Poll - Which Amp Should I Be Looking At?

[Techdeth]

Bogner Helios?

Good choice here

 

[Techdeth]

For me my fav Marshall is the JMP 2203s . Get one inmodded and enjoy that first . If you want to mod it later do it . But enjoy the beauty . I use mine to blend with a highgain modern amp and try that before modding too
It be cool to hear a 2203 blended with a jvm410

 

[griff10672]

Do you have a website where I can look up all of the cool stuff you make?

@Techdeth has been my IT guy for over a year now .... he told me the site should have launched last Summer ...

all kidding aside .... you're on it ..... anything you see me post is available to the public .....

I suppose I could do a list of pedals .... but in all honesty ... if it's analog there's most likely a schematic out there and I can make it ... with better parts ... custom graphics ....

 

[PDC]

I have a 1973 JMP 50 watt that has an incredible clean sound. Really warm through the CH-II inputs with more 'bite' than you could ever need available on the CH-1 inputs. The amp takes on a totally different character driving a greenback loaded 4x12 vs a V30/Creamback loaded 4x12. And it can sound like a completely different amp when feeding it a BE-OD vs a Suhr Eclipse vs a Wampler Pinnacle. It can be as vintage edge of breakup or as fire-breathing as you need. So many killer sounding AIB pedals available these days, I find the non-master early 70s JMP could be a blank canvas for whatever pedal is in front if it and whatever cab it is feeding.

 

[Music&Chaos]

I saw the 50w version of my Rivera Clubster Royal Recording come up for sale at GC used for around 1k. That is a steal. I base this solely off of how awesome mine sounds.

If I had the cash, I'd grab that 50w immediately and stock it with NOS tubes.

Clean can do fender blackface and tweed tones.

Drive can do the pushed Marshall/brit thing and the built in boost sends it over the top.

Also, built in load box for silent/cabless recording, headphone out and all that.

Cannot recommend this model of Rivera enough.

 

[peterc52]

Ground Zero MOAB

 

[ChurchHill]

For that sound, to me, the OG JMP 2203 is the pinnacle. Need more drive? Hit it with anything, even a Boss DS-1 sounds good. Without having the 2203 sound as the basis in my head, everything else was just circling an elusive target. The JVMs and JCM2000s are great amps, but they're not that.

Having said that, the best thing I've tried for the modded Marshall thing is the Jose. Back in the mid-80s, those sounds I grew up on, the Jose just nails it. No, it's not a Marshall, but it's really damn close when all the mods are turned off, and with them on, it's perfection for those sounds that are ingrained in my psyche.

Having said that, the Bogner Helios is an incredible amp. It's like the Jose, just with a touch of Bogner. Think mid/late '80s Scorpions to Alice in Chains. It's thicker than the Jose, but is the most Marshall sounding amp Bogner's made, IMHO. 99.9% as good as the Jose, just a little different

 

[S̷͖͑m̵͎͂á̵̺s̸͚̈́h̴̬̑]

There are some great suggestions here.

I would recommend MGL, groundzero Moab, or morris depending on the flavor you are looking for. (Own an MGL, and have played the moab and morris)

Also, there is a lenz hot chili in the classified i would love to try

You are welcome to come over anytime and try out the mgl.

 

[napalmdeath]

Bogner Helios?

That's a good one too!

 

[bennyslo]

I have an old modded Marshall JMP 50 watt lead from 1976. I will post a story about it one of these days as it's history is interesting, to me at least. I had Dan Gower mod it to his Killer Kali ++. It is in my opinion one of the best rock and metal amps. You can't go wrong if you can find one on the used market.

 

[angelspade]

Single channel JEL50 running 6550's
View attachment 452211

or a Headfirst Cali ... if you want a Jose

View attachment 452212

Those look GREAT brother

 

[angelspade]

I've seen a couple of used Jose amps go for $2900-3000.

I'm also this close to just saying "fuck it" and buying the Jose. Just trying to decide if I want it stock or in a different color panel/tolex.

I am in a similar place as you with the Friedman Jose...Based on all the clips / videos it sounds brilliant...But almost too "good" in a certain way (probably sound crazy). It has that boutiques amp richness and complexity that really sounds / feels amazing, but the Jose strikes me (without actually sitting in front of it) that maybe its not as raw and hairy as a modded Marshall...Where the Ceriatone Chupacabra seems to retain more of that mean and nasty Marshall "thing". Like the video below:

 

[angelspade]

This. I've had so many amps , so many. Stock JCM800 boosted and especially double boosted for heavy stuff...done.

