Incoming Marshall 2203X...

[Shawn Lutz]

A single ch. amp, no clean and doesn't do modern metal is a one trick pony. It really only has one voicing.

I'm the opposite, I prefer the 6550 over EL35, had several 2203/04's with EL34, I kept the best one and it happens to be the 6550 version.

Funny thing is... given a good tube amp and a good knowledge of how to get tones... I'll put the PLAYER as the most important aspect as to how to pull all of those tricks out of the amp (be it a multi-channel affair, or a simple one). I've had 3 and 4-channel complex beasts that I bought for their versatility... and discovered that I didn't care for the base tone. So I'd rather have a one-trick-pony amp with a great base tone, that forces me to do all of my variations with pedals and my guitars and hands... than a $3K+ blinged-out flagship amp that's supposed to do everything well. It may do just that... but I've discovered that the less "stuff" between my fingers and the speaker the happier I am with my tone. I do like an OD pedal to hit the front end of an amp to tighten things-up a bit and add some sensitivity/response... but aside from wah, verb and delay in limited quantities I'm good with a pretty raw tone.

I totally agree there, most important piece of the tone puzzle is the player, his heart/soul, technique and pick attack. The 2203/04 is a perfect design and agree that quite a few of the multi channel amps do everything "ok" and don't do one thing "great" like the simplicity of single channel 2203/04. RAW tone is where its at for me as well.

At one point after getting rid of multiple 2203/04's and only have one 2203 and 4x12 left way back in the day. I filled in on a couple wedding gigs using a 2203 and a 1960A 4x12. You'll be surprised how versatile you can be with a little creativity, going into the low input for clean, delay and volume pedal.

These days in addition to the 2203 I have a 101B, 50CL, Splawn QR and Mesa DC5, all multi channel amps but even plugging into a 2203 after a long time not playing it it still puts a smile back on my face like the first time I fired it up in 84 I need to get my cap job done...I miss it

and yeah...JCM800 2203/04 are virtually identical to the JMP MV 2203/2204, new name ans new head shell.

 

[Rogue]

I had 2203x. Cool amp. Then I got an attenuator. Sounded even better. But with an attenuator, I got a 1959slp. It's been a plexi type amp every since, minus a few poor judgement moments and an erred digital attempt.

Yeah, I've been jonesing for a 1959SLP, 1987X, or JMP for some time now. Just never found one when I was looking. I was reading about the JCM800s last night and didn't realize that supposedly they-re pretty much a plexi with MV and full-length chassis. At least that's what Jim (Marshall) said in the intro in the amp's booklet (LOL!). I never really thought about that. So I take it that keeping the gain lower keeps the 800 at least in plexi territory. When I rolled-off my guitar's volume last night I was loving the bright, responsive "cleans with hair" that were coming-out of the amp and in fact, I'm coming to prefer those cleans to pristine Fender cleans anymore.

They are a little different, biggest difference being the 800s first two tubes are cascaded, where as the plexi is not...two separate channels. More gain with the 800 and a different tonality. Similar, but different. I prefer the plexi, but you have to get a good attenuator for the goods.

I can get clean tones from the plexi easier than a JCM800, but don't let anyone tell you that you can't get cleans from a 800 even on the high input....

Not a JCM, but a MV JMP (essentially same thing).

Right settings, right guitar, and you can get them. Granted, that dude has great technique and doesn't require gobs of gain. I love the clip...makes me want another one.

 

[Red_Label]

So I realized why I thought this beast was STUPID LOUD tonight (and why my attenuator was heating-up so much). Turns-out I wasn't looking close enough at the labels above the knobs (my view while standing above it means I can't read the labels without squatting-down). I had the Master Volume and Gain knobs reversed in how I was running them. I was running the MV at 2:00-300 and the Gain at 9:00ish. NO WONDER I HAD TO HAVE IT AT INSANE VOLUME TO GET ENOUGH GAIN!!! Geesh. Once I ran things opposite of that, there was plenty of gain on-tap at reasonable volume. DUH!!! Pulled the attenuator out of the chain after a while (it never got hot) and just used the Master Volume like it was supposed to be used. Funny how well things work when you do them RIGHT. DOH!

