What's the deal with JCM 800's?

[ErikH]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

I think Marshalls without EL34's are just flat wrong....

Me too, even though the very early ones used them. When the Dual Reverbs came out, they were pretty good sounding with the EL34's but I noticed a HUGE change in tone when the first batch with 5881's came in the store I worked at. One of the other guitar nuts and I looked at each other with a grimace look like, "WTF???". The SL-X that came in shortly after made more noise than tone. It was just aweful.

I feel lucky to have gotten the one I have. A buddy of mine was working at GC and showed it to me after it came in as a trade. I ran home, got my pedalboard and guitar, came back and plugged in. Tone heaven. I had to have it right there. Good thing I was in the market for a new amp too (no thanks to the Blue DooDoo that blew the circuit board 3 times). I love my 900 and will never part with it.

 

[ErikH]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

In amps, simpler = better, IMO as far as tone goes. Marshall is building what the market wants/needs in the 2000/MG/AVT line. But with a reissue head, some good tubes, and/or some work from a good mod person/new tranny... you can get those great "real" Marshall tones.

You violated your own commandment by mentioning the MG series in a Marshall thread...:laugh2:

 

[JeffB]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

You violated your own commandment by mentioning the MG series in a Marshall thread...:laugh2:

Clearly for illustrative purposes related to the subject at hand

nowhere was that monstrosity mentioned as regards to "good marshall tone" as was the case where I laid down the ground rules about Marshall threads here :laugh2:

Now I suppose we will see the obligatory friggin JMP/PARK pics from TGB

 

[JeffB]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

= GOOD TONE

= I've heard better sounds out of my @$$




:laugh2:

 

[ErikH]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

:laugh2:

Clearly for illustrative purposes related to the subject at hand

nowhere was that monstrosity mentioned as regards to "good marshall tone" as was the case where I laid down the ground rules about Marshall threads here :laugh2:

Good enough answer for me....

Now I suppose we will see the obligatory friggin JMP/PARK pics from TGB

Oh no, not again!!! :laugh2:

 

[ErikH]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

= I've heard better sounds out of my @$$

:laugh2:

Does it sound something like this? = Linky

 

[JeffB]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

Does it sound something like this? = Linky

Yes, but I personally have a bit more crunch and complexity to the mids than that example...


:laugh2:

 

[ErikH]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

Yes, but I personally have a bit more crunch and complexity to the mids than that example...


:laugh2:

ROTFLMFAO!!!!! This thread just took a wrong turn.... :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2:

 

[JeffB]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

ROTFLMFAO!!!!! This thread just took a wrong turn.... :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2:

I'll work on putting up some clips tonite...


:wandersofftoTacoBell:

 

[JeffB]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

LMAO...

OK now my mission in Life to is to do an A/B comparison of my @$$ vs. a Marshall MG...


:laugh2: :wave:

 

[iceman79]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

If you're looking for old school Marshall/Brit sound I'd suggest going the boutique route. Komet, Germino, Fargen, Reeves, THD, Zinky, etc.

 

[ErikH]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

Hey iceman, did you end up getting the JCM800 combo? I see it in your sig.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

Too funny, we did not like the JCM 800 very much in the 80's
Thought that they sounded buzzy and modern

 

[iceman79]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

ErikH, Yep, sure did I'm still a little nervous about the purchase though. It sounded ok for the 1st couple of days, and then it just seemed to loose power and didn't sound so hot. I checked the tubes and I have a feeling they have never been changed. The ECC83's say "made in India" From what I understand India hasn't made tubes in decades, literally. Anyway, I'm having it completely retubed and biased, so hopefully it'll sound better. Buying an old Marshall is kinda like buying an old Harley Davidson or Indian, high maintenence but worth every penny.

 

[ErikH]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

ErikH, Yep, sure did I'm still a little nervous about the purchase though. It sounded ok for the 1st couple of days, and then it just seemed to loose power and didn't sound so hot. I checked the tubes and I have a feeling they have never been changed. The ECC83's say "made in India" From what I understand India hasn't made tubes in decades, literally. Anyway, I'm having it completely retubed and biased, so hopefully it'll sound better. Buying an old Marshall is kinda like buying an old Harley Davidson or Indian, high maintenence but worth every penny.

Good for you. When I got my Marshall it still had the original tubes in it and I left it that way for the longest time. Sounded great until recently and then I had it retubed and biased. Sounds like a new amp now. You'll love it when you get it back I'm sure. Congrats. With the Marshall and Zinky, you got all the amps you need. :fing2:

Rid, yeah I remember when I started playing everyone said to stay away from them and to get a Plexi. I didn't own either but clearly remember the debate even at my young age then.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

I agree about the shift to 5881's. The 5881 is such a troublesome tube. Many love the hard (coarse??) tone of them...but many (like me) think they are just plain old nasty sounding.

I think Marshalls without EL34's are just flat wrong....

The 5881 tube in itself is a great tube(Tung Sols in the Bassman),but it isn't the Marshall sound we all associate with....The first Marshalls copied the 59 Bassman and used 5881s and KT66 tubes...Marshall switched over to EL34s because they were cheaper and easier to get...

 

[JeffB]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

Yeah..5881s/KT66s don't necc sound "bad". Who's to argue with the righteous tone of an early JTM45/ BluesBreaker?

I think may be more of (in the 900s case) designing the amp around El34s, then using 5881s in order to try and get some marketshare back from the up and comer amp with 6l6s (rectifier)

Early Marshalls used 5881s/KT66s, and then they were designed around the EL34 as the design progressed, and morphed into the now classic PLexi sound. Refinement, as opposed to "a tube swap"....

6550s were used for the same issues as the original Marshalls...availabilty...but again...no re-design...a "tube swap".

Throw some 6V6s in a Vox and it'll prolly sound like crap too.

 

[ErikH]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

The reason they went to 5881's in the 90's was because of the availability. Their main supplier went out of business. There was a whole article out about the Yugoslavia plant closing that made the EL34's for Marshall then.

 

[JeffB]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

The reason they went to 5881's in the 90's was because of the availability. Their main supplier went out of business. There was a whole article out about the Yugoslavia plant closing that made the EL34's for Marshall then.

Right..but they never redesigned the amp around the switch..whereas the early marshalls were always evolving.

Same thing with the availabilty issues for EL34s and switching to 6550s...swap some tubes and don't redesign the voicing around the new tube..

EDIT: But they could have gone back to 6550s in the 900/SLX and been better off..instead I think part of the 5881/6L6 thing was pressure re: MESA.

 

[ErikH]

Re: What's the deal with JCM 800's?

Right..but they never redesigned the amp around the switch..whereas the early marshalls were always evolving.

Same thing with the availabilty issues for EL34s and switching to 6550s...swap some tubes and don't redesign the voicing around the new tube..

EDIT: But they could have gone back to 6550s in the 900/SLX and been better off..instead I think part of the 5881/6L6 thing was pressure re: MESA.

Actually, they had to redo some of the stuff in the power amp to accept the 5881's. It wasn't a total redesign but enough to affect the tone in a bad way IMO. Luckily though, 6550's are interchangeable with the EL34's - just a resistor swap is needed on each of the sockets.