Marshall JMP-1 Tube Pre-Amp

Price Paid: US $100 used

Features: 9
Basic features have been discussed already, so now you know what this unit has. One thing to note, units aren't shipped with 12AX7's, but european Marshall ECC83's which, have slightly different gain (the latter has the highest).

Make year: 1995, specially tuned for Mexico AC (noted on power transformer)

Boutht used from 2nd party at Ebay, with severe cosmetic damage. (later on I knew there was extensive repair to/meddle with printed circuits)

I only wish it had real-time midi control over volume, drive and distortion. Another downer is that simulated output can't be programmed (except via volume & drive programming, which I use for "voicing" guitar drives).

Unit is used in my personal studio for my (now difunct) online music page where I used to release my solo efforts.

I'm giving a 9 here because of the lack of midi realtime control I wish it had. (i.e., I can't do the gradual distortion "set-in" through "To Sleep, Perchance To Dream" section of Rush's "La Villa Strangiato" with it along with my ART X-15 midi floorboard, although it would be nice).

Sound Quality: 10
Equipment is being used with a Jackson Dinky 2 (with Duncans configured: neck-sc; middle-sc; bridge-hb; 5-position pickup selector) and a Roland GR-707 Guitar-Synth (2 stock hb's, 3-position pickup selector). On ocasion, I'd put a Rickenbacker 4001 bass with active EMG's through it for effect with varied results.

To me, the preamp is pretty good for the type of music I make, since it's not the extreme rock kind but slightly more towards classic rock. As said before by others, if you're looking for a Soldano, Buddha, Orange, etc. you won't find it here, neither will find those sounds for nu-metal. (or at least I haven't tried as per my musical needs). But the unit screams if properly zoned in.

For the type of music I play and for most of what I hear (Beck, Clapton, Hendrix et al) plus some 80's-90's, It's an excellent preamp. Some people have said there's no good distortion out of it but IMHO it all depends on what you have. In my case more distortion with the Jackson, less with the Roland (probably because the 707 is been aged more and the other is kind of the new kid on the block). Direct to computer is pretty good and sounds real, not a distortion box, not an emulator. Be warned again, if you're after that "Chop Suey!" kind of sound, look somewhere else, or probably use something else along with it. The sound of this unit is quite articulate. Try Beck's rendition to "A Day In The Life" with a middle pickup strat, roll off the highs in the guitar just at the point where the tone knob sets in, with a OD2 with a 16-18 drive and you'll know what I'm talking about. Even if you do through headphones.

Reliability: 8
For a long time the unit went rock-solid, but being in a country where AC changes a lot, I suppose my unit suffered from a brown-out and the transformer gave in. It used to overheat anyways.

Could use a backup, but they're so overpriced nowadays.

Customer Support: 1
At this point I'm trying to contact Marshall for service, parts or just plain rejection, to no avail. No answer as of this date (have one month insisting via email).

Although I have inspected the rest of the parts via schematic, it seems a well-built unit. Case and frame are solid-built. One complain is that sometimes some components are a pain-in-the-neck to desolder for service, namely diodes, diode bridges and the aforementioned power transformer. I would have used another method to affix that one to the PCB instead of clamping the connecting pins. Maybe mounted on the frame, then use connecting pins.

Overall Rating: 9
I've played for as long as 20 years now, in & out because I mainly play bass and keyboards, but guitar to write.

Other stuff I own goes from a Rick 4001 bass to several keyboards, bass pedals, an Ovation Acoustic, and the unevitable DAW.

Oh, yea I would bleed to death if it was stolen. Now I'm so sad since it's broken, my friends think my girlfriend left me or something like that. I'm desperate for fixing it.

Maybe what I like the most of this unit is absolutely brilliant. At least to me. I would not compare to others because other brands and makes are different.

I'm giving here a 9 alghough my unit is broken and Marshall haven't responded and I haven't found a person who can repair it yet (for a reasonable price) or someone who can sell spare parts. I still love this unit, I don't want to let it die.

Submitted by Joey Kaye at 04/03/2006 19:25

Price Paid: US $450

Features: 9
Well, everyone must know this by now, but I'll state them:
2 12AX7 valves that drive this preamp
100 programable MIDI-controllable Patches
4 channels: 2 Clean, 2 Distorted
Parallel FX send and return
Common controls: Bass, mids, treble, presence and a Bass Shift
Emulated speaker outputs

Well, the features are what any reasonable person might expect: nothing else than what a preamp is supposed to do. Anything beyond that would we for an fx processor.
There is a point on some of the features: As the thing is fully programable, every "knob" is digital and takes certain discrete positions. For the volume (not so very important) and Gain "knobs" they run from 0 to 20 values, which is great; but on the EQ section these values run from -6 to +6. At first I thought this was restricting my settings a lot, but after you hear how much you change the sound on every bit you realize it's good enought.

Sound Quality: 9
I'm using a Jackson PS6-T which is just a good guitar, despite the ordinary stock pickups (will get a pair EMGs soon). I'm running this thing through a Marshall EL34 50/50 power amp and a 1960B cabinet, and let me tell you this thing really rocks.
The distortion you get is as brutal as you might want: with those pickups I can get decent long-sustained pinch harmonics at a gain of 16 of a max of 20 in the OD2 channel.
OD1 channel is very vintage -not my style, but it sound awesome though. I haven't tryed the clean channels extensively yet, so read other opinions to get a decent descripction.
Some words on noise: The unit is practically noiseless, but you must keep it away form any power amp because it picks the 50Hz hum (I live in Argentina). 1 or 2 rack spaces away from my power amp is good enough.
Don't rate it 10 because I couldn't compare it with a Triaxis yet -that could leave it this way or make it a 10.

Reliability: N/A
It's been a short time since I got it, so I can't tell well. Even though I bought it used and Nobody ever had any problem with it and it's build like a tank.

Customer Support: N/A
Never dealt with them.

Overall Rating: 9
I've been playing for 5 years now and I must say I have a nice piece of gear.
If it was lost or stolen I'd be mad because these things are quite hard to find here at this moment, and are quite expensive to us due to our deficient economy. But away from this fact, I'd like to try how good is a Triaxis compared to this thing.
Didn't like the fact that picks hum form a power amp that's close to it, but I can live with it.
Again for the overall rating, I don't give a 10 because I didn't have the chance to compare it with a triaxis. When I do, I'll come back and post it!

Submitted by Gonzalo Pacheco at 03/28/2006 09:22

Price Paid: 0 (Euro) used

Features: 8
It seems to have what it's needed: MIDI operations, effects loop, enough memory for patches, stereo sound, channel switching, and amp simulator circuitry for direct desk injection.

Sound Quality: 5
I'm using it with a Gibson Les Paul Studio, a Boss SE-50 signal processor, a Boss GE-21 equalizer, a Yamaha A100 mosfet power amp and a Mesa-Boogie 100 watt passive speaker.
I've been fiddling with it for several weeks now, and I can't seem to get good distorted sounds. The clean sounds are rather good, expecially with the bass shift feature turned on. The two clean channels sound not too bad if saturated, even though they don't impress me much compared to other units. The distorted channels, well, unless I miss something important here, they are disappointing at best. They only sound decent with a massive amount of gain, but even then, the tone is not so good (a bit harsh with a lot of midrange no matter how one fiddles with the EQ controls). With low-to-moderate amounts of gain, the distorted channels sound quite bad. Very "glassy" and nasal, with very little sustain. I will keep on trying, but having read others' reviews, I don't think this unit will ever sound quite right. And I don't feel many hints of warm valve sound too; it sounds like solid state to me. I do prefer my Korg A4 for distortion, even though it's not hi-fi sound.

Reliability: 8
I have just recently acquired it used, and unless the above mentioned sound quality problems depend on some kind of tube consumption, I must say it seems reliable. AFAIK the internal battery is now about 12 years old, and it still runs (good thing, because I've read that it's a pain to replace); the unit has been carried about quite a lot (if in a sturdy rack) but is in good working order.

Customer Support: N/A
No opinion; never dealt with them but the user manual, which I lacked, is online, which is good.

Overall Rating: 6
Given the problems with sound quality, I would only recommend it if you were lucky enough to get it for a very good price, like myself (well, I had it for free!).

Submitted by FC at 03/26/2006 12:21

Price Paid: 425 used

Features: 7
You should know these by now.

Sound Quality: 8
Purchased used, like any good piece of equipment it takes awhile to get a great sound. I use 3 or 4 knockoff guitars, a schecter C-1 elite, and an Ibanez Rg470 with EMGS. I mainly play heavy stuff so this unit alone doesn't cut it if you're into the scoop NU-metal but I like to experiment. Having serperate preamps and poweramps really allows this sort of experiementing to take fruit. I've gotten some amazing sounds with this unit and some really weird ones as well.

Reliability: 8
USEd and still kicking.

Customer Support: N/A
never dealt with them

Overall Rating: 7
Overall it's a nice piece to own but I don't think you could develop your entire sound around it, at least I couldn't.

Submitted by cpappraisals at 02/22/2006 22:12

Price Paid: 3000 (NOK) used

Features: 10
Dont know when it was made - but its not new anyway, it is a tube preamp with 12ax7 tubes, and imidi controller 4 - channels

Sound Quality: 10
Sounds great, when you get the hang of it, I use it on both Gibsons and Fenders - It feels like an old marshall head with more upgradetd technology regardet to switching of patches etc. It doesnt make more noise than expected - cables , pickups etc also makes noise, but the amp itself is quite to be a tube preamp.
You have to "tune" it in a bit, before getting it right. You should anyway set all tone controls to 0 (tone controls goes from - 6 to 6 = 12 steps) and volume to 10 and gain to 2 -4 before starting your sund development.
The "effects" control from 0 -12 affects your sound a lot when set to over 5 - but I use a Digitech S100 delay and it works fine with me at 5.

I have a Marshall 9200 Dual Monoblock at the end of this rig, wich gives a tremendeous marshall sound through a Behringer BG412S - or my modified marshall 1922 2x12" box.

Reliability: 10
I Think so - seems solid, and a lot of people uset - I havent heard about any breakdown due to noremal use. Its in a Rack, and it's protected.

Customer Support: 5
No e-mail adress on their website, but a lot of unoficcal sites

Overall Rating: N/A
I Played for a lot of years, most rock and Blues - I Just baught it. There is An Swedish "tube doctor" : www.tommy-folkesson.nu that makes incredible modifications of this pre-amp. I will get him to modify it, then it uses more of the tube-sound, and it will sound better. You can allways buy triaxis or other stuff, but this box is easy to find on the used-market.

It has the features I need - nad thats enough. My rack is about 50 kg

Submitted by Bluesman at 12/21/2005 06:36

Price Paid: US $750 used

Ease of Use: 9
Q- Ease of UseHow easy is it to get a good sound out of it?
A- Cake

Q- How about Editing patches?
A- Very easy even though the dial sometimes skips numbers, anybody know of a fix for this?

Q- How is the manual for it (if there is one)?
A- Typical Marshall Manual

Q- Do you know the firmware revision number? Has your unit been upgraded?
A- N/A I don't know

9 total instead of 10 because of dial snumber slippage

Sound Quality: 10
Q- What setup (i.e. what guitars and amps) are you using this with?
A- I love this pre-amp, sound quality is awesome, It is going through a Marshall 9100 power amp into two Carvin Vai/Legacy 4X12's. Main guitar is a Ibanez Jem, and a Pawar, A few strats. People complain about the clean channels. One of my strats has a David Gilmore EMG pickup assembly on it, the 1st tone knob on that set-up makes a smily face out of EQ curve, freaken sounds awesome, you can get those shimmering highs & fat bottom in the clean channel then.

This set-up Jmp-1 into Marshall 9100 power amp into to Vai 4X12's in stereo is mind blowing, I control the whole set up with a berhinger MIDI floor board controller.

OD1 is my favorite channel on this amp, People who are saying this pre-amp has no gain must have bad units or something because this thing screams

OD2- I am not to hot on this channel, Not as transparent sounding as OD1

Clean2 is my favorite clean, This channel nails Hendrix clean tones, Play little wing on this channel with a strat in the neck pick up.

I have owned many many Marshalls and known many guys who have had some killer vintage marshalls, this rig out shines them, I really think it is a must to match a JMP-1 up with a Marchall power amp, they just work together perfectly. There is no hiss. I did just order some JJ 12AX7's, I heard so many good things, I figured it is only $20 to replace both tubes. I will leave another review after the Tube swap

Q-Is it noisy? On what settings?
A- Not noisy in my RIG

Q- Are the effects weak or do they always sound great?
A- Care must be taken with effect levels, I have a Lexicon 550 in the effect loop, sounds amazing

Q- What amp are you using it with?
A- Marshall 9100 50X2

Q - Can you get the sound of your favorite artists?
A- Old Van Halen to a Tee

Reliability: N/A
N/A

This knob allways jumping numbers is pissing me off

By the way, wrap your guitar chord through a side rack handle before plugging into the input because if you step on your guitar cable plugged strait into the front and it pulls down hard enough, you can brake the plastic input jack very easily and it's sucks to repair, I found this out the hard way.

Customer Support: N/A
N/A

Overall Rating: 10
Q - What style of music do you play?

I have two instrumental guitar CD's out, kinda in the style of Satch, or Vai, or think instrumantal VH. Check out full length mp3's at

WWW.Michaelleehill.com

A little back ground...

Guitarist Michael Lee Hill has been hopelessly addicted to the guitar. At a young age he discovered a natural talent for the instrument, easily learning songs by ear from the radio and quickly absorbing any learning material he could find. His appetite for making music increased in leaps and bounds when the guitar became a means to express complex ideas and emotions largely unaddressed in his “normal” life of school and growing up, etc. -- he was soon spending several hours each day and night concentrating on his craft, often forsaking his friends and social life so he could continue creating music and reaching new heights on the instrument. This would continue through his teens and twenties. Now at age 37, with more than 25 years of playing under his fingers, Michael Lee Hill emerges from obscurity in Ohio with the release of FROZEN THOUGHT, a 13-song concept album showcasing Michael’s guitar mastery and exposing deep-running spiritual & metaphysical interests as well.

FROZEN THOUGHT was written, recorded and realized by Michael himself, who created his own indie label Moment Point Records to release the CD this year. Counting Edward Van Halen, The Police, Steve Vai, and Prince as his most significant musical influences, Michael Lee Hill draws from these and other sources of inspiration while never sacrificing one ounce of his own identity; tracks like “Feeling September” and “The Lifting” capture a tenderness and musical sensitivity that runs throughout most of Frozen Thought, while “Testing 1,2,3” pulls out the stops and keeps punching. Michael also gets to salute his hero Jimi Hendrix in “Jimi’s Communication,” a recorded improvisation with a groove that feels five feet thick. In an age when too many guitar records sound like everybody else’s, Frozen Thought is a refreshing and satisfying disc of mammoth proportions.

The disc also includes “Jibboom”, written by Grammy Award-winning guitar legend Steve Vai. In 2001, Tonos.com teamed with Vai and Ibanez Guitars for the TONOS GUITAR CHALLENGE, which was seeking the guitarist who could record the most creative and “best” re-interpretation of the famous Steve Vai track. Thousands of guitarists from around the globe entered, but Steve Vai personally selected Michael Lee Hill’s entry as the winner of the competition (Hill also received an Ibanez guitar designed by Steve). A mentoring session with Vai would follow, in Detroit at the G3 concert with Joe Satriani, John Petrucci and Billy Sheehan, and Vai granted permission to Michael to release “Jibboom” (Michael’s version, featuring the original drum and bass tracks by Mike Mangini and Philip Bynoe) on Frozen Thought.

Is this a good match?
Oh Yes

How long have you been playing?
As long as I can remeber, 7 or 8 I guess, I am 37 now

What other gear do you own?
Two much crap to mention

If it were stolen or lost, would you buy it again or get something else?

Yes, I would get another

Submitted by Michael Lee Hill at 12/03/2005 04:12

Price Paid: US $450 used

Ease of Use: 9
Very basic. The learning curve is in the listening which makes this fun. For the EQ and Presence(goes from -6 to +6) think of "0" as 12:00 on an amp knob, "-6" as 7:00 and "+6" as 5:00. EASY. I have a downloaded manual from the Marshall website. It is good, easy to understand, short(very good), a bit vague at times, the only suggestions for reaching a particular sound is in the descriptoins given of the factory sounds (which I found off mark according to my ear and gear setup). Only complaint is the manual says I can lock the sound programs, but doesn't say how. Also, the screws to remove to change the tubes are tiny and many.

Sound Quality: 8
I play PRS Cust.22 / pedal fx / Monster Cable chords (chords are under-rated for sound quality - get good chords) / Marshall el34 50/50 poweramp / Peavey 4x12 cabs.

First off, it sounds really great. OD channels have some noise in some setting, but then so do the OD and gain channels of tube amps. If the noise seems excessive, and you're sure it's from the JMP-1, ne tubes can do wonders - others in the forum give some good advice on tube selection. The Volumes on this seem to be true volumes and don't change the tonal characteristics of the sound (very cool). As others say,, this is a Marshall and gets a distinctly Marshall sound. It's sounds are very close to other Marshall amps, but I'd say it has a sound distinct of it's own, which is a good thing.

Gets cool thumping Marshall High Gain sounds, Great Classic Rock Sounds, Poor for Blues sounds (although a good OD pedal with mild breakup sounds great over the cleans in this). The cleans have alot of tonal variety, but I wish the gain in the clean modes would add a touch of growl or breakup when set high (when it does, it's not very smooth to my ears). I personally feel if you want a great blues or jazz sound, buy a tube combo amp.

A WORD ON TONE: This is just a preamp. Tonal breakdown:
10% Pre-amp (including tubes in preamp)
10% Power amp/Cabinet (especially the tubes and speakers)
10% Gear (Guitar, pedals, chords, strings, picks, etc.)
70% YOU (Technique, ability, attitude, soul, love for music)
Clapton will still sound like Clapton if he's playing a Silvertone guitar through a Gorilla 10 watt amp - maybe not EXACTLY what we've come to expect, but still Clapton.

Every sound has tone, some good, some not, but that is in the ear of the beholder. Find a sound you love and play it til you find another one you like better then play that one, and the rest of the world be damned. If you're in love with your sound, you'll play more, and the tone that is you will grow. (Sounds like fortune cookie cheese, but it's still true).

Reliability: N/A
So far so good.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
It's a keeper for what it does. Idealy, I'd also have a Mesa Triaxis, Vox AC30, and a Fender Twin. Someday. This is a great tool. But bear in mind, it's only as good as everything else that goes into it. I've also owned digital units (POD, Digitech, ART) and this is not digitally generated sound, it lacks the high end chime,ring or whine of digital sounds. Also owned Mesa, Peavey and Fender amps, and this is as good as any I've owned - like the others, it has it's own sound.

Submitted by Greg at 11/19/2005 14:33

Price Paid: US $375

Features: 9
Preamp all the features you'd need really

Sound Quality: 6
This preamp is designed for a more low to medium gain situation, old school marshall sounds. If youre looking to do metal on this preamp you better have something else pushing for distortion beecause its just not there for that. Very punchy and midrangey sounding. Sounds good at all volume levels, never had a problem with it being noisy. Goes from clean to a decent rock sound.

Reliability: 8
Reliable, never had a problem with it. Uses cheap push knobs and the headphone jack isnt the best though.

Customer Support: N/A
never bothered with them

Overall Rating: 6
If you want a good preamp for low to medium gain sounds then take a look at this. If you want metal, probably not the best. Good preamp and will work well with a lot of power amps, thats the best i can say about this preamp.

Submitted by Anonymous at 11/17/2005 15:30

Price Paid: US $430.00 used

Ease of Use: 10
The jmp is without a doubt the easiest straight forward unit ive ever used. Its so easy a young kid could have it going in 5 minutes. Ive had mine for 6 years and its the real deal!

Sound Quality: 10
This part is the winner. The tone out of this unit is TRUE marshall.
I'm an EVH freak and this unit will replicate his tone to the T if u know how to tweak it and have the right external gear. Use this preamp with an all tube poweramp and celestions or u wont hear the true magic of the unit. I use a wolfgang special, marshall el34 50 50 poweramp and 2 2x12 carvin cabs with vintage 30 speakers. I run a rocktron xpression thru the fx loop. And of course I have a bunch of effects pedals. I suggest for that true EVHish' type tone, set the gains alittle lower on the jmp and run a tube screamer or a boss sd1 in front of it. You'll lose your mind!!! This is the finest preamp by far ive ever used! "BUY ONE"

Reliability: 10
Like I said, ive had this for 6 years and never had a problem with the unit. Ide use it live without a backup. Its built like a tank...

Customer Support: N/A
Never had to deal with them...

Overall Rating: 9
Overall I have to say that if u love the marshall tone, I cant see why ude ever buy a marshall head. This thing will give u a full library of true marshall tone at the flick of a footswitch. From vintage plexi to the screaming bite of a jcm 2000. The clean channels are ok and useable but not the best so ill give this section a 9.Ide go with a fender or jazz chorus for that and just A/b it. Oh and for the reviewers who say this thing has no gain, either they have no idea how to use this or there simply not marshall fans. Dont listen to them, buy one and if u want buy a good overdrive pedal and you'll be in TOTAL HEAVEN......

Submitted by Michael J Coe at 11/16/2005 16:13

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 9
Two mono channels, two modes each (or four channels, depending on how you view it) with distinct voicing each: OD1 (Classic Overdrive Channel); OD2 (Modern Hi-Gain Channel); Clean 1 (Warm, Clean Channel) and Clean 2 (Bright, Clean Channel) / Bass Shift key / Hybrid (two ECC83 Tubes inside) / EQ Network (Three-Band EQ plus Presence control) / Stereo FX Loop (with software level and mix controls) / Full MIDI implementation (n, Out, Thru)/ 100 Patches / ¼ Straight and Speaker emulated stereo outputs with Level Control (-20db or +4db) for each / 1.5W headphones output / 1 Rack Space / 4.5 Kg / Made in England.

Just one rack space, merely 260 mm deep packing true Marshall Tone, as strange as this may sound. I’m not really sure if the JMP is capable of offering exact replicas of popular Marshall tones (in these days everything is judged under the “emulator” “simulator” or “modeler” category, which in this case is kind of stupid as an approach) but what is positively true is that the tone this little golden thing pumps has definitively under the Marshall’s trademark. Most guitar tones rock sounds from early 70's to the present day are covered here. Tailor-made for me.

Sound Quality: 10
I have several guitars, mostly humbucker / locking tremolo incarnations, but this was also used with single coils and P90 (also for testing purposes) over some years.

We can discuss forever about the benefits or drawbacks of hybrid technology (that famous bridge rectifier BR3 diode!) but is a fact that transistors are not tubes (or “valves”) when it comes to guitar amplifiers, in particular if you want distortion out of them. What many manufacturers do (certainly including Marshall) is to present some amplifier (e.g. the Valvestate line of the brand) in which one of the amplifier’s stages (commonly the power section) is based on tubes and the other link in the chain (the first one, actually, the preamplifier which shapes and define the “tone” of your amplifier) is based on tubes. Commonly, the preamplifier tubes are rudely more “fundamental” in producing your amplifier’s tone, are easily replaceable, last longer and dissipate less heath, hence being this approach a logical one. Unfortunately, “tone” is not exactly a logical concept, and the lack of tubes in the power section certainly affects the overall tone and feel of an amplifier. All the foregoing is particularly true if you want your amplifier to produce some serious, rich and punchy distortion. Transistor amplifiers could be far more sterile, but they are theoretically more apt to produce clean tones than a valve amplifier.

What happened in this case is somewhat different, being a dedicated preamplifier. The fact here is that the unit has two tubes (one for clean tones and the other for overdriven, “hot” tones) and the amount of distortion that you can get out of one tube is technically limited by physical definition. To cope with this, and to produce the legendary “raging” Marshall distortion, the JMP1 relies on a diode (the famous BR3) that (in very pedestrian terms) “excites “ the corresponding ECC83 tube, boosting its ability to produce distortion.

Pros? A lot. This is probably the best preamp to record with IMHO(probable exception made by the Damage Control’s Demonizer), with nothing more than a pair of 1/4 cables, straight to the mixing board. No hiss or noise will bother your playing during the process. The tone is perfect to me, so I guess that Marshall did a good job here. Some people don’t like it, but I don’t know what they’re after.

Another department in where the JMP1 shines is flexibility. You can pull tones out of this baby that would require at least 3 or 4 conventional Marshall amplifiers (and you can switch between them seamless via MIDI!). Let me stress again something I consider very important, no matter how obvious should be to some of you out there. You won’t get Soldano, Mesa Boogie, Matchless, Budda, Demeter, Carr, Fender or Vox tones with this (not even simulations or resemblances), anything coming out of the JMP1 will sound true Marshall, which is good news to me in its own right.

Cons? Very Few. One VERY annoying missing feature is the fact the only volume knob in the front of the unit (hardware potentiometer, that is) controls the output to the power amplifier outputs, rendering the control totally useless for the home studio applications. Of course you can still control the overall volume in your headphones and the direct recording outputs through software, but it would be very nice to be able to do so the traditional way. Continuous Controller capability and phantom power would also be nice to have in a professional piece of equipment like this.

Reliability: 9
Never broke in several years. Tubes replacement was certainly required after some 2 years or so, being replaced by Groove Tubes, Svetlana and Electro Harmonix Russians. Cleaner with the former and much muscular with the latter, the unit delivered the goods every time.

Customer Support: N/A
Never dealt with the company.

Overall Rating: 9
I own lots of gear and I'm involved in a home studio project. In consider this piece of equipment a valuable tool, mainly for recording applications, even while I feel shall perform equally well in live envornments. For testing purposes, I grabbed what I got (namely a Mesa TriAxis, a Damage Control Demonizer, Mesa V-Twin, Mesa Boogie DC3, Marshall JCM900, ADA MP1 and my lovely ADA MP2) and started some serious shredding sessions, comparing tonal outcome. For testing purposes, I hooked the machines to both my Marshall 4x12 cabinet and straight to my Behringer EURODESK FX PRO 2442. The results are my opinons above. I did not favoured this one, I kept them all.

The only thing I hate about this, as I said, is the fact the only volume knob in the front of the unit (hardware potentiometer, that is) controls the output to the power amplifier outputs ONLY, rendering the control totally useless for the home studio applications.

Submitted by Mariano Limongi at 11/11/2005 10:52

Price Paid: £ (220) used

Features: 9
JMP-1 Purchased off Ebay Aug 05.
Articulate Clean channel
Rock Growl distortion
Godsend to have the settings recorded.

Sound Quality: 10
This is not a review as such but a comment about the tube/diode debate when using the overdive channels.

As I am an Electronic Engineer I opened the case and spotted the Bridge rectifier BR3 as others have mentioned.
As an experiment I removed this and the difference to the tone was
to my ears very little other than increasing the top end.

I also removed the overdrive Tube and contrary to comments here the unit fell quiet, no tube - no sound.

The unit was a little screechy in terms of its distortion so I have replaced the tubes with JJ ECC84S and reduced the input signal to the overdrive valve. This has toned the unit down to my preferred rock growl distortion and the unit is less noisy when using Overdrive 1+2.

I am now totally happy with JMP-1.

Reliability: 10
No Problems so far - well built

Customer Support: 8
Now out of warranty but have bought from Marshall and they have been
on the ball with introduction and warranty letters.

Overall Rating: 9
Still learning about the ideal tone but at the moment I am very happy with the tones from my modded JMP-1.

In my ideal JMP-1 I would prefer if the effects send did not reduce the main channel signal but there are ways to add effects later.

One thing I have learnt is that a great tone depends on your ears and your own tastes so if your happy with the sound you make the more time you will put in.

