Jcm 800 debut and review from Guitar World 1983

Techdeth

Techdeth

RESIDENT ROCK PROFESSOR
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That's interesting because of all the channel switchers, the 1983 version was easily the worst of all the yrs I've played/owned. But he loved it.
Lol
 
Techdeth said:
How come ?
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The first versions (1983 first yr) sounded kinda thin and didn't have much more gain than the 2204s, which were just plain better sounding. By 86 they became fire breathers and sounded more like a modded Marshall, but from the factory. The trick is to crank the gain/channel vol on the lead channel, and stand back as you turn up the MV.
 
Racerxrated said:
The first versions sounded kinda thin and didn't have much more gain than the 2204s, which were just plain better sounding. By 86 they became fire breathers and sounded more like a modded Marshall, but from the factory. The trick is to crank the gain/channel vol on the lead channel, and stand back as you turn up the MV.
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That would make sense . They had to revise to fought off the modded amps
 
Well this has sufficiently hyped me up as I have a first year 1982 model 2210 on the way, should get it this Friday. I am pumped to hear the difference between it and my 1986 2210.

It's also really surprising and very cool to see a positive review from around the time. It seems most people really hated the early split channel JCM800's, so much so that they actually rebuilt the entire design from the ground up sometime in 1984. So if you have an amp from 1984, you'd need to do the "V2 test" to see which version of the amp you have, early or later.

Earlier ones had a quad of clipping diodes and most uniquely, a Treble/Middle/Bass tone stack BEFORE the gain control, much like a Mesa Mark. Later amps have fewer diodes and the tone stack located in the usual place, after the gain stages. It probably caught a lot of people off guard, because visually the amps look identical - same exact controls on front and back panels, same number of tubes used etc. but a quick peak at the schematic even to someone with beginner level electronics knowledge, it's quite clear that they may as well be two totally different amps.

Thanks for the post. I'll have to report back once I do some A/B testing between my "new" '82 and my '86.
 
Interesting for sure and thanks for posting but the writer has a very different and somewhat annoying style of writing. Didn't realize 800's had MOSFET :dunno: Or is that pic up there of a 3120? Confusing. More coffee needed.
 
TotallyRadGuitars said:
Well this has sufficiently hyped me up as I have a first year 1982 model 2210 on the way, should get it this Friday. I am pumped to hear the difference between it and my 1986 2210.

It's also really surprising and very cool to see a positive review from around the time. It seems most people really hated the early split channel JCM800's, so much so that they actually rebuilt the entire design from the ground up sometime in 1984. So if you have an amp from 1984, you'd need to do the "V2 test" to see which version of the amp you have, early or later.

Earlier ones had a quad of clipping diodes and most uniquely, a Treble/Middle/Bass tone stack BEFORE the gain control, much like a Mesa Mark. Later amps have fewer diodes and the tone stack located in the usual place, after the gain stages. It probably caught a lot of people off guard, because visually the amps look identical - same exact controls on front and back panels, same number of tubes used etc. but a quick peak at the schematic even to someone with beginner level electronics knowledge, it's quite clear that they may as well be two totally different amps.

Thanks for the post. I'll have to report back once I do some A/B testing between my "new" '82 and my '86.
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There are some posts on the Marshall forum where guys really like the first 82/83 versions....For me, I had an 82 4210 combo that was horrible. Bought it cheap and flipped it quick. Since then I've had mostly 86-90 version of each 2205/10s, now an 86 that I did a few very small mods to. I did however grab an 83 2210 a couple years ago, with the intent to mod it. It didn't sound terrible like the 82 4210 but still was far worse than any I've had from 86-90...hardly any gain, maybe a touch more than a 2204 and a thinner sound as well. The 86-90 versions can sound as good as most modded Marshalls out there, if run correctly with the ch vol/gain both turned up.
 
Early ones had channel bleed as well.. I had either an 86 or 87 2205.. Had real-deal pre-SED Svetlana EL34's, and it was a beast. Miss that amp. Sold it when the prices soared like a dumbass. Got more rhan double what I paid for it.
 
napalmdeath said:
Early ones had channel bleed as well.. I had either an 86 or 87 2205.. Had real-deal pre-SED Svetlana EL34's, and it was a beast. Miss that amp. Sold it when the prices soared like a dumbass. Got more rhan double what I paid for it.
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Even the late ones can have channel bleed.....but, it might be because a cap is out of spec..it was supposed to have been fixed during 1987 but I had an 88 with it. I never used the 'regular' channel so I just turned all the controls to 0.
 
Still have the 3210 Lead 100 MOSFET. Sold the 4x10 cabs, but kept the 2x12's.
Also owned the Artist 3203 for a while, but while it sounded bigger than the MOSFET, the gain range and versatility of the MOSFET (Pull EQ section :rock: ) was preferred.
Nice JCM800-ish grunt to it.
 

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Racerxrated said:
Even the late ones can have channel bleed.....but, it might be because a cap is out of spec..it was supposed to have been fixed during 1987 but I had an 88 with it. I never used the 'regular' channel so I just turned all the controls to 0.
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The Dual channel 800's really deserve a reissue. Like you guys have pointed out some had channel bleed and some just sounded like ass, but a good one will kick a jubilees ass all day. Biggest hit or miss amp in history..
 
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