Going to college, gonna scrap the halfstack

[Indie P Bass]

So, after 3 years at community college, I finally have the money to go away to school. I have a small apartment and a small wagon of a car and was planning on getting rid of my Marshall JCM 900 halfstack. I absolutely love the amp (it's the best distortion amp I've ever played through. So thick and attacking, I love it) but it's just too much to keep around. I was thinking about replacing the 4x12 cab with a 2x12 cab, but was also thinking of sellin the whole thing to get a 2x12 JCM900 combo. I was wondering if there are any other sub $1000 tube amps that attain the same sound and also what prices seem to be for the JCM 900 combos.

I know that if I sold my amp to a local retailer, I'd get $5-650 for the head and $150-300 for the cab, depending on condition, which seems fair for reselling it retail. I know I could pull a grand for the two of them through private sales, but I can't find any reliable prices on a JCM900 2X12 combo (let alone find them at all, 1X12's and Heads are EVERYWHERE!)

Thanks in advance, guys.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Going to college, gonna scrap the halfstack

if i were you i'd keep the half stack and buy a smaller cab... i end up using my 5150 head thru various cabs... mostly a 1x12... but i keep the 5150's 4x12 and have found uses for that monster a few times...

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Going to college, gonna scrap the halfstack

For about $900 you can get a brand new Orange AD30 2x12 combo...slightly lower wattage, way more compact, and odds are pretty good you'll like the tone a lot more than that of any Marshall. I sure do...

 

[phil_104]

Re: Going to college, gonna scrap the halfstack

for About $900 You Can Get A Brand New Orange Ad30 2x12 Combo...slightly Lower Wattage, Way More Compact, And Odds Are Pretty Good You'll Like The Tone A Lot More Than That Any Marshall. I Sure Do...

+1000000000

 

[suislidE03]

Re: Going to college, gonna scrap the halfstack

Buy a smaller cab man, its the best way to go.

 

[BluesGuyJ]

Re: Going to college, gonna scrap the halfstack

A 2x12 JCM900 combo is still way too much for a college dorm. I'd keep the half stack and get a small practice amp, get a black heart little giant perhaps and run it through the 4x12 and keep the Marshall head under your bed?

 

[Ayrton]

Re: Going to college, gonna scrap the halfstack

A 2x12 JCM900 combo is still way too much for a college dorm. I'd keep the half stack and get a small practice amp, get a black heart little giant perhaps and run it through the 4x12 and keep the Marshall head under your bed?

This really is your best option if you really want to keep the 900.

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Going to college, gonna scrap the halfstack

A small practice amp is definitely the way to go in a dorm - one I personally like a lot is the Roland Micro Cube. I'd keep the JCM 900 if I were you. The nice thing about having the head is that you can get a few different cabs for different environments. I use a 4x12'' for recording and large gigs and keep my 1x12'' around for rehearsals.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Going to college, gonna scrap the halfstack

Another +1 on a practice amp. Heck, if you've got a computer with good speakers, get a POD, you can run it into the sound card, set the volume however you like, and also record.

If you DON'T like the 900 and want a new amp, that's a different story. But in 2 or 3 years you'll be back some place you can have the half stack again. Heck, if you start a band there, you've still got your main amp and something else to practice with so you don't need to lug an amp back and forth.

 

[skyydogg01]

Re: Going to college, gonna scrap the halfstack

dude, don't sell it.

you'll never be happy if you replace it.

get a low watt practice amp ... solid state even. Practice amps don't have to sound amazing to get the job done.

 

[Ascension]

Re: Going to college, gonna scrap the halfstack

Played JCM 900's for years bought a Prosonic and never looked back!!
Zinky designed the Prosonic and the Blue Velvets both to work with a wide variety of pickups and also to be usable at low volumes. The Prosonic has a MUCH MUCH better clean a more versatile crunch and a LOT more gain on tap than your JCM 900. A nice Prosnic combo will set you back $600-a cool grand depending on color condition and if it is a early CS amp or later one. A Prosonic will get solid tones at super low volumes and still knock the windows out when you crank it!! Add a good 2/12 cab to a Prosonic combo and you will never miss the Marshall halfstack!!

