Lee Jackson is one of the best Tone-Talk episodes ever. So enjoyable!

Lee's stories were awesome. I appreciate that Marc / Dave do not get in the way of the interview, and allow the guests to share these experiences.

Being from LA as a teenager in the mid 80's I took my Marshall JCM 800 50 watt to be modded by Lee Jackson. He told me a story about Paul Gilbert being in tears because he played too fast for his amps. The Metaltronix mods fixed that problem for Paul Gilbert. But back then, everyone took their Marshalls to be modded by Lee, it's what we did in LA. Later on, I bought my buddies 100 watt plexi Jose modded amp as well. This podcast was a time machine to my past, thanks Tone Talk good job!

He’s completely right about pickups and today’s high gain amps. Lower output pickups sound WAY better - even when you’re running a lot of gain.

03:39 - About Namm this year and taking crew to Disney Land. 07:30 - When did all started for Lee. 11:42 - George Lynch: "I want that sound" and the Heyday of mods. 17:07 - Artist approaching Lee vs Lee approaching artist. 17:54 - Vixen, Steve Vai and Eat'em and smile. 21:20 - Vai and Sheehan: WE'RE IN VAN HALEN!! 23:30 - How did Lee got into electronics world. 27:17 - This thing called a buffer and Paul Rivera. 30:00 - Pignose amps. 31:46 - Fender. 35:30 - Big corporation is moving too slow and Metaltronix idea. 41:08 - Lee about Marshall mods. 43:06 - GP-1000 rack mount preamp story. 46:43 - M-1000 amp, Jeff Young shout out. 48:34 - 100 watt amp on massive stage can sound like a buzzing bee. 50:44 - Meeting Zakk (I thought you're some old guy). 54:20 - White Les Paul. 56:58 - Anti-knob-turner system. 58:15 - Lee is a liveshow rig switcher. 1:00:00 - Two in one Ozzy. 1:01:55 - Saint-Louis cover-band story. 1:04:22 - Ampeg. 1:11:07 - Banshee band and Lee Jackson amps rising. 1:16:08 - Metaltronix and second life lesson from investors. 1:20:51 - Reverb pedal - machine gun sales. === Metaltronix M-2000 === 1:23:17 - The power of Metaltronix's people. 1:25:05 - Wood box vs aluminum. 1:27:57 - Things to change on to keep. 1:28:33 - Concentric knobs built from CTS parts. 1:31:18 - Dave is really curious about headbox. 1:34:05 - Doing Metaltronix with no investors involved. 1:34:51 - SHIN-EI thing with Vibe-Bro pedal. 1:37:19 - The "B1G" pedal story. 1:41:00 - Roscoe Beck and B1G pedal. 1:44:16 - How Eric Johnson uses B1G pedal. 1:45:29 - Solderless cables suck and Vincent Moretti shout out! 1:46:34 - Paul Gilbert's modded Marshalls. 1:50:00 - AC/DC and Scorpions - I'm not touching anything. 1:52:23 - EVH. 1:57:00 - Jose Arredondo. 2:01:07 - Jackson JG3 heads - that's not me. 2:04:49 - Dave mumbling. 2:05:39 - Tube-Talk. 2:10:44 - Crate Stealth amp series. Questions from chat. 2:18:39 - Reactive loads, real speakers and talk around. 2:23:41 - Back in the days power amp story. 2:26:31 - Lee Jackson - I'm always opened for building stuff people want. 2:27:58 - How to reach Lee Jackson (Lee's youtube channel is awesome - kzfaq.info ). 2:31:37 - Lee's old Dean guitar weird synergy.

This was fascinating at not just the people Lee modded/built amps for, but the detailed stories of his experiences with them! In a way, you could do the Kevin Bacon game but instead with Lee Jackson and rock bands and musicians

This channel reminds me of Alan Lomax field recordings of the old south folk music. This is helping document the past 40 years from the eyes and ears of the key music gear designers, technicians and musicians. Generations will appreciate these episodes for decades to come. Keep up the great work Marc and Dave...

Chock full of great conversation, stories, and information. One of the best Tone Talks. I’m so glad Marc and Dave are still archiving these titans for the generations to come.

I had a friend that worked for Lee in those days. I have about half of the second widow maker rig that I’ve owned since those days. I even have the full stack of Metaltronix cabs.

