Marshall 2203 JMP MKII Master Volume Lead

My amp was made in 1979. It just features Presence, Bass, Mid, Treble, MV and Gain. One channel, no effect loop. You can't say this is versatile, but this baby reacts wonderfully sensitive to the volume control of the guitar. Adding pedals, it gives you all you need for hard rock and blues rock.

It's simply great. Proud, loud and direct like a punch in your face. I run it mainly with a 1977 Gibson Explorer and a 1976 1960A cab. Of course the Gain control is welded at "10". For adding gain, I use a Hughes & Kettner Tube Factor pedal. With this, I get the amount of distortion I want. The amp whispers, sings and bursts. But it will never be a high-gain monster, unless you modify it. But please don't. That's blasphemy.

I had to do two check-ups in 30 years, changing valves and one or two small parts. It never let me down playing live or during rehearsals (except for the red power-on-light that broke once). For me, this is reliable.

Never had any contact with those guys so I can't tell.

I've been playing over 30 years, and the JMP 2203 is my amp ever since. Never needed or wanted another. Maybe sometimes I'm kind of jealous of the newer amps because they have this tsunami gain. But if it comes to sound and tone, this amp is king. It's my baby. I take care of it, put the black cover over it after playing (lettig it cool down first of course) and wish it a good night. This is an amp to fall in love with. Would it be stolen or lost, maybe I would become a monk.

1978 JMP MkII 100 watt
bought 3 years ago.(had been in an attic for 12 years)
great condition for a 30 year old amp.
1 channel....all it needs.Add a couple of drive pedals, chorus and a delay and TURN IT UP.

absolutely brilliant sounding beast.
a perfect mix of power,grit,punch and clarity.
the louder it gets the better it sounds.once you start to open it up it really sings.i read someone saying "its like the voice of God....only louder".Amen to that brother.
put a tube screamer etc. in front of it and you're laughing.
also got a DSL 50.thought that was good but JMP blows it away.
used to own 50 watt JCM 800 1 x 12 which i remember being good but the JMP is the best sounding amp i've ever played through.

these things are built to last.been thrown about backs of vans,dropped,its still in better shape than me.

been playing 23 years,owned a lot of gear (and smoked a lot of gear )and at long last im happy with my sound.tried jcm900 stacks, 1970s pro reverbs, stereo 1x 12 combos,TSLs and DSLs but im at home with the JMP through a 1960A cab.(and a Peavey Classic 30).
My Strat,Tele and PRS all work well with this amp, the differences between guitars and sounds more prominent,the whole thing more alive.......

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.

TO MY UNDERSTANDING, MINE IS A 1980 MODEL. IT FITS MY STYLE PERFECT.
I PLAY A LOT OF HENDRIX, TROWER, FLOYD,SABBATH, SLAYER, ALICE IN CHAINS ZAKK WYLDE ECT. NO FX LOOP CHANNEL SWITCHING OR HEADPHOINE JACKS OR OTHER USELESS FEATURES. DOES WHAT I NEED. HAS PLENTY OF POWER.

I PLAY A 78 STRAT, A JIMI HENDRIX TRIBUTE STRAT AND A NO NAME S.G. COPY, ALL WHICH HAVE STOCK P.U.'S IT IS NOISY BUT IT GETS THE JOB DONE. I RUN THE PRESENCE @ 2O'CLOCK, THE BASS @ 3O'CLOCK,MID @ 6 O'CLOCK AND THE TREBLE @ 1O'CLOCK. I RUN THE MASTER AT 2 AND THE PRE AT 9. THE REST OF MY DRIVE COMES FROM A ZAKK WYLDE OVERDRIVE AND A BIG MUFF AND AN ARBITER FUZZ FACE

VERY DEPENDABLE, BUT I ALWAYS USE A BACK UP JUST IN CASE (LANEY AOR PRO TUBE LEAD 100 WATT). NEVER ANY TROUBLE

N/A ITS A MARSHALL

I HAVE BEEN PLAYING FOR 13 YEARS. TOO MUCH OTHER GEAR TO NAME OFF.
IF IT WERE STOLEN I WOULD BEAT BURN AND SODOMIZE WHOEVER STOLE IT.
LOVE THIS AMP TO DEATH.

Dont know when it was made but the sticker on the chassi says tested 1977 , its a mk 2 so i assume its been shipped to the usa and retubed with 6335`s???? i suspect its older then 77 but not much. its as versitile as i need it to be , that said its got only one channel so if your thinking about buying one make shure you have a good boost pedal. i use this amp at practice and gigs , its MIGHTY loud and i rarely crank it past 4 on the master and 8 on the pre amp, plenty power!!!!

i use a les paul and a danelectro with this amp , it sounds thick and stoogesy with the les p. the dan sounds fabulously garagey through this amp.It does not like budget all in one fx boxes {zoom 505} they tend to hiss horribly , the amp can clang or roar should you choose it to do so but dont expect clean tones from this valve breathing beast

never broken anything other than the pre amp pot but that was my fault as i was trying to ram brass knurled knobs onto the pot shafts, it looks awsome covered in furry leopard skin { my own customisation }
changed the tubes to el34`s

never needed it

been playing since i could walk
if someone looks at my amp the wrong way i want to break their hands

i once told my wife that if there was a fire in the house not to panic and that i would be back to get her after i got my amp out of the building , she said "well you know i could help you carry it." i said "no its too heavy for you and you would probably drop it"

79 Marshal MKII Master Model. Added Gain Mod. 1 Channel, High/Low inputs, Marshall Tone Stack, Pre PI Master. 4 Speaker outs. FX Loop added By earlier owner.
No need for added features. Used for recording as well as gigging.

Just replaced the 6550 GE Tubes for 4 GrooveTubes EL34LS and 4 ECC83 preamp tubes. After biasing was complete this is a real monster. Love the natural distortion and with the mod it is really nice and big sounding. Not thin and Bright.
Good Harmonics and sustain. Each note is easily distinguishable.

