JCM800 head + which pedal(s) for 80's Thrash?

[Cygnus X1]

The little brute pedal does a good job and you can go inside a tweak it.

Only issue I have is the bass control acts too much like a volume control.

[toejam]

Bad Monkey

That's a good one, as well as the original version of it which is the DOD Juice Box. I also like the Voodoo Lab Sparkle Drive which you can add a clean boost to the mix.

[VitaminG]

The BM is just too cheap to not own one. Great little pedal. Replaced on my board only because I went for a bit fancier TS-type pedal

[slayer]

Does the BM give more of a clean boost or add some dirt as well if needed?

[Newc]

Also saw an MXR Double Shot Distortion, which seemed intriguing. Any experience?

[Cygnus X1]

Does the BM give more of a clean boost or add some dirt as well if needed?

It can do clean boost, just turn the gain down and the level up.
But I prefer an EQ pedal for a true clean boost.

[VitaminG]

Does the BM give more of a clean boost or add some dirt as well if needed?

as Cyg said, turn the gain down & level up. I used to add a touch of gain, just to add a little hair. The 2 band EQ makes it more tuneable than the original TS

[Newc]

That's how I used to run my SD-1 into my MXR Dist+ way back when; Level up, Gain down. By itself, the MXR lacked sustain for leads and didn't crunch the way I wanted through my 20w Gorilla. With the SD-1 boosting it, everything was good.

But that was a crap-ass 20w amp from 1987. No telling how it would sound cascaded into a 100w head

Maybe I shoulda grabbed an NS-2 :P

[JonSick]

Best thrash metal tone: JCM2000 TSL100 on the clean channel, Boss Metal Zone!
Second best: Marshall JCM800 2203 Kerry King
Third best: Peavey 6505 / 5150

[jgcable]

Its so much easier just to ditch the JCM800 and get a Peavey 5150. Any variety... original, block letter, script, II or III. The tone you are going for on your JCM is bone stock 5150.

[Newc]

Probably so, but being pre-disposed to addiction, I can see myself buried under a ton of amps

[dvscool]

Bad Monkey

+1 - I love this thing out front....it adds just what I was looking for....and cheap as well.....

[Newc]

$50 average on Ebay for those. Not bad. I'll wait a couple of weeks til they're discontinued and double the price

[horns666]

Its so much easier just to ditch the JCM800 and get a Peavey 5150. Any variety... original, block letter, script, II or III. The tone you are going for on your JCM is bone stock 5150.

Hmmm well , Kinda. As John knows, they both have their trademarks sig tone. I've owned many side by side and kept both as my amps of choice..for years. 5150 does have much more girth, and sag..and gain for days. But still tight 'nuff to do what your'e wanting. Marshall..definitely has that "sing" and attack like no other IMO. Mids that cut and walk over most amps in most situations.

With all the F'n around I did with rack gear, stomps and ..yes a BBE 422 in the loop of both..I was able to get them as close as possible. I ran a BBE 422 in the loop of my late 2203 and 2210's, and a Boss SD-1, GE-7 with the 2203. Even tho I was able to play the same style of stuff with both amps..the 5150's are just thicker..as is ..compared to the tweaked up Marshall set up.

Also the peaveys are 6L6 that deliver a fatter bottom end in general. I like Marshall with 6L6 as well..it will help give you more modern thump that classic Marshalls is not known for, or 6550s. I would stray from EL34s and anything Vintage 30 with Marshall. In fact best speakers for Marshall were Classic Lead 80s..by far!! Marshall have PLENTY of mids and cut on tap..so no loss there...even with the mids scooped. Marshalls are based on mids which is where the guitar needs to be.

You can have either amps and sound incredible. So, in short, Marshall 2203 with SD-1, Mids a tad scoop, 6L6, and classic lead 80's or stock 75 in a 1960 cab got me the closest possible to a bone stock 5150 with matching shefield cab with mids turned up...but they're still different ..in a good way. They sound AMAZING together..just a ginormous wall of awesomeness.

