Realization, the painful truth...

[Spyderg0d]

Have a listen to the ACDC live album If You Want Blood. Both Angus and Mal used 2203’s on that.
Johan Segeborn made a video saying his fave amp is a 77 2204(50 watt version) so maybe search that one up but there’s hundreds of great demos of 2203’s on YT.
They basically sound like a Plexi but the overdrive is slightly less raw and they’re not quiet as responsive.

Eh.. I'm pretty sure I can get that from my 2555x with some futtering around with pre-eq and boost.

 

[V-man]

*Cherry picking* indeed..That was the premise of my reply to your * pontifications*...lol. The prices are disproportionate...period...

Hey, I didn’t start the *discussion* thread about my “painful” lament of missing out due to my first mistake. I have my 2203 JMP and enjoy it religiously… you do you, just let us know beforehand like the ranting GF retuning from work whether you are seeking comfort or solutions so we don’t ruffle your feathers with our ”pontifications“ and leave you to your pain you’d rather be stuck in.

I have no qualms w anybody finding them too high right now (and the ensuing recession WILL correct)… so long as it’s not framed in the ridiculous mentality that the amp’s historic low point -/+ should be the reference for pricing expectations….AND that the same group of people bitching about this aren’t also turning around to post NGDs (etc) based on the same inflated model.

 

[Kuga]

I don't want be the black sheep. I played some 2203. It's a great amp. But I think it's overrated IMHO. If it were so great I would have one. Whatever the cost. Just my 2 cents.

 

[GIBSON67]

I've had two 2203's, both JMP's and I agree that is the tone for me! Pushing a GB cab was also part the deal there...loved it!

I have a 2204 and DSL, but I still regret selling the 2203's. Something about the fullness/headroom of the 2203's that is lost on the 2204's.

 

[Adrian R]

*Cherry picking* indeed..That was the premise of my reply to your * pontifications*...lol. The prices are disproportionate...period...

A

Hey, I didn’t start the *discussion* thread about my “painful” lament of missing out due to my first mistake. I have my 2203 JMP and enjoy it religiously… you do you, just let us know beforehand like the ranting GF retuning from work whether you are seeking comfort or solutions so we don’t ruffle your feathers with our ”pontifications“ and leave you to your pain you’d rather be stuck in.

I have no qualms w anybody finding them too high right now (and the ensuing recession WILL correct)… so long as it’s not framed in the ridiculous mentality that the amp’s historic low point -/+ should be the reference for pricing expectations….AND that the same group of people bitching about this aren’t also turning around to post NGDs (etc) based on the same inflated model.

I've had two 2203's, both JMP's and I agree that is the tone for me! Pushing a GB cab was also part the deal there...loved it!

I have a 2204 and DSL, but I still regret selling the 2203's. Something about the fullness/headroom of the 2203's that is lost on the 2204's.

I've bought and sold 2 2204s since 2010. While truly great amps, they just don't have tight punch and snarl like the 2203s. Plus, as stated earlier, with DSL 100s with mods I can emulate them.

 

[What?]

A



I've bought and sold 2 2204s since 2010. While truly great amps, they just don't have tight punch and snarl like the 2203s. Plus, as stated earlier, with DSL 100s with mods I can emulate them.

I'm a fan of 2203's myself, but have you heard a 2203 have more snarl than this? I haven't.

 

[LyseFar]

I have a JMP 2204 and a reissue 2203 and I tend to agree that the reissue is lacking a bit of the tonal umami that the JMP bringes to the table.
The JMP sounds fantastic with everything you throw at it ….guitars and speakers …
The reissue is more picky and works best with v30s and Les Pauls…
I do think that the reissue is a very fine amp and when playing with the band the tonal nuances between the two amps becomes insignificant - at least to my ears.

 

[Adrian R]

I

I have a JMP 2204 and a reissue 2203 and I tend to agree that the reissue is lacking a bit of the tonal umami that the JMP bringes to the table.
The JMP sounds fantastic with everything you throw at it ….guitars and speakers …
The reissue is more picky and works best with v30s and Les Pauls…
I do think that the reissue is a very fine amp and when playing with the band the tonal nuances between the two amps becomes insignificant - at least to my ears.

