westhemann Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 okay...so i went down to guitar center yesterday and jammed low volume on quite a few amps...the best two i found were(surprise) the mesa dual rectifier and the peavey jsx.. so...they had a major deal on a dual rectifier...it was $1250(after a small bit of talking) for the 100 watter..so i took it home and hooked it up for some high volume metal...and promptly boxed it up and took it back...it was absolutely horrid sounding...the clean was grungy,and the "ultra" channel just sucked ass..at high volumes it lost all definition and just became mud. so i took it back this morning and traded it for the jsx...the guy at gc was super cool and dropped the price quite a bit without me asking just to try and make it right..great guy.. brought the jsx home wondering how it would sound through my 1960 vintage cabs at the volume i play at... well the verdict is in...this amp ROCKS...GREAT gain,super clarity,and a very nice tone...the damn thing is so adjustable you can pretty much get anything you want out of it. i did try the xxx...they say this one is based on it,but don't believe it...the jsx has resonance and prescence controls that work very well helping to shape the sound,and an added noisegate built in...which comes in very handy at high volumes.it's still not as quiet as my mode 4 at these volumes...(feedback i mean)but i think a feedback suppressor would obviously help. the amp is about $100 more than the xxx...totally well spent.the gain on the jsx is much richer... anyway...if you play any typeof rock or metal and are looking to spend around $1300 on an amp head..give the jsx a listen... i have mine tweaked right now where it sounds exactly like a jcm 800 with about twice as much gain...it is more jcm 800 than any jcm800 i have ever played. try it...also it is possible to swap out the power tubes for el34...i think i may do that...it could use a hair of softening. anybody reccomend a good pedal reverb?i got a marshall reverb pedal and it blows chunks..i will be replacing it tomorrow.ineed good reverb because the jsx does not come with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Dangerouso Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 I know you're happy, and probably don't want to go through further gear gyrations at this point, but have you ever tried a Carvin V3? I've listened to the stuff on-line which is hardly telling, but it DID intrigue me. Carvin has their cool ten day trial deal. I don't know, seems worth a shot. I've got a Boss RV-3 or 5 sitting around unused. I can sell it pretty cheap. It's in good, but not perfect shape and, obviously, works perfectly, or I wouldn't even mention it. I'll PM when I get home tonight and check it out. Have the instruction booklet and the whole deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted December 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 well..i hooked up the reverb through the effects loop and it sounds much better,so i don't need the reverb after all,but thanks for the offer i have not tried the v3...but it sounds like almost the same wording used for mesa and mode 4..the 10 day trial does not impress me...usually that is from the dateof shipping...so you lose atyyt least 3 days right there besides...both gc and mf give you 30 days to try it..carvin needs to keep up. i DO buy guitars online all the time..but i think i would never buy an amp without playing it first...waaay to much difference in sound..i just realized i did buy an amp unheard once...but that was from someone whose judgement i trusted to be as criticaql as mine...and i do still use that amp...and it is a fine rockin' blues amp... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AlexVDL Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted December 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 i cranked the mids down all the way,and it is just about perfect...i can see what you mean though because alot of people prefer the mids to be more scooped...but i feel it needs a bit of mids to push the sound out front a little more. yeah,of course an eq would take more away...one day i may buy a processor just for effects,as this amp is supposed to work well with them.but i know you have that huge rack hooked up to your engl,don't you? but i just LOVEthis natural tube extreme gain sound.seriously sounds like a hot rodded jcm 800 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Rosenberger Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 1960 vintage cabs That's the Problem Wes, Recto's dont sound good at all unless you Use a Mesa Cab. They're built alot stronger so they flex less internally which allows them to reproduce the bottom end that Marshall cabs have trouble with. I'm not a fan of the Recto's myself but I'm just saying there's more to good metal tone than just a head Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted December 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 maybe so...but these cabs are fairly new and have handled the huge bottom end of my mode 4 for the last couple of years... but these cabs ARE great for metal...same speakers and baffling as the mode 4 cabs...but the speakers are celestion vintage 30s(hence the vintage in the name) by no means are these cabs old...it's just that marshall produced the 1960 and 1960 vintage cabs,only difference being the speakers..both cabs are rated for 280 watts each... anyway...they sound good with the jsx...maybe in the near future i might buy the jsx cabs just so i can hook my marshall cabs up to my traynor head... mesa cabs are expensive...these marshall cabs cost me $800 each,so buying mesa cabs just in the hope that it will be what i want is not really an option....i guess that's the whole idea really was o find a good head that would work with the cabs i already have. the main problem i always had with the rectifier is that raw,throaty tone they produce...i just thought maybe i could tweak all that out...couldn't do it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Rosenberger Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 Do yourself a Favor, I know they're expensive but TRY a Mesa Cab. You really don't know what you're missing. Compare the Traditional and the Oversized Recto Cabs, and if you can find one try a mesa RoadKing Cab Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted December 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 allright...will do,but i no longer have the recto.i guess you mean try it with the jsx? