I had a couple opportunities to open for Jake E Lee's post Ozzy band, Badlands. I got to play through his rig at soundcheck, on the Voodoo Highway tour. He had two Plexi stacks on stage, but he was actually playing through a JCM 900. There were two 900's in a roadcase, one was his main, the other was a backup. He was fookin' LOUD! His dry, gritty tones on those two albums were always a favorite of mine.
I got to play Yngwie's rig back in the 90s. 50w Plexi with a DOD pedal in front. Hellishly loud. He has this wall of amps onstage, but they are just for decoration. a 50w plexi maxed out through a 4X12 is more than enough, rest assured. Percussive and raw. His guitars had a very high action, with very light strings, they felt like about .008. I had a hard time trying to stay in tune with them, I'm not used to such a light gauge.
People hate the 900 because it has diodes in the preamp or something stupid like that. It depends on which revision you play, I think the Mk3 is the best sounding (which is literally an 800 preamp with an updated poweramp section), followed by the SLX, and Dual Reverb, but the latter can be found super cheap and gets you close to the 800 tone. Sick playing man
The 900 has op amps, JFETs, and diodes sprinkled throughout the schematic. It’s a whole nother world apart from the 800 that is purely passive components around the tube stages. One good case for the JCM 900 is Seven Mary Three’s American Standard album. Might be the only good thing!
I sold my 900 to Charlie’s guitars in Dallas. Yeah I had the tubes changed and amp checked out, I could not stand the hi end wired cold sound the 900. I hated playing it every time. Had no soul
The 800 preamp worked around 12AX7 tubes. A lot of players (including myself) put a TS808/TS9/SD1/DS1 in front of it. The 900 got its preamp from a chip on a board. It was essentially an SD1 built in which was cool. I heard players play at volume make it sound great. The 800 and 900 guys eventually joined forces to hate on the Marshall Mode 4. I fought in the amp wars
The mode four is actually a beast if you can play your guitar very well. it's not the high gain monster that makes everything sound great, no, but if you are a very technical player, it can sound killer.
Dude, I'm getting early PhilX vibes! Love the entire format video's are entertaining, informative and have the perfect length. Can't wait seeing more from you. Great singing and playing, too!
I still have the 900 since 1993. It stayed at home with my parents, in the meantime I had a fender twin, a hiwatt custom, I was looking for a good clear sound with a good dynamic. And one day I came home, years later. And when I replayed it I got a huge slap in the face. No need for twin or hiwatt anymore, the sound of the 900 is perhaps less dynamic, but it has a color that gives it a soul, and a wonderful grain. The clean sound has something rough and soft, really beautiful. That's what I also like about the 800. These amps are legendary.
@@sacredgeometrysomeone did explain this to me but it was a long time ago. I think the TSL had some fault that caused shorting across the circuit board and there was no fix for it. Sucks because they could sound great
The 900 has more low-end punch on the dirty channel when palm muting, at least in post on this side of the screen. But indeed, it makes it more prone to sound muddied.
Brother this was an entertaining video. The joy you have playing puts a smile on my face. You can't go wrong with either amp head imo. Both sound amazing. Subscribed!
You know what? The JCM900 is often dismissed, as it doesn't sound very cool on its own. But as soon, as you put it in a mix... it just sits in the perfect place! Great amp for recording...
@@CarstenStepanowicz I'd probably go with "it's what you take out of a mix if there's 2 guitar players in the band"... But if it's just you, let it roar...I believe that's a quote from Katy Perry... 🤣
@@CarstenStepanowicz I'd probably go with "it's what you take out of a mix if there's 2 guitar players in the band"... But if it's just you, let it roar...I believe that's a quote from Katy Perry... 🤣
I barely care about these amps since I am a VST kid, but seeing you playing and vibing on the high gain channel is a bliss because I know that feeling damn well when you get a nice and loud guitar tone.😌
I'm not sure if anyone mentioned it in the comments, but a Metal Zone pedal is a totally different animal when used in the effects loop. I've had both a 900 and a Metal Zone since the mid '90s, and I gradually used them less and less over the years. I never really liked the MZ to be honest, until I tried it directly into the return of the 900. It sounds KILLER this way. Some use it in the loop, some use it as a preamp and plug the guitar into the MZ and then from the MZ straight into the power section of the Marshall (return jack.) Try it, if you haven't already. As for the JCM 900, as mentioned above, I never really loved it, but kept it around because it had the balls for live stuff, which I did not do often. However, as my playing got more bluesy and less metal over time, I had a renewed interest in the 900. I performed a few mods which really livened it up and more importantly, got rid of the fizziness on the lead channel. Now I love the amp and regularly use it along side a '64 Super Reverb. It really shines with the gain set low but the volume cranked so that the power tubes break. It's serious tube amp territory this way. Now if only I could get the reverb to sound better. These are the mods I did: Applies to the 4100 and 4500 models. 1. Remove R7 and R43. This disables a hardwired tonestack on the gain channel. This tonestack scoops mids, changes the low end and makes the amp sound harsh and sterile. 2. Place a jumper wire over D10. This will give a smoother, warmer and more organic distortion on the gain channel. It increases the clipping a bit. 3.Jumper C27. Restores the low end.
See you are somebody who took the time to understand the 900's true capabilities, seems like some people assume 80's Marshalls can only be pushed and cranked at all times when there is so much to explore in the gain channels. I never have any of my marshall's gain channels set over 7 or 8 usually under it's the cheapest way to cut the fuzz without a physical mod!
Metalzone gang rise up Actually I almost stopped using metalzone as soon as I purchased Joyo Zombie 2 But I enjoyed it a lot and yes, it is a completely different beast with you plug guitar into it and send the signal to FX loop return
Damn, you're good man! Fun watching this comparison! In a recording I'd use both amps, panned left/right; the 800 as main and the 900 slightly delayed. Could be a cool sound!
