your amp rig "game changer"

[V-man]

My plan this weekend was to do something parallel albeit marshall specific, so I put something here and do that later.

The biggest was 2020s era boxes - DI/IR, Attenuation, Reamping.

the greatest shit ever was on 50w to (mostly) 100w amps, so you will always have that if you already have the amp. Then, you can use these devices to tame, enhance, expand the classic. Tons of companies have cloned, miniaturized, and reinvented the classics, with much reception, but the oft repeated statement is “close, and awesome in its own way, but never quite the same).

Now the best of both worlds is available instead of newer albeit better compromises.

 

[DirtySteve]

Was always a high gain kind of guy but the sound of stoner eluded me. Took me many years and many dollars to get it. Irony was once i got it it became apparent it was right under my nose. I got it initially with the Green GT120. Then one night i was messing around with some gear and decided to try the 2203x with some fuzz and it basically sounded shit no matter how i twisted the knobs. So then i decided to plug into that useless low input, twisted some knobs and holy shit, there it was grade a stoner tone. Yup how it goes, bought an amp for the tone and had it the whole time.
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I've been doing the same thing with my SC20. Killer tones to be had with dirt pedals on the low input!



As for the thread, buying my SC20 was my game changer. It's my 1st "real" Marshall and my 1st 800.

 

[Jethro Rocker]

It was when I first went to a tube amp/Marshall in 1983.

My first amp was a terrible Univox Stage 65 20W combo in 1978. In a few years I graduated to a Traynor TS200 w 9x8 half stack.
Then in 1983 I finally did it.
Got a brand new 1983 white 2203 half stack.

Talk about a change!!
Marshall mostly ever since.

 

[paul-e-mann]

My recent moment was getting an Xvive in ear monitor, a total game changer to be able to hear myself and mix everyone else in at a volume that makes sense! No more amp volume wars!

 

[FleshOnGear]

For me it was the addition of the MusicomLab EFX-MKIV switcher. It's a MIDI-capable bypass looper and so much more. It has completely transformed my rig into the most versatile version I've had in over 40 years of playing guitar.

I feel the same way about my Boss ES8, though your MusicomLab is definitely a more boutique unit. I can’t wait to get back into playing with bands so I can use the amp switching outputs on the ES8 to switch my PS100 between its rhythm and solo settings, while simultaneously engaging various effects. The combination of the effects switcher and the Power Station is so powerful! I feel kinda guilty for not really needing that power at the moment.

 

[6StringMoFo]

hey guys,

so i thought it might be fun to discuss, what was the big change with regards to your amp rig, that changed the game for you completely, and resulted in you either playing more, or otherwise being pleasantly surprised with your improved tone?

I own a 5150iii running through an Orange 2x12, and a Marshall SV20 running through a 1960 Lead 4x12, and I recently, after seeing Tool live, thought i'd run my guitar into both as a sort of "stereo" rig let's say. and HOLY crap, i;ve never heard my guitar sound so good!

the blend of the high gain from the 5150iii and the lower/medium gain and clarity from the SV20 is a match made in heaven! when i need a little more gain from the SV, i step on the OCD (volume up, gain down) and get that extra push that sounds glorious

also forgive me if this isn't the right board!

 

[Lukas]

hey guys,

so i thought it might be fun to discuss, what was the big change with regards to your amp rig, that changed the game for you completely, and resulted in you either playing more, or otherwise being pleasantly surprised with your improved tone?

I own a 5150iii running through an Orange 2x12, and a Marshall SV20 running through a 1960 Lead 4x12, and I recently, after seeing Tool live, thought i'd run my guitar into both as a sort of "stereo" rig let's say. and HOLY crap, i;ve never heard my guitar sound so good!

the blend of the high gain from the 5150iii and the lower/medium gain and clarity from the SV20 is a match made in heaven! when i need a little more gain from the SV, i step on the OCD (volume up, gain down) and get that extra push that sounds glorious

also forgive me if this isn't the right board!

I always thought and dreamed of doing this with two 50-100 what heads thru 2 4x12’s…. That would be the best tone I think one would ever hear. Or slaving amps like a Mesa and a Marshall also my dream…. Ahhhh one day.

 

[Lukas]

hey guys,

so i thought it might be fun to discuss, what was the big change with regards to your amp rig, that changed the game for you completely, and resulted in you either playing more, or otherwise being pleasantly surprised with your improved tone?

I own a 5150iii running through an Orange 2x12, and a Marshall SV20 running through a 1960 Lead 4x12, and I recently, after seeing Tool live, thought i'd run my guitar into both as a sort of "stereo" rig let's say. and HOLY crap, i;ve never heard my guitar sound so good!

the blend of the high gain from the 5150iii and the lower/medium gain and clarity from the SV20 is a match made in heaven! when i need a little more gain from the SV, i step on the OCD (volume up, gain down) and get that extra push that sounds glorious

also forgive me if this isn't the right board!

This also kind of confused me and I think gets kind of complicated. For instance I have a DSL 40 CR and a JVM that’s running through a 1960B…. Both have their own pedal boards and if I’m playing with delay I want it to come through both amps and speakers not just one. So you have to have multiple stereo pedals from what I understand if you want to achieve this…. Then going from O.D to clean quickly now I’m dancing quickly on two butttons to switch channels. Seems like a lot of work, or I’m dumb and there’s an easier way to do it?

