Ok, Initial JVM Review

  • Thread starter Thread starter yngzaklynch
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yngzaklynch

yngzaklynch

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I want to make sure that everyone understands that I've only had about an hour to play with this amp. So take this inital review with a grain of salt as I am hardly an expert on it. I'm confident I will have the amp set up very differently over the next few days. Tomorrow I gotta work a double, so I won't get to respond much between tonight and tomorrow night.

The amp is a Marshall through and through. If you want a Boogie, buy a Boogie. Same goes for any other brand of amp. The only thing that is unMarshall like about this amp is the Clean channel Green mode. This is an oustanding clean. Throw in the sweet onboard reverb and chorus pedal out front and you are as set as you could be for clean tones.

The Crunch channel is vintage Marshall. Yes this amp sounds pretty good at low volume. However to get the real goods from the amp on this channel you need to get the power section involved. In other words turn up the volume and I'll be damed if it wasn't a JCM800 2203X. Didn't get a Plexi tone yet but I'm confident it's in there.

OD1 and OD2 both have stupid amounts of gain on tap. Sustain and pinch harmonics are a breeze. The low end sounds a tad flubby at very low volumes but quickly tightens up with some volume. I think I preferred OD1 to OD2 but that could change in the coming days.

I would still like to know why my Ibanez DE7 delay peday would not work no matter what I did. Hopefully the amp doesn't have a loop issue and it's just user error or I have a bad cable. Have to wait until Friday to find out.

This amp is not as focused/tight as the Mk IV. Atleast not at low volumes. But it is smoother unless you get crazy with the gain, treble and presence. It seems like a wonderful amp that has a few tones for just about any kind of player I can think of. It does sound very good at low volumes but to truely use this amp to it's potential I think the power section has to be driven a little. Not like a Plexi or a JCM 800 but some volume will fatten and tighten the amp up.

Those are my thoughts with very limited time on my JVM. I am optimistic that with more time I will be right at home with it. I do think this amp requires some time. There's a lot of tones in it... big understatement right there.

Jim
 
Glad you're liking it. With 4 channels and 3 modes per channel and all those knobs, I'd think a person could spend months finding all the tones in that amp. Hopefully you'll find enough tones to keep it around for an extended period. 8)
 
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Marshall Freak":86c6a said:
Glad you're liking it. With 4 channels and 3 modes per channel and all those knobs, I'd think a person could spend months finding all the tones in that amp. Hopefully you'll find enough tones to keep it around for an extended period. 8)
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Bro there is A LOT of tones in this amp.
 
Jim,

Man you were ripping it up on the phone today! Try the Clean channel on the yellow mode for some cool plexi tones when you get the chance.

Your dog has the look like "now what are doing?" :)
 
It looks like this is a monster. I can't wait to try one out.
 
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Greazygeo":9ca4b said:
Jim,

Man you were ripping it up on the phone today! Try the Clean channel on the yellow mode for some cool plexi tones when you get the chance.

Your dog has the look like "now what are doing?" :)
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Yeah, I noticed the same thing :D
"WTF, another amp? And he calls me crazy for chasing cars??"
 
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Greazygeo":b4a50 said:
Jim,

Man you were ripping it up on the phone today! Try the Clean channel on the yellow mode for some cool plexi tones when you get the chance.

Your dog has the look like "now what are doing?" :)
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Thanks man. Tomorrow I'll look into the loop a bit more. I want to be sure there's no issue there. But other than that this thing is wicked. There are so many usable tones in this amp it's just rediculous.
 
Does the amp have a hard or soft feel on the strings when you turn it up (to get the best tones)?
 
Man you need more an one hour bro!!!!!!!!! I am glad you are hearing the same things that I thought I heard, I was worried that I was giving you info that you may not agree with because I know how picky you are :)

I am thinking that at lower volumes a boost is in order to really get that pre section cooking. So how is the lead feel compared to the MK IV lead channel???

Good luck man, I hope this cures your Marshall gas once and for all!
 
yngzaklynch - if you want it tighter try a quad of KT-77's in there, maybe just what you are looking for.
 
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yngzaklynch":020c0 said:
Thats what I can tell you with very limited time on my JVM. I am optimistic that with more time I will be right at home with it. I do think this amp requires some time. There's a lot of tones in it... big understatement right there.

Jim
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Uh oh... I've got a beautiful MKIV up for sale now. :D
 
That's ok Bob. I'm good here. :D

As far as feel... it's not spongy but not difficult to play at all. Legatto stuff is no problem even at low volumes. It's a breeze to play through.

KT77s? Like I said a bit of volume and it's tight. The Mk IV is super tight from the first bit of volume. The JVM needs a little more volume to get the most out of it but again not like a Plexi or JCM800. I'll play with it some more tomorrow morning.
 
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