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JCM900 #4500 review

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  • JCM900 #4500 review

    JCM900 Dual Reverb High Gain Head, model #4500, 50 watts, 5881 equipt.
    It has a 25/50w switch on the back, direct recording out, an excellent effects loop, 2 channel, seperate reverb.

    How does it sound??

    Clean Channel: This is the clean you hear in many of the early 90's metal recordings. Just add chorus and you are there. Its a great clean. Useable, toneful and full.

    Gain Channel: Anything from blues to 80's and 90's metal. You have to dime out the gain for metal. Perfect. Because its 50 watts you have to turn it up. Perfect. Put it on 25w and you really have to crank it if you are jamming with a loud band. Again.. Perfect.
    It is much clearer than my DSL 100, it has less bottom then the DSL100 too. What it does have is that early 90's metal tone straight out of the box. Tons of midrange and a very nice mix of lows, mids and highs.
    Believe it or not... after owning just about every Marshall model ever made this is my first JCM900. I stayed away because of the rumours that they suck. I also stayed away because I used a SL-X several times in the rehearsal studio and I was less than impressed.
    I think that I have owned enough Marshall amps to make a pretty educated review of how this amp sounds compared to other Marshalls.
    The key to the JCM900 is the speaker cabinet. You need to have a 4 x 12 that has a strong bottom. I am using a JCM900 straight cab. It thumps just like all good Marshall 4 x 12's should. Its the perfect compliment to the JCM900. I threw a few stomp boxes in the loop and I was ready to jam in minutes. I just used basic EQ settings on the Marshall and it sounded great. For all you gain freaks you can always add a YJM308 or a DOD250 in front of it for more gain.
    Maybe its just this particular head (lhrocker owned it and Strat God was the original owner) but I will honestly say that this is the best sounding high gain Marshall head I have ever owned.
    Amp tone is so subjective. Isn't it.

  • #2
    Used a pair of the 4100 series 100s for a few years at shows with Celestions 75 bottoms. Not bad.

    Ran a wireless to overdrive them in the front to get a nice edge out of them. Went to 5150s for more authority as the Marshall lacked low end grunt. But I missed the sweeter lead sound of the 4100's

    And yeah, SLX's were pretty weak and fuzzy.

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    • #3
      You need to have a 4 x 12 that has a strong bottom.

      That's a bummer for us 212 guys.

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      • #4
        John - glad you're loving the amp. It really fits the music that you're doing now. Let's see if you hold onto it as long as you did the Vetta !!!

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        • #5
          Yeah the 900 heads I have used in the past/owned have always sounded good with BIG cabs and I remember it sounding really great with the Rectifier cab.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by atilla View Post
            You need to have a 4 x 12 that has a strong bottom.

            That's a bummer for us 212 guys.
            No - try the Genz Benz G-Flex.

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            • #7
              yah a gflex will make anything sound huge...

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              • #8
                Originally posted by chrisolson View Post
                No - try the Genz Benz G-Flex.
                Ah, yes...I forgot about the G-Flex.

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                • #9
                  i've never tried it with the 5881's, i've got the winged C's.

                  but try a band practice or gig with the mid, bass, and gain on 10 and the treb and pres on 0 and tell me how it sounds cranked real loud. i call it the "give marshall balls" setting.
                  Widow - "We have songs"

                  http://jameslugo.com/johnewooteniv.shtml

                  http://ultimateguitarsound.com

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                  • #10
                    John's amp actually had EL34's installed and not 5881's. The 5881 sticker is just on the front panel.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by lhrocker View Post
                      John's amp actually had EL34's installed and not 5881's. The 5881 sticker is just on the front panel.
                      I was wondering... it sounded like EL34's to me. I didn't bother to look in the back. I was having too much fun jamming on it.

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Cleveland Metal View Post
                        Used a pair of the 4100 series 100s for a few years at shows with Celestions 75 bottoms. Not bad.

                        Ran a wireless to overdrive them in the front to get a nice edge out of them. Went to 5150s for more authority as the Marshall lacked low end grunt. But I missed the sweeter lead sound of the 4100's

                        And yeah, SLX's were pretty weak and fuzzy.
                        I can see that 100%. This JCM900 reminds me alot of the 5150. I have one of those too. Actually, I have owned several 5150's. The main difference between a JCM900 and a 5150 is "authority as the Marshall lacked low end grunt". Exactly.
                        The 5150 is more in your face. It has more bottom and much more grunt. The only thing it lacks to me is midrange clarity.

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                        • #13
                          John -
                          I'll call dibs when it goes !

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Wayniac View Post
                            John -
                            I'll call dibs when it goes !
                            That was fast!!
                            You know me too well Wayne!!

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Seriously man - hope ya like it..
                              It does do the basic metal thing very well...

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