JCM 800, 900 or 2000???

Re: JCM 800, 900 or 2000???

I played through a 900 once, and only once. It was sooooo incredibly fuzzy/fizzy, especially when trying to solo. I would never use that amp unless I ran a distortion pedal through the clean channel. Maybe an overdrive pedal would help, but blah, it's not that great IMO.
 
Re: JCM 800, 900 or 2000???

I've played only a 2000... really buzzy for my tastes, not much depth.

I only have experience with the 800 through amp modelers... but it's always the model I like best:D

slade
 
Re: JCM 800, 900 or 2000???

BluesGuyJ, Here is a matter of fact!!!! All 900's are not the same!!!!

You can not play only one of them and come up with an opinion on all of them. Please read post 13 and 14 of this thread!!!!

I will put it to you this way, I used to own a Marshall 2555SL Slash. You know, its the same thing as a jubilee and the one most folks rave over. I no longer own it but, I still own my 2100 JCM900.
 
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Re: JCM 800, 900 or 2000???

I was going to sell my 2100 because I wasn't using it much but then I plugged in to it and I changed my mind right away. I'm not selling it now, not ever.
 
Re: JCM 800, 900 or 2000???

I think it's important to note that most references to JCM 800s in this thread are reffering to the early single channel 2203/2204 models and *not* the later channel switching models.
 
Re: JCM 800, 900 or 2000???

Not much more to add to this thread, as it's been covered pretty well. I've played/owned all three of the amps mentioned.

<------ Here's my weapon of choice...
 
Re: JCM 800, 900 or 2000???

Odie's 900 is definately the exception to the rule in my experience.

My answer...easy. Get yourself a JCM 800 channel switcher, 2205 or 2210, or one of the corresponding combo's. Some relatively simple and easy (read no drilling or extra tubes) mods can get you where you need to be. Suprisingly "Fenderesque" cleans and improved distortion. These mods are easy and fairly cheap.

For a few bucks more, you can have your Marshall converted to a handwired PTP scheme with cleans as clean as Fender, and OD voiced towards whatever model Marshall you want.....Plexi, 2204, Silver Jubilee...whatever. Jeff Seal is your man for this. Channel switching JCM 800's offer the most options for modding...why? Because they come standard with 4 pre-amp tubes.....8 possible stages of gain. Single channel Marshall's have 3 pre-amp tubes. What's the most common mod to get extra gain out of a single channel Marshall.....add a tube. Not necessary on a channel switching 800.
 
Re: JCM 800, 900 or 2000???

My jcm 900 sl-x 2100 amp is the greatest amp I have used. Well this isn't saying much as the only other amp I have used was a fender practice 15g 15w solid state amp. But this amp sound great it gives me all the distortion I need for my punk tones and heavy metal sounds. It probably sounds better as mine comes with el-34's and distortion comes from only the preamp distortion by the preamp tubes. It also have a lot of versatility it can play clean, classic rock, and other low gain types as well. This is the amp that has ended my tone quest.

I hope you give this amp with the same specs as mine a try as this the greatest amp ever considered by me.
 
Re: JCM 800, 900 or 2000???

I've played on/with and listend to a few 900's, 2 800's, and I use to own a TSL 60. I think the TSL gets bashed way too much (mabey the 60 watt version was better than the 100 watt?). It covered it all with a good amount of room to spare. I just wanted a more modern sounding amplifier, so I bought a Mesa.
They all can sound good with the right player and signal path. A buddy of mine has two 900's and they sound pretty killer with an SG or a Les Paul. Of course he likes to run an eq that tames the highs on the amp.
As far as the 800's I've heard, a 50watt was the best sounding. Dark, raw, and really 'friendly' tone. Like a tone you've heard before and are used to.

If I had to get a Marshall I'd go with a 50 watt 800, I think. But, if you want to a slew of Marshall tones at a somewhat reasonable price, I get a used TSL 60.
 
