What do you guys like as a high gain JCM800?

[anomaly]

That's interesting because I've always felt like the Mark series do not sound good with overdrives, and I didn't know it was because they were already so tight sounding from the already built in boost.

They do if you set them right. Try lowering your treble to about 5 and bring the bass up a bit, like 2 or 3. Throw a boost in front and let us know how it works for you. The problem is they get over boosted and too tight and compressed so the settings need adjustment.

 

[Speeddemon]

They do if you set them right. Try lowering your treble to about 5 and bring the bass up a bit, like 2 or 3. Throw a boost in front and let us know how it works for you. The problem is they get over boosted and too tight and compressed so the settings need adjustment.

+1. Set up your Mark's unboosted tone for more of a 70's hard rock meets sludge rock tone (so, a bit more flabby or loose, not too gained) and then the tightening of the boost (be it an SD-1, TS-9, etc. as long as it adds volume and cuts low-end) will do the rest.
The same goes for my Caliber 50+; I set it up like I'm playing Thin Lizzy and then hit it with a boost, BAM, thrash away!

 

[JackBootedThug]

A rectifier…..

 

[Old School Steve]

Bogner Helios 100w.
I run mine through a Suhr 4x12 with 25w greenbacks.
It does every Marshall tone I’ve ever lusted after.
Including the JCM800.

Do you think the Helios 50w sounds close to the 100w for at-home playing where a 100w head would be ridiculous overkill?

Separately, I noticed you mention the 25w greenback speakers. Can you share your opinion on how they sound different from the 30w greenback and G12H?

 

[wIsEbLooD]

JCM800 KK

 

[NorCal_Val]

Do you think the Helios 50w sounds close to the 100w for at-home playing where a 100w head would be ridiculous overkill?

Separately, I noticed you mention the 25w greenback speakers. Can you share your opinion on how they sound different from the 30w greenback and G12H?

No idea about how the 50w compares to the 100w.
I’ve used the Helios live, and it’s just total god tone when cranked.
I mentioned the 25w Greenbacks because that’s what’s in the Suhr 4x12 I use with the Bogner.
I have a Friedman 4x12 that has x2 V30s and x2 25w greenbacks. I don’t like it with the Bogner. The Helios sounds congested going through that 4x12.
But, it’s personal taste.

 

[Killcrop]

Jcm800 with a Friedman OD.
Have a SD1 handy as well.

 

[Exo-metal]

Marshall

 

[Bxlxaxkxe]

2204/2203 and pedal of choice really is it. But this method requires a lot of tweaking the individual components (guitar, pickups, amp eq/tubes, cab, speakers) so it can be a pain to get it where you want it. Even then, it’s an unfiltered sound that requires you and your hands to supply that last 10-15% which again can be a pain. It’s not for the lazy. Or if you just have shitty tone in your fingers then you’re fucked

 

[The~Kid]

Bad Cat Lynx *_*

 

[Little B]

Id agree with the- marshall and a boost camp.The jvm and 30th anniv.i had were pretty nice too.Ive had a lot of modded 800s and jmps over the decades but some of those wernt left with much marshall vibe in them anymore.
Currently my Gower killer kali despite all its mods on the 2203,it's easy to dial in,and it still retains all the marshall tone and vibe,character,and feel of the og 2203.Im very happy with it.
Sorry, I'm getting off topic some with all that,just buy a marshall.

 

[Pelican]

+1 for hot mod and boost to taste

 

[BABMusic]

Went to GC today. They had this nice little DSL20 plugged into a Friedman 2x12 with V30s (I think). It's interesting going back to playing a Marshall after playing a Friedman for a year. Sounded good, but my ears were not used to the higher end frequencies. Also had plenty of low end for a 20 watt amp. It wasn't muddy like the DSL100 and DSL40 I recently played in the same store. It had a hint of flub, but you didn't need an overdrive.

Also, came home and tried my BE50 and discovered something else new. Just by accident, I unplugged all my pedals and kept the loop turned on. The amp sounds WAY better without my pedals in the loop. It sounded a little honky before with my pedals, and now I wonder if it's these metal input things that are causing tone suck? Something in my loop signal is removing a lot of the bottom end and tone. It's like a completely different amp now.

Do these things cause tone loss?

