Marshall hype - Am I disillusioned?

[Misanthrope189]

Hi everyone,
I curious if I'm wrong to want to play a Marshall. I guess the thing is, I have some money, and although I should be spending it on triaxis repair, cables, an acoustic, and other things, I am always fascinated by Marshalls. You always hear or see Slayer, Megadeth, Iced Earth, Satriani, Zeppelin, Zakk Wylde, Testament, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest...tons of bands playing Marshalls, particularly JCM 800s. So you check out ebay, and there are tons of 800s on there for a few hundred dollars, and I always feel urged to buy one, although I have the Mesa. I suppose the mystery behind these amps...all those massive, aggressive, tight, articulate, wonderful tones from people using Marshall...and the fact that I've never played one, or experienced a Marshall first hand, makes me want one to witness this magic for myself...but I think I could be disillusioned, and making more of something than what the JCM 800s really are...and that they would be a waste of my money. Anything to say...or ideas...or suggestions?

Thanks,
Nick

Or...maybe I really should get my mesa fixed...it could be that the lack of proper operation is leaving me wanting something more solid and operable...thinking that boogie isn't that great an amp...however, I have been trying, the only authorized Mesa repair company near me is relocating to a new store right now, so I can't get it fixed at the moment...soon, but not right now...

[ April 05, 2003, 01:59 PM: Message edited by: Misanthrope189 ]

[Lordofgain]

Re: Marshall hype - Am I disillusioned?

It's all a matter of personal taste. You couldn't pay me enough money to play Mesas. I just don't like the sound of them.
On the other hand I love the tone of JCM800s. Alas unless you are playing at ear splitting volumes the head can't be all it can be.
Solution: send said head to Trace at Voodoo amps to bring out the best of the amp and be sent instantly to Nirvana!
As I said it is all a matter of individual taste.

[Newc]

Re: Marshall hype - Am I disillusioned?

I never played a Marshall I liked. Can't say I've played every model, and I don't know if I ever played an 800, but I wasn't impressed at all.

I played a Laney combo I really liked.

Newc

[raymo]

Re: Marshall hype - Am I disillusioned?

I love Marshalls. I believe the thing with the 800's is that many people aslo use a tube driver or distortion pedal with them or get them modded for more gain. I think the basic thing with the 800's is that the tone is a good solid one, that can be worked with many ways.

I forgot right now but I believe the early 800's were just cosmetic rebuilds of JTM 45's? I believe. I know they were a rebuild of one of the amps, that had the covering on the whole amp, and the smaller marshall logo, so on and so on.

[GWARGHOUL]

Re: Marshall hype - Am I disillusioned?

So...would a JCM 900 be better for high gain applications?

I'm in a similar boat...basically I am down to no gear..I have a crate blue voodoo 60 watt 900 miles away....if its still there. But I'm looking for something better...I need to know more about the jcm 900, or a tsl 120...I need a amp that can go from classic rock to Megadeth type sounds..to straight up cookie monster growling metal.

[Cleveland Metal]

Re: Marshall hype - Am I disillusioned?

5150 head... A real tube amp, cheaper and and MUCH better made than a Newer Marshall

[img]graemlins/puke.gif[/img] post 800 era marshalls...

[Foolius Maximus]

Re: Marshall hype - Am I disillusioned?

I just got a Marshall JCM 900 2x12 combo amp and it sounds great- I don't like anything that came after the 900's simply because there are too many knobs to deal with, kinda like the JCF! [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] You can pick up a JCM 900 model head or combo off ebay pretty reasonable- Much cheaper than what the 800's are going for- You can get any sound from a 900 it just depends on how much time you're willing to work with it- I use a Fulltone Fatboost pedal and a Boss GE-7 eq to get the real crunchy sounds- You also need to factor in what you're going to use the amp for- Practice, gigs, etc.- I use to have high end stuff and I realized I didn't need it because I wasn't playing stadiums- A Marshall 2x12 combo with maybe some pedals and rack gear and your good to go- And last time I checked JCM 900's ARE tube amps-NYAH!

[Cleveland Metal]

Re: Marshall hype - Am I disillusioned?

