Mg 100 > jcm 900

[Dean Moriarty]

I’m in need of some advice before I destroy some perfectly good amps.

I don’t have money to really throw around on amps and cabs, guitars and pick-ups… I think we all know it’s a combination of the right equipment that gets the right sound and not just one prized piece.

I absolutely love the tone I get from my JCM 900 but can’t get the sustain I want out of it, so I find myself sometimes resorting to my MG 100, depending on the situation.

The MG 100 is okay, but offers no cut-through and it’s lack of sharpness usually has to be made up by volume which ruins the sound of the whole band, IMO.

So what I would like to try before I go out and spend money on some “This IS it” equipment that doesn’t work well with my guitar or cabinets, etc… The MG 100 has an emulated line out / head phone jack. Would it be safe to plug this into the JCM 900 input?

I’m thinking, I might have to carry around more equipment for a while, but it would be worth it if I could get the cut-through of my JCM 900 and the sustain of the MG 100.

What do you think?

 

[Adrian R]

Either a good OD pedal or clean boost will do wonders in helping you achieve more sustain..NOT a distortion pedal.

But it will never feel like the MG..in fact there are probably no tube amps on the planet that will feel like it.

Most good quality tube amps require greater playing skill to achieve that high sustaining, high gain sound..and will positively amplify all of your playing caveats; good AND bad.

But once you become a clean, accurate player you'll never want to use anything else...

 

[truckdub]

Just to add...what guitar are you using? Pickups? These will also effect the amount of sustain you are getting.

 

[thelorddread]

Either a good OD pedal or clean boost will do wonders in helping you achieve more sustain..NOT a distortion pedal.

But it will never feel like the MG..in fact there are probably no tube amps on the planet that will feel like it.

Most good quality tube amps require greater playing skill to achieve that high sustaining, high gain sound..and will positively amplify all of your playing caveats; good AND bad.

But once you become a clean, accurate player you'll never want to use anything else...

i completely agree with you.
ive told friend numerous times that the tube amp will certainly display your flaws.

 

[dmnall]

Either a good OD pedal or clean boost will do wonders in helping you achieve more sustain..NOT a distortion pedal.

But it will never feel like the MG..in fact there are probably no tube amps on the planet that will feel like it.

Most good quality tube amps require greater playing skill to achieve that high sustaining, high gain sound..and will positively amplify all of your playing caveats; good AND bad.

But once you become a clean, accurate player you'll never want to use anything else...

I totally agree with this.. Adrian you are the man!

Cheers,

 

[Dean Moriarty]

I agree with everything all of you have said... But what I was asking was, The MG 100 has an emulated line out / head phone jack. Would it be safe to plug this into the JCM 900 input?

 

[Jesstaa]

HAve you changed the tubes? I get awesome sustain out of my JCM 900.

 

[JohnH]

Just on your safety issue - yes it would be safe to try, just start with minimum volume on both amps and build up from there.

it may however, sound like poo, since the line outs/headphone outs have had their treble reduced by cab emulation, and you'd then be adding another dose of this through the real cab. The FX send would be another source of a signal from the MG.

But you dont know 'till you try it for yourself!

john

 

[Dean Moriarty]

Just on your safety issue - yes it would be safe to try, just start with minimum volume on both amps and build up from there.

it may however, sound like poo, since the line outs/headphone outs have had their treble reduced by cab emulation, and you'd then be adding another dose of this through the real cab. The FX send would be another source of a signal from the MG.

But you dont know 'till you try it for yourself!

john

I suspect the will be tone degeneration as using head phones, it sounds king of thin and crappy anyway. I'm really just hoping to buy myself some time until I can afford to buy the other options suggested.

In theory, it seemed like a simple idea, but I just thought I'd ask the board for confirmation before I tried it since the whole point is saving money. It would be really self defeating if I ruined one of my amps.

Thanks.

 

[Darrenw5094]

I agree with everything all of you have said... But what I was asking was, The MG 100 has an emulated line out / head phone jack. Would it be safe to plug this into the JCM 900 input?

Probably sound like tripe.

