Been thinking about this a bit...

[indysmith]

is your JCM800 a 2203 or 2204? - I pretty surprised you can't dial in a warmer sound.  if it's bone stock and you're trying to run it cleaner, the bright cap (4700pF) WILL make it very bright.  remove the cap and you should be good to go.

if you're 100% set on getting rid of it, then a JTM45 or Bluesbreaker will give you what you're after.

 :twisted:

The amp's a 4104 (2204 with 2x12 speakers) Single channel. I might ask around and see if i can find an amp tech who could take this cap out for me - i am running the amp really quite clean (right on the edge).
I'm not 100% set on getting rid of the amp because i'm in love with it - it's just too loud for my current situation - as are a JTM45 and a bluesbreaker!

[Will]

Don't get rid of it, I'm sure you will be complaining in two months if you do

but if you're certain about selling, let me know   :)

[HTH AMPS]

is your JCM800 a 2203 or 2204? - I pretty surprised you can't dial in a warmer sound.  if it's bone stock and you're trying to run it cleaner, the bright cap (4700pF) WILL make it very bright.  remove the cap and you should be good to go.

if you're 100% set on getting rid of it, then a JTM45 or Bluesbreaker will give you what you're after.

 :twisted:

The amp's a 4104 (2204 with 2x12 speakers) Single channel. I might ask around and see if i can find an amp tech who could take this cap out for me - i am running the amp really quite clean (right on the edge).
I'm not 100% set on getting rid of the amp because i'm in love with it - it's just too loud for my current situation - as are a JTM45 and a bluesbreaker!

this is something you could do yourself - with the amp unplugged from the wall of course, open up the chassis and locate the gain pot.  there will be a capacitor soldered directly across the middle lug (wiper) and one of the outer lugs.  you can just snip this out and you'll notice the amp will be much warmer.

also try running the master volume higher than the gain to fatten up your tone.

that amp has blackback G12Ms right? - nice speakers, I've had one of those amps before, still bargain buys.

btw, those 2204s have quite low plate voltages I seem to remember - you could run a pair of JJ 6V6s in there and it would fatten up your tone and give you less volume.  EL34s and 6V6s bias up similar too so you should be ok to bias them up without modding the bias supply.

 :twisted:

[indysmith]

is your JCM800 a 2203 or 2204? - I pretty surprised you can't dial in a warmer sound.  if it's bone stock and you're trying to run it cleaner, the bright cap (4700pF) WILL make it very bright.  remove the cap and you should be good to go.

if you're 100% set on getting rid of it, then a JTM45 or Bluesbreaker will give you what you're after.

 :twisted:

The amp's a 4104 (2204 with 2x12 speakers) Single channel. I might ask around and see if i can find an amp tech who could take this cap out for me - i am running the amp really quite clean (right on the edge).
I'm not 100% set on getting rid of the amp because i'm in love with it - it's just too loud for my current situation - as are a JTM45 and a bluesbreaker!

this is something you could do yourself - with the amp unplugged from the wall of course, open up the chassis and locate the gain pot.  there will be a capacitor soldered directly across the middle lug (wiper) and one of the outer lugs.  you can just snip this out and you'll notice the amp will be much warmer.

also try running the master volume higher than the gain to fatten up your tone.

that amp has blackback G12Ms right? - nice speakers, I've had one of those amps before, still bargain buys.

 :twisted:

the amp had pretty nasty speakers actually - i dont remember what they were exactly - G12m-75s or something...? I changed them for a G12H and a V30 - very nice... esp at high volume >.<
Thanks for the directions and the tip - i always run master higher than preamp anyways - it just sounds better! :D
I'll have a go at getting this cap out tomorrow perhaps.

[AngusYoung01]

Has no one mentioned the simple thing - attenuator?

[indysmith]

Has no one mentioned the simple thing - attenuator?

what about it?