I love the JCM800 boosted tone (ala ZW)...But it's not exactly what I'm going for here

 

[angelspade]

This.

Whenever I see a thread about 'I want a Marshall amp' and then the choices aren't really Marshalls, well that doesn't make sense to me. Do you want a Marshall or something that tries and fails to be a Marshall?

The only best answer is to buy a Marshall, like ^^^ and first try a pedal or two, then maybe send it out for a mod. The other amps try to 'approximate' a Marshall...just get a real one. I know you have a JVM/DSL but you need a 2203 or a vintage 1959 to get the real experience imo. Less is more and as cool as a JVM/DSL can be, a JMP/JCM 2203 or SL just sound better IMO. Or, maybe try the newer modified series. They might be exactly what you want.

Somewhat agree here for sure...This is why I'm considering finding a a used reissue Plexi and taking it in for a traditional Jose mod.

 

[bennyslo]

Somewhat agree here for sure...This is why I'm considering finding a a used reissue Plexi and taking it in for a traditional Jose mod.

What specifically is it that you are seeking from the various Jose style mods? What music style? My first real tube amp over 20 years ago now, was a Marshall JCM2000 DSL100 which I eventually replaced with a Engl and then replaced that with a Ceriatone Chupacabra 50 watter. The Chupacabra is definitely more raw and mean in terms of hard rock overdrive but you can get at least 90% there with the DSL in crunch channel with a boost. The DSL also sounded decent at bedroom levels, whilst the chupa needs a bit more volume.

 

[ChurchHill]

I am in a similar place as you with the Friedman Jose...Based on all the clips / videos it sounds brilliant...But almost too "good" in a certain way (probably sound crazy). It has that boutiques amp richness and complexity that really sounds / feels amazing, but the Jose strikes me (without actually sitting in front of it) that maybe its not as raw and hairy as a modded Marshall...Where the Ceriatone Chupacabra seems to retain more of that mean and nasty Marshall "thing". Like the video below:

I've never played a Chupacabra, but I think the Jose gets plenty raw and hairy. That's the difference, IMO, between it and the BEDLX. The BE sounds polished. Even if it can get close to the sound of the Jose, it lacks that rawness, that bite that good Marshalls have.

Most of the vids I've seen of the Jose are recorded through IRs. Not that this is a bad thing, but can be very different from the ITR experience. My favorite cab to use with the Jose is loaded with UK Greenbacks. It does pretty well with V30s, too.

FWIW, I did think that Chupacabra clip sounded great. To my ears, the Jose has a little more clarity in the upper mids while still retaining that bite.

 

[Simon Dorn]

2203-04 with a TS/OD.

This is the right answer. Every time.

 

[Techdeth]

@Techdeth has been my IT guy for over a year now .... he told me the site should have launched last Summer ...

all kidding aside .... you're on it ..... anything you see me post is available to the public .....

I suppose I could do a list of pedals .... but in all honesty ... if it's analog there's most likely a schematic out there and I can make it ... with better parts ... custom graphics ....

My Editting skills are awesum

 

[Techdeth]

For that sound, to me, the OG JMP 2203 is the pinnacle. Need more drive? Hit it with anything, even a Boss DS-1 sounds good. Without having the 2203 sound as the basis in my head, everything else was just circling an elusive target. The JVMs and JCM2000s are great amps, but they're not that.

Having said that, the best thing I've tried for the modded Marshall thing is the Jose. Back in the mid-80s, those sounds I grew up on, the Jose just nails it. No, it's not a Marshall, but it's really damn close when all the mods are turned off, and with them on, it's perfection for those sounds that are ingrained in my psyche.

Having said that, the Bogner Helios is an incredible amp. It's like the Jose, just with a touch of Bogner. Think mid/late '80s Scorpions to Alice in Chains. It's thicker than the Jose, but is the most Marshall sounding amp Bogner's made, IMHO. 99.9% as good as the Jose, just a little different

I like Helios better because of the bigger low end
But ya I have a 78 2203 that just shines

 

[harddriver]

Ground Zero Hellion or Moab if you want the Jose experience with tons of adjustability and quality. The Ceriatone Molecular is a clone of a Cameron Atomica. I think you and Ground Zero are in Cali maybe he would let you play one of his amps to decide.