Poll: 2203x, 2555, 1987xl, 6100 - Always With Me... - Tone Test Samples

[dptone5]

Friends,

Wanted to compare each of my heads with the EVH Humbucker I put in the bridge of my American Deluxe Strat. Looking for your opinions and thoughts please. Including a poll for fun as well (you can pick two choices if it's a toss-up for you).

Recording chain:

• Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster (S1 switching removed, traditional 5-way)
• EVH Humbucker
• Xotic BB Preamp
• Marshall Amp
• 1960BX - 4 Greenbacks
• 2 Mics - Sennheiser e609 and e906 (same speaker)
• ART Pro MPA II Tube Preamp
• ART PRO VLA II Tube Compressor
• Focusrite Scarlett 2i4
• Apple MacBook Pro
• Logic Pro X for FX/Mixing

Note - each recording was one take - lots of mistakes!! Also, took no time to get rid of noise in the intro or anything. Just a very rough mix to get an idea of tone.

At the end of each track, I do some heavy chords and lead noodling just to hear what each amp sounds like without the backing track....

Would like to know which you like best / least and why......thanks.

Here is a link to my SoundCloud page - you will be able to jump around within the song if you go directly there. If you click on the words "Latest Tracks" it allows for easy comparison between all 4 heads. You can click on any part within each track for side-by-side comparisons.

SoundCloud Direct Link - click on words "Latest Tracks" (for using cursor to move about tracks):



The embedded links to the tracks below don't allow you to move the cursor within the track for some reason.

Thanks and looking forward to hearing your thoughts!!

DP

Embedded Tracks Here (no navigation available if you use these):

 

[paul-e-mann]

Friends,

Wanted to compare each of my heads with the EVH Humbucker I put in the bridge of my American Deluxe Strat. Looking for your opinions and thoughts please. Including a poll for fun as well (you can pick two choices if it's a toss-up for you).

Recording chain:

• Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster (S1 switching removed, traditional 5-way)
• EVH Humbucker
• Xotic BB Preamp
• Marshall Amp
• 1960BX - 4 Greenbacks
• 2 Mics - Sennheiser e609 and e906 (same speaker)
• ART Pro MPA II Tube Preamp
• ART PRO VLA II Tube Compressor
• Focusrite Scarlett 2i4
• Apple MacBook Pro
• Logic Pro X for FX/Mixing

Note - each recording was one take - lots of mistakes!! Also, took no time to get rid of noise in the intro or anything. Just a very rough mix to get an idea of tone.

At the end of each track, I do some heavy chords and lead noodling just to hear what each amp sounds like without the backing track....

Would like to know which you like best / least and why......thanks.

Here is a link to my SoundCloud page - you will be able to jump around within the song if you go directly there. If you click on the words "Latest Tracks" it allows for easy comparison between all 4 heads. You can click on any part within each track for side-by-side comparisons.

SoundCloud Direct Link - click on words "Latest Tracks" (for using cursor to move about tracks):



The embedded links to the tracks below don't allow you to move the cursor within the track for some reason.

Thanks and looking forward to hearing your thoughts!!

DP

Embedded Tracks Here (no navigation available if you use these):

I listened through headphones, they all sounded so close, I chose the 2203 and 1987 because they sound a touch more open and the other amps sound a touch more compressed. Like I said they all sound so close in tone but all sound good. Good playing to man!

I'd like to know what you think

 

[Deep Purple fan]

I agree it’s a very close call. I went with the Silver JUB but liked them all. Neck and neck for sure.

Nice chops and recordings.

I was thinking of putting a humbuckers in one of my strats. Did you have to route the body to fit the humbuckers?

 

[dptone5]

I listened through headphones, they all sounded so close, I chose the 2203 and 1987 because they sound a touch more open and the other amps sound a touch more compressed. Like I said they all sound so close in tone but all sound good. Good playing to man!

I'd like to know what you think

Thanks for listening pedecamp! I am going to offer my opinion a little later in the poll, but agree, they all sound close (except for one).....

 

[dptone5]

I agree it’s a very close call. I went with the Silver JUB but liked them all. Neck and neck for sure.

Nice chops and recordings.

I was thinking of putting a humbuckers in one of my strats. Did you have to route the body to fit the humbuckers?

Thanks DPF for listening and for voting. Both of my American Deluxe's are HSS Strats. I just took the S1 switching out, put in a traditional 5 way and replaced all the pups. This one has an EVH Wolfgang in the bridge and Custom Shop Fat 50's in the neck and middle. They actually pair up quite well.

 

[mickeydg5]

They are all similar but I would go with the 2203X or 2555.

The 6100 sounded most different, a bit more compressed and lighter on the top end.

 

[dptone5]

Thanks Mickeydg5!! Appreciate your thoughts man....

 

[flyinguitars]

Sounds great Darryl!

Really nice smooth playing with nice feel! They all sound cool but i liked the plexi the best in the song.

I liked the jcm800 best alone at the end.

They all sounded similar and i would believe it was the same amp with some mic placement changes and eq tweaks.....so they all sound really good!

 

[dptone5]

Sounds great Darryl!

Really nice smooth playing with nice feel! They all sound cool but i liked the plexi the best in the song.

I liked the jcm800 best alone at the end.

They all sounded similar and i would believe it was the same amp with some mic placement changes and eq tweaks.....so they all sound really good!

Thank you so much for taking the time to listen and comment Mike. Means a lot coming from a player like you!

 

[marshallmellowed]

Nice playing. They all sounded good to me, but in different ways. I'd rank them in 2 categories (Lead Tone and Articulation). Although the 1987x was not quite as articulate as the 2555 in those recordings, it was still my favorite overall. NMV amps just have that "something" going on.

