160.00 JCM 800??? Vid clip within....

[kevlar3000]

Cheap is awesome, esp when cheap IS awesome. An 80s Marshall Master Lead Combo, with a JCM 800 pre section, and a Solid State power section, is one of those awesome no brainer amps. The finest SS amp Marshall ever created, IMO... I picked this up for 160.00 and have loved it from the get go. I added a speaker jack to it, so I can run it through the big cabs. Sounds great as a combo, sounds really great through a big cab. Using "Abe" my Thinline build, I put it through my typical paces..... Killer amp if you can track one down...

 

[P.A.Foholic]

Re: 160.00 JCM 800??? Vid clip within....

Groovy chops you got, sir!

Sounds really nice. I've never got the chance to try one.

 

[DankStar]

Re: 160.00 JCM 800??? Vid clip within....

sounds pretty neat - although I was hoping for a bit more roar for some palm mutes. is the preamp up all way? perhaps this is where we diverge on playing styles & tones. I call myself a lower gain player, but I guess when push comes to shove I opt for a fair amount of gain. I dig the tone and of course your playing which is always a treat, it just doesn't scream marshall to me.

 

[kevlar3000]

Re: 160.00 JCM 800??? Vid clip within....

With P90s I can get more grind, but this Tele is very low output, so you get twang, but nice sustain. With buckers, you have a lot of grind to play with. I tend to like a really open tone, sustain with a lot of clarity is kind of my goal. I could crank the pre all the way, for more juice, but this is my Tele sweet spot.

 

[DankStar]

Re: 160.00 JCM 800??? Vid clip within....

you get twang, but nice sustain

ahh - I see where you're coming from

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: 160.00 JCM 800??? Vid clip within....

Several years ago, I stumbled upon that same amp at a Goodwill store marked at $50. I was already going to purchase it when they announced that all electronics were now half off till the end of the day. I was so stoked ringing up that Marshall for $25!!

I cleaned it up really nice and sold it for $200. It had a better midgain Marshall tone than most modelers have.
I think yours is an '86, because that's when they featured the brown grill cloth 800's.

 

[dominus]

Re: 160.00 JCM 800??? Vid clip within....

Isn't that one completely solid state? (Unlike the Valvestates that had a single tube in the preamp section that warmed things up slightly.)

 

[kevlar3000]

Re: 160.00 JCM 800??? Vid clip within....

Isn't that one completely solid state? (Unlike the Valvestates that had a single tube in the preamp section that warmed things up slightly.)

Yes this is totally SS. This is not as buzzy, and actually warmer than the 2 VS 100 heads I owned. I like those amps, but they get a bit buzzy, this amp snarls very much like an 800.

 

[kevlar3000]

Re: 160.00 JCM 800??? Vid clip within....

Several years ago, I stumbled upon that same amp at a Goodwill store marked at $50. I was already going to purchase it when they announced that all electronics were now half off till the end of the day. I was so stoked ringing up that Marshall for $25!!

I cleaned it up really nice and sold it for $200. It had a better midgain Marshall tone than most modelers have.
I think yours is an '86, because that's when they featured the brown grill cloth 800's.

Very savvy!! Those scores are getting tougher to find these days. Thanks for the year knowledge, I was guessing it was mid 80s something...

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: 160.00 JCM 800??? Vid clip within....

Cool stuff...again

 

[JeffB]

Re: 160.00 JCM 800??? Vid clip within....

The solid state and hybrid stuff marshall put out in the 80s was pretty darnned good considering. I had a lead 12 Mini stack, red of course, and the 2 channel 2205 copy combo. I thought it was much better than the Valvestate line that replaced it. Just like the tube bretheren, speakers made a big difference. Most of those 5xxxx combos were equipped with the celestion 70, which for myself and a lot of other people is considered the worst high end speaker Celestion ever built. Marshall got so much flak about them in the 4x12s, they only lasted a couple years before the 75s were introduced, and they just slapped the 70s into combos until the supply was exhausted.

Nice clip Kev, and great score.

 

[richard parker]

Re: 160.00 JCM 800??? Vid clip within....

I remember a friend bringing that same combo to my house and I was really surprised at how good it sounded. Much better than anything s/s or hybrid they've done since. I think a few companies have gone backwards with their solid state designs.

 

[kevlar3000]

Re: 160.00 JCM 800??? Vid clip within....

The solid state and hybrid stuff marshall put out in the 80s was pretty darnned good considering. I had a lead 12 Mini stack, red of course, and the 2 channel 2205 copy combo. I thought it was much better than the Valvestate line that replaced it. Just like the tube bretheren, speakers made a big difference. Most of those 5xxxx combos were equipped with the celestion 70, which for myself and a lot of other people is considered the worst high end speaker Celestion ever built. Marshall got so much flak about them in the 4x12s, they only lasted a couple years before the 75s were introduced, and they just slapped the 70s into combos until the supply was exhausted.

Nice clip Kev, and great score.

I would say it is pretty darned good, considering I think it sounds better than the majority of tube amps put out in the hi gain 80s, despite the nostalgia for the time, the 80s were full of a ton of suck gear. Kids today, just don't know how easy good tone is these days. Hell, you don't even have to know how to place a mic these days! lol... That lil Marshall is a gem in the middle of a giant turd pile.... I will say, in the right cab, a 70 can sound really good. I actually have Modern Lead 70s in a couple of my main cabs. The need to be big and dark sounding. A brighter cab and you are doomed. The Vintage 30 still sucks worse IMO... Yep, I am stoking that fire.

 

[kevlar3000]

Re: 160.00 JCM 800??? Vid clip within....

I remember a friend bringing that same combo to my house and I was really surprised at how good it sounded. Much better than anything s/s or hybrid they've done since. I think a few companies have gone backwards with their solid state designs.

Agree completely.

 

[JeffB]

Re: 160.00 JCM 800??? Vid clip within....

We will have to agree to disagree on speakers Kev! I think the V30 works well with some amps, especially more vintage voiced amps, or amps that are loose or not terribly complex in the mids, but I never have heard a celestion 70setup I like..at least with 60s, 70s, or 80s Marshalls. I sold my 4x12 with 70s as soon as I found it was the thing killing my Marshall tone. I lost money and ended up with an older used 65 cab that was infinitely better for my needs.

You are right tho, there was alot of garbage out in the 1980s. I bought and sold alot of it BITD before I realized it

 

[kevlar3000]

Re: 160.00 JCM 800??? Vid clip within....

We can do that, and still work for the greater good of tonedome.... Almost all of my recorded tunes have a 70 in the mix, and about 1/2 of my video clips do too. I am sure I could find a home for a 30, but I just have not yet....

 

[JeffB]

Re: 160.00 JCM 800??? Vid clip within....

Mixed with other speakers I could see them filling a purpose. I have only ever used the 70s on their lonesome.

 

[kevlar3000]

Re: 160.00 JCM 800??? Vid clip within....

I am all about the mix.... 60 percent of the time, it works every time.