Crappy clean tone with my Marshall

I have a tube JCM800 from the 80's and its got a great Dirty sound...BUT I cant seem to get a good clean sound out of it without it being brittle, clanky or harsh. Its only got trebble and bass knobs and no matter what I cant seem to get a good sound out of it even with the trebble cut way low. Any suggestions? Should I start thinging about just getting a fender amp to use fro a clean sound...?

Might want to get an Equalizer Pedal, cheaper than a new amp.

I *heard* vox amps were very bright And not that great thought they are cool to look at.

Ive heard of people using a Marshal for a dirty channel and a Fender twin or something for a clean...I hear they have a great clean sound and very loud (they dont break up) But they are extremely heavy.

The EQ pedal is a great idea.

How about Mesa amps, I know they are known for their dirty sound hows their clean channel?
I know next to nothing about Mesa amps.


I know Marshalls arnt known for thier clean sound.
Oh and I forgot to mention the clean breaks up a bit too. Im sure this is common.

[Edited by jealousblues on 12-31-2003 at 09:46 PM]

Personally I love VOX amps, my fav is the classic AC30. Thinking of getting one to go with my Fender. The VOX have a bright clean, a bit more dull than the Fenders, but nothing to really complain about. They have that great blues/rock tone.

Do VOx amps tend to break up easy?



Actually I usually end up useing my Line 6 POD, and I use the line 6 clean sound on there (not sure what they are trying to model but its a good sound) I was looking for something like that...Ideally Id like to use my POD for a clean sound and my Marshall for drive...but alas

You want a clean sound??

http://www.sambob.net/pictures/DSC00335.html

You need one of these (or the smaller variant, or the larger ones). They make new ones, and the originals aren't hard to find. They stay clean at any volumes, sound very good, and have a true stereo chorus (one of the best there is).

All tube amps break up, mine doesn't start until like 7, but I don't put it that loud because I want to keep my ears.

Ok the part where you messed up is when you used popularity and went with the marshall. Hues & Kettener is the way to go, I have a Hues & Kettner Attax 100 it is a 3 channel, 120 watt tube driven head that i have pushing a cheap noname halfstack cabinet and a cheap 100 dollar KORG tone works Guitar AX1G effects processor and I have the best sound ive ever wanted. I have recently went in the market for a knew halfstack and the only ones that even competed were and Orange, A Hues & Kettener Warp7, and a Randal Warhead, Marshall is an alright brand but ive just never been satisfied by the JCM.

Thats what you like, but maybe not the other guy. You can't say "this is what your looking for" because, actually it was what you were looking for. It's an opinion.

You didn't even explain what it sounds like. So that doesn't help anyone very much. Just because your not satisfied with Marshall's doesn't mean that they won't work for someone else. I don't like Marshall's either, but I'm not going to push someone to by a Fender because it works for me.

Jealous, go buy an EQ pedal, MXR makes a 6-band,and 10band, and BOSS makes a 7-band, and 10-band. If they don't work out for you, then you may want to consider buying different speakers, different amp, or other pedals to brighten up ure tone. I use BOSS Blues Driver, gain set to low, level and tone high, as a Treble boost.

I got the Marshall for 300 bucks from someone I knew.

Ive heard nothing but bad about Hughs and Kettner

JCM800's are great amps and I wouldnt go running off to buy something new without trying out a few other things such as experimenting with the tone knob on your guitar and/or switching to neck or middle pickups for clean sound. Also Tele correctly mentioned trying out an EQ pedal - the Boss one is inexpensive and very tweakable (I've used one before with great success). I love Marshall tone, excellent for heavy and clean IMO.
What kind of guitar and pickups are you using - that's where the core tone is created in the first place.

I have a JCM 800... along with a few other good amps... but the JCM8 is my #1.

I get great clean tone and a great blues tone out of it with my USA Fender Strat.... It's got Custom Shop '69 pickups in it as well.

Like Superhuman said, the guitar generates most of the tone. The amp simply amplifies or colors that tone. What kind of guitar are you working with and what kind of pedals do you have??? If you're tone is too bitey (trebley) try to roll your tone knobs on your guitar back... or use the neck pickup rather than the bridge pickup...

52 ri tele
mid 90's american strat
PRS CE22
and a warmoth strat with the custom (Ithink) 57? pups, i forgot the number but they are the 50s ones, not the fat 50''s.

I've got the same amp (1987 50 watt JCM800) and I hate the clean channel also. Can't beat the distorted channel though, IMO. I've been looking into other amps for my clean tone....

Edit.....Try rolling back on the volume knob a bit, to like the 8 position. Takes the brightness away for me with my LP.

Originally Posted by: jealousblues52 ri tele
mid 90's american strat
PRS CE22
and a warmoth strat with the custom (Ithink) 57? pups, i forgot the number but they are the 50s ones, not the fat 50''s.

Hm... none of those guitars ahve high output pickups so that's probably not the problem. Like FRICK said, try rolling the volume back a littl... This normally bleeds off some of those highs that make your tone sound a bit clanky.

Their are two variations of the 50's pickups.... The ones used in the '54 and the '57/'62 set.... Either are low output. The thing about those pickups though... is that they have a very bell-like tone. Which is bad when you don't want your tone to sound too trebley. One thing you can do is... like I said earlier.... Roll the tone knobs back to the bass side... cut the volume back like FRICK said... and use either the neck/middle switch position or the nec/middle positions... That will help smooth out the sound a little bit. Try that and see if it's to your liking. I use a TS-808 and a Hendrix wah in my chain... I normally leave the wah engaged in the up position to help smooth out the tone when I need that really creamy smooth sounding tone...

get an equalizer pedal......danelectro has one for $30 ....and it will help. if you have cash get a roland jc 120 -----solid state but sweet sounds for clean
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Roland-JC120-Jazz-Chorus-Amp?sku=480003

Originally Posted by: jealousblues52 ri tele
mid 90's american strat
PRS CE22
and a warmoth strat with the custom (Ithink) 57? pups, i forgot the number but they are the 50s ones, not the fat 50''s.

sounds like the guitars are not the problem :cool: