2555 Jubilee

Leardriver · Post by **Leardriver** » Fri Jan 25, 2013 12:42 pm

Hi Guys,

I have been kicking around these forums for quit some time and have picked up a lot of knowledge! But right now I am at a oint of trying to figure out of seriously considering a 100W Jubilee. Option one is go find one....an 87 Silver is going for what I consider to be just STUPID cash these days. Its a modern Marshall with a printd circuit board, run of the mill transformers, ect......but it was a limited run and therefore seems to have become more desirable as time goes by. The black ones made 88-89 and the 96 Slash SL2555 tend to run less (especially the Slash it seems...different transformer set though I think) and are the same same amp (mostly). As of late there is something that is very appealing to me about the very distinct sound a Jub has in relation to a 4 banger, 2203, JCM 800, ect.

So the question....anybody rolled their own around here? I have seen some schematics and SDM's site. i have not heard one that was built by anybody here yet. If you did do it....how was it sourcing parts? Chasis? Recommended transformer set?

Option 3: Ceriatone! Spoke to a "new" internet friend about the one he had built by Nik without the transformers/tubes and sent up to Trace at Voodoo Amps (great guy by the way) who completed the build using his particular spec'd MM Tranformer/Choke set, along with a few of his "tweaks". The amp clips up on you tube and a few that my friend Eri sent me of the thing are really good! But, in the end gonna be pushing the cost up closer to what a "real" 2555 would cost to pick up. Of course we are now comparing a hand built point to point to the Marshall production line offering. I am not actually bias (at least not to the point where I wont buy/play it) if the amp is not point to point as obviously there are many many very very good sounding production amps out there with a printed circuit board!

So just kinda throwing it out there to see what "sticks" and how this project may or may not have turned out for you guys! Thanks in advance!

PaulP

Thiez · Post by **Thiez** » Fri Jan 25, 2013 1:43 pm

Build one yourself! Why?

Ceriatone/voodoo, cost a lot and then you still have to buy transformers and your missing the fun of building an amp yourself. If you go ceriatone i would go for a chupacabra or yeti.

Buy an original SJ. A lot of money. A lot of the silver jubs you find need some care on the caps and tubes and you still pay top notch. Like you said, it's a collectors item.

Build one yourself, you learn how an amp works and if it's build by yourself it's easier to make some mods/tweaks. An original marshall silver jub you won't open as easaly and mod the hell out of it, because it looses a lot of value.
When you build, you can choose your own component. So you can choose all the best components out there and put together a
"golden jubilee"

This is a verry good site for building:
http://home.comcast.net/~mamp17/Jubilee%20Layouts.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Leardriver · Post by **Leardriver** » Fri Jan 25, 2013 3:07 pm

Hi Theiz,

Well I am certainly on board with what you are saying. Part of the issue is sourcing the parts. Ceriatone offers a kit. They have the chassis which I am not so sure would be easily sourced for a jubilee as the layout is different. I would have to buy the transformers, caps, ect no matter which way I go. I can get the bare bones "kit" from Ceriatone for $420 without tranformers/tubes/case...plus shipping. So assuming it would be in the $500-525 range shipped. I am guessing $400-$600 for transformer set (MM, Heybour, ******), and maybe $150-$250 for a case. So even if I build it and do everything myself I am looking at $1200 minimum...Oh yea, I do have a new set of EH 6ca7 tubes and a number of older 12ax7 that are usable. The H are new so I could at least use them for now, but if I gotta get tubes that obviously adds to the equation.

Now I have NOT built an amp yet. I do have assistance available if I need it....a retired amp tech that used to work in the prototype dept (Audio Lab) for RCA.....guy has forgotten more about this shit than I can imagine ever knowing! And I have been into my Marshalls (73 50W/100W Blackstar Artisan) and while I have not "modded" it per say, I did return it back to the lead spec that ha been previously altered somewhere along the way.....and of course biased it. I have learned a ton over the last few months and many guys here are likely gonna say this is too hard of a project to do as a first build...being a channel switcher and all. But honestly, I absolutely do not have any interest in putting money and effort into something I am not interested in owning or playing at this point. But, I do understand the concept of the learning curve! LOL. I understand the importance of a clean build and research everything I do not understand to death until I do. Just my nature.

