Marshall 2203 JMP MKII Master Volume Lead

I think this was made in 83' but don't quote me. Got it used for about $500 bucks. It's a single channel, 100 watt head with amazing tone. It's got two inputs (high and low sensitivity). I just wish I could get more distortion at lower volumes when I play in my room.

I use a Gibson Flying V with a Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge and an Alnico 2 Pro in the bridge. It kicks ass with those pickups and a really thick tone. I play hard-rock in the vein of Gn'R, the Cult, and Zeppelin. It suits my style great. I use a very simple rig with 4 effects pedals. The distortion at high volumes is great, but a bit noisy. Clean setting are great when I turn the pre-amp distortion down to zero. It's a very dark sounding amp but still provides the sound I need.

Hasn;t crapped out on me yet.

Never had to deal with them

I've been playing for 6 years and this was my first tube amp. If I lost it or it was stolen, I would hunt down a Silver Jubilee or a Slash head, which I was originally looking but I did not find the Jubilee and I didn;t have enought for the Slash. I played the amp for about 3 hours before I decided to buy it and I used my effects (wah, eq, chorus, and delay) and it sounded great. Great amp but not for everyone. Always try other products before deciding on what you want.

Not many features on this amp, no fx-loop, no reverb, just TONE!
It's a 100 W model with 4 EL34 tubes, built in 1977 and in a perfect state. It does have a master-volume and high-gain & low-gain inputs.
Like I said, not much, but it works for me. Besides: if you want the tone, you'll have to do without the features!

This thing has got TONE! Even though it has a master-volume, it's still Marshall all the way. I use it only for it's gain, so no clean sounds. If I want a cleaner sound, I just roll-off the volume on my guitar; it doesn't get totally clean, but you'll get a wonderful Hendrix-like clean tone. Very nice.
I mainly use a Roger Mayer Voodoo-1 and a Vox wah in front of it and I'm running it through a 1X15" cabinet with an old JBL speaker. That does the job...
The only minor thing about it is that it can be a little bright-sounding sometimes, but that's a common thing with Marshall's and that's what the tone-control is for, so not many complaints.
I do not miss the reverb either. The thing I really like about this amp is that it has this 'in your face' tone, so in my opinion a reverb would not improve this amp.

It was in perfect state when I got it, and it still is and it probably will be in the future. I expect no trouble with this animal.

Never dealt with them

I've been playing for 13 years and I've had many amps, but never a Marshall. I think I will keep this one for a while..
This thing really rocks, but it sounds ONLY like a Marshall. If you want something versatile, look further, but if you want true Marshall tone at reasonable levels, this could be it.

Using Ibenez RG Guitar useful in any syle playing. Jazz - Metal. If the player uses his/her Guitar volume pot can go from chet Atkins- Steve Vai in a flash. Distortion is great if you use an attenuator and crank the amp volume 1/2 way all across and get power tube saturation. dont know about the pre amp controled distortion I always use an attenuator.

Yes just keep a spare set of power tubes on hand and maybe a fuse. I use a variac to warm it up slowly.

Bought it used it is 1988 amp calles Marshall USA very friendly and helpful . They are sending an owners manual and schematic free!

Been playing 35 years tried almost evry guitar and amp under the sun I like this! it's simple run the effects out the DI and re amp in stereo sound Great.

I believe the MKII is a '78 or '79. It has the basic controls-preamp, master, bass, mid, treble, and presence(which is pointless for a guitar player). The only thing wrong with this amp is it only has one channel. I usually play quieter and change to the bridge pickup to get a clean tone in the middle of the song, otherwise I roll the preamp down and crank the volume.

I currently have a '79 Ibanez Artist which sounds killer with the gain on my amp around 6. I love the Pete Townsend sound and I capture it quite well.

I was playing so loud one night on stage that I blew the magnet off one of my 30 watt 16 ohm Greenback speakers. I unwired the other one and turned the ohm switch to 8. The sound has been so good I haven't had the heart to get another speaker. That was 7 yrs. ago.

I have been lugging my twenty thousand pound Marshall head and cab nearly every weakend since I was 16 yrs. old (1990). The sound of that amp is probably the reason why I still play live gigs. No other amp will do!!!!

The one I use is a 79. It had 6550 power tubes, they MUST be changed to El34 first, to get the *real* Marshall sound. Any decent amp guy can do this for you. It didn't have any features. so it's a great amp to build on..(effects loop, extra preamp tube..etc..) but it always sounded GREAT, stock or modded.

