So what are considered "good" JCM 800's and "bad" JCM 800s?

[grunge782]

I've been looking around at some different JCM800's and I'm a little confused to say the least at what the differences are.

I've been looking at a 1984 JCM800 50 watt. What differences would it have from other JCM800's?

Thanks.

 

[marvcus]

I've been looking around at some different JCM800's and I'm a little confused to say the least at what the differences are.

I've been looking at a 1984 JCM800 50 watt. What differences would it have from other JCM800's?

Thanks.

I have honestly never tried a 2203 or 2204. I have owned 3 different 2205s. One from 1983, one from 1986, and one from 1988. The 2205/2210s are 50/100 watt (respectively) 2 channel JCM800s. The 2203 and 2204's are single channel, ala Zakk Wylde.

The 1983 was the least gainy and my least favorite. The 1986 was an amp I should have kept. Bought it for $400 and sold for double. What are
ya gonna do. 1988 had the most gain, but not as tone-y as the 86.

 

[killertone]

Depends if you are talking about the 2205/10 or the 2204/3. The Former has clipping diodes and the early ones sound very bad, IMO. I have an '87 2205 that rules. I have had various 2205s from '87 up and the two '87s that I have owned sounded best but I think anything from '87 and up on those is better than the ear;ier ones.

As far as the 2203/4s go, it is generally agreed that the vertical input models sound best but I honestly don't know if there is much of a difference. I think they went to the horizontal input around '84 or so but i could be wrong.

It's all kind of myth and mojo, just find one and play it to really find out for sure.

 

[joepete77]

The good 800's are the 2203/2204 as they are preferred by most over the channel swithcing/reverb footswitch models 2205/2210 as they used diode clipping in the circuit and to me did not sound as nice. Also, the verticle input 2203/2204 are better then the horizontal 2203/2204 that appeared in the mid to late 80's , the build is not as nice in the later ones as marshall started to direct mount the pots and jacks to the pcb to save money and they also cut the number of filter cap cans down on the 2203 with horizontal jack inputs. Also, I like the jmp 2203/04 which is the same circuit as the 800 mostly, just different cosmetics and a nicer build. The prices for these has dropped in the past year, I see them cheap on craigs list and ebay etc for really cheap.

 

[irondeth21]

I had a late 80's (88 or 89 I forget) 2205 and it was awesome. Had a decent effects loop and was after they got the channels to stop effecting each others gain. It had a lot of gain on its own but sounded best boosted with my old od 808. I had a 85-86 2203 after the 2205 that was pretty killer as well but my preference was for channel switcher.

 

[grunge782]

Depends if you are talking about the 2205/10 or the 2204/3. The Former has clipping diodes and the early ones sound very bad, IMO. I have an '87 2205 that rules. I have had various 2205s from '87 up and the two '87s that I have owned sounded best but I think anything from '87 and up on those is better than the ear;ier ones.

As far as the 2203/4s go, it is generally agreed that the vertical input models sound best but I honestly don't know if there is much of a difference. I think they went to the horizontal input around '84 or so but i could be wrong.

It's all kind of myth and mojo, just find one and play it to really find out for sure.

It looks like 1 channel so its a 2204 right? I thought the 2203 were only 100 watts.

It is horizontal inputs so idk

I would go and actually try it if I could, but its not in my local area.

 

[ke2]

Depends if you are talking about the 2205/10 or the 2204/3. The Former has clipping diodes and the early ones sound very bad, IMO. I have an '87 2205 that rules. I have had various 2205s from '87 up and the two '87s that I have owned sounded best but I think anything from '87 and up on those is better than the ear;ier ones.

As far as the 2203/4s go, it is generally agreed that the vertical input models sound best but I honestly don't know if there is much of a difference. I think they went to the horizontal input around '84 or so but i could be wrong.

It's all kind of myth and mojo, just find one and play it to really find out for sure.

It looks like 1 channel so its a 2204 right? I thought the 2203 were only 100 watts.

It is horizontal inputs so idk

I would go and actually try it if I could, but its not in my local area.

