Marshall JCM 900 2100

I believe this amp was made in the early 90's(I have not looked up the serial #) and basically,it replace a 6-space rack of all tube Mesa/Peavey gear!! This amp is not versatile,which I LIKE,because I can get all my different tones from my hands and guitar,instead of playing with knobs all day haha!! This has an effects loop,half-power switch(very handy),and the normal 3-band EQ,gain and volume controls.
This is a one-channel amp with a boost option via a footswitch,with 3 12ax7 and 4 EL-34 power tubes for tone/power.

I use a Ibanez RG-570 with a Dimarzio X2N in the bridge with this amp,and it sounds great for metal/rock.I boost this amp a little with a Boss SD-1 Overdrive pedal,which is the magic box for ANY Marshall! I turn the preamp gain up all the way,and turn the other fuzzy gain to around 12:00 or so(I like tight distortion,like old Metallica),and the pedal just has the volume and tone all the way up,but no drive.This is TONE from hell,literally! It's the haeviest,gnarliest amp I've ever had.Sounds close to the sound on Ride The Lightning!! I have found that Marshalls clean up better than any amp,so I turn my volume to half on my neck pickup,turn off the pedal and turn on some chorus....wow,sounds better than my last amps clean channel.This is a great amp,and they are cheap....so buy 3!!!!

Well,when I bought this,the guy who I got it from said he just got it out of the shop.At band practice,I fired it up and it sounded killer for 30 minutes,then just started losing volume.Turns out the tech did'nt bias the tubes correctly,and it had a crap output transformer.I'm glad I took it to a GOOD amp tech,because when I got it back it sounded unbelievable! I just used it on a 5 week tour,no problems! This thing is simple,so it's hard to kill it haha! Seems reliable to me,should be fine!

Never talked to Marshall dudes....

I've been playin' about 9 years and have owned lots of amps...solid state and tube(mostly tube though)and never could get the edge I wanted out of any of them.I tried Marshalls before but they never had enough gain,unless they were modified....and they were always expensive if you wanted a REAL one.Well,this sounds pretty close to a JCM 800(the holy grail metal amp)and no one cares about these!Also,once I discovered the Boss SD-1 overdrive pedal,I realized you can take the fuzz out of this amp and replace with bone-dry crunch....so...HELL YEAH!This is the best version of the 900 series because it is simple(no reverb,dual channels)and everyone knows that with Marshalls,the less crap in the circuitry the better.If you like the tone of old Slayer,Sepultura,Metallica and Anthrax you need this,straight up!This also is very death metal too,and you can get a great clean tone out of it by resetting the controls.If someone stole it I would beat some ass and then get it back,and get one more too haha!I have found the dream amp for me...get this! Oh yeah,I run this into an old JCM 800 4X12 w/vintage 30's in it.Make sure you use one of these cabs or a Mesa Rectifier cab,or the tone is less impressive haha.Great stuff!!

My amp was made December 1990. It is a "100W Hi Gain Master Volume MkIII", not the SLX. Fitted with four EL34 output valves.
It is basically an one channel amp but you can switch between two master volume settings. I never used the switch however.
I used the amp a short time when I had a band, now it sits in my bedroom decorating the wall along with a 4x12 cabinet. An eye catcher aye. Yes it has enough power for a bedroom :P
I rate it's features 10 out of 10, because I don't want anything else than a one channel amp. It's nice that it has an effects loop, recording out, and a triode/pentode switcher for the power stage but I don't need anything from it. All I want is to plug my guitar straight in and play.

Using strat with humbuckers. My style ranges from slow blues to sepultura riffs - well this means no particular style at all, another would say.
What kind of sounds can this amp make? Well. The JCM 800 series were somewhat limited in their spectrum of sounds already, and the 900er is a high gain modding of it. So you could say. You can play any sort of 80's metal with it very allright. From Motorhead style up to Metallica riffs, whatever... it is for metal. That it does good and needs to pedals or what in first instance. You can play your blues with it too, it can be even pretty clean, but - the preamp stage is made for the high gain type of sound no matter what you want.

