In praise of the JCM800

shaunm

I know this isn't news to any of you but I thought I'd put it on here anyhow. 

I picked up a 1983 JCM 800 4010 combo earlier this year. It was a little bit of a departure for me after playing a 5e3 and a 18 watt MJW for the last couple of years. It took a little bit of getting used to as the amp was quite revealing. 

I had chance to open up the taps on it tonight and get the amp working hard and it blew me away how good it sounded. It was a just a massive crunch, not too much gain just a decent AC/DC amount. I was using my P90 Sheraton which was just about perfect for my band. 

Like i say this is nothing new to most of you but it's worth mentioning that you don't have to go mega expensive and boutique amps to get great tone. It's helped to remind me why Marshall were so highly thought of.

Modulus_Amps

Nice, allot of modern high gain amps are modded JCM800 at there root.

shaunm

Modulus_Amps said:

Nice, allot of modern high gain amps are modded JCM800 at there root.

Yeah, but these older (does 83 class as old?) amps are brilliant sounding things. Loud! But you can see why so many modern makers use these as a basis. I quite like the limitations of the amp that make you use the tone and volume controls on the guitar. 

ICBM

shaunm said:

It's helped to remind me why Marshall were so highly thought of.

And a shame that Marshall seem to have forgotten...

Bridgehouse

ICBM said:

shaunm said:

It's helped to remind me why Marshall were so highly thought of.

And a shame that Marshall seem to have forgotten...

I think it's great that you've taken on the one-man crusade to remind them

shaunm

Bridgehouse said:

ICBM said:

shaunm said:

It's helped to remind me why Marshall were so highly thought of.

And a shame that Marshall seem to have forgotten...

I think it's great that you've taken on the one-man crusade to remind them

They could do with a nudge 

ICBM

Bridgehouse said:

I think it's great that you've taken on the one-man crusade to remind them

I wish I could. They don't seem to pay attention to anyone these days. Half the world is telling them they just need to be making high-quality, updated versions of their classic amps (eg a 20W 2203x), but they just aren't listening.

earwighoney

ICBM said:

Bridgehouse said:

I think it's great that you've taken on the one-man crusade to remind them

I wish I could. They don't seem to pay attention to anyone these days. Half the world is telling them they just need to be making high-quality, updated versions of their classic amps (eg a 20W 2203x), but they just aren't listening.

Isn't one of the Jet City amps based around the preamp of the JCM800?  The 20HV.

ICBM

earwighoney said:

Isn't one of the Jet City amps based around the preamp of the JCM800?  The 20HV.

Pretty much, via a bit of SLO I think (which is an evolution of the 2203 anyway).

If only Marshall was building amps of the same sort of quality, simplicity and tone as Jet City they would clean up.

DJH83004

I don't think it is all doom and gloom at Marshall, but they have def got QA issues, I've just had in a 1987x 50watt head and it was a really nice amp, apart from the fact that the Dagnall output transformer was shot (shorted primary windings), and similarly a DSL 401 which had a mains transformer short, again Dagnall.  

earwighoney

ICBM said:

earwighoney said:

Isn't one of the Jet City amps based around the preamp of the JCM800?  The 20HV.

Pretty much, via a bit of SLO I think (which is an evolution of the 2203 anyway).

If only Marshall was building amps of the same sort of quality, simplicity and tone as Jet City they would clean up.

Thanks for the info. 

Doug White of Jet City seems to be a really good guy who runs a very sensible and well run operation. 

Flanging_Fred

Love my JCM800 4010. Simple, poweful, portable, reliable and sounds great.  

SidNewton

I had a 1984 JCM 800 2204. Superb amp, loads of bottom end. It sounded great combined with a Tele and I would happily own one again.

Never rule out using the low output and boosting with pedals.

mburekenge

its a classic for a reason. love 'em.

TTBZ

Yeah, best amp ever as far as I'm concerned! Very versatile even though it doesn't do many sounds - the ones it does work well for a lot of music though. Even does great cleans with the guitar volume rolled down. Boost it and you have the perfect metal tone. Was playing a 100w up loud earlier and there's really nothing quite like it! 

Moltisanti

i'm glad you're enjoying it Shaun, they are ace amps, as simple as it gets but no bells and whistles needed, just ace rock tone

JMP220478

ICBM said:

Bridgehouse said:

I think it's great that you've taken on the one-man crusade to remind them

I wish I could. They don't seem to pay attention to anyone these days. Half the world is telling them they just need to be making high-quality, updated versions of their classic amps (eg a 20W 2203x), but they just aren't listening.

agree here - many people looking for tone not necessarily all out volume - would bring many back to the Marshall family ..

i've had various  Jet City EL84 based heads - still have a custom 22 - Marshallesque - maybe but not for me the classic Marshall EL34 sound .. 

on a side note - Gigged my jmp 2204 with subtle use of a  powebrake on saturday - Aldrich equipped LP - bit of XP booster or TS for solo's with Belle Epoch  ... huge :-)
 

riffpowers

Best amp ever.

I'm after another one.

I love em!!

shaunm

JMP220478 said:

ICBM said:

Bridgehouse said:

I think it's great that you've taken on the one-man crusade to remind them

I wish I could. They don't seem to pay attention to anyone these days. Half the world is telling them they just need to be making high-quality, updated versions of their classic amps (eg a 20W 2203x), but they just aren't listening.

agree here - many people looking for tone not necessarily all out volume - would bring many back to the Marshall family ..

i've had various  Jet City EL84 based heads - still have a custom 22 - Marshallesque - maybe but not for me the classic Marshall EL34 sound .. 

on a side note - Gigged my jmp 2204 with subtle use of a  powebrake on saturday - Aldrich equipped LP - bit of XP booster or TS for solo's with Belle Epoch  ... huge :-)
 

As it happens I've just bought a power break to use with mine @JMP220478 it works a treat 

http://i1381.photobucket.com/albums/ah219/Shaunm11/Mobile Uploads/B1C07171-79D5-4199-AC53-9B3F7678AEE7_zpsyz0t7jvi.jpg

siraxeman

Single channel ones are the most desirable right? So cleans are just rolling the volume back and fully open is crunch and stomp on a dirt pedal is the solo boost?

Bucket

I've never played one.

Apart from a Kerry King model at very low volume in a shop, and I thought that was dogshit.