New to MTS

[strat56]

Hi All,

I just bought an empty RM50 combo on eBay and am trying to decide what modules to buy for it. I've been reading posts on the board for a couple weeks and listened to many sound clips but I'm still undecided. I have no place within at least 65 miles of me that has anything in stock that I can try out, so I need to depend on you all for advice on what to get.

I play Country, Classic Rock (70's and 80's) and Blues. I have a pretty good pedal board, Barber Tone Press, Barber Direct Drive, MXR Carbon Copy, Visual Sound Liquid Chorus, Old Dunlop Cry Baby, EB VP Jr volume pedal and BBE Boosta Grande.

The amps I use most of the time are a Genz Benz Black Pearl 30 1X12 and a modified Fender Blues Jr. I like Fender cleans and EL84 cleans and for overdrive, in the past I've owned some Rivera amps that had a nice tone, and R30 and an R100. A nice Marshally tone I guess is what I'm looking for I guess, something that can do 70's and 80's tones.

For guitars I primarily use an Anderson Drop Top Classic with three mini humbuckers, a Fender Strat and Fender Tele.

I've been thinking about the Blackface and the SL+ but as I can't hear them anywhere with any of my guitars I can't make good decision. The amp I bought has 6L6's in it and I don't think I'm going to get that chimey EL84 class A tone from it or I'd be thinking about a Blackface and a top boost or super V.

Any help any of you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

 

[JKD]

If you really like EL84s...look into a pair of Yellowjackets for 6L6/EL34 amps...the standard YJs do that 'glassy' tone....there's also a pair that run in Triode mode which sound smoother to me...and lower power/less headroom of course.

I think for Marshall...I'd go Plexi (assuming you like to use your OD pedals...) or Brahma (a better Plexi)..both easily capable of doing classic/rock/early heavy rock to metal (with the OD)

The SuperV is an awesomely flexible module...you'd be surprised at how much chime you can get even with 6L6/EL34...you won't get EL84 chime but in certain respects the EQ of the module is tweaked to give that Vox sound with the big, octal power tubes. I think the SuperV (and guitar volume) can do clean/dirty clean/bluesy..right up thru' Hendrix (and beyond with an OD.)

A stock Top Boost is thicker sounding and gainer than the original Vox (and the SuperV module)...a very underrated module for gainier playing IMO.

SL+ is a good option.....there are two versions in existence tho'..one with the more modern DSL/TSL type scoopier voicing and a JCM800 voicing. Can easily get into metal territory with these.
I did not care for the stock SL+..not good on clarity and lacked punch to me.....when I modded my to JCM800 (well actually bought the mod from okstrat)...that's the sound I think of for later Marshall tones.

When you said Country...I immediately thought Deluxe rather than Blackface...but I have no real input here (not my thing)

 

[crankyrayhanky]

I play Country, Classic Rock (70's and 80's) and Blues. .. A nice Marshally tone I guess is what I'm looking for I guess, something that can do 70's and 80's tones.
I don't think I'm going to get that chimey EL84 class A tone from it or I'd be thinking about a Blackface and a top boost or super V.

Welcome aboard!

I think you're actually on target with your first impression: Blackface and SuperV. There's no way you should get a SL+ for the applications you seek- it's too much JCM2000, and even with the 800 mod it's a bit aggressive for your tones.

Otyher candidates would be Tweed, JTM, and Deluxe (a slightly country honk version of Blackface), but I think The BFace and SuperV would be great for your setup.

Those other hi gain mods can do it, but there's plenty of low/midgainers that would match you well

I would say buy used, try many, and flip the ones that you don't need for no loss...and consider having your favorite mods upgraded by a pro like Pete- it really makes a huge difference

 

[strat56]

If you really like EL84s...look into a pair of Yellowjackets for 6L6/EL34 amps...

I think for Marshall...

The SuperV is an awesomely flexible module...

SL+ is a good option.....

When you said Country...

Thanks JKD, I'll certainly look into the Yellow Jackets, with the easy bias of these amps I'd be able to switch between them and the 6L6's pretty easily when the situation called for more wattage.

What you say about the SuperV certainly sounds good, maybe I'll pick one up to go the with the Blackface.