I use a Les Paul and a Strat w/humbucks, I play heavy rock (lots of blues riffs). I play LOUD usually. I use it into an old (1968-69)Marshall cab w/G12H 30w speakers @16ohm (or)but I do think it sounds better @8ohms into 2 cabs=8 speakers. The amp will respond to your touch, fairly clean with the guitar volume down and dirty with it up....dig your pick in almost anythime and it will growl. There is no dought this is a Heavy Rock/blues amp, if you play soft stuff...pass..
this amp is for kicking ass...

I originally bought it as a back up for my older 1959 and 1987 heads..
(wish I still had them...!@#$%)They sounded great but , cooked every now and then...also when that whole "turn down" thing happen it was a toss up between a Master Volume amp or power soak type stuff..as the old ones kept going down I sold them and ended up with just this (after that rack thing in the 80's)...anyway...
Beat it up, leave it in a cold freezing truck, in a damp basement, put it in the middle of the desert...it will be fine..as long as you stay up on the EL34 power tubes.. I have had this amp for 20+ years...
...enough said.

If you go to the right people fix and mods are easy...just ask around or mail me, I know a few good guys.
If you keep on top of the tube thing there really isn't too much to go wrong, as far as dealing with Marshall, I don't know.
never had to.

All in All, you can't go wrong with on of these amps...
just hack out those cold 6550 tubes put in the EL34s (bias change required, so see a pro)and you will have a great sounding amp..
with no regrets..and decades later when the smoke clears and every one is laughing about what they used...you will still be standing tall with your Marshall.....the One and Only...
......trust me on this one, I know ;)

no features, this is a basic one channel amp. three pre-amp tubes and 4 GE6550 power tubes. i do wish it had reverb and an effects loop. But not in 1979! Obviously at 100 watts it is very loud!!! i have used it on only 1 gig with a 1-12 vintage 30 celestion in my boogie cabinet.

I am using a 1960 LP gold top reissue with a duncan 59 in the front and a Robben Ford model Lindy Fralin pickup in the bridge. I love this amp!!! I play mostly rock and blues, but you can get an incredible clean tone from this amp. I pulled two of the 6550 power tubes out and it is now a 50 watt head. I also have the 100 watt 4-12 cabinet that goes with the head(yes, basketweave grill cloth.) I'm a reverb nut and I always need reverb, but this head does not need it!!
I can get a great deep purple or AC/DC sound. I'm running a multitude of pedals in front of this amp. This amp is not very noisy, and it has tone to the BONE!! this is not a high gain amp and you can not get a VH or RAT super overdrive sound. you will need a pedal to get in that degree. people talk about hand wired and PC board, it is bull. this amp is almost handwired. The stupid board just holds the resistor and caps.This blows away all the new marshalls in shear great tone. play an old marshall before you but a new on. I played their reissue JTM45 and the 1987X STERILE!!!!!! I owned a DSL 401 combo($900)it lasted 1 gig and went back. I wish I had a half a brain 15 yrs ago, i could have owned 5 of these old heads for a song. they are now very pricey. I understand the country guitarist are jumping on the old marshall bandwagon.when i turn up the pre-amp about 7 or 8 the amp get kind of bassy.this amp brings new meaning to CRUNCH. late 70's to mid 1980's sound, i can get it all.if you turn the pre amp to 6 or 7 and the master on 4 you will know what pure marshall tone is. i like running a Stamps Overdrive XL or a Full drive II into this amp.WOW!!!Hello GARY MORE live sound(if i could only play and sing like him!)

i feel confident it will last it is built like a tank.it is 21 years old and it looks and plays great. I would use it on a gig without a backup!( i do carry fuses and tubes)

I have called marshall in Long Island,NY and they are wonderful. the tech help is great. the web site is very cool.

I have been playing guitar for 23 yrs and owned many fine amps. I just played a matchless chieftain and a 50 watt TOP HAT. (liked the TOP HAT but you can't sell me on the matchless amps)I have owned blackface fenders and 3 boogie amps.(owned alot of shit amps also) there is something about this older marshall head that is unexplainable,it just sounds awesome.I bought this amp to have it modd'ed for the VH "BROWN SOUND" but i'm afraid it will lose its character. I love this amps tone! I hate not having reverb( i'm not that good and I need it to sound better) if you are a monster player this amp will make you sound even better! if you are a hack stay away from this amp, it will make you sound bad.If it were stolen, I would buy another one but a 50 watter not the 100 watt model!

