The WORST Flagship Marshall? | Marshall JCM 900 High Gain Dual Reverb 100
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The JCM 900 was designed to be used at very high volume levels in order to get the amp cookin. At bedroom levels you’ll never get the desired results because the 900 was designed for the concert stage. Most reviewers base their reviews on bedroom volumes.
Reminds me of all the crap Stevie ray Vaughan tone tutorial videos that sucked and then that Matthew kid made his version and cranked the fender amp to 10 and instantly sounded exactly like Stevie lmao. People just continuously miss the mark on so much stuff.
Easy to attenuate with an eq or line selector pedal by boss,perfect and cheap solution
I've gigged with mine and it always sounded terrible. I was never satisfied with the tone and boosted it with a Ibanez TS9. I want a Mesa instead
It's a grunge amp and as such it sucks ass
@@scottnoricsson2023 agreed, I want to riddle my JCM 900 head with bullets
Are these the greatest amps Marshall ever made? No.
Do they deserve their bad reputation? Hell no!
These are decent. I only sold mine because GAS is perpetual.
You made it sound dope!
For Morbid Angel stuff this is the best Marshall ever made, yes.
I think it sounded really good, to be honest. Don't really get the hate for these; it might sound 'thin' alone but that won't matter once you get a bass player in the mix. Saves you from having to trim your lows when that happens in the first place.
Agreed bro
Yep yep
Yeah.... I sometimes get annoyed by bedroom players that complain about thin amps for this reason....
The tone I usually seek is " thin".
You nailed it spot on, a bass player in the rightful spot in the mix takes care of itself. When guys go in all scooped out mud prevails.
Depends on what you like I guess.
I like Maiden, the Scorps, King Diamond.
In the Last few years I've learned something about my bass tone as well similar to this. When playing in my garage by myself I like to roll the mids off to get a nice low end beefy sound but I noticed in a full band setting the mid range notes were lost, I saw a video from a guy who said "yes we all love to roll off the mids in our bedrooms but when playing with a band you need to add some or else you will get lost in the drums and guitars". He literally described what i had been experiencing 🤣.
I used the JCM900 for my entire live touring career, always got compliments on my tone from fellow musicians. And yes, it needs to be stage volume to be at it's best. It's a great amp and channel A with gain all the way up is a GREAT distortion tone.
Jeff you saved my life. I hate sound of channel B, but I pushed gain of channel A to maximum after i read you comment, punched it with KHDK Ghoul Screamer and sounds much better- still to thin but usable before I sell it 😎
Totally agree
Hell yeah, man. Channel A rules. People think it's a clean channel, but it's really meant to be a your AC/DC channel. Channel B is the over the top, juiced up sound. It's fine but I'd rather put an overdrive of my choice in front of the A channel.
@dzastbutch7927 if it sounds thin thin you have a weak power tube.
I wonder if channel A avoid the diode. Clipping of the amp
I’ve had probably 100 amps over the years. It always amazes me, that guitar players think they can “buy” their sound. When in reality, most of it comes from your brain, your fingers, your heart and soul. Almost any amp can be tweaked to sound good if you know what you’re doing. I’ve owned many Marshall’s including 2 JCM 900 heads. I’ve found them to sound amazing, I would take one any day over a JCM 800, because of their versatility, which allows you to play all styles of music. I had an amazing guitar player friend years ago, who played through a old Peavey Standard solid state head. He sounded fantastic. If you find a good price on a JCM 900, buy it. Then practice and learn how to tweak it, so it sounds good out in the audience. Not where you are.
I agree. I've been able to get a good sound out of every Marshall I've tried.
I get your point and theirs truth in that, but still need a good amp.
I Also agree my friend. That's true.
IMHO, the single channel JCM900 MKIII & SL-X are as good or better than any JCM800 Single or dual channel. I have them all. I'd say the SL-X is my #1
@@brpadington same.
This amp was used on Silverchair's Frogstomp album, which had a pretty monstrous tone. Definitely an unfairly-maligned amp.
This.
Accurate.
Probably needed more post processing and eq/boosting than most other hi gain amps
The ones who bash it just don't know how to use it or it doesn't suit their taste...
who the hell is silverchair??
The only reason it sounds "thin" is because of the effect loop. "jump" the loop with a patch cable and adjust effect loop level to taste. If you search for JCM 900 Effect Loop hack, this is well documented.
That's just stupid
Probably explains why I had no idea it was so hated as I had to rent one for a gig and with nothing more than a ZW-44 in front and an MXR 10 band in the loop with some very aggressive sculpting, it sounded fucking savage, almost exactly like Demanufacture.