Submitted by Tone is the goal! at 10/01/2005 11:14

Price Paid: US $585

Features: 10
Made in 1995. By now, we all know the specs.
Absolutely versatile, but you have to combine it with a tube power section or forget it! I'm running through a Marshall 9000 series
EL-34 50/50 tube power amp. It's a sturdy live rig.
Speaker config is also a crucial in the quest for good Marshall tone. I view the extra features(midi,speaker emulator,direct out)as bonuses or opt to not use them at all with the exception of the effects loop To me less is more.

Sound Quality: 9
American '92 strat with custom Tom Anderson single/single/humbucker config and phase switch capability.
A vintage'78 Ibanez ES-335 Artist w/ factory PAF style humbuckers, and a chimey '72 Tele with a PAF in the neck and phase-switchable custom humbucker in the bridge for single-coil twang or Pete Townsend like grit.

It doesn't do everything, but, what it can do it does very well.
For those who can't get good tone, or are concerned that it doesn't sound similar to a Mesa or Vox(EL-84)or clean as a Fender, be conscientious of what kind of tonality you are looking for and expect the Marshall palette of sounds, then sculpt your tone accordingly.

I play Brit-Pop to Alt-Rock. You can also get some great bluesy Keith Richards like grind as well as some chimey U2/Edge-like tones.
I would use this for any gigging cover/original band situation where 60's thru 90's rock is played and I can also play serious funk and R&B with this rig, the cleans are THAT good. If you prefer the compressed spank of Nile Rodgers or some old school Prince/Sly & The family tone you can get it with the right guitar, pickup, effect selection. But, you have to use your instrument volume/tone in tandem with the parameters on the amp. Match up the right cab(s).

I've had luck with two Mesa/Boogie 1x12 cabs in stereo; one thiele closed back custom Boogie/Celestion, and the other half-open back
EV 200-watt 1x12 for the funky cleans. But, I have since found a Marshall birch 2x12 with Vintage 30's which sounded a little more robust and earthier.

I've become a minimalist and run the effect mix on the pre-amp at a low level(3-5)any more and you start to lose the round warm tonal quality. I use two TC Electronic pedals and a racked reverb/delay unit. I don't like to string too many boxes or rack units within the effects chain, I feel I lose precious direct tone whether it's through the effects loop or in front of this particular preamp.

I approach the unit like a channel-switching head but, rack mounted mand with 2 extra channels. My power amp is switchable in wattage from 50 to 25 watts a side.

I will rate it a 9 for two reasons; There is a noisy hiss in the high-gain CH2 area which can be annoying at high volume. Also, tweaking mid/bass/treble levels on the fly during a gig gets tricky which can sometimes result in accidently saving over a favorite parameter or changing a characteristic you otherwise shouldn't have, by pushing the wrong button on a dark stage. Aside of that this preamp looks classy, is an outstanding value and overall rocks!!

Reliability: 10
110% dependable. I feel the early JMP-1's were made very well.
It has stood the test of 10 years. I've changed the 12AX7's once with Groove Tubes. Volume pot is a little scratchy but has seen 100's of gigs and everytime without a backup. Mine has paid for itself in spades on it's reliability alone.

Customer Support: N/A
Hasn't required service. Out of warranty. Here in L.A everybody can handle repair needs.

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing/singing seriously for 18 years.
I'm a singer-songwriter with my own project studio in L.A.
If it were stolen, I'd probably look into a different tonal palette. I'm into sheer simplicity at the moment, boutique tone without the cost for a one-trick pony. Possibly a Deluxe reverb w/blackface upgrades or a Vox 60/120 watt modeling head w/matching 2x12 Celestion Blue cab.

I love that the Marshall JMP-1 has the Plexi grind and cleans up very round and warm..it's different than a Boogie, not like a Vox or Fender, but, like a real Marshall.

Submitted by traz at 09/21/2005 23:18

Price Paid: N/A used

Ease of Use: 10
This unit has to be the most easy rack unit I have used. If you cannot
operate this unit quite while your ahead. I found even the midi setup,
interfacing to my effects unit was easy.

Sound Quality: 10
I have tried this unit through a 59 Bassman, a 73 superlead modified
jack insert to power amp, A 2X12 all tube custom made combo,
and in the studio. All of the above gave me a selection of great
sounds from clean to wild. I love the overdrive sounds, as they are not to dull, they don't sound digital, and they rock. Most current day
effects units and pre-amps use digital AD DA convertors in which the
overdrive goes through. I can always tell in the sound and response.
I have seen the circuit for the JMP1 and even though they use digital to adjust parameters the signal stays analog (amen)The overdrive sound so good I don't need a mix with my Jack Daniels, shaken not stirred. I found there was some noise with earth loops in my rack, and found it to be the midi lead, earths conecting the units earths together. I cut the earth in the midi plug lead and the noise was gone. (dont cut earths in power leads unless you want to die)
There is typical noise on high gain settings, but not enough to
piss me off. I know a lot of noise can be from earth loops, and I know
a lot of people get caught. Their was a mention of someone having
problems getting pinch harmonics. I don't have this problem.
If I had this problem I would first off check I have good quality
guitar leads. I know by experience that old leads that have perished
or got wet will kill of top end, and make your sound sound dull.
I will rate this unit highly because I get the sounds I want.

Reliability: N/A
Have not had it long enough to tell. But I do know that most Marshall
products used in Australia suffer from power supply problems due to our mains voltage being on avg 240 to 250 volts, and most Marshall
products are rated to 230 volts. (not counting 110 volts used in other countrys) This means the high voltage DC
rails in tube products go to high and cook the filter caps, and sometimes, cook the power transformer. Older 70's marshall gear seem to have no problems

Customer Support: 9
I have always found dealing with Marshall directly great. Some of there distributors are not so great

Overall Rating: 9

Submitted by Brendan at 07/05/2005 03:43

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 10
i've had her since she was born in 1992 and in basic terms she's a marshall with the convenience of midi. although things have moved on since '92 (check out the cars in them days compared to now) and all forms of 'boutique' amps now seem to dominate guitar players dreams amps such as the jmp-1 shouldn't be cast aside when you consider not only their pedigree but also their relavance for todays guitar player. she's got 4 channels 2 clean and 2 dirty, effects loop, headphone socket, emulated outputs' 100 patches inc 26 presets etc etc etc

Sound Quality: 10
i paired her up with a marshall valvestate 8008 power amp when i originally set up my rack and they're still together ( if its good enough for billy gibbons then who am i to disagree!!) i also looped her to a yamaha fx500 effects pro which i use for reverb, delay and sometimes a bit of flange (when i feel like a purple rain moment)and a rolls midi pedal. i've used this rig since 1992 for gigging and recording in my younger days and now mainly home use (wife and young kids i'm afraid) just to keep my hand in, and non of it has missed a single beat hell i've never even had to change the valves/tubes. sound wise, well just like the ads said its all your marshalls rolled into one (almost)i mean with the right guitar the right effects and of course in the right hands it can sound like every marshall player of old and new, early angus, gary moore, jimmy, eric (bluesbreakers/cream days) slash the list goes on and on. in real terms the cleans are ok (they're obviously not fender) but i think my valvestate 8008 lets the amp down slightly on the cleans as i think power tubes tend to colour the clean sound more than the dirty sound ans so if it was perhaps paired up to a 50/50 valve power amp it may sound better (don't know never tried it myself)anyway my sound has always strayed towards dirty as all my heros are rockers ( eddie van halen, gary moore, billy gibbons in fact the whole marshall rogues gallery) for the dirty sound i use od 2 channel with vol 18 gain 18 bass 2 mids -3 treb 1 presc 1 and effect on 6 i tend to leave the bass shift off however unlike some users i find it a usefull addition with weaker pups (in fact i tend to use it with my prs custom 22 for a more brutal crunh tone) i've never had to use it with an external distortion pedal as i prefer the amp to sound like the amp not a pedal and when you shove a gibson les paul classic (ceramic pups) through it believe me it has enough distortion for crunch or lead work. the other nice feature about the amp is how well it cleans up with the guitar volume pot i can leave it fully stacked for lead work back off a bit for crunch and back off even more for a nice blues tone (think ride on by ac/dc).although i tend to play rock, blues the amp can suit many styles and if you shove a strat through it it'll do the texas thing and you can get some pretty sweet cleans it is definitely not a one trip pony.i give it a nine and a half for the only 'very good not excellent' clean but obviously i'll have to round it up to a ten

Reliability: 10
as i've said had it since '92 never failed never used a backup in the early days - recently purchased a mesa f50 as a back up now in the hope that i can get out there again. got to be a ten

Customer Support: N/A
never used them if i did have to i have an advantage i live in england and so do they (makes up for the fact that every other great piece of gear comes out of the states although we've also got cornford check their gear out)

Overall Rating: 10
i've been playing since i was 15 now 35 as i've already said this was my first serious purchase and i've never looked back. guitar wise i,ve got a gibson les paul classic (v hot pups), prs custom 22 (beautiful guitar), fender strat am deluxe (my new purchase) as well as a takamine elec/acoustic and my original westone (now with a gibson 500t at the bridge)pedal wise i just use a cry baby and a boss tu2 tuner and quality zaolla silverline cables. i've recently added a mesa f50 combo to my set up mainly as a more convenient amp to tranport for rehersals etc but also to compliment my marshall (it has a fantastic clean tone i'll review it soon) and on my travels up and down the uk i demo'd everything i could to see if the bar had been raised since my jmp-1 came out and i have to say all the following vht, soldano, mesa, matamp, badcat, cornford (mk 50 is a fab amp maybe next time) ,engl have great products on the market but if you want to sound like my heros buy a marshall and if you want midi ease of use then you have to buy a jmp-1

Submitted by r marsden at 06/07/2005 14:59

Price Paid: US $300 used

Ease of Use: 9
This is way easier than you would think. Just look at the manual and figure it out... it's quite simple. Editing patches is a breeze.

Sound Quality: 10
I'm playing a Dave Murray signature stratocaster and another custom Fender strat with more vintage voicing with a bazillion stompboxes, a Marshall 9200 power amp, and a BBE 462 Sonic Maximizer. This setup sounds godly, better than any other Marshall to my ears. All rack gear is noisy, but an NS-2 can significantly reduce it. Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, and Janick Gers from Iron Maiden all use this amp, and it sounds divine both when I play it and when they do. I can also do Phish with it... it's incredibly versitile. It can hold 100 different channels, which is sweet. Get the Rolls MIDI Wizard or MIDI Buddy for the channel switching, it can't be beaten.

Reliability: 10
Never broken.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 10
I play everything from BLS and Maiden down to Phish and Eric Johnson. I've been playing for 7 years, and this is my favorite amp. I would immediately buy another if it went missing. I love how easy to use and the tube tone it packs, and it looks classic too in the rack. I almost bought a TSL100, but realized this is easier to use, sounds better, is more versitile, and is cheaper. Paired with a JFX-1 effects processor it would sound even better. I give this amp my highest regards.

Submitted by Zack Elliott at 06/05/2005 17:48

Price Paid: US $400 used

Features: 9
You know the features.

9 cuz' I hate the bass shift thing.

Sound Quality: 5
My setup:

Fernandes Moneterey Elite into
Wah pedal into
Jmp-1 into
Mesa 50/50 into
Mesa Standard 4x12 cab

simple enough. I play hardcore type music, I need gain that can let me do pinch harmonics.....and uh..this is NOT it. I'm no master at eq'ing so..

IF ANYONE HAS A GOOD SETTING WHERE PINCH HARMONICS ARE GOOD EMAIL ME!!!

floden "at" sbcglobal.net

The distortion lacks sustain like mad. it gets all muddy, I really hope I can fix this. :-(

It is also noisy as hell.

I really hope all this is just my settings.

Reliability: N/A
idk Ive had it for like a month

Customer Support: N/A
lmao...

Marshall + customer support = the highest, pointless phone bill of your life.

Overall Rating: N/A

Submitted by Myke at 06/03/2005 18:09

Price Paid: US $799

Features: 8
The fact that you can cover the spectrum of Marshall tones via MIDI program changes gives this unit a high rating in the "features" department.

However, I'd like to see Continuous Controller capability and phantom power via 7 pin MIDI cable. Mesa Triaxis has it beat there.

Sound Quality: 10
I play Les Pauls, although I have a few other makes among my collection. For a metal guitar player, this thing kicks ass. The gainy sounds are brutal especially through a good power amp like the Mesa Simul 2:90. The cleans are good too. Overall, Just about any sound you want within Marshall's catalogue of tones is available and sounding good, all at your foot pedal.

Reliability: 5
Here's where I have a problem. I've had this thing for almost 10 years now and it still works=good. HOWEVER, the main volume get's "crackly" as it's susceptible to getting dirty. It'll need to be cleaned out regularly. Another pet peeve of mine with this thing is that they use PLASTIC input jacks... STUPID STUPID STUPID! I'd be interested to know if any touring pros out there like Dave Mustaine actually use these things stock or if they get them fitted with more robust hardware. Those were the first things to go. Shitty jacks. They get sloppy. I actually had to open up the unit and bend the contact back into place so that my input cable would stay snug and in contact. This is a half baked platform hardware-wise. It aint ready to run with the big dogs. As far as I'm concerned, this thing is not "road ready". Your best bet is to make all cable connections, lock 'em down tight in your rack and leave it that way! I'm giving a low reliability score because with such superior sound this thing is not manufactured as well as it should be. Kinda like putting retreads on a Dodge Viper. Built for speed and ready to rock but just as ready to be eliminated from the race due to substandard equipment.

Customer Support: N/A
N/A never called 'em

Overall Rating: 7
Awesome tone! Brutal gain and bite!

Very easy to use.

Crappy plastic input jacks, easily broken.

Lacking in overall features. Note to Marshall: Use metal input jacks! build in phantom power and continuous controller capability and I'll gladly replace my Triaxis just for the brutal metal tone alone!

Submitted by Jimmy at 05/24/2005 01:32

Price Paid: 2000 (kr) used

Features: N/A

Sound Quality: 10
I was looking for a Hi-Gain sound with nice crunch on each string without sounding muddy or dull. And this amp can defenetly deliver powerfull distortion, with enough gain without sounding crap. Im no big fan of any clean sounds, but compared to other amps i guess it's quite good.

Dont know how it sounds with "stock" tubes, but im using 12AX7 Electro Harmonix and they seem to do a great job. Seen some people complain about noise, i dont seem to have that problem. Could be cause of the tubes?

Reliability: 10
Well, i haven't had it for long but it's pretty old and still works great.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 10
The best Pre-Amp money can buy. At least if u get it cheap ;)
Guess i never would buy this unit at list price, but if you can get it cheap, used or new, i strongly recommend it. If u play rock/metal, im sure you will love this unit as much as I do.

BTW, if you dont like marshall tone, you can use an EQ, but i haven't tried that yet, cause i got no problem with the marshall tone. But if i get tiered i'll give it a try.

Submitted by Menthal at 02/05/2005 10:48

Price Paid: 380 (CAN) used

Features: 8
The JMP-1 is a rackmount preamp, featuring 4 channels, 2 for clean and 2 for distortion. People say it's two channels with two modes, since it has some continuity in gain (chan 1 has less than 2, then goes to breackup, etc.) but no. The channels are voiced differently and interact in a different way with picking. Features two tubes, one for clean and one for distortion channels. Of course you can't achieve high gain through one tube, there is one chip that helps.

Three-Band EQ plus Presence control, mix, fully midi programable.
Output, Volume and Gain controls to get the best control of power amp and/or preamp saturation.

The back of the unit features two sets of stereo outputs, each having a level control (-20db or +4db), one for live and the other for recording (speaker sim). But the speaker sim sucks.

The effect loop is great the way it's done, but sucks tone a lot.
The mix control boosts your volume on 6, that's weird.

Sound Quality: 9
Now for the part with controverse. Don't complain it doesn't sound like a tube amp when you use it with a solid state power amp made for hi-fi and some crap cab for audio with a 15" for bass and 12" for highs. Of course it will sound like shit. I've tried.

Get a real setup, all tube with good cabs before dissing the JMP-1.
My setup:
Ibanez RG1570L (Dimarzio X2N and The Breed Neck and EMG AB)
Epiphone Sheraton II---->JMP-1--->Loop--MXR 10-Band EQ-- Peavey Valverb-->Output to Mesa 50/50 moded with bias and KT88 on one side--> through Two Mesa 1X12 Recto Cabs (two is essential since one sounds too small and a 2X12 sounds thin compared to those).

I'm a Jazz player, and ex-Metal player.
The EQ is flexible, but there is some mid-mid peak that makes it sound vintage a little too much, that needs to be removed with an outboard EQ. Tube swapping helps a bit. JJ's ECC83S make the amp too dark. EH are taming a bit the mids and give better note definition.

Clean 1- One word: Dark. Even for Jazz it's way too dark.
Clean 2- Great clean channel. People who say it's too bright have something stuck in the ears or don't know how to set a clean channel.
If you put presence on 6, well of course it sound overly bright.
The trick is to adjust it in the right way, and not to over EQ as you'll loose balance and tone. My settings are: Vol:20 Gain:12
Bass:0 Mid:-2 Treb:4 Pres:-6 With proper guitar it will give a great vintage sound with articulation and complex mids if combined with proper units (tube reverb, etc). Gain is tricky on this channel.
Over 14-16 you loose balance in sound, too much bass and less highs.
8 was giving good sound but lacked definition/articulation. 12 was the best compromise. On those settings the clean has a strong bass,
you can make the air swirl when playing complex chords. I was surprised to get such a great jazz clean on a JMP-1. Was hard to set, but I now have a WEs Montgomery or Grant Green tone.

OD-1: This is a hardcore channel. It gets the Marshall Name.
Raw, roaring brutal sound you hear from old Marshall heads. Very trebly, middy, with tight shy bass. With an EQ adding a bit of bass you can make hte sound thicker. Great getting that half-distortion sound, harder than overdrive, but that tone where you still hear the string's tone. Great rock tone or metal rythm. Now for the lack of gain people complain about, well I'll tell you the JMP-1 has enough.
One day you'll understand that having a shitload of gain is only compressing the sound to a point where you loose tone and dynamics, which are essential to get a heavy tone, because if you play heavy, you'll sound heavy. Not a matter of gain, but of a big sound and technique.

OD-2: Ass-kickin channel. Smoother treble (can be restored to crisp through an EQ), strong mids and huge bass (without the Bass booster which boosts way too much bass). This channel has a more compressed tone with gain over 16-17, which is good for lead. For thich chords, run gain at 16-17 and you'll see that you have great definition on this amp. I have tried many EQ settings with this channel, and found the only way to make it sound goor is to scoop the mids. It restores balance. Thick sound, great for heavy rythm, but less grinding. Kind of a compromise to have more gain.

The MIX button SUCKS TONE!! Beware.
Output must be set high, with lower volume, to drive the tubes.
Very tubish feeling, great dynamics on clean2 and OD-1.
Not very versatile since once you'll find your sound you'll find no other one on the unit. It is possible to get dark jazz clean, sparkling pop clean, raw distortion, thick distortion, screaming lead or soft lead. Besides that, hard to get. The on-the-edge of breaking up clean is hard to get, bad for blues. But OD-1 is great for blues. For distortion, the amp sounds extremly brutal in tone, and leaves gain low enough to play heavy. A good example of heavy playing with lower gain is the song Blackwater Park from OPETH.
You can get that tone easily.

Reliability: 9
It's old, but in mint shape. Only the power button is partly broken.
Stupid idea to use a push-pull thing instead of the traditionnal switch that doesn't break.

Marshall stuff usualy is easily breaking, the knobs especally. But this unit doesn't have those damn knobs whose solder always break and makes the sound cut when turning the knob. Only two knobs. The output is a traditionnal knob, and was dusty, but I didn't even need contact cleaner (I bought because I had a Marshall head before and I needed A LOT of contact cleaner to keep it usable). The one knob you always use feels strong, and isn't giving me trouble.

Those small buttons to edit parameters are great instead of usual knobs. And unless you're poking them real hard with a pen or something sharp they don't break. Under smart use the amp lasts. I say that because there's really dumb players out there. They manage to drop bear inside a Mesa Quad preamp, to break all the knobs because they are stupid metal heads.

Under normal use: Very dependable. More than Marshall stuff. 9.
Under dumb brute use: might break, but slower than amps with tons of knobs to bang when you're too drunk to turn them slowly. 8

I would gig anytime with the JMP-1, in any gigs. I would just put my rackmount somewhere out of reach of stupid people. Jazz gigs no problem, but metal gigs I would be careful.

Customer Support: 5
Ordered the footswitch from marshall: 2 months delay.
They NEVER answered any e-mail for information.

I had a well-beaten Marshall head to get repaired, and I had to order pieces from the Marshall Dealer. Took 2 months to repair since the pieces were LATE. Supposed to be two to three weeks. Took double.
My main amp spent the whole summer in the repair shop. Man was I pissed.

I would never want to have to deal with Marshall since I know they would not really help me.

Overall Rating: 9
It is a great piece of gear. I won't go for a small tube combo for Jazz since I have a great vintage clean. Very toneful amp.

Don't let the controverse fool you. It sounds very organic and real.
On it's own, it is a little weak, but when in a real setup it's great. Get some decent reverb, power amp and cabs.

I don't fear somebody stealing it since my rack is damn too heavy. The thief wouldn't be able to lift it up the stairs.

Submitted by Christian Gauthier at 02/04/2005 08:29

Price Paid: US $599.00 in 1995

Ease of Use: 10
It is so simple to use. Dial in a parameter, if you like it, save it.
Editing is a breeze. Even on the fly once your familiar with it. Manual is very straight forward and completely understandable. I've had mine since Spring 1995 and only had to change the preamp tubes once. Have never had to change the internal memory battery, ever.

Sound Quality: 9
This preamp is the shit! Nothing nails a Plexi like this unit or, a Plexi. I have mine setup Ch1 Clean Gain 8 Cln1, Ch2 blues-like Gain 8 OD1, Ch3 Gain 13 OD1, Ch 4 Gain 12 OD2. It goes from clean to scream. You can blend in effects whether they be stomp box or rack effects through the effects loop. I use it with a Guyatone WR3 auto wah, Maxon CP101 compressor, MXR Micro Amp (for solos) Boss NS-2, MXR EVH Phaser, Visual Sound H20 (chorus/delay) and, DigiTech DigiVerb. My guitars (7) vary but, all of them are humbuckers. You can go direct to board or mixer (as I do) with phenominal results. My sound guy is very happy. I gave it a 9, only because the clean is not absolutely sparkly Roland JC-120 clean. With humbuckers you have to use the Clean 1 setting or you will get unwanted distortion. My PRS CE22 with dragon 1 pickups does that. It works out well on Clean 1 with the gain around 8.

This unit consistantly sounds great. I can do everything I need to get done with it. The OD/Dist stompbox thing never held a candle to the JMP-1 for me anyway. This unit has a very good "chime" on some settings and a wonderful Marshall "Kerranggggg" too. It also sustains very well. I like the fact that as far as volume goes, it is again, consistant from gig to gig. Once it's dialed in, minor adjustment are always few and far between. I set the output dial on mine at 3 o'clock. It's a keeper. I've been through some serious crap over the years. This is the unit I always come back to. By the way, it marries up extremely well with the Marshall EL84 rackmount 20/20 amp. A great combination ! Even a Tech 21 Power Engine 60 or, a Fender 1270P powered monitor for us "direct" players.

Reliability: 9
Not one serious problem with it ever since 1995. My output pot is currently a little scratchy. Some of that liquid gold contact cleaner should quiet that down.

Customer Support: N/A
I don't know. I never needed it. I hear (It is alledged) that Korg /
Marshall support here in the U.S. sucks. That is only from what I've read here at Harmony Central pertaining to other Korg / Marshall
equipment and horror stories for service and/or warranty.

Out of courtesy and because I've never needed it, I'll leave this one
alone. No Opinion. That seems fair.

Overall Rating: N/A
I play Rock. 60's, 70's, 80's, and a little 90's. It is perfect for what I'm doing. 100 midi channels total available if I need more presets. Been playing since October 1964. I would buy it again if the CURRENT build quality was the same as my 1995 unit. [I mean,...look what Roland did to the JC-120. That was a very well put together amp at one time. I think it is cheaply made now. Metal parts and switches became plastic. I'd hope Marshall wouldn't bastardize the JMP-1 by currently making it cheap and unreliable.

Mine is just shy of 10 years old and it just keeps going. It's a Marshall and in MY book, that is, the sound of Rock. :-)

Submitted by Ron at 01/22/2005 16:56

Price Paid: US $300 used

Features: 10
This is a recent Marshall JMP-1 I am reviewing. The amp is SO versitile, it can do SO much. I play metal and classic rock, mainly Iron Maiden with this preamp. It has 4 channels (OD1&2, Clean1&2) and 100 programable save patches. It has a footswitch but I recommend a Rolls Midiwizard/Midibuddy for that, MUCH better than the provided footswitch, and cheaper. I use all of the features minus the MIDI out and thru jacks. Power is not an option, that is an issue of power amps, obviously. This is a stereo preamp, and I run it in stereo. It has stereo effects loop as well, which is AWESOME. The tubes in this thing really sing.

Sound Quality: 10
I am using an '89 American Strat with Seymour Duncan Pickups (Hot rails in the neck/bridge, JB Jr. in the middle). I play mainly Iron Maiden (Dave/Adrian/Janick ALL use this preamp). It is pretty noisy, but can be greatly helped by a noise gate (all rack gear is noisy though). It can make almost any sound you want it to. It doesn't get distorted at high volumes. The distortion can be mild and warm all the way up to high-octane crunch, i.e. Metallica/Pantera.

Reliability: 10
Never broken down. Very durable.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing for 8 of my 15 years, and I own that strat and a rack containing a Rocktron Intellifex, Furman RP-L8 power conditioner, a BBE Sonic Maximizer 462, and a Marshall 9200 power amp. I highly recommend this preamp. If you don't havea Rolls MIDIbuddy/MIDIwizard for this, GET ONE. It is a pain in the butt to change the channels manually. I chose this one because it is ubiquitous on pro racks everywhere, and on all three Maiden guys' racks.

Submitted by Xaquery Elliott at 01/22/2005 12:56

Price Paid: US $800

Features: 10
This is a refresh on my last review, since 1 more year I spent playing with this amazing piece of tone. Very versatile unit, with no regrets on features. I am controlling this thing with a Tech21 Midi Mouse without any problem.

Sound Quality: 10
Well, as I told before, now even more sure of that: THIS UNIT IS AMAZING!! You just have to be patience on tweaking sounds, combining them with your stompboxes and cabinets... You will find the whole Marshall tone history at JMP-1, from clean-jazzy, thru mid-overdrive bluesy moods, to high gain modern metal agressive distortion!! And you can built your own tone signature and finally be different from this Mesa-Boogie fever that every kid is being drowned. ARG!!! Mesa sounds ok, but everyone has the same sound!! 99% of this Nu-Metal crap that MUST HAVE a Boogie sounds equal each other!!! This is the end of the world!!! AAARRRGGG!!!! JMP-1 have much more tone amplitude comparing to those pasteurized Boogies!! And if you use JMP-1 with a Tube Power Amp... WOW... You will see the gates of heaven!!

Reliability: 10
Built like a tank!!!

Customer Support: 10
No need so far...

Overall Rating: 10
Set up your equipment correctly, including JMP-1 Pre Amp and you will have an unit for lifetime, with awesome sound and timbre flexibility.

Submitted by Delahoya at 01/20/2005 09:35

Price Paid: 1250 (AU)

Features: 9
My model was built at the end of 2003. I play in a cover band in Adelaide, Australia and also in an original rock band so I need alot of different sounds. It has four channels (two clean, two OD) uses two 12AX7 valves and im sure you know the rest!