Anyway, back to the original issue.......if I am to build a ground up Jubilee I need to start by compiling a complete parts list and sourcing them. Since the Jubilee is not really a standard Item (although I am having a thought that Mojo may be producing one and possibly be able to help with chassis/case/faceplates is Ceriatone cannot supply these parts seperately.....assuming I do not just break down and go with one of theirs.

Also had a fleeting thought of trying to find a dead JCM 800 channel switcher and gut it......or convert it if you will. Salvage what I could as it is a "homebuilt"! lol. I could at least prove the concept that way......or I could open a black hole sized can or worms! I dunno. So....keep the comments coming!

chrisom · Post by **chrisom** » Fri Jan 25, 2013 6:54 pm

This guy's got a nice one for sale reasonably in Kansas City CraigsList- enjoy

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/msg/3562184615.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Leardriver · Post by **Leardriver** » Fri Jan 25, 2013 9:00 pm

hmmmmm.....

chrisom · Post by **chrisom** » Sat Jan 26, 2013 1:54 am

Or you could get the Lerxst, like Alex Lifeson from RUSH...

http://www.mojotone.com/support/Amplifi ... rxst-Omega" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Story of the Lerxst Omega...
In 2012, Mojotone was contacted by Geddy Lee's bass tech, John "Skully" McIntosh. Alex Lifeson was in search of an amp to use on their upcoming Clockwork Angels tour. He had used a Marshall Silver Jubilee in the studio and was having a hard time finding something reliable to use on the road.

Skully knew that Mojotone had an arsenal of amp kits and parts at our disposal, and was also aware that Mojotone did contract manufacturing for other amp companies. He asked us to build him something close to a Jubilee and told us he needed it delivered to Canada in one week. We quickly put Mojotone tech Steve Snyder to task building this new amp. Steve put in more than a few long nights and added a few of his own ideas to the classic Marshall design. One week later the new "Lerxst Omega" amp was delivered to Alex where the band was rehearsing for the tour that was only two weeks away. We knew the amp sounded good when it left but Alex's response was much more than we ever expected:

"I am so blown away by the fantastic job you and your colleagues have done creating the Lerxst amp for me. We pulled the Marshall last night after A/B-ing the two. The tonal character is quite similar but the response of the Lerxst has greater immediacy, sustain and grip. It sounds so good!"

He immediately commissioned us to build a second amp to use in his backup rig on the road. Lerxst #002 was delivered the day of their first show in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Beginning in early 2013 Mojotone, in partnership with Alex Lifeson, will be offering the all hand-wired Lerxst Omega amp Please email us to get on the list!

Thiez · Post by **Thiez** » Sat Jan 26, 2013 5:30 am

I is an hard choice!

- Buy one, lot of money. But you have the amp, it's working and it keeps his value. So if you wanna sell it, you get your money back. (And probably more since it's a vintage marshall)

- Build one, you can choose exactly what you want in there. Best resistors, best capacitors, best transformers. Maybe it will sound much better then a stock silver jub. That way you'll probably spend the same amound of money, but you know your amp inside out and learn a lot about how the amp works etc. The downside of this story is that a home build amp never will be sold for more then $400 probably, no matter what parts are in there. Most of the time it's better to rip them appart and use the parts in a new build or sell them as parts.

For me the discission is quiet simple because i love building the amps. I build meself a single ended 5 watt tube amp 3 years ago and it worked great. I am now bussy building my second amp, the ultimate marshall, as posted here on the forum.

And last but not least. IF you really want to build an amp. You can do it. No matter what amp it is. If i wanted to build an Mesa roadking as my first amp, i would do it. I probably took me years and years of searching, learning, foruming, reading, etc. But in the end it would be there.
A silver jubilee isn't that hard to build i think. And if you go to the link i send you, there the whole build set out for you. Schematic, layout, turretboard, Its all there.

Make the choice my friend

Leardriver · Post by **Leardriver** » Sat Jan 26, 2013 1:10 pm

I actually did see that Mojo (Lerxst) amp that they built for Alix Lifeson. No clips or anything yet and it is gonna be 3K. Not saying it isn't worth it but not ready to spend 3K on it honestly. I know I can either build or get into an original for considerably less...including upgrading tubes/transformers. But, I honestly have not ruled anything out at this point. I really would not mind building one but I also know it would be a labor of love and likely not retain much of the value put into it ...where as an original would.

