JCM 800 2204 or 2205?
- Thread starter keano12
- Start date
Re: JCM 800 2204 or 2205?
i like the 50w marshalls better since they break up earlier and seem to have a touch more compression. the fx loops in those amps arent great, they work but its pretty old school. if you really plan on using the fx loop alot i might have some one clean it up for ya.
those two amps dont sound that much the same. the 2204 is one channel and kinda plexi like where the 2205 has two channels and much more gain on tap at a lower volume, the 2205 has reverb as well. both a good sounding amps, just different.
i like the 50w marshalls better since they break up earlier and seem to have a touch more compression. the fx loops in those amps arent great, they work but its pretty old school. if you really plan on using the fx loop alot i might have some one clean it up for ya.
those two amps dont sound that much the same. the 2204 is one channel and kinda plexi like where the 2205 has two channels and much more gain on tap at a lower volume, the 2205 has reverb as well. both a good sounding amps, just different.
TwilightOdyssey
Darkness on the edge of Tone
Re: JCM 800 2204 or 2205?
The 'verb on the 2205 is really crappy sounding, but the amp itself is classic metal. On amps that old you will want a tech to check the amp out to make sure the main board isn't warped too bad, as well as check the power caps and internal connections.
The 'verb on the 2205 is really crappy sounding, but the amp itself is classic metal. On amps that old you will want a tech to check the amp out to make sure the main board isn't warped too bad, as well as check the power caps and internal connections.
Usurper666
New member
Re: JCM 800 2204 or 2205?
No, they do NOT sound the same. An older 2204 (Vertical inputs built between 1976 & 1983) will sound much warmer and bigger due to it's circut. Sometime in 1984/85 Marshall added an effects loop to the 2204. Regardless of whether it's a 2204 or 2205, the effects loop will suck tone, avoid those if you can.
Yes, the tubes in a 50 watt get more use than a 100 watt head, that's why 50s break up earlier. And before anyone posts some BS about the 50 watt output transformer, please remember, 2204s DO NOT NEED A TRANSFORMER UPGRADE!! I don't know how the idea that a 2204 has a bad transfomer got started, but it's total BS! So, your best bet for classic Marshall tone at it's best is a vertical input 2204 or 2203.
Cheers,
CJ
keano12 said:
No, they do NOT sound the same. An older 2204 (Vertical inputs built between 1976 & 1983) will sound much warmer and bigger due to it's circut. Sometime in 1984/85 Marshall added an effects loop to the 2204. Regardless of whether it's a 2204 or 2205, the effects loop will suck tone, avoid those if you can.
Yes, the tubes in a 50 watt get more use than a 100 watt head, that's why 50s break up earlier. And before anyone posts some BS about the 50 watt output transformer, please remember, 2204s DO NOT NEED A TRANSFORMER UPGRADE!! I don't know how the idea that a 2204 has a bad transfomer got started, but it's total BS! So, your best bet for classic Marshall tone at it's best is a vertical input 2204 or 2203.
Cheers,
CJ
Zerberus
Baron Von Shred
Re: JCM 800 2204 or 2205?
Are you sure of this?? I´ve seen a few 2203s and 2204s w/ horzontal Inputs, but can´t recall ever seeing a loop, nor do the schematics show one....
MIne is an ´81 so I can´t just turn my amp around and look in this case.... but it strikes me as odd...:eek13:
Usurper666 said:
Are you sure of this?? I´ve seen a few 2203s and 2204s w/ horzontal Inputs, but can´t recall ever seeing a loop, nor do the schematics show one....
MIne is an ´81 so I can´t just turn my amp around and look in this case.... but it strikes me as odd...:eek13:
ErikH
Well-known member
Re: JCM 800 2204 or 2205?
Same here, man. I'm looking at a 2204 schematic from 1988 and there is no indication of an effects loop on it. The split channel amps had a loop though, that I know for a fact. The only way an effects loop got on one of the Master Volumes (2203 or 2204) was if it was modded by somebody.Zerberus said:
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Usurper666
New member
Re: JCM 800 2204 or 2205?
