New RIG day

[jgcable]

Picked up a Marshall 9200, Marshall JMP-1, Furman line conditioner/light all housed in an SKB rolling rack.
The only things missing is an effects processor and a midi foot controller to control both the JMP1 and the effects processor live.
The rack has wheels.. and a retractable handle but it weights.... wait for it.....
just over 100 pounds!!!!

The 9200 is the 2 x 100w rack mount amp running 8 x 5881's. It weights 74lbs by itself!!

I will say that the rig really sounds amazing and can mimic just about any Marshall amplifier.

Everything is circa 1996 I believe. I am in the process of retubing and bias'ing the 9200 and shopping for a single rack space effects processor.

[markD]

Cool! That should deliver some good tone. Have you ever thought about going with an AXE-FX? I know you really liked the Vetta for a long time, and the Fractal stuff blows away that generation of modeling...

Personally, I went 100% Helix and an FRFR cab. I have everything I want right in the unit, plug straight into the FOH live, and have 1000 watts Class D of power in the FRFR for rehearsal. It was the BEST decision I ever made. My tone is clearer than ever before.

[jgcable]

Hey Mark, I have a few touring friends that use either Fractal or Kemper. They really sound amazing. I really need to make the switch but I have SO many tube amps! I picked up the Marshall rig because my buddy really needed the money and was about to pawn the rig.
Last week at my last show I used a Peavey Triple XXX Super 40 EFX with a Framus extension isolation cab loaded with a Celestion Gold. It sounded great. The week before I used a Sovtek MIG50H with a IKKO Diablo distortion pedal out in front through that same Framus cab. The week before that I used the Sovtek with a 4 x 12 Peavey cab loaded with Sheffields. The month before that I used a Marshall 2 x 12 combo on the clean channel with a Metal Muff with top boost out in front. For my next show I am using a B52 ATX100 through a 2 x 12 Randall slant cab loaded with Sheffields. I might use my Carvin V3 though or maybe my Line 6 HD147 (which sounds pretty amazing). I still haven't used my 1984 Carvin X60 live yet but it KILLS at rehearsals. The other 10 or so amps I have laying around are waiting for their turn.
I don't even use the same guitars every show. Sometimes its a Steinberger Transcale, sometimes an Ibanez 7 string.. sometimes a Malmsteen Strat or my Gretsch Electromatic. It all depends on my mood. lol......

[markD]

John - all I can do is laugh!!!! Yeah, you switch it up A LOT, which is why I was thinking Fractal. Just think, a different rig every gig in a small, portable rack...bring along a powered speaker and you are good to go. If you went with the FRFR powered cab, you could even use a different IR cab for every gig. HUNDREDS of amps and cabs at your finger tips that sound AMAZING!!!! It's just what the doctor ordered for an amp-a-holic like you!!!

Anyway, like I said sounds like a killer rig and it was cool that you helped a friend out.

[kamanda]

Killer Rig, I decided to put my power amp in it's own case due to weight issues haha

[Hellbat]

Hey if it's good enough for Iron Maiden...

I'll stick with my 40lbs of Axe FX and powered wedge though thanks hehe.

[Nightbat]

The JMP-1 is probably the only piece of gear I kind of regret selling

[TKEblue]

Nice setup man! A little off topic but how do you like that B52?

[Black Shadow]

Nice! I was too young and broke when the original rack craze was raging, and by the time I got to college, it was over (the de-evolution known as Grunge had taken over and racks dried up). Plus by then, I already had a JCM 800 halfstack, so I was satisfied.

But I have been getting the itch lately to get a rack going. I am a diehard Mesa/Boogie Mark man, so I would probably grab the Quad or Triaxis first, but the 9200 is another flavor that would be worth having.

[Nightbat]

Try to find a Randall RT2/50

It's a switchable poweramp
2 inputs / 2 powersections / 2 outputs (max. 2 cabs each).

