Marshall JCM 800 2205 Opinions

[James Lugo]

Well I'm debating on purchasing a 2205. I am curious and just wanted to see if anyone had an opinion either way on these. I've heard that the year is key with these. I suppose my dilemma is that I have some good modded Marshalls, would I be dissapointed in this? What do you think?

Great thread guys.

I think it depends on how much Marshall you want. I've gone crazy in the past with a butt load of Marshalls at the same time, it can get redundant. If you think you have the Marshall thing covered you may want another flavor; Einstien, Orange, Boogie etc... Just a thought, at the end of the day Marshalls to one degree or another always sound like Marshalls. Sometimes it's great to blend them with other colors.

James,

Your point is well taken, and every now and then I'm tempted to veer from the Marshall for something different. I've been really curious about Bogner lately, the XTC seems like something I might like or the Uber for something a bit heavier. Here's the rub though, I still feel like I havn't found that perfect Marshall I'm looking for and I love all of the different flavors, which is why I am so curious about the 2205. I think when I satisfy my marshall addiction, which may mean 4 or 5 different ones at some point, I'll probably open up to another sound.

A good unmodded Marshall may take you places a Cameron mod won't. I was in the same boat, I was always looking for my idea of the perfect Marshall and then I found my 71' and had Dave Friedman work on it. When I brought it back to the studio and started playing it it was like an out of body experience. Even though Dave modded it, it still have a very natural sound, it just sounded like the greatest Super Lead on its best day. Absolutely no odd artifacts in the overdrive, just pure tone. I was blown away. A lot of amps have a dicey sound within the structure of the overdrive but my 71' had none, it was like I'd found the promise land. Highway To Hell to Sad But True, absolutely beautiful. I hope you find the 800 you're looking for.

J

71' Super Tremolo

77' JMP MK II

 

[SFW]

I just played a late 80s 2210 the other day at the music stop here. Sounded great. I was copping VH tone for days. Went to the store the next day to pick it up and it was gone...

 

[James Lugo]

I just played a late 80s 2210 the other day at the music stop here. Sounded great. I was copping VH tone for days. Went to the store the next day to pick it up and it was gone...

Aww you should have nabbed it that day.

 

[dawnofdreamx97]

totally james...

ps - the 2205 is very similar to the silver jubilee...

Man your guitar sound is great. Can't beat that 57/421 thing. I've used and owned nearly every ribbon mic and just keep going back to the 57/421 for heavies. Love the punch of your guitar tracks.

thanks man! i love my royer 121 but not for everything...

 

[70strathead]

i guess i'm coming in totally opposite of most opinions here. I have had 82' i think its the 2203??, since that period and it fucking sounds amazing. Trannies are like tanks,HUGE and very LOUD! Sounds very similar to my JMP 78, 77 100w. I did have some voicing tweaks done to it to my likings, more of a plexi thing, but still stock and EL 34's. I personally didnt care for the later versions with the gain increase and channel switching, but whatever floast your boat. I also have played a 83' and it didn't sound anything like mine...so i may have lucked out and scored a good one back in that period.

 

[Hollywood]

Tonmazz, I left you a subliminal message on the DSL-100 sale thread I have running. You are getting very sleepy, sleepier even still. You are feeling like you are leaning towards a DSL purchase.

 

[mesanatic]

Great thread guys.

I think it depends on how much Marshall you want. I've gone crazy in the past with a butt load of Marshalls at the same time, it can get redundant. If you think you have the Marshall thing covered you may want another flavor; Einstien, Orange, Boogie etc... Just a thought, at the end of the day Marshalls to one degree or another always sound like Marshalls. Sometimes it's great to blend them with other colors.

I hear that. I had like 10 Marshalls and I'm down to 5 with my '76 2203 to sell. It took my son to say "buy something different".
To me they were different, Jmp's, JCM 800's, Jubilee, DSL, 2205, but I hear now they have that basic Marshall tone. I was even ready to get another 2205(sold mine for a Jubilee) after reading this thread. But yeah another flavor like an Einstien sounds like a better option..

 

[mesanatic]

Well I'm debating on purchasing a 2205. I am curious and just wanted to see if anyone had an opinion either way on these. I've heard that the year is key with these. I suppose my dilemma is that I have some good modded Marshalls, would I be dissapointed in this? What do you think?