Lead Tone
1987x
2555
6100
2203x

Articulation
2203x
2555
1987x
6100

 

[plexilespaul]

great playing and thanks for taking the time..
the 6100 was a bit mid humpty but was great as all of them
the least I connected with was the 1987x...least open
the rythem part was a bit mushy on all of them maybe cause the amp was set for a great lead tone.
the 2555 was my choice ....specially on the lead
good job dptones

 

[GuitarIV]

Jubilee, 2203X, 1987XL and then the 6100. The Jube was nicely liquid and fluid sounding, the 800 had the typical bite, the Plexi was more open and the 6100 was a bit too tame. Not bad sounding but compared to the others I liked it less. All do the job extremly well though. Thanks for doing this man, you rock!

 

[solarburn]

2203X.

Any would do. Especially live.

 

[El Gringo]

This is like a horse race with a photo finish for 3 horses which I can't tell who won .I did hear a tiny slight difference in the 6100 and that's why I went with the photo finish for the 2203, 2555, and the Plexi and I will let the racing Stewards examine the photos to determine the winner in the Marshall Stakes race .Oh by the way I like your playing DPTONES and it sounds mighty fine to me .Nice chops and tone

 

[Derek S]

Great playing, especially considering you just tossed the leads down for test purposes, clams and all!

In order of overall preference:

1987 (single notes sounded nice and round)
2203 (same as above but also killer definition)
2555 (still really nice, just not as nice as the others)
6100 (too thick, doesn't cut through or sit as well in this mix as the others)

Great job with the mic'ing and capturing the vibe of these amps!

 

[dptone5]

Nice playing. They all sounded good to me, but in different ways. I'd rank them in 2 categories (Lead Tone and Articulation). Although the 1987x was not quite as articulate as the 2555 in those recordings, it was still my favorite overall. NMV amps just have that "something" going on.

Lead Tone
1987x
2555
6100
2203x

Articulation
2203x
2555
1987x
6100

Hey MM, thanks for listening and I agree with you, there are definitely different ways to look at this. NMV amps do have a certain 'thickness' that you don't quite get with a MV head.

 

[dptone5]

great playing and thanks for taking the time..
the 6100 was a bit mid humpty but was great as all of them
the least I connected with was the 1987x...least open
the rythem part was a bit mushy on all of them maybe cause the amp was set for a great lead tone.
the 2555 was my choice ....specially on the lead
good job dptones

Thanks Plexilespaul. The 6100 is the most 'different' sounding tonally, which honestly surprised me. I always thought it sounded like the 2203X with more low end, but the mids are definitely different.

Jubilee, 2203X, 1987XL and then the 6100. The Jube was nicely liquid and fluid sounding, the 800 had the typical bite, the Plexi was more open and the 6100 was a bit too tame. Not bad sounding but compared to the others I liked it less. All do the job extremly well though. Thanks for doing this man, you rock!

Thanks GuitarIV! Appreciate it. When I first compared the tracks, I characterized the 6100 as the most 'polite' of the four.....same as how you heard it.

2203X.

Any would do. Especially live.

I love my 2203X Solarburn!! And even though the 6100 sounds the most 'polite', it is the loudest of the 4 heads. It will peel paint from the walls. The few times I've cranked it, it was beyond painful.....

This is like a horse race with a photo finish for 3 horses which I can't tell who won .I did hear a tiny slight difference in the 6100 and that's why I went with the photo finish for the 2203, 2555, and the Plexi and I will let the racing Stewards examine the photos to determine the winner in the Marshall Stakes race .Oh by the way I like your playing DPTONES and it sounds mighty fine to me .Nice chops and tone

Appreciate it El Gringo. Would love to have more time to record some things. Even though I've been playing a long time, I still have so much to learn. I need to expand my style. And I'm with you on the top 3 for sure.....

Great playing, especially considering you just tossed the leads down for test purposes, clams and all!

In order of overall preference:

1987 (single notes sounded nice and round)
2203 (same as above but also killer definition)
2555 (still really nice, just not as nice as the others)
6100 (too thick, doesn't cut through or sit as well in this mix as the others)

Great job with the mic'ing and capturing the vibe of these amps!

Derek, I appreciate you taking the time to listen and comment. Means a lot coming from a playing and recording monster like you.

I like the 1987 for single notes, but once I get on the 6th and 5th strings, it loses definition. Heavy chords with the Plexi also get a little loose and muddy.

DP

 

[dptone5]

Appreciate all of the input and thoughts from you guys!!

When I go to the man cave, the amps I always choose are the 2203X and the 2555 for the following reasons:

Both are great sounding at low volume, which is how I play most of the time. Both have really articulate lead tones and are tight on the low end (nice chunk). Both seem to fit in the mix best on a variety of songs.

The 1987XL is great for lead tones, but tends to be mushy on the low end and I don't think the low lead notes (E and A strings) are as articulate. It is also way too loud for everyday use.

The 6100 tone is smooth and it fits in the mix in certain situations, but overall, I don't like the tone as much as the 2203X or 2555. However, it sounds good at low volumes and has a unique and outstanding clean channel (the best I've heard in a Marshall).....

It would be hard to decide if I could only keep one. But if I could only keep two, it would be the 2203X and 2555. If I can keep a third, it is always good to have a NMV Plexi for those nice, thick, singing leads.

DP

 

[John BNY]

I voted for JCM 800 and the Plexi, but they all sounded great. Nice playing.

 

[hazmat7719]

My vote was for the 2203X, it was the closest to my ears. It is just lacking a bit in the high end department.