The thing is bloody amazing

First of all: 2 separate powersections mean you can have one side have different tubes than the other, biasing is a breeze

Then, there is the switching:
In Single (Mono) mode
Preamp A to channel A or B to one cab
Preamp A to channel A or B each with a different cab attached ( So for example: channel A is 6l6 attached to open back Jensen Cab, channel B is EL34 attached to closed V30 Cab)
Preamp A to channel A, or Preamp B to channel B to 1 Cab
Preamp A to channel A to output A, or Preamp B to channel B to output B, each using their own Cab

In Stereo mode, (in writing they claim 100W stereo but it is 2x50W simultaneously) both powersections are active at the same time and both cabs will be driven by their respective powersections
Using the same tubes/cabs will give you a simple stereo setup, OR you can mix flavours (different powersections driving equal cabs, or equal powersections driving different cabs, or different powersections driving different cabs)
Don't know if switching between 2 preamps is possible in this mode (never used Stereo mode), I do know it activates both inputs, but not if it mixes them or treats them separately

All this done by simple MIDI implementation
(added bonus: it has a "Mute" channel)

The limits are:
-You can't bridge it to 100W mono
-Neither can you switch between Single (Mono) mode/Stereo mode remotely
and you can't arbitrarily switch between preamps, powersections and cabs, meaning:
-You can't go from Preamp A to channel B to Cab A when 2 cabs are attached (in that case powersection B is locked to output B)
-When 2 preamps/1 cab are attached, you can't let preamp A use powersection B (Preamp A is locked to Powersection A),
-and when using 2 preamps AND 2 cabs in single (Mono) mode, they are 'stuck' in their respective channels front to back, A to A to A/B to B to B (technically only switching between 2 total amp setups
and as I already stated,.. unsure if this is also the case in Stereo Mode, logically thinking about the way it switches, I suspect this to be the case as well)

..and like the Marshall 9200, the bugger is a pretty heavy piece of steel)

[catzodellamarina]

I have always played a rack live. I like the convenience of gear in box. I currently use a 5150 III 50-watt in a rack with my wireless and G-Major.

My rack wish list has included a Bogner Fish, Mesa Dual-"Racktifier" and a Rivera TBR series. I have owned a VHT 2902, Peavey 50/50, ADA Microfet 100, Mesa Two-Fifty, Carvin V3M, and still have a MosValve 962 in a homemade box with my old modded Peavey Rockmaster.

[Nightbat]

[jgcable]

Nice setup man! A little off topic but how do you like that B52?

Loving it. I think the B-52 ATX100 head is a very underrated high gain amp. 2 channels. Shimmering clean channel and 2 footswitchable modes of the gain channel which include adjustable volume level and gain level for each. Footswitchable effects loop and reverb. Gain 1 has enough gain on tap for any type of metal by itself. Gain 2 is basically a clone of gain 1 but with a lot more gain. Both gain settings have a contour switch and control so you can scoop the crap out of either if you are into that type of tone. Basically.... with this 1 amp and its stock footswitch you have great clean, and 2 high gain modes. One you can use for rhythm and one for lead. For the price you can get one of these amps for used its probably the deal of the century. If you want to know what amp it sounds the closest to.... its VERY similar to the Carvin V3 but because it has a resonance control you can really add some thump into it.
And another thing... not only can you footswitch from clean to rhythm.. but you can also footswitch between the 2 gain settings.
Giant heavy transformers and actually a pretty decent build quality inside. I heard this amp was designed by Bruce Egnater too. Just like the AT100. This amp addresses the heat issues from the AT100. It includes a nice muffin fan inside. The tech who checked it out for me (mine was dropped off a truck and the case was split (which I repaired) and one of the circuit boards had to be reflowed.... told me he thought it was a surprisingly decent amp.

[TKEblue]

Right on man! One popped up for sale recently for pretty cheap and I was thinking about checking it out. Maybe have to snag one next time. I got the solid state LG100A a while back for next to nothing and was pretty impressed. Controls sound pretty similar but I don't have a footswitch. Haven't played it in a few years, probably get it out tonight and check it out again.