JCM 900 SL-X

[Mats A]

What is your opinion on the JCM 900 SL-X amp?

Is it really the amp Ace Frehley uses? On some Kiss concerts after the reunion (The Kissology Dvd´s) he seems to have Dual Reverbs on stage. When he played my hometown in 2009 he had Dual Reverbs.

[surfnorthwest]

What is your opinion on the JCM 900 SL-X amp?

Is it really the amp Ace Frehley uses? On some Kiss concerts after the reunion he seems to have Dual Reverbs on stage. When he played my hometown in 2009 he had Dual Reverbs.

Here is what ace said about his recording set up

What gear did you use while recording?

Mostly Marshalls, old Fender and Vox amps. I have tweed Fender Harvard and Princeton amps from the ’50s, and an old Vox with a couple of 10” Bulldog speakers. The Marshalls were 100-watt 900 Series through a 4×12 with old Celestion 25-watt speakers. Once in a while, I used a Peavey 5150, just for a little change in color – I rarely record amps simultaneously. I usually record a guitar track with a couple of mics on one cab, then double it, maybe with a different amp or guitar.

The SL-X is the best of the 900 series IMO. They sound pretty good. For me I never got on with the sound of any of the 900s so I have never owned one. When playing live like most players anymore they rent what gear is availible for that venue. Of course bigger bands will trailer their gear from town to town.

[Harlequin Tusk]

I just got mine back from the shop, new JJ's all around and a few pots and other repairs...sounds great, has a loop dual volume controls with a foot switchable "boost"..really just the 2nd vol higher than the 1st, it can do a clean sound but balls to the wall is what it's all about. The only issue with mine is the noise level, it gets noisy at high gain levels, I use a Boss NS-2 to help tame it. They go for around $500 and up here in NY. I heard an interview with Ace and he said everything at 5 was his settings!

[Mats A]

I dig your rig!
Wich do you prefer the 6100 30th Anniversary or SL-X for a distorted tone? I didn´t like the 900´s either but i recently rehearsed with a Dual Reverb and in fact i liked it. Much more than the DSL wich i don´t like. It has a grainy distortion and sound paperish.

[Mats A]

What is your opinion on the JCM 900 SL-X amp?

Is it really the amp Ace Frehley uses? On some Kiss concerts after the reunion he seems to have Dual Reverbs on stage. When he played my hometown in 2009 he had Dual Reverbs.

Here is what ace said about his recording set up

What gear did you use while recording?

Mostly Marshalls, old Fender and Vox amps. I have tweed Fender Harvard and Princeton amps from the ’50s, and an old Vox with a couple of 10” Bulldog speakers. The Marshalls were 100-watt 900 Series through a 4×12 with old Celestion 25-watt speakers. Once in a while, I used a Peavey 5150, just for a little change in color – I rarely record amps simultaneously. I usually record a guitar track with a couple of mics on one cab, then double it, maybe with a different amp or guitar.

The SL-X is the best of the 900 series IMO. They sound pretty good. For me I never got on with the sound of any of the 900s so I have never owned one. When playing live like most players anymore they rent what gear is availible for that venue. Of course bigger bands will trailer their gear from town to town.

Thanks Surf 900´s but wich model? On the Kissology Dvd´s that came out some time ago one can spot both Dual Reverbs and SL-X amps.

[Harlequin Tusk]

Tough choice, I'd say the SLX, seems to have more gain than the 6100, but the SLX is noisier than the 6100. My favorite is the 6100 "B" channel with the gain pinned...sounds great, not too much gain. I don't need the noise gate on the 6100, definitely needed on the SLX.

[Mats A]

The B mode on the 6100 can´t have much more gain than a 2203/2204? Too little for me. Heard the C mode isn´t any good.

[Harlequin Tusk]

It's about the same as my 2203, sounds real good when you crank it, your right though, it's even better with a boost. The "C" mode has some fizz to it, not bad if you lower the gain on it, the 3rd channel sounds kinda like the "C" mode but juiced up!

[Mats A]

A bit fizzy then. Thought about buying a 6100 but now i´m getting a Dual Reverb and maybe a SL-X also.

[JCM900MkIII]

MkIII???
Bit harder to find, but great nonetheless.

[Mats A]

Nope no High Gain Master Volume MkIII. Had one when they came out and i don´t like them. Think i thought it sounded thin. Although dpn´t know what i would think if i tried one today. In fact i was offered to buy one and there is another one for sale here in Sweden on Blocket.

[Mats A]

Bought me a 100W JCM 900 SL-X today. Some damage to the Vinyl but otherwise OK. Also it´s a bit noisy but not worse than the JVM.

[gtrman]

Bought me a 100W JCM 900 SL-X today. Some damage to the Vinyl but otherwise OK. Also it´s a bit noisy but not worse than the JVM.

I miss mine .. sold it last year .. I just had too many Marshalls ...

[Mats A]

It´s got a good tone to it. Had a 50W SL-X in the 90¨s wich came with 5881 valves but i had it modified to take EL34´s. Thought about doing the same with this. But i wonder if it´s worth the trouble. My brother had a 6100 with 5881 valves in it. He first changed to EL34´s without any changes to the amp (Wich is not recomended) and he thought it sounded very good. Then he had it modified to take EL34`s and he thought it sounded almost the same as before.

[Harlequin Tusk]

Mine came with el34's, I put in JJ e34l's, sounds great but is noisy!!!!