Marshall JVM? Needs Mods? Any Thoughts?

[angelspade]

So, I have a bit of a fetish for versatile high gain heads and a friend of a friend just offered me an excellent condition Marshall 4 Channel JVM for what I consider to be pretty cheap ($1,400...I think he'd take $1,200 if I move fast). I owned one about 6 or 7 years ago and moved through it pretty quickly, and sold it (I was on a Mesa and 5150 kick back then and it didn't really "fit"). I remember liking it, but not loving it. Definitely too noisy, a little cold / brittle and seemed to lack a bit of warmth, depth and character. I've been poking around and there seems like there are a handful of mods that can turn the JVM into a pretty good sounding, responding and feeling amp. That said, the impact / improvements of mods are often exaggerated and overstated generally. Does anyone have any experience with the mods for this amp? Going to decide if I want to take a chance on this one pretty quickly. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[thenine]

Do it!

 

[Findthetone1]

Decent tubes help warm it up. I ran Winged Cs in my JVM205 and it helped quite a bit. The noise thing on the 4 channel would be my biggest concern It's not as bad on the 50 watters. For that price, I'd do it!

 

[PhloridaMan]

Love mine. Considering just keeping it if it doesn't sell. I don't think they need mods but as @Findthetone1 said, decent tubes really help them.

 

[jabps]

So, I have a bit of a fetish for versatile high gain heads and a friend of a friend just offered me an excellent condition Marshall 4 Channel JVM for what I consider to be pretty cheap ($1,400...I think he'd take $1,200 if I move fast). I owned one about 6 or 7 years ago and moved through it pretty quickly, and sold it (I was on a Mesa and 5150 kick back then and it didn't really "fit"). I remember liking it, but not loving it. Definitely too noisy, a little cold / brittle and seemed to lack a bit of warmth, depth and character. I've been poking around and there seems like there are a handful of mods that can turn the JVM into a pretty good sounding, responding and feeling amp. That said, the impact / improvements of mods are often exaggerated and overstated generally. Does anyone have any experience with the mods for this amp? Going to decide if I want to take a chance on this one pretty quickly. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks!

Only speak for myself but both of mine are stock and I love them. Been my main amp pretty much since they came out. That said if someone can fine tune it to fit their needs more power to them.

I've had the Satch model and I had a 410 that was modded with the choke, the NFB, voicing etc... I prefer the stock models.

One amp has the Tung Sols, the other has some original Winged C's which are getting long in the tooth. Pre amp tubes are all Chinese 12AX7's though I do mess around with Sovtek LPS or EH 7025 in the phase inverter and I've messed around with an RFT in V2 if you want to warm it up some (V7 on Marshall Schematics - their labeling is weird). I've even had KT77's in one for awhile if you want just a different bigger flavor and not as toppy as the 34's when cranked. And I don't even own a noise gate. I love them personally although I wished the effects loop was just a straight serial loop ala the Satch model. Still I don't really even have issue with that.

Good luck.

 

[angelspade]

Only speak for myself but both of mine are stock and I love them. Been my main amp pretty much since they came out. That said if someone can fine tune it to fit their needs more power to them.

I've had the Satch model and I had a 410 that was modded with the choke, the NFB, voicing etc... I prefer the stock models.

One amp has the Tung Sols, the other has some original Winged C's which are getting long in the tooth. Pre amp tubes are all Chinese 12AX7's though I do mess around with Sovtek LPS or EH 7025 in the phase inverter and I've messed around with an RFT in V2 if you want to warm it up some (V7 on Marshall Schematics - their labeling is weird). I've even had KT77's in one for awhile if you want just a different bigger flavor and not as toppy as the 34's when cranked. And I don't even own a noise gate. I love them personally although I wished the effects loop was just a straight serial loop ala the Satch model. Still I don't really even have issue with that.

Good luck.

Very helpful...Thank You Sir.