Anyone else dig the bona fide Marshall amp models more than.....

I wouldn't say improved versions....just more refined versions. You just prefer less refined amp tones, nothing wrong with either...and each has it's place.
 
maxdown said:
Hundreds of damn amp types to play with and 95% of the time I keep going to an ancient Marshall!
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Haha! Me, too. I had set up a couple of different presets to try some other amp models with
the band last night at rehearsal, and I think I made it about 2 or 3 songs in before I went back
to a JCM800 (#34, I think) for rest of the night. :)
 
joshriggsFM3 said:
I'm more of a modern high gain player, so I don't have an opinion on plexis, but I had a similar experience. After spending lots of time diving deep on several high gain amps with Marshall DNA - Bogner, Friedman, Fryette, Cameron Atomica and CCV, and even the modded JCM 800s - I ended up being blown away most by... The Marshall JVM410 models. The OD2 Orange with input boost might be my favorite high gain amp model on the FM3 right now. Go figure. Goes to show you that so much of this whole boutique "mojo" thing is just marketing when you're only using your ears to judge. 🤣
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The JVM is the first Marshall amp in real life I tried and got along with.

The Red mode is also pretty good, but you have to keep the gain knob down low for it to really shine.
 
For my tastes, the JVM has lots of unusable gain. I prefer that Satch version, and with the gain lower, Easily nails Satch/Vai gain levels
 
acwild said:
Cygnus 2.0 - Cliff adds random tube failures for extra “realism.”
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No, no, no, tubes have been my achilles heel for many decades. I don't know what it is but they just don't like me and they sure aren't environmentally friendly in many more ways than one.

HIO (Here In Oregon)
 
la noise said:
They seem to sound and feel more ragged, rawer, and just not as polished
and smooth as some of the amp models based on those really popular new
production amps that I am not going to name.
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I'm not sure if it's directly related to the perfection demanded of modern music, but it might be. I was watching an interview with Steve Lukather (I believe by Joe Bonamassa) and he described modern music as being so slick, that if it was a chair you'd just slide right off of it.

I once read a quote (which escapes me now) that said true beauty (talking about women) demanded at least some amount of imperfection. I think amps are that way (referencing your "not as polished" comment).
 
fcs101 said:
I'm not sure if it's directly related to the perfection demanded of modern music, but it might be. I was watching an interview with Steve Lukather (I believe by Joe Bonamassa) and he described modern music as being so slick, that if it was a chair you'd just slide right off of it.

I once read a quote (which escapes me now) that said true beauty (talking about women) demanded at least some amount of imperfection. I think amps are that way (referencing your "not as polished" comment).
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What is more beautiful: a natural wild forest with crooked trees, or a government's plantation of perfectly aligned and stretched trees?
 
fcs101 said:
I'm not sure if it's directly related to the perfection demanded of modern music, but it might be. I was watching an interview with Steve Lukather (I believe by Joe Bonamassa) and he described modern music as being so slick, that if it was a chair you'd just slide right off of it.

I once read a quote (which escapes me now) that said true beauty (talking about women) demanded at least some amount of imperfection. I think amps are that way (referencing your "not as polished" comment).
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I feel like there is truth to this. How much depends on one's perspective.

To me the modernized takes on Marshall circuits like Friedman and Bogner tend to
be both more compressed (smoother) and have a shit-ton of low-end on tap compared
to anything Marshall released. Modern music is both more compressed and bass heavy,
to my ears. So yeah.... I would agree with Sir Luke. :)
 
I have to say...I've been going back and forth between the JP2c+ and the Triple Crown. Got damn good sounds from both.
But after reading this thread...I tossed the JVM Orange OD2 amp in place, and I think I like it just a little bit more.
Awesome crunch and high gain lead, and seems to be a tad more articulate.
 
Depends on the mood I'm in, personally. I can definitely agree that Cygnus has changed the game, though - so much so that as much as I love the AustinBuddy LiveGold pack, these days I've been spending more time with the latest 4.0c stock presets. I've never been much of a Marshall player, but I sure am loving them now! Never cared much for the JVM OD1 or 2 before, but yesterday - couldn't keep my Charvel San Dimas away from them! Orange and Red Channels both, on both OD1 and 2. I also love the Friedman H/BEv1 Fat models but don't care much for the other variants, and I've also become a big fan of the Nitrous and QRod models as well. Also still love the Uber. So many great sounds!
 
