Marshall JCM 800 2204

No B.S. That's what this amp has. It's got everything you need to rock and nothing you don't.

I've owned it for about a year now. Mine's one of the horizontal input models, made in 1989. It has EL34s.

I'm giving this thing a 10 not because it has a lot of features, but because it has the right amount of features for an amp of it's style. If they threw on another channel or an effects loop, I wouldn't want it. It's very nice not having a footswitch. When I want to use four channels I've got my Mesa Roadster.

Here is the formula for amazing tone:
Gibson Les Paul (or anything that sounds big and thick) -> MXR ZW-44 (or any overdrive you like, I bet a Bad Monkey would sound pretty cool with this amp) -> Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster (level ALL the way up) -> the LOW input of the JCM800. The Pickup Booster into the low input is the secret weapon that makes all the difference.

Do that and you'll have rich, screaming tone that doesn't sound thin and squeaky like the high input does. Trust me, nothing compares to this tone except maybe some of the older Marshalls out there or the new handwired ones.

This amp is getting a 10 for tone because it's irreplacably good sounding and sounds like YOU do when you play through it. If you really know how to play electric guitar, you can make this amp sound great. If you suck, it's going to sound pretty bad. It's as versatile sounding as your playing is and is 100% British flavor.

I once accidentally plugged my speaker cab into the D.I. input. Yes, it was dumb of me. I blew a power tube and the fuse. I was hoping the amp would be stronger (my Mesa amps can handle that and tons more).

Aside from that, there's not a whole lot that can go wrong with this thing. It's from 1989 and it's still in near-mint condition.

I can only imagine Marshall would have terrible customer service, but I don't know first hand.

I've been playing for 6 years. I've owned plenty of amps and currently own a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier Roadster and a Mesa/Boogie F-50 combo. This JCM800 replaced my Peavey 5150 before I bought the Mesas. I use a Gibson Les Paul (Duncan JB and Jazz pickups) and a couple other guitars, but when I play this thing I use the Gibson cause it's got the magic.

I would only ever get rid of this amp to buy a better Marshall. I'd love a '78 JMP2203 or a handwired plexi. Probably someday...

Feel free to email me with questions.

I have owned this Amp since 1980 bought it brand new for $995 that was allot of money in those days....and it still plays like the first day i bought it.It can conqur any situation or stlye of music and is second to none...the finest amp ever built by man imo.It has all the buttons a good player needs and none of the ones yoiu dont.

What can i say about a legend like this the creammy sound just keeps comming as the years roll buy...i am using this amp for recording now and it still blows any of my new amps off the map.Buy the way always use aMarshall cabinet with this head others just will not cut it.

Its been with me since i wa s18 and has toured with bands gotten bounced around frozen in the back of our gig mobile and has never complained...the heater valve wnt last year and i had Marhall fix it thats the only thing ever!

have only dealt once with them

Been playing over 25 years and i am playing more now than i ever have in the past and my Marshall is still right in there sounding phenom.If i lost it idon't know what i would do to find one in my shape would be around 6 grand, but with the reissues i guess you could come close......i honestly feel sorry for anyone that has never had a chance to own an tube amp as good as this one "BUILT FOR LIFE"

ok here we go..my little red monster was born in 1984..red tolex excellent condition i bought it used on ebay..the only modification is a parallel loop i think that the 2204 is the definition for the rock amp...no features only 6 knobs to play with the rest my friends is on your hands...let;s see....

i'm in 4 piece band and we play hard rock funk in the style of GLENN HUGHES music.the band called 4BITTEN and we play at least 6 gigs in a month here in greece i have two guitars a fender american standard and a jem blue floral pattern...the amp sounds fucking great with both of them...i can play a variety of songs covering all the 70's 80's and 90's i strongly reccoment the thd hotplate cause this beast is freaking loud with the hotplate my band mates love me my soundman love me....and the crowd in front of the stage.the amp isn't noise at all with hotplate i play it with the master at 5 and gain in 7.5 and sounds fantastic the sound is tearing you apart you want to play more and more and more.....i use it only with a morley wah a ts9 a phase 90 mxr chorus and dd6 the clean channel stays clean in higher volumes and you can get this srv page clean tones
excellent i play it through a 2x12 mesa boogie rectifier cabinet with V30'S excellent

this beast is built like a tank no problem i gig also with a mesa boogie rectoverb 50 w head as a back up so no problem

i play guitar since iwas a 14 years old kid and i'm now 27 i'm a professional musician and my all life is to play in front of lived crowds with my band i used to have an engl screamer 50 combo an ashdown fallen angel head the mesa rectoverb and now my new baby 2204 marshall i wrote this review to tell everybody that if you like true tone with balls get one of this heads but your hands must play cause this amp will not cover your shity playing also this head is LOUD so check it also with a thd hotplate the tones that can give you a 2204 head is the ones that you have in your head from all this records from the 80's try it

