# marshall 50w jcm800 2203



## snowgoon (Aug 23, 2008)

How much would one of these cost me?
With the speaker cabinet?

Also can anyone tell me how good this map is for 80's hair/glam metal?
I've heard good things!


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

the cost would depend entirely on the seller.

you'd want one with new tubes, good tolex, good condition.

im guessing around $1500 or so, with a good cab. $800 for the head, $700 for the cab.

pretty sure if you stick a tubescreamer or two out front, you have hair metal central lol.


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## snowgoon (Aug 23, 2008)

okay. and if i got a cheaper cab it would still work right?


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## bcmatt (Aug 25, 2007)

snowgoon said:


> How much would one of these cost me?
> With the speaker cabinet?
> 
> Also can anyone tell me how good this map is for 80's hair/glam metal?
> I've heard good things!


Well, if someone offers to sell you a 50 Watt JCM800 2203, don't buy it. They are lying to you. I am a nerd to tell you this but, the 2204 is the 50W. The 2203 is the 100W model.
I only know this because I built a clone of the 2204. 
I use it with a 2x12 cab or an open-back 1x12 cab with Vintage30 style speakers and like the sound. So, ya, you don't necessarily have to buy a half-stack with it to like the sound.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

if you find ANY of the early 80's 50w or 100w for 800$..dude, don't even bother..just pay them. I have not seen an original one sell for under 1400$ in a LONG time.

Budda...1500$ for both!..dude, we're in 2008, not 1998.


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## Lemmy Hangslong (May 11, 2006)

A JCM 800 2203 or a 4104 is gonna get you into 80's metal... cranked it will be perfect at lower volumns it will need a kick in the front end.

If you really want 80's metal... go Soldano... the Hot Rod 50 used will go for around $1000... usually less. Any speaker cab will do but there again if it's 80's metal your after... Vintage 30 or Greenbacks.

All the amps mentioned here I've owned... the Soldano kills them all.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

KHINGPYNN said:


> A JCM 800 2203 or a 4104 is gonna get you into 80's metal... cranked it will be perfect at lower volumns it will need a kick in the front end.
> 
> If you really want 80's metal... go Soldano... the Hot Rod 50 used will go for around $1000... usually less. Any speaker cab will do but there again if it's 80's metal your after... Vintage 30 or Greenbacks.
> 
> All the amps mentioned here I've owned... the Soldano kills them all.


I agree with you man...but you forget the "cool" factor of a haft stack JCM800...


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

he never said what year JCM800, just the model.

i've seen 'em go for under $1K im pretty sure.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Budda said:


> he never said what year JCM800, just the model.
> 
> i've seen 'em go for under $1K im pretty sure.



Oh yes..but were're talking the 2203 and the 2204 here. not the other weird charnnels version that came later, those you can get under 1k$ i agree..

the 2203 and the 2204 are "THE AMPS" marshall made, it's their 65 deluxe reverbe bascicaly. they were never able to repeat that amp unfortunaly.


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## bluesbird (Oct 30, 2007)

I have a 1981 2204 50w installed with a switch for more mids and it has 2 channels like a jtm45, love the amp but i could part ways. Let me know, if you are interested !! Looking around $1k.


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## snowgoon (Aug 23, 2008)

neno said:


> I have a 1981 2204 50w installed with a switch for more mids and it has 2 channels like a jtm45, love the amp but i could part ways. Let me know, if you are interested !! Looking around $1k.


it'll take me a few months to come up with the money though.
I'm just researching now.
Would You still offer it by christmas?


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## Lemmy Hangslong (May 11, 2006)

> I agree with you man...but you forget the "cool" factor of a haft stack JCM800...


The 2203 I owned was a half stack with Vintage 30's and the 4104 was a 2x12 combo ( white Tolex ) with Celestion G12T-75... either way early JCM 800 are the best... the Soldano is simply better all way round.


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## bluesbird (Oct 30, 2007)

snowgoon said:


> it'll take me a few months to come up with the money though.
> I'm just researching now.
> Would You still offer it by christmas?


maybe, i am not planning of selling it, but all depends maybe i'll even keep it !!


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## Robboman (Oct 14, 2006)

I sold a 50w JCM800 halfstack for $600.. 

