Dear God, My Marshall Tone Sucks [help - Audio Enclosed]

[GibsonKramer]

I never run my Treble that low, nor my mids that high.

Any Marshall with a MV, I typically run the pre-stage at 6 minimum. Anything higher, is icing.

BMT, I set usually in this range (my DSL is the only Marshall I really EQ different) B: 5 - 6.5, M: 3.5 - 5, T: 5 - 7.

If I was using a pedal in front... I'd probably have pre gain still set at 6. No drive pedal... on a JCM, probably at 9 or 10.

 

[dslman]

You're set now! 100% Better!

 

[SpHj]

Sounds really good! What kind of tubes you running out id curiosity?

Ive heard good things about mixing v30s with GBs. Might be something for me to consider one day in the near future.

Im going to test your settings in the morning!

Thanks for posting

In this one I’ve got NOS Mullards in the preamp, JJ KT77’s in the power amp. I also really like new production Tung-Sol in the preamp of this type of amp

 

[kustombob]

Great News Santa came early. ROCK ON

 

[Gunner64]

Woo hoo...make sure everything that can fall is secure..you'll be shaking the walls!

 

[rick16v]

Excellent.

I'd drop a quick note to the shop that said everything was fine with it, asking for a bit of cash to cover the repair of the bodged amp.

They'll say no, but you might be able to squeeze some strings or tubes out of them.

 

[Ghostman]

Nice! Rock it!!

 

[MooretoneUSA]

UPDATE: I went and bought 3 Ruby's. 1 'regular' (I forget the model) in V3 and a HG+ in V2 and V1. Didn't much much difference in performance. :-/ I did notice a quality change, though. Much more snappy on the low end and tone appears to be more alive and vibrant.

However, one interesting development. When I turned up the presence to 10, the whole thing changed. Much more distortion all over and I could damn near play VH Panama!

So, I don't know if it was the presence knob all along or of it was the new Ruby's + the Presence being jacked up.

Once I turned on the Boss SD-1, it came close, but honestly, I think that pedal just sucks for this amp, IMHO. As soon as the drive knob turns, it hovers the amp's tonal characteristics. I'm looking for a pedal that compliments the amp's tone; not paints over it (whilst adding a bit of gain). I'm sure you guys understand the chase.

Any pedal recommendations on that end?

I just don't think my model JCM -- the way it's been repaired or the way it is, I dunno -- is that gainy of an amp. Perhaps the orange caps and other things have effected it? I don't know, it's beyond my level of expertise, but we're getting close!!!

Thanks again to all of you who chimed in.

Hi. Sounds like feedback problem. Or output tubes are clipping early which might be bias time. Or grid resistors. Check phase inverter tube......try lower gain tube--12AY or 12AU.....but my guess is bias or mismatched output tubes

 

[MooretoneUSA]

Presence typically works off feedback. Orange Caps are grainier but V-1 sets the gain structure..........for every other follower stage in the Pre-Amp--voltage gain. Power Output boosts it to the speakers Most Presence or Master Volume are feedback type. Changing the pot only changes the sweep or early onset which means there is a sweet spot from mild to over the top. If you want a higher gain more open throaty picking sensative feel, have your amp guy change out the Phase Inverter Coupling Caps...... .022 Xicon......2.2k grid stop resistors (mildly shifts the treble cut common in class A amps) and a 25k presence pot should be sufficient. In the V1 pre-amp I (assume you use Humbuckers) change out the Volume pot to 500k if it's 1 Meg. And if you don't care about multiple inputs you can install a pot say, 50kra into a jack hole, in series with V1 input grid tesistor which allowed you to adjust the quiescent current to cathode bias on the fly. Probably 10k resistors in series with a 50-100k mini pot. More gain at V1 may not be the best thing depending on follower stages, so try a higher mA tube like a 5751. Cleans up the first stage for cleaner signal with follower stages coloring less, as a multiplier--the 10k resistor is just so you can't go to 0. Using just a pot would be the same as a open circuit condition.

