Marshall JCM900 Opinions

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UberMetalDood

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There was a brand new white JCM900 4100 RI 1/2 stack in Guitar Center the other day. I have played the JCM900 before and really liked it, so I plugged into it and jammed for a while. I think it's a really cool amp, as I always have, but the one thing that keeps me from ever acquiring one is that an amp tech implored me not to because of reliability issues. Something having to do with the boards and heat issues, but I don't remember the exact details. He said the JCM800 is much more reliable. That always stuck with me so I never purchased one.

However, after playing it again, I have gotten a bit of GAS. I have had DSL's, JVM's, Plexis, and JCM800's, and they have all been very reliable (granted I'm not a gigging musician). I tend to travel around with my gear for the purposes of jamming out with various friends or bands I know, but manage to keep my gear in great condition. I imagine that my use isn't much different from the gigging musician except that I don't do it nightly or rely on it for income. Anyway, reliability isn't a great concern with me at this point.

What do you guys think about the JCM900, and if you could get a new one for say $1299, would you buy it?
 
Re: Marshall JCM900 Opinions

I saw Clutch not to long ago and Tim Sult was playing through 2 900's on stage. An SLX and the other model like it with the clipping diodes in the circuit. He had a great tone (always does) and I would personally just snag a used one up for cheap.

He did keep having really bad intermitant squealing issues and had to shut one down. Probably just a microphonic tube.
 
Re: Marshall JCM900 Opinions

I bought my JCM900 in 1992 it was my main gigging amp for 5 years and was regularly played until I moved over seas 3 years ago. Outside of tube changes and contact cleaning and spraying out the pots ive never had a single issue with mine. Take it for what its worth I have no idea if the new ones are the same build quality but there is no issue with the design. I think the 4100 gets a bad rap but ive always pull cool tone out of mine.
 
Re: Marshall JCM900 Opinions

HERE IS MY OBLIGATORY 900 COMMENT FOR EVERY THREAD WHEN SOMEONE ASKS:

Worst mistake I ever made was trading away my 2204 for a brand new DR hot off the assembly line in the first US bound run. Mine had 5881s from the factory (first thing that should have warned me). By the time I brought it back to my salesguy to let me return it and buy back the 2204, someone had bought it. Heartbroken. I was so pissed at Marshall, I bought a Laney ( which was just as bad, if not worse for my needs.

The 2205/2210 ha d diode clipping and managed to get a good tone. DR sounds like a cheap tubescreamer on all the time. Congested, lack of dynamics,.roar, and balls. Cleans are nice. MKIII is a better distortion amp. Buy one of those if you have to get a 900.
 
Re: Marshall JCM900 Opinions

JeffB said:
brand new DR hot off the assembly line in the first US bound run. Mine had 5881s from the factory
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Couldnt have been a first run 900 with 5881's they didnt get 5881's until 1994 by which time they had been around for almost 3 years.


JeffB said:
The 2205/2210 ha d diode clipping and managed to get a good tone. DR sounds like a cheap tubescreamer on all the time. Congested, lack of dynamics,.roar, and balls. Cleans are nice. MKIII is a better distortion amp. Buy one of those if you have to get a 900.
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The jubilee has more diodes than either the 4100 or 2210 or 2100's yet you dont see people get worked up over them. But thats beside the point hes already said hes played the amp and he digs it so why tell him to get something else?
 
Re: Marshall JCM900 Opinions

Edgecrusher said:
Couldnt have been a first run 900 with 5881's they didnt get 5881's until 1994 by which time they had been around for almost 3 years.
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Dont belive everything you read on the net. Marhall was still having trouble with the supply of el34s in their transition from 6550s in stateside bound amps. Many of the early ones came with 5881s. I know what tubes came in my own amp, thanks.



The jubilee has more diodes than either the 4100 or 2210 or 2100's yet you dont see people get worked up over them. But thats beside the point hes already said hes played the amp and he digs it so why tell him to get something else?
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I do not like joobies all that much either.I passed on them at the time to keep my 2204s. He asked for opinions,,,,if he likes it he should buy it instead of asking for opinions, no?
 
Re: Marshall JCM900 Opinions

JeffB said:
Dont belive everything you read on the net. Marhall was still having trouble with the supply of el34s in their transition from 6550s in stateside bound amps. Many of the early ones came with 5881s. I know what tubes came in my own amp, thanks.
Click to expand...

I didnt read it on the net I bought my amp in 1992 it came with EL34's all of them in the store at the time had 34's wasnt until later that the 5881's showed up. Im sure yours had 5881's but it wasnt first run like you said. Get it?
 
Re: Marshall JCM900 Opinions

I got a JCM900 50 watt Dual Reverb it started cutting in and out plus random volume drops, took it to my tech he said it had the problem all 900s had from that era (don’t remember what he said it was, maybe efx loop circuit problem?) Got it renovated put some good tubes in it, used it for ten years, and thought it sounded great? till I got one of the last of the original 50watt JMP MVs and realized Marshall has been half assing it for most of the last 25+ years.
Starting with the changes to the original JCM800 (after about 1985) it’s been all downhill with build quality, same with Fender and most everybody else.
Not to say people haven’t made good music with 900s and Jubilees, but the build quality is not as good (gets more rinky dink with every new model) and The JMP & og JCM800 will do it all better.
 
