Marshall JVM410H or VHT Sig:X or Egnater Tourmaster 4100?

[Styfus]

My Johnson Millennium JM150 has died and seeing as how it's been discontinued for a few years, it's time to buy a new amp.

I play in a cover band that plays the gamut from classic rock to all kinds of metal, so I need something that does a passable job of covering the spectrum of shimmering cleans to searing gain. I looked at the Axe-Fx as a replacement, but decided I didn't want another modeling amp.

My budget has narrowed my choices down to the Marshall JVM410H or the VHT Sig:X or the Egnater Tourmaster. Unfortunately, neither the Guitar Center or Sam Ash nearby stocks either head so I can't demo them without driving somewhere far out of my way to check out each one.

Any comments, opinions, suggestions from the board on which one to go with?

Thanks.

 

[thiswaythatway]

Sounds like the JVM should have you covered. It covers a lot of ground, has a nice clean, crunch and gain. Plus with 2 masters that's great for boosting the volume of your leads.

 

[jabps]

Sounds like the JVM should have you covered. It covers a lot of ground, has a nice clean, crunch and gain. Plus with 2 masters that's great for boosting the volume of your leads.

Agreed!

 

[PeteLaramee]

I also agree. You can pick one up used in the $1200-$1300 range. I've been gassing for another one. I liked it much better than the sigx I had.

 

[chunktone]

Sounds like the JVM should have you covered. It covers a lot of ground, has a nice clean, crunch and gain. Plus with 2 masters that's great for boosting the volume of your leads.

Of the 3 you listed, I would go with the JVM as well.

 

[JTyson]

JVM I dont know how critical your in-between-tones are, but the 210 would save you some cash, and you can still get some in-between tones by switching between the modes, and rolling back just a bit. The footswitch is fantastic, you can program it to any setting you like, or midi switch it, But I would not advise getting one without a test run to make sure you can get it where you want it. Hard to go wrong with the 410, I have one, and really like it, but have ended up not really using all the channels. Some guys here say the 210 sounds better than the 410, I dont know, have not directly compared them side by side. All of that said, I would rather have the channels, and not need them, than need them and not have them - Jim

 

[SkyhighRocks]

JVM easily. You can switch everything via midi too...even modes.

 

[Rob Tahan]

JVM!
Freakin amp practically plays itself. The most forgiving amp ive ever played in my entire life!

 

[PeteLaramee]

If you like a super high gain brighter tone, go for the JVM. If you like a darker more "boutique" tone, go for the Egnater Tourmaster. Me? I preferred the Tourmaster by alot.

Chris that kind of surprises me. Not that you liked the Tourmaster (I liked it too) but that you liked it so much better than the jvm. I just thought you always liked your Marshalls best.

 

[jasonP]

The Tourmaster smokes!! I would for sure try them out before you buy.

 

[D-Rock]

JVM is a good choice. It kinda lost clarity and girth at high volume levels for me though. I would also look at a used three channel Dual Rec. or Triple Rec. Check out a Peavey JSX too.

 

[Styfus]

Thanks for all the replies, sounds like I should definitely check out the JVM.

For the people who have them, what Cab / speakers do you have paired up with it?

Has anyone tried running a tube screamer in front? Anyone use EMG 81/85s with it?

 

[Styfus]

Chris that kind of surprises me. Not that you liked the Tourmaster (I liked it too) but that you liked it so much better than the jvm. I just thought you always liked your Marshalls best.

I used the JVM for 20 gigs or so and concluded that I don't like it. Waaaaay too much distortion in the higher gain modes and if you turned it down, the amp got thin and bright. The lower gain modes didn't have quite enough. I just didn't get along with it after a few gigs.

I wouldn't mind to own one again (but the 2 channel version this time), but my last memory was not digging it much.

Any reason why you would choose the 2 channel over the 4 channel (besides the $$)?

 

[maiden_fan]

You won't need a tube screamer on front of the JVM especially with EMG's.

Check out high gain clips here through vintage 30's

http://Www.myspace.com/denderauk

 

[jabps]

Thanks for all the replies, sounds like I should definitely check out the JVM.

For the people who have them, what Cab / speakers do you have paired up with it?

Has anyone tried running a tube screamer in front? Anyone use EMG 81/85s with it?

Well to me...the JVM can go with alot of stuff. It's not as cab dependant as some amps I've owned. Funny thing is I hated GT75's forever until I bought this amp. My main touring cab is a stock 1960A and it sounds great. I also have 2 straights...one loaded with the 75's and one with 25's...they all sound good. Even just cut some solo tracks with a cab loaded with vintage 30's and it sounded great. It's a great amp.

The Eggie is a good deal as well and they have some smokin deals on the matching cabs around here...but if your looking for gain then you'll need that Tube screamer to push it...was really not impressed with the amp tonally. Loved the features, heck that's always the case with me and Egnater amps...love the features but not crazy about the tones.

