Reaching out to Mark Cameron

[bionicmark]

I'll jokingly leave this comment while everyone is kicking each other in the shins about the price of amps and whose is better than whose...

(lobs grenade)

A simple new $1100 (or used $500) Peavey 5150 has been on more recordings and more tours than anyone's $4k or $2k amp. 90% of them don't fail while the other 10% have minor issues or need repair. Easily serviced or replaced.

Joking aside...MC has a VERY clear track record of keeping people's money and or amp.

FULLY knowing this fact, why would anyone who is in their right frame of mind send him either or both????

 

[braintheory]

I'll jokingly leave this comment while everyone is kicking each other in the shins about the price of amps and whose is better than whose...

(lobs grenade)

A simple new $1100 (or used $500) Peavey 5150 has been on more recordings and more tours than anyone's $4k or $2k amp. 90% of them don't fail while the other 10% have minor issues or need repair. Easily serviced or replaced.

Joking aside...MC has a VERY clear track record of keeping people's money and or amp.

FULLY knowing this fact, why would anyone who is in their right frame of mind send him either or both????

Here’s my counter:
It’s all subjective of course, but I personally never cared for the tone of those many famous guys using 5150/6505’s (too boxy/congested sounding to me), but love their music and playing (All That Remains is a perfect example of this. One of my favorite metal bands, but not for their sound). The guys I tended to like the tones of generally used either Rectifiers, Marks (iii’s or iic+’s), Marshall’s (stock and modded ones), Larry’s or Blueface VH4’s and of course those are all 2-4K amps (some of those a lot more than that)

I’ve played millions of times all the various versions 5150/6505’s and they definitely can sound very good, but I’ve actually AB’ed them with stuff like Cameron modded Marshall’s I had, my iic+ hrg and my Coliseum and they all just wiped the floor with it. Was no contest to my ears. My friend has this early block letter 5150 with tubes he was very picky about getting for it and still couldn’t hold its own against those amps. Maybe the 5150’s are still more practical to use for live purposes, but I can only speak about my opinions on tone

Most guys here (myself included) have never sent Mark anything nor have ever had any contact with him. We just have gotten some of his stuff second hand and were impressed. I’ve sold them because I have other stuff I like more, but they still sounded great. If we can keep this discussion about just tone and put the other stuff aside, it’s hard not to like the sound a good Cameron mod. Seems like he has a good ear for tone. Other modders not as much imo

 

[Smash]

Hate to see the regulars who did nothing wrong but put an order in get screwed over. I’ve seen a few members here blatantly brag they stay in contact with Mark on a regular basis about custom mods all while there’s legit people on the customer side still waiting for their Marshall’s or CCVs. Blows my mind to think threads of actual honest members and their gear adventures get buried on this forum by anything Cameron related time and time again and it’s literally killed this place. I ask myself why I even bother to post here anymore. I don’t support the guy, and I have no interest in supporting the scam prices of wizards either - but that’s a different topic all together.

OP your best bet is legal action. Anything else won’t be worth the time of day. You’re likely going to find out the amp is long gone and used as a candidate to be sold off for a modded profit.

Nothing with his name on it will never sit in my house or rig. There’s nothing I hate more than a dishonest person. And what is truely sad, before all of this unfolded, the entire reason I joined this place was to grab an ocean modded Marshall in the classifieds. Now I want nothing to do with one.

What's wrong with Wizards?

I’d rather have 1500 in my own build and 3500 in the bank than either, but that’s just me. Justify the added cost however you want - you’re buying a single channel Marshall copy that can be had for much less elsewhere.

If you can make an amp to stand up to those, you are making the right move. I have no problem buying a hermansson, larry, or wizard, pricewise. But the only thing that keeps me from sending Larry money is the wait time. I wouldn't ask someone to point to point handwire an amp for peanuts, because I want them to take the time and care about the job. I get paid well for my job. I wouldn't ask them to take a paycut. They set their price pretty high because it is a lot of labor. Their sound is unique. Most of us are on here because we are whores. If we were just trying to find something useable, we could just go to guitar center and buy a line 6 and be done with it.

