Marshall Artist 4203 - Amazing JCM800 tone on a budget!

In play an amazing 1989 Marshall Artiste 30 Model 4203 which is a 30W 1x12 Hybrid Guitar Combo. The Speaker is the stock Marshall Vintage which is the Marshall version av Celestion V30. The amp features a solid state preamp and a tube driven phase inverter (12AX7) and Power amp (2xEL34). I'm playing it with a 1975 Gibson Flying V.

[@teriakamoto]

Always come for the amps, but leave forgetting about the Amps and just enjoying Johan play away. Loved it , Great playing,

[@kennygardner5041]

My friend and I played in a band together and this amp was his main amp. Sounded great!

[@dougiemanross]

I have the head version and its been my main gigging amp for 3 years now. Love it! Gets that EL34 tone at a decently low volume.

[@dannobman07]

I had that amp . It was my first Marshall . I bought it in 1986 and played a lot of gigs with it then . It was a great amp and I wish I still had it .

[@bluesful]

That sounds damn good. If you didn't tell anyone, no one would guess that it has a SS pre amp section.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks! Yeah it’s got that tube warmth

[@vincenzoerriquenz2356]

Sounds really good, another hidden Jem by Marshall Brought to light again by you, thanks Johan!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Vincenzo!

[@shaniwoods5923]

I have a 3203 artist and it will go to the grave with me these are beyond amazing amps !!! Love the demo my friend

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks my friend!

[@Killadey]

Hey Johan, I have a Marshall Haze 40 I'm trying to sell off. Would it be possible for you to demo this amp so I can double the asking price? Cheers 😄

[@JohanSegeborn]

Hahaha! We’ll I actually haven’t demoed the Haze yet so I’m gonna say yes to that one ;-)

[@gerryloughran1676]

what a great sounding amp ..got a great range and a sweet chime ..cool

[@JohanSegeborn]

Glad you like it, Gerry! Cheers

[@davestadel]

Great amp, wanted to try one for a long time. I locally bought a head (3203) in July and found a matching 4x10 cab (1965a) in August. Great JCM tones. I'm happy with it and done amp shopping for a while. It would be great to see the settings you are using in the videos. In this one sometimes you have the boost foot switch plugged in, other times you don't.

[@shakeyjonez]

Did you buy the head from Atlanta Discount Music?

[@davestadel]

I found it on CraigsList

[@DavidVeeGuitars]

I've had a love/hate relationship with these for years. For me they sound great at first... but then seem to be missing something when pitted head to head against non-hybrid Marshalls. Owned two at one point and even spent some time with the 3203 head version as well. Happier with my other Marshalls, I ended up finally selling my last 4203 (bought new by me back in '87). So, here comes Johan, our favorite Marshall-master, to make me second guess that decision. Johan makes any amp sound amazing... the humble 4203 being no exception to that rule as evidenced by the tone and playing in this video. Keep making these videos, sir. They are appreciated... even if they are bad for our wallets and perpetual GAS. Cheers!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks man, I’m glad to hear that, and sorry about the GAS! ;-) Cheers

[@swagedelic]

​@@JohanSegeborn it's sounds really good, local market has one these for sale, I may pick it up, good for small and medium venues, who in the H wants to haul around a Marshall stack.

[@hkguitar1984]

Nice amp design. Thanks for the Demo Johan. The small design does seem to have a lot going for it as it does indeed capture that Marshall tone.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Yeah it’s a very nice design. Great packning

[@regortex3364]

Don’t know if you’ve done it but you should do a blindfold demonstration and see if your audience can be certain of what a tube amp sounds like versus a solid state amp, my guess is most couldn’t tell the difference, me included and I’ve owned over 70 amps, most of them classics. I think there’s a feel thing that happens with tube amps when you’re playing loud, a dynamic touch sensitivity etc. But for recorded tone I think it’s much harder to tell the difference. Love the channel.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks, I’m glad to hear that! I wouldn’t be able to tell in a blind test either. Cheers

[@marksguitars5617]

great sounding combo! I remember when Marshall was making them, they didn't get a lot of respect, but they sound great. I once used the head version as the house amp at a gig. Nice riffing and demo, Thanks, Johan, keep safe!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Mark, glad you like it! Cheers

[@nicholasmanupella3475]

They were really nice sounding amps. Back in the day my buddy has the head version. Ran that through a Marshall 4x10. Talk about fun. I wish Marshall would re-issue it in a 50 watt head. I'd run that with the Marshall Origin in stereo. Thanks again Johan for another superb video. Cheers.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Nicholas! Cheers!