Well one problem is the potis - my master volume A poti was worn off pretty soon, but I live with it for many years now. The rest is very sturdy and well made. Haven't had a major problem with it the past fourteen years.

I lost my Marshall logo and a new one did cost $25. Considering it is simple plastic it is too much. Thumbs down, and a 0 out of 10 for the marshall service centers. Should have been pennies.

Have been playing this one for fourteen years. My guitar is the same all the time also.
If it were stolen I'd try a 2204 but I'd stay with Marshall.
What I love about it that it can be played at bedroom levels well.
What I hate about it is it's solid state components in the preamp section. You see, the 900'er series, as successors to the 800'ers - you can view them as modded 800'ers. Power section is identical, but solid state components were introduced into the preamp section (infamous diode clipping) to make it have more gain. Pretty much like a built-in fuzz pedal. Here's the unfortunity, you can't remove the fuzz from this amp. If I was to buy another one (I wouldn't sell this one), I'd try to get a 2204. It's circuit is simple and lovely. This one however... well I have it 14 years and I'm still not sure whether we're friends or not.
Oh it is a good amp though after all. Like I said good gain at bedroom volume level is something too. Driven at high volumes the additional preamp circuits don't help. Overall, I give it an 8.

My amp was made in 1992, it's made in England, it has 4 EL34 marshall tubes and 3 12ax7 chinese preamp tubes. And all the features you already know.

I play with an Ibanez JEM77FP wich has dimarzio evolution pickups. Damn this amp sounds great! I play Satriani Stuff and something of metal and it suits very good for both, this thing gives you alot of tone and its pretty loud! I cant get any clean sounds from this amp but it was not made for playing clean. I would like it had a clean channel, you can find other version of the jcm that has it.

This amp is a tank! I'm it's secon owner so the amp has about 8 years of age and nothing is wrong with it except for the dirty in the knobs.

I've been playing 4 years, I have owned a Marshall MG80 (crap solid state amp) and a Flextone Head (not bad but not good), as you can see i started playing with solid state amps so I changed to valves and the sound is a big diference, I prefer tubes and this is a great amp that when it gets the tubes overdriven sounds awsome. If it were stolen i would definitly buy another one but I would like to have the JCM hi gain dual reverb because of the clean channel.

The features fit the bill as far as I'm concerned. This is a no-nonsense, powerhose of an amplifier. Mine was made in 91 or 92, has groove tubes in it currently. LOUD. Plenty loud for bars and larger clubs.

I use a Gibson Gothic SG Special which has Gibson's 490 pickups in it. I'm running the amp into a late 90's 1960AC (25watt Greenback celestions) People talk about this amp being shrill or too much high end. I wonder if I get the warm crunchy tones out of it due to the cab? This amp is perfect for the stuff I'm doing. We play stoner rock / doom and this amp provides a very even distortion. Tons and tons of tone. The clarity that remains through the distortion is very nice as well. You can hear each note even in thick chords. We tune down to C and this amp has no problems handling the lower frequencies. Back off the volume on the guitar and flip to the neck pickup and the amp just sings. Beautiful. Clean channel is non-existant...

I've only had the thing for a few months, but I would deem it reliable. It's built like a tank, it's a Marshall for chrissakes! Hasn't broken down. When I got it, had it checked out by an amp tech and the tubes / bias was fine. Haven't put an additional dime into it, allthough I do need to clean the volume pot which is getting a bit scratchy.

Haven't dealt with them..

Yes, the price you see above is correct... The guy I got it from thought there was something wrong with it cause he couldn't play through it clean. I bought it without even hearing it figuring it would need some repairs. Amp tech checked it out with no problems. First time I plugged it in I was in LOVE! If it were stolen I'd likely hunt them down and kick their teeth in...

Listed below.............

Tested with a ESP Horizon with Dimarzio Tone Zone bridge pup. This amp was modded to except 6L6 tubes. This change made for a usually brittle sounding amp into a warm, full bodied crunchy beast. When played clean, it was full and rich, with lots of chime and nice mids and bottom. Complete 180 degree turn around compared to the EL34's. Overdriven, it still retained the Marshall vibe, but was clearer and more defined. The amp also was noticably quieter as well.

