1978 Marshall 2203 Demo Video

H

harddriver

Well-known member
I came across this Demo and this guy is rocking it out... LIKE STADIUM PERFORMANCE. He is using 74 LP w/Dirty Fingers P/U and a TS-9 OD. Amp sounds like my old 79 2203 back in the day. These were good years for the JMP's. 76-80. 1981 was the change over to JCM800 series. I think the Dirty Fingers P/U sounds surprisingly good here, didn't Sykes use one????
If the embed for this vid doesn't work I put the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7XPQzWfhcU
 
Sounds killer. If you said that was a new mod you came up with people would be lining up with a hand full of cash begging to buy one.
 
That's the sound of Rock right there. I have an 87 2210, just finished playing it at a good volume(no one home lol) and it sounds damn close to that clip with a boost.

A good Marshall and a good boost pedal...all you need.
 
You can’t count out the 1980 JMP either. Mine is bone stock and crushes. Here I’m using a Klon clone out front. Loaded with original GE 6550’s and Chinese preamp tubes. That’s it. I’ve had a bunch of JMP‘S but all had EL34’s and I never cared for them. This one changed my opinion.

https://youtu.be/e6Uj_DBTe58
 
But what diff we expecting a JMP 2203 to a JCM 2203 ? The 2204 are same isnt it ? But just 50 watts softer huh ?
 
hopkinWFG":h5nyir75 said:
But what diff we expecting a JMP 2203 to a JCM 2203 ? The 2204 are same isnt it ? But just 50 watts softer huh ?
Click to expand...

There just seemed to be more consistently good sounding amps in these years for some reason, maybe better parts who knows. There were some good JCM800's but they seemed like they would either be harsh or a dog in these years. I think 1981-1982 may have been the good years for the JCM 800 series. I have a 1983 that was a dog from day one, I am currently modding it., and I don't feel bad about it, I heard this amp when it was new next to my 79 2203( the other guitar player in my band at the time bought it), the JCM800 never got close in tone.
 
I think there is a series resistance difference on the input between the two amps and maybe some bright cap changes. The JCMs seem way brighter than JMPs to my ears, and a smidge gainy-er .
 
harddriver":20vsdnfb said:
hopkinWFG":20vsdnfb said:
But what diff we expecting a JMP 2203 to a JCM 2203 ? The 2204 are same isnt it ? But just 50 watts softer huh ?
Click to expand...

There just seemed to be more consistently good sounding amps in these years for some reason, maybe better parts who knows. There were some good JCM800's but they seemed like they would either be harsh or a dog in these years. I think 1981-1982 may have been the good years for the JCM 800 series. I have a 1983 that was a dog from day one, I am currently modding it., and I don't feel bad about it, I heard this amp when it was new next to my 79 2203( the other guitar player in my band at the time bought it), the JCM800 never got close in tone.
Click to expand...


I been trying to find the most representative Marshall tone.. but dont know which one will suit best... those true marshally tone that can boost to 80s rock tone... any good recommendations ? JCM or JMP ? Which year ?
 
Any year JMP would be my vote, 2203 all the way for the power handling, but a 2204 Is good too. Can’t go wrong. I prefer 6550s too, but I’m probably in the minority on that. Put in a good loop and a line out and you’re golden.
 
harddriver":2vwe2lui said:
hopkinWFG":2vwe2lui said:
But what diff we expecting a JMP 2203 to a JCM 2203 ? The 2204 are same isnt it ? But just 50 watts softer huh ?
Click to expand...

There just seemed to be more consistently good sounding amps in these years for some reason, maybe better parts who knows. There were some good JCM800's but they seemed like they would either be harsh or a dog in these years. I think 1981-1982 may have been the good years for the JCM 800 series. I have a 1983 that was a dog from day one, I am currently modding it., and I don't feel bad about it, I heard this amp when it was new next to my 79 2203( the other guitar player in my band at the time bought it), the JCM800 never got close in tone.
Click to expand...

I had an '83 or '84 (vertical inputs, can't remember the exact year) 2204 that I really did not like. Sounded brittle and thin, gain was not very nice (tried a lot of tube rolling to only marginal progress in sound). Much preferred my '76 1959. Still need to try a JMP 04/03.
 
Wasn't the plate voltage higher on early JCM800 2203/2204 amps ('81-'82) than JMPs or later years?

I had a first or second year JCM 2204 with 6550s that was awesome. Worlds apart from a 1990 model.
 
The voltage was higher on the horizontal input models.... the other 2203's were all the same, just cosmetic changes in 80.. they had those low volt 50 watters in the seventies. I had a late seventies 2203 and it sounded like horse shit compared to my reissue 2203- so you can't go by year.
 
lespaul6":5ew5t5f8 said:
The voltage was higher on the horizontal input models.... the other 2203's were all the same, just cosmetic changes in 80.. they had those low volt 50 watters in the seventies. I had a late seventies 2203 and it sounded like horse shit compared to my reissue 2203- so you can't go by year.
Click to expand...
The 82 JCM 800s for sure had the higher voltages, every one I've had has been an absolute fire breather and spanked any 70s version all day. For pure power section spank. Tone wise the 70s 2203/4 have been a little warmer maybe than the JCMs. The earlier the circuit the more mustards they had, later versions got the lego caps. Mustards softer, legos harder edged. From my experience.

