The SL-X was the best sounding 900 they made IMO. I had one in the late 90's and traded it in for a JCM2K DSL. Young me was kinda dumb and hard headed. Should have just kept the SL-X.
What an awesome education you have! 👍 I've no idea how you went about getting that education, were you ever a gear tech for a touring band? Touring bands need gear fixed on the road; you'd be pretty handy to have around under those circumstances; I'm sure they'd take good care of you 😊 from: Scranton, Pennsylvania
I can get inside one of my amps now my new Hakko soldering station has arrived today. I went cheap last time and bought a Hakko knock off. It worked great the first time for a pickup swap. The next time I went to use it the tip was already kaput (solder would melt on the shaft of the tip, but not on the point). The hot air gun on the knock off solder station is still useful though. Heat shrink. P.S. For ages I saw folks online dissing JCM 900 for having diode clipping and saying it must be all tube etc. But people like all the amps with versions Jose mods, which are usually diode clipping. Lots of current high gain amps use it and or FET boosts in the front end etc. Guitar players on forums get some funny ideas sometimes. BTW. I read Tony Iommi used modded Marshall amps on the Heaven and Hell album. I really like that tone. I wonder what the mods were. I have a Silver Jubilee mini, but also a well built JMP 1987 replica. I sometimes think about mods, but can not make my mind up what to do. It does a great vintage Plexi crunch, so I do not want to risk losing that. Maybe just change the shared cathode to split, perhaps bright cap options, and just set the rest of it up like a 1987X (I think Marshall got that amp reissue really right tonally at least)
People dissing diode clipping while using overdrive pedals with diode, transistor, or both clipping them in them makes me laugh. Good tones good tone, who cares whether it’s coming from silicon or a tube?
@@Jonathan_Doe_ Or from an algorithm. Since writing that comment an hour ago I spent the whole time mucking about with my new Softube Amp Room Marshall Edition. I only meant to spend a few minutes seeing what difference some EQ tweaks made to a preset I have worked on. I liked the tone so much I kept playing. That's what it's all about for me. Get a tone I like and lose myself playing and trying to invent riffs and licks etc. I do not care how I got that tone. That said, I do hear a difference when running my amps into a load box and IRs compared to modelling, but to be honest the difference is not enough to make the hassle of using a real amp worth it. Not for noodling and practice at least.
@@aquilarossa5191 I was with you on your first comment, then nah man you can't beat a real tube amp. I know modelers are convenient and I've used them in the past only to go back to the real thing. But yeah for practice and messing about are fine.
Love you, man! really wish I lived closer and could get in the queue for my AC30cc2x. Do you rec anyone in the Bay Area? Ps: did I hear some Kyuss or was it Crüe?! - you had me at A Forest btw (other vid). ❤
Have you worked on any of the Marshall reissues, the 800 or 1987x to be specific? If so what did you think of the quality of workmanship compared to their older stuff like this one in the video? You did make it sound great btw.
Hey Lyle. I'm cobbling together a princeton reverb clone without tremolo, which has left me with a spare triode. I'm planning on using it for a parallel triode gain stage to lower noise in the amp, either in V1 or for the reverb recovery - which do you think would have the greater impact? Cheers! Your channel has become invaluable as an intermediate resource as well, by the way. Between you and Uncle Doug, the amount of free education you can get on RUclips about amps is legitimately mind-boggling.
I dunno, that gain sensitivity knob just makes setting the amount of gain more complicated that just having a pre-amp gain and a master volume, and its really not as clearly useful. Yeah there were a couple of spots there when you were playing with knobs where it sounded OK... but I'll stick with my 2203. But hey, good job as always getting it back to health.🤘
I think the point of sensitivity is to balance the master volume with whatever gig you are at. If you need to be quieter; you turn up the sensitivity and turn down master volume to replicate power amp breakup at lower volumes. You’re basically keeping the gain knob where you like it for all out volume; but readjust the sensitivity and master volume to suit the venue you’re playing. Trick is to find where you like the gain and never touch it again. As master volume goes up, sensitivity goes down and as master volume goes down compensate with raising sensitivity.