Yes, I've seen a few in stores and they had what looked like a factory effects loop. If it was a mod it was done very, very well, but they all looked exactly alike so I would say it's a factory loop.
Cheers,
CJ
Zerberus said:
Yes, I've seen a few in stores and they had what looked like a factory effects loop. If it was a mod it was done very, very well, but they all looked exactly alike so I would say it's a factory loop.
Cheers,
CJ
Usurper666
New member
Re: JCM 800 2204 or 2205?
If your amp has vertical inputs it can't be an 84, they went horizontal in 1983.
Cheers,
CJ
Robert S. said:
If your amp has vertical inputs it can't be an 84, they went horizontal in 1983.
Cheers,
CJ
Zerberus
Baron Von Shred
Re: JCM 800 2204 or 2205?
AAAH, that explains it.... THe ones in stores are reissues, the aforementioned 2203x.
I´m pretty sure that the switch didn´t happen on 1.1.1984 but a few months later, the first few weeks of not months of ´84 were still the exact same amp as the ´83s
Usurper666 said:
AAAH, that explains it.... THe ones in stores are reissues, the aforementioned 2203x.
Usurper666 said:
I´m pretty sure that the switch didn´t happen on 1.1.1984 but a few months later, the first few weeks of not months of ´84 were still the exact same amp as the ´83s
Usurper666
New member
Re: JCM 800 2204 or 2205?
No, this was years ago before the reissue, and they were 2204s, NOT 2203s.
Cheers,
CJ
Zerberus said:AAAH, that explains it.... THe ones in stores are reissues, the aforementioned 2203x.
No, this was years ago before the reissue, and they were 2204s, NOT 2203s.
Cheers,
CJ
Usurper666
New member
Re: JCM 800 2204 or 2205?
I´m pretty sure that the switch didn´t happen on 1.1.1984 but a few months later, the first few weeks of not months of ´84 were still the exact same amp as the ´83s
They went horizontal in 1983. By 1984 they had already been horizontal for months. The vertical inputs were changed to horizontal in early 1983, look it up.
Cheers,
CJ
I´m pretty sure that the switch didn´t happen on 1.1.1984 but a few months later, the first few weeks of not months of ´84 were still the exact same amp as the ´83s
They went horizontal in 1983. By 1984 they had already been horizontal for months. The vertical inputs were changed to horizontal in early 1983, look it up.
Cheers,
CJ
ErikH
Well-known member
Re: JCM 800 2204 or 2205?
If it was not a reissue and had an effects loop, it was modded. Plain and simple.
Every authoritive place I've gotten information from on the 800 series says they changed to horizontal inputs closer to 1985. Legendarytones.com is one of the places. The ultimate say-so is what it says in the Marshall Amp Book.
If it was not a reissue and had an effects loop, it was modded. Plain and simple.
Every authoritive place I've gotten information from on the 800 series says they changed to horizontal inputs closer to 1985. Legendarytones.com is one of the places. The ultimate say-so is what it says in the Marshall Amp Book.
Usurper666
New member
Re: JCM 800 2204 or 2205?
I have the History of Marshall Book, it doesn't specify. I know I have seen 83 & 84 2204s with horizontal inputs, I'm positive the change took place in 1983. Legendary Tones is a great site but if they say the inputs went horizontal in 85 they are mistaken.
Also, check out Ebay, every 2204/2203 head with horizontal inputs is 84 or later.
Cheers,
CJ
ErikH said:
I have the History of Marshall Book, it doesn't specify. I know I have seen 83 & 84 2204s with horizontal inputs, I'm positive the change took place in 1983. Legendary Tones is a great site but if they say the inputs went horizontal in 85 they are mistaken.
Also, check out Ebay, every 2204/2203 head with horizontal inputs is 84 or later.
Cheers,
CJ
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L
Lewguitar
Guest
Re: JCM 800 2204 or 2205?
I've owned two 2203's: one from '82 (vertical inputs) and one from '86 (horizontal inputs). Neither had an effects loop but the '82 did sound better. Lew
I've owned two 2203's: one from '82 (vertical inputs) and one from '86 (horizontal inputs). Neither had an effects loop but the '82 did sound better. Lew
