Modding a 1987x for EVH Tones. José mod, Variac?...both?
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Күн бұрын2 in 1 mod for @joshuamundaymusic killer Marshall 1987x. In depth look and DIY guide for how I incorporated both a José style mod with a 'plexi on a vatic' mod for a EVH fan who quite rightly just wants the brown sound 24/7 no matter what the gigging conditions.
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0:00 Play In
0:33 Intro
3:21 Plexi mode on Variac
4:51 Plexi mode normal mains AC
5:57 José gain stage, no diodes
7:33 José gain stage, with diodes
9:49 Plexi variac vs. José diodes. A/B looper test.
11:48 José schematic overview
16:48 Mod pics
27:42 Outro
@brooklynsoundgarage 16 күн бұрын
This channel is amazing, the idea of mods was always a huge mystery to me, never thought of actually getting my SL100 or 50W JMP modded so they’re both stock but now can understand exactly what goes in to getting those iconic sounds with 50 year old amps, great work 👏🏻👏🏻
@joshuamundaymusic Жыл бұрын
So good. I can't wait to get this back to crank it! Thanks Jason, you're a wizard.
@lechstryzewski9350 Жыл бұрын
You never cease to amaze me Jason. Brilliant work, Outstanding tones, Stellar playing. Great job man !!!
@HeadfirstAmps Жыл бұрын
Wow, thanks Lech! 🙏
@shredding51 Жыл бұрын
Love this guy’s videos. Learn so much from him. Sounds great!
@HeadfirstAmps Жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@eds4754 Жыл бұрын
What a genius mod to do, amazing work and even more importantly, amazing tones Jason!
@HeadfirstAmps Жыл бұрын
Thanks Ed, appreciate it mate.
@tonyleach5614 Жыл бұрын
Just incredible talent and work! Simply amazing!
@HeadfirstAmps Жыл бұрын
Wow, thank you!
@pedrolourenco2707 Жыл бұрын
Very nice! I like the diode clipping after the tone stack :)
@DarrenWaters75 6 ай бұрын
That bottom end sag from the variac.... *Chef's Kiss
@BlakeC27 Жыл бұрын
Nice one Jason. Great tones! 🤘
@ingve77 Жыл бұрын
Nailing it right there mate! Well done!
@Johnmannish Жыл бұрын
Amazing tones, great Quad Cortex captures you did on this, thanks!
@HeadfirstAmps Жыл бұрын
Glad you enjoyed them! I’ve got them loaded up right now!
@Johnmannish Жыл бұрын
@@HeadfirstAmps yes I've just tried them and love them. I pushed them with a ClinchFX EP-PRE capture that also you uploaded, and a EP Boost. And I tried also with a TS9. Do you recommend any pedal in special to boost into lead? Love all your captures, waiting for that 59 with Stealth mod that you uploaded a short!
@GTguitarworks Жыл бұрын
Sounds amazing you are a true sound Scaper💯🎶🎸👍
@HeadfirstAmps Жыл бұрын
Thanks Guy!
@weschilton Жыл бұрын
Hot damn, Jason that is one KILLER sounding amp! Thanks for the walkthrough... even though I can only follow about 70% of it! Haha!
@HeadfirstAmps Жыл бұрын
Haha, happy to share 👍
@johnmarshall3903 Жыл бұрын
Same here.
@SteveOuimette Жыл бұрын
So good, always love what you do!
@HeadfirstAmps Жыл бұрын
Hey Steve! Happy New Year. Thanks man!
@SteveOuimette Жыл бұрын
@@HeadfirstAmps And Happy New Year to you Jason! Hope all is well out there.
@jcwear89 Жыл бұрын
Great video! Super informative 😁
@craigcornell2752 Жыл бұрын
Yes, great work!🎉
@batpigguitar Жыл бұрын
All of those tones, Monstrous. 👏
@HeadfirstAmps Жыл бұрын
Hey Rick, how’s things man! Glad you liked the tones!!
@markkinney5030 Жыл бұрын
That Marshall 1987X sounds killer man!
@starblaster77 3 күн бұрын
Sounds amazing!
@rockyou42560 Жыл бұрын
Great great tone dude 🎉❤
@ken952gtr Жыл бұрын
Sounds great!! The Jose diode clipping makes the chords ring out forever as opposed to fading out. Beginning of Summer Nights for example. I tried it on my 2203 with transistors but I want to try the zeners your using here. The nice thing about a tube buffered effects loop is the make up gain you can use in conjunction with this type of mod which drops the amps volume.
