Red_Label
New member
Been mostly focusing on my new-flamenco playing and nylon-string/acoustic/PA gear for the past year and a half. But some acoustic burn-out and an issue with my picking arm ulnar nerve has me back into rock mode and solid bodies again.
Just ordered a demo 2203X from Sweetwater on their 24-month no-interest plan. Was just under $1840 total. I know that I could have got an original 2203 on Ebay for cheaper, but that zero interest deal is hard to beat... plus I HAVE to have an FX loop.
Anyways... haven't bought a new Marshall in a while. I guess I did have a nice used (original) DSL50 head that I bought a year and a half ago. I traded it off this past spring. It was a good amp. I've got a friend's Bogner XTC 101B on long-term loan in my man cave at the present that's a great amp (as well as my hand-wired PTP Straub 6L6 Bassman clone and an Egnater Rebel 20). But I've found that I've been missing that HUGE, in your face roar that Marshalls seem to have. I've owned and/or had in my possession a Bogner XTC Classic/Shiva/Uber TJ, VHT Ultra Lead, Elmwood M60, Engl Powerball II, H&K Triamp, and a Mike Lickliter Rage prototype over the past few years. Of all of them, I miss the Lickliter the most. I actually sold it to the friend who's XTC I'm playing now. Loaned it to him to try out and he didn't want to let-go of it. I really shouldn't have sold that one! It had that big, modded Marshall thing going. He runs the Lickliter in stereo with his 2012 Splawn Quick Rod and LOVES it. Calls it the "Splawn-Lick". LOL! That's why his XTC is at my house. Been getting no love (or playing) for all of 2013, so he wanted me to warm up the tubes now and then.
So missing the huge, modded-Marshall tone of my old Lickliter is why I decided to try the 2203X. I've always heard about the greatness of JCM800 amps (and grew-up and learned to play guitar in the 80s -- so I lived through the age when they were the be-all, end-all). But I've never owned one before. I did try out a 2203X at my local shop last year at low volume and was pretty blown-away by the HUGENESS of the tone in that thing. But they wanted $2300 for it and I wasn't in the mood to spend boutique amp money on a single-channel reissue amp. This Sweetwater deal should be the right price and terms to make me happy. Looking forward to getting her next Tuesday and will give a follow-up report to let ya know how she compares to the other amps I've owned. I do love the lead tones in the XTC, but there's NO doubt in my mind that the 800 will CRUSH it when it comes to making a HUGE tone. At least if the low-volume demo last year in the store was any indication. Also, I've grown out of the "more bling, more knobs, more lights and more features" thing. I find that in general, the more circuits in there, the more tone sucking that goes on. These days, I'll take a great, classic single-channel amp over the latest blinged-out behemoth boutique must-have on the gear forums. Want a purity of tone and note definition, but with a giant, fat tone. I've heard that the 800s can be trebly, but my short experience with the 2203 at the shop leads me to believe that it's a tone I can work with.
Just ordered a demo 2203X from Sweetwater on their 24-month no-interest plan. Was just under $1840 total. I know that I could have got an original 2203 on Ebay for cheaper, but that zero interest deal is hard to beat... plus I HAVE to have an FX loop.
Anyways... haven't bought a new Marshall in a while. I guess I did have a nice used (original) DSL50 head that I bought a year and a half ago. I traded it off this past spring. It was a good amp. I've got a friend's Bogner XTC 101B on long-term loan in my man cave at the present that's a great amp (as well as my hand-wired PTP Straub 6L6 Bassman clone and an Egnater Rebel 20). But I've found that I've been missing that HUGE, in your face roar that Marshalls seem to have. I've owned and/or had in my possession a Bogner XTC Classic/Shiva/Uber TJ, VHT Ultra Lead, Elmwood M60, Engl Powerball II, H&K Triamp, and a Mike Lickliter Rage prototype over the past few years. Of all of them, I miss the Lickliter the most. I actually sold it to the friend who's XTC I'm playing now. Loaned it to him to try out and he didn't want to let-go of it. I really shouldn't have sold that one! It had that big, modded Marshall thing going. He runs the Lickliter in stereo with his 2012 Splawn Quick Rod and LOVES it. Calls it the "Splawn-Lick". LOL! That's why his XTC is at my house. Been getting no love (or playing) for all of 2013, so he wanted me to warm up the tubes now and then.
So missing the huge, modded-Marshall tone of my old Lickliter is why I decided to try the 2203X. I've always heard about the greatness of JCM800 amps (and grew-up and learned to play guitar in the 80s -- so I lived through the age when they were the be-all, end-all). But I've never owned one before. I did try out a 2203X at my local shop last year at low volume and was pretty blown-away by the HUGENESS of the tone in that thing. But they wanted $2300 for it and I wasn't in the mood to spend boutique amp money on a single-channel reissue amp. This Sweetwater deal should be the right price and terms to make me happy. Looking forward to getting her next Tuesday and will give a follow-up report to let ya know how she compares to the other amps I've owned. I do love the lead tones in the XTC, but there's NO doubt in my mind that the 800 will CRUSH it when it comes to making a HUGE tone. At least if the low-volume demo last year in the store was any indication. Also, I've grown out of the "more bling, more knobs, more lights and more features" thing. I find that in general, the more circuits in there, the more tone sucking that goes on. These days, I'll take a great, classic single-channel amp over the latest blinged-out behemoth boutique must-have on the gear forums. Want a purity of tone and note definition, but with a giant, fat tone. I've heard that the 800s can be trebly, but my short experience with the 2203 at the shop leads me to believe that it's a tone I can work with.
Glad it works for you though, they are awesome in the right hands!