Sound Quality: 8
I play a Gibson Flying V, Ibanez Jem7VWH, B.C. Rich Mockingbird Supreme and a PRS Custom 24. I pretty much always use humbuckers. My new rig contains a Furman PL-8II, Marshall JMP-1, T.C. Electronic G-Force, BBE 482i Sonic Maximizer and a Marshall EL34 100/100 (I first ran my JMP-1 through a Marshall 30th Anniverary head for power), then through two Marshall 1960B cabs. On the floor I use a Ground Control Pro for MIDI switching, an Ernie Ball volume pedal and a Crybaby 535Q. It's a deadly setup!!! There is a little noise when using alot of overdrive but the gate in the G-Force keeps that under control. This preamp is very versatile although the clean sounds aren't the greatest, remember it's not a Fender or a Mesa/Boogie, but with a little help once again from the G-Force it makes the clean tones sound alot better. The overdrives sound are amazing, especially when using a sonic maximizer. I'd give it a 9 if the clean channels were warmer...

Reliability: N/A
Haven't had any problems yet.

Customer Support: N/A
Haven't dealt with Marshall before.

Overall Rating: 8
Ive been playing guitar for 11 years now. I also own a Mesa/Boogie Studio .22+ combo, a Marshall 30th Anniversary head and a Sansamp PSA-1 preamp(for recording). I was considering buying a Triaxis and am now glad I didn't due to the fact that there is a huge price difference(especially here in Australia) and the JMP-1 can do nearly everything the Triaxis can. If it were stolen I would buy it again unless Marshall brought out a JMP-2!

Submitted by Chris at 01/12/2005 19:14

Price Paid: US $400 used

Features: 9
I think that my JMP-1 is a model built on the end of 90s. This preamp is based on 2 tubes (12AX7) and some Marshall's microprocessor to generate
all Marshall's tones. It's stereo preamp with 2 channels and a 1.5W power amp, so you can use it with headphones.

Sound Quality: 9
My setup is: Epiphone Explorer Korina with Gibson 500T on bridge, Mesa Boogie 50/50 Power Amp, Korg DTR-1 Tuner and Marshall 1960A cabinet (which sucks. I'm waiting for some custom cabinet based on Eminence V12 speakers which is 100 times better than that Marshall shit. Check http://blackdog.4web.pl if you want some custom stuff in stock prices).
I'm playing hardcore/metalcore and jazz/blues. If you're fan of high-gain this amp is the best choice for 300$. It also has good clean and crunch channel so you use it for any other kind of music. Distortion is brutal, but I think you shouldn't cross 12, cause it losses it's sound a bit.

Reliability: 9
I'm using it on every gig. It never gave up.

Customer Support: N/A
Don't know. Never tried.

Overall Rating: 8
I'm playing for more than 8 years now and it's one of the best tube preamp's I've every heard. If somebody will stole it, I'll buy it second time because it's perfect. I think I should change Mesa Boogie 50/50 to 2:90 so the sound will be much brutal and better (but right now it kills most heads - 5150 and mesa dual rectifier).

Submitted by Wojciech Pawlikowski at 01/06/2005 01:48

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 9
Flexible outputs/inputs and switching helps for direct recording/various environments. Signal path is kind of a pointless thing to debate at length as a downside in my humble opinion...at the end of the day, what comes out of the speakers/monitors? Good? Bad? Is it you? Is it truly crap? Is it defective? Did you plug it in wrong? Are your cables bad? What's your EQ? Are you an idiot? Check three times and then RTFM (Read The Fricken Manual) again before you rip it up in a reveiw.

Sound Quality: 10
I use, strats, les paul standards/customs, tele's, PRS, Ibanez, gretch, did I miss any good ones? Sound is solid with limited producers head for the tweek. The JMP-1 is what it is and is definately extremely good at producing a very large array/variety of musical and usable tones, especially when compared to other more current "plastic/aircraft aluminum" preamp gear. With the right components around (which admittedly I have some next to it that cost three times as much)...you can get many new and cool or classic recognized sonic landscapes straight to the mix. But first, you must know that any peice of gear is dependant on the user to find the optimal sound for thier tastes, if you know this you will not be dissapointed with this or many other unique gear as a stand alone. I agree with what many have submitted in this post regarding negative reveiws of gear such as this. To all those eager to say a certain pedal, amp, guitar, or friggen coffee cup, sounds or works like crap based on what is obviously an extremely poor understanding of what it takes to find "your sound". Say one of these simpering impatient limited vision dudes is really into a particular guitar hero, plug them into his stage rig and turn them loose, most likely, they will have it sounding "like crap" in minutes with a wrong turn of this dial or that. Might be fun (if not slightly sad and sadistic) to watch them sweat. Great sound is all about balance. It more often than not begins with compromise (no matter how expensive, basic, cheap, flexible the gear is). You can take any set up and make it sound bad, often it's actually about tuning out what sounds bad to your ears until you have tuned in what sounds badass. This seems fundamental to me and obviously this sentiment is shared by those who are talking sense in these reveiws. In summary, I'll quote the immortal Jerky Boys: "Open your f*&kin ears jackass!" Or go on complaining when you turn to the preset that is named after Steve Via on that little unit you just took out of the box and cry like a school girl when it does not sound "just like that guy".

Reliability: 10
Owned mine for over 10 years, purchased when it came first came out, when it was new and risky. Never had a single issue and it was partially submerged in water once.

Customer Support: 6
I know reaching and dealing with Marshall can be a bit...uh...English? But, as point of how they can be once you get in touch: Called Marshall early on when I lost the manual, asked if they could "fax" me one, just so I had it anyway (It's a geek thing). Remember, slightly old school here, before the common use of PDF downloads. They sent me a brand new manual in the same day free...not a big support thing, but just cool.

Overall Rating: 9
Been playing for more than 25 years. I am a producer with an independant label, performer, and studio musician. Would replace in a heartbeat, as part of overall guitar preamp collection...just sounds good and have to have it. Grab one on e-bay for $300.00 if you have any doubts.

Submitted by Space at 12/23/2004 19:50

Price Paid: US $775

Features: 9
I have a new 2004 model. The design hasn't changed since Marshall started making this unit in the 80's. Preamp has 4 very useable channels. OD1 is crunch, OD2 is metal overdrive and Clean1/Clean2 are clean. Very easy to use, you hardly need the manual. Presets are switchable via midi foot switch or a Marshall foot switch. Has a nice stereo, parrallel effects loop which is programable and allows you to adjust the level of your effects, which is very useful. I play metal and some blues. The JMP-1 does have some solid state circuits, but its sound is predominantly that of a warm tube amp. Does everything I want. I really like the midi control, why would you be without it these days?

Sound Quality: 9
I play a US Fender strat with Bill Lawrence hum cancelling pickups. In the effects loop I have a Lexicon Delay and BBE Sonic Maximizer. I find this unit works well for what I need it to do. I don't want to distroy the sound of my guitar, I still want the Strat sound at the other end. I like gain, and sustain, but I also like clarity and this unit provides that. The EQ works great on the unit and it is possible to create a wide range of sounds. Its does create a Marshall tone though. If Marshall isn't your taste this unit probably isn't for you. Some of the reviews on this site criticize the unit for having solid state circuits. Most amps and preamps these days have some solid state circuits and that includes the holy grail of preamps, the Mesa Boogie Tri-Axis, so that shouldn't be considered too unusual. In fact the original Plexi's had a solid state recitifier, which together with the EL34 power tubes produced the classic British sound that all the boutique amp manufacturers are trying to replicate. I looked at a lot of preamps before I bought this unit and I think it represents good value compared to equivalent products. I am not sure why some reviewers can't get enough distortion / overdrive with this unit. Even with single coil pickups I can get bags of distortion / sustain. Maybe they need to look at the quality of the pickups on their guitars? A poor quality guitar will still sound poor quality though any amp. Don't listen to these bozos. Try this preamp with a decent guitar and let your ears decide whether this is a good amp or not.

Reliability: N/A
I have't had it long enough to rate it. Although it looks a bit old fashioned it is a sturdy unit and I don't expect to have too may problems.

Customer Support: N/A
I haven't had to deal with Marshall.

Overall Rating: 9
Great unit. Does everything I need it to. Love the midi control and the versatility that provides. Great value for money. This unit will replicate all the classic Marshall sounds.

Submitted by Anonymous at 12/11/2004 23:47

Price Paid: 450 (GBP)

Features: 9
Overall this is a great stereo midi pre-amp with four seperate channels each sounding distinctly different. It is extremely easy to use and the EQ section is very effective and capable of making drastic differences to tone and presence. It has great emulated outputs for going direct to my hard disk recorder. The effects loop is very useful and hooking up a good quality FX rack allows you to create some great tones. Pretty much does most things I need. There may be more modern and complex units on the market but I doubt if my patience would hold out while I read the manuals.

Sound Quality: 9
I use a 2004 Deluxe Fender Strat and a mid 80's Kramer Baretta. The Strat has stock SCN single coils and the Barreta has a JB humbucker. I have a Lexicon MPX 550 and a Behringer Ultrafex Pro running through the effects loop of the JMP-1 to add a touch of chorus, delay and presence. The unit produces very typical Marshall sounds. It is very responsive and punchy and "big" sounding on all channels and really picks up the dynamics of your playing. The OD1 channel is a typical mid 80's type of tone and is great for crunchy Rhythm, OD2 gives a smoother more modern sound with bags of sustain and is good for solos. The clean channels (CL1 and CL2)have plenty of headroom and sound great when you add in a touch of reverb and chorus (with external FX); don't expect the clean channels to sound like a lovelly warm sounding high end Fender tube amp. If you want to cover all the classic Marshall rock sounds from early 70's to the present day then you won't be too dissapointed I think. I generally like 80's and early 90's (pre grunge) hard rock tones and you will be able to cover all the bases with this unit if thats your thing. If you want to make horrendous "nu metal" tones I suggest you get a very cheap transistor amp leave it in a tank of water overnight and then when its dried off buy a nasty japanese guitar with cheap humbuckers, drop tune it and route it to the amp through various distortion and phaser pedals.

Reliability: N/A
Can't say only had it 2 weeks.

Customer Support: N/A
No need to contact them yet

Overall Rating: 9
I think this is a good quality Pre-Amp that is particulalrly good for direct recording. It produces the full range of classic Marshall tones. I would buy a replacement if it was stolen. I looked at products from Rocktron before buying this but decided that it met my needs better. Although I am sure the Boogie Triaxis is a fine piece of kit and might potentially cover more sounds and offer greater flexibility I just can't see why its more than four times the price (UK street pricing); I do read a lot of reviews where guys appear to be convincing themselves that the thousands of dollars that they spent on their Triaxis was well worth it?

Submitted by Don at 12/03/2004 05:43

Price Paid: US $300.00

Ease of Use: 10
this is the easiest thing you will ever operate nothing else needs to be said.

Sound Quality: 9
everyone here must consider that this unit was made 20yrs ago. now for those who've been playing for 2-5 yrs probably couldn't tell you what the deffinition of tone really is. so here's the 28 yr veteran's. my set up consists of marshall '98 JTM45RI 2245 30w with mercury mags output tranny JJ 6l6 and pre's, top hat 2x12 cab w/g12h30 and g12m25 les paul studio,m custom shop strat, 72 thinline, shecter c1-h. i will tell you jwithout the preamp the tone is awsome, with the preamp the tone is enhance tremendously. the only reason the product was purchased was so i could go from sparkle clean to over the top gain and sustain in the flick of a switch. keep in mind that the tonal quality of this piece is very vintage. you can get the modern sound out of it with a little tweeking to the preamp in the head. i would not suggest the use of any effects loop, the reason is, you can fine tune the eq settings with the head unit. you can turn the knob just an 1/8 of an inch and say "wow, i heard that!"

Reliability: N/A
couldn't tell ya, never needed it

Customer Support: N/A
same as above

Overall Rating: 9
i play everything from blues to metal to classic rock r&b whatever (28yrs), i have other gear jcm800, risson, matchless, yadda yadda yadda. i've tried it with everything and it all sounds good. take the time to play with it, it takes time. use a midi pedal and tune the thing to each one of your guitars so you can have a clean 1&2 OD 1&2 and lead tone if you feel the need. i am putting it in conjunction with a rocktron chameleon for the clean efx and using the jmp for the distorted sounds. if it were stolen or lost, i would replace it.

Submitted by Anonymous at 11/26/2004 19:27

Price Paid: 300 (€ - Euro) used

Ease of Use: 10
I am not quite an genie with technical stuff and so on ... but even for me the handling of this unit seems damn easy ...

Just select your Patch, change the Settings to the ones u want save the Patch and thats it ... really damn easy

Sound Quality: 9
My Setup is:

Guitars:
Warlock BC Rich (with Gibson LP Standard Pickups)
Richwood LP Pro Series
Amp:
Stinger (a 150w tube amp of Proel)
Effects:
Marshall JFX 1
Tuning:
Korg DTR 2
Noisegate:
Rocktron Hush II CX

The JMP1 fits in perfectly in my collection and makes a damn good sound. I use it that way, that i put my guitar into the DTR, he goes to the Hush, this one again goes into JFX, JFX to JMP and after JMP my Stinger.

The only problem is that the JMP is damn noisy, but seems only with my amp, with an JCM 900 there isnt any problem.

Distorsions and Clean sounds of the Unit are amazing, because of the Tube, thats generating true Marshall Sounds (in my opinion one of the best in world)

The sound Im able to get is damn similair to "Godfather of Hardrock" Slash (GNR), Motörhead, Iron Maiden and if I turn the JMP really up, and combine it with my Warlock, it even sounds a bit like Kerry Kings (Slayer) sound.

The good thing about this unit is also that it has no other Effects except of Distorsion and Clean, thats exactly what I need, because the Effects, the JFX is doing.

9 Points -> because of the Noise, but as I said its probably only with my Amp.

Reliability: 10
Reliability is TOP ... I even played a lot of Gigs without my Amp only with the JMP directly into the PA, and it sounds damn great too.

Never using any backup, cause there is no need for.

Customer Support: N/A
I had never the needing to repair it, even after these 5 years I have it, so i really dont know hows the customer service.

Overall Rating: N/A
I play true old Hard Rock as Guns N' Roses with my band, with a little portion of Metal, and this unit exactly fits my needs.

I also compared this unit until now with some Zoom's or Digitechs, but the true sound only JMP brings out.

So if I where a new potential customer of a Preamp, I would either by the JMP1 again, or the Mesa Boogie Triaxis.

Hope I helepd

Submitted by Zewa at 11/11/2004 02:54

Price Paid: 290 (£) used

Features: 9
1999 model. Lots of options and Easy to use. Plenty of connection options. I never used to like headphones for practice but the JMP seems to have changed my mind. I use the effects loop input to mix in drums and bass etc.

Sound Quality: 9
It's quite versatile with it's sounds which can range from sparkling clean to a heavy, sustain filled Overdrive. The cleans break up nicely with high gain (and powerful pickups). It's not noisy but it does physically give off a 'hum' (probably the power supply) but it can't be heard through any of the outputs so I don't mind.
For live use I hook it up through a Compressor/Gate > 31-band EQ > Stereo Digital Effects (for reverb etc) and then into a Marshall 20/20 with a 1922 Cab. For band practice it goes through a Marshall MG30 combo and at home I use the JMP on it's own with headphones.
The speaker emulated outputs are great for recording. The 'Bass Shift' vibrates through your chest when combined with the 'Deep' switch on the 20/20 :-)

Reliability: 7
Haven't had any problems with it but the volume settings (not master volume) need to be lowered to eliminate some annoying clipping (even with just the headphones!). I'm not sure if it's just on high output pickups but even the factory defaults needed to be lowered. It also looses volume sometimes within the first few minutes of being powered on but the 20/20 takes a few minutes to warm up too so I don't mind.

Customer Support: 9
The site doesn't have any support contact details and I had some questions about the 20/20 (purchased new) so I submitted it to the 'feedback' page and got a response the next day so I'm quite happy with them.

Overall Rating: 9
I got this one second hand with some spare Marshall Valves thrown in. I don't care if it's All-Valve or not, It sounds great! I'm planning to get another one sometime to keep permanently in the rack as removing it after live shows will probably start annoying me.

Submitted by DK at 11/05/2004 02:07

Price Paid: N/A

Features: N/A

Sound Quality: N/A
I placed a submission on 10/23/04 and want to add a significant note. I just exchanged the two original ECC 83 tubes which seems to be of chinese make. These tubes have high gain but no tone! The fuzziness some revieuwers talk about could be caused by the tubes who seem to get worse in time. I now have JJ ECC 83S tubes in the JMP-1 and the sound is much better!! Better means more TONE! The clean sounds to me are warmer but also more brighter and more in balance. The distortion sounds are "cleaner" and have more clarity. At first you think there is a bit less gain but it has just more definition and as I said: TONE! Maybe you have to play more precisely than before but this is what a good (pre)amplifier is about. It let you work a little harder but rewards you with a purer and more versatile sound (still very Marshall thoug). The tubes can be changed easily. Just remove the top cover and the 2 side supports. The tubes can be pulled out and the new ones can be pushed in. If you're not sure about the "do it yourself" you could ask a technician. The JJ tubes are inexpensive but very durable. Of course you can also use tubes from other brands like Svetlana or even the expensive "NOS" Tesla tubes. But it sure can be worthwile to try a pair of new ones!
By the way: the discussion about the JMP-1 not being a pure tube pre-amplifier considering all the ic's and other electronic parts is IMO partly true. I think it IS a compromise of midi, versatility and sound. For the typical purist this unit will never satisfy, even with the better tubes. Therefor you have pre-ampifiers with "all tube design" but not the flexibility (except of course the really expensive once like Soldano). Still, I think the JMP-1 is a good deal considering the price. But you have to decide for yourself as always and just choose what suits you best.

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: N/A

Submitted by Jack at 10/26/2004 10:19

Price Paid: 310,- (Euro) used

Features: 9
Bought it 3 years ago in Holland. The features are incredibel and very well designed. The ease of switching your channels together with matched effects is the bonus and the device is very easy to operate too. Important is to have patience! Figure out what it can do and have an open mind to the possibilities. The comments I read are not always fair I think, because you just have to know how to use it. As we all know, good (pre)amplifiers let you work on your guitarplaying a bit more but the result is much better for your tone. The control of your guitar is the issue here and try to play your axe right first instead of blaming equipment for a crappy sound! Another thing is personal taste. A device suits you or not. But most of the equipment nowadays is build well and will have a good sound for the right purpose AND player. But for the JMP-1, it suits me and I manage to get the Marshall sounds that I always liked. I think the eq could have been more versitale, but all the sounds are there! On higher volume this baby does sounds better but what doesn't......

Sound Quality: 9
I play classic rock from the 80's in a coverband and use a Marshall 8008 VS poweramp that drives a 1960AV in stereo. First I used the Peavey transistor amps that were standard in the rehearselroom and I didn'like the shrill distortionsound ...sorry Peavey.....however, yesterday I bought a used Peavey classic 50/50 for replacing the valvestate and this will be (much?) better. No Marshall 50/50?? you ask. No.... cause I like a more neutral, heavy sound with lots of warmth, not to agressive. Because that can happen with the JMP-1 easily if the rest of the chaine is also Marshall (but maybe you want this!). And here is a note: ofcourse this is a talk about the JMP-1 but obvious the whole chaine is important! In my set up with the budget 8008 the JMP is sounding very good already which is also due to the 1960AV (very nice cabinet!) I play on superstrats with SD custom 5 pick-ups and recently bought a Boss PW-10 V-wah (replaced my cry-baby). The other guys of the band are enjoying the sound I get and dont't run away, so thats a point for Marshall. As said, things will improve with the Peavey 50/50 (more warmth and dynamics). The JMP is controlled by a Digitech midi floorboard and switching is accurate and flawless. In the beginning I had to tweak the eq much, but now it is set right and it will do fine. I'm very happy with the unit. At home I record instrumentals in my studio and I must say that the direct recording with the compensated outputs is amazing! The trick here is to use the proper effects so the dry sound is given a good live ambiance. Blend in the mix the sound is convincing and pure. It isn't the same as miking your cabinet, that will always be better (more lively). Clean sounds are good enough for me but I can understand the critics.

Well..... it sounds good, plenty of gain, is relatively noisefree (not the OD2), very versatile and affordable.

Reliability: 8
I have not used this unit intens yet but have no problems. Only thing is that the dataknob skipps presets now and than. That can get on my nerves sometimes. Seems build ok and I don't expect serieus problems.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
I,ve been playing for 26 years and recently started a new rockband with my brother on drums so we try to be Van Halen!! ;-) The gear I use is already mentioned but I also use an Alesis Quadraverb but will replace it. Further more Fender Stratocaster usa, Maverick X-1 (I won this sucker in a contest!) and I have a small home studio for recording rock instrumentals. When stolen, I would look around for the new developments that have come up but knowing this JMP, I will set it on top of the list for now.

Finally, as said earlier.....work on your tone and talent and be sure to judge equipment fiarly, and don't blame it when you have a bad playing day or have not been practising enough! Cause there is a chance that the equipment has a higher quality level than yourself. But it won't judge you!!
Have fun.....

Submitted by Jack at 10/23/2004 01:25

Price Paid: 200 (GBP) used

Features: 7
ALready mentioned so many times not worth repeating. Read the other reviews.
Always use a good valve power amp.
And ignore those "experts" who say that they know about valves and op amps. The valves add more than "colour" they are part of the amplification circuit.
I use different valves for clean and distorted and get an excellent sound.
Versatility with the variety of songs we play and the fact that I am not only the sole guitarist but also do PA and backing vocals means I love the ease of use the MIDI offers.

Sound Quality: 9
All Rock styles played.
I use a Schecter Hollywood custom with Seth Lover pickups, a G-Major effects rack and a Behringer footpedal to control both. I put the whole thing through a 2020 El84 Marshall valve amp and a Marshall 2 x 12. IT ROCKS. When I get the orignal greenbacks (sitting in my attic) into the Cab I am sure it will be awesome.
I also have an 80-80 valve state as a live back up but it really sucks through that and I hope I never have to use it.
Have recently revalved the whole rack (after chatting to Derek at Watford Valves) and fitted a clean valve to the clean channels and a Groove tube mullard reissue to the distorted channels.
Clean is so good now, clean, lively full bodied and excellent clarity.
Distorted is excellent with more sustain than Lesley West and a good crunch sound for Rythmn.
I am still in the process of setting it all up and getting the clean/distorted/rythm/lead balances right. However, even at 40 Watts total output (I would say that is in reality "nominal") and I can still cut it in a really loud band without any effort with power amp on 50%.
Not massively noisy, but you need a noise gate in high gain.
Gives loads of Marshall sounds a lower volumes. OK it will never match the full marshall stack at "number 11" on the vol. but what do you want!!!!!!
It gets a 9 cos I don't give 10s

Reliability: 9
Never gone wrong on me
But to get the best, you need to look after it a little. Make sure you got room in the rack for cooling.
Use a valve power amp and again leaver it space to get rid of the heat. Will improve lifetme and reliability.

Customer Support: N/A
Never dealt with them. Never gone wrong

Overall Rating: 9
Been playing longer than I care to think about, more than 1/4 century, mainly as bass. Always played guitar but last two years solely guitar.
Technically competent, electronics and hardware. Service my own gear.
Input on the back only thing missing.
Noted the problem mentioned with the data input where it skips a couple of digits. Turn it slow and it's OK. Suspect some switch debouncing needed.

Submitted by hi2alans at 09/21/2004 12:53

Price Paid: US $375.00 used

Features: 9
Its a four channel, but the two cleans and two overdrives sound pretty close, other than that this piece of gear I know will stay in my rack for a long time. It has everything I need, I'm very happy with it.

Sound Quality: 9
I'm using a les paul custom from 1979, and a new sg special. It sounds great, I might get a seperate eq though so I can have a little more control over it. I play in a hard rock band that does some jazz break downs here and there and this amp treats me good, I'm very happy with it.

Reliability: N/A
The buttons and jacks are cheap, I've already broken alot of the plastic, and I really never did like the way marshall electronics are made, but I'm really just hoping this one was made better than most of the other amps by marshall. No problems yet, and mines about 5 years old.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 8
I've been playing for about 8 years, im 18 years old. This is actually one piece of gear I'd actually replace if I had to. I dont rate everything I own with high scores either, in my opoinion the jmp-1 really does deserve an 8.

Submitted by JonDon at 09/17/2004 10:27

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 10
4 channels valve "heated" preamp . Midi capable , once you dial a sound you can store it and recall it . stereo master out (-10/+4 db) ,
speaker emulator out (-10/+4 db) , adjustable loop effects (0-100% mix). Really complete.
Valve "Heated" ... inside the unit there are 2 ECC83 valves , one working with clean channels, one with drive /distortion channels..the signal coming from the input socket goes thru several transistor gain stages and then is heated and colored by the valve .
So valves are actually not in charge for gain staging as in a so called "all valve" device, but they actually do affect the tone.
Is the definition Valve midi Preamp on the front panel correct or .. fair ? the answer is YES and NO on my opinion ... but this goes for many things in life right ?

Sound Quality: 8
This unit is capable of good tones, if correctly operated. It sure takes some experience in guitar tone shaping to get the best from it, particularly when it comes to the gain and eq section, very effective, you have to know what you are doing. The presets, with loads of treble , are clearly dialed to make the unit sound good at music store low output levels. You need a different starting point to make the unit sound good at usable levels.
This unit, from clean to drive, delivers marshall tones and only marshall tones, and it does the job , so if marshall tones are what you are looking for this can be the answer at a very resonable price.
It is respectful of your playing dynamics , picking , guitar volume pot tweaking, and it is suitable for most musical styles , again , if correctly operated , I write this again because I think this is the issue with the jmp1.
OD2 channel is noisy ..tip : try taking EQ to the extreme and NOT the gain as the description "modern gain" would suggest..you will find killer aggressive blues tones that will make your strat scream...
OD1 has enough gain for modern gain stuff.
Like EVERY preamp the jmp1 needs a good tube power amp and cab to shine.
Output should be set at 50% ,as a starting point ,to feed the power amp with a good signal. and the power amp's volume should be set way up to achieve good sound ...obvious ? not for everyone in this forum people ....
Speaker Emulator feature can't really keep up with todays amp/cab modelling units for hard disk recording. I own a V-amp pro and it blows the jmp1 away on a recorded track , even for marshall tones.
Keep in mind that this unit appeared on the market more than 15 years ago.

Reliability: 5
The unit, as for 90% of marshall stuff , is relatively poorly assembled, in the inside where you can't see without open it up of course ... mine suffers with a buzz and occasional volume drops when I roll the output pot, but ,only at the beginning after startup , then , as you roll it on and of for a while everything is ok ..too cheap !!

Customer Support: 1
Customer support ?? do you mean Marshall Customer Support ?? hahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaa !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Overall Rating: 8
I'm 34 . I've been playing guitar since I was 11 . I've gigged ..man I have gigged..
Units offering same technical features :
Mesa Triaxis -- very different price , very different value , actually uncomparable...
Soldano X99 -- I would trade my mom for this .. I know you too..-)
unnnnnnncomparable...hey kiddin'.. I love you mom..
Tech 21 Sans Amp --- comparable !!! good but personally not my stuff ...

The jmp1 is a good value for money nowdays (300 $ on ebay)...don't ask what it cannot give you and you'll be ok.