 

[Smash]

Here’s my counter:
It’s all subjective of course, but I personally never cared for the tone of those many famous guys using 5150/6505’s (too boxy/congested sounding to me), but love their music and playing (All That Remains is a perfect example of this. One of my favorite metal bands, but not for their sound). The guys I tended to like the tones of generally used either Rectifiers, Marks (iii’s or iic+’s), Marshall’s (stock and modded ones), Larry’s or Blueface VH4’s and of course those are all 2-4K amps (some of those a lot more than that)

I’ve played millions of times all the various versions 5150/6505’s and they definitely can sound very good, but I’ve actually AB’ed them with stuff like Cameron modded Marshall’s I had, my iic+ hrg and my Coliseum and they all just wiped the floor with it. Was no contest to my ears. My friend has this early block letter 5150 with tubes he was very picky about getting for it and still couldn’t hold its own against those amps. Maybe the 5150’s are still more practical to use for live purposes, but I can only speak about my opinions on tone

Most guys here (myself included) have never sent Mark anything nor have ever had any contact with him. We just have gotten some of his stuff second hand and were impressed. I’ve sold them because I have other stuff I like more, but they still sounded great. If we can keep this discussion about just tone and put the other stuff aside, it’s hard not to like the sound a good Cameron mod. Seems like he has a good ear for tone. Other modders not as much imo

Yeah. I get sick of the same old tired repeated comments ad nauseum. I wish more people would challenge these with their ears. If the 5150 was so great, we all would have one instead of buying handwired boutiques that sound sooo much better. The 5150 is the king of the trailer park. There is nothing wrong with it and it gets the job done. But there are cheaper amps that I would put against it. But we are here because we are sick fucks that love to lust after a better tone, even when we have a great one. I have had at least 4 amps that would have been my dream amp if I just cared about finding an awesome tone. They made a 5150 sound like a toy. If you are in a band playing live, you can play almost any amp you want and 90% of your audience won't hear the difference as long as you make it cut. If you are recording an album, the engineer will have tons more to do with your tone than your amp. But for the bedroom player, who is a cork sniffer, which most of us are (otherwise why would we be on page 10 of such a tired thread or on on this site so often), we are going to continue to buy more amps and try them because we appreciate the market. Because of us, people are still pushing the boundaries of what an amp could be. The 5150 is a very useable amp that was popularized by a legendary guitarist who felt slighted by not getting a signature Slo and had someone copy and modify the amp with cheaper components and mass produce it. It became popular because of it's sound and the man behind it. It was also very attainable by the average Joe. That is why it is the most used amp. It isn't fairy dust or angel farts.

 

[scottosan]

I'll jokingly leave this comment while everyone is kicking each other in the shins about the price of amps and whose is better than whose...

(lobs grenade)

A simple new $1100 (or used $500) Peavey 5150 has been on more recordings and more tours than anyone's $4k or $2k amp. 90% of them don't fail while the other 10% have minor issues or need repair. Easily serviced or replaced.

Joking aside...MC has a VERY clear track record of keeping people's money and or amp.

FULLY knowing this fact, why would anyone who is in their right frame of mind send him either or both????

In all cases, amps used on famous recordings have studio “help” and post processing. I think it’s safe to say the most common use case is in room general use. I personally don’t like Rectos, SLO, Peavey 5150s, or a while list of other amps in person.

 

[cardinal]

I think the point for me with the 5150/DSL/EVH argument is that if you can't sound good with one of those, the problem is not the gear. Of course you can find other (more expensive) stuff that sounds different (re: "better"), but it's diminishing returns.

But my experience with a Matchless DC30 is a great example that fancy isn't always "better." I tried to love that amp. But once I had it next to a bog-standard made-in-Vietnam AC30HW, I finally conceded that I just did not like the super boutique DC30 and preferred the "McAmp", off-the-shelf Vox.

 

[Smash]

I think the point for me with the 5150/DSL/EVH argument is that if you can't sound good with one of those, the problem is not the gear. Of course you can find other (more expensive) stuff that sounds different (re: "better"), but it's diminishing returns.