@JohnWiku Жыл бұрын
Amazing diode clipping sounds, the variac sound is farty on palm mutes, works so much better with diodes instead!
@HeadfirstAmps Жыл бұрын
Yeah, that’s it!
@psavick Жыл бұрын
Sounds good on the variac
@DJ33 Жыл бұрын
Well I think you nailed those options !! Well F’n Done!!!
@HeadfirstAmps Жыл бұрын
Tnx Paul!
@carlosfernandocaceres552 Жыл бұрын
The only bad thing is you are in Australia! Thats very far away🤣🤣🤣! Great video🤘🏽
@HeadfirstAmps Жыл бұрын
🤘
@musicdan76 Жыл бұрын
Brilliant
@rawh321 Жыл бұрын
Frikkin Excellent...... Party at your place Joshy!
@mookytc Жыл бұрын
Yes what Ed S just said! 🔥🔥🔥
@rickya3877 3 ай бұрын
Yeah, that's the sound
@scottwilcox6313 Жыл бұрын
That sounds just amazing, by far the best sounding brown sound IMO maybe better than Eddie's. Just kick ass great Work Jason
@HeadfirstAmps Жыл бұрын
Wow, thanks Scott. Seriously.
@robertbozic4692 Жыл бұрын
Great work Jason, sound killer! I'd like if you could implement a modded SuperBass style mod. The SL tones are great however no ones done a modded SB vibe. Any chance you could go for a Allman Bros / Clapton cranked SB tone with one of your mods?
@claytonharvey8287 Жыл бұрын
You got a Frankie!!
@brevink01 Жыл бұрын
Sounds great 💪🏽Do you prefer Silver Mica for peaker also? The older marshalls most of the time have ceramic am I right?
@TheAxe4Ever Жыл бұрын
To me, the plexi on the variac sounded like the classic cranked plexi tone that has just a bit of a spongey/sag feel in the low end. And the diodes sound a touch brighter and tighter. To me anyway. I could have it all wrong. But both ways are very cool tones! Can!t go wrong with either! 😎👍🏻
@p_1210 Жыл бұрын
Totally agree
@HeadfirstAmps Жыл бұрын
Spot on!
@spmusicig Жыл бұрын
The plexi on the variac on 5150 was bang on, stunning tone and excellent playing! Have you tried a Kemper and would a profile of this setup be possible? I'm sure it would sell, I would definitely be buying it! Liked and subscribed
@HeadfirstAmps Жыл бұрын
I have a Quad Cortex now, but have owned a Kemper previously. The Jose profiles well, but a cranked Plexi nobly so much. The profilers struggle with amps that have power stage distortion in my experience.
@spmusicig Жыл бұрын
@@HeadfirstAmps haven't tried the quad cortex as I'm still happy with the kemper. If you do ever create a profile of this and your own amps, I would be making some purchases! Look forward to seeing future videos.
@truthfactreality6814 Жыл бұрын
Amazing. I really have gas for a 1987x
@ingve77 Жыл бұрын
Eddie often claimed he used the variac to drop the volume while still running the amp on 10. But you can't believe anything he said, he was never honest about these things. He also said at one time that he would use the variac to crank the voltage and watch the tubes melt. No disrespect to him, he was and always will be one of the greatest guitarists and innovators of all time, just unfortunate that he felt the need to spread misinformation all the time.
@HeadfirstAmps Жыл бұрын
He definitely said he used the variac to move the vintage up, this was to throw people off the scent. He did however absolutely run the amp on 10, everything dimed, with the variac down to 75% of wall voltage. It not just drops the volume but also changes the feel of the amp.
@ingve77 Жыл бұрын
@@HeadfirstAmps Yes. I haven't had the opportunity to try it myself, but it's very fascinating. If only I could get my plexi to behave the same way at lower volumes, I probably wouldn't have the hearing issues that I have now!
@deansayers7435 5 ай бұрын
Jason. The plexi on variac sound. I like it,like it a lot. So is that a standard plexi on a variac at 180 volts ? Fantastic mods btw,i love your channel. But i kinda wanted to clear up exactly what you're using for that plexi on variac sound. Thanks jason awesome stuff
@user-qj1wb9ng8y Жыл бұрын
Hi Jason ! So for the "Plexi on variac" side, you just add a switch to adjust the bias, nothing else on the classic Plexi circuit is touched ?
@HeadfirstAmps Жыл бұрын
Just the bias adjustment
@HollywoodRareGuitars 28 күн бұрын
With these mods does the stock effects loop work correctly with delay pedals? Or is it not very useable like when you have a post phase master volume?