Submitted by ZioFanale at 08/10/2004 03:25

Price Paid: US $400 used

Features: 9
This preamp has many features, which can satisfy any type of guitar player. you get to custimize actual preamp presets, so for every preset, there is seperate bass, mids, treble, presence, drive, volume, and bass shift option. THATS A LOT OF AMP MODELS IN ONE, CONSIDERING THERE ARE 100 PRESETS!!! unlike regular heads, or combos, which alows you to have only one sound per channel at a time, the jmp-1 alows you to store severel amp sounds. i rated it a 9 only because i dont like the fact the the eq's range from -6 to +6, instead of 1-10, but its cool cause the drive and volume controls go from 0 to 20 .
it also has an effects loop, and is midi capable.

Sound Quality: 8
I use mostly guitars with humbuckers in them, but i think any guitar will sound good on this preamp. i play a wide variety of styles from jazz to rock. i rated it an 8 because the cleans could have been a little better, but the distortion is so versatile!! you can have two presests, both with the same overdrive channel on, and one could sound like a fusion like lead tone, and the other can be like that thrash pantera sound. so its actually really cool how you can get a lot of different distortions out of this preamp.

Reliability: N/A
i never had a problem with it, but i've heard people say that the tubes burn out pretty quickly. also some people said that the tubes barley do anything for this preamp. i dont know if this is true, but either way it still sounds fantastic.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
I realize i did not rate any of the catagories with a 10, but i still think this is a great unit. if it were stolen, yes i would get another one, because the overdrive is so versatile, and sounds great. as far as the clean goes, i've used the clean just from this amp for a while now, and its usuable, but there are still a lot other cleans out there that are a lot better. that's why i am planning on getting a combo with a good clean channel, so that i can run this preamp through the effects loop of the combo, strictly for overdrive only.

Submitted by derek at 08/09/2004 18:24

Price Paid: US $350

Features: 7
Two clean channels, two distortion channels, fx loop, bass level switch, MIDI (yeah right, what a joke). You know the rest.

Sound Quality: 5
OK, here's the deal - before buying this I had read reviews and they are very confusing because you have people giving it a raving 10 and others giving it a shitty 5. I saw one on Ebay locally and thought I'd try it out - after all this was the device that the band Filter had said 'this is where our sound starts'. Supposedly Smashing Pumpkins had used these preamps to good effect.

Also, I had owned a Valvestate 100 amp and liked the clean the channel, but couldn't stand the distortion channels (way to fizzy and lacking sustain). So I bought it, hoping to get both a good clean and distortion channel. Heres the REAL info you need:

Clean channel 1 is almost identical to the Valvestate 100 clean channel - I could not tell the difference, except that it was now in stereo. It works well with humbuckers and a good compressor/reverb combination. The bass shift button was a nice feature in clean channel. I still use the preamp for this channel - it meshes nicely with the rest of my setup.

Clean channel 2 - a more glass like clean channel - not bad but I don't find myself using it very often.

Distortion Channel 1 - sounds like a $30 stomp box

Distortion Channel 2 - sounds like a $2 stomp box

The distortions are terrible. Frizzy, lacking sustain, life, or any semblence of that original Marshall sound. - just brutal. I was even skeptical and thought maybe it was just my guitar or compressor etc, but no, after trying many guitars and several good compressors, the thing stills sounds like a solid state piece of garbage in distortion channels. What a ripoff. Yes, its slightly better than the Valvestate, but I will never buy a new piece of Marshall equipment again. Did they really think that they could get away with this and charge through the nose for it?

And yet I'm still confused - its obviously won some hearts out there -even in the professional world - is there something I'm missing? Or are people just overcome by the 'Marshall' name?

Do yourself a favour and buy the new Mesa-Boogie V-Twin preamp. It may not be stereo, but the clean channel is great and the distortion channels are awesome.

Reliability: 7
Pretty good - solid construction - mine still has the original Marshall tubes, which makes me think that the tubes are just 'warming up' the tone and not 'working' like an amplifier circuit.

LED numbers sometimes blank out on their own.

Customer Support: N/A
Don't know - never tried

Overall Rating: 3
I still use it for the one clean channel and stereo effects loop capability (nice for effect units with stereo out), but the other channels are almost never used.

The final word - I recently tried a JCM800 all tube amp - an it is astonishingly different - saturated tube sustain, REAL marshall sound - is it really so hard to put this in a preamp Mr. Marshall?!

Submitted by Steve Macleod at 08/04/2004 18:32

Price Paid: US $400

Features: 8
2 different cleans and 2 different OD modes = enough versatility for me.

Sound Quality: 10
I've reviewed this unit before and this is just an update. I now use a PRS Standard 24,PRS Singlecut (Duncan JB in bridge) and a Fernandes Decade Elite (PRS #7 in bridge). This unit suits many different styles. I can get just about any tone i want. Anyone that can't get a good sound out of the JMP-1 must not be spending much time with it. I run it into a Mesa Strategy 500 (6 power tubes per side) and i get one of the fattest/most cutting tones i've ever heard. I'm selling my Single Recto to a friend to buy another power amp for backup. The cleans aren't the best but the distortions are perfect for me. Using this unit for 2-3 years has been great. I'll never sell it or my power amp. The JMP-1/Strategy are perfect together. When i stop getting compliments on my tone after shows i'll post another update.

Reliability: 10
Never had any issues.

Customer Support: N/A
Never had to deal with Marshall.

Overall Rating: 10
I love it. Like i said, I'll never sell it.
Here's a song straight from the board. No mastering/mixing.
This is why i won't sell it. It sounds amazing on stage.
http://www.pillforkids.com/Vysion%20-%20Come%20And%20Rise.mp3

If you have any problems with finding settings just e-mail me.

Submitted by BJ Russell at 07/30/2004 07:45

Price Paid: US $350 used

Features: 5
I bought this in 2000 on e-bay, it supposedly has every Marshall made in one box,hmm.......yes it does have four channels but one would be hard pressed to find much of a change as you step through the channels.It has an assignable fx loop which is a plus (I guess)and a direct out (totally unuseable)

Sound Quality: 3
Insofar as this unit sounds, well if you keep it at bed room levels it's not bad, this unit has an inherent 2k honk that you can't scoop out, very abrasive. I use a couple of 94 Strats with Duncans ,an Ibanez Pro-line with Dimarzios and a PRS Custom and could not get a sound that would useable live, unfortunately the noise floor for this unit is ridiculously high, if you are not using a gate (hush, Drawmer) forget it, the clean channel is just passable not much tone to speak of.

Reliability: 7
would I depend on this thing ya maybe, but then again it just takes up space in my rack now as I use an Egnater ie4, this unit is so damned limited that to get it going you are going to have to put a lot of pedals in front of the preamp(distortion, compression) as by itself it's just too weak

Customer Support: N/A
never dealt with them

Overall Rating: 2
Overall if it where lost or stolen I would not buy this unit, if anyone is looking for this kind of preamp go to e-bay and get an older Rocktron Progap much more useable sounds,as you've guessed I don't have much good to say about it, if you're 16 and starting out probably a good starter unit to learn on but other than that it's not for me,I have been playing for 35 years and I have a rack that takes two of my ugliest friends to carry, Egnater IE4,Furman pl-8, DTR-1000, Rocktron Intellifex Ltd, Rocktron Super C, BBE 362, Mesa Boogie 50/50 as a backup pre I use an older Progap and Marshall 80/80 for a backup amp, so believe me when I say get something else other than the JMP-1, just a nasty preamp

Submitted by Billy at 07/22/2004 12:05

Price Paid: US $375/400

Features: 7
This amp is extremely versatile, though don't expect any sense of power or warmth unless you have a decent power amp...one that your ears like. It has the normal EQ adjustments, though it's all done digitally, of course...no knobs to turn. (boo)

Sound Quality: 6
Here is where this pre-amp fall short, in my opinion. I have tried it with a variety of power amps, and it still just sounds......DIGITAL. Despite the fact that there are tubes inside, it really does not compare to just pure, warm tube beauty. I bought this preamp when I was 16 and obsessed with getting a Smashing Pumpkins sound. I read in some interview that Billy Corgan used this preamp a lot. Well, I also bought a JCM 800 2203 (original), and no matter how many times I compare the two, the amp head wins by leaps and bounds. You can get heavy distortion through the JMP-1 (though maybe not as saturated as some might like), but the result that you hear is always lame by comparison. Just my opinion though. I really, really want to love it, but it's just not going to happen. I'm gonna have to say goodbye to this preamp....

Reliability: 10
I have had it 5 years and the internal memory battery is still goin'. Never had ANY problems whatsoever....um, aside from the sound, that is.

Customer Support: N/A
N/A

Overall Rating: 6
I'm 23 now...been playing since age 12. I've been sidetracked for many years...buying gear just because my heros used the same things. Now I'm trusting my ears, and I want a warm, dynamic, true sound. The JMP-1 is great for MIDI versatility and programability, but the sounds is not up to par for me. Just my opinion of course....I used to love the thing to death....I was just naiive and didn't know what an amp could really sound like.

Submitted by n.p.k. at 07/17/2004 11:59

Price Paid: US $370 used

Features: 9
i cant get worlds of sounds out of this thing. very easy to understand and use even with out the manual, the only thing i needed to read the manual for was some midi info, but this preamp can give a million marshall sounds. from death metal to blues and jazz. and being midi controllable just adds to what you can do with it.
i'd give it a 10 but there is no back input(booo!!)and the knobs often skip presets when messing with them.

Sound Quality: 10
ibanez rg style guitars are what i use. i play mainly post harcore with alot of grind,death,black,and speed metal. and this thing has more than enough options for me to get exactly what i want out of it.
any authentic marshall sound you want.

Reliability: N/A
i was able to replace the tubes myself and i havent had any other problems with it

Customer Support: N/A
i havent had to deal with them yet.

Overall Rating: 10
i've been playing guitar for about 5 years now, i'm fairly young, but i've owned several other preamps in the past including a mesa vtwin rack preamp, and a bogner/hafler triple giant. and i'd take this preamp over them for versitality alone, but i do prefer the sound.
i wish more mods were available just for fun i guess. and i really wish it had an input on the back.
not many preamps i'd take over this one(h&k access), especially for the cost.

Submitted by sam at 05/29/2004 10:03

Price Paid: US $400

Features: 6
I think it's an early 90s version. It has no effects, no EQ! It has more channels than it needs, cuz it only needs one for the one sound it makes. I forget the rest, see other's reviews for a complete list of features.

Sound Quality: 4
I can describe the sound pretty well - at max over-drive, its like a slightly weaker, less toneful version of Lynard-Skynard but it won't give you that much color so I wouldn't even use it for that. It is not a post-evh modern amp - and don't even try to do GNR or ZZ sounds with it - it won't push that hard. It's better than a foot pedal but that's not saying much.

Reliability: N/A
who cares

Customer Support: N/A
dunno

Overall Rating: 4
I sent resold this stupid thing soon after I tried every option. Don't be fooled by the hype. Get an mp-2 and be happy with much better sound, features, and tonal options. I was able to match the sounds generally with the mp-2 - not exactly but it always sounded better on the mp-2. Obviously Marshall can do much better than this, their little combo tube amps sound awesome but this preamp must have been held back to make it seem like their expensive stuff was worth the money. I've tried many pre-amps (I'm on a quest) but still have not tried the triaxis (everyone claims it's the best) because I stopped wanting more when I found the mp-2. I've also tried and bought/sold marshall amps, Mesa boogie combos, peavey amps and preamps, the carvin quad-x, mp-1 and misc solid state crap. Been playing for 25 years. Any suggestions please email me.

Submitted by MrX at 05/17/2004 13:38

Price Paid: US $699

Features: 9
This unit is my main guitar pre in my guitar rack. It's got just about everything I could ask for in a preamp. Stereo outs, 4 channels, active eq (bass, mid, trebble, presense), bass shift option. It's got some other features that I don't use very often like an effects loop (mono send, stereo retnurn) and direct recording outs (sound like crap, btw).

Sound Quality: 8
My main guitar is a 2003 Parker Fly Classic with the stock Dimarzio custom pickups. I mostly play hard rock and some metal. It gets are really really kickass rock and roll overdrive. It definatly doesn't get that Mesa/Boogie or Soldano sound (only 4 gain stages). But when I scoop the mids and turn the gain all the way, I can get really thick and heavy tones.

Concerning clean...
After the JMP I got right into a Mesa/Boogie 20/20 power amp. When I used to play with my Gibson V (gothic series, stock pickups) I could never get a good clean tone. It was always kind of overdriven unless I rolled the volume knob down. With the Parker, it cleans up a lot. I'm not too picky when it comes to clean, though. I just like it to not be distorted too much, so I like it with the Parker. It definatly not a Fender clean. Definatly a Marshall sound. I don't really know how to describe it. Maybe a few more mids and bit of a punch?

And remember, it's got that MIDI stuff going for it! A hundred sounds with just a footswitch.

Reliability: 9
It hasn't stopped working yet. Whenever something has gone wrong it's been user error (like plugging the guitar into the headphone jack).

Sometimes some of the buttons get a little stuck, though. They always seem to work themselves out.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
I've been playing guitar for about five years now. I've got through some really crappy amps (Danelectro and Crate). I love my tubes now! IMO, this thing gets a terrific sound. It seems to have some sweet spots with the right guitar and the right riff. If it was lost or stolen, I'd have to get one off ebay. Seems as if the price went up in the past few months (date today is 5/11/04) by about three hundred dollars. That's insane. If you're thinking about getting one, definatly try it out and listen to all the patches. It comes with a bunch of fun preset ones.

Submitted by Jeff at 05/11/2004 20:03

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 9
This unit is very versatile as far as preamps go. remember, this unit is specifically made for achieving pure sounds, and it has plenty of features to do that. includes bass, mid, treb, precence, volume, gain, effect loop, bass shift, and your choice of four amps ( od1, od2, clean 1, and clean 2) for each patch. and it is midi compatible. the only drawback, which isn't even bad is that the unit has no reverbs or effects built in, but i like those things from outside units anyway.

Sound Quality: 10
the tone on this amp is great. what i love is that this unit is so simple and pure, and what you get is just straight amp sounds. i play everything from rock, to fusion, to jazz, out of this machine, and it sounds great for everything. what i also think is great is that since i play lots of different music, i need a lot of tones, and instead of having to keep changing the controls on a head, i can store all my tones into patches, and use midi to make patch changes. also it would sound good with almost any power amp, i'm sure, because i've heard it being run through at least 3 of them. and one more thing, trust me when i say that thse things kick so much more ass than any marshall head i have ever heard. you can get any of those sounds plus much much more.

Reliability: N/A
i bought mine used, and i never had a problem with it.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 10
if you are looking for a box that will just give you tons of pure guitar sounds that can be stored into up to 100 patches, the jmp-1 is just right for you. the first time i heard it, i said that's awesome, and about a year and a half later, i got one. within a year and a half, i usually change my mind about what equipment i like, but i have always desired the great tones of this box,and then i finally got it, and i am happy to say that i am very pleased.

Submitted by Derek at 04/10/2004 19:16

Price Paid: stolen used

Features: 8
The data knob can miss a patch now and then (skips two sometimes), but since this is all midi controled, it's really no big deal. The tone controls are similar to my JCM2000 DSL/401, I'm using primarily OD1, and Clean1... OD2 is searing-sustain, and Clean2 is a bit two bright (ice pick in the ear). I do wish it had midi CC's for gain and volume.. it responds to program changes only.

Sound Quality: 8
I'm after Rush tones, along with some of the 80's metal, and a bit of the grunge stuff. This nails Rush - not just in high gain scenarios but also clean stuff (on clean1). I have a JCM2000, and a Fender HRD - what I was really looking for was a midi controlled JCM2000, and this is pretty close. It allows you to scoop the mids such that you could actually play accoustic and it'd give a hi-fi reproduction if required.. The fender, and to some extent, the Marshall JCM simply cannot do this. The Fender tone dials might as well read "Bass", "Midrange", "Other Midrange", and "More Midrange" -- which is all well and good for the classic overdrive channel, but simply sucks for playing clean (makes your fillings hurt). the JMP-1 let's you scoop the EQ, or push the mids, so you get the best of both worlds. Presense is a nice touch - increase presense as you increase volume, it adds some midrange back. There's a lot of compression, I suspect because of the opamps they've used - if you like a lot of tube punch, be sure to use a tube power amp, since this thing will not provide that punch.

Reliability: 6
I bought it used - built in 1994 - assuming same tubes - they still sound fine (i swapped 'em with some new ecc83's - no diff). There was a problem with the OD channels such that you'd here a constant crackle and fizz just above the noise floor, even with nothing plugged in. After a few hours of probing around, and freezing components, I came across an opamp that must of had some gunk build-up between the pins.. freezing/cleaning the opamp got rid of the noise. (rating a 6 since i had to fix this myself).

Customer Support: 8
bought it used - no need to call Korg.. I've had mixed experiences with them in the past (really good, and really bad - it depends on who you talk to).

Overall Rating: 9
It's certainly worth the 375-400 they're selling for on ebay. I run it stereo thru a Fender HRD and Fender Stage (with a tcelectronic g-major in between).. tinker with the tone dials a bit, you can find your tone in there, it takes a bit of tweaking to uncover it. Heh it's not really stolen, i just thought I'd be funny to see "stolen" as a "purchase price" on harmony central.. I picked it up (legitamently) for 310US$ - really.

Submitted by Guitfit at 03/22/2004 09:54

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 9
i got it in 1992,its never been in the shop and works perfect. has everything i want in a preamp. its like have 100 marshalls at the touch of a button.

Sound Quality: 10
ive tried alot of different amps/preamps. i always come back to the JMP-1. it sounds amazing. i cant understand these guys that say different. if you need more gain and tone than this thing offers somethings wrong with your ears.it smokes my ADA. the ADA sounds like a transitorized piece of shit,when A/B against the Marshall.ive even put it against full stacks, my buddys JTM,combos etc the list goes on. it sounds like a modded plexi or an old mid 70's JMP. an JCM 800 etc... it doesnt have the clean tones of a fender combo . but they are still very good and useable.that would be its only short coming.

Reliability: 10
12 years and it still works perfect....

Customer Support: 9
never used them ....yet.

Overall Rating: 10
this is the best preamp on the market especially for the money. i would like to try the x-99 soldano. but i need a house to live in. the ADA's,peaveys rocktron stuf,doesnt come close to the JMP-1.....

Submitted by joe at 03/22/2004 06:02

Price Paid: US $700

Features: 10
Lots of features, if your checking out this preamp you know what they are. A very versital preamp.

Sound Quality: 3
This is where i was not happy with this preamp. It all started out great but this it one of those amps that you hear about that gets worse and worse as you use it over time. I tried everything to get it sounding good agian, replacing tubes, cleaning contact points, resoldering joints, ect. But no luck. also this amp had its days; some days it would sound ok, then other it would sound like shit. When your doing as much gigging as i am, you can't have an amp thats tone always changes. Also, as a whole this amp is built for a one guitarist rock band. On the best sounds that it can get, it fills up a very wide range of frequency range. If i wanted a good tone, it ment almost pushing my rythm guitarist out of the mix because he just couldn't be heard. And its not the i was louder than him by any means, its the fact that the "bass shift" really does what it says and wayyyy too much. It gets your tone very bassy and very punchy, which is cool if you by yourself but not if your playing with other people that like hearing them selves. Also this amp cuts like none other. U can completly cut the mids and it will still cut through the mix like a knife. It would be perfect for leads but dont even think of playing rythms on it. Also, as a general rule with rack gear, if you want to sound good, do not spare any money with cables or any components. A shitty cable or component in the path with the best preamp in the world will make your tone go to shit. And with your jmp 1 already sounding like shit, u better get some better gear to put in the path....if you havn't got this thing yet, i wouldn't, theres better things out there.

Reliability: 5
Read the sound quality description. The tone changes where unbearable. But on the plus side, this thing never actually completly failed me so thats something to be said i guess.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 3
for the price, you can get something off of ebay that could rape the hell out of this things sound. I think marshall needs to update their rack gear a litte because there are lots of improvements that can be made on this and many of their other rack units. And for all you kids that think this stuff is good cuz the pros use it, check out all the other stuff they use along with it. And dont get the idea that this is anyones primary amp. This amp has maybe 3 acceptable tones that could make any kindof professional recording. Other than that, you better hope you have moeny left over to get something else that will fill the tonal void this thing will give you.

Submitted by Anonymous at 02/15/2004 00:40

Price Paid: 120 (GBP) used

Features: 9
Select a function and dial in the value with the rotary pot. 4 Modes - 2 Clean and 2 Overdrive, FX send, Bass Shift (Bass boost) and the usual Marshall controls Gain, Volume (Master), Bass, Middle, Treble and Presence, plus manual output level control. Good Cabinet Simulator stereo outputs and Headphone out along with mono send, stereo return FX loop and level switchable stereo output. All front panel controls (except output level) programable and can be stored in any of the 100 programs available.
Gives me a great variety of possibilities for my sounds.

Sound Quality: 9
I use this with a 79 Strat, a Japanese Tele and a P90 loaded LP Jr. style guitar. It goes into a Marshall EL84 20/20 Power Amp with a Lexicon MPX-1 in the FX loop and ending up in a CLS stereo 2x10" guitar wedge cab. Excellent range of Marshall sounds with excellent crunch on the OD-1 setting, although OD-2 is a bit too "metal" for me for most things. Clean sounds are great Clean 1 is nice and round and warm while clean 2 is nice and bright with a good brittle edge.
With the gain up high the clean channels just start to distort nicely while OD-1 gives me great 60's overdrive sounds. Sometimes a little too distorted even with the gain low on high output pickups but backing off the guitar volume sorts this out.
I don't understand the lack of knowledge shown by some of the reviewers - they do not have the slightest idea of what they are talking about - this is a valve pre-amp with solid state control circuits (ie. not in the signal path) with op amp buffers. I can see no distortion circuitry in the op amp buffers.
An original Marshall amp uses TWO pre amp tubes plus a phase splitter. Their loss!
A great sounding Pre Amp.

Reliability: 10
Has been very reliable - no problems in 9 years.

Customer Support: 10
Broke the black input jack nut, could only find silver replacements, phoned Marshall - very helpful, 2 replacement black nuts and washers arrived next day free of charge.

Overall Rating: 9
Superb for Marshall sounds - all of them in one programmable rack unit.

Submitted by Webcore at 02/12/2004 16:19

Price Paid: 32000 (Thai Baht ( 1US=40 THB))

Ease of Use: 8
It's very easy to use and programable .Just one knob can put every data in.4 channel ,it's versatile.The

parameters are enough , gain , vol , bass , mid , treble , presence and fx loop adjustment.

but you have to do mapping the number of preset because preset no.1 of other instrument ( I have intellifex online

, G-major ) is sent to preset no.1 of JMP-1.So you have to mapping every preset.It waste time at the first using but

afterthat it's very easy
You can't use midi control any parameter such as volume , etc like digital pre amp

Sound Quality: 7
My gear start at gibson lespaul custom or Fender strat plus deluxe '91 , JMP-1 , rocktron intellifex online for

chorus and pitch , TC.electronic G-major , mesa 20/20 , 2 mesa 1x12 rectifier cabs , monster cable

If you like hard core sound or deep heavy metal sound,you'd not use JMP-1. JMP-1 give you vintage

cruchy sound ( it's Marshall sound , of course ) .It's OK if I use LP custom , long sustain and fat in LP style.But If I

use other guitars such as Strat Plus'91.Sound is short , no long sustain like LP custom ( maybe depend on guitar)

No drop out when you change preset.

I prefer it than sansamp psa-1

Anyway I like it.

Reliability: 7
I'd send my jmp-1 to service center last month.They change 1 IC inside. The cause of that I believe because I change lines behind pre-amp ( such as effect loop for testing the new sound ) while it turn on.Afterthat Left master channel it's quiet.

I never have other problem.

Customer Support: 9
It has 1 year guarantee in my country.But they have most of parts for changing in future such as tube.

Overall Rating: 7
I play pop rock , fusion , pop .JMP-1 it's my style sound.

If you want sound of Marshall , crunhchy , vintage , JMP-1 don't make you disappoint. But If you like heavy , hard core sound. You'd use Mesa pre amp.

Submitted by Tanes Puapornpong MD. at 01/21/2004 00:26

Price Paid: borrowed used

Ease of Use: 10
This has got to be the easiest thing to play through you select the patch with the dial and BAM!! you got sound. its wonderful the only thing that i had problems with was learning that you have to unlock it to store sometimes but the manual that i downloaded off marshall's site fixed that

Sound Quality: 10
I just bought a Ibanez s series guitar and it sounds great with this preamp right now i'm using my crate head as a slave to drive my speakers and it still rocks its amazing that you can program up to 100 different settings and i like that they give you 4 channels to start off with. Plus with my head unit if i move it the settings get changed on my puny 3 channels but with this the setting don't change unless i turn it on unlock it and change it myself it rocks!

Reliability: 10
I've dropped it and suprising enough the tubes and everything still work fine, it had a scratch on it when i borrowed it from the person so it really holds up for me

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 10
this has got to be the best preamp on the market

Submitted by Thomas at 01/08/2004 13:49

Price Paid: US $300 used

Ease of Use: 10
This unit is about as easy as it gets. I literally just plugged in, took about 3 minutes to set the eq, gain, and volume and i was good to go. I had no manual, but luckily im not retarded so i didn't have any problems figuring this thing out.

Sound Quality: 10
I'm running a tc electronic m*one processor through the effects loop of the jmp1. Then from the jmp1 through a BBE Sonic Maximizer, then into a Peavey PV900 power amp, which is all controlled via midi by a behringer fcb1010. Lemme tell ya... this thing is mean at all volumes. The other guitar player in my band uses a mesa boogie dual caliber combo into a cabinet and his shit is amazing sounding. Now, I'm not one of those people who says "My shit blows boogie out of the water..." I think Boogies are some of the best amps out there. But the Marshall JMP-1 definitely stands up to my other guitar player's boogie. Both amps have pros and cons, but if i had to pick... i'd take the jmp-1 over the boogie just because of it's versatility!

Reliability: 9
It has yet to let me down. I would gig without a backup because i don't have a choice either way... i'm poor!! :-) haha but all kidding aside, this preamp seems tough, and luckily i have a pretty strong skb case just in case. One thing is that I bought it used off of ebay, and the data knob seems a little funny. Thats the only thing. Other than that, it's straight!

Customer Support: N/A
never dealt with them.

Overall Rating: 10
I'm in a numetal band (ala 40 below, twisted method). This amp is perfect. i owned a peavey 5150 before this one and i took a gamble on selling it to buy this jmp1. I'm glad i did because i can come close to the muddy 5150 tone by messing with my maximizer, but i love the smooth, clean distortion tones. I like to hear the notes i play with the distortion. THe only other preamp i considered playing with was the mesa boogie Triaxis. I played that one next to the jmp1 at the music store and there wasn't too much difference between either one. The jmp1 was meaner sounding, and the Triaxis was just too polished of a tone. I like the "messy"er distortion. It seems less fabricated.

This preamp does everything i want it to do, and more. I'm really pleased by it. I wasn't sure at first but definitely a good investment and I'm sure i'll be using it for many many years to come.

Submitted by bruce at 01/07/2004 10:41

Price Paid: US NA

Features: 9
I assume you all know the deal here. If not check out Marshall's web site.

Sound Quality: 9
Great sounding piece of gear. I cannot understand those who craps on the sound that this unit is capable of putting out. I've played the guitar for 17 years and know what good tone sounds like, and this thing can definitely make some serious tone. Covers everything from crisp clean clear bluesy tones to the full hard core shredding metal sound that you need.

I have a feeling that lots of the reviewers that crap on this unit knows little or nothing about setting up their gear for good sound. I pity the bunch of you... If you can't make good sound with the JMP-1, you might as well give up playing the guitar and sell all your equipment to folks that know how to use it right.

And by the way. The JMP-1 is a TUBE AMP as opposed to what some of you claim. Just check with Marshall folks and if you know a little bit about circutry and electronics, you will see it from the wiring diagram.