But my experience with a Matchless DC30 is a great example that fancy isn't always "better." I tried to love that amp. But once I had it next to a bog-standard made-in-Vietnam AC30HW, I finally conceded that I just did not like the super boutique DC30 and preferred the "McAmp", off-the-shelf Vox.

I can sound great with a randall solid state or a peavey 5150. I can sound better with an amp that is voiced better and isn't as noisy or fizzy. I could also sell my custom jackson and buy an ibanez gio. It would still sound good. But why the hell would I? I could also probably outsprint you in crocs. People used to kill lions with swords. I would rather use a 505 gibbs.

 

[Donnie B.]

Back in the 70s I gigged a mic'd Peavey Bandit (logo removed of course) on top of
a dummy 4x12 cab.

And I'm talking club gigs!

 

[Smash]

Back in the 70s I gigged a mic'd Peavey Bandit (logo removed of course) on top of
a dummy 4x12 cab.

And I'm talking club gigs!

Shit. I have always heard those things kill for metal. I would love to try one.

 

[Racerxrated]

I'll jokingly leave this comment while everyone is kicking each other in the shins about the price of amps and whose is better than whose...

(lobs grenade)

A simple new $1100 (or used $500) Peavey 5150 has been on more recordings and more tours than anyone's $4k or $2k amp. 90% of them don't fail while the other 10% have minor issues or need repair. Easily serviced or replaced.

Joking aside...MC has a VERY clear track record of keeping people's money and or amp.

FULLY knowing this fact, why would anyone who is in their right frame of mind send him either or both????

Hey Mark...
For 12 of my 30+ yrs of gigging out I had this setup:
ADA MP1
Digitech GSP 21
Mosvalve Mosfet power amp
Hughes and Kettner 4x12 with G12L 35 Celetions

That was it. Very underpowered(it was the smaller Mosvalve power amp) but good enough for clubs. Outdoor festivals it was a struggle. Until I became a gear head...then my band laughed as nearly every other week I would roll in with a different modded Marshall. Gone were the days of being underpowered at an outdoor show, and gone were the days of no one ever telling me to turn down. Lol.
My point is, yes you can gig with just about anything. Cheap or expensive, rare or plentiful. But, the fun for me is knowing how AMAZING my new rig sounds. Some of them give me goosebumps when I can really push the volume. Just amazing sounds. No one else really cares about it other than me, and the sound guy...but it does matter to me because I want to love my stage sound.
I will agree that the 5150 is a very well known and used amp FOR METAL..but not so much for rock/hard rock bands. I've played a few backline shows (20yrs ago or so) and it was either DSLs or 5150/6505s. They get the job done just fine.
But I want to sound BETTER than fine..I want to sound GREAT. When I saw The Pretty Reckless live back in 2013 I knew I had to try a Wizard. I never heard a better live tone out of the 100s of shows I've been to over the years. I don't have the Wizard anymore(sold it to acquire my Coliseum) but I'm damn glad I had that experience.

 

[311splawndude]

If we can keep this discussion about just tone and put the other stuff aside, it’s hard not to like the sound a good Cameron mod. Seems like he has a good ear for tone. Other modders not as much imo

See, the thing is...this thread isn't about tone.

It is about a guy, screamindemon, who sent Mark Cameron his amp 3 years ago (and probably money too) and apparently lost both.

I don't think anyone is really arguing that Cameron amps do not have good tone. They do. So if other modders don't have as good of tone for you, that's fine. If Splawn makes an amp that has good tone TO ME and others, and I want to recommend it to people because I'm confident they will get their amp then that is my right as well. And that is actually more relevant to the thread then who's amp sounds better. Same with the 5150 example. We have a pretty kick ass 'Who's amp is tightest and punchiest for metal' going now. Cheers mate

 

[Smash]

See, the thing is...this thread isn't about tone.

It is about a guy, screamindemon, who sent Mark Cameron his amp 3 years ago (and probably money too) and apparently lost both.