Nice to know that Ibanez has kept the RG565 around. I have the OG 1989 RG565R-CA, which is one of my top favorite guitars. Basswood + maple/rosewood, with shark tooth fret inlays.
Excellent video. I own an 800 with an added FX loop. There's is plenty of room at the top of this one, further that volume really does go way up really quick. The JCM-800 tubes create such a warm, dynamic sound that adding the somewhat colder effect of an amp processor balances out the sound for me. So adding digital effects in through the tubes can sound real nice depending on the way you dial the EQs and such.
Stellar review, really enjoyed playing and comparison. As far the sound, different era amps both awesome in their own way. One thing I don’t understand is why Marshall sells new 900 for 3k dollars when you can buy used ones for less than 1k.
Okay that sounds nice! Oh wait that one sounds nice too! Wait a second I don't know which one I want now. You ruined my life!! No actually this was the best thing that ever happened to me I just realized no one's going to care which one I'm playing through in a mix . Thank you for saving me so much time and money 😊
wooh The RGR 965 ! Have the same in orange color , great guitar ! JCM was my first studio amps and i recorded 1 EP with . A great sound and a particuly "touch" comparing the 800 . Thx for your passion . (Mic from France)
I have a JCM 900 but mine is the less common SL-X version (all-tube, no diode clipping) and it is a freakin KILLER amp. Mine has been modified to use EL34 power tubes before I purchased it, so I don't know how the amp sounds with stock tubes but the one I have is awesome. I have played on a regular dual-reverb JCM 900 (same as in this video) and it was very underwhelming compared to the SL-X model. JMC900 SL-X is one of the most slept-on marshall amps.
Yep. I agree with @tubeworkshop. The 900 sounds pretty similar to the 800 characterwise but with less lower mids and some nasty upper mids. In the mix thats pretty much what u want. I think they both are great amps that serve their purpose. Great comparison .
It depends on how they are played as well. Using a JCM 900 through heavy mesa cabs when playing downtrend guitars are pretty hard to beat in a mix. I used that and an early '90s Rack mount Mesa Dual Rectifier blended.
I agree because playing anything in drop B and lower suppresses the upper mids and some treble. Especially if you have EMG 81/85 active pickups. You kinda need those mids in a mix. The JCM 900 would be the best fit to bring those missing mids or lack there of back. Then add an OD pedal to tighten the bottom end and you're set.
I was playing in a hardcore/metal band in early 90s with probably the most maligned rig: HM series Strat into JCM900...no pedals just delicious Marshall distortion
Wow, I mean the 900 has quite some gain on tap but for metal I‘m not sure if I would not bring a boost in addition. Just to feel a bit more secure. The amp is very honest. 😅
I bought the 2x12 900 combo in 1990 when I was 18. It was my first ‘big boy’ amp. It was an absolute dog! It got stolen after 6 months, I was so relieved!
Cool vid man. The both sounded good to me. The 900, from my seat, sounded a bit more "middy" than the 8, but not enough to kick it out the window haha. Im also a fan of the Metal Zone! In fact, I have 2.......haha. It seems there is a lot more to do now with the 900, than when it first came out, back in the day. Valvestate next.........? Rock on man! \m/
@@CarstenStepanowicz haha, there ya go man. I had the first one from when I was a kid, and then got the 2nd when they came out with the WaZa version. I really think the people who dont like them arent sure how to set them. \m/
Play through 2 JCM 800 stacks and 83 and 84 the inputs were vertical and the other one was horizontal... I loved running the JCM800's stereo.... That was the tone that stood the test of time....
I was in a band and our guitar player had both a 800 and a 900 with an A/B switcher. You honestly couldn't tell the difference when they switched. But from this video on my speakers the 900 was a clear winner untill you tested the volume knob. Great video
I have a 900 SL-X 2500 that I love. They have a bit of a reputation for being unreliable however. The problem is the BR3 bridge rectifier chip that powers the preamp tube heaters is the same one used in the inferior 900 models that only have the diode extra gain stage. It would get too hot and eventually fail with the extra power needed to run the additional preamp tube of the SL-X. My amp had been modded to replace that chip with 4 big actual diodes. Easy fix for a common problem. While this amp doesn't leave my studio much now I bought it from the backline of a touring AC/DC cover band. It's a tank.
gigged a 100W JCM900 in the early 90's- fab pedal platform amp that had tons of power and sat really well in mix. Needed to be opened up to sound its best. The clean/crunch channel was much better than the high gain channel, which felt too hollowed out in the mids. With the right pedals sounded great
The 900 sounds most useful in live circumstances - one of my old fenders sounds really brash on its own, but as soon as it’s cranked in a live setting it sounds perfect. That 800 sounds sweet in this context, but live I’d have to eq the hell out of it
About 30 years ago, I liked the rough grains of sand-like JCM900, but if I were to buy an amp head now, it would be the JCM800. I'd like to have both if I could afford them.
Clean channel. Volume cranked, gained cranked with a boost in front. I don’t use the amps distortion just let it naturally break up on the clean channel
Hey dude, amazing singing btw, cheers from Brazil. In my opinion, JCM 900`s sounds bigger indeed, also it has more resources you can modify your sound. When I had a stoner band I remember we rehearsal in a studio that had the JCM 900, It sounds great with fuzz pedals and standard C tunning.
I like the jcm800 with the Maxon more than the jcm900, but everything before you started playing with the Maxon, I preferred the jcm900. I think it’s all about how you set up and use the amp.
It seems to me that the JCM800 is a bit more heavy on the mids, which to my ear at least makes it sound a bit more "muddy" when recorded, while the JCM900 is a bit brighter and crisper, which gives you a much cleaner sound when recorded. Whether that's a good or a bad thing i guess is up to individual taste, but personally i think i prefer the cleaner and crisper sound of the JCM900. At least when hearing it through a youtube video. Would be interesting to hear them in a mix!
