Marshall JCM 800 2204

It isn't very fancy. It only has one channel & no reverd.(just the way I like it) It has aneffects loop. I believe the simplicity of this amp is what makes it so appealing.

This amp is incredible! I paid $150.00 for it at a pawn shop. I took it home and it didn't sound right at first. I kept playing it thinking that I just wasn't use to it yet. Two days later the tubes went out. I replaced the tubes with Groove Tubes #3's, had it biased and the thing almost scorched my pad! This amp will give you the Zakk sound with no problem. I love this amp! I actually went back to the same pawn shop a month or so later just to see what they had and low and behold there sat another one! Yes, I bought that one also. I paid $200.00 for that one. Two for less than the price of one.($350.00) Disgustingly good deal!

Never let me down!

I have called Korg/Marshall on several occasions and they are always very knowledgeable and quite helpful.

IF you find one for a reasonable price, buy it! You will not be sorry.

This amp has one feature... tone. The absolute personification of hard rock amplification. Mine is a 1981 and it had all the original tubes and LCR filter capacitors in it when I bought it. I replaced all the originals and keep them for collectability sake. No reverb, no effects loop, no problem. This amp taught me how to play guitar, I used to hide behind a wall of reverb and gain, and found out I was only fooling myself. The simplicity of this amp made me an honest player. I repair and modify amps and some guys like an extra 12AX7 put it for more gain, I like mine just as it came out of the box. The good news is that if you like the extra gain stage added, there is plenty of room, Hell I could even add a Fenderish tube reverb circuit, or effects loop if desired. I like this wattage, 50 watts is definitely enough for any club I play, and when I need more I leave that to the sound tech and the PA. I'm giving this a ten because Marshall knew what not to put into this machine.

I play American Standard Stratocasters, American Deluxe Telecasters, and Les Pauls. I use this amp and a '64 Vibrolux Reverb, or Blackfaced Super Reverb A\B'd. This Marshall doesn't have a clean channel, and quite frankly I don't like the Marshall clean sounds I have heard. To me Fender has the fattest clean amps, so why fight it I use them both. It's a bitch carrying two amps, but man... I have the best of both worlds and my tone is always primo. I front the Marshall with a Fulltone Fulldrive 2, or a Tube Screamer (TS9) I modded to TS808 and then some, and these give me the extra kick I need in some of the heavier stuff I do. I also use Vintage 30's with this amp and they are in love with each other. Personally I never use the gain past 2 o'clock.

Absolutely dependable. I have replaced the tube sockets, but that's to be expected in a 24 year old amp, I did it before they went bad and retained them... again for collectability. I think that the simplicity of this amp is the reason it's so dependable. This amp has NEVER let me down. With my maintenence routine I expect it never will.

Never had to call about this amp. Never will. I've delt with Marshall on amps I have repaired, not the greatest, nowhere near as bad as Mesa though.

I have been playing 20+ years, I bought the amp at a pawn shop for $200 bucks. I have never spent a better $200... ever. If it were stolen I would devote the rest of my life to hunt down the MF'er that took it, then I'd get a couple of hard ass pipe hittin' fools to go to work on Holes with a blow torch and a pair of pliers. You hear that thieves you'll spend the rest of your soon to be over life in writhing agony if you touch my Marshall 800! Yes, I would find another one if it were stolen.

This is a one trick pony, no doubt, but it does this particular trick better than any other amp on the planet. You'd be amazed at how many bands used this amp in the 80's at the recording studios.
This amp responds like a dream, and goes from warm to hot with a flick of a pick. I use my volume knob with great success when I tame this shrew. Don't be confused by other models, this is THE one. Other Marshalls utilize solid state signal clipping via LED or Zener bounding. Yes they are all tube but the solid state clipping gives it a buzzy sound which the purist would frown on. A friend of mine loves that LED clipping... to each his own I guess.

Mine has the 6550's in it, I like them the best. I tried the EL34's in it for a while and they weren't my cup of tea... too brittle. They aren't directly replaceable. To all who don't know any better you have to change the value of the bias resistor and re bias the amp; I wouldn't suggest trying this at home unless you are real comfortable with hunreds of volts or a technician or avid and capable hobbyist. Also the circuit board isn't the easist to work with in comparison to a point to point amp. My only bitch is that they quit making this amp... I know that the Zakk 800 is out there, but that's the 100 watt amp and to be honest I can't see the price tag as proportional to the cost of making the amp. In other words I love this amp but the sum of the parts to make this amp can't be more than $400.00. I guess Zakk wanted a big kickback.

I am threatening to make a point to point replica of this amp for my own use as soon as I find a beater to donor the transformers. Did I mention I love this amp?

