I love my '89 2210. A CRUCIAL TIP: For the gain channel to come to life, regardless of how much gain you want to dial in, YOU HAVE TO SET THE CHANNEL VOLUME ON 10 and then use the MV to get your level. Then the amp opens up and sounds 3d. I use it like that, with the gain at 8 and play metal without any kind of boost. And I have a 5150 and Racktifier sitting next to it.
@@justingiles7163 with mine you of course don't get the sonic dynamics from the EQ adjustments that you would at stage volumes but for just noodling around its fine however, even at zero, it still pisses of the neighbors.....lol.😁 Oh and the stock reverb is pretty useless but, it is ungodly loud and bright and sounds awesome. Mine is a 1989 and I've had it for nearly 30 years. Never considered selling it even once.
@@troyjenkins578 Cool! I had a buddy in the early 1990's who did like the sound of his 2210 but at one point patched a ADA MP-1 preamp in the effects loop. Sounded terrific for metal, more gain than the 2210 preamp but well defined.
My guitar teacher had an MP-1 that he used for certain songs on stage. He made it sound awesome but I just never could get what I was looking for out of it. Could have had something to do with the fact that he was and still is a shred monster. @@AlexRamosDrTaz
I've owned a 2210 since the late 80s and it's still one of my favorite amps to this day, along with my Jubilee 2555. I love it more than any of the 2203s I've played. The clean channel gives a great edge of breakup and the gain channel sounds wonderful for classic rock and blues tones. Some folks struggle with the fact that the 2210 has diode clipping (e.g. solid state components) in the gain circuit - so the signal path isn't 100% 'tube'. I never understood that concern, given many people use a boost or overdrive pedal, which is also solid state technology in the signal path, so essentially the same thing. It doesn't bother me - if the amp sounds good, it sounds good. (FWIW, the Jubilee also has diode clipping in it's gain circuit)
The JCM 800 2210 was the 1st Marshall amp I ever owned, and bought it in 1986. Every so often you the stars align, and you get an amp off the line that shines above all the others. I couldn’t tell you how many times I was told it was the best sounding Marshall they ever heard. I traded that amp off in 1991, and have regretted it ever since. Good memories, and great video…
Если у вас был Маршалл с трансформатором Drake то зачем вы его продали )) после этого начали ставить dagnall и он звучит неплохо, а drake я бы послушал !)
This was the amp to have in 1985, I remember! I had one 2205 50 watt head with a matching 1936 2x12" cabinet. The efx loop and line out were handy for the Boss pedals and running in stereo with an old Plexi, you just had to forget the clean channel. Norum, Schenker and Bettencourt couldn't be wrong :)
Had a JCM 800/100W 2205 channel switching with a 4x12 '65B cab. I used to go straight in from my Tom Anderson with a Duncan Custom/Custom to the Marshall. No reverb! Unreal sound. At the time (1989/90) , I was playing with the drummer from Stuck Mojo before he joined. The Marshall had to problem keeping up. Great video! Thanks.
I have the 50watt version with tubes biased. burns that gain pretty hot for that Anthrax, Overkill, Slayer thrash tone. I always drive the power section to 10 then slam a Maxon 808 in front with the gain at about 8! smashes any modern amp ha ha!!
Well thats what I needed to hear... My brother has a Marshall JCM 800 50 watt Series X10501 that Im gonna buy off him with a 4 X 12 Fender Cabinet. Ive always loved Marshall especially the pre 90's. I want to run my 1972 Peavey Classic speakers only... (but the ol 72 head still sounds kickass) should sill sound great with my old DOD/BOSS pedals
Sorry Leon... gotta school you again mate: Contrary to popular myth, the model 2203, 2204 two-input master volume from 1976-1980 JMP or 1981-1985 JCM 800 are the same amp. Only the head cabinet styles are different. Starting in 1985 in an attempt to save costs, Marshall changed the filter capacitors on the 100 watt 2203 from 6 electrolytic capacitors to 3 capacitors. These changes were not for the better, as these post--1985 Amps are much more grainy sounding and not as loud as the earlier JCM 800 100 watt 2203's. (Marshall never changed the 50 watt 2204 models). These later 2203's can be distinguished from the earlier ones as the later amps have horizontal input jacks that are mounted directly to the printed circuit board (a whole other set of problems I won't get into here). So I always tell people if you're in the market for a "vintage" 2203 (I really must be getting old as I never thought I'd see the day ANY JCM 800 would be considered "vintage" hoy), I tell them to only by one with the vertical input jacks. Best Regards.
@@LeonTodd Yes, but they only screwed up the 2203... they never changed the 50 watter 2204. If you don't already have it, "The Marshall Book" by Mike Doyle is an excellent book. Also, "Guitar Tone" by Mitch Gallagher has some great stuff about tube amps, speakers and everything you could ever want to know about guitar construction, woods, pickups, etc. it's a great read. I highly recommend it. Cheers mate!
@@nomojo6329 I know Steve Grinrod, who designed the two-input master volume 2203, 2204 back in 1976 wasn't at all happy with the arbitrary changes to the JCM 800 2203's as he felt the few dollars per amp that was saved from the changes wasn't worth the price in terms of making them inferior to the earlier JCM's. And he definitely wasn't happy about mounting the input jacks directly to the PC board... causing the contacts to work loose over time and causing oscillating problems and other funky stuff. Fortunately, those later horizontal input amps can be converted back to pre-1985 specs... at least as far as the filtering goes... but you'd have to drill the chassis to get back to the earlier stand-alone input jacks.
Scott Dunn Pardon but you’re wrong. The JMPs had different transformers than the JCM800 2203 and 2204. Correct about the less filtering for the JCM800 2203. But the 2204 JMP had substantially less voltage on the power transformers. JMPs had around 390v on the plates. JCM800 2204’s had around 460v. Also there were some very minor other changes inside. One I can remember is the voltage going to the preamp. You can look up all the differences in the Metropoulos forum. Cheers.