I recorded a few demos with it at the time too and it’s one of the most uniquely brutal distortions I’ve ever recorded.
Why comment on an amp you have obviously never played on lol.
Excellent point,...
I forget that,...but my amp guy,...
Jong at Sunset Repair in Anchorage always makes my gear top notch.
@@guitarexpert2245 Nope. It's a fact.
I remember playing one of these in the 90s for a brief GAS chapter. Live in a power trio I was approached by a local golden-ear/good taste pro recording engineer gushing over how amazing my tone was. I think this amp reached a live audience much differently than it reached player's ears at home. Was SM57 in front of a G12-75, flat at the board. Incredible through the PA. I replaced it with a dual rec and was convinced it was "better" but those compliments dried up live...maybe shoulda kept it!
Nothing cuts through a mix like a Marshall.
Great amp, very sturdy and well built like a tank. Got it brand new when it first came out, and still rocking. I love it.
Agree...there's a lot of great amps...Marshall Soldano beautiful straight in
The JCM 900 rules. I don't think the mids of the 900 go particularly well with the V30's, for my tastes. I put Redbacks and Alnico creams in my matching 900 angled cab and it sounds killer. Also great clean channel on this amp.
Dam right. It kicks ass. I have the 50 watt dual reverb on a bugera cab and it's just a beast.
@@thomasterry1685 I had a 4500 and it kicked ass. Use the loop or patch it is #1, then the right speakers. Awesome amp.
I love my JCM 900 High Gain Dual Reverb 100 watt headand I am proud to have it in my fleet. It has an excellent clean channel and does everything from Soft Rock to Jazz to Country really well in channel one. In Channel two It also excells at low gain and high gain Hard Rock. Is it a modern metal amp like an EVH 100w Stealth? No but the JCM 900 was designed 30 years ago. It takes pedals well and it's extremely versitle and effective at many many different styles. It also sticks out in a mix with very little effort.
One of the things I like about it best is that it has a unique voicing. It isnt like other amps.
It's unique because of the stupid Solid State Op-Amps and Diodes. A/B a D.R vs SL-X. Night & day.
Most guitar players run distortion &/or overdrive pedals into tube amps, and 99.9% of those are solid state, so why is an amp having a diode so bad?
Not a huge fan of 900s myself but coming the 90s / early 2000 skate punk scene these guys can really capture that tone well. I could live with it if it was my only amp to choose from.
Lol that's not much of an endorsement. Personally I despise anything 90s especially music
Boost or OD in front, eq in the loop & there’s no stopping these amps. The 900’s can be a little stiff & unforgiving (compared to newer amps) and I guess this is where the problems may begin, for some. Great vid btw
Exactly. Anyone sound good with a 5153 right of the bat, but it hides your weaknesses. The older amps hide nothing! Maybe that’s what people really want: hides their weaknesses instead of working on them.
I subbed . Dude this is the best amp review I have ever watched . I thought you were a little hard on JCM 900 as the tones you got on first 2 pedals , lead channels or clean with gain cranked sounded beautiful. Low end is for bass player . But I respect your playing skills immensely. I dig your channel
Thanks man! To be fair, I wasn't personally hating on the 900, I was talking about the stigmas surrounding the amp. I actually think it sounds great in this video.
One thing I will say, this amp might not be the funnest for chugging by yourself but it sure would blend into the mix with other instruments beautifully. It would just give the bass player more room to fill in the mix.
Yeah thats what i was thinking too
and if you layered it with a HM-2 or a more filled out, dynamic amp, it would probably sound great if you do the whole parallel processed bass thing, like Joey Sturgis/Nolly style.
Y'all are wrong, these amps suck at everything. Only Noel Gallagher may disagree.
@@SuperDeadRooster There are plenty of people just in this comment section alone that disagree. All personal preference and how you set it up.
@@waylong25 No unfortunately they suck..Buzzy nasty tone with no character
The 900 with el34 tube is the sweetest best kept secret in history. The cleans have a light crunch and dirty channel is amazing. When I switched tubes from 6L6 to the 34s I ditched all my OD pedals. You will need a second amp for cleans though. A three channel version with a 6l6 side and a el34 side would be ideal
Yes the EL34's make a huge difference this demo is NOt with the EL34's.
Wait so you had the "5881" version and put EL34 without have to mod it? I have the 5881 version but it has 6L6 which seem a little thin sounding. I bought it off Guitar Center for $500 not realizing it was the 5881 version. I was thinking of trading it for an Orange TH 30 because I also have a JCM 2000 DSL 100 with EL34's but I'm kinda torn on keeping it and if I can just throw in EL34's that might just be the answer.