Down low I get a fat bright sustain which is great for quiet rehearsing. Up loud maybe 3-4 max My neighbors are ready to mob the house. I have always bought the JMP master volume models 77-81 50wt and 100wt you always get your money back if not more, when you want to try another. This one more than satisfies my need for warm bright crunch. I have used many different cabs but the best for my sound are my 2 Marshall 4x12s running 25wt greenbacks in one and G12L-35s in the other. With this cab combo and this amp I get the body and attack I want. (Influences: Iron Maiden, UFO, Judas Priest, Halen, KISS, Scorps and Big Hitters.) I never buy any other type of head this is it for me. The new stuff is junk and flat most of the time. The competitors are close but ugly looking and thin sounding.

Never has let me down. Only 1 did when it took a dive off the double stack and hit concrete. Then it was only a fuse believe it or not.
25 years of playing only Marshall JMPs and I honestly can't image using anything else. Yes I have tried the others.
I have never once worried about retubing. I have always had ELs so I guess I've been lucky. You have to lug it- but it is worth it when you play.

I never worry about needing a company to sevice my amps.
I know a couple of shops that have good Marshall techs. If I had to, I would give them a try only on recommendation. I have never had to deal with a tech on one of these, I have had 9 over the last 25 years. Music stores are usually pretty lame when it comes to the older amps. They always try to push the garbage they need to move or whatever.

Playing 25 or so years. Gibson and Ibanez Explorers/Destoyers/V's.
Gibson hot ceramics or Seymour Duncans only. Straight input. Effects come with recording.
I will buy nothing other!.....Ever!...Yes my Mantra!
Marshall is the best in my opinion and very reliable if used correctly.

This is a 2203 and mad 17/01/1979. Its a very unusual color (a bit like a sort of whicker color) and i am told they made just a couple of hundred. This amp head is total rock. I have (and still do) use boogie triaxis and marshall 9200 (el34) and a boogie road king, but this amp has its own inimitable sound that is difficult to emulate on any other amp. Dont waste your time with simulators either they are generally crap. My 2203 is otherwise (I think) stock. The lead channel is VERY toppy, so much so that you have to turn the trebble right off, maybe its been modded Im going to check. Just lo and hi imputs, two speaker out and nothing much more, but who cares - this is rock n roll.

Yep, this is where the thing jumps out at you. The sounds (with the master above 5 and the pre up full will move your bowels (especially if you stand too close to the cab) and believe me, it is still one of the best rock sounds (along with the triaxis and road king kit) that I think you can get. If you rock - don't get one of those pussy foot newer tops - Ive had them all (the 2000 series, the dsl etc etc) get one of these - preferably not modded its awesome.

Ive only had this top for about a couple of months, but the previous owner had it 20+years so it looks VERY original under the cover. The valves had 1/4 inch of dust on them! This one has EL34's (the best for a marshall) so make sure yours has them too.

Don't need any, but from experience I know Milton Keynes will help.

Ive been playing since about 69 so have had some practise. Ive been in bands and also solo things, so I guess I have seen the miles (visit www.tonymckenzie.com to find out all about me).

I would buy another one of these amps without question. The hates for this amp are weight (but try picking up a road king ugh...) and loves remain the sound. I suppose Im a gear head as much as a guitarist, but you just know when something is RIGHT - and the 2203 Master Vol is dead right. I have also tried a Boss overdrive pedal with this amp, just use the level knob and dont use the overdrive knob (i.e leave it on 0) and this gives an overall smoothness to the sound - without any mods to the amp - you should try this on your valve amp - especially the older models.

79 Marshal MKII Master Model. Added Gain Mod. 1 Channel, High/Low inputs, Marshall Tone Stack, Pre PI Master. 4 Speaker outs. FX Loop added By earlier owner.
No need for added features. Used for recording as well as gigging.

Using only my 4 Gibson explorers with 550t and Seymour Duncans I have all I need.
I never use the FX Loop or the extra gain mod some dummy added to it.
I find this to be a sin since the sound I require comes from the amp itself.

Down low I get a fat bright sustain which is great for quiet rehearsing. Up loud maybe 3-4 max My neighbors are ready to mob the house. I have always bought the JMP master volume models 77-81 50wt and 100wt you always get your money back if not more, when you want to try another. This one more than satisfies my need for warm bright crunch. I have used many different cabs but the best for my sound are my 2 Marshall 4x12s running 25wt greenbacks in one and G12L-35s in the other. With this cab combo and this amp I get the body and attack I want. (Influences: Iron Maiden, UFO, Judas Priest, Halen, KISS, Scorps and Big Hitters.) I never buy any other type of head this is it for me. The new stuff is junk and flat most of the time. The competitors are close but ugly looking and thin sounding.

Never has let me down. Only 1 did when it took a dive off the double stack and hit concrete. Then it was only a fuse believe it or not.
25 years of playing only Marshall JMPs and I honestly can't image using anything else. Yes I have tried the others.
I have never once worried about retubing. I have always had ELs so I guess I've been lucky. You have to lug it- but it is worth it when you play.

I never worry about needing a company to sevice my amps.
I know a couple of shops that have good Marshall techs. If I had to, I would give them a try only on recommendation. I have never had to deal with a tech on one of these, I have had 9 over the last 25 years. Music stores are usually pretty lame when it comes to the older amps. They always try to push the garbage they need to move or whatever.

Plain old local papaers or Ebay even.....thats where I pick 'em up and I am always happy. Be sure to try it before you buy it though.

Playing 25 or so years. Gibson and Ibanez Explorers/Destoyers/V's.
Gibson hot ceramics or Seymour Duncans only. Straight input. Effects come with recording.
I will buy nothing other!.....Ever!...Yes my Mantra!
Marshall is the best in my opinion and very reliable if used correctly.

Even if you have to pay 900.00. If you like the sound similar to the groups above....you won't go wrong with these models.

Very best to you...enjoy!

1978 MK II Master Volume. Not versatile, but doesn't really need to be. 1 Channel, High/Low inputs, Marshall Tone Stack, Pre PI Master. 4 Speaker outs.