It isn't a jack of all trades amp so its lack of features isn't a problem. It would be nice to have some reverb, but then Triple Rectifiers don't either. I don't know what year it is, but it has the stacked inputs so I presume its an early one.

Even at low volumes you can get a convincing AC/DC tone without having to crank it to ear bleeding levels. At high volume, having my Analogman-modified DS-1 going into the clean channel it sounds wonderful. I hope my Analogman Metal Zone sounds just as good.

It would be nice to have the modern metal crunch sound, but then this amp preceeds the genre by over a decade. However, if Kerry King and Zakk Wylde still use these amps then why should I complain.

I haven't owned the amp long enough to find out whether there are any problems, but I had it serviced by Marshall when I first got it. All it needed was new valves/tubes, jacks and a new pot so I would say that 20 years service says its reliable.

I have heard negative comments about Marshall's service, but my own experience was very good. My advantage is that I live near to their head office, which might have helped. The guy who I dealt with was very good (Andy Marshall) so I have no complaints.

I made a few mistakes with buying effects for my amp, but the Analogman stuff is the main staple in my equipment. The head runs into a 1960AC cabinet (greenbacks).

I would certainly buy the amp again if stolen, as Boogies cost a fortune over here. Marshall seem to be relying on past laurels, but with equipment this good I am not complaining. I would love to try a Diezel, but out of my price range and I think the neighbours would kill me.

1982 JCM 800 100 watts. Veritcal inputs, modified custom effects loop, JJ Tesla EL 34's, Mullard re-issue 12AX7 pre-amp tubes. Single channel.

I currently run Fender Strat's ( YJM models, 1970, 1973, 1974) with Hs-3/YJM pickups some with Dimarzio Virtual Vintage 54' pickups. I played in the styles of Blackmore, Roth, Malmsteen, Halen, Beck. This amp does the trick with and interesting revelation I stumpled across...I route an Echoplex EP-3 through effects loop with foot switch to ly turn off echo...I actually prefer the unit to not bypass because the Echoplex dulls out the original highs, so Iprefrer that "darker" sound. As far as pedals, its the strat to a dunlup 535Q wah, MXR Phase 90, Ibanez tube screamer ( TS-9 modded to 808 ) Old grey DOD overdrive 250 preamp and thats it. i use both overdrives in combination but with half way gain settings on each so you ultimately get the transparency yngwie bubbly tone put punch with a slight mid from the TS-9. Works and sounds unreal! this amp is loud and mean and awesome! I also run two old 70's checker board 4X12 cabinets with vintage 30's and one that has hybrid 25w celestions mixed. I roll of volume knob on strat to obtain clean tones that are decent. I've had people come up to me and tell me that amp has got a Van Halen/Malmsteen tone. The echoplex through the loop is key!!!!!

Bob Segar said it best...."like a Rock"

never had to deal

Great amp and yes I would be bummed if this got ripped off because of the unique sound to replace and the fact that they are and arm and a leg now! Effects loop standardization would be nice.

umm it was made by marshall hahah. the amp suites me well idk about everyone thats all about some brutal gain but i adore my amps sound i play in a hardcore emo/screamo band and it sounds really good our other guitar player has a triple rec and they go together wonderfully.just one channel oh well :( . i wish it had another channel. i use this amp in my band play lots and lots of shows with it.its a 50 watt and the thing gets louder than the triple recs its the loudest marshall i have ever heard. its tube two el34s and 3 12ax7as i think sounds wonderful

i use a fender tele because i love the way they look with a seymour duncan hot rails to get that humbucker sound. it suites our style very well.we are hardcore screamo kinda music.it has a slight hisss when you arent playing but thats probably because it was made in the 80s haha.this amp can be a beautiful clean sound or a nice barely distorted rock sound mostly i have the preamp turned just about up and that gives me just enough gain for what i am going after.the distortion is def not a rec or anything but thats good to me its 100% tube tone no solid state crap.

i depend on it everyday for practice and every show we play.i do use it without a back up.the amp has never broken on me

never dealt with marshall never had to.

i have been playing guitar for 12 years.i used to have a daul rec but i sold that for a carvin legacy and then i bought this.if it got stolen i would buy one again or maybe an orange amp or something along those lines.i love the way it sounds through my 1960ax 4x12 cab with green back speakers its true tone. i compare it to my daul rec and i like it alot better because its more of a tube sound to me.this amp is great

Wanna hear it?