This 100 watt monster is to me the best i have ever owned just for the sheer madness of fat, rich, full bodied distortion! better then any shred type of distortion, it has its own characteristics! No effects loop, no channel switching just balls to the wall, like
having a good meal, if you know what i mean, it has such a satisfying tone. Sorry folks, i owned a bogner ecstasy and a soldano slo100 and boogies galore and nothing comes close to the sound that this amp can put out. i dont really care about a clean channel cuz i dont play any tunes thru this amp that requires a clean tone, for that i have an earlier model marshall 100 watt head. Dudes and dudettes do yourself a favor and stick with the good stuff, yes thats right, older marshalls, there aint nothin like em and they are reliable.

i use a fender custom shop strat with 2 chandler super 60 single coils(the best single coils around in my opinion; i have been building guitars for 20 years, check out my website(not completed yet)www,gmyrguitars.com)with a super distortion in the bridge position, an original dan armstron, and 2 of my own creations and a les paul elegant. this amp has a noise reduction circuit built in so it is relatively quiet despite it being a ultra high gain animal, by the way there are no transistors in the preamp anywhere!

no problems encountered whatsoever!!!!!!!!!!!!

dont need it!~

If you ever find one of these please email me i want another one!
email - whoosie@uswest.net

This marshall was made in 1984. For the type of music i play this amp is perfect. This thing rocks. It has two channels high and low. The low channel is clean and bright. the high channel cranked up. it's what you paid your money for. at low to mid volumen settings. this thing has plenty of crunch. Turned up farther it has the singing sustain lead guitarist love. This amp is pretty basic but i like it that way.I've had this head modifed with EL34's and extra heat by a Neww York amp Doctor.

I've got a 76 Gibson les paul deluxe with a demarzzio super distortion and a kramer sustainer with a JB at the bridge . With this set up this thing really cranks. I dont use the clean channel that much but it sounds good at all volumens.

This thing is bullet proof.

Really haven't dealt with support so far.

i've been playing 28 years. I run this head through a 4 x 12 cab with celestion g12m-70. I love this amp and i have no regrets about buying it.
The only thing i wish it had is a good reverb.

this amp was built in 1977. says so on the quality control sticker in the back. I play lotsa stuff. mostly rock of varying degrees- form Led Zep to Nirvana to Sepultura and the like. It has 3 preamp valves, and 4 EL34s in the power stage (this being an english amp). bit bare as far as stuff is concerned- 2 inputs and 6 knobs is what ya get, but this is ok cos i tend to max the EQ out anyway. sounds best that way i think. that said stuff like a channel switch and an effects loop would'bve been cool. this thing is a frickin noisy bastard. never got past 6. its cool ofor what i play on it, but im not sure if it'd be much cop for jazz/ blues etc etc.

I use H/B pickups in the bridge position. very rock sound. I have a mod-ed Jaguar which also has a single coil neck which also sounds good. i also use a flying vee for heavy suff wehich has the hottest bitch-ass humbuckers in existence. really fires the shit up. great sound in this thing. the cab i use is a shagged-out old 4x12 with celestions which helps i spose. Good for #400 including the cab.

its 23 last week. looks and sounds great. it'll outlive me i think. no problems so far. i reckon some new valves would be in order cos the ones its got are very old.

?? dunno.

Cool shit. would buy agin no problem.

This amp does'nt have alot of features but considering the amp really puts out what you put in it can be all the features you need; tone & volume.Bass mid treb pres master and pre-amp.Simple and straight forward.

Really sounds great cranked up!Since i'v modded mine i can get extra
distortion at lower volumes.Sounds fine with humbuckers or single coils.These amps are EXTREMLY easy to hot rod, with some clean soldering techniques you can have a really screaming amp.Still trying to figure out how to get some clean sounds but the overdrive can't be beat.

C'mon, its a MARSHALL ! I've droped these things (by accident) out of the back of my pickup onto the concrete sidewalk and they've worked perfect( after putting the back back on )no malfunctions sound wise.
Never got to hear the original tubes(6550's)? the El34's in it now sound great.

would'nt know , the amp is solid and the parts are reallt easy to get

Out of all the amps i've owned, the Marshalls are the best, I own a
Jcm 900 4100, 2550 Jubilee reissue , Jcm 800 2203 , and a Carvin
Valve master 100w ~ all with 4x12 cabs. I'd definately latch onto any great deals you can, you'll be glad you did in the long run.