I don't think anyone is really arguing that Cameron amps do not have good tone. They do. So if other modders don't have as good of tone for you, that's fine. If Splawn makes an amp that has good tone TO ME and others, and I want to recommend it to people because I'm confident they will get their amp then that is my right as well. And that is actually more relevant to the thread then who's amp sounds better. Same with the 5150 example. We have a pretty kick ass 'Who's amp is tightest and punchiest for metal' going now. Cheers mate

Hopefully this is the last time that this happens to someone on this forum. But there have been many more before him. A little research before you send your amp to a stranger is common practice. But when you know the guy and what he has done, still sucks, but you didn't go in with eyes closed, at least. This thread has evolved and even has Larry making an appearance, lmao. I think Braintheory was correct in taming the current flow of the thread to semi quantitative parameters.

My point is, yes you can gig with just about anything. Cheap or expensive, rare or plentiful. But, the fun for me is knowing how AMAZING my new rig sounds. Some of them give me goosebumps when I can really push the volume. Just amazing sounds. No one else really cares about it other than me, and the sound guy...but it does matter to me because I want to love my stage sound.

But I want to sound BETTER than fine..I want to sound GREAT. When I saw The Pretty Reckless live back in 2013 I knew I had to try a Wizard. I never heard a better live tone out of the 100s of shows I've been to over the years. I don't have the Wizard anymore(sold it to acquire my Coliseum) but I'm damn glad I had that experience.

Yeah. I don't understand why people keep questioning a choice to buy something better. Variety is the spice of life. How fun would it to be to go to guitar center and there were 5150s and fender strats because those were the only things that existed for guitarists...

 

[311splawndude]

Hopefully this is the last time that this happens to someone on this forum. But there have been many more before him. A little research before you send your amp to a stranger is common practice. But when you know the guy and what he has done, still sucks, but you didn't go in with eyes closed, at least. This thread has evolved and even has Larry making an appearance, lmao. I think Braintheory was correct in taming the current flow of the thread to semi quantitative parameters.

I totally agree on doing research. I didn't get the impression that screamindemon was new to this. As a matter of fact his OP says:

"I am asking for your help. I have always considered Mark a friend and he has built several amps for me."

I think we all knew this thread would devolve but that is my qualitative contribution in addition to my suggestions to resolve.

 

[Racerxrated]

See, the thing is...this thread isn't about tone.

It is about a guy, screamindemon, who sent Mark Cameron his amp 3 years ago (and probably money too) and apparently lost both.

I don't think anyone is really arguing that Cameron amps do not have good tone. They do. So if other modders don't have as good of tone for you, that's fine. If Splawn makes an amp that has good tone TO ME and others, and I want to recommend it to people because I'm confident they will get their amp then that is my right as well. And that is actually more relevant to the thread then who's amp sounds better. Same with the 5150 example. We have a pretty kick ass 'Who's amp is tightest and punchiest for metal' going now. Cheers mate

You know this...a thread like this one will ALWAYS morph into something a little off the beaten path...we just can't help it!

 

[Smash]

I totally agree on doing research. I didn't get the impression that screamindemon was new to this. As a matter of fact his OP says:

"I am asking for your help. I have always considered Mark a friend and he has built several amps for me."

I think we all new this thread would devolve but that is my qualitative contribution in addition to my suggestions to resolve.

I didn't think he was either, that's why in my post you quoted it said, "But when you know the guy and what he has done, still sucks, but you didn't go in with eyes closed, at least." Not to say that I am saying it is his fault. Cameron may be his friend. All I am saying is if Mark is his friend and he came on here to get ahold of him, he realizes Mark's history. The guys that originally got burned will get more sympathy from me. Right now, trying to get a Cameron mod is like buying a lottery ticket. You may be throwing away your money. You may be getting rich. But for me this is a boring subject and so I didn't follow this thread. Then I just wondered this morning how it got to ten pages of Cameron bashing and realized it had gotten interesting. Steering it back to the subject that probably surpised no one is a buzz kill, honestly

 

[Donnie B.]

Shit. I have always heard those things kill for metal. I would love to try one.

I had one of the originals. No clue if the later stuff is any good, but ya! Little sucker sounded pretty amazing.
We were doing Rush, Zep, UFO, Sabbath, etc. and I was always getting compliments about my tone. It didn't
need any distortion or OD pedals either.

Funny, a couple years back I stumbled on this.

Mike Britt (of Kemper fame) actually took the time to profile one!