Ya know if we are talking $1k here not really an issue.....but we are really talking about closer to $1500-$2000. Again...not the end of the world if you get dinged. but even now I have a 50W Deizel Einstein that I am looking to sell to help fund this....a highly desirable amp in its own right but I have had some offers on it that were kinda...well crazy! And this is a $3000 amp that basically has not left the house! It's just not for me despite the fact that it does sound very good for certain things. The point is that the Einstein is a well known high quality amp that is fairly coveted yet it's perceived value is not what one would expect. So I am a little wary of investing a ton of coin into something I am hoping is gonna inspire me tonally that I know is not gonna be worth anything if I do end up selling it. And lets face it...many of us on here have turned our fair share of gear! Lol! I know i have!

So going back to what i said originally....not sure what the right thing to do is here. I have a stock handwired 73 50W Marshall already....wish it was a 100W as it is my preference...but kinda got that covered. The Deizel was to provide a very different thing which it does well...but it is a bit too modern for my tastes. Thats all. But if that amp is tough to move I am thinking a clone of nearly anything (except maybe a good t-wreck clone) could be really tough to sell unless given away or..as pointed out....parted out. Which actually is not that bad of an option if it came to that. If I bought say a Lerxst than that would be far less of an option to me.

Uhhhh....I just need to be a little patient and clarity will come! ......at least that is what I am telling myself! Lol!

Thiez · Post by **Thiez** » Sat Jan 26, 2013 4:40 pm

You can also have a look at splawn amps. Played the splawn quickrod once, really nice amp and quiet versatile. Covers quiet a great range of rocktones like marshalls.

Leardriver · Post by **Leardriver** » Sat Jan 26, 2013 7:57 pm

Thanks but Im not really after anything other than the Jubilee tone right now. I have the NMV Marshall "Plexi" or classic tones covered with my 50W. It actually an excellent sounding head and have a cab loaded with pre rola 30w with 014 cones. So I got the "real deal" kinda covered. But I like the headroom on the 100W and the way I run my rig (into a dummy load and than out to a Matrix power amp) the overall vol is not really a problem. I have had thoughts to a PPIMV but not sure I want to do that to a stock 73 head....course its reverseable so really what is the harm in trying it as long as no extra holes are dilled into the chassis.

Right this moment I am leaning toward putting one together. Looking at a stock Jubilee construction really does not implress me at all...especially the way the pot are mounted directly on the PCB. So a little more thought but......

I would really like to hear from someone who has put a Jubilee together and had success. That might just seal the deal if I could have a definitive parts list and suppliers for some of the harder to source items. I spose I could bent up a chassis from scratch...I do have access to a brake, but I have never done that and Im thinking punching it for everything could be a royal pain in the ass.....but we will see.

PaulP

RagnarMarGunn · Post by **RagnarMarGunn** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 4:31 pm

Paul,
Go for it, I did the 50W version, SDM 2550X, super amp and you can see the build thread here:
http://forum.metroamp.com/viewtopic.php ... 0x#p301023

chrisom · Post by **chrisom** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 2:33 am

Re: 2555 Jubilee
by chrisom » Fri Jan 25, 2013 6:54 pm
This guy's got a nice one for sale reasonably in Kansas City CraigsList- enjoy
http://kansascity.craigslist.org/msg/3562184615.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I ended up buying it myself. BIG Dagnell trannys with NO oxidation. My first amp with Dagnells. Winged "C" El-34's. Sounds GREAT. It wasn't cheap, and I had to rent an economy car to drive 135 miles to get it, but it was worth it- co

chrisom · Post by **chrisom** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 2:45 am

Strangely enough, on the way there I stopped off at another guy's house to check out another peice of gear, and he had the new Marshall A.F.D. head on a Mesa Rectifier 4x12 cab. He let me play it with a Les Paul. That's another keeper. In an age where Marshall is trying to re-establish their identity, I would recommend the A.F.D. any day. It sounded GREAT...

Thiez · Post by **Thiez** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 5:10 am

chrisom wrote:Strangely enough, on the way there I stopped off at another guy's house to check out another peice of gear, and he had the new Marshall A.F.D. head on a Mesa Rectifier 4x12 cab. He let me play it with a Les Paul. That's another keeper. In an age where Marshall is trying to re-establish their identity, I would recommend the A.F.D. any day. It sounded GREAT...

Try the marshall YJM, you will be speachless

chrisom · Post by **chrisom** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 10:50 am

That's good to hear- I was wondering about those. Love the vintage styling on both the YJM and the A.F.D...