Can't decide, Marshall JCM 800 2203 vs Vox AC30CC2X ?

[dfccbn]

Hi there, i thought i'd throw this one to the crowd, because i myself can't seem to make my mind up, and i've tried searching through the forum for something similar, but to no avail.

The sounds i'm mixing between/aiming for are along the lines of:
Dave Mustaine
The Hellacopters
Jimmy Page
Jack White
Jamie Hince
Jay Reatard
Josh Homme
Omar Rodriguez Lopez
Peter Green

My general un-informed overview of both is that i would get the JCM 800 for heavy playing and the AC30CC2X for cleaner sounds. But i can't really decide between them, help? Also, Could i still pick the Vox and place some pedals in front to make it as heavy/muddy as the Marshall?

Thank you!

[yabasta]

i think you need to ask your self again what you want.

Two different amps dude.

Your talking 100 watter vs 30 watter.

[Purplexi]

You can run them simply with an A/B box or dual loop/switch set up. Although a somewhat odd pairing, those two will cover a broad spectrum. For a comparably wide tonal pallette in one amp there's also Marshall's JVM and Egnater Tourmaster. And yes, Vox will cover old school hard rock/metal with a fuzz or Treble Booster but not anywhere near JCM 800 territory.

[Alvis]

Both nice amps and both versatile (depending who's playin)

People will like you better with an AC 30

Stooges Raw Power= AC 30, according to James Williamson interview last year

[Guitar_Dude]

In terms of volumes, both are pretty loud. In terms of tone... I have both and they're too different to have to decide between the two.

[rockguitardude]

It sounds like you're trying to cover a lot of ground tone wise. I've owned both a Marshall TSL 100 & a Vox AC30. The TSL (whilst not the greatest marshall, still in that realm of sound) is now gone, the AC30 has been around a long time. The TSL was a much more expensive amp too. I have one of the chinese made AC30's and I love it. I find myself wanting to cover a lot of ground myself so I can relate.

Essentially the AC30 + pedals really gets you a lot closer to that marshall sound than the marshall + pedals will to get you to the Vox sound.

I'd say go with the AC30 + whatever the flavor of the month marshall in a box effects pedal is. I personally use the Box of Rock to great results. I've actually even bypassed the whole preamp with it and just used a box of rock as the preamp to great results as well.

For the longest time I thought I needed a Marshall stack and a fender twin with an a/b box but now I'm satisfied.

[tele_jas]

AC30 and a pedal or two, something like a Crunchbox for higher gain stuff and a BB Preamp for lower gain stuff (or one of the 2 million TS clones).

That's what I'd do.

[dfccbn]

Hey, thanks loads for the input guys, i think i'm gonna go with rockguitardude's advise, and go with an AC30CC2X, and put some pedals in front.

i would love to go with purplexi's option, but i haven't got that kind of cash around at the moment! A new AC30CC2X is around £1400 in the UK, and a second hand JCM 800 2203 + 4x12 cab is around the same.

thanks again!

[Guitar_Dude]

I have the AC30CC2 and love it. If you decide to go with the AC30CC2, don't bother with the "X" version: They're don't even have real UK Blues Celestions, but you get charged for the price of them. The Whafedales are very good speakers, but if you dig the Blues, get them aftermarket.

[ariki]

Get an Egnater M50 with the SL and VX modules. Done!

If you want something else later, just get another module.

[Griz]

Essentially the AC30 + pedals really gets you a lot closer to that marshall sound than the marshall + pedals will to get you to the Vox sound.

:agree

I own both a JCM800 2203 and an AC30/6TB. Both are wonderful amps. But as rockguitardude said, the AC30 + pedals has more range.

[thegearguy]

+1 on th AC-30.

