Is the JCM900 as bad as people say?

[AdamJones63]

I was torn between a JCM900 and a Mode Four head, played both and preferred the Mode Four but I didn't think the JCM900 was horrible, certainly not as bad as people make out - sure it's no JCM800, but it's not bad by any means. Any reason why it gets such a horrible rep?

 

[SmokeyDopey]

According to Twin, the JCM900s are great (for catapulting)




I guess people dont like them because there are clipping diodes in the circuit, meaning it isnt 100% valve distortion.
It really depends what youre looking for, for some it may be perfect. It does have pretty high gain.
I have a 50W JCM 900 Dual reverb, but its not my main amp.

Another thing, the JCM 900 Master volume models have a knob called gain sensitivity, which by putting that in 0 (zero), it bypasses the clipping diodes (an option the Dual reverbs dont have), so soe people prefer these models because of that option. If you want more high gain, give the gain sensitivity knob a little twist.

 

[diesect20022000]

the dual reverb models are the infamous models and no they're fine. It's all preferance but, i loved mine. they're bright as hell though so a unique eqing is needed. set up properly they can be amazing though. Check out "eljeffe's" clips if you like metal and are curios about this variant.

the MKIII is an unsung classic rock HERO and the SL-X is a popular hard rock and metal amp. ACE Frehley swore by them and still uses them.

 

[JayCM800]

Nevermind!

 

[MartyStrat54]

Which 900 model? Which 800 model? You can't casually group them all together.

Please be specific.

 

[MartyStrat54]

I was torn between a JCM900 and a Mode Four head, played both and preferred the Mode Four but I didn't think the JCM900 was horrible, certainly not as bad as people make out - sure it's no JCM800, but it's not bad by any means. Any reason why it gets such a horrible rep?

This.

 

[MM54]

I like the 900's, people are biased against them for various BS reasons, but they're good amps. They sound their best when you open them up a bit and start melting down the power section, like most all valve amps.

 

[icedteaburst]

they have loads of gain, they're loud, good cleans imo, and when i first bought mine i had no idea it wasn't all tube, i thought it sounded awesome... sometimes you got to use your ears not your ass

 

[5er driver]

The JCM 900 series is terrible, don't get one. I have one and love it. If you can get the tones out of it that you expect, then there's no issue.......is there.

 

[shredless]

My thoughts are that the "older guys, back in the eighties who always played their plexis and the like... even the first 800s....started the hate because of the clipping diodes....and it just took off rampant because that was also the beginnings of the internet and the ability for opinions to spread like wildfire.

Whats fucked up though is alot of those same guys were sticking a overdrive in fornt of that plexi and guess what was inside it...? Clipping diodes LOL

 

[Lowlife]

Love mine, the clean is great, the distortion is good, it's loud...actually its supposed to be played with the volume around 7 (for the best sound)...which is insanely loud...hence the hotplate

 

[V-man]

I was torn between a JCM900 and a Mode Four head, played both and preferred the Mode Four but I didn't think the JCM900 was horrible, certainly not as bad as people make out - sure it's no JCM800, but it's not bad by any means. Any reason why it gets such a horrible rep?

You think that's bad... stick around for the Mode Four rap. It was so poorly received that it was discontinued after a few years production. Amp fans have a lot of blind loyalty/fickle idiocy within their ranks.

The 2205/10 sucked because it was harsh, shrill and had channel bleed. The Jubilee sucked because it has diodes and isn't a practical 2-channel amp. The solid state Mosfets suck because they aren't tube-driven. The 900s suck (oh wait, there's three models?) because they have diodes and are harsh and I just accepted JCM 800s after years of saying they suck compared to JMPs, and now they change the amp again. The 6100s suck because they are so complicated nobody will work on one. The Mode Fours suck because they are hard to dial and aren't tube-driven. Vintage moderns suck because they are hard to dial too. 2203x sucks because it's not what my 1983 2203 sounds like. 1959 reissues suck because they have a bright cap. 2203kks suck because they have a stupid tribal graphic and I refuse to plug my LES PAUL (<-ahem) into a sig series amp. The 1959RR sucks because they charge too much for a cascade gain and white tolex. The AFD sucks because I don't sound like slash when I plug in. The YJMs suck because... uh because Marshall can't get them over here in the states at the moment (We'll have better reasons after two youtube demos).

This shit goes on and on. I have all the Marshalls below in my sig. There isn't one of them that does everything. Each has its share of strengths and weaknesses. Even if I modified a weakness into a strength on the amp, it would produce consequences that cause additional weakness(es). The key is to dismiss the opinions and scrutinize the specific assertions of the amp. JCM 900s need volume to sound good. Ahh so you don't like them because you spent $1,400 on an amp you couldn't play properly because you're a bedroom douche. Gotcha. Thus the merit to the argument is if you can't play louder, the JCM 900 may not be your choice.

