Best module for hot-rodded 80's tone?

[jayd41]

Greetings from the new guy

I recently picked up a RM50 and am loving it so far.
What I am really looking for right now is that hot-rodded Marshall tone from the 80s. High gain, cutting and bursting with harmonics.
I have a Mr. Scary and I have heard that be described as a hot Marshall tone but it seems more modern to my ears. I actually dig it for metal.
I think I am after a Jose-800 type tone or maybe a Freidman BE or HBE.
I know Salvation offers a Jose mode on their Mashall and Freidman will do his own mods. I see Voodoo amps offers HG and UG Jose modules.
Would one of those be my best bet or would something simpler like a lightly modded SL+ maybe work?
How about the Brown module? or maybe a modded Judge?
It sounds like the JF 59RR probably doesn't get as hot as I am looking for but maybe I'm wrong...

I'm just starting out so I'm hoping to learn something from those of you that have already tried out a variety of the modules out there.
Thanks for any insight!

 

[BigBrewtus]

Is your XTC module not fitting the bill in this catagory? I love it for
metal and blues but I think it does a great 80s tone that you described.
Maybe look at a SLO mod.

 

[jayd41]

I'm not completely sold on the XTC yet. It took some some tube swapping and a lot of playing with the eq to find a setting I can get along with.
It seems more lower-mid focused than what I generally associate with the modded Marshall sound. It also seems to get overly bright very quickly once the treble dial gets past about 1 o clock.
I have dialed in a great hard rock/metal tone on it though.

 

[disk11]

I'd support the Marshall/Soldano path.

Here's mattfig's 59RR vid:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewxwUoeLVqQ. The way he runs though the settings should give you a good idea of it's capibilities.

Salvo's Mashall will get you into JVM territory, so it should be enough. Maybe consider Scott Ian 1987 on the Marshall side.

There is also the Salvo Masholdano for the best of both worlds.

 

[BigBrewtus]

What power tubes are you running in the 50? That may be another place to look to tweak your tone a bit.

 

[jayd41]

What power tubes are you running in the 50? That may be another place to look to tweak your tone a bit.

That's a great point, I have 6l6s in right now, I suppose I should see what el34s do to my tone

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Here's a list:

1. Brahma + a boost
2. Brahma with R7 lifted
3. GTO with a few caps removed for more cut
4. SL+ with some tweaks around C13 especially to give it more mid range and less modern sounding.


I personally am finding a lot of these modules to have overlap..... Brahma / GTO really can get you there. I have been cranking my amp and trying to get something on tape. You'll hear soon enough. Hoping to put something up this weekend with the judge and my modded brahma... JF's SLO-100 too.

 

[BigBrewtus]

What power tubes are you running in the 50? That may be another place to look to tweak your tone a bit.

That's a great point, I have 6l6s in right now, I suppose I should see what el34s do to my tone

My 50 has JJ6L6s in it now and Ive had to re-EQ most of my modules to get what I was liking before when I use my 100. I run a pair of EH 6L6s and pair of JJ EL34s in the 100. I have yet to try the EH 6CA7s that should have more of that blend.

 

[Mike P]

What power tubes are you running in the 50? That may be another place to look to tweak your tone a bit.

That's a great point, I have 6l6s in right now, I suppose I should see what el34s do to my tone

I've been using Ruby 6L6's in my RM100 and I love them. Which power tubes are you currently using?

Also, can you provide specific songs? 80's "hot rod" is fairly generic.

This is kind of an 80's sounding track in which I used a Warmoth/Charvel clone with a German Floyd Rose, a JB in the bridge and the Sacred Grooves MK22:

www.mikeplas.com/mlib/mr/sackup.mp3

Is this even close?

 

[chacal]

Salva Masholdano= instant 80's haircut with free ticket to LA Easy to dial Motley Crue/Tyketto/Warrant like tones with.

But yep, you may like EL34 instead of 6L6 to make hi mids growl...

 

[jayd41]

What power tubes are you running in the 50? That may be another place to look to tweak your tone a bit.

That's a great point, I have 6l6s in right now, I suppose I should see what el34s do to my tone

I've been using Ruby 6L6's in my RM100 and I love them. Which power tubes are you currently using?

Also, can you provide specific songs? 80's "hot rod" is fairly generic.

This is kind of an 80's sounding track in which I used a Warmoth/Charvel clone with a German Floyd Rose, a JB in the bridge and the Sacred Grooves MK22:

www.mikeplas.com/mlib/mr/sackup.mp3

Is this even close?

I have JJ 6l6's in. I do have a pair of EL34's that I'll have to drop in. I would like to try KT88's and KT77's at some point also.

As far as specific songs, something like motley crue's wild side or even ratt's round and round is decent.

That clip sounded pretty good. That's just a JMP clone right? Was there more gain on tap with that mod or was that at the edge?


Thanks for all the suggestions and help so far from everyone, I really do appreciate it.

 

[drewiv]

As far as specific songs, something like motley crue's wild side or even ratt's round and round is decent.

Salvation Salvado Deluxe, Salvation Salvado Deluxe, Salvation Salvado Deluxe.

 

[m0jo]

As far as specific songs, something like motley crue's wild side or even ratt's round and round is decent.

Salvation Salvado Deluxe, Salvation Salvado Deluxe, Salvation Salvado Deluxe.