I play 'lawsuit' Ibanez' mostly. '76 Destroyer with a Duncan Custom Custom and a Floyd routed in is the main ride. Have a few others: Set Neck Greco LP Standard, another '78 Destroyer, Warmoth Parts Tele with mini-humbuckers, Mexi strat. I play '70s-80s style bluesy ROCK. My own stuff is similar to: Travers, Schenker, early VH, Frank Marino, etc. This amp works REALLY well for this style. I hit it with a Keeley-modded Tube Sceamer and an Ibanez Parametric pedal. Orange 4x12 loaded with Weber Silvers and Blue Dogs. Great combination!! This amp is running old Magnavox 6550's and is a tad bright and has a slight 'hole' in the mids. Am going to swap in JJ E34L's to remedy this. But the tonal building block that this amp intrinsically provides is fantastic! It's nature is all the right Marshall stuff. I may try a 330pf cap paralleled on the input resistor; I'll wait till I retube to decide. Nice basic Marshall quality already, though. I'm most often using now as a 'slave' into the low input. I use a Keith Reinneger head with an fx loop. One side comes back into the Reinneger Head, the other side into the low Marshall jack. KILLER!! Like havin a big bad power amp with an added tone stack!!

25 yrs. old. Has a scratchy mid pot, but that's easy to remedy. Feels VERY solid. The output tranny doesn't look original ton me, but I've been playing 'er for 3 months now; no problems.

I have one of the finest repairmen in the business.

Great, solid Marshall 100 watter. It is a one-trick-pony. But it's a mighty good-sounding trick! They're also easy to do minor mods like changing the Cathode resistor on V1b to lower value or like I said earlier, put a cap on the input resistor if you want. May put in a fx loop some day. The basic amp itself KILLS for stright rick/Bluesy Rock. Highly recommend it, but the price on these things is heading up, so move now.

This amp was made in 1980 according to the sticker on the chassis and the serial number is 02694M it has EL34 tubes. No modifications.
Just one channel (2 inputs)
I have used this amp for practise, recording and concerts. It has just the right amount of power I need.

I use a Galama (Dutch Guitarbuilder)Les Paul model handbuilt guitar with Bill Lawrence L90 pick-ups, a Reissue '67 Gibson flying V, a ESP Telecaster (first releases) and a '70 scalopped fender Stratocaster. There is only one sound, but thats GREAT.

It has always worked, never failed me.

I bought it with the Cab in 1984 from the first owner.

I have been playing for 26 Years, I own a 8040 valvestate for home use. A MXR (original) Distortion +, Marshall Guv'ner pedal, cry baby Wah wah and DOD 250 pre-amp (yellow)
I compared it to a marshall 2000 tsl once and thought I could throw it (2203)in the dustbin, that was, until I plugged the 2203 in, what a tone and growl. It blew it away.

I bought this jcm 800 2203 (it was made in 1981) used but its pretty straight forward gain and lots of it. it has 100w no effects loop which sucks and no reverb which sucks too, but the tone fucking rocks.

This is my rig, I have a Ibanez RG prestiege 2120x that is running to my effects, Ernie ball volume pedal, boss ge-7 eq, boss ls-2 line selector, boss ns-2 noise suppressor, boss dd-5 delay, boss ce-5 chorus, boss cs-3 compressor, ph-3 phase shifter, ds-1 distortion, dunlop 535q wah pedal. the amp sounds great, i like good clean tones and being only one channel its kinda hard but what i did was i took my eq and dropped all the sttings to (0) except for the volume which is up a little then it is run through all my modulation effects and sounds great for my style. I play anything from joe satriani, steve vai, to lincoln park, finch, flaw, mudvayne, etc... but this amp is just fine for me right now. i am going to have all the capasitors replaced cause its over 20 years old and i don't know how well the last owner treated it. i am also going to have it change from 6550 to el34 power tubes. then i am going to have some minor mods down by torres engineering, the mid range boost, the gain boost, 50 - 100watt switch, and a 100 watt bullet proof mod done to it ( basically this is a surge protector built in to the amp it prolongs tubes life and protects the amp. the midrange boost and gain boost are push pull pots which are on the bass and treble knobs and when pulled its boost the mids and gain and when pushed back it returns the amp to its original state, this is a feature of torres engineering that i liked beacuse i wanted more versitilaty out of my amp and everyone does mods to there jcm 800 but it doesn't sound like the amp they purchased in the beginning so i like that there mods can be turned off letting the amp sound original like it was supposed to sound.

don't know yet but being a marshall i don't think i ll have anything to worry about.

don't know

i love this amp and will enjoy playing for as long as i have it.

Mine was made in 1978. I bought it used. It had already been converted from 6550s to EL-34s. No channel switching, no effects loops, no headphone jack, no reverb, just tone, baby. It has everything I need, and nothing I don't need, so I'm giving it a ten. Even the low sensitivity input is underrated. It's versatile enough for classic rock and classic metal. 100 watts is more than enough power for me. If you're not opening for Metallica at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, then you don't need 100 watts.

I play a Gibson '54 Les Paul Gold Top reissue (the one with P-90s and a wraparound bridge) and a Gibson '57 Les Paul Junior reissue (with a single dog-ear P-90) through this head into a Mesa/Boogie 2x12 Recto Cab (closed-back, of course, with Celestion Vintage 30s). I use this combination mostly for AC/DC, Deep Purple, Thin Lizzy, you know, The Classics. Gibson + Marshall = classic rock tone. I played a friend's Fender Tele-Sonic, which is essentially cross between a Gretsch Duo Jet and a Telecaster, through it. Gretsch + Marshall = Malcolm Young tone. Extreme dynamic sensitivity. Even the softest attack gives you enough time for dessert.

Like a camel in the Sahara. You've gotta change the tubes once a year anyway, jerk ass! Gig without a back-up? Are you kidding? What else could I fit in the back of Spidey Mobile (Honda DX hatchback, red)? You've gotta take extra tubes and fuses, though. That's the secret.

It's 25 years old. I'm not the original owner. This doesn't really apply.

