MetalHeadMike
Well-known member
From the Marshalls I've owned...2555x. Killer amp. Late 70s JMPs I've owned were meh. Gower JCM800 reissue killed but obviously different animal. 8100VS kills too.
TotallyRadGuitars
Well-known member
I'm glad to see the 2205/2210 getting some love. A lot of people trash on them because the boost channel has clipping diodes, but I have one of each and I think they sound incredible. I think it's very important to get the later version - late '84 or later, check by pulling the V2 tube. If you pull V2 and the clean channel dies, you have the later revision. The early models sound different and have less gain - maybe some might like them but I've never owned one so I can't comment. That's my vote for favorite Marshall overall - and I've had every amp on your list here.
One thing to be aware of, the clean channel is incredibly loud and very basic - not terrible sounding by any means, but limited in what it can do.
Honorable mention: The Mk III's are amazing sounding too. When you have the "Gain sensitivity" control down to zero, the diodes are not having any effect on the circuit (basically just a bare wire at 0). That turns it into an almost 1:1 2203/2204 circuit topology but with a slightly different voicing, less bass to my ear. I think this is intentional because as you introduce the diodes, the bottom gets fuzzier so they probably cut some bass so it wouldn't get too farty. You could get a Mk III and change a few values and probably be indiscernible from a 2203 at listenable volumes.
One thing to be aware of, the clean channel is incredibly loud and very basic - not terrible sounding by any means, but limited in what it can do.
Honorable mention: The Mk III's are amazing sounding too. When you have the "Gain sensitivity" control down to zero, the diodes are not having any effect on the circuit (basically just a bare wire at 0). That turns it into an almost 1:1 2203/2204 circuit topology but with a slightly different voicing, less bass to my ear. I think this is intentional because as you introduce the diodes, the bottom gets fuzzier so they probably cut some bass so it wouldn't get too farty. You could get a Mk III and change a few values and probably be indiscernible from a 2203 at listenable volumes.
anomaly
Well-known member
Tom Morello plays one of those models I think?No JMP. 2210 (100W) and 2205 (50W) are Lead Series, 2 channels.
R
Racerxrated
Well-known member
Yep; I think it's from 87-90? But it's been his main amp since the beginning.
marvcus
Well-known member
This. I have owned all three variations of 2205s; pre-1984, 1984-1986 version and 1987-1990 version.
The pre 84 had very little gain and sounded anemic, even turned all the way up. It had more of a brownish headshell. Sold it almost immediately. Avoid at all costs.
My favorite was the 1986 one I had. I remember playing that jamming with a band at full tilt through a Marshall cab with 75s and it sounded pretty dang close to Light Up the Sky era VH. Cleans are meh and basic but the gain is great. The 1988 one I had was even more gain and sounded great, but the 86 was just perfect gain.
skoora
Well-known member
2555 with a boost IS thrash. I’ve never boosted one but I’ve never cared for a 2210 or 2205. Especially not over a 2203/4 with a boost. Played a 6100 LM for a while in the mid 90’s. Wasn’t playing thrash but more a punk/metal hybrid in D standard/drop C. Ch 3 was pretty good straight in. Gary Holt was, or maybe still is using Jubilee’s boosted and Megadeth from recent years has been JVM I believe. Even though the 900’s aren’t another one I’d normally go for, I never got a chance to try a good pedal into a 2100 to see if it would make it saucier. I’d played a few in rehearsal spaces but didn’t use pedals at the time.
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BesaMoogie
Well-known member
2203 reissue? Maybe you get better prices on this one
DanTravis62
Moderator
You could make any of the options sound great, honestly, for thrash
but I would go for the jube first, then the JVM, then a jcm200 DSL - the last two if you really need a clean channel live
I don't care for the newer DSL much, the old ones are killer if you can find one without the bias drift.
The 2205/10 and 900s are great amps in their own right, but are much more fiddly. You would need to mod the 2205 a bit to really get it sounding great (the NFB thing racer mentioned is ESSENTIAL to tighten it up, otherwise it's a pretty tubby amp) once they are tuned up and you've modded them a bit, they can absolutely sound killer
The SLX is a beast too, but rather than modding it, you really need to cater the rest of your rig to it's strengths IMO. As in, you need speakers that are midrange focused because the gain character is quite scooped, you would need to find pickups that jive with it, etc. It really doesn't like actives, and it doesn't like most high output ceramics - it ends up sounding like 90s nu metal instead of thrash
The jube and jcm2000 dsls are killer with a boost in front, and the JVM doesn't even need one. Those three are basically plug and play for thrash, and aren't as picky about the rest of your rig.