@@1thess523 That’s a great price if you got it for that. Yes I have the 5881. No mods just switch the tubes and bias it. I would suggest bringing it to somebody to be biased or you may kill yourself. The transformer holds power even when it’s unplugged for quite a while. Good luck finding the tubes though it is kind of difficult right now. But yes the original sound was extremely thin. The new sound will be a crunchy clean like British. I had to get a second amp for completely clean sound so I went with a Vox.
you willl have to see if you can bias it low enough as the tubes are different wattages. @@1thess523
I bought a new one in 92 and played the hell out of it for decades. Mostly because I couldn't afford anything else. I was always struggling with tone. Get it good enough, the next day come back and it wasn't right. Three things I did that was consistent and helped tremendously. 1. Music Man 4x12 bass cabinet. The bigger magnets made a big difference. 2. Mainly used the clean channel cranked. Added pedals when needed and rolled off volume for clean. 3. Effects loop never seemed to be that great BUT if I closed the loop with a basic patch cable and cranked the level it helped to tighten it up and upped the volume slightly. My version was 50 watt and it has a half watt switching the back. Keeping it at full wattage was noticeable.
I loved this analysis of the JCM900! Excellent in-depth review. It goes to show that if you know your way around an amp/cab/speakers + boost, you can get a useable tone - not perfect - but usable out of most amps. I used to own a MESA Stiletto with frequencies that could cut through a lead wall...but when played through an orange 4x12...those harsh frequencies were eliminated and the amp rocked.
So true. Also too many people sleep on what even a simple cheap eq pedal can get you.
A mate of mine played one through a 1960a with greenbacks in it and it sounded monstrous, totally astounded me I’ve never turned my nose up at one since
I don’t know how popular these amps were for the metal scene but I know that they were used in the 90’s skate punk and pop punk scene a bunch. So I guess it comes down to what style of music you’re going for.
Kinda popular in hardcore, emo, indie scenes of the 90's also.
I owned a 4500 and it was incredible! I think having 50w made the amp more “emulsified” with low end so to speak. Thanks for demoing this bad Larry.
I had one. Used it a festival and the sound guy wanted to use it on all bands....!! Moved on to a 6100 head, not a good move....
@@christianboddum8783 haha dude you get it!
I have the same 4500 JCM900 too. Try and get yourself a GT-7025 12AX7 preamp tube for it. A buddy of mine had a NOS one and we placed it in V1 and omg this amp turned into whole different animal! That along with an EQ in the loop, and it can hold its own with my buddies RM100.
Try it you won't be disappointed!
@@jeffallen3382 I wish I still had the thing!! An EQ in the loop is so great. I was doing a sonic maximizer through the loop for a while there.
I own an early 80s JCM800 50W and a 2003 JCM2000 100W. Both have to be ridiculously loud to hear the amp sing as it was meant to. I added attenuators to both and now they both can be turned up without alerting the International Space Station. Huge difference in playability and tone.
I've been hoping they do a "Studio" version like the SJ/Plexi/JCM800, I have all 3 and this would be a nice addition.
I also have all 3 !! Don’t need the 900 ,have an Engl fireball 25 instead!!
I know they made a JVM1 but a JVM studio version would be amazing
4100 jcm 900 mods for modern sounds and high gain: piggyback a 10k resistor on R42 and change the treble bright cap c37 for a 270 pf. Don´t clipp out diodes, will oscillate sooner o later... stick a boss sd-1 at the front and an EQ pedal in the FX loop.... a real sleepper amp in the second hand market... with this mods, you will change your mind and never look back..... all your marshall tones in a solid built amp with as much gain as any recto or 5150..
I just sold my 4500, loved that amp. I've always preferred the 900s over *most* of the 800s I've played.
I have the JCM900 SLX 100 watt. It sounds fantastic when rebiased hotter and has a fantastic master volume. I’ve heard people say it doesn’t use the same diode clipping a as most other JCM900s but haven’t verified this. All I know is I can get the Plexi sounds I like with a good MV and FX loop. There’s a lot of gain on tap but I mostly use it in lower gain ranges
Correct there's no diode clipping in the SLX
It's has an extra pre amp tube.
These were punk band staple back in the mid 90's through early 00's. 2 channels and could be had at reasonable prices younger players could afford. My first band had one of these as our second tube amp (first was a 50 watt Hiwatt) and we loved it as we did some cleaner, ska-ish stuff. That said, in 98 our guitar player picked up a Rev F blackface Dual rectifier and it was a night and day difference; I remember comparing them and was amazed at how much more massive the Mesa sounded! That said, not deserving of the hate; lots of bands/players have made some good music on the lowly jcm 900.
