Marshall 2203 JMP MKII Master Volume Lead

1979 Marshall Jmp 2203
Simple controls Presence,Bass,Mid,High, master volume, and preamp volume. No fx loop no reverb nothing I dont need. I installed JJ Kt88s and a high Gain kit from Bob at Eurotubes

I use the jmp with a maxon od9 and a isp decimator. The sound is exactly what I am looking for thick and crunchy with solid lowend.The amp cleans up with my volume rolled off well as much as i need it to anyway. The overall sound is punchy and solid I love it

29 years old and still works perfect.

dont know not too concerned

Love this amp so much if it was stolen i would hunt down the bastard that took it no questions asked

i think the amp is made in 1977. must check with the serial number. it's no nonsence, no cosmetics amp with just the eq, presence, preamp and master volume. and it's all i need, just plug and play. it's not a versatile amp and it's not supposed to be but i can't be subjective so i'm giving it a 5.

uuuu what a sound!! i always liked that particular sound, the drive is unbelievable! think of the Ramones...i noticed it has powerfull gain, more than i expected. i just bought it yesterday and can't stop playing it. Man am i happy to have bought this monster. I use a telecaster with a seymour duncan hot rails on it and it sounds so good on this amp. i gotta mention the amp came with a 1960 lead cabinet with 4 25w greenbacks in it so i couldn't wished for a better deal. believe me this is the ultimate rock sound for me.

i just bought it yesterday so i can't write of my own experience, but the amp is mint!! it's like new. it even has the original cardbox in which it was packed. the person who owned it never had problems, just with the tubes, but it's natural for tubes to wear down.

no opinion. i didn't deal with them jet. i'm gonna send an email with a serial number to get some info about the amp so then i'm gonna rate the support.

i've been playing for 12 years activly now and i've tried lots of amps (jcm 800, 900, mesa rectifiers, mark IVs, randalls...you name it) and this amp blows them all away (well not the 800; they are the same circuit really). i love the sound and thecsimplicity of the thing. i don't use footswitches so this is all good. just plug my guitar and turn the preamp volume at 3/4 and master at 1/3 and that's it. this is a perfect rock/punk/even metal amp with a distinctive sound, lots of mids and crisp high end and howling bottom end. i think i'm like the happiest man right now :)

My Marshall 50 watt lead combo was made in 1979. The fatures are very limited, and that is the way it should be, but it took me a while to learn that!. a basic array of tone controls; presence, treble, bass, middle, gain and master volume means there is no chance of getting lost or confused when adjusting your tone to suit. Simplicity means versatility here. One channel (high or low sensitivity), no reverb, no efects loop, no line out and two 12" celestion greenbacks. Lovely! I thought it needed two channels, reverb and more bells and whistles. I bought a TSL60 head for that reason. Good amp but not great! The old 2203 combo is great!

Blues, 70's rock, funk, soul, death metal with the right effects. This amp is capable of anything. It is soooooo loud! Sooo tonal! I swear it has some kind of natural reverb. It is fat and works well with my Epiphone Les Paul and Fender Strat giving a full sound on the edge of breakng up when the gain is set to 4 and the amp is driven hard. Use a volume boost, compressor, overdrive pedal etc and you will not be disappointed. I use a ZOOM GFX3 pedal to gig with and simply use the pedal levels with delay/reverb and or level boost for the best Marshall blues sound I have ever heard! The Marshall Bluesbreaker pedal works Really well too. I have played some big halls with this amp and never use the volume above 4! Can't say that about the TSL60 head I use through the same cab!! Replaced the tired old Mullard Power valves with Svetlanas and it sounds gorgeous!

Totally reliable for the two years I have had it! The valves were original - almost thirty years old so replacing them seemed a small price to pay for renewed tonality. Excellent! Had to replace the led power switch, purely cosmetic really.

Very good, very cheap and very friendly. A prompt service! Feels like the staff all work in a big shed somewhere a real family feel!

