Should I just buy a JCM800?

Jonathanthomas83

You're making me want another one now. Gone are the days where you can get one sub-a-grand, by the looks :-(

timmypix

Sheriff 22/44 and 20w JCM 800 owner here.

If you want the JCM, get the JCM. If you want a more refined JCM and the ability to do the plexi thing, get the Sheriff 22. Do not get the Sheriff 44.

I don't know if it's the difference between EL84s in the 22 and EL34s in the Sheriff and how they react with the circuit, but the 22 is bright and cutting, but without the Marshall fizz, so it's smoother while still cutting through a mix. The 44 is much darker - at its brightest, it's still darker than the JCM at its darkest. Don't get me wrong, it still sounds lovely by itself and has the same character I loved in the 22, so I'm keeping it for now, but I now can't hear myself at rehearsals unless I take the mini JCM.

Vintage-T

Had a Sheriff 44, and my only word I can say of it was Meh! Didn't bond with it at all.

Also have the JCM800 20w and I love that thing.....highly recommended.

lysander

Victory can’t voice an amp to save their life it seems, most of them are dark and muddy, the Sheriff 22 must have been an accident 

monquixote

mo6020 said:

ICBM said:

The JCM800 will do ‘the Hendrix thing’ as well, you either turn the preamp volume down or use the Low input.

Couple of people have said this now, seems I completely missed this the last time I had a 2203 

I have certainly never managed to get a JCM 800 to sound like a plexi. 

That's not to say it doesn't have some nice cleans and crunchy sounds to go with the mayhem.

Also Marshall claim the clean channel on a DSL is plexi like in the marketing blurb, but this is a total lie. They aren't even trying to do that as it has a Fender tone stack (Does sound good though)

impmann

A proper 50w JCM800 is IMHO the last great Marshall - the recent 20w ones sound OK and the voicing is in that territory, but then again so many amps are because it was so right first time around.

Personally speaking... want the JCM800 sound... buy a JCM800. 

ICBM

monquixote said:

I have certainly never managed to get a JCM 800 to sound like a plexi. 

That's not to say it doesn't have some nice cleans and crunchy sounds to go with the mayhem.

No, they don't sound exactly like a Plexi - but you don't need that to sound like Hendrix. He didn't even use a Marshall all the time, either in the studio or live.

monquixote said:

Also Marshall claim the clean channel on a DSL is plexi like in the marketing blurb, but this is a total lie.

You're not wrong about that...

monquixote said:

They aren't even trying to do that as it has a Fender tone stack (Does sound good though)

... which is a bit odd. The actual tone stack which you can control is still the proper Marshall cathode-follower type, but the 'classic' channel has a preset pre-shape which is effectively a fixed tone stack, after the first valve stage - although it's bypassed in the crunch mode.

noisepolluter

I’m wondering about how the low input of the SC20H would work with my Dickinson D1 overdrive as an alternative crunch voicing to the amp’s own preamp drive. The D1 has a bit more of an early Marshall/tweed Fender thing going on, with its higher gain sounds being looser and fuzzier than what I’ve heard of the SC20H. 

fretmeister

The SC20 is a brilliant amp.

buy 2.

Jonathanthomas83

Does the SC20 have the same heft as a big one?

noisepolluter

I don’t suppose anyone reading this happens to be selling an SC20H…?  

TTBZ

Jonathanthomas83 said:

Does the SC20 have the same heft as a big one?

Nope, it has the same overall midrange and bright voicing but it doesn't have that same room-filling wallop that punches you in the chest. For most people this is probably fine, it sits nicely in a mix if you're playing your usual classic rock or cover bands etc. For heavier stuff I feel like the big one is a better choice. I also prefer the Studio Jubilee for this reason as it has more low end and thickness so it can sound bigger than its wattage.

fretmeister

Jonathanthomas83 said:

Does the SC20 have the same heft as a big one?

No - I think that is unrealistic of any 20W compared to a monster power section.

But it is very good and I would say it's enough for any circumstance where you don't want to go deaf.

Jonathanthomas83

Thanks guys, appreciate it.

hollywoodrox

monquixote said:

You could also buy a DSL as the crunch channel is JCM 800 based.

Alternatively you can't go wrong with an 800.

Awesome didn’t know that  but ones I have heard sound awesome 
I really like that slash SL5 too but they only come up when I’m skint lol.

Nerine

Yes. 

Absolutely. 

An absolute classic amp. 

monquixote

hollywoodrox said:

monquixote said:

You could also buy a DSL as the crunch channel is JCM 800 based.

Alternatively you can't go wrong with an 800.

Awesome didn’t know that  but ones I have heard sound awesome 
I really like that slash SL5 too but they only come up when I’m skint lol.

The 40, 50 and 100 that is.

Redlester

hollywoodrox said:

monquixote said:

You could also buy a DSL as the crunch channel is JCM 800 based.

Alternatively you can't go wrong with an 800.

Awesome didn’t know that  but ones I have heard sound awesome 
I really like that slash SL5 too but they only come up when I’m skint lol.

The Slash SL5 is a lovely, lovely amp, but it's not a million miles away from the DSL5C combo. 

mo6020

Lots of great replies here, thanks everyone… 

Onpar

Is the SC 20 loud enough for live gigs with backline only?