You are correct sir!

 

[drewiv]

As far as specific songs, something like motley crue's wild side or even ratt's round and round is decent.

Salvation Salvado Deluxe, Salvation Salvado Deluxe, Salvation Salvado Deluxe.

You are correct sir!

I know I was the one that requested the Mash-oldano and Anthony put his creative juices into that one. The Mash-oldano is a fantastic module and I love it, it won't go anywhere. BUT I find myself using my Salvado Deluxe for anything 80s. It just fits the bill and nails the feeling. Your clips of it rock m0jo, BTW.

 

[Mike P]

I have JJ 6l6's in. I do have a pair of EL34's that I'll have to drop in. I would like to try KT88's and KT77's at some point also.

We all hear differently but I'm not a fan of anything JJ, preamp or power amp. I use ARS 12ax7's in the preamp and Ruby's in the power amp. They're cleaner and clearer on the top and bottom, yet I don't have any problems with the mids, either.

As far as specific songs, something like motley crue's wild side or even ratt's round and round is decent.

"Round and Round" is a Marshall JMP, although I can't remember if it was a four input or two input. I don't know what was used on "Wild Side" but it sounds like an early 80's JCM800 (which were different than the later vintage).

That clip sounded pretty good. That's just a JMP clone right? Was there more gain on tap with that mod or was that at the edge?

The MK22 is a two input JMP clone with the gain cranked. The Bright switch was off, so the module could have much more treble and even more gain (the bright switch adds an additional gain stage). I'm listening to "Wild Side" right now on Spotify and the guitars have less gain than the track I posted but WS is much brighter.

All of that said, I have a feeling you'll be happiest with one of Salvation's Soldano models, whether it's the Deluxe, Mash-oldano or X88.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Ahh MikeP, you had me at "bright" :wink: Wild Side is very trebly and crunchy. Cuts like a knife.

As for Round and Round, that album was tracked with 4 input Marshalls for the most part but the leads were Warren's little Fender amp into a Marshall. This is from Warren's mouth himself in interviews. It just sounded right for the leads apparently. I'm a huge Warren fan and I concur, great tone on those albums... actually, on any Ratt album except the first one with "tell the world". That was a piece of crap..

 

[Mike P]

Ahh MikeP, you had me at "bright" :wink: Wild Side is very trebly and crunchy. Cuts like a knife.

It "cuts" but it's boxy sounding without much gain.

As for Round and Round, that album was tracked with 4 input Marshalls for the most part but the leads were Warren's little Fender amp into a Marshall. This is from Warren's mouth himself in interviews. It just sounded right for the leads apparently. I'm a huge Warren fan and I concur, great tone on those albums... actually, on any Ratt album except the first one with "tell the world". That was a piece of crap..

The first round album may have been recorded that way but the others were the Soldano. I find it hard to believe to that the solos on the first album were a Fender Champ plugged into a 4 input Marshall. To my ears, it sounds just like a JMP with a Boss GE7 and possibly a little gain from a Tube Screamer. I'll have to ask around on that one.

I've never been particularly enamored with Warren's tone on those records because it sounded like a Charvel and a Marshall, which for lack of a better word, was pretty "stock" in the 80's and easy to replicate.

Also, never believe anything you read in interviews. For whatever reason, guys back then always lied about everything.

 

[m0jo]

I've never been particularly enamored with Warren's tone on those records because it sounded like a Charvel and a Marshall, which for lack of a better word, was pretty "stock" in the 80's and easy to replicate.

There ain't nothing wrong with "stock 80s tone" :lol:
My fav sound. Especially the overkill on verb and echo haha, pure awesome IMO.

The first round album may have been recorded that way but the others were the Soldano. I find it hard to believe to that the solos on the first album were a Fender Champ plugged into a 4 input Marshall. To my ears, it sounds just like a JMP with a Boss GE7 and possibly a little gain from a Tube Screamer. I'll have to ask around on that one.

It definitly sounds that way, Round and round is def. Marshall and the rest sounds like Soldano to me.

How would one use a Champ plugged into a Marshall? Wouldn't wiring the Champ's speaker out into the Marshall blow up the Champ?

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

This will tell you all you need to know... Warren is pretty straight up. I'd assume that yes MikeP, the Marshalls were probably boosted by the furman EQ's or a tube screamer in spots.. Reach for the Sky onward is Soldano though dancing undercover I think sounds a lot like a Soldano to me too though it was apparently Marshall. Anyway see this short interview.... th leads on out of the cellar (only that album) were a Fender Super champ, not slaved, straight hookup into one of the speakers in a Marshall 4 x 12.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5-o18PH7rs&feature=related

 

[Mike P]

This will tell you all you need to know... Warren is pretty straight up. I'd assume that yes MikeP, the Marshalls were probably boosted by the furman EQ's or a tube screamer in spots.. Reach for the Sky onward is Soldano though dancing undercover I think sounds a lot like a Soldano to me too though it was apparently Marshall. Anyway see this short interview.... th leads on out of the cellar (only that album) were a Fender Super champ, not slaved, straight hookup into one of the speakers in a Marshall 4 x 12.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5-o18PH7rs&feature=related

LOL.

FYI, Mike Soldano & Reinhold Bogner were modding amps before they introduced their own lines.