So this JCM800 followed me home today…

  • Thread starter Thread starter Killcrop
  • Start date Start date
griff10672 said:
I built my 800 / JEL to USA specs ( running 6550 's ) and am quite happy with it !

I would run a Chiron ( Klone ) into the front end .... as my first choice ... then my 808 as my second choice ... as popular as my Superdrive is .... I don't like it as much as the first two ...
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The SuperDrive is where it’s at.
 
Killcrop said:
2204 50w vertical input from 1982. It’s all original and had 6550 tubes. I was surprised at how great it sounds. I was thinking it was going to have less gain than the EL34 model I had. I don’t think I would have been able to tell the difference. This one might be a little punchier in the bottom end. Not sure I should convert it to EL34s. Thoughts?

Also Looking for ideas on OD pedals. I have the following…
Boss Super Overdrive
Mythical OD
BB Pre
Benson Pre

I had a JCM800 a few years ago and ran a Friedman OD in the low input and that was fun, but it’s a very noisy pedal

View attachment 394108
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You can test EL34 vs 6550 relatively easily using alligator clips and a resistor to get the bias in the right range for the el34’s. Go back and forth for a couple days and see what speaks to you. Won’t be a life changing difference but it’s fun to experiment
 
Look at the hot mod plugs

Very cool with this amp
 
Killcrop said:
2204 50w vertical input from 1982. It’s all original and had 6550 tubes. I was surprised at how great it sounds. I was thinking it was going to have less gain than the EL34 model I had. I don’t think I would have been able to tell the difference. This one might be a little punchier in the bottom end. Not sure I should convert it to EL34s. Thoughts?

Also Looking for ideas on OD pedals. I have the following…
Boss Super Overdrive
Mythical OD
BB Pre
Benson Pre

I had a JCM800 a few years ago and ran a Friedman OD in the low input and that was fun, but it’s a very noisy pedal

View attachment 394108
Click to expand...
Congrats!

Best year for 2203/4s IMO. Big plate voltage rips. If you dig the BE OD, have Griff make you a clone....mine destroys the BE. The clone(Tone Ripper) is more raw, jagged...vs the BE which of course had the Friedman smooth thing. I also like the Boss OD1X, SD1...
 
Wow. To find an amp from 1982 in that kind of prestine condition, is very unusual.
 
Racerxrated said:
Best year for 2203/4s IMO. Big plate voltage rips.
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Depending on what part of the year it's from, it could actually still be relatively low. My 4104, inspected 23rd of Febuary 1982, sits around 400V on the plates at idle. I think later that year they went up to around 450V if what I remember reading is correct.
 
I find 6550's sound beefier, more extended lows, headroom, but I find the response slower and not as tight, cutting as EL34 nor with the mid or uppermid growl and presence. For Marshall's I strongly prefer EL34's for high gain, but 6550's can be great too in their own way. If you wanna keep the amp setup for 6550's, but want a bigger EL34 type of sound try EHX KT90's. The other KT90's IME (Yugo Ei and Chinese), while they'll have a more vintage, organic tone, they don't have that EL34-ish flavor like the EHX KT90's

It looks like you already have some good pedals to work with fro the amp. For something different, underrated and cool I like the '80's Boss FA-1
 
Laugh at me a call me names, I don't care. I had one of these 800's and it loved, I mean fucking loved an MXR Distortion +. The Distortion + I have is about as old or older than that amp. It was everything great transparent tone and, of course +.
 
HNAD man! I have been jonsing for an older 2203 or 4. I made a new years resolution to not buy any more amps this year, but it's been tough to comply. I've been getting a fix with pedals, but I'm dying to scratch the itch.
 
I have that exact amp but converted it to EL34's. I highly recommend a Fryette PS. It does that thing with the volume between 4 1/2 - 5 1/2
 
7704A said:
Depending on what part of the year it's from, it could actually still be relatively low. My 4104, inspected 23rd of Febuary 1982, sits around 400V on the plates at idle. I think later that year they went up to around 450V if what I remember reading is correct.
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I've had probably 6 2203/4s from 82-83, and they all measured over 500v. Interesting that yours was low. 78-79s were low like that. All are killer in their own way of course.
 
braintheory said:
I find 6550's sound beefier, more extended lows, headroom, but I find the response slower and not as tight, cutting as EL34 nor with the mid or uppermid growl and presence. For Marshall's I strongly prefer EL34's for high gain, but 6550's can be great too in their own way. If you wanna keep the amp setup for 6550's, but want a bigger EL34 type of sound try EHX KT90's. The other KT90's IME (Yugo Ei and Chinese), while they'll have a more vintage, organic tone, they don't have that EL34-ish flavor like the EHX KT90's

It looks like you already have some good pedals to work with fro the amp. For something different, underrated and cool I like the '80's Boss FA-1
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KT 90s are killer in a Marshall. Put those in a 2555x I had, killer tubes.
 
Racerxrated said:
I've had probably 6 2203/4s from 82-83, and they all measured over 500v. Interesting that yours was low. 78-79s were low like that. All are killer in their own way of course.
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Woah, yeah, 500V ain't playing around. Do you happen to know what month your amps were? I think mine is the latest low-voltage one I've heard of so far.
 
Racerxrated said:
Congrats!

Best year for 2203/4s IMO. Big plate voltage rips. If you dig the BE OD, have Griff make you a clone....mine destroys the BE. The clone(Tone Ripper) is more raw, jagged...vs the BE which of course had the Friedman smooth thing. I also like the Boss OD1X, SD1...
Click to expand...
I bought a Tone Ripper on Tom’s recommendation, compared it directly with a BE OD, and he’s spot on.
 
Racerxrated said:
Congrats!

Best year for 2203/4s IMO. Big plate voltage rips. If you dig the BE OD, have Griff make you a clone....mine destroys the BE. The clone(Tone Ripper) is more raw, jagged...vs the BE which of course had the Friedman smooth thing. I also like the Boss OD1X, SD1...
Click to expand...
Beyond Black said:
I bought a Tone Ripper on Tom’s recommendation, compared it directly with a BE OD, and he’s spot on.
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That's cause it's not a spot on clone .... :sneaky:

I did a few things ... to " unsmooth " it
 
DanTravis62 said:
Good call!
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Hey Dan ..... I think I'm done testing the " Hunky Dore " out ...... send me your shipping info !

which also reminds me ..... A Greer Lightspeed is also a great boost for a 800 ....

or if you know someone you could maybe get one of these

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1742831575094.png
 
psychodave said:
Leave in the 6550's and then get a VFE standout or Dragon pedal to go along with what you already have .
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I concur with keeping the 6550's they are my favorite Marshall tube aside from beam forming element 6CA7's. 6550's are essentially big bottle 6L6's tonewise.

Aside from the KT-90's Braintheory as being like EL-34's KT-88's are often described as big bottle tubes that have a similar midrange emphasis like EL-34's which is supposedly why Marshall used them in the Marshall Majors and the Jimmy Page MSG amps. For new production KT-88's I personally like EH or Sovtek KT-88's over the JJ KT-88, the new Svetlana are ok but they are essentially Sovteks. The JJ's just have this compressed low end attack that I didn't care for but I know other people like them so YMMV.

As for boosts I guess it comes down if you want the amp to be classic rock, hard rock or metal. Dave's suggestions for the VFE are solid I would only add the Maxon ST=9 pro plus to that list for the heavier stuff. Other than that an SD-1 type of pedal or a Maxon OD808 or OD808+ are killer as well.
 
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