Marshall Jubilee - Channel switching and Clean tones

[willyripz]

So to expand off of this post I found.... http://www.thegearpage.net/board/archive/index.php/t-380026.html


I've got a connection on a 2550 (50watt head) Jubilee that I'm thinking about picking up.

Channel switching would be the reason for me getting this head as I would want it for a live setting and am not OVERLY obsessed with how clean it is. I'll keep my JCM 800 2204 till the day I die, but it doesn't go clean!

So I'm thinking this would be my answer to get my Marshall crunch and clean in one, convenient, non-boutique box (Sorry boutique lovers, I'm a simpleton at heart)

If you check out the post above, the guys there are talking about an "installing an extra volume knob" in order to make the clean channel more useable as from what I gather, it's hard to match the volume from Channel to channel as the EQ is shared for both

Any info is very much appreciated! Thanks in advance

Will

[Gnarlly]

I used to own several Jubilees, and sometimes used them as "channel switchers." I use that term loosely, as you are very restricted with the Jub's shared input gain control. Better to think of them as single channel amps with a built-in boost.

2204 doesn't do clean? Nonsense! Personally, I get better cleans than what I got with the Jubs by lowering my guitar's volume control when using my 4104 and 2204.

[blackba]

I have a 50Watt 2553 Silver Jubilee (small box head). Mine has an extra volume knob mod for the clean, its in the DI hole in the back. With this mod, I can balance the channel volumes on the clean and Distortion (Rhythm clip is not foot switchable). I did in my last band use my Silver jubilee as a channel switching amp with great success. I did dial in the gain to sound good and so the clean was a bit of a compromise. I had the input gain at 8 and so to get a reasonable clean I had to use a guitar with Single coils or split humbuckers.

If you are not willing to have the silver jubilee modded for an extra volume control, than I would suggest a Marshall DSL50 or Laney Vh100R.

[willyripz]

2204 doesn't do clean? Nonsense! Personally, I get better cleans than what I got with the Jubs by lowering my guitar's volume control when using my 4104 and 2204.

Nah, you're right the cleans on these amps are pretty sweet. But in a live use with adjusting your guitars volume knob, in my case anyways, there is too much of a comprise in volume where I will need cleans to be loud and punchy - comparable to my dirty sound

I have a 50Watt 2553 Silver Jubilee (small box head). Mine has an extra volume knob mod for the clean, its in the DI hole in the back. With this mod, I can balance the channel volumes on the clean and Distortion (Rhythm clip is not foot switchable). I did in my last band use my Silver jubilee as a channel switching amp with great success. I did dial in the gain to sound good and so the clean was a bit of a compromise. I had the input gain at 8 and so to get a reasonable clean I had to use a guitar with Single coils or split humbuckers.

If you are not willing to have the silver jubilee modded for an extra volume control, than I would suggest a Marshall DSL50 or Laney Vh100R.

Ok cool! Can you give me some more info on this mod? Is it reversible? So out the DI in the back hey... What will I need to tell my tech when I bring the amp in?

[blackba]

I bought my amp already modded. The DI jack is in a bag inside the amp, using the DI hole allows you to add the extra pot without drilling into the chassis. I don't have the details of the mod and haven't spent much time trying to reverse engineer it, but I am sure any tech could perform it without issue.

When I was looking at the amp, the mod at first threw me off and I almost passed. The seller contacted Trace (at Voodoo amps) and he thought the mod was easily reversable, which after seeing it, I agree. Interestingly enough, the seller now has another 2553 Silver jubilee, he missed the amp after he sold it to me. I understand why, I love it. When I first plugged in, I said to myself, "That is the distortion sound I hear in my head, awesome." I had heard a slash head in concert a few years before I owned the Jubilee and thought the tone was great.

A couple of comments about volume. After using my in a band with the volume around 6, I took it home. It does not sound as good with the volume at 3-4, more buzzy in the distortion. So like most marshalls it sounds better turned up. Also, the half power switch really seems to change the tone and not for the better, so I run it in full power most of the time.

[gulliver]

Get a 2205 ;)