Why not sell the JCM900, assuming it is a head, keep the cab and buy a used JVM. That would be a step up really.

 

[gunboatstudio]

lol... He says he wants to save money, so we suggest he upgrades to the JVM. Marshall should really be paying forum members a commission.

The FX loop on the JCM 900 would probably be a better place to plug in the line-out from the MG, right? Then you'd be using the 900 as a power amp, essentially?

But I can't imagine this will really solve a lot of sustain problems. If you get more sustain out of the MG, then I guess it isn't the guitar, pick-ups, or the playing. But a good OD pedal, as suggested earlier, is probably a better place to start. There are some pretty good options in the $50 range, if saving cash is a priority.

 

[Ken]

Probably sound like tripe.

Why not sell the JCM900, assuming it is a head, keep the cab and buy a used JVM. That would be a step up really.

That's too pricy, but if the 900 isn't cutting it, he could sell it for the same as a used DSL, and I guarantee a DSL can dial in more sustain than most people need.

Ken

 

[ironlung40]

That's too pricy, but if the 900 isn't cutting it, he could sell it for the same as a used DSL, and I guarantee a DSL can dial in more sustain than most people need.

Ken

NEVER FAILS!!! Ken recommends selling the 900 for buying a DSL!! It's like a broken record, that can never be stopped. How many more times are you going to do this?

 

[Darrenw5094]

NEVER FAILS!!! Ken recommends selling the 900 for buying a DSL!! It's like a broken record, that can never be stopped. How many more times are you going to do this?

Fcuk it.....sell the 900 and buy a JVM. And then you win at music.

 

[jcmjmp]

That's too pricy, but if the 900 isn't cutting it, he could sell it for the same as a used DSL, and I guarantee a DSL can dial in more sustain than most people need.

Ken

I agree... if the OP has one of those dreaded dual reverb JCM900s.

 

[Ken]

NEVER FAILS!!! Ken recommends selling the 900 for buying a DSL!! It's like a broken record, that can never be stopped. How many more times are you going to do this?

LOL As long as people complain about their JCM 900's sounding bad. They cost the same, unlike the JVM, so why not?

Ken

 

[Adrian R]

I agree... if the OP has one of those dreaded dual reverb JCM900s.

**Ahh, now its gettin' fun and the Starbucks is kickin' in..you mean sell it and buy one of them Dual-SUCK-Leads??

 

[jcmjmp]

LOL As long as people complain about their JCM 900's sounding bad. They cost the same, unlike the JVM, so why not?

Ken

Seems logical that if someone thinks their JCM900 sucks to propose something else. As Ken suggested, at the JCM900 price point, the DSL seems like an excellent alternative.

Its just too bad that some members here take everything so personally and take the fact that not everyone likes the JCM900, just like not everyone like the DSL.

 

[darrylportelli]

Either a good OD pedal or clean boost will do wonders in helping you achieve more sustain..NOT a distortion pedal.

But it will never feel like the MG..in fact there are probably no tube amps on the planet that will feel like it.

Most good quality tube amps require greater playing skill to achieve that high sustaining, high gain sound..and will positively amplify all of your playing caveats; good AND bad.

But once you become a clean, accurate player you'll never want to use anything else...

If youre like me an amp which amplifies your flaws is a god send....Im kind of a perfectionist when it comes to music and I want to hear all my flaws so I can correct them.....Another reasons why tube amps rock......not to say they amplify your good stuff to (with attitude!!!)

 

[gunboatstudio]

Seems logical that if someone thinks their JCM900 sucks to propose something else. As Ken suggested, at the JCM900 price point, the DSL seems like an excellent alternative.

Its just too bad that some members here take everything so personally and take the fact that not everyone likes the JCM900, just like not everyone like the DSL.

But the guy didn't say that his amp sucks. In fact, he said he loves the JCM 900 tone. He's looking for more sustain, which he gets out of the MG. He wanted to know if he could chain his MG into the JCM 900 and get JCM 900 tone with more sustain.

I enjoy a good-natured rivalry as much as the next guy. After all, I'm a Red Sox fan!