Marshall JCM 800 or 900 or other?

[Tawlks]

My friend is looking for an amp and he's set on a Marshall, plays classic rock, hard rock and some old metal.

I figured if the JCM 900 was the more 'hot rodded' version of the 800 then he'd prefer it, I figured most of his favourite tones were hot rodded 800s anyway.

He's using a JTM combo and says he loves it but has to crank it to sound good, so I said go for something with more preamp dist that sounds better at low volumes.

What do you guys think? he's going Brittish Marshally tone, obviously.

 

[JakeAC5253]

I've played all three Marshalls that you have listed. The JCM 800 sounds like a Tiny Terror at low volumes, the 900 didn't really impress me, and the more I played the DSL the more I realized it just isn't a good amp. Orange Rockerverb 100.

 

[Heritage Softail]

The 900 was discontinued after only a few years. Not an amp you hear mentioned as a classic great marshall tone. I got a used one for the tubes and speakers for a couple hundred bucks. Good Celestion 75's in the combo.

What is $$$ range? Can he build a kit?? Metro Amps kit will let you put one together that will sound great. And you also learn a bit about amps. Both things are good.

I played a Germino that was 2K and sounded absolutely awesome. Lots of options out there.

If they don't want to put the kit together, they need to go test amps and figure it out themselves. If you want to go for the ride and mess with amps too, that is cool, being part of the decision.....

 

[Hard&Heavy]

Out of the 3 I would go for the 800 with a good boost pedal in the high input hard to beat. Or for the same money a splawn quickrod would do the trick.

 

[Tawlks]

I've played all three Marshalls that you have listed. The JCM 800 sounds like a Tiny Terror at low volumes, the 900 didn't really impress me, and the more I played the DSL the more I realized it just isn't a good amp. Orange Rockerverb 100.

Oh... So how is the Orange Rockerverb different? I told him to go with a 50 watt amp as he won't use the full 100 watts in small gigs/practice.

He was looking at the Vintage Modern aswell, how are they compared to the ones I mentioned?

 

[Tawlks]

The 900 was discontinued after only a few years. Not an amp you hear mentioned as a classic great marshall tone. I got a used one for the tubes and speakers for a couple hundred bucks. Good Celestion 75's in the combo.

What is $$$ range? Can he build a kit?? Metro Amps kit will let you put one together that will sound great. And you also learn a bit about amps. Both things are good.

I played a Germino that was 2K and sounded absolutely awesome. Lots of options out there.

If they don't want to put the kit together, they need to go test amps and figure it out themselves. If you want to go for the ride and mess with amps too, that is cool, being part of the decision.....

The price range would be, I think under £1000. I told him to look at used aswell as new. Don't think he'd be up for building an amp.

 

[Tawlks]

Out of the 3 I would go for the 800 with a good boost pedal in the high input hard to beat. Or for the same money a splawn quickrod would do the trick.

But the 800 would need to be cranked to sound great, or so I'd assume?

I had thought about a Quickrod, I love Splawn stuff, but they're not so easy to come by in England, how about Laney/Orange?

 

[Vrad]

Out of the 3 I would go for the 800 with a good boost pedal in the high input hard to beat. Or for the same money a splawn quickrod would do the trick.

On the used market, you can get a QR and 2203 for about the same price.

 

[JakeAC5253]

I've played all three Marshalls that you have listed. The JCM 800 sounds like a Tiny Terror at low volumes, the 900 didn't really impress me, and the more I played the DSL the more I realized it just isn't a good amp. Orange Rockerverb 100.

Oh... So how is the Orange Rockerverb different? I told him to go with a 50 watt amp as he won't use the full 100 watts in small gigs/practice.

He was looking at the Vintage Modern aswell, how are they compared to the ones I mentioned?

I've never played a Rockerverb personally, but from what I can gather from discussions around different forums they are a bit more of a modern take on a british voiced amp. People seem to be very impressed with them and say that they are in fact high gain amps and do not need to be cranked to get the brit grit.

I have played a JVM as well. It's not a bad amp, it just lacks low end. If you can get past the definite lack of oomph, it is a very tweakable amp and sounds good at low volumes. Cleans are great, I would actually say that the cleans are the best feature of this amp. I actually liked the Orange channel better than the Red channel.

 

[chunktone]

If your gonna stay with Marshall, I'd try to find an old JMP. Otherwise I'd go with an Orange.

 

[Tawlks]

If your gonna stay with Marshall, I'd try to find an old JMP. Otherwise I'd go with an Orange.

It's not for me, but thanks. Personally I said Laney, opinons?

 

[Tawlks]

I said to look at Laney, GH50L, Vh100r, thoughts?

 

[droptrd]

I think on this forum the 800 will dominate that poll. The 900s are eh. The early one with the black output jacks are rumored to the better ones. The 900s are capable of getting good tones. Dave Navaro and Anthrax used for quite a while and got great tones out of them. But the list of pros that dig em is kinda short

 

[Phrygian]

The 900's never did it for me. I have an 800 and it can do great things with an OD pedal, but I would still snag a Rockerverb over it for versatility. The Rockerverb is a sweet amp, plenty of tone on tap, good cleans and lots of gain to have fun with.

 

[Chris O]

I have played a JVM as well.

The JVM is not the Vintage Modern. You aren't talking about the same amp.

 

[Tawlks]

I have played a JVM as well.

The JVM is not the Vintage Modern. You aren't talking about the same amp.

But I did wonder about the JVM too actually.

 

[glassjaw7]

You've gone poll crazy, son! BTW I chose "other".

 

[Tawlks]

You've gone poll crazy, son! BTW I chose "other".

2 polls in a day. Making one reminded me I needed one for Nathan.

 

[glassjaw7]

You've gone poll crazy, son! BTW I chose "other".

2 polls in a day. Making one reminded me I needed one for Nathan.

Yeah, I guess 2 in a day isn't really that crazy. Out of those Marshalls It'd be a toss-up between the 800 and the DSL for me. However I chose other because I tend to like the Oranges and Bogners and other Marshall-inspired amps out there.

 

[Chris O]

I have played a JVM as well.

The JVM is not the Vintage Modern. You aren't talking about the same amp.

But I did wonder about the JVM too actually.

I loved my JVM210. SUPER versatile Marshall. You can get MANY different Marshall tones from the JVM, and the clean is really pretty good.