Reliability: 10
Had mine for 3 years now and had no problems with it. It is built like at tank.

Customer Support: 8
Talked to Marshall rep. about the whole tube or not tube issue. Easy to get in touch with. Have not needed customer support because of problems with the gear though...

Overall Rating: 9
Built like a tank and sound excellent.

Submitted by Anonymous at 11/25/2003 14:00

Price Paid: US $350

Features: N/A
I've wanted a JMP-1 for years but it was too expensive (I was too cheap) to buy one new. I scored one on ebay a couple of months ago and have been loving it ever since.

Sound Quality: 10
I have a variety of Fender guitars with lots of Seymour Duncan replacement pickups (Little 59s and APS) as well as several vintage pickups. This preamp magically brings out hidden tones in every pickup I've plugged into it. From Tele to Strat to Les Paul, this preamp makes everything sound good provided you like that special sound character Marshall puts into every product.

I restored the 25 factory presets and that really brought this beast to life. You can printout the presets from the PDF at the Marshall web site.

At first the controls did not look like they would have enough resolution but after experimenting a little I discovered they are more than adequate.

I've been able to get everything from crystal clear Fender amp tone all the way to full shred (requires a humbucking for max metal tone).

Why did I wait so long to get one of these? I don't know but I'm glad I have it now!

Reliability: N/A
No problems so far. Seems well built.

Customer Support: N/A
Have not needed any yet.

Overall Rating: 10
I'm 50 and I've been playing since I was 10. I've owned over 20 Marshall heads, several Hiwatts and a Boogie or two. I play rock and blues. This preamp is very good sounding, easy to use and lots of fun. Now that they're cheap on ebay, I'm gonna get a second one for my road rack.

Submitted by Mark Slo at 11/21/2003 11:03

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 10

Sound Quality: 10

Reliability: 10

Customer Support: 10

Overall Rating: 10
after reading some other posts regarding this unit. and the fact that it supposably uses diodes to get its distorted tones. i contacted marshall and asked them about wether the jmp-1 is a tube preamp or a solid state preamp that uses tubes to just warm up the sound a bit. here is the respones i got from them.

The JMP-1 preamp is built around 2 ECC83 tubes (4 tube gain stages) and the sound is largely based on the tubes themselves. There are a lot of programmable parameters built into the JMP-1 which require control circuits comprised of IC's as well as some IC's used as buffers or as a part of those controlled stages. There is one solid-state clipping circuit comprised of BR3 which is a diode bridge, but that only kicks in if the signal level is over 1.2 Volts and it's found just before the first tube which is quite early in the signal path. You can have it removed by a qualified tech but you'll see that it contributes to a somewhat overall "roundness" of the tone for lack of a better term. It levels off some harmonic spikes and generally doesn't affect the fundamentals unless the input is extremely hot or has been insanely boosted by another pedal or preamp. As far as the so-called 'experts' are concerned, yes, if you bypass the tubes and max out all the gain you will still get some clipping. However, the overall QUALITY of the tone in the JMP-1 does come from the tubes alone. I hope this answers your question.

Unfortunately for the JFX-1, sadly the numbers requested for production were no longer there and it was discontinued. I can't say now if there will be a re-issue but if there is enough demand then yes, it's always possible.

Thanks for contacting Marshall on the web and if you have any other technical questions, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

well there ya go the damn thing is a tube preamp.dont listen to these BOZO's who say different. it sounds KILLER. and it has to use some diodes in order to replicate all the various marshall tones. I even went out and started lookin at the Triaxis because of these bozos rantings . the Triaxis didnt sound anywhere near as good as the JMP-1. and it cost waaay more $$$$. the marshall is alot more versatile. lending itself to clean and moderate stones type distortions and all the way to mettalica type metal. the triaxis couldnt cut it for the real metal type of tones. it did have a nice blusey tone to it. but seemed to fall flat when asked to really juice it up as far as saturated tones were concerned. the Triaxis clean channels were also very nice. this is the one area of the JMP-1, i think could use recalibrating. marshall should actually use diodes and convert to a solid state for clean tones. this is what the ADA MP-1 does. It sounds killer also. i wish i could have the clean from the ADA and the distorted from the JMP-1 in one unit.oh well, maybe one day. so i give the JMP-1 a rating of 10 for an all around great preamp that doesnt cost huge $$$$!!!!!

Submitted by ARTY FUFKIN at 10/03/2003 22:34

Price Paid: US

Ease of Use: 7
Pretty straigtforward, but take your time to get it just right.

Sound Quality: 9
I had one of these back in '93', combined w/ Marshall's Valvestate 80 watt power amp and 4x12 stereo cab this rig was fantastic. I used it midi'd together with an Art stereo fx unit and the sounds were phenominal for the modern country style I was playing at the time. The speaker cab emulator is worth it's weight in gold. It keeps the soundman from screwing up your tone. I've heard other guitarists using the same rig and the front of house sound is very impressive. The only thing I didn't love about it was it can't do a great clean Fender sound. If that doesn't matter to you, you should try one out.

Reliability: 9
Was very road worthy, used 4-6 nights per week.

Customer Support: N/A
N/A

Overall Rating: 8
I use a Hot Rod Deville now. It's easier to move and it does what I want it to do extremely well. I'll always have a soft spot for the JMP-1 though. I like the Plexi overdrives, but imo all the tones are useful. The only thing they could do better is improve the clean tones so you can dial in a little of that Kieth Richards grit. You can dial back the overdrive for something close though, but I guess if you want that tone you probably ought to buy a Fender. Also a little pricey imho.

Submitted by Mic at 09/30/2003 20:05

Price Paid: US $600 used

Ease of Use: 8
Is`s very easy to use. Before i got it i wasn`t sure about this midi tehnology but now i think it`s great, you can store 100 sounds that you prefer with no problems at all.

Sound Quality: 9
sound of this preamp is very good but you must have a good power amp to create that perfect sound. I use my JMP-1 with mesa 90/90 and i must say that this is my perfect rack combo.

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 8
i play in a hardcore/punk-rock band and i must say that JMP-1 is great for that kind of music and has never let me down in a studio or on a stage so i think it`s a great buy. If you`re thinking about getting one try it first you may not like it, it depends on what sound you like.

Submitted by Shawn at 09/20/2003 07:12

Price Paid: OVER $1000 (CANADIAN )

Features: 8
I GOT THIS UNIT WAY BACK IN THE EARLY 90'S WHEN IT FIRST CAME OUT.I WAS AND STILL DO ALSO USE AN ADA MP1. WHICH I BELIEVE THIS PREAMP WAS BASED ON . AFTER ALL ADA WAS THE VERY FIRST MIDI TUBE PREAMP. THE MARSHALL IS VERY EASY TO USE . YOU DONT EVEN REALLY NEED A MANUAL.

Sound Quality: 8
THE PREAMP SOUNDS KILLER IN BOTH DISTORTION MODES. THE CLEAN SOUND HOWEVER IS NOT THE GREATEST .FOR ME ANYWAY. MY ADA KILLS IT EASY IN THIS DEPARTMENT.

Reliability: 10
ITS BEEN REALLY RELIABLE FOR OVER TEN YEARS OF STAGE AND STUDIO USE.

Customer Support: 10
MARSHALL HAS TREATED ME VERY WELL. IT WAS IN THE SHOP ONCE TO HAVE THE CABLE PLUG FIXED .THE STORE SENT IT TO MARSHALL AND WHEN IT CAME BACK . THEY HAD REPLACED THE TRANSFORMER, THE MEMORY BATTERY, AND FIXED THE PLUG.THEY ALSO CHANGED SOME SMALL DIODES. I SWEAR AFTER THAT THE THING WAS BETTER THAN EVER AND SEEMED TO HAVE MORE USABLE GAIN AS WELL.IT CAME BACK WITH ALL THE REPLACED PARTS IN A LITTLE BOX WITH IT.AND THEN THE STORE TOLD ME MARSAHLL WASNT CHARGING ME.... SO I SAID MARSHALL RULES AND I WILL ALWAYS USE THERE AMPS .I WASNT EVEN AWARE THAT ANYTHING NEEDED FIXING OTHER THAN THE CABLE JACK. BUT MARSHALL SAID THIS UNIT HAD A VERY LOW TRANSFORMER HUM AS DID MANY OF THERE EARLY UNITS SO IT WAS UPGRADED TO NEWER SPECS . THIS WAS WHEN THE UNIT WAS OVER SIX YEARS OLD ASWELL ,WAY AFTER ANY WARRANTY WAS LEFT ON IT.YA GOTTA THINK THAT WAS PRETTY COOL OF THEM.

Overall Rating: 9
IVE BEEN PLAYING OVER 25 YEARS. I USE THIS THING ALL THE TIME. AT LEAST THREE GIGS A MONTH FOR THE PAST 12 YEARS.I USE IT IN A RACK WITH AN ALESIS QUADREVERB FOR FX AND A MOSVALVE POWER AMP. INTO A MARSHALL JCM 800 STEREO 4X12 CAB. IT SOUNDS AMAZING. MARSHALL NEEDS TO REPLACE THE PLASTIC CABLE JACKS WITH SOME METAL ONES HOWEVER. OTHER THAN THAT ITS VERY SOLID.I HAVE JUST BOUGHT ANOTHER ONE USED FOR A BACK UP. IVE BEEN USING AND ADA MP1 FOR BACK UP UNTIL NOW. BUT YA CAN GET A JMP FOR A LOT CHEAPER THAN I PAID FOR IT NOW.IF IT WAS LOST OR STOLEN ...I WOULD GET ANOTHER ONE FOR SURE.HOW DO PEOPLE USE AMPS WITH ONLY ONE OR TWO SETTINGS ? MIDI PREAMPS ARE SO VERSATILE. YOU CAN HAVE EVERY AMP SOUND AND EFFECTS PRE PROGRAMMED AT THE TOUCH OF A BUTTON.

Submitted by ARTY FUFKIN at 09/17/2003 21:41

Price Paid: N/A

Features: N/A

Sound Quality: N/A
Oh my god... It seems that the cheaper the equipment is, the dumber the people that get attracted to it... No offence. If I look at reviews on a Soldano, Diesel, Engl, and the better Mesa's (even some better Marshalls) I see honest, thought-out reviews that reflect knowledge and experience. Here, aside from a few exceptions, I see kids blurting out opinions that make me wonder why they all mention "i've been playing for 15 years" in their reviews... I see somebody calling Mesa Boogie "high gain fuzz amps"... Ever heard Dream Theater? I see people saying "only Mesa and Marshall make any worthy pre-amps"... Ever heard of Rivera, Bogner, Engl, Soldano, VHT, Diesel, and god knows what I forgot? I see people saying that the combination of lesser tubes and a heap more circuitry is the future of valve sound. The fact that he can't resist writing in caps all the time and the fact that this unreliable "futuristic circuitry" seems to be the only big downside of the jmp (other than taste in sound) don't really help him strengthen his point of view either....

I wonder... Why do some people come online and post reviews? Just to rant "my gear is the best"? Fine, if you think so. But it has occurred to me that especially on cheaper gear, kids have to come online and yell out to the world that their cheap new toy is indeed better than anything Rivera, Bogner and Soldano have ever produced.

But somebody that purchases THIS unit, and then claims that Mesa's are fuzz amps, I'm sorry, but I pity you.

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: N/A

Submitted by Anonymous at 09/06/2003 03:56

Price Paid: 350 (euro) used

Ease of Use: 10
Intuitive layout, but a quick read at the manual is suggested.

Sound Quality: 8
I mainly use a '74 strat with Floyd Rose original modified by me and a Seymour Duncan JB at the bridge going into the JMP-1 with send/ return to/from a Lexicon MPX200 and going to a Marshall EL84 20-20 power amp to a 2x12 Celestion G12H (30 watts) no brand cabinet.
I spent some time mastering the tone nuances one could obtain playing around with the parameters and I have to say that you can easily shape almost any kind of good sound (from a valve/digital rack unit point of wiev).
Of course a good help comes from the MPX200 which is a wonderfully sounding 24 bit reverb unit even though I usually never set the effect send level over 6 to have a perfect balance with the real sound in front and the effect as a sort of aura spreading from it unless I want to recreate those 80's cold and sharp guitar tones. Another parameter I'm careful to use to the max is the gain which, specially in the od2 channel, from 16 up tends to add background fuzziness to the tone. Furthermore, in search for that special vibrant yet armonious and sweet crunch tone a lot of people is after, I'm sure, I think to have reached the limit of the digital eq section feeling a lack of definition and swetness in the high mid range. I compared this tone to the one I'm able to obtain on my Marshall Valvestate S80 2x12 combo which uses an analog eq section and a very useful mid band shifting control (contour) and I really miss this one on the JMP-1. The presence parameter also is not very useful with distorted sounds since it causes harshness, it's much more usable on clean sounds but I tend to add some valve generated presence from the EL84 20-20 power amp since it reacts better with the speakers.
I like a lot the solo sounds this thing is capable to deliver with both clean and distorted channels, very clear penetrating focused and singing tone, still bearing in mind the function the other components of my rig have on tone.

Reliability: 10
This unit seems well built and robust enough so I don't mind giggin' around without backup ...maybe just some spare tubes.

Customer Support: N/A
Never had the pleasure.

Overall Rating: 8
Im 33 and have been playing since I was 16. I used to play a bit of everything, both originals and covers, heavy metal, rock, blues, progressive, R&B, funky and some jazz and fusion.
My first guitar was a 70's Hofner with Bigsby style tremolo which I found in the garbage(?!)
Then I had a Charvel Jackson model 3, swapped in a London shop with the 74'strat I've got now and I owned also a Les Paul DC studio and an Epiphone Sheraton 2 semi acoustic.
As amp I use the 3 rack unities and cabinet I've talked about plus a Fender Twin and marshall valvestate S80 combo (mod. 8240).
I use a Jim Dunlop Crybaby wah pedal, a Mesa Boogie V-twin valve od pedal and a Roland GR 33 guitar synth.

Im very happy about the midi features of the JMP-1 and satisfied with the sound in general considering also its convenience in studio type uses. As I said before, I only wish it had an analog sounding eq with parametric mid control to better tailor the sound.

Submitted by Davide G. P. Tamagni at 07/20/2003 08:27

Price Paid: 2200 SKR (swedish ) used

Ease of Use: 9
just turn the wheel and push the buttons. simple!

Sound Quality: 8
Well... it sounds like marshall. all from JCM800 and 900 to plexi and from the first marshall amp. There is 2 kinds of distortion. OD 1 and OD 2. i often use OD 2 when i play death and proggressive metal.
Thick and tight sounding distortion. now the negative side, the eq isn´t that good. like the mid section. first it doesn´t happen anything. then all comes at the same time.
I use an Ibanez USA custom with Seymour Duncan and Dimarzio PAF pro.
JMP-1, Valvestate 2x80w amp and an Alesis MIcroverb 4.

Reliability: 7
it´s build lika i tank this one.

Customer Support: 5
don´t know.

Overall Rating: N/A
sound great. buy one!! you get allot for the money. thats it.

Submitted by Ronnie Björnström at 05/11/2003 01:11

Price Paid: 500 (canadien)

Features: 10
mine is a 1991 model,you want versitile think all amps marshall in one rack,it as 4 chanels for you to tweak,stereo effects loop speaker emulated output,normal output,phone jacks100 user patches,

Sound Quality: 10
ibanez rg 350 with dimarzio fred and paf pro,i play blues rock clasical and all in between and this baby does em all,it s niosy only if you get close to it with your guitar at full volume,the cleans are very warm and the tube saturation can go from bluesy overdrive to full shred saturation if you want crunch this thing as plenty to spare,,think of a train going throug your house now thats crunch im abel to get any marshal sound with a little tweak and yes the tubes in there do make a difference i change them fromm time to time to experiment and it makes a big difference in tone sustaine and feel..

Reliability: 10
never broke yet and it s 13 years old..

Customer Support: 10
never had to call but think of it as the best customer service..

Overall Rating: 10
ive been playing for 22 years i would definetly by this again,i love the sound of this machine it s a powerfull tone builder,i tried lots of gear in my days so far this is the best tube preamp for me,

Submitted by jean guy grondin at 04/26/2003 03:47

Price Paid: US $700

Features: 10
Easy to use, great features for MIDI, excelent Speaker simulator for direct recording and this thing "Bass Shift" that can explode everything on a Metal Gig or can give more soul to a Blues/Rock performance! OUTSTANDING!

Sound Quality: 10
I use my JMP-1 with a Boogie 2:50 Power Amp (6L6s tubes) and the incredible state of the art Marshall sound from the 12AX7 Pre Tubes can go from vintage pure clean, to modern Hi Gain distortion, passing thru shades of overdrive that only a Marshall can deliver. Combining
this unit with the colours of a Boogie Power Amp was a perfect set up for a high quality sound. AWESOME! But, friends, you must have A GOOD GUITAR, with HIGH QUALITY PICK UPS, a GOOD CABINET with EXCELENT SPEAKERS, and some also GOOD CABLES and GREAT EFFECTS. All the
reviews I've saw, all the points that JMP-1 lost, FOR THE LOVE
OF GOD!!, all this "sounds problems" are not from JMP-1 skills!!
GIVE ME A BREAK!!! Please Friends, SPEND SOME TIME ON RESEARCH,
learning how to set up your guitar sound!! JMP-1 is perfect!! Our
ignorance is the problem!! And blame the Marshall Technology for
shipping a Pre-Amp that have 2 amazing valves working together with a solid state innovative circuitry is, AGAIN, IGNORANCE!! Less valves, less problems!! The JMP-1 have the right quantity of valves for a better performance and a minimum maintenance. This is the future on Amps technology...only the blind can not see that!! Take a look at the new MODE FOUR Marshall Head, the wonderfull tones that this beast can offer, and you will understand that a valve-only AMP is not a synonym of better sound anymore!! The mix between valves and circuits is the new strategy to optimize the performance. FOR SURE!!

Reliability: 10
Strong, Heavy Duty project, this unit was made for lifetime. And you have only 2 valves to care about. Less is more...to o save our money, keep our focus on play, play, play, play...

Customer Support: 10
I have my unit since 2000...no maintenance...no sign of problems...a great product is made like this: no customer support needed...but If I need, I do have as authiorized service around...Marshall is more like a PC then a MAC...on every corner ytou can find parts and a professional to help you fast and with very low costs.

Overall Rating: 10
U$700 for the entire Marshall Tone History!! IT'S A BARGAIN!! HOW CAN A MARSHALL SHIP JMP-1 AT THIS PRICE? Using the ENOUGH quantity of valves!! PERFECT!! GENIUS PROJECT!! HAIL TO JIM MARSHALL!!! And the other companies?...back to school!!!...to learn how to built a true, state of the art guitar amp speaking of Features, Sounds, reliability, Custom Support and, THE MOST IMPORTANT, with a FAIR PRICE!!

Submitted by DLH at 04/24/2003 12:44

Price Paid: US $400 used

Ease of Use: 10
very easy

Sound Quality: 5
JMP-1 preamp is Solid State!

I removed the overdrive tube and made i bypass between pin 1 and 8,
and all of the distortion was there! I dont even bother to remove the diodes!

still is a nice sounding preamp, special after the mods i made:

1-bypassed C84 with a 22K resistor - adds some low end before distortion - rounder and cryspyer distortion
2-removed C78 - reduces the high frequencies cut off - more brightness
3-removed C107 and swaped C106 with a 10nf - wides thepresence control frequencies - less nasal soundind, more opened sound!

it is very easy to mod this pre!!!

the schematic is available out there!

Reliability: 8

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 7

Submitted by pgmlml at 04/11/2003 07:49

Price Paid: US $375 used

Ease of Use: 7
Extreemly basic design. If you buy one off ebay and dont have a manual dont worry...you'll figure it out - I hope. The one thing that I really liked about this was the midi channel send. I use it to send a patch change to my eventide. Works well.

Sound Quality: 6
Set up: Gibson LP -> Alesis 3630 -> JMP-1 -> Eventide Harmonizer (FX Loop) ->Alesis 3630 -> EQ -> Marshall 9200 -> Marshall Cab.

I am not sure if it is my particular model, but the level of dead noise is extreemly to high. When the Overdrive is on and nothing is being played it just hums and the other thing Im not to impressed with is the volume difference between the clean and overdriven. If you can get a model (Im sure any new one) that doesnt produce a dead noise then this is great, but I wouldnt use it alone. Not enough variety of distortion. Granted it is supposed to model the marshall sound, but it still isnt "that" close to it. I would use it in an FX loop of another preamp or serial for more gain, but overall it is a wonderful preamp for someone that just needs alittle push, but I have to admit - if you are going to spend money on this, dont. Get (sad to say) a Tech21 PSA1 preamp or a Mesa Boogie Triaxis.

Reliability: 4
Sent it in to the repair guy to many times. Always something wrong with it. Sold the dumb thing on ebay.

Customer Support: 9
Never delt with them, I see no reason why they wouldnt be helpful.

Overall Rating: 6
As I said, its nice if you use as a preamp to another preamp, but not alone. If you stack two of these on top of each other, then I might like it better, but not one. I was actually quite let down by the quality of this item. All the hipe of over it..."The basic sound of MCIS sound"...um...no. It might be in their set up, but it isnt the sound you hear. Dont bother if you are a Pumpkins fan looking for the pumpkins sound. If you can find one on ebay for 300 or so, go for it - its worth that much. But for heavens sake, dont spend 700 on musiciansfriend for it.

Submitted by Deafmellon at 04/06/2003 22:33

Price Paid: US $750

Features: 5

Lots of pretty buttons. I didn't use most of the features other than the effects loop. Four channels (in my opinion there are only really two, since the two clean and distorted channels are so similar). The midi switching is good, I can see that as a draw, but if that is the only real draw, get a triaxis. The 5 12ax7s deliver a much richer sound (in my opinion). There seems to be some dispute over the influence of the two 12ax7's in the Jmp-1. compairing it to my mesa mark III, the clairty and definition of the mesa stomps the marshall into peices. The Jmp-1 has some real solid state qualities...

Sound Quality: 5
I Have been playing hardcore/ metal for years, as well as blues and jazz, and even though the channel switching came in handy, i thought that it lacked any real defining tone. The distorted channels just needed more. It is a decent base sound, thats all. After i added and Aphex aural exciter and a rocktron intellifex my sound came together (The Jmp-1 was running into a 20/20 mesa power amp). the Jmp-1 is the weak link. I am a metal freak, but i want defintion, clairty, and tone in my sound; not just over distorted mush. Adding more digital components almost hurt more than helped, and i never found a sound that lept out at me. I play a PRS custom 22 that sounds great, fat warm tone on the lows, sustain and articulation with the highs; the jmp-1 stifilled its beauty. There is not enough versitility in the four channels. Clean 1 and 2 sound very similar. You can dial up clean 2 on the clean 1 channel if you want, same thing for the distortion. What is the point? what a waste of space! I know marshall is know for its signature "sound" but if all they have is one sound, give it up. If you are going to offer a four channel pre amp, the channels should be distinct.

Reliability: 2
I used this for many years without a backup (just poor, not stupid)and it never failed at a gig. One day though it decided to blow a fuse and keep on blowing them. I took it to a tech(he knows little about the JMP-1) he replaced the tubes and the fuse. It worked for about three chords and then it blew the fuse again. It may be the battery inside, i have yet to check that. I have had other problems with marshall solid state stuff, as well. I had a 80/80 solid state power amp (garbage) that would blow about every three months. It was under warranty so i got a new one every time this happened. Marshall ended up giving me four amps. The guys at the store i got it from thought it was the way i had things wired... but it turns out that marshall likes to put bad power converters in that amp. Marshall was not going to replace may amp under waranty (they stand by there products HA HA) so with a little pressure i got the store to give me a used Mesa 20/20 power amp. My love afair with tubes begins...
I did have a drunk friend knock my rack off my cab and the only thing that broke on the jmp-1 was the input jack. My guitar was plugged in and the Jmp-1 fell right onto the jack. eight buck in repairs. Atleast you can hit someone with it...

Customer Support: 1
Marshall is impossible to reach from the US. Apparently Korg does their distribution in the US. I Emailed them about the fuse problem earler today... we will see if Korg will stand up where Marshall runs and hides...

Overall Rating: 4
I now play through a Mesa Mark III and i am much happier. It suits my demands much more than any marshall i have played. They have pissed me off. Like someone else said, Marshall rides on its reputation and has given up on producing anything quality. they have become a brand for amatuers. The Jmp-1 is reminicient of that. With a little more work they could have made a great pre amp. Instead they cut corners and tried to sucker people by selling it as a Valve pre. Shame on Marshall. It works, and sounds better than a floor pedal, but if you want something that will push your sound to the next level, this is not it.

Submitted by Greg Lawrence at 04/02/2003 13:05

Price Paid: US $755

Features: 8
I bought my jmp-1 as soon as it was released.
It is very easy to use and it ingludes all the features i need.
I´M playing very large scale type of music from reggae to metal.

Sound Quality: 9
Big up to Marshall! this product sings like an Angel and roars like a devil. What else do ya need?
But ya have to be very carefull what kind of tubes you are using.
I tried mesa 12ax7 and those tubes sucked big time.
Then i changed one cheap china made tube for a clean cahannel and sovtek for distortion channel and those are the real babes i love them
they saved my life!

Reliability: 9
I have had no problems ever since.
I have been touring in Russia in very bad conditions and without any broblems what so ever.
I don`t give full ten cause of the rumors about the battery and what happen if it ruins out.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
I´m usin roctron intellifex and vht 2150 and vht 2*12 louded with vintage celestions.
And last but not least im using rocktron midi mate floorboard.

Submitted by Anonymous at 04/02/2003 11:20

Price Paid: 250 (NZD) used

Features: 8
You can read the past reviews if you want to know about the features.

I don’t understand people’s love/hate relationship with this unit. To start off with I would have to say that you need a good TUBE power-amp to see the jmp-1 shine. It is a pre-amp after all so your power stage is a huge element in the final sound.

The unit is easy to program and the limited control you have over the settings still gives you the option to create a wide range of sounds. The easiest way is to start off with everything set on the middle and then go from there. Also to tweak and the volume you’re going to be playing the preset at cause it makes a difference (see below).

If people hate the unit so much then why do they buy it?!? Give it a good try in the store first before you bring out the cash.

Sound Quality: 8
I play metal (emperor, dimmu borgir, morbid angel, etc, etc) and I’m using an esp-307 with an emg 707 in the bridge. Initially I wasn’t too impressed with the sounds of jmp-1, too brittle and harsh for me. I preferred the distortion of my digitech 2112. But after using the unit for a longer time I would have to agree with a past reviewer that said it is not for bedroom levels. When you crank up the jmp-1 everything changes, it has a rawness and cut that is amazing. Most pre-amps I’ve used in the past have a muddy quality to them almost as if they’re running a speaker emulator on all the time (which they weren’t) and even the 2112 which I thought was pretty good at louder volumes pales in comparison to the rawness and cut of the jmp-1. It does exactly what I want, the sound of a cranked head with the versatility of a rack setup. String definition is what I’m after, at bedroom levels this isn’t really an issue but when you start to get louder that’s when most problems arise. With the jmp-1 that’s when things get better! I’m not sure how it compares to emulating the sounds of other marshall heads but it is perfect for me.

I tried using it with the eq of 2112 but I actually prefer using the jmp-1 by itself with the 2112 just for effects.

The clean channels seem fine to me. I don’t use them much though but when I have played on them they seem very warm. For the people saying the cleans suck and are lifeless, maybe this is where the power-amp issue comes into play.

As for the tube and solid state comments that are being made, all I can say is that if it is solid state then it still sounds damn good. All these people talk about how marshall are mis-leading people, how the tubes just warm up the signal and it’s really solid state. Man, if I found out they put a couple of potatoes in there instead of tubes I’d still buy it, the bottom line is how is sounds not what’s in it.

