HEADache, possible recommendations

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 8:26 pm

One thing i never really spent much money or attention on is my amplifier. Being a n00b in this market i am looking for recommendations.
I currently have a Marshall JCM 2000 DSL 401 combo, a Crate Powerblock and a couple of 4x12 cabs. All pretty decent depending on FX and stuff but im considering a Head for use with one of the cabs. Something with a good drive section, i like low end kurtk hammet sounds after listening to the 'bLack album'.... no srsly, i like classic rock/metal/punk sounds and dont use clean settings very often.
Lazily, i think Marshall JCM 800 due to its rep, then i think Randall, Laney, Peavey...?
Ideally if its valve im looking for 50w minimum. My budget consists of what i can sell out of my guitars so lets say Â£400+

Any ideas?

MaMo · Post by **MaMo** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 8:31 pm

I'm feeling Sloan is going to be the one with the best input on this one.

I tend to like the same sound and would immediately think of an 800, too.

James · Post by **James** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 8:37 pm

I don't think you're going to go wrong a with a JCM800. When I was shopping for one before the ebay prices were Â£300-350, mostly near teh top end of that. Then a year later they'd gone more Â£380-450 and I don't know what they are now. I think you could probably pick up a decent condition one for Â£375.

James · Post by **James** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 8:43 pm

Bloody hell, ignore that. People are paying Â£600 now.

kim · Post by **kim** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 9:12 pm

also check some laneys
i like this model but 100watts is a bit meh, 50watts ftw so you can push it a bit more than stupid 100w

i like its dark distortion, clean is a bit dry but i like it better than the clean of a jcm800, i think just because it sounds so dark, it's not really an amp for surf or rockabilly haha

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 9:23 pm

I noticed the JCM 800s have become quite expensive. Theres a Laney on 'bay for under Â£200 described as 'the poor mans jcm 800'. Interesting. LANEY AOR SERIES 100w HEAD.

DanHeron · Post by **DanHeron** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 10:08 pm

Keep watching this:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Marshall-JCM800-J ... 240%3A1318

JCM800 , Â£370.
4days left ish, but 0 bids so far. Could stay low.

mickie08 · Post by **mickie08** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 10:09 pm

can you guysget Sovtek head over there cheap? That might be an option if they are cheaper than JCM 800's

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 10:12 pm

Thanks for that. The fact it was originally a combo should keep it low.

Sovtek? I'll have a look...

euan · Post by **euan** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 10:17 pm

MIG50 and MIG100 are the Sovtek amps. Though they are well known to be JCM800 clones so they havr gone up in price as the JCM800s did.

Post by **Mike** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 9:26 am

James wrote:Bloody hell, ignore that. People are paying Â£600 now.

I was going to say - you're fucking Dreaming mate. I'm resigned to never owning one. I'd sooner get a kit when I'm next in the States and build it myself.

Post by **Mike** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 9:28 am

DanHeron wrote:Keep watching this:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Marshall-JCM800-J ... 240%3A1318

JCM800 , Â£370.
4days left ish, but 0 bids so far. Could stay low.

There's a chance, but people are GAGA for JCM800s these days, so it could still fetch a penny. This model (the combo version of the 2205/2210 split channel heads) is probably even more up your alley Fran, they have diode clipping in the Boost channel (overdrive channel) which makes them high gain - you're not going to get NEAR Hammett level distortion out of a regular 800 without a pedal. A stock 800 is more like "my" level of Overdrive.

Post by **Doog** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 10:18 am

Haha, he was joking about the Hammet bit..

Not to just recommend what I have, but you always go down the DSL50 route- loads of gain, works best as a single channel amp. Classic or modern tonez, more aggressively voiced than the 800s.

It may well sound similar to your combo just run through a cab, though.

Post by **Mike** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 10:20 am

I don't think he was, you know.

Post by **Doog** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 10:22 am

Fran wrote: like low end kurtk hammet sounds after listening to the 'bLack album'.... no srsly, i like classic rock/metal/punk sounds and dont use clean settings very often.

Could be taken either way, I guess.. they did actually use 800's with Tubescreamers in the old day, I'm pretty sure.

Post by **Mike** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 10:23 am

Doog wrote:Not to just recommend what I have, but you always go down the DSL50 route- loads of gain, works best as a single channel amp. Classic or modern tonez, more aggressively voiced than the 800s.

It may well sound similar to your combo just run through a cab, though.

The DSL50 does sound "pretty" similar to me to the DSL401, they have the same problems anyway, in that the Clean channel is great and the Crunch sounds are nice (nicer on the DSL50 to be honest) but that they suffer from the same bass-light Overdrive channel. The DSL50 on Crunch mode of the Classic channel means you can't have a clean tone, but I don't think Fran cares, but this sound is lovely. I think a lot of people chase the 800 mystique (myself included) without realising how close you can get to it with other amps, in my opnion the DSL50 Crunch channel and the 6100 Crunch channel do what the 800 can do just as well. I know if I bought one I would miss my Clean Channel, hence I'm happy with the 6100.

But yeah DSL50s are abundant and reasonably priced. A good choice.

Post by **Mike** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 10:24 am

Doog wrote:
Fran wrote: like low end kurtk hammet sounds after listening to the 'bLack album'.... no srsly, i like classic rock/metal/punk sounds and dont use clean settings very often.
Could be taken either way, I guess.. they did actually use 800's with Tubescreamers in the old day, I'm pretty sure.

Nah, they were modded Plexi's I thought?

Post by **Doog** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 10:25 am

Quite possibly.

Post by **Mike** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 10:27 am

http://www.montyjay.com/kirkamps.html
http://www.montyjay.com/jamesamps.html

Looks like James was a RAT into SLP on Kill Em All and Kirk borrowed the amp and used a Tube Screamer.

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 4:51 pm

Thanks for all the help guys. just to clarify, the Hammet thing was meant to tickle you but there is some sincerity in that statement. I was listening to a few of their albums in the works van this week, like the sound and thought its about time i got my shit together.
The DSL401 sounds good but it lacks low end punch, i have blamed this on it being a combo as opposed to a closed back cab in the past but it seems some people think that is a Marshall character- all mids. But having said that i dont want to lumber myself with an amp that is only any use for full-on Metal.
One other thing, usually 40w valve is plenty but there has been a few gigs when that extra 10w was needed. So 50w would be a minimum i would want.

HEADache, possible recommendations

HEADache, possible recommendations

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Re: HEADache, possible recommendations