Guitars

Joined: 13 Dec 2010 Posts: 3673 Location: Tampa, FL

Ok I'm sure everyone has heard of these by now but I don't see any discussion on them yet. Basically marshall has made 1 watt versions of 5 of their most popular amps. 1 for each decade they've been around. The JTM1 (JTM45), JMP1 (JMP 1959 SLP), JCM1 (JCM800 2203/4), DSL1 (DSL100), JVM1 (JVM205/410). They sound pretty badass from the videos and clips I've heard. I've never been a fan of the lower wattage versions like the DR, 5150 and all those they made small versions of. But these sound killer. Don't really care if they don't sound dead on to the real thing. To get real marshall tube tone and feel that I can crank in an apartment is awesome to me.

The JTM1, JMP1, and JCM1 have already been released. Each 10 weeks apart so the DSL1 and JVM1 are still on preorder. I've been looking at getting a 2203 or 2204 recently but these are definitely getting my attention. Other cool little extra, each on has a special added feature. Like the JMP1 has a boost switch which adds gain and simulates a popular mod. The JCM1 has a boost which switches it to a Jubilee sound. The DSL and JVM both have 2 channels. Also each has a switch to take it from 1 watt all the way down to .1 watts so you can literally crank it anywhere you want, and still it can drive a 4x12.

Sounds pretty badass to me, and I'm not easy to please when it comes to micro amps. Lanning said he ordered one so we'll see his review when it comes in. But also I'm not sure if he's even around here anymore.
Whats everyone else's opinion?

http://www.marshallamps.com/product.asp?productId=176

Joined: 04 Jun 2012 Posts: 366 Location: South-West Ohio

From what I've seen they pretty much DO sound dead on what they are suppossed to be - just less volume. The JCM 800 and Plexi models should be bad ass!

Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 12:54 pm

I really want the 1 watt plexi model, but they're darn expensive for all the size of them!

Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 1:36 pm

Honestly, for the price I'd rather go out and find a used model of the real thing.

Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 1:55 pm

Spite wrote:

Honestly, for the price I'd rather go out and find a used model of the real thing.

Agreed, perhaps the Class 5 also which you can pretty cheap used and the extra 4 watts is nice Laughing

Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 2:51 pm

Northwinds wrote:

Spite wrote:

Honestly, for the price I'd rather go out and find a used model of the real thing.

Agreed, perhaps the Class 5 also which you can pretty cheap used and the extra 4 watts is nice Laughing

A class 5 head and a 4x12 with an assortment of OD pedals. Yes please!

Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 5:33 pm

I'll stick with my DSL100, thank you! It also sounds good at low volumes.

Joined: 21 Jul 2008 Posts: 636 Location: Yorkshire, England

I was looking at them a few months ago. Very nice but quite expensive for a small amp, there are a lot of small tube amps out there that cost a lot less.

Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 13402 Location: Earth

Razorback16 wrote:

I was looking at them a few months ago. Very nice but quite expensive for a small amp, there are a lot of small tube amps out there that cost a lot less.

Yes that are made in China, Korea or Indonesia and are not limited edition. Rule of thumb in the industry. Price for quality will never equal out power and size. You can buy a 100 watt tube amp for under a grand and you can buy a 5 watt amp for 3 grand. One has nothing to do with the other.

Joined: 13 Dec 2010 Posts: 3673 Location: Tampa, FL

Lanning is Killdozer wrote:

Razorback16 wrote:

I was looking at them a few months ago. Very nice but quite expensive for a small amp, there are a lot of small tube amps out there that cost a lot less.

Yes that are made in China, Korea or Indonesia and are not limited edition. Rule of thumb in the industry. Price for quality will never equal out power and size. You can buy a 100 watt tube amp for under a grand and you can buy a 5 watt amp for 3 grand. One has nothing to do with the other.

Exactly. Slightly off topic, don't know for fact but I'm hearing on other forums that it sounds like the combo is permanent while the head is limited. Hopefully I can layaway order one from work so I don't have to pay full 100% up front. SOO badly want one!!!

Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2012 11:44 pm

jkkkjkhk wrote:

Lanning is Killdozer wrote:

Razorback16 wrote:

I was looking at them a few months ago. Very nice but quite expensive for a small amp, there are a lot of small tube amps out there that cost a lot less.

Yes that are made in China, Korea or Indonesia and are not limited edition. Rule of thumb in the industry. Price for quality will never equal out power and size. You can buy a 100 watt tube amp for under a grand and you can buy a 5 watt amp for 3 grand. One has nothing to do with the other.

Exactly. Slightly off topic, don't know for fact but I'm hearing on other forums that it sounds like the combo is permanent while the head is limited. Hopefully I can layaway order one from work so I don't have to pay full 100% up front. SOO badly want one!!!

That's my Plan too.

Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 13402 Location: Earth

None of them are permanent. The combo and heads are all limited production.

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 9:07 am

60srocker wrote:

I'll stick with my DSL100, thank you! It also sounds good at low volumes.

For me it would be a pain to take one of my Mesa Boogies and a cab to a hotel every week to keep me limber. I settled for a Zoom G2. If I want speakers, I'll just buy a couple of those cheap PC speakers. Right now I use headphones, and it sounds damn good with my first SG. Can't wait to try the new P90 SG out with it next week.

Seriously folks.. Why do you want to pay mucho bucks for something that small? I rather spend my money on something good for the stage.

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 9:13 am

Lanning is Killdozer wrote:

None of them are permanent. The combo and heads are all limited production.

That's the reason they keep the price so high. By claiming they are limited production. Gibson is good at that stuff too. But I scored my limited edition SG Special tribute for $200 less because some yokul put a small mark in it knocking it against a amp.

Joined: 13 Feb 2004 Posts: 5634 Location: phoenix az.

60srocker wrote:

I'll stick with my DSL100, thank you! It also sounds good at low volumes.

agreed!and for practicing at home cant beat a microcube!

Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 13402 Location: Earth

ML Tib wrote:

60srocker wrote:

I'll stick with my DSL100, thank you! It also sounds good at low volumes.

Seriously folks.. Why do you want to pay mucho bucks for something that small? I rather spend my money on something good for the stage.

Size and price are not relative. I have a JCM800 for stage. Now I have one for home and recording and if I want I can mic it and gig it as a backup. Yes it's that loud. I could tell you why I think it's worth the money but you may not appreciate my reasoning. Reason one... It's an English made Marshall, only produced for 10 weeks in 2012 and all tube. It sounds like the full sized JCM800. I can switch it to low power and use it as a pre-amp into another amp's effects return so if I don't want to truck my head into the venue and there is a backline I can get my sound. In low power mode I can crank it to 10 in my living room and my wife can watch TV in the other room at night and I won't piss anyone off.

In 1 watt mode it cranks hard. It's louder than most other 5watt tube amps and walks all over 40watt solid state amps. Through my 4X12, cranked with the master on 8 I get all that amazing tube fullness and balls that I can't get on my JCM800 in any club without completely drowning out the entire stage and pissing the sound guy off. To get this sound on my JCM800 I need to do one of two things, run an attenuator (yes an option but an attenuator isn't as cool as this little amp) or run an ISO cab. The loudest I have ever been able to turn my 800 is to just over 4 and it was absolutely painful on stage. I'm not playing arenas lol...

Lastly, to re-tube this amp after I have been cranking it hard for a while will cost all of $30 and it's cathode biased so it's just plug and play. To re-tube my JCM800 costs quite a bit more for 4, 6550s and whatever preamp tubes I may need to replace. There is also ease of portability for everything but stage work. If I'm going to jam with someone I'd rather have the tone of my big Marshall than to sacrifice for something that I wouldn't truly enjoy.

It's not loud enough to play with a hard hitting drummer alone but that's what PA systems are made for. My band just got a full in-ear monitoring system for everyone so we don't need to hear anything on stage. I can line out of a Pocket POD if I want and hear everything. Many bands now on in-ear systems just line out of AxeFX or PODs or whatever and don't even use amps anymore. The JCM1 puts out enough power through my 4X12 for stage fill volume not covered by the PA.