Rooms tend to add subs and highs, guitarists love lows for chugging, so it makes sense that the 800 is preferred because guitarists play in a room and not through in ears, or at least used to. The 900 sound more high-fi pretty much, it’s got a clear 2-3khz-ish boost (I’m listening through in ipad though). I have always found clean marshalls to be quite dull, the 900 pretty much fixes that, but an eq pedal sorts that thing out most of the time. Good review, but it is all a matter of taste.
I think I have one of the best sounding 50 watt #4500 JCM900's out there. I recently replaced all the power capacitors, and got a GT-7025 pre amp tube for V1. That tube alone was probably 80% of the increase over what it sounded like when I first got it. That tube really pulled the "wet blanket" off the van sound. My can is the George Lynch signature Randall can with 4 of his Celestron Lynchback speakers. Last night my buddy got the new Behringer Klon clone and it made it sound even better than before! These amps are getting old, mine is from 1992, and these capacitors are getting old and need replacing. I love the sound of my 900 and it sounds just as great through my buddy's other George Lynch signature can with the green crocodile tolex and Super V speaker. What really helps is using a 7 or 10 band EQ in the loop and boosting the lows a bit. If you don't have an EQ pedal, just place a jumper across the loop. That will work too.
I had a 4500 for years and now it lives at my buddies studio. I think the 50 watt is perfect for the 900 because you really crank it up and it starts to get perfectly fat and emulsified. I loved that amp. I miss it!
@@JackStolz try getting that GT-7025 which is just a premium 12AX7 tube for V1. When we plugged it in, the hair on my arm raised it shocked me so much how much better it sounded!
I have an 800, 900 SLX, 9200 + JMP-1, 6100, MKII Non master volume, DSL100, a couple of DSL40s converted into heads a JTM45 RI, love all of them, a real valve amp is a magaical thing and Marshalls are the best. SLX is quite dark compared to 800. I like running two heads stacked on two cabs 800 + 900 is great. At the moment I'm running MKII and 800 together
JCM 900 for me, but I am biased as I have used it from 1990 until I retired in 2017. The 800 is still great and the amp used for so much of my favorite music, so no knock on the 800!
A few simple mods on the JCM900 relax those harshies a little and make the gain a little more hairy and interesting. It is one of the top picked heads picked by clients in my recording studio.
I think they are both great, but gigged with 2 1996 JCM900 Dual Reverb 100w heads and they were beasts and rock solid reliable for me for many many years. (playing metal/alternative) With a boost pedal its like having 3 channels (clean, rythym, solo) and with an EQ on your pedalboard they are as versatile as any amp. Never understood the dislike for the 900's.
Why not use the Marshall cabs? Thanks for the video I’m from the 80s so the 800 sounds better to me. More organic. Bit more mids. The 900 sounds a bit rash to me.
@Hoxie both are pure analog! Maybe you mean solid state vs pure tube valve? The JCM 900 has op amps, JFETs, and diodes in the signal path of the 12AX7 preamp tubes, whereas the 800 is purely valves and passive components.
I have a jcm 900 dual reverb 4100 model which i got for 590 euros ten years ago. It has a very very nice clean channel and a very sweet tone. Also it's very pedal frienly. I use the B chanel(dirty) rarely but when i do it's the guitar a cable and straight in the amp and it really rocks. The previous owner didn't told me that the amp was modded and was fitted with el34 tubes (5881 from factory) and as i found out later, the preamp section was heavily modified also. I think that the mods in the preamp section were added for better use of the amp with a Stratocaster because it really shines with a strat. Anyway the amp sounds brilliant and loud af and i don't care about the mods or anything else done to the amp. I bought it to have my 1959HW rest a little and it has become my main amp. Get one and try it!
My first real Marshall was a JCM 900 4500. I ran only the green channel with the gain cranked and I thought it sounded pretty darn good. I didn’t care at all for the red channel, and I could be mistaken, but I don’t think the green channel has all the diodes and stuff people hate on.
IMHO, the JCM900 sounds more defined with a bit popping sound when you attack the bass notes due to the bandwidth extension, it seems to be due to output transformer quality differences between the JCM900 and the older model JCM800 (note that JCM800 was introduced in 1961 until the late 80's, and the JCM900 came into production in 1990, with newer materials and production methods), I don't remember if the EQ and input stages have electrical differences too (maybe I'll take a look inside both schematics after dinner) but, perhaps these sound differences arose from commercial decisions. By the way, which JCM800 version did you test in this video?
The 800 would be my first choice, but the 900 isn’t bad and I am sure could be eq’d (perhaps an eq pedal) to sound the same. That’s a nice Ibanez. I still prefer the Edge tremolos to my Floyd Rose guitar. 11k subscribers! 50k by the end of June.
I never understood the hate towards the 900 it's a great amp! Both amps are great but obviously not for everyone as with all amps. By the way you have a great voice dude!
The 800 was so 'awesome' a whole culture of modding those things became big. I'll take a stock 900 over a stock 800. (Still have my JCM800 2x12 though)
The 900 treble cuts like a knife on leads. Idk, it's 800 for the rhythm and 900 for leads, at least on the settings you had and what I imagine would work better in a mix.
Great demo thanks...50 watt 800 is a sweeter beast altogether...the smaller output transformer saturates beautifully...have both plus 30th anniversary 100w...all very different characteristics
Have you looked at the schematics I mean they deleted a tube and increased the gain and added a diode clipper. They basically just put a tube screamer in the amp. Which people usually put in front anyways. Same EQ points same basic gain structure. Same 3 band EQ.
