Going back to my roots..just STOCK Marshalls!

[Kapo_Polenton]

Double boosting really is the key for me with stock Marshall's, and I think more people are learning about it now.

The nice thing about it is that there are no rules. Cheap, boutique, cheap + boutique, overdrive, clean boost, eq, one of each, two of the same, etc.

Whatever permutation gets you what you want to hear.

And the thing about boosting modded Marshalls (or high gain amps), people might ask "But it's modded (or high gain) already, why do you still have to put a pedal in front of it?".

My reply is then you only need one boost and not two.

I find higher gain amps, the more the gain goes up, the more you lose detail. Not in all amps of course, but in a lot of them. I say the same thing, higher gain amp, i still would run the preamp only at about 8 and use a slight boost for more sustain on leads. Stock, double boost the bitch!

 

[1big1]

i've also got an sd-1 i can put in front of the the 40c. i liked it with the laney. should be fine with the 40c too. thanks for the suggestion. i'll try 'em both tonight.

 

[cardinal]

I loved the SLO too, but sold it because I was happy enough getting that type of tone with a double-boosted 2204. (I use a CAE Boost plus either an SD1 or OD808 depending on the mood). And as good as the SLO's crunch channel was, it was no JCM800 IMHO.

For higher gain amps I would only use one boost, if any (I do enjoy boosting a Recto with an OD808). It gets just too crazy once you start stacking boosts. Too much noise and mush. But with a stock Marshall, the boost pedal seems to add thickness while the OD pedal adds gain and cut.

 

[1big1]

There is nothing wrong with that at all. Before I bought Bogner, VHT and Splawn amps. My base tone was JCM800 2203 w/6550's and an Boss SD-1 and GE-7 in front. Even after playing though those amps for so long firing up the 2203 brought me back home and put a HUGE smile on my face I need a cap job now and need to get it done...its an 83 so its well past usable...also the only Marshall I kept after having multiple JMP/JCM 2203's and 2204's over the years

my laney aor is an '86. so cap job? i think it's well past due. i also have a carvin x 60b that i dated to '84-'85. it's the old black tolex 6L6 not trying to be a marshall version. great for pedal boards imho. it too has the original caps. my bass player really liked that amp and asked me why i retired it. i told him "one day i'm going to flip the power switch and let the smoke out. when that happens i'll have an x 60 watt amp instead of a 60 watt x amp."

 

[Schaf]

SD-1 is what I have settled on. Can sound a bit harsh or buzzy at lower volumes but if you can get that volume up past 4, that is where it starts. Between 4-7 on the master volume. The SD-1 is my go to and sometimes i'll kick in a bit of a kick from the koko. Forget all those expensive boosts OCD, this or that 300$+ boosts... the SD-1 cuts through when the Marshall can get thick at higher volumes. Keeps it sounding like a Marshall and makes you hear what you heard recorded on all those 80's albums.

I have found i am a Marshall guy as well. Everything i own is in that vein (Randall RM100 with Friedman Brahma, Judge , my own module) then an 82 combo and a handwired PTP 800 i did from an old AOR head I had. Probably didn't need to change it much but i did for fun thinking i would do all these crazy things to the circuit when i ended up with a stock 2204 + 2-3 part changes to loosen it up a tad and give it a hair more gain. I love the sound of less gain on chords when recording. Just cuts through so nicely!

My 2204 will rip your face off at 4 on the master.

As far as boosts. I like either an SD1 or a TS9. I know most people prefer the 808 but I think the TS9 has a bit more gain and sounds a little meaner to me. I also use a SD pickup booster as a clean boost. But what do I know.....I like the Celestion G12T75's with my 2204!!!!

 

[chadprsman]

sd-1 is on the way.

 

[Shawn Lutz]

I never really considered it as double boosting with an SD-1 and GE-7...I used he GE-7 more so for EQ shaping / tweaking and don't have them both on all the time.

yes the SD-1 is the yellow one, Super Overdrive not to be confused with DS-1, the orange one which is distortion. My SD-1 was the first pedal I ever bough back in 82...thing still works like a champ after several years of gig abuse.

 

[Greazygeo]

My sd-1 is so old it's almost white and the led barely lights up.......bought it new eons ago.

 

[lespaul6]

Get a Wizard. I boost mine just a little bit. It's a Marshall killer. Only amp I can say that about and the cleans are great.I have only played an early Plexi once but I have owned 2- PTP Superleads, several JMP's and JCM800's.

+1

 

[splawner]

Hard to beat that tone

 

[1big1]

tried the luxury drive and sd -1 in front of the 40 tonight on both channels. loved it. thanks for the tip.

 

[guitarrhino]

I've never owned a Marshall or played one. I grew up in the '90s and was a Mesa Boogie guy. I'm not anymore. The mystique of having a Marshall is haunting me though. I can't wait to see how this all turns out for the OP.

 

[Racerxrated]

what do you use for a "boost"?

MXR GT-OD or a MXR 6 Band EQ

Almost the same. I use a Danelectro 7 band 20$ eq with an OCD..sounds killer.

 

[Racerxrated]

In a week or so I will have NO modded amps..and if my SLO sells I will have 3 amps..totally stock JCM 800 2203(84), stock 2205(87) and next month I will be trading a guitar for a '81 JMP 2203..all stock Marshalls. Just can't get away from my favorite tone! This SLO is amazing and I will miss it...but a stock Marshall and a boost is all I need..

You sold the 2203KK ?

Traded it for an FJA modded '74 Superbass, which I then traded just last week for an '84 2203. KK is a killer amp though..very underrated.

 

[Racerxrated]

Might as well keep the SLO unless you are needing the money. Just in case you get an itch some day. Otherwise, yeah, a Marshall and a boost is all anyone needs.

Yeah I do need the cash or I would keep it. Amazing amp. They are all that...but I A/B with my Marshall and it's better...but not THAT much better...

 

[Racerxrated]

Get a Wizard. I boost mine just a little bit. It's a Marshall killer. Only amp I can say that about and the cleans are great.I have only played an early Plexi once but I have owned 2- PTP Superleads, several JMP's and JCM800's.

+1

Yes it is tempting..I started a thread about hearing Pretty Reckless this weekend and he ran 2 Wizard heads..HUGE sounding and the best tone out of any of the bands at Rock Fest here in Wi....they are spendy like the SLO so can't do it right now..

 

[Racerxrated]

What? No tonemaster or SLO? You're going from a rich cholesterol laden diet to rice cakes? Slow and steady, you need to ween yourself off of that or you're going to have withdrawals and it won't be pretty.

C'mon man...say it aint so!!

 

[Racerxrated]

You'll be back

Probably...

 

[ubermetaldood]

Although the Marshall sound is what I'm after, I won't go back to the Marshall brand. I'd rather spend the extra $$ and get a Metropoulos or Fargen Olde 800 or something. Still, I'm curious about your SLO because a lot of people say Soldano amps have the sounds you wish Marshalls would have. I don't know if you played the Lucky 13 overdrive channel but it's very much a Marshall type sound. Maybe you just don't have the right Soldano. Food for thought man.

 

[Racerxrated]

I think the SLO is the best amp I've played...I've had a HR 100 and this SLO blows the doors off of that amp. It's not that I don't like the SLO..but a good boosted stock 800 is a tone that just is 'right' for me. And I have to sell the SLO because of a sudden expense that just came up. I boost the lead channel just a little and it's modded Marshall heaven. But ultimately it's a $2500 amp and I can use the cash..boost my 800 and it puts a smile on my face...