1984 50 watt horizontal inputs. This amps is very versatile considering it is only one channel and no reverb, if you tweak the EQ right with different guitars,pickups, and effects combinations you can get about any tone out of it, minus the shimmering fender clean, or some crazy hi gain, distortion. That sounds like poo anyways. I usually play it with american teles and strats straight through and i find the versatility is in how you play your instrument, not boutique gadgets. I just wish this amp had an effects loop, every once in a while i play with chorus and delay and it would be nice to loop it. I use this amp everywhere, its loud enough for anything. I play through a 4x12 cab with only 2 30 watt celestion copies. Plenty loud and a lot of low end.

I use an american telecaster and an american stratocaster, all single standard single coils. Styles range mostly in blues and rock. The blues tone is amazing, if you set it up right. Real edgy glassy tube in your face tone with the strat and a warm ballsy tone with a tele. This amp is very quiet, I found with this amp it sounds best with heavy strings and the high end scooped, especially on the tele. I play with 13 gauge strings and the difference is amazing.

Amazing, never had a problem with it and if it did, its relatively easy to work on. And easily modded as well

Never called them, but wouldnt depend on any foreing speaking typist on the other end of a support line. I would go to the local amp tech.

This is the best amp in the world. I have heard a just about every amp out there, If you want clean, get a fender, if you want dirty, get a marshall, if you want something in between, get the JCM 800, if you want both, get a fender and a marshall. These two are all you will ever need, everything else is just an imitation of an overkill boutique flash. I wouldnt care if I saw hendrix himself playing a line 6, I wouldnt respect him as a guitarist. Line 6 sucks! Purist know where its at Marshall is the best! Hands down, fender is number 2 everything else just sucks, save your time, money and headaches! and if anyone ever reads this and wants to get rid of any JCM 800, email me, I will buy it.

Made in 1986-just bought it used.Not a lot of features and that's the way I like it -UH huh-UH huh.
Not alot of circuits to filter all the harmonics out of the amp.
Big Drake transformers that give this amp it's rich ballsy sound.
EL34 Ruby tubes suited for rock and blues.
The eq knobs actually adjust the tone noticalbly to go with the mood you want to exoress.

Strats ,Teles,Les Pauls -single coils and hums.Strats will give you the Hendrix sound and Les pauls will give you the Beck -Zeppilin sound .
This amp is so quiet I can't tell it's on when idling.
This is my third Marshall and I've kept them all-the huge transformers and filter caps give this amp some serious kick ass sounds.

It's getting on in age but my tech says this beast has lots of life left and is in great shape.
It gets a nine because anything is possible

Warranty is long gone but I have a great tech and he goes through my amps very thoroughly.

MArshall is one of the corner stones of modern rock and roll so unless you have your head in the sand you have to own at least one ,even if you have the higher end boutiques -nothing sounds like a Marshall like a Marshall!
I've been looking DR Z,Soldano,Mesa Rects,Reissue this and that -but you know this is not a reissue and at the price I paid is a severe bargain-they are getting harder and harder to find.

This 2204 with horizontal inputs is dated March 17, 1986. I bought it new (along with a 4x10 1960 cabinet) shortly after that, and I've had it ever since. We all know the features, so I won't repeat them here. I've played several different styles of music, including metal (in the '80s), sort of Austin-style blues-influenced rock in the '90s, and just mess around with it these days. It was a little heavy for the Austin stuff, but I got by.

I started with a Gibson Les Paul Custom -- it sounded really good with that. Later, I went to one of the new Ibanez RG550's - I had to work hard to get that sound right, ultimatley dropping EMGs into the guitar. I used an Ibanez Tube Screamer pedal for metal stuff, and it sounded *kick ass*. Later, I used a Charvel Surfcaster, which was really a mismatch, but worked OK. Now I also use a Gibson SG Supreme. I've never used the clean channel much. The distortion channel is great, but needs assistance for a real metal crunch. The amp is a little heavy on treble and light on bass, but that can be remedied with the tone knobs. Altogether, the sound is really good. It is *loud* -- I rarely have ever been in a situation where I could turn it up to 3 or 4.

I once looked out the back of a pickup truck window on the way to a gig and saw the 2204 head fly from right behind the cab and slam against the back. Proceeded on the to the gig and played for hours. It's been bashed around dropped, etc., and I've never had a problem with it -- never needed a repair.