Well use a frequency analyzer and some pink noise and get back to me. Of course you will have to isolate the previous gain stages. Also just look at the schematics. Oh I forgot to mention I build amps@@CarstenStepanowicz
i have the 50w slx, ghad it for nearly 30 years, and every time i turn it on im blown away, most people dont know how to get a good sound out of an amp, thats where the problem lies and they dismiss it, i can make my 900 sound similar to an 800, i thing it sounds like an 800 with more distortion, but thats my view, thanks for the video
I see you also have a Marshall JVM 410 behind you, would you do a comparison of the JCM 800 and the JVM? I have a JVM and am curious about getting a JCM or if I can already achieve those old school thrash tones. I know I can get a great sound on the JVM, but can the old JCM 800 do better? Thanks for the cool video!
I have played the 900 for many years. It is a very solid rock workhorse with enough gain for almost anything. The 900 sounds brighter than the 800. This can be easily remedied by using Celestion Lead 80s instead of V30s which are too bright for this amp. With the right cabinet this amp sounds killer. I had read all the negative comments in forums years before getting my hands on this amp. I think that many of the critics either never have played this amp or they heard or used it with the wrong cab. But this rule applies to all amps: use it with the right cab. Too many musicians do not give the cab enough attention.
I bought the jcm 900 for the studio for 300€, with attenuator i can drive the output tubes and with high end mics i can shape the sound. The combo i love at this time is vintage u47&sm7b into api512c, sounds like a record!
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
I came here for the comparison, but then you started singing and OH DUDE! DUDE!! Amazeballs.
Hahaha, thanks! 🙏
Bro those vocals with the playing was the cherry on top you got a new sub brotha
Thank you so much! 🙏
The joy you have playing is so fun to watch and your voice is awesome.
Thank you so much! 🙏❤️
I had a couple opportunities to open for Jake E Lee's post Ozzy band, Badlands. I got to play through his rig at soundcheck, on the Voodoo Highway tour. He had two Plexi stacks on stage, but he was actually playing through a JCM 900. There were two 900's in a roadcase, one was his main, the other was a backup.
He was fookin' LOUD!
His dry, gritty tones on those two albums were always a favorite of mine.
Hahaha, that‘s cool! 😎🤘
Were they orange? When I saw Badlands he had two orange tolex Marshall stacks.
@ I believe they were orange, or possibly red. That was long ago! 😂
I got to play Yngwie's rig back in the 90s. 50w Plexi with a DOD pedal in front. Hellishly loud. He has this wall of amps onstage, but they are just for decoration. a 50w plexi maxed out through a 4X12 is more than enough, rest assured. Percussive and raw. His guitars had a very high action, with very light strings, they felt like about .008. I had a hard time trying to stay in tune with them, I'm not used to such a light gauge.
Thank you for that anecdote. I'm a huge fan of Jake's and this definitely will influence my future purchasing decisions. Rock on brother
First time on your channel. I was about to fall asleep but woke up when you sang. Nice voice and awesome playing.
Hahaha, thanks! 😅
People hate the 900 because it has diodes in the preamp or something stupid like that. It depends on which revision you play, I think the Mk3 is the best sounding (which is literally an 800 preamp with an updated poweramp section), followed by the SLX, and Dual Reverb, but the latter can be found super cheap and gets you close to the 800 tone. Sick playing man
Thanks man! Agree with it! 💯🙂
The 900 has op amps, JFETs, and diodes sprinkled throughout the schematic. It’s a whole nother world apart from the 800 that is purely passive components around the tube stages.
One good case for the JCM 900 is Seven Mary Three’s American Standard album. Might be the only good thing!
There's no all tube Marshall that actually sounds bad. Some might be more compressed, or whatever but they're all pretty good
@@bradatherton9369 People will turn their nose up at that while stomping on their pedal board full of op amps, JFETs, and diodes...
I sold my 900 to Charlie’s guitars in Dallas. Yeah I had the tubes changed and amp checked out, I could not stand the hi end wired cold sound the 900. I hated playing it every time. Had no soul
The 800 preamp worked around 12AX7 tubes. A lot of players (including myself) put a TS808/TS9/SD1/DS1 in front of it. The 900 got its preamp from a chip on a board. It was essentially an SD1 built in which was cool. I heard players play at volume make it sound great. The 800 and 900 guys eventually joined forces to hate on the Marshall Mode 4. I fought in the amp wars
I remember that war...lost a lot of good men. Do you remember the faction that hated Mode 4 but used the Mode 4 cabs with the 800/900?
@ I do actually. If I remember correctly they were a bit bigger, so a bit more air in them, for low end’s sake. And they used to go for cheap.
In memory of those who fell. 😂😂
The mode four is actually a beast if you can play your guitar very well. it's not the high gain monster that makes everything sound great, no, but if you are a very technical player, it can sound killer.
Dude, I'm getting early PhilX vibes! Love the entire format video's are entertaining, informative and have the perfect length. Can't wait seeing more from you. Great singing and playing, too!
Thank you so much! That makes me happy! 🤘❤️
Boy im sureas hell glad i found this guys channel absolutely delightful
Thanks! That makes me happy! 🤘
I still have the 900 since 1993. It stayed at home with my parents, in the meantime I had a fender twin, a hiwatt custom, I was looking for a good clear sound with a good dynamic. And one day I came home, years later. And when I replayed it I got a huge slap in the face. No need for twin or hiwatt anymore, the sound of the 900 is perhaps less dynamic, but it has a color that gives it a soul, and a wonderful grain. The clean sound has something rough and soft, really beautiful. That's what I also like about the 800. These amps are legendary.
*Both the JCM 900 and the JCM 2000 DSL are underrated amps. They can be had for under 1k on the used market.*
🤝💯
DSL yeah. TSL not so much. No idea why the extra channel fucked everything up but the DLS is fantastic.