No, not TRUE tube amps, they use diodes to get their distortion... Most 800s are true tube...

There's a reason the newer 900s are cheaper than the 800s... Interesting huh?

I use to have high end stuff and I realized I didn't need it because I wasn't playing stadiums

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ummm, k... Of course, that's the only reason you need a good equipment. [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Basically delegating 99.4% of all guitarists to using "low end" equipment... [img]graemlins/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

Anyway... I'll admit I got a pretty cool sound out of my two 4100 series 900 heads... Till I traded them for 5150s...

[Misanthrope189]

Re: Marshall hype - Am I disillusioned?

Yeah, I understand that new Marshalls are no good...I found it funny to see JCM 800 heads for sale in the MF catalogue. I know it's been discussed before, but what is the difference between the 2203 and 2204 model 800s?

Thanks,
Nick

Also, Lord of Gain, in your picture you have two heads with two cabs. I was curious how you ran your guitar signal to both heads. Thanks.

[Cleveland Metal]

Re: Marshall hype - Am I disillusioned?

FYI, the 800 bre-issues you see being sold now, are just as crappfully made and materials are as bad as any other new marshall. DO NOT BUY.

You want originals from the pre 900 production. I think like around 87/88 and back? Possibly as late as 91/92. NOt real sure there. But, late ones would be questionable as I hear the last ones were 900-ish construction

As far as I know, 2204 is 50 watts, and the 2203 is 100 watts...

[taxistationary]

Re: Marshall hype - Am I disillusioned?

Hey Cleve, What ever happened to your 5150's? i know they were in a car wreak, but did you say they survived? Just wondering...

[Cleveland Metal]

Re: Marshall hype - Am I disillusioned?

I used them for like another year. And had them tubed and gone through by DR. Z. And sold them to a buddy who knew their history at quite a good price. I loved their brutality. But, missed the sweet Marshall lead tones...

I used the money towards a JMP-1 and a Marshall MonoBloc EL34 100/100... Assuredly the stupidest move I'd made.... No brutality and not all that nice a lead sound. I then sold all that at quite a loss. And eventually (after a LOT of money changing hands for junk) ended up with CAE and VHT amps...

[OklaStrat]

Re: Marshall hype - Am I disillusioned?

Originally posted by Cleveland Metal:
[QB]No, not TRUE tube amps, they use diodes to get their distortion... Most 800s are true tube...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Most 800s were channel switchers I think, and all of those had diodes for overdrive just like the valvestates and the 900s. Only the single channel JCM800s didn't have diodes.

Pete

[Lordofgain]

Re: Marshall hype - Am I disillusioned?

Originally posted by Misanthrope189:
Yeah, I understand that new Marshalls are no good...I found it funny to see JCM 800 heads for sale in the MF catalogue. I know it's been discussed before, but what is the difference between the 2203 and 2204 model 800s?

Thanks,
Nick

Also, Lord of Gain, in your picture you have two heads with two cabs. I was curious how you ran your guitar signal to both heads. Thanks.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">2203=100 watts
2204=50 watts

When I was running that setup I ran a whirlwind A/B box and pushed some pedals up front into the JCM900 for cleans into the top cab and pushed other pedals up front into the Trace modded JCM800 into the bottom cab for the distortion, it worked pretty well if you didn't have to move it. [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] Plus, it looked gigantic the way I always pictured a full stack should look! I loved it.
Now I either run my stuff through either the Trace Marshall into a 1960AV top or through my 3 channel Rivera into a 1960BV cab.

[ April 07, 2003, 01:15 AM: Message edited by: Lordofgain ]

[PowerTube]

Re: Marshall hype - Am I disillusioned?

I have a JCM-800 2210 (reverb, 2-channel) from 1990. Frankly, if I could only plug straight into it with no pedals, I would be selling it today. But, with my Metal Zone/GE-7 combo, it's awesome. I honestly do believe that there's a lot of hype concerning Marshalls, though. I've never plugged straight into a stock one that had a good overdrive. Of course, I've never had the chance to dime one, either.

My theory is that Marshalls have awesome tone hidden in them, but it takes pedals to bring it out.