Down to "just" one half stack.... 1988 JCM 800 1959 MKII.
I bought this one brand new in SF, the cab is the standard JCM 800 LEAD 1960 Slant w/G12T75 speakers. Pretty much the bench mark for 80s rock. I use a brake on it so I can push the tubes and run the kasha in loop. Love this combo!
I've owned many different combos of amp/cabs: Boogie MK V (very versatile amp, very loud but good at lower volumes too!), Soldano Hot Rod 50 (nice little amp head, looks sexy
) another Marshall 1986 JCM 800 2210 (came with the cab pictured) bought that from K Hammett back in the day, was one of his studio warm up/practice amps. That head was epic, good crunch at lower volumes etc...slightly massaged as well...
Like a knuckle head I sold it to my guitar buddy who....never mind
If you can find a JCM800, even a 50w check them out!
I even had a Tom Scholz head cab combo with effects. Weird looking rig with a single huge 18" speaker in the cab. A little to digital sounding for my taste... fun and rare though...
Google image grab of what they looked like:
If you must have a Marshall, I would suggest playing both the 800 (hand wired vs 900 circuit board) and the 900. The 800 was the earlier design and as long as it still has its original internals or replacement NOS internals (and checks out) it should deliver. I find them to be more of the traditional sound characteristics of the Marshall tube amp, albeit quirky at times... Ymmv.
Marshall 900 series heads like the JCM 900 SL-X are considered more versatile (switchable, effects loops, direct in/out, reverb etc) then the 800s. Compared to the older 800 series they have a more modern preamp with the addition of Pre amp tubes, again, more crunch and gain at lower master volume levels and seem to be less expensive then the 800 series. You might get more bang for your buck with a 900...
Lots of new amp heads that will get the job done. Several mentioned here in this thread are worth the time test driving! Fun too! Boogie are and have been massively popular and the quality is or at least was excellent. I grew up in Sonoma County and have been to Mesa Boogie, heard the crazy stories, the guys are true artists.
Definitely suggest you test drive as many different models as possible. If you find one you like that's not local get a PPI
seriously. Lots of hacks have had their hands in these old amps and one could be a careless shipment away from expensive damage.
Lots of Marshall info here:
Marshall Amps Info & Schematics
