Jubilee 2555X....

[Racerxrated]

So I'll try this again...Picked up a 2555X the other day, and after owning 6 originals (one of each version, except for the 2558) I can honestly say that this RI would rank as the 2nd best sounding of the bunch. Marshall did a great job with this amp. The original 2555 I had last year pales in comparison to this one..and I always bias them up and use vintage tubes. They do need a boost for 80s rock IMO but they take them well, even double boosts. Loves V30s, GBs and 65s/early 75s. Just a killer amp. I use an OD1X and a Cusack V2 Screamer and both work great! Oh, and the loop is WAY better on this amp compared to the originals.

 

[SpiderWars]

What's the biggest differences between this one and the not-as-great ones?

 

[Racerxrated]

What's the biggest differences between this one and the not-as-great ones?

Really subtle things, not like a vintage JMP or an 800 that can have pretty noticeable differences between the same models. Jubilees are the most consistent of all the vintage Marshalls I've owned, all sound great but this one seems more aggressive than the original 2555 I had. I had an 88 2554 that was so warm and sweet sounding..special amp. This one just roars.

 

[Racerxrated]

What's the biggest differences between this one and the not-as-great ones?

I should add that the original 2555 I had, was an early serial# around 007xx. So it should have been the early circuit, and people seem to bash the early ones. However I found that the only large difference between that one and the others, which all had the more coveted 'later' preamp circuit was a bit less low end available. Jubes have a very responsive eq, moreso than any other Marshall imo. You can get almost Mesa like low end out of them. So, the early 2555 I had the low end on 10, where the later circuit I'd have it on 6-7 for the same response. But I didn't need any more than that anyway. When I've heard a Wizard live, at a show it reminds me of a cranked boosted Jubilee. But I know a Wizard is a bulldozer of an amp..certainly not saying they are equal..but I think the tones are similar in some ways.

 

[bog70]

Love mine. I got the Jubilee 100 watt head and cab from Sweetwater a year ago today. My Tylers kill thru it, but I mostly play my Strats, that sound awesome thru the amp. Stay on the lead channel but sometimes on the crunch channel. Use an SD-9, Klon KTR, Ibanez TS808HW to boost it, and sometimes my BSM Treble Boosters.
Basically dialed in Joe B's setting with a bit less bass, and instant gratification.

 

[Racerxrated]

Love mine. I got the Jubilee 100 watt head and cab from Sweetwater a year ago today. My Tylers kill thru it, but I mostly play my Strats, that sound awesome thru the amp. Stay on the lead channel but sometimes on the crunch channel. Use an SD-9, Klon KTR, Ibanez TS808HW to boost it, and sometimes my BSM Treble Boosters.
Basically dialed in Joe B's setting with a bit less bass, and instant gratification.

I was gonna post on the last thread before it disappeared..your vid was great..playing and tone! Really dug it. This amp is very versatile, from dirty blues to 80s metal with a boost or two. Haven't tried to dial in modern tones but with all the low end available, I'd bet with the right boost it can be done.

 

[SpiderWars]

Love mine. I got the Jubilee 100 watt head and cab from Sweetwater a year ago today. My Tylers kill thru it, but I mostly play my Strats, that sound awesome thru the amp. Stay on the lead channel but sometimes on the crunch channel. Use an SD-9, Klon KTR, Ibanez TS808HW to boost it, and sometimes my BSM Treble Boosters.
Basically dialed in Joe B's setting with a bit less bass, and instant gratification.

I had forgotten how well Jubes can sound with Strats (with singles) until you posted this. That early live lead tone Joe B got with that Clapton Strat was punchy as hell.

 

[bog70]

Wish I could post my FB vids here. Diff vid. Tyler thru a few pedals. Lead ch w/ an Ibanez TS808HW

 

[ElectricVoodoo]

Love mine. I got the Jubilee 100 watt head and cab from Sweetwater a year ago today. My Tylers kill thru it, but I mostly play my Strats, that sound awesome thru the amp. Stay on the lead channel but sometimes on the crunch channel. Use an SD-9, Klon KTR, Ibanez TS808HW to boost it, and sometimes my BSM Treble Boosters.
Basically dialed in Joe B's setting with a bit less bass, and instant gratification.