..but that was in 1996 and I paid even less a few months prior. Wish I kept that one! Plenty of clones on the market now, so you might want to go that route to get similar tone.


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## snowgoon (Aug 23, 2008)

Robboman said:


> I sold a 50w JCM800 halfstack for $600..
> 
> ..but that was in 1996 and I paid even less a few months prior. Wish I kept that one! Plenty of clones on the market now, so you might want to go that route to get similar tone.


yeah.
i need to get an amp that gets better tone than my shrimpy combo amp.
it's hard though.
Everyone is telling me something different.


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## snowgoon (Aug 23, 2008)

neno said:


> maybe, i am not planning of selling it, but all depends maybe i'll even keep it !!


well.
let me know then kay?


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## Emohawk (Feb 3, 2006)

Another great thing about the 2203/2204 is if you dig the basic tone there are tons of very simple & inexpensive mods and tweaks to tailor it to your taste.

I (like bcmatt) also built a 2204 a while ago and I included a bunch of minor mods - removed the bright cap, removed two treble-peaking circuits (one switchable), boosted the first gain stage, boosted gain/voicing mod on last gain stage, modded input curcuit, modded presence circuit, and I think a couple others.

I've also got several more in mind, including the mid-boost that someone mentioned (just a resistor change - but there's a couple of ways to do it), and I think I'm going to play with a resonance knob in the feedback loop. I may experiment with a simple insert FX loop before the MV (with switchable bypass). All are very simple mods from a wiring standpoint.

I've considered adding another pre-amp tube to drive an extra gain stage & as a FX loop return or send buffer (or maybe two tubes for 2 more gain stages & buffered send & return) but that's getting far more adventurous and I don't think I have the skill (or the balls) to try that yet!


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## Rhythmeister (May 17, 2006)

FYI, there is a 1982 50W 2204 for sale on TGP right now for $975 USD. I'm not the seller...just FYI...

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=431269

Cheers,
Blair


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## Lemmy Hangslong (May 11, 2006)

Thats the one... and early 80's with that cap config... two big thumbs up on that one if you want a killer JCM 800.


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## bcmatt (Aug 25, 2007)

Emohawk said:


> Another great thing about the 2203/2204 is if you dig the basic tone there are tons of very simple & inexpensive mods and tweaks to tailor it to your taste.
> 
> I (like bcmatt) also built a 2204 a while ago and I included a bunch of minor mods - removed the bright cap, removed two treble-peaking circuits (one switchable), boosted the first gain stage, boosted gain/voicing mod on last gain stage, modded input curcuit, modded presence circuit, and I think a couple others.
> 
> ...


Oooh, you've done quite a bit more mods than me!
I've just eliminated the treble peaking circuit, doubled the mid pot value to a 50K pot, and moved to KT77 tubes. I do think that I may do the FX loop as well if I get around to it some time. I almost installed the half-power switch as well but thought that it might not make enough difference to be worth it.

Did you find all your mods on the Tone-Lizard site, or somewhere else?


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## Emohawk (Feb 3, 2006)

bcmatt said:


> Oooh, you've done quite a bit more mods than me!
> I've just eliminated the treble peaking circuit, doubled the mid pot value to a 50K pot, and moved to KT77 tubes. I do think that I may do the FX loop as well if I get around to it some time. I almost installed the half-power switch as well but thought that it might not make enough difference to be worth it.
> 
> Did you find all your mods on the Tone-Lizard site, or somewhere else?


The mods we inspired by a bunch of places, primarily Tone-Lizard, Schematic Heaven, & Joe Popp's build threads. I also came up with a couple of things just from messing around. My amp astually has kind of a JTM45/Plexi/2204 hybrid feel.

I tried KT77's in mine also but I can't decide if I like them over EL34's or not. The amp sounds more open/rounder with the 77's, and playing clean through the lo input sounds excellent. But when you wind it out through the hi input it doesn't really work for me. I like the compression/bite of the EL34's for overdrive.

I didn't bother with a half power switch. The volume difference would have been minimal so it didn't seem worth the trouble to me. That said, it would change the character of the output stage somewhat so if you try it I'd be interested to know how it turns out.

Sorry for hijacking the thread somewhat!


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