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Do you guys think I should continue using my JCM 800 2203 with a ZW-44 in front, or have the amp modded?

Also, what are your thoughts on the different mods (tone, what bands they sound like) by people like Cameron, Splawn, Voodoo, and Bray?

That is a question for the ages!!

I would recommend you do lots of research before considering having any modifications done to your amp. That being said, most gain mods will not sound better than using an overdrive in front of your amp. In fact, that's what most of them are - an additional gain stage added to the preamp stage of the head.

I have had one mod made to my JCM800, and that was to the power supply. I still use an overdrive in front of my amps (Fulltone Full-Drive 2) because I like the harmonic overtones it adds to the tone, as well as the general thickness it adds, as well.

Do I like or recommend the mod I had done? Being an audio geek, I really like it - the background is blacker, and the amp has a greater dynamic range. This mod was made by Harry Kolbe, who is no longer in the amp mod business, as he is now doing Atomic Amplifiers. Cosmetically, the front and back panels are preserved.

I had my 2205 circuit modded. Why....two reasons.

#1 - I wanted a clean channel that was useable. I had been playing a JCM600, and that amp had an incredible clean channel for a Marshall, but didn't have the OD depth that the JCM had. I wanted Fender type cleans from my Marshall.

#2 - and probably most important, I wanted to make the OD channel richer, fuller, more harmonically rich, ect. I also wanted to be able to go guitar....cord...amp as much as possible, and for the majority of stuff I like to play....that's where I'm at.

The 2 channel JCM's are a slightly different beast to mod, because they already have a 4th pre-amp tube from the factory....no adding of tubes. The single channel's have only 3 pre-amp tubes, so often times an extra tube is added, but not always. Check with the guys who do the mods...get some details.

As far as collectability.....I probably wouldn't worry about it with a 2203. I don't believe they will ever have the value of a 60's Plexi....although I could be wrong. Consider Jeff Seal in your mix of people who do mods. Jeff modded my Marshall, and not only did he convert it to a handwired amp that really works well, the original PCB was preserved and sent back to me....so if I really wanted to, I could return the amp to bone stock form. Jeff Seal is a member here or his website is:

www.speakersurgeon.com


Originally Posted by TwilightOdysseyThat is a question for the ages!!

I would recommend you do lots of research before considering having any modifications done to your amp. That being said, most gain mods will not sound better than using an overdrive in front of your amp. In fact, that's what most of them are - an additional gain stage added to the preamp stage of the head.

I have had one mod made to my JCM800, and that was to the power supply. I still use an overdrive in front of my amps (Fulltone Full-Drive 2) because I like the harmonic overtones it adds to the tone, as well as the general thickness it adds, as well.

Do I like or recommend the mod I had done? Being an audio geek, I really like it - the background is blacker, and the amp has a greater dynamic range. This mod was made by Harry Kolbe, who is no longer in the amp mod business, as he is now doing Atomic Amplifiers. Cosmetically, the front and back panels are preserved.

I agree with everything said.... My 2204 is also modded, to run on 6L6 power tubes...But that mod is literally just 2 short jumper wires and a rebiasing, abut that´s All I personally would ever mod/have modded on an amp..

I just feel that I I´m getting a feeling my amp isn´t right for me, it´s time to sell it to someone who´ll enjoy it and get myself one that suits my needs better. Personal opinion, of course

Modding your amp might be a good thing, IF you find someone who knows what he/she is doing.
If you just want more gain, I would not do it. Easier to find a good overdrive/distortion and go with that.

Its not really about gain, Im just curious how these mods really alter the tone of the amp.

Whatever you do get the best tech in your area to do any mods! I bought a gain boosted JCM 800 50 watter and it is noisey as hell! I have been told there is lots of bad mods out there in jcm800s done by bad techs who didn't know how to do stuff right..... The tech i wish to take my 800 to said on the phone that there is a tone mod that greatly improves the EQ controlls of the amp... He wants to remove the gain mod in my amp and wire the EQ circuit in a different pattern of some sort... Best of all it will not wreck the amp anymore then what has been done as it can be reversed

WhoFan