip...I am pretty damn sure Vandenburg didn't play a single note on that album, even though he was in the band all through that period. Maybe he was just a paid touring guy? Don't really know Coverdale's deal?

I believe Campbell left, but Vandenberg broke his arm (Skateboarding?) and couldn't play...

Vai was a hired gun for the Album and he and Vandenberg played on the Tour...

Close...Vandenburg wrote most of the music for the album but couldn't play on it because of wrist issues (carpal tunnel, tendonitis??) developed from playing the piano. Vai recorded all guitars for the album but Adrian was healed up in time to tour.

 

[Gainfreak]

Well, he actually dumped him for Vandenburg and Cambell right before the 1987 album was released....but yeah...recording wise, went all Vai for slip...I am pretty damn sure Vandenburg didn't play a single note on that album, even though he was in the band all through that period. Maybe he was just a paid touring guy? Don't really know Coverdale's deal?

I believe Campbell left, but Vandenberg broke his arm (Skateboarding?) and couldn't play...

Vai was a hired gun for the Album and he and Vandenberg played on the Tour...

Close...Vandenburg wrote most of the music for the album but couldn't play on it because of wrist issues (carpal tunnel, tendonitis??) developed from playing the piano. Vai recorded all guitars for the album but Adrian was healed up in time to tour.

Yeah and then you had the behind the scenes report that the term "wrist issues" was secret code for alcoholism

 

[Digital Jams]

Vai got a cool million for recording at the mothership then toured.

Not for nothing but would it not be easier to get a boogie MK III coli or even a MK III than trying to use a totally different platform? Plus the Boogie is a far better quality amp than the JC.

I am all for going nuts and trying new things but you are modding a Jose circuit into a MK III which you can get for $7-800.

 

[Drew]

.... I am pretty sure those Mesa MkIII Coliseum heads I saw on the Blue Murder tour were modified most likely by Jose Arrendondo. They sounded huge!...!

The two Mesa Mark III Coliseums John has are stock but he doesn't use them at all these days. And he never actually toured with the Coliseums. The first Blue Murder tour was Marshalls and later tours included rack mounted Dual Rectos, or a rack mounted Mark IIC+ or a Mark IIB, or a Tri-Axis and Mesa Strategy power amp etc. The road case containing that rack has sat in storage for the last 15+ years.

Back when he was using them for recording, John thought one Coliseum sounded a bit better than the other and always used the better one first in line. Several years ago the number 2 Coliseum had a broken pot shaft on the front of the amp. So we took the amp to John T. at the Mesa Hollywood store and John T. replaced the pot and gave the rest of the amp a going over. When Sykes got it back he said the two amps sound pretty much identical.

When they were recording the first Blue Murder record in Vancouver, it was the first time the studio ever received complaints from neighbors about the volume. I'm pretty sure when he fires up the two Coliseums together, the lights in the studio go dimmer and the electricity meter outside starts spinning like the counter on a pinball machine.