So happy you guys brought us Lee Jackson. So much information Lee shared that is gold and great for the archive. Bought a used Lee Jackson XLS 1000 half stack a couple years ago and it is simply amazing from crystal cleans to all out brutal high gain tones and pure AC/DC Van Halen Ozzy Ratt in between. Jackson is an enormous contributor to the tones we love today. Thanks

Ya' know, I shit you not, listening to guys like this is like, well, I can't really describe it. It's like being a fly on the wall with some one the coolest, most famous people in the industry. Good stuff !! Marc Huzansky

another fantastic episode, really enjoyed Lee talking about so many aspects of his business history. I'd be down for a Lee Jackson Synergy module!

This was incredible to listen to! Thank you so much!

Great to see Lee Jackson on the show. Still rocking my 72 silverface Twin Reverb that Metaltronix modified for me in 1987.

I was playing the M-2000 while searching for a lee video on you tube here and I ran accross this web chat in progress, what a treat to tell everyone what a great amp this is and also find out I got #6 amp on the first run. If lee wasnt doing the m-2000 my next amp I was getting was the Friedman, (hes one of the best amp head designers/moders also) I own/played the Lee jackson XLA amp built in 93, and if you ever played one of his amps you would know the sound is where its at for us rock/metal guitarist.

I’m always amazed about the amounts of information is being shared on your show! Thank you for documenting all of it!

SUCH a great episode, as usual! Your and Pete Thorn's broadcasts are unmatched. Peerless

This was such a great episode. Loved it. Thanks Lee. And Dave and Marc of course.

OMG every minute of this is pure gold. Always remembered those old Metaltronix ads in Guitar Player magazine. Fantastic stories.

Love Lee Jackson, had an issue with my Ampeg, he answered my email, saved me from blowing it up! Always a fan, thanks for another great episode.

What a great interview, always love the great insight from the guys that know, instead of all the know it all's of today!

Didn't know the builder of my favourite preamp is also a really sweet guy. Got directed here by Michael Nielsen and stayed up 2.5 hours longer than I was meaning to. They go for crazy prices today after they were handed out almost free at some point. Even the sp-1000 has gotten pretty expensive. And what stories, so exciting. Thanks for this episode guys!

That was totaly awesome!

so many memories this brought up! My cousin had a pignose and i would open and close it while he played for the wah wah effect! Went to CSU Fullerton 84-89 and bought a Fender Harvard Reverb II the first month there. Saw many shows in Hollywood with Metaltronix gear and sounds. Later picked up a Rivera TBR-1, had a Rivera Buf IV pedal, saw the Eatum and Smile tour at the Forum and thought it was Vai’s best tone and always wondered why that tone was so much better than any other tour...saw Lynch and Wylde during those years too!

Another great episode. I remember Lee and Metaltronix from the Paul Gilbert interviews and he , like Paul, is such a down to earth person.

This is the best interview I've ever watched anywhere, ever! 🙌🏻

I still have my 94 XLS 50 watt I bought new. Best sounding amp I own. I also later found an XLA 50 watt. He was in the first group of modders and boutique amps.

Awesome show! Thanks guys for making tais possible 😉😎👊

What GREAT content. Thank you so much.

Thanks Marc! I forget, Lee came before Soldano as far as the high gain preamp, and all those great mid 80's albums.... Lee you are awesome!!!! That first Racer X album is testament to his offering. Great stream, I enjoyed it...…..I hope Greg Germino is slated.... the wonders of cranked plexi and the rivalry of hi gain preamps would make for some great subjective conversation me thinks. Thanks again for your hard work to get Dave and all the guests.... its like a magazine interview with video and audio LOL

Holy chit! This stuff is pure gold! Basically taking me through all my formative music years with behind the scenes info about it all! And I never heard of Lee Jackson until i recently walked into my local music shop for an adapter and I always look around I've been playing for about 20 years or so. So I saw this massive unknown to me big black guitar head. So I ask about it and the owner says oh that's the Metaltronix and i say the what??? Long story short he gives me a little background on it and I do the research and come to this video & im buying that M-1000 this week. After learning what I've learned these past few days you bet your ass I am! This is the coolest shit ever! The guy is THE guru behind it all and seems like a real nice guy too. Wish there were two more hours of interview here. I feel like I'm about to own a real piece of rock history. So glad I walked into the store when i did and got to know about the great Lee Jackson! 🎸🤘🎸🤘

Just saw this video... I love Lee's Ampeg VL amps. I still have four of them use them as my main amps today.

Would totally buy the shit out of Lee’s Synergy module.