 

[JayCM800]

You think that's bad... stick around for the Mode Four rap. It was so poorly received that it was discontinued after a few years production. Amp fans have a lot of blind loyalty/fickle idiocy within their ranks.

The 2205/10 sucked because it was harsh, shrill and had channel bleed. The Jubilee sucked because it has diodes and isn't a practical 2-channel amp. The solid state Mosfets suck because they aren't tube-driven. The 900s suck (oh wait, there's three models?) because they have diodes and are harsh and I just accepted JCM 800s after years of saying they suck compared to JMPs, and now they change the amp again. The 6100s suck because they are so complicated nobody will work on one. The Mode Fours suck because they are hard to dial and aren't tube-driven. Vintage moderns suck because they are hard to dial too. 2203x sucks because it's not what my 1983 2203 sounds like. 1959 reissues suck because they have a bright cap. 2203kks suck because they have a stupid tribal graphic and I refuse to plug my LES PAUL (<-ahem) into a sig series amp. The 1959RR sucks because they charge too much for a cascade gain and white tolex. The AFD sucks because I don't sound like slash when I plug in. The YJMs suck because... uh because Marshall can't get them over here in the states at the moment (We'll have better reasons after two youtube demos).

This shit goes on and on. I have all the Marshalls below in my sig. There isn't one of them that does everything. Each has its share of strengths and weaknesses. Even if I modified a weakness into a strength on the amp, it would produce consequences that cause additional weakness(es). The key is to dismiss the opinions and scrutinize the specific assertions of the amp. JCM 900s need volume to sound good. Ahh so you don't like them because you spent $1,400 on an amp you couldn't play properly because you're a bedroom douche. Gotcha. Thus the merit to the argument is if you can't play louder, the JCM 900 may not be your choice.

+1. I agree with everything except the "bedroom douche" Let's call it "volume challenged" or "Loudness impaired"

I gotta add the part about those Marshall "enthusiasts" who consider themselves experts, but express disdain at every amp made after 1983.

We need to acquire more collective tech/user knowledge about all kinds of Marshall amps. It can't all be about "vintage hot rods".

 

[TwinACStacks]

Worse than You could ever imagine, But they have a Bitchin' Glide path...

TWIN

 

[Crunchcity]

Eljeffebrown's JCM 900 clips sound great to me.

I have a 900 mkiii 2100 that rocks imo.

It's what you can do with it that counts.

 

[Salsg]

I've owned several 900 series. I didn't care for the Dual Reverb, but the MKIII was very cool and would like to get another one some day.

 

[sccloser]

I was torn between a JCM900 and a Mode Four head, played both and preferred the Mode Four but I didn't think the JCM900 was horrible, certainly not as bad as people make out - sure it's no JCM800, but it's not bad by any means. Any reason why it gets such a horrible rep?

JCM 900 is a series of amps just as JCM 800 is. There are many models within the series, and even models sometimes change within a series.

Case in point, the jcm 900 model 2500. It can either be a 50w mark iii head, single channel, no reverb, dual master volumes and gain sensitivity which (or subtracts) diode clipping for more gain OR it can be a 50w SLX head which uses an extra 12ax7 for an extra gain stage (and hence no diode are used). I think the DR heads again have the diode clipping.

JCM 800's also had models with diode clipping. Models 2205/2210 have some diode clipping that can not be turned off like in the JCM 900 mkiii models.

And, I would also point out that a JCM 900 model 2500 mkiii is very close to a JCM 800 2204, with the addition of dual masters, and the gain sensitivity (adjustable diode clipping). With the gain sensitivity turned all the way down, the mkiii can sound much like a 2204 if not exactly.

 

[Imnoone]

I don't know much about the Mode4s but I have a JCM900 model 2500. I didn't like it at first but I plugged an MXR 10 band EQ in it and absolutely love it! It took me a while to dial it in. I like it because it's so simple. I liked the part that someone pointed out how the 'purists' will only use all tube amps but boost them with diode clipping OD. I'd say most of them do that. I don't care what people say you 'shouldn't' do anymore. I've been running a distortion pedal from time to time on the clean channel of my 900 (OMG noooo!!!!!) and it sounds pretty effin' good! BTW, I've heard waaay more good things about the 900s on this forum than bad.

 

[JimiRules]

I have a buddy that has a JCM900 Dual Reverb. I always thought it sounded good and would have no problem picking one up for myself it the situation warranted it.

 

[MonstersOfTheMidway]

I never owned a JCM 900, but I have played through a few. My favorite is the 4100 model. The JCM 900 definitely has many usable tones for both recording and live performance. Great series all around.

As for the Mode 4 amps, I've only them live a few times, but they sounded ok. I have heard the Mode 4 400 watt cabs through many different amps, and I gotta say that the Mode 4 400 watt cab is a great cab (I prefer the Mode 4 400 watt cabs over the 1960A and 1960B cabs).