AMP TALK: 1978 Marshall JMP 2204 Master Model 50w Mk2 Lead - Great Dirty Tones AND Great CLEAN Tones

[@brandonhalvorsen2185]

I'm in the process of modding my Marshall Origin 50 into a JMP 2204. Looks like I made the right call. Wonderful amp.

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

Right on!!!!

[@theKGB65]

Enjoyed hearing the back story with the demonstration. Those illuminated rocker switches fail after being snapped one-too-many times. Doesn't happen to all of them, but the ones that fail likely have broken leads, very much like how reverb tanks fail from the thin wire flexing over time. They are tricky to repair but I was able to open one, re-solder the tiny lamp lead to the terminal, reassemble it - and it's held up well. Having seen the unsupported lamp inside one of these things I've developed the habit of not snapping any lighted rocker switches. By maintaining constant thumb pressure as the switch rolls the the opposite position it doesn't jolt the lamp which, after many operations, case hardens the micro-fine lamp wire causing it to become brittle enough to break at the point where it meets the contact.

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

That's a great tip on rolling the switches. Thanks for that and thanks for watching!

[@kurtbader9711]

Nice vid! Your enthusiasm is infectious, and I loved the little wing part. I have a '77 and a '78, both el34's, and to my ears are the best amps ever. Enjoy and rock on!

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

A '77 AND a '78? Very nice!!! Thanks for watching!

[@GlennSpitzer-mi4cl]

Cleans up nice for that circuit. I got a 74' 4 holer. Ultimately though with this school of playing you want to clean up with the volume on guitar.

[@tonytrotter2708]

That is an amazing sounding amp!!! ❤

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

I think so too! Thanks for watching!

[@SJ.71]

Amazing

[@mikelermanmusic]

Great sounds man! I sold my JCM900 long ago, but now have a Ceriatone 2202 that I LOVE; very similar vibes to your JMP. Beautiful sounding amp sir, really nice cleans too

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

I played a few Ceriatone models and they've always impressed me. Thanks for watching!

[@brothermoto1964]

Beautiful piece of kit ❤

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

Thanks for watching! Cheers!

[@NorcalME]

Hi Ray, great vid on the often overlooked 2204, and thanks for showing us the clean tones. Something that's not often showcased but the 2204 does it well. CHEERS!

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

You are quite welcome! Thanks for your comments and for watching!!!

[@EddyEE1968]

My 1st video on your channel....informative stuff Ray, like that, simple explanation straight to the point! Tubeamps will never be replaced imo the feel when you play a crancked up a Marshall is priceless. Myself i use the 212 combo mk2 1979 , and the followup jcm 800 1983. Both sound great without pedals just plug and play. Greetz Ray from the Netherlands, RnR for All !!

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

Sounds like you got a killer rig! Thanks for watching Eddy, Rock onward!

[@johnjames77]

I am getting a mod done to a Groove Tube Trio that makes channel 2 similar to a JMP MK2. That's what brought me here and I am very impressed and subscribed !

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

Let us know how the mod goes! Thanks for watching and subscribing John!

[@rickcruzz]

Awesome video, Ray! I worked with Currence @GC 99'-06. Great dude! Rock on, and thanks for the video.

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

Rikk is a great dude indeed! Thanks for watching Rick!

[@smellytele9629]

My 78 2203 has had the lamp replaced twice and it only works on my techs variac and at our sound guy's rehearsal space, where he runs everything through a big high dollar power conditioner. I got my 78 as a "thank you" gift from a lady I helped with getting appraisals for her deceased husband's gear. It's my "never gonna sell it" amp.

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

LOL about the lamp! Not only does the lamp not work on my Marshall, the lamp on my Suhr head doesn't work either and that's the way it came from the factory. Lamp lights just don't like me I guess🤣 Thanks for watching!

[@michco65]

Love those Marshalls. First amp I ever bought was a Marshall, but a JCM2000 DSL401 😞 I still have that 1970 Fender Pro Reverb I bought from you and a Katana MK100 that I wanted to try.

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

The features seem pretty cool on the JCM200 DSL401, never tried one though. Glad to hear you still have that Pro Reverb, that's a great amp! How do you like the Katana? I was considering picking up one of those as a grab and go or backup amp.

[@Mike_D_5150]

The dsl 401 is an awesome amp. Never get rid of it. 🤘🤘🤘

[@chrisjones8592]

Great video!! I love Marshall’s and your great attitude. Keep up the good work. I think I’ll subscribe!!!