Cool story behind the white Dean Elite! I own a couple of old Crate tube amps Lee Jackson helped design and they still rock to this day!

God bless you Lee. One of the nicest guys I've ever known. I worked with him at Pignose on Covello in Van Nuys in 1979 and was the drum roadie for a while with his band "Lace". Will never forget the experience of being in the Sunset Gower studios for "Urban Safari" and "Condition Red" Great memories!

Spending a couple hours with an OG of the 80s

Wow! What a cool interview

Thanks so much Dave Marc and Mr. Jackson top 5 episode for sure! Can't wait to see what the new distortion pedal Lee is making especially if it's got the interest of Mr.Eric Johnson himself! Thanks again for the best show on KZfaq guys!

Another epic interview! Tone Talk is like the "Rock and Roll" history channel...but much more! Where else can you get direct access to the industry movers and shakers and LEARN so much about TONE and GEAR!!!!!!!!!! Thank you Marc and Dave, you guys are the best!!! BTW, Mr. Friedman, that new WW-20...well, uh....\w/ !!!! Is it still handwired or is it pcb based?...either way, it is KILLER!!!

🤩 wow when I was a kid I thought his middle name was Jackson and his last name was mod.

Great show! By the way David's Golden Pearl Pedal is great. I was looking for a lower "transparent" overdrive that would mesh nicely with Marshall or Vox style amps. This does that job very nicely. From my Lil Elvis Amp to my Lil Whiskey Amp it works great to give the amp a nice bit of an edge without changing the amps character drastically.

Great History Right There, Nice Man

One of the best TT episodes ever!!!

I have a Crate Stealth. Those are killer amps! Jeff Blando from Slaughter is still using them on every gig.

That was one of the best shows, lots of information

Fantastic episode!

Wow, I made the big time lol! Thanks so much for asking my question Marc, those "Jackson" JG3 heads are kind of a mystery. They sort'a came and went in the late 80's, now I know why! Thank you to Mr. Jackson too, great show. Really appreciate what you guys do, keep up the cool work!

Mr. Jackson is such a cool guy. I watched his mod vhs stuff here on the Tube and it just didnt seem right. Then i realized it wasnt exactly the entire mod😂 BUT it pushed me to go the whole mile. Taking what i learned from him in conbination with my own preferences i was able to create what i honestly consider the Holy Grail of all 2204s. Youre the man Lee 🤘

I bought an amp from him in the 90's Super nice guy. Hie old band sounded great! I think Lee was in Austin before 99, Think I met him around 97.

Great show , please make a episode with Michael Landau , that would be awesome . Thanks guys. Love the channel.

I wish he went into more detail about the ampeg VL-1002. I loved that amp.

Steve Grinrod longtime Marshall R&D designed the 2-input Master Volume 2203, 2204 series in 1976, as well as the JCM 2000 series in the mid 90's. Steve left Marshall in the early 2000's to start his Albion amplifier company.

He was talking about the Gibson Fire Hawk. It has been out a couple of years and it is their vision of the Variax from Line6.

Finally am answer to the Under Lock & Key tone!! I want that mod!

100% agree on the speaker complexity thing,that is one of the reasons modelers can get an impression of it to a degree,never the real thing,especially comparing different volume instances.

Lee is an amazing human. I have one of the first M 2000 amps. This amp is just brutal. I actually drove to Austin to pick the amp up and Took on the Rock Legends Cruise. The amp is amazing!..built like a tank and performs like a Lamborghini.I showed it to Gary Hoey and Vinnie Moore. They both thought it was killer. I didn't think it was possible to' out do' the M 1000 but Lee did. Also check out his BIG pedal and his new overdrive...they are Bitchin!!!

Thank you for the comment about how no emulator sounds good when you put it next to a real tube amp.

Wow, it was great

Love Lee Jackson !

I have a 1981 JCM800 2204 modded by Lee in 1982, probably in his bedroom.

Love Lee Jackson! Lost the key to my ampeg at a gig and wished I could hotwire haha!

I have a Lee Jackson XLS-1000 Amp 😊 amazing Amp 👌 Love the Storys from the early years 🤘👍

Zakk dropped the Lee Jackson stuff during No More Tears and went back to a bone stock JCM 800 with a pedal. Never underestimate a JCM 800 with a pedal!!

18:15 - Steve Vai Content. If you listen to Pete Thorn's video on Steve Vai's Eat em and Smile modded amps, Vai's version of events is that he borrowed Jose or Lee Jackson modded amps from Steve Stevens (who was rehearsing in the same facility during Eat em and Smile) to use with DLR, and THEN had David Lee Roth's crew hook him up with some old Marshalls to get modded by Lee and Jose, for the subsequent tour.