JCM 900 pop punk and Skate punk and Mesa Dual Rec for melodic hardcore in the 90's 👍. Both of my guitarist for both bands that played in play jcm 900 oh, I still play 90s style pop punk as well as skate Punk and I have a jcm900 like the one in this video but a 50-watt and then I have a jcm2000 dsl100. I also play drums and do a bunch of drum covers of those bands from that era if you want to check them out on my channel
@@stephenfrancis303 I'm pretty much a 90's Era guy (I'm 47), I had left the scene when I became a Christian for a few years and when I came back in 2005 it was a whole new scene the skinny jeans and flip flops were in full affect and Orange amps and Esp guitars were everywhere. The Christian bands I got to see live were using Marshall and Mesa, I got to see a lot of the Fat and Epitaph bands and it was all pretty much Mesa. I did see recently that John Haggerty of Pegboy played and still plays Hiwatt
John Haggerty of Pegboy used a Hiwatt 👍
@@1thess523 Did not know that about John Haggerty! He gets such a killer crunch out of that Hiwatt, must be running it so loud
@@JinxRemoving yeah I had seen an old still photo and then in some recent videos he is still using one along with his Strat 👍
I think a lot of folks hated on these because of the G12T-75 speakers that the JCM900 cabs came loaded with. That and the: Oh NoEs ClIpPinG DIoDeS! As they put a boost in front of their amp. Personally, I thought they were good for the popular rock genres of that era.
Yep! I had one of these and the SL-X back in the day and I really liked them for what I was doing at that time. Classic metal and Hard Rock. But I used a Greenback loaded cab and they matched well for those amps.
@@TheAxe4Ever I have slx too - it's much better than dual reverb. Slx is full tube amp without diode clipping like dual reverb and Mark III. Very close like jcm800 with additional tube in preamp.
@@TybekGrindCore I have SLX too….oh god such a great amp completely different sound comparing to Dual reverb .
Dual reverb sucks a lot due to diode clipping
@@brunobredow3433 Exactly. What cab (speaker) do you use ? Recently I wonder about speaker changing (I use g12t75 in Marshall 1960).... Maybe v30 or Eminence v12 will be better with slx ?
I disagree. I think the T75s were a good pairing with this head. V30s are so mid heavy that it just adds to the brightness. The scooped nature of T75s help tame that brightness a bit.
I wish I hadn't sold my JCM900 4100, I adored it and FOR ME it was the perfect Marshall. Absolutely adore the amp.
Driving it with either Lace Sensors or a SB JB into a 2x12 with V30s and the tone was killer. And the clean channel is beautiful! To me the major reason so many people turn their noses up at it is because it's nOt AlL tUbE!!1! which means nothing in the grand scheme of things when this is basically the cousin of the Silver Jubilee and I don't see anyone telling Slash his tone sucked balls.
It's also very harsh when people compare it to modern metal amps when that's not what it was created for - it's a hard rock/alternative/grunge amp and that's where it excels. Damnit it's making me want another one!
A lot of Death Metal bands used it back then though
So, my band played a show a few years ago.
Band that played right before us was beginning their set, I’m side stage getting my stuff ready and I hear this guitar ring out, the most glorious, thick,chewy, heavy af but clear as a bell tone I’ve ever heard.
Like, literally one of the best guitar tones ever.
I went around to the front of the stage to see what he was playing.
Jcm 900….
To this day it’s the best live tone I’d ever heard. Ever.
I have no idea if his was modded or what.
I chalk it up to Marshall being Marshall and accidentally making an amazing amp now and then.
You weren't playing an orange that day by chance were you? Lol
A mate brought his JCM900 over SL-X 50w version and I thought that amp sounded pretty much as you describe. Also, with a good distortion pedal you can turn virtually any of these amps into a thick / angry sounding metal amp. Take it further with an EQ pedal in the loop.
Yea I love the 900
I think cab your using has a lot to do with it. Maybe this messa cab even though their loved by many. maybe ain't a good match for the 900 .
Trey used dual JCM 900s with matching cabs in Morbid Angel. I believe there was cascading involved. If you blend it with another amp, the mix sounds killer.
I kinda love the JCM 900 model on Axe Fx Ultra. I did own the actual amp for a couple years and enjoyed it while I had it.
He also used a Rat
I have a 1990 MK III 2100 single channel full stack. Great amp and made to turn up loud especially with two cabinets. Put some nice tubes in the head, mix of newer and NOS and it rocks. Agree with other comments, these are not a low volume bedroom amp.