Hi Todd! Always nice videos. I own a 1986 2210 JCM, just love it. Recently, I built a footswitch and started playing with the clean channel, really interesting. I also added a 100k pot box on the effects loop as a attenuator so I can crank the master volume and get better tones.
@@BigBlackTruckDave Hi... it is a simple 100k audio pot installed on a pedal small pedal box that you tyn through the efx loop so you can crank pre amp gain or volume and master volume and reduce the signal in between. Wampler pedal channel has a video explaining how to do it. I think it is a video about fender Hot rod amps upgrade.
One secret to get great tone from the 4210, 2205 and 2210 is that when you use the gain channel, you bring up the "normal" channels volume and bass controls to at leat quarter past twelve. And the treble to according to your ears, perhaps quarter too twelve. This is what John Norum does on his 2205. The channels interact, even though only one is active. Just like on an old JMP 4 holer. Some call this the "channel bleed". John Norums settings are something like this. Gain channel: Precense on 10 (for the 2205 a bit less on his 2210), Volume over 12 o clock (as you like), reverb off, bass on 9, mids as you like, treble on 8, volume on 8, gain on 8. Normal channel: bass on 8, treble on 2-3, volume on 7.
@@LeonTodd I have a 4210 combo (2205). You can feel more brilliance on the drive channel, at a bit lower volumes than full tilt, if you turn up the normal channels volume to almost full. When I run the combo through my two 4x12 cabs I have the tone controls on the drive channel on about quarter too, for all three knobs. And the treble higher than the bass on the normal channel. I prefer more of a vintage tone. This way the amp sounds quite similar to my 2204 top, but with warmer mids and a bit more bottom. John uses KT88's and runs his amp very warm. I'm more of a vintage plexi tone guy. I have the amp biased around 25 mA. The 2204 is around 30 mA. Cheers!
I own one. Absolutely agree on the clean channel! It's amazing. As far as the lead channel, it's good for leads when boosted, but for metal settings I usually bypass the preamp and use mooer micropreamp into the fx return. Even when boosted it's not tight enough. For classic rock sounds it's pretty good.
Justin Bryant do those setting sound bad in a live band setting? Heaps of bass and scooped mids haven’t worked well for me in the past in a live setting, cheers
The distortion channel was designed to be used with the gain cranked. No one would even think about putting it at half. It was the frickin' 80's! I use these heads for 70's rock tones, not metal, and no two sound alike. Also, changing the first tube alters the amp's character drastically. The gain channel is great for sustaining leads, no need to boost but sometimes I do. Haha!
I have a 100w 2210, mine is a UK one, 240v @375 watts power input. Bought it second/hand for £250 around 1992, it needed re-capping then, so I guess mine is an early 2210? I get glassy clean sound on clean channel, a bit of break up at 8, but still clean. The boost channel uses diode clipping instead of valves for distortion. Too fizzy/buzz sounding for my taste. The clean channel with a fuzz face pushing the input is glorious. Or any overdrive pushing the front end clean channel for high gain is great. The bottom end on mine can cause bowel movements, and a clean channel wack of an open E5 will break your ribs. Sounds best with master set at 7 here.
I have to admit I didn’t know there were so many jcm800s till recently. Lol. I’m getting the Ceriatone 2203 once I sell this amp I have. Then I’m going to get a Mesa rectifier preamp. I recently discovered I just don’t like Mesa poweramps but love the stand alone recto pre.
In 1988 I traded a Laney AOR Pro Tube 50 head and $50 for the 2205 I still have today. Played over a hundred gigs with this amp before I retired her. To me its the best. I can get everything the 2203 has out of the 2205. Also it has channel switching which to me was a plus. Put a tube screamer in line if you feel the need and go!!! Then again, if I find a 2203 for a reasonable price I'll buy it. Cant hurt to have both!!
I personally think the 2205/2210 sound better then the 2203/2204's that have no balls at all. They're only good for classic rock, but suck at any kinda modern metal. These can play modern metal without any pedals in front, with the right pickups and speakers.
The 2210 & 2205 are amazing amps. I used to own a mid 80’s (85’ I think) 2205 and really miss it. There were three versions of these amps- kinda divided up into early/mid/late eighties. GNR’s UYI records were done with a 6550 loaded 2210 (likely late 80’s model that had the highest gain) into a greenback loaded 4x12. (Per Adam Day, Slash’s long time tech) -These are very similar to the Jubilees as they introduce a form of diode clipping. The mid eighties version (think Tom Morello who still uses 2205’s) had issues with channel bleed- something to do with the switching and easily fixed- this the version I had and both channels were awesome. An old school Fulldrive 2 in front of the “clean” channel is killer! They sound great with greenies, t65’s & v30’s. There was a tech here in Houston that was a total guru with these amps, but he kinda fell off the map after he repaired my 64’ Bassman.
No. Slash used a 2203 modified by Frank Levi for the UYI recordings. It was numbered #34. Frank Levi also copied Tim Caswell's #39 mod (A 1959T) that Slash used on the rehearsals & pre-production for Appetite, but it was unavailable when they actually went to record the album because George Lynch had rented it for a tour (he also loved that amp). So Frank Levi was commissioned to modify a standard 1959 to the same specs. It was named #36 at SIR (Studio Instrument Rentals) . The difference between the original (#39) and #36 was that since #39 had the tremolo circuit (where the extra gain stage was installed) , it could turn the mod on/off (with "off" making the amp sound un-altered) , whilst on #36, the modification was always "on" . Frank Levi just recently passed away, which was a shame. He also wasn´t consulted by Marshall when they produced the AFD100 amp either, which was weird, since he was responsible for the tone heard on AFD. He voiced his displeasure about that on FB several times.
@@Nghilifa That is a shame, probably why the AFD #34 mod doesn't sound like the original... that and the lack of 6550 power tubes, Adam Day said they ran the master on like 8 and the preamp on about 3 for those sessions. I always thought (and had read) that the UYI tone was a 6550 powered 2210 (stock or modded) and that The Spaghetti Incident? was likely the #34 as it was similar, but seemed to have more sizzle and gain. Thanks for the info!