Personally, I would prefer a modded 2203 / 2203/JMP with a pedal, and would wait out a deal for one. But if you've got your heart set on the dozen options you've mentioned, I would keep in mind that they all can sound great, but they have different levels of ease of use, and different levels of effort you're going to have to go through to get a serious thrash tone out of em
but I would go for the jube first, then the JVM, then a jcm200 DSL - the last two if you really need a clean channel live
I don't care for the newer DSL much, the old ones are killer if you can find one without the bias drift.
The 2205/10 and 900s are great amps in their own right, but are much more fiddly. You would need to mod the 2205 a bit to really get it sounding great (the NFB thing racer mentioned is ESSENTIAL to tighten it up, otherwise it's a pretty tubby amp) once they are tuned up and you've modded them a bit, they can absolutely sound killer
The SLX is a beast too, but rather than modding it, you really need to cater the rest of your rig to it's strengths IMO. As in, you need speakers that are midrange focused because the gain character is quite scooped, you would need to find pickups that jive with it, etc. It really doesn't like actives, and it doesn't like most high output ceramics - it ends up sounding like 90s nu metal instead of thrash
The jube and jcm2000 dsls are killer with a boost in front, and the JVM doesn't even need one. Those three are basically plug and play for thrash, and aren't as picky about the rest of your rig.
Personally, I would prefer a modded 2203 / 2203/JMP with a pedal, and would wait out a deal for one. But if you've got your heart set on the dozen options you've mentioned, I would keep in mind that they all can sound great, but they have different levels of ease of use, and different levels of effort you're going to have to go through to get a serious thrash tone out of em
NorCal_Val
Well-known member
SL-X 100w/el-34 version
With a Fortin “Grind” or “33” OD out front, it does a great early Anthrax/Megadeth type of rhythm tone.
Rex Rocker
Well-known member
Honestly, none of them, LOL.
But if I had to pick, I like the JVM out of those. I almost like the DSL's as well, but I find their tone stacks kind of odd. I feel the mid knob kinda scoops out the kind of mids that I don't want to scoop out.
I do like the 8100, though. I just wished it had a touch more low-end.
I also liked the Mode Four when I had it, controversially. But then I got a tube amp, and I realized it wasn't all that great.
But if I had to pick, I like the JVM out of those. I almost like the DSL's as well, but I find their tone stacks kind of odd. I feel the mid knob kinda scoops out the kind of mids that I don't want to scoop out.
I do like the 8100, though. I just wished it had a touch more low-end.
I also liked the Mode Four when I had it, controversially. But then I got a tube amp, and I realized it wasn't all that great.
B
blacksun
Member
Quite surprising to see that the SL-X is so appreciated. It's been a well hidden secret for many years..
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Racerxrated
Well-known member
I remember slaving that 8100 through the S400 I had...THAT was a monster and at the time, budget rig as the 8100 was 175$ and the 400 about 450........
mcstinger
Well-known member
I had a KK, a brutal amplifier. I bought it for 850 Euros. I sold it because I lived in an apartment with nervous neighbors and it played poorly through the attenuator. Now the prices are more than double and I'd probably rather try something else.
mcstinger
Well-known member
Yes, I know
Of course, I have a pretty good overview of amplifiers over the years and would be able to choose myself. But I was interested in the preferences and experiences of others.
I was also interested in how the poll would turn out. Quite interesting results, maybe I expected more votes for the JCM900 MKiii. So thanks everyone for the opinions.
TotallyRadGuitars
Well-known member
My vote would've been for the Mk III if the split channel JCM800's weren't an option.Yes, I know
Of course, I have a pretty good overview of amplifiers over the years and would be able to choose myself. But I was interested in the preferences and experiences of others.
I was also interested in how the poll would turn out. Quite interesting results, maybe I expected more votes for the JCM900 MKiii. So thanks everyone for the opinions.
Considering you can get a Mk III for half the price of the 2205/2210, if you don't need a clean channel... that might be a pretty good choice. Plus, you can do classic tones a bit better if you need to on the Mk III since you can just turn the diodes off. 2205/2210 they are always on in the boost channel, no way to avoid it without modifying.