Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: Crazy_Joe on October 21, 2006, 05:50:46 PM

Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: Crazy_Joe on October 21, 2006, 05:50:46 PM: Been offered a second chance offer on ebay for a JCM 900 DUAL REVERB 100W valve head that i bid on a while ago.
£315!! With ruby valves, don't know if they are any good.
It is in great condition and has a dual footswitch with it.

Does it have enough gain for metal? kind of like classic heavy metal to a bit heavier kind of metal lol
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: maliciousteve on October 21, 2006, 05:53:46 PM: I'd stick with the Laney. The Laney will crush the JCM900, i used to own one and i'm glad i got rid of it and got a Laney in the end :D
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: Crazy_Joe on October 21, 2006, 06:02:12 PM: The guess it is the price that i like more than the amp.
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: Crazy_Joe on October 21, 2006, 06:07:08 PM: By the way Steve do you have any clips of you using your JCM 900?

Also do you know any bands that use JCM 900s?
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: maliciousteve on October 21, 2006, 06:11:18 PM: Yes mate, www.myspace.com/malicious

The songs Bleed You Dry and A War On Those Who Doubt were recorded with a JCM900 head with my old washburn with a Warpig.

these were recorded last year with my previous band, i like to think i've improved since then with my melody and phrasing

:lol:

Morbid Angel is another band who use JCM900's but they boost theirs with a Pro Co Rat pedal.
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: Crazy_Joe on October 21, 2006, 06:23:30 PM: What was the most recent song that recorded with (it's the only one that my computer wants to play at the moment lol!)

Edit: Don't worry it works now! and that sounds good! so it has enough gain, now it is decision time...
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: maliciousteve on October 21, 2006, 06:32:35 PM: The most recent song (through the eyes of a traitor) was recorded with a Mesa Boogie Mark IV head (belonged to the producer) through a Marshall 4 x 12 using my 7 string with EMG 707.
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: Crazy_Joe on October 21, 2006, 06:44:59 PM: Argh i really don't know, your tracks sound quality, there is more than enough gain for my liking, though i have a feeling the Laney will slay it lol

Saying that the tone i want is the early Metallica kind of tone and Metallica used Marshalls early on in their career.
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: Tricalibur on October 21, 2006, 08:13:36 PM: You could buy the JCM900 and the uise the bucks you saved to get it voodoo modded; http://www.voodooamps.com/standardmods-marshall.html#jcm900standard
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: fps_dean on October 21, 2006, 08:18:28 PM: ^ screw Voodoo mods... I have a huge problem with them covering the circuit in black apoxy meaning if you ever need a recap or a component in there goes, it's cheaper to replace the amp! Plus I've heard before and after clips of their JCM 2000 mods, and couldn't really tell a difference, they were both super fizzy, could pass for solid state, etc. And the clips on the site sound like a stock JCM 2000 as well.

JCM 900s aren't nearly as bad as some people say. The trick is you have to get them properly biased, and probably some better tubes too than they shipped with. They came biased so cold from the factory that they sound like cr@p brand new and everyone's like "omg these things are thin" but that couldn't be further from the truth. If it's a SL-X, than it's an even better deal ;)

Rubys are rebranded Sovteks or JJs.... nothing too great, but not the worst either.

And damn steve you get a mean tone from a JCM 900!

And yes it has enough gain for almost any high gain Marshall sound.

Steve Vai used JCM 900s in the early 90s as well.
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: Crazy_Joe on October 21, 2006, 08:36:17 PM: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Laney-GH50L-Valve-Guitar-Head-Eats-yer-Marshall_W0QQitemZ230040706493QQihZ013QQcategoryZ10171QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

do you think this is worth buying, i can make a back panel so that won't be a problem, but it is 3 years old and it looks a tad dusty in the back!
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: fps_dean on October 21, 2006, 08:38:03 PM: Quote from: Crazy_Joe
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Laney-GH50L-Valve-Guitar-Head-Eats-yer-Marshall_W0QQitemZ230040706493QQihZ013QQcategoryZ10171QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

do you think this is worth buying, i can make a back panel so that won't be a problem, but it is 3 years old and it looks a tad dusty in the back!

Don't you already have another on the way?
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: Crazy_Joe on October 21, 2006, 08:39:34 PM: No, i havn't bought the head yet, but i was originally going to get that until i got offered this 2nd chance offer today.
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: Tricalibur on October 21, 2006, 08:44:28 PM: Quote from: Crazy_Joe
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Laney-GH50L-Valve-Guitar-Head-Eats-yer-Marshall_W0QQitemZ230040706493QQihZ013QQcategoryZ10171QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

do you think this is worth buying, i can make a back panel so that won't be a problem, but it is 3 years old and it looks a tad dusty in the back!

Whats That big circular thing in the back of the amp?
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: fps_dean on October 21, 2006, 08:46:05 PM: ^ Personally, I'd probably go with the JCM 900 myself, and hands down if it's a SL-X.

I found this... "an original 1980's Marshall JCM900 4500 50w head and 2X12 cab."

Hmm, that's funny, because the JCM 900 prototypes weren't even out in the 80s....

"The head uses Tesla EL34 valves, and is still going strong on the originals."

Original tubes for that were SED or Svetlana EL34s or 5881s (depending what year it actually is) and Sovteks in the preamp. Sorry buddy, not originals.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Marshall-JCM-900-4500-Dual-Reverb-Hi-Gain-50w-Amp_W0QQitemZ260043978989QQihZ016QQcategoryZ10171QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: fps_dean on October 21, 2006, 08:47:45 PM: Quote from: Tricalibur
Quote from: Crazy_Joe
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Laney-GH50L-Valve-Guitar-Head-Eats-yer-Marshall_W0QQitemZ230040706493QQihZ013QQcategoryZ10171QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

do you think this is worth buying, i can make a back panel so that won't be a problem, but it is 3 years old and it looks a tad dusty in the back!

