The hell with modded Marshalls-just get a stock JCM 900!

[HeimBrent]

Maybe something like... http://web.aoct.org/marshall/jcm900-gain-mod.txt ?

 

[amiller]

Before I ever heard anything pro or con agout a 900 I had an opportunity to buy one for $400. The guy even let me borrow it for a week to give it a test spin. I kept thinking, man, for $400 bucks I'm gonna make myself like this thing...WRONG, NO DICE! Of all the amps I've owned, this amp was by far the worse sounding piece-o-crap I've ever had the misfortune to connect a guitar to.

 

[AndyK]

Before I ever heard anything pro or con agout a 900 I had an opportunity to buy one for $400. The guy even let me borrow it for a week to give it a test spin. I kept thinking, man, for $400 bucks I'm gonna make myself like this thing...WRONG, NO DICE! Of all the amps I've owned, this amp was by far the worse sounding piece-o-crap I've ever had the misfortune to connect a guitar to.

Finallly, a voice of reason! Anyone who thinks the Dual Reverb is Marshall's best amp has VERY different tone needs than I! To each his own, but the Dual Reverb was and is a buzzy fake sounding POS.

Unless of course you like the tone of the early 90's buzzzzz fest?

 

[zz666]

Horrible horrible toneless amp, Ive never played or heard a good one anyway

 

[joshsage]

eric,

You should have probably put on a bulletproof vest before posting this. I have a 900, for rentals. I play it occasionally, but let me tell you it does nothing more than show me to be appreciative of where we are today as far as our amplifiers. We have indeed come a long way. For the money, hell yeah the 900 rips. But look at splawns new and used for the money they can't be beat.

Another amps to get if you are in it for bang/buck.
Peavey Classic 100 head
Peavey 5150
Blackstar ht5
framus dragon/cobra (mainly dragon) USED
Framus ruby riot USED (and not the RR2)
Engl Blackmore
JCM2000 DSL100 (I like this a lot more than the 900)
Hell, look at the Wizard VC50 combo Steve posted, the VC's KILL!

Oh man, so much good stuff out there that just rocks for the money.

Enjoy the 900

Josh

 

[RaceU4her]

The 900 was like a distortion pedal compared to other stuff I was playing at the time...I liked it for awhile and then get bored of it...I'm betting the fact that they run 5881's in the power section is what turned me and others off about it...when expected more of that 34 crunch and kerrang. I will say that the first Silverchair album had some killer tone on it, though...the reason I bought it actually.

i always heard the early el34 ones were the good ones

I always heard the myth about the black jack vs red jack 900s. I hear the black jack models are the better ones. dont know if there is any truth to that.

i just looked at one on ebay with black jacks that had el34s so maybe there is some truth in that

 

[Anonymous]

one of the worst sounding amps I have ever played through...thin and buzzy was how I would describe it..but every marshall seems hit or miss..another JCM 900 could sound kickass an completely different than the one I played.. Marshall has always been inconsistent...

 

[japetus]

900 SLX w/ EL34's are where it's at. I keep the gain low, it sounds so great. Also if you want to shred out, it's always there. Takes boosts very well.

Not a fan of the Dual Reverb ones.

 

[H Golf Sport]

Didn't Navarro use the 900 in Jane's?
I saw them a few times live and he sounded GREAT.

He just used a couple Boss pedals and he sounded huge.

Pretty sure that the first 2 Jane's records were recorded with that Bogner modded marshall combo that is on AIC facelift.

 

[redrol]

Didn't Navarro use the 900 in Jane's?
I saw them a few times live and he sounded GREAT.

He just used a couple Boss pedals and he sounded huge.

Pretty sure that the first 2 Jane's records were recorded with that Bogner modded marshall combo that is on AIC facelift.

THE SNORKLER?

 

[H Golf Sport]

THE SNORKLER?

Yup that's the one. There is a write up on it from the engineer who recorded all that stuff somewhere on RT.

 

['63-Strat]

You can definitely get useable sounds from them but I definitely don't miss mine. I had reliability problems with it from the get go and it sometimes cut out at gigs etc., kind of a pos come to think about it. Mine was a 2X12 100 watt combo with 5881s or the 4102. They needed to be played LOUD to smooth out the harshness, moreso than other marshalls IMO. But with a TS9 or other od you could get them to sound pretty decent and I'm sure I could dial it better now than I did at the time. But I definitely have *zero* regrets in selling that amp. YMMV.

 

[stephen sawall]

I believe a big part of the problem is the small transformers. It just does not sound like the Drake, etc.

I have played plenty of Marshall amps from every era that sounded bad. ..... I would guess just by chance a few 900 sound a lot better than the rest. That and the fact everyone has different taste. Who knows who modified the 900's we hear on clips and see on stages ?

 

[Metalhead]

You dudes have seen the list of amps I have. I don't really need to explain myself when it comes to knowing good tone. I'm saying, that for the money, I'll take one of these anyday over a fucking $2500 mod that has very little difference in gain capability and "metalness". That's it. Enjoy spending your money!

 

[Metalhead]

I'm telling you guys, but no reason to believe me until you have one yourself. Tweak the knob, put an OD in front and it sounds killer to me. Seriously, look at the rest of my gear. How could I be so off on the one amp? I'm sensing amp snobbery in the air. The same outlook I once had until I bought it. You have to own one to really know. Ok, enjoy your debating!

 

[Mailman1971]

I'm telling you guys, but no reason to believe me until you have one yourself. Tweak the knob, put an OD in front and it sounds killer to me. Seriously, look at the rest of my gear. How could I be so off on the one amp? I'm sensing amp snobbery in the air. The same outlook I once had until I bought it. You have to own one to really know. Ok, enjoy your debating!

What exact JCM900 do you have?
I know that there are different variations of them.
I am very interested in your find.
I never played one myself.
Had tons of Jcm800's that were modded though.

 

['63-Strat]

I'm telling you guys, but no reason to believe me until you have one yourself. Tweak the knob, put an OD in front and it sounds killer to me. Seriously, look at the rest of my gear. How could I be so off on the one amp? I'm sensing amp snobbery in the air. The same outlook I once had until I bought it. You have to own one to really know. Ok, enjoy your debating!

Seems like lots of us that posted in this thread *have* owned one, and have opinions on them as a result, honestly. I could get sounds I was happy with with any marshall so long as I had a couple pedals. But if we're talking about comparing them to other amps, and many high gain amps essentially being "modded" marshalls by design, then I think there are better. But that's just my opinion, having owned one 900 and played many others. Good bang for the buck? Absolutely, so long as they don't have reliability issues like mine did.

 

[skoora]

I'm telling you guys, but no reason to believe me until you have one yourself. Tweak the knob, put an OD in front and it sounds killer to me. Seriously, look at the rest of my gear. How could I be so off on the one amp? I'm sensing amp snobbery in the air. The same outlook I once had until I bought it. You have to own one to really know. Ok, enjoy your debating!

All an impressive list of gear means is you have an impressive checking account and can read forum posts on what's hot
...but seriously.... I am glad you like the amp. It's always cool when something unexpected takes you by surprise. I still think the 900's are one of Marshall's weakest all tube amps. Hell, I'll be off base in reverse. Everyone on this forum kneels at the alter of the Herbert and I wouldn't want one for free, except to sell off course.

 

[Filter500]

You should post a pic of your new 900.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm thinkin guys that wear their pants halfway down there ass do not realize that...It's a prison yard calling card saying.."Fuck me..I'm your bitch!!"