2205. WHY do I need one?????

[Neptical]

Ayyyy - Marshall Fam!

Encourage me please. Haha! $900 mint JCM 800 2205 head at my expense. Tell me WHY I should have one.

I currently own:
DSL50
DSL 100
JCM 900 SLX 2500
(6) 3210s
(1) 3315

It will hardly cure my craving for allllll my Marshall tones. But what will it give me that I may not already have?

Thanks fam!

 

[Adieu]

Buy it and flip a DSL

 

[Neptical]

@Adieu You bumped your head.

My DSLs go nowhere.

 

[Adieu]

Ok you don't need a 2205 then.

 

[Neville]

What I love about my channelswitcher (combo):

- great clean channel (underrated pedalplatform).
- great master volume. Although louder is of course better you can use both channels in your bedroom and it won't sound like shit.
- great lead sound.
- overall a very special and unique amp.
- you seem to like the 3210? Then you have to at least try a 2205!

So there is much to like. Unfortunately there are some downsides you need to be aware of.

- they can not be dialed in to sound like a 2203/2204.
- low end on the boost channel is kind of "meh". For modern sounds you are better of with a pedal (rat/ friedman be/ mxr5150/ you name it) in front of the clean channel.
- make sure to get the right year. Later=better. There is a lot of Information about that topic here on the forum. But I have to say that mine is from 82 and it is really stunning after some minor mods.

But hell, $900 mint? Buy. Or at least check the year and if it is 86 or later: buy!

 

[WellBurnTheSky]

I want a 2205, Norum's amp of choice (his main 2205 used to belong to Schenker)...

 

[El Gringo]

The reason you should buy it is that is only $900 bucks . To good of a price IMHO .

 

[CROWEMAG]

BUY IT

 

[Deftone]

$900 is a helluva deal for 2205. Great amp too. No lose situation, unless you don't buy it.

 

[Chris-in-LA]

I want a 2205, Norum's amp of choice (his main 2205 used to belong to Schenker)...

Was that Greenie or a copy?

 

[Drinkingdeath01]

Yes Nep, you definitely need another Marshall.

 

[El Gringo]

I want a 2205, Norum's amp of choice (his main 2205 used to belong to Schenker)...

See that's nice as what an assembly line of our favorite amps ! That's how you do it on the MTV (anyone remember that ? )

 

[El Gringo]

Was that Greenie or a copy?

That is the Gibson Gary Moore Les Paul , which there was a Gibson USA line and a Gibson Custom Shop version as well. Can't tell which one this is though ? This was patterned after Peter Green's Les Paul aka "Greenie"

 

[WellBurnTheSky]

Was that Greenie or a copy?

I think that's his R8 (though he rotates guitars on a regular basis). Bad quality video plus stage lights don't help, but I'd say that's this guitar:
https://johnnorum.se/gibson-les-paul-custom-shop-1958/
The thing with Norum being, a huge part of his tone is in his playing, here's him playing the exact same song on the last tour, on his basswood, FS-1 loaded MIJ Strat, into an EP Booster into the 2205 (he says he uses the EP Booster to get the same amount of compression from his Strats as what he gets from his LPs and Vs), and sounding quite similar:

I saw them on that tour, and even though that's a cellphone video, it captures some of what I heard. Which is some of the best rock tones I ever witnessed firsthand (the other one being Schenker on the Temple of Rock tour, also with a 2205). And ridiculously good playing, of course...

 

[El Gringo]

That is an awesome you tube clip as I love the tone from the Strat . A little bit like David Gilmour tone I hear . That tone from the Strat is mind blowing for me as it's very close to his Les Paul sound . I really loved the dive bombs and pull ups with the whammy bar ! I have a 2011 Fender Custom Shop Mary kay White Blonde maple neck Stratamacaster ( not a typo ) and I have a set of Fender Lace Sensor pickups ( Blue for the neck -like a humbucker , Silver for the middle -which is a traditional single coil , Red for the bridge -which is a really hot humbucker sound . This will be installed when I visit with my tech soon . So I am hoping to get into the tone territory exactly like in this clip that you shared, and I want to be close to my Les Paul's and use the Strat as a beater . Thanks for posting !