I've been playing for 20 years. My other guitars include a Fender '52 Telecaster reissue, a Fender '62 Jazzmaster reissue, and a Fender '70s Stratocaster tricked out to look like the one that Ritchie Blackmore actually played in the '70s. My other amps include an original '63 Ampeg Jet, and original '71 Fender Vibro Champ, and a small-head Mesa/Boogie Maverick with matching custom 2x10 cabinet. I'd probably buy a JCM 800 reissue if this one was lost or stolen. It's the same amp anyway. The Plexi doesn't have a master volume, which I need, so there's nothing else to consider. They should've stopped at the JCM 800. The JCM 900 is crap. The jury is still out on the JCM 2000, but it's no JCM 800. The only thing I hate about it is that I only have one.

My amp is a JMP MKII 2203. This amp is pretty versatile with single coil pickups, but sounds too dirty on the clean channel with a humbucker guitar. No channel switching, no headphon jack or any of that crap. Just gain, master volume, prescence, treble, bass and mid. That's all an amp needs. Not too many features, but there's not a thousand knobs to twiddle with. 6 knobs, 2 inputs.

I've used about every guitar under the sun with this amp. It's pretty damn noisy all the time. It's constantly humming. It's so hard to get the clean channel to break up. The distortion is very very saturated. It sounds great for ROCK and that's about it. It sounds thick and meaty and rich. The clean channel isn't too bad, although I'd like to see what this thing would do with a little reverb...but that'd just be another knob to twiddle with. You can get a huge variety of tones out of this thing by switching guitars and cabinets. It's also pretty tube sensitive as well. I like the sound of it, but it wasn't quite "the most highest tone" I've been searching for. When using this amp, I like to put the gain where I want it, and slowly bring the master volume up until I hear the power-amp to start to slightly break up (around 6 or 7), that's when I get it sounding it's best. This thing sure does sound alot louder than 100 watts...it can eat any modern 100 watt Marshall alive in sure power of the sound.

Well, I blew a fuse a couple weeks after I got it, but other than that it's pretty reliable. This amp has never broken down and I've never had to give it much attention. I would take this on tour with me without a backup...but I'd bring extra tubes, fuses and such. This amp is pretty tough. This doesn't have the problems such as cold soldering and thin PCB's like the newer Marshalls. My friends have to take theirs into the shop all the time. Mine is a workhorse, but I have a feeling she won't be lasting too much longer without needing some work.

Never delt with marshall, but I heard they're alright. I'd prefer to mess with things myself so I head over to certain BBS' (such as the forums at plexipalace.com) to get some advice. If that doesn't work then I call up Vic at Plexi Palace and ship my amp out and he does everything that needs to be done. I can't comment on Marshall's customer service.

I've been playing for about 6 years. I've owned my share of tube amps and cabinets. I also play bass and I've had alot of equipment pass through my hands, but I'm in no means a tube-amp expert...but I like to think I know what sounds good and what doesn't. But it's all subjective anyways.

If this amp were lost or stolen, I'd just get something better. In fact, I'm only going to own this amp for a couple more weeks, I'm trading it for an Orange.
I love the distortion, I hate the ineffectiveness of the versatility without changing guitars. I love the feedback I can get and how saturated it is. I can get great tone at bedroom volumes and this thing sounds so great when it's cranked it's unbelievable. It hums alot and everything seems to be fine...it's just that normal Marshall hum.
I was going to buy this, a Hiwatt or an old Fender. I chose this because it was both vintage, and had a master volume. I hate the way most Marshalls sound and think Marshall is very, very over-rated. This is the only Marshall I've ever played that I liked. It doesn't sound so Marshally at all. It sounds great and I would take this over a Super-Lead or a JTM-45, no matter how much they are worth. I've played other MKII 2203s, and mine certainly has that amp mojo that only 1 out of every 20 or so amps off of the Marshall line seem to acquire. I love the sound, but I need to bring down my inventory and buy an amp I can use for both guitar and bass. I like it, it's been a good friend, it sounds good, but I have to part with her. It's an amp I wish I could keep. This amp is the envy of all my friends who play guitar. They all have newer Marshalls and mine blows theirs out of the water. The new Marshalls sound paper-thin and more like Mesas. The 2203 MKII was probably the best Marshall ever made in my opinion...it's saturated, tough and sounds thick as hell.

I hate to see her go, but there's better amps out there.

My Marshall 2203 was made in 1979. It has one channel and plenty of power to rock. No footswitch or anything like that. It's pretty simple. The distortion is excellent. I can here all the notes in each chord I strum. I would say it has a crisp sound and definitely cuts through the mix when I play with my band. I did try a distortion pedal once but that caused me to lose definition. I never use pedals.

I play a Gibson Les Paul Custom with EMG's. I used to get shocked at times playing and singing through a microphone. Someone told me if I used EMG's that wouldn't happen so that's why I switched the pickups. I am able to get all those classic rock tones and metal tones with ease. It is a quiet amp with virtually no noise. The EMG's help out with the noise factor. I have always felt that a pure signal is best. For this reason I try to use my hands to mimic sounds on certain songs.

I have never had any problems with this amp. It is extremely reliable.

I bought this amp used and had it re-tubed once by a qualified technician. Sounds perfect.

I have be playing guitar since 1980. It's really the only amp I own. My first amp was a Music Man RD 112 my mom bought me for my birthday when I was a kid. I bought this amp when I got better at my instrument. I selected this one because all the guitar players I tried to emulate used the same thing. I really didn't consider any other amp because this was the sound I was interested in. If something happened to this amp I hope I could find the same one.

this is a 1978 marshall JMP MKII 100, it has everything I need:)) TONE!!!!

well, this amp is basicly, GREAT!!!!!!!! great tone, mine is loaded with 4 Sovtek EL 34 but I want to try some 6550's and kt88's on it some day. If you're looking for that 90's Grunge sound, ( pearl jam, sound garden, alice in chains, etc), GET this amp. remember this is no Mesa boogie, this is a real AMP!!! :))

never had problems with it:)

I've been playing for 10 years now, I've had, Solid state amps, a LANEY GH100L( DO NOT BUY THis AMP) , a Marshall jcm900 2100 ( SLX )
and nothing comes even close to my old jmp 2203 :))

This amp was made in 1979 according to the card on the chassis and the serial number. I am lucky to have found one unmodified and in good condition.