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Re: Marshall JCM900 Opinions

It sounds like it should be too risky with the reissues then since most of the problems are reportedly from when they were first introduced. I'm seriously thinking about acquiring one soon.
 
Re: Marshall JCM900 Opinions

Edgecrusher said:
I didnt read it on the net I bought my amp in 1992 it came with EL34's all of them in the store at the time had 34's wasnt until later that the 5881's showed up. Im sure yours had 5881's but it wasnt first run like you said. Get it?
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It was the very first 900 amp that arrived at Rolls Music, one of onlly 2 Marshall dealers in Northern VA at the time, and it was the first shipment that arrived of these amps at release. Opened the carton myself, It had 5881s, get it?

Go doosh up some other thread.
 
Re: Marshall JCM900 Opinions

900s are no less reliable than 800s. Same PCB construction.
Yes the tubes get hot, but if you are looking at a head, then its not an issue cos the heat will dissipate into the air.
I used a 900 dually half stack for many years as my only gigging/recording amp back when they were the latest thing from MArshall. It did a lot of gigs and got thrown around in cars etc 3 nights a week for years. Solid as a rock.

Having owned both types of 900, i much prefer the sound and feel of the MKIII master volume model than the dual reverb model, but then again, the dual reverb has...well...reverb! That and you can eq each channel separately so it might be a better amp for your needs.

Would i buy a reissue?
Probably not.

I think you'd be better off looking for a used original cos they are the cheapest thing going at the moment, and if you resell it you'll get your money back for two reasosns, one is that someone else took the new price hit and two is cos you can still call them real english made marshalls.
Get an old indestructible plywood 1990's cab loaded with G12t75's (yes i know all the tone purists will disagree - but they served a whole generation of guitarists just fine) and youll have a winning combination for cheap and still have some cash left over for some fresh new tubes and a rebias.

fwiw to the tube guys...my 900 came stock with Tesla el34's - they all did in Australia at least.
 
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Re: Marshall JCM900 Opinions

I've had a 50w 900 combo for probably close to 20 years. Never had any major issues other then bad tubes and a blown fuze. It's a great amp, the only negative is the loop it's not really designed for pedals, but more for racks. I use a ce2, DD3, TS9. Wah and tuner. The last time I used it I just plugged my board in and it worked fine but usually the delay has to go into the loop but it sucks a lot if tone. If you can eliminate delay it should be fine
 
Re: Marshall JCM900 Opinions

I wouldn't want a RI 4100/4500 even if someone offered it to me for free. Just not a fan of that model. They are better with EL34's in them, IMO/IME, but still, I'd rather have another MkIII Master Volume. I agree with hunting down a used one if that is what you want. Just a better deal financially.
 
Re: Marshall JCM900 Opinions

The original 900DRs had a few minor issues but are overall very reliable amps. I've yet to see inside of one of the reissues but if it follows modern Marshall construction practices, it probably isn't as robust as the originals. The originals had a few issues as mentioned earlier; the effects loop jacks tarnish easily which cuts/degrades the signal and the ground offset circuit (lifts the ground in the whole amp by 1/2 volt for noise reduction) has a tendency to lose its reference resistor which causes all the voltages to fall significantly and make the amp really compressed and lack balls. Both issues are an easy fix.
 
Re: Marshall JCM900 Opinions

I bought my SL-X new in 1994. It came with Marshall-branded Tesla EL34s. It was my main amp for over 15 years after that. I mostly used it in my studio, but I gigged with it for about 5 years also. It always delivers when I turn it on. It's never failed me in a gig or anywhere. The only maintenance ever needed has been biasing when I change power tubes. The controls are getting a little dirty and could use cleaning, but I don't turn them while I'm playing, so it's not an issue for me. Based on my experience, I would recommend this amp to anyone who is looking for that late 70's - 80's Marshall sound.

View attachment 44101
 
Re: Marshall JCM900 Opinions

beaubrummels said:
I bought my SL-X new in 1994. It came with Marshall-branded Tesla EL34s. It was my main amp for over 15 years after that. I mostly used it in my studio, but I gigged with it for about 5 years also. It always delivers when I turn it on. It's never failed me in a gig or anywhere. The only maintenance ever needed has been biasing when I change power tubes. The controls are getting a little dirty and could use cleaning, but I don't turn them while I'm playing, so it's not an issue for me. Based on my experience, I would recommend this amp to anyone who is looking for that late 70's - 80's Marshall sound.

View attachment 44101
Click to expand...

That's a picture of beauty.
 
Re: Marshall JCM900 Opinions

gibson175 said:
Would i buy a reissue?
Probably not.

I think you'd be better off looking for a used original cos they are the cheapest thing going at the moment, and if you resell it you'll get your money back for two reasosns, one is that someone else took the new price hit and two is cos you can still call them real english made marshalls.
Get an old indestructible plywood 1990's cab loaded with G12t75's (yes i know all the tone purists will disagree - but they served a whole generation of guitarists just fine) and youll have a winning combination for cheap and still have some cash left over for some fresh new tubes and a rebias.

fwiw to the tube guys...my 900 came stock with Tesla el34's - they all did in Australia at least.
Click to expand...

This is a good point right now especially since people are so down on them the price is low and finding a good used one isnt hard.
 
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