After hearing those dawnofdreamx97 clips you might be dissapointed you didn't try one. If you don't like it you can sell it for at least what you paid.

I liked his 2205 songs better than that one song with his Cameron. Not that far apart gain wise, but a more natural sound. Damn, should have kept mine. It was an '87.

 

[marvcus]

Well I'm debating on purchasing a 2205. I am curious and just wanted to see if anyone had an opinion either way on these. I've heard that the year is key with these. I suppose my dilemma is that I have some good modded Marshalls, would I be dissapointed in this? What do you think?

After hearing those dawnofdreamx97 clips you might be dissapointed you didn't try one. If you don't like it you can sell it for at least what you paid.

I liked his 2205 songs better than that one song with his Cameron. Not that far apart gain wise, but a more natural sound. Damn, should have kept mine. It was an '87.

+1, those clips by dawnofdreamx97 are KILLER. Excellent tone on that!

Also, James Lugo, I was intrigued by something you said earlier (I'm being lazy and not re-reading or quoting) about your tremolo head and getting "that" gain without artifacts. That has been my mantra in the last few years.

There is a time for all types of gain, but most of the time, that pure, open, un-fizzy and un-squashed overdriven crunch is where it's at.

I am almost missing that '87 2205 now. Bought it used for $200 and sold it back in 2001 or so for about three times that.

 

[James Lugo]

Well I'm debating on purchasing a 2205. I am curious and just wanted to see if anyone had an opinion either way on these. I've heard that the year is key with these. I suppose my dilemma is that I have some good modded Marshalls, would I be dissapointed in this? What do you think?

After hearing those dawnofdreamx97 clips you might be dissapointed you didn't try one. If you don't like it you can sell it for at least what you paid.

I liked his 2205 songs better than that one song with his Cameron. Not that far apart gain wise, but a more natural sound. Damn, should have kept mine. It was an '87.

+1, those clips by dawnofdreamx97 are KILLER. Excellent tone on that!

Also, James Lugo, I was intrigued by something you said earlier (I'm being lazy and not re-reading or quoting) about your tremolo head and getting "that" gain without artifacts. That has been my mantra in the last few years.

There is a time for all types of gain, but most of the time, that pure, open, un-fizzy and un-squashed overdriven crunch is where it's at.

I am almost missing that '87 2205 now. Bought it used for $200 and sold it back in 2001 or so for about three times that.

A couple of years ago all we had at the studio were 2 DSL's, a re-issue 800 and a 900 and all those amps sounded crappy to me for that very reason. The DSL in Classic Gain mode was the best of the bunch IMO. The re-issue 800 was cold cold cold sounding to me, I hated it with a passion! I can barely listen to records I made with it. The 900 was nice but had a hybrid, almost mosfit sound at times, like it was a combination of analog and digital. But with all the amp I could hear a weird almost digital rattle (artifact) in the amps when I cranked the gain. Then when I got the 71' and Friedman tricked it out, there it was, THE sound I was looking for. Pure Marshall heaven. You could listen through the crunch and it was flawless, no squirreliness at all.

J

 

[tonmazz]

Tonmazz, I left you a subliminal message on the DSL-100 sale thread I have running. You are getting very sleepy, sleepier even still. You are feeling like you are leaning towards a DSL purchase.

Hey, stop trying to put the Whammy on me, I started with a DSL. I need my 2205, stop casting your spell.

 

[tonmazz]

Well I'm debating on purchasing a 2205. I am curious and just wanted to see if anyone had an opinion either way on these. I've heard that the year is key with these. I suppose my dilemma is that I have some good modded Marshalls, would I be dissapointed in this? What do you think?

After hearing those dawnofdreamx97 clips you might be dissapointed you didn't try one. If you don't like it you can sell it for at least what you paid.

I liked his 2205 songs better than that one song with his Cameron. Not that far apart gain wise, but a more natural sound. Damn, should have kept mine. It was an '87.

I agree 100%. I will be on the prowl.

 

[tonmazz]

Well I'm debating on purchasing a 2205. I am curious and just wanted to see if anyone had an opinion either way on these. I've heard that the year is key with these. I suppose my dilemma is that I have some good modded Marshalls, would I be dissapointed in this? What do you think?

