Marshall Amplifiers FAQ

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 8:45 pm

ok ive never owned a marshal.

ive never really payed attetion to them in catalogs, ads, or magazines or have any urge to buy one.

BUT for the sake of making my brain bigger i still have questions about them and want the know ledge

for starters what do all the letters stand for
(i already asked this in mikes jvm thread but i don't want to derail it)

like:
jvm
jcm
avt
mg

im sure there are more letter combo's that im not writing....

also im sure, just like other amp makers there are styles that are real good, and some that blow.

like say with fender you got your SUPERSONIC MIND NUMBING AWESOMENESS amp and then you got your FM210 scumbag shit pile that sounds like a tin can.

everyone around here in buffalo plays jcm800's....which is ok but its gotten to a point here where all the local bands are sounding exactly the fucking same. they must be good if everyone here uses them. but seriously if you are in a band and you play a black SG out of a jcm800 im not going to pay 5 bucks to come watch you play because i have already heard your guitar tone out of 50 other dudes here in buffalo with black SG's and jcm800's

now a jcm2000 is 1200 more JCM's than a jcm800 but they cost less for some reason and no one uses them....so do they suck or what?

this thread is for real

luke · Post by **luke** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 8:48 pm

AVT is something like ADVANCED VALVESTATE TECHNOLOGY. It's their Valvetronix range.

luke · Post by **luke** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 8:55 pm

JVM is Jim Victoria Marshall.

JCM is James Charles Marshall

euan · Post by **euan** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 9:10 pm

Malik wrote:Vox copies the forumla for their Valvetronix range.

And MGs are suprisingly good for the money. I can get a better metal sound outta my MG than I can my VC30.

Post by **Doog** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 9:13 pm

robroe wrote:
now a jcm2000 is 1200 more JCM's than a jcm800 but they cost less for some reason and no one uses them....so do they suck or what?

A lot of people feel the JCM800s were the last great amp Marshall made. The 2000s are PCB steez, 800s are point-to-point wired. The 900s started using non-tube methods for extra gain so it put purists off a bit- they were pretty spiky sounding. A fair few bands use JCM2000s actually, just not the retrogeek/punk purist types.

I use a JCM2000 DSL50 (Dual Super Lead 50w) and love it, got it for a barrrrgaaaaain. It sucks if you want to use both channels cause it's got one EQ for 2 channels and they very different sounding channels. But used in the studio or as a single channel amp, it rules.

Dots uses a JCM2000 TSL100 (Triple Super Lead 100w) and he lurves it plenty. I guess old guys are just bitchy that they don't sound like the old amps.

Post by **Doog** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 9:22 pm

Just found the DSL50 demo I did, check it out and laugh at my voice.

euan · Post by **euan** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 9:22 pm

A lot of my favourite bands from that last few years have played DSL and TSLs. I love the tonez people get from it.

Post by **dots** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 11:56 pm

Doog wrote:Dots uses a JCM2000 TSL100 (Triple Super Lead 100w) and he lurves it plenty. I guess old guys are just bitchy that they don't sound like the old amps.

and my response to those guys is to buy an old amp. at the end of the day, all marshalls sound like marshalls, but some sound better than others.

matte30is · Post by **matte30is** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 12:03 am

Alot of people use the jcm 800's. If I were going to be a rock star, then I would buy a jcm 800, only because rock stars play them.

DeadPenny · Post by **DeadPenny** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 5:20 am

AVT: Advanced Valvestate Technology (solidstate power + tube preamp)
JMP: Jim Marshall Products
JCM: James Charles Marshall
JTM: Jim & Terry Marshall (his son)
JVM: Jim & Victoria Marshall (his wife)
MG: cheapass chinese solidstate budget amp

Post by **Mike** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 10:14 am

There was also the 30th Anniversary Series, or the 6100 and 6100LM that came out in 1992. I have one of these, it's all tube and 3 channels - kind of like a supersonic with an extra channel and extra EQ. The Channels have different modes and such - it rules ass.

JMP/Plexi - your basic AC/DC amp, like 6 knobs, 4 inputs and 2 "channels". The channels have a volume control each (bright and warm) and if you stick a patch lead between two of the 4 inputs you "jump" the channels and can use one as a gain control and the other as volume. Very classic rock sound.