I have never dealt with the company, and, like I mentioned above, never needed a repair. It is easy to find people who say they can work on these.

I've been playing for 21 years, almost all of it with this amp. I had to take out a loan to buy it (with the cabinet, the price was >$1200 1986 dollars, which was a lot for a 17 year old), but based on my research it was the only thing to buy at the time -- I think I was right. I've had a few small practice amps (like a VOX AD15VT now that's pretty cool), but this has always been my workhorse - never gigged without it. At different times, I've wished it had a certain feature or other, but ultimately I don't think I'd change a thing. It has always sounded great and been extremely solid -- *never* flaked out. It is heavy and bulky, and sometimes I wished it was lighter, but that really shouldn't be a consideration.

Hecho en 1989 este equipo es lo mas versatil que escuche en toda mi vida (por lo menos para mi).En mi banda manejamos un audio muy moderno desde Nu metal hasta pop metal y por mi cuenta soy amante del blues y el equipo responde a la perfeccion en ambos extremos.
El equipo me parece q esta perfecto cmoo esta , muy sencillo y con una infinidad de sonidos.
La entrada high permite conseguir sonidos saturados de pre de increible calidad , sobre todo sumando algun drive como ser un rat o un ts-9.
La entrada low junto con una distorsion (en mi caso un RAT 2) puede llegar a niveles de distoriosn increibles dandonos la posibilidad de "switchear" entre un "canal limpio" (drive off) o uno sucio (drive on).

Mi set up esta conformado por 2 Les paul.
La primera es una samick artist series con dos mics di marzio ; un "tone zone" y un "humbucker from hell".
La segunda es un Gibson Les paul estudio deluxe.
Con ambas guitarras el equipo repsonde increiblemente tanto en sonidos sucios como limpios (y todo lo que se les pueda ocurrir en el medio).
Es un poco ruidos sobre todo si sumamos muchos efectos en la cadena desde la guitarra , pero nada q no tape el volumen de esta bestia o un noise supressor en su defecto.
LAS DISTORSIONES Q SE PUEDEN CONSEGUIR DE ESTE EQUIO CON LA AYUDA DE UN DRIVE SON INCREIBLEMENTE BRUTALES!

CONFIO 100% EN CUALQUEIR COSA Q TENGA LA FIRMA DE JIM MARSHALL POR ALGO SON LOS MEJORES EQUIPOS HACE DECADAS.
Jamas tuve un problema con el equipo.

Tengo este equipo hace algunos mese y lo busque durante 2 a?os , ara cualquier persona q viva en Argentina sabra entender lo dificil (por no decir imposible) q es conseguir este equipo y este modelo (sobre todo de 50 w y con volumen de pre-amp).
Eh probado soldanos , mesa boogies , vht , incluso otros marshall , pero nada puede superar al 800!!!!!.
Si me lo robaran o se me ropmiera compraria otro sin dudarlo.

My JCM was madet in 1987 , and its built like a tank - never had any problems ... It's definitely versatile enough for me , as i use one distorted sound - i play hardcore , no need for clean channel ... You don't have 30 channels etc , but the sounds you get from this 800 are the sounds you need , in many music styles , so i think it's verstatile enough ...There is one channel , you can choose low or high input , which is like clean and distorted channel ...50 watts , tube ,not modded 2204's have six knobs - presence , bass , middle , high , master volume , gain - there is also one more knob on the back of my 800 added , it's the same thing as resonance in 5150 - something like low end control on the poweramp , and this is the only mod on my 2204 ... Never heard louder amp , it's rather impossible to get past 9 o clock of master volume and be able to still hear the drummer , the other thing is that it's getting louder to 12 o clock , and then its still the same volume level , but no one will ever need to play this loud , it just kills - definitely enough power ...