I have this amp! I’ve always had people tell me it sounds amazing..and I’ve had it worked on by a couple different guys. One said it was modded the other guy said it was stock. Regardless it’s ripping loud!!
I used to have a 2205 (the 50W little brother) - I thought it sounded absolutely amazing. It made me sell my TSL100 right quick - I did not have it long though, since my rock project at the time fell apart, and I soon opted for at more practical Koch Studiotone ... Then came the AX8. I would love to have this modelled :)
@@LeonTodd thanks, but I don't think that would work. Some of the magic is the built-in RAT circuit in the drive channel, and also the wonderful saturation on the clean channel will not be captured by a tone match.
My fave Marshall.....about a year ago, I had 3 side by side I played....’86, ‘88 & a ‘91. You may or may not know they changed the circuit in 87 & added a little bit of “mosfet gain” on the lead channel.....the ‘91 was by far the nastiest....I kinda wish I woulda bought it. Only reason I didn’t was my Soldano sp77 pre amp gave me the same sound with gain at 5 and treble pushed high....still wish I woulda got it.....little known fact, Marshall added a little mosfet gain to that clean channel because they thought it sounded too “sterile”.....my experience is that the ‘87 and newer ones are the ones more sought after for more “modern-ish” tones.....
Hi I am fixing to buy a used 2210, 1988 model for $1500.00, it sounds great. I believe it is all original tubes. So you know how long these tubes last and how much would it be to replace them. 30 years seems to be a really long time for anything to still be top level function. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you
I have one 2210, best amp i owned! And you really need to play it loud, otherwise you will not get the most out of it. I use an Attenuator (Fryette PS2) and put Master Volume never below 5 and in OD channel, Gain 8 and Volume always above 6. That's the Marshall sound. Other tip, o changed also from EL34 to 6L6 and you get more headroom, is amazing! Cheers!
If you absolutely need a switcher get a 2210 or a 2205 but single channel 800's are almost always the way to go. Can be had for a steal though! I've got an '82 4210 combo (2205 in a 1x12" combo) - Paid AU$250.00 My '81 2203 head on the other hand - Paid AU$1800.00
You didn't mention what year that head was. They went through many circuit changes and all sound different. I have an '89 which has the most ferocious gain channel of them all.
I bought one of these back in 2001 as a "cheap" backup to my dual rectifier. Boy was I surprised.....thing sounded killer and like you pointed out: felt really great under your fingers for leads. Also had plenty of gain on tap: didn't need a boost out front and you could some insane metal sounds with an eq in the loop. Really miss that amp. I paid $400 Canadian for it back then....most guys want triple that now. :(
@@LeonTodd I never bi-amped them live, but definitely did a couple times in the jam space and it sounded killer! A jcm 800 and a dual rec really blend well. That amp falls in to the "one that got away" category (which we all have). I was in school at the time and just could not afford to keep everything. Lol!
Everybody’s taping over the Gibson logo, so now I feel like the most rock n roll FU thing for me to do is not cover it up. I’ll cover up the Epiphone logo though, because hey fuck them, that’s why lol. Nice playing brother from down under!
Had a later model 2210 for years - the things sound great if you're able to get the master volume turned up. Strange fact - Marshall did a HUGE redesign of the 2210 midway though production that dramatically changed the sound, and never said a word about it. If you're curious which you've got the later ones have an IC to do channel switching.
The 2210/2205's don't have a clean channel, it has a normal channel which works like a JMP 1959, the more the volume is increased the more it distorts. What I sometimes do with it which I've never seen anyone else do is max the volume and add a Maxon OD808 with gain and balance on full, produces a pretty heavy crunch sound.
When I bought my 2210 in the '80's I bought the two cabinets with 40 watt Greenbacks in them instead of 25 watts because more is better right? And because I'm more of a classic rocker I would live most of time on the clean channel with pedals and a LP Standard. But I still would being playing as loud as the bar allowed.
1st time hear...TY_4 the vid man...Thumbs up .My brother has a Marshall JCM 800 50 watt Series X10501 that Im gonna buy off him with a 4 X 12 Fender Cabinet. Ive always loved Marshall especially the pre 90's. I want to run my 1972 Peavey Classic speakers only... (but the ol 72 head still sounds kickass) should sill sound great with my old DOD/BOSS pedals.... Sounds good weather Im playing my ovation or my Ibanez..... getting OLD sucks ... If its to Loud your to old ...
Hey Leon - the tone you got when boosted was fantastic. Do you happen to remember the settings you used? I recently picked one of these up and can’t seem to get it remotely close to being as good as this.
Start by trying to get your clean channel sounding like Leon's first step. My strat sounds way different and my 2210 is bright as. If it doesnt sound like that, check your valves (first 3). I used to try and tame the volume by having the master on 1. Dont do that. Get a load box like an Ox or do what Rafael did and make an attenuator. The fix for me was using a Boss GE7 to get the guitar matched to the amp. I use the clean channel with a GE7 (to knock off the treble a bit) then into a tube screamer and then a EVH just adding mild bumps. (see Tim Pierce's post on these pedals)
Good to see your still making some Marshall video's! When with the Studio Classic (JCM 800/Studio Vintage (Plexi) video's be arriving? Would love to hear your take on those two new amps!
Very keen to have a thrash through those things. Depends on when my local music store gets stock and when I can borrow them. Got something very cool coming in the next 2-3 months that a lot of Marshall fans will like.
Nice vid, Leon! I had a combo of this back in the 80s. The dirty channel was very shrill, but the clean channel was fabulous. Since it was the 80s, I eventually went to using that for clean with a chorus hooked into it, and a Peavey VTM-120 with a 4x12 for my dirty sound. Wouldn't think of hauling that much gear to a gig now.
I remember choosing a jcm900 over the single channel 800 20 years because I was convinced I needed two channels and reverb. I would've loved to have seen this at the time! I just figured as a 19 year old that the 900 was 100 better than the 800
Don't feel bad: in the late 90's players were dumping their 800s left right and centre for jcm 900s, 2000s and rectos. That is why back then, they could be had so cheap. Then again, in the late 90s, you could pick up an original Hiwatt for dirt cheap as well....
