Craigslist: Is this a good deal? JCM 900 combo
- Thread starter Top Jimmy
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ErikH
Well-known member
Re: Craigslist: Is this a good deal? JCM 900 combo
That's practically a steal. Check it out and make sure everything is in good working order, especially check the crackling pot (easy fix if it just needs to be cleaned). If it checks out good, get it and run before he checks completed eBay listings...LOL.
That's practically a steal. Check it out and make sure everything is in good working order, especially check the crackling pot (easy fix if it just needs to be cleaned). If it checks out good, get it and run before he checks completed eBay listings...LOL.
BigAlTheBird
Guest
Re: Craigslist: Is this a good deal? JCM 900 combo
Practically a steal? That a few hundred under (almost half really) normal price.
Practically a steal? That a few hundred under (almost half really) normal price.
BigAlTheBird
Guest
Re: Craigslist: Is this a good deal? JCM 900 combo
Good luck dude! That'd be one helluva score.
Good luck dude! That'd be one helluva score.
Bludave
New member
Re: Craigslist: Is this a good deal? JCM 900 combo
I have that same amp. Bought it 15 years ago and it is still going strong. I am not a tech., but the guy who works on my amps said this model has a solid state preamp. It still sounds good. Usable cleans and a very typical Marshall drive channel. The only issue I've had with it is you can't run stomp boxes thru the effects loop. Everytime I have tried this it kills the tone. I use a DOD TR3 which has Chorus, Delay and gain in the loop. I only use the chorus and delay. I also have an original Marshall Bluesbreaker pedal to push it a tad harder. I use the BB with the clean channel. Bottom line is for $300 why are you even questioning it...... go get it. Like Eric said just check it out. The scratchy pot is no big deal. A little contact spray and your good to go.
I have that same amp. Bought it 15 years ago and it is still going strong. I am not a tech., but the guy who works on my amps said this model has a solid state preamp. It still sounds good. Usable cleans and a very typical Marshall drive channel. The only issue I've had with it is you can't run stomp boxes thru the effects loop. Everytime I have tried this it kills the tone. I use a DOD TR3 which has Chorus, Delay and gain in the loop. I only use the chorus and delay. I also have an original Marshall Bluesbreaker pedal to push it a tad harder. I use the BB with the clean channel. Bottom line is for $300 why are you even questioning it...... go get it. Like Eric said just check it out. The scratchy pot is no big deal. A little contact spray and your good to go.
ErikH
Well-known member
Re: Craigslist: Is this a good deal? JCM 900 combo
Solid state preamp? Who's your tech? He doesn't know much about it then, does he. It's got 3 12AX7's in the preamp. The only thing solid state is the rectifier, which is common these days and since at least the 80's, possibly earlier. There's also an opamp driving the effects loop and one for the reverb. Again, very common these days. Nothing wrong with that at all. The opamps in those situations are more reliable and consistent.
They are workhorses, that's for sure. Lots of them are still going strong. The iron (tranny's) will give out before anything else.
Solid state preamp? Who's your tech? He doesn't know much about it then, does he. It's got 3 12AX7's in the preamp. The only thing solid state is the rectifier, which is common these days and since at least the 80's, possibly earlier. There's also an opamp driving the effects loop and one for the reverb. Again, very common these days. Nothing wrong with that at all. The opamps in those situations are more reliable and consistent.
They are workhorses, that's for sure. Lots of them are still going strong. The iron (tranny's) will give out before anything else.
J Moose
New member
Re: Craigslist: Is this a good deal? JCM 900 combo
Maybe what his tech meant was that the preamp section on those 900's are "almost" solid-state... diode clipping & all sorts of PC board junk.
Not easy to repair...
Almost IMPOSSIBLE to mod.
I know a few cats who won't even touch 'em. Too much trouble. They'll talk you into buying anything else & modding...
Maybe what his tech meant was that the preamp section on those 900's are "almost" solid-state... diode clipping & all sorts of PC board junk.
Not easy to repair...
Almost IMPOSSIBLE to mod.
I know a few cats who won't even touch 'em. Too much trouble. They'll talk you into buying anything else & modding...
ErikH
Well-known member
Re: Craigslist: Is this a good deal? JCM 900 combo
Pfffttt....so it has diodes.
That's not new either. JCM800's had them too, the split channel models. There's nothing wrong with PCB amps when it's done right. Those PCB's are pretty thick, better than most. Mesa Boogie has the thickest I know of.
Pfffttt....so it has diodes.
That's not new either. JCM800's had them too, the split channel models. There's nothing wrong with PCB amps when it's done right. Those PCB's are pretty thick, better than most. Mesa Boogie has the thickest I know of.
Top Jimmy
New member
Re: Craigslist: Is this a good deal? JCM 900 combo
No reply, I'm betting it was scooped up in about 5 minutes.
I know jack about amp pricing and even I thought it sounded too good to be true. Figured I'd ask you folks just in case it was the worst Marshall ever made or something.
Back to lurking the CL pages for more great deals.
Anyone have a Mesa F-30 they'd sell dirt cheap :fingersx:
No reply, I'm betting it was scooped up in about 5 minutes.
I know jack about amp pricing and even I thought it sounded too good to be true. Figured I'd ask you folks just in case it was the worst Marshall ever made or something.
Back to lurking the CL pages for more great deals.
