What's the deal with JCM 800's?

[pinto79]

I used to be able to buy as many as I wanted for between $300 and $600 Canadian, now the good ones (vertical input 2204 50w head) seem to all hover around $1000 US.

I've always known that they are the best, but is Zakk Wylde THAT influential?

What's the deal?

Trevor

[greendy123]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

It's probably because everyone can't use vintage marshall due to volume needed for distortion and new marshall don't have the marshall sound. I think the newer marshalls just have way too much buzzy distortion, not enough of thick distortion. That why a jcm 900 may be good middle line amp it can go either way and demand is alot lower for them. There's a couple other forum members that use them too, but el-34 version of course.

[pinto79]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

I'm refering to the 800, which is not a high-gain amp at all. I've never been a fan of the 900 and the only thing newer that I've really liked is the 30th anniversary.

I mean I bought a 1984 JCM 800 that had been owned by Bob Rock (Metallica producer) for $390 about 8 years ago, it was stolen, and the only ones I can find now have 6550 tubes (again, thanks Zakk) ew, and are priced like $800+

Just ranting I guess...

[RiffRaff]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

It's just supply and demand, the early 80's verticle input 800's are outstanding amplifiers and there getting scarce.

[idsnowdog]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

The JCM800 is a very good baseline amp. What does it sound like? Well just about everything recorded during the 80's! Just like a Super Lead and a MKII JTM45 they are considered time proven. They are also very good candidates for modification. Whats funy about the jcm 900 is how it was desinged to sound like a modified marshall but yet many people say it is too midrange heavy and not enough gain. I guess it was just slightly behind the curve.

Snowdog

[pinto79]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

I can still hear the one that was stolen. It's the tone I chase and I can't get my hands on it again. I have owned about 5 JCM800's and a JMP Master Volume (same amp, but from the 70's) and none have been as good, althought the JMP would have been almost there is I'd re-tubed it.

I have only a few Gear Regrets, and that amp is the biggest.

Thanks for being a shoulder to lean on guys...

[WhoFan]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

I hear ya on this one.... the prices are going up! I grabbed a beat up and abused early 80's Canadian Issue head for $500 Canadian from a local store.. It has been baddly modded for more gain and the vinyl has been ripped off the plywood and the corners are missing.... it's a real fixer upper.... but a lot better price then the $1200 jcm 800 i see in Toronto these days....

WHOFAN
ps-years ago when no one wanted Hiwatt heads i wished i had bought the ones i saw for $300...

[Mac-P]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

The channel switching JCM800's (2205 and 2210) have twice as much gain as the single channel ones. Many people don't realize that when they say the JCM 800 series are "drier" sounding.

[iceman79]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

I just bought a 4212 combo for $500. It's cosmetically in good shape and it even has the original drake transformer. However it needs new tubes badly, and I'm thinking about changing out the Celestion 12T-75's

[ErikH]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

Yup, those vertical input models are catching a good buck these days. Supply and demand like mentioned. They have metal jacks hardwired, not plastic PCB mounted jacks like the horizontal input models. You can still get the horizontal input models for a good price but they are creeping up there because of the low supply of vertical inputs. There's a certain mojo in the early ones, most notably 1981 and 1982 model years.

[kevlar3000]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

I think Ebay and chat rooms like this have had a large part in upping the prices. It is easy to create a frenzy on the net. Marshall and most other vintage amps have skyrocketed the past few years. Even 2-3 years ago you could pick up an early 70s metal panel Superlead for 700-1000.00, now these are pushing 2 grand. It is a great time if you have a stockpile of these amps, better than the stock market as far as investment goes. If you don't have one now, it is a drag. Deals are tough to find.

[Archer_of_Fish]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

I used to have a white 2205...it got stolen. It was a cool amp. I really miss it.

[ErikH]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

I'm about to install an alarm on my 900... God help the SOB who tries to take it from me. When the 800's are out of reach, the 900's will be the next ones everyone will be going after.

[Archer_of_Fish]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

I'm about to install an alarm on my 900... God help the SOB who tries to take it from me. When the 800's are out of reach, the 900's will be the next ones everyone will be going after.

I kinda wonder about that. The 900 series was (in my opinion) a huge step back. The 800 series was sort of the end of the old Marshall tone and then the 900 series introduced us to the way Marshall is today. Both are good (lots of great 900 tones out there) but the 800 series and earlier units had a clarity that was kinda lost in the 900 series.

I dont think increasing gain for gains sake is a good thing. Having said that one of the coolest high gain amp lines anywhere is the 900 series SL-X. Killer amps for metal guys.

[ErikH]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

I kinda wonder about that. The 900 series was (in my opinion) a huge step back. The 800 series was sort of the end of the old Marshall tone and then the 900 series introduced us to the way Marshall is today. Both are good (lots of great 900 tones out there) but the 800 series and earlier units had a clarity that was kinda lost in the 900 series.

I dont think increasing gain for gains sake is a good thing. Having said that one of the coolest high gain amp lines anywhere is the 900 series SL-X. Killer amps for metal guys.

In a way I agree with you. The 900 Dual Reverbs were a step back IMO. The MkIII and SL-X models were not. They just kick total @ss. The High Gain Master Volume MkIII from 1990-1992 is the best of the 900 series IMO with the EL-34 loaded SL-X models right behind it. When the SL-X started coming with 5881's the tone went south.