 

[Seventh Son]

I will look into the Chinese Ruby's on YouTube then. Thank you for that. Any other pedals I should consider along with the Bad Monkey?

I don't think you can go wrong with a Tube Screamer TS-9. It has proven to work over the years and is a standard go-to pedal for many amateurs and pros alike.

 

[MooretoneUSA]

I don't think you can go wrong with a Tube Screamer TS-9. It has proven to work over the years and is a standard go-to pedal for many amateurs and pros alike.

Hmm........well......maybe, but a lot of variables at play way too complex for this forum.......books have been written on distortion, where, how, what and yada yada. Little discussion on picking attack, load source, cable capacitance, resistance and inductance.......clipping asymmetrical, square wave yada........maybe find a guitarist you like, then go broke experimenting because what is engineered vs. what is achievable at home or stage neer the two shall rarely meet. It has to be individually experienced to be really tweaked.

 

[MooretoneUSA]

You seek the Holy Grail of sound........simple--add Les pedals and more amplifiers. Period. Then tweak each amp accordingly. One amp for grindage, one for purity clean, one for onboard processing in and out EQ effects loops ...one for bottom end. Get about 20 feet back and then listen to what your audience hears. Or Chuck it all in the garbage can and play through a mixing board with just stage monitors feeding a sample of your PA speakers.

Loud isn't the game--width of frequencies multiplied. One amp won't get you there.

 

[Jason Fieldhouseespk]

Page 8 is a marvellous read guys! \,,/

 

[MooretoneUSA]

I never run my Treble that low, nor my mids that high.

Any Marshall with a MV, I typically run the pre-stage at 6 minimum. Anything higher, is icing.

BMT, I set usually in this range (my DSL is the only Marshall I really EQ different) B: 5 - 6.5, M: 3.5 - 5, T: 5 - 7.

If I was using a pedal in front... I'd probably have pre gain still set at 6. No drive pedal... on a JCM, probably at 9 or 10.

Lol....your tone stack shares coupling Caps and decoupling bipass Caps.....from stage to stage? 6 on the Bass implies a really low almost non existent bass frequency coupling cap--just a guess, like .01 or lower, boosting Mids all the way from V1 through the gain multipliers. The roll off is huge. Even a Humbuckers is gonna sound over trebbly.......any MV or Presence into even a lower dB speaker (97 or higher) is gonna bleed ears. To each his own......I guess.

 

[MooretoneUSA]

Try a .022 Bass .022 Mid couplers and a 5uf decoupler. Should drop the Bass adjust to 3 or so, Mids to 5 and check the input V1 grid resistor.....the higher the resistance the more trebbles.......68k. You can have your amp guy put a small cermet pot in line with a 10k resistor and adjust that at the V1 or right on the input Jack so you can tweak it to your pickups, then install the right value resistor, or leave it like I do in my amps--then it's set to that pickup. I put a mini pot in place of an extra input jack to adjust on the fly. A humbucker is going to drive V1 with a lot more signal than a single coil, so making that adjustable adds tonal dominance in frequencies to the very first gain stage. From there, you can use pre amp tubes for controlled voltage gain.

 

[MooretoneUSA]

Kinds stupid that Marshall and Fender don't just use Cermet pots right on the circuit boards since the pre-amp tubes bias is set by ground. Quiescent current to operating curves can be adjusted in the field as opposed to fixed resistors. Eh........bench time is money I guess.

 

[Marshall4Metal]

It's not going to sound exactly like a 2203 head or have quit as much gain. It sounds much better after the work done . I'd go with an MXR dist3 for heavier gain application they have more gain than most overdrives including the SD-1.

 

[Georgiatec]

Well, the original recipe "when I was a lad" was Marshall, humbuckers, wack it all the way up then take off what you don't like. Adjust the guitar's volume and tone controls to go from clean to screaming.
Pedals were for the long haired guys in spandex with socks shoved down their pants.

 

[El Gringo]

Try cranking the volume as to open that baby up a bit say around 5-7 on the volume .

 

[John BNY]

I believe the OP resolved the problem with his amp by having a tech properly wire certain things ...