It is not the most versatile amp in the world as far as bells and whistles, but it does what it was designed to do VERY VERY WELL. What is it designed to do? ROCK. Straight up, no bull, ROCK n' ROLL! This is the sound of the 70's 80's and 90's all rolled into one beautiful package. Unrivaled clarity, harmonics, sustain, etc. etc. After using modern amps all the time and switching to this old JMP, I will **NEVER** use a modern amplifier again. How's that for a testimony? This thing sounds THAT GOOD.

This amp has one channel, dual inputs (for low and high gain), and controls for PRESENCE, TREBLE, MIDDLE, BASS, MASTER VOLUME, & PRE-AMP VOLUME. Just your standard plug-in-and-jam amplifier.

It is rated at 100 watts, but these came fitted with 6550 power tubes so it actually pushes more like 130-140 watts (i.e. it is VERY loud - using it at home with the volume on 2, palm muting rattles the windows and knocks things off shelves.. this is NOT an at-home-only practice amp).

Speaking of tubes, this amp has new Svetlana 6550's and new Electro-Harmonix 12AX7 tubes.. they provide a VERY QUIET hum-free sound.. you can barely tell this amp is on until you strum a chord and then it knocks you flat on the ground.

I'm playing this amp with a Gibson SG Standard with the 498/490 pickups. No pedals, no bull, just TONE.

I play Independent Rock music (emo, hardcore, indie rock, etc.) with it, and it suits my styles perfectly.. there's just enough gain with the preamp maxed out. If I needed more gain I could swap the first two preamp tubes for EI tubes and maybe change the resistors to "up" the gain, but I don't really feel the need. It is just fine as-is.

The amp has zero hum while working other than a standard "hey, i'm on!" noise.

The amp does "crunch" better than I hoped for. I bought this amp without hearing it first, and when I heard it, I was BLOWN AWAY. Words can't describe how full and 3-D this amp's sound is. After playing modern mediocre amps for years, I have finally seen the light.

I've never had a problem with a Marshall, and I doubt I ever will.

This amp is older than me, and is in pristine condition and has been really taken care of. I don't expect ANY trouble. I'm going to buy a set of spare fuses just in case.

N/A

I've been playing guitar for about 7 years now, and this is my 4th tube amp, and my 3rd Marshall. I don't see any possible scenario where I'd buy another amp to replace this one.

If I lost it, I'd die. If someone stole it, I'd hunt them down and kill them. haha :)

I can't think of anything I wish it had, really. It does what it is supposed to do, and sounds WONDERFUL doing it.

I guess the saying of "they don't make them like they used to" is very applicable here.

Bravo, Jim Marshall.

This is a 1977 super lead mk.II. The back of the amp says Model 1959.
It has a master volume and a high and low input. I just replaced the the original GE 6550 power tubes with GT-EL34's (hardness 7) and tweeked the Bias to 34mV. This old head had been gathering dust for 20 years. I was ready to get rid of it prior buying a Groove Tubes Bias Probe.

On this amp the low input was designed to resemble a Fender amp and it does very well. I use a USA Strat with custom shop Texas specials or a 2001 USA Telecaster with the stock delta-tone PU's. Turn the Master volume to 10 and use the preamp volume to determine the desired over all volume. This will give your Fender guitar that SRV Tone with lots of punch. Use the High output for your Les Paul, SG or Explorer and this amp will produce the ultimate Rock Tone. I use '57 classic pick ups in a Les Paul and a 61 Reissue SG and Super Distortion Diamazio's in an Explorer, all of these ROCK! I have found that the X2N Diamazio will bring a Les Paul to life in the Hard Rock world.

Marshall amps are real work horses. They have never let me down. However, I would recommend, if you have any experience with high voltge DC circuits, that you call Groove Tubes and order a Bias Probe. I bought one recently and have discovered my old Marshalls can produce a wonderful range of Tones to die for!!! The points is you can tweak your amp to your preference without the hassle of taking it to the shop.

Never had a problem.

I've been playing since 1966.I really wish my mother would have bought that stratocaster I wanted in '66. Oh well, it was $100 more than the Kalamazoo. Please, note the price of the head included the two 4X12 cabinets.

i dont know exactly the year of my 2203 lead i think its around 1986 or 87 .i bought it in 1992 used at eugenes guitars plus in dallas ,it doesnt have multieffects or anything just a plug n play jack ,very simple.i use this amp at home ,and do bring it on the road sometimes but i dont like to move it alot ,this amp has what i call police power ,you turn it up and the police will come and see you ,they usually say sounds pretty good but can you turn it down,i say ok thanks

i have a kramer 100 st with a single emg 81 pickup bolted directly to the body with a volume and tone knob i put in myself ,it fits my style great i play hendrix,
van halen, stones, black sabbath, rock.the amp isnt really noisy i have a digitech rp6 i use that cuts out static ,i can play clean or dirty ,the preamp is also a bass extender past 5 it cranks bass i dont turn it up past 4 on the master and 5 on the preamp it is a loud mother humper ,i am using a peavy 4x12 cab now it likes lots of volume i have rewired it and put foam isulating material in it to achieve the marshall speaker sound .

i can always depend on it ,i did have a prob with the tubes glowing red one time intermittenly but i traced it to a bad speaker cable ,i have never changed the tubes in 10 years and it still rocks i guess because i take good care of it never gowing past half volume at home,i dont recomend any mods to this amp ,thats all hype to get you to pay for service work ,the only thing you need is the variac and thats external this amp is alredy a hot rod so why change it

i have never had to call about any repair or service ,i guess marshall kept this amp simple for a reason ,low maintnence ,suits me fine

ive been playing for many years and feel i still cant just wail away some people can pick it up faster i guess.well i bought it to replace a stolen amp and am glad i did .i did have a laney 100watt it got stolen and replaced it with the marshall ,i am getting a new cabinet for my marshall a real 1960b cab i cant wait