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

Appreciate the comment! Thanks so much for watching!

[@thisdyingsoul76]

I have a clone of this amp and it's amazing. Mine even sounds good at lower volumes. Better when the master volume is above 4, of course, but between 1 and 4 still gives usable sounds.

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

its a great circuit! Thanks for watching!

[@zachholt6830]

Yeah. I have been thinking about this so much lately. The first tube amp I got was a Gold Logo Crate Blue Voodoo 120. WOW. I only had solid state before that. I had experienced the tube distortion and the way the air moved, that rumble... The power tranny blew. I was a kid like 18. Too much to get fixed. My next tube amp would be an '83 jcm 800 212 combo. Got rid of it bc it had to be cranked to sound good at all. 😬. Next one a 6505+ combo when I was trucking. I got a tiny terror 10 combo. But I never really cranked them, besides the tiny terror combo... We all know Tube amps are loud. And to get the electrons across the grid you need to crank the amp power... I think this itself deturs a lot bc they can't get past the loud to begin with. I recently got a 6505+ head. I have a Carl's custom volume box thru the effects loop. I'm getting down to about 80-90 db but the amp is cranked. I'm able to fully saturate my tubes at a reasonable level. Having moved away from tubes and the difference in price in tube vs SS most ppl will never experience this or even know it exists. I've been thinking more and more about how this just used to be the way everyone experienced the electric guitar. Like, playing thru a fully saturated tube amp is like playing an electrified instrument. I can rant and rant about these things. Tube pre amp is the only thing to keep modeling relevant. Otherwise it'd be completely worthless and eventually phased out. I convince ppl all the time. They go on and on about how feel is bs. I say "have you ever got to really mess with a tube amp" "yeah my friends...". At a reasonable volume, a warm tube amp will always prevail. That mk2 sounds nice

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

I remember plugging into one of those Crate Voodoo amps for the first time and being blown away. I grew up when hardware stores had tube testers and my old man seemed to always be testing the tubes that were in the television. Yes, back in the day tube amps were commonplace because that's all we had. The first amp I bought with my own money as a teenager was a Fender 1x12 combo, I don't remember the model name, but it sounded great and many years later I found out that amp was the last amp design Paul Rivera made before leaving Fender. That kind of stuff was commonplace and affordable for a teenager working part-time at a video store. I agree with you, there is nothing like tubes, after all, that is what all the modelers are trying to be, and while modeling keeps getting better, ain't nothing like the real thing! Thanks for your comments and for watching!

[@hallgeirpedersen4331]

Great sound!

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

Much appreciated, thanks for watching!

[@billydelacruz1500]

Thanks for the informative video! As a child of the 80’s , wanted a Marshall bad but ended up using Fenders most of my gigging days! Ended up with a 78 JMP 2204! Have a 70’s cab and a 1936 cab as well! Awesome amp! Modelers can’t compare but sure are lighter on the back!🤣🤣🤣✌🏽❤️

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

It's nice having a 2x12 and a 4x12 option! Sounds like an awesome rig! ... until you have to move it LOL! Thanks for watching Billy!

[@mikedreg4347]

Awesome! Great playing! Love the reverends in the background too. You ever want to sell the 1x12 cab let me know :).

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

I use that cab all the freaking time, I'd doubt I'll be selling it anytime soon but if I do I will keep you in mind! Thanks for watching Mike!

[@Phoebedumplings]

I had 2 of these in the early 80s . The best marshals ever IMHO , Direct in, no effect ❤️👍👌

[@juppheidi]

I still have 2 of 'em. Best sounding Amps ever!

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

You don't need anything else!🤘🏼😁 🤘🏼

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

You're making me jelly!

[@kalleankaa7536]

Wow. Just the perfect amount of warmth, tight but bouncing low end. Nothing stiff. Good bark on mids. Warm bright highs again without being stiff. Overall a perfect balance of tone without stiffness.. im still curios, what speakers?

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

The speakers are vintage Celestions rebuilt by Austin Speaker Works to their ASW KTS60 spec. Thanks for watching and for your perfect summary!

[@extansegura]

I have the same head, and i dont feel like selling it, they are amzing amps

[@TomSarracino]

Sounds good ! Loveit ❤

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

Thanks for watching Tom! Much appreciated!