Reliability: 5
I have bought this second hand and after a week the clean channels just died, I'm not sure what the problem is although I was playing around with some elaborate cabling and I might have plugged something in wrong. For the price that I paid for it which was a steal ($250 NZD = $125 USD) I’m not too annoyed, I’ll just get it fixed.

Customer Support: 9
I've emailed marshall before with questions about my power-amp they have always got back to me within a couple of days and have been helpful

Overall Rating: 9
I’ve been playing for around seven years. I’m looking for that elusive final rack rig and I’m starting to get there.

Here is my equipment in the order that I use them jmp-1>digitech 2112 pre-amp/effects (in the effects loop of the jmp-1)> marshall 9100 tube power amp> marshall 1936 2x12 cab

Only I few things I would change if I had the option. I wish it had CC over the parameters so that you could control the gain with an expression pedal. Also a big LCD would have been nice so you could name your presets rather than just giving them a number.

I use the jmp-1 for metal and it does the job with minimal fuss, if you’re thinking of getting a jmp-1 then make sure you’ve got a decent tube power amp to do it justice. For the price I got the jmp-1 for it was a steal.

Submitted by Mark Young at 03/30/2003 15:15

Price Paid: N/A

Features: N/A
on the tube vs solid state debate, I did some research on google because my jmp1's tone was bugging me.
here's what I found
Subject: Re: JMP-1 Distortion
Newsgroups: alt.guitar.amps
Date: 1997/01/10
Mark Garvin wrote:
>
> >Does the Marshall JMP-1 preamp use diodes for it's distortion
> >as does the 900 series amps?
>
> Does it sound like diodes? Anyone? <g>
>
> Mgarvin

As a former owner of one of these who abandoned it for a genuine
Marshall amplifier, in a word: yes.
However, I'm in a talkative mood tonight, so I'll elaborate (you didn't
think I'd let this go _that_ easily did you, Mark? Heh...heh :)
I bought this preamp because, at the time, I was using a rack system on
stage (we all make mistakes!) with an ADA MP-1 preamp which had about
the worst, thinnest, buzzy distortion I've ever heard (except when I
listened to it in the music store before I plunked down my hard-earned
cash...go figure).
The JMP-1, when compared side-by-side with the ADA MP-1, had a _much_
more convincing Marshall sound. I won't go into the usual GP adjectives
to describe it, but it seemed to be better, so I bought it. The strange
thing is, it sounded okay at low music store and bedroom levels, but
when played loud on stage and miked through the PA, it sounded thin.
Not too buzzy, but just thin.
It had a strange phenomenon where the sound is obviously very distorted,
but doesn't sound distorted enough, if that makes any sense. Crank up
the gain and it just loses headroom and gets thinner. Add gain and
reduce treble or presence and it just cleans up a bit, it doesn't get
"warmer". No touch sensitivity at all. No smooth transition into
distortion. No "feel" (okay, so I lied about not using the standard
adjectives...sue me!).
I have a friend out of state who also bought one for stage use with his
band and he called me up asking if I could add more gain to it. Seems
he couldn't get "enough distortion"...same effect I was having. I
agreed to modify his for more gain (why risk MY warranty? heh..heh.
Besides, if it sounded good, I'd do the same). After tearing into it I
found that if you increased the drive by increasing the feedback
resistors on the opamps driving the (1) tube in the distortion circuit,
it STILL didn't sound "properly" distorted, and, in addition, the whole
thing would start oscillating nicely. Seems this thing is already on
the edge of max gain. I was able to coax a bit more gain out of it, but
it didn't help much. He sold his JMP-1 shortly thereafter, got rid of
the rack crap and bought a real amp.
To make a long story even longer, the bottom line is that this is the
exact same solid-state, diode distortion followed by a tube scam that
seems to be convincing enough at low volumes to separate an individual
from his money until compared with a real tube amp.
The schematic tells the story. The gain stages are all opamps; the gain
control is a digital pot (Dallas Semiconductor if I remember correctly,
if not, probably a Xicor E2POT device); the distortion is generated by
an opamp section with a build-out resistor ac-coupled into a diode
bridge with a discrete diode wired across it to get a symmetrical
bidirectional, three-junction-drop clip point. This is then followed by
a single 12AX7 configured as a common-cathode stage driving a DC-coupled
cathode follower into a fixed-value tone stack. This cathode follower
circuit is apparently the source of the Marshall tone simulation. The
output of this circuit then goes to the four-band active opamp equalizer
that functions as bass, mid, treble, and presence controls.
I am firmly convinced that no matter how you post-filter it, the
symmetric diode distortion completely lacks in the proper harmonic
content, and, in addition, even though you can round the edges and
soften the clip transition, it still has none of the touch sensitivity
and feel that we find so appealing in a tube amp.
As a side note,

Sound Quality: N/A

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: N/A

Submitted by Cam at 03/28/2003 20:53

Price Paid: US $350.00

Features: 10
Plenty of features for a preamp. Easy midi control. Anyone that can't get a decent tone out of it: A. can't figure out how to push buttons or B. is running it into a solid state power amp.

Sound Quality: 10
I'm using it live with these guitars:
PRS Singlecut with a '57 Classic Plus in the bridge
Gibson LP Standard
Gibson The Paul Firebrand

It suits my musical styles perfectly. My band plays half covers and half originals and our own style is in the vein of Smashing Pumpkins,Tool,Stone Temple Pilots with some Psychadelic rock mixed in.
My main tone is a lot like The Smashing Pumpkins album Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness tone.
I am running the JMP-1 into an Alesis 3630 compressor/gate,Mesa Strategy 500 and a Mesa Traditional 4x12 cab. I get VERY warm tones because of the Mesa 500 and when i want very bassy/fuzzy tones all i have to do is turn the bass shift on and crank the gain to 20. Amazing fuzzy guitar tones there. My advice to the JMP-1 haters is try it with an Alesis 3630 and a Mesa power amp. You would be amazed.
Last weekend the sound guy called me over and said i was sounding great and he was pumping me up. He is also a guitarist.
Here's a clip of my band playing Tool's Sober to give you an idea of my tone. The quality's not great but it is helpful.
Go here for the clip.

http://earthhall.musicpage.com

I also made a site dedicated to the JMP-1.
There are a few sound clips there recorded with a Shure SM-57 into my PC.
http://personal.ayrix.net/~russell/jmpenter.html

Without the Alesis 3630 i give the jmp-1 a 7 but with it i give it a 10. Huge improvment.

Reliability: 10
Hasn't broken on me yet.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing for about 8 years. I also own a Marshall JCM 800 2203 head that i never use. The JMP-1>Alesis 3630>Mesa 500 is perfect for me as of right now. The only thing i could think of that would be better is a Diezel VH-4. Even if i got the Diezel i wouldn't get rid of the JMP-1 rig. If it sucks as bad as some people say then why am i getting so many tone compliments from so many people?

Submitted by BJ Russell at 03/18/2003 02:21

Price Paid: US $450 used

Ease of Use: 10
Not a problem programming it. Lots of editing patches, Yes, decent manual. Firmware ???. They are all the same.

Sound Quality: 2
This is where it gets bad, realy bad. I bought one used before really doing some reading up on it at HC,interent, and various tube and amp sites out there. I feel like a fool for buying the JMP-1 one because as a previous reviewer(my hats off to you) said it was a smoke show blow job. Ain't that the truth. It sounds like a big muff pedal in rack form. Way too much money for an effects pedal! I got ripped off big time. Lucky for me I sold it right away.

http://peaveyrockmaster.tripod.com/rockmaster/id2.html

This site gets past all the hype. I wish I would've saw it before I bought the dumb thing.

Reliability: N/A
I got rid of it, so I don't know.

Customer Support: N/A
Yes a little. They kept telling me the chip was just used for reference. Yeah right?! This thing is solid state not tube. The tubes warm up the signal and that's it. http://peaveyrockmaster.tripod.com/rockmaster/id2.html

The distortion(really nasty) comes from the transistor bridge. I no electrical engineer, but I do know enough not to be made an assclown.

Overall Rating: 3
I play classic rock all the way up to new metal, but this can't help me at all. I am very dissappointed in it. I am also dissappointed in myself for falling for the Marshall Smoke Show HYPE. I feel I;ve been sold a bottle of snake oil for $450. link to site about peavey rockmaster.

http://peaveyrockmaster.tripod.com

I think I'll try the rockmaster next. At least it's a true valve preamplifier. How can Marshall fit all the Marshalls in one pre-amp? They can't but they'd sure like you to believe they can.

Submitted by Greg Wilson at 02/28/2003 11:58

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 5
JMP-1 PREAMP = VALVESTATE with a Couple of Tubes instead of One.
People; look at ANY MODERN Marshall All Tube 100-watt Head. How many preamp tubes do we see? That's right, at least FOUR. Those tubes are the CRUCIAL component in getting a TRUE "all-valve" Preamp SOUND. Still think I'm full o'sh*t?
Ok then, look at ANY Tube Preamp made by Other Companies that are known for making High-Quality, Great Sounding Gear. You WILL see the same thing, over and over and OVER AGAIN!!!
My GRIPE with the JMP-1 is that Marshall advertises it as a "Valve Midi Preamp" and PRICES it as such, when the role of the tubes in this thing is CLEARLY that of a "Signal Warmer" as opposed to a Tone-Producer!!! The result is the same as say, taking a SansAmp PS1, and placing an ART MP in front of it, and then running ANOTHER MP after the PS1 into your Power Amp! Marshall should be ASHAMED of themselves for misleading players like this!

Anyway, if you're into the sound of the Marshall Valvestate( and it's not a bad sound ), and want that sound in a switchable MIDI Preamp, then GO FOR IT! But DO NOT expect or think that you are buying a copy of Marshalls' ALL-TUBE Preamp section made famous in amps like the JCM-800, 900, or DSL/TSL series because folks; that AIN'T it!

Sound Quality: N/A

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: N/A

Submitted by Anonymous at 02/27/2003 03:15

Price Paid: US $350

Features: 8
This is the Marshall JMP-1 MIDI preamp. If your'e a Marshall kind of person, than this IS your preamp. If you aren't a Marshall kind of person, you will probably NOT like this preamp. I, however, AM a Marshall kind of guy, and I love it. It can do almost every kind of Marshall tone every created, but hat's it. Don't expect it to do Mesa, Fender, etc. It does Marshall. It's only a preamp, with volume, gain, tone, presence, effect level, etc. All your basic preamp functions. Four modes and an optional "bass shift" which significantly adds extra low end to your tone. The FX loop is my only real issue. It's NOT that good. After about 7, it sounds extremely wet, and below 6 or so, it sounds really dry. Do yourself a favor and avoid the FX loop and put everything else in series. The FX loop works, it's just not great. If you avoid the FX loop, the FX level will act as an extra volume boost, which can be nice, especially for those clean patches which aren't the easiest to dial in. I play metal, and 80's type hard rock, and this preamp is ideal for my style.

Sound Quality: 9
Clean 1 is a warm, VERY clean mode, which can often sound a little muddy, but after taking some time tweaking it, you'll find some good tones. Clean 2, is modelled after the JTM-45 clean, and has more top end. This is what I predominantly use for my cleans. It's more crisper with more presence. Again, it will take some time dialing it in, but it can be done. The OD 1 can range from a plexi lead all te way to a hot-rodded JCM800 with the bass shift on and gain maxed out. The OD 2 is primarily voiced differently, with more emphasis on the mids, AND with an extra kick of sustain and gain. There's more gain on this mode than any other Marshall, and arguably any other amp out there. It's pretty wild. Think more like a JCM TSL or DSL, but better. Once again, it does Marshall very well, but ONLY Marshall. Don't expect it to do anything else. Think Marshall tone with more gain than previously seen. I would suggest against maxing the gain to 20, because the sound will most likely turn to mush, unless you playing an unltra searing lead, etc. Also, if you're gonna go with this unit, couple it with a good tube power amp. It will sound like it's meant to sound. I'm playing either an Ibanez RG-270 with EMG's or an ESP Lynch Custom with Duncans into a Boss SD-1, Crybaby Wah-wah, into the JMP-1 - Rocktron Hush IICX - TC electronic G-Major - BBE 362 Sonic Maximizer - Mesa 50/50 driving a Marshall 1936 2X12. If you're expecting to this unit to single handedly provide you with great tone, like putting it with a power amp into a cab alone, then you're likely gonna be disappointed. It's merely a preamp. It will provide great tone, BUT will really shine with an FX processor in series, or at least a parametric EQ. You're tone shouldn't rely too much on one piece of equipment. It's the system as a whole which gives me my tone, and I couldn't imagine it without any one item or unit.

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
I recommend it if you're planning on using a good TUBE power amp, Mesa, Peavey, etc. and either a parametric EQ and/or an FX processor. My TC G-Major really works great with the JMP-1. It does a great job for me personally. Don't expect it to sound great on it's own though, without any effects. And don't expect it to do anything other than Marshall. Otherwise get something else.

Submitted by Anonymous at 02/17/2003 14:33

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 10
It`s time to enter my votes for this pre as I bought mine back in `94. And I still use it every day without ANY complications!!
It is very versatile, as I play averything from gospel to country-rock,and pop to prog-rock.
I think most of it is covered, and I don`t miss anything, the loop can be dialed in from series to parallell in a push of a button. Wonderful! Headphone jack, nice to finetune effects in stereo as the band is doing something else.

Sound Quality: 10
Well, I`ve played for 20 years now, and I demand the best from my equipment, as I`ve done som sessionwork, studio etc. I use only pro cables etc.
My setup consist mostly of: Two Carvin electrics. A Bolt-t strat-type with wilkinson trem and a DiMarzio FRED humbucker in bridge pos. single coils are carvins excellent AP-11`s. The other one is a Dc-200c "superstrat" with active electronics, M-22T/N humbuckers and Floyd trem. These goes into a Crybaby wah->Marshall ED-1 compressorpedal->Ernie ball volume pedal before going into the JMP-1.
In the loop is a TC-electronics G-Major eff.proc. and occationally a Digitech IPS33b harmonizer. I run the output of the Marshall into a silverfaced Mesa/Boogie 20/20 EL-84 driven poweramp which i magnificent in tone and dynamics. This is all run thru a Marshall 1936 2x12" cab loaded with celestions G12M-25w-greenbacks in a stereo configuration.
I`d like to comment those people who are neglecting this product as a real tube preamp: You are full of crap! I`ve played everything there is, from Matchless to boogie, Fender to Bad-cat and THD. But ONE thing some of you guys is forgetting, and this IS important, and that is that you need GOOD tubes in there to give you the tone you want! I`ve believed in this product from Marshall, but the chinese tubes that originally was there, wasn`t good enough to really make this unit shine!
I`ve put the best tubes there is in my JMP-1, Mullards Ecc83, and Guess what? Fenderish cleans with sparcle and dynamics do die for, and The best Distortions I`ve ever heard from a tube-pre ever.! I can play a full chod, and the notes just jumps out fully separated and kicks me over! And the leads, well, its full, rich, harmonics, sustain forever.. And it lies in the heart of the amp. The tubes!
The effects is perfectly "blended" is it never "interfers" with the rich tones from the Mullards. This gives me a large soundscape, with tones to die fro which I`ve only heard from amps like class A Matchless and Vox. Maybe because of my EL-84 output stage.
The tone controls reacts much more now, the differences in amount of gain makes a huge matter. It`s very sensitive to small changes. Not like The chinese which made almost no differences.
People who cannot get the Mullards could try out the East German RTF Ecc83 as those have similar caracteristics...
Summary: The four channels are enough to make every sound you want if you`ve got the right tubes..

Reliability: 10
Well..Had it for ten years! No problem, ever!!

Customer Support: N/A
Have no experience with the dealers..

Overall Rating: 10
I chose this pre-amp as it was perfect for my kind of playing: Vast music styles, from jazzy cleans to Prog-rock full gain leads. All intant there thru my MIDI controlled setup.
I`ve tried a lot of stuff, and pre`s. And everything depends on onr thing..The heart and soul in a tube amp... The tubes!
The most critical tonestage in an amp is the first tubes the signal meets in the preamp. Get balanced phase-inverters and drivers in you poweramp and you`re set.
I don`t miss a thing, It`s all there, from Brian May to Eric Clapton and John Scofield to Joe Satriani...all with the musical feedback. The note just jumps out towards you, in which demands that you cannot cheat your skills away, everthing is heard..So if you are a good player, you`re set!

Submitted by Ronny Haakonsen at 02/10/2003 14:48

Price Paid: N/A used

Ease of Use: 9
Not bad considering all of the features it offers.

Sound Quality: 8
Rich good tube sound that a Marshall tube amp should produce but a little on the tinny side for me. I tried different pickups (Full Shred, Ibanez, Dimarzio) and also different speakers (GT-75W Celestion, Vintage 30 Celestion, Peavey Sheffields) but still couldn’t get rid of that certain tone that bothered me. Perhaps a different Cab might have made a difference. Not very fond of the speaker emulation. Nice things are that it is very smooth while switching patches via Midi and conveniently stores your personalized custom presets for you easily. Nice clean sound also.

Reliability: 10
Built ver well. I owned mine for about two years and never had any problems with it on stage and off.

Customer Support: N/A
Neever called support.

Overall Rating: 9
I was playing metal at the time I owned this unit and didn’t quite get the tone Ii was looking for out of it fbut probably just never found the right combination of devices or configuration. A little too much mid range for me but still great sound quality. I have been playing for 27 years and have owned a few different amps but not really that many considering how long I have been playing. Everyone has a slightly different ear and also different taste - overall I would recommend giving this preamp a try, it just wasn’t exactly what I was looking for in tone but its features (Midi capabilities, storing custom made presets, stereo ins & outs, FX Loop) are excellent!

Submitted by acio at 01/29/2003 07:21

Price Paid: US $1000

Features: 9
Using this unit with a MIDI pedalboard you can experiment a huge variety of tones, running from the unique Marshall early 70's Vintage Overdrive sounds to all the Modern Ultra High Gain Distortion. Also, between rhythm sections, you will find an amazing tonal universe for your best solo act, clean, bluesy, Rock'n'Roll or Crunchy moods. You'll experiment a large range of textures, all of them with the Marshall signature. Just push the buttons, select the sounds, store everything in memory and prepare to fly! I feel like I bought the hole Marshall Amp History on a 1U Rack Space!! Amazing! I took a point just for the EQ section that could be better on the treble/presence amplitude.

Sound Quality: 10
From early 70's to the Modern Agressive Metal, from early Jazzy sound to the Modern Blues. Clean or Crunch...OUTSTANDING! In the future the other Pre Amps will be like JMP-1. Using this unit with a Gibson Flying V 83 (Metal Rhythm) or a Fender Strato 82 (Rock or Blues) or a Kramer with Seymour Active Lives Wires (Solos) I found heaven!

Reliability: 10
UNBREAKABLE!!!

Customer Support: 7
I do not have 100% technical support here in Brazil for Marshall.

Overall Rating: 9
OUTSTANTING!!!

Submitted by Oscar Pestana at 01/10/2003 09:25

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: 10
Ive used a ton of amps amd preamps.The JMP-1is a reasonable peice of gear.Ive used rocktron,preamps,not for me.I also own the old studio 22 mesa boogie preamp,and the triaxis.the boogies and the JMP-1 are all decent preamps,but no one piece is gonna do everything.The sounds on the marshall are easy to edit ,even on the fly,the manual is basic ,but descriptive,and explains everything in enough detail that i cant see why anyone wouldnt be able to understand it

Sound Quality: 8
strats,lespauls,prs are main guitars.With the strat,clean sounds are easily reminiscent of the 80's.I have no problems getting some serious chunk with the strat.The pauls and prs guitars have a different tonality than the strat,little thicker,and not as harmonically rich,but get some serious authentic sounds.The effects loop is great for me,being able to vary from parallel to series,and THAT is the trick to the stereo outputs.If you are not well versed in programming,you can screw the sound quick.strats and marshalls,lets see,Clapton,stevie,blackmore,beck,gilmore,& i could go on and on.No one tone is right,but the right players do seem to make it work.Hell,even Gibbons uses a strat now and then.The JMP-1 isnt any noisier than the boogies.Ive used soldanos,hyped beyond belief,but still a good piece.I use a couple of old quadraverbs mainly,tho i have other processors,because they dont add that brittle high end that a lot of units add and into a boogie 395 simulclass.I agree that a tube power amp is a mandatory requirement to make any of the top preamps get ugly.I can cop a lot of artist's sounds with the JMP-1,and a handfull of my own.I have no gripes.Oh yeah,it does get a little fuzzy if you try to push the gains to 20,but for most sounds,who needs 20.Aprevious post mentioned cabs.He was right.My garage is full of cabs with different designs and speakers.Each cab has a signature sound that will certainly affect the final sound of your rig.If you dont likethe JMP-1,take several days with different enclosures with different drivers,might clear up some of the confusion about the holy grail seeking mentality i have witnessed here.

Reliability: 10
i dont use anything without some kind of backup in at least one of my racks.I have used this unit in combination with others for several years,and the truth is i havent had problems with any of them.The marshall always speaks out when i ask it.I have done much long hard roadwork,with every type of venue you can think of .From stadiums with artists,to clubs and vfw's.made a living with music for over twenty years.All in all,the reliability of gear has improved over the years,technology being what it is,and the marshall holds it place as well as anyone

Customer Support: N/A
never dealt with the parent company,all i ever needed was tubes

Overall Rating: 8
i have played literaly every style of music imaginable,and about the only style i wouldnt use this unit on is traditional country,especially with a tele,the boogies do that much better.The JMP-1 is a very useful tool.Just as a painter doesnt use one color to get their results,neither should a musician.A painter has many colors on their palette,and uses whatever works to complete their tonal variety,so should we.

Submitted by Anonymous at 01/08/2003 21:39

Price Paid: US $750

Features: 8
4 channels (2 clean, 2 OD), Midi, no reverb or effects.
Progammable (99 user locations, 20 something presets)

Sound Quality: 9
I use this with a Les Paul Classic, 9200 Marshall Power Amp, Alesis Comp/Gate, BBE Sonic Maximizer, and (2) 4x12 GT-75T Cabs. When I first got the thing,(4 years ago) I didn't have the Gate or the Maximizer. I bought it on faith because I got the power amp real cheap and needed a preamp to start using it. I figured I should get a marshall to go with my marshall. I didn't even try it out. I brought it to rehearsal, plugged it in, and decided in about twenty minutes that this thing is the worst thing I ever heard. I was using the factory presets. Whoever came up with the factory presets should be fired. But I don't give up. I worked with this thing hardcore trying to come up with a sound I liked. It took me months, but I kept getting closer and closer to what I wanted. When I eventually threw in the Alesis unit and the Maximizer I had it. In my opinion, I haven't come across anyone elses rig that sounds as good as mine for the type of music I play (metal type stuff, a lot of palm muting). A lot of people make the mistake of using too much gain. It just gets to fuzzy and muddy. Sound guys have always complimented the sound I got.
As far other applications of this unit:
Clean: I think it sounds pretty good, not the best ever, I haven't been able to get a real glassy sound from it. But maybe its my Les Paul.
Leads: You have to use OD2 and push it to get smooth lead distortion, but its in there.
Punchy OD: This is what I use it for. I think its perfect. You need to use OD1 and crank the gain or use OD2 with 60% to 75% gain. When the power amp is cranked up it'll put you in the floor.

I give it a 9 because no amp ever invented can match the sound you truly want. But this comes the closest for me.

Reliability: 9
I've had it for four years, played probably 175 shows with it and had no trouble. But, just the other day I was fooling around with it and found out my right stereo output didn't work. I don't wkow when it happened because I never use it. But this might be a big issue for someone who uses stereo outputs from their preamp.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
I'd like to credit this preamp with being the best ever, but I thinks its the combination of the surrounding gear, and just working with it relentlessly until you get what you want from it. I've also recently used a Peavey 5150 II with basically the same gear surrounding it (except the Marshall power amp) and worked with it for a while and got more or less the same sound from it as my Marshall setup. It took me months with the marshall and days with the Peavey. Hopefully thats because I know what I'm looking for now.

Submitted by Mike at 01/03/2003 08:37

Price Paid: mex tele (exchange)

Features: N/A
4 channel,2 tube preamp,programmable.

Sound Quality: 10
I bought this to put in front of my JCM800 1x12.I need crystal clean,bassy clean,crunch,soft lead,mind numbing lead etc.This box easily does it.I read below somebody who thought the clean was anaemic.This preamp adds sheen and depth to your clean sound.Anybody who feels Marshall can`t do clean should take another listen to little wing on Hendrix in the west,or anything by john Mcglaughlin in his Mahavishnu days.This unit hotrods whatever you drive.

Reliability: N/A
This is a midi unit so is bound to need above average maintenance.

Customer Support: N/A
Haven`t dealt with them.

Overall Rating: 10
How many amps sound good without reverb?Marshalls do.It`s a personal thing but i reckon the Marshall eq is spot on .I agree they don`t do "pretty clean".They do crystal clean and any bum note you play stands out.You only really know how good an amp is when you`re gigging,the JMP adds life to an already great amp.I rate this a classic piece of kit.As I got this in exchange for a mex tele I bought for £199 I`ve got to rate it accordigly.

Submitted by Dinger at 12/22/2002 17:28

Price Paid: fl. 1795

Features: 10
Marshall jmp-1: this consists of four different amps, two clean ones and two distortion types, which can be adjusted until you’ll have the desired sound. After you’ve found you’re sound you can easily store it at one of the ninety-nine locations. This is all great because one push on the button and you can switch between you cool totally different amp settings.

Sound Quality: 8
First of all I’d like to tell what gear I use around this pre-amp because I think this is really important. My guitar is a Ernie Ball Music Man – Axis (which is the one that Eddie van Halen used to play before he switched to Peavey if I’m right). My power amp is a Mesa Boogie 20/20 (a stereo amp with 20 Watts per channel from which I used to think it was not loud enough, if only I had tried this one a little earlier I would have known better. It’s loud!). For effects I use an Alesis Quadra Verb 2. I use a cab with a Classic Lead Celestion speaker in it (I will buy either a Mesa Boogie 2x12 horizontal rectifier cab or a Bag End S12-B).

About the Marshall jmp-1: Before you find a good clean sound you’ll have to under go serious dialing.
The first amp is the really clean one as for the second one, if it’s cranked you can use it for a crunchy sound. The clean sounds are alright.
From the two distortion amps the first one is really cool but the second one is rarely use by myself, because I think it isn’t tight enough although it can be used for slow dirty stuff.
About the gain I’d like to say that it’s on the edge of enough and not enough. For me it’s just enough cause I think that wen there would be more gain, the sound would be too much compressed. But as I said I use a Music man Axis and it’s doing OK in this setup.
This amp also features a bass boost. Now I have to say that you only have to use this button if you have a cheap guitar or a really bad power amp. Because I have never used it, and that for someone who likes to play metal, funk-rock and at this moment only uses one 12” Classic Lead Celestion cab.
When you add some effects for solo’s it sounds really super.
This emulator function is really good, I use it for hard disk recording my bands music.

Reliability: 10
It still works and I hope it will in the future.

Customer Support: N/A
Never talked with them.

Overall Rating: 9
This is a really cool amp.

I’m kind of late with this review because I bought the amp at the second day of March of two thousand. But this means I really know the amp by now. With this amp I can for example get the sounds of Metallica, Lenny Kravitz and Extreme.
I’ve tested a Mesa Boogie Triple rectifier and a Peavey 5150 recently but although they can go louder then my setup, I came to the conclusion that my own setup is sounding better when it’s about dynamics and distortions. So why even bother and go rushing out buying these really expensive amps that everybody says are the best when you can have the setup I own.

