Best distortion/setup for hot-rodded Marshall tone?

[roodyrocker]

Very Nice...well, you guys heard enough times what gear I'm married to...'til death do us part!!

As much as I LOVE my Uber, my Marshall rig is MUCH more "fun" to play! The Bogner has taken a backseat in the last few weeks.

While I too have a very special Marshall and love all those 80's classic Marshall tones, I don't think anything would replace my Uber for live use! The gain channel on the Uber is it!

[El Chiguete]

Yesterday I got a mayor improvement on how toget a good wah tone. For those that don't know how it works on a Tonelab LE, you basicly set up (1-10) the low and high frequency that the wave of the wah travels on (like the Q knob on the Dunlops Wahs) when you have the wah down and up. I figure out that the overall travel of the wah you need to set it up not to be too long, only 1.5 difference from the low and high frequency, for me low 4.5 and high 6 seems to be a good wah tone.

[quiksilver]

Hey, thanks, EC! I'll try that!

All right guys, back to my quest. I have the 9100 ordered, along with a Tech 21 GT2 (I still may end up with a JMP-1 down the road, but the GT2 was only $100, and I love Tech 21).

Anyway, now it's time for speakers! I'm thinking Celestion Vintage 30s would be the most likely candidates for the hot rodded Marshall sound. I would like to get a 4x12, but it would be very hard to fit into my car, so I'm still thinking of 2 2x12s. I see that Music123 has a good deal on Genz Benz G-Flex 2x12 cabs - $629 minus $100 coupon = $529 shipped. Or, I could get a new Avatar 2x12 with V30s for $350 shipped, and then plan to get another down the road (maybe even one closed back with V30s and one open back with a V30 and a G12H30).

The G-Flex is nice because it's supposed to give you 4x12 performance in a 2x12 (so I've heard, anyway), and it can be run in stereo (unlike the Avatars), plus it has the "flexed" speaker mounting board which is supposed to increase the stereo spread, but I'm guessing the G-Flex speakers, which are pretty high watt, are voiced more like Celestion 75 watters, which is probably not the sound I'm looking for.

So . . . what do I buy? A G-Flex for $529, or an Avatar for $350, with plans to get another down the road? Or something else?

[Dreamland_Rebel]

Vin 30's will not give you the VH sound that you are looking for.

you'd be better off with 25w greenbacks or 20w greenbacks. even in a 2x12. you're not gonna blow them unless you ARE playing an arena and goosing the volume.

[horns666]

Nah..V30s or greenbacks sound cool for recording and low to moderate levels..but to really get VH LOUD @ band levels Celestion 80's or 70's are where's its at or the 75's will do just fine. I have FIVE Marshall 1960 cabs worth of Celestion 75's and nailing Van Halen's tone is second nature for me...easy as shootin' my sherbert!

The Peavey 5150 Shefields are just their celestion 75 knockoffs basically.

[horns666]

Cleve John has two 70's Marshall cabs w/ Celestion 25w for 25+ years, signed by Jim Marshall. They sound nice and warm at low to moderate levels. But they get much too hairy when you push 'em..the upper mid get way to OTT without and bottom or body to them. That's when Marshall and ED relied on speaker distortion..that's not the case these days. Preamps do most of the work now, and have been tweaked to achieve VH tones. IE the JMP-1 examples I've posted is NOTHING but JMP-1..NO speakers..NO poweramp. So, they're ya go..

http://www.jcfonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85101

[quiksilver]

All right, man. I trust ya! I just ordered up a G-Flex.

[horns666]

All right, man. I trust ya! I just ordered up a G-Flex.

Never tried those cabs but I hear nothing but great things about them!!

Have fun man..you should be very pleased!

[quiksilver]

I mean about the higher wattage speakers vs. lower wattage ones. Thanks for your good advice. It is greatly appreciated!

[quiksilver]

Wow, I got my G-Flex and my Marshall 9100 and had the chance to try them out today, and I am really digging it.

Right now, I am running my ToneLab LE into the 9100, but I have a Tech 21 GT2 ordered to try out (I had one years ago and loved it but foolishly sold it), and I am keeping my eyes open for a JMP-1.

[horns666]

The 9200/JMP-1/JFX-1 is the best Marshall tone I've ever owned or heard...'cept for Steve Stevens with Vince Neil..best Marshall I ever heard live,..he just kicks ass. Criss Oliva ass kicked ass..but I cam nail both of their tones! Chance are I can pretty much nail any Marshall tone..and do. It does Van Halen fuggin' silly!

I wouldn't trade my Marshall rig for anything..ANYTHING!

But the JVM kicks ass. Best Marshall sounds since my Marshall rack. Sounds like exactly mine with a just tad more girth and gain. That's a good thing! I would go with the JVM!!!

Y'know for a hot ass Marshall sound..I'd go with the JVM. Seriously!!

Hail Marshall!!

[slayer]

The 9200/JMP-1/JFX-1 is the best Marshall tone I've ever owned or heard...'cept for Steve Stevens with Vince Neil..best Marshall I ever heard live,..he just kicks ass. Criss Oliva ass kicked ass..but I cam nail both of their tones! Chance are I can pretty much nail any Marshall tone..and do. It does Van Halen fuggin' silly!

I wouldn't trade my Marshall rig for anything..ANYTHING!

But the JVM kicks ass. Best Marshall sounds since my Marshall rack. Sounds like exactly mine with a just tad more girth and gain. That's a good thing! I would go with the JVM!!!

Y'know for a hot ass Marshall sound..I'd go with the JVM. Seriously!!

Hail Marshall!!

I`ve got 2/3 of that setup bro!! Looking for a JFX-1 now

[quiksilver]

I saw that 9200 you got. It looked beautiful. How are you liking the JMP-1/9200? And what cabs are you running it into?

[quiksilver]

Bill, you should be getting a commission! You're leading us all down the JMP/JFX/9x00 path!

[JACKSONFREAK]

I just use my Crate VFX5212 on the clean channel. With a Ibanez SM7 distortion set to tste for gain and level to match. Pedal bass to tighten up the sound and the treble to brighten up the attack a bit. Sounds great and does a really good early VH tone. BTW the crate has EL34's in it. For heavier new VH tones i use a metal zone and a touch of chorus.
Gil