Which amps to use...

“Through this holy anointing may the Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up.”

"Verily I say unto you, whouldst not Blackmore have played upon the newest and best??? Doth not time sweeten the wine??? Is not wisdom gained through experience???"

Its like a 1957 Chevrolet. Cool, yes...but almost everything is better, safer....

Max Norman told me once that people played old amps back then because that's all they had, not because they were that great.

My only source of income is playing and i have zero "trick" or designer gear.

If an old JCM would net me another $800/week, i would buy one tomorrow...seriously.

The studio is going to replace it with a 100 watt DSL 100H.

They've spent $1,800 last year to get it maintained/fixed.

I let them borrow my back up DSL40C until the new head comes in from Sweetwater.
 

Most f**ked up work i have ever seen. Almost unbelievable. Bare shielding everywhere. One braid made contact somehow and cooked it.

Seriously, this guy does poop work. I wouldnt have my name on poop like that.

Its a SA 05174R.

Nobody else is allowed to touch the amp but this dude. Ridiculous.

Maybe he is one of those types that does stellar work on a celeb's amp and crap work on a small timer's amp, who knows???

Once i get it repaired, its being sold off...
 
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I'll see about getting copies of the pics we took of the internals we took last night. Its so poorly done its almost comical.

On some capacitors, he soldered to the top of the turret instead of the back and the joints cracked. He painted over all the values on the caps as if he was the keeper of some great secret. Looks like he used a dremel to grind away the orange poly on some caps - apparently to hide the values -deep enough to expose mylar.

Everything i saw was poorly mimicked Tim Caswell modifications. Not one single innovative/original thing.

The studio won't be going back to him.
 
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Most f**ked up work i have ever seen. Almost unbelievable. Bare shielding everywhere. One braid made contact somehow and cooked it.

Seriously, this guy does :poo: work. I wouldnt have my name on :poo: like that.

Its a SA 05174R.

Nobody else is allowed to touch the amp but this dude. Ridiculous.

Maybe he is one of those types that does stellar work on a celeb's amp and crap work on a small timer's amp, who knows???

Once i get it repaired, its being sold off...
Worse than Billy Blades?! o_O

(Does anyone here recognize that name? lol)
 
Got to use the technique that works best for you.

I know so many guys with old 2203's and they can't keep them running long enough to finish a session...but they insist on keeping them.
They should work. My 4010 is a 1982, no issues although I should get a cap job. I don't see why they shouldn't if they are upkept. My old one I stupidly sold to a buddy is a 1983 2203. No issues with it either althpugh it isn't used much. My Jubilee 2558 is one I bought new in 1987 and it's quiet as anything.
 
They should work. My 4010 is a 1982, no issues although I should get a cap job. I don't see why they shouldn't if they are upkept. My old one I stupidly sold to a buddy is a 1983 2203. No issues with it either althpugh it isn't used much. My Jubilee 2558 is one I bought new in 1987 and it's quiet as anything.

Please don't think my opinion is anything other than an opinion. I never wanted to work on amps and I'm no expert. I started helping people i know because i saw poorly performed mods and people charging big bucks too.

I've always been opposed to the notion that certain amps or guitars sound so great that a person just couldn't play without them. I've earned my sole income on junk.

These amps are getting older all the time. Age and deterioration take them out. Its basically like restoring anything. If you are careful, and use good parts, you get good results.

But when stuff is poorly soldered, and guys have such an inflated self-image that they grind numbers off a cap - deep enough to expose mylar - things don't work out so well.

I know ONE good Marshall amp guy - Jack Spina - but other than that, all i see is hack work...
 
Please don't think my opinion is anything other than an opinion. I never wanted to work on amps and I'm no expert. I started helping people i know because i saw poorly performed mods and people charging big bucks too.

I've always been opposed to the notion that certain amps or guitars sound so great that a person just couldn't play without them. I've earned my sole income on junk.

These amps are getting older all the time. Age and deterioration take them out. Its basically like restoring anything. If you are careful, and use good parts, you get good results.

But when stuff is poorly soldered, and guys have such an inflated self-image that they grind numbers off a cap - deep enough to expose mylar - things don't work out so well.

I know ONE good Marshall amp guy - Jack Spina - but other than that, all i see is hack work...
Mark Cameron used to goop up everything so as to keep folks from being able to see anything at all lol
 
Please don't think my opinion is anything other than an opinion. I never wanted to work on amps and I'm no expert. I started helping people i know because i saw poorly performed mods and people charging big bucks too.

I've always been opposed to the notion that certain amps or guitars sound so great that a person just couldn't play without them. I've earned my sole income on junk.

These amps are getting older all the time. Age and deterioration take them out. Its basically like restoring anything. If you are careful, and use good parts, you get good results.

