My Marshall Bluesbreaker for a JCM800 2203 RI...a fair trade?

[Jakeboy]

My Bluesbreaker sounds incredible but is just too damn heavy and bulky so I am trying to sell it to have a blonde Bassman 6g6b head clone built....problem is, I am having trouble getting it sold so....

A guy wants to trade me straight across a JCM 800 2203 10 watt reissue head with a 1936 2x12 cab.

Is this a good trade? It seems to be in the same excellent condition as my Marshall...what do you think?

I will give the JCM a fair workout, but my idea is to sell it so I can get my Blonde Bassman.

Is this a fair deal

[murkat]

do not do it just on principle.

no no no no.

there is a reason why He wants to trade,

and you'll be on the low end of Hamerheads stupid stick.

The JCM 800 2203 10 watt reissue is meh.

The 1936 2x12 cab is a particle board box held together with glue, tacs, and cheap tolex.

Patients in selling the BB, if you really need to sell it.

But,

The BB and the bassman would sure sound good with a stereo delay in front of... (omg)

[eboquist]

• what do you want for the bluesbreaker ?

[Jakeboy]

I would like $1200 got it but am negotiable on price....plus actual shipping....that bad boy is heavy. Amps sounds perfect. My dream amp. Just a pain to load in and out for gigs in my truck.

Tha ls for the advice Murkat!

[crunchee]

do not do it just on principle.

no no no no.

there is a reason why He wants to trade,

and you'll be on the low end of Hamerheads stupid stick.

+1. Like Jay/Murkat said, don't do it!

WHY do you want to trade, THEN get a Bassman 6G6B clone? Is it just because of the portability? I've HAD both a JTM45 RI head (nearly the same as the BB RI, except no tremelo feature) AND a REAL '64 Bassman 6G6B...I miss the JTM45 RI much more than I do the Bassman, the JTM45 RI had "shimmer" and GREAT sounds both clean and dirty, nary a bad sound in it; while the Bassman 6G6B was OK but no "shimmer", and it had good sounds but not GREAT sounds, to me it was closer to a Blackface Bassman head in tone (it was clean sounding, it'd break up if pushed but not that much) than a tweed Bassman or a BB/JTM45, RI or not. If you want distortion out of the 6G6B you're gonna need a pedal and/or play it ungodly loud, which isn't necessary with a BB RI, unless you're doing metal.

If your reasoning behind getting a 6G6B is so you can use a cabinet (note, I just saw your post above, OOPS!), you should be able to use the BB just as you would a head, just check the end of the chassis that's inside the combo cab to see if it has speaker jacks and a selectable impedance dial like the heads do, it should. I've heard and seen players putting BB chassis' into head cabinets for portability..and getting a head cabinet made isn't that expensive, there's quite a few makers who have them ready made. A 6G6B Bassman is gonna require a 4 ohm load, unless the clone has selectable impedance, too, so you might want to keep that in mind.

[cmatthes]

I concur. If I had the spare $1,200 (plus the $1,200 it would likely cost to ship to DC/DE!!) , I'd have my dream amp and so would you!

[Jakeboy]

I do love the BB tones....best cleans on any Marshall ever....and the distinctive throaty roar from 8-10. I love the sound I get...it is massive, but a major hassle to take to gigs. It is heavy.....and I ain't getting any younger. I am in great shape at 51, but I do t know....maybe I should keep it and play the hell out of it.....

That being said, if anyone wants it, make me an offer. Maybe I need a JTM45 head instead....or an AC30 head , or the blonde Bassman....so many great amps......

[crunchee]

I do love the BB tones....best cleans on any Marshall ever....and the distinctive throaty roar from 8-10. I love the sound I get...it is massive, but a major hassle to take to gigs. It is heavy.....and I ain't getting any younger. I am in great shape at 51, but I do t know....maybe I should keep it and play the hell out of it.....

That being said, if anyone wants it, make me an offer. Maybe I need a JTM45 head instead....or an AC30 head , or the blonde Bassman....so many great amps......

SERIOUSLY...all you need is a head cabinet, if you like the BB/JTM45 sound, and the flexibility of it being portable. No affiliation, and there are more makers online that you can Google and choose from (the below listing is just an example):

http://sourmashguitarcabs.com/marshall-head-cabs-marshallheadcabs-affordable-head-cabinets

Just keep the combo cab, so you can have it to change back to, as desired. Unless you REALLY want to spend lots of money on another amp! If that's the case, I'm sure that sellers are standing by! Just check the back of the chassis of your BB, inside the combo cabinet, to be sure; but I think that you'll find that Marshall very likely used the same chassis on both the BB RI and the JTM45 RI, the only real difference (besides the cabinet) is gonna be the Tremolo feature on the BB.

[murkat]

cab the head.

Plenty of them out there in all venues of sale of.

get a Head cab in Fawn

you'd be in love, and lust when you look back as your playing it, making in roar.

Just say'n

[Jakeboy]

I never thought of that option.......I do love the tone but thought I was married to the BB cab. It is indeed the JTM 45 head with tremolo....I have had it upgraded with KT66 power tubes and 60s specs filter caps. Plus I have a new 2x12 cab just waiting for a head......this idea might just work......will report back once my dislocated finger heals and I am actually able to do something....I'll research head cabs in the meantime.

