All user reviews of 4/5 for the Marshall 2203 JCM800 Reissue

The Marshall 2203x is a reissue of the amp that was THE big cheese head in the eighties for rock or metal. Whether you had a stock one or a modded one, anybody who had one had great tone. It took the Master Volume JMP and kicked things up a notch with a fresh cosmetic look and a trend towards higher gain sounds. It still featured the single channel layout with the gain/volume setup and the single four band EQ. The 2203x is a reissue of that iconic 100 watt, EL34 powered tube head. It features an effects loop for added versatility to suit today's modern player which is very cool.

UTILIZATION

Getting a good sound out of this amp is pretty simple for sure. Like the JMP before it, this amp really needs to be turned up loud to get the tones happening, but otherwise it is very easy to dial in and sounds just like a Marshall should. The simple single channel layout offers users a very intuitive interface that is receptive to tonal changes, especially at higher volumes. I particularly like these amps when they're modified for more gain and saturation. Doing this gives the amp a bit more punch and attack. Boosting the amp with an overdrive pedal yields good results too.

SOUNDS

I've tried this amp with many different guitars. I find that it responds better to hotter pickups like humbuckers and P90s. This gives the amp a bit more bite and allows the crunch to be more apparent. Single loaded guitars are decent too, but can tend to sound thin and underpowered depending on the context. The amp responds well to volume roll off too, which is great for adding a sense of versatility to this single channel amp. The tones are great, but definitely not high gain by today's standards. It would need to be modified to get some of the great high gain British voiced tones we all know and love. It basically is an accurate representation of what the hard rock amp of the eighties was, so if you need a more modern high gain tone, get a modded one or look to another amp.

OVERALL OPINION

All in all I think this amp is a great and fairly faithful reproduction of the famed 2203. The effects loop is a nice added touch and it sounds pretty close to the originals. It's priced way too high at about $2300 new... An original 2203 can be had for far less... especially if it isn't mint. However the 2203x can be found for reasonable prices on the used market which could make it attractive to someone wanting a good reissue of the eighties hard rock amp.

100w head lamps
Rglages: Presence, Bass, Mid, Treble, Gain and Master Volume volume

UTILIZATION

The rglage is simple (it's old stuff) trs but effective!
Question her, see rsolument Rock Blues. As for the music more violent prvoir a good distortion, and let go the old JCM!

SOUNDS

They can be used with all kinds of guitar (I've used with Gibson SG, Les Paul, Telecaster, an old yamaha rotten), a plutt sounds good. I use it with a cabinet JCM900 distortion pedals and ZOOM.

OVERALL OPINION

He no longer plays the music I currently so I do not Rasht but this is good stuff that made me good service!
It does not sound as though a Mesa for distortion but that's okay.
For a good clear sound, a Fender prfrez him, even if his and good.

Marshall JCM 800 reissue (it dates from 2007) 100 watts. I was advised against buying a used JCM 800 because if moisture has been rotting in a cellar, prepare the bill 200 to 250 euros to put in a new transformer.

12AX7 preamp and EL34 as power tubes in. Beware of lamps, which were my own home, on a product you purchased NEW slammed after one week (about 3 hours of use at any break) ... No comments!

High impedance input 1 (I use 98% of the time) and a low that is not used much because the sound is really low compared to the high impedance, and volume and gain. For a clean sound this is it, for Graoua Marshall is the other!

5 settings: presence, bass, mid, treble, master volume and gain. It has a single channel what, but what channel! However, not very versatile ...

Note the integration of the new edition of a bypass with effects loop level control (-10dB or +4 dB). I do not know if it is good or not I plug all my belongings on the front.

I put 6: one channel (but I repeat what channel!), Lamps with defects (completely unacceptable considering the price I put).

UTILIZATION

In use, the JCM 800 is effective and really easy to access. Is started, the industry is off the stand-by and roll youth! Really simple.