I don’t know if I’ve only ever happened to play the “magic” ones but I’ve always loved the 900’s when I’ve jammed through them. It’s only been about 3 I’d say but they sounded phenomenal. But you did throw me a bit of a curve ball when I heard that opening part because that didn’t sound all that sweet to my ears haha.
I definitely don't think it's a bad amp. Not my favorite, but it most certainly can be pushed into something very useable. Like lots of marshalls, get the master volume up, bass and highs can be temperamental, don't skimp on the midrange. Overdrives help. It's kind of a great supporting amp, not a upfront, in your face amp. Great for rhythm guitarists and layering in the studio.
Just my .02! Cheers
I love my JCM 900 4500. It took me a bit to get it where I wanted, but once dialed in, I found myself going back to it time and time again.
Sounds great for punkrock.
I believe they use one in anti-flag, which I always liked a lot.
Lars Frederiksen (Rancid) use one too. The JCM900 4100 Dual Reverb.
@@MonkeyKingBooking yeah, can’t believe I forgot. Another one of my favourite bands.
And because I own a jcm800 and jcm2000 I kinda can’t make it to not own a 900.... surely the wife will understand
My 4100 model with a Laney 4x12 loaded with Celestion M-70s handles the drop B, boosted, with EMGs just splendidly
IMO The three main issues with the dual reverb 900's are- #1, the fixed tone stack on channel B.
#2 Channel A has 4 LED's as well. #3 There really isn't much gain from the preamp tubes. Some of the signal can bypass V1A. Most of the gain on both channels is from the OpAmps.
One side of V2 is used to drive the effects loop. The other side is for reverb recovery. V3 is the phase inverter. I have owned a 4101 since 1995. I only use Channel A. It takes pedals really well. Or use the effects loop return so you just use the output section. It is pretty well built. It is made in England and the tube sockets bolt to the chassis unlike the JCM2000 which had the tube sockets soldered on the PCB's
I really don't know what they were thinking when they designed it. The SLX is a great amp. I wish all 900's were like the SLX.
I use KT77's in mine instead of EL34'S. This did give it a little more bass.
I've had the JCM900 50 Watt for years. Loved it in a live setting but found it a tad harsh when recording it direct. I did the Diode Clipping Mod recently...Wish I had done that sooner! Sounds really good...
I know it's an old video but just bought a JCM900 4500. WOW, if your Conservative with dialing in and an EQ in the FX loop, this amp comes alive with proper biasing and decent preamp tubes. Reminds me some of my 2205. I see why Trey from Morbid Angel plays through one. I also see why a lot of people don't care for them though. I really dig mine.
Some of my favorite tones ever used 900’s
This amp isn’t bad but it has to be cranked as that is what it was designed for. I have to use my Marshall Powerbrake and crank the amp to get it to sound great at lower volumes.
I have owned this 212 combo amp from new as a first owner. I never abused this amp and always got the most decent tomes from this amp, especially using pedals to accentuate the sound and tones this amp can give. Yes, there are pros and cons to this amp but to be honest, there are pros and cons to any amp! If you know what you are doing and know how to handle what you have, then there is no question on how to make the sound you want/need. I bought this amp new and am the original owner of this amp. I use an EQ and sometimes a distortion pedal for additional boost. For me this Amp alone, with the EQ, can give me all I need to power a room more than what is needed unless you are playing an arena and at that point you would be going direct output to the board to whatever affects you want to use. I personally have a very positive review for this amp and love it. I know it uses Diodes for the overdrive, but the sound is very good and not poor at all. It is Marshall quality. I also use this amp through a Laney 410 guitar 240 watt guitar cabinet which makes a HUGE difference in the sound. The Laney uses Fane speakers which add tp the great sound as the 410's are tight and can bring a lot of bottom end. The bottom line on this amp is how you use it and what you use with it. Alone, the amp is bare and needs help but once you add an EQ and a 410 bottom cabinet, changes the entire game and sound of everything. The amp is GREAT and i would not change it out for anything except for my ''67 Fender 410 Black Face Super Reverb 40 watt If you are going for Metal the Marshall is he way to go but if you are going for Blues, the Fender cannot be beat ever!!!
I read an article with one of the guys at Hellspawn studios and apparently John Nodtveidt of Dissection used one these with a Boss DS-2 into a g12t75 cab for his main sound. He messed around with a Metal Zone but they say he preferred the Jcm900 with a DS-2.
Been waiting for this one. You upload on my birthday. Thanks 🙏
Perfect timing! Happy Birth!
Love the 900. Played an toured one with a boost via Keeley mod screamer for over a decade. Always tight never, in the way of the bass tone.
