Pick My Next Amp

[Mongillo19]

Yeah bunch of stupid inflated prices these days. Have to wonder when that bubble is going to burst, or if that will be the new normal.

Sweetwater has “B-stock” 410H’s for $2,500, which knocks a good chunk off the new price. To the best I can tell b-stock is either blemished or a factory refurb. Not sure if that’s code for buying a dog or not, but I think they cover it for 2 years. (The extent of which I don’t know)

What’s your local dude selling his 410 for? Some go for really good prices, but I’m always paranoid at anything that looks like a great deal these days.

I saw a Mark V 35w for $1,500 at my local shop. I just walked on by before I’d even tempt myself. Must stay focused.

To give you an idea of most recent sales on reverb

 

[texhex]

Yeah bunch of stupid inflated prices these days. Have to wonder when that bubble is going to burst, or if that will be the new normal.

Sweetwater has “B-stock” 410H’s for $2,500, which knocks a good chunk off the new price. To the best I can tell b-stock is either blemished or a factory refurb. Not sure if that’s code for buying a dog or not, but I think they cover it for 2 years. (The extent of which I don’t know)

What’s your local dude selling his 410 for? Some go for really good prices, but I’m always paranoid at anything that looks like a great deal these days.

I saw a Mark V 35w for $1,500 at my local shop. I just walked on by before I’d even tempt myself. Must stay focused.

It’s listed for $1000, no joke, and it’s in good condition from the pics. No reply from four separate contact attempts, so it’s either a mistake or fake or something else. I’ve seen these from $1500 - $2000. There is one right now on Reverb for $1700 with a negative feedback mod and I’ve seen some with that mod and a choke added. Both mods look really easy but I don’t think it needs them.

There is a bias drift problem on some these that looks a little scary but I don’t really know how prevalent that is maybe @santiall knows a little about that?

I missed getting a JVM410HJS from Kyle Bull when he had one for sale but I think I would still want the straight up JVM and not the HJS after thinking about it. I really wish the JVM410H had the noise gates from the HJS.

What I would really, really love is an updated JVM410H with a real spring reverb (not a digital one), the Marshall noise gates and an integrated reactive load like the Badlander, Shur and Revv amps are shipping with. Now that would be the ultimate Marshall, literally “Take My Money” (used of course) .

 

[spawnofthesith]

It’s listed for $1000, no joke, and it’s in good condition from the pics. No reply from four separate contact attempts, so it’s either a mistake or fake or something else. I’ve seen these from $1500 - $2000. There is one right now on Reverb for $1700 with a negative feedback mod and I’ve seen some with that mod and a choke added. Both mods look really easy but I don’t think it needs them.

There is a bias drift problem on some these that looks a little scary but I don’t really know how prevalent that is maybe @santiall knows a little about that?

I missed getting a JVM410HJS from Kyle Bull when he had one for sale but I think I would still want the straight up JVM and not the HJS after thinking about it. I really wish the JVM410H had the noise gates from the HJS.

What I would really, really love is an updated JVM410H with a real spring reverb (not a digital one), the Marshall noise gates and an integrated reactive load like the Badlander, Shur and Revv amps are shipping with. Now that would be the ultimate Marshall, literally “Take My Money” (used of course) .

Man how I wish the line out on the JVM was actually a reactive load thing

Hopefully you hear back from the guy. My 210H was $1200 -including- a 1960 4x12. All pristine. Guy was in New Mexico and we each drove 4hrs to meet in the middle. I thought surely there has to be a catch but it’s been great

 

[texhex]

Man how I wish the line out on the JVM was actually a reactive load thing

Hopefully you hear back from the guy. My 210H was $1200 -including- a 1960 4x12. All pristine. Guy was in New Mexico and we each drove 4hrs to meet in the middle. I thought surely there has to be a catch but it’s been great

Wow that’s a great deal. If it’s 1960 cab with the G12T-75 speakers, they sound amazing with that amp. A local studio here has a JVM410H and the matching 1960B cab with the G12T-75s. One day we tested out 3 different cabs there it their big open room, Greenback cab vs V30 cab and the G12T-75 cab and the T-75 blew the other two away in the room. Miced I preferred the V30 but in the room the G12T-75 cab was just crushing, classic Marshall tone, couldn’t get enough and my ears were ringing terribly afterwards but it was worth it.

 

[Whizzinby]

It’s listed for $1000, no joke, and it’s in good condition from the pics. No reply from four separate contact attempts, so it’s either a mistake or fake or something else. I’ve seen these from $1500 - $2000. There is one right now on Reverb for $1700 with a negative feedback mod and I’ve seen some with that mod and a choke added. Both mods look really easy but I don’t think it needs them.

There is a bias drift problem on some these that looks a little scary but I don’t really know how prevalent that is maybe @santiall knows a little about that?

