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Another Marshall AVT thread - AVT-100 preamp valve change


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It's now been over 6 years since I've had my AVT-100 and the pre-amp valve is still going strong. To be honest I hardly have played guitar nearly half as much I did in the last 4 years due to Uni and becoming lazy, but before I played every night. Marshall say the life of the valve is around 4 years of everyday playing so I reckon soon enough the valve will go (I'm playing a lot more again). I'm wondering if you can buy an "uprated" ECC83 preamp valve that would be compatible. Also would it be easy enough to change myself or is it best putting it into Bruce Millers/RNB when the time comes?

Any replies appreciated :up:

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I'd say; save the 10 that you might spend on a valve and spend it on an amp that will be twice as good.

For a tenner you could probably get at least 3 amps that are twice as good as the AVT-100. I'll sell you a jar of angry wasps for 1.20 which leaves you just underr 9 quid to get another two.

:D (I'm joking, yet with overtones of honesty)

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Since it is mostly solid state, the valves don't need biasing, so you can easily just take the valve out and pop in a new one as easy as changing a lightbulb.

Valves, for the most part will not last 4 years of everyday playing (at gig volume), but the case might be different with Valvestate amps as only one valve is being used. I know a lad with a Valvestate that hasn't been revalved since it was assembled in the late 90's and his is still going strong.

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The man is right. The JCM2000 is a nice improvement on the muddy, murky sounding JCM900 which has a wafer thin clean tone and just very little punch in the OD. The cleans on the 2000 are superb and whilst the OD can be a little fizzy, a cheap modication can add a bit more well-rounded warmth to it. Or you can just roll off the treble, as it is very treble-heavy.

Oh, and you can get them second hand for under 300 bin lids on t'ebay

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The man is right. The JCM2000 is a nice improvement on the muddy, murky sounding JCM900 which has a wafer thin clean tone and just very little punch in the OD. The cleans on the 2000 are superb and whilst the OD can be a little fizzy, a cheap modication can add a bit more well-rounded warmth to it. Or you can just roll off the treble, as it is very treble-heavy.

Oh, and you can get them second hand for under 300 bin lids on t'ebay

Totally agree on the treble. When I had mine, I used to substitute some treble for a bit more mids. I also found the presence to be pretty treble-y too - and not in a good way. But easily solved by just turning it down to about 9 o' clock. As far as I can remember you also need to have the bass pretty high.

Decent valve amp for a decent price though.

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I usually have the treble on about 4, mids on 10 and bass on 10, with none of those tone shift or extra bass boost buttons pressed, as I don't like scooped mids (Yuk!) and the bass boost makes it sound like your amp has been wrapped up in cotton wool and is being played in the room next door. Muffled and farty.

It sounds outrageous, but full bass and minmal treble seems to even it out nicely.

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I usually have the treble on about 4, mids on 10 and bass on 10, with none of those tone shift or extra bass boost buttons pressed, as I don't like scooped mids (Yuk!) and the bass boost makes it sound like your amp has been wrapped up in cotton wool and is being played in the room next door. Muffled and farty.

It sounds outrageous, but full bass and minmal treble seems to even it out nicely.

I think I had mine set at: (similarly, with no buttons pushed in)

bass - 9

treb - 5

mids - 5

presence - 2/3

Although, I was also using a tubescreamer in front of the amps distortion (with minimum gain on the TS) so that gave it a bit of a nicer upper mid range.

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I think I had mine set at: (similarly, with no buttons pushed in)

bass - 9

treb - 5

mids - 5

presence - 2/3

Although, I was also using a tubescreamer in front of the amps distortion (with minimum gain on the TS) so that gave it a bit of a nicer upper mid range.

I boost mine with a Guv'nor, also with very minimal gain too!

Do you want to start an Amplifier Agony Aunt hotline?

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The JVM series is good but mightily complicated. You can program in about 3 modes per channel or something like that. They are also quite pricey iirc. I'd agree with the other guys and go for a JCM 2000 DSL 50. one of the guitarists in WWN has one and it sounds fantastic. If you just want a combo then I'd recommend the JCM 2000 DSL 401, the same guitarist had one of those before the head and it was also great.

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And look what we have here...

Marshall Amps :: JVM215C

Something even better, or just a waste of money? I've read some good reviews

I think the JVM sounds ok, never really heard them. But i think there is just too much circuitry and channels etc. for it to sound good on all of them. If you're going to dish out that much money go on ebay and wait for a good second hand valve amp or buy an Engl or summat.

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