JCM800 - The first hard rock Marshall made, had proper preamp (gain) and master volumes. Held up as the holygrail as you could get mellow and biting overdrive out of it. These were modified for more gain and used on loads of popular rock recordings - currently very in fashion

JCM900 - Designed with Metal and Grunge in mind, added a diode clipping phase to give more distortion which the purists hated. Mark my words these are going to have a revival at some point, everything moves in cycles. Like Andy says - it's more biting but not necessarily in a bad way. I don't like them personally though because the clean channel is suckage.

JCM2000 DSL - Dual Super Lead - 2 channels, shared EQ, you can get some great sounds out of these but unfortunately not set up two to footswitch between because the voicing of the channels means you'd want different EQ for Clean and the Gain channel. The Clean and Crunch modes of the first channel are amazing, gay that you can't switch between these on the fly.

JCM2000 TSL - Triple Super Lead - 3 channels, each with their own EQ, Gain and Volume. People equally love and hate these, they're versatile but some people say voiced too modern and hard edges, without the balanced growl and warmth of a JCM800 - whatever - you can dial good sounds out of them.

Mode4 - Horrible valve preamp, solidstate (350W!) power stage aimed at 4-amps-in-1 for the Numetal crowd, horrible failure.

VintageModern - An attempt to merge the DSL Gain and Plexi designs into one package for use with oldschool and modern sounds. The blending is done for you, you have a bass-lowmid preamp control (Body) and a treb-highmid preamp control (Detail) control and a Master volume. Getting mixed reviews, I've played one and liked it - but i like more than one sound accessible.

JVM - 4 Channels, based around the JCM800 design - has identical power stage and transformers. Each Channel has three modes which change the voicing and gain structure. The Clean channel has a clean channel and two light gain voices, the Crunch contains PLexi, JCM800 and hotrodded JCM800 sounds, OD1 sounds like a DSL and OD1 like a DSL with the mids shifted down. Real flexible, any channel and mode can be accessed by footswitch.

BobArsecake · Post by **BobArsecake** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 12:57 pm

I'm after a new amp at the moment, and after not really wanting another Marshall, I'm really "falling in love with" the "proper" tone of a Marshall valve amp again. I initially wanted that crisp, clean Fender tone, but I'm not really sure what I want at the moment :(

Not really sure what to do, other than just trying loads out, but I hate trying things out when I'm not by myself, so to speak.

Post by **Mike** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 1:03 pm

You've already got a cab right? So just a head... Hmm. Shouldn't be too hard/pricey to marry you up with one.

If you're after overdrive and that signature Marshall growl there's loads of options - I need to know whether you need it to be footswitchable from clean to overdrive as that limits the options somewhat.

Personally I would go for a JCM800 50W channel switcher head like Tom Morello uses.

Post by **Mike** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 1:05 pm

Great Marshall info here:
http://www.drtube.com/marshall.htm

I think you want this:
2205 JCM800 Split Channel Reverb, 50W head

BobArsecake · Post by **BobArsecake** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 1:06 pm

Mike wrote:You've already got a cab right? So just a head... Hmm. Shouldn't be too hard/pricey to marry you up with one.

If you're after overdrive and that signature Marshall growl there's loads of options - I need to know whether you need it to be footswitchable from clean to overdrive as that limits the options somewhat.

Personally I would go for a JCM800 50W channel switcher head like Tom Morello uses.

Yeah, I'd need the clean/OD footswitching, not arsed about effects other than reverb really, and I've stopped using that to be honest, but the option's nice.

Yeah, a JCM800 is sounding the most appealing from what's been said, and I don't want anything more than 50watts.

Haha do you remember 50watt from JS? Deary Me.

Post by **dots** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 3:30 pm

Mike wrote:There was also the 30th Anniversary Series, or the 6100 and 6100LM that came out in 1992. I have one of these, it's all tube and 3 channels - kind of like a supersonic with an extra channel and extra EQ. The Channels have different modes and such - it rules ass.