I actually got a 1986 JCM800. It's the one that has the brown cover instead of the black one. Bought it second hand and it really sounds old. Clean channel sounds not too good and the boost/gain channel is pretty janky. It gets very fuzzy...reverb doesn't work and when I take my bass knob to about 7 the volume goes up. I really should get it fixed up.....also get a greenback cab instead of a v30 cab :)
@@psilohsaibin9916 I upgraded my v30 cab to a Marshall 1960BX 4x12 with G12's! Had the amp fixed and it sound pretty good now with the greenback cab. Unfortunetly I have to sell both....since I'm moving I really don't want to lug around with the gigantic cab and top! :)
Clean Channel with the Stratocaster has that nice Marshall compression sound that is sought after, JCM 2000-ish, if I'm hearing it right, great classic rock and rock Blues tone... I'd like to hear someone else's opinion, there's one for sale on Kijiji up here where I am, want to invest in it but wanna be sure
The drive channel of this amp uses diode clipping. Kind of why the clean channel drive sounds better, similar to the the jcm 900 4100. Fun fact Joey Santiago of the pixies uses the 50w version of this head.
Uses diode clipping, similar to the Silver Jubilee too. And if you use a drive pedal and the clean channel you use solid state clipping circuit again. Just another than the built in circuit. Fun fact Michael Schenker uses the 2205 (until today), the Scorpions uses the split channel heads, Tom Morello uses the 2205.
Leon Todd agree mate, you’ve made it sound great! What where your setting when you had it on the dirt Channel boosted with the Rev pedal? Cheers mate, awesome work!
I like this, but I’m not in love with it by any means. Plus it doesn’t have spring reverb. I’m looking for an 80s Plexi JCM-800 100 Watt. I should have never sold mine years ago. There’s a new reissue out called the JCM-800 2203x that Sweet Wster seems to think is the answer to thAt. Do you know anything about this amp.? Holla Back! Faubus
I love my '89 2210.
A CRUCIAL TIP: For the gain channel to come to life, regardless of how much gain you want to dial in, YOU HAVE TO SET THE CHANNEL VOLUME ON 10 and then use the MV to get your level. Then the amp opens up and sounds 3d.
I use it like that, with the gain at 8 and play metal without any kind of boost. And I have a 5150 and Racktifier sitting next to it.
Thanks
How is it at low volumes?
@@justingiles7163 with mine you of course don't get the sonic dynamics from the EQ adjustments that you would at stage volumes but for just noodling around its fine however, even at zero, it still pisses of the neighbors.....lol.😁 Oh and the stock reverb is pretty useless but, it is ungodly loud and bright and sounds awesome. Mine is a 1989 and I've had it for nearly 30 years. Never considered selling it even once.
@@troyjenkins578 Cool! I had a buddy in the early 1990's who did like the sound of his 2210 but at one point patched a ADA MP-1 preamp in the effects loop. Sounded terrific for metal, more gain than the 2210 preamp but well defined.
My guitar teacher had an MP-1 that he used for certain songs on stage. He made it sound awesome but I just never could get what I was looking for out of it. Could have had something to do with the fact that he was and still is a shred monster. @@AlexRamosDrTaz
I've owned a 2210 since the late 80s and it's still one of my favorite amps to this day, along with my Jubilee 2555. I love it more than any of the 2203s I've played. The clean channel gives a great edge of breakup and the gain channel sounds wonderful for classic rock and blues tones.
Some folks struggle with the fact that the 2210 has diode clipping (e.g. solid state components) in the gain circuit - so the signal path isn't 100% 'tube'. I never understood that concern, given many people use a boost or overdrive pedal, which is also solid state technology in the signal path, so essentially the same thing.
It doesn't bother me - if the amp sounds good, it sounds good. (FWIW, the Jubilee also has diode clipping in it's gain circuit)
This !!
The JCM 800 2210 was the 1st Marshall amp I ever owned, and bought it in 1986. Every so often you the stars align, and you get an amp off the line that shines above all the others. I couldn’t tell you how many times I was told it was the best sounding Marshall they ever heard. I traded that amp off in 1991, and have regretted it ever since. Good memories, and great video…
Если у вас был Маршалл с трансформатором Drake то зачем вы его продали )) после этого начали ставить dagnall и он звучит неплохо, а drake я бы послушал !)
I had one to and they told me that it was the best amp they had ever heard , it was a 50 watt combo
This was the amp to have in 1985, I remember! I had one 2205 50 watt head with a matching 1936 2x12" cabinet. The efx loop and line out were handy for the Boss pedals and running in stereo with an old Plexi, you just had to forget the clean channel. Norum, Schenker and Bettencourt couldn't be wrong :)
Had a JCM 800/100W 2205 channel switching with a 4x12 '65B cab. I used to go straight in from my Tom Anderson with a Duncan Custom/Custom to the Marshall. No reverb! Unreal sound. At the time (1989/90) , I was playing with the drummer from Stuck Mojo before he joined. The Marshall had to problem keeping up. Great video! Thanks.
The custom custom is a great pickup, that sounds like an awesome rig
I have the 50watt version with tubes biased. burns that gain pretty hot for that Anthrax, Overkill, Slayer thrash tone. I always drive the power section to 10 then slam a Maxon 808 in front with the gain at about 8! smashes any modern amp ha ha!!
Well thats what I needed to hear... My brother has a Marshall JCM 800 50 watt Series X10501 that Im gonna buy off him with a 4 X 12 Fender Cabinet. Ive always loved Marshall especially the pre 90's. I want to run my 1972 Peavey Classic speakers only... (but the ol 72 head still sounds kickass) should sill sound great with my old DOD/BOSS pedals
tubescreamer / Boss OD2 / Mxr overdrive in front is the key here, my favourite jcm800 is the 100w Zaak Wylde. Looks goofy but sounds awesome.
I love my 2210!
Haha I see your headstock is taped!
Gotta keep up with 2019's guitar meme :D
@@LeonTodd play authentic right?
