Why do some amps have a black label on the backside?

[JD-MAN]

Hi,

While I was browsing the web for a JCM800 2203, I noticed that the backside was a bit different.

Why is it that some have a black label on their backside, the one indicating information like "model", "power", "power input"....

The one that I want to buy, I noticed that it does not have this black label, it's just blank/empty at that spot.

Anyone know what the difference is or why that is?

An 1982 model :

An 1984 model :

 

[sccloser]

Don't know why but that 2203 in the bottom pick looks like a good one...6 filtering caps! You sure the bottom one is the 84 and not the 82?

 

[JD-MAN]

Well, the upper pic is one that I got from the web and it said "1982".
The bottom one is the one I got mailed and the seller said it was "1984".
(It has no FX loop, so it can't be the Reissue. It's vertical input as well, must be one of the last ones before they changed to horizontal inputs and reduced the filter caps, I think.)

I guess, I'll check if the serial number starts with an S (= 1984) when I go test it, but then again : does it matter?

PS: I received a new photo and with the '84 amp, the black label is position all the way to the left side. Not sure why it changed location, but it's there

 

[lonewolfsx]

Yeah I was gonna say pretty much all of those amps have the black label on there, but I'm used to seeing it all the way to one side. Whenever Marshall switched from the A-Z Date codes on serial numbers to the bar-code serials they disappeared (in 1992? I think)... for example my TSL and I'd guess no DSL or JVM will have it. However, late model JCM800's and very early JCM900's should have it.

 

[sccloser]

On the back of my 2205 the black sticker is all the way on the right. On my mkiii there is not one.

 

[JD-MAN]

On the back of my 2205 the black sticker is all the way on the right. On my mkiii there is not one.

It's funny that on my 2205 the "black label" is just a transparant one with black font