 

[cardinal]

I can sound great with a randall solid state or a peavey 5150. I can sound better with an amp that is voiced better and isn't as noisy or fizzy. I could also sell my custom jackson and buy an ibanez gio. It would still sound good. But why the hell would I? I could also probably outsprint you in crocs. People used to kill lions with swords. I would rather use a 505 gibbs.

What are we even talking about? You must be pretty quick in crocs?

I think the point is that folks if they just want to grab something that will work, there are some readily available industry standards that you can trust to get the job done. There for sure are fancier amps out there that will sound and respond in ways that nearly everyone will say is better.

But that's different from saying the 5150 is a poor amp.

 

[Smash]

What are we even talking about? You must be pretty quick in crocs?

I think the point is that folks if they just want to grab something that will work, there are some readily available industry standards that you can trust to get the job done. There for sure are fancier amps out there that will sound and respond in ways that nearly everyone will say is better.

But that's different from saying the 5150 is a poor amp.

I am a big man, but I can move pretty fast in crocs. I could probably choose a better shoe. Someone could also choose a better amp. Effectively, I am calling a 5150 the crocs of the amp world. It's a metaphor.

 

[bionicmark]

Hi Guys...I think my comment (which was meant as a joke, not an insult) has ruffled some feathers, and I apologize for that. Those who know me, know I’ve purchased and tried every amp out there known to man... maybe minus something like a Dumble or the like.

My point was, you don’t necessarily have to pay a million dollars to get good tone, etc.
We’ve all heard that before. The argument that some were getting in didn’t really have to happen. So, that’s my point there. Play what you like and who cares how much it costs. THAT, I’ve always said.

I should also apologize to the OP... he sent his amp in hopes that he’d get it back and he’d have the tone he was looking for.

Reading these types of posts for so long, it really SUCKS seeing them pop up over and over from time to time. And that, I’m sorry for the OP who lost his amp. Because, honestly, no one likes a thief and it’s a super shitty feeling to have something taken from you.

ps. The 5150 is like a decent burger at a restaurant... You know what you’re getting : )

I wouldn’t call it the crocs of the amp world. Lol!

 

[braintheory]

Yeah. I get sick of the same old tired repeated comments ad nauseum. I wish more people would challenge these with their ears. If the 5150 was so great, we all would have one instead of buying handwired boutiques that sound sooo much better. The 5150 is the king of the trailer park. There is nothing wrong with it and it gets the job done. But there are cheaper amps that I would put against it. But we are here because we are sick fucks that love to lust after a better tone, even when we have a great one. I have had at least 4 amps that would have been my dream amp if I just cared about finding an awesome tone. They made a 5150 sound like a toy. If you are in a band playing live, you can play almost any amp you want and 90% of your audience won't hear the difference as long as you make it cut. If you are recording an album, the engineer will have tons more to do with your tone than your amp. But for the bedroom player, who is a cork sniffer, which most of us are (otherwise why would we be on page 10 of such a tired thread or on on this site so often), we are going to continue to buy more amps and try them because we appreciate the market. Because of us, people are still pushing the boundaries of what an amp could be. The 5150 is a very useable amp that was popularized by a legendary guitarist who felt slighted by not getting a signature Slo and had someone copy and modify the amp with cheaper components and mass produce it. It became popular because of it's sound and the man behind it. It was also very attainable by the average Joe. That is why it is the most used amp. It isn't fairy dust or angel farts.

I think the point for me with the 5150/DSL/EVH argument is that if you can't sound good with one of those, the problem is not the gear. Of course you can find other (more expensive) stuff that sounds different (re: "better"), but it's diminishing returns.

But my experience with a Matchless DC30 is a great example that fancy isn't always "better." I tried to love that amp. But once I had it next to a bog-standard made-in-Vietnam AC30HW, I finally conceded that I just did not like the super boutique DC30 and preferred the "McAmp", off-the-shelf Vox.

Matchless’s are way overrated imo. Vox’s are still the EL84 amps to get. Those other many boutique EL84 amps all disappointed me since I’ve been spoiled by vintage Copperpanel AC30’s, but I remember matchless being especially disappointing for that along with Dr Z, Bruno, and Sommatone