The JCM900 was the face of Marshall in the 1990s, following in the footsteps of the JCM800, which boasted the best sales in Marshall's history. It was introduced in many studios and live houses, and is still in use today. In recent years, the JCM800 has become even more popular than the JCM800, and many of you may have actually touched one.
While it was the model that pioneered the modern Marshall, and by extension, the modern high-gain amp, it was also the model that made Marshall fans of yesteryear question, "What's up with the Marshalls these days?
Today, however, we are reminded of the model's many charms, including its cutting-edge sound, ease of use, toughness, and cost performance. Of course, the sharp drive edge that can compete with the high-gain models of recent years is a powerful character that impresses with its unique presence. It is a testament to the fact that it has been the representative "face" of Marshall since the 1990s.
Background
The JCM900 was introduced at the NAMM Show in January 1990, following the record-breaking sales of the JCM800 over the course of the 80s, and was given the name to become synonymous with the 90s. This was the heyday of hard rock and heavy metal music, which demanded a harder sound than ever before. It was also the year that Metallica appeared at the Grammy Awards. Everyone in the scene was not satisfied with the gains of existing amplifiers and were looking for higher gain models.
Until then, Marshall had achieved worldwide success with the JCM800, but by the late 80s, the normal JCM800 gain was no longer enough for many players. This led to the Marshall modification movement, which produced many talented amp builders such as Reinhold Bogner and Mike Soldano, as we have already mentioned. However, not everyone had such advanced technology, and badly modified marshals were beginning to flood the market. Some of them increased the noise along with the gain, some were sonically terrible, and some even shortened the life of the amps themselves. Jim Marshall, realizing the need for a high-gain model under these circumstances, first introduced the Jubilee series in 1987 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Marshall's founding. The Jubilee series was supposed to be a one-year limited edition model to commemorate the 25th anniversary, but due to the great demand at the time, it was produced until 1989. The Jubilee series was supposed to be a one-year limited edition to commemorate the 25th anniversary. With the advent of the 1990s, Marshall introduced a new high-gain amp designed for a new era of sound. This was the JCM900. In addition, Marshall had already conceived the idea of a 30th anniversary model to follow the Jubilee at this time.
Now, which JCM900 is right for you?
Like the JCM800, there were many variations of the 900. Again, however, there were two main patterns: the High Gain Dual Reverb (roughly two channels) and the High Gain Master Volume (roughly one channel) models. Each was available in 50 and 100 watts, and in head and combo types.
The High Gain Dual Reverb model, as the name implies, has two footswitchable gains and two masters, each with its own reverb setting. The High Gain Dual Reverb model, as the name implies, has two footswitchable gains and two masters, each with its own reverb setting, i.e., clean and drive can be switched. This model is the most popular model for professional use because of its ease of use. The JCM900 seen in practice studios is usually this model.
The High Gain Master Volume model also has two gains and two master volumes, but only the master volume can be switched. A solo with a thumping sound! but it cannot be used as a switch between clean and drive. If you distort it, it stays distorted, and if you want it clean, you have to change the gain setting. (However, this solo mode-like master switching is quite modern from today's perspective, and has been implemented in recent models such as the Koch.) The two gains are two-step gains that work on one channel at a time, and can create some pretty hard distortion. In short, it is a dedicated distortion machine.
May it distort all over the place~? The gain scale goes up to 20!
Features common to both include a leveled effects loop, direct out, Hi/Lo switch for 3 or 5 poles, and for the first time ever, an OUTPUT VALVE FUSE, which is a protection circuit for the power tubes. If a problem should occur with one of the tubes, it will blow the fuse of the tube that is working properly to avoid overloading and damaging the other tubes as well.
How to read the model number
XXXX (4-digit number)
4th digit: Indicates the model. 4=High Gain Dual Reverb / 2=High Gain Master Volume
3rd digit: Indicates output power: 1=100W / 5=50W
1st digit: Indicates the number of speakers. 0=Head for 0 speakers.
Example: 4102 4=High Gain Dual Reverb, 1=100W, 2=2 speakers. This shows that it is a combo amp with 100W and 2 speakers in a switchable channel type.
What is SLX?
You will often see models with the "SLX" designation, such as the 2100SLX and 2500SLX. How does this differ from a regular 2100 or 2500?
In 1991, the year after the JCM900 was released, two monster amplifiers appeared in the U.S., the Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier and the Peavey 5150, two high-gain amplifiers that could be said to have changed history. Whether or not Marshall was impatient with this or not, it is not known, but in 1993, Marshall added one more pre-tube to the preamp stage of its previous High Gain Master Volume model, either as a countermeasure or to compete in the high-gain arena. With an additional two-stage amplification stage, it became an even higher-gain specification. The SLX, meaning "Super Lead X-tra Gain," was added to the name, further strengthening its coloration as a heavy-drive machine.
Earlier models had three pre-tubes
SLX has four pre-tubes!
At the same time, the power tube used in all Marshall models was changed from EL34 to 5881. This change is said to be due to a lack of stable supply from Sovtek, a Russian vacuum tube manufacturer that Marshall mainly used during this period. This specification continued until 1998, when Marshall introduced Svetlana, another Russian tube manufacturer, and from 1998 onward, most models reverted to the EL34 specification.
EL34 and 5881
As mentioned above, from about 1993, most Marshall tube amps switched from EL34 to 5881 power tubes, not only in the JCM900, but also in the vintage reissues of the 1959SLP and 1987X, much to the dismay of some core Marshall fans. This has caused some core fans to be discouraged. The negative idiom, "Marshall is so bad these days," was born during this period.
