Not very metal, but I thought I'd share the new guy in town.

Marshall 2204S

Marshall started producing these in 86 and stopped in 87. It's just your standard 2204 JCM 800 single channel 50w amp. But made for smaller headboxes to sit stylish on smaller/skinnier cabs without "dwarfing" them.

The tubes are TAD 7025/E83CC's in v1 & v2 preamp slots. With a balanced JJ ECC83S in the phase inverter. The power tubes are a pair of NOS Siemens EL34's.

The tone goes from glassy cleans to a thick and clear raunchy medium gain sound. Not "brutal" by any means for the high gain guys, but with enough gain to cover a good range of tones that I need. With my Ernie Ball Jr. Volume Pedal and my Maxon OD808 I don't mind it only being a single channel amp. Diming the "Pre volume/gain" on the amp and setting The Maxon as a clean boost with the balance all the way up, drive all the way down, tone set to taste, gets it pretty perfect for my gainer needs. But turn the drive up a lot and this thing will transform into a fire breathing beast with stupid amounts of gain. While still keeping tight and clear.

I've been a fan of the JCM 800's for a long time, just always to scared to commit to owning one because of past experiences with single channel amps. When I came across this for a great price. I pulled the trigger and I couldn't be happier.

Of course everybody loves pics...
Back with the grill off.
Back with the grill on.
Front.
On the VHT.

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Sexy as hell, congrats man. Those blue things are capacitors? Those are the biggest I've ever seen!

By it's simplicity and smaller size it looks a lot like the old 3203 30W heads, which look awesome.

I noticed the power draw on it is 175W, but my Engl fireball(60W) draws 160W? :?: Guess they must be using more powerful transformers in em.

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From what I've researched it was one of the few made in the era of the "ministacks". When Marshall produced 4x10's and 2x12 versions of the normal 4x12's. This is just a 2204 model JCM 800 that's been downsized accordingly in a limited edition(single year of production). The Artist 3203 and 3210 Lead Mosfet 100's were also heads built for the ministacks. Hence the similarities in looks and size.

Took her apart tonight for the fun of checking the guts or lack there of... It's SIMPLE.

Heres more pics.
Guts1
Guts2
Guts3
Guts4
Top side
Back right
Back left

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Man I love that! More and more I think that owning one of these might be in my future. I've never heard a bad sound coming out of them.

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