Hear ya go...

http://4.78.22.159/mp3s/derek_shred.mp3

Marshall JCM 800 2204 made in '82! This thing fits the bill to a T for classic rock ( without any pedals ) to 80's rock, grunge, alternative, death and trash to even Nu-Metal. I play fusion, jazz, blues, funk, classic rock, 80's rock, grunge, modern rock, screamo, death and thrash metal, nu metal and so on. This beast is not suited well for jazz. Sounds great for Gary Moore or Zeppelin blues. 1 channel. It's all that is needed. Use the volume knob. It's inspiring because of its simplicity. I wish it had an fx loop, but this head is still a JOY to play. It is loaded with Svetlana 6550 tubes and it rocks!

Let me just say this:
I hear RHCP, RATM, Toadies, Smashing Pumkins, Soundgarden, ZZ top, AC/DC, Jet, The Darkness, The Donnas, Judas Priest, Maiden, Sabbath, Zeppelin, Anthrax, Testament, Slayer, Megadeth, Metallica, Whitesnake, Dio, early crue, Kiss, Ted Nugent and the list goes on.

It is a 1 trick pony and does what it does VERY WELL! Clean sounds vary from Gary Moore to Page or Red Hot Chili Pepers ( think Under the Bridge ). It sounds good, but I would rather use my Mesa Boogie Mark IV for the cleans.

Turn up the preamp drive and the master and slam the front ned with a keeley TS9 ( tubescreamer ) and your in shred territory. Stick a Keeley Twiligth Zone modded MT-2 ( Metalzone ) in front of it and your in Mesa Recitifier territory. Sounds a lot like a Mesa Rectifier or VHT Pitbull.

It has been alive and well for 22 years! I would say it's very dependable.

Never called...

I've been playing 20 years. I have played on may amps. I own a PRS Artist III series and a Mesa Boogie Mark IV head and cab. This thing picks up in places where the Mark IV doesn't, Don't get me wrong. I love the Mesa Mark IV. I use it all the time as well. It's just nice having the best of both worlds. Again, I do wish the 2404 had an FX loop.

pres,ass,mid,treb,master,pre vol,high low inputs very simple.An FX loop woulda been a nice feature.

OK first off the amp in review has 6550s.Anyway this particular amp is very thin and harsh and blunt sounding.I look for an almost 4 inputter sound outta my Marshalls and this is a dead duck.I own a Jubilee combo(tone monster)had a JCM900 SL-X 50,recorded on PTP original and reissue plexis,channel switching 800s and IMO there all better than the single channels.I giged a 2203 800 / EL34s and it was a better amp also.6550s in a Marshall should be a crime.They suck!!!I borroed this amp for 2months while I saved to replca ethe SL-X I had(long story of amp swapping).Anyway if it were mine I think an EL-34 swap would e a great improvement.This is a vertical input model.

hey its made it 20yrs so it can't be too bad.

With an EL34 swap a good bias and nice pretubes I have faith that it would sound pretty good ut you'd still prolly need a pedal to boost sustain or solos.

1987 2204 with horizontal inputs

As the last reviewer stated you can largely forget about the low input socket. Using the high input you can get an excellent bass response with any decent cabinet, a lot of treble on this head so back off on that. The gain is decent but not overpowering, with a
quality gibson guitar it has good thickness and can easily achieve the Billy Gibbons and Angus Young 70's sound.
Using a Fender I am able to get a very pleasing clean bright SRV type tone, while whacking it up full approached Blackmore/Hendrix
Overall I'd describe the sound as authentic old school Marshall
and that means to get the real heavy rock sounds a booster is desirable. I use a Marshall Shredmaster and believe me it delivers BIG TIME through this rig - searing metal with any guitar.
Modern tube Marshalls like the TSL/DSL dont need boosters get real high gain, but in my opinion the quality of the sound from the JCM 800 with the booster edges these newer amps and that is the reason your Kerry Kings etc use them.

Bullet proof

N/A

A very basic amp but possessing more classic tones than any other Marshall I've tried.

I recently had a chance to audtion a JCM800 Lead Series 2204 MKII Amp head. I always look to harmony central when checking out any equipment I'm interested in so I figured I'd post my results. I borrowed the amp from my tech's shop for about three days and figured if it lit up in my hands I would buy it. I had heard great things about them and had become interested. There isn't much in the way of feautures however, just the eq knobs and a master volume,No loop or reverb.

