Poll - Which Amp Should I Be Looking At?

[matttornado]

I'd go with a Marshall 2204 or 2203. Use overdrive if needed.

 

[LPMojoGL]

I agree, I don't like how Friedman usually does Marshall. Too polite, too polished, too vanilla. But the Jose isn't like any other Friedman I've played. With the mods turned off, it's very similar to my 1959SLP and sounds better, to me.

Gotta quit reading your comments of the Jose.

 

[DanTravis62]

I can't remember if I commented on this thread yet @angelspade and I don't know if you have snagged a marshall

but my thoughts are, it depends on exactly the tone you're after and your budget

Money no object? Get a 2203 (or a copy like a ceriatone?) and get it modded by @RedPlated

The MOAB is the best Jose mod i've ever heard or played

If you want something more modern, I would suggest the Bogner Helios in the middle of the price spectrum and the ENGL artist at the lower end of the price spectrum

You are spoiled for choice in this area of amps, and there's literally a million different options

 

[angelspade]

I can't remember if I commented on this thread yet @angelspade and I don't know if you have snagged a marshall

but my thoughts are, it depends on exactly the tone you're after and your budget

Money no object? Get a 2203 (or a copy like a ceriatone?) and get it modded by @RedPlated

The MOAB is the best Jose mod i've ever heard or played

If you want something more modern, I would suggest the Bogner Helios in the middle of the price spectrum and the ENGL artist at the lower end of the price spectrum

You are spoiled for choice in this area of amps, and there's literally a million different options

Thanks Brother!...I definitely have Ground Zero on the radar as I think his amps sound great. But I was going to go with a Marshall 1987X reissue as the donor amp if at all possible. It's either that, or I'm going to go with a Ceriatone Chupa or Yeti. That's what I have narrowed it down to...I think.

 

[DanTravis62]

Thanks Brother!...I definitely have Ground Zero on the radar as I think his amps sound great. But I was going to go with a Marshall 1987X reissue as the donor amp if at all possible. It's either that, or I'm going to go with a Ceriatone Chupa or Yeti. That's what I have narrowed it down to...I think.

Maybe get a a 1987x, live with it, and see if you wanna get it modded?

Ceriatone makes quality stuff but I don't think the chupa or yeti sound as good as some other "stock" options out there, even at the price range - if you wanted to save some cash i would suggest getting a ceriatone plexi and then having THAT modded by Jeremy or something

 

[angelspade]

Maybe get a a 1987x, live with it, and see if you wanna get it modded?

Ceriatone makes quality stuff but I don't think the chupa or yeti sound as good as some other "stock" options out there, even at the price range - if you wanted to save some cash i would suggest getting a ceriatone plexi and then having THAT modded by Jeremy or something

I've thought about that option...but a lightly used Marshall 1987X trades at about the same price locally as the ceriatone 50 watt plexi (after shipping)...so im inclined to just go with the authentic Marshall.

 

[DanTravis62]

I've thought about that option...but a lightly used Marshall 1987X trades at about the same price locally as the ceriatone 50 watt plexi (after shipping)...so im inclined to just go with the authentic Marshall.

Yeah if those are your pricing options just go with the marshall, man

 

[Rackman]

I may just not be on the same wavelength on this, but I have never found a diode clipping mod (or diode clipping box in front of the amp) that I liked as much as an all-tube high gain design.

My personal favorite is the Fortin Killer Kali Synergy module. I'd probably like some of the standalone amps too but those seem confusingly unavailable so ???

I also like SIR type mods. Ceriatone offers one of those I believe.

 

[BABMusic]

The Friedman Jose has a perfect diode clipping thing going on, but it's not exactly a high gain amp. And it's expensive.

 

[LPMojoGL]

Yeah if those are your pricing options just go with the marshall, man

+1
1987x is an unruly beast. A simple ppimv makes it quite usable and versatile. You can do almost anything with that and a few pedals.
Jeremy's GZ mods are the best, if you decide to go hot-rodded Marshall.

 

[DanTravis62]

+1
1987x is an unruly beast. A simple ppimv makes it quite usable and versatile. You can do almost anything with that and a few pedals.
Jeremy's GZ mods are the best, if you decide to go hot-rodded Marshall.

Yep, couldn't agree more with this

Get the 1987, try it out with your favorite pedals, try it out with a load box or attenuator, get used to how it reacts to your guitars/pickups and playing style - because it's gonna be different. It's a vintage circuit. They're really touch responsive and really different depending on who's playing.

Because of all that @angelspade give it some time before you decide to mod it

Then after you have some time and really know what you like and don't like, what works for you and doesn't work, THEN decide on if you want a MOAB or Sniper from @RedPlated or maybe you think it sounds killer with a lightspeed or SD1 and it doesn't need it? Or maybe you just need a power station and that's perfect for you, who knows.