Chris Naish said:
Depends on the mood I'm in, personally. I can definitely agree that Cygnus has changed the game, though - so much so that as much as I love the AustinBuddy LiveGold pack, these days I've been spending more time with the latest 4.0c stock presets. I've never been much of a Marshall player, but I sure am loving them now! Never cared much for the JVM OD1 or 2 before, but yesterday - couldn't keep my Charvel San Dimas away from them! Orange and Red Channels both, on both OD1 and 2. I also love the Friedman H/BEv1 Fat models but don't care much for the other variants, and I've also become a big fan of the Nitrous and QRod models as well. Also still love the Uber. So many great sounds!
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I have a Charvel DK24 right next to me. :)
 
Interesting discussion. I also wonder though why do we always talk about the amps but rarely about the cabs they are couples with. Great amp or not if it’s not with the right cab won’t blossom.
 
the.oud.dude said:
Interesting discussion. I also wonder though why do we always talk about the amps but rarely about the cabs they are couples with. Great amp or not if it’s not with the right cab won’t blossom.
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Not always, depends on the conversation in question. I'm sure we all agree that the right IR's are equally important, I sure do. But the reverse is also true - not every cab sounds great with just any amp, if we're going to go there. That said - the matching of Marshall and Marshall-like models and IR's in the latest Cygnus stock presets, coupled with the new Cygnus modeling itself, is pure magic. I personally can't stay away from them!
 
joshriggsFM3 said:
I'm more of a modern high gain player, so I don't have an opinion on plexis, but I had a similar experience. After spending lots of time diving deep on several high gain amps with Marshall DNA - Bogner, Friedman, Fryette, Cameron Atomica and CCV, and even the modded JCM 800s - I ended up being blown away most by... The Marshall JVM410 models. The OD2 Orange with input boost might be my favorite high gain amp model on the FM3 right now. Go figure. Goes to show you that so much of this whole boutique "mojo" thing is just marketing when you're only using your ears to judge. 🤣
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Yep. I made a thread a long time ago called something like “the Axe-FX has no mojo and I couldn’t be happier about it” making the point that when every amp is just a name on a list, and suddenly all that mystique that comes with boutique extra fancy tolex and logos, unique fonts and colors on control plates, gurus on mountaintops soldering each component by hand, and sticker price goes out the window and all you’re left with are the circuits, picking out which ones are best for you gets a lot more straightforward.
 
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Cameron CCV 2A and 2C are still the best marshall-like amps for me. (clean/crunch/heavy with just the volume knob).

From time to time, I play some of factory plexis, but CCV does it all for me just perfectly.
 
I'm also loving the Plexi 50 High 1 model, along with the JCM800 mod, and JVM orange/red models all in one preset. All are boosted with a Tubescreamer but at the moment I'm hooked on the Diezel Herbert Ch2- Plexi mode with Diezel 4x12 cab, great lead tone and turn off the OD in front and makes for a great crunch channel. Also just made a Carol Ann patch with a Tucana Lead and Clean mixed with a Tiptik Classic and Modern channels, to me they sound quite marshall like but the clean channel of the Tucana leaves any marshall clean tone for dead. Had no idea how versatile the Carol Ann models are.
 
Piing said:
What is more beautiful: a natural wild forest with crooked trees, or a government's plantation of perfectly aligned and stretched trees?
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Each has its place. I grew up in rural southern NJ in natural woods, but can apprecitate trimmed-to-perfection trees and shrubberies à la Versailles as well....

There's a trimmed bush joke in here somewhere....

My presets include a fair number of Plexis, as well as a lot of Mark-series Boogies. The Boogies generally tend to be used for lead sounds where I need high gain, along with a separate amp for cleaner rhythm sounds, but the Plexis are used as often as not just like they would be IRL, i.e. turned up for the lead sound and backed off via the guitar's volume knob....
 
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Axe2Grind said:
I'm also loving the Plexi 50 High 1 model, along with the JCM800 mod, and JVM orange/red models all in one preset. All are boosted with a Tubescreamer but at the moment I'm hooked on the Diezel Herbert Ch2- Plexi mode with Diezel 4x12 cab, great lead tone and turn off the OD in front and makes for a great crunch channel. Also just made a Carol Ann patch with a Tucana Lead and Clean mixed with a Tiptik Classic and Modern channels, to me they sound quite marshall like but the clean channel of the Tucana leaves any marshall clean tone for dead. Had no idea how versatile the Carol Ann models are.
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Cool. :)

I'll just say that using the Lo Inputs on Marshalls are some of the best clean tones you can get
from any amp. Ever.

Lots of cats overlooked them, though.... because.... gain. :)
 
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