Pick My Next Amp

[Whizzinby]

Looking for a Marshall styled type amp that can ideally go from clean to modern high gain, and everything in between. My Fireball gets brutal, but it’s a pretty one-stroke amp. (That one thing being awesome TBH) But I can’t get the full range of rock, hard rock, classic metal, modern metal. Thinking a Marshall variant is the next direction.

Contenders:

Friedman SSv2
If I could inject the demos of this amp into my veins, I would likely reach a higher plane of existence and become immortal. Pristine cleans, two aggro Plexi on steroid channels. Tight. Punchy. In theory checks every box. That said it’s such a stupidly priced amp, and I haven’t played a Friedman before. You guys hate Friedmans, so that might be a significant vote in its favor.

Marshall JVM410
It’s a Marshall. (lulz) Modes for every version of M amp in their history. Seems fairly obvious as it goes clean to mean. That said, this amp seems to be of mixed opinion, or not as obvious as it seemingly should be given the feature set imo. Lots of people seem to mod it. For all it does you’d think it would still be a little more present in the popular discussion. This seems like it should be the one, but not sure.

Marshall JCM800
I’m coming back around to the idea of “Stop fucking around and just buy an 800”. No clean. Not modern high gain. Doesn’t fit 2/3rds the criteria I even wanted. But this is pretty much the tone.

This is a non-binding poll. OP reserves the right to ignore all results, (and likely will) to his own detriment.

 

[metropolis_4]

A JCM800 can do great cleans! It just can’t really channel change from clean to distortion

 

[Bob Zaod]

Looking for a Marshall styled type amp that can ideally go from clean to modern high gain, and everything in between. My Fireball gets brutal, but it’s a pretty one-stroke amp. (That one thing being awesome TBH) But I can’t get the full range of rock, hard rock, classic metal, modern metal. Thinking a Marshall variant is the next direction.

Contenders:

Friedman SSv2
If I could inject the demos of this amp into my veins, I would likely reach a higher plane of existence and become immortal. Pristine cleans, two aggro Plexi on steroid channels. Tight. Punchy. In theory checks every box. That said it’s such a stupidly priced amp, and I haven’t played a Friedman before. You guys hate Friedmans, so that might be a significant vote in its favor.

Marshall JVM410
It’s a Marshall. (lulz) Modes for every version of M amp in their history. Seems fairly obvious as it goes clean to mean. That said, this amp seems to be of mixed opinion, or not as obvious as it seemingly should be given the feature set imo. Lots of people seem to mod it. For all it does you’d think it would still be a little more present in the popular discussion. This seems like it should be the one, but not sure.

Marshall JCM800
I’m coming back around to the idea of “Stop f*****g around and just buy an 800”. No clean. Not modern high gain. Doesn’t fit 2/3rds the criteria I even wanted. But this is pretty much the tone.

This is a non-binding poll. OP reserves the right to ignore all results, (and likely will) to his own detriment.

Well IMO having owned a JCM800 2203 for many years is THAT one is the overrated one in this list. I chose the JVM410H. Never owned one but have played extensively through them

 

[JiveTurkey]

My vote. Plus hand grafts from Steve.

 

[Whizzinby]

I voted, get a new hobby btw. To um, not spoil the results… I think.

 

[DrewJD82]

Friedman’s are awesome, IDGAF if he’s backpedaling on his thoughts in regards to modelers now or that he’s not doing anything ”original”, his amps sound f*cking great and that dude has answered so many of my dumbass questions years ago that I feel I owe it to him to buy one of his amps.

Go for the Stevens! That thing sounds like it rips. Or the Butterslax!

…..that said, I’d probably get a Ceriatone clone because I’m a cheap bastard and would rather put that extra money into more guitars.

 

[jellodog]

…..that said, I’d probably get a Ceriatone clone because I’m a cheap bastard and would rather put that extra money into more guitars.

Aye, but what's the wait time on Ceriatone these days?