My favorite Marshall setup is my Marshall rack..9200w/6L6, JMP-1 and JFX-1..works for Miden amoung others. As a grab and go Marshall head..2210. Last of the 800's dual channel w/reverb. They have just 'nuff gain to crunch balls. Or the JVM..the KK's are expensive as hell and sound like a 2203 with a TS-9 or SD-1 in front. Good feature is the noise gate..which they should used on the original JVM series. Those sound great..but with gain..there's noise. That comes with the territory.

I havn't been in the market or tone for years because I'm content. But I heard that there's a new Marshall..possibly a JVM with much needed built-in noise gate. They work great..better than The Hush or NS-2, ect with those amps for some reason.

You may want to try the JSX..or new XXX.. Satch went from Marshall 6100s (great amps) to those and now back to Marshall..I think those are the JVM with noise gate..he tweaked that shit from mucho years of touring. JSX is just a Joe-tweaked XXX, and The new Marshall is just a Joe-tweaked JVM. He helped design the Noise gate ...and they work perfectly IMO!.

You guys ain't done tweakin' yet??? Well neither are the "pros"..so it's neverending!..ha!

Good talkin'

I must return to my ball fondling chamber now...that's my comfort zone.

[jgcable]

Hmmm well , Kinda. As John knows, they both have their trademarks sig tone. I've owned many side by side and kept both as my amps of choice..for years. 5150 does have much more girth, and sag..and gain for days. But still tight 'nuff to do what your'e wanting. Marshall..definitely has that "sing" and attack like no other IMO. Mids that cut and walk over most amps in most situations.

With all the F'n around I did with rack gear, stomps and ..yes a BBE 422 in the loop of both..I was able to get them as close as possible. I ran a BBE 422 in the loop of my late 2203 and 2210's, and a Boss SD-1, GE-7 with the 2203. Even tho I was able to play the same style of stuff with both amps..the 5150's are just thicker..as is ..compared to the tweaked up Marshall set up.

Also the peaveys are 6L6 that deliver a fatter bottom end in general. I like Marshall with 6L6 as well..it will help give you more modern thump that classic Marshalls is not known for, or 6550s. I would stray from EL34s and anything Vintage 30 with Marshall. In fact best speakers for Marshall were Classic Lead 80s..by far!! Marshall have PLENTY of mids and cut on tap..so no loss there...even with the mids scooped. Marshalls are based on mids which is where the guitar needs to be.

You can have either amps and sound incredible. So, in short, Marshall 2203 with SD-1, Mids a tad scoop, 6L6, and classic lead 80's or stock 75 in a 1960 cab got me the closest possible to a bone stock 5150 with matching shefield cab with mids turned up...but they're still different ..in a good way. They sound AMAZING together..just a ginormous wall of awesomeness.

My favorite Marshall setup is my Marshall rack..9200w/6L6, JMP-1 and JFX-1..works for Miden amoung others. As a grab and go Marshall head..2210. Last of the 800's dual channel w/reverb. They have just 'nuff gain to crunch balls. Or the JVM..the KK's are expensive as hell and sound like a 2203 with a TS-9 or SD-1 in front. Good feature is the noise gate..which they should used on the original JVM series. Those sound great..but with gain..there's noise. That comes with the territory.

I havn't been in the market or tone for years because I'm content. But I heard that there's a new Marshall..possibly a JVM with much needed built-in noise gate. They work great..better than The Hush or NS-2, ect with those amps for some reason.

You may want to try the JSX..or new XXX.. Satch went from Marshall 6100s (great amps) to those and now back to Marshall..I think those are the JVM with noise gate..he tweaked that shit from mucho years of touring. JSX is just a Joe-tweaked XXX, and The new Marshall is just a Joe-tweaked JVM. He helped design the Noise gate ...and they work perfectly IMO!.

You guys ain't done tweakin' yet??? Well neither are the "pros"..so it's neverending!..ha!

Good talkin'

I must return to my ball fondling chamber now...that's my comfort zone.

Bill knows his stuff.. let me add to it. Regarding the XXX and the JSX. I have both in addition to a 5150-II that I use live. The XXX is VERY similar to the 5150's. The JSX is a refined version of the 5150. Its an absolutely outstanding amp in every way shape and form. IMHO.. if you take a JCM800 and mod it to heck and add all kinds of pedals you are basically going to end up with one of these 3 Peavey amps.