@@voxpathfinder15r I understand your argument as the gain from the Preamp Volume cascades into the Gain Sensitivity gain. Just as in a one pre amp gain knob situation where that gain can cascade into an overdriven power amp. However, I would look at the two gain controls more as differend types of gain. The Preamp Volume is a darker gainier type, that boosts low end after 8. The Gain Sensitivity is a brighter, glassier and smoother type of gain. With both contols you can mix the flavours and achieve different overdriven sounds. A lot more variety than with just one gain knob. And of a differend kind than power tube saturation. Which can still be achieved on top of one of the two or both pre amp gain flavours.
I noticed that you didnt change the grid resistors from the board to the tube sockets. Acording to the schematic one tube has 1.5k and its pair 3k ohms. Is that ok in your opinion? I made that change on a friend's amp after watching a video that states that because of that layout one tube gets driven harder than its pair. Thank you.
Yes but notice that the 1.5k on the tube sockets are fed from the 1.5k on the board. The socket with no resistor gets fed from 1.5k, but the socket with a resistor will be add up to 3k because they are wired in series.
I learn this from the guitar rescue channel. The guy states that this causes an unbalance on tube wear. I'm no repair tech and I trust you expertise so my question was if the guy was right about this. I did make this change on a friend's amp because it made sense.
Never liked the 900’s! They always sound harsh and un-musical💩! They should have stopped at the JCM800’s.. I do love my 2 Astoria Custom’s. Those amps sound pretty Great! Too bad they only made them 3 years..😳 they never advertised them …😳
The SL-X was the best sounding 900 they made IMO. I had one in the late 90's and traded it in for a JCM2K DSL.
Young me was kinda dumb and hard headed. Should have just kept the SL-X.
I have a 50 watter, with KT77’s. Great amp. This model was used on Weezer’s first big album and Offspring’s big album.
Man, I just gotta say, I love this channel
Uncle Doug is pretty good as well.
I think this is a nice sounding amp. It just needs the proper tubes and a proper bias. Nice repair!
Thank you once again Lyle for sharing your knowledge and expertise.
Really know your stuff awesome sir
What an awesome education you have! 👍 I've no idea how you went about getting that education, were you ever a gear tech for a touring band? Touring bands need gear fixed on the road; you'd be pretty handy to have around under those circumstances; I'm sure they'd take good care of you 😊 from: Scranton, Pennsylvania
I can get inside one of my amps now my new Hakko soldering station has arrived today. I went cheap last time and bought a Hakko knock off. It worked great the first time for a pickup swap. The next time I went to use it the tip was already kaput (solder would melt on the shaft of the tip, but not on the point). The hot air gun on the knock off solder station is still useful though. Heat shrink.
P.S. For ages I saw folks online dissing JCM 900 for having diode clipping and saying it must be all tube etc. But people like all the amps with versions Jose mods, which are usually diode clipping. Lots of current high gain amps use it and or FET boosts in the front end etc. Guitar players on forums get some funny ideas sometimes.
BTW. I read Tony Iommi used modded Marshall amps on the Heaven and Hell album. I really like that tone. I wonder what the mods were. I have a Silver Jubilee mini, but also a well built JMP 1987 replica. I sometimes think about mods, but can not make my mind up what to do. It does a great vintage Plexi crunch, so I do not want to risk losing that. Maybe just change the shared cathode to split, perhaps bright cap options, and just set the rest of it up like a 1987X (I think Marshall got that amp reissue really right tonally at least)
People dissing diode clipping while using overdrive pedals with diode, transistor, or both clipping them in them makes me laugh. Good tones good tone, who cares whether it’s coming from silicon or a tube?
@@Jonathan_Doe_ Or from an algorithm. Since writing that comment an hour ago I spent the whole time mucking about with my new Softube Amp Room Marshall Edition. I only meant to spend a few minutes seeing what difference some EQ tweaks made to a preset I have worked on. I liked the tone so much I kept playing. That's what it's all about for me. Get a tone I like and lose myself playing and trying to invent riffs and licks etc. I do not care how I got that tone.
That said, I do hear a difference when running my amps into a load box and IRs compared to modelling, but to be honest the difference is not enough to make the hassle of using a real amp worth it. Not for noodling and practice at least.
@@aquilarossa5191 I was with you on your first comment, then nah man you can't beat a real tube amp. I know modelers are convenient and I've used them in the past only to go back to the real thing. But yeah for practice and messing about are fine.
I almost always like to go to reverb and see what the amps that you feature are selling for. KUTGW!