But when stuff is poorly soldered, and guys have such an inflated self-image that they grind numbers off a cap - deep enough to expose mylar - things don't work out so well.

I know ONE good Marshall amp guy - Jack Spina - but other than that, all i see is hack work...
Yes I mean in terms of general routine maintenance. There isnt that much to a 2203 circuit. But to mod and mod amd carve em up? I don't see the point. Don't get me wrong either - while I like mine, I also have a few far more modern amps ansd use them far more.
 
My 'Go To' studio guitar is my bone-stock Schecter C1 Hellraiser FR. I can do any job on it, from metal to country. Twin EMG'S with the bridge fearuring two stand-alone single coils that can be tapped independently.

Most projects in the studio are simply a guitar plugged straight into the console. Amps are not used much anymore. Aot of amp modeling software is being used today.

The most frequently seen studio amp is the JC-120. There are more of them than any other amp, period.

Sometimes, a studio will have an old 2203 or an Overdrive Special, but that's not at all commonplace. Most 'Hired Hands' come with their own accessories.

No matter what genre i play, if its live, i use one of my DSL40C's. If they want it to sound country, i play in that character.

John5 will take one guitar and one amp and pull metal or country from it without ever altering his amp settings, by simply altering his volume and his playing style. I was blown away the first time i saw this happen in person. I was literally speechless...
 
I will use one of my amps as the studio doesnt have much and I like my stuff. As i said, i have to play in the live room with a speaker and am not a fan of doing that with a modeller. I am a live player. Just want to eventually give most of my amps a chance. The JVM covers everything but that is less fun!
 
i HAD A dsl...................................
Marshal DSL 15c.JPG
i DO MISS IT..............BUT I get to fondle and visit it at Hacks House :)

I tried several other Marshalls....MGX 100 (I think Hack blew that one up ------)
stupid arse "CODE" --- hated that thing-- 2 of them never worked right with the "app" crap--- GONE!
Lead 15 head......Goo is rocking that now
marshal stack.jpg

NOW i HAVE THE might valvestate 8020 --- FROM Britannia.........real spring reverb......AND IT ........IS good
Marshall.jpg

the Valvestate just kills........for awhopping 45.00 ........yes FORTY FIVE dolLARS.........used on craigslist....
BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
 
i HAD A dsl...................................
View attachment 46236
i DO MISS IT..............BUT I get to fondle and visit it at Hacks House :)

I tried several other Marshalls....MGX 100 (I think Hack blew that one up ------)
stupid arse "CODE" --- hated that thing-- 2 of them never worked right with the "app" crap--- GONE!
Lead 15 head......Goo is rocking that now
View attachment 46237

NOW i HAVE THE might valvestate 8020 --- FROM Britannia.........real spring reverb......AND IT ........IS good
View attachment 46238

the Valvestate just kills........for awhopping 45.00 ........yes FORTY FIVE dolLARS.........used on craigslist....
BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Excellent deal on the valvestate
 
I will use one of my amps as the studio doesnt have much and I like my stuff. As i said, i have to play in the live room with a speaker and am not a fan of doing that with a modeller. I am a live player. Just want to eventually give most of my amps a chance. The JVM covers everything but that is less fun!

I can appreciate that. I am still baffled at how i can stand right in front of my DSL40C - at incredible stage volume - and NOT be able to hear it, and yet i am shaving heads in the 3rd row.

The Weber Beam Blocker helped a lot, but
I prefer a good floor monitor.

On the flip side, i hate Avioms and in-ear monitors with a passion.

Playing live is fun, but i hate all the variables.

I like getting to work at the studio at 9am, putting my personal headphones around my neck and leaving them there all day.

Those big, 1,000 cup coffee pots, the chocolate croissants the engineer brings from Starbucks, and a restroom that doesn't smell like piss and puke.

I still enjoy live playing, but im more of a play outdoors guy than a sweaty club...although i started out in honky tonks...Hell, I'd play the Devil's birthday bash for the right munny... :-)
 
I can appreciate that. I am still baffled at how i can stand right in front of my DSL40C - at incredible stage volume - and NOT be able to hear it, and yet i am shaving heads in the 3rd row.

The Weber Beam Blocker helped a lot, but
I prefer a good floor monitor.

On the flip side, i hate Avioms and in-ear monitors with a passion.

Playing live is fun, but i hate all the variables.

I like getting to work at the studio at 9am, putting my personal headphones around my neck and leaving them there all day.

Those big, 1,000 cup coffee pots, the chocolate croissants the engineer brings from Starbucks, and a restroom that doesn't smell like piss and puke.

I still enjoy live playing, but im more of a play outdoors guy than a sweaty club...although i started out in honky tonks...Hell, I'd play the Devil's birthday bash for the right munny... :-)
As a weekend warrior, I just like playing and am at my best live with a good crowd. Just plain fun.
 
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