I have been playing in bands (blues \ rock based stuff) for 24 years! Used all sorts of stuff! People keep telling me that digital/transistorised amps are the way to go! Then they hear my old Marshall and feel dissappointed with their new junk! I am serious! My Marshall makes you play hard. It drives you as much as you drive it! The only thing I struggle with is the weight!! ??350 - worth ??3500 to me! Track one down, plug in, turn it up and learn to play. You will improve whilst playing this amp!

My amp is from the year 1982, i recall its the last year of the JMP mastervolume, then Marshall changed it to JCM in the same year.
The amps features are simple but efective, i dont need 4 channels in my playing. I do like players before me have done, plug in and play.
It is perfect to me in every way, i guess i wouldnt know how to use a new amp. Cos this one gives me everything, and i mean EVERYTHING!
A feature i wish it would have is a beer holder, u know that would come in handy.

This amp is pure perfection, it is like voice of god but only a lot louder. yes this baby is a very loud one, but i love it!

never let me down and i dont play with backups, man i took this to our european tour and it just played well night after night.
And in these years when have owned it i have once changed a tube, and i take it to the tha amp repair dude once in a month to get it cheked.

C'mon, the makers are from fancyland.
when i asked some minor things they had the time for me and for my questions and i got the anserws that i was looking for.
So they shure know many things, like how to built the ultimate amp and how to treat customers

I've been playing for quite a while and i have played a music store of amps and guitars, when u recycle the instruments over and over then u realize that the "thing" comes from the simpelest combinations.
I found my sound thru this combination:
1972 Fender Stratocaster, dunlop jh-1 wah, dod yjm booster, boss ns-2 the JMP, 4x10' marshall cab with celestion 35w speakers and from there to everybodys ears.

This ones a 1979 model, all original. So features, well its pretty basic but that means its harder to get a bad sound out of really so its an advantage in my opinion. However this has one thing that all the other classic marshalls lack, a master volume which means I can play with authentic vintage crunch without upsetting the nieghbours. One of the things i love about old marshall's (apart from the smell) is the little plate inside that tells you the age and who wired your amp, mine was wired by Karen I wonder what she was like? I play in covers bands and an original band my sound would be described as typical 60/70's rock which this amp is perfect for. This amp is trouser flapping loud the four el34 valves really chuck the volume out in spades, beware drummers!

so you want me to describe to you what a jmp marshall sounds like? Well its a bit good, vintage crunch and deep clean sounds with acres of headroom, lovely. Ofcourse this all depends on what guitar and cab you use with it. Im using a 4x12 carlsbro vintage re-issue cab that is supposed to go with the carlsbro 50 top, however is sounds great with this head and its very similar to a vintage marshall cab, birch ply and 4 lovely celestion g12's. the guitar im using is a 2003 gibson les paul standard so it does led zeppelin very well. This amp is basicaly the same as a jcm800 which is re-issued by marshall and costs the scary side of ?1000 you can pick these amps up however for less than half that, and they look cooler in my opinion.

rock solid, if world war 3 broke out the only thing left would be cockroaches and marshall JMP amps.

I met Jim Marshall once he seemed nice so im gonna give this one a 10

Ive been plaing 7 years now, this amp was a steal, a vintage marshall you can overdrive at low volumes, fantastic. It wont be stolen however because you cant really move one of these thing discreetely.

Not many features on this one (thank god) pure valve path and one of the last marshalls to do so. Thats why they dont gain up like modern marshalls just a big thick crunch. A mod for a switchable duel master volume would be nice though al la Cornford MK50.

