Perfect Amp for Classic Rock thru AIC or Whatever

[Just Mike]

Maybe it's because I'm old...but a 2204 can cover just about anything I want to play. I dime the pre gain and run a GE-7 in front of it with a big frown and a lot of gain to slam the amp for leads and it's just right. I have a good FX loop I put in the amp--well, actually I built the whole amp but it's a 2204 clone with Classic Tone Iron--I run a pitch shifter and a harmonizer and a couple of delays in the loop. It goes thru a Marshall cab with V-30's and it just rocks. I can get clean enough by rolling the guitar volume back.
I still get GAS but whenever I plug in it just feels right. I've tried different OD/Distortion pedals in front of it including OCD, TS-9, as well as the Bogner ecstasy pedals into the low input, but the GE7 into the high gain input is where it's at for me. My only complaint is it's noisy.

 

[japetus]

You got that right. For rock or metal...not much a 2203/04 can't do right!

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Classic tone in my home brew 2204 as well. It sounds mean when I open it up but clear and crunchy with a tweak here or there. Love this circuit pinned and with something pushing it. Best amp around.

 

[Racerxrated]

Yup. All you really need for 'more' out of a JMP or JCM 800 are different flavors of boost pedals, for different tones and gain levels. Classic rock to heavy...its all in there. Just need a noise gate and your set.

 

[Mr. Willy]

I feel the same way. 2204 is near perfect.

 

[jdel77]

I loved my old '78 JMP 2203. But that crushed glass sound up top kinda wore on me.
I've switched to an old Blue Stripe MKIII and MKIV heads, and with EL34's in the outside they're doing it for me big time.
But those old Marshalls are very cool amps.