Voodoo Amps JCM 800 2203 Mod

This is a one channel monster. I did have the some extra controls added: Global, Mid-slice, and push/pull Bottom. I had the HG Plus Mod done. It makes the amp a FIVE gain stage beast and severly alters the eq controls. I'm giving this category a 10 because it is what it is meant to be.

I played on this amp for six weeks before I had it modded. I really enjoy the wide open JCM 800 sound, but it just needed more gain. After many phone calls to Voodoo I decided on just getting the top mod. The day it came home I plugged it into my 4x12 and WOW. Instead of instantly writing a review I decided to let the "honeymoon" phase pass. Well, it has been two and a half months and I'm still saying WOW. The gain structure is awesome, no fuzzy Ubershcall gain, just pure natural gain. The rhythm sound is just crazy. It is so full and rich it drive you wild. You can hear every note in the chord. When soloing, which I do plenty of, the articulation is crazy. If you are sloppy get ready to face reality because you're going to hear it. The added controls are great for tone shaping. I can dial in an insane range of tones. One thing that really impresses me is how quiet this amp is, especially for being such high gain. I expect high gain amps to be noisy, but this one isn't bad. It is quieter then all my Mesa's and I've owned the granddaddy of them all the Road King. Plain and simple if you want great rhythm and solo tone get this mod.

I have no fears. I open this amp up to take a look at their work and it looks great. No epoxy, just good old solder. Very Professional.

Twenty-some phone calls later and they're still talking to me....

I've been playing for 15 years and I've never been so satisfied with my sound. If you are reading this and debating what you want to do, e-mail with questions.

Ok Kids here it is . The low sens. input is replaced with a toggle switch for brutal/savage 3 and 4 stages of hiss I mean gain. Global , Cream etc . Oh yeah and a push pull mid boost.

I first started off thinking ;ok this is going to be the "ultimate" in high gain tone. Well to my dissapointment it wasnt. It sounds ok at low volumes which they promise at their web site. BUT crank up the amp and you will be in "HISSS- Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" heaven. Man oh man I couldnt tell if I was infront of an airplane or a guitar amp. The toggle switch makes a loud clicky sound when toggled at high volumes. The three knobs that where added to the back panel add more Eq to the amp but fall way way short to the noise that is added with the mods. Yes I replaced the tubes. same noisy sound . So to see what all the hype was about I decide to take a look under the hood .Thinking well I can get a technician to undo the mods at a later time and still have the MARSHALL sound. Well that made an already bad tone experience worse. These guys poured black epoxy ALL over the pre-amp section and the wires to the pots. Basicly ruining the whole DAM AMP !!! Way to go you hackers. The real bad news is these yahoo's have been hacking amps for a while now I HOPE NOT ALL OF THEM WERE EPOXIED LIKE MINE! NO WHERE ON THEIR SITE DOES IT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT EPOXING THE WHOLE PRE-AMP SECTION. So I called them right away and they said they used to epoxy amps to "protect" the circut from "major" amp companies. Uh dont let your ego take you over now guys.NOW THEY DID SAY IF SOMETHING WENT WRONG THEY WOULD FIX IT FOR FREE "BUT" No one should ever epoxy an amp like that EVER. It is just wrong it made the amp permanently like that every tech I took the amp to just shook his head

The sounds that this amp has can be accomplished with adding pedals to your marshall and is not so permanent. Make sure you do alot of research and ask questions plus ask for references before you mod ANY amp. Soldano, Bogner , Boogie , Marshall have all been around for a reason. If you dont like your amp the way it is stock then try pedals if that dont work try another amp . Dont just let anyone with a soldering iron (and black epoxy) work on your amp.