Great thread guys.

I think it depends on how much Marshall you want. I've gone crazy in the past with a butt load of Marshalls at the same time, it can get redundant. If you think you have the Marshall thing covered you may want another flavor; Einstien, Orange, Boogie etc... Just a thought, at the end of the day Marshalls to one degree or another always sound like Marshalls. Sometimes it's great to blend them with other colors.

James,

Your point is well taken, and every now and then I'm tempted to veer from the Marshall for something different. I've been really curious about Bogner lately, the XTC seems like something I might like or the Uber for something a bit heavier. Here's the rub though, I still feel like I havn't found that perfect Marshall I'm looking for and I love all of the different flavors, which is why I am so curious about the 2205. I think when I satisfy my marshall addiction, which may mean 4 or 5 different ones at some point, I'll probably open up to another sound.

A good unmodded Marshall may take you places a Cameron mod won't. I was in the same boat, I was always looking for my idea of the perfect Marshall and then I found my 71' and had Dave Friedman work on it. When I brought it back to the studio and started playing it it was like an out of body experience. Even though Dave modded it, it still have a very natural sound, it just sounded like the greatest Super Lead on its best day. Absolutely no odd artifacts in the overdrive, just pure tone. I was blown away. A lot of amps have a dicey sound within the structure of the overdrive but my 71' had none, it was like I'd found the promise land. Highway To Hell to Sad But True, absolutely beautiful. I hope you find the 800 you're looking for.

J

71' Super Tremolo

77' JMP MK II

James,

Thats exactly it, I love my mods but want something stock for that natural Marshall tone. What did Freidman do to yours?

 

[James Lugo]

I'm not a knowledgeable as to what he does exactly but he did his 'Brown Eye' mod, which isn't to over the top but then I had him do his 'Kitchen Sink' mod in my 77' JMP, that has the 'Brown Eye', 'Custom 45' and 'Hairy Brown Eye'. Now that's way more over the top, especially the HBE. I actually had my 71' sent back in last week to have him add the extra 2 mods to it. I will get it back this week when I get back from Spain. The 71' and 77' sound pretty different, so I should cover decent ground. I've been thinking the only thing I could use is a stock old guy, Dave wants to help my find a 69' Plexi but I'm not sure I really need it. If I back the gain off the 71' and crank it she sounds pretty old school unmodded. Who knows, I own so many amps as it is, one more just seems crazy....but

 

[tonmazz]

Good News, 2205 on the way!! The seller decided to let it go after all. I am pumped! Unfortunatley coming from across the country so may not see it until Tuesday. Can't wait.

 

[killertone]

Good News, 2205 on the way!! The seller decided to let it go after all. I am pumped! Unfortunatley coming from across the country so may not see it until Tuesday. Can't wait.

Awesome, man. You will dig it. Here is a song that has my 2205 on it from my old band from about 9 years ago. I think I might have used a GE-7 in the loop but that was it. No boost.

http://www.mp3lizard.com/download.cfm?id=27021

 

[tonmazz]

Good News, 2205 on the way!! The seller decided to let it go after all. I am pumped! Unfortunatley coming from across the country so may not see it until Tuesday. Can't wait.

Awesome, man. You will dig it. Here is a song that has my 2205 on it from my old band from about 9 years ago. I think I might have used a GE-7 in the loop but that was it. No boost.

http://www.mp3lizard.com/download.cfm?id=27021

Wow! Heavy, I love it! Sounds great. Between this and Nick's clip, if mine sounds half as good I'll be thrilled. Thanks

 

[Mesa\Kramer]

Good News, 2205 on the way!! The seller decided to let it go after all. I am pumped! Unfortunatley coming from across the country so may not see it until Tuesday. Can't wait.

Guess it never showed up..................

 

[AndyK]

I had a late 80's 2205 4 years ago. I eventually sold it because I got a Splawn or something. Here is a sample to show what it sounded like with NO fx or reverb, just guitar into the amp. Nice, thick, Marshall crunch all day! But, I don't think it took pedals as well as a 2204/2203 does.

 

[tonmazz]

Thanks guys but I posted this in 2009! Amp was pretty good but have since sold it a few years ago.