Marshall JCM 900 SLX Early Van halen

[express]

True, I never believed that the sound of Van halen 1 was a stock Marshall Plexi there is just to much distortion/brightness/saturation for a plexi.I do believe a mod was done or a distortion-overdrive pedal was used to achieve that tone.So you believe that the SLX will be closer to that tone then the Vintage/modern but your saying the VM is brighter.Im undesided???(which one to go with).

[Mats A]

I think you got to play the amps and try them out for yourself. Eddie could make almost any amp sound like him. Much is in the head and the ears. Like guitarists in bands often have different tones on different records and when you see the band live you often think the tone sounds just like on the records on every song. If you play something you´ve heard it makes your ears believe it sounds like that tonewise just because you play that riff or what it is.
The VM in my opinion must be turned up pretty loud to sound at it´s best. maybe the JVM (I think the Satriani JVM is much better) Does VH better than the SL-X it´s a bit more open sounding. But i think most newer Marshalls since the JVM and VM came out is a bit brighter sounding than the ones before.

[express]

After listening to many 2466 Vintage Modern clips,I like it alot.

[Mats A]

Then go try one out. Most clips if not very proffessional done wont sound like the amp in real life. I´ve compared a VM to a 1959 Plexi Reissue i had and the VM is much more trebly and has less bottom end. I had the 50W VM but i´ve tried the 100W also.
But if you lile the VM go for it. If Eddie played the VM it would sound like him and you will only sound like yourself no matter what amp. But just by playing Van Halen riffs can make you think it sounds like Eddie.

[express]

If it has much more treble thats a good thing,van halen 1 was very bright and cutting.The 2466 sounds way better then most boutique amps(Bogner,fryette,etc,etc).I think the VM sounds very early Van halen with out a doubt.

[Mats A]

It´s not the same kind of treble really in my opinion. Eddie had both a MXR 6 band graphic and Roland 10 band graphic back then. He says he didn´t use them in the studio but boosting the 1,6 hz band on the MXR 6 band is more like that treble. I´ve read he had it set in a frown curve. But it´s extremely noisy. There is some Picture on the net from 78 or 79 in Japan i think where one can see his pedal board. There it seems the MXR is not connected. Anyway i think there must have been some mojo going on and he has never had that tone since then. I´ve read that he himself doesn´t like the tone on VH1.

[express]

I was listening to some 2466 Vintage Modern clips on youtube and this clip(Van halen VH1 $250 guitar challenge sound test)said it all.The person is using a 2466 Vintage Modern,take a listen.

[Mats A]

Well i´ve looked and listen and i don´t really think that sounds like VH1. Also his playing is far from Eddies. Eddies tone has more body to it even if it´s very trebly. T&his sounds more fizzy and high gain. I Think you need the output distortion to get his tone. Then it´s a very unique tone and sounds great on that album. But i don´t think it´s a great tone for the guy who plays a lot of different stuff. Actually on the bootleg i got from just before VH1 was released his tone sounds much better. Not as trerbly and thin as on VH1. I think they EQ´d his tone a lot in the studio.

[Mats A]

Frank Hannon on a JVM 410H

[Marshall Fiend]

If you really want the brown sound then I'd go with Surf's recommendation for Granger amps or otherwise go to David Bray (www.davidbrayamps.com). You'll have to pay up, but if you really want the brown sound, those are the guys to go to.

[Mats A]

Or buy a Plexi since that´s what Eddie used. Also remember you can change the tone a lot in the studio. So what you hear on the record can be very different to how it really sounded in the studio.

[express]

I was listening to many of the DSL 100H clips and this amp achieves the VAN HALEN 1 sound(first album) with out a doubt.