 

[mrhiwatt]

I have a JVM with 1960A gt-75. I also have a RR1 with blackouts and 1 with JB and Jazz. I have to re eq when using the blackouts but they sound good. The JVM can get some great tones boosting the crunch channels with a TS or OD-1. I like the OD-1 orange and red for Q'ryche and Judas Priest etc. I use it 4cm with an GT-8 for effects and midi channel switching. I really like it. Very versatile.

Mr HIwatt

 

[JTyson]

Thanks for all the replies, sounds like I should definitely check out the JVM.

For the people who have them, what Cab / speakers do you have paired up with it?

Has anyone tried running a tube screamer in front? Anyone use EMG 81/85s with it?

I have 6 different cabs with 4 different types of spkrs, honestly, look for a good deal on a cab, and run with it, it dosen't sound bad with any of them. cleans sound better on some, gain tones on others. Was running a EMG 81-85 set in a McCarty, it killed. The amp likes a lot of different pup combos, and changes a lot from guitar to guitar, unlike some that sound very similar no matter what you run through them. Its a buyers market right now on 4x12 cabs, you should be able to find a deal, probably here, look in the buy&sell forum, try to find somthing close to avoid shipping. Have not run the amp boosted, I doubt you'll need to, it has a TON of gain, and several different shades of it depending on the channel and mode your in. Good luck and Merry Christmas - Jim

 

[jasonP]

Thanks for all the replies, sounds like I should definitely check out the JVM.

For the people who have them, what Cab / speakers do you have paired up with it?

Has anyone tried running a tube screamer in front? Anyone use EMG 81/85s with it?

Well to me...the JVM can go with alot of stuff. It's not as cab dependant as some amps I've owned. Funny thing is I hated GT75's forever until I bought this amp. My main touring cab is a stock 1960A and it sounds great. I also have 2 straights...one loaded with the 75's and one with 25's...they all sound good. Even just cut some solo tracks with a cab loaded with vintage 30's and it sounded great. It's a great amp.

The Eggie is a good deal as well and they have some smokin deals on the matching cabs around here...but if your looking for gain then you'll need that Tube screamer to push it...was really not impressed with the amp tonally. Loved the features, heck that's always the case with me and Egnater amps...love the features but not crazy about the tones.

I'm going to have to disagree with you on the Tourmaster and gain. Channel 4 with the gain around 7 is a shit ton load.. There is no way you would need a boost to push it. Yeah the JVM has 10 times that but honestly don't need all of it. Don't get me wrong either I love high gain.
Another thing, although I haven't owned a Tourmaster I have a DSL, TSL and JVM as far as Marshall's go. All great sounding amps, still have the DSL now btw. I went to guitar center, this will be my second time checking just the Tourmaster and honestly this amp completely blows me away for features, tone and price. Mind you each time was for a good couple hours. I would say I much prefer it to the Marshalls I've own and have owned.

 

[TX6Strings]

I went with the Tourmaster. I've never been a fan of VHT and the JVM just sounded thin and fake.

 

[jabps]

Thanks for all the replies, sounds like I should definitely check out the JVM.

For the people who have them, what Cab / speakers do you have paired up with it?

Has anyone tried running a tube screamer in front? Anyone use EMG 81/85s with it?

Well to me...the JVM can go with alot of stuff. It's not as cab dependant as some amps I've owned. Funny thing is I hated GT75's forever until I bought this amp. My main touring cab is a stock 1960A and it sounds great. I also have 2 straights...one loaded with the 75's and one with 25's...they all sound good. Even just cut some solo tracks with a cab loaded with vintage 30's and it sounded great. It's a great amp.

The Eggie is a good deal as well and they have some smokin deals on the matching cabs around here...but if your looking for gain then you'll need that Tube screamer to push it...was really not impressed with the amp tonally. Loved the features, heck that's always the case with me and Egnater amps...love the features but not crazy about the tones.

I'm going to have to disagree with you on the Tourmaster and gain. Channel 4 with the gain around 7 is a shit ton load.. There is no way you would need a boost to push it. Yeah the JVM has 10 times that but honestly don't need all of it. Don't get me wrong either I love high gain.
Another thing, although I haven't owned a Tourmaster I have a DSL, TSL and JVM as far as Marshall's go. All great sounding amps, still have the DSL now btw. I went to guitar center, this will be my second time checking just the Tourmaster and honestly this amp completely blows me away for features, tone and price. Mind you each time was for a good couple hours. I would say I much prefer it to the Marshalls I've own and have owned.

Thats cool, that's the great thing about different amps...there's enough to go around. I think the Eggie is a great deal, like I said lots of features...tonally I've just never gotten along with them. Actually the JVM is the first Marshall I've had in over a decade as I disliked the DSL and the TSL. All are great amps though as I've heard tons of great tones from them...just not me getting them. For some reason I bonded with the JVM. Had the VHT SigX sold it a bought a backup JVM. I've played the Tourmaster quite a bit as well...wanted to like but it's just not for me. The JVM cured my GAS...I'm even getting rid of my JSX which I've loved from the beginning.

One thing I have done with my JVM is run them with KT77's...as soon as I did that it added a bit more depth and punch.