I think of the Deluxe as more of a blues amp than a country amp myself, having grown up around country players that all used Twins or Supers. I know the newest generation of country players are using all kinds of different amps, 65 Amps, Dr. Z, /13 even Marshall. I think that's why I like the El84 tone, the new country twang I guess.

 

[strat56]

Welcome aboard!

I think you're actually on target with your first impression: Blackface and SuperV.

Otyher candidates would be Tweed, JTM, and Deluxe

I would say buy used, try many, and flip the ones that you don't need for no loss...and consider having your favorite mods upgraded by a pro like Pete- it really makes a huge difference

Thanks for your input.

Maybe I'll go with the Blackface and SuperV for the first pair and see how I like it.

I've checked out Pete's site, and his prices seem very reasonable and his reputation on the forum here is stellar.

I've been checking eBay and the classifieds here but don't see many of those two for sale. I have the amp sitting here and can't even try it out

Also can't post a WTB in the classifieds until I have more posts.

 

[iekobrid]

I'm loving the Super V I got last week. It and the Mr. Scary are the only modules I've tried so far that let me turn up the Density knob a bit without feeling like I was playing a tuba. (I normally leave it all the way down.)

Still want to try a Blackface, Deluxe, and TopBoost, though. There's a low-gain, not-quite-clean tone in my head I've been trying to achieve for years, and I'm still not quite there yet. The Super V is the closest so far, followed by -- of all things -- a VHT UltraLead.

 

[crankyrayhanky]

I've been checking eBay and the classifieds here but don't see many of those two for sale

.

used Blackfaces pop up once in a while, but Super V used I think I saw once in a year- so Iguess my buy used and flip it strategy will be tough on that one...maybe a topboost with a lower gain pre tube would work as a cheap replacement? they come around often used

 

[strat56]

I'm loving the Super V I got last week.

Still want to try a Blackface, Deluxe, and TopBoost, though.

Thanks for the reply. Since I have no modules I can't comment on the use of the Density control but I'll keep your comment in mind when I do get to try it out.

 

[strat56]

used Blackfaces pop up once in a while, but Super V used I think I saw once in a year- so Iguess my buy used and flip it strategy will be tough on that one...maybe a topboost with a lower gain pre tube would work as a cheap replacement? they come around often used

I'm thinking I'll give it a couple weeks and if neither shows up I'll just buy new.

 

[9985]

used Blackfaces pop up once in a while, but Super V used I think I saw once in a year- so Iguess my buy used and flip it strategy will be tough on that one...maybe a topboost with a lower gain pre tube would work as a cheap replacement? they come around often used

I'm thinking I'll give it a couple weeks and if neither shows up I'll just buy new.

Another thing to consider- used Clean modules are all over the place for pretty cheap, with the right mods, they supposedly sound very close to a modded Blackface.

I picked up a used Pete modded Deluxe that I like, but it is a bit bass-heavy for my taste, especially if you turn up the gain into bluesy/OD territory. Eventually I'll try a Blackface too. As long as you take care of the modules, they retain their value pretty well so you can resell them easily.

 

[strat56]

Another thing to consider- used Clean modules are all over the place for pretty cheap, with the right mods, they supposedly sound very close to a modded Blackface.

I picked up a used Pete modded Deluxe that I like, but it is a bit bass-heavy for my taste, especially if you turn up the gain into bluesy/OD territory. Eventually I'll try a Blackface too. As long as you take care of the modules, they retain their value pretty well so you can resell them easily.

Thanks, sounds like a good plan, I'll consider that.

 

[strat56]

So far I've purchased an Egnater Single Channel Twin, A SuperV and a Deluxe. Managed to get them all used, so far so good.

I like the tone of the Twin module but it seems to be way quieter than the Deluxe and the SuperV. Anyone else experience anything like that?

I can't tell much difference in the tone turning the Density up or down. The amp has Celestion G12T-75 in it and it sounds really thin with the SuperV. I've got a Hellatone 60 sitting around, maybe I'll put that in it and see if it helps. Might just be the speaker isn't broken in yet, have no idea how much the amp has been used.

I'll do a search on here I guess and see what anyone has been putting in them if they change the speaker.