[@purplelookplay2364]

I have a 4203 and love it ! Great video Bro !

[@notsosure7757]

V30s of that era have a great bite, I've got them in my mosfet 5213 and in a 4x12. Great vid as always my man 🤘🏼

[@JohanSegeborn]

They do indeed! Glad you like the video! Cheers

[@pvbaelen]

I have one sitting in my garage. I bought it in 1987 I think. I haven't turned it on in proabably a year or more. I think I may go revisit it.

[@dannobman07]

I bought one back in 86 ... I was 18 and was my first Marshall . It’s a great amp , used mine on many gigs and was always reliable . It handles pedals really well ... The solid state distortion was ok .. not great . I wish I still had this amp .

[@philipbowley8374]

I've got the 3203 head, thought it was shit till I paired it with the right speaker cab.. it kicks arse now. Great sounding combo Johan!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Philip!

[@cobowe]

Hi What was the right speaker for you?

[@jonmorris9645]

I have the 3203 as well. Really like it.

[@philipbowley8374]

cobowe.. I have some old Eminence square back speakers. Johan did a review of them.

[@margovallen]

Excellent playing.. with some excellent tone. Great video as usual, Johan!

[@ArcticMiniCooper]

Wow that sounds amazing! I bought one of those new in 1987 after hearing Lasse Wellander play through one. I actually had a 1972 Artiste’ 2040 at the time but couldn’t get the nwobhm sound that I had in my head. The Artiste 4203 delivered that and more, but I traded it for a blackface Bandmaster in the 90:s when I went on a SRV journey... The one that got away...

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks yeah the older Artiste is too round for metal

[@ArcticMiniCooper]

Exactly, and that was the problem for SRV to. G

[@darrowsmith]

I have a head version of this amp. I’ve had several actually. Really versatile. It’s the most ‘ modern’ amp I own. Actually does get a nice clean tone. And the reverb is really good too. It has some issues with fizzy ness and some issues with the efx loop too. But just keep a small patch cable inserted in the loop if not using it. You didn’t try the high gain Chanel! It’s pretty brutal yet smooth when cranked. Supposed to be basically a Marshall shred master circuit built in! I’ve used it a lot live and on record. Only el 34 amp I can get really get good sound at bedroom volume.

[@JohanSegeborn]

I played both channels actually. When I play the high gain there’s a patch cable in the front foot switch jack

[@Ricksworldtv]

darrowsmith I also have the head version. If you pull your chassis out of the case and deoxit the bypass switching in the loop jacks you won’t need to use the jumper. I had the same problem. Deoxit your pots at the same time and the old girl will be like new. Enjoy, I love mine.

[@shakeyjonez]

People always ruin these amps cutting the caps and diodes out of the circuit, trying to make it pedal friendly. This amp doesn’t have a clean channel. It has a normal crunch channel and a boosted crunch channel. If you want cleans buy a Fender. Great demo as always Johan.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks, glad you like it! Yeah both channels have great gain

[@MuscleDad420]

I used to have one that somebody modded with a vero board with a relay, an extra cap, some resistors, a diode, an extra volume knob on the rear, and an extra jack on the back. The idea was you could have a "clean" channel tied to the same 3-band EQ as the "normal" channel, the "normal" channel itself with its own volume level for a mid-crunch sound, and then the boosted channel with the master tone knob. It was implemented pretty well. I made a 2-button footswitch with two input jacks so I could run one cable into the "boost" footswitch input and the footswitch input on the rear.

[@vintagetone22]

had this amp 10 years ago sold it cheap i had no knowledge what it was.i missed it alot and now the cheapest i found was 400 pounds uk.😭😭😭😭

[@DMSProduktions]

Will you take that KICK now?

[@siegfriedwashburn3484]

Hi, Johan! I was working with this amp once upon a time, but we were allways fighting around this one with other teachers. I liked it, but I said than "To much knobs here". But really this is a good amp! I am older now too!😎 See you, thanks for the Video! Zigfrid

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Zigfrid! :-) See you!

[@AnthonySG0113]

Awesome review!! I’ve got a vintage 30 inch n my Mesa Rectoverb 50 watt. Awesome speaker!!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Anthony!