The point is give it some time after you get it to get used to it

 

[angelspade]

Yep, couldn't agree more with this

Get the 1987, try it out with your favorite pedals, try it out with a load box or attenuator, get used to how it reacts to your guitars/pickups and playing style - because it's gonna be different. It's a vintage circuit. They're really touch responsive and really different depending on who's playing.

Because of all that @angelspade give it some time before you decide to mod it

Then after you have some time and really know what you like and don't like, what works for you and doesn't work, THEN decide on if you want a MOAB or Sniper from @RedPlated or maybe you think it sounds killer with a lightspeed or SD1 and it doesn't need it? Or maybe you just need a power station and that's perfect for you, who knows.

The point is give it some time after you get it to get used to it

I will definitely give the amp a spin in stock format for a bit, and maybe try a boost or two. That said, I expect that I will want the amp modded. The Friedman Jose sound really good to me, but @BABMusic recently confirmed (in another thread) that it won't have enough gain for me. I'm looking for something with that "character" in the mids, but with more gain and aggression. Almost like a "traditional" Jose style mod, but with an added gain stage...If that makes any sense at all.

 

[BABMusic]

I will definitely give the amp a spin in stock format for a bit, and maybe try a boost or two. That said, I expect that I will want the amp modded. The Friedman Jose sound really good to me, but @BABMusic recently confirmed (in another thread) that it won't have enough gain for me. I'm looking for something with that "character" in the mids, but with more gain and aggression. Almost like a "traditional" Jose style mod, but with an added gain stage...If that makes any sense at all.

Yeah, you could always boost the Jose, but when I tried my Boss SD1 on it, it changed the character of the tone a bit. Strangely, I've found that the SD1 sounds best with a Marshall that is a little looser (DSL100 or JVM410). The Jose has such a nice voicing that I didn't want to alter it. It is one of that amps that I would almost always keep the gain on 10.

 

[jasonP]

I would go for the Friedman Jose or go with the Ceriatone Molecular. https://ceriatone.com/molecular100/ That is closer to how I have my Chupa and I think it's one of the "best" sounding amps I've owned. I haven't owned a Jose only heard clips and it sounds awesome and would love to try one.

 

[angelspade]

I would go for the Friedman Jose or go with the Ceriatone Molecular. https://ceriatone.com/molecular100/ That is closer to how I have my Chupa and I think it's one of the "best" sounding amps I've owned. I haven't owned a Jose only heard clips and it sounds awesome and would love to try one.

For the sake of curiosity...Why do you prefer the Molec over the Chup?

 

[jasonP]

For the sake of curiosity...Why do you prefer the Molec over the Chup?

The Chup has really low plate voltage on v1 with the 470k plate resistor and with v1a and v1b 820R.68uf cathode cap and resistor, this combination makes it have a ton of gain that in more compressed and not as clean sounding, that lacks dynamics that almost gives the tone a low mid gritty grindy thing that I don’t think sounds like a modded Marshall. The it has .1uf PI coulpers which gives the amp an even thicker response. The Molec circuit is more what you would see a classic modded Marshall with a pre tone stack master volume - Jose type mod. The Chup is a spin off from that mod with more gain and saturation, compression… it really depends on what you are going for but to me after playing with this circuit a bunch, I land more toward the Molec circuit wise on the front end and in the PI I change out the bias resistors for a 100k to give it tighter response and keep the 1ufs.
The other thing is that the Chup when it comes from Nik they didn’t de coupe the PI and pre-amp nodes from each other so the feel is slightly.
Here is the tone I go for…

 

[angelspade]

The Chup has really low plate voltage on v1 with the 470k plate resistor and with v1a and v1b 820R.68uf cathode cap and resistor, this combination makes it have a ton of gain that in more compressed and not as clean sounding, that lacks dynamics that almost gives the tone a low mid gritty grindy thing that I don’t think sounds like a modded Marshall. The it has .1uf PI coulpers which gives the amp an even thicker response. The Molec circuit is more what you would see a classic modded Marshall with a pre tone stack master volume - Jose type mod. The Chup is a spin off from that mod with more gain and saturation, compression… it really depends on what you are going for but to me after playing with this circuit a bunch, I land more toward the Molec circuit wise on the front end and in the PI I change out the bias resistors for a 100k to give it tighter response and keep the 1ufs.
The other thing is that the Chup when it comes from Nik they didn’t de coupe the PI and pre-amp nodes from each other so the feel is slightly.
Here is the tone I go for…

This is interesting, Thank You!!!...Have you tried the Ceriatone Yeti as well? My understanding is that it is similar to the Chupacabra, but many prefer it.