The trick is to make you get the EL34 model, not the 5881
Like you said, you can get amazing tones out of the 900 with the right cabinet, the right humbucker and the right overdrive pedal. I use a peavey XXL through a Randall 4x12. I don't need any overdrive pedals because there's so much gain and saturation in the amp itself. The peavey classic 60 tweed amp is perfect for classic rock tones.
Overdrive pedals are really about focus rather than saturation. The drive is never pushed, but tone and volume tend to be.
MV noon
Put a patch cable in the FX loop, set that mini Loop pot to about 1130.
4 minutes in I have the JCM 900 4100 U are using Celestion v30s. Mistake number 1.Tubes in mine EL34s. Use another speaker. I am using DV-77 . Sounds awesome too much low end!!!
This is outside the scope of this channel, but I work as local crew, and when Billy Idol, Pat Benatar, Joan Jett & The Black Hearts, and a few other 80's era bands and solo acts came through one of my local venues last summer, they were all using JCM 900 amps through Mode Four cabs or the stock cabs with Greenbacks and V30's swapped in, installed in an X/checker pattern array. Oddly, and very surprisingly, ZZ Top came through with amp sims, I wanna say it was Helix racks or something. Also, a JCM 800 with an OD pedal boosting in front and the gain anywhere at non-zero will sound very similar to a 900, though the 900 is going to be more low mids/high mids/high end heavy/ with true mids turned way down, leading it to be very scooped sounding.
One of my favorite album tones was a Dual Rectifier and a JCM 900
They make a good duo like a Les Paul and SG or Strat and Tele
Idk maybe I have too much tinnitus but I think it sounded great with all that top end. Probably not for every genre of heavy music but it definitely sounds workable.
From my experience, the 900's lack of low end (boosted with SD1) let the bass shine brighter in the mix... jmho
Oh, and the SD1 was NOT a WAZA...
there's an easy mode to raise the base level. using the stock parts.
I have one of these and you are spot on with the high and low end. But these amps can really shine if you learn their EQ's, which is basically cranking the low to 10 and treble/presence to 0 haha. It is one of the amps I own that I will never sell though!
When I was 15 in 1991 I really wanted a JCM900 but I couldn't afford one. So I had to settle for a used amp the music store had, which cost me 200 bucks. It was a 1980 Marshall JMP Master Volume 2203 100w. That turned out to be a pretty good buy - I sold it a couple of years ago at a 500% profit!
This amp is the sound of skate punk to me. Great in a mix
I picked up a JCM900 4100 some years ago....then went about finding the 1960a and b cabs to make a teenagers dream a Marshall STACK! .....I think using V30''s understandable because that is what you always use but the G12T-75's yield a different tone.
V30''s great with a lot of amps but the G12T-75'S are voiced for this amp....world of difference? Maybe not but I know a lot of people that use their Mesa amps with Marshall cabs
They have this, sort of, hollow mushy grind to them that is just iconic for certain styles.
I have the 50w version loaded with 6L6 (came that way when I bought it), the volume has to be cranked to get a better tone which I know you already know that. I made a "attenuator" pedal so I can crank the volume to about 2 o'clock set the gain at 1 o'clock and then add my Friedman Buxom Boost or Mosky Silver Horse and bingo 👌
Do you own, can borrow, or have tried, the TC Electronic Mojo Mojo overdrive or Dark Matter distortion? In my humble opinion they both have a lot of low end and may work well with this JCM900. Just guessing. Maybe you can do the test. Cheers bro. As always, awesome video.
I was big into Rancid as a teenager. Ive wanted one ever since I saw Lars plug his Epi Les Paul into a JCM900 at the beginning of the Ruby Soho video.
I've always been interested in the JCM from Marshall. Thanks for the heads up on what to expect!
Also I love the Balaguer guitar!!
I played a 900 Mkiii for years in a punk band. They sound best w KT88 tubes and I prefer a TS drive pedal. I got tons of compliments with it and it was never in the shop except for tubes. In the end, I went to Mesa Mkiv and never looked back.
I'd really like to see some content featuring 50-100W combo amps...there are a lot of combo versions of amps like the Rectifier, JCM800/900, and 5150 that are awesome and don't get enough love! Not everyone has the room or need for a 4x12, no matter how awesome they are lol
I play a Hiwatt DR 504 with an Orange PPC212
JCM 900 50w High Gain Dual Reverb
Model 4502 combo.
They are different rigs.
I love them both.
My JCM I only need my Morley bad horsie 2.
Excellent compression, really has character.
Tubes, cabs and speakers do effect sounds.
If you can't dial a JCM in you need a Mesa Boogie Triple where it doesn't matter if you play single coils or humbuckers as no one can tell the difference.
ENJOY.
