JCM900 Cabs, Crap or not?

[Dr.Mavashi]

I have a 1960A(slanted) JCM900 cab. Stock speakers(although I have not played it since 2000). Anyway, recently I have heard from several people said that it is possibly one of the worst cab ever made by Marshall. What is the story and what speakrs work best with it for classic/power metal if it is Invadered MIA Strat through STRUTDELUXER TS9 into 50 watt LANEY AOR pro tube series?
Thanks Dudes.

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: JCM900 Cabs, Crap or not?

Ok heres the deal.

Everyone bashes a marshall as soon as they see 900 on it, seriously.

The cabs are not much different in construction from the ones before and the oens now. In the 90's they added the mono/stereo thing which some say made it sound a LITTLE thinner but meh. I say if you liek the dam cab then play it! Stock speakers...my guesswould be celestion G12T-75's. If you have any more questions fell free.

 

[ErikH]

Re: JCM900 Cabs, Crap or not?

Exactly what Kamanda said. Their construction is no different than the ones before and after them. The speakers are different though, and yes, they are the G12T-75's. Not bad sounding IMO. The speakers can be changed too if you don't like 'em.

 

[ColdHit]

Re: JCM900 Cabs, Crap or not?

I've always liked those cabs. And I also liked the JCM900's amps better that the newer DSL and TSL amps.

 

[Stevo]

Re: JCM900 Cabs, Crap or not?

The speakers can be changed too if you don't like 'em.

Yes. The t75s are not my favorites, but that's a matter of taste. I have greenbacks and g12h speakers in my 900 cab. That's a very nice combo for classic rock / hard rock.

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: JCM900 Cabs, Crap or not?

Heres a quote from another::

The vintage cabs of the golden years were completly made out of birch plywood. As the years went on, more and more parts of the cabs were replaced by MDF. So the "newer" the cab, the "worst" they are. The reason why you should avoid the AVT, etc is because these are ALL made out of MDF. Heavy, cheap and poor sounding. Could not be made any worst.

900 cab being the worst is a fallacy. They're not any worst than the 800 made the year before and if anything are as good or better than the 2000.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: JCM900 Cabs, Crap or not?

The cabs are fine. With those speakers, they have a nice bottom, OK mids, and a bright crunchy top end. One thing I've done that's improved them, is swapping out the lower left and upper right speakers for Vintage 30 16ohms. It'll add better mids and a smoother top end, which makes the cabinet sound better. Plus, you can sell 2 G75T's to pay for one of the new Vintage 30's, so you're only out $100 for the other Vintage 30. That's the same speaker configuration in the Bogner Uberschall cabs.

 

[Duke of Metal]

Re: JCM900 Cabs, Crap or not?

They're good cabs for how much they can go sure. I just baught a VHT after owning a Marshall cabinet for a long time and I can tell you that the Marshall doesnt compare, BUT it'll do the job.

A good thing to do to those marshall cabs is change the wiring inside with thicker gauge wire (gauge 10 or 12) and re-enforce the back panel with more screws or just change it with a Birch Plywood board instead of the MDF it already has. Those seemed to impove the tone a bit more on the marshall cabs.


Good luck!

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: JCM900 Cabs, Crap or not?

more responses

The 2x12 1936 cab material has been changed to all-MDF in the JCM900 era. Maybe that's where the "myth" JCM900 cabs are [all] bad comes from?

There's absolutely nothing wrong with a JCM900 1960 A or B cab. Later 800s and JCM2000s use the same construction and the same speakers - Marshall use these for a reason... G12T75s rock and are very versatile.

ALSO check out the thread "MArshall cab differences" for some more info on them, it has LOTs of info that you will find usefull.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: JCM900 Cabs, Crap or not?

The only thing about 1960A/Bs post 1990 that I don´t like is that stupid switch.. it adds versatility, but I don´t like the tonal effect it has...

Anyone saying that an 800 era 1960a/b is betterthan a 900 or 2000 era one is IMO full of themself, as it´s the exact same cab and construction with the exception of said switch..

