• From: Germany
  • Registered: 2006-05-31
  • Posts: 489

Topic: Dimed JTM45 & Les Paul

No...no video, not now, but....

well, yesterday and today I went to the rehearsal room to find my sound with the LP Traditinal Gold Top. When I went yesterday, I left/forget my Fulltone OCD at home. I was to lazy to ride back home and get it, becuase it's a 35 minutes ride and it was already 10 in the night. I went plugged in without a pedal attached, I plugged in the high treble 1 channel, no channel jumping, and then I thought why not dime the JTM45....the experience was breathtaking. I cvould hardly believe how gorgeous the sound was, I never ever had such an overdrive with any other guitar or amph. Folks, I have to try to get that on video, this is pure Clapton Beano Sound, Peter Green, Free, Mike Bloomfield, Freddie King, everything in there, controlable feedback and overtones to die for! Backing the volume...crisp and mellow cleans. Usually, the JTM seems very bass heavy, but being played so loud the sound opened up. This gave me an almost sleepless night, because the Les Paul is so beautiful and versatile with a dimed amph that I consider getting an attenuator very soon. Anyways, I also had to find an alternative with pedals at lower volume, volumes that I ususally play, so I went again today with my son who accompanied me on drums. I don't know why, but something told me to take the Ibanez TS9 with me that I hadn't used since I bought the OCD. Well, honestly, the OCD does sound better with a Strat, no question., but I need it to get that slight overdrive for my cleans so that licks are easier to play. When I kicked in the TS9 I was purely blown away. The Gold Top and the TS9 are a deadly good couple. I love the lead tones you get out of it. I have to compromise, because the TS9 is not that good in the cleans, but hey I have both pedals in a chain right now and the Les Paul is a darn darn versatile guitar. At the moment (you all know this can change in a few months) this is the best combination for the Blues, I lose a little bit bite and "cutty-throughness" on the clean end, but I gain hell of a lot on the medium overdriven and overdriven side, playing with volume and tone shows that this guitar is a versatile monster! By the way, it was the first time really that my son played the drums, he did very good and played a blues with me, so be prepared for an upcoming video of the youngster :-)

By the way, all plans to "pimp" the Les Paul are frozen at the moment, this guitar sound great the way it is. (Please bear in mind, also this opinion is subject to change *lol*)

Thanks for listening

Jimi75's Website

  • From: Florida, USA
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,420

Re: Dimed JTM45 & Les Paul

That's cool Jimi!  I love it when I get to crank through my dad's JTM45 with my Les Paul too.  It really is a religious experience.  The reasons I believe the tubescreamer sounds better with a Les Paul is because of the added midrange hump that the TS adds.  It really fills out the JTM45 sound which is pretty bass and treble heavy (is based on the old 1959 Bassmans after all)  I like the OCD through it too, just a different flavor as you have stated.  I anxiously await some clips of the LP + JTM45.  If you are a fuzz guy (judging by your name I'm guessing you are) I cannot reccommend the new Fulltone Catalyst enough.  It's an amazing pedal that just absolutely LOVES both strats and les pauls into Marshall amps.  It's like the best fuzzface you've heard with added midrange and low end controls.  It also has an OCD/Fat Boost-like overdrive section on it too...super nice pedal!  Mike Fuller hit a home run with this one!

'67 and '74 Fender Twin Reverbs, '74 Marshall 1987 lead mkII, Metro Superlead 100. Pedals from TC Electronic, Ibanez, Dunlop, BK Butler, Electro-Harmonix, Fulltone, Maestro/Gibson, Loopmaster switching, VoodooLab, Boss. Gibson and Fender guitars, Dimarzio pickups.
  • From: Massachusetts
  • Registered: 2008-10-27
  • Posts: 577

Re: Dimed JTM45 & Les Paul

Jimi, just when I was sold on adding an extension cab to my Vox ac15 and doing a few mods to the Ac15, you come out and kill me.  The JTM45 has been my dream amp (along with a 1987x 50 watt plexi) and I have been hoping to find one cheap (money is tight right now).  Like you I have a beautiful Gold Top Traditional and I would give my left leg for my own JTM45.  I can hear your enthusiasm in your words and that just spraked up my damn GAS for a JTM45....UGH...LOL lol

I am so happy you are loving your Traditional...it is an awesome guitar!!!