Leon Todd oooooh that tape is not enough! Better look out for Mark over your shoulder!
Leon Todd or pixel it out completely and throw a voice changer on it!
I heard mark agnesi bought a plane ticket to Australia, better watch your ass, mate!
Sorry Leon... gotta school you again mate:
Contrary to popular myth, the model 2203, 2204 two-input master volume from 1976-1980 JMP or 1981-1985 JCM 800 are the same amp. Only the head cabinet styles are different. Starting in 1985 in an attempt to save costs, Marshall changed the filter capacitors on the 100 watt 2203 from 6 electrolytic capacitors to 3 capacitors. These changes were not for the better, as these post--1985 Amps are much more grainy sounding and not as loud as the earlier JCM 800 100 watt 2203's. (Marshall never changed the 50 watt 2204 models). These later 2203's can be distinguished from the earlier ones as the later amps have horizontal input jacks that are mounted directly to the printed circuit board (a whole other set of problems I won't get into here). So I always tell people if you're in the market for a "vintage" 2203 (I really must be getting old as I never thought I'd see the day ANY JCM 800 would be considered "vintage" hoy), I tell them to only by one with the vertical input jacks. Best Regards.
Pinned - this is exactly the sort of good stuff I'm after! So that's why vert input jacks are the desirable ones.
@@LeonTodd Yes, but they only screwed up the 2203... they never changed the 50 watter 2204. If you don't already have it, "The Marshall Book" by Mike Doyle is an excellent book. Also, "Guitar Tone" by Mitch Gallagher has some great stuff about tube amps, speakers and everything you could ever want to know about guitar construction, woods, pickups, etc. it's a great read. I highly recommend it. Cheers mate!
@@scottdunn2178 time to do some Amazon shopping!
@@nomojo6329 I know Steve Grinrod, who designed the two-input master volume 2203, 2204 back in 1976 wasn't at all happy with the arbitrary changes to the JCM 800 2203's as he felt the few dollars per amp that was saved from the changes wasn't worth the price in terms of making them inferior to the earlier JCM's. And he definitely wasn't happy about mounting the input jacks directly to the PC board... causing the contacts to work loose over time and causing oscillating problems and other funky stuff. Fortunately, those later horizontal input amps can be converted back to pre-1985 specs... at least as far as the filtering goes... but you'd have to drill the chassis to get back to the earlier stand-alone input jacks.
Scott Dunn Pardon but you’re wrong. The JMPs had different transformers than the JCM800 2203 and 2204. Correct about the less filtering for the JCM800 2203. But the 2204 JMP had substantially less voltage on the power transformers. JMPs had around 390v on the plates. JCM800 2204’s had around 460v. Also there were some very minor other changes inside. One I can remember is the voltage going to the preamp. You can look up all the differences in the Metropoulos forum. Cheers.
The most versatile 800. I love most 800's, but this one screams marshall tone for days!
Hi Todd! Always nice videos. I own a 1986 2210 JCM, just love it. Recently, I built a footswitch and started playing with the clean channel, really interesting. I also added a 100k pot box on the effects loop as a attenuator so I can crank the master volume and get better tones.
That's a very clever trick with the loop! The clean channel on this is really fun.
@@BigBlackTruckDave Hi... it is a simple 100k audio pot installed on a pedal small pedal box that you tyn through the efx loop so you can crank pre amp gain or volume and master volume and reduce the signal in between. Wampler pedal channel has a video explaining how to do it. I think it is a video about fender Hot rod amps upgrade.
One secret to get great tone from the 4210, 2205 and 2210 is that when you use the gain channel, you bring up the "normal" channels volume and bass controls to at leat quarter past twelve. And the treble to according to your ears, perhaps quarter too twelve. This is what John Norum does on his 2205. The channels interact, even though only one is active. Just like on an old JMP 4 holer. Some call this the "channel bleed". John Norums settings are something like this. Gain channel: Precense on 10 (for the 2205 a bit less on his 2210), Volume over 12 o clock (as you like), reverb off, bass on 9, mids as you like, treble on 8, volume on 8, gain on 8. Normal channel: bass on 8, treble on 2-3, volume on 7.
I need to try this!
@@LeonTodd I have a 4210 combo (2205). You can feel more brilliance on the drive channel, at a bit lower volumes than full tilt, if you turn up the normal channels volume to almost full. When I run the combo through my two 4x12 cabs I have the tone controls on the drive channel on about quarter too, for all three knobs. And the treble higher than the bass on the normal channel. I prefer more of a vintage tone. This way the amp sounds quite similar to my 2204 top, but with warmer mids and a bit more bottom. John uses KT88's and runs his amp very warm. I'm more of a vintage plexi tone guy. I have the amp biased around 25 mA. The 2204 is around 30 mA. Cheers!
That sounds killer with the controls at noon! Dull? I think that fuckin’ rocks! And I’m a Mesa guy! Haha!
I own one. Absolutely agree on the clean channel! It's amazing. As far as the lead channel, it's good for leads when boosted, but for metal settings I usually bypass the preamp and use mooer micropreamp into the fx return. Even when boosted it's not tight enough.
For classic rock sounds it's pretty good.
I had a 2210. I loved the midish sound!
A les paul into a jcm800...does it get better?
I toured for years with the 2205/ 2210... try this - bass on 10, treble/ mid on 4, gain on 7 presence 4-6... it sounded huge and BROWN
Note that I gotta try!
Seriously ride both the treble and midrange below 5 as a pair
Justin Bryant do those setting sound bad in a live band setting? Heaps of bass and scooped mids haven’t worked well for me in the past in a live setting, cheers
Fandao19 those amps don’t have a ton of bass- when you turn down the treble and mids you actually shift the entire midrange to a more open spot.
Justin Bryant awesome, cheers for the tips mate! I get one next week, 2210 from 89, any other tips? Does effects loop work well? Cheers
The distortion channel was designed to be used with the gain cranked. No one would even think about putting it at half. It was the frickin' 80's! I use these heads for 70's rock tones, not metal, and no two sound alike. Also, changing the first tube alters the amp's character drastically. The gain channel is great for sustaining leads, no need to boost but sometimes I do. Haha!
