Marshalls best kept secret

timmysoft

The common internet wisdom is the JCM900's suck, but not all 900's were created equal.

 Enter the 2101


The MK3 2101 really is a devastating design, part 800, part 900 but very much a fully fledged, proper Marshall. 

It has an incredible feature set that adds to the classic 800 design, the gain sensitivity control allows you to dial in the diode clipping, but with the control set to 0 (or as its labelled, 10) the diodes are out of the circuit. Dual master volumes allow you to have those sweet 800 tones, but get a volume boost for those executive solos with your wedding/function band that everybody must hear. Power section is pure 900, so theres loads of volume but a very useable taper to the volume controls. Switchable from 100w down to 50w,its incredibly flexible and versatile. FX loop is great, although i much prefer to bridge it with a patch cable and run my FX out front. It doesn't get properly clean, but who wants pristine cleans? Its just a very good, very simple amp that can be had for very little money. Don't confuse the MK3 with the Dual Reverb, they're very different, the MK3 breathes fire.

For all those people looking for a more portable and flexible 800, sorry, its been around since the early 90's and you knew nothing about it.

ICBM

timmysoft said:

but with the control set to 0 (or as its labelled, 10) the diodes are out of the circuit.

No they aren't. The clipping network is in the circuit at all times, it's only the signal level to it which is reduced (but not to zero) by the sensitivity control.

But it doesn't matter, because 'diode clipping' is not the main deciding factor in the sound of the amp, and they sound great anyway. Jubilees also use diode clipping in both the lead and rhythm clip modes, and a lot of people think they sound great too.

timmysoft said:

 Power section is pure 900, so theres loads of volume but a very useable taper to the volume controls.

The taper is usually poor at the lower end of the range - the pot does nothing until it's about at 9 o'clock, then suddenly comes in - unless they've been replaced with better quality ones, which is common because the originals fail so often.

timmysoft said:

FX loop is great, although i much prefer to bridge it with a patch cable and run my FX out front.

That makes no difference unless the FX loop jack contacts are dirty (which admittedly is a common fault). The patch cable simply duplicates the bypass path inside the amp.

Sorry, I'm not meaning to sound pedantic but these things are true! It's a great amp for the money and the size, but there are some real issues with them.

TTBZ

Nothing wrong with a 900 when I first tried the dual reverb I was a bit disappointed as it doesn't really do "classic" Marshall but have since discovered they can be great for heavier stuff. Dirt cheap 2nd hand too

Never played the MKIII or SLX though.

rawk100

I've got a jcm900 SLX 50w head and it's an absolute beast, prefer it to the jcm800 I had before. I agree that they're marshalls best kept secret too.....

slate

It sounded F wicked when we cranked it. I was totally surprised at how good it was. having gone from 800s in the 80s straight to a JMP1 based rig in the 90s, I totally missed this model when it was introduced and had never played one before. 
I really liked it a lot. 
I have a 1980 JMP 2203 which we plugged into the combo's internal speaker and tonally the 900 was very similar. I really like the sensitivity control on it too, it added a fatness that I thought sounded great.  

ICBM

slate said:

I really like the sensitivity control on it too, it added a fatness that I thought sounded great.  

That’s the diode clipping, and yes it does .

randella

They're Marshall's best-kept secret because no-one can lift the thing out the house without ricking their spine.

Joking aside, I have the 50W version of the OPs.  They're great.  If you can't get a good, solid rock tone out of one then the problem is not the amp.  It's not a Superlead or an 800 so doesn't qualify for the same internet fetishisation which is fine by me; it's the reason I picked one up for buttons years ago and have enjoyed it ever since.

It works great with an original Guv'nor too, but the one I had was borrowed, had to go back and... well.  Has anyone seen the price of *those* lately?  Marshall missing a trick there.