software

I havent had the chance to play a real marshall plexi but Ive heard them and they sound amazing but Ive played a jmp mastervolume series head and I was wondering if there was a difference tonally between the two. Would a reissue slp or 1987x or an early 70s metal panel head sound closer to a plexi than the mastervolume head? Ive heard the reissues had small transformers and other wiring issues where marshall slacked a bit (but thats just what Ive heard) and Ive heard that the mastervolume series and the early 70s metal panel heads were a bit brighter (at least my mastervolume series head is pretty bright). Would there be any way to change the values of the wiring inside to make it sound closer to a plexi but not doing any major mods to it?

Most JMP series MV heads I've played are fantastic in their own way. They're not as ratty gainy as the JCM heads and not as smooth as the plexi heads. Remember that the early metal panels were the same circuit as the plexi heads, and real major changes didn't take place until 73-74.

The 70's MV heads are starting to go up in value. At this point in time it would probably be irresponsible to go modding your head as any mods would take away from any quot;collector'squot; value should you decide to sell it. It's a real drag to find an amp that would be really cool, but find out it's been tinkered with. I own an 81 Park 50w MV head, unfortunately somebody decided it needed an effects loop and some other things. It's still a Park, it's still retains pretty much of the JMP series tone, but it's been monkeyed with.

If you don't know what you're looking for, the best advice I could give you is to actually try stuff out, A/B heads, and get what you want, rather than trying to take an old piece and get it to do something it's not meant to do.

If you really want to tinker with something, get something a little less valuable. A guy I know has one of the old Soldano designed Yamaha amps- by all accounts a really cool amp, and pretty hard to find. However, he read about some mods, did them and promptly wrecked his amp- for all intents and porpoises, beyond repair.

I had a 79 JMP 2204 for a while and I liked it a lot. But then I got a 1987x 50w reissue and liked it even more. It cleans up nicer and it has a crunch that's not quite as buzzy. I have not played an original plexi lately but I hear that the 1987x sounds closer than a JMP mv model.

early JMP MV's (as well as many 800's) sound VERY cool. But they don't sound like a NMV (1987X, 1959, etc). The NMVs have a top end quot;sparklequot; or quot;sizzlequot; , and an quot;openquot; or 3D quality the MV's just can't reproduce. They are smoother as Stevo alluded to, but that's in the relative sense...as he said it's less buzzy, but that doesn't mean a 1987X won't crunch, cos it do

Would I need to get new transformers if I got a 1987x RI cause I heard the ones they come stock with arent very good?


Originally Posted by guitarplayerWould I need to get new transformers if I got a 1987x RI cause I heard the ones they come stock with arent very good?

Mine is an old one...94 or 95...Don't know if that make a difference, but I always got spectacular tone out of it. I'm sure a better tformer would help, but I never felt it was neccessary. Newer ones with the loop I understand don't sound as nice.

Mine's down though at the moment. If I ever fall outta love with this Rivera, I'll get it fixed and have Trace @ Voodoo put a MM in it.