I have a 100w 2210, mine is a UK one, 240v @375 watts power input. Bought it second/hand for £250 around 1992, it needed re-capping then, so I guess mine is an early 2210? I get glassy clean sound on clean channel, a bit of break up at 8, but still clean. The boost channel uses diode clipping instead of valves for distortion. Too fizzy/buzz sounding for my taste. The clean channel with a fuzz face pushing the input is glorious. Or any overdrive pushing the front end clean channel for high gain is great. The bottom end on mine can cause bowel movements, and a clean channel wack of an open E5 will break your ribs. Sounds best with master set at 7 here.
Ive owned this amp for a long time, the gain channel with an SD1 overdrive is my favourite metal tone of all amps ive ever tried.
I purchased this rig back in 87 at John Savage music in the UK. Dime volume, gain and presence and she roars. Still have it and still roars.
Love the brutal metal tone with the rev pedal in front
The G3 is a sweet pedal!
Killer tones!
I think Michael Schenker has been using the 50 watt version (2205) for years.
The "clean" channel, with a decent od/dist pedal would handle just about anything you could want
I have to admit I didn’t know there were so many jcm800s till recently. Lol. I’m getting the Ceriatone 2203 once I sell this amp I have. Then I’m going to get a Mesa rectifier preamp. I recently discovered I just don’t like Mesa poweramps but love the stand alone recto pre.
That pickup selector was driving me nuts until you addressed it! Thank you! 😁
Me too!
I used to have one of these in the late 80s, forgot how it sounded, thanks Leon!
Great amp. Reverb sounds good, too. And the clean channel also sounds very good when used as a real clean channel.
I consider myself a guitar player... but I find myself fiddling with the amp settings for hours, and love it!
In 1988 I traded a Laney AOR Pro Tube 50 head and $50 for the 2205 I still have today. Played over a hundred gigs with this amp before I retired her. To me its the best. I can get everything the 2203 has out of the 2205. Also it has channel switching which to me was a plus. Put a tube screamer in line if you feel the need and go!!! Then again, if I find a 2203 for a reasonable price I'll buy it. Cant hurt to have both!!
I personally think the 2205/2210 sound better then the 2203/2204's that have no balls at all. They're only good for classic rock, but suck at any kinda modern metal. These can play modern metal without any pedals in front, with the right pickups and speakers.
The 2210 & 2205 are amazing amps. I used to own a mid 80’s (85’ I think) 2205 and really miss it. There were three versions of these amps- kinda divided up into early/mid/late eighties.
GNR’s UYI records were done with a 6550 loaded 2210 (likely late 80’s model that had the highest gain) into a greenback loaded 4x12. (Per Adam Day, Slash’s long time tech) -These are very similar to the Jubilees as they introduce a form of diode clipping. The mid eighties version (think Tom Morello who still uses 2205’s) had issues with channel bleed- something to do with the switching and easily fixed- this the version I had and both channels were awesome. An old school Fulldrive 2 in front of the “clean” channel is killer! They sound great with greenies, t65’s & v30’s. There was a tech here in Houston that was a total guru with these amps, but he kinda fell off the map after he repaired my 64’ Bassman.
I really like a lot of the UYI tones so that's very cool to know!
No. Slash used a 2203 modified by Frank Levi for the UYI recordings. It was numbered #34. Frank Levi also copied Tim Caswell's #39 mod (A 1959T) that Slash used on the rehearsals & pre-production for Appetite, but it was unavailable when they actually went to record the album because George Lynch had rented it for a tour (he also loved that amp). So Frank Levi was commissioned to modify a standard 1959 to the same specs. It was named #36 at SIR (Studio Instrument Rentals) . The difference between the original (#39) and #36 was that since #39 had the tremolo circuit (where the extra gain stage was installed) , it could turn the mod on/off (with "off" making the amp sound un-altered) , whilst on #36, the modification was always "on" .
Frank Levi just recently passed away, which was a shame. He also wasn´t consulted by Marshall when they produced the AFD100 amp either, which was weird, since he was responsible for the tone heard on AFD. He voiced his displeasure about that on FB several times.
@@Nghilifa That is a shame, probably why the AFD #34 mod doesn't sound like the original... that and the lack of 6550 power tubes, Adam Day said they ran the master on like 8 and the preamp on about 3 for those sessions. I always thought (and had read) that the UYI tone was a 6550 powered 2210 (stock or modded) and that The Spaghetti Incident? was likely the #34 as it was similar, but seemed to have more sizzle and gain. Thanks for the info!
I have this amp! I’ve always had people tell me it sounds amazing..and I’ve had it worked on by a couple different guys. One said it was modded the other guy said it was stock. Regardless it’s ripping loud!!
Would appreciate a quick tour of your cab room setup! Cheers
Sounds like fun, I'll knock something up this week.
@@LeonTodd Awesome!
I used to have a 2205 (the 50W little brother) - I thought it sounded absolutely amazing. It made me sell my TSL100 right quick - I did not have it long though, since my rock project at the time fell apart, and I soon opted for at more practical Koch Studiotone ... Then came the AX8. I would love to have this modelled :)
Hrmmmm maybe I can tonematch it on the III and convert it to AX8 for you!
@@LeonTodd thanks, but I don't think that would work. Some of the magic is the built-in RAT circuit in the drive channel, and also the wonderful saturation on the clean channel will not be captured by a tone match.
My fave Marshall.....about a year ago, I had 3 side by side I played....’86, ‘88 & a ‘91. You may or may not know they changed the circuit in 87 & added a little bit of “mosfet gain” on the lead channel.....the ‘91 was by far the nastiest....I kinda wish I woulda bought it. Only reason I didn’t was my Soldano sp77 pre amp gave me the same sound with gain at 5 and treble pushed high....still wish I woulda got it.....little known fact, Marshall added a little mosfet gain to that clean channel because they thought it sounded too “sterile”.....my experience is that the ‘87 and newer ones are the ones more sought after for more “modern-ish” tones.....