I've had both the AC30cc and a Marshall JCM 900 and IMHO the vox will do what you want. The marshall to me was good at the marshall thing, but an AC30 can cover so much more ground, especially when paired with different speakers. My advice would be to buy a USED AC30cc head and a 2x12 Avatar cab(always good deals on them here on TGP) and then you can experiment with different speakers. When I was running greenbacks or G12H30's I could get a great heavy rock sound. Think Thursday's full collapse or At the drive in tones. A sweet pairing is a greenback and a blue. You'd cover tons of ground with that combo. I know thursday uses Ac-30's with Celestion Blues to compliment their bogner's and Line 6 amps. Personall I think they have a killer sound.

[DICKIE C]

The 900 is a different amp than the 800. What year 800 are you talking about? I had one from '81 and it was very simply a great amp with great cleans. Very versatile for everything you want it to do. If you're including Mustaine, Page, White and Green in your range of tone, an early '80s 800 is the way to go.

[M@tt C]

An 800 will cover a LOT of ground.....they are NOT just a hard rock/ heavy metal amp. I use a reissue 2203 in my cover band, and we go all the way from Marvin Gaye to Stone Temple Pilots and I can cop nice ever-so-slightly gritty/ chimey cleans to huge crunch with the volume pot on my LP and that amp. Throw a boost in front, and you've got gain and sustain for days.

However....it doesn't sound like a Vox, nor will a pedal make it sound like one. As others have stated, if you HAVE to have the Vox cleans, then that's your best bet, and you can get Marshallesque tones with a good overdrive.

Good luck!

[Guitar_Dude]

An 800 will cover a LOT of ground.....they are NOT just a hard rock/ heavy metal amp. I use a reissue 2203 in my cover band, and we go all the way from Marvin Gaye to Stone Temple Pilots and I can cop nice ever-so-slightly gritty/ chimey cleans to huge crunch with the volume pot on my LP and that amp. Throw a boost in front, and you've got gain and sustain for days.

However....it doesn't sound like a Vox, nor will a pedal make it sound like one. As others have stated, if you HAVE to have the Vox cleans, then that's your best bet, and you can get Marshallesque tones with a good overdrive.

Good luck!

You always go with the marshall and get the Vox Top Boost pedal.

[rob2001]

You always go with the marshall and get the Vox Top Boost pedal.

Just for reference, I tried that with an AC 30 sitting next to the 800 for comparison....


Too much 800 to overcome!! Not even close really.

I'd say the AC 30 is gonna be more versitile, as much as I love my 800. And it has an FX loop....drives up front, time based stuff in the loop.

[hawkeyeinexile]

i've got a Paul Cochrane amp (one-off) that's very much a 2204 and a Heritage (also Paul Cochrane) Briton II (ch 1=AC30, ch2=tweed; mixable). it would be torture to have to pick one over the other and they're very different in tones.

my guess is that a menatone king of the britains [sic] or similar will get you marshally tones from a Vox. but speaker selection is 1/2 the chore. do you want crunchy thud of a 4x12 closed back slammed by the PT & OT of a 100watter? or chimey airy open back w/2 Cele Blues?

oh well, looks like you'll have to get both :D
(that's why i did ;))

:cool:

[illini]

Hi there, i thought i'd throw this one to the crowd, because i myself can't seem to make my mind up, and i've tried searching through the forum for something similar, but to no avail.

The sounds i'm mixing between/aiming for are along the lines of:
Dave Mustaine
The Hellacopters
Jimmy Page
Jack White
Jamie Hince
Jay Reatard
Josh Homme
Omar Rodriguez Lopez
Peter Green

My general un-informed overview of both is that i would get the JCM 800 for heavy playing and the AC30CC2X for cleaner sounds. But i can't really decide between them, help? Also, Could i still pick the Vox and place some pedals in front to make it as heavy/muddy as the Marshall?

Thank you!

I love AC 30's but have never been able to get them to work for me for distorted rock tones. There are those who can and do, but the amp always leave me wanting more in that department.
And you should try running a Marshall clean and then hitting it with a pedal (Good Rat or overdrive). The amp is overlooked in the clean department, and it shouldn't.