Note that I did not say I like the cabs themselves, becasue I honestly dont... there are other much tighter and better sounding cabs out there IMO

 

[Stevo]

Re: JCM900 Cabs, Crap or not?

The only thing about 1960A/Bs post 1990 that I don´t like is that stupid switch..

Me too. It's pretty rinky-dink. I don't really trust it and I like a pure connection.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: JCM900 Cabs, Crap or not?

Me too. It's pretty rinky-dink. I don't really trust it and I like a pure connection.

I use different heads into my 1960 AV V30 cab,have had no problems,and the cabinet simply rocks...If this cab is thin because of the switch,mine isn't? :smack:

I Love the versatility and the looks and sounds of my own cab...

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: JCM900 Cabs, Crap or not?

There was a time when I had 2 Marshall cabs, the 800 with mono jack, and the 900 with stereo jack. I had them in a stereo configuration and they sounded identical. All of the speakers were made in England. I've always wondered if the Chinese Celestions sound any different than the UK made ones? If you think about it, they'd have to be identical.....it's all the same parts made by different people.

 

[Stevo]

Re: JCM900 Cabs, Crap or not?

I think someone else mentioned the term "thin" Not me.

I am not crazy about the switch, mainly because one failed on me.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: JCM900 Cabs, Crap or not?

I think someone else mentioned the term "thin" Not me.

I am not crazy about the switch, mainly because one failed on me.

I Knew that buddy and it's really no big deal.

Zerb mentioned the word "thin" but I just posted off your last posting is all...It's all good and opinions are like a$$holes...Everyone has one! :laugh2:

I'm not really trying to get into a pissing match,but just stating that "thin" isn't at all part of my overall tone with my own 4x12 with mono/stereo switch etc.....LOL

Ducking down....:laugh2: :smash: :sword:

 

[Dr.Mavashi]

Re: JCM900 Cabs, Crap or not?

A good thing to do to those marshall cabs is change the wiring inside with thicker gauge wire (gauge 10 or 12) and re-enforce the back panel with more screws or just change it with a Birch Plywood board instead of the MDF it already has. Those seemed to impove the tone a bit more on the marshall cabs.


Good luck!

So out of the above mentioned MODs which will give that warmth and sizzle under the 12th fret like YJM and Zakk have on bends and pull off licks? Thanks for all of the responses guys really helps.

 

[Duke of Metal]

Re: JCM900 Cabs, Crap or not?

So out of the above mentioned MODs which will give that warmth and sizzle under the 12th fret like YJM and Zakk have on bends and pull off licks? Thanks for all of the responses guys really helps.

I personally noticed that when I replaced the wiring inside the cab with thicker gauge cable, it made the sound a bit more "open" and gave the tone a bit more sizzle on the highend. But When I re-enforced the back panel with more screws, it seemed to make the tone and specially the lowend handling much tighter.


Cheers

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: JCM900 Cabs, Crap or not?

I personally noticed that when I replaced the wiring inside the cab with thicker gauge cable, it made the sound a bit more "open" and gave the tone a bit more sizzle on the highend. But When I re-enforced the back panel with more screws, it seemed to make the tone and specially the lowend handling much tighter.


Cheers

The back of my cab is missing some screws I think I'm going to run over this week and get some and see if it helps!

 

[esandes]

Re: JCM900 Cabs, Crap or not?

I've always wondered if the Chinese Celestions sound any different than the UK made ones?

i'd venture to guess that the chinese made celections are garbage. everything made in china is useless.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: JCM900 Cabs, Crap or not?

....
Zerb mentioned the word "thin" ....

I did? :eek13::laugh2:

i'd venture to guess that the chinese made celections are garbage. everything made in china is useless.

I wouldnt go that far, but I wouldn´t be surprised if there were a difference, somebody mentioned something about a different glue a while back, and that small of a change can make quite a difference. And of course the move from people with years of experience to a new facility with essentially untrained people (they may have the knowledge and skills needed, but they´ve never built a Celestion before ).....

But until there are major political changes in China I still won´t care