What would you buy if you want 80's/modern highgain British

[jonthomas83]

Modded Marshalls : Dan Gower, Hermansson, Fortin, Cameron, Hopkins, etc... lot's of good guys doing great work.

Production amps in best Modded camp : Wizard, Landry, Friedman and few more.

Or... just throw a tube screamer or other OD pedal in front of a 2203/4... that is the sound of the 80's Lots of great amps out there that will deliver. Good Luck

If volume is not a concern, then an 800 with a Sd1/TS is REALLY tough to beat

Thanks, that list is exactly what I needed! I need to check Wizard amps out!

See I've been trying to find a good clip of what an 800 sounds like with a good boost with lots of chug and palm muted etc, but have yet to find one that convinces me that it's the right way to go...ideally, THAT is the solution that I'd like to have.

Thanks guys

Not a great clip but I did a bunch of drop D stuff with an SD1 here.

Now that sounds superb and exactly what I'm looking for, thank you, man. I'll have a better listen when I put my headphones on later. Very much appreciated!

 

[phil b]

 

[phil b]

These sound pretty killer.. price is good and excellent workmanship

 

[itsme]

I believe everyone is saying that the Ceriatone Molecular is a cheap Cameron Atomica. $1200

 

[scottosan]

I believe everyone is saying that the Ceriatone Molecular is a cheap Cameron Atomica. $1200

Considering the it's a copy of a Friedman designed Atomica and not a Mark Atomica, it simply missing the mark. It's not going to give you mich morethan the yeti or chupa

 

[scottosan]

I don't know about all the rubbish that went on, but must admit, I've found myself listening to a lot of Cameron CCV and Cameron Modded Marhsall tones recently, they sound huge and right up my street.

What's the best and perhaps closest alternative these days, given that I guess we can no longer buy his mods or amps.

Many thanks

you are going to notice that the clips are all over the place and no 2 mods are identical. If you go the mod route, I highly suggest you use an amp that sounds great before the mod. The donor amp plays a big part.

 

[SFW]

Splawn Quick Rod. My playing is sloppy as fuck, but the tone is there.

 

[jonthomas83]

I'll be honest, Bxlxaxkxe's clip has sold me on buying a JCM 800 and an SD-1, because that clip has everything I'm looking for in the tone. Perfection.

One question, will a JCM 800 reissue be ok or will only an 80's original be satisfactory? Sounds stupid when I say it out loud, but I need to check. Thanks

 

[jonthomas83]

Splawn Quick Rod. My playing is sloppy as fuck, but the tone is there.

Thank you, man, I'll check the videos when I get home. I wonder if I can get Splawn here in the UK?

 

[napalmdeath]

I'll be honest, Bxlxaxkxe's clip has sold me on buying a JCM 800 and an SD-1, because that clip has everything I'm looking for in the tone. Perfection.

One question, will a JCM 800 reissue be ok or will only an 80's original be satisfactory? Sounds stupid when I say it out loud, but I need to check. Thanks

Honestly, it's the sound of 80's hard rock and metal. It's probably the best option, bar none. At the end of the day, I don't think you'll regret it. At all.

I throw this out there too, the Laney GH100L. It's actually a little angrier, a little beefier, and very much JCM800 inspired. LOUD as fuck too. Beast of an amp. I always preferred them over the 800, because they have more gain, and brought the goods at lower volumes. I owned 4, and they simply killed boosted with a Zakk Wylde OD. You can find them stupid cheap, too. Fucking beasts.

 

[wIsEbLooD]

Jcm 800 kk

 

[311boogieman]

Define modern high gain.

 

[jonthomas83]

Define modern high gain.

Perhaps the 'modern gain' thing was a bit misleading and probably a misunderstanding on my behalf. Many of the clips in this thread define the tone I'm looking for. Heavy, high gain, Marshall. Which translates perfectly for the tones we love from that era in the 80's...but to my ears sound great for modern tones too...or at least the modern tones I want.