[@daletsosie2479]

Good video Dude. ....it was good because I watched start to finish ..lol. Anyway man I want a 2204 now for some time, (BUT) there vintage and getting expensive,especially for a clean stock one. I have several amps mostly High Gain stuff .a line 6 pod for headphone noodling ...I can't afford a whole new PC / high tech model sim ( and there is a lot of them now) .they are convenient for sure..but there is nothing compared to moving air and the feel of tube power in your hands. Good playing and keep up the good work.. Cheers.

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

Thanks for watching!

[@altag1]

Stumbled across this... Nice tone, phrasing! Amazing amp... !! not that it matters, however was wondering is the 1978 2204 amp hand wired (turret). or is it PCB ?

[@altag1]

nm, I did quick check and appears Marshall transitioned around 1973 to pcbs Keep the great videos coming!!!!!

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

It's been a trying couple of weeks around here so been slow responding, so thanks for your comments and for the info!

[@Mike_D_5150]

My Ceriatone Plexi all access is pretty close (close enough for 🤘🤘🤘), I don't own an original but have friends that do.

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

I've had the pleasure have playing several various Ceriatone amps, good stuff! Thanks for watching!

[@hangtite87]

Cool vid! I think I'll sub. Thanks!

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

Thanks for watching, much appreciated!

[@tommclellan2882]

Great amps , I have a 78 too , never part with it 1

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

Agreed!!!

[@billzumwalt324]

You still have that amp ! 🙂

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

Billy Z!!!!!!

[@Prestostark]

Billy Z - Did he ever pay you for it?

[@billzumwalt324]

@@Prestostark Is that supposed to be funny ?

[@MikeWeida]

Picked up a Jet City JCA 800 Scatlet last year it is a hand wired 2204 clone. Being a scarlet it is the hot rodded version.

[@beaud4474]

I just got a minty 1978 2203 . Love it

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

That's awesome! Congrats!

[@hangtite87]

I'm using amps. A Bogner Goldfinger SL is my main amp but, I've got a couple Silver Jubilees that sound great also. The modeling thing is cool but not for me. Thx!

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

The Bogner Goldfinger is a great amp, and you have a COUPLE of Jubilles?!?! That's awesome! Just curious, what cabs/speakers are you running?

[@hangtite87]

My live rig I use a 1960 AX greenbacks. With the Bogner and a 1960 Vintage with the slash heads. Then, I’ve got a Marshall 2061x with 2 EVH 25 watters. I use it with my 50watt jubilee. Sounds fantastic ! Have a Rockin day!

[@1176hambone]

whats the cab and speakers? Mic?

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

I meant to mention this in the video but as I started talking about the signal chain I went off on a tangent and never came back LOL! Sorry about that. The cab is a custom 2x12 from Ron at Austin Speaker Works, the speakers are vintage Celestions he rebuilt to ASW KTS60 specs. The mic is an Audix D2 plugged into a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. Thanks for watching!

[@mwooly1]

Normally serial on front panel is 1979

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

Yes, by '79 Marshall was putting serial numbers on the front. They must have started doing this sometime in 1978. Mine has a date code of K after the serial number which points to 1979. Also, there's a date stamp on the inside of the amp of December 1979, so Marshall most likely started putting the SN on the front in late 1978.

[@bruzzgravely3470]

Is this straight into the amp

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

Yes, straight into the amp.

[@bruzzgravely3470]

I have a 2204 and it don’t have the distortion like yours

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

in the video I said that I used to have a JCM900 that had a SS distortion circuit in the pre-amp, is that what you are talking about? or ar you saying that your 2204 doesn't have the same amount distortion as my 2204?

[@bruzzgravely3470]

It don’t have the distortion yours has

[@bruzzgravely3470]

What do I need to do to get that sound

[@bruzzgravely3470]

I use amps like real players do

[@bruzzgravely3470]

Are you useing a pedal and if you are what kknd

[@soapboxearth2]

I jam with friends who use all the new high-tech stuff. I build my own tube amps , the classics mostly. The moddelers and digital stuff really dont sound the same. I can see the disappointment in my buddys faces when they hear the blatant differences during the jam. I know all the effects are fun to play with, but damn, get a real amp, guys ... And not to sound like some kind of snob , but you are cheating yourself if you dont have a tube amp. It's really that simple..

[@RayPlaysGuitar]

ain't nothing like the real thing! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@bruzzgravely3470]

I have this in a combo but don’t sound like this