Which 900 to sell...hmm...

[Adrian R]

I've bought two over the past 5 months or so... a 2500 MK3 and a 4500 dual reverb.

I've done some things to them, both mint...chokes installed... proper bias network.. new caps..etc...

One is staying the other is going... I am now leaning towards selling the 2500..great amp... but man I really like the DR..had them back in the day, gigged with them..etc... I just like how crisp and focused they are... and that it has reverb that sounds good...and the two channels..

Decisions, decisions...

 

[Central Scrutinizer]

Whichever amp you sell, you will wish you had it back in 5 minutes.

Good luck with your decision. I don’t envy you having to sell one.

 

[LPMarshall hack]

If you keep the DR, you're gonna break the internet.

 

[Resident 217]

YOu cpould sell both and pick up a good vintage twin reverb for cheap and have enough left to get a new ...l, barring a decision, you can always flip a coin. Then you'll know which one to sell if you agree with the flip or not. I saw that in a movie so it must work.

 

[Adrian R]

If you keep the DR, you're gonna break the internet.

I reckon, lol. Such an under rated amp, just like the DSLs. If u know what your doing, you can get awesome, high gain Marshall tones out of them. The MK3 is great too...sounds more 800 like, but the 4500s gain channel has extra bite...and really focused. Love it.

 

[Tatzmann]

Since i don't have an MKIII i can't tell for certain,
but i guess a Shredmaster or Drivemaster into
the MKIII should give you the 900DR to a T with
even more control over the sound.

Alternatively a Valvestate 8100 will do the DR to a T too, and then some. I got them both and always think if they atleast used exactly the 8100 preamp in it, the DR wouldnt have gotten that much of a bad rep. Schematicly the differences are rather small, but playing them side by side the 8100's preamp has more balls, more pre-gain, the contour control, more bass
but still very tight, more thrashy. The contour is actually very well designed on those.

Having both of those, one can clearly hear that they took the 900DR-preamp and refined it in the 8100.

Try one if you haven't. I can also vouch for the Artist 3203...this thing has a monsterous amount of gain while remaining more toneful than the DR, it has a great range of sounds. Clean, Hendrix, ACDC on the Normal, ACDC to Master of Puppets on the Boost. Since they are 30 watt with a rather small outputtx, they can go into poweramp distortion really quick. Awesome those.

 

[Deftone]

FWIW: I had a 4500 and a 2500 SL-X, I sold the 4500. I prefer a single channel amp and I like the SL-X tone better.

That said, mine were both stock.

The MKIII is rare, and should bring more $$$

Bad time to sell either one though.

 

[Tatzmann]

Bad time to sell either one though.

Why is that?

I thought Marshalls, new or used, are insanely overpriced outside of Europe?

With all the recent uptalk of that model he should get very good money for it? Not?

Where i live, i would rather mod or gut it out and start new b4 selling, they just dont fetch enough.

But they too climb (uptalk). I may even snatch another DR and do some extensive modding on it, its planned and layed out, but cant bring myself to do it to my recent one.

 

[Kuga]

Sell both and buy a JVM.

 

[Adrian R]

Sell both and buy a JVM.

Had a 205H. Gone.

 

[Deftone]

Why is that?

I thought Marshalls, new or used, are insanely overpriced outside of Europe?

With all the recent uptalk of that model he should get very good money for it? Not?

Where i live, i would rather mod or gut it out and start new b4 selling, they just dont fetch enough.

But they too climb (uptalk). I may even snatch another DR and do some extensive modding on it, its planned and layed out, but cant bring myself to do it to my recent one.

Economy is in the tank...inflation is through the roof and interest rates are sky high. We're in a recession but they won't admit it. People are nervous and not much is moving.

 

[Adrian R]

I

Since i don't have an MKIII i can't tell for certain,
but i guess a Shredmaster or Drivemaster into
the MKIII should give you the 900DR to a T with
even more control over the sound.

