Help!!! My JCM 900 sounds absolutely terrible!

[GuitarGuy503]

TO ORIGINAL POSTER: Listen to yourself. Your tubes were changed 3 years ago and the amp sounded great after the tube change 3 years ago. Now you are complaining about how the sound quality of the amp has gone to shit. Could the amp need a retube to get it back to how amazing it sounded 3 years ago when you last had it retubed? YES!!!!! Hello??!!.... IT'S A "TUBE AMP"! Common sense here folks! Tube amps require tube changes and maintenance in order to perform at their best!

 

[Ken]

TO ORIGINAL POSTER: Listen to yourself. Your tubes were changed 3 years ago and the amp sounded great after the tube change 3 years ago. Now you are complaining about how the sound quality of the amp has gone to shit. Could the amp need a retube to get it back to how amazing it sounded 3 years ago when you last had it retubed? YES!!!!! Hello??!!.... IT'S A "TUBE AMP"! Common sense here folks! Tube amps require tube changes and maintenance in order to perform at their best!

Agree. In his case, it's the power tubes that probably need changing. Also, 3 years without checking the bias is a LONG time. My amp went far enough out of bias in a year that I noticed it; that's when I changed the tubes and it was a huge difference. The SS preamp in his 900 should be quite stable, but those power tubes do get old.

Ken

 

[Bieling3]

Lol I can't believe all the people in this thread who don't know how to read.

I mean I really appreciate all the help and all but it's a huge let down to come on the forum and see new posts in this thread that just tell me to rebias it and change the tubes when clearly I've already explained why that's not the issue.

You asked for help with a problem, I and others told you what we know. I specifically gave you an instance where a bias resister went out of tolerance and needed to be replaced. Tell ya what, don't forget to come back and tell all us illiterates what the problem was after visiting a tech, ya know, increase our book learnin's.

 

[ILLaViTaR]

Hey guys, thanks for all the help. I've saved some money and want to get some 12atx7's and replace the EL34's with 6L6's as I want a heavier metal tone, will it take 6l6 power tubes? the serial number is Z11675.

I also recorded some clips, the guitar is a 1989 MIJ standard strat. Is this the frying pan sound that was mentioned above?

Download crappy tone.mp3 - Kiwi6.com
Download crappy tone2.mp3 - Kiwi6.com

Cheers

 

[Jubilee100]

Before you spend any money on tubes, try messing with the EQ a bit. I experienced a very similar problem with my JCM 900 4102. I will start by saying that the 900s do indeed lack bottom end, but you can take away the trebly, fuzzy high end by rolling the presence back and turning the middle down. I set my presence around 2 and the mids around 3. It makes a huge difference and it's as simple as messing with the EQ.

 

[iron broadsword]

Hey's probably bought em' by now, that was 2010... lol

 

[SonVolt]

Help!!! My JCM 900 sounds absolutely terrible!

Should be working as expected then

 

[Giblespaul2001]

I thought that was what they were suppose to sound like?



JK