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[j.hall]

these are THD yellow jackets:

http://www.thdelectronics.com/products/yellow_jacket.htm

i prefer syvtlana and ruby tubes.  my traynor has a cobination of both in it right now.  

[Fabricoh35]

scott volthause wrote on Tue, 21 February 2006 14:03

You mean EL34?

Your absolutly right!!

I was totally wrong.

I didn't have the amp in front of my but I checked it now that I'm home and they are actually sovtek EL34G's.  I was getting the earlier information off the listing from the guy I am buying from.  

So really he's wrong and gave me wrong information!!

See I knew it I'm never wrong! haha.

Well anyway I got him to drop $100 from the price to pay for the repairs to the master volume and the presence pots.  The tech I called said that if they just need to be repaired it should be about that if they need to be replaced it could be more.

[Bivouac]

Well the good news is those amps sound a ton better w/EL34's than the 6550's that they usually come with (at least in my opinion).  They will breakup a little sooner, have a much more pleasant top end, and have that classic Marshall lower mid kick in the balls!

I've got a JMP 2203 that's really very similar.  A little bit darker and has little more low end than the JCM800's I've heard.  I love that amp more than life itself; I'll never get rid of it...

[scott volthause]

$100 off sounds pretty good. Good going.

[max cooper]

Fabricoh35 wrote on Tue, 21 February 2006 11:37

BTW all of this was just a Gibson SG custom plugged directly into the head.  And I'm plugged into an open back 2X12 cabinet.

IMO, the cabinet is a big part of the Marshall Sound.  Once you have this thing properly equipped, you'll "get it".  Just my opinion, though.

I'm also a big fan of putting KT88's in Marshalls.

Max

[j.hall]

Bivouac wrote on Tue, 21 February 2006 20:04

I'll never get rid of it...

i said the same thing about my 2205 50w JCM-800 with a flight case that was given to me as a gift

i just sold it two weeks ago.  the last time i even powered it up was 2 years ago.  an amp like that needs to be played.

[Fabricoh35]

max cooper wrote on Wed, 22 February 2006 09:03

Fabricoh35 wrote on Tue, 21 February 2006 11:37 BTW all of this was just a Gibson SG custom plugged directly into the head.  And I'm plugged into an open back 2X12 cabinet. IMO, the cabinet is a big part of the Marshall Sound.  Once you have this thing properly equipped, you'll "get it".  Just my opinion, though.

I'm quite sure that you are right.  The proper cabinet for this thing is the next step.

But keep that quiet, I can't let my wife know about that yet.

[scott volthause]

j.hall wrote on Wed, 22 February 2006 09:53

i said the same thing about my 2205 50w JCM-800 with a flight case that was given to me as a gift i just sold it two weeks ago.  the last time i even powered it up was 2 years ago.  an amp like that needs to be played.

I wish I'd known you were dumping one... I need a backup.

[TheViking]

I've seen some of these JCM800 50 watt 2x12 combos with reverb and without.   Mine has reverb.   Do they always have this option?   Also, are they all two channel?

I've used the open back 2x12 combo cab...   but I much more prefer to use mine with a 2x12 or 4x14 closed back cab.   It sounds a bit more focused and ballsy that way.

I should probably know more about the inside of my amp.   This discussion has been pretty helpful to me.   All I know about mine is that when I need it to, it sounds bitchin!

[Fabricoh35]

Actually the amp I bought is not a combo.  Its a head only.  I happen to have it plugged into a 2X12 open back cabinet at the moment.  

My head is a single channel with no reverb.  I guess much like the head on my shoulders.

[j.hall]

i only sold my 800 because a good friend needed a great amp in a bad way.  they tour a bunch and just signed a pretty big deal right when is dual rectifier 9which he hated) went belly up.  he borrowed my 800 and it ruled.

[floodstage]

TheViking wrote on Wed, 22 February 2006 11:54

I've seen some of these JCM800 50 watt 2x12 combos with reverb and without.   Mine has reverb.   Do they always have this option?   Also, are they all two channel?

I assume your combo is a 4212.  (They did make transistor versions which should not be labeled JCM800's if you ask me)

A good link for JCM 800 info:

http://www.marshallamps.com/heritage/jcm800/jcm800_01.asp

Evolution started with

Head - single channel - (volume only) -
Head - Single channel  - Master volume  - (gain and volume)
Head - channel switching - w/reverb

There are 50 watt and 100 watt versions of all of them.

There are single channel and channel switching combos.  The combos were released lated in the JCM product life span.

People tend to poo poo the channel switchers/reverb units and combos.  The combos have minor changes from the heads and the channel switchers and reverb circuits make the circuit design less straight forward.  

That said, I have the 4210 combo (50 watt channel switcher w/reverb) and I love it.  If the others are better, they must rock very hard indeed!

[redfro]

Just a couple of opinions...

I have a 4210...hate the distortion on this thing. Too sizzly, not what I think of as the real deal Marshall sound. However, put a couple of Yellow Jackets in it and crank the master to 10 and use the pre as your volume and it's MUCH better.

I own a '81 JMP Lead 100 that IS the Marshall sound. All knobs to 5 and it's Back in Black. Completely. However, if you're going for more of a Nu-Metel sound, not your amp.

Of the 800's the early '80 single channel are the best IMO. Punchy, but with more gain than the JMPs.

As for the original question, get some Cal-lube and pull the head out. Spray the contacts on the pots and twist them around. See if it fixes it. If not, take it to your tech...

[Fabricoh35]

Well the deal is completely done.  I ended up paying $550 for the head.  I think I got a pretty good deal.  I did spray the pot last night and it seemed to make in improvement on the master volume.  Presence is still a no go.  I'm going to take it to the tech anyway and have him go over the whole thing for me.  

I have been so slammed with (non music) work that I only get about 1/2 a night to mess around with this thing.  I can't wait to really crank her up and see what see can do.

Thanks for all the info and help.

[j.hall]

550?????????

that's a great price.

look on ebay.  i haven't seen one go for under 700 in a while.