The proper name for my 2203 is the JMP Mk.II Super Lead. With a title like that, you can't go wrong! This one dates from 1980 and is equipped with Svetlana EL-34's. As touched upon in numerous other rviews. This is the model that preceeded the famous JCM 800 2203. This is of course a modest 6 knob, 2 input tone machine. You need nothing more than those simple controls to serve as a platform for the most responsive, pleasing, scorching, Boogie killing tone available. This amp will put to shame almost every "production" amp made since. Unlike later versions of this classic chassis, it retains the all important bottom end thump and "horizontal" midrange that is so nescessary to have as a launching pad for any effect to be put in front of it. The later Marshall just don't cut it in the balls dept. Sorry SL-X, TSL, DSL, 900 etc. fans. The truth is out there and it's called JMP. Put a few (or many) effects in front of this puppy and prepared to go on a tone safari. The power stage is 100 Watts. That means this is not a bedroom amp. I can't believe all the poeple that bitch about the lack of distortion at low volumes. Well DUH!. Get a Flextone Spider for your bedrooms folks. This amp is meant to be played at HIGH VOLUMES with a band (I can't believe I feel I have to actually explain this to some of you). The louder it goes the closer to bliss and tinnitus you will get. No rating because it is pure and simple. Dead stock and no-nonsense. The only reason the previous owner parted with it is because he downsized his rig.

I use as my main guitar, a 1993 Gibson Les Paul Classic with a Duncan Seth Lover in the bridge and Duncan Alnico II Pro in the neck. I plug into it with a Marshall Blues Breaker II set on clean boost as well as a Marshall "Edward The Compressor" set at a conservative level. The combiation of those two pedals with the raw tone of the 2203 gives me a very sensitive pick attack and well controlled killer distortion that is no where near the mud and crud of so-called "high gain" modern amps. My style is as simple as my setup. I play old school punk and hard rock through this thing and it gives me everything I need and more. I don't play clean through it, though the low input clean tone is acceptable but lacks the headroom and "sparkle" I get from my Hiwatt DR-505. The straight in distortion and sustain is orgasmic when the amp is cranked up loud and proud. I don't get to do that as often as I like, so the 2 pedals sort of add dimention to the pre-amp at jam volume. I usually play small clubs, so i can't crank up and let fly. The crowd in front would suffer permanent damage. That is why I use the pedals. To avoid law suits. Unlimited potential in the sound dept. Only your pocket book can hold you back.

22 yrs old and still punishing the neighbours. 'nuff said.

Never dealt with them. Nice bunch of folks, I hear.

I own several electric guitars. 3 Les Pauls, Heritage H-157, Fender '62 Re-Issue American Jazzmaster, Hamer Californian, 2 Larrivee neck thru's, Larrivee made Schon, Odyssey, Fury BBM, '67 Gretsch Viking. I retired my 1978 Hiwatt DR-505 in favour of the 2203. I use it through a Marshall 1960 stereo cabinet with Celestion G12s at 16 ohms of course. All in all the best amp I ever owned for loud band situation. The raw tone and volume is unequaled. As I said before, just put you favouite FX in front and get ready for lift off. If you are a tone purist plug your SG straight in and say hello to Angus Young. Who could ask for more? If any of you are curious, my bedroom amp is a Duncan 84-50.

That is all.....

My newly aquired JMP Mark II 50 watt Lead head was made in 1977 and is a pretty stripped down affair: old style, metal flip switches for power and stand-by, presence, bass, middle, treble, master volume and pre-amp controls are all that adord it's surprisingly well-kept exterior. It's generally well known, though, that superfluous controls and electronics only add to deteriorate the overall sound quality and that very much holds true here - I use this amp for my three piece melodic post-punk/handcore band and it totally holds it's own. Our bass player likes a loud-but-zingy tone and our drummer hits *really* hard and this is the only amp I've played that really cuts through enough to add to our noise. It has one channel with high and low imputs.

It is exactly what I need in an amp - I'm a little hesistant in giving it a 5, but to be honest if you're the sort of person who needs three channels with reverb and harmony switches, this is not be the head for you.

As for me, no reverb and just the minimal features is just what I need. So for my needs I give it a provisional 10.

I play a Fender Strat with a stacked Dimazio humbucker and, as mentioned, my band plays fairly melodic post-hardcore/punk (think bands like Jawbreaker, Fugazi, Jawbox, Alkaline Trio, Samiam etc.) and this amp suits it perfectly. It's not, say, Deftones heavy, but for a heavy sound that is bright enough to cut through heavy drums and bass, this rules the roost.

The only slight problem I have with my head is that it has a slight hiss/buzz to it. I've been told that this is due to the old style of power lead it requires (ie. a round socketed one, not a kettle plug). It does seem to make more noise it it ends up going through a bunch of extention power leads instead of direct to the mains, but I'm pretty sure that my quite badly earthed guitar has something to do with the noise. At normal levels, it doesn't cause any problems, though.

I recently used this amp in the studio and the hum was barely audible. The sound is quite simply the best punk guitar sound I've heard for only 2 guitar tracks (left and right stereo) - very warm and full, but with enough beef to be pretty damn rockin'.

I've heard that the 100W version requires much higher master volumes to get the same degree of distortion, so the 50W is ideal. It's REALLY loud. I'm used to playing through a borrowed 100W JCM 900 (and for a while that was the amp I was after) but this kicks it's arse for volume and tone. I don't even use a distortion pedal - just a volume pedal to tone it down a bit for quieter moments.

The low channel gives a nice, warm clean sound, but I use the High channel exclusively. It sounds like a heavier AC/DC or a very full pop-punk Green Day / Dillinger Four / Foo Fighters sound. It does seem to sound better through an older cab as opposed to the newer stuff (which favour the electronics laden newer JCMs) and the tone and sustain just sings... What it lacks in "brutal" heaviness, it makes up in full-bodied tone.

At first I noticed it cut out very slightly every so often, but I soon realised this was due to the power lead. I added a few layers of thin tape to the outside of the end of the lead to make it 'stick' in the power socket a bit better and it's not had the problem since.

