Would you trade your jcm800 2205 vintage for splawn pro mod?

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toneaddiction

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I like both...can't decide. Opinions. Help my indecisiveness hah
 
I have a Pro Mod and sold my 800 before getting it no regrets.
If your in a nostalgia 80's act or a vintage collector then keep the 800.
If you want a better sounding marshally tone that can actually do the modern stuff without having to use a boost pedal and a usable clean tone then the Pro mod/Quick rod (same amp different tubes) is for you.
If you want an 800 to do all of the above get the kitchen sink mod and call it a day :)
Just my opinion..
 
True. That's what I was thinkingZ played both , like both . Can only keep one. Vintage Marshall or collector sake was what was making the Jcm even hang with the pro mod but then again the splawns are few in # as well ...
 
Meh there where alot of JCM's made far more than the Splawn. The collector Marshalls are Pre JCM800 IMO with the notable exception being the Anniversary.
 
I'd get the Splawn. I would say it can do anything the 800 can do and more. Plus a loop is a must for me.
 
I sold my beloved 2205 to fund my Cameron mod. While I do miss the 2205 sometimes the Cameron is far superior. I know that's not apples-apples since you are looking at a splawn, but I am overall happy I let it go.

Before you do may I suggest you try a couple of things on the 2205 I learned over 15 years of ownership?

- Eq pedal in the loop, scoop the mids a tad, but turn up mids on amp front panel a bit, maybe bump up the lows a bit.
- Run the treble between 0 and 2, and get the high end back from the presence and maybe a touch from the EQ - Michael Schenker trick.
- Run some sort of effect processor in the loop that has a volume control. Crank up the master on the amp between 8-10, and use the effects processor volume to act as the master. This results in the preamp of the amp producing a "thicker" tone.
- Run the channel volume between 7-10 to taste - cranked adds more gain but some looseness.
- Boost on the front end to taste - I only needed it for leads after doing the above.

Doing the above results in some dramatic differences / improvements in tone.
 
I had this same dilemma in 2004. Got a Pro Mod after selling my 88 2205.

All in all, I would've kept the 2205, hands down.

Pro Mod was too compressed for my taste. 2205 had a crappy clean channel, but Pro Mods was nothing to
write home about. Both are great amps, depending on your desires, but 2205 all day.
 
Yeah a lot of older cats/Marshall collectors like the 2203/2204 but alot of others prefer the 2205 2 channel. All preference there for sure though the 2204/2203 models hold a
Pretty steady price ... Which is good

Thanks Marvcus and jaybird !! Good info!
 
Ya know? They're kinda different. The Quickrod would be more in the ballpark of a JCM800 on steroids. Once you go 6550's or KT88s like the Pro mod, it becomes a different beast. The low-end is super tight and its just voiced more modern than what you're probably used to with the 2205.

I'm not saying one is better or worse but they're definitely different. Not really apples to apples comparison.
 
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