I had two (2203x)...they just *off* somewhat...weird...plenty of balls..but the voicing was strange.

 

[Adrian R]

I'm a fan of 2203's myself, but have you heard a 2203 have more snarl than this? I haven't.

DSLs..lol. They are the next best thing to a 2203 *voice wise*..

 

[What?]

DSLs..lol. They are the next best thing to a 2203 *voice wise*..

To me that sounds damn good. Not worse than a 2203. Just different. More snarly mids from the DSL. More oomph from a 2203.

 

[What?]

I don't know. Both of these (2203 and 2204) sound pretty damn similar to those DSL's.

 

[What?]

I'm going to have to fire up my DSL. I haven't played it in a minute.

 

[LyseFar]

I

I had two (2203x)...they just *off* somewhat...weird...plenty of balls..but the voicing was strange.

Yeah. I think I know what you mean. It is a journey towards the cosmic tonal equilibrium … where everything is in balance…. only then tranquility can be reached. These amps are f…. magic and a curse too.

 

[scozz]

I forgot mention...no way I will pay the price they demand...3x what I sold mine for in 03'. Nutz..

If a good deal popped up on a 2203 or 2204, would you consider it?

What brought all this on man, you’ve done a lot of work on your amps and everything is good with the tones?

 

[Adrian R]

If a good deal popped up on a 2203 or 2204, would you consider it?

What brought all this on man, you’ve done a lot of work on your amps and everything is good with the tones?

I will be just happy with my DSLs, after all when all this ends, the DSLs deliver the goods. In fact, perhaps 20 years from now the 2000 DSLs will be in demand in the same way the 800s are. Transformers are huge...one of the reasons those old amps sound so good. This why my amps are upgraded. The trannys post 1990 or so on Marshalls amps, outside of the hand wired stuff, has diminished..imo

 

[TheLoudness!!]

I had two of them. Sold them off. They did not sound like the originals. They had the same output...similar anyway, but the voicing was off. The transformers are cheapened...evidenced by that funky hum cancelling circuit with respect to the PT.

At a price of $3500, nothing should be cheaped out on. That would really piss me off. I can't blame you.

 

[Matthews Guitars]

If you want the 2203 tone, you've got to shell out the 2203 bones. There's no way around it and the cost of everything has gone up lately, just as it always does. Get used to it. These original amps aren't getting any more plentiful, either!

I am on my second 2203 and it's nowhere near as good as my first one. I need to see if component values in the tone stack have drifted a lot, because I'm thinking that is what has happened.

So, I don't play it much. I play my 1959s instead. Or my Mesas. The 2203 won't be back as my main amp until its tone issues are solved.

 

[scozz]

At a price of $3500, nothing should be cheaped out on. That would really piss me off. I can't blame you.

Yeah crazy prices, but recently the Dsl and Origin lines have dropped a $100, (US), all the models I think.

None of the made in England amps have dropped in price though, a number of them are out of stock, “more coming” thing.

 

[What?]

Yeah crazy prices, but recently the Dsl and Origin lines have dropped a $100, (US), all the models I think.

None of the made in England amps have dropped in price though, a number of them are out of stock, “more coming” thing.

DSL and Origin prices came down a bit because the prices got way too high and slowed sales of their fastest selling products. They made an adjustment, and they will see how it flies. The made in England stuff is out of stock because retailers don't want to sit on them for so long due to crazy high prices. At the current prices I wouldn't be surprised if they aren't trying to do build to order or close to it.

 

[Axeplyr]

I feel your pain. I got lucky though. Bought my ‘79 JMP 2203 half stack in 2011 for a steal at $1000. Sold it in 2014 for $1500 when I went over seas.

Came back to the US (same town) in 2019 and started wishing I hadn't sold it, jumped on Craigslist and lo and behold the guy was selling it! Asking $3k. I offered him $2400, he accepted, and it’s home again. Never selling again!