Marshall Jmp confusion?

[888guitars]

I have been wanting a Jmp but I have read so many different things on when they did the cascading on the channels for more gain. Anyone know what year the 2203 got the boost? Am I safe with any that have only the 2 inputs not 4

[Chuck H]

I don't understand. Do you WANT the cascaded gain stages or the Super Lead type circuit? I think the cascade amps are the two input models with a master volume.

[888guitars]

Sorry, Yes the cascaded channels. Is the master volume pre or post phase inverter? Either way is it truly like a non-master volume when turned all the way up?

[Chuck H]

It's a pre PI master on those amps. Marshall did use an interesting post PI master on the 4210. Implementing a post PI master on the 2203 is a pretty common mod though. Still... What marshalls do best is that EL34 clipped sound. little or none to be had with a master volume. The 2203 is the 80's rock sound. Think Cars, Missing Persons, Blondie. Sort of shrill, gritty and buzzy. But another popular mod, before the master volume amps, was to add a master volume and cascade the channels!?! I had a pair of 2204's that became mod platforms when I started with this stuff. My goal was to raise the gain a bit, warm up the tone and get rid of the buzz. It went alright. I sold them both to a guy that HAD to have them. But the stock amp is definitely a signature sound. For the right player it can be just the thing.

Some Marshall fanatics will argue that any kind of master volume ruins the tone. But IMHO a 1M load after the treble pot amounts to squat in the circuit. Under 1dB of difference and no change to the EQ curves.

[888guitars]

I also want this for a mod platform. Some of my favorite sounding stuff from youtube was a 2203 jmp. Brown Sound is of course what I am wanting to mod one to. David Bray amps and Metro are influence. I own a Soldano and a 5150, They are good but not the same.

[888guitars]

I also heard the 78- 79' JMP is a JCM800? True?

[Chuck H]

I also heard the 78- 79' JMP is a JCM800? True?

Pretty much.

That's a great sounding clip. Pretty much nails the VH sound. The exceptional VH like playing doesn't hurt. Where are the effects coming from? I like that sound in the hands of the right player. It's not my sound though. Probably why I don't have my Marshalls anymore.