Marshall JCM 900 4100 Dual Reverb

This amp has very few features, but that's one of the reasons i bought it. Simplicity. 2 channels, one clean (ish), one dirty. All valve grunt. This amp is plenty powerful, and if the power is too much you can flick to half power on the back which cuts out 2 of the power valves (i've been told).

One complaint... I wish marshall would supply footswitches as standard with these heads.

I'm using this head with a brand new Marshall 1960B cab and a Maverick F1 with stock humbucker pickups and it sounds fantastic. The clean channel is *clean* despite what i've read on here. The lead channel sounds great too. Really full distortion, so full i'm thinking of using that channel as my main distortion and scraping my distortion pedals. I play mostly metal and heavy rock and it can do pretty much everything i want.

I've heard some horror stories of this amp setting on fire etc but i've yet to experience any problems. I gig without a backup, but my other guitarist has a spare H&H head for emergencies. I would have rated this amp at 10 but i'm still not 100% sure it is reliable.

Have dealt with Marshall before regarding my AVT-100. They were helpful and dealt with my query with no problems.

I have played through quite a few amps in my time, mostly marshalls, and i can honestly say this is the best thing i ever ever heard in person. In my opinion it sounds better than my other guitarists JCM 800 setup. Great value too. I agree with another guy on here, these amps will become the new JCM 800. Personally i don't see what the fuss is about with those amps. I do think a good cab is important too. I played this head through an old vintage marshall cab and it sounded very thin. Get a stock Marshall cab and you'll be laughing! All i have to do now is find me a footswitch.

bought it in 1997, i believe edition came out late 80s early 90s for this one particularly, Not too versatile,good for rock but in my opinion about it, Particularly i play death/black metal, 2channels with channel switching,effects loop pretty good, has the ability with a screwdriver to adjust the loop volume, i have gigged with it, toured with it,good for home,small gig, medium gig venues so power is fine especially with 100watts, dual reverb, volume, gain, presence,low, mid. high.

gig rig, jackson,esp customs with emg h4s, into the fxloop in descending order from head, bbe sonicmaximizer,boss gx700 preamp,roland vf1 virtual effects processor, samson wireless, NOISY AS hell, when you have the volume on the amphead around 4, and your volum on guitar down you hear fuzz/static big time, regardless of environments, clean channel does distort at high volume, this amp minus my rack gear would be best suited for rock with a plexish sound but nothing metal in distortion and clean is alright for some things, i love the fx loop though, but withoutsome real rack gear or pedals distortion is not brutal at all.the highs however are bit too high and the brightness can be a pain to handle

well first 5 years no problems worked great, then some tubes went replaced them, then it had to be rebiased and wasnt the same after that then the damn preamp started going and i gave up 4 years later.The amphead was always kept clean, in a moist free environemnt and always warmed up still had these issues

bought off of a jazz musician, company itself was nice but repairing it to be sent back to england= massive shipping. and as for having it serviced around the us not very good as problems reoccured despite lutheiers awards etc

Ive been playing 14years, i have a jackson,esp custom, boss gx700 preamp/fx, roland vf1 fx, bbe sonic maxmizer, jcm900head,jcm2000, 2x 1960a cab, 1 1960b cab

2 channels, four tone pots, two reverb levels. All tube. Multiple pre gains and post gains. Read some other reviews for full detail. Look for super versatility elsewhere, although I don't think I understand how versatile some people really want there gear to be. I play a range of music, and I find this amp suited to almost all of them very well. This was in the first run of the JCM900's, 1989-1990. It's over ten years old and running very strong.

Ok, this is where I've come to a realization. I have owned this amp for a while now, and it's really become a part of my sound. I reviewed it earlier, and I didn't give it credit where credit is due. I use a high output set of pickups, a duncan custom custom, and a duncan invader. I use coil taps on each, especially the neck, and I get good clean tones. Without the taps, I find humbuckers muddy on the JCM900. However, lean into it on the treble pickup, with the gain around 16 (it goes to 20...), and it has a great crunch. It's awesome, especially at high volumes. Gigging with this amp is fun, because I really get to turn it up, which is when it sounds best. I have never had any noise problems with it, although my footswitch is old and busted up. But I AM the 3rd owner... The clean channel cranked sounds much fatter than at low volumes, especially with single coils. I play ska, blues, garage rock, funk, a little metal from time to time, and some emo. This amp won't cut it using stock pickups if you're looking for a super-gain sound. But quoting a review below me, "then you'd just sound like a keyboard." I think that's hilarious. Funny cause it's true. I like grit and balls, not fuzz. I am using a Les Paul, almost exclusively with this amp. Strats are fun on it too though, especially for clean stuff. My advice is find your tone and turn it up. It doesnt sound like a Mesa, which is what I used to think I wanted. I went and played a dual rectifier, and I was surprised to come home and really, seriously prefer the tones I got from my JCM900. Fender has the clean channel beat, and they always will. But I have my 1966 Pro Reverb for that...