I missed getting a JVM410HJS from Kyle Bull when he had one for sale but I think I would still want the straight up JVM and not the HJS after thinking about it. I really wish the JVM410H had the noise gates from the HJS.

What I would really, really love is an updated JVM410H with a real spring reverb (not a digital one), the Marshall noise gates and an integrated reactive load like the Badlander, Shur and Revv amps are shipping with. Now that would be the ultimate Marshall, literally “Take My Money” (used of course) .

Dude, it’s those mods that worry me. Not that people are doing them, but that so many people feel the need to mod it.

What I don’t know is if it’s a bunch of dudes trying to make the amp sound like an old fart amp, or if there is wisdom of the crowds that must be respected. (I’m leaning towards the latter, the wise cats know a thing or two lol )

 

[texhex]

Dude, it’s those mods that worry me. Not that people are doing them, but that so many people feel the need to mod it.

What I don’t know is if it’s a bunch of dudes trying to make the amp sound like an old fart amp, or if there is wisdom of the crowds that must be respected. (I’m leaning towards the latter, the wise cats know a thing or two lol )

I’m willing to risk (not the right word) it but only if I can get the right one for the right price. That Tone Wars guy demoed one against a Splawn recently but every single amp I see him demo I can’t stand how he dials in (he butchered the 90W Mark V IMO), but to each their own. I’ve watched a crap load of videos on the JVM especially when I was about to go for the HJS (I ended up with a 2018 BE-100 on a local deal instead) but I still want the standard JVM410H which I don’t think I would mod, although the neg feedback and choke mods look like they would be easily reversible but damn, I hate soldering and that seems like a headache both ways.

I think the Rabea video of his personal JVM does it the best justice out of all of the videos I’ve seen and he sometimes drives me crazy too but he knows how to dial in an amp without making it sound like an over hyped, over gained, over boosted, crunched out mess to me (sorry Tone Wars guy).

I’m patient and I’ll keep waiting until the right one for me becomes available or another something pops up instead. Good luck man.

 

[Orvillain]

So regular JVM versus Satch JVM:

- Regular JVM has more gain. Satch version has more usable ranges on the gain knob
- Regular JVM OD1 and OD2 sound a bit different. Satch version, either channel can be OD1 or OD2
- Regular JVM has a crap built in reverb. Satch version has noise-gates. Very useful
- Regular JVM has a bit of an annoying gap/latency when switching channels. Satch version does too, but it is a lot quicker
- Regular JVM clean green mode is quite different to the Satch version.


I have the Satch version. Second time I've owned it. I paid £850 this time round, around $1000 I guess.

One of my all time favourite amps. I can do some clips if you want.

 

[Bruce]

Get that Friedman.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

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.

I mean, it takes most people 40 weeks to make a baby, so sounds about right.

 

[santiall]

There is a bias drift problem on some these that looks a little scary but I don’t really know how prevalent that is maybe @santiall knows a little about that?

I missed getting a JVM410HJS from Kyle Bull when he had one for sale but I think I would still want the straight up JVM and not the HJS after thinking about it. I really wish the JVM410H had the noise gates from the HJS.

Hi, I'm not aware of any general bias issues and they have built quite a few thousands of those amps. Probably it's more of bad luck / cleanliness of the pcbs that could cause some leakage. Those tube sockets are soldered by hand and perhaps some flux remained there and caused some trouble. Most of the so called bias-drifting issues in JVMs I've seen were due to a tube with grid leakage pulling the bias rather that any issues with the biasing itself.
It's definitely not like the early DSLs and the 30th Anniversary amps that had a problematic bias circuit and always ended failing. It's also true that since Svetlana =C= tubes stopped production it has been trickier to manufacture "consistently reliable", if that makes sense, 100W amps.
The original JVMs should have had the 2203KK gates but what happened was that those gates were designed just after the JVM went into preproduction and it was way too late to modify everything and add them (circuitry, front panels, chassis...). Easy to say that in hindsight anyway. The HJS is like 5-6 years younger, the gates were the first change that I implemented as a given before starting to tweak the circuits with Joe. They are similar to the KK's but with digital control to make them a bit more dynamic.

 

[JT]

^Straight from the creator.



What about the 2203KK, @Whizzinby ? Perfect pedal platform!

 

[mbenigni]

Friedman SS because duh - living vicariously is as close as I'll ever get to that amp.

Although... you may as well throw another QC into your cart along with the SS. At that price you'd hardly feel it. Make some captures for us little people!

