In praise of the JCM800

mattdavis

My first amp was a jcm 800 4104 vertical input 50w combo from 1984 (bought via Loot for those of you old enough to remember!). It's still my favourite, and whilst they're renowned for their higher gain tones, I think the low sensitivity channel produces wonderful full-bodied cleans. 

shaunm

@Bucket  it is one of those amps that does sound better with a bit of volume behind it. I've never tried the KK version but I should have thought that would be the same.

@siraxeman yes, essentially. I don't run mine with that much gain. Fully open it sounds more like Angus than Maiden if that makes sense. It's a great rhythm amp and using an OCD I have my lead tone. It's basic but I enjoy that.

zepp76

I'd like to say in praise of Marshall full stop! The JCM800 is a fantastic amp as is the JTM45 (I finally got one!) and I think the DSL40C should get an honourable mention for being such a great all rounder. I think Marshall have a bit of a bad rep for some of their stuff but they are heading in the right direction.

shaunm

@zepp76  I know what you are getting at but to head in the right direction they have to go back 35 years at least to the amps they were making then. They made some beauties but in the last 15 years they haven't other than reproductions of old ones. No bad thing, they have the back catalog to do so. 

As above though, if they made a couple of amps based on what they have built but for today's spec then they'd shift loads and maybe reclaim their crown.

Im glad you got the JTM too.

Flanging_Fred

Bucket said:

I've never played one.

Apart from a Kerry King model at very low volume in a shop, and I thought that was dogshit.

You can have a go on mine in a couple of weeks old chap. It sounded pretty awesome with your dad's cabronita @McToot pretty well bust a nut when he had a go on it.

Oh and playing one quietly in a shop isn't going to show what they are about really. They need to be wound up a bit.

professorben

siraxeman said:

Single channel ones are the most desirable right? So cleans are just rolling the volume back and fully open is crunch and stomp on a dirt pedal is the solo boost?

Aaaand there's the issue. 

To get the roar for rhythm you can't get the level boost for solos. 

Unless you get a reissue with a loop.  

professorben

zepp76 said:

I'd like to say in praise of Marshall full stop! The JCM800 is a fantastic amp as is the JTM45 (I finally got one!) and I think the DSL40C should get an honourable mention for being such a great all rounder. I think Marshall have a bit of a bad rep for some of their stuff but they are heading in the right direction.

No just no. 

Headphones, Fridges and Phones do not a great amp company make. 

How far would Apple get if they just said "hey remember the first Iphone? Pretty awesome eh? Let's just make that one again for the price of a new one"

Ford reissue the Escort XR3i but with Bluetooth. £28k etc etc. 

TTBZ

At least the "lifestyle" things like the headphones and speakers are actually pretty good though, not just cheap crap with the badge slapped on them.

ICBM

If only they'd made those Astoria amps as nice-looking as the Bluetooth speakers...

underdog

TTBZ said:

At least the "lifestyle" things like the headphones and speakers are actually pretty good though, not just cheap crap with the badge slapped on them.

And the fridge looks awesome

57Deluxe

mattdavis said:

My first amp was a jcm 800 4104 vertical input 50w combo from 1984 (bought via Loot for those of you old enough to remember!).

you can still buy via LOOT!

http://loot.com/for-sale/musical-instruments-for-sale/

mattdavis

57Deluxe said:

mattdavis said:

My first amp was a jcm 800 4104 vertical input 50w combo from 1984 (bought via Loot for those of you old enough to remember!).

you can still buy via LOOT!

http://loot.com/for-sale/musical-instruments-for-sale/

That's not proper Loot. Proper Loot was colour coded by week days and full of dating ads.
 
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