RedPlated
Well-known member
https://soundcloud.com/user-410256184/monomyth-amplification-1974-marshall-super-lead-black-sun-mod
https://soundcloud.com/user-410256184/monomyth-amplification-drop-c-track
Monomyth....probably the newest name in modded Marshalls. How does anyone stand out amongst the Friedmans, Camerons, Gowers, etc, etc...?
Well, for me, Monomyth's Youtube channel showed up under my recommended videos one day (thanks Youtube). I gave them a listen and was pretty floored by what I heard. The amount of gain, the tightness, agrressiveness and the voicing just all sounded so good. Not being one to be the first to jump on the band-wagon, I kept those clips in the back of my head, thinking maybe I'd look into them more one day.
I started seeing a few guys here on Rig Talk start posting about how much they loved their Monomyth amps. Shea, who IS Monomyth, began posting here as well. The reviews and comments were so overwhelmingly positive, I figured I should give one a try.
I inquired about a modded SLP for sale. The price was surprisingly reasonable and it was in stock, already modded. I jumped on the opportunity fairly quick. There were people starting to line up for it as there was only one available. I talked with Shea a bit and realized he's extremely easy to work with, easy going and zero sales pressure. Just like another one of us, really.
After a short amount of time I had a 2004 Marshall 1959 SLP reissue with the Black Sun mod and Blood voicing. After hooking it up, it had developed some odd noises when turned on and put in standby. It seemed that maybe something had occurred in shipping that may have caused some issues internally. The amp didn't seem to sound quite right so I turned to Shea who was absolutely fantastic about the situation. He happened to have a 1974 Marshall JMP Super Lead 100 that had also been treated to the same mods. It was from his personal collection but he said he would ship it to me immediately to make up for the issues with the SLP.
Shea had the JMP Fedex'd out in no time. He even sent it before he received the SLP back from me. He told me over and over, "..don't worry, I'm going to make it right."
So the details on the JMP... All stock iron, modded to run 5881 tubes, Black Sun mod with Blood voicing and "Rise" and "Fall" switches on front. This amp has tons of available gain, like a LOT. But...it can be dialed way back. I can play AC DC on it all day. It's extremely tight, you can chug like crazy. Yet it is not stiff at all, very easy to play.
Lastly, this thing is HUGE sounding. I've had 4 Wizards, two MC II and two MTL's. This amp makes those amps seem small. Never thought that was possible, yet alone from a modded Marshall. Its just insane how huge and brutal it can sound.
This amp has really impressed me. It does something none of my other amps can do, and I have quite a few good ones. None of them sound so huge and remain articulate under extremely high gain (none can do what this does gain-wise without a boost, no way).
I made a very much off-the-cuff iPhone video of the amp. This is literally set the phone on the floor, one take in two minutes. No special effects here. All I have is a TC Flashback in the loop. However, the video does show how versatile this high gain monster is.
I used my Charvel Music Zoo aged nitro San Dimas with a Duncan Custom bridge with Alnico 8 mag swap. Neck pickup is a DiMarzio Transition. A great pairing, BTW. Cabinet is a Friedman 4x12 with Marshall Vintage speakers.
In the video, I start at about 11 o clock gain on the amp, with neck pickup and guitar volume rolled back. From there I use a combination of guitar volume and neck and bridge pickups, along with picking dynamics, to regulate the gain levels and attack. Towards the end, I bump the gain to around 2 o clock (there's plenty left) and engage the Rise and Fall switches. The video in no way captures the hugeness in the room. It's pretty unbelievable...
Higher gain with PRS Tremonti:
Van Halen-ish tones with Charvel San Dimas and Dimarzio Super Distortion:
I’m gonna go play mine now.
His mod is by far my favorite to date. It’s super thick, yet tight. It’s modern, yet retains that classic Marshall bark and roar. I can dial in vintage crunch tones, or make it clank like Gary Fucking Holt. Cranking this amp and standing in front of the cab is absolutely surreal. It makes me laugh out loud. The fullness and harmonic content are unbelievable. I’m blown away every time I play this beast. Shea’s the fuckin man. 
