YJM100 - 'The Ultimate Plexi' thread!

[IPlayFender]

Oh, ok, so you were using the EPA and the outboard attenuator at the same time? I guess I could see how that’d cause some additional stress that the amp probably wasn’t designed for. Given you had such good luck with it prior to doing so, I’d probably just return to using it as you were. Still, happy to hear it’s an easy fix!

Ilove this amp I hope it’s not anything worse than that component

 

[IPlayFender]

. I’ve been using it this way since I first bought it over 10 years never been an issue . But yes I will not use attenuator anymore on this anymore.

 

[Solid State]

Yep, it’s a fantastic system. The only drawback is that you lose a little breakup when fully attenuated, but kicking it in the pants with a little boost works just great. I’d choose the EPA over any attenuator out there. Your post is a good one, as it highlights the need to be discerning when taking advice from people online (including my own advice!).

As for mine, I’ve had it since they were released, and it’s never given me a problem. I‘ve used it regularly over the years (it’s been my primary amp since day 1), and believe it or not, the amp still has the original tubes. It’s been literally flawless. I’ve read countless threads/posts during this time regarding other supposedly “more reliable” amps having problems, so it just goes to show any amp can experience issues. If something ever happened, I’d just have it fixed (like any other amp), and keep enjoying it! Over the decade+ that it’s been around, only a minority of YJM owners have experienced issues, and all of those issues have been exactly the same, with an easy fix (that seems pretty reliable to me all things considered).

Yeah, a lot of people talk about changing tubes like it's a frequent thing. I play high gain metal and I rarely change tubes. I think it's like cars. You see those guys that get a car and start messing around under the hood and pretty soon it's a necessity for them. I just get my oil changed. I don't know what my motor even looks like.

 

[IPlayFender]

Yeah, a lot of people talk about changing tubes like it's a frequent thing. I play high gain metal and I rarely change tubes. I think it's like cars. You see those guys that get a car and start messing around under the hood and pretty soon it's a necessity for them. I just get my oil changed. I don't know what my motor even looks like.

Edward Van Halen was always messing around under the hood . Ever hear of him ?

 

[AllenCollinsExplorer]

So cool to see that this thread is still active (sort of) all these years later. You guys all still own your YJMs?

It's been literally years since I last used mine. I went on to use 2203s, Dr. Zs and Wizards primarily (which I all love) and also became a big fan of BluGuitar's Amp1 which has been my No.1 amp for a couple of years now. Having a 100 watt Marshall type amp in such a small package is simply fantastic! (seriously, try one. They're outstanding!)

Anyway: yesterday, I decided to bring my mint YJM to rehearsal of one of my bands. We mostly play 70s to 80s Hard Rock. Hooked it up to my 2x12 with Eminence Legends (16 ohm version), ran the auto-bias, turned the EPA up to nearly 12 o' clock and I was instantly reminded of what a fantastic amplifier it is! It sure was loud, but not as deafening as a regular 1959 with both Volumes on 10 I always put plexi-glass shields in front of my amps to not kill my bandmates or the audience

However, I noticed that the amp in unboosted mode didn't have as much gain as I'd like. I've played mainly 2203s and they drive way more which is to be expected but still... sounded fantastic for rhythm guitar (fat and full) but a little weak for leads. I might have to try different tubes and/or bias it a little higher probably? Plus I know that the EPA does in fact suck away some drive when turned down. I might have to try it again through my 4x12 with Greenbacks to get a little more speaker distortion.

Tubes are still the original ones. I may have used the amp for about 20 hours (max) in it's entire life! Never had a problem with mine (knock on wood!) and I found the sounds (whether I was using my LP or Strat) to be awe-inspiring. I particularly liked the boost on about 1 o' clock to get some great Neal Schon/Uli Jon Roth type of sounds.

Hope all is well and you guys are all still rocking your YJMs. I thought about selling it for a while but it just sounds too good. And considering the prices they go for nowadays, I might just hold onto it a little longer

 

[snark]

I still have both of my YJMs... all with original tubes...but I run them with a lower bias.. Love the amp!

 

[gypsyblues73]

I don't play mine a whole lot since I use other amps for practice and/or gigging, but when I do fire it up, it always sounds even better than I remember it. I own or have owned about a dozen other Marshalls (VM, 6100, JCM900 MkIII, Class 5, Origin 50, Mini Jube, etc.) and it's the one I'll never part with.

 

[Midnight Blues]

So cool to see that this thread is still active (sort of) all these years later. You guys all still own your YJMs?

It's been literally years since I last used mine. I went on to use 2203s, Dr. Zs and Wizards primarily (which I all love) and also became a big fan of BluGuitar's Amp1 which has been my No.1 amp for a couple of years now. Having a 100 watt Marshall type amp in such a small package is simply fantastic! (seriously, try one. They're outstanding!)

Anyway: yesterday, I decided to bring my mint YJM to rehearsal of one of my bands. We mostly play 70s to 80s Hard Rock. Hooked it up to my 2x12 with Eminence Legends (16 ohm version), ran the auto-bias, turned the EPA up to nearly 12 o' clock and I was instantly reminded of what a fantastic amplifier it is! It sure was loud, but not as deafening as a regular 1959 with both Volumes on 10 I always put plexi-glass shields in front of my amps to not kill my bandmates or the audience

However, I noticed that the amp in unboosted mode didn't have as much gain as I'd like. I've played mainly 2203s and they drive way more which is to be expected but still... sounded fantastic for rhythm guitar (fat and full) but a little weak for leads. I might have to try different tubes and/or bias it a little higher probably? Plus I know that the EPA does in fact suck away some drive when turned down. I might have to try it again through my 4x12 with Greenbacks to get a little more speaker distortion.