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Re: JCM 800, 900 or 2000???

i played the dsl head through a marshall cab with my warlock and it sounded awesome. but a few days ago i went to guitar center and they didnt have any of the heads so i played a dsl401 combo with a schecter c-1 classic, an epi les paul and i think a strat too and i wanted to kill myslef because it sounded soo bad. maybe it was just a bad amp or the combo sucks, but i hated it. lacked everything. but when i played the half stck it sounded real good. i never like the tsl. played it a bunch of times and hated the sound. plus it has way too many things that i need. the dsl is cool because its just two channels, clean or crunch and od-1 or od-2, and it doesnt have all that BS that alot of amps have these days, like built in effects or a million channels or whatever they try to throw at u.

that being said.... save A LOT of pennies and buy a bogner. i want one soooo bad but the cost a fortune. they should seriously make an ecstacy footpedal so we can get the awesome bogner sounds without spending a million dollars on the whole stack.
 
Re: JCM 800, 900 or 2000???

I think the JCM800 is a metal modern amp withing abou the right OD in front. Another plus is using different OD pedals for different tones. Zakks tone I love. Then again I know some people hate it.
 
Re: JCM 800, 900 or 2000???

I think Zakks tone Live for BLS is too fuzzy but his ozzy tone rules. And no ones mentioned Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman. Both use JCM800's and look at the gain they push out!
 
Re: JCM 800, 900 or 2000???

When i think of "modern" sound, I tend to think of Mesa, etc. If you want a Marshall sound, go with the 800 or earlier mastervolume amps if you must have master volume. Otherwise go with one of the Plexi reissues or clones. i intentionally avoided the newer ones with the effects loop, but I am pretty much a guitar/chord/amp guy most of the time. Some guys have gotten some pretty nasty sounds from Plexi's. I unfortunately stumbled across a recent Whitesnake concert on the satellite the other night and both guitar players were using the obligatory wall of Plexi's and getting typical raunchy 80's John Sykes Whitesnake guitar noises.
 
Re: JCM 800, 900 or 2000???

jdm61 said:
both guitar players were using the obligatory wall of Plexi's and getting typical raunchy 80's John Sykes Whitesnake guitar noises.
Click to expand...

Which people like me prefer over the typical raunchy farty 60s plexi noises guys like Clapton and Hendrix got :D


PS (John used MESA's for the most part with Whitesnake :D)
 
Re: JCM 800, 900 or 2000???

yeah, yeah, yeah.......farty noises like Hendrix, Page, Allman, Young, etc too:laugh2: i like Sykes. Stopped liking Whitesnake when he left and Coverdale stopped waffling between wanting to be Ian Gilliam and Robert Plant and decided he wanted to be a really cheesy version of plant with a really hot yet psycho wife that he had to put in every video.......which admittedly, i never really minded.....Adrian Vanden-who?:chairfall i heard a song by Avenged Sevenfold on the radio tonight and i now understand what Lew is talking about with his "bag of bees" comment. Typical modern sound....thin scooped preamp fuzz on the dirty channel and flat dimensionless wimpy sound on clean. The sound of shred combined with the vocal phrasing and lyrical acumen of.........Extreme.......and this is the future of rock? LMAO
 
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Re: JCM 800, 900 or 2000???

jdm61 said:
..and this is the future of rock? LMAO
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rock died when MTV took off :D

I agree..modern guitar tones, IMO are horrid.

I do have a clip of Doug Aldritch playing with the Snake, and altho I dont care too much for the playing I thought his tone was decent?..def not "modern"...more like modded 800 vs. recto/5150/ubernumetal stuff
 
Re: JCM 800, 900 or 2000???

I have a JCM 2000 DSL100 and I love it. I'm able to get the classic Marshall sound without having to crank the hell out of the thing. With the gain at around 1 o'clock and the volume at around 11 o'clock I can get the high gain tone I'm looking for.

I'd say go for the 2000. Chances are, you can find a used 2000 for less than a used 800 and you won't have to crank the amp up to ear-splitting levels to get the modern distortion you're looking for.
 
Re: JCM 800, 900 or 2000???

jdm61 said:
who?:chairfall i heard a song by Avenged Sevenfold on the radio tonight and i now understand what Lew is talking about with his "bag of bees" comment. Typical modern sound....thin scooped preamp fuzz on the dirty channel and flat dimensionless wimpy sound on clean. The sound of shred combined with the vocal phrasing and lyrical acumen of.........Extreme.......and this is the future of rock? LMAO
Click to expand...

Did you hear Avenged Sevenfolds neck tone? I started cracking up when I first heard it.
 
Re: JCM 800, 900 or 2000???

I've only tried the JCM2000, DSL401

If someone would to ask me, I'll just tell them go for the old amps. They are built to-last
 
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