 

[glpg80]

I unplugged all my pedals and kept the [BE50] loop turned on. The amp sounds WAY better without my pedals in the loop. It sounded a little honky before with my pedals, and now I wonder if it's these metal input things that are causing tone suck? Something in my loop signal is removing a lot of the bottom end and tone. It's like a completely different amp now.

It’s likely one of your pedals. This is why some push for parallel loops as hard as they do - the dry tone passes unabated while the wet signal is mixed in at some fraction of a percentage based on a mix knob. Otherwise you have to figure out what pedal is the offender and create true bypass capabilities if it isn’t already true bypass or find another solution.

 

[griff10672]

Went to GC today. They had this nice little DSL20 plugged into a Friedman 2x12 with V30s (I think). It's interesting going back to playing a Marshall after playing a Friedman for a year. Sounded good, but my ears were not used to the higher end frequencies. Also had plenty of low end for a 20 watt amp. It wasn't muddy like the DSL100 and DSL40 I recently played in the same store. It had a hint of flub, but you didn't need an overdrive.

Also, came home and tried my BE50 and discovered something else new. Just by accident, I unplugged all my pedals and kept the loop turned on. The amp sounds WAY better without my pedals in the loop. It sounded a little honky before with my pedals, and now I wonder if it's these metal input things that are causing tone suck? Something in my loop signal is removing a lot of the bottom end and tone. It's like a completely different amp now.

Do these things cause tone loss?

View attachment 429838

what did you have going into the loop as far as effects ?? and those plugs won't cause tone suck .... they are as about point to point as you can get ....

and for what it's worth the DSL20 is probably the best of the Marshall 20 watters ... IMO anyway ... I haven't played the new 900 ... but I'm not a fan of the old ones so ...

 

[BABMusic]

what did you have going into the loop as far as effects ?? and those plugs won't cause tone suck .... they are as about point to point as you can get ....

and for what it's worth the DSL20 is probably the best of the Marshall 20 watters ... IMO anyway ... I haven't played the new 900 ... but I'm not a fan of the old ones so ...

This is all I had going. I suspect it could be the Boss GE7. That pedal doesn't light up bright the way that the other pedals do. I've never known why, because it does work. Ironically though, I was using that pedal add in extra top end and cutting some mids, but if I just remove all my pedals, the honky sound goes away and there's plenty of low end.

 

[griff10672]

This is all I had going. I suspect it could be the Boss GE7. That pedal doesn't light up bright the way that the other pedals do. I've never known why, because it does work. Ironically though, I was using that pedal add in extra top end and cutting some mids, but if I just remove all my pedals, the honky sound goes away and there's plenty of low end.

View attachment 429845

ahhhhhhhhh all Boss ...... there's your tone suck ..... plus all the fun nuances of having a Digital pedal mixed in with analog stuff

there's buffers in each and every one of those .... so whether they are on or not ... your signal is running through some circuitry that will effect your tone ...

other thing could be the metro style loop needs to be put on a scope and have it's output matched to the amps when the loop is off ... it's part of the process of installing one ... and if anyone messed with the trim pot on the loop you could experience different volume levels ...

but my sure bet is all the Boss Pedals

 

[BABMusic]

Wow, holy crap. Learned something new today. Thanks

 

[Shask]

This is all I had going. I suspect it could be the Boss GE7. That pedal doesn't light up bright the way that the other pedals do. I've never known why, because it does work. Ironically though, I was using that pedal add in extra top end and cutting some mids, but if I just remove all my pedals, the honky sound goes away and there's plenty of low end.

View attachment 429845

Yep, as mentioned, Boss pedals are all buffered, and running buffer into buffer like that can cause issues. Not to mention Boss pedals are all instrument level, and if the loop on that amp is line level, that is another level issue that can cause problems. I always seem to get clipping and extra distortion when I use Boss pedals in loops. That is one reason I prefer to stick to the TC Electronic TonePrint pedals.

I dont like using any digital pedal that digitizes the signal without analog dry through in the loop. I find they always mess with the dynamics.

 

[ChurchHill]

If that's an older GE7 that requires an ACA adapter, and not a PSA like the newer ones, it may not be getting enough voltage. IIRC, the ACAs were unregulated and put out 12vdc. That could explain why the light is not as bright as the others.

But yeah, all those buffers are going to change the tone.