This amp is a year older than I am and from what I've heard should have plenty of life in it yet. The EL34s have probably been replaced since it was made. I'm not worried about this having any problems any time soon. This is how Marshall amps should still be made.

Marshall is pretty much the rock industry standard. Although I've had no dealings with Marshall themselves, I imagine most reputable guitar shops can help you out should you encounter any problems.

I've played through a lot of other amps since, in the 3 years or so my band has been gigging/recording, I've not had my own proper equipment and have used a friend's JCM 900 set-up or had to borrow when that was not available. The studio where we practice has an old, beat-up JMP which I tried out and was throroughly impressed with - I endeavoured to track down one for myself and found that my own head sounds much better than the one in the studio! Other than the slight hiss as mentioned above (if anyone has any suggestions as to how to fix this, please drop me a line) this amp is PERFECT. It's very loud, very clear and warm and is the dog's nads for the type of stuff I play. I cannot reccomend this amp enough. If you can get hold of a good sounding one for a reasonable price - DO IT! The local jerks at Music Ground here in Leeds, UK quoted me #1000 to get hold of this head and I got it for a quarter of that price. They're becoming harder and harder to get hold of, so keep your peepers peeled.

I don't know the exact year but I think it's either 83 or 84. The amp is a no-nonsense, single channel, all-tube rocker. There is little gain without pedals at bedroom level but when it's cranked, watch out. I play hard-rock that's similar to Gn'R, the Cult, and the Stooges and it is almost perfect. The only thing I wish it had built in is a gain knob so that I don't have to kill my parents when I practice.

I use a Gibson Flying V with Seymour Duncan pup's (JB in bridge and Alnico II Pro in the neck). The Duncan's complement the amp extrememly well and gives me a really fat, tough tone. It was a little noisy until I had it repaired and cleaned out. The amp gain get a great crunch an clean tone. The amp is great to layer effects on since it's so basic. The distortion won't compare to a Soldano or Mesa but it fits my need perfectly.

Hasn't died on me yet.

Never had to deal with them.

This was my first tube amp and it was one of the best gear choices I have ever made. I've been playing for about 6 years and I know a good amp when I hear it (at least I like to think I do). I was originally looking for a Marshall Silver Jubilee 2550 or 2555 but no luck. I am a huge fan of Slash and I was looking for his amp too. If it were lost or stolen, I'd try looking for a Silver Jubilee one more time. I played the amp for the better part of 3 hours before I made up my mind. It's not the best amp for METAL guys unless they add an eq to cut mids but it suits my style perfectly.

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.

High and low sensitivity inputs, four-band EQ, Pre-amp gain, and master volume. Not much else to say. I'm one of those people who likes his amps sweet and simple.

This is my backup amp. My main amp is a Super Lead 100. This is a good sounding amp, though. I am kind of spoiled on tone because I've been exposed to so many great amps, but this one holds its own and I'd use it in the studio and live for sure. It's got that 70's Marshall Distortion sound. VERY bright, screaming, etc. Although my Super Lead has more thump, cream, and sustain to it, this one beats it in features. The master volume is a big help to control the volume. Still, this one needs the THD Hotplate because it's very loud. The amp sounds very good with the Master between four and six. After six, it gets too compressed and has too much "give" in the feel. This amp's sound is really good if you want that late 70's, early 80's rock sound. Think Randy Roads Crazytrain. The funny thing about this amp, is that like all Marshalls, the pick attack is really sensitive. Combine that with the fact that it's got no reverb, it's very easy to sound sloppy through this thing. If you make even a smigin of a mistake, like fret noise or a mis-coordination between your picking and fingering, etc- the amp will hear it. So will you. Mistakes are heavily amplified in this amp, just like my Super Lead. You've got to learn how to play really clean or you'll end up sounding like you've rushed yourself into your chops and you're sloppy. All in all this amp is just a good rock and roll amp. Nothin' else.

Mine is a 1978, so the fact that it has been working well is good. I've had bad luck with my other Marshalls, but not with this one. I guess I don't apply since I've only had the amp, oh- 28 hours.

Marshall customer support sucks.

I'd buy this one again. It's got a nice tone. I love the vibe of this amp- it's a 1970's Marshall, it's kinda beat up, it's simple, etc. It really does sound good, but it's not versitile at all. I'd recommend it, but be sure you know the limitations of this amp. It just does rock, metal, or maybe jazz fusion. Get it if you want a good classic rock sound and you can't afford the Super Lead. If you buy a THD Hotplate and you can afford the Super Lead, get it. If you want a higher-gain, cheaper amp that's in the same ballpark, get the JMP.

As near as I can tell the amp was made in 10-84. It doesn't have many features but what it does do is create kick-ass tone at painful volume levels! other than a D.I. out it is very sparce feature wise, not unlike older amps. I tend to like minimum features in this way!

I have a strat, tele, and Les Paul and all are more or less stock, the strat sounds pretty good, the tele is a little bright for my taste but the Les Paul roars! I would think that any axe with humbuckers should yield some lethal tones! using the "low Input" you can dial in some pretty clean tones, it is also not as bright I find that you can crank the treble and leave the mids, lows and presence about "5" and set the master to "7" then use the pre-amp to set volume to get reasonable rhythm type tones. The high input is gain city and produces any thing from light and crunchy to ear splitting classic marshall crunch and thump! the amp isn't really quiet but I'm sure it could use a set of filter caps and a new set of tubes. This amp uses 6550s I will modify it to use EL34's to see what that does.

I have been a service man for 20 yrs. and have seen very few marshalls over-all this is partially due to the relative scarcity when compared to other companys (Fender, Peavey, ect.)and also because of the decent quality. Experience has shown that only a few problems are common.
1. filter caps after 15 yrs.
2. tube sockets on octal sockets sometimes come apart. (this one has had one socket replaced).
3. noisy pre-amp tubes.(this is due to the high gain front-end and usually selecting quiet ecc83s will cure this)
thats about it.
Marshall doesn't run their plates as high as other companys and usa versions that used 6550s will last and last typically the tubes will break from "road rash' before they will wear-out. they do-not however sound as good as they british versions using EL-34s.

