Q. for Bill-Z.. Marshall or Uberschall?

[Endrik]

Phil Collen has been using JMP-1 for many years. When I saw him with Def Leppard a couple of months ago, he had really amazing tone. It was heavy, yet creamy, thick and with ridiculous amount of sustain. When he did all the dive bombs and stuff with whammy bar I couldn't believe how well it cut through everything.

[horns666]

I heard his solo..that dude can go..I wished he would do that more in songs. That's EXACTLY what that preamp can do easily E!!!

Sustain for days!!!

[Endrik]

yeah... actually I got the one of the coolest tones playing with goldtop Les Paul w/ '57 classic pickups (PAF-reissues, more creamier and mellower than burstbuckers) through JMP-1 with TC Electronics delay, VHT preamp and vintage Marshall cab with Greenbacks.
Really creamy and smooth tone, sustain for days.

Btw. even Billy Gibbons is using JMP-1 a lot... he gets one of the crunchiest and ballsiest tone ever.

As far as Phil Collen goes.... I think he really plays the right way.... very underrated player... his note choice is perfect, his feel, tone and vibrato is as good as the best sessions players have. Very very tasty leads which serve the songs perfectly. If you want to see him rip like a maniac... then you have to see him live.

btw. this tune really shows how good JMP-1 is for leads.
Both Vivian and Phil use one. Viv takes the first solo, Phil takes the ending solo... perfect example why I love his playing so much.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0ZXryH-vFU

[horns666]

E Those were both very tatsy solos..Much more than I expected. ..and the song wasn't bad either..hmm. Not the DL I heard in the late '90's. Yeah, I knew Billy Gibbons uses the JMP-1 and he's the ping master..

I kinda re-decovered the Marshall and I using it much more these days.

[Trem]

Awesome tracks man, hah, i typed "tracks" and the chorus was rolling by,...anyway damn, i think i may just go with the jmp-1. I have been trying to figure out what i need to get me there, i just want simple, but i need it to go classic to brutal.
I'd really like to hear the jmp just full throttle, Distortion, cleaned up.
With some chunky riffs, Can you get it tight and less dirty if you need?
I'm teetering on an ADA or the jmp, it's been a long time but i know i heard it many times, never did get the rack bug -thought it was overkill and why you need all them lights and shit to play guitar , i like plug in amp turn up volume eq a bit and play... the jmp seems like it might have more longevity and wider range of sounds...the ADA seems more thick from the get go, i don't know, i'm just perusing sound bites wherever i can to refresh the memory.

[horns666]

I know the MP-1 laid the pipe to alot of 80's shredders. They're cool for that time but I never desired it myself . But I love my Marshall rig's tone big time..and you would too!

[Gunner]

Bill,

Could you use the JMP-1/ JFX-1 and the 9200 with just one cab? Do you need the 9200? Sorry don't know anything about this type of gear. Thanks for your reply.

[horns666]

I aways split them in stero using at least two cabs. Now I use two full stacks like a big set of headphones..

I think most Mashall 1960 cabs are stereo cabs..I'd go that route with one cab I guess. Or use two matching 2 X 12 cabs..I would not to want to mess with what I know, and only use one side..it's a huge part of my tone.

[Robert Burns]

Bill, after reading your life story...(you should be a journalist!)
I was wondering why you just dont go with the 9200/JMP1 on left
channel...and the Uber for the right? Talk about a Marshall with tons
of low end! Wouldnt that sound great? Or is it not a good mix?
Hope your wife is fine now?

[horns666]

Bill, after reading your life story...(you should be a journalist!)
I was wondering why you just dont go with the 9200/JMP1 on left
channel...and the Uber for the right? Talk about a Marshall with tons
of low end! Wouldnt that sound great? Or is it not a good mix?
Hope your wife is fine now?

Hey Rob when I did that Bed Of Nails demo tape..that's exactly what I did. I may be doing that again. I was asked to do an "old school" Gothernburg style project with a friend. Why did I say "yes" after saying no for so long..hmmm he's in a band with Curran Murphy (Neveromre/Annihilator), he found a hottie who sings like Angela (Arch Enemy) and it will be recorded/produced by Neil Kernon..and he's going to pay for all of it. That's a no brainer to me. We were discussing amps and both agreed to record my Marshall first and see how that goes.

[Cleveland Metal]

Back to drinking the JMP-1 cool aid, haha...

If you have to get a JMP-1 (gag) at least get a power amp that's well made and fixable like a VHT or Rivera or even MESA and not a Marshall. Those Marshall rack mount units are crapfully built and a nightmare to service. My EL34 100/100 was in the shop 5-6 times for cold solder joints and other issues. There are like 4 boards stacked on top of each other and they are a bitch to disassemble The warranty guys were pissed everytime I brought it in.

I still say get the uber haha... I've heard bill's stuff. And prefer the Uber by far. Sounds real and organic. Not fizzy and solid statish. Although many a great album has been recorded with much fizz.. I can't stand it.