Those are my reasons and may not fit anyone else's reasoning with why this amp was worth the price. The beauty of this is no one is forcing anyone to like or buy the amp, so live and let live. Some of us love them and others think it's silly. Some guys are happy with a Timex and don't understand why someone would buy an Omega because they both tell time but the timex is 80% cheaper. Someone obviously thinks these amps are worth it. The world still turns.

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 7:05 pm

Guys I Heard This Amp the other day right next to Lannings ZW head and this little focker SCREAMS !!!!!!
I got a 50 Watt Marshall head coming in the next few days and I'm planning on adding one of these too ASAP!!! It's a Screaming little amp very reminiscent of the "Original" JCM800 Combos ( Lanning has the Combo version) from the Early 80's with a lot less Wattage. The combo looks like it's about the same size as the 80's Marshall Studio Combo which was 15 watts. But the JCM 1 has a ton more Balls !!!!!!

Can't wait to get mine ..... Wink

Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 13402 Location: Earth

mesa8699 wrote:

Guys I Heard This Amp the other day right next to Lannings ZW head and this little focker SCREAMS !!!!!!
I got a 50 Watt Marshall head coming in the next few days and I'm planning on adding one of these too ASAP!!! It's a Screaming little amp very reminiscent of the "Original" JCM800 Combos ( Lanning has the Combo version) from the Early 80's with a lot less Wattage. The combo looks like it's about the same size as the 80's Marshall Studio Combo which was 15 watts. But the JCM 1 has a ton more Balls !!!!!!

Can't wait to get mine ..... Wink

I got the head today! I brought the combo back because I preferred my 4X12 to the internal speaker. The internal speaker only sounded really good to me when the amp was cranked up hard on 1 watt mode which isn't feasible for home since even at 1 watt it is just too loud for home use. Through my 4X12 though it was great at any volume.

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 7:34 pm

Lanning is Killdozer wrote:

mesa8699 wrote:

Guys I Heard This Amp the other day right next to Lannings ZW head and this little focker SCREAMS !!!!!!
I got a 50 Watt Marshall head coming in the next few days and I'm planning on adding one of these too ASAP!!! It's a Screaming little amp very reminiscent of the "Original" JCM800 Combos ( Lanning has the Combo version) from the Early 80's with a lot less Wattage. The combo looks like it's about the same size as the 80's Marshall Studio Combo which was 15 watts. But the JCM 1 has a ton more Balls !!!!!!

Can't wait to get mine ..... Wink

I got the head today! I brought the combo back because I preferred my 4X12 to the internal speaker. The internal speaker only sounded really good to me when the amp was cranked up hard on 1 watt mode which isn't feasible for home since even at 1 watt it is just too loud for home use. Through my 4X12 though it was great at any volume.

Damn that was Quick ........I figured it would take them a few days to get one in...

Joined: 07 Aug 2007 Posts: 2751 Location: Southeast MI

These are pretty cool. I'm not going to rush out and buy one and I'm not 100% sold it's as good as the larger versions, but it's a cool option to have. Sounds like it's perfect for you, Lanning. That Low Power option you're talking about sounds awesome...

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 8:07 pm

Damn you, Lanning. Now I really want one. :'(

Joined: 28 Mar 2006 Posts: 5507 Location: White Haven,Pa

I would love a JCM1 Head but I just can't get myself to drop $750 on one considering I bought my mint JCM800 1/2 stack back in the day and paid $750 Laughing

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 10:45 pm

Thing isn't even worth a $1.00 to me....

Mesa FTW!!! Laughing

marshall repair manual....

Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 13402 Location: Earth

mesa8699 wrote:

Damn that was Quick ........I figured it would take them a few days to get one in...

They had a layaway that was cancelled over the weekend so the system just had it fill my order.

Grim Reaper wrote:

marshall repair manual....

Hahahh this coming from a guy who rides a Harley lol...

Joined: 25 Mar 2006 Posts: 5765 Location: Joisey

what-a-cool-username wrote:

Damn you, Lanning. Now I really want one. :'(

Joined: 30 Mar 2009 Posts: 4740 Location: Dayton, OH

I have to admit, I've wanted one since I first heard about them. Razz