Alternatively a Valvestate 8100 will do the DR to a T too, and then some. I got them both and always think if they atleast used exactly the 8100 preamp in it, the DR wouldnt have gotten that much of a bad rep. Schematicly the differences are rather small, but playing them side by side the 8100's preamp has more balls, more pre-gain, the contour control, more bass
but still very tight, more thrashy. The contour is actually very well designed on those.

Having both of those, one can clearly hear that they took the 900DR-preamp and refined it in the 8100.

Try one if you haven't. I can also vouch for the Artist 3203...this thing has a monsterous amount of gain while remaining more toneful than the DR, it has a great range of sounds. Clean, Hendrix, ACDC on the Normal, ACDC to Master of Puppets on the Boost. Since they are 30 watt with a rather small outputtx, they can go into poweramp distortion really quick. Awesome those.

The DR has a tube power amp. Huge difference dude. I also have the EL 34 model biased correctly, choke, and Classictone OT. Huge diff. It cuts a band mix big time. I am familiar with those 100w solid state Marshalls. Sound cool but gets buried in a band mix. The reason the DR gets a bad rap is two reasons:
1. Many people are just, well, to be nice, ignorant. They regurgitate what they read without personal experience. DSLs suffer the same unwarranted disdain.

2. Don't know to *tune* an amp properly.
3. Subjectivity ..

I LIKE the DR's B channel! It just needs understanding.

 

[V-man]

You already answered the question in the OP. You enjoy the dual river at least as much and the Mk III is easier to sell, particularly modified. That the “Internet would break “ is just the cherry on top.

 

[Randy_Lahey]

I kept 3 JCM900 DR’s. One 100w 1997, one 50w 1996 head. And one 2006 I think reissue 100w head. I love them. I’ll setup channel B for breakup and use pedals to shape the tone. As others mentioned, this cuts through a band mix very well. Took me several amps to find that before trying these 900’s. My JCM800 will never leave home so that’s not an option lol.

Now I’m experimenting with some Friedman amps(JEL20, Smallbox) and I’m digging those. But I think I’ve even pissed off Dave Friedman how can I dial back in some of that upper mid bite/snarl I’m missing from the 900’s

I love my 900’s but they are not light. That’s why I’m trying the JEL20. Will haul that to any gigs we may do vs a monster head. Can play it no load etc…. The clean channel is glorious set to max gain its very plexi like, or close enough I’m loving this channel. Which brought me to the Smallbox which I’ve only had it a day now. But this could be my main amp from now on!

 

[maico996]

I'm sorry but what does it mean to sell a Marshall? I don't understand this foreign language..............

 

[Neptical]

I've always wanted to try the MKIII.
Played a borrowed DR for some shows and LOVED it. Still completely underrated amps.

BUT - having an SL-X 2500, DSL50 and DSL100 I think I'm all set enjoying other people's experiences now.

I think I'm FINALLY set on Marshalls.
Not including my Origin 50s and 50w Plexi for the superb vintage tones.

Still amazed to this day with a Boss SD1 in the front of ANY Marshall.

 

[LPMarshall hack]

I've always wanted to try the MKIII.
Played a borrowed DR for some shows and LOVED it. Still completely underrated amps.

BUT - having an SL-X 2500, DSL50 and DSL100 I think I'm all set enjoying other people's experiences now.

I think I'm FINALLY set on Marshalls.
Not including my Origin 50s and 50w Plexi for the superb vintage tones.

Still amazed to this day with a Boss SD1 in the front of ANY Marshall.

As an owner of a MKIII, which I love, I don't think you are missing out on anything since you already have an SL-X and a DSL. They all sound like Marshalls.

 

[Neptical]

As an owner of a MKIII, which I love, I don't think you are missing out on anything since you already have an SL-X and a DSL. They all sound like Marshalls.

Agreed!
It's funny the minimal difference from Marshall to Marshall..in my own hands.
However, variety is the spice of life.

<le sigh>

 

[Gutch220]

but man I really like the DR..had them back in the day, gigged with them..etc... I just like how crisp and focused they are... and that it has reverb that sounds good...

there you go. When set up properly, I think they really can sound great. and putting an EQ in the effects loop is just the icing on the cake.