 

[chadprsman]

This is a nice underhand pitch for this forum...

 

[jonthomas83]

Sorry I don't get what you mean?

I'm slightly concerned after reading that 800 reissues aren't as good or don't have as good transformers as originals.

 

[cardinal]

I don't know about all the rubbish that went on, but must admit, I've found myself listening to a lot of Cameron CCV and Cameron Modded Marhsall tones recently, they sound huge and right up my street.

What's the best and perhaps closest alternative these days, given that I guess we can no longer buy his mods or amps.

Many thanks

you are going to notice that the clips are all over the place and no 2 mods are identical. If you go the mod route, I highly suggest you use an amp that sounds great before the mod. The donor amp plays a big part.

I've owned multiple 2204 amps, and they all sound the same when the circuit is stock. About half of the ones I've bought had some pretty stupid mod attempts (cutting bright caps, installing EL34s without attempting to get the bias in the correct range, etc.). But just put it back to stock and they all sound awesome.

But I really wouldn't mod one. Just use an SD-1. If you want something with a bit more low end and smoother top, try the OD808. Want something a bit more wild, try a RAT (Turbo RAT especially, because it has a ton of output). Want an absolute fire breather, use a parametric mid boost and slam it.

 

[rstites]

Man, this thread is taking me back. My only gear-selling regret is my old '79 2203 I sold off. It was my backline through the 80's and most of the 90's, boosted with an SD-1. I still have my Marshall cabs and my SD-1 and my Charvel, but for some stupid reason I sold that Marshall.

I keep looking at them, but the prices seem a bit high and all of them seem to be modded in some way.

I'm thinking about a new project. I've never built a clone, but am seriously tempted to pick up the parts and just build a 2203 like the old one. i'd probably add an effects loop in it: the old ones had 4 speaker outs, so I'd just use two of those.

Pay too much for an old one I have to restore, or pay way too close to that for parts to build one.....decisions, decisions...

 

[FourT6and2]

Man, this thread is taking me back. My only gear-selling regret is my old '79 2203 I sold off. It was my backline through the 80's and most of the 90's, boosted with an SD-1. I still have my Marshall cabs and my SD-1 and my Charvel, but for some stupid reason I sold that Marshall.

I keep looking at them, but the prices seem a bit high and all of them seem to be modded in some way.

I'm thinking about a new project. I've never built a clone, but am seriously tempted to pick up the parts and just build a 2203 like the old one. i'd probably add an effects loop in it: the old ones had 4 speaker outs, so I'd just use two of those.

Pay too much for an old one I have to restore, or pay way too close to that for parts to build one.....decisions, decisions...

You're better off building a clone in this scenario. You can choose all the parts. You'll know exactly what the amp went through instead of buying one of unknown condition and history. And you won't be afraid of messing with it since it's "just a clone."

 

[stratjacket]

All the above suggestions are good. I'll throw another in the ring. I went through a similar thing as few years ago and almost got a JCM800 built in the 80's, but ended up with a Marshall JVM210 because I found it used in a local store. It's my cheapest amp (bought used for $800) and one of the most fun to play. Hit it with any OD and and EQ pedal and it just makes your hair grow.

Hey, that'd be a good Ad; Amp X will make that 80's hair grow back.

 

[rstites]

You're better off building a clone in this scenario. You can choose all the parts. You'll know exactly what the amp went through instead of buying one of unknown condition and history. And you won't be afraid of messing with it since it's "just a clone."

Every time I start down this I hit analysis paralysis. It's a clone, so as you note I'll modify it, so do I want a chassis already built for it, etc.

I'm tempted to buy a SLO chassis and build the 2203 into the Crunch/Normal Channel part and use the other to build my own custom lead-boost channel, and use the Send/Return for a nice transistor driven effects loop. Basically, the SLO and 2203 + lead boost are the same topology.

Hmmm.... I wonder if I can use one of those SLO-Clone PCB's for this easily enough.

The wheels are turning here. (You can see why I never quite get around to it! )