1k for a 900? In the US?
In Europe the 900 with a 4x12 is roughly 750€ up to 900€ on the used market.
Usually around 300 to 600€ just for the head
@@sacredgeometrysomeone did explain this to me but it was a long time ago. I think the TSL had some fault that caused shorting across the circuit board and there was no fix for it. Sucks because they could sound great
Around twenty five years ago no one wanted the 800's I saw one thing second hand for about £300
The 900 has more low-end punch on the dirty channel when palm muting, at least in post on this side of the screen. But indeed, it makes it more prone to sound muddied.
Brother this was an entertaining video. The joy you have playing puts a smile on my face. You can't go wrong with either amp head imo. Both sound amazing. Subscribed!
Thank you so much! That makes me happy! 🤘
Just listening to your intro where you compare them as different animals and you do it just for fun hooks me. Let’s gooo
You know what? The JCM900 is often dismissed, as it doesn't sound very cool on its own. But as soon, as you put it in a mix... it just sits in the perfect place!
Great amp for recording...
THIS! I can’t agree more to that statement bro! The lower mid roar of the 800 is nice but it‘s exactly what you will cut out in a mix. 🙂
@@CarstenStepanowicz I'd probably go with "it's what you take out of a mix if there's 2 guitar players in the band"... But if it's just you, let it roar...I believe that's a quote from Katy Perry... 🤣
@@CarstenStepanowicz I'd probably go with "it's what you take out of a mix if there's 2 guitar players in the band"... But if it's just you, let it roar...I believe that's a quote from Katy Perry... 🤣
yeah the 900 sounds identical except for the mids, but if you really wanted them maybe an EQ in the loop would help.
Totally nailed it!!
If you don't love Carsten Stepanowicz, I don't know what the f!@# is wrong with you... this man is amazing. Period.😆😎
🙏❤️
I barely care about these amps since I am a VST kid, but seeing you playing and vibing on the high gain channel is a bliss because I know that feeling damn well when you get a nice and loud guitar tone.😌
🙏❤️
I've had my JCM 800 since 1997 and man it's loud raucous and I love it...
🤘❤️
Subbed as soon as I heard you singing... amazing voice! And you're a killer player too 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻
Thank you so much! 🤘❤️
I'm not sure if anyone mentioned it in the comments, but a Metal Zone pedal is a totally different animal when used in the effects loop. I've had both a 900 and a Metal Zone since the mid '90s, and I gradually used them less and less over the years. I never really liked the MZ to be honest, until I tried it directly into the return of the 900. It sounds KILLER this way. Some use it in the loop, some use it as a preamp and plug the guitar into the MZ and then from the MZ straight into the power section of the Marshall (return jack.) Try it, if you haven't already.
As for the JCM 900, as mentioned above, I never really loved it, but kept it around because it had the balls for live stuff, which I did not do often. However, as my playing got more bluesy and less metal over time, I had a renewed interest in the 900. I performed a few mods which really livened it up and more importantly, got rid of the fizziness on the lead channel. Now I love the amp and regularly use it along side a '64 Super Reverb. It really shines with the gain set low but the volume cranked so that the power tubes break. It's serious tube amp territory this way. Now if only I could get the reverb to sound better.
These are the mods I did:
Applies to the 4100 and 4500 models.
1. Remove R7 and R43.
This disables a hardwired tonestack on the gain channel. This tonestack scoops mids, changes the low end and makes the amp sound harsh and sterile.
2. Place a jumper wire over D10.
This will give a smoother, warmer and more organic distortion on the gain channel. It increases the clipping a bit.
3.Jumper C27. Restores the low end.
See you are somebody who took the time to understand the 900's true capabilities, seems like some people assume 80's Marshalls can only be pushed and cranked at all times when there is so much to explore in the gain channels. I never have any of my marshall's gain channels set over 7 or 8 usually under it's the cheapest way to cut the fuzz without a physical mod!
Yep. The Metal Zone is more of a preamp and kills when used as such.
Metalzone gang rise up
Actually I almost stopped using metalzone as soon as I purchased Joyo Zombie 2
But I enjoyed it a lot and yes, it is a completely different beast with you plug guitar into it and send the signal to FX loop return
@Kreozot2D That‘s where the Metal Zone shines indeed! 🤘❤️
Back in the 80's I had a JCM 800. But I would buy a JCM900 now. It is a little more articulate. That's what I like, and the sound I prefer.
Damn, you're good man! Fun watching this comparison! In a recording I'd use both amps, panned left/right; the 800 as main and the 900 slightly delayed. Could be a cool sound!
Thanks! And yes, that‘s a great idea! 🤘
You always sound great
🙏❤️
Nice to know that Ibanez has kept the RG565 around. I have the OG 1989 RG565R-CA, which is one of my top favorite guitars. Basswood + maple/rosewood, with shark tooth fret inlays.
Awesome! 🤘❤️
Excellent video. I own an 800 with an added FX loop. There's is plenty of room at the top of this one, further that volume really does go way up really quick. The JCM-800 tubes create such a warm, dynamic sound that adding the somewhat colder effect of an amp processor balances out the sound for me. So adding digital effects in through the tubes can sound real nice depending on the way you dial the EQs and such.
Thanks! The 800 I have at my rehearsal space actually also has an added fx loop. Never tried it. I need to change this. 😅🤘
Pleasure to watch and hear.. Nice singing!
Thank you so much! 🤘❤️
Stellar review, really enjoyed playing and comparison. As far the sound, different era amps both awesome in their own way. One thing I don’t understand is why Marshall sells new 900 for 3k dollars when you can buy used ones for less than 1k.