Well having owned this Amp for a number of years I find there are two ways to get the best from it.
1. Crank pre amp and master volume on a massive stage pref outdoor gigs and so on, roll off the master vol for cleaner moments with a tube screamer for adding sustain. Unfortunatly I rarly get the chance to use it this way cos you would be quite deaf in no time at all but the sound is classic Angus.
2. Back to the real world in pubs and clubs where I normally play I use the low input, pre amp volume up full, master around 6/7 to get a lovely chiming glassy clean tone and loud as well. Using it this way bypasses the first gain stage of the pre amp valves so any pedals that you use for distortion etc work much better cos there not being coloured by the amps pre amp. It still goes extremely loud and remember the pre amp aint doing much but the power amp is absolutly singing at this point. (sounds good with boss MT-2 this way as well)

The only other thing I changed was the output valves from EL-34 to EH6CA7 which is basically the american version of EL-34. They are cheap reliable and sound different to EL-34. I wont say better (dont want to open up that can of worms) but they are to me. In fact they dont sound to dissimilar to my RI Bluesbreaker combo albeit with more power (2203 is a 100 watt amp not 50)

Its a valve amp and without regular valve checks and servicing it will go break down (just like a car) get a tech, or do as I did learn to diy (be bloody careful though).

In England Marshall will via an appointment, check your amp for free no matter the age, and they will give you a competative quote for the work they carry out WHILE YOU WAIT. A score of 10 isn't enough for this section.

Been playing in gigging bands since my late teens to present day, (44 years young), through Ibanez S540, Telecaster, plus effects to numerous to mention. If lost or stolen I would get another (they are reasonably cheap on e-bay). I love it because its got LOUD TONE for gigs (you can always hear me above the other guitarist LOL) Dont buy it for bedroom use only its the only area the word crap will get used in this review. Overall you can buy a lot better If you are prepared to part with thousands of pounds/dollars Cornfords etc. But bang for buck giggers like these are worth their weight in gold to me cos they are built like tanks, cheap to buy, easily serviced and last forever.......I,m keeping mine.

made in england somewhere over the friggin rainbow, who cares!!!

plug your guitar straight into this bitch..crank the master Vol. and stand the funk back. forget about pedals, what your guitar looks like, pickups and all that techy bull shit which steals your soul and leaves you with no musical flavor...who gives a shit about that let your fingers tell the story!!! quit braggin about how you can play!!! music is art, and there are no fukkin rules..evh could play through a turd plugged into a lightbuld into a tweeter and sound better cuz he's got groove and soul..and could give six fucks less about what kind of tubes are in his amp, he'd rather throw back a little vodka and play the shit outta any thing available...

Amps are only reliable to a certain point..it's a machine nothins forever..but change the spark plugs once and a while.

send my marshall overseas...I'd have to get a job to pay for that..skrew that..A little bit of electronic saavy and you can do it your self.

I've been playin for approximatly 14.78 years, yeah no one cares, besides that I can't read music and I don't care what a 5th asus interval b# is. who's gonna steal an amp covered in duct tape?..with no logo and covered in empty beer cans in a dark basement. besides I sleep next to it with a samaurai sword.

1977 Mark ii master lead head and ealry 80's 4x12 cab. bought it from a high school friend who had a ton of yngwie mods done to it. the gain is unbelievable now. it acts like a variac now...full marshall crunch at a practice amp volume. plus it has an effects loop added to it. i've been playing a 75 fender super reverb for the past few months and this marshall absolutely kills the fender for rock. but the fender kills the marshall for cleans, so i'll be using an A/B switch at gigs. Does this all suit my style? this set up would suit anyones style!!! Everything from twangy country sounds in the Fender up to death metal crunch in the modified Marshall.

Fender Strat with a JB junior humbcuker in the bridge. I can get Zakk Wyld squeals, Stevie Ray bite, Hendrix feedback, ZZ Top's 'audio razor' sound, etc...clean is ok, but i use a Fender super reverb for cleans...i have the best of both worlds...and with the varica added to this head, the marshall is about 80% more than a stock head

for a 77 it is reliable...mind you i have had problems with the input jack, but i think that is to be expected with age....other than that it has been fine!

never tried...

until you play a Marshall, you don't know what it feels like. It doesn't only sound different, it feels different...you can feel the tone in the strings...hard to explain...it has 'scoop' that no other amp, pedal, head, combo, etc, can come close to...i learned over the years that if you want to sound like a Marshall, play a Marshall. no pedal or effects processor or amp modellor is going to cut it...even the construction of the cabinet makes a difference!!!