I use ibanez sz320 with emg81 bridge pickup, and epiphone les paul custom with gibson bridge pickup - i use mostly ibanez , as epi needs some repairs ... It suits my style perfectly , as i said i play hardcore , i use only one channel , so its almost perfect for me - but there is not enough gain , i mean i can play on the 800 alone and it sounds great , but i just prefer some more gain - so i boost the dirty channel with mxr kfk-1 eq ... i add some frequencies and gain/volume on the mxr , and it sounds just awesome ... i was using ibanez ts9 to boost gain , but i think that mxr eq sounds better - i can get clean boost adding just volume/gain on the kfk-1 , or add some frequencies , which makes the great sounding 2204 sound even better ... my settins on marshall are - presence - 2 o clock , bass full , middle - 12 o clock , treble - 12 o clock , master volume mostly around 8-9 o clock , gain around 3 o clock , mod resonance full , and i add some stuff on the eq , i don't remember settings now ... it produces some noise when the eq is on , but i don't care about it too much... some days ago i borrowed my 800 to studio , and i was playing rehearsal on my friends dual recto 3 channel - and it was ok - second guitarist was playing on the 800 2204 ... on the next rehearsal we were playing on one guitar , so i took the recto , but there was something wrong - after some minutes i changed amp to 2204 - and the sound was awesome , even without the gain boost ... i'm not saying that recto is a bad amp - for metal it's great , but i just prefer 800's for my style - it's more musical somehow ... distortion can be brutal ,when you boost it - alone there will be not enough gain for modern high gain music - and the best thing with marshalls is that you will hear them on stage etc - some amps may sound great when you play without the band , but in the band you just can't hear them , haha - that's not going to happen when you play marshall ...

i never use backup , i never had any problems with my marshall - and it was built in 87 , i guess its rather hard to break it - but shit happens as we all know , the good thing is that it's rather easy to repair

when i bought it , the sound was terrible , because of some ugly mods - i took the amp to my friend , amp tech , and now the amp is like he was built originally + one mod - resonance od the poweramp ... never dealt with marshall company

i am guitar player for about 13 years , i don't own many gear ... if it was stolen or lost , i would definitely get another single channel 800 ... i played some amps like peavey 5150 , mesa recto , mesa triaxis/2:90 , engl 620 and 530 preamps + mesa 50/50 poweramps, soldano sp77 preamp + mesa 50/50 poweramp , marshalls jcm900 etc - but i think single channel jcm800 mk2 is the best one for me , the sound i get from 2204 boosted with mxr equalizer is awesome - aggresive , musical and cuts through the mix ...

'86 Marshall 2204. 6550 power tubes that sound better than the EL34s, IMHO. Punchier tone with more top and bottom end (not squishy like some EL34s). Features? 6 freakin' knobs. It's simplicity at it's finest. Plenty of power from bedrooms to stadiums and anywhere in-between.

The Marshall 2204 is the definition of the rock amp. Used by the best guitarists of all time. Used in major recording studios around the world. Look at all the boutique amp manufacturers that brag about their "Marshall tone" (for $3000+). I say if you want Marshall tone, get a Marshall 2204. The 2204 has the cascading gain structure that provides rich, complex, harmonic overtones. Not much clean headroom. Can be a bit bright if the treble is turned up. Has the best "just breaking up" tone of any amp out there. There is plenty of gain for classic rock, but it may not be enough for ultra-high gain nu-metal tones.

I've owned Marshall amps for over 30 years and have never had one break down. nuf sed.

Been playing over 30 years. The Marshall 2204 is the best rock amp ever made. Period. That's an informed opinion. I've played almost every style amp at some time. I own other vintage Marshall amps. I would definitely buy another 2204 if it were lost/stolen. Don't spend $3000+ on a boutique amp that only pretends to duplicate the Marshall tone. Side-by-side, the Marshall still blows away a Bogner Ecstacy at $3200, IMHO. If you want great clean tones, go buy a Fender withn the $ you'll save.

Supplement to my previous review. Cant believe these guys below have bagged two of these amps for $150-$200. Pawn Shops rule! A Marshall reissue JCM 800 costs in the region $2500-$3000 and these reissues are not considered better than the 80's models by the purists. You cant argue much with the name users of these amps. Guys like Schenker, Marrs, Morello, Aldrich, Sykes, Wylde, King.. the list is endless. These guys could afford any rig but they're all addicted to the classic bass riff heavy pure valve sound of the JCM 800. The old JTM, 1959 and Jubilee Slash models are also amazing for classic Marshall tones (I should know because I've gigged all of them), but there is just something about these 800's when you tug on that open stringed power chord that is unique. These amps especially love to be cranked - thats when they really show their true guise. Pull back on the middle, treble, prescence get the pre-amp full then push that master up for that early EVH brown sound. I read on John Sykes website that he's now using these heads without boosters, chorus or delay - thats how these amps potentialy are! They love to eat Gibsons of course. A P-90 DC faded I've got sounds incredible plugged straight into this beast - awesome. For me there's more than plenty gain for leads - if you know how to use this amp. A lot of players with high gain amps just cover up their shitty playing with distortion - U cant do that easily with this rig because each note shines through. If you are a 'player' this fact will show up, but if your covering up this amps transparency will nail you. Basically the JCM 800 is a players amp.