For owners of this amp, this could be a quick way to give your amp some character.

Using 6L6's is the way to go with this amp. It makes a good amp great. And just for the record, I'm EL34 freak and usually prefer them in most Marshalls. This amp is an exception.

I purchased my JCM900 - model 2100 - around about 1988-89, when they were first issued, some 15 years ago. It has very straight - up features effects loop,3 - band eq. etc.

I run a variety of guitars through this amp. and now base my purchases
of new instruments on their response in this amp. A les - paul is a shoo - in ,I currently utilize a Jackson custom shop SL-2 & a Fender Strat 1955 custom shop NOS With awesome, CONSISTANT results ! THE KEY is realizing that the EQ section is different than your traditional EQ
configuration. (This tip came from Marshall themselves!) ALL EQ SETTINGS SHOULD INITIALLY BE SET AT 12:00. SET THE CABINET ACROSS THE ROOM FROM YOU AND YOUR TONE CONTROLS ON THE GUITAR TO THEIR MID POINTS.TWEEK YOUR SOUND FROM THIS STARTING POINT!! I personally favor sending a little more low end from the guitar ..then using the mids and highs to DEFINE my tone. BEAUTIFUL !! to those who haven't received this amp. very well I say you missed your chance with a classic !! As far as versatility I can go from DEATH to BLUES easily.
HOW ?? I bought a second one !! These amps are The most widely simulated/emulated amps in the world for a GOOD reason..*(Meaning Marshall in General.) The tone is world class! and the sound pressure
they are capabel of ..in the right hands..leaves all other amps in your rear-view mirror!! MARSHALL RULES!!!

My amps have been work horses! yes I would..and have played heavily on this amp without a back - up!! The first one I bought came with TESLA tubes !! they lasted about 5 years and because the Tesla plant was then CLOSED..(pout) I replaced them with Groove - tubes and re-biased the heads,and THAT was around 1994-95 and they are still running strong. My only complaint is the pots should be sealed better.
They can get dirty fairly frequently and cleaning them has to be a regular maint. item.

I found Marshall setting standards for service after the sale as well!!

Lost or stolen...lets see...Well I have also developed a facination with GUN collecting..... I recommend you try one OF YOUR OWN !!
That way...when you're hooked you won't have to worry about looking over your shoulder for the rest of your life!

This is an early 1990's amp that is all tube - 4 EL34's and 3 12AX7's. It is a "modified: one channel amp that kicks in more gain on a second channel. In other words, the second channel really just adds gain 11-20 on the knob. It has a half power switch to go from 100 watts to 50 watts and two speaker extensions and effects loop.

I think the sound is incredible, despite what people say about the tone. The gain is the heart of this amp, BUT, the tone is simple and aggressive in that it has great treble and mid sounds and a tight bottom end. This also depends on what type of speaker cabinet you use. If you use the 1960AV or AX, it is alot more satisfying than going through the more modern 1960 cabinets. Those cabs use the vintage 30's and the Greenbacks, which gets you warmer sounds with lots of tone. But, lets be honest, this amp was made for the 80's metal and rock groups. It is a pure rock machine with very little versatility but just great sound.

So far so good after 9 years of having this amp. I have replaced the tubes 3 times and just as another tone note, Groove Tubes sound alot better than the traditional Svetlanas in this amp. Cosmetically, the tolex is rough but still clean.

I have called Marshall and have been able to talk to them about 75% of the time I have called them. Very friendly and helpful, even with "Mod" ideas, if you have them.

I slao have a 4100 from this series and love both. The 2100 is great for all rock venues. I would definitely get another from this early 90's Marshall line. It is definitely worth it. Everyone wants the versatility of two channels for certain types of music but not everyone gigs that way - the 2100 was made for them. It is also very good for instrumentalist like myself - or for those who play gigs with very little vocals like Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Richie Kotzen, Greg Howe, Eric Johnson, Jason Becker, Marty Friedman or any Metal Bands.