I bought this Used, I have a 1977 Fawn Tolex Model 2203 -100W High/Low input loaded with EL34s, one channel - No Mods. It has all the sound and features I need, becuase it has TONE baby Tone... I have played other amps, and terms of power I have never played its equal even among other Marshalls. Its so load, that you can stand next to it and feel your pant legs blowing. It always infuriates other guitar players when the start that ".. I gotta be louder cause I ain't got no skilz.." thing. The versatility is in your hands and in your heart so...

I use a BOSS overdrive pedal when I want that Metal Halen sound, otherwise it gets a great rock sound. When I play to myself I put High to 2 and Mid to 4 and base at 6 and presence Max, OD pedal on drive Max, MV 4. Just enough to feel good without rattlin your foundations off. If you want to go clean and mean. crank the MV and very the amount of gain. Oh BTW you MUST HAVE A MARSHALL CAB with Celestians!!!! I nearly sold my head playing through a Peavey 2X12 and thinking man this sounds like crap...

Never let me down, I replaced the filter caps cause it was starting to 60 Hz home. Not bad for 20 years of ownership ( I bought it used)

Never needed em

I nearly sold the damn thing twice because I was ignorant kid who thought that technology was the answer. It wasn't till a friend who was dumber than I, said, "hey I can't hear your playing through all that sh*****, why don't you play without it" I ray of light hit me even though I denied that my effects rack and midi switchable crap was the end all. Goes to show you, sometimes age old wisdom and pre transistor technology has something to say in our Larg Scale Integrated Transistor Technology world. Shed your skin baby this is the real deal.

Review for a 1977 JMP in reasonable condition, with the most important asset intact: TONE. One channel of course; controllable preamp gain, passive EQ, EL34 output valves... all standard but classic Marshall fare. The only thing I did that makes the amp non stock is decouple one of the capacitors before the main tone stack to reduce brightness.

I'm glad it doesn't have reverb on it actually, one for the weight it adds, two for the fact every marshall without exception has had crappy sounding reverb.

I've used this with a 77 Gibson Les Paul (one of the better ones from the Norlin era), an 01 Gibson SG and an Aria Pro II guitar I can't remember the model of.

I run it with one of the above mentioned guitar into a sound city 4x12 with fane speakers and/or a reissue 1960AX loaded with greenbacks.

Does it suit my musical style? It IS my musical style! The cleans are alright if you don't mind a slightly broken up sound, the high gains are excellent when the master volume is cranked. Gritty, punchy and tight with just a hint of old plexi tone at higher volumes. Not loads of variety here just awesome rock sounds.

About the only other few Marshalls that can touch this, in my opinion, are the 6100LM, Silver Jubilee/Slash and the occasional top notch JCM800. I've always been more into the aggressive marshall sounds so I don't rate plexis like some people do (heck most of them are just fender bassman circuits with minor tweaks anyway).

Yeah, I think 27 years on and still teaching the new boys how a killer rock amp should sound is a pretty good sign of how well this amp was made. Still continues to be cranked and still continues to deliver, in the rehearsal room and on the stage.

Pretty poor in some respects. Yes they are polite and helpful - IF you can get through to them. Trying to order parts can be a friggin nightmare, be prepared to stay on hold for a time if you phone them up.

I don't need Marshall to repair this though, I have my own preferred technicians to do that if need be.

I've been playing around seven years. I've already listed the better gear I own and use. If this were stolen I'd go hunting for a Silver Jubilee head. I love the look and the top notch rocking tones. I hate the weight but hey what are roadies for eh?

I already compared it to other Marshalls. I would bother to compare it to other amps but for overdriven and distorted tones why bother with anything other than a top marshall. I tried bothering with other rock amps and it simply put off the inevitable.

I wish it had switchable channels but thats asking a bit much. Overall a great piece of kit, and because these aren't considered vintage yet, plus the fact they are currently available in great numbers, they can be had for stupidly low amounts of cash. Mine cost more than average cos it came from a guitar store not ebay or the trade papers.