Original jcm800 vs reissue , any advice or opinions ?!

riffpowers

I'm after a jcm800 2203 and there's a reissue one for sale locally for £800. I was interested to know if there was any real difference between the new and the original . Any advice or opinions ?!

riffpowers

The vertical input 2203's are obviously the ones to get , but it's getting harder and harder to find a decent original one , especially locally, so a local reissue for £800 does appeal to me ! I'm interested to know if anyone has owned or used a reissue , and what the quality and reliability is like as it'll be heavily gigged .

John_A

There's a reissue at the rehearsal studio that I use sometimes and it sounds every bit as good as I remember my original sounding, it's red too with a matching 412 which probably makes it sound better

p90fool

I have no idea about the 2203, but I have gigged both JTM45 and 1987 reissues (the standard range ones rather than the handwired series) extensively and they're tough as old boots, sound good and appear to be well put together inside, pretty much like the 70s Superleads I started out with.

Given the clownish things that I and many others did to old Marshalls decades ago I actually buy the reissues by choice these days. There is a perhaps a touch of extra romance in owning an original, but that's of little interest to me when it comes to a gigging machine.

ICBM

The reissues seem well made, and I don't expect any reliability problems, but they were very overpriced new when you could still get a fully-serviced original for half the price. Now originals have gone up a bit - and the reissues are even more expensive than when they first came out, which is nuts - £800 for a reissue doesn't seem *too* daft, although maybe still a bit high.

p90fool

^^^ Very true, I've never bought a reissue brand new, they are a bit pricey tbh.

SidNewton

ICBM said:

The reissues seem well made, and I don't expect any reliability problems, but they were very overpriced new when you could still get a fully-serviced original for half the price. Now originals have gone up a bit - and the reissues are even more expensive than when they first came out, which is nuts - £800 for a reissue doesn't seem *too* daft, although maybe still a bit high.

I reckon the OP could find an original one £200 under that if he's prepared to be patient. I'm not sure the originals have gone up in the last 12 months. I bought my 2204 (dated 1984) for £600 about 12 months ago. I'd be lucky to see £500 for it in the current market.

Go back 2 years and it wasn't uncommon to see original 2203's going for close to a grand. Not now, £600 is a more realistic  amount. It's a buyers market.

ICBM

I don't think I've ever seen an original actually sell for more than £600 - at least not where I am.

SidNewton

ICBM said:

I don't think I've ever seen an original actually sell for more than £600 - at least not where I am.

Couple of years ago people started asking silly money for them on the net. It's settled down since then to a more realistic level.

riffpowers

I saw a load around a grand when I was looking last year. Might pay to be patient, or try and get the re-issue for a better price.!!

Whats a good price for the re-issue??

John_A

^ anything I'm looking for I always do a completed item search on eBay. I then find there was one 5 miles away that sold for peanuts last week

riffpowers

I picked up the re-issue last night, great amp, great condition, got it for a great price.

Moltisanti

Slash tours with the re-issue which would be good enough for me, go for it