However, the use, several issues still cause problems before you buy and you really from knowingly:

- The first volume released by head frankly it's pretty phenomenal power! I felt that even my VHT Pitbull sounded weaker! But in fact it is a better management of the volume of that VHT is much more progressive (gain + Volume + Volume Canal General). On the JCM 800, one wins (and if you want the marshall crunch it thoroughly) and Volume. The volume is poorly distributed, from 0 to 1 begins slowly, then to 2 or 2.5, virtually all the power tumbling at once and then spent three neighbors call the police ... Little short manageable. I play in a house with neighbors to ask them harder to hear better so it's going, but frankly apart 'to play 0.3 ... FORGET NOW! Then, from 3 to 10, the volume increases only very little is gained mainly aggressiveness (due to the saturation of the power tubes) thus acute and gain.

- The presence of acute large enough: Another problem is that we must be careful not to push too much treble knobs and presence, otherwise you literally burst eardrums. The head sounds very high pitched when the settings are pushed. I always leave the presence of 1 or 2 and treble must be 1. When I took a Start that sounds even more acute as the Les Paul, I lower the volume a bit to control the character, and it does it well! Some often change their mind for an equalization exploitable I totally understand, and maybe I'll come one day.

That is, some small inconvenience, but this JCM 800 is very popular group for its power, its presence and its unique grain, grain Marshall. After use carefully defined there is no problem.
I put the average, 5 out of 10 for the volume and sound that can quickly be downright sucks if you push the treble. But still not forget that the design of the head goes back 25 years ago! Phenomenal for the time limit today ... I note only in relation to what is done now.

SOUNDS

The sounds are simply outstanding, it's clear eyes closed I would recognize from 1000, the Marshall ... AAAhhhh ... I can not get enough, really. I bought it to fill the only gap in my VHT Pitbull: crunch sounds that are definitely too dry. I do not regret, the crunch is really exceptional and gives wings and inspiration to compose! Heat, but not too fat, just enough, dynamic, with the Marshall sound signature, inimitable.

The cleans are nice, nothing more, never really cleans but it is not what is asked. In concert he will play the volume knob to switch between clean and crunch to settle a clean on the amp and distortion pedal Inrush one or ... Play only crunch of course This is the best solution!

The sound is that of all the mythical CD, Hendrix, Deep Purple (Deep Purple beautiful), The Pixies, AC DC, Led Zeppelin, Slash, Zakk Wylde with a small distortion front, Rage Against the Machine ... In short the real tea!
It sounds great with any guitar, either Start or Les Paul, you keep the character of the amp, with the signature sound of the guitar and more or less gain and volume (the Les Paul saturates faster , normal). With simple adjustments of this amp is located on what you want.

Again attention to the management of sound with this amp, you have to tame it and have a minimum of ear so it does not become invasive as a group or even at the right volume, downright indigestible.

8 of 10: A legendary crunch and exceptional quality, dynamic and definitely "alive"! Again, attention to volume and treble! But it sounds it sounds, it sounds! This sound at 25, he is known and recognized truly a marvel. He forgives all

OVERALL OPINION

It'll give us two months, two months and a half between him and me.

It is excellent and is perfectly adequate for the purpose for which I purchased a crunch / overdrive period. I ask no more, in any case this is not a model of versatility (because it is single channel).

I've tried a lot of amps but in this registry "vintage" is one of the few I tried (for vintage records, I mean: Fender Twin Reverb, Fender Bassman, Matchless, Marshall Plexi, Vox AC30, all orange etc ...) but I fell in love with the store. I never made the comparison with a Marshall Plexi 1959 SLP but honestly it really should be similar, the lamps are the same, the settings too, the JCM 800 will perhaps just gain further, but frankly I would put good swear to it all the same.

The price / quality ratio is bad: 1700 euros (MSRP) for a single channel vintage must be crazy to buy that! But that's on paper, because the guy like me looks for the killer crunch, the crunch that will give cold sweats to his guitar, he tries and falls in love just as I am! Forget the versatility, forget the single channel, forget the last 8 channel tube at 250 euros ... Plug play ... Listen with your own ears.

Yes I would do this choice. I hesitated with Orange, but Orange is more bluesy, more "clean" the cleanest sound, but goes a little further gain.