So Marshall JMPs...

ThePrettyDamned

They sound the nuts clean or dirty, right?

And they're a classic marshall, right?

So why don't they go for that much these days? I can imagine one with a PPIMV would be a pretty kick arse amp, but the combos in particular seem quite bargaintastic.  

ICBM

You mean the Master Volume ones? They have master volumes, and hence sound shit at any volume. They're also PCB amps, and hence sound shit to begin with. They also have big logos, modern rocker switches and corner protectors, so…

No, I don't understand it either.

They sound great actually. The MV works OK, for an early post-preamp design - it doesn't get great tone down to a whisper, but it does allow you to get that classic Marshall crunch at moderate stage volume.

I honestly think they're the best Marshalls ever, better even than a Plexi if you want dirt - to me, they're the definition of the sound of rock and what the word "kerrang" was invented for .

The very best one I've ever heard was a '76 2203 - although to be fair, it was the very earliest version with the small logo and toggle switches, so maybe that's why it sounded good . Be careful with 2204s - the 50W version came first, and the first year or so of production ('75-'76) used a different circuit which frankly just doesn't sound very good. You can easily tell them because the High and Low channels are in parallel, so you can get signal through both at the same time, they have roughly the same gain and the 'High' is thinner and brighter. The 2203 went straight in from '76 with the cascaded High and Low channels where the Low disconnects the high, and the High has far more gain. The 2204 was then changed to the 2203 circuit.

I really don't know why they - and especially the combos - are so undervalued. Kurt Cobain recorded Nevermind with a combo… and AC/DC used them on Back In Black. (As well as older non-MV amps). Doesn't get a lot more classic than that really!

John_A

Without a MV or an attenuator they are too loud for most people, gigging pubs etc, they are heavy, particularly the combos but as you say pound great, and don't cost the earth

ThePrettyDamned

Blimey, that's some pretty high praise!

With modern builders knowing what they know, I don't see why it would be impossible to make something similar but with an even better master volume that works at a larger range - from bedroom cleans and pedal platform goodness up to moderate stage volume crunch.

They do seem really well priced! 

Cirrus

The combos do seem to go for much less than equivalent heads. I guess the heads are iconic, it's what people want. I like the jmp50 mk2 lead combo my singer's uncle has bequeathed to our practice room. It's pretty bright though, and being an open backed 2x12 it lacks low end to balance that out. Admittedly it has thickened out now I've replaced the filter caps and made some choice substitutions in the circuit...

JohnPerry

used to have 1979ish MV 50 combo. Seriously heavy and loud as hell. Have to say it sounded scratchy and nasty unless the pre-amp was maxxed, at which point it sounded fabulous. But I only ever got that one sound out of it. 

Vintage and Modern near me just sold one priced at £950 (!) btw. Maybe the prices are picking up..?

Cirrus

JohnPerry said:

Have to say it sounded scratchy and nasty unless the pre-amp was maxxed, at which point it sounded fabulous. But I only ever got that one sound out of it. 

Yes. Preamp cranked it's great, but very limited. As the preamp goes down it gets brighter and brighter so that I found it pretty unusable below say 7 - could be balanced out a bit by cranking the master but that's stupid loud! I get the feeling they were designed to cut in very loud bands of the '70s and still be bright despite long cables, tone sucking effects etc. With decent buffers plus out present tonal tastes they are massively bright amps.

There's like 3 different bright caps in the preamp. Lots of mods to fix them, I just cut the one on the volume pot figuring it wouldn't affect the awesome sound with that knob cranked but might improve the lower gain settings and to be fair it does.

ICBM

You run the preamp at less than full up? How odd!

If I want a cleaner sound I tend to use the Low input… still with the preamp all the way up .

ThePrettyDamned

ICBM said:

You run the preamp at less than full up? How odd!

If I want a cleaner sound I tend to use the Low input… still with the preamp all the way up .

lol it's all about teh rock.

Yeah, I want to try one out.  

Also, I now have a Boss DF-2.  ICBM, you were right, this thing kicks arse! Super fat sounding, and I don't think it sounds the same as a DS-1, despite internet wisdom claiming otherwise.  It's still got a narrow-ish tone pot range, but it's miles easier to dial in than a DS-1. 

