This channel is amazing, the idea of mods was always a huge mystery to me, never thought of actually getting my SL100 or 50W JMP modded so they’re both stock but now can understand exactly what goes in to getting those iconic sounds with 50 year old amps, great work 👏🏻👏🏻
Sounds great!! The Jose diode clipping makes the chords ring out forever as opposed to fading out. Beginning of Summer Nights for example. I tried it on my 2203 with transistors but I want to try the zeners your using here. The nice thing about a tube buffered effects loop is the make up gain you can use in conjunction with this type of mod which drops the amps volume.
@@HeadfirstAmps yes I've just tried them and love them. I pushed them with a ClinchFX EP-PRE capture that also you uploaded, and a EP Boost. And I tried also with a TS9. Do you recommend any pedal in special to boost into lead? Love all your captures, waiting for that 59 with Stealth mod that you uploaded a short!
Great work Jason, sound killer! I'd like if you could implement a modded SuperBass style mod. The SL tones are great however no ones done a modded SB vibe. Any chance you could go for a Allman Bros / Clapton cranked SB tone with one of your mods?
To me, the plexi on the variac sounded like the classic cranked plexi tone that has just a bit of a spongey/sag feel in the low end. And the diodes sound a touch brighter and tighter. To me anyway. I could have it all wrong. But both ways are very cool tones! Can!t go wrong with either! 😎👍🏻
Eddie often claimed he used the variac to drop the volume while still running the amp on 10. But you can't believe anything he said, he was never honest about these things. He also said at one time that he would use the variac to crank the voltage and watch the tubes melt. No disrespect to him, he was and always will be one of the greatest guitarists and innovators of all time, just unfortunate that he felt the need to spread misinformation all the time.
He definitely said he used the variac to move the vintage up, this was to throw people off the scent. He did however absolutely run the amp on 10, everything dimed, with the variac down to 75% of wall voltage. It not just drops the volume but also changes the feel of the amp.
@@HeadfirstAmps Yes. I haven't had the opportunity to try it myself, but it's very fascinating. If only I could get my plexi to behave the same way at lower volumes, I probably wouldn't have the hearing issues that I have now!
There was more context to that comment than youre letting on. Eddie said he thought cranking the voltage would make the amp hotter=more gain but he was melting amps. Thats what he said. While close to what you said, the tone is very different. And he also said in the same guitar magazine that he turned the variac down after he thought he hurt the amp. Thats how he stumbled onto the lower voltage sag brown sound. Dave Friedman put to rest that the amp was anything modded. He looked at eddies super lead and it was completely stock. Eddie cranked every knob to 10 which pushed maximum gain out of the amp.
Jason. The plexi on variac sound. I like it,like it a lot. So is that a standard plexi on a variac at 180 volts ? Fantastic mods btw,i love your channel. But i kinda wanted to clear up exactly what you're using for that plexi on variac sound. Thanks jason awesome stuff
Just a thought, why not use a MosFET/VVR with a preset instead of external pot - use that to set the HT to 190v and replace the SPDT switch you added on the back with a DPDT to switch both the bias and the HT voltage at the same time. That would remove the risk of using the wrong bias switch setting for the given HT voltage and has the added advantage of not needing to lug a variac around.
The plexi on the variac on 5150 was bang on, stunning tone and excellent playing! Have you tried a Kemper and would a profile of this setup be possible? I'm sure it would sell, I would definitely be buying it! Liked and subscribed
I have a Quad Cortex now, but have owned a Kemper previously. The Jose profiles well, but a cranked Plexi nobly so much. The profilers struggle with amps that have power stage distortion in my experience.
@@HeadfirstAmps haven't tried the quad cortex as I'm still happy with the kemper. If you do ever create a profile of this and your own amps, I would be making some purchases! Look forward to seeing future videos.