[AngusYoung01]

If the amps too loud, wouldn't an attenuator help..?
Plus driving it would bring out the best, unless I'm missing something said previous :lol:

[Muttley]

I'll give you £20 for the JCM800.  ;)

On a serious note, I hope you find something that scratches your itch.  :)

[indysmith]

If the amps too loud, wouldn't an attenuator help..?
Plus driving it would bring out the best, unless I'm missing something said previous :lol:

i have a hotplate attenuator which i use with it :P

[Henk]

i really don't think you guys understand what I'm trying to say-
The main reason for me wanting to get rid of the '800 is the volume - it's far too loud for uni (i just got it here to uni, played for about 3mins with hotplate on -16db, with the fine tuning on about 9 o clock, and i've had 2 calls from randomers complaining. Any lower and the tone disappears COMPLETELY and it turns into a buzzy yuck).
I was saying that if i was going to get another amp i'd like it to have a more Plexi-sounding, lower gain, warmer tone.
Hunter you're right though, i know if i was going to sell the JCM800 i'd definately regret it someday... It sounds so damn good (it actually sounds a lot better in my uni room than in my room at home - i expect this is due to the far more solid concrete floor in my halls as opposed to wooden floorboards at home...?
Maybe the answer is to ask for a quieter amp for xmas, or to sell that peavey poweramp and save up some pennies.

As an option, because IMO playing is meant to be loud, you could play trough your PC at uni. I build a small studio in the house i had before(in which i couldnt play loud either) the house i have now and had great fun playing just with headphones on. OKOK its something entirely different but it kept me sane those years. Especially with the nice amp modelers they have now im even tempted to try it again myself, heard some very encouraging clips around here.

Just an idea maybe....

[indysmith]

i really don't think you guys understand what I'm trying to say-
The main reason for me wanting to get rid of the '800 is the volume - it's far too loud for uni (i just got it here to uni, played for about 3mins with hotplate on -16db, with the fine tuning on about 9 o clock, and i've had 2 calls from randomers complaining. Any lower and the tone disappears COMPLETELY and it turns into a buzzy yuck).
I was saying that if i was going to get another amp i'd like it to have a more Plexi-sounding, lower gain, warmer tone.
Hunter you're right though, i know if i was going to sell the JCM800 i'd definately regret it someday... It sounds so damn good (it actually sounds a lot better in my uni room than in my room at home - i expect this is due to the far more solid concrete floor in my halls as opposed to wooden floorboards at home...?
Maybe the answer is to ask for a quieter amp for xmas, or to sell that peavey poweramp and save up some pennies.

As an option, because IMO playing is meant to be loud, you could play trough your PC at uni. I build a small studio in the house i had before(in which i couldnt play loud either) the house i have now and had great fun playing just with headphones on. OKOK its something entirely different but it kept me sane those years. Especially with the nice amp modelers they have now im even tempted to try it again myself, heard some very encouraging clips around here.

Just an idea maybe....

This is what I've been doing at uni recently, but i just can't stand it. i get really claustropohbic sitting around with a guitar round me and a headphone cable plugging me in. Also - it sounds not so great, and lacks the authenticity and simplicity of plugging into a combo and playing.

[kevincurtis]

Just my 5 cents - I wouldn't sell the 800, its not like they make them anymore (not proper ones anyways :) ). As Henk suggested, at Uni any amp will annoy people at anything other than whisper volume - go for something you can plug headphones into, and maybe have as a preamp to the 800 for more flexibility when you can crank it....

[Stevepage]

Look into the Cornford Harlequin. It's only 6 watts and gets great tone at lower volumes.

[LazyNinja]

Since you don't want to wear a headphone, how about a Palmer Speaker Simulator, a solid state power amp and a pair of speakers? You'll be able to crank the JCM800 through it and in theory you should be able to get a better sound than just attenuating. You should look for the most hi-fi colourless power amp you can find for this set up.

Or as a last resort, get your amp modded to have power scaling installed.

[gwEm]

indy, i remember we once had a quick discussion about how much you liked that amp. maybe its not 'flavour of the month' at the moment, but if you sell it then 100% sure you'll regret it some day. in five years time when you want one back, jcm800s will be rarer, and more expensive.

for uni i'd say get something more budget than the orange or the boutique amps discussed. maybe an analogue modeller like the SansAmp GT2 or Award JD10 - use them as really nice distortion pedals after uni, or jack them into a hifi or shitety solid state practise amp now for practise.

get the boutique plexi when you have a phat job after uni