Thanks guys!

[Bobby Marshall]

Sounds like you are going in the right direction to me. If you need a head cab built or retolexed I have a contact that does excellent work.

[bubs_42]

Best thing I ever did was switch my Budda to a Headshell. But I did end up going with a 2x12 Ext Cabinet. Good Luck and I hope you keep the BB.

[gtone]

Good advice here. Don't need the whole seller's remorse thing down the road. A BB in a head cab should prove much more user friendly/portable for your needs and then you'd have the combo cab setup if you ever decide to unload it down the way.

[coolfeel]

Yah - I used to have a Blues Breaker - its a terrific sounding amp. $1200.00 is a really good price depending condition.

[murkat]

I never thought of that option..........I'll research head cabs in the meantime.

Thanks guys!

attaboy

and watch out for Hamerhead's stupid stick

It hurts!

[Jakeboy]

Bobby Marshall! who is your contact? I was thinking of using Mather Cabs since that is who Lil Dawg Amps use now that Jim at lil Dawg isn't building cabs anymore (btw, his are /were awesome).

Since my BB chassis is just a JTM 45 with trem, will it simply fit into a JTM head? I assume I would simply line up the holes on the chassis with the head , drill holes and then screw down the chassis?

I LOVE the tones I get from this thing.....This is a great idea! My wife just asked if I would like the head for Christmas!

With the chassis out the BB cab is manageable, even with heavy speakers. Lotsa big iron on that chassis.

[Bobby Marshall]

A fellow I met on another board. Would fit in well around here. I will get ahold of him and then PM you.

[crunchee]

That reminds me, when you order the new head cabinet for the chassis, make sure that it is tall enough and has enough room for KT66 power tubes. Some of the earlier RI Marshall cabs (I can't remember if it was the BB RI or the JTM45 RI cabs, maybe both) reportedly were a bit short in height for comfortable use of KT66 tubes.

[Lockbody]

Bobby Marshall! who is your contact? I was thinking of using Mather Cabs since that is who Lil Dawg Amps use now that Jim at lil Dawg isn't building cabs anymore (btw, his are /were awesome).

I used Mather for my '66 Deluxe Reverb restoration and couldn't have been more pleased with the quality of the cab. You sure won't go wrong with Mather.

[Bobby Marshall]

This is a recent sample of work from the guy I mentioned hosted by the new owner's photobucket. Great work and a great person.

http://s858.photobucket.com/user/laedco581/media/DSC00062_zpsac82df5d.jpg.html

[rj2858]

My wife just asked if I would like the head for Christmas!

Are you SURE you understood her question correctly????????

Failing the cab/head, or head for Christmas thing, guys have been modding these things for years to get just the tone

you be talkin' about, and more. Much of it started because of an article in the February 1993 issue of Guitar Player magazine, which detailed what was needed to turn one into a "Bluesbreaker"

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1970s-Fender-Bassman-50-Tube-Amp-Head-50-Watt-Valve-Amplifier-USA-w-Master-/190942721011?pt=LH_Default+Domain_0&hash=item2c7512b3f3

[Jakeboy]

Lol I knew that statement would generate some comments so I decided not to change it!! I have modded this amp back to 60s specs for the most part and it kills. The only thing left is to disable the trem fir more gain......I like having the effect there if I want it and I find I have enough gain from 8-10 without pedals for heavy blues and RNR.

[Disturber]

"JCM 800 2203 10 watt reissue head" - is there such a thing as a 10 W 2203? I thought they all were 100 watts, (perhaps a typo?)

If you mean the 100 W amp it will sound way different than your 40 W or so Bluesbreaker. It will have a tight bottom end and no sag at all.

So it depends on what music you are playing. The BB is way more versatile. I love them.

I had a 100W Super Lead once and it was way to much for me to controll. I was afraid to touch the strings almost. Seriously, they are LOUD.

I have two Marshall combos. A 50 W JTM50, similar to your Bluesbreaker, and a 2104 2x12 JCM 800. Both awesome amps that I would think twice about selling. The JTM50 will never leave, but the 2104 for a JTM45 and a 2x12 cabinett might be an option.

Altought I never considered them to heavy to bring along. They are a little heavier and bulkier than the Vibrolux I had. But a 2x12 or 4x12 are also big to carry, and a separate top also has weight to it.

No, I love my Marshall combos to much. They are the best amps I've had. I am an open back guy, sounds better than closed backs to me. And combos look so much more stylish than the standard Marshall stack. Shows you know what you are playing, and that you have style and class.

I say keep it. You'll regret it if you sell it. Buy a gym card instead and learn to live with it.

[dragan]

buy this

[Jakeboy]

Lol I have both a hand cart dolly and a gym card! In fact, I crashed and burned at said gym recently and dislocated a fret hand finger....that sucks!

Def not making the trade. Whether I keep the BB as is, or order a head cab for the chassis remains to be seen. Gotta get this hand healed first....

[dragan]

best of luck with both !