The 5881 is called a 6L6 high reliability tube, and it has a clear tone with relatively little distortion, and is relatively mild from low volume. It is also used in many Mesa/Boogie models and Peavey's 5150, and can be said to be a representative tube of the American sound. It is also used in many Mesa/Boogie models and Peavey's 5150.
The EL34, on the other hand, has a sharp, biting tone at low volumes, and as the volume increases and clipping begins, the tone changes abruptly to a thicker, stickier sound closer to the middle. In addition to being a tube that had been a particularly glamorous part of Marshall's history up to that point, it was also used by Hiwatt, Orange, and other leading British amp manufacturers, and there was a myth, especially in Japan, that the EL34 was the "British sound.
I can certainly sympathize with the fact that there was a critical voice from especially enthusiastic British rock fans because it was Marshall's change to 5881 on such a back, and I remember feeling a little sad that only vintage reissues of 5881 specs were sold in real time at that time. I also remember that I felt a little sad that only vintage reissues of 5881 specs were available in real time. I remember feeling a little sad about the fact that only vintage reissues of the 5881 specification were available in real time. Fortunately, almost all the models from 1998 onward were back with EL34, not only the Vintage series, but also JCM900 again. This was followed by the JCM2000, which is still in use today.
I may be nostalgic when I see a JCM900 with 5881 specification. In a sense, it sounds "more like JCM900" because the high gain amp's character is emphasized. It may be a little bit different, but when I listen to the sound of 1959SLP with 5881 specification again now, it is very attractive. It makes me smile that I was disappointed with it at that time.
This is why it is interesting that both 5881 and EL34 versions of the JCM900 exist. The EL34 was used in the early years (up to around 1993) and in recent years (from late 1998), and the 5881 was used in between. If you see one in a studio, you may wonder which version it is. When you see a JCM900 in a studio, it may be one of the ways to enjoy the JCM900.
Models from the 5881 period have a label on the top indicating the use of 5881.
JCM900 family?
The 30th anniversary model 6100, which seems to have actually been developed at the same time
Although not part of the JCM900 series, this model is closely related to the JCM900 and should not be forgotten. The blue leather is impressive on this 6100. It was Marshall's first 3-channel model with clean, crunch, and lead, and it was the world's first model to include MIDI. It was introduced in 1992, two years after the JCM900, which marked the 30th anniversary of Marshall's founding. Three channels may seem commonplace today, but at the time it was revolutionary.
In fact, this model was developed at about the same time as the JCM900. However, it was difficult to produce the JCM900 series in parallel with the JCM900 models for the worldwide release of the JCM900 series, and it was kept until 1992, the anniversary year of the JCM900 series. As mentioned above, the JCM900 series was in the middle of the high-gain boom, and it may have been in anticipation of the movements of other brands after the release of the JCM900.
The 6100, which appeared in the midst of this trend, was a completely independent 3-channel model, and it can be said to be one of the earliest 3-channel models manufactured in the world. Channel 1 is a clean with two modes: a Marshall-like clean and a Fender-inspired clean tone, selectable by the Mid Shift and Bright controls. Channel 2 is the rhythm channel, which has a vintage sound reminiscent of the JTM45, a JCM800-like sound, and a JCM900-like sound. Channel 3 has a high-gain sound that is the strongest in Marshall's history and has never been heard before. This sound evolved the JCM900, and is thought to be the basis for the SLX mentioned above. The 6100, which covered everything from traditional tones to cutting-edge sounds, surprised many musicians and became a favorite, and was used by Joe Satriani and Gary Moore, who affectionately referred to it as the "blue Marshall.
The first lot made for the anniversary was completely gold-plated, with the chassis, tube covers, and even the tube springs in gold. The front logo on the cabinet was also gold paneled. Only 500 of this version (800 for the combo) were made worldwide and were called the 6100LE. After that, the regular chassis except for the blue leather was produced until the end of the anniversary year, and from the following year, the black leather was produced until the end of the 1990s.
What is the appeal of the JCM900 again?
In 1999, as the 20th century approached its end, the JCM2000 series was released as a new model for the 21st century. The JCM2000, which is still a flagship model, captivated young players and veterans alike, and the era of the JCM900 seemed to have come to an end. Indeed, as the JCM2000 became more popular, many of the JCM900 models, including the SLX, gradually disappeared. However, only the High Gain Dual Reverb Series 4100, which was one of the most representative JCM900 models, is still in production. It has been 18 years since its appearance in 1990, passing through the turn of the century without any specification changes. This is an exceptionally long sales period, even though the music scene has been changing in many different ways. The reason for this, in the words of a Marshall official, is that "the sound image is absolutely fat and has hidden vintage DNA," and there is no mistaking this statement. There have been countless "distortion" amps since then, but this one sounds like a natural drive turned into a high-gain amp. In other words, the JCM900 may be the hardest "overdrive" amp in the world.
If I may add, its simplicity, ease of use, and ease of understanding when you first pick it up are also major attractions. It also does not generate a lot of heat, and even if it is used for a long time after the sound is set, the axis of the sound is not easily shaken, and there are few problems, which I think are the reasons why it has been trusted by many engineers. In my personal opinion, the JCM900 is the most reliable model when connected to a rack preamplifier via returns.
The JCM900 is not a pure vintage sound, nor is it a crazy modern heavy gainer, but it has been a solid player in the scene for nearly 20 years, and there is no doubt that it has a strong presence behind the scenes. Simple", "tough", "hard"... all the words necessary for rock music are in JCM900. I can't help but think so.