[@Gigmeister1]

This is an excellent amp for specific things. The clean tone is thin and I had to run the bass on 10 and still didn't have as thick a tone as I wanted for clean stuff. I've actually owned two of these and while the lead channel is authentic Marshall, I ended up selling both of them. It's not too heavy to travel with and it does the Marshall "bark" really well!

[@ro307805]

Sounds damn fine. First time I've encountered this one

[@craigcornell2752]

Really like the sound of this amp Johan. It’d be interesting to see how some of the other solid state & hybrid Marshalls of this era sound with their preamp sections running through a valve amp’s power section (like you did with lead 12 running to 1987x a couple of years ago.). Chances are pretty good that there are some great tones in there! Maybe a whole video clip’s worth! Haha! Thanks for everything!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Craig! Yeah that’s an interesting video idea

[@stevenmgyori3826]

Well done Brother! Great Amp and Demo! Thanks for sharing Johan! Be Well All!

[@dwreck5578]

Great video ss usual! Wow, that was the clean channel?! Sounds so different than mine I"ve owned 20 years. my 4203 clean channel has a tight creamier bluesy breakup. Ive always run various NOS el34s and love an nos tungsram 12ax7 in PI. Regardless of internet info stating the PI 12ax7 has no tonal affect with diff brands.. My ears hear a wide diff between various new versus nos in this combo. Im playing an '94 R9 with Duncan eth Lovers and its really got that woody honky tone in using this little combo. Amazingly, The DI to board works great also.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks!

[@r1deftone]

I have a 3203 with two 1966 cabs, 3/4 size full stack. Great amp.

[@alanst.4417]

Very interesting amp, thanks for this episode of amp archeology Johan. I've always thought that SS preamp and a tube poweramp would theoretically be the ideal compromise (better than the other way around). But somehow it doesn't seem to sound as dynamic here as a full valve Marshall or even the Lead 12 etc. Maybe I'm deaf or it's the YT, cause it doesn't really make sense to me. How was it in the room?

[@kennyh5083]

Yea it will be missing a little from it's all tube siblings, but the cool thing is you can easily mod this preamp just like modding any pedal and make it sound exactly the way you want without worry of the complication of a preamp tube circuit! That's the cool part of this amp!

[@jasondorsey7110]

Or you can run a tube preamp into the effects return and just use it for its sweet jcm power section

[@gregj.gotham4402]

My Marshall mid 1980’s Artist 4203 SS pre amp EL-34 dual power tubes is a great voiced amp, super for the line out direct to sound board and milked by mike into the same sound board. Used a lot in 4 multi track recording. I still have it has reverb. I don’t believe I’ll ever sell it. Had both hands surgery sadly I can’t get fingers to curl as before. I’m not a professional guitar player. Been fun for years at 30 watts, never cranked it cuz I used a board to front end and multi track. Sweet to me.

[@gib412]

I believe Johan could play through a 60's pocket transistor radio and make it sound like a plexi.

[@michaellrakes5521]

Hybrids catch a lot of grief but this sounded amazing. Personally, if an amp is going to be a hybrid, I prefer this design: solidstate preamp/Valve poweramp vs the valved preamp/ solidstate power amp, such as the Valvestate and Mode Four series. ( i actually own a full stack Mode Four and this has always been my biggest gripe with the design). With this setup, you can still achieve natural gain when cranked and obviously it will be louder than the opposing design.

[@alexandrexande2681]

Right on the money. Besides, the Valvestate preamp is also a hybrid 12ax7/I.C. overdrive. At least the Mode Four's preamp is all tube, like those Legend amps Billy Gibbons used on Eliminator. Amazing gritty, crunchy tone, even with a solid state power amp design.

[@andrewgarcia3136]

Agreed, I have a super champ xd and it sounds killer turned up, also way louder than any 15w solid state amp I've ever played

[@michaelmattson3515]

I got a 1985 75 Reverb combo. Love it. Great ZZ Top tone.

[@adams4244]

Fun fact, I'm from Cary, IL, where the Accutronics stamp on 5:52 is. I never knew that plant was here, but there is a Morley pedals plant. Cool coincidence.

[@jcwear89]

Love this, especially the cleaning sounds, really cool!

[@steventsunami9506]

Playing with gain, these amps "feel" great. However, my favorite part is the edge of breakup sound is dynamic and has real swat. I loved mine so much, I bought another one.

[@johnvcougar]

One of my favourites. Interestingly, I've found pairing it with the UA Ox is a really nice match, sweet tone and you can push that output stage nice and hard. Great amp.

