Plexi vs JCM tone

thomasross20

Martin can do me a plexi with boost to get toward JCM territory... or I can go JCM. Maybe if JCM, can use a plexi pedal. So unsure about this one aspect! Wonder how much of the sound above is due to the Les Paul...
Thin and weedy distortion doesn't do it for me at all so have to be sure on this one. The right crunch is really good as I don't like swimming in distortion, either. 

Alnico

In real terms if you turn the gain down on a 2203, you've got most of the Plexi tone anyway. Ok, it will never be exactly the same but it will be close enough to not worry about in most situations.

thomasross20

Clearly you favour JCM over Plexi

Alnico

The only amp i place above a JCM800 is the Mesa Dual Rec. (I'm not comparing them, i know they are wildly different i'm just saying the Dual Rec the best mass produced amp ever built barre none, that's all !!!)

That doesn't include anything handmade such as the MJW you're looking at, that's just for what i could go and buy online right now and have delivered next day.

But You're right, i wouldn't climb over a JCM to get to a Plexi.

thomasross20

It's the "higher gain" / overdriven plexis that I seem to gravitate to. Definitely the higher gain end of that scale. 

Alnico

thomasross20 said:

It's the "higher gain" / overdriven plexis that I seem to gravitate to. Definitely the higher gain end of that scale. 

If you can be arsed to do it, you could connect a Plexi emulating pedal to 2203 through the low input and you have a very good impression of a Plexi, you can then choose your gain level from the pedal. Turn the pedal off, hit standby on the amp, swap inputs and flick the controls a bit and you have your JCM again.

thomasross20

I'd have two separate channels on the MJW so could put a plexi pedal in front of the amp and select channel 1 and be done. Then use channel 2 for proper Slash tones. 

Alnico

That would also work very well.

I think you may have found your answer.

thomasross20

I think so.. 
Clearly the alternative is plexi + OD (which Martin does) and I could add my own OD in front, to boot. 

If only I could hear clips of both!


Without thinking of the covers band, though... I'd gladly rock out at home with the Slash sound only lol...

John_A

Heard a few demos of the Brunetti Pleximan, and think it sounds amazing, currently using a Line 6 Helix, but when the 'proper amp' bug bites again that one is definitely top of my shopping list

erky32

...after 25 years of Marshall, I'm now heading into HRDX territory, so my '79 50w 2104/2204 is on here if thats of any interest?

Moe_Zambeek

Thomas, it occurred to me you should try an older Budda Superdrive 18 watter. Great clean, very good Marshall-esque overdrive, weigh practically nothing (relatively) and can be had for 6-700 quid used. Alternatively, one of the mini Marshall Jubilee combo reissues might be a good shout.

thomasross20

Is the Budda a head? Will check.
The new white-cased Jubillee heads look and sound great, I must admit...!

hugbot

Plexi = loose, lots of body

JCM 800 = similar, still a lot of body, a bit tighter with more accessable gain and a more aggressive top end

JCM 900/2000 = same but shitter, with less body and the top end sounding raspier.

JVM = dunno not much experience with them

Most marshalls sound pretty similar though, just variations on a theme.

Moe_Zambeek

The Budda SD18 is a combo, i've not seen a head version of the 18 watter. You can get 30 / 45 / 80 watt heads though.

thomasross20

Martin can do me a plexi drive channel with boost to take me to JCM.
Or... JCM drive channel with boost to take me to SLO.

Which one would be more "Slash" I don't know so I'm going to try and figure out what Slash does!
What would Slash do!?

Moe_Zambeek

thomasross20 said:

Which one would be more "Slash" I don't know so I'm going to try and figure out what Slash does!
What would Slash do!?

Obvious...buy a Marshall (or more likely, get it for free).

 https://marshallamps.com/artists/s/slash/

thomasross20

I'm going to get sponsored - that's the new plan lol..

Moltisanti

Slash uses JCM800 reissues on tour these days, he seemingly ditched the AFD heads after a while. I went through loads of amps over the years, then got a real JCM800 and I am home.

thomasross20

Does he do anything special with it? Any mods like boosting the pre-amp? I have to figure out what he does...