Hey Carsten, wieder mal ober Geil dein Video ich liebe einfach deine Riffs, die kommen immer so leicht daher einfach cool! 🤘
Danke dir! 🤘
Great singing by the way. Got yourself a new fan. Grüße aus Koblenz
@@essentialmusic1007 Danke dir! 🙏
Nice... !! I've always wanted to see this done well.
Thanks! 🤘
Okay that sounds nice! Oh wait that one sounds nice too! Wait a second I don't know which one I want now. You ruined my life!! No actually this was the best thing that ever happened to me I just realized no one's going to care which one I'm playing through in a mix . Thank you for saving me so much time and money 😊
JCM900 dual reverb combo is my most favorite amp I've ever played. And im not apologizing to anyone!
Love the guitar playing! 🤘🏼
Thanks you! 🙏❤️
yes, instant subscribe form the first word out of your mouth and the vocals confirmed it as did the playing and the video itself.
Thank you so much! 🤘❤️
Wow man you've got a great singing voice. First time on the channel, new subscriber
Thank you so much! That makes me happy! 🤘❤️
Wow !! Your hammer-on pull offs are mad !
Thanks! 🙏❤️
Great playing, my man. Loved the Paul Gilbert stuff and the Judas Priest. Sounding right on the money.
Thank you so much! 🤘
Man those thrash riffs are killer \m/
Thanks! 🙏
Hell of a voice man, I wasn't expecting that.
Thank you so much! 🤘
This is an amazing comparison!
Thank you! That makes me happy! 🤘
Nice comparison ~ and great vocals! \m/
Thanks! 🙏❤️
800 for me is just a beefy beast for that big "here's ALL the guitar" tone.
wooh The RGR 965 ! Have the same in orange color , great guitar ! JCM was my first studio amps and i recorded 1 EP with . A great sound and a particuly "touch" comparing the 800 . Thx for your passion . (Mic from France)
Love that Orange finish! 🤘❤️
Both sound very, very good! I would love to try both... (in an A/B, I mean)
If you have the chance, go for it! 🤘❤️
I have a JCM 900 but mine is the less common SL-X version (all-tube, no diode clipping) and it is a freakin KILLER amp. Mine has been modified to use EL34 power tubes before I purchased it, so I don't know how the amp sounds with stock tubes but the one I have is awesome. I have played on a regular dual-reverb JCM 900 (same as in this video) and it was very underwhelming compared to the SL-X model. JMC900 SL-X is one of the most slept-on marshall amps.
Awesome! I‘m trying to get my hands on a SL-X! ✌️
100%! The SL-X is an incredible amp.
Yep. I agree with @tubeworkshop. The 900 sounds pretty similar to the 800 characterwise but with less lower mids and some nasty upper mids. In the mix thats pretty much what u want. I think they both are great amps that serve their purpose. Great comparison .
@@essentialmusic1007 Couldn’t agree more! Thanks! 🤘❤️
They do NOT sound similar at all. Listen again.
It depends on how they are played as well. Using a JCM 900 through heavy mesa cabs when playing downtrend guitars are pretty hard to beat in a mix. I used that and an early '90s Rack mount Mesa Dual Rectifier blended.
Killer combination! 🤘
I agree because playing anything in drop B and lower suppresses the upper mids and some treble. Especially if you have EMG 81/85 active pickups. You kinda need those mids in a mix. The JCM 900 would be the best fit to bring those missing mids or lack there of back. Then add an OD pedal to tighten the bottom end and you're set.
I was playing in a hardcore/metal band in early 90s with probably the most maligned rig: HM series Strat into JCM900...no pedals just delicious Marshall distortion
Wow, I mean the 900 has quite some gain on tap but for metal I‘m not sure if I would not bring a boost in addition. Just to feel a bit more secure. The amp is very honest. 😅
In the 90s I had a HM strat and an Artist 3203 head with no pedals, which is a somewhat similar combination
I bought the 2x12 900 combo in 1990 when I was 18. It was my first ‘big boy’ amp. It was an absolute dog! It got stolen after 6 months, I was so relieved!
Dynamite session. Loved it all 🙂
Thank you so much! 🤘
Cool vid man. The both sounded good to me. The 900, from my seat, sounded a bit more "middy" than the 8, but not enough to kick it out the window haha. Im also a fan of the Metal Zone! In fact, I have 2.......haha. It seems there is a lot more to do now with the 900, than when it first came out, back in the day. Valvestate next.........? Rock on man! \m/
Valvestate would be awesome to check! But first let me get a second Metal Zone as well, hahaha. 😂🤘
@@CarstenStepanowicz haha, there ya go man. I had the first one from when I was a kid, and then got the 2nd when they came out with the WaZa version. I really think the people who dont like them arent sure how to set them. \m/
Play through 2 JCM 800 stacks and 83 and 84 the inputs were vertical and the other one was horizontal... I loved running the JCM800's stereo.... That was the tone that stood the test of time....
🤘🤘🤘
I was in a band and our guitar player had both a 800 and a 900 with an A/B switcher. You honestly couldn't tell the difference when they switched.
But from this video on my speakers the 900 was a clear winner untill you tested the volume knob.
Great video
Thank you so much! 🤘
I have a 900 SL-X 2500 that I love. They have a bit of a reputation for being unreliable however. The problem is the BR3 bridge rectifier chip that powers the preamp tube heaters is the same one used in the inferior 900 models that only have the diode extra gain stage. It would get too hot and eventually fail with the extra power needed to run the additional preamp tube of the SL-X. My amp had been modded to replace that chip with 4 big actual diodes. Easy fix for a common problem. While this amp doesn't leave my studio much now I bought it from the backline of a touring AC/DC cover band. It's a tank.
gigged a 100W JCM900 in the early 90's- fab pedal platform amp that had tons of power and sat really well in mix. Needed to be opened up to sound its best. The clean/crunch channel was much better than the high gain channel, which felt too hollowed out in the mids. With the right pedals sounded great
They both sound great. There are a lot of 900 variations, the SL/X being all-valve.
