My JVM 215C has been modded to really bring out it's JCM800 characteristics and older Plexi/JTM 45 tones on the green crunch mode, It's a 95% closed back combo and now has a very nice Blackface style clean channel.
I really want a speaker that brings out old school classic rock tones Hendrix, Zep, Trex, ACDC ..., warm classic Marshall bristle! but can can still cope with more modern fat heavy rock such as Melvins, C.O.C., FNM, Mastodon etc not sterile industrial metal but tight chugging riffery with soul! It doesn't have to be super clean on the clean channel as long as it has warmth and clarity.
As most people on these types of threads seem to mainly discuss speakers for 4 x 12 cabs it will be interesting to find what I think is a great all round speaker for this 1 x 12 Marshall combo.
On the back of other threads I have read on here I made a short list of three WGS speakers:
Retro 30 - Vaughn's favourite all rounder I think?
Invader - more powerful and creamier Green Beret, it's got to be good for the classic rock stuff right?
ET65 - WGS reccomended this on the phone as their pic for a good all rounder
I intend to try all three so I have already bought the Retro 30 and the Invader, they arrive at work in a couple of hours and I have the flat to myself this weekend, so these two will get a proper session in the amp!
Are there any other Marshall combo players on here? I'd love to hear peoples thoughts, and experiences with their choice of speakers.
I recently put a WGS Green Beret in my Fender Deluxe Reverb and it sounds just great, a lot of warm character and great for many styles,my only complaint is early break up at around 5 on the volume, a little more head room for gigs would be useful, so I might try the Invader in the DRRI once it's been trialled in the Marshall.
The ET65 will have to come in a month or two due to budget and not being in stock in the UK..
I will report back after trying these two out.
Well over the weekend I tried the Retro 30 in my JVM, I'm blown away,
So far in this amp I have tried:
1 bought the amp used, it came with the stock Celestion G12 B150 = very wooly and harsh, tinny,fizzy
swapped it for the Celestion V30 that came with my SL5,much better , sounded pretty good and responsive, but I blew the speaker
oredered a new V30, wasn't impressed
Putting the retro 30 in amp has yeilded both tight modern sounds and some really nice vintage sensabilities, I mostly used my Les paul, every style I tried from edge of break up classic rock, palm muted high gain stuff, to a bit of clean blues and jazz ( for about a minute!) all the tones for the styles I tried seemed correct, they sounded genuine, the notes seemed to have a wider sonic shape if that makes sense? fatter and more articulate with incredable touch sensativity. I can see why Vaughn says this speaker is a great all rounder for Marshalls, I found myself grinning like a kid at regular intervals, this speaker brought to life all the mods I have done to this amp, I have never heard it sound anything near this good, so yes I would say this is a stand out upgrade for any Marshall 1 x 12. Phat but sweet, capable of extreme attitude and aggression whilest retaining organic warmth, very musical.
I now feel in no hurry to try the Invader out, but hopefully at some point this week I will, and I may also try both of them in my DRRI which is currently very happy with a Green Beret.
Watch this space
I've been wrestling with the tone of my JCM215C for 2 years now. I personally didn't like what the ET65 did for it, but I have made a few mods since then, so maybe I should try again. It did round out the highs. I'm presently running a Celestion G12M-65 creamback. It's different, but can't say it's better though. It does seem a little less spikey so that's good. The dang stock speaker is such high wattage and high efficiency that it is very sterile at the lower levels at which I play. Seems that lower efficiency speakers let me crank it up a bit more to round thngs out a little. I play bright guitars and the upper mids on this combo I just can't seem to dial out to my tastes. I normally run in OD orange mode, but I have the gain reduction mod and keep the gain still dialed back as well. Green mode is just a tad too round for me, and a little soft in the bass. I like a nice snappy biting tone on the bass strings, which I can't seem to get in green mode. Very interested to hear about your speaker experimentation.
I really didn't like the amp when I bought it , I found every tone very sterile and unfulfilling, but all the mods I have done plus this speaker change have made this a an incredably pleasing amp, very 3 dimensional and just alive with feel and tone!
I guess it depends what tones and styles you are going for, myself I wanted the amp to live up to what Marshall promised which is an amp that goes from clean through JTM 45 to JCM 800 and beyond with proper high gain.
Here are the mods I have done, from over on the JVM Forum:
Negative feedback mod
- Anti stiffness mod -
OD2 to OD1 (C32 is 10nf) -
C83 mod switchable
- Plexi .68uF and 1uF switchable -
C52 3.3uF Bass boost -
Blackface mod - ( this effects Crunch Orange and Red )
PI mod replaced R52 with 33K really loosens up the feel and warmth of the amp
- Remove compression mod 220k with 2.2nF cap in series across R72 and 330K across R71 did not touch R75 -
Gain reduction mod 100k across R128 -
One wire cascade mod
I don't know how experienced you are with modding or whether you get an amp tech to do your work, but I feel obliged to say take your time to read through these mods on the forum and ask any questions if unsure, safety first!
"tcundall" ... thanks for this excellent info! Man ... you went way further with that gal than I would have ... good job sticking with her untill she gave the tone you needed. Reminds me of my Pignose G40V ... they sound prety awful stock ... but with a butt load of mods, a better cabinet, and of course a new speaker ... folks say they sound great. I bought all the parts for the mods several years back ... and yet the little pig just sits there unused ... I just can't find the motivation to actually DO the mods...
I've got a JVM 205H, and I've been running mine through Celestion greenbacks in an open back 2x12 cab and love it. I've also got a WGS Green Beret in a 1x12 cab that sounds great with it as well (I built the cab to the Mesa Recto 1x12 dimensions, and it's amazing how much bass I get out of that thing!). I originally had a Vintage 30 and G12H Anniversary in the 2x12 cab, but the JVM is pretty bright, and that speaker combo really accentuated the highs making it too shrill...the greenbacks rounded off the top end nicely and just really sound great with it.
I've got the negative feedback mod on mine, as well as the OD2 to OD1 mod (I've got mine on a switch, so I can still get OD2 tones from my amp, but mostly use OD1). I've also done the gain reduction mod and also swapped out the resistor for a choke.
A friend of mine has a completely stock JVM410H which reminds me how great they sound stock, if you have the right speakers!
I had an ET65 at one point, after hearing all the love for it, but I still prefer the greenbacks and Green Beret with the JVM as well as the JCM800 clone I built, so I ended up selling the ET65.
i am curious about the Veteran 30 and the Retro 30, but so far not curious enough to shell out the cash!