I'm convinced he used a standard 68 superlead with a variac and a few pedals, the rest was Eddie and the way he played, you could have everything the same and sound nothing like him. It's all in his hands and touch. This is the nearest I've heard from a 68 replica th-cam.com/video/tqLxmsvLE7M/w-d-xo.htmlsi=QtOmjnTmE6SSmtwX and this is Eddie's dry signal according to fender man th-cam.com/video/nfNz0uQ1Kno/w-d-xo.htmlsi=7h8ClAA2uA0sQLDk amazing what you can find on here. Oh and I just found this th-cam.com/video/sS-5ZgU4i_E/w-d-xo.htmlsi=-H5InBvX36nhIyOT
I still don’t understand modifying an amplifier. If you want an amplifier, that sounds like an EVH. Just buy an EVH I mean am I missing the whole point of this? I bought a JCM 800 because I like the sound. I’m not gonna change it. If I wanted a different sounding amp, I would buy a different sounding amp
Completely missing the point. This amp is nothing like an EVH 5150. We mod amps because we can, and you can deliver a tone and feel that you can't buy off the rack. Unique.
@@HeadfirstAmps yeah man to each his own. Spend your money however, you want to. But I thought I read the title right modifying a 1987X4 EVH tones. I’m not bashing anybody but I’m just saying if you’re trying to modify an amp to sound like an EVH amp just by an EVH. I mean am I just crazy or is that not what the title says? If that’s not what it means, then I’m totally missing this.
@@HeadfirstAmpsThis dude just doesn't get it Jason lol. Let him flush wayyy too much money down the toilet buying overpriced off the rack. For example I have a Jet City 22H that I've modded to hell and back with mini switches, extra pots, changed from EL84 to 6L6s and completely redid the OD channel and it's a thing of beauty. It's also so damn FUN lol. Keep living the mod life brother, your stuff is top shelf and I wish I could afford one of your 3 channel gorgeous beasts 🤘🤘🤘
So good. I can't wait to get this back to crank it! Thanks Jason, you're a wizard.
Love this guy’s videos. Learn so much from him. Sounds great!
Thanks for watching!
What a genius mod to do, amazing work and even more importantly, amazing tones Jason!
Thanks Ed, appreciate it mate.
That bottom end sag from the variac.... *Chef's Kiss
You never cease to amaze me Jason. Brilliant work, Outstanding tones, Stellar playing. Great job man !!!
Wow, thanks Lech! 🙏
This channel is amazing, the idea of mods was always a huge mystery to me, never thought of actually getting my SL100 or 50W JMP modded so they’re both stock but now can understand exactly what goes in to getting those iconic sounds with 50 year old amps, great work 👏🏻👏🏻
Just incredible talent and work! Simply amazing!
Wow, thank you!
That’s so Cool. Great Job. Sounds amazing.
Sounds great!! The Jose diode clipping makes the chords ring out forever as opposed to fading out. Beginning of Summer Nights for example. I tried it on my 2203 with transistors but I want to try the zeners your using here. The nice thing about a tube buffered effects loop is the make up gain you can use in conjunction with this type of mod which drops the amps volume.
Amazing diode clipping sounds, the variac sound is farty on palm mutes, works so much better with diodes instead!
Yeah, that’s it!
That Marshall 1987X sounds killer man!
Hot damn, Jason that is one KILLER sounding amp! Thanks for the walkthrough... even though I can only follow about 70% of it! Haha!
Haha, happy to share 👍
Same here.
Frikkin Excellent...... Party at your place Joshy!
So good, always love what you do!
Hey Steve! Happy New Year. Thanks man!
@@HeadfirstAmps And Happy New Year to you Jason! Hope all is well out there.
When the the video started, I started screaming ‘Running with the Deviiillllll!’ at work.
Got looks from coworkers but it felt good.
Very nice! I like the diode clipping after the tone stack :)
Sounds amazing!
Amazing tones, great Quad Cortex captures you did on this, thanks!
Glad you enjoyed them! I’ve got them loaded up right now!
@@HeadfirstAmps yes I've just tried them and love them. I pushed them with a ClinchFX EP-PRE capture that also you uploaded, and a EP Boost. And I tried also with a TS9. Do you recommend any pedal in special to boost into lead? Love all your captures, waiting for that 59 with Stealth mod that you uploaded a short!
That sounds just amazing, by far the best sounding brown sound IMO maybe better than Eddie's. Just kick ass great Work Jason
Wow, thanks Scott. Seriously.