I only buy used equipment and repair my own so I normally don't have to deal with warranties, However getting parts is a breeze from New Sensor, Antique Electronic Supply and many others! just surf and you will find what your looking for

I have been playing for 28yrs. and have owned many amps including other Marshalls, I currently own a vintage JTM45 and I like the 2203 as well in different ways. the "45" has that vintage 60's woman tone and the 2203 has that power and attitude for days! If you like tons of feature this isn't the amp for you. If you like tons of classic Marshall tone "set it and forget it" this baby will shack your world!
(ear protection a must)

Mine is roughly a '78 and is very bare bones. Lo/Middle/Hi and a Pre-amp and a Master Volume. 2 inputs: Lo and Hi -- I only use the hi because I think my lo input is broken. 50 watts -- all tube -- I use 6440s. Ohm selector on the bacl: 4, 8 and 16.
Again, very slim in the features department compared to a new Mesa or one of those Line6's. However, answer this question: Do you use a lot of outboard effects, like distortion, delay, chorus, wah, etc? If so, this is an excellent amp and does not need any features! They would only crowd your sound.
But if I had to add one thing it would be reverb...

I play roots/Indie rock with a 77 Gibson SG thru a Proco Rat to a Dunlop cry baby to the MKII, and I get phenomynal sounds. In my band, I'm the lead guitarist, so I don't need shimmering clean sounds. If you do, however, need such cleaness, get another amp. Although it's clean for a Marshall, it does not stack up compared to a Twin or its ilk. But if you need to rock, and you use outboard FX, this thing will provide you the brute sound that you need.

Never had a bit of a problem in a year's worth of heavy use. (Knock on wood... I don't have an adequate back-up...)

LOL -- it's 20+ years old. Go to your local music shop for service.

I love this amp. I have it paired with an old VOX 2x12 cab and the two together are devastating -- I wouldn't play any other. It's perfect for small to medium size club gigs; and looks awesome on stage.
I've played Fenders which are nice, but don't provide the "rockness" I sometimes need.

This 100watt 1977 Marshall isnt loaded with features at all witch in my opinion is no problem. No chanel switching witch is a plus in my mind and no efx's loop another plus. The valves are 4 6550 but you can also use a EL34's because6550 and EL34's are both basicley the same valve but the 6550 is the U.S. version of the tube. And its got 3 12AX7A in the pre amp. Controls are for Mid, Treble, Bass, Presence, Volume, and Pre-Amp volume. Being a master volume model is one of the things I hate about the amp. But you can open the amp up and disable the master. It's not to hard to do. Also like all other master volume models (to my knowledge) it has only 2 inputs. 1 is for high sensitivity the other for low. They should have kept it with 4 inputs like the earlier Plexi's and Superleads. But the worst thing is when you open it up to look at the electronics inside. It's circit board. I hate that. That is really I geus my bigest problm with this amp but many people could care less about that. It dosent have Reverb or Tremalo built in but thats not to big of a deal. No earlyer Plexi's or Superleads had reverb so no big problem there some did have tremalo witch is a really cool feature on any amp in my opinion. But because lack of being hand wired, Only 2 insted of 4 inputs and having a master volume it gets a 7 actulaey it realey deservs a 6.5

This is a great sounding amp once you crank it for overdrive. In my mind I would actualey consider this a high gain amp. Allmost no one else would though. I geus it seems like that to me becuse I mainley use Fender amps at lower volumes to get a real clean warm tone. Well any way. This amp also seems to have a whole lot of treble but just back off on the treble to fix that. When I got it I wanted somthing that sounded difrent form all my Fender, MusicMan, and Gibson amps and it certinley sounds difrent. It's great for a giant overdrive but it could be better. The earlier Plexi's and SuperLeads Sound better especialey the plexi's but they cost a good amount more. The clean tone well it's. Lets just say it is lack luster. But hey you don' realley buy a Marshall and expect to get crystal clear clean sounds of a Fender Twin Reverb. You buy it for a big overdrive sound and becuse there LOUD!!!!!!!! Once you crank one of these you will see what I mean. Well thats my opinion anyway. This realley deserves a 7.5 in this catagorey.

Well it's over 20 years old and still going strong so I think it will hold up. I think the person who had it before me just sat this thing in a closet and used it every now and then. It dosent really seem neglected at all just kida dirty and in need of a clean up and thats it. I would easily use it at a gig without a backup.

Who needs it this amp is over 20 years old!

In all my time of playing I kinda just over looked Marshall amps. But after geting it I see what people say when they tell you these things have a great overdrive and are extreamley loud. The olny thing I can think of that has the same wattage rateing and is louder is a HIWATT Custom 100. I would however like to trade it towards a Marshall Super Lead or Super Tremalo made from 1969 to 1973 or a Orange Graphic 120 and mabey even a HIWATT Custom 100 with 4 inputs. I just wish it was hand wired, and had no master volume and had 4 inputs insted of 2 . (Note I also took into account in this review the cost of the amp wutch was not that much especialy compared to origanal Plexi's and SuperLeads.)

This is a classic Marshall amp, made around 1975. Has two inputs, one for high gain and one for low gain. Has pre amp volume knob, which, if cranked on the lo sensitivity channel, does about nothing. you can get a decent vintage overdrive when your on the high sensitivity channel, though. This amp is LOUD. It's only 50 watts, but it would blow any other 50 watter away. Of course, it is all tube.

Well, i pretty much summed it up above, but it does have a nice clean sound for a marshall. It really comes alive with a box distortion or a RP-7, which is what I use.

It was reliable for a while till i messed with the ohm selector switch. It seems that it was broken and hard wired to 8 ohms. It started cutting in and out. It does this every now and then, and it works once you find the right spot.

never contacted Marshall

Well, if you want an amp with great pre amp distortion & drive, this aint for you. It stops at a nice overdrive, maybe a little heavier at lower volumes. But when using an external source for you source, it really cranks. Loudest 50 watts ever.