User manual MARSHALL JCM800 2203

[. . . ] PROTECT the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles and at the point where they exit from the apparatus. DO NOT switch the amplifier on without a loudspeaker connected. ENSURE that any extension cabinets used are of the correct impedance. ENGLISH From the Chairman I would like to personally thank you for selecting this re-issue of my all-valve, JCM 800 2203, 100 Watt, Master Volume head. [. . . ] If you're wondering about the origin of the JCM 800 name, it's an interesting tale ­ it came from the registration/license plate of Mr. Marshall's car which was, wait for it, JCM 800!The `JCM' part of it referred to Jim's initials (James Charles Marshall), the `800' was merely the number on the plate ­ no more, no less!As guitar amplifiers go, the 2203 is the very essence of simplicity ­ it's a one channel amp with no reverb or built-in effects and its all-valve design produces a sound that, as Mike Doyle so aptly describes in his excellent `The History of Marshall' book, is "crunchier than a lorry running over a hedgehog!" As a result of its idiot-proof interface, distinctive roar and larger-than-life `edge', the 2203 immediately set the standard by which all other rock amps were judged and it remained the `industry benchmark' throughout the entire 16 years of its production life. ENGLISH The unparalleled new tones the 2203 generated immediately became the sonic impetus that helped drive forward the veritable explosion of hard rock acts in the late seventies and early eighties. The JCM 800 incarnation of the amp (along with the other models in the JCM 800 range, most of which were derivatives of the 2203) quickly became the mainstay of the burgeoning heavy metal scene that dominated the `80s and was the amp responsible for many of the seminal thrash metal recordings of this period. In fact, Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman of Slayer, a hugely influential band that helped pioneer the thrash genre, still use their Marshall 2203s to this very day. The late eighties and early nineties saw a shift towards the `alternative/Brit pop' movement in the UK, while the US was dominated by the `grunge' scene. The wide-ranging use of 2203s in these extremely varied musical genres is a true reflection of this amplifier's extremely versatile tonal range. With the launch of Marshall's hugely popular JCM 900 Series in 1991, the JCM 800 2203 was deservedly, but somewhat reluctantly, put out to pasture after 16 years of sonic supremacy. Despite its retirement though, the 2203 continued to be a much sought after amp and scores of players, including that brilliant fretburner Zakk Wylde (of Ozzy Osbourne and Black Label Society fame), would relentlessly hunt down old 2203s for use in the studio and on stage. Owing to the seemingly never-ending barrage of requests we receive on a daily basis for the 2203, we've decided that it is time for us to relaunch this great amp in its most popular guise ­ the JCM 800. Furthermore, by popular demand, we've also given it a Series Effects Loop that features a true Bypass switch that takes the loop completely out of the circuit, thus ensuring the original tone isn't compromised in any shape or form. ENGLISH 3 4 Front Panel 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 Rear Panel ENGLISH ENGLISH 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Front Panel Features 1. Power Switch This is the On/Off switch for the mains power to the amplifier. Whenever it is switched `On', the switch will light. Please ensure the amplifier is switched off and unplugged from the mains electricity supply before being moved. (anticlockwise) will reduce the mids in your sound, giving you that aggressive `scooped' tone that is a staple of thrash and nu-metal guitar playing. Rear Panel Features Effects Loop Send & Return Jacks To increase the flexibility of your 2203 even further, you may choose to add external effects in its Series Effects Loop, which allows direct connection of either floor pedals or rack processors, with the Level switch (1) providing the correct operating level. impedance selected on the amp matches the total impedance of the speaker cabinet(s) being used. For example, if the amp is running into a single 16 Ohm cab, the amp should accordingly be set to 16 Ohms. If running into two 16 Ohm cabs, the amp should be set to 8 Ohms. If running into two 8 Ohm cabs, the amp should be set to 4 Ohms. Failure to comply with these points will result in damage to the amplifier. [. . . ] Turning this control up overdrives the pre-amp and creates a desirable, harmonically rich distortion. 3. Effects Loop Return Jack Connect the (mono) output of an external effects processor here. 9. High Sensitivity Input This is the High Sensitivity input of the amp ­ in theory, such an input is supposed to be used for low-output pickups. This said, 99. 9% of all 2203 users ignore this and plug guitars loaded with high-output pickups into this input, because it enables them to drive the pre-amp even harder. 4. [. . . ]