JMP/Plexi - your basic AC/DC amp, like 6 knobs, 4 inputs and 2 "channels". The channels have a volume control each (bright and warm) and if you stick a patch lead between two of the 4 inputs you "jump" the channels and can use one as a gain control and the other as volume. Very classic rock sound.

JCM800 - The first hard rock Marshall made, had proper preamp (gain) and master volumes. Held up as the holygrail as you could get mellow and biting overdrive out of it. These were modified for more gain and used on loads of popular rock recordings - currently very in fashion

JCM900 - Designed with Metal and Grunge in mind, added a diode clipping phase to give more distortion which the purists hated. Mark my words these are going to have a revival at some point, everything moves in cycles. Like Andy says - it's more biting but not necessarily in a bad way. I don't like them personally though because the clean channel is suckage.

JCM2000 DSL - Dual Super Lead - 2 channels, shared EQ, you can get some great sounds out of these but unfortunately not set up two to footswitch between because the voicing of the channels means you'd want different EQ for Clean and the Gain channel. The Clean and Crunch modes of the first channel are amazing, gay that you can't switch between these on the fly.

JCM2000 TSL - Triple Super Lead - 3 channels, each with their own EQ, Gain and Volume. People equally love and hate these, they're versatile but some people say voiced too modern and hard edges, without the balanced growl and warmth of a JCM800 - whatever - you can dial good sounds out of them.

Mode4 - Horrible valve preamp, solidstate (350W!) power stage aimed at 4-amps-in-1 for the Numetal crowd, horrible failure.

VintageModern - An attempt to merge the DSL Gain and Plexi designs into one package for use with oldschool and modern sounds. The blending is done for you, you have a bass-lowmid preamp control (Body) and a treb-highmid preamp control (Detail) control and a Master volume. Getting mixed reviews, I've played one and liked it - but i like more than one sound accessible.

JVM - 4 Channels, based around the JCM800 design - has identical power stage and transformers. Each Channel has three modes which change the voicing and gain structure. The Clean channel has a clean channel and two light gain voices, the Crunch contains PLexi, JCM800 and hotrodded JCM800 sounds, OD1 sounds like a DSL and OD1 like a DSL with the mids shifted down. Real flexible, any channel and mode can be accessed by footswitch.

great summary. i'll add:

valvestate: early/mid-90's creation with models ranging from 1x10 combos to 100w proper head units (and everything in between). basically employed a ecc83/12ax7 tube in the preamp stage to give the solidstate power section more desirable gain. while these are pretty good at simulating a marshall sound, purists note that the power tube "brown sound" is simply not achievable without a valve driven power section. well priced for the features, though.

oh, and i'll add that the MG series are most definitely the worst amps i've ever heard from marshall. they still have some potential for good tones, but they're completely shallow on warmth and versatility. imho.

Post by **Mike** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 3:37 pm

I have a lot of time for the Valvestate series (both Valvestate I - the 8080 and 8040 combos and the 8100 head in particular) and the Valvestate II series (VS100RH head, VS65R combo). They were good amps, never going to be as responsive as a valve combo or head but goddamn if they weren't great for those first years practising and gigging as a young band. Still see the odd 8080 around these days at gigs, Solid As Fuck.

Marshall 8080

Marshall 8100

Marshall VS100RH

Marshall VS65R

I should write a book on this shit. I'm such a Marshall guy.

Thom · Post by **Thom** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 4:08 pm

I totally agree. I had a VS100R combo as my amp when I first started gigging, and it was just great - don't think that there was anything better I could afford at the time. I ended up using it for nearly 10 years - and only recently have been in a position to replace it. It's pretty battered so not worth selling - I still plug it in at home if my Orange is down at our practice room.

Post by **dots** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 4:16 pm

this vs8280 was my first valvestate, circa 1996. it was similar to the first one mike posted but in 2x12, 80w per side, stereo chorus flavor. it was the first amp i had that i actually LOVED. rocked it for a solid 2 years before i upgraded to. . .

i slapped the vs100h on a 1960A cab (still have the latter), and my first half-stack was born. i do miss how LIGHT that amp was!

Post by **Mike** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 4:19 pm

I reckon a secondhand beat VS100RH or 8100 would make a great backup head for gigs.

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