 

[79 2203]

1. Getting a JMP 2203 after years of boutique “Marshall killers”, that were anything but.
2. Getting an attenuator for my 71 1987.
3. Getting Pulsonic Greenbacks for my vintage Marshalls.

 

[solarburn]

Speakers. 3 412 cabs with either mixes or 4 of the same. A 212 with a mix. These 4 cabs give me a different sound/feel with each amp head which are all different amps. Lots of variety.

212- Celestion Gold/Blue mix with SC800H
EVH 5153 412- 20 watt greenies with ORI50H
Orange PPC 412- H30/V30 mix with 5150 Iconic 80H
5150 Iconic 412- Redback/Mojotone BV25 mix with Plexi
Cream 90- 5150 Iconic 40 watt combo
GB128- DSL40C(undecided)
EVM12L ZW Black Label- Monza(LOL)experimenting

I rolled speakers last in my tone journey. 40 yrs later. Wished I'd of started a few decades sooner. Prolly would have less amps, pedals, guitars, tubes, pick up changes etc.

 

[Smellytele]

I've had a lot of "oh, right, yeah" moments with gear over the years, but the amp rig game changer for me was when I picked up my ps100. It's the most useful piece of gear I've ever purchased. I use mine almost every day.

 

[Deftone]

hey guys,

so i thought it might be fun to discuss, what was the big change with regards to your amp rig, that changed the game for you completely, and resulted in you either playing more, or otherwise being pleasantly surprised with your improved tone?

I own a 5150iii running through an Orange 2x12, and a Marshall SV20 running through a 1960 Lead 4x12, and I recently, after seeing Tool live, thought i'd run my guitar into both as a sort of "stereo" rig let's say. and HOLY crap, i;ve never heard my guitar sound so good!

the blend of the high gain from the 5150iii and the lower/medium gain and clarity from the SV20 is a match made in heaven! when i need a little more gain from the SV, i step on the OCD (volume up, gain down) and get that extra push that sounds glorious

also forgive me if this isn't the right board!

I discovered this a little while ago myself once I got an ABY box to directly compare amps.

Two contrasting amps sounds awesome but two similar amps can sound great as well. I also like blending speakers.

 

[Derek S]

Then in 1983 I finally did it.
Got a brand new 1983 white 2203 half stack.

I bet you wish you kept that rig!!

 

[eastwood6]

Going through a little bit of a game-changer moment now. I tend to push my 1974x with an OD for low to mid volume gain tones. Have been using a Fulltone OCD v1.4 for ages, it’s been the core of “my sound.”

Picked up a Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret III on a whim and I’m quite impressed with its “cranked plexi“ character. Classic 70s and 80s rock tones with a twist of a knob. Jammed for hours yesterday with a grin on my face.

Still early, but the DLS has totally upended my rig and tone chase universe LOL…

 

[Filipe Soares]

my aha moments:

-eq in the loop
-attenuators
-reverse aha: SV20

 

[Jethro Rocker]

I bet you wish you kept that rig!!

Sigh.... indeed.. at least a buddy bought it and still has it.

 

[BlackCharvel87]

I discovered this a little while ago myself once I got an ABY box to directly compare amps.

Two contrasting amps sounds awesome but two similar amps can sound great as well. I also like blending speakers.

funny thing is i've had an ABY box for many many years, and always used it as just an AB box, because it has a bit of a cool story. my ABY box belonged to Trent Reznor and was used at his studio Nothing Studios in New Orleans before that closed down and he moved to LA. towards the end of its life they did a gear sale on ebay, and I won the auction for a Whirlwind ABY box. i use it as part of my amp rig to switch between my amps. Anyway, they used it as just an AB box because they tucked the "Y" switch into the housing and taped the hole up. so I left it that way because i didn't want to mess with it. but recently I decided to pop it open and re-mount the Y switch. i put the original electrical tape on the inside of the panel in case I want to put it back to spec. anyway, long winded story aside, it's a great way to immediately hear the difference in your two rigs. the 5150 is much more gain off the bat, but the SV20 has an openness that is wonderful. probably helps that the SV is running a 4x12. I love it

Going through a little bit of a game-changer moment now. I tend to push my 1974x with an OD for low to mid volume gain tones. Have been using a Fulltone OCD v1.4 for ages, it’s been the core of “my sound.”

Picked up a Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret III on a whim and I’m quite impressed with its “cranked plexi“ character. Classic 70s and 80s rock tones with a twist of a knob. Jammed for hours yesterday with a grin on my face.

Still early, but the DLS has totally upended my rig and tone chase universe LOL…

the OCD is a brilliant boost pedal hey! I didn't sell my Fulltone stuff when all the Fulltone stuff went down because I like the pedal, i bought it used anyway, and it's my favorite boost. I have a dedicated boost which is a clone of the Fortin 33/Zuul and TC Electronic pre circuits, and I still prefer the clarity of the OCD. the clone has its place though when i'm tracking mid-heavy metal guitars though

i've always heard good things about Catalinbread...might have to look up the DLS

 

[thesunship]

Lately, the Catalinbread Epoch deluxe, the preamp in that thing makes everything sound better. The delays aren't too shabby either but in front of the amp only.

 

[StrummerJoe]

Ditching fx and plugging straight in a few years back. I fell in love again with how a guitar sounds.

 

[EADGBE]

My favorite tone is just plugging straight into my Marshall TSL60 half stack. Other than that I improved my 2203X half stack amp by plugging into a MXR Van Halen Phaser and then into a Boss DD-5 Digital Delay and then into the front of the amp.