What do you guys like as a high gain JCM800?

BABMusic

BABMusic

Well-known member
I'm looking at alternatives to the Friedman BE50 I own. I am interested in a few brands, mainly Splawn and Bogner. Those seem to be some of the most recommended options for high gain JCM800 tones. I want something with truly high gain, but still retains the Marshall voicing. I don't want something flubby that requires an overdrive. In fact, I hate using overdrives and just to rely on the amps distortion. I like having just a little too much gain in my amps -- I don't need 5150 gain, but a little extra is nice. The BE50 I own, I had modded to have a more aggressive option in the tone, but there's still a few things about it that are tough for me to get used to. If I play an open A string, there's a lot of boomy bass in the notes. It's like the open A string has a huge sound to it and at times I wish I could dial it down a bit, but this isn't possible without losing low end on the fretted chords. In contrast, my Mesa Mark series amp is more balanced in bass with the open strings and the fretted chords. Also, the low end on the amp in general is not as big as I would like. Would like a little more low end. The feel of the Friedman is very chewy -- it's like you're using your pick against putty. It's not like fighting the amp, but you do have to dig in a little more. I kind of miss the more instant attack and wonder if these other amp options would be better for that. Also, I almost always play the the Response knob at 2 or 3. If I play at 6 (where most put it), the amp loses something in the tone that I don't like. The main reason I'm not considering Marshall is because I would prefer something a little better made so that it will last.

Things to consider though that maybe I should give the Friedman more time:

1. Two of the humbucker guitars I am using are low-output alnico pickups (around 8 K in resistance). Perhaps this is why I don't feel the BE50 as having enough gain? It seems wrong that I have to have the gain structure on high and the SAT switch on and he the gain cranked to get the tone I want.
2. The Strat copy I own has ceramic single coils and it sounds the best out of all my guitars with the BE50. It has a tighter, high gain sound than my humbuckers.
3. Should I just buy new humbuckers first before trying a new amp?

Other things that are frustrating:

1. The guitar I have with the Friedman humbucker (Classic Plus) sounds the worst of all my guitars with the BE50, but it sounds great with the Mesa Mark IV. It sounds a little muddy with the C45 engaged.
2. The BE50 does have a fantastic clean channel, which I would be sad to let go of.
3. The BE50 does sound great with my Fernandes and my Strat copy, but it's underwhelming with my other guitars with low output humbuckers.

TLDR:
Do you like Splawn or Bogner for high gain Marshall tones?
 
The lead channel of the original, non-SE Custom Audio 3+ is what the JCM900s should/could have been. Maybe not super modern by the standards of today, but definitely top notch in the early 90s when folks had used modded and boosted Marshalls for a long while and was looking for the next thing in that vein. Vicious with V30s like Megadeth and Steve Lukather used it, but EVH used it with greenbacks and I agree it smokes that way too. And speaking of speakers, what are you running these amps into?

But in the end, a lot of the modded/updated JCM800 stuff just seems to chase the sound of a JCM800 with an overdrive in front.
 
I also was going down rabbit holes, curious about the Marshall thing that I never understood. I don’t know how close it is to an 800, but the Bogner Snorkler has been the most interesting amp that I’ve wanted to try.

So I began trying to change it from “what amps are in common with the JCM 800” to “what amps are in common with the Snorkler” and came up short.

It’s one of those things where it makes you wonder if everything is the same other than one resistor and one capacitor, yet the entire nature of the amp is shifted
 
Yes, I understand that circuit-wise much of the Marshall-based high gain stuff is fairly similar, but there are some different schools. Extra tube stages or not, diode clipping or not, just component value swaps, the use of cathode followers or plate driven tone stacks, combinations of all or none of the above... lots of ways to skin that cat and end up with different colors.
 
Dave L said:
Yes, I understand that circuit-wise much of the Marshall-based high gain stuff is fairly similar, but there are some different schools. Extra tube stages or not, diode clipping or not, just component value swaps, the use of cathode followers or plate driven tone stacks, combinations of all or none of the above... lots of ways to skin that cat and end up with different colors.
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Makes sense. I think I don’t like diode clipping… the 800 does not have diode clipping, correct? I wonder where the Snorkler lands when factoring in all the different layouts you mentioned, or why I like the Snorkler sound more than most other Marshall type sounds.

Also, the headfirst evil Joe was appealing to me. Partly because it has two different flavors
 
There is a thread on here from earlier this week discussing the Mesa Badlander. OP found and posted a really good clip walking through several degrees of gain from sparkly clean to Sykes levels of gain. There is another clip floating around where someone A/B'd a Badlander with a Cameron modded Marshall, and the Badlander absolutely delivers. For that boosted JCM800 sound - without needing a boost - I'd make it a point to find and play through one in person.

That said, I've got a 50 Watt Splawn QR with the Old/New voicing option and the Mid/Cut option and its one amp that I would never consider letting go of. To my ear, the voicing switches completely address any of the 'weird mids' that some have noted in the earlier Splawn offerings. The switches also allow the amp to play nice with a wider variety of speakers and cabs. With 3 levels of gain and compression on tap (Gears 1 -3) and the option to hit OD-1 or OD-2 in each 'gear' plus a global solo boost, the QR has a lot to offer at well below current 'boutique' prices.

And PS - I just saw a forum member listed a Fully Loaded 50 Watt QR in the classifieds earlier this week. It has a black control panel and a black Plexi head shell with gold piping - looks a lot like a like BE-Deluxe.
 
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Faded Abyss said:
Makes sense. I think I don’t like diode clipping… the 800 does not have diode clipping, correct? I wonder where the Snorkler lands when factoring in all the different layouts you mentioned, or why I like the Snorkler sound more than most other Marshall type sounds.

Also, the headfirst evil Joe was appealing to me. Partly because it has two different flavors
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Well, to nitpick a bit, the typical 800 doesn´t have diode clipping - as in the 2203 and 2204 - but the two-channel 2205 och 2210 do. As does the Jubilee, which is contemporary to that line, anyway. As for the Snorkler, I´ve never tried it, but I seem to remember it has an extra tube gain stage, no cathode follower and some component swaps. Don´t quote me on that, though.
 
Lots of amps sound similar to factory marshalls. Lots missing that bright kerrang thing.
Buy a stock Marshall and get it modded.
As mentioned already the JVM
 
I have a modded 2203.

If I didn't, I would seriously consider the new Marshall modded 2203.
 
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There’s a lot of great options. I like the Landry g3 and Moab the most for this. MGL would also be on that list.

Splawn is cool. It’s a little tighter and drier than others. Some people love/hate the mids.

The bogner helios would be closest to what you’re looking for from his line.

Hard to go wrong. Just different flavors of a similar sound.
 
I’ve had a couple different voodoo modded Marshall’s that were killer. Sounds like people have had issues with Trace, but the few times I worked with him he was awesome.

Other than that, Roccaforte makes some ripping amps and 3rd power has some more “polished” tones like a Friedman or something
 
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