 

[Buzzard]

What I love about my channelswitcher (combo):

- great clean channel (underrated pedalplatform).
- great master volume. Although louder is of course better you can use both channels in your bedroom and it won't sound like shit.
- great lead sound.
- overall a very special and unique amp.
- you seem to like the 3210? Then you have to at least try a 2205!

So there is much to like. Unfortunately there are some downsides you need to be aware of.

- they can not be dialed in to sound like a 2203/2204.
- low end on the boost channel is kind of "meh". For modern sounds you are better of with a pedal (rat/ friedman be/ mxr5150/ you name it) in front of the clean channel.
- make sure to get the right year. Later=better. There is a lot of Information about that topic here on the forum. But I have to say that mine is from 82 and it is really stunning after some minor mods.

But hell, $900 mint? Buy. Or at least check the year and if it is 86 or later: buy!

Can’t say I agree. I’ve got a 2204 and a 2205 . Maybe cause yours is an 82’ and mines an 87’ but with the 3 controls for gain and volume it’s got that same type muscle as my 2204. In some ways I prefer the 2205.

 

[WellBurnTheSky]

That is an awesome you tube clip as I love the tone from the Strat . A little bit like David Gilmour tone I hear . That tone from the Strat is mind blowing for me as it's very close to his Les Paul sound . I really loved the dive bombs and pull ups with the whammy bar ! I have a 2011 Fender Custom Shop Mary kay White Blonde maple neck Stratamacaster ( not a typo ) and I have a set of Fender Lace Sensor pickups ( Blue for the neck -like a humbucker , Silver for the middle -which is a traditional single coil , Red for the bridge -which is a really hot humbucker sound . This will be installed when I visit with my tech soon . So I am hoping to get into the tone territory exactly like in this clip that you shared, and I want to be close to my Les Paul's and use the Strat as a beater . Thanks for posting !

He actually uses true single coils, the DiMarzio FS-1, the pickup that was also used by Rory Gallagher in the bridge position of hi #1 Strat (from '75 on) and what is in the replicas from the Fender CS, Gilmour on Animals and The Wall (that's supposed to be the pickup used on the 2nd solo to Comfortably Numb), The Edge in his '70s Strat and the sig model, Knopfler in the neck position of his red Strat on the first album (yeah, that's what he used on Sultans of Swing) or Malmsteen in the Alcatrazz days (right before he switched to the HS-3s, and where he sounded the best IMHO).
The trick being, Norum has tone pots for his neck and bridge pickups and roll them off a tad to fatten the sound.
And with the Strat, his most obvious influence actually is Gary Moore, check out GM on the Victims of the Future/Corridors of Power era, he really channels that playing. Add to that some Gilmour indeed, a lot of Michael Schenker (very obvious when he switches to Gibsons), some Blackmore and Uli John Roth (he was in high school with Malmsteen, they have this in common).

Coming back to the 2205, he's often commented that to his ear it's the warmest sounding iteration of the Marshall sound. iirc he has had them modded for KT88s to gain some headroom, too.

 

[EADGBE]

If you can afford it you'll have a another good amp. Not only that but it may quench you gear acquisition syndrome.

 

[Kutt]

Because then you can do this:

I currently own:
DSL50
DSL 100
JCM 900 SLX 2500
(6) 3210s
(1) 3315
2205

'nuff said.

 

[Chris-in-LA]

I think that's his R8 (though he rotates guitars on a regular basis). Bad quality video plus stage lights don't help, but I'd say that's this guitar:
https://johnnorum.se/gibson-les-paul-custom-shop-1958/
The thing with Norum being, a huge part of his tone is in his playing, here's him playing the exact same song on the last tour, on his basswood, FS-1 loaded MIJ Strat, into an EP Booster into the 2205 (he says he uses the EP Booster to get the same amount of compression from his Strats as what he gets from his LPs and Vs), and sounding quite similar:

I saw them on that tour, and even though that's a cellphone video, it captures some of what I heard. Which is some of the best rock tones I ever witnessed firsthand (the other one being Schenker on the Temple of Rock tour, also with a 2205). And ridiculously good playing, of course...

Well, it doesn’t seem to be a stock R8. The neck pup is turned around and the knobs are mis-matched like Greenie.