How much to pay for an JCM 800 combo?

[Forbes]

Marshall JCM 50 watt Lead Series 2x12 combo with reverb, model number 4212 from '83. How much is one of these worth in good condition, and do you guys rate them? I'm hoping this amp will be the end of my search for a good tube amp.

Cheers again guys,
Forbes.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: How much to pay for an JCM 800 combo?

Marshall JCM 50 watt Lead Series 2x12 combo with reverb, model number 4212 from '83. How much is one of these worth in good condition, and do you guys rate them? I'm hoping this amp will be the end of my search for a good tube amp.

Cheers again guys,
Forbes.

I Like the 4103 and the 4104 800s better....Probably worth around $800 to 1K....

 

[Rich_S]

Re: How much to pay for an JCM 800 combo?

One of my "never shoulda sold it" amps from the past was a 4010, 50 watt, single-channel, 1-12" combo.

Remember that the dirty channel on the 2-channel models is NOT the same as the single-channel amps. The channel switchers have diodes in them do the clipping. Some people like them, but most would look on the 2-channel w. reverb models as a good mod platform. Tweaks required to get that classic Marshall sound.

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: How much to pay for an JCM 800 combo?

I actually own that very same amp, mine is an 85'. I picked mine up for $550 a year and a half ago. I am probably one of the very few fans of that series here on the board. It can be a love/hate relationship with those amps. With the stock 6550's, the cleans are decent, but the OD is not happening, at least in my book. I switched to EL 34's, and the drive channel came alive, but the cleans were now so so. I could have probably lived with the amp as it, because cranked the Marshall tones were very good. But, I wanted more out of life.

I sent mine to Jeff Seal and had him mod it. Now I have cleans that are very close to Fender BF, and OD that goes from classic rock ala AC/DC, Free, ect thru VH and 80's rock no problem. Very, very cool, and very, very affordable. The purchase price of my amp + the mods and I am still well under $1000.

Again, I think the amp is very decent stock if you are running El 34's. I am really a fan of having a clean channel and OD channel, rather than have to fiddle with turning down the guitar volume to clean up, I like the click of a footswitch. Shop hard and don't pay $900 for one. Even if you have to get one where the tolex is in somewhat rough shape I would. You can get it re-covered more cost effectively than paying current prices for one that is in better shape.

PM me if you want more info.

 

[khingpynn]

Re: How much to pay for an JCM 800 combo?

I just picked up a white jcm800 4104... EL-34, Rola Celestion G1265 speakers... from 83

I may be able to help you hear... I paid 1K but it has been modded by a reputable tek... no hack work here. It has an extra channel with a extra Drake tranny for it and also a extra preamp tube in the lead channel. No severe tone shaping has been done... it sounds like a JCM800 should sound but with more gain. I have a Soldano Hot Rod 50 and the 4104 ( sound ) resembles it but with more gain and more noise. The Soldano is super quiet.. I also have a Koch Multitone 100. All the amps sound excellent... I am very happy to have the JCM800.
I looked around and the going price is around 1K for one in very good to mint shape.
There seems to be a few out there for sale.
So do not pay to much for one that is roughed up.

Craig

 

[Surgeon]

Re: How much to pay for an JCM 800 combo?

Hey, I have the 4210 (1x12 combo) and I for one am a big fan of this amp... great tone (I agree tho, some like some don't), ok cleans and great overdrive channel... I'm just really in love with this thing and I'm holding on to it. I retubed it with el34 and it sounds just great. Mine's an '83 as well... I'll be building an extension 2x12 cab for it in a close future for live performances tho.... If you dig the overdrive of the amp go for it... I paid 650$ (canadian) for mine but I got it from a student who was going to be a really bad accountant and needed the money to finish his semester....

 

[jmh151]

Re: How much to pay for an JCM 800 combo?

I bought a 4211, channel switching reverb, 100 watts 2x12. It was beat to hell, tolex ripped off in spots, knobs falling off, but killer tone. I paid $800 for it, but I also traded in a few other amps so it only cost me $350 out of pocket.

 

[jeremy]

Re: How much to pay for an JCM 800 combo?

i have a '82 4210 i believe, 1x12 2 channel. really nice amp even better with a little work. im running kt66 tubes at way high plate voltages. the amp was modded by trace at voodoo amps and sounds great. i think you should be able to get a jcm 800 combo for around $800-$1000 in decent shape.

 

[Surgeon]

Re: How much to pay for an JCM 800 combo?

i have a '82 4210 i believe, 1x12 2 channel. really nice amp even better with a little work. im running kt66 tubes at way high plate voltages. the amp was modded by trace at voodoo amps and sounds great. i think you should be able to get a jcm 800 combo for around $800-$1000 in decent shape.

I wish I could get mine modded by Trace... I just can't justify spending more on the shipping than on the mod itself, especially since I'm really satisfied with the tone I get out of it stock... nice amp for sure (at least for me...)

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: How much to pay for an JCM 800 combo?

The days of getting a JCM 800 combo for under $700 are about over. I rarely see them for under $800 on eBay any longer. I paid $550 for mine 2 years ago, and can probably get double that out of it (4212 that is now just a shell for a Jeff Seal monster). You may still find some locally, or in rough shape in the $600 range, but you'll have to look close.

Personally, for a solid, non-modded working amp with no performance issues, I wouldn't worry at all about condition of tolex or grillcloth....if it saved me $200-300 over a similarly priced amp in excellent condition. As long as the wood of the cab is intact. You can have a combo re-tolexed for around $100 with Marshall tolex, and grillcloth can be done for around $30. It would be good as new as long as the amp itself was solid. Even speakers are not that big of a concern. You can pick up GT12-75's (original stock speakers) for $100 a pair or less used all the time.

This is what it looked like stock.

This is it now on top of a matching cab.

For the $$ these days, you're almost better off having a custom one off built by Jeff Seal or Trace. I don't know exactly the cost, but I would guess Jeff Seal could build you a killer combo for around a Grand...

The one combo that you can look at that is still available for $600 or less is the JCM600 combo. That is what's setting next to the 800 in the first pic, and I'm really sorry I sold it. Great, great clean channel, and the drive channel is 85% of what the drive on an 800 is....totally stock. I had no issues with it, and Tom M on the board still owns and uses it to the best of my knowledge. That was a great bargin in a Marshall amp.