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Going to college, gonna scrap the halfstack

Ascension, you should change your screen name to "Buy a Prosonic"

and the 5 watt Valve Jr. head sounds good at any volume thru a 4x12...should've thought of that.

 

[thespricket]

Re: Going to college, gonna scrap the halfstack

I played my 112 30 watt Class A tube amp in my dorm and only had a noise complaint once. If you don't crank it you'll be fine. I actually was never able to set it past 1, nor can I when i'm at home. It's not until band practice or a gig that I can really crank it. So considering that, a 112 combo would suit you fine. I wouldn't want anything larger than that. My combo is heavy enough as it is, i would hate to have a 212.

 

[heavydutysg135]

Re: Going to college, gonna scrap the halfstack

I would probably pick up a Line 6 Pod. That's what worked well for me in the short time that I was in the dorms.

 

[Ascension]

Re: Going to college, gonna scrap the halfstack

Ascension, you should change your screen name to "Buy a Prosonic"

and the 5 watt Valve Jr. head sounds good at any volume thru a 4x12...should've thought of that.

LOL hey at least I have put my money where my mouth is as I have owned 4 myself and still have 3 of um. No joke though the Prosonics do sound good at low volumes. For me playing Modern Worship stuff in small Churchs like I do that solid low volume crunch tone is esential. Nothing so far I have found in a tube amp does it any better except maybe a Zinky Blue Velvet even at lower wattages. Next in line believe it or not would be a 100 watt Carvin MTS for low volume solid crunch tones. Low wattage does not allways = solid tones at low volume!!

 

[Indie P Bass]

Re: Going to college, gonna scrap the halfstack

I'm actually not living in a dorm. I'm moving out of my parents house into an apartment for 9 months of the year except for chistmas and thanksgiving) and am taking my vox with me. I actually never thought of getting a Pod to hook up to my PC. That's a great idea! I've always hated the half stack configuration. It's aw-inspiring but hard to transport.

 

[Markk]

Re: Going to college, gonna scrap the halfstack

dude, don't sell it.

you'll never be happy if you replace it.

get a low watt practice amp ... solid state even. Practice amps don't have to sound amazing to get the job done.

Like a VOX Pathfinder 10. I can't recommend this little beast enough for a practice amp!

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: Going to college, gonna scrap the halfstack

I played my 112 30 watt Class A tube amp in my dorm and only had a noise complaint once. If you don't crank it you'll be fine. I actually was never able to set it past 1, nor can I when i'm at home. It's not until band practice or a gig that I can really crank it. So considering that, a 112 combo would suit you fine. I wouldn't want anything larger than that. My combo is heavy enough as it is, i would hate to have a 212.

Not every dorm allows guitar amps. I worked for a college that didn't the last year I was on campus.

I'm actually not living in a dorm. I'm moving out of my parents house into an apartment for 9 months of the year except for chistmas and thanksgiving) and am taking my vox with me. I actually never thought of getting a Pod to hook up to my PC. That's a great idea! I've always hated the half stack configuration. It's aw-inspiring but hard to transport.

Hang onto the half-stack. You never know what's going to happen and with college being what it is you may find yourself in a band and wishing you still had it.

But in an apartment or the dorms it's just an unreasonable piece of gear to have. You've got the practice amp, snag a POD and some good headphones and it will give you something for a nice late-night jam session on your own without waking anyone up.

 

[thespricket]

Re: Going to college, gonna scrap the halfstack

Not every dorm allows guitar amps. I worked for a college that didn't the last year I was on campus.

Mine didn't allow them either, but it didn't stop most people. And I never heard of anyone getting in trouble for it.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Going to college, gonna scrap the halfstack

I had a giant 2x12" Fender combo in my freshman dorm room --- I rocked it quiet during the week and would take it to wherever I needed to play on the weekends and crank it up

The low volume tone of big amps is always walled in as "terrible, can't sound good at low volume," but THAT'S WHAT THE KNOBS ARE FOR!

Turn the knobs differently and get on with it.