[horns666]

OK John, you always seem to get your jollies by shitting on the gear you know I love..lame!

You're my bro..maybe THAT is why I NEVER shared my honest opinions of your tone. So...don't.

BTW..when did anyone ask YOUR input on this..you never liked the Uber either..so

[horns666]

Guys, the JMP-1 is a damn fine preamp in the right hands and that's proven! It sure beats buying a MUCH more expensive preamp that may require a stomp, modding, experimenting with various tubes, parametric rack EQs, 9 volt active EMGs and still NOT happy with!!!!

If you want a reliable, versatile, consistant preamp that sounds like a nice Marshall for $250-350 used..the JMP-1 is the only way to go IMO!

[horns666]

Ummm Ok, lets try this gain..this is a revised cut and paste from the first page!!

Rudy is speaking gospel about the Uberschall being one of the sickest amp heads for metal. Weird, Rudy mentioned he uses about 50% of the gain on tap. I was jammin' some VH stuff with my kid today, and had the gain/bass backed off to about 11:00 to get it in the ballpark. It sounded good..actually "too good" for authentic Van Halen. The '78 VH tone is what got me started with this shit. In all reality the Bogner's super organic tone and girth surpassed what I've been chasing up 'till I bought the Uber six years ago. The Uber is by far the best head I've ever played, heard and owned for my style. To be honest my tone is prolly my favorite tone. As much as I worship Jeff Loomis, Steve Stevens, George Lynch, Van Halen, Criss Oliva ect. I wouldn't trade my tone for theirs. I'd certainly like to play like them tho.

At the time I bought my Marshall rack JMP-1/JFX-1/9200 w-5881s/ in '96. I was running two 100wt Marshall JCM800 2210s in stereo into my four Marshall 1960B straight cabs. The tone I always chased was a hybrid of classic Van Halen and latter day Criss Oliva. After going thru countless Marshalls, five 5150s, two Soldanos, the first series Dual Recto, two Ampeg Lee Jackson VL-100s, a shitload of Randalls, a Mesa Boogie Mrk III, and trying lots of VHTs, DR Zs, and everything that crossed my path for years on end. I discovered my favorite tone was from my Marshall 2210s..it was a perfect mix of Van Oliva, and it didn't require a stomp. I was set until I heard the new Marshall flagship in '96, which is my setup. I was instantly blown away. It sounded like a refined and balanced version of my two beloved 2210s in stereo. I had to buy it immediately, I was so fuggin' sold!! I traded those two mint 2210s, my mint sacred G & L bass, my 1985 Tracy Lords Hustler, and some money for it..that day! I remember the 9200 was $1299, the JMP-1 was $699, and the JFX-1 was $499. I loved the way the entire package looked and sounded. I wasn't taking any chances mixing that setup with anything else. I wanted THAT sound so I bought THAT exact package and I've had THAT sound since. I think the JFX-1 has its place in the tone. I've heard JMP-1s/9200 with other FX units and it just wasn't the same. To say I bought "fizzy", "solid statish" bullshit after everything I stated above is absurd! Especially when it was Cleveland Metal that led me to the motherfucker!!

OK now onto what's is better and why IMO! ALL amp "heads" I've ever owned seem to be fussy. From my 5150s to Marshalls to my Uberschall. There's a couple issues I always had with heads. There is G spots with tone and various control knobs that completely fuck up whenever someone touches one or you bump a fucker. Once I nail my tone in..the slightest change fucks me all up all up. It often seems I can't get it back to where it was. Another thing is heads are somewhat inconsistent for no ryhme or reason. One day they sound fucking amazing and the next day like complete shit..and I never touch a fuggin' thing! Lots of human factors play into that tho..ear fatigue for example. Like when your blasing the stereo in your car and its sounds fuggin' cool. You get outta the car go into a store for a while, then return to your car ..turn the key and BAM the stereo blasts a barrage of incoherent white noise and static. But if you just listened to it for a minute your ears will prolly adjust and it'll prolly sound fine again. That is why I ALWAYS dial my amps at band levels..at least with drums. Then I don't touch the tone control at lower volume levels ..maybe just the presence if anything. You get alot of mids and highs just by loud volume levels..because that's where the guitars freqs are anwhoo. Alot of players cut back the highs when tweaking their amps when alone. But as soon as they add drums/cymbals in the mix..it's mud! Add another guitar, then it battle of the midrange honks. I hear a common complaint of too much sizzle. Listen to Panama, Romeo Delight, Kiss of Death, Stand up and shout, Lay it down, Hall of the mountain king..is that too much sizzle? ..Not in that context..no.