Second go around was more magnificent for sure 👍.
These are amps are definitely a “so close but no cigar” amp from Marshall.
Love you, man! really wish I lived closer and could get in the queue for my AC30cc2x. Do you rec anyone in the Bay Area? Ps: did I hear some Kyuss or was it Crüe?! - you had me at A Forest btw (other vid). ❤
Have you worked on any of the Marshall reissues, the 800 or 1987x to be specific? If so what did you think of the quality of workmanship compared to their older stuff like this one in the video? You did make it sound great btw.
I would like to hear you opinion on Blackstar Artisan 15 amp...if you get your hands one day on it
Cold bias could affect also output level and headroom/punch of the amp?
Cool!!!!!
Hey Lyle. I'm cobbling together a princeton reverb clone without tremolo, which has left me with a spare triode. I'm planning on using it for a parallel triode gain stage to lower noise in the amp, either in V1 or for the reverb recovery - which do you think would have the greater impact? Cheers!
Your channel has become invaluable as an intermediate resource as well, by the way. Between you and Uncle Doug, the amount of free education you can get on RUclips about amps is legitimately mind-boggling.
Thanks. I would say a paralleled stage doesn’t offer much benefit in a Princeton but a long tailed pair PI would.
I dunno, that gain sensitivity knob just makes setting the amount of gain more complicated that just having a pre-amp gain and a master volume, and its really not as clearly useful. Yeah there were a couple of spots there when you were playing with knobs where it sounded OK... but I'll stick with my 2203.
But hey, good job as always getting it back to health.🤘
I think the point of sensitivity is to balance the master volume with whatever gig you are at. If you need to be quieter; you turn up the sensitivity and turn down master volume to replicate power amp breakup at lower volumes. You’re basically keeping the gain knob where you like it for all out volume; but readjust the sensitivity and master volume to suit the venue you’re playing. Trick is to find where you like the gain and never touch it again. As master volume goes up, sensitivity goes down and as master volume goes down compensate with raising sensitivity.
@@voxpathfinder15r I understand your argument as the gain from the Preamp Volume cascades into the Gain Sensitivity gain. Just as in a one pre amp gain knob situation where that gain can cascade into an overdriven power amp. However, I would look at the two gain controls more as differend types of gain. The Preamp Volume is a darker gainier type, that boosts low end after 8. The Gain Sensitivity is a brighter, glassier and smoother type of gain. With both contols you can mix the flavours and achieve different overdriven sounds. A lot more variety than with just one gain knob. And of a differend kind than power tube saturation. Which can still be achieved on top of one of the two or both pre amp gain flavours.
Lyle, your wife is a saint!
She is, but in this case I made the noises while she was at work.
@@PsionicAudio you and I are both extremely lucky to have supportive spouses that encourage our passion.
😎👍
Do you still service amps? I sent you an email.
I noticed that you didnt change the grid resistors from the board to the tube sockets. Acording to the schematic one tube has 1.5k and its pair 3k ohms. Is that ok in your opinion? I made that change on a friend's amp after watching a video that states that because of that layout one tube gets driven harder than its pair. Thank you.
This one had 1.5K on two tubes and none on the other two. I was ready to add the missing ones if needed.
But it was fine as-is.
Yes but notice that the 1.5k on the tube sockets are fed from the 1.5k on the board. The socket with no resistor gets fed from 1.5k, but the socket with a resistor will be add up to 3k because they are wired in series.
You’re right, I figured this was one of the ones where they only had grid stoppers on half the tubes.
I learn this from the guitar rescue channel. The guy states that this causes an unbalance on tube wear. I'm no repair tech and I trust you expertise so my question was if the guy was right about this. I did make this change on a friend's amp because it made sense.
does you work on bass guitars?
Let me know if it's your favourite 900 or not.... 😉
I don't have a favorite 900. ;)
How old is this amp?
‘94 I think.
@@PsionicAudio Thanks. I was just curious about the age of the caps. Seems reasonable that they'd fail in ~30 years, I guess.
Adios muchacho.
Never liked the 900’s! They always sound harsh and un-musical💩! They should have stopped at the JCM800’s.. I do love my 2 Astoria Custom’s. Those amps sound pretty Great! Too bad they only made them 3 years..😳 they never advertised them …😳
never liked the sound of the 900
Cool story bro
@@Reverend_Taco 😂