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Rosenberger Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 yep, try it with any head you have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted December 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 http://www.guitarcenter.com/shop/product/b...l_sku=100133044 this is what i have...2 of these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Rosenberger Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 Don't get me wrong, those are very nice cabs, but for the type of music you play they're VERY different from a Mesa Cab, even loaded with the same speakers Guitar Denter sells the Mesa cabs for around $800 or so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted December 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 i'll check them out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nm7714 Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 Do yourself a Favor, I know they're expensive but TRY a Mesa Cab. You really don't know what you're missing. Compare the Traditional and the Oversized Recto Cabs, and if you can find one try a mesa RoadKing Cab +1 I tried a double rectifier head in my local store. theyre £1400 over here... gonna look into getting one in the states next year as long as i can get it modified for the power source... (and i can get it in my luggage allowance... the wife will have to travel light..very light ) but i tried it through a mesa cab and a marshall cab. the difference is astounding. I tried it through the marshall coz i have one and would've kept it for the new head if i was buying it that day. I'll definatly be getting a mesa cab as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhoads56 Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 http://www.guitarcenter.com/shop/product/b...full_sku=482769 thats the one i use with my two peaveys (and the marshalls) Wes, the best sounding cab ive ever had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AlexVDL Posted December 22, 2006 Report Share Posted December 22, 2006 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted December 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2006 well...i am so torn about this amp.i bought a rack eq and looped it with my sonic maximizer...and the amp sounds awesome...i mean really,really good...but no matter what i do i cannot stop it from squeeling every time i pause...i even bought a noise reducer to go with the in amp noise gate,and NOTHING works...the noise gates make the squeeling a bit less,but it takes the tone with it... it's really hurting my ears too..my mode 4 is whisper quiet no matter what....i had to hook it back up to save my ears.i think i am going to have to return the jsx.my music room is just too small to get far enough away from the amp to stop the feedback. if i do return the jsx...i am going to get a good tube gain pedal...try to get a more natural gain through the mode 4...anyone know a good tube gain pedal?i mean it really needs alot of gain.i use a metal zone right now...and it has ENOUGH gain,but it is too processed sounding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord-of-the-strings Posted December 23, 2006 Report Share Posted December 23, 2006 Wes, I have a Vox Cooltron Big Ben tube overdrive, and it's absolutely incredible. Only thing I'd warn you about is that if you plan on using JUST that for gain, you may want to buy something else to boost it a bit with, it has great gain and crunch but not QUITE enough for a really high gain solo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GodBlessTexas Posted December 23, 2006 Report Share Posted December 23, 2006 The XXX is anemic and definitely not what I'd use for metal. I had a chance to pick one up from Brooks Mays before they went out of business for $900. That included head, cab, and all cables/footswitch/accessories. But when I played through it, the modern channel just didn't do anything for me. It's good to hear that the JSX is better. My personal favorite of the Peavey line is the 5150/6505. It's absolutely brutal, and the 6505 has a very good clean channel to boot. I regret selling my 5150 combo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiKro Posted December 23, 2006 Report Share Posted December 23, 2006 The XXX is anemic and definitely not what I'd use for metal. I had a chance to pick one up from Brooks Mays before they went out of business for $900. That included head, cab, and all cables/footswitch/accessories. But when I played through it, the modern channel just didn't do anything for me. It's good to hear that the JSX is better. My personal favorite of the Peavey line is the 5150/6505. It's absolutely brutal, and the 6505 has a very good clean channel to boot. I regret selling my 5150 combo. Amen on the 5150 LOL:))) wish I still had mine mk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Dangerouso Posted December 23, 2006 Report Share Posted December 23, 2006 Wes, two things. One, get an ISP Decimator. It will solve all your noise problems. Nothing else works. The Prorack-G WILL work and you can keep the JSX. If you're not wanting to make that big of an investment in noise reduction, best tube gain pedal is the Vox Cooltron Bulldog. Plenty of gain if you're mixing it with the Mode 4. If you're going without the Mode 4, maybe a Rocktron Silver Dragon. Got one I'll sell you cheap if you think you might want to give it a shot. Ever thought about an Engl Powerball? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted December 23, 2006 Report Share Posted December 23, 2006 I love my 5150 mk1. Shame the clean sucks! Did they sort that out with the 6505? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AlexVDL Posted December 24, 2006 Report Share Posted December 24, 2006 Ever thought about an Engl Powerball? +1 ENGL all the way baby!! 4 channels, crispy clean, hot rodded marshall crunch, super high gain lead 1 and over the top high gain lead 2, plus a boost, so you can have 4 sounds and an oportunity to boost the sound for a solo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhoads56 Posted December 24, 2006 Report Share Posted December 24, 2006 I love my 5150 mk1. Shame the clean sucks! Did they sort that out with the 6505? a bias mod will fix some of the shitty cleans Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted December 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2006 so the consensus is that i should try an engl...i might just do that... if i can get rid of the noise with the decimator thing...then the jsx sounds pretty good...but if the engl is better,why not? i think the noise gate on the jsx is not very effective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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