By the way I don’t always like Marshalls but for this one I have to make an exception. Well done Marshall.

Submitted by Douwe Kuipers at 12/22/2002 08:19

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 8
Quite easy. Not much to go wrong on a gig. You don't have knobs, but you don't have 1000 possibilities like on a Tech21 PSA where you never know what you are doing except when you have enough time to concentrate. But then you don't have this on a gig.

Sound Quality: 10
Great, considering it is a hybrid design. It does Marshall sounds easier that any other preamp. Use a good tube power amp otherwise the sound will suffer. You can have any kind of Marshall sound. An alltube Marshall head will sound a little more punchy, but here you have a lot of different sounds. Just use the setting that goes with the song. Only preamp I will continue to use. Triaxis does not !!! sound anything like Marshall!! So keep that in mind. Other amps do not !!! sound like a Marshall, it is similar but you will always notice a difference.

Reliability: 8
So far so good - since 1995. Only changed tubes once. Original Marshall ECC83.

Customer Support: N/A
Never used it.

Overall Rating: 10
Great overall Marshal sound. Don't compare apples to oranges. If you want Marshall sounds with different settings for differents songs or moods, together with midi (programmable loop !) then look no further. Cheap used, 10 years and still going.

Submitted by Anonymous at 12/16/2002 13:40

Price Paid: US $750

Features: 7
If you are reading this you already know what this thing is all about from a features standpoint.

Sound Quality: 8
Distortions are GREAT albeit limited to the few sounds you can get out of the unit. The bottom line is either you like the gritty Marshall somewhat tube somewhat solid state sound or you don't. If you play STP, Van Halen, ZZ Top, or straight up rock you are really in business with this unit. As for the clean channels they are extremely limited and you really have to "build" a solution to make them work. If you want glassy cleans and sparkly clean/dirty sounds a la Toad the Wet Sprocket or cleans like on all those old 80's tunes (INXS, etc.) I had great luck with switching to active pickups. Not just any, I got Seymour Duncan classic livewires. These are not as harsh as EMG's and since they use 2 batteries have much higher headroom from what I understand. They turn a extremely mediocre clean into a very usable one. I suggest if you have a guitar with a humbucker in the bridge and singles in the neck and middle you modify that guitar. Get a push pull put and make it so that the neck pickup comes on when you pull it. This gives you some great Romantics type distorted sounds because you are playing the bridge humbucker and neck single at the same time. Anyway, this is a preamp review, so I'll get off my high horse regarding pickups. The bottom line here is finding the right combination of preamp, guitar, power amp, etc. to get you the sound you are looking for. This unit would be worthless to me without the rest of the tools. You don't just have a hammer in your toolbox do you? If you do then you are probably using this unit all by itself to no avail.

Reliability: 9
Very reiable, no problems, there IS solid state aiding the distortion sound, cleans are all tube and as discussed before anemic unless you try and remedy the situation. Have two of them and just changed the tubes on both after 10 years to Mesa Boogie stock 12ax 7's, not a huge difference but doubtful you'll get one with so few tubes to work with and since they are in parallel the unit only uses both tubes for clean 2 and OD1 not for the others. What do you know, OD2 sounds better...and you thought just the tube overdrive was the way to go. The battery backup is something I think sucks. Rocktron and others use technology that doesn't require you to change anything. We'll write down your presets or back them up because when you try and change the battery you will lose them. I have never had to change the battery but after ten years I am a little nervous that it may be going. I found someones post that changed the battery and it seems like a HUGE pain in the ass, here is the excerpt on how they did it:
. The problem seemed that my unit obviously been sitting on a shelf for a few years and the back-up battery CR3032 was going dead. To change it out I would have to send it to Marshall for repair. Guitar Center had no more in stock so I couldn't exchange it. I figured that I would do this myself. Well let me tell you that they do not use a standard battery, it is a CR3032 but it has two legs/connectors soldered to it. It was a test of patience and cordination with a desolder and soldering iron. After about 1-1/2 hours and a trip to Radio shack I was in business. This is a key thing to remember because if you have you customized programs in this unit you better back them up or at least right them down so you can replace them when the battery dies your up the creek impaled on the paddle. I have used it on gig without back-up. The tube looks to be mounted in a very delicate manner, you can easy rip the tube socket right of the motherboard. The tube socket should have been molded to engage with circuitboard or chasis so the stress of the tube is not transmitted to the board. A similiar arrangement as to the lamp end sockets of a flourescent light fixture would work. I don't know if there is any telltale sign to when your battery is going to die so reliability is somewhat of an issue. Most preamps that are programmable at least you can dump in the factory programs via system reset and finish a gig, but not on the JMP-1.

Customer Support: 8
Hugh at Korg USA is way cool and helpful. Your best bet is to try and get him via email, he is in and out of the office prequently.

Overall Rating: 8
I give this a 8 overall. I love the unit but it is far from perfect. If there are any sites dedicated to JMP1 lovers please drop me a line, I would love to check it out.

Submitted by Marc at 12/14/2002 08:06

Price Paid: US $956.00

Features: 1
made in 1997.I got suckered into buying this thing because of sales technique and a pocket full of $.I was looking at Mesa Boogies Tri-Axis but it was out of My price range....I tried the Marshall and thought it sounded good.Got it home and played it thru My Mesa 50/50 and two Marshall 4x12s at rehearsal and it sounds like ass!
It SUCKS!!!!!!!!
I Brought it back to Guitar Center(Hate them too)and gotMy $ back.
Bought a Bogner Ecstacy 4 months later-and NOT at Guitar Center.
Never looked back dude.
This JMP-1 SUCKS!
Versatile....?
Channels....?
Features....?
Where do I use it..?
Effects Loop....?
Headphone jack..? Give Me a FUCKING BREAK!
Answer to ALL the above-
IT SUCKS MY ASS!
What a real piece of JUNK that Marshall is making.Want to be a sheep like all the rest of the Marshall crowd.?Buy this Preamp and get a load fullof KY Jelly ready.

Sound Quality: 1
This thing produced the WORST possible tones and then some.It wasnt allowed(in Guitar Center) to turn the preamp UP w/a Real Poweramp hooked in to a 4x12 cabinet.I played it at talking volumes....sounded ok.
Brought it home and got shit out of it.A NEW Unit too!What a waste of time and energy the JMP-1 is.
Not even a real tube Preamp.I Know because before I brought back to Guitar Center I had My Local AmpTech look at it(shitty tones caused me to have a NEW Preamp looked at By a Bench Tech.)He laughed and pointed out the Transistors in the path between the tubes that produce the Distortion anjd Shit tones that it makes.
I was Like: whatthefuck..?
Back to Guitar Center and screamed at the Mgr.: Gimme back My Money!
Got My $ back.....and bought a Bogner from a Internet Dude.
Never looked back!
Sold the Mesa 50/50 too.

The JMP-1 SUCKS.

Reliability: 1
what a Piece of Sheep Shit!
I HOPE they go Bankrupt and have to eat rice and potatoes for the next 25 years.
Reliable..? Who cares!

Customer Support: 1
The Marshall Company and ALL the products they make SUCK!

Overall Rating: 1
I would rate all of Marshall and their products WORTHLESS and Full of SHIT.

Submitted by Anonymous at 12/01/2002 21:30

Price Paid: US $300 used

Features: 8
All of the features are highly described in previous reviews so I will not waste time writing about them, just the ones I don't like. I don't like at all that when you use the speaker emulated outputs the volume becomes dependant on the patch volume and defeats the output knob, I hate that there is no rear input jack. And it would be really nice to be able to name the patches, not just have numbers designating them. That said it has a lot of other features but it could have more for a list 1000 item.

Sound Quality: 8
I'm currently using this in one of the send returns of my Roland Gp-100 as another preamp. The Roland is an excellent hidden jem. It's preamp is damn good too, but it's a bit tough to get a classic marshall sound out of. I then run them through a sonic maximizer and into a VHT 2 90 2, the BEST POWER AMP IN THE WORLD !!! Anyway, I have to totally disagree with some of the other reviews in the section. This preamp is cable of getting just about every Marshall sound that ever was. You can get anything from literally the cleanest clean to extremely heavy. I'm quite a tone nut and this thing is pretty darn good, and a great value for what you can pick them up for used. I play all styles of music from jazz acoustic through metal. This is a Marshall, don't expect any other sound, although the cleans are something in themself. Don't get me wrong there are better preamps out there, but there aren't a lot to start with. Sure you can get a 3 or 4 channel preamp from quite a few companies, but if you are any kind of gigging musician who doesn't have time to fool around with knobs, and you actually care what your sound is like then they aren't flexible enough. You need something midi. This has a much more analog tube sound that anything Digitech has ever produced, but look for things like VHT (even though its 3 channels its quite flexible) Soldano X99(expensive but very good) Engl 580 (THE BEST!, I'll have one soon) and the Roland GP-100 very good preamp with very good effects. There are only two real complaints I have with the sound of the JMP. 1. It gets quite noisey at med - high gain levels, even with a real quiet power amp, and 2. if you are using any sort of high gain pickup it will feedback super quick if you aren't careful with volume settings. All in all Marshall in 1 rack space.

Reliability: 9
It seems reliable enough, I've never had to deal with marshall, but I use it gigging all the time, and have had it opened up a few times, and it doesn't really seem like anything could easliy break in there.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 8
Overall this is a very good preamp, that needs to be used carefully, but is easy to use. Fairly well feature packed, with good tone when dialed in right. It has some noise and feedback issues, but just make your own patches and you won't have to worry about them. It's a steal used going anywhere from 300-450. Use it with good gear and you should have good results...your setup is only as good as it's weakest link.

Submitted by Kurt Wyberanec at 10/16/2002 14:51

Price Paid: US ca. 800

Features: 1
I owned a JMP back in '94... for about two months. First and last time ever that I bought a piece of soundgear without thoroughly testing it. But hey, you live and you learn... sometimes the hard way. It may have a lot of interesting "features", but the JMP-1 is still a crap preamp IMO - period. Who cares about features when there's no tone ? It's like a car with 10 gears but no engine.

Sound Quality: 1
Back then I used this with Charvel Jackson and Ibanez Jem guitars, mainly for direct recording in a home studio where I couln't crank up my amp. I no longer play those guitars but it's safe to say they're decent instruments. The JMP gave me a sterile, lifeless, and crappy sound, no matter what. I have heard shabby $40 distortion/overdrive pedals that worked better.

Reliability: 8
It's properly built. I dropped it once (from about two feet, on a carpet, so not exactly a worst case scenario for a piece of equipment) and it still worked. If only dropping it had changed the sound a bit I might have been happier - LOL.

Customer Support: 1
It's widely known that Marshall's customer service sucks, except maybe if you live in the UK. I once had to deal with them for a broken power supply in a top - they fixed it without charge (warranty) but I had to miss my amp for several weeks.

Overall Rating: 1
This isn't just about the JMP-1, folks. Marshall may be a "household name" but the only halfway decent stuff they produce are their top of the line TSL/DSL amps and their terribly overpriced Vintage re-issues (which, technically, are nothing like the "originals" whatsoever - no way, hah !). They make the *worst* messy sounding speaker cabinets you can imagine, and without any doubt the worst preamp I ever heard (this one). The reason why so many people, especially metalheads, think Marshall is so great is because it's all they see or know. As for this crummy excuse for a "valve preamp" : I couldn't believe this thing had valves inside - I doubt if they're actually in the circuit chain - LOL. But hey, they sit there glowing so that's nice. The question is if you want to spend nearly a grand on that. You'd be mad to do so. I have used quite a few pieces of Marshall equipment before I woke up and smelled the coffee. The only thing Marshall have going for them is the familiarity of the brand name. Nice gold plates, nice logo. But that's it. Even their "better" amps all sound alike - but they call it a "trademark sound". You want boring ? Buy a Marshall. Mesa/Boogie to some extent suffers from the same problem, but the overall quality and build is better. The most expensive MB products are very good, but overpriced - period. You think a rectifier cab is so great ? Check out a 4x12 Classic or Vintage Engl cab, sound better (especially in the low end) and costs less - only there you don't pay for the brand name. I really can't think of any good reason to spend money on a Marshall product if you're seriously after getting your own, great tone - the tone that suits your music, no matter what it is. If you're halfway decent on the guitar and want a great sounding amp that a) reflects what you play and b)is still within reach of mere mortals, check out brands like Engl, Hughes & Kettner, Brunetti, just to name a few. Marshall is cool if you play like everyone else and want to sound like everyone else. It may come across as very arrogant when an "absolute nobody" like myself slags off a company like Marshall - but for the love of God grab your guitar, go to the store and try some alternatives and LISTEN to the sound. Don't pay attention to what the mags say (they need Marshall's advertising money) and don't believe the crap from people who get their equipment for free. It's ironic : PLAY, LISTEN, and you will see why Marshall is probably one of the ***WORST*** tube amp manufacturers on the market today.

Submitted by Chriss at 10/15/2002 13:14

Price Paid: US Free

Ease of Use: 9
This thing is so easy to use. You just hit the buttton that you want and turn the dial. If youre picky about your tone it takes a little while to preset but other than that the factory presets are pretty good. I didn't have to read through the manual until I had to hook it up to my midi foot controller.

Sound Quality: 9
I use a gibson les paul studio as my main guitar. I have a marshall 9200 all tube power amp( perfect match with the jmp-1), I also use a yamaha dg stomp with a vox wah. I think it gets a great tone with a little bit of work perfecting the sound. It can get a little noisy but if you turn away from the amp it quiets down. but what tube amps dont get noisy. I play mostly hard rock like disturbed,nickleback, sevendust,incubus,fuel,metallica. I can get a great sound to emulate any of these bands. This preamp sounds best with the od2 with the gain between 9 and 12, bass shift on, and appropriate bass,mid,treb,presence settings.

Reliability: 10
I have never had a problem with it. I would definitely use it without a backup.

Customer Support: N/A
I have never had to deal with them

Overall Rating: 9
I play mostly hard rock. If you are a Marshall person you'll love this preamp. If you're not why are you looking anyway. I can get great tones from classic rock to modern metal out of this. I have been playing for 8 years and know what sounds good. I gig almost every weekend and it sounds great live as well as in the studio. I would buy it again if i lost it. I love the od settings the clean settings could use a little bit of work. Theres just something that lacks there. They are descent though. Overall a good unit.

Submitted by Chuck Hannah at 10/12/2002 15:08

Price Paid: US $270 used

Features: N/A
See elsewhere

Sound Quality: 10
Raw, classic Marshall. To those of you who say it's a weak solid state piece, keep your rants to yourself. If you have a problem with the way this sounds, you are simply not a Marshall person. If you are a Marshall kind of guy, you will want this preamp.

Reliability: N/A
never gigged with it

Customer Support: N/A
?

Overall Rating: N/A
rad amp. 100 user editable channels. It's like having 50 DSL preamps. The bass shift function really adds that "Rage against the Machine" sound.

Submitted by Anonymous at 09/14/2002 23:17

Price Paid: US $600.00

Ease of Use: 9
Fairly easy to use...start with the factory settings and then tweek
to perfection...also midi thru patch helps control my effects...so that if I'm on prog 1 on the JMP-1 it will make my effect at prog 1 if I so chose...

Sound Quality: 10
I have various guitars I use tuned to different keys...a Robin, Les Paul and a Wolfgang..my rack is as follows JMP-1 thru Alessis Quadraverb (effect) to a BBE maximizer to a Marshall 9060 power amp to 2 4x12 marshall cabs. The hush unit built into the Alessis help one down the noise since I use the JMP-1 at max gain..I absolutely love my sound...anywhere from Jeff Beck to George Lynch to Brian May to Led Zep....I only use a wah pedal...everything else is on the JMP with Alessis effects...Also I have often heard that the JMP needs a tube power amp...bulldoodoo...I even have purchased a MESA 50/50 and the Marshall 9060 blows it away...

Reliability: 8
I had to replace to I/P jacks with metal ones...the cheap black plastic ones kept cracking...replaced the tubes once in 6 years and I dont even think it was necessary...I gig almost every week without a backup...

Customer Support: 9
I did ask the Marshall Arts webpage a few questions on my cabinets and someone called Gil Martin always had the right answers...

Overall Rating: 9
We play anywhere between NIN to Aerosmith...this unit has it covered.
if this was stolen or lost I would buy one that day...The unit is so good that I dont even mike my cabs...right to the board from the simulated speaker outs and it sounds awesome...But dont get one...
I dont need the competition...

Submitted by Michael Lamarche at 09/11/2002 10:38

Price Paid: US $399 used

Ease of Use: 9
It's extremely straightforward to program. I haven't used it with a midi controller yet but I don't anticipate any problems. My only complaint is the data nob on the front is overly sensitive. No big deal. I rate it a 9 cuz the nob can be a little annoying but really it's a small matter compared to the huge sounds you will be getting.

Sound Quality: 9
Setup: PRS Dragon II pickups, Les Pauls with origial trembuckers, Les Paul Special with P-90.
Noise: Yes it can be noisy with high gain settings but a hush unit I bought used for $45 cleared that up. Otherwise it's very quiet. But hey it's got tubes so a little noise can be expected.
Amp: I'm using it direct into the computer via Aardvark Q10 audio interface. Sometimes I run it through a Presonus Blue Max compressor.
Sound: Let's be clear this thing does not have a huge variety of sounds. It's not supposed to really. You better go to the store and try it out for yourself to see if you like it. If you are looking for a variety of Marshall tones they are all in there from Angus to Nu Metal. The cleans are typical Marshall clean. If you are looking for Fender cleans of Vox warmth buy a Fender or Vox amp. Duh. This says Marshall on the front and that's what you get- big ass Marsahll sounds. Now I use it for hard disk recording with the emulated outputs. They sound great. No need for additional speaker emulation. The only thing I would consider adding is the ampulator from ADA [out of production look on E-Bay] I own the SANS amp pedal, had the PSA-1, own the POD 2.0 and the J-Station. While this unit does not include effects or a million simulations it kicks all their asses because it does one thing right. Sounds like a big ass Marshall. If you are thinking you don't like that sound you will be frustrated. If you want that sound you will be in hog heaven. You can do classic Zep sounds or metal up yer ass. It's tonal very flexible but in the end it always sounds like a Marshall.
After a few minutes in the store with it you will know if it's for you or not. There will be no surprises once you get home. If you want to use it live you can go into the PA direct or match it up with a nice tube power amp. Rock on. As for me I have found direct recording Nirvana. It just sounds "real" compared to all those simulation gadgets I own. I tracked a song with it and my bass player called me up after he downloaded to say "Wow, that is the first time we got a real pro guitar sound, it's tight and sits right in the mix." Nuff said. I rate it a 9 because it does have noise at high gain which you will need a Hush or something to take care of.
I would rate the other devices I own between 4-6 for realism, balls and feel. Some people complain and say you can't get heavy sounds out of it. Really? Why does Nine Inch Nails, Filter, Deftones, Rob Zombie and others get heavy tones out of it? The answer I think is you must A. Be able to play well. B. Know what the hell you are doing on stage and in the studio. In fact the first 3 filter albums used the JMP-1 with emulated outs direct to the board for all the main guitar tracks. Pick up any filter CD and you will hear JMP-1 all over. If SANSAMP is so good how come they have a JMP-1 preset patch? How come JMP-1 doesn't have a patch labeled SANSAMP? Answer: You don't have to be an imitator when you are the original.

Reliability: N/A
Have only owned it a week so I can't comment on it's reliability. Marshall stuff is usually fine but sometimes quality can vary. If it does have a problem there are plenty of places it could be fixed. I don't plan on dropping it but I do have it bolted in a rack just in case.

Customer Support: N/A
Have not dealt with them so I can't comment. Others I know have been satisified when dealing with a warranty or support issue.

Overall Rating: 10
Style: I play alterna-progressive-heavy. Rush meets Tool meets the Pixies. I have been playing 18 years and I have owned all kinds of crap in that time such as Peavey 5150, Other marshall heads and combos all the pedals, most of the amp sim devices, ADA Gear [Mp-1] Gallien-Krueger etc. etc. I really dig the sound of this. It's the shit. I give it a 10 here because based on the price I paid $399 used or $699 new list it is a real value for the dollar. If it was lost, stolen or detroyed I would buy another the same day.

Submitted by Anonymous at 09/10/2002 12:51

Price Paid: US $275 w/S&H used

Features: 10
I gave up playing Marshalls ten years ago and shifted to Egnater and Mesa because Marshall heads like the Plexi 50 (1987) and 100 (1959) have to be cranked too loud to find the heart of gold. I sold my mesa double stack rectifier and Egnater IE4 and was looking for something to get back to my classic rock roots. For shits and giggles I searched Ebay and bought it used on the internet from a school teacher in Long Island, NY. It works and plays like a charm. It is versatile for all styles of music I play both session and live. It is perfect and tone to die for. Don't change a thing. It captures 30 years of Marshall gold at liveable volumes. Heck, I don't have to program something for the first time in my life. ALl the presets are great. I only had to increase the gains on the clean settings, and call these via midi from my rack into whatever preset I like to use. I have found five basic presets for everything I will ever need.

Sound Quality: 10
15+ Customized guitars. Run the JMP-1 (one output) dry center thru BBE462 into MOSVALVE 500 into custom JBL 4x12. Run JMP-1 (second output) thru Lexicon MPXG2, SGS-2101A, BBE462, into MOSVALVE 500 into 2EA L/R custom 1x12 G12-80 Cabs. Two midi controllers for the entire rig: MPX-R1 and FC-2101A. Easiest setup and tear down in my life.

Reliability: N/A
I'm buying a second one for backup

Customer Support: N/A
who cares

Overall Rating: 10
I still use 2EA Mesa VTwins in the studio for heavy modern crunch sessions. The Marshall harmonics are nowhere else to be found on this planet period. Kudis to great engineering to capture the magic.

Submitted by Roy at 09/09/2002 11:20

Price Paid: 700 (DM) used

Features: 6
Well described in the other reviews. I am having these unit for 3 years now, and play guitar since 15 years. The JMP-1 (together with my BOSS GX700 and the Marshall 20/20) replaced my Valvestate 8240. I am playing top40 rockmusic and well, actually I bought it because I liked the sounds more than the Preampsimulation of my GX700.
Rating is 6. Would be 9 if I'd written this just the year it came out, but since it's MIDI-Equipment: you can do it better today.

Sound Quality: 8
My main guitar is an Ibanez Radius with SSH. Since I am not into HEavy or NU rock the gain serve my needs (actually sometimes I reprogram part of my patches because it sounds too heavy. Only to rebuild old settings some time later). For those who are stating that this is a Solid State unit: go change the tubes for differen types and you will see that those two change the sound dramaticly. Compared to some "puretube-amps", yes, there are a lot of chips inside (and sure lots of them affect the tone), but the tone of this unit is nice.
Noisy... yes it is noisy. In the Overdrive sections. When you are not playing. But when you start playing you will not hear it (well, just if you let a tone ring out, but that's okay for me).
I wasn't convinced with the crunched sounds I could get from the overdrive channels (I am talking about those which are just "clipping" from clean to crunch). For that I am using one of the clean with high gain and low volume settings, but that is a matter of taste.
Rating 8: the sounds suits perfectly for me, minus 2 for the noise.

Reliability: 10
Bought it used. Pay it for 3 years now, no problems yet.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 8
Even though setting sounds is quite easy I am missing the possibillity to "see" my sounds (on my 8240 and on any other non-Midi amp that works. I think Engl has done a good job on their new Midiamp with those Leds around the potis).
Another thing I'd like to see in a JMP-2 would be more MIDI-contorl (like someone stated maybe some realtimecontrol for some function, at least "switchable" channels: it shouold be possible to save settings for all 4 sounds in one patch and change them via Command Changes).
Since I have the JMP in the Loop of my GX 700 right now I am abuse the JMPs Loop as a Loopersystem (having a BOSS AC2 in it). A great deal for the JMP-2 would be more loops (realtimecontrolable), some before some after the preampsection (well, where the loop is right now).
Well, Marshall did a great job with this Preamp (actually I have to wonder about that guy having played Marshall stuff for all those years and all the different Marshallgear just too find out it sucks... if it takes you so long to find out just wash your ears, if it's not your sound fine... for those who seek Marshalltone: it's perfect.. if you use it with a tube poweramp)

Submitted by MArkus at 08/12/2002 23:42

Price Paid: 595 (CND) used

Features: 5
It's got enough features to get the job done, but here's what it needs:

- Better MIDI control - i want to be able to adjust the FX Mix, gain/volume levels, EQ, etc... in real-time /w an expression pedal.
- More even gain levels. Anything below 7 gain on ANY channel is useless, as it effects the overall volume of the unit too much. The gain only starts to *really* staturate on the OD channels around 16+, so when it comes to getting a really smooth/rich preamp distortion, you're pretty much running it on 20.
- Smaller increments for the parameters... the 0-20 for vol/gain and the -6/+6 for EQ mean that bumping any parameter up or down, even a little, has a HUGE effect on the overall tone. I'd like to see this at least move in increments of say, 0.5 at a time. Ideally, have it on a 1-100 scale.
- The FX Mix jumps massivly at 7... anything below and you're running basically a dry signal. Anything above and it's very wet. Frustrates the hell out of me.

Sound Quality: 7
Gibson LP
Marshall JMP-1 Preamp
TC Electronics G-Major FX Unit
Peavey Classic 50/50 Tube Power Amp
Marshall 1936 Speaker Cab

This thing REALLY needs a tube poweramp to make it shine. When i keep the levels down, it's damn near impossible to get the great crunch and smooth leads added by a cranked poweramp. The speaker-emultated line outs and headphone jack will really let you see what i mean here. Assuming you are able to crank the power-amp up, you'll love this preamp. Otherwise, it's thin and buzzy.

I'll rank this as a 7... i'd say it's a 10 with a cranked poweramp and a 5 without...

Reliability: 10
no problems so far

Customer Support: N/A
haven't touched it.

Overall Rating: 7
It's good. I used to play through a DSL, but switched because i wanted MIDI control. I think the DSL sounded better in pretty much every aspect, but when you crank up a good poweramp under it, this is still a great peice of gear. I just got sick of having to hit 5 diferent pedals and doing the whole "tap-dance" thing live. Now, it's just tap a button and go =)

Submitted by Dave at 08/09/2002 11:03

Price Paid: US $500

Features: 9
Tube preamp rack mount
4 independent channels
2X 12AX7 drive tubes
Partial MIDI implementation
headphone pin
effects loop
perfect amp line simulator

Sound Quality: 9
Excuse me. I´ve been earing absolutelly erroneous and equivocade point of view about this preamp as "this is a solid state preamp" or "that sounds noise...", I can´t understend about this furious and no realism based arguments...I can denominate this procedure of "thin ears". Rate 10 is not aplicable just because exists different tastes.

Reliability: 10
I´ve been using this unit for 5 years and I just stop it for intelligent services (change tubes...) an inexpensives 2X 12AX7 valves.. I sugest you use always backup hardware, but it is a war tank...

Customer Support: 9
I never need for it. This tube changes are a monkey handable.

Overall Rating: 10
I´ve been playing for 10 years and obviously I have other gear, just for it can I do my opinion. I´ve been trying for Line 6, Mesa, older Fender Deville and other Marshalls and I sincerelly see diferences between setups and I resume it in taste. JMP-1 is a huge, tremendous sustentable sound in ultra gain mode(infinite) and clean and crisp strat sound on other hand. Sound it is the key...
I can add just one argument. This unit have 2 Palmer! line simulators if you know how it is, you know how it sounds...perfect line simulator, if you unlike the unit drive/distortion you can put a standard box in (ds-1, tube screamer, dod808.....)this front and record from ... perfect....