Although I have an 87 2210, and that amp just crushes turned up. I wonder if its power section is different than the same year 2203/4? The only Marshall that rivals this one would be an 82 2203, which I'm sure takes the prize. But this 2210 I'd put up against other 2203s I've had, this one may have been modded because these channel switchers usually don't have the fullness of a 2203/4. This one does, in spades.
 
Racerxrated":2gelkvjx said:
lespaul6":2gelkvjx said:
The voltage was higher on the horizontal input models.... the other 2203's were all the same, just cosmetic changes in 80.. they had those low volt 50 watters in the seventies. I had a late seventies 2203 and it sounded like horse shit compared to my reissue 2203- so you can't go by year.
Click to expand...
The 82 JCM 800s for sure had the higher voltages, every one I've had has been an absolute fire breather and spanked any 70s version all day. For pure power section spank. Tone wise the 70s 2203/4 have been a little warmer maybe than the JCMs. The earlier the circuit the more mustards they had, later versions got the lego caps. Mustards softer, legos harder edged. From my experience.

Although I have an 87 2210, and that amp just crushes turned up. I wonder if its power section is different than the same year 2203/4? The only Marshall that rivals this one would be an 82 2203, which I'm sure takes the prize. But this 2210 I'd put up against other 2203s I've had, this one may have been modded because these channel switchers usually don't have the fullness of a 2203/4. This one does, in spades.
Click to expand...


I played a 2210 at a local music store here in town and I thought it sounded great.. nice an full. I like those amps. I dont like some of those 70s master volume mud machines lol
 
Racerxrated":sv5m9pgq said:
lespaul6":sv5m9pgq said:
The voltage was higher on the horizontal input models.... the other 2203's were all the same, just cosmetic changes in 80.. they had those low volt 50 watters in the seventies. I had a late seventies 2203 and it sounded like horse shit compared to my reissue 2203- so you can't go by year.
Click to expand...
The 82 JCM 800s for sure had the higher voltages, every one I've had has been an absolute fire breather and spanked any 70s version all day. For pure power section spank. Tone wise the 70s 2203/4 have been a little warmer maybe than the JCMs. The earlier the circuit the more mustards they had, later versions got the lego caps. Mustards softer, legos harder edged. From my experience.

Although I have an 87 2210, and that amp just crushes turned up. I wonder if its power section is different than the same year 2203/4? The only Marshall that rivals this one would be an 82 2203, which I'm sure takes the prize. But this 2210 I'd put up against other 2203s I've had, this one may have been modded because these channel switchers usually don't have the fullness of a 2203/4. This one does, in spades.
Click to expand...
Hm maybe I need to try more early 80’s JCM800’s. I owned recently an 83 vertical input JCM800 and have tried others from the 80’s (not sure of exact years) and didn’t like any of them as much as the late 70’s JMP2203’s I’ve tried and I’ve tried many and consistently loved the late 70’s JMP2203’s (never heard a bad one yet). To my ears they seem to have a more complete growl and are more tonally complex than the 80’s JCM800’s I’ve played, but those sound good to me too still.

And I’m hearing the same thing in these clips posted. That 78 JMP2203 sounds killer and just how I remember them being: growly firebreathers. I don’t hear anything muddy like some say about the 70’s ones. The 80 JMP clip sounds very good too, but I can hear it doesn’t growl quite as much as the 78 or sound as rich and complex, but the bass seems a bit more robust and tight, but growl is the most important thing for me and the 78 was the clear winner there for me

I have a Cameron Aldrich modded 79 JMP2203 and I have never heard any amp match the amount of growl it has, especially in the upper mids, but it is admittedly not the tightest or most defined amp and is quite compressed, but I often find there to be a trade off with rich growl and tightness. My CCV, for example, is the tightest amp I’ve ever played, but also the least growly I’ve tried. Play a chord and it’s totally smooth, no hair or texture to the notes, which I don’t like, but I can’t get enough of it’s insane palm mutes, so I gotta have both since they’re unmatched to my ears in their own areas
 
^^^I agree with everything you said.. its just a crap shoot sometimes with these amps. My brother has a 74 4 holer that sounds damn great. I like all those amps, I just know that I have to be careful when I'm buying online (unplayed) because I know what I want to hear/ feel from a 2203. A mud machine for me is another guys ultimate warm marshall tone.... its complicated lol.
 
psychodave":1vsexqaq said:
You can’t count out the 1980 JMP either. Mine is bone stock and crushes. Here I’m using a Klon clone out front. Loaded with original GE 6550’s and Chinese preamp tubes. That’s it. I’ve had a bunch of JMP‘S but all had EL34’s and I never cared for them. This one changed my opinion.

https://youtu.be/e6Uj_DBTe58
Click to expand...


sounds great!!!
 
lespaul6":3ohynpxi said:
The voltage was higher on the horizontal input models.... the other 2203's were all the same, just cosmetic changes in 80.. they had those low volt 50 watters in the seventies. I had a late seventies 2203 and it sounded like horse shit compared to my reissue 2203- so you can't go by year.
Click to expand...

Wow, I have never tried the re-issue 2203X, but they do sound great ?
I wonder what transformers they use…
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top