Gear Review: Bezoar guitarist Tyler Villard on his Marshall JCM800 100 Watt Head

I recently spoke with guitarist Tyler Villard of the stoner, psychedelic, doom metal band Bezoar, about what he feels is the most important piece of gear he uses to obtain his signature monster, sludgy sound. Here’s how the conversation on his Marshall JCM800 100 Watt Head went.

What one piece of gear do you use to obtain your signature sound?
Tyler: My 100 watt Marshall 800.

What about it makes it so important to you?
Tyler: It’s a simple, easy-to-use, great-sounding amp. I hate amps with lots of knobs and EQs. I like to be able to turn it on and be pleased with tone instantly.

What are the major pros and cons?
Tyler: All tube amps require constant maintenance, my 800 has been a lot tougher than other more expensive ones I’ve used in the past. Plus most repair shops are very familiar with Marshall stuff and will most likely have parts. This helps on tour.

How long have you had it, how do you use it, would you ever change it?
Tyler: I go through phases of liking one type of sound or another. I’ve been using this one for about 3 years and before the Marshall I ran everything through a cheap bass amp with a Mesa triple rectifier. I’ll use anything that is high gain and fuzzy. My favorite sounds are overblown on the verge of malfunction.

Check out the song: “Vitamin B”