Nailing it right there mate! Well done!
Yes what Ed S just said! 🔥🔥🔥
The only bad thing is you are in Australia! Thats very far away🤣🤣🤣! Great video🤘🏽
🤘
Sounds good on the variac
Yeah, that's the sound
Great work Jason, sound killer! I'd like if you could implement a modded SuperBass style mod. The SL tones are great however no ones done a modded SB vibe. Any chance you could go for a Allman Bros / Clapton cranked SB tone with one of your mods?
Metroplex Superplex
You got a Frankie!!
Great great tone dude 🎉❤
Yes, great work!🎉
All of those tones, Monstrous. 👏
Hey Rick, how’s things man! Glad you liked the tones!!
Hey Jason watched this video thanks it’s awesome but got a question,Can I do this mod with a Master PA with four inputs.Greetings
Sounds amazing you are a true sound Scaper💯🎶🎸👍
Thanks Guy!
Well I think you nailed those options !! Well F’n Done!!!
Tnx Paul!
Waiting for a Lee Jackson mod!😊
Great tone! Which pickup are using ima?
That’s a completely stock EVH Frankie, so whatever they come with that’s what’s in there.
Great video! Super informative 😁
With these mods does the stock effects loop work correctly with delay pedals? Or is it not very useable like when you have a post phase master volume?
To me, the plexi on the variac sounded like the classic cranked plexi tone that has just a bit of a spongey/sag feel in the low end. And the diodes sound a touch brighter and tighter. To me anyway. I could have it all wrong. But both ways are very cool tones! Can!t go wrong with either! 😎👍🏻
Totally agree
Spot on!
Brilliant
Eddie often claimed he used the variac to drop the volume while still running the amp on 10. But you can't believe anything he said, he was never honest about these things. He also said at one time that he would use the variac to crank the voltage and watch the tubes melt. No disrespect to him, he was and always will be one of the greatest guitarists and innovators of all time, just unfortunate that he felt the need to spread misinformation all the time.
He definitely said he used the variac to move the vintage up, this was to throw people off the scent. He did however absolutely run the amp on 10, everything dimed, with the variac down to 75% of wall voltage. It not just drops the volume but also changes the feel of the amp.
@@HeadfirstAmps Yes. I haven't had the opportunity to try it myself, but it's very fascinating. If only I could get my plexi to behave the same way at lower volumes, I probably wouldn't have the hearing issues that I have now!
There was more context to that comment than youre letting on. Eddie said he thought cranking the voltage would make the amp hotter=more gain but he was melting amps. Thats what he said. While close to what you said, the tone is very different. And he also said in the same guitar magazine that he turned the variac down after he thought he hurt the amp. Thats how he stumbled onto the lower voltage sag brown sound. Dave Friedman put to rest that the amp was anything modded. He looked at eddies super lead and it was completely stock. Eddie cranked every knob to 10 which pushed maximum gain out of the amp.
Sounds great 💪🏽Do you prefer Silver Mica for peaker also? The older marshalls most of the time have ceramic am I right?
Jason.
The plexi on variac sound. I like it,like it a lot.
So is that a standard plexi on a variac at 180 volts ?
Fantastic mods btw,i love your channel.
But i kinda wanted to clear up exactly what you're using for that plexi on variac sound.
Thanks jason awesome stuff
Can you build the exact same amp with everything you just mentioned here for US power outlet? Or the 110v 60HZ will change the tone?
Won’t change the tone. The Alta and Evil Joe do all these tones.
Eddie’s amp was not modded it was stock and he used it with the Variac.
Just a thought, why not use a MosFET/VVR with a preset instead of external pot - use that to set the HT to 190v and replace the SPDT switch you added on the back with a DPDT to switch both the bias and the HT voltage at the same time. That would remove the risk of using the wrong bias switch setting for the given HT voltage and has the added advantage of not needing to lug a variac around.
Only that’s a far more complex mod.
Which amp do you like better: a plexi cascaded modded amp like this video, or the jcm800 JEL modded amp?
They are the same really, it only depends on where in the preamp you put the gain pot
Hi Jason ! So for the "Plexi on variac" side, you just add a switch to adjust the bias, nothing else on the classic Plexi circuit is touched ?