And, it gets a TOP Fru style lead sound with the gain at 3/4s that still sounds fat when playing rhythm.  It's a keeper!

I bet it would sound better into a 'proper' amp...

ICBM

ThePrettyDamned said:

Also, I now have a Boss DF-2.  ICBM, you were right, this thing kicks arse! Super fat sounding, and I don't think it sounds the same as a DS-1, despite internet wisdom claiming otherwise.  It's still got a narrow-ish tone pot range, but it's miles easier to dial in than a DS-1.

It's definitely not the same as a DS-1, and internet wisdom either isn't listening or can't read a schematic .

Cirrus

ICBM said:

If I want a cleaner sound I tend to use the Low input… still with the preamp all the way up .

This reminds me - the low input makes an awesome pedal platform. Sounds sexy hitting it with a rat. I gigged it a couple of times last year with a 2x12 vox cab w/ golds in it, that was really good fun. I'll see if I can dig out a clip.

ThePrettyDamned

ICBM;423211" said:

ThePrettyDamned said:Also, I now have a Boss DF-2.  ICBM, you were right, this thing kicks arse! Super fat sounding, and I don't think it sounds the same as a DS-1, despite internet wisdom claiming otherwise.  It's still got a narrow-ish tone pot range, but it's miles easier to dial in than a DS-1.





It's definitely not the same as a DS-1, and internet wisdom either isn't listening or can't read a schematic .

More likely it's an orange boss box, so it must sound like one... Tgp listens with their eyes I think.

Yeah, i really like it. It's huge sounding. The feedbacker is really cool, I can see it being occasionally useful for low volume recording, but not really what it'll be used for prinarily, if that makes sense.

I just need to see if it likes being boosted. Also, no buffer bleed, even at max gain and high volume. Nice

tbm

I had a JMP 2203. Fantastic amp with a really great clean sound when you wound the master up, but as is the perennial problem with 100 watt Marshall's, there rarely ever a time when you can crank it to a volume that really allows it to breath. I do recall a few vocal PA punk shows where I was able to crank it through a 4x12. The sound and feel is something else but my ears are bolloxed so I'm pretty sure I'll never need a 100 watt Marshall again. I do miss it though.

smigeon

For me:

- low input 

- bass 10

- middle 10

- treble 5

- presence 5

- pre-amp max

- master to taste (I tend to run it turned up quite a bit, with the guitar volume turned a long way up

Reverend

Never heard an amp that comes close.

I have two of them

ThePrettyDamned

Cool.

I guess combos are a bit cheaper because of the size and weight of them then - heads do seem to fetch a bit more.

p90fool

ThePrettyDamned;425166" said:

Cool.

I guess combos are a bit cheaper because of the size and weight of them then - heads do seem to fetch a bit more.

There's a bit of fashion involved too. People expect their classic Marshalls to be heads and their classic Fenders to be combos even though both companies put their circuits out in both formats.

ThePrettyDamned

p90fool;425209" said:

[quote="ThePrettyDamned;425166"]Cool.

I guess combos are a bit cheaper because of the size and weight of them then - heads do seem to fetch a bit more.

There's a bit of fashion involved too. People expect their classic Marshalls to be heads and their classic Fenders to be combos even though both companies put their circuits out in both formats. [/quote]

Haha oh guitarists, so vain we are.

I remember when I first saw a bassman head. They sometimes go for quite a low price, certainly lower than combos.

Madness!

ICBM

ThePrettyDamned said:

I remember when I first saw a bassman head. They sometimes go for quite a low price, certainly lower than combos.

Madness!

To be fair, most Fender heads don't have reverb, which tends to put off a lot of buyers.

That said, my AA864-circuit '64 Bassman head was the best-sounding Fender and one of the best-sounding amps I've ever owned...

samzadgan

I remember reading the 2203 was basically a super lead with an extra gain stage...is that right?

samzadgan

Btw...found this useful article...

http://www.solodallas.com/the-vintage-marshall-guide/