That must have been so cool to try them side by side.
Hi I am fixing to buy a used 2210, 1988 model for $1500.00, it sounds great. I believe it is all original tubes. So you know how long these tubes last and how much would it be to replace them. 30 years seems to be a really long time for anything to still be top level function. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you
The strat sounds amazing
I like the split channels but I think the Jubilee is still the king of the 800 era.
Sounds killer with the Strat! Some nice tones with the LP too
I have one 2210, best amp i owned! And you really need to play it loud, otherwise you will not get the most out of it. I use an Attenuator (Fryette PS2) and put Master Volume never below 5 and in OD channel, Gain 8 and Volume always above 6. That's the Marshall sound. Other tip, o changed also from EL34 to 6L6 and you get more headroom, is amazing! Cheers!
I have a2205 and its fabulous. Sorta like having an 800 and a jubilee together in one box.
If you absolutely need a switcher get a 2210 or a 2205 but single channel 800's are almost always the way to go.
Can be had for a steal though!
I've got an '82 4210 combo (2205 in a 1x12" combo) - Paid AU$250.00
My '81 2203 head on the other hand - Paid AU$1800.00
It's essentially a JCM850. Holy crap that's a steal!
Yep! It needed a recap and is pretty beat up but for that price you can't complain.
You didn't mention what year that head was. They went through many circuit changes and all sound different. I have an '89 which has the most ferocious gain channel of them all.
Good to know! Thank you
Regrettably traded one with KT88s, Drake transformers and all for a JVM. A very musical, sweet sounding and touch sensitive amp.
I bought one of these back in 2001 as a "cheap" backup to my dual rectifier. Boy was I surprised.....thing sounded killer and like you pointed out: felt really great under your fingers for leads. Also had plenty of gain on tap: didn't need a boost out front and you could some insane metal sounds with an eq in the loop. Really miss that amp. I paid $400 Canadian for it back then....most guys want triple that now. :(
Ever run it in stereo with the Mesa?
@@LeonTodd I never bi-amped them live, but definitely did a couple times in the jam space and it sounded killer! A jcm 800 and a dual rec really blend well. That amp falls in to the "one that got away" category (which we all have). I was in school at the time and just could not afford to keep everything. Lol!
Everybody’s taping over the Gibson logo, so now I feel like the most rock n roll FU thing for me to do is not cover it up. I’ll cover up the Epiphone logo though, because hey fuck them, that’s why lol.
Nice playing brother from down under!
Ultimate rock'nroll thing would be to re-shape the headstock an a real LP into an Epi
Leon Todd hell’s yeah lol
sounds so mastodon-ish (remission/leviathan era) on 7:22, which i really like 🤘
Now that you mention it, yes!
I USE TOO PLAY THIS HALF STACK I HAD A 50 WT VERSION I HAD LA CUSTOM AUDIO WORK IT OVER BUT A FEW YEARS I SOLD IT I MISS IT!!!!
Hey man! Awesome your videos. Please, talk about the JVM410h! Hugs from Brazil.
I've got the 4212 50w combo version, changed R7 from 470K to 100K, tames the harsh fizz and it's all good.
Had a later model 2210 for years - the things sound great if you're able to get the master volume turned up. Strange fact - Marshall did a HUGE redesign of the 2210 midway though production that dramatically changed the sound, and never said a word about it. If you're curious which you've got the later ones have an IC to do channel switching.
Very interesting. This one is a later model from what I can gather.
Hi Craig, is there an easy way to tell which one mine is,?
thats the most beautiful guitar ever
The 2210/2205's don't have a clean channel, it has a normal channel which works like a JMP 1959, the more the volume is increased the more it distorts. What I sometimes do with it which I've never seen anyone else do is max the volume and add a Maxon OD808 with gain and balance on full, produces a pretty heavy crunch sound.
When I bought my 2210 in the '80's I bought the two cabinets with 40 watt Greenbacks in them instead of 25 watts because more is better right? And because I'm more of a classic rocker I would live most of time on the clean channel with pedals and a LP Standard. But I still would being playing as loud as the bar allowed.
Lovin the sick font with the magenta!!
I need a magenta beanie now
I jus seen this video because I was diggin on those amps and found this video, I just purchased this amp "full stack" and its awesome.!!!! Great tones
Well done and thanks for sharing brother! Be Well Leon!
Great review
Clean channel with a strat is a go to tone 😄
You need to put a tube screamer OD pedal in front of a Marshall amp to bring it to life.
That app is tops sounds great really like it think it’s very close to 2002 or 2004 It’s got its own uniqueness that’s all good because it sounds great
1st time hear...TY_4 the vid man...Thumbs up .My brother has a Marshall JCM 800 50 watt Series X10501 that Im gonna buy off him with a 4 X 12 Fender Cabinet. Ive always loved Marshall especially the pre 90's. I want to run my 1972 Peavey Classic speakers only... (but the ol 72 head still sounds kickass) should sill sound great with my old DOD/BOSS pedals.... Sounds good weather Im playing my ovation or my Ibanez..... getting OLD sucks ... If its to Loud your to old ...
I enjoyed that, Leon. Thanks
I really like it
I have a 2210 and 4x12 Vintage 30 speakers. Make any guitar sound great...
Hey Leon - the tone you got when boosted was fantastic. Do you happen to remember the settings you used? I recently picked one of these up and can’t seem to get it remotely close to being as good as this.
Start by trying to get your clean channel sounding like Leon's first step. My strat sounds way different and my 2210 is bright as. If it doesnt sound like that, check your valves (first 3). I used to try and tame the volume by having the master on 1. Dont do that. Get a load box like an Ox or do what Rafael did and make an attenuator. The fix for me was using a Boss GE7 to get the guitar matched to the amp. I use the clean channel with a GE7 (to knock off the treble a bit) then into a tube screamer and then a EVH just adding mild bumps. (see Tim Pierce's post on these pedals)
I have one rebuilt to stock. The Normal channel is not a clean channel, it's a normal Marshall channel.
Hi,
Could I ask you how to use 2210 to record?