Just the bias adjustment
The plexi on the variac on 5150 was bang on, stunning tone and excellent playing! Have you tried a Kemper and would a profile of this setup be possible? I'm sure it would sell, I would definitely be buying it! Liked and subscribed
I have a Quad Cortex now, but have owned a Kemper previously. The Jose profiles well, but a cranked Plexi nobly so much. The profilers struggle with amps that have power stage distortion in my experience.
@@HeadfirstAmps haven't tried the quad cortex as I'm still happy with the kemper. If you do ever create a profile of this and your own amps, I would be making some purchases! Look forward to seeing future videos.
7:30 awesome tones! They're all fantastic but 7:30 really cuts!
awesome tone is the jose mod what mick mars used on dr feelgood?
Jose mod without diodes. Pete Thorn has a video on it.
kia ora bro
Chur
Another killer amp. I'm curious why you didn't change the Mid tone pot value like Eddie's original amp? Would it mess with the other mods?
Yeah, it’s ok for a variac Plexi but I prefer the stock tone stank elsewhere
@@HeadfirstAmps cool, thanks for the reply!
beautiful!....i guess you know the One wire mod...or R/T mod...do you like that one???
Nah, don’t like it. I’d prefer to shape it myself.
@@HeadfirstAmps Right!....great video!...i think i'm going for it on my 1959x...do you like these modern transformers ( Dagnall? )
Do you have a mod for the Origin 20 that will get in this ballpark??
Yes. The original mod with the diode clipping added.
wow.... just a question, have you captured this amp with Quad Cortex ?
Amazing. I really have gas for a 1987x
Which zener diodes did you use here Jason? A couple of 20 volt? Thanks.
Yeah, nothing too Squishy
are the clipping diodes always in circuit bo matter the input you use?
They can be. They are switchable with the Master Vol push pull pot.
hi mate, Is this pcb available for purchasing ?
No PCB here, I’m modding the Marshall ST1 board.
I'm convinced he used a standard 68 superlead with a variac and a few pedals, the rest was Eddie and the way he played, you could have everything the same and sound nothing like him. It's all in his hands and touch. This is the nearest I've heard from a 68 replica th-cam.com/video/tqLxmsvLE7M/w-d-xo.htmlsi=QtOmjnTmE6SSmtwX and this is Eddie's dry signal according to fender man th-cam.com/video/nfNz0uQ1Kno/w-d-xo.htmlsi=7h8ClAA2uA0sQLDk amazing what you can find on here. Oh and I just found this th-cam.com/video/sS-5ZgU4i_E/w-d-xo.htmlsi=-H5InBvX36nhIyOT
I still don’t understand modifying an amplifier. If you want an amplifier, that sounds like an EVH. Just buy an EVH I mean am I missing the whole point of this? I bought a JCM 800 because I like the sound. I’m not gonna change it. If I wanted a different sounding amp, I would buy a different sounding amp
Completely missing the point. This amp is nothing like an EVH 5150. We mod amps because we can, and you can deliver a tone and feel that you can't buy off the rack. Unique.
@@HeadfirstAmps yeah man to each his own. Spend your money however, you want to. But I thought I read the title right modifying a 1987X4 EVH tones. I’m not bashing anybody but I’m just saying if you’re trying to modify an amp to sound like an EVH amp just by an EVH. I mean am I just crazy or is that not what the title says? If that’s not what it means, then I’m totally missing this.
@@thefilthygringo9228 Early Van Halen tones, not tones of an EVH 5150. The two sounds are completely different.
@@thefilthygringo9228 dense
@@HeadfirstAmpsThis dude just doesn't get it Jason lol. Let him flush wayyy too much money down the toilet buying overpriced off the rack. For example I have a Jet City 22H that I've modded to hell and back with mini switches, extra pots, changed from EL84 to 6L6s and completely redid the OD channel and it's a thing of beauty. It's also so damn FUN lol. Keep living the mod life brother, your stuff is top shelf and I wish I could afford one of your 3 channel gorgeous beasts 🤘🤘🤘