Anyone have a Mesa F-30 they'd sell dirt cheap :fingersx:
V!N
New member
Re: Craigslist: Is this a good deal? JCM 900 combo
Actually, there's more solid state technology inside a Dual Reverb than you find in a transistor amp .. It gets the distorted sound from diodes, clipping in the feedback loop of an opamp, much like most overdrive and distortion pedals and that's what this amps sound like: a pedal and NOT a good one.
The clean channel is lifeless though, but in the many years after the Dual Reverb was designed, a lot of great pedals have emerged that you can feed this clean channel for a more realistic tube-like distortion.
Much like the Split Channel 800 fuzz-amps, it starts to get "almost decent" when you turn the volume up (way too) high.
US$ 300,- isn't bad I suppose. You'll have money left for a distortion pedal or you can make some money when you sell it.
Actually, there's more solid state technology inside a Dual Reverb than you find in a transistor amp .. It gets the distorted sound from diodes, clipping in the feedback loop of an opamp, much like most overdrive and distortion pedals and that's what this amps sound like: a pedal and NOT a good one.
The clean channel is lifeless though, but in the many years after the Dual Reverb was designed, a lot of great pedals have emerged that you can feed this clean channel for a more realistic tube-like distortion.
Much like the Split Channel 800 fuzz-amps, it starts to get "almost decent" when you turn the volume up (way too) high.
US$ 300,- isn't bad I suppose. You'll have money left for a distortion pedal or you can make some money when you sell it.
Bludave
New member
Re: Craigslist: Is this a good deal? JCM 900 combo
You have to know this guy. He has worked on old Fenders and MArshalls for years. So anything with any kind of Trasistors is not cool. I like my 900 quite a bit. I leave it at my bands rehearsal place. It has always sounded good. The main thing with combos is you have to get them off the floor. I like to raise it up about 2 to 3 feet. Sounds a lot better when I do that. No qualit of sound issues and as I said I've had this for over 15 years.... just tubes and ocassional cleaning. Great little amp. Maybe he did say rectifier..... I don't remember. It don't matter once they start talikng teckie the loose me I'm a plug and play kind of guy. I know what sounds good and what doesn't! (at least to me)
Pfffttt....so it has diodes.
You have to know this guy. He has worked on old Fenders and MArshalls for years. So anything with any kind of Trasistors is not cool. I like my 900 quite a bit. I leave it at my bands rehearsal place. It has always sounded good. The main thing with combos is you have to get them off the floor. I like to raise it up about 2 to 3 feet. Sounds a lot better when I do that. No qualit of sound issues and as I said I've had this for over 15 years.... just tubes and ocassional cleaning. Great little amp. Maybe he did say rectifier..... I don't remember. It don't matter once they start talikng teckie the loose me I'm a plug and play kind of guy. I know what sounds good and what doesn't! (at least to me)
ErikH
Well-known member
Re: Craigslist: Is this a good deal? JCM 900 combo
I could care less myself if it has transistors and diodes in it or not. I'm like you, if it sounds good, who cares.
My tech loves my JCM900 MkIII. In his opinion, it's one of the best amps Marshall made in the last 20 years. It's got a PCB, a diode rectifier for extra clipping, the tube sockets are chasis mounted (which I agree is the better way there). But PCB is really no different than PTP.
IMO, PTP is just a selling point nowadays. Those that can do it have a talent and the patience to do so. You can take that same circuit, PCB it with the same parts, and it'll basically still sound the same.
I raise my Vox AD50VT up to. My wife got me an amp stand for my birthday last year and that has been great. It's at the right height and angle.
I could care less myself if it has transistors and diodes in it or not. I'm like you, if it sounds good, who cares.
My tech loves my JCM900 MkIII. In his opinion, it's one of the best amps Marshall made in the last 20 years. It's got a PCB, a diode rectifier for extra clipping, the tube sockets are chasis mounted (which I agree is the better way there). But PCB is really no different than PTP.
IMO, PTP is just a selling point nowadays. Those that can do it have a talent and the patience to do so. You can take that same circuit, PCB it with the same parts, and it'll basically still sound the same.
I raise my Vox AD50VT up to. My wife got me an amp stand for my birthday last year and that has been great. It's at the right height and angle.
Vasshu the humanoid typhoon
Unseen
Re: Craigslist: Is this a good deal? JCM 900 combo
Most tubehigh gain does not even sound very nice...Solidstate is much more smooth....well there I said it
Got a 4500 head at work...I hate it
But I am going to make that sucker play someday!!!!!!!
Most tubehigh gain does not even sound very nice...Solidstate is much more smooth....well there I said it
Got a 4500 head at work...I hate it
But I am going to make that sucker play someday!!!!!!!
Bludave
New member
Re: Craigslist: Is this a good deal? JCM 900 combo
Yeah.... I think the quality of the PC boards is what makes the difference. The new Fender RI amps have PC boards and the tube sockets are mounted on them. Unfortunately these amps run hot and over time the amps can get noisey due to loose solder joints on the boards. I know the Bogner and VHT use extra heavy PC boards that makes a big difference in durability.
Yeah.... I think the quality of the PC boards is what makes the difference. The new Fender RI amps have PC boards and the tube sockets are mounted on them. Unfortunately these amps run hot and over time the amps can get noisey due to loose solder joints on the boards. I know the Bogner and VHT use extra heavy PC boards that makes a big difference in durability.
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