Reverb unit crapped out on me, but I am the third owner. The prior owner replaced it himself, so now I have to clean up his sloppy work. Thats the only problem I have ever had with it though. Built tough, looks great.

Never delt with anybody... never really had to.

I think this amp is bound to become a classis. I think it gets a few great tones, but that's all anybody could really ask of one amp. I don't like the 20 channel, solid state crap that Line6 churns out. For fat tube tone, this Marshall is awesome. I've played through a TSL100, and the only thing I liked better about that amp was the clean channel. This amp is really great.

MY AMPS ALL THREE JCM 900 HEADS WERE MADE IN 1998,SOME PEOPLE BITCH ABOUT THE LACK OF PERFECT CLEAN SOUNDS FROM THEM, I LOVE THE EDGE THAT YOU CAN GET. I DONT WANT CRYSTAL CLEAR. IT USES 5881 TUBES LIKE SOLDANO SLO BUT IT DOES NOT LOSE THE LEAD TONE AT HIGH VOLUME LIKE A SOLDANO DOES.THEY ARE Essentially 6L6 TUBES LIKE 5150 USES.

I USE PEAVEY WOLFGANG GUITARS AND THEY SOUND GREAT WITH IT. I GET PEOPLE THAT ARE PISSED OFF THAT MY STAGE SOUND IS SO GOOD. THEY CANT BELIEVE THAT I GET THIS OUT OF A 900. VOLUME 5-7 IS WHERE I PLAY. THIS IS WHERE THIS AMP COMES ALIVE. I PLAY LEAD LIKE YNGWIE,EDDIE AND RHYTHM LIKE P.O.D,SALIVA,OZZY,MUDVAYNE.AND DONT USE A FUZZ PEDAL.

NEVER HAD A PROBLEM

NEVER HAD A PROBLEM

BEEN PLAYING LIVE FOR 17 YEARS THESE ARE THE BEST AMPS I HAVE EVER USED. PEOPLE TELL ME EVERY DAY I HAD THE BEST AMP SOUND OR STAGE SOUND THEY EVER HERD, EVEN FROM OTHER GUITAR PLAYERS THAT USE RECTO,S
OR WHAT EVER. MOST OF YOUR SOUND COMES FROM THE WAY YOU PLAY SO I MUST OF MASTERED HOW TO SOUND GOOD THROUGH A 900 :)

Same features as listed already. I rate this highly on features mainly due to all of the output options (cab types, output wattage, operation voltage) as well as the fact that each channel has it's own gain and reverb settings. Excellent.

Best sounding amp I've ever played and I have owned and played many (including Peavey Classic 30, Classic 50, all tube Fender Blues Jr. and Blues DeVille, Fender RocPro1000, vintage Vox AC30 and a 1969 Fender Twin Reverb). Awesome distortion no matter which guitar I played through it. When I added a tube screamer before the amp as a gain booster (with the drive on the pedal turned down) the amp distortion became even richer. I don't play metal, just middle of the road rock as far as distortion's go - and this amp's distortion is amazing. I think the people saying otherwise either 1) haven't replaced the tubes / adjusted the bias, or 2) don't understand EQ settings. The clean sounds on this amp aren't brittle and glasslike such as a Fender would provide, but I tend to think that sound is a bit wimpy for most rock. I think the clean channel has a nice tonal character and cuts through a band setting better than the Fender type sounds.

This amp is a winner - though I bought it to resell (the price was great) I think I will be holding on to it instead.

I've been playing for over 15 years, have owned at least 150 guitars and 2 dozen amplifiers. This is an excellent amp and sounds a hell of a lot better than most of the Marshall's I have tried out at Guitar Center. Excellent, excellent amp. Don't let the ignorant people who don't know how to set an amp up discourage you from trying one out.

This amp has all the features I need. Other people might disagree but I like to simply plug straight into the amp hear that raw rock tone that it gives. Most don't know how to set a fucking amp right, that might make a difference.

The 900 sounds just as good or beter then any amp I played out of or heard. I use a Fender Strat with a Seymour Duncan hot rails in the bridge and that just kicks ass with this amp. Like a said before you just got to know how to set equiment right.

Never had probelms. The less shit on a amp the better. Everyone wants alot of effects built into the amp but that takes away of how the amp sound really sound.

JCM 900 - 4100 model - 100 W - 3 preamp tubes, 4 power tubes (2 in 50W mode)
Made: 1990-1992 (not so sure).
I play italian rock.... i use quite always dirty channel and get what i need with the guitar's volume potenziometer, so i need just it.
2 channel, for each channel indipendent gain, volume, reverb level.
The two channels share low, middle, treble and presence control.
It has footswitch for channel selection and reverb on off. The footswitch is without leds.
It has output power cutter: 100 to 50W.
It has something that i don't use: fx loop in and out, direct out, compensated out.
I give a 7 not because it misses something, but because i think that somethink is not necessary...and this is a lack!