I'm not really sure what the big deal is at all. I have been playing guitar for about 13 years and have a Decent amp collection(Fender Super,Mesa Tremoverb,Roland Jc-120 Jazz Chorus,Fender Pro JR, Peavy ultra plus, JCM 900 Dual reverb 50w) and I couldn't figure out the appeal for this one. I cranked it and still it didn't really excite. It had just been retubed with Svetlana El-34's and Electro Harmonix preamps.Tubes biased for 40mA. It has this real nasty brightness that is too raw and biting. There is no gain on this amp, it sounds like when you roll down your guitar volume knob on a high gain amp.Anyone who tells you that there is enough gain on this amp to play metal without external effects or a booster is bullshiting you to make themselves feel better or to sell the amp. The other thing that bugs me is that the low sensitivity input is practically useless on the 50w amp. You can't get enough volume to ever compete with a drummer with the gain and master cranked. Your only bet is to use the high input and roll down the volume on the guitar for clean, although it's not that good of a clean sound on the 50watt version atleast.If your interested in this amp get the 100watt 2203 because it might have some headroom atleast. This amp is really hyped up and It doesn't even compete with the sounds I could achieve with the 50watt JCM900 Dual Reverb,(The El-34 version). Not in gain, Volume, versatility, or clean sounds, yet the JCM900 gets a bad rep from what I've seen (it's probably the 5881 version).This doesn't make any sense. Guitarist hear that the circuitry is simpler in the 800 therefore it must sound better.The only good thing I could say about it is that it had a nice bass response to it and If I owned it I could probably do the extra preamp tube mod to give it a set of balls.

Its pretty old and there is alot of them out there still so they must be reliable. Although I got it from the My amp tech's shop so who knows.

What customer support, this isn't Mesa Boogie.

Overall a huge dissapointmen.It May be the most over hyped amp of all time. I'm just writing this review to help people before they buy it off Ebay on reputation alone for like $800 because the vintage collectors are saying there are rare now.You need to have effects or a stompbox to really get any tones that are useful out of this thing and if that's the case why not use an amp that has a good clean sound to start with so you know that you can have a great clean when you turn off your distortion or booster pedal.Also there is no effects loop to help out the situation. Don't think that Zack Wylde or Kerry King of slayer use these things without pedals or rack effects to get a metal tone because it aint happening.The earlier Jcm 900 blow these things away. Everone was modding these things because they were so devoid of gain that Marshall finally caught wind and gave us the 900.Beside that there is a very bright ice pick in the ear tonality that you can't dial out with the treble or presence knob. When I buy an amp I want it to have great tone without adding other effects. Those effects should add to an already great sound not the other way around.

this is a 1985 2204 jcm 800,,, i can play any style on this amp... i mean any style... one channel... no channel switching now effect loop on this year... i don't want anything on this amp to affect the tone... it is right where i trip on it... i am only playing this at home but when i do i dream i am in front of a crowd sharing this sound with them... and power it is right there is terms of power,,, i would run two of these if i needed more.

i don't really like to give up my set up... although i will say that a good quality set up is a must... and once one finds how to get this set right you got a pro sound... classic and would impress millions of people tone wise. the sound and tone of my set up gives me goose bumps... usally when it is turn up a bit like most music the right volume for the right mood. a quality overdrive pedal or two will help get sustain at less that 3 on the dial. again i say i can play any style with this amp... just have to know how to use it.

i think i could depend on it... but as things go it is always good to be prepared ...so have some basic tools on hand and a set of tubes... i tube about once a year and ooooh! i can hear what i've been missing... don't over bias your amp to get some harder sound, bias it right and get the right tube brand and type to get the tone you need for the style you need, i have found that everything matters so just don't go at this willy nilly... this future design of the tweed bassman is one of the best. wow how we travel...

i think it is korg now so hands on and i care about MY craftsmanship has kinda gone the way of the flesh horse. there are alot of marshalls out there and alot of people own them so parts or replacements are always there... and the amp is simple in design so easy to fix. good high quality parts are being made for the good old stuff that most of us want but it really takes hard work and risk to make the good stuff... so keep demanding the good old days quality.

i have been playing for wow, 24 years, i am angry at my dad. mom too !but the rock and roll doesnt bother her as much as my dad.
i believe i would get another one... they are running 800.00 or better on e-bay... depending on shape and a little too on year earlier ones where a bit better but i have heard and worked on 1987 jcm 800... and it sounded quite impressive. i did get this amp because i have another earlier marshall 50 watt... and i wanted a jcm 800 because it will run the el34's better sound wise that the lower plate voltage idea. the jmp runs at about 368vdc and the jcm runs at about 440vdc. so i get less compression than i do with the jmp. i wish i wish... i would like to own alot of differnt marshalls to see how many i needed to own... i also want a early hiwatt dr504... but hey that would be more money on getting that sounding well with other guitars-pick-ups-speakers the right tubes...setup on and on... so sometime down the road... i like the tone sounds of the earlier amps i think... but hey i did hear a guy on a old guitar and a newr dsl and he had a sound... go figure...