2009 Gibson Les Paul 1958 VOS (with black plastic)
2008 Gibson Les Paul Traditional Goldtop (with the cream plastic from the 58RI)
> Marshall Bluesbreaker 2 pedal >Boss sd-1> DD3 > Vox Ac15cc1
  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2008-04-23
  • Posts: 553

Re: Dimed JTM45 & Les Paul

Oh well, a cranked amp is truly something special.
I loved to play a dimed (good word btw) AC-30. So warm and dynamic.
I can imagine how you liked that with the JTM. I once tried it with a Bluesbreaker.
Amazing. Any distpedal changes the basic sound of the amp.
I currently play two Ceriatone amps and use dist pedals only for heavier lead work.
Let the amp sound as it does. smile

@Justin: The Fulltone catalyst is on my wish list too.
Very interesting pedal. I just want to try it with my stuff. Is it close the OCD?

Alex

...it's a musical journey
www.u2-experience.de

Stratovari's Website

  • From: Florida, USA
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,420

Re: Dimed JTM45 & Les Paul

To LesPaul4, you can get a Metro JTM45 kit for about a grand at your doorstep and it's absolutely breathtaking when completed.  George offers extremely detailed instructions and customer support A++.  You could go Ceriatone as well, but for vintage Marshall I don't know anyone out there doing it better than George.

To Alex, the Catalyst is soon becoming one of my all time favorite pedals.  It sounds amazing with whatever guitar you play it through and it really plays nice with other pedals.  It even retains definition when you blend it with other overdrives which is cool.  The "Spark" setting is very similar to the OCD if you keep the gain lower and dime the volume.  The "Burn" setting is all fuzz no matter what you do wink .  It's a FAR better fuzz sound than my UK Arbiter Fuzzface RI and it works with wahs, overdrives, and non true bypass pedals just fine.  The Bass/Mid and Treble mini dials do a LOT to the sound but are great for minor EQ adjustments for different guitars, amps, etc.  It's almost a desert island type pedal like my Fulldrive II (my OD pedal of choice for any grab and go situations, I can get my tone on any amp with that pedal), only in a fuzzier format.  The only way it could possibly be better is if Mike came out with a version 2.0 that is set up more like the Fulldrive II where you can footswitch between the Flame and Spark settings.  BTW how are you digging your rig since you've had some time to spend with it?

'67 and '74 Fender Twin Reverbs, '74 Marshall 1987 lead mkII, Metro Superlead 100. Pedals from TC Electronic, Ibanez, Dunlop, BK Butler, Electro-Harmonix, Fulltone, Maestro/Gibson, Loopmaster switching, VoodooLab, Boss. Gibson and Fender guitars, Dimarzio pickups.
  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2008-04-23
  • Posts: 553

Re: Dimed JTM45 & Les Paul

Thanks Justin for the review. It was what I hoped to hear. big_smile
I like to have a good pedal which hasn't the mid hump of the TS
and spark/burn mode is really a useful option.
As to my rig, I have replaced now the cheapo power supply to
a voodoolab powerpedal II and voila! No hum anymore.
Also I have this little Lehle dual now to control the amps from the pedalboard.
Furthermore I'll put the second G12H30 in today. Then I need to try what amp sounds
better on what cab. The rest is all about tweaking. I will load up some new pics tonight.

Alex

...it's a musical journey
www.u2-experience.de

Stratovari's Website

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2006-05-31
  • Posts: 489

Re: Dimed JTM45 & Les Paul

Hey folks,

Thanks for sharing my excitement big_smile

I am a total Fuzz lover. Usually I use my Roger Mayer Axis Fuzz out of the handsinged series. It's a good Fuzz, but doesn't work well with LPs.

Thanks for reviewing the Catalyst, it sounds like a must have pedal for me!

Jimi75's Website