Guitar: Gibson nighthawk
Style: rock
My amp isn't noisy
The amp sound quite everything. don't think at perfectly warm cleans, OBVIOUSLY, but it's perfect from crunchy clean to distorted tones.

I use it on my gigs without a backup
10 years old, i have it from 1, never broken

never needed

great amp for great stage.
you have to use it with good cabinets and you can make your guitar heard with its own voice.

not sure of the year this amp was made, but, its a marshall, does it really matter?
only one eq on this rig, but i play classic and southern rock, so it works well. It has the classic marshall "rock" sound, which is why i bought it in the first place.

i am useing this amp with a Peavey Odyssey, and a Gibson SG standard.
both of these guitars simply rock on this amp.
I run this head in a full stack configuration useing Peavey 4x12ms top
and a 4x12 m bottom. You are asking why i use peavey speakers instead of marshall. well, I dont play 50s style rock so the marshall 1960 series speakers are way to bright, the peaveys have much more balls.
the amp only has the power hiss when idleing...no other noises can be heard. The distortion on the dirty channel can give you all the gain you could possibly ever use, any more just would be over kill.
if you had any more gain you would begin to sound like a keyboard....whats the use?
this is not your country amp at all....its not a fender....but then again..you wouldnt buy this amp if you were playing country.
This amp fits my playing style perfectly.
I have been gigging for more then 20 years now ( getting old ).
This is my second tube amp, and i played a bunch of amps before i bought this one. Marshall is the "classic" rock sound.

i have had this amp for over a yer now...and am still on the same set of tubes. one thing in increasing tube life...let the amp warm up.
if you hammer a cold amp...you are taking a lot of life from the tubes.
this amp has performed without a hitch, and i expect it to continue this way.
i handle my equipment very carefully all the time...so i haven had much problems with any of it.
I do take a backup, just in case.

I have never had to deal with customer support.

like i said before..i have been playing over 20 years...this amp is simply the greatest i have had the pleasure of playing it that time.
if it was lost or stolen....yes... i would replace it with the same.
there is nothing i hate about this amp...i hear others complaining about the shared eq...not enough gain....not clean enough...WHY did you buy this amp?????
I bought this amp because it sounded like i wanted an amp to sound.
if i didnt like the features and the sound....i wouldnt have bought it.

Marshall JCM 900 Hi-gain dual reverb (4100), A channel (clean) and B channel (OD). I mostly play punk-rock/ hardcore/ rock and I think this amp is very usefull for these styles of music...no chit-chat..pure power, straight forward... It's a 100 watt, I tried it next to an orange OD (130 W) and I must say the marshall blew it away... with volume, but as well with sound-quality... The only stupid thing is that I don't seem to find a footswitch to turn the reverb on/ off ( if this is possible with this amp??? )... If anyone has a tip don't hessitate to mail..!!

Usually I play a Gibson les pauls special, but I've tried it with an Gibson SG and a fender (delonge) and I must say it gets the most out of your guitar... real pumping bass-sound end nice 'edgy' high-tones...

It has never let me down so far so I really don't have an opinion bout this... but I must say that I am very carefull with it during transportation and after playing a gig for instance, I don't move it for at least ten to fifteen minutes...so that the tubes have fully cooled down (maybe a good tip)

I bought it second hand...and like I said before .. it has never let me down so...

I'v been playing the guitar for 8 years or so... I'v played with fender amps, marshall valvestates, marshall JCM 2000, Mesa's, 5150's and other peavy's I must say this is one of the nicest sounding amp's I'v ever heard...

The features have been covered already, but I will say that it is pretty limited. Only a single EQ for two channels doesn't give you much head room. I play in an Indie Rock band and I like to have different pre-amp voicings for both the channels, but this amp lacks in that department. When gigging with this amp be sure to buy a surge protector (power surges blow everything out of this amp). A backup might be nice too.

I run a Tele through my JCM900. Though it isn't very flexible, it is a descent sounding amp. It is plenty loud also. Don't buy this amp for it's clean channel if you like playing dry. The clean channel distorts easily and tends to sound muddy. The distortion is great though.

The JCM900 is a very reliable amp until you have your first problem with it. After that it is never the same. Things start happening left and right. All tube amps are high maintenance, but this is a little higher than most. The casing may be built like a tank, but the guts of this thing are kind of sketchy. I have had problems with the valves, the reverb unit, the power supply, and a couple bad connections. Preventative maintanence will help you greatly, but it cannot prevent this amp from doing unexpected things.

Never dealt with them.

I have been playing for about 9 years, and have been in various bands for the last 6 years. If someone stole this from me, I would buy something else.