Is a JVM still something good to buy?

[BahamaDada]

On my locals there popped up a JVM215 Combo. Price is 5xx-ish.

Is the JVM still something to buy or have the years since 2007 brought something better marshally?

I had a JVM head in the late 2000s and sold it somewhere down the line.

I remember there being mods and stuff. I don't want to mod it. At all.

Anything I should look out for? Thing is 10 y.o. and had 2 services says the seller.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

Kind of feel like it’s just worth going for the full fat 410 versions. Can find the heads and combos for good prices still and you get the best channels.

 

[BahamaDada]

Kind of feel like it’s just worth going for the full fat 410 versions. Can find the heads and combos for good prices still and you get the best channels.

What's the 215/210 missing vs the full 410? I had the 50w head back then (210? 215? Can't remember), so I never had the full experience.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

What's the 215/210 missing vs the full 410? I had the 50w head back then (210? 215? Can't remember), so I never had the full experience.

The best channel on the JVM is OD1, and the 210/215 etc only have OD2. If there was one channel you want from those amps, IMO it’s OD1. OD2 is kind of just too much no matter what and nowhere near as useful.

 

[HomespunEffects]

The best channel on the JVM is OD1, and the 210/215 etc only have OD2. If there was one channel you want from those amps, IMO it’s OD1. OD2 is kind of just too much no matter what and nowhere near as useful.

IIRC, there is a mod to replace the OD2 with the OD1 channel. Was that just a dream or did it really happen?

 

[MirrorProfiles]

IIRC, there is a mod to replace the OD2 with the OD1 channel. Was that just a dream or did it really happen?

I’ve seen talk of it too, but OP doesn’t want to mod anything, and honestly I think the difference in price doesn’t make it worth getting a 210 once you factor in the cost of modding and what you lose on resale value.

 

[HomespunEffects]

I’ve seen talk of it too, but OP doesn’t want to mod anything, and honestly I think the difference in price doesn’t make it worth getting a 210 once you factor in the cost of modding and what you lose on resale value.

That’s a great point.

 

[BahamaDada]

I’ve seen talk of it too, but OP doesn’t want to mod anything, and honestly I think the difference in price doesn’t make it worth getting a 210 once you factor in the cost of modding and what you lose on resale value.

Nah, no modding.

I was under the impression the 215 had just the normal channels? IIRC I always used OD Orange on my 205 head.

I never knew, that there were channels missing?


Is this not OD1 Orange?

 

[MirrorProfiles]

Nah, no modding.

I was under the impression the 215 had just the normal channels? IIRC I always used OD Orange on my 205 head.

I never knew, that there were channels missing?

View attachment 37290
Is this not OD1 Orange?

Nah, they have the 4 channel’s OD2 as the overdrive channel. There are mods that can make it into the 410’s OD1 channel though.

@santiall posted in his thread about it

They are pretty much the same amp. The only difference is the JVM2 clean green which is designed specifically for that amp as the JVM4 has a different clean channel that can't be easily integrated in the 2-channel version. Other than that, I think JVM2 CH1 orange and red are JVM4 CH2 orange and red, JVM2 OD channel is JVM OD2. The main pcb is actually the same in all the amps with different firmware and number of tubes of course.

 

[BahamaDada]

Thx for the info. I guess you guys talked me (luckily?) out of it.

Amp isn't in the best condition and combo isn't my prefered thing (head+cab is just more versatile).

 

[Orvillain]

Get the 410H - Satriani version if you can.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

The 215 has a different speaker from the other versions too.

The mod for the 205 is really easy though. Only two caps and a resistor.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Get the 410H - Satriani version if you can.

I'd love to try the satriani version, I think it would suit me better than the regular jvm tbh. They're so hard to find and so expensive now though that I'm also considering buying a 410 head and modding OD2 so I've got 2 Od1 channels.

Your satriani was bloody bargainous by today's prices.

 

[BahamaDada]

The 215 has a different speaker from the other versions too.

The mod for the 205 is really easy though. Only two caps and a resistor.

Yes, I just read G12 instead of the V30 or Heritage they *should* sport?

Yeah, but even such a minor mod is a no go for someone (like me), that has a 50/50 chance of cold solder points everytime he changes pickups...

Satriani is out of the whole equation: Too few here in Germany for a way too high used price. Should have bought one back when they were just a normal in-production flagship.

 

[Karl Houseknecht]

Satriani is out of the whole equation: Too few here in Germany for a way too high used price. Should have bought one back when they were just a normal in-production flagship.

IMO, you aren’t missing out. There were a bunch of mods to it that should have been good on paper, but I found it way too flubby and loose. The stock 410 sounds and feels better to me. I was kinda relieved when my HJS got destroyed by a drunk driver on the way home from a gig.

 

[Eagle]

Just get a 410 head . Still great.

 

[GuitarBilly74]

I didn't like the 210 I had. If I was to try a JVM, it'd be the 410.

 

[KingsXJJ]

I think I recall that the differences between the standard JVM410H and JVM410HJS was two things.

Noise gate on each channel instead of reverb and two OD1 channels instead of OD1 and OD2.

There is a mod that changes OD2 to OD1 on the stock model so that’s doable (not sure if it covers the tone stack though). And a high quality noise gate in the loop might even track better than the one knob version on the JS. But you’d loose the ability to set the gate individually for each channel that the JS offers.

 

[LCW]

I had a 210 for like a day. (GC used). Returned it the next day I hated it so much. Too bad because it was smoking deal at $999.

 

[Orvillain]

I think I recall that the differences between the standard JVM410H and JVM410HJS was two things.

Noise gate on each channel instead of reverb and two OD1 channels instead of OD1 and OD2.

There is a mod that changes OD2 to OD1 on the stock model so that’s doable (not sure if it covers the tone stack though). And a high quality noise gate in the loop might even track better than the one knob version on the JS. But you’d loose the ability to set the gate individually for each channel that the JS offers.

Nah. There's a few more things than that.


- Clean channel is based on the Marshall 6100. Not the same as the original JVM.
- Noise gates yes. Per channel. But this also speeds up channel switching changes. Which is absolutely invaluable for a live player.
- Gain range is more usable on the OD channels on the Satch model.
- Satch model has a choke fitted. Original JVM does not.
- Crunch channel isn't quite the same as the original JVM either, as far as I can remember.