If it's a one channel 50 watter, it's a 2204.
They can kick some serious ass, especially with a ts-style boost.
I used an EMG-loaded ESP, a TS-9, and a 2204. I went from fairly clean to over the top just by using the TS and the volume controls and different pickups.

 

[joepete77]

2204 is 50watt 2203 is 100 watter, same amp just two extra power tubes in the 100 watt

 

[skoora]

The vert input models are better built but don't guarentee better tone. Unfortunately buying any older amp sight unseen is rolling the dice. I wouldn't buy a 6 knob Marshall without playing it first, unless I knew it was going to be thoroughly modded right away. Granted, there are a few years that are almost fool proof for me. I've never heard a bad 71/72 Marshall. If I couldn't play it first and I had to pick between a vert input and horizontal input jcm800, I would go with the Vert. It's more important with the 2203's as was previously mentioned they changed the filtering. The 2204's apart from PCB mounted pits did not change.

 

[rupe]

Good player through any JCM 800 = good JCM 800
Bad player through any JCM 800 = bad JCM 800

 

[JakeAC5253]

In a word, tolerance. It's not as simple as people make it, yet it's not as complicated as people make it at the same time. I believe that for any one given design layout (diff number of cascading gain stages, MV or non, etc) that the component quality is the major cause of sound differentiation between heads, simply because the amp is failing to operate as it was designed to. If you can pick up a beater for cheap and replace the capacitors and resistors in the signal path with low tolerance film caps and metal film resistors of the same printed value, you will have the ultimate Marshall amp circuit and the blanket will be lifted off the amp. Now of course this is more work than a lot of people are willing to do, especially given that it is a vintage Marshall, but the way I see it is that if it don't sound right you should fix it.

 

[Nico]

I had a non master volume JCM 800 1959 with the 4 inputs, pretty rare amp. it wasn't really anywhere similar the other 800's. Freakin loud, Nowhere near enough gain...

Hated the amp, sold it last year...

 

[ericsabbath]

I played a '87 horizontal 2203 for a couple weeks
it's a MONSTER
Zakk Wylde's main amp is a horizontal input 2203 behind the stage, by the way

 

[peterc52]

In my experience the JCM 800 2203 with vertical inputs are significantly more aggressive than the ones with horizontal input.

I like the JMP 2203 more though.

 

[Schaf]

Also, the verticle input 2203/2204 are better then the horizontal 2203/2204 that appeared in the mid to late 80's

This is not necessarily true with the 2204's. I have an 87' 2204 and has horizontal inputs. People will tell you that they don't sound as good, but I've a/b'ed mine with a couple vertical input 2204's and I like mine better. It freakin rips. Best to just play them and decide for yourself. Sometimes all this internet lore isn't true.

Schaf

 

[stephen sawall]

Any one that does not have diodes for clipping..... I like to see a Drake transformer in there myself.

 

[Khoi]

The good 800's are the 2203/2204 as they are preferred by most over the channel swithcing/reverb footswitch models 2205/2210 as they used diode clipping in the circuit and to me did not sound as nice. Also, the verticle input 2203/2204 are better then the horizontal 2203/2204 that appeared in the mid to late 80's , the build is not as nice in the later ones as marshall started to direct mount the pots and jacks to the pcb to save money and they also cut the number of filter cap cans down on the 2203 with horizontal jack inputs. Also, I like the jmp 2203/04 which is the same circuit as the 800 mostly, just different cosmetics and a nicer build. The prices for these has dropped in the past year, I see them cheap on craigs list and ebay etc for really cheap.

finally someone actually outlines why they are different and why they have superior quality! thanks!

People always just say "oh, vertical is better", but never really outline why

 

[droptrd]

And id stay away from the 50watters. They just lack the fullness the 100watters have - typically

 

[killertone]

I love all the hate for the diode clipping...but then everyone boosts them with a solid state type pedal!

Or, they send it to MC to mod and he puts diode clipping in it!

Flame away.

 

[skoora]

I love all the hate for the diode clipping...but then everyone boosts them with a solid state type pedal!

Or, they send it to MC to mod and he puts diode clipping in it!

Flame away.

Its not against diode clipping in general. Just how Marshall used it.