Tell me about the Marshall JCM 900 MkIII Model 2100

[mudf00t]

I have a chance to get this amp for $800. Is that a fair price? Is it worth buying? This would be my first Marshall amp ever. I know nothing about them, really.

 

[japetus]

I personally do not like them...hard to get them to clean up at all, and the OD sound leaves a lot to be desired. If you want something from that era, go for the SLX. I think it is a more organic sounding amp and cleans up better. $800 is high for a MkIII also. You can find a SLX for much cheaper.

 

[Rick Lee]

I've seen SLXs go for $500 and they seem to be the most desirable of the 900 line. I loved the one I tried out, but just didn't have room for in my rig.

 

[Chris6870]

I would pass. I have seen JCM 800s for that price. You could pick up a DSL for less.

 

[mudf00t]

Thanks guys

 

[Racerxrated]

900s seem to be a thin sounding gainer version of an 800. To me, a boost and an 800 is a much better combo. GC has 900s for 599-799.

 

[mudf00t]

900s seem to be a thin sounding gainer version of an 800. To me, a boost and an 800 is a much better combo. GC has 900s for 599-799.

Closest thing I have ever owned to a Marshall was a Lee Jackson Metaltronix M1000. Loved that thing but had to sell it when times got tough for a bit.

 

[155]

the worst marshall ive ever heard was a jcm 900 not sure what model but it was horrific..my buddy couldnt give it away...that said 800 id wayy to much , get a older dsl 100 and youll be psyched..

 

[Loudness250]

Get a Jcm800 2204 with a boost and that would be a much better introduction to Marshalls.

 

[aftec]

JCM 900 in a nutshell:

That is one of the most ass backwards designs Marshall has ever used! I can only imagine the ONLY reason it was ever put into production was because the employees were sitting around shitfaced drunk, and came up with a this cruel joke: let's make a solid state amp, keep the three preamp valve Marshall appearance, but let's make the valve do absolutely nothing to the sound by padding their input levels to line be it resistive or via primitive solid state clipping diodes, so they cant clip. make them act like third wheels by put them in places they absolutely have no reason to be, and then to add insult to injury add a shit ton of local feedback to each one of them to ensure they do design point a (no clip/coloration) and to make them all sterilizingly linear. Next we mate it to a tube pa that stays pretty clean just to make sure there is no cut in production cost. And then we sell it and sell it hard, and see how many dumb asses buy it.... And like it! And like it enough to warrant a reissue!

That is the only reason I can think of it ever came into existance. They certainly knew they could juice every feature that amp had and still keep an all tube distortion generating signal path. Had to have been a social experiment

 

[Rick Lee]

There's an SLX on the GC website in Katy, TX now for $499. That is a killer price for a killer amp.

 

[RJF]

While I have never owned a MK3 or SLX, I seemed to always gather from reading is that BOTH the SLX and MK3 were actually pretty good sounding amps. But, the crappy dual reverb 4100/4500 900 has such a bad reputation that it pretty much clouded out the other 2 900's.

 

[Michi]

We had a MK3 in the band for a while, the Other Dude® used it. I didn't think it sounded thin or crap or anything like that. Sounded very good with a boost in front to my ear.

 

[skoora]

They're not a complete disaster but I would only use it if it was the only Marshall a rehearsal space had...

OK....they suck! The SLX is marginally better but does not have a good low end response for palm mutes etc.

 

[ericsabbath]

the mk III is completely different from the regular dual reverb
I think it was made only for a couple years
circuit is more of a modded 800, unlike the 4100 dual reverb
the dual reverb has a valvestate hybrid preamp circuit, so the gain is quite harsh
the sl-x is similar to the mkiii but higher gain

in this video, the hybrid one actually sounds better in lower gain settings, but the mkIII wins at higher gain
honestly, I'd rather have a cheap asian made DSL100 than any of those

 

[Mesa\Kramer]

$450 - $500

Get a used DSL FTW

Actually for just $100 more than what the guy is asking for the 900 you can get a brand new DSL 100

 

[dfrattaroli]

I bought a JCM 2000 about 5 months ago. It needed a cap job so at the recommendation of guys on this forum, I did some reading and learned how to do it myself. Next thing you know, I'm modding my balls off. Added a choke, changed the OT, and then did the Fortin mod. Now it's a great sounding amp. It was really good before too but now it has more gain, low end and just suits me better. The UK made DSLs can be had for $500-$600 and just sound great. I'd look at those.

Dave