 

[la szum]

A JCM800 can do great cleans! It just can’t really channel change from clean to distortion

Who needs a channel change??

 

[Whizzinby]

A JCM800 can do great cleans! It just can’t really channel change from clean to distortion

Yeah I should have thrown that disclaimer. Ha

I think with that amp I’d probably throw one of the Victory tube preamp pedals in the loop (Maybe the Duchess) to have a dedicated clean to go with the gained out settings on the amp. Though that blows it into the Friedman price tier, unless I nabbed a used studio version. (Not paying the “new” ransom price on those, would rather buy the full death star at that point)

 

[Whizzinby]

Well IMO having owned a JCM800 2203 for many years is THAT one is the overrated one in this list. I chose the JVM410H. Never owned one but have played extensively through them

Interesting.

The 410’s you played were stock?

Love the idea of sorta having the history of Marshall in one box, and with all those switching capabilities too. Just sorta seems of mixed opinion. IDK.

 

[la szum]

I'd look into a Bogner XTC.... but that is only because that is the last amp on my bucketlist.

An 800 is my favourite amp of all time---if it is a good one. Not house friendly. But my god!

And with a band at volume you don't it to channel switch. Ride that
guitar volume and engage the Boost as needed. Done!

 

[Whizzinby]

My vote. Plus hand grafts from Steve.

This amp reminds of the scene in Ferris Beuller with Cameron “He’ll keep calling, he’ll keep calling me, he’ll guilt me until I come over.”

It may be destiny. (Or an epic gear flop)

 

[DrewJD82]

Aye, but what's the wait time on Ceriatone these days?

I’ve got zero clue. I only started looking into them a couple weeks ago when looking for JTM45 clones and realized they’ve got almost all of Friedman’s amps cloned, namely the JJ and “Leviathan” which is the Butterslax head.

 

[DrewJD82]

This amp reminds of the scene in Ferris Beuller with Cameron “He’ll keep calling, he’ll keep calling me, he’ll guilt me until I come over.”

It may be destiny. (Or an epic gear flop)

On the plus side, if it’s a flop you can make it a flip and maybe lose $100 of resale value, or if Dave runs into a production snag, a $500 profit.

 

[Gearzilla]

 

[Whizzinby]

Friedman’s are awesome, IDGAF if he’s backpedaling on his thoughts in regards to modelers now or that he’s not doing anything ”original”, his amps sound f*cking great and that dude has answered so many of my dumbass questions years ago that I feel I owe it to him to buy one of his amps.

Go for the Stevens! That thing sounds like it rips. Or the Butterslax!

…..that said, I’d probably get a Ceriatone clone because I’m a cheap bastard and would rather put that extra money into more guitars.

This is not the first time I’ve been told to look at the Butterslax.

+1 on guitars. Eyeing an LP to pair with said Marshall’ish amp. Trying to scratch this itch properly in one pass. (Yeah right)

 

[jellodog]

I’ve got zero clue. I only started looking into them a couple weeks ago when looking for JTM45 clones and realized they’ve got almost all of Friedman’s amps cloned, namely the JJ and “Leviathan” which is the Butterslax head.

Last time I checked, the Ceriatone wait was around 40 weeks and upwards from there. Perhaps the situtation has improved recently though. The pandemic hit them so hard.

Nik was very responsive via email. You can always ask him.

 

[Whizzinby]

I'd look into a Bogner XTC.... but that is only because that is the last amp on my bucketlist.

An 800 is my favourite amp of all time---if it is a good one. Not house friendly. But my god!

And with a band at volume you don't it to channel switch. Ride that
guitar volume and engage the Boost as needed. Done!

I had an Ecstasy Synergy mod. It took me some time to adjust to the Bogner tone, but it was really cool once dialed in right.

Yeah the 800 would go immediately into the PS100 with an SD1 out front. lol

 

[Mongillo19]

I've always wanted to try a Friedman so that would be my vote. Have you ever looked at splawn?

 

[Elric]

Since you're buying, I picked the most expensive one.