Direct DI out into record interface? Or use MIC?
So many versions with this model #
Go to Marshall code it’s okay Bluetooth is good sounds good but I prefer what you’ve got plug-in basically play few minor adjustments accordingly
Good to see your still making some Marshall video's! When with the Studio Classic (JCM 800/Studio Vintage (Plexi) video's be arriving? Would love to hear your take on those two new amps!
Very keen to have a thrash through those things. Depends on when my local music store gets stock and when I can borrow them. Got something very cool coming in the next 2-3 months that a lot of Marshall fans will like.
@@LeonTodd Looking forward to it!
I love the 2205/2210
Nice vid, Leon! I had a combo of this back in the 80s. The dirty channel was very shrill, but the clean channel was fabulous. Since it was the 80s, I eventually went to using that for clean with a chorus hooked into it, and a Peavey VTM-120 with a 4x12 for my dirty sound. Wouldn't think of hauling that much gear to a gig now.
I had a 2210 for years. It had all the right stuff except the bass. I always wanted to put the bass passed 10.
2205 is great to if you haven't picked ones thoses I really recommend them great amp
Leon is that the same 2210 you put up against the 2203 in a video a while back? This one sounded better than the other IMHO. Anyway great video
Awesome thanks bro!!!!!
Yea underrated amps, the 87-90 models tend to sound better than the 82-86 models I hear. Those models have the channel bleeding issues.
good enough for Michael Schenker good enough for me bro ❤
I hope you tried the Les Paul on the bridge pickup.
Any opinion on the fx loop for pedals on the 2210?
I remember choosing a jcm900 over the single channel 800 20 years because I was convinced I needed two channels and reverb. I would've loved to have seen this at the time! I just figured as a 19 year old that the 900 was 100 better than the 800
...wait, it's not 100 better? it goes to 20!
Don't feel bad: in the late 90's players were dumping their 800s left right and centre for jcm 900s, 2000s and rectos. That is why back then, they could be had so cheap. Then again, in the late 90s, you could pick up an original Hiwatt for dirt cheap as well....
Hey leon, how long can the cable be from your head to cab? and aren't these cables expensive? Is there signal loss?
Running long speaker cables is fine - I have a 50 footer i bought years ago that is yet to let me down
Hello Todd hope all is well I need to replace the first two pots on my 800 fifty watt combo Do you know which ones Marshall uses Thanks
I actually got a 1986 JCM800. It's the one that has the brown cover instead of the black one. Bought it second hand and it really sounds old. Clean channel sounds not too good and the boost/gain channel is pretty janky. It gets very fuzzy...reverb doesn't work and when I take my bass knob to about 7 the volume goes up. I really should get it fixed up.....also get a greenback cab instead of a v30 cab :)
or a cab with Marshall (Celestion) G12 Vintage...I love greenbacks but these are even better
@@psilohsaibin9916 I upgraded my v30 cab to a Marshall 1960BX 4x12 with G12's! Had the amp fixed and it sound pretty good now with the greenback cab. Unfortunetly I have to sell both....since I'm moving I really don't want to lug around with the gigantic cab and top! :)
Clean Channel with the Stratocaster has that nice Marshall compression sound that is sought after, JCM 2000-ish, if I'm hearing it right, great classic rock and rock Blues tone... I'd like to hear someone else's opinion, there's one for sale on Kijiji up here where I am, want to invest in it but wanna be sure
I'd rather get a JCM2000 DSL or an old 2203 over this to be honest.
@@LeonTodd I was thinking the same 👍
Boosted! ❤️
I have a 81 2204(vertical input) and a mid 80’s 2205. I prefer the 2205. I even use the normal/clean channel. Shit it even has reverb!
What about the 1959 JCM800?
The drive channel of this amp uses diode clipping. Kind of why the clean channel drive sounds better, similar to the the jcm 900 4100. Fun fact Joey Santiago of the pixies uses the 50w version of this head.
Uses diode clipping, similar to the Silver Jubilee too. And if you use a drive pedal and the clean channel you use solid state clipping circuit again. Just another than the built in circuit. Fun fact Michael Schenker uses the 2205 (until today), the Scorpions uses the split channel heads, Tom Morello uses the 2205.
@@bence42 yes. I was aware of all that! Good to know a fellow amp nerd
I had no idea this version exists! How do you feel the distortion compare with the “standard” JCM800?
It's a bit different. I much prefer the "standard" 800 these days
@@LeonTodd Wow. Thank you!
What fuses does this amp use like model and size please I have one of these amps but not the fuses I need your help desperately thank you very much
In my opinion, the best amp Marshall ever made.
it's taken me a long time to "get" this amp, but I think I get it now.
@@LeonTodd great for rock and blues. not so much for metal. I'm not a huge fan of the 2203 for metal either.
Leon Todd agree mate, you’ve made it sound great! What where your setting when you had it on the dirt Channel boosted with the Rev pedal? Cheers mate, awesome work!
What would cost me a JCM800 - 2210 nowadays? (Good condition)
~2k
Awesome work mate! Getting mine next week keeeeeen!! What year is yours?
I like this, but I’m not in love with it by any means. Plus it doesn’t have spring reverb.
I’m looking for an 80s Plexi JCM-800 100 Watt.
I should have never sold mine years ago.
There’s a new reissue out called the JCM-800 2203x that Sweet Wster seems to think is the answer to thAt. Do you know anything about this amp.?
Holla Back!
Faubus
There's spring reverb in the one I have
Bypass the clipping diode makes the world of difference, it also runs about 125 watts….. well mine does
Nice demo! Have you compared this amp to the Nembrini MRH810 plugin, which is actually based on a 2210?
Not side by side but i do have a review/demo of the nembrini which sounds great!
I think the 2203 does metal better, but man, I wish it had a god damn FX loop
as always, great demo :D
I think the reissues have a loop which is indeed handy.
@@LeonTodd Yep, the reissue does have an FX loop.
Metro effects loops are amazing for this, easy too put back too stock
are you using the DI port in the back connected to the PC ?? How do I do that?