The High Gain Dual Reverb sounds decent, even more so when playing with a full band. I think it's not so popular because of the feeling and response it gives you. It always felt stiff to me when playing. Also the original G12-75 speakers did not help. Your setup sounds really good.
I have a jcm900 cab I got for dirt cheap and I've always been curious about the heads themselves but it seems I can only ever find these and not the more sought after ones like the SLX at least not for reasonable price. These amps sound evil when you dial them right as you've demonstrated. I've been on the hunt for a decent budget marshall style head that can hang in a band and these might actually have a chance now that I've heard you play it.
It needs to be loud, and I use a mesa style 5 band eq in the front, that does the trick
Sounds good with the sd1, amazing what a $50 dollar pedal can do
I had one in the late 80s. Great for classic rock.
A fun trick with these is to jumper the effects loop and there is a sweet spot in the loop level screw that fattens the amp up. Sounds strange I know but it absolutely works. Makes it much fatter and less sterile.
Sounds great. The JCM2000s got pretty panned at the time too. I get the feeling people just don't like these because they don't sound like the old Marshalls. Even the 800s had a bit of the old Marshall vibe.
You definitely need to experiment with different cabs and Speakers to get the best out of the 900s.
H magnet speakers work really well like a Celestion Red back .
Another Great speaker for the 900 is an early 80s G12H80 55hz or a mid 80s G12H100 55Hz . The Creamback M65 sounds nice as well with the 900.
I ran a Mooer 005 EVH style preamp through the return w/reverb & delay through my JCM 900dr...it sounded pretty good.
I'm yet to grab one! So many great metal albums have been recorded with a JCM 900. It's Trey Azagtoth main amp to this very day ✌️
Served me well for 15 years - you just got to learn how to use an amp - only retired because it’s SO BLYDI LOUD AND HEAVY. Downsized in the end. But every now and then when the house is empty I crank her up. It’s like the word of God. Rattles the ribs I can tell you.
Am I the only one whose noticing Kyle's microphone audio popping and crackling? I've noticed this in many of his videos.
Many have noticed it, unfortunately it's an issue on youtubes end and not mine. Been trying to work it out with them for weeks
Same here, it's driving me crazy. Hard to watch his videos recently because of it.
i have a jcm900 and did a few modifications on the preamp. Its now one of the best sounding amps ive ever played and recorded with.
what did the mods include?
@@tyler7964 i cut a few resistors and bypassed a few diodes....5 minute job
The amp can get more low end with a power amp especially if it is a bass amp used as a power amp. You can boost the 120hz knob and it hits you right in the chest.
Sounds like a good pedal platform amp for classic rock. And you can have it modded to make it less bright. You certainly can do Joe Satriani type stuff!
I remember buying one of these in the mid 90'ss. I returned it the next day. Hated it!
Totally agree with barano and Jeffeffect, high gain channel B volume needs to be around 7 on the dial before you can really get those tubes going. As shown in the video, using channel A to roll off the volume gets you a clean sound. turn the git volume up for the classic rock rhythm tone and then stomp the footswitch to channel B for leads or metal. All with the volume knob at 7 or above on the amp. (not 7 o'clock) It's a great amp! More practical to gig with than my Triple Rec.
I did not understand people who work with a valve amp and master level below 12 o'clock ! I highly recommend starting at Master and Gain levels around 12 o'clock ! Tube amplifiers are tuned around this level Cranked it Up , bring it to life ! Put everything on 12 and play between master and gain control oposite way - if master is around 1 oclock bring down gain to 11 or master on 11 gain on 13 . In this case you will feel how the tone was changed without using EQ at this time ! and little bit adjustment on the end MIDs level - for modern sound a bit backward to 10-11 and UP for a bit midrange sound . Too much gain isn't recommended for riffs ... just add more mess .
Ahh, my main amp for years because I was a Trey Azagthoth fanboy, except mine was the SLX version (apparently the "good" model). The frustrations you're describing were my exact issues too, I had the 16K fader on my MXR 10-band nearly all the way cut for the same reasons.
Random question about that MXR Overdrive you use. Have you ever paired it with an amp and cab sim on the Helix stuff? I use the internal Scream 808 on the HX Stomp and it's awesome. Just kind of curious if you dig that MXR Custom Badass Modified OD over the Scream one in the HX Stomp. With the Stomp, I have what seems like endless tweak ability. I'm just interested in that 100hz knob setting.
It’s a fire od, basically a modded OCD with a 100hz bump switch and knob to control. Also try my amp, you’ll never regret it
On a serious note I really like the heavy crunch settings you pulled out of the amp. I could see myself using that with my band and getting by just fine.