I was gonna post on the last thread before it disappeared..your vid was great..playing and tone! Really dug it. This amp is very versatile, from dirty blues to 80s metal with a boost or two. Haven't tried to dial in modern tones but with all the low end available, I'd bet with the right boost it can be done.

Speaking of Dirty blues.. I watched a clip of someone playing in the style of Gary Moore, "dirty blues," and it sounded so sweet. Really nice tone coming from this amp. Very impressed just from that tone alone. Again, great great amp !!!!

 

[lespaul6]

Love these amps

 

[Racerxrated]

Love these amps

I know your Wizard is a steamroller...but do you find any similarities in your Jube compared to the Wizard?

 

[lespaul6]

Yes, they have similarities... that clean gain mid punch with some stringiness on the top end, hard to explain but its there.

 

[Racerxrated]

Yes, they have similarities... that clean gain mid punch with some stringiness on the top end, hard to explain but its there.

When I first heard 'Pretty Reckless' I heard a tone that sounded like a Jubilee boosted, but more aggressive..later I saw 2 Wizard heads being carted off stage. I knew then that someday I had to have one...problem is, when I get some funds started something else comes up!

 

[paulyc]

I have a question about the RI Jubilees, are they exactly the same amp as the originals ? Are the components (tubes, pots, jacks, etc...) mounted to the circuit board or flying lead style ? Does the amp use the old transformers ? Does it have an impedence selector or the multipe speaker jacks ? Thanks !

 

[Racerxrated]

No they have the same type of construction as the JVM, AFD etc...not like the 1987x or 2203x which are faithful to the originals. I will say though, that the 2203x and plexi RI don't sound as good as the vintage originals imo. But the Jubilee does, and they use different transformers than the originals. Multiple speaker jacks as well..not sure about flying leads but the tubes are PCB mounted. But the PCBs are pretty thick unlike say a 5150.

 

[messenger]

The original had PCB mounted pots.

 

[lukeburke1]

The Jube is one amp I've never been quite able to get behind. I can't really put my finger on why, but I've just never clicked with it

 

[Racerxrated]

Bumping this up....I've been having a blast trying different pairs of power tubes in this amp. I first tried all 34s, killer...then a pair of those 34s(winged c) with a pair of KT90s..more thump, headroom with a bit less mids....then KT90s with GE 6550s...holy hell metal all day...now a pair of 34s back in with those 6550s. I think this wins....more punch than all 34s but great mids. Such a cool amp!

 

[blackba]

I have strongly been considering recapping my 2553 50W silver jubilee. Mine still sounds great, but so far I have never regretted recapping an amp.

Good to hear that Marshall did a nice job on the reissues. I still wish they had tweaked some things, like adding a volume for the clean mode and making the rhythm clip footswitchable. Mine was modded for an extra volume knob on the clean and it is very useful.

Only thing I don't like about my 2553, is that it is really not a low volume amp, it wants to rock and be cranked. I am not able to do that much these days.

 

[Racerxrated]

I have strongly been considering recapping my 2553 50W silver jubilee. Mine still sounds great, but so far I have never regretted recapping an amp.

Good to hear that Marshall did a nice job on the reissues. I still wish they had tweaked some things, like adding a volume for the clean mode and making the rhythm clip footswitchable. Mine was modded for an extra volume knob on the clean and it is very useful.

Only thing I don't like about my 2553, is that it is really not a low volume amp, it wants to rock and be cranked. I am not able to do that much these days.

I run my output master dimed, so I get that power tube saturation right away. Sounds great at low volumes. If you need a clean it's hard, because now it's cranked but at home it's no concern. At a gig both volumes are around 7.