The Uberschall and Marshall are apples to oranges but they both have their place and neither of them are going anywhere. If I had to sell one of them..the Uber would go. No ifs, ands or butts. I love the Uber it is the "heaviest" tone I've ever heard, but "heavy" is also in my hands. I've owned the Uber for 6 years now and it prolly improved my playing because its pretty unforgiving. I must hit everything on the money, and warm up until I get just the right touch. I do alot of "pings" and divebombs..its just part of my style but the Uber is touchy with that stuff. Sometimes I spend a great deal of time tweaking. Once I start with tweaking..I could be at it for over an hour and not be content . That's why I'm a prick whenever someone wants to play my shit..don't touch the knobs! Hey, I know the amp better than them..I'll turn the fuggin' knobs! Its my amp that I milked it for all its worth...so.

This is not the case with the Marshall. I would NOT be the player I am today without the Marshall. My tones are programmed in the JMP-1 since '96. If I want to experiment..I have many patches to do that with. But I can go right back into my precise sound in a pinch..and its perfect every time. There is no knobs to bump, no G spots, and it doesn't sound like shit from one day to the next. I know what its going to sound like before I plug in. Its more consistant than anything I've ever owned which allowed me hundreds if not thousands of hours for playing/writing and not tweaking/twiddlin' until blue in the face! The Marshall is set and forget..plug in and play. That is so fuggin' nice.

People think the Marshall is exclusively '80's. that's not true at all. It can do classic Van Halen, Dokken, Ratt, Savatage ect much better than the Uberschall..it just sounds authentic. There is preamps that may have more gain but I don't care. They don't sound like a Marshall..Only the JMP-1 does. It has the crsip clear definition, midrange cut and edge only a Marshall has. I play nothing but my brand of original metal..a hybrid of melodic death, black, power and thrash. That's all I play. These days my tone is prolly much closer to Death/Eidolon/Arch Enemy/Nevermore than Van Halen/Savatage..the Marshall covers that fine because that's how I play. I dialed the Marshall in for heavier shit and my kid loves it because it sounds tighter..which makes me play better..which make us sound kick ass. The Marshall makes me play my very best. He always preferred my Uber because of its mass and heavy awesomeness..but he was really diggin' the way the Marshall sounded, after hearing the Uber for a month straight ..and so was I.

There is nothing I can't do with the Marshall that I do with the Uberschall. I was playing my 7 string and I was doing some Nevermore shit with some crazy squeals that I just can't coax from the Bogner..and I wasn't even trying..I was playing some riffs from the "River Dragon" and I was making the original version actually sound kinda sedate!

So, anything "brutal" or "heavy" is in the hands..it just how you play it. Touch is everything. As long as you have gear tailored and built specically around your playing. I love the way my Uber sounds..it doesn't get any heavier or oragnic than that..but the Marshall is tailored to my playing like no other amp to date. I owe alot to my Marshall and it has treated me very well..maybe I just know how to fuggin' use it.

So if you want my blessing on the JMP-1 and 9200. Make sure you hook up both sides with two cabs and makes sure they sound balanced without any flubs or gliches and you should have no probs. This sounds silly but hunt down a JFX-1. Its designed to go with that rig. I truly believe that is part of the equation. I use it just for a smidge of delay and sometime chorus. I like it better than my G Major. It doesn't do much like pitch effects..but for delays/chorus..it really warms up the Marshall big time. Oh, make sure its the 5881 version..I HATE the EL34 version. There nasily and hardly any bottom end at all..without the "glassy" highs I love so much.

If its a choice between the Marshall and the Uber..man that's hard for me to answer for you. The Marshall and I have 13 years a great history..so its weird y'know. If I didn't have that..hmmm I'd may take the Uber. It would depend on how I play while trying both for the first time. You need an amp to help you play your best..that's what matters most. The Marshall wins hands down there..so

>>>In addition: NO "fizz", or "solid statish" that's pure 100% fuggin' bullshit! Like I said before.. when both the Uber and Marshall are at the same volume levels, the Marhshall walks all over the Uberschall. In fact, I need to turn the Uber's volume and mids up much higher to compete. This Marshall rig has been used by MUCH better players than I, and seen the world many times over. Dedicated Marshall 9200/JMP-1 user include Steve Carpenter, Tore Moren, Magnus Karlsson, Jorn Viggo Lofstad, Billy Gibbons, Phil Collen, Dave Mustaine (post VHT 2150s), Iron Maiden, Adrian Vandenburg, Dragonforce, Judas Preist, Roy Z w/ Bruce Dickinson / Rob Halford, early Soilwork and Dimmu Borgir to name a few...ask yourself, would these artist risk a fucking world tour on poor equipment..including fucking OZZFEST!!!???? Fuck, I still have the same stock fucking Sovteks since '96 in the motherfucker..and I play it constantly..LOUD!!!

This fucker owns!!! I don't give a fuck what anyone says..I'm more than happy..so FUGGUMS!!!!

[Cleveland Metal]

Bleh....

The original poster made a question post... I answered


PS: I've gotten nothing but props on my guitar tone live. Not that you'd know about that Heehee...


(And I've always thought you sounded best on the Uber. By far...)