Whats That big circular thing in the back of the amp?

A wierd circular transformer I think!
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: Crazy_Joe on October 21, 2006, 08:56:10 PM: What about a new Laney GH50L, against that Marshall JCM 900?
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: fps_dean on October 21, 2006, 09:08:08 PM: Quote from: Crazy_Joe
What about a new Laney GH50L, against that Marshall JCM 900?

I meant if it was new or in perfect condition etc. I've never been too big of a Laney fan
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: gingataff on October 22, 2006, 04:39:18 AM: Re weird big circular thing: it's a toroidal transformer.
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: fps_dean on October 22, 2006, 08:51:32 AM: Quote from: gingataff
Re weird big circular thing: it's a toroidal transformer.

That's what I thought... just didn't know the name of it. It's where a transformer normally goes...
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: JamesHealey on October 22, 2006, 05:04:34 PM: i agree with Dean, a good set of JJ/Tesla tubes propperly biased in a working JCM900 would be a great amp, and would do metal/hard rock no problem..

I've owned 2 JCM900 MkIII's and loved them both, and a JCM800.
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: Crazy_Joe on October 22, 2006, 05:58:22 PM: But the Laney GH50L is better, so i bought that.
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: HTH AMPS on October 22, 2006, 09:14:46 PM: Quote from: Crazy_Joe
But the Laney GH50L is better, so i bought that.

The right decision imo (not that the Dual Reverb JCM900s are half as bad as people make out). I'd still go for the Laney if they were the same price, but at £250 for the Laney it's a no-brainer.

Get some 6550s in that Laney and it'll be bitchin!!!

:twisted:
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: TwilightOdyssey on October 22, 2006, 09:19:50 PM: I've used the 900 on several occasions. As long as you throw a Tube Screamer type of boost in front of it and don't dime the amp's gain, it sounds great for old school and power metal.
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: _tom_ on October 22, 2006, 09:56:00 PM: Quote from: HEAVIER THAN HELL
Quote from: Crazy_Joe
But the Laney GH50L is better, so i bought that.

The right decision imo (not that the Dual Reverb JCM900s are half as bad as people make out). I'd still go for the Laney if they were the same price, but at £250 for the Laney it's a no-brainer.

Get some 6550s in that Laney and it'll be bitchin!!!

:twisted:

Just wondering, whats the difference in tone between 6550s and EL34s (and E34Ls whist yer at it :P )?
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: Dakine on October 22, 2006, 10:40:14 PM: EL34/6CA7:Aggressive, slender low end, higher total harmonic distortion…

5881/6L6:Great tube for clean sounds, good bluesy tones, also has strong bass and excellent clarity…

6550:Very loud, very good dynamics, strong low end, amazingly percussive…

KT88/KT100:Similar to 6550, but very punchy with great clarity and warmth…
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: _tom_ on October 22, 2006, 10:44:17 PM: hmmm I think I'll be after some KT88's in my GH50L if the stock EL34s are too agressive (is that possible?! :twisted: ). They will work in an EL34 slot though, right?
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: fps_dean on October 23, 2006, 05:42:06 AM: Quote from: _tom_
hmmm I think I'll be after some KT88's in my GH50L if the stock EL34s are too agressive (is that possible?! :twisted: ). They will work in an EL34 slot though, right?

Yes it will but I would suggest 5881s (6L6s) instead. Still a little warmer but cleaner than EL34s. KT88s are military grade 6550s, and may be a bit too clean for ya.
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: fps_dean on October 23, 2006, 05:45:55 AM: Quote from: Dakine
EL34/6CA7:Aggressive, slender low end, higher total harmonic distortion…

5881/6L6:Great tube for clean sounds, good bluesy tones, also has strong bass and excellent clarity…

6550:Very loud, very good dynamics, strong low end, amazingly percussive…

KT88/KT100:Similar to 6550, but very punchy with great clarity and warmth…

Just some additional thoughts...

EL34s: Should be used where you want power side distortion and never used perfectly clean.

5881/6L6: Great fat and warm sounding tubes, not quite as warm as EL34s but they hold their character while the master volume goes (mainly low end). Great for cleans or those who want all their distortion from the preamp.

KT88s: The military grade 6550s. These will handle higher voltage and more abuse, yet they get a warmer too when driven but remain, like 6550s, super clean so any distortion you get best be coming from the preamp.
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: _tom_ on October 23, 2006, 11:39:06 AM: I was actually steering away from 6L6 tubes as my Fender is 6L6 (and I heard somewhere that mesa are also), and I dont like that tone for overdrive/distortion. Also, I think I prefer the sound of mostly power amp distortion as opposed to all preamp.
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: fps_dean on October 23, 2006, 06:13:19 PM: Quote from: _tom_
I was actually steering away from 6L6 tubes as my Fender is 6L6 (and I heard somewhere that mesa are also), and I dont like that tone for overdrive/distortion. Also, I think I prefer the sound of mostly power amp distortion as opposed to all preamp.

Then you'll like the EL34s. 6L6, 6550s, KT88s, KT66s, etc. get warm but stay super clean when abused.
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: JamesHealey on October 23, 2006, 06:14:37 PM: EL34s are the stuff dreams are made of..
Title: JCM 900 Enough Gain??? (answer needed quickly)
Post by: fps_dean on October 23, 2006, 06:30:08 PM: Quote from: JamesHealey
EL34s are the stuff dreams are made of..

^^ What he said.