Btw... REALLY loving this amp. The Bogners, VHT, Elmwood, Engl, Lickliter, etc that I've owned and/or had in my possession over the past few years have nothing on this amp in terms of tone. Just more features/channels. But all I care about is raw tone right now.

 

[Jofipe]

 

[Schaf]

It really only has one voicing.

Most (not all of course) channel switchers have one base voicing imo, the channels share a power section and give you switchable shades/hues of the base preamp voicing and at best a clean channel but still shares power section components with the rest of the preamp.

A JCM 800 doesn't have the switching but the shades/hues are there and you can stretch it out into a useable bandwidth of tone imo.

With outboard devices (especially) in conjunction with an effects loop you can match or even exceed some channel switchers bandwidth imo.

That's what I'm saying. As I said ealier, by using differnt Od's boosts, and the way they respond to different guitars and pickups, and your volume knob. You can cover a ton of ground. From a dirty clean to a high gain sound with the right pedal. And, switch to single coils, you have a whole new world. Not what I would call one trick.

 

[Red_Label]

It really only has one voicing.

Most (not all of course) channel switchers have one base voicing imo, the channels share a power section and give you switchable shades/hues of the base preamp voicing and at best a clean channel but still shares power section components with the rest of the preamp.

A JCM 800 doesn't have the switching but the shades/hues are there and you can stretch it out into a useable bandwidth of tone imo.

With outboard devices (especially) in conjunction with an effects loop you can match or even exceed some channel switchers bandwidth imo.

That's what I'm saying. As I said ealier, by using differnt Od's boosts, and the way they respond to different guitars and pickups, and your volume knob. You can cover a ton of ground. From a dirty clean to a high gain sound with the right pedal. And, switch to single coils, you have a whole new world. Not what I would call one trick.

Zactly!!! I've been VERY impressed with the versatility of this thing. Tonight I played everything from Great White to Bonamassa to AIC to Loverboy and was "lovin every minute of it"! (Ha ha...)

All I need is a good guitar with a volume knob and an OD pedal and I feel like I can play most styles with this thing (except maybe old school country, jazz and the heaviest of new metal). I'm not missing the Bogners, VHT, Engl, Elmwood, H&K, or even the Lickliter right now. Just really loving the roaring kerrang of this thing and the simplicity of the whole affair.

 

[petejt]

I had 2203x. Cool amp. Then I got an attenuator. Sounded even better. But with an attenuator, I got a 1959slp. It's been a plexi type amp every since, minus a few poor judgement moments and an erred digital attempt.

Yeah, I've been jonesing for a 1959SLP, 1987X, or JMP for some time now. Just never found one when I was looking. I was reading about the JCM800s last night and didn't realize that supposedly they-re pretty much a plexi with MV and full-length chassis. At least that's what Jim (Marshall) said in the intro in the amp's booklet (LOL!). I never really thought about that. So I take it that keeping the gain lower keeps the 800 at least in plexi territory. When I rolled-off my guitar's volume last night I was loving the bright, responsive "cleans with hair" that were coming-out of the amp and in fact, I'm coming to prefer those cleans to pristine Fender cleans anymore.

They are a little different, biggest difference being the 800s first two tubes are cascaded, where as the plexi is not...two separate channels. More gain with the 800 and a different tonality. Similar, but different. I prefer the plexi, but you have to get a good attenuator for the goods.

I can get clean tones from the plexi easier than a JCM800, but don't let anyone tell you that you can't get cleans from a 800 even on the high input....

Not a JCM, but a MV JMP (essentially same thing).

Right settings, right guitar, and you can get them. Granted, that dude has great technique and doesn't require gobs of gain. I love the clip...makes me want another one.

Damn that sounds awesome