This is a 1980's JCM800 Voodoo Amps modded Marshall Head. The following mods came on the amp : Global - Bottom - Savage/Brutal Switch - Push/pull boost midrange knob in addition to the regular mods that are done at Voodoo. It is a single channel amp that was bought from Voodoo with the mods already installed. The mods really make a difference. The push/pull switch will boost the mids and make them jump out at you or you leave it pushed in and scoop them out. The global know really tightens up the low end and savage/brutal switch on the brutal setting puts an incredible amount of low end into the mix. All of the knobs and switches actually do something as opposed to some amps where you "tweek" and wonder why they even put the knob or switch on the amp in the first place. Awesome features that really change the whole personality of the amp. From blues to metal, this amp will give you what you want.

I play classic rock. Some clean, but mostly distorted. With a move of the volume control on the guitar, you can go from clean to "rip your head off" distortion. This thing is a tone "MONSTER" and at 100 watts, it will make sure that you are heard in the next county. It will also achieve the most incredible sound on "1" that you have ever heard. Totally usuable. Just unbelievable sound. The samples on the web site, as good as they are, do not do this amp justice.

It's a vintage Marshall - totally reliable and the mods are done by a real pro, so no problems there either. Like any other tube amp, it needs a little tender loving care such as warm up before the gig and cool down afterwards. But it will be there for you.

Trace, at Voodoo Amps is one of the most incredibly nice guys to deal with on the planet. We were looking for a cabinet to go with this head and sent e-mail after e-mail to him. He never failed to answer in a timely manner and always had just the right answer for us. We went with his recommendation of a JCM-800 cabinet and have been way more than satisfied. Trace and Voodoo Amps know their stuff.

I have been playing for 34 years and own a Fender Cyber Twin amp along with a Gibson Flying "V", an Epiphone Transparent Green Les Paul, a Fender Double Fat Strat, a PRS Tremonti, and a Tacoma Road King Acoustic. I have played and owned more amps and guitars than I care to remember over the years, including several Marshalls, and this amp beats them all hands down. If you don't believe me, look at the other reviews for Voodoo Amps - they all say the same thing - Tone for days and then some. If you want more info on this amp, please e-mail me and I will be glad to help in any way I can. In this day of sub-standard quality on most things, it is great to find someone who takes pride in their work and tries to help the working musician get the most for his money. Thanks to Trace and Voodoo Amps. I would also like to thank my bass player and friend Andy who bought this amp for me because I was laid off from work at the time.

Beacuse I consider this a Voodoo Amp and not so much a Marshall, I'll give it a 10. Stock there wasn't much to it, but with the mods, I can do eveything from Black Crowes to Slayer. (Believe it, friend) Trace put in his Hex circuit, Bottom mod, Global mod, an OEI "Plexi" output transformer and gain switch. It can do everything I want and more. There are tons of tones in that Hex circuit...and they are all good. I highly recommend the OEI OT & Hex circuit.

Bottom line: This thing sounds better than any amp I have ever owned, heard or played through. I play hard rock mostly. It has bottom end like you wouldn't believe. Even with the master volume set at 0.5 this thing sounds amazing!!! She sings like no other amp. The distortion is just awesome. None of that buzzy stuff. Just beautiful-singing-bone-crunching distortion. Even with the gain all the way up you don't lose your tone or clarity. My head might have more gain than others would want, but that's what I asked for. Trace tailors the amp to your specs and builds the sound YOU want. I got the EXACT SOUND I WANTED!!! : )

So far so good. No problems whatsoever.

Trace's customer support is fantastic. You won't believe what a cool guy he is. I ordered via e-mail from California (Voodoo Amps is in NY). Trace was very patient, thorough, fast and professional. He made sure I got exactly what I wanted. I bombarded that poor guy with so many long e-mails, and he took time to respond to every single question in every single e-mail. I am so happy with his product and service...I cannot begin to tell you.

I got all of this, including shipping, for about the same price as a new Marshall head (maybe even less)...and it blows any new Marshall out of the water. I've heard talk of the JCM 800 re-issue...FOR OVER 2 GRAND!!!! Do yourself a favor, pick up a used JCM 800 and send it to Voodoo Amps (sometimes he even has them in stock). It'll cost you much less and sound a whole Hell of a lot better!!!