Tubes are still the original ones. I may have used the amp for about 20 hours (max) in it's entire life! Never had a problem with mine (knock on wood!) and I found the sounds (whether I was using my LP or Strat) to be awe-inspiring. I particularly liked the boost on about 1 o' clock to get some great Neal Schon/Uli Jon Roth type of sounds.

Hope all is well and you guys are all still rocking your YJMs. I thought about selling it for a while but it just sounds too good. And considering the prices they go for nowadays, I might just hold onto it a little longer

I still have mine too, but like you, haven't used it in a number of years. I don't care though. I have no intention of selling it either. Made that mistake back in the '80s when I had to sell my early '70s Super Lead that I had for about 10 years because I had just gotten married and shortly thereafter, lost my job. The YJM has everything and more that I wished I could've had back then, so it's staying put.

 

[marshallmellowed]

Sold my 2nd YJM-100 years ago, but not before buying a 1959 SLP Reissue. Happy with the decision, and still have and play through the Reissue about once a week.

 

[blue]

I still have mine, but also haven't used it in a few years. I'm currently using a Studio Vintage which is pretty similar and a lot easier to carry around! I must get my YJM back out though to compare them. I would be very surprised if the YJM isn't even better than the studio

 

[Redstone]

Well lads and ladies, long time no see. I just had to check in to the auld YJM thread and share a bit of a story. I've still got the YJM. I picked up an AFD100 a few years ago and absolutely loved it. A few months ago I got notions that I wanted to get something handwired and wanted something with a bit of a Plexi sound but with more adjustability. The Friedman BE-100 Deluxe seemed perfect. I put my beloved AFD up for sale and found a great deal on a BE-100d. Well when the BE arrived, I tore it out of the box, sat it on top of my YJM and plugged in. I must have spent about two hours fiddling with the knobs and switches playing around with it. For some reason, the BEs bass knob starts at 11 and only goes up from there. Might as well be a bass amp! I actually thought something was wrong with it. I plugged back into my YJM and what came out of it was 100 times better than any sound I was getting out of the BE. So I returned the BE and went looking at other options. I had liked the tone in the demo videos of the Friedman Twin Sister, but had went with the BE because of all the switches hoping to have plenty adjustment. The Twin Sister arrived last week aaaaaaaaaannnnddddd..... Another bloody bass amp! With the Bass and Deep/Thump on 0 it sounds like the YJM with the bass on 10! I know people like a think tone, but Friedmans have just way too much. Would be fine if it could be turned down, but it can't! To be fair to the Twin Sister, it sounded a lot better to the BE in my opinion, but they both still lack a certain creaminess that the YJM has. Can't explain it, but to my ears, its just better. So the Twin Sister is on its way back to the shop and I'm sitting here wondering why I even tried to top the YJM. I'm starting to think its just the perfect amp for me, even after 11 years of owning it.

I'm not really sure what to do now. I kind of miss the AFD, but I'm toying with the idea of buying an old 1959 or maybe a 2203 or something. So is anyone else still in love with the YJM? I don't use the EPA on mine anymore since I got an Aracom Attenuator. If I want more umph, I'll kick in my EP Booster or my SoloDallas Schaffer Replica depending on what flavour of umph that I want. Although sometimes I'll just whack all of the EQ and channel 1 volume on 10. The EQ acts very differently when its in full 100W mode and not own at like 0.1W.

 

[gypsyblues73]

Well lads and ladies, long time no see. I just had to check in to the auld YJM thread and share a bit of a story. I've still got the YJM. I picked up an AFD100 a few years ago and absolutely loved it. A few months ago I got notions that I wanted to get something handwired and wanted something with a bit of a Plexi sound but with more adjustability. The Friedman BE-100 Deluxe seemed perfect. I put my beloved AFD up for sale and found a great deal on a BE-100d. Well when the BE arrived, I tore it out of the box, sat it on top of my YJM and plugged in. I must have spent about two hours fiddling with the knobs and switches playing around with it. For some reason, the BEs bass knob starts at 11 and only goes up from there. Might as well be a bass amp! I actually thought something was wrong with it. I plugged back into my YJM and what came out of it was 100 times better than any sound I was getting out of the BE. So I returned the BE and went looking at other options. I had liked the tone in the demo videos of the Friedman Twin Sister, but had went with the BE because of all the switches hoping to have plenty adjustment. The Twin Sister arrived last week aaaaaaaaaannnnddddd..... Another bloody bass amp! With the Bass and Deep/Thump on 0 it sounds like the YJM with the bass on 10! I know people like a think tone, but Friedmans have just way too much. Would be fine if it could be turned down, but it can't! To be fair to the Twin Sister, it sounded a lot better to the BE in my opinion, but they both still lack a certain creaminess that the YJM has. Can't explain it, but to my ears, its just better. So the Twin Sister is on its way back to the shop and I'm sitting here wondering why I even tried to top the YJM. I'm starting to think its just the perfect amp for me, even after 11 years of owning it.

I'm not really sure what to do now. I kind of miss the AFD, but I'm toying with the idea of buying an old 1959 or maybe a 2203 or something. So is anyone else still in love with the YJM? I don't use the EPA on mine anymore since I got an Aracom Attenuator. If I want more umph, I'll kick in my EP Booster or my SoloDallas Schaffer Replica depending on what flavour of umph that I want. Although sometimes I'll just whack all of the EQ and channel 1 volume on 10. The EQ acts very differently when its in full 100W mode and not own at like 0.1W.

I'd go with the 2203. I just got a 2204 a few weeks ago and it's amazing. I think a 1959 would be kind of redundant, wouldn't it? I mean, the YJM100 is basically just a pimped-out 1959. That's exactly why I got it; I was looking for a Plexi that I could attenuate, that preferably had an effects loop, and stumbled upon the YJM100 and was like "That's it!"