Damn, the sound around 12:45 is almost that Alpha & Omega studio 1988 thrash sound that records as Forbidden Evil (Forbidden) and Eternal Nightmare (Vio-Lence) have. Great thrash metal sound.
Sounds great through my ox box and torpedo captor x
I have 800s 2203, 2205, dsl40cr, jvm410
I can dial in similar tones on each of my amps
If you lower the distortion on the 900 and add the same stomps most of us use anyway
You will be using the diode in the stomp (if you don’t like the 900 demon diode) and the power amp breakup
I don’t own a Marshall I can’t make sound good and I have used every amp in my life as a stage and studio musician
What’s funny is if the price was tripled you would not be able to find one and if one respected guitarist
Started using the 900 then the perceived value goes through the roof
We played plexis because that’s what we had and then for me the 800s came next
It’s an interesting exercise in marketing and psychology
Sounds great to me
I use this amp with a 6 band mxr eq and all is lovely
I wonder how many people complaining about diode clipping are also running OD pedals??
Personally, I've had one since new, still love it. Not a super hi gain guy though and I run pre amps into the power amp
I've always felt like EMGs (espicially the classic 81/85) and Marshalls go together like pepperoni on pizza. If I'm playing metal, I don't want one without the other, but together they're my favourite.
One thing I think all Marshalls have in common is that they're a lot more "transparent" with your tone than other high gain amps. They care a lot more about the type, hotness, and height of your pickups, how you have your pedals set, etc, whereas a lot of other amps will just put a nice comfortable layer of overdrive over the top of your fundamental tone.
I had one but sold it because you have to play it loud. People think it’s thin sounding, but in a band mix it sounds great.
Is Mesa Cab good with Marhsall amps? It sounds pretty badass when you play it. I got a Mesa Cab and I've been using it with 5150 and EVH amps for 6 years now. I've had the amps more than 10 years now. I'm just curious - if I bought a Marshall, would it sound good? I'm all about the old school sound and high fq crunch. I kind of thought that if I wanted to have a Marshall Amp, I'd need something like GreenBacks to go with it?
I’ve played two different 900’s and both lacked that extra step. They need lots of help to sound good.
If these amps are supposed to be so bad why did Marshall start producing them again?, just asking for a friend!
TL;DR: I Like the JCM 900 High Gain Dual Reverb a lot, but only with EL34 tubes.
I own a '92 JCM900 High Gain Dual Reverb 100 watts with EL34 tubes (4100) since 2006, it is a GREAT amp. The only time it didn't sound so great was caused by old (faulty?) tubes. I replaced the original tubes with a full set from Tube Amp Doctor and it sounds great ever since.
I used to play it through a Marshall 4x12 1960A cabinet with Rola Celestion G12-65 speakers, which sounded amazing. Because I don't like breaking my back with every gig, I now play it through a 2x12 Harley Benton cab with 1 G12-65 and 1 V30, which sound really incredibly in my opinion ( I have 2 of these cabs). Also played it a few times through a 4x12 cab with the standard Celestion G75-T speakers, still sounded great.
Live I always run it at 100watts, at home, or when I record some stuff, I run it at 50 watts (through a Hughes & Kettner Redbox for recording, because I don't like how it sounds via the Direct Out).
I do prefer the 900's with EL34 tubes, they sound more to my taste than the other versions. I did try the effect-loop-hack once, which does makes is sound 'louder', but I didn't needed that for my sound.
I don't use extra effect pedals besides a Crybaby Wah and a tubescreamer mini to get a clean/crunch switch option on the A-channel, and an extra boost on the B-channel when needed.
As someone stated in the comments already patch cable or something in the loop helps a lot. I’ve had one with 5881’s then converted to el34’s. Loved the warm clean but still missing low end for me. Ended up getting a 2203 reissue and modded it with a depth control. Love it. Still do kinda miss the 900 tho I don’t think it deserves the hate. I think people give up rather quickly in favor for something in comparison like a 2203. Although the clean channel seems 800ish with a different voicing. When changing channels you can hear the ummp loss 😕
The guitar player for Tower of Power played through a JMC 900 I know I talked to him on stage and I was digging the sound I said man your amp sounds awesome oh wow it's a JMC 900 when they first came out
One of the guitarists in my old band played one of these and its still the best sounding amp for live rock n roll. Marshall and Orange are the best in my opinion, for dirty rock n roll and action rock.
I liked the 900 micd up in a studio its going to sound different than in the room. If you play a lot of 90s inspired rock its a good choice, hell I think Tim in Rise against still uses them in his live rig. I do agree that it wouldnt be my 1st choice in the Marshall family but if I had one Id definitely play the hell out of it.