We didn’t see many of these in Seattle. We’re there a lot in LA? I’d think if he was selling those numbers, I’d have seen a few

Alexi Laiho of “Children of Bodom” is very vocal about his love for the Lee Jackson perfect connection pre amps.

So cool show thanks 👍

Cool dude!

Strange watching this 8 months later!

Soo worked for Rivera who modded Fenders no wonder the LJ Perfect Connection preamp is Fender based...btw im only 33 minutes in..

Just got my lee jackson xls today 🤘😀🤘

Just taking a stab at some luck here. I had a Metaltronix M-1000 that I took in for repair for a broken push-pull pot in the 90's at a place in Erie PA called EARS (Erie Audio Repair Service). Next to World of Music. They went under & I never got my amp back. I've been searching for it for years. When I took it in, I took the chasis out of the the head case. Still have the head shell, & waiting to match it up with the amp.

Dave made some funny faces at moments in This one

The Marshall engineer Lee mentions may well have been Mike Hill, he designed the JCM 800. Mike eventually opened Mike Hill Services which did mods and built rigs for the who's who here in the UK.

I‘d take one of the new M2000 today. Just have these 5k to spend. Btw monster tone, great chat 👍🏻

Great

Great show, however, I was really hoping the modded zakk wylde marshall question would have been asked from the original disclosure notification.

Great show, have you guys stopped uploading these to your podcast channel though? Latest episode there is a few months old. Thanks!

What are the best guitar cables/cords for amps. ( guitar to amp and amp to cab ). Do some cables work better for some amps than others? Is there any hope for a consistent sweet tube for amps- 6l6's and/or el34's, and kt88's?

The old Dean Cadillac name was Elite

What the heck guitar was next to dave can't believe no one (including me) didn't notice or ask about it? Kinda looks like a Chris Cornell 335?

How does this channel only have 8k subs?

I think ten years gone,i is another epic opus,in the career of one of the most talented , and prolific writers in the history of man,I mean how in the hell,indeed maybe he sold his soul,how else could you write such a mass ,of technically,and harmonically perfect melodies,they all had a talent for arrangement, but Jimmy Page had a definite vision,and conviction ,to see it through.,..then I think ,this man must be so tired,but then again ,how proud to have done what no others had ever done, write the music ,the soundtrack to three generations and now,a new generation is also listening of many too,what a gift that you could ever give a selection of a vast wealth of lush aural landscapes that are nothing alike,but all well crafted masterpieces,that are as good,or better than anything that it could be compared to,but just as relevant as homer,and his illiad,and his Oddesyee,and equally as well told by the best storytellers,songwriters the world has ever seen,makes me feel like a lucky MF just to be a part of,and that's just as a listener,thank you for the mighty Zeppelin,a humbling experience just to be able to listen to such talented musicians,and to be so moved by the emotions that the music evoked in me,only the Beatles gave me such joy listening to them,Will Secrest

Built to Blast

It's kind of ironic they were talking about this before covid, and now you literally have people walking around wearing welders helmets.

Lee is incorrect. By 1985 Brad Gillis had already recorded with the bone stock high gain Boogie Mark 3. There were several high gain amps on the market. Stryper was using bone stock Mark 3c plus amps.

Dang. I missed it!

Yeah what's the starting price 4,500?

Nice topic congratulations! excuse me if i am wrong, but the name at the title is ''DeMartini''

Weird to watch this now and hear your opening comments on this new virus going around and people aren't sure about traveling. Amazing how the world has changed in little over a year!

First 3 minutes aged quite interestingly...

Interesting pre epidemic chat...........

I feel like maybe 10k is a little expensive for an average musician who is really just trying not to get evicted. I had the VL 1000 Ampeg and I loved the tone. But it started losing volume and no one could fix it. So I think it's all cool but... that's my two cents.

Kinda weird that a couple of months after this, both hand sanitizers and masks were in high demand.

Banshee was bad assed...lol

Wasn't Eddie using the Soldano in the FUCK album and tour? Lee in the interview said it was his Marshall.

Where all those Metaltronix Amps today ?

Anyone else have a problem with the chat during live stream? I tried asking a question and the chat disappeared

we a and b a friedman amp with a marshall tdl50 and they sound the same..wtf

It sounds like in Fuck every LA amp tech was involved