[@jbusk6298]

No body: Absolutely nobody: Johan: manages to make a dead squirrels vocal chords sound like a plexi

[@otaviodecanini5309]

Great video as always, Johan! Here’s a question: would you prefer getting a new marshall handwired or a boutique handwired plexi?

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Otavio! Which ever sounds the best would be my pick. I really like Marshall’s current 1987X and it’s actually PCB. Cheers

[@porradewww]

Hi Johan! Do you have any idea which Marshall 4x12 cabs were made with this speaker at time? I only saw it in 16 ohms before. Thanks!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Hi! Some of the 1980s Silver Jubilee cabs had this speaker and some had the G12T-75. I think some Slash signature cabs had it too

[@shakeyjonez]

The 1960AV has them

[@christophervaldez8746]

I have the Marshall 3203 Artist head with a 4-10 cabinet. Have you tried that version of this amp?

[@JohanSegeborn]

Yeah, but no video of that yet I’m afraid

[@2michaelgilbert]

Sounds good. Early Ace Frehley tones.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Michael! I’m glad to hear that!

[@neyronnature5584]

Hi Johan great review ! as usual ! Great sounding amp. I had one and sold it because I was more into fenderish stuffs. Mine had the C13 mod (to reduce brightness on the clean channel). Is yours stock or moded ? ThanksJohan.

[@Lavabug]

I have the 3203, same amp but in small head format. Still my favorite tube head. Ridiculous amounts of gain, prefer it to my 6505+ honestly. Only unfortunate problem is the effects loop is very lossy and the clean channel is very quiet.

[@LPCustom3]

Really an impressive sounding amp for a SS front end. Sounds better than the MusicMan RD100 which is from the same era(mine's from 1978). However it doesn't have the valve phase inverter..(Damn it..). Cheers Johan!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks man, I’m a big fan of Musicman RD since Clapton used in on the Cocaine track. Cheers!

[@j.reveille6815]

No it doesn’t... Musicman rd 100 77 - 80 is the best combo amp ever made.

[@AuntAlnico4]

Keeler Marshall combo ! Yes indeed Johann !

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Jenifer :-)

[@RiffMusic1970]

6:15 “She’ll take you down easy Going down to her knees Going down to the devil Down down in 90 degrees”!!!

[@DJ-cx5cy]

"...honey, whatta you do for money..."

[@RiffMusic1970]

D’s Guitar Given the dog a bone! 🦴 🍖

[@victorhernandez3591]

Hello....! you play very well ... by when a pignose 7-100? I'll wait attentively ... a big greeting

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Victor, I’m glad to hear that! I did a Gorilla TC35 which is from the same company a while back. Will do the Pig nose first chance

[@victorhernandez3591]

@@JohanSegeborn okay thank you very much...

[@victorhernandez3591]

@@JohanSegeborn I have a marshall 5210 and a peavey rage 108 ... if you have a chance, try them ... they are good ... greetings

[@cchavez248]

??? Johan, video idea. Which pedals plus pedal sized amp sounds as good or better than Marshall Lead 12! 😁

[@JohanSegeborn]

Interesting idea!

[@michaelbrodsky]

All those cabs with "Vintage" anything in them are soooooo... midrangey sounding that I just want to die.

[@AndreaViolator]

Is it advisable to keep the amplifier impedance at 4 ohms and the cone at 8 ohms? or does something happen if I leave 8 ohms on the amplifier? hi nice video

[@psychorock83]

it would be nice a comparison between all valve budget amps 30/50watts like marshall 4203 Vs Peavey classic 30 Vs hiwatt T20/40 ,orange tiny terror

[@andersborgh5889]

I've been using my 3203 head as a power amp with a Folkesson modded JMP-1 going into the fx loop return a bit (the 9100 is just too damn heavy to move.) Sounds killer. 👍🏻

[@melbouvey]

JUST GOT ONE §§LOVE THE DRIVE CHANNEL !!TOO

[@marcelbelanger4424]

The amp sounds fine but mainly I was digging your fresh riffs.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks, great to hear that!

[@abubakr6939]

I imagine you maxed it or close to make the power tubes overdrive?