I'm not sure what year this amp is. I bought it seven years ago used. As far as versatility of this amp, I've found it to be very versatile within 3 or 4 music genres. For rock, metal, blues, and a couple others, it's fantastic. This amp is made to play and sound heavy. If you plug a strat with single coils into it expecting Hank Williams Jr. you've got problems. The effects loop is something I don't use at all. I've realized the Marshall doesn't take to kindly to effects nor does it need the addition of any. I enjoy the single channel with volume switch. It's really all that I need.

I have a Dean Z XL and an Ibanez RG470 with black chrome hardware. Both are loaded with factory humbuckers. I used to have an older Ibanez with an EMG 81. My current guitars sound fantastic with this amp. The Dean especially. I also play the amp through a vintage Peavey 4X12 with old school Black Widows. With that setup, the amp is going to sound heavy regardless. Other than a general hum when the amp fires up I don't have any problems with noise. The amp has a very creamy low distortion. When you jack it up, the Marshall sound is unparalleled. I like to drop the mids out of the mix a little bit. That gives me a meaner sound. If I leave the preamp volume up and bring the gain back down to 11, the mild distortion and general tube warmth is fucking awesome.

The only things that have crapped out on me have been the fuses. No big deal. That and I need to rebias and replace my power tubes. I probably should do that since it hasn't been done in the existence of this particular amp.

I've been playing guitar for 13 years. I've owned Fender, Crate, Peavey, and Mesa Boogie amps. My 2100 is the best of all of them. I've found that My Dean sounds the best through the amp. I recently tuned it down to B flat and the sound is crushing.

If the amp were stolen, I would hunt down and kill the bastard who took it. Either that or I would buy another one.

The 2100 is a metal/punk machine. Pumping 100 watts it is a power maze. More than one channel would be a plus. Dealing with metal, death, punk, hardcore this one is for you! This amp has been a 5 year thing for me since I baught it from the recycler.com. It is great and reliable for live shows and sounds even better with gain on 10 (goes up to 20!) and even better than that in the studio. Overall I use this amp merely for the studio. I prefer a valvestate or mg for live shows, just beacuse the valvestates are lightweight and playing clubs the equiptment could get mest up pretty bad. It use el34's (compare to 5881's) with makes it a beast and a machine in it's own way. I've played dual rectifiers and this is better..

I use a schecter omen with humbuckers and this amp is made for humbuckers! This amp is my baby next to my real baby. I would cry if it dies or got lost or stolen.

The amp tends to get a bit noisy with the volume all the way up and sometimes I hear radio stations on it (very rarley)
It is a powerhouse of tones and it is very beefy and loud!
I guess thats what makes it cool!

No problems besides I had to change the tubes and get it biased ($50)

I guess I got a good one on a good day!
Haven't had to call.

Playing for 15 years (25) And I've played pignoses, to gorillas, to crates, to peavey's, to riverera's <--thats a different review! to mesa's finnaly to marshall and I choose marshall for the thick, warm, cruncy, heavy, brown sound that only a true marshall can produce!

The features are not very versatile as far as channel switching goes. One channel is Gain and the other is More Gain. The amp has four Power tubes and three Preamp tubes and 4 tone controls - Bass, Mid Treb & presence. Effects loop and two external speaker outputs for a total of 100 watts of pure rock.

The tone is tremendous. Not much of the clean sounds but THAT IS NOT WHAT THIS AMP WAS MADE FOR. Good tonal variety through many guitars - Ibanez, Gibson, Fender, Peavey, Kramer & ESP (yes, I own them all). Good lack of feedback and buzzing/hissing noise at high levels. With just three preamp tubes, the gain was smooth and plentiful. Good for Metal, Rock, Neo classical rock and Texas Blues.

Good after 5 and a half years with replacement of tubes once.

Haven't needed it.

I have been playing for 8 years and this is a great rock amp, all the way around. I would definitely buy another if it were stolen, or maybe the two channel 4100.