 

[JT]

Speaking of Friedman; I saw a KILLER Dirty Shirley vid yesterday. I am never drawn to that amp for whatever reason but that thing sounded

 

[Whizzinby]

Hi, I'm not aware of any general bias issues and they have built quite a few thousands of those amps. Probably it's more of bad luck / cleanliness of the pcbs that could cause some leakage. Those tube sockets are soldered by hand and perhaps some flux remained there and caused some trouble. Most of the so called bias-drifting issues in JVMs I've seen were due to a tube with grid leakage pulling the bias rather that any issues with the biasing itself.
It's definitely not like the early DSLs and the 30th Anniversary amps that had a problematic bias circuit and always ended failing. It's also true that since Svetlana =C= tubes stopped production it has been trickier to manufacture "consistently reliable", if that makes sense, 100W amps.
The original JVMs should have had the 2203KK gates but what happened was that those gates were designed just after the JVM went into preproduction and it was way too late to modify everything and add them (circuitry, front panels, chassis...). Easy to say that in hindsight anyway. The HJS is like 5-6 years younger, the gates were the first change that I implemented as a given before starting to tweak the circuits with Joe. They are similar to the KK's but with digital control to make them a bit more dynamic.

Santiago, any thoughts on these mods that are popular with the JVM? I’m curious as the OG designer, do you look at them as “improving” the original design, or just tailoring them to personal taste? It’s hard to know if one should expect to want to mod it up front, or not.

 

[Whizzinby]

I have the Satch version. Second time I've owned it. I paid £850 this time round, around $1000 I guess.

One of my all time favourite amps. I can do some clips if you want.

Clip it up!

Finding an HJS isn’t easy though.

Get that Friedman.

The pull is strong, and the kidney donation is scheduled.

 

[JT]

Santiago, any thoughts on these mods that are popular with the JVM? I’m curious as the OG designer, do you look at them as “improving” the original design, or just tailoring them to personal taste? It’s hard to know if one should expect to want to mod it up front, or not.

Interesting question. It would be weird to pour your guts into a design only to see someone come along and go "Oh; we should "fix" this"

 

[spawnofthesith]

Wow that’s a great deal. If it’s 1960 cab with the G12T-75 speakers, they sound amazing with that amp. A local studio here has a JVM410H and the matching 1960B cab with the G12T-75s. One day we tested out 3 different cabs there it their big open room, Greenback cab vs V30 cab and the G12T-75 cab and the T-75 blew the other two away in the room. Miced I preferred the V30 but in the room the G12T-75 cab was just crushing, classic Marshall tone, couldn’t get enough and my ears were ringing terribly afterwards but it was worth it.

Yeah its got the T75s. Definitely an awesome combination. That cab PROJECTS for sure. During my first practice with that setup I'm standing right by he half stack keep turning up wondering why it doesn't seem loud enough meanwhile the rhythm section is getting their ear drums blown out and giving me pleading looks

 

[Whizzinby]

Interesting question. It would be weird to pour your guts into a design only to see someone come along and go "Oh; we should "fix" this"

For sure. I’m half of the mind reading all the JVM-mod posts on the Marshall forum, that maybe a large percentage of them might be (and I’m fumbling for a delicate way to say this) older cats trying to make the amp sound like older amps, that they presumably already own? Like a lot of people are trying to reduce gain etc. Which makes me think, is there too much gain and compression or, are they on the OD2 channel trying to play Sweet Home Alabama?

Clean/Crunch with all the modes seems like a history of Marshall tones. I think where opinions start to diverge is OD1/OD2, but even saying that, I see some people thinking crunch red is too hot. But again, are these smooth jazz dudes…

Who knows. Rabea and @Ola The Swede relatively recent videos revisiting the JVM, they don’t mention modding theirs or anything. And Johan Segeborn has a great video using the OD2 red mode, getting Plexi tones, by just turning the………. Gain down. lol

 

[santiall]

Santiago, any thoughts on these mods that are popular with the JVM? I’m curious as the OG designer, do you look at them as “improving” the original design, or just tailoring them to personal taste? It’s hard to know if one should expect to want to mod it up front, or not.

Interesting question. It would be weird to pour your guts into a design only to see someone come along and go "Oh; we should "fix" this"

It doesn't bother me at all, I actually like it as long as there is respect. I guess it's like if someone designs a car and some users start changing wheels or whatever, they are driving your car, aren't they?

I started doing mods and tweaks myself many years ago when getting into tube amps so I perfectly understand it. I also don't see my designs as something closed and perfect, I try to design to the best of my abilities but for sure some things can be done differently and we all evolve too. The JVM is quite mature already, I'm sure I would design some parts differently today.

 

[metropolis_4]

Sometimes internet-fad mods need to be taken with a grain of salt.

I’ve seen situations where a mod just gains momentum because guys start thinking “everyone seems to be doing this so I guess I have to do it too”

And then there is confirmation bias that you “expect” it to sound better after the mods because other people are saying it sounds better, so you tend to hear what you expect to hear.