[@JohanSegeborn]

Yeah the master volume was maxed out the whole video

[@bathtubexpert]

I have a MarshallArtist combo Where can I buy a fuse for it and which fuse.?I cant read the fuse type its written too small

[@dougwebb485]

Still got mine bought it new in 1987

[@voxpathfinder15r]

Now you have to run a Marshall tube preamp into the return of this and compare tube and solid state preamp. Then run it through a 4x12 cabinet

[@JohanSegeborn]

Hahaha! I’m actually planning to do that this week :-)

[@voxpathfinder15r]

@@JohanSegeborn it’s been a month and no follow ups yet.

[@12stringblues]

runs about 5-6 hundred used, is that the best Marshall sound for that kind of money right now?

[@davidflint12]

In my opinion it is. I have a similar one and I love it. You won’t be disappointed

[@JohanSegeborn]

Yeah I think it is

[@12stringblues]

Awesome Thanks!

[@davidflint12]

Albert Pena you are welcome. 🤘🏼🎸

[@ro307805]

I'd go class 5, but the stock tubes are awful. After changing tHe preamp to NOS 12ax7a RCA it calmed it down slightly and killed the harshness and fizxyness . I have the head and a combo as well. The speaker in the combo was awful until it broke in, just dead and harsh. Once I broke it in though, it's amazing. So, for a 400$ amp and $100 in tubes, and a little time breaking a speaker in, you can have a great amp that's somewhere tonewise between a 2061 and 1974

[@AudreyYun]

have you played the new studio series amps yet? what do you think of them? or did you already do a video and i just forgot haha

[@JohanSegeborn]

Hope to do one soon! Cheers

[@minus9us677]

i had 2 marshall mosfet lead 100 heads, sounds like those. loved them alot. some prick stole them and sold them .

[@dogguitarbluesman]

Wish I had kept mine. Pick it up and brought directly to rehearsal. Sounded too bright. Realized later it was a very bright room :( Lead 30 is great now :)

[@scotte2]

Can you decipher if the effects loop is series or parallel?? I can not find that information anywhere on the internet. Might drive a distance to purchase one.

[@scotte2]

What amp do you think would compliment this Marshall in a 2 amp (both always on) setup?

[@SuprachargerMusic]

Can you play a Crate so that we can a baseline of terrible tone from you? What's your finger tone?

[@JohanSegeborn]

I actually don’t think Crates are bad amps, I played one in the 1990s actually. Cheers

[@davidsaric2012]

Johan, was your arm hurting by the end of that??? Lol

[@evanfisher8303]

The preamp and phase inverter is tube while the power section is solid state. Not like the hybrid amps of today. Similar to the music man amps by Fender in the 80s.

[@EE-gm7je]

Backwards... has EL34 Power Tubes...

[@johnnybrown9581]

Johan should be CEO of Marshall! and Gibson for that matter....

[@JohanSegeborn]

Hahaha! Thanks my friend :-)

[@therifflair724]

I like my new 3203 a lot. Just wish it had more gain. And the tone circuit on the boost “channel” is meh. Mostly run my AMT M2, B2 or VT2 into the FX return. Smaller transformer makes it easier to crank the t00bz for the juiciezzz 😁

[@jasondorsey7110]

I've been wondering about that, haven't found any demos that try that, running a marshall-voiced "amp in a box" directly into the effects return and just using it as a power amp

[@stephenchow5161]

i think a lot of the majic has a lot to do with that first generation v30 speaker.

[@JohanSegeborn]

It’s a great speaker indeed

[@turi9x109]

I bought this amp used, it was a 1986 model with brown tolex. It sounded too bad, i brought to a famous technician to repair in my city in Italy. Nothing to do, still sounded bad. The normal channel could not break up at maximum volume. I had to sell it. Bad experience.

[@tobuslieven]

I'd never heard of a hybrid amp that had a solid state preamp, and tube power section. I thought it was always the other way around.

[@JohanSegeborn]

The Musicman RD amps and the early Peavey Classic/Deuce/Mace also have this arrangement

[@amaurythewarrior]

not interested in that particular amp, but these videos are always nice to improve my amp culture.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Glad it’s put to some use

[@donpablos1971]

Qué guapo eres cabronazo.

[@dusanbogunovic6148]

guitarist very fany

[@andytraverse]

Mmmm... think I’ll stick with a valve driven pre amp.

[@sonnycrockett0229]

日本では死んだら火葬するのが普通です。 その時に生前好きだったものを一緒に燃やすことが出来ます。 私はこのアンプを一緒に棺に入れてもらいたいと思います。

[@onewiththings]

I have a 4212 I'm willing to sell

[@heavey123456]

Nothing special just because the Brand is Marshall people think its Special