Voodoo Amps Marshall ADF Mod

This amp started life as a Marshall 1987x RI (30th anniversary - white tolex). It was originally built in 1997. Two EL34 power valves and 3 12AX7/ Ecc83 pre amp valves.
Quite basic setup (no FX loop, no reverb, no switching) but you could blend the two channels. It's now been modded with a much needed Master volume and separate gain control and bright switch. As well as new Mercury Magnetic trannies (power & output) and choke and Voodoo amps circuit upgrades for their ADF Mod.
Wished it had an FX loop and kicking myself for not asking Trace to add that whilst it was on his work bench because this amp in it's stock form really didn't like pedals up front. Not sure if all 1987x's are like that or if there was something wrong with this one from when I bought it off Ebay. Either way after getting it back from Voodoo Amps I no longer had that problem.
The rating I have given it for this category only reflects the basic nature of these Marshall amps and has nothing to do with the mods carried out by Voodoo Amps although by adding the master volume and gain control I have given it higher rating here than for a standard 1987x which are pretty much unusable unless you have somewhere to really crank them.
No frills, no bells & no whistles but boy does it sing, roar and buzz saw!!!!!!

My main guitar is a Les Paul Standard fitted with Alnico II's and Pearly Gates. I play mainly 70's/80's rock and blues (although I dabble with others but always using Les Pauls). Even though it???s obviously geared towards a particular genre such as Guns (think Sweet Child, etc.), Angus Young et al, it???s by no means a one trick pony and cleans up beautifully when asked.
The upgrades have made this amp absolutely sing. It is now much easier to play and more fluid. It???s much more sensitive to pick attack and it took me a while to dial it in. I also had to adapt my playing coz it???s much more sensitive to what you???re doing but sounds so much sweeter. It???s got that roar (only more of it) and the gain circuit has added extra flavour over and above the usual Marshall allowing for real heavy buzzsaw type sound. Pinched harmonics are pretty easy to get right and the feedback is now much more controllable and I find myself playing around with it as much as possible.
The Master volume and separate gain control have added some much needed flexibility to the 1987x type of non-master volume amp so it???s possible to get good tone at lower volumes than the standard 1987x/plexi type. In all honesty it does have a bit more background noise in it (which is to be expected considering the mods to the gain circuit and the MM trannies) but this is still ok at bedroom levels and at higher levels there is no effect at all. Obviously the higher you crank it the better this sounds.

I've had it for a few months since getting it back from Voodoo Amps and no issues so far. I'm not nervous about it and I only take with me spare sets of tubes and fuses.

I was in touch by e-mails and telephone with Trace at Voodoo Amps for almost three months prior to deciding to take the plunge.
Trace is quite possibly the most patient, diligent & nicest person I've spoken to. He answered all my nit picking, neurotic questions (and we're not talking one word answers, I still have all the e-mails we exchanged).
Trace runs a tight ship and his other departments don't let him down. I have to mention Cindy here who handled all the shipping and forwarding matters smooth as you like which was a bit complicated as I am an international client! Thanks.
In my experience the service from Voodoo Amps was second to none, period.

I started playing classical guitar when I was 17 and progressed from there to electric (I'm now 40).
I play thru a couple of Marshall cabs (1960A's) loaded with Heritage 30's and V30's.
I use a dunlop wah, sparkle drive, MXR carbon copy delay.
I also have a Marshall Silver Julbilee (2550) and the 1987x as modified by Voodoo Amps has more gain on tap but stays articulate and not muddy. I guess that's their modified gain circuit which pushes V1 and I believe maybe also V2, but when I fitted a ECC82 in V1 position it drastically dropped the gain but was still able to crank it using the separate gain knob and still get more than on my Jubilee.
If I lost it I???d be gutted! And would get another one (economic situation allowing).
Wish I???d asked for an FX loop to be fitted.