marshall JCM900 model 4500

PhilTheBeard

PhilTheBeard

"The Beard"
Jun 23, 2009
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Anyone ever used one of these? Some guy just brought one into my work looking for 300 for it. It is the 50 watt dual reverb jcm900. I remember the lead channel's on these sucking but the one on this head was not to bad. but are there mod's to make it sound more like a 800?
 
That model of 900 is one of the less desireable 900's. It's got 3 preamp valves instead of the 4 that Marshalls usually have. Instead of one of the preamp valves it has diodes. There's no mods to make it sound like an 800. If you want an 800, splash the cash man.

Or get an SL-X. I've got one of those (it's got the 4 preamp valves) and it's awesome. I've owned one of the Dual Reverbs. Not a bad amp, but if you're expecting it to sound like an 800, you'll be disappointed. Needs to be cranked and boosted. Some would say even EQ'd in the loop.
 
Honestly, I think they're horrible. You could get some good cleans and some desireable crunch out of them sometimes and they have that Marshall cut through anything tone, but they just don't cut it for hi-gain applications.
 
The crunch sounds like nothing but treble and presence. Mine was stolen a while ago, but it might have been a blessing in disguise.
 
i really hated the lead channel on my 4100, the clean channel, however, was gorgeous for a Marshall, and i purely wish i lept it for that. Go for the 800 if you want the lead channel tone as this thing can only really do one sound, and that aint even that great either!

£300 is a bit steep for the 50w one too, i bought mine for £300 and sold it for £330, in absolute perfect nick too.
 
Never played a 41/4500 but had some time on an SL-X. I kind of like the 900's, because they had that diode clip stage. Gave them a harsh kind of early 90's metal tone ala Prong or Helmet. I always thought they got slammed by the purists because it wasn't an "all valve signal chain" but really, what is these days. If it isn't p-t-p, there is bound to be a diode, clipping or not, somewheres in the signal path.

I remember one time I had this dude with an 800(killer amp) who was trash talking my buddies' SL-X for being shit diode SS amp this that an the other and this ferry fruit had a Boss DS-1 boosting his 800. :zombie: Umm what?

I say, if you like the tone, and it looked like it was in good shape and didn't catch on fire, buy it. Of course this is coming from someone who owns (and more or less likes) a TSL so....:lol:

Good luck.
 
jeid said:
That model of 900 is one of the less desireable 900's. It's got 3 preamp valves instead of the 4 that Marshalls usually have. Instead of one of the preamp valves it has diodes. There's no mods to make it sound like an 800. If you want an 800, splash the cash man.

Or get an SL-X. I've got one of those (it's got the 4 preamp valves) and it's awesome. I've owned one of the Dual Reverbs. Not a bad amp, but if you're expecting it to sound like an 800, you'll be disappointed. Needs to be cranked and boosted. Some would say even EQ'd in the loop.
Click to expand...

Oh trust me dude i'm def not trying to cheap out on a jcm type tone. I was just wondering if the amp was worth getting at such a low price. but id rather have an 800 over any of the other marshall amps. i'm not a cheap bastard like that ;).
 
MaxStatic said:
Never played a 41/4500 but had some time on an SL-X. I kind of like the 900's, because they had that diode clip stage. Gave them a harsh kind of early 90's metal tone ala Prong or Helmet. I always thought they got slammed by the purists because it wasn't an "all valve signal chain" but really, what is these days. If it isn't p-t-p, there is bound to be a diode, clipping or not, somewheres in the signal path.

I remember one time I had this dude with an 800(killer amp) who was trash talking my buddies' SL-X for being shit diode SS amp this that an the other and this ferry fruit had a Boss DS-1 boosting his 800. :zombie: Umm what?

I say, if you like the tone, and it looked like it was in good shape and didn't catch on fire, buy it. Of course this is coming from someone who owns (and more or less likes) a TSL so....:lol:

Good luck.
Click to expand...

That's the thing, people who trash talk the 900's generally (but not always) never have a clue what they're talking about. That dude you talk of being a prime example of 800>900 elitism. The SL-X has a full tube path like the 800 and DSL. It's only the Dual Reverbs that have the Diode clipping stage.

Everytime you see that dude, you should give him a great big facepalm. He'll eventually crack. :D

Get an SL-X or an 800 dude, if you've got the coin :)

Most importantly, post clips
 
jeid said:
The SL-X has a full tube path like the 800 and DSL. It's only the Dual Reverbs that have the Diode clipping stage....
Click to expand...

No shit? I didn't know that. I always thought it had the same diode clip stage same as the other 900's, just had an extra preamp tube for more gain or some such.

Yea that dude was a real "winner" haven't seen him in close to 10 years now I guess. He's probably a strung out loser at this point. Meh.

Good luck with amp OP if you decide to pull trigger.
 
The Dual Reverb has a nice clean channel. How it acts on the distortion channel is variable. Some are all treble, some are borderline mud. I had one with EL34s, and it really needed a TS in front as well as the master volume cranked up to a pretty healthy volume. Shortly before I sold it, I did a mod to the solid state section on it that did both a mid boost as well as a gain boost. It certainly wasn't 5150 levels or anything like that, but it was a ton better. The way it was stock, if you put the gain over 10 (goes to 20), it turned into a suck knob that annihilated anything that resembled good tone.
 
The late model 800's had diode clipping also... After the 2400 I think? The 900's seem to have evolved form those...

And yes, the SL-X is all tube preamp. It does have a strange opamp system for the master, and I think the signal does pass through it, but no diodes.

I always found it funny that all those JCM800 'gotta have all tube no SS clipping' purists get their amps modded to 'Jose' standards.... I believe it's nothing but clipping diodes on the master... Kinda funny. And they pay $$$$$$ to get it done.
 
Wolfeman said:
The late model 800's had diode clipping also... After the 2400 I think? The 900's seem to have evolved form those...

And yes, the SL-X is all tube preamp. It does have a strange opamp system for the master, and I think the signal does pass through it, but no diodes.

I always found it funny that all those JCM800 'gotta have all tube no SS clipping' purists get their amps modded to 'Jose' standards.... I believe it's nothing but clipping diodes on the master... Kinda funny. And they pay $$$$$$ to get it done.
Click to expand...

Yes, the 2210 and 2205 have a diode clipping stage too.

Then again, most people here use a TS in front of a tube amp which also uses diode clipping so I don't think diode clipping itself would mean that it sounds bad.

However: a 900 dual reverb sounds like shit on the gain channel and a 2210 sounds great on the gain channel!
 
Ahhhh stop dissing the 4500 jcms, they can be made into pretty decent sounding metal amps!

I used to use mine with an EQ in the effects loop and a noisegate, then a tubescreamer infront. The things sounded great! I changed the power valves and preamp valves to jj telsas

Used it through some vintage 30s and it was the bomb.



Used an sm57 on it really badly placed here, haha, before i got into recording and mixing properly :p

Anyway I had a positive experience with it, was pretty cheap and it was the 1993 4501 model to be exact.
 
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