@gabrielstevens41 Жыл бұрын
Another killer amp. I'm curious why you didn't change the Mid tone pot value like Eddie's original amp? Would it mess with the other mods?
@HeadfirstAmps Жыл бұрын
Yeah, it’s ok for a variac Plexi but I prefer the stock tone stank elsewhere
@gabrielstevens41 Жыл бұрын
@@HeadfirstAmps cool, thanks for the reply!
@bionno78 Жыл бұрын
wow.... just a question, have you captured this amp with Quad Cortex ?
@ken952gtr Жыл бұрын
Which zener diodes did you use here Jason? A couple of 20 volt? Thanks.
@HeadfirstAmps Жыл бұрын
Yeah, nothing too Squishy
@jamespowell1175 Жыл бұрын
7:30 awesome tones! They're all fantastic but 7:30 really cuts!
@vinnd2163 Жыл бұрын
awesome tone is the jose mod what mick mars used on dr feelgood?
@HeadfirstAmps Жыл бұрын
Jose mod without diodes. Pete Thorn has a video on it.
@vinnd2163 Жыл бұрын
kia ora bro
@HeadfirstAmps Жыл бұрын
Chur
@sjgreaves Жыл бұрын
Just a thought, why not use a MosFET/VVR with a preset instead of external pot - use that to set the HT to 190v and replace the SPDT switch you added on the back with a DPDT to switch both the bias and the HT voltage at the same time. That would remove the risk of using the wrong bias switch setting for the given HT voltage and has the added advantage of not needing to lug a variac around.
@HeadfirstAmps Жыл бұрын
Only that’s a far more complex mod.
@GonzaCordovez Жыл бұрын
beautiful!....i guess you know the One wire mod...or R/T mod...do you like that one???
@HeadfirstAmps Жыл бұрын
Nah, don’t like it. I’d prefer to shape it myself.
@GonzaCordovez Жыл бұрын
@@HeadfirstAmps Right!....great video!...i think i'm going for it on my 1959x...do you like these modern transformers ( Dagnall? )
@icepick859 Жыл бұрын
are the clipping diodes always in circuit bo matter the input you use?
@HeadfirstAmps Жыл бұрын
They can be. They are switchable with the Master Vol push pull pot.
@EB1775 4 ай бұрын
Do you have a mod for the Origin 20 that will get in this ballpark??
@HeadfirstAmps 4 ай бұрын
Yes. The original mod with the diode clipping added.
@TippitoWOW Жыл бұрын
hi mate, Is this pcb available for purchasing ?
@HeadfirstAmps Жыл бұрын
No PCB here, I’m modding the Marshall ST1 board.
@matsandersson8857 Жыл бұрын
Eddie’s amp was not modded it was stock and he used it with the Variac.
@thefilthygringo9228 Жыл бұрын
I still don’t understand modifying an amplifier. If you want an amplifier, that sounds like an EVH. Just buy an EVH I mean am I missing the whole point of this? I bought a JCM 800 because I like the sound. I’m not gonna change it. If I wanted a different sounding amp, I would buy a different sounding amp
@HeadfirstAmps Жыл бұрын
Completely missing the point. This amp is nothing like an EVH 5150. We mod amps because we can, and you can deliver a tone and feel that you can't buy off the rack. Unique.
@thefilthygringo9228 Жыл бұрын
@@HeadfirstAmps yeah man to each his own. Spend your money however, you want to. But I thought I read the title right modifying a 1987X4 EVH tones. I’m not bashing anybody but I’m just saying if you’re trying to modify an amp to sound like an EVH amp just by an EVH. I mean am I just crazy or is that not what the title says? If that’s not what it means, then I’m totally missing this.
@callummuxworthy1016 Жыл бұрын
@@thefilthygringo9228 Early Van Halen tones, not tones of an EVH 5150. The two sounds are completely different.
@andmoreagain 11 ай бұрын
@@thefilthygringo9228 dense
@PerfectCircle91 Ай бұрын
@@HeadfirstAmpsThis dude just doesn't get it Jason lol. Let him flush wayyy too much money down the toilet buying overpriced off the rack. For example I have a Jet City 22H that I've modded to hell and back with mini switches, extra pots, changed from EL84 to 6L6s and completely redid the OD channel and it's a thing of beauty. It's also so damn FUN lol. Keep living the mod life brother, your stuff is top shelf and I wish I could afford one of your 3 channel gorgeous beasts 🤘🤘🤘
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