The 900 sounds most useful in live circumstances - one of my old fenders sounds really brash on its own, but as soon as it’s cranked in a live setting it sounds perfect. That 800 sounds sweet in this context, but live I’d have to eq the hell out of it
About 30 years ago, I liked the rough grains of sand-like JCM900, but if I were to buy an amp head now, it would be the JCM800. I'd like to have both if I could afford them.
Clean channel. Volume cranked, gained cranked with a boost in front. I don’t use the amps distortion just let it naturally break up on the clean channel
Hey dude, amazing singing btw, cheers from Brazil. In my opinion, JCM 900`s sounds bigger indeed, also it has more resources you can modify your sound. When I had a stoner band I remember we rehearsal in a studio that had the JCM 900, It sounds great with fuzz pedals and standard C tunning.
Thanks! 🤘❤️
JCM 800 is crunch and dark sound at the same time.. Btw I love that Gilbert Rif wkwk.
I like the jcm800 with the Maxon more than the jcm900, but everything before you started playing with the Maxon, I preferred the jcm900. I think it’s all about how you set up and use the amp.
love your coffee vibes
wonder if the 900 would pop better in a mix, seems brighter...
much love
I also guess the 900s are more mix-ready with its thinner low mids and fizzier top end. 🤘❤️
It seems to me that the JCM800 is a bit more heavy on the mids, which to my ear at least makes it sound a bit more "muddy" when recorded, while the JCM900 is a bit brighter and crisper, which gives you a much cleaner sound when recorded. Whether that's a good or a bad thing i guess is up to individual taste, but personally i think i prefer the cleaner and crisper sound of the JCM900. At least when hearing it through a youtube video. Would be interesting to hear them in a mix!
The 900 sounds much more trebly and shrill, 800 fullness is from another league in this comparison
i see Ibanez RGR, and a Marshall, but demo'd by Carsten - I CLICK!! great tones from both😎😎😎
@@DeathMetalGuitar hahaha, thanks! 🙏❤️
Rooms tend to add subs and highs, guitarists love lows for chugging, so it makes sense that the 800 is preferred because guitarists play in a room and not through in ears, or at least used to. The 900 sound more high-fi pretty much, it’s got a clear 2-3khz-ish boost (I’m listening through in ipad though). I have always found clean marshalls to be quite dull, the 900 pretty much fixes that, but an eq pedal sorts that thing out most of the time.
Good review, but it is all a matter of taste.
Thank you! And I absolutely agree! 🤘
I think I have one of the best sounding 50 watt #4500 JCM900's out there. I recently replaced all the power capacitors, and got a GT-7025 pre amp tube for V1. That tube alone was probably 80% of the increase over what it sounded like when I first got it. That tube really pulled the "wet blanket" off the van sound. My can is the George Lynch signature Randall can with 4 of his Celestron Lynchback speakers.
Last night my buddy got the new Behringer Klon clone and it made it sound even better than before! These amps are getting old, mine is from 1992, and these capacitors are getting old and need replacing.
I love the sound of my 900 and it sounds just as great through my buddy's other George Lynch signature can with the green crocodile tolex and Super V speaker.
What really helps is using a 7 or 10 band EQ in the loop and boosting the lows a bit. If you don't have an EQ pedal, just place a jumper across the loop. That will work too.
*cab
I had a 4500 for years and now it lives at my buddies studio. I think the 50 watt is perfect for the 900 because you really crank it up and it starts to get perfectly fat and emulsified. I loved that amp. I miss it!
@@JackStolz try getting that GT-7025 which is just a premium 12AX7 tube for V1. When we plugged it in, the hair on my arm raised it shocked me so much how much better it sounded!
@ I’ll have to stop by the studio and pop one in! Thanks for the suggestion!
@@JackStolz you're welcome!
I have an 800, 900 SLX, 9200 + JMP-1, 6100, MKII Non master volume, DSL100, a couple of DSL40s converted into heads a JTM45 RI, love all of them, a real valve amp is a magaical thing and Marshalls are the best. SLX is quite dark compared to 800. I like running two heads stacked on two cabs 800 + 900 is great. At the moment I'm running MKII and 800 together
Awesome video!!! 👍🏼
Thank you! 🙏❤️
I used a 900 on albums and tours for 10 years and it was cool
I love my JCM 900 4100 with 5881 tubes! Pure Morbid Angel metal! :) Good jams, man!
Yeah! 🤘🤘🤘
800 allways forever. Period. BTW - great playing
Thanks! 🙏
Your voice was what surprice me the most, not bad at all.
Thanks! 🙏❤️
JCM 900 for me, but I am biased as I have used it from 1990 until I retired in 2017. The 800 is still great and the amp used for so much of my favorite music, so no knock on the 800!
Hey Carsten, Why haven't you compared the JVM410 to the JCM800 & 900 ? I have an JVM410 that has the negative feedback & plexi mod. just curious. 🤘🤘
Many videos in this direction are planned as soon as I‘ve managed to move all the stuff to my new place! Stay tuned! 🙂🙏
A few simple mods on the JCM900 relax those harshies a little and make the gain a little more hairy and interesting. It is one of the top picked heads picked by clients in my recording studio.
I think they are both great, but gigged with 2 1996 JCM900 Dual Reverb 100w heads and they were beasts and rock solid reliable for me for many many years. (playing metal/alternative) With a boost pedal its like having 3 channels (clean, rythym, solo) and with an EQ on your pedalboard they are as versatile as any amp. Never understood the dislike for the 900's.
💯🤝
You can get the dookie tone pretty easily with a 900.
Settings are
Preamp gain for a and b channel 1 o’clock
Bass at ten
Middle 3
Presence 2
Treble 3
Reverb for both channels at 0
youre a cool guy. look cool, play good, good personality, good singing. metal zone. enjoyed the video!
@@JacobPyrett-z6o Thank you so much! 🤘
Why not use the Marshall cabs? Thanks for the video
I’m from the 80s so the 800 sounds better to me. More organic. Bit more mids. The 900 sounds a bit rash to me.
I played the amps with Marshall cabs in separate videos and just wanted to try something different. 🙂🤘
How does one sound more "analog" than the other when they're both pure analog?
@Hoxie both are pure analog! Maybe you mean solid state vs pure tube valve? The JCM 900 has op amps, JFETs, and diodes in the signal path of the 12AX7 preamp tubes, whereas the 800 is purely valves and passive components.
@ I meant organic, natural, warm.
You're very entertaining. !
🙏❤️
I have a jcm 900 dual reverb 4100 model which i got for 590 euros ten years ago. It has a very very nice clean channel and a very sweet tone. Also it's very pedal frienly. I use the B chanel(dirty) rarely but when i do it's the guitar a cable and straight in the amp and it really rocks. The previous owner didn't told me that the amp was modded and was fitted with el34 tubes (5881 from factory) and as i found out later, the preamp section was heavily modified also. I think that the mods in the preamp section were added for better use of the amp with a Stratocaster because it really shines with a strat. Anyway the amp sounds brilliant and loud af and i don't care about the mods or anything else done to the amp. I bought it to have my 1959HW rest a little and it has become my main amp. Get one and try it!
My first real Marshall was a JCM 900 4500. I ran only the green channel with the gain cranked and I thought it sounded pretty darn good. I didn’t care at all for the red channel, and I could be mistaken, but I don’t think the green channel has all the diodes and stuff people hate on.
IMHO, the JCM900 sounds more defined with a bit popping sound when you attack the bass notes due to the bandwidth extension, it seems to be due to output transformer quality differences between the JCM900 and the older model JCM800 (note that JCM800 was introduced in 1961 until the late 80's, and the JCM900 came into production in 1990, with newer materials and production methods), I don't remember if the EQ and input stages have electrical differences too (maybe I'll take a look inside both schematics after dinner) but, perhaps these sound differences arose from commercial decisions.
By the way, which JCM800 version did you test in this video?
Not sure about the exact model (loaner). It‘s the 50 watt version. ✌️
The 800 would be my first choice, but the 900 isn’t bad and I am sure could be eq’d (perhaps an eq pedal) to sound the same.
That’s a nice Ibanez. I still prefer the Edge tremolos to my Floyd Rose guitar.
11k subscribers! 50k by the end of June.
An EQ in the loop is a great idea. Boom, another video to make. Thanks for that Jim! 🙂✌️ 50k in 2030! Let‘s do it! 😂❤️
great singing
Thanks! 🙏
I never understood the hate towards the 900 it's a great amp! Both amps are great but obviously not for everyone as with all amps. By the way you have a great voice dude!
Thank you! 🙏
My first real amp was a JCM900 212 combo, I remember it sounding really good.
The 800 was so 'awesome' a whole culture of modding those things became big. I'll take a stock 900 over a stock 800.
(Still have my JCM800 2x12 though)
The 900 treble cuts like a knife on leads. Idk, it's 800 for the rhythm and 900 for leads, at least on the settings you had and what I imagine would work better in a mix.
Great demo thanks...50 watt 800 is a sweeter beast altogether...the smaller output transformer saturates beautifully...have both plus 30th anniversary 100w...all very different characteristics
I had a JCM 900 half-stack which was the best sounding amp I've ever owned.
Great vid, new subscriber 👍🤟
Thank you so much! 🙏
Have you looked at the schematics I mean they deleted a tube and increased the gain and added a diode clipper. They basically just put a tube screamer in the amp. Which people usually put in front anyways.
Same EQ points same basic gain structure. Same 3 band EQ.
The EQ reacts completely different. At least on my amps, especially mids and treble! 🤘
Well use a frequency analyzer and some pink noise and get back to me. Of course you will have to isolate the previous gain stages.
Also just look at the schematics.
Oh I forgot to mention I build amps@@CarstenStepanowicz
i have the 50w slx, ghad it for nearly 30 years, and every time i turn it on im blown away, most people dont know how to get a good sound out of an amp, thats where the problem lies and they dismiss it, i can make my 900 sound similar to an 800, i thing it sounds like an 800 with more distortion, but thats my view, thanks for the video
It definitely helps when you‘re experienced and you know what you‘re doing when tweaking knobs on an amp! 🤘
I see you also have a Marshall JVM 410 behind you, would you do a comparison of the JCM 800 and the JVM? I have a JVM and am curious about getting a JCM or if I can already achieve those old school thrash tones. I know I can get a great sound on the JVM, but can the old JCM 800 do better? Thanks for the cool video!
Definitely planned. Stay tuned! 🤘🙂
I have played the 900 for many years. It is a very solid rock workhorse with enough gain for almost anything. The 900 sounds brighter than the 800. This can be easily remedied by using Celestion Lead 80s instead of V30s which are too bright for this amp. With the right cabinet this amp sounds killer. I had read all the negative comments in forums years before getting my hands on this amp. I think that many of the critics either never have played this amp or they heard or used it with the wrong cab. But this rule applies to all amps: use it with the right cab. Too many musicians do not give the cab enough attention.
Very good advice! 🤘❤️
Great video! Love Annie Lennox too!
Thank you so much! 🤘❤️
I bought the jcm 900 for the studio for 300€, with attenuator i can drive the output tubes and with high end mics i can shape the sound. The combo i love at this time is vintage u47&sm7b into api512c, sounds like a record!
Awesome signal chain! 🤘❤️