Submitted by Ricardo Rodrigues at 08/07/2002 16:53

Price Paid: US $300 used

Features: 8
The unit is very versatile by virtue that it is an automation hybrid design. The four tone categories (channels) serve well to configure one's sound while playing via MIDI foot controller. I would prefer an individual parameter status that can be seen at a glance rather than the single integrated multi-function LED display which needs to be switched by buttons. It is lacking in that the preamp outputs to stereo but processes the input/effects loop in mono. I find the gain and tone controls fully adequate in conjunction with cabinet tuning to deliver the goods with my guitars.

Sound Quality: 10
This preamp produces an awesome variety of sound permutations- as one component in the rig. A very important aspect of what our ears hear is due to the speaker configuration. Most of the reviews I read here just address the electronics and completely ignore the importance of final tranducers- the cabinet(s). If one has a dark cabinet, then the rig may lack clarity and punch. The unique sound one searches for requires the 'right' speakers, maybe a tweeter and/or different brand/model speakers in the cabinet- each with separate frequency contributions to the final tone. Home stereo speakers generally have a least two different drivers in each cabinet (and a crossover) to deliver the frequency span. Hey get with it people, configure the final interface to the ears to correctly deliver your sound. Sophisticated electronics without sophisticated cabs produce something less than optimum. Traditionally, guitar cabinets employ an array of same-type speakers in a box with no crossover controls. This is a neanderthal approach to getting the desired tonality- hit or miss. Yeah, spend the cash for quality electronics- but be aware, cabinet design/tuning, speaker selection, and crossover circuitry will contribute mightily to the sound you project. I'm using the JMP-1, Lexicon MPX-500, BGW Pro 100 (solid state)stereo power amp in a 3 space MTS rack, about 40 pounds weight. Not much bigger than a head, but way more versatile. Driving a single modified Ampeg SVT-210HE cabinet with Eminence Legend 105's, stock tweeter/modded crossover with L-pad, sealed the 2 rear bass ports. I can dial in cabinet clarity with the L-pad for whatever volume I'm driving. Guitars are an '88 Les Paul custom with EMG 85, 89, and a stock '69 SG. Sound is tight, bright or brown if wanted, with great chunk and presence.

Reliability: 9
No problems, a solid quality build. Watch out for that memory battery though, it will leave you dead-in-the-water when it runs down. Just replace it once a year as preventive maintenance. A nine rating because this is easy to overlook.

Customer Support: N/A
I do all my own system maintenance and mods, so not an issue. First thing I obtain is a schematic and parts list of acquired equipment for future reference. A lot of this stuff is available these days on the internet. My rig electronics are stock, just the cabinet has seen extensive mods.

Overall Rating: 9
Great addition to my gear. This rig (all of the individual elements are part of the package) cranks quality sound. Been picking 30+ years and have played many venues- mostly rock and metal. This is the most compact ass-kicking setup I've used- and have owned/tried a lot of gear over the years. If the JMP-1 were stolen or lost, I would replace it straight-away. The important thing to be aware of is; every detail of your rig- guitar, pickups, strings, electronics, cabs contribute to the final sound- it is a complex component mixture that delivers the 'sound' each is looking for, and it is different for everyone.

Submitted by PCL at 07/15/2002 15:56

Price Paid: US $700.-

Features: 10
No nonsense - has everything I need and not more - good working eq - 100 Presets

Sound Quality: 9
Can only review about high gain setting cause I play Hardcore Metal - I replaced the stock tubes (sovtek I guess) with RFTs and the characteristics of distortion changed dramaticly - ergo the Distortion IS generated by the tubes - solid state is all the rest (preset memory, eq, aso.) but the sound generating is definitely by TUBE!!! Would give a 10 if these RFTs were Stock. I use it with the el34 100/100. Distortion is brutal but still very transparent and thrucutting at live Situations; Id say typically Marshall Sound but more "balls". Gain is way enough after the tube changing (have OD2 with Gain at 17 and its Shredders Paradise). Tone is amazing - this amp SINGS and does not whisper like a Recto eg. I like the fat "whump, whump" when playing palmmutes. Its the best Amp for "in your face" Rhytm Guitar that I know.
Its not noisy if u keep it away from the power amp. Many People dont know that the inductioning of the Power transformers cause the noise. I have a separate rack for the Power amp and thers no noise problem.

Reliability: N/A
I was puzzled when I changed the tubes and found myself looking into a pre amp that looks like a Personal Computer from the inside. The tubes visually disappear in there as they are surrounded by loads of microprocessors and other digitally stuff. I think that makes some people think that these 2 litle valves in there are good for nothing.
But Hell they are!!! Heavy Metal shell to protect this hypertrophic pocket calculator. I have it for 2 Months now, did about 20 rehearsals, 3 Gigs and its still alive. Dont know whats gonna happen if it drops from the truck...

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 10
Ive been playing for 7 Years now - tried out many from Mesa, Hughes and Kettner, Brunetti, Framus, Engl, ADA etc. and I couldnt find my sound until I heard the jmp1 with el34 100/100 at a Liveshow and I knew, this is MY sound.

I cant say that this amp is the best in the World as of course I didnt play every amp (eg. Diezel, Bogner, VHT,...) - its just way good enough for me as Im not a Guitar God anyway.

PS: Use all these reviews here to get inspirated to try out new gear and dont take all them too serious and let them decide what you buy, cause its up to everones personal taste and needs - nothing else.

For me this Amp deserves a 10 - for u maybe only a 1, so Id recommend everyone to test equipment really well before buying. I spent so much money in the past for gear I didnt like after the first Shows cause I trusted only other guys (mostly the dealers) - expensive mistakes!

Vienna Style Hardcore lives !!!

Submitted by Hoss at 07/13/2002 07:17

Price Paid: US $200

Ease of Use: 6
Pretty easy. Turn the dial and get your sound man. Lots of guys play around with this JMP-1 but none buy. They say it sounds crappy.

Sound Quality: 2
I work and own an old pawnhop in Seatle. Most of the stuff I got is junky and this JMP-1 is just as bad. I have been tryin' to sell it for five years and no one wants it. I think it sounds shitty but I don't say anything when someone is looking at it. Terrible sound and cheaply put together. Had another one but threw it in the garbage cause the battery leaked all over it and wrecked it. Noisy, stinky, cheapy, crappy. I play a Marshall JCM900 that sounds awesome. I'd never play this JMP-1. I hope I can sell it soon.

Reliability: 3
It keeps shorting out tubes. I tried taking both tubes out and connecting the circuit with some tin foil and it worked. Now I sell it as a tubeless mod. It sounds just as crappy, so the tubes didn't do nuthin'.

Customer Support: 1
Marshall gave me some bullshit that this is a tube pre-amp. I said,"Bullshit." They hung up on my laughing. They knew I got suckered with this pos.

Overall Rating: 2
Almost a hunk of junk. Good for beginners but no real musician would touch this unless they were getting a heap of cash. You know, like KISS a few years ago. Marshall has really let a fart out of the bag with this thing. I have it priced to go at $100, cause I just wanna get it out of my sight.

Just a waste of tin and transistors.

Submitted by Darky's Pawnshop at 07/06/2002 12:50

Price Paid: 500$ (Canadien) used

Ease of Use: 10
The JMP-1 is by far the easiest rack preamp product i have ever tried,i have tried the famous triaxis that people are braging about
and i found that i could get the tones i want faster and much closer
the sounds i like with this machine,editing my patches has never been made so easely.I have downloaded the manuel since i bought it on second hand wich i only used for minor references like effects-loops settings etc...i found that the manual is as easy to understand then the JMP-1 itself.

Sound Quality: 10
Im using the JMP-1 with an Ibanez RG-420,a 7 string corean Ibanez and Takamine GX-200 electric guitar. For power i'm using a JCM-900 mkIII with (EL-34)power tubes wich i believe is the first JCM-900 model
to have been produced it has a single chanel.My JMP-1 is also combined
with a Rocktron Intelifex for effects.For sound quality i play modern
rock,Papa Roach,Deftones etc... which is mainly the type of sound i'm aiming for in my band.The OD-1 with my amp sounds ultra thick with a heavey string gauge wich is also very important if you want a thick tone i'm curently using dean-markleys.I'd say that i didn't believe i would would get the tone i wanted before i got the JMP-1,it gaved me the added flexibility and badness ASS-Kicking monstress tone i like and no you cant get that Mesa detoriated tracter tone with and integrated auto-wah,you only get aggresif modern distortion to vintage distortion with sustain to make other brands cry.The Clean
easely matches the original tone of my amp and for noise it also respecfully mathes it.Effect-loops are good you only have to balance your effect-prossesor and your JMP-1 settings so that it doesn't distort,it takes carefull tweaking between the two and then you have it.

Reliability: 9
Globaly it is framed for war the only thing that i had to change is the preamp tubes cause one was frying beacon or something...And now
that it has bran new tubes it just kicks-ass and wouldn't use backup
cause the internal parts are reliable and besides that never got it repaired.

Customer Support: N/A
Never had to,but i wrote to marshall onse for some questions on the
midi pedal that usualy goes with it and ask them what it looks like
and the sales manager guy took the time to take a digital picture of
it in there warehouse and send it to me within 2-3 weaks so i wouldn't be to worried.

Overall Rating: 10
For the history of the music i have listen to and played from Ozzy-Ozzborn,Stevie-Ray-Vaughan,to todays modern bands,i wouldn't have spent a day without Marshalls,preferably the JMP-1's extra edge gives me all these days including now.Using it with a good (tube) amp also
adds to the flexibility and tonefull quality,string selection as i mansioned,great cables etc...are all as important.The instruments itself depends on what style you play but for modern rock i recommand you have a humbucker on your guitars.I've been playing more seriously since 8 years and being alote with sound-techs i've learn alote about selecting gear and of course its all a mather of taste.If my JMP-1 were stolen or lost i'd without a doubt buy it again,its the hart of my sound.I'm sick and tired of seeing reviews of people that hate the
JMP-1 and recommending peavey preamps or other crap ther are to benchmark's out there that are respected and its the JMP-1 or the triaxis depending on your taste.If you want to be able to have a muddier aimed tone with retained sustain in most applications then the triaxis will suite you.If you want crispier,more defined tone with alote of sustained the JMP-1 is for you.I have tested bough machines each of them have ther own caracterestics its rather you want the marshall amp listing or the mesa listing,one is'nt better than the other its really a mather taste,for me i got the sound i like right out of the box with the JMP-1.But todays modern bands choose Marshall or Mesa,its not worth buying any other preamps.

Submitted by Anonymous at 07/05/2002 21:13

Price Paid: US $920,00

Ease of Use: 9
THIS IS JUST AN UPDATE .

Very easy to use . I needed the manual only to save settings , but that was not necessary , that was so bad , so I didn´t need to save patches .

Sound Quality: 4
TOO BAD . And too NOISY . It sounds exactly like the weak Maiden tone ( Dave , Adrian and Janick use this preamp , before a Marshall 9200 ).
If you want to make it sound better , you´ll need a Mesa 50/50 ( at least ) and a Marshall 1960 cabinet at full volume , ah , and using a heavy guitar , with Dimarzio , or Seymour Duncan pickups .

DON`T buy this thing if you want metal .

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 1
Thanks GOD !!! I went back to the store , and after hours of talking , they gave me all the money back .

But after that , I opened the unit at home , and that was true . The Marshall JMP-1 is a SOLID-STATE preamp .
Those tubes make no difference !!!

It sounded just a little better than my Marshall VS100 .

And I got a Digitech 2101 , much heavier , much more sustain , and best suitable for Metal .

Believe it or not , a Boss DS-1 has more punch and sustain than this JMP .

Submitted by Lee at 07/05/2002 17:43

Price Paid: US $400

Features: 8

Sound Quality: 5
Very nice clean and distorted sounds, BUT: the speaker emulation output really sucks. They should have used a normal mono-output, instead they made it stereo which gives you an ugly sweeping sound, like a cheap chorus. Especially when you play high single notes. Bad, bad, bad.

Reliability: 10
I dropped it twice from a table: no problem, everything still works fine.

Customer Support: N/A
never had to contact them

Overall Rating: 6
I play guitar for 20 years now and because I once had a very nice 2-channel Mashall tube amp I bought this JMP-1 preamp. Like I said before, the features are quite impressive but the cheap stereo-chorus in the speaker emulation really sucks. You can't use this for serious recording.

Submitted by Armin at 07/04/2002 07:56

Price Paid: N/A

Features: N/A
Attention Metal Kids! The Jmp 1 is not a Mesa or a Peavey or any other high gain fuzz amp. If you research Marshalls, they havent even been high gain amps until they started making these crappy jcm 900,DSL, TSL piles of overpriced junk. Distortion is not tone. Remember that!
If you want to sound like Crappa roach,Korn, Limp shitsquick, buy a dual rectifer and shut up. Also, Mesa and Marshall are two totally different circuits. Thus being the reason YOU CANT COMPARE THEM.There heads are completely different animals so why wouldnt there pre amps be?Sorry for being rude, but get a clue before you start posting opinions on something you obviously no nothing about.If you want to sound like your favorite guitar player, find out what he's using by talking to people who know. Not what you read in guitar magazine. FYI, Dimebag has never recorded with a RANDALL,or played live with a Randall. But they send him a fat paycheck to say that he does. Sorry Randall users.

Sound Quality: N/A

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: N/A

Submitted by Anonymous at 06/20/2002 15:32

Price Paid: US $500.00

Features: 10
2002 model, very versitile, the preamp is well balance so you do not have to make huge adjustments, but the one thing is that you must have a good tube power amp to push it with and you must know how to push tubes. it has 4 channels, 100 pre-sets, stero effects loop, and headphones jack. i use it my fig and i am in a band that plays the rock music scene in san diego and la. it has two tubes and i personally think that it is the most versitile piece of gear that i have owned.

Sound Quality: 9
i use it with a les paul custom, les paul dc, american strat, and 7-string guitar. my band covers alot of different sound inside rock music so i need alot of different tone. this one is the only one that i have played that can do it all in one unit. i have played all the big ones: mesa's, other marshall's, vox, etc, they all sound good but if you do not have the money to buy them all or do not want to have to carry 12 amps to a gig this will solve the problem. not too noisy but does have a little noise on the distortions but no more than any other amp does. the sounds can be whatever you want, which is the beauty of it, the distortion can get close to the jcm 800, which is my personal fav for distortion. the clean can get real clean or gritty, just whatever to suit your taste.

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
i have been playing for 7 years and i have been in several bands. i have owned and played a vast variety of amps and this one combined with other gear that i have is the only one that i have been able to come close to getting the sounds that i am looking for live. we as guitar players will never actually be satisfied with our live rig because live rigs do not sound like the sounds that you get in the studio. you must find that conbination that works for you.

Submitted by luke at 06/16/2002 01:06

Price Paid: toooo much

Features: 1
I got it last Wednesday ( June 5 th 2002 ) . Not many features , the EQ is horrible . I`M A STUPID BUYING THIS AMP !!! Don´t try this one , NEVER . It says there are 4 channels , but they are the same thing : OD2 is just a OD1 continuation , so do the Cleans 1 and 2 . You can remove the tubes and it will keep sounding , this is a SOLID STATE < NOT A VALVE PRE-AMP . EVEN a ZOOM 1010 sounds heavier , believe it or not !

Sound Quality: 3
Yes , it´s noisy , even with humbuckers .

Buy this if you want that crappy Marshall tone , so its excellent !
Brytal ? HAHHAHA . The distortion is the weakest possible ! Too bad for an expensive rack product .

Reliability: 9
At least , the thing is strong . About the tubes inside , don´t worry . They make no difference . But it doesn´t matter , a hard-made preamp which sounds bad ...

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 1
I´ll answer now a "famous" question : JMP-1 VS Triaxis .
Try the Triaxis !!!
I spent MUCH money buying this JMp-1 , and I felt bad after 5 minutes playing !!!! I´m really TOO SAD , even Taiwan made pedals can sound much heavier than this one .

Submitted by Leandro at 06/09/2002 15:42

Price Paid: US $800

Ease of Use: 8
Easy controls and easy to program but there's more to a pre-amp than that. Editing easy. Very Straight forward. Had a manual for it. Useful-yes. Not as easy to use as a non-midi pre-amp but decent just the same.

Sound Quality: 3
When I was first getting into amps and stuff is when this came out. At first it seemed like the holy grail of tone, but when I gained some experience I realized that this is what another reviewer said, "A smoke show blow-job." I like real tube gear. Not 150 volt crap or not solid state assisted BJ stuff. I like a pre-amp that gets its sounds from the tubes not from overdriving some transistor for reference. What's that all about anyways Marshall. For its prce, I'd give it a 3. If it was $200 than a 4.

Reliability: 9
Never broke down on me, but then again it's not really tube. Independant clean and gain channels. Meaning: 1 tube for clean, 1 tube for gain and a whole lot of solid state. I'm sure that tube aren't realy even needed. Just marketing hype. I paid new price for it and sold it for a little over half of what I paid for it. Good riddance to bad rubbish. I'm gald I dumped it when I did cause ina few years time when people smarten up and Marshall discontinues it, then you'll see it for $100 at pawnshops all over.

Customer Support: 8
Good.

Overall Rating: 4
Would I buy it again? No!
Is it a good beginners pre-amp? Yes.
Does Kiss really use it? Yes, because they are sellouts. Look at the Randall crap they use now. Solid state crap.
I liked how it looks. I hated the internal chip factory inside.

What do I use now? Peavey Rockmaster. Why? Almost 100% tube(hard to explain), sounds good. Can be purchased cheap, etc.

I used to be a hardass about kepping all my rack gear marshall but I grew out of that. It's about getting the right sound for you. A unique sound. The way to do this is by using rack gear that you like. Combine it to make your own sound. Very difficult to get a great sound by just sticking with one company. I used to have a JFX-1 by Marshall. Good but limited digital effects processor. Dumped mine, lost some money on it but gained some sanity back. In a few years, that will be littering dirty and scummy pawnshops because once the battery goes, the unit is toast. The battery for it is no longer made so pawnshop city.

If you want good gear for cheap(not for the price of the tubes(KIRKHAMMETISGOD, OXYGEN, and some of the other crybabies) go with Peavey tube rack gear like TG RAXX, Rockmaster, TB Raxx, etc.

Submitted by Bob Rockmaster at 06/03/2002 11:56

Price Paid: US $900

Features: 10
4 Channels, Full MIDI support, FX loop which is fully ADJUSTABLE and saveable which EACH preset, 3 band EQ with -6 to +6dB range, bass shift, presence control... It does NOT get ANY easier than this. Absolutely beautiful.

Sound Quality: 10
I am using all USA Jackson and Parker Fly guitars (Ibanez is a satanic evil company making the worst, most disgusting guitars on earth) all with Duncan and Dimarzio pups, latest pup is the Dimebucker which kills. I like CLEAN tones, THICK CHUNK tones, and nice airy, milky, warm lead patches. The JMP-1 does all of these VERY very well. As with ANY high-gain pre, it can be noisy if you have your vol and gain to 20. I run a BOSS SD-1 in front of mine, with the level on the boss very low. Just adds a bit of extra punch and I am completely f'king CHUNKING big time. Its beautiful. I run an old school 80's Ashly Noise gate and I am completely silent when not playing. It's a beautiful thing. I take the JMP into a dbx 160a into the ashly gate, right to makie 1402 and print this way and its just f'king outstand. I have a Marshall JFX-1 on Auxsend1 and a Rocktron Replifex on Auxsend2, and can blend them all together when tracking. FORGET Line6 shit, and forget the PSA-1. JMP-1... your next preamp.

Reliability: 10
Nary a prob... Mine is from 1994. Perfect. Marshall RULES. Nuff said.

Customer Support: N/A
GOOD luck getting a LIVE person from Marshall/KORG. You are an idiot if you cant figure out this preamp, though... The JFX-1 is one HELL of an fx box too. I mastered it in 10 minutes with no manual. JMP-1, JFX-1... fuggadboutit.

Overall Rating: 10
I play super technical speed metal death thrash like Blink182, and Third Eye Blind. I also play super technical lead solos like Kirk Hammet. My style is very unusual and FRESH because, like my hero Kirk Hammet, I drench ALL of my leads with wah-wah to hide my shitty technique, and I always stick myself in the 12th position pentatonic box. My style is very fresh and exciting with my blues box and wah wah playing.

In all seriousness.... I searched for preamps for a LONNNNNNNG time. The JMP-1 is IT. I'm DONE searching, because I found the perfect pre-amp. BUY ONE, you will NOT be disappointed. Just run a nice overdrive in front of it, get a great compressor, and a very good noise gate, and you are fully dialed in, pod'na. Peace out. And remember, help keep your kids off of Ibanez. Thanks.

Submitted by Burt Lampshade The Third at 06/02/2002 14:42

Price Paid: US $300

Features: 10
Well we all know MIDI, and this pre-amp is A full on MIDI Pre!
Four channels: 2 Clean and 2 OD. A simple piece of gear that has many great tones if you know what a "TONE" is. A weird fx loop but i only use the send to power my fx setup. A decent headphone out and really great speaker outs.

Sound Quality: 10
OK, here is the kicker that everyone needs to get straight. You need to really get a good TUBE poweramp or a good head to run this. If you dont then you are cheating yourself of the "magic " this thing really has to offer. I have no problems getting original tones with the Jmp-1 and every other great Marshall Sound in the history of rock! The cleans are great and they do breakup if you want them to. The distortions are great they can really do it all from mellow dark jazz to the most extreme metal. There are tons of settings its hard to find one that fits the mood im in sometimes cause the sound is really good. I use this preamp in the wet dry wet setup which is great for me. I run the left and right out into a VHT 2150 into two mesa 2x12 and it is really a rippin combo the KT88's really round out the preamp and its presence and depth really add the punch and clarity for those extra little touches you need sometime. I send my fx level into a digital music line mixer into a g-force and eventide dsx into a Strategy 400 Stereo into two Marshall JCM 2000 cabs truely a unique tone to begin with but it really sounds great. SIMUL-CLASS!!!!! I have every tube power tone you could wish for with these two amps nuff said. I use ESP guitars with emg's and SD pickups. I run my signial into two GCX switchers so really a basic tone is easy to get or a complete studio can be inserted into the mix if i want to.

Reliability: 10
A simple MIDI knowledge is required to max this but it would be hard to see any piece of gear live through torture.Try touring in winter and spring in hot sweaty clubs if you can survive that it can take a few weekend gigs and a bed room.

Customer Support: 9
Never needed it but im sure they would atleaste refer mt to a service center.

Overall Rating: 10
Well, Like I said it really depends on what you like and what style you play There are only 12 notes so its all in the hands and the mind's eye. Is this the best i dont know is any piece of gear the be all end all not really its all how it works for you so. I can get through two records worth of material with it so to me its reallt versitile and it does have soul if you do. You gan get these used all the time now i did and it sounds better than the babied ones I've tried. Play around with tube cause they do make a diffrence i use 2 Sovtek 12ax7WLPS nice crunch and a really clear clean sound. But, like i said tone is a relative term. When will you turn to ASH?

Submitted by EL Hefe at 04/14/2002 21:37

Price Paid: US $200

Ease of Use: 10
Very simple to use!

Sound Quality: 8
Gibson SG,Heritage H150,Fender Tele spezial, Fender Strat
Rack: Korg Tuner, Rocktron Patch-Mate, Simmons Mixer, Marshall JMP1,
Mesa Triaxis, Rocktron Replifex, Alesis Quadraverb,Mesa 2-90, Two Marshall 2x12 Cabs.
I had a JMP1 a few years ago but I sold it and bought the Triaxis because this is more flexible in sounds.
A few time ago I´ve bought me a used JMP-1 because I missed the Marshall sounds.
Now I am able to create american and also brithish sounds in excellent quality.

Reliability: 10

Customer Support: 7

Overall Rating: 8

Submitted by Winfried Eckert at 04/13/2002 05:22

Price Paid: US $700

Features: 7
Please refer to the Marshall website for detailed specifications on the JMP-1. I've owned mine for over 8 years now. The JMP-1 has a good number of features for a $700 rack pre-amp. My Mesa Triaxis has many more features and sounds. However, the JMP-1 is by far more user-friendly and easier to program. It's easy to use and set up.

Sound Quality: 8
The JMP-1 has a handful of good sounds. I've found that the main sound is very unique and can't be changed too much. I've used it with an ADA tube poweramp and a couple of 2-12 Celestion loaded cabinets. I use US Strats and ESP strats with hums mainly. You can get a good Metallica type sound out of it, or a more well rounded GNR type tone out of it. I personally like a lot of midrange in my tone for a funkier tone and for leads that cut through the mix better. I'm not in to that scooped mid sound. I recently sold it to buy a Triaxis 50/50 setup. I miss the JMP-1 for a few reasons -- it was easier to program and it had a better direct out and speaker simulator signal for recording. However, the Triaxis sounds warmer and thicker. The JMP-1 does one great distortion sound, the Triaxis does about three great distortion sounds, in my opinion. The JMP-1 has clean and fast channel switching, the Triaxis has some latency in switching (I think due to all-tube circuitry versus the tube-hybrid circuit of the JMP-1.) The significant difference I've noticed between the two is that the JMP-1 is bit more sterile than the Triaxis. By sterile, I mean that the JMP has a refined crispness and consistency to it that is great for metal types. The Triaxis, however, has more rawness to its tone -- it has an uncontrolled feel to it that gives it more character and lends itself to more interesting guitar styles and tones. That's just my general take on the two.

Reliability: 10
The amp never malfunctioned over the 8 or so years I've had it.

Customer Support: N/A
Never dealt with Marshall.

Overall Rating: 9
If you need MIDI channel switching and want a dependable rack unit for under $700, this is a great preamp. If you don't need MIDI, but want Marshall tone, get a Marshall head or combo. For the money, the JMP-1 is better than anything in its class, tube or not. If you can afford the Triaxis, I'd recommend it instead -- you'll get more distinctive sounds and wider tone pallette.

Submitted by Anonymous at 04/08/2002 12:45

Price Paid: US $2000

Features: N/A
It's full of features. Mine came with all features i need. It even has an knobs in the front (knobs are very expensive - another nice touch of this unit).

Sound Quality: N/A
The distortion is BRUTAL! Way more gain than a 5150 no 10 (i use mine with gain on 1...). I can get the Dual Recto Sound easily and sounds even better than the original (i should know because i have the 5150 ehad and the Dual Recto head as well).

The clean sound sounds like Heaven! Remember the classic the greatness of the clean sounds in the Diezel heads? Well, this is 4 x times better! Believe me.

Reliability: N/A
Very reliable. I have mine for nearly 3 hours and it never broke up. Extensive usage nad it still sounds great!

Customer Support: N/A
The Best. These guys are the best.

Overall Rating: N/A
I got mine for $2000 wich i think is a steal. The guy in the store said that they usually go for $3500 (he is a friend of mine). This is definitely the best pre-amp out there. It has a great feature (that some pre's don't have) that let's you turn it on, plug a guitar and it will give you good sound. Well, the best part is that you can CHANGE that sound! You have a myriad of functions (like adjusting the Bass, Middle, very esoteric parameters) at your disposal. It's the "classic", best pre-amp ever made.

Submitted by Anonymous at 02/15/2002 08:31

Price Paid: N/A

Features: N/A
I've had my JMP1 for 2 years and have used it with several guitars.

Sound Quality: 3
If you are planning to by this amp for awesome metal distortion then DON'T. It needs shitloads more gain to even come close to a peavey or mesa head. I've fucked around with the limited settings for ages trying to get a better sound. It has a nice warm tone to it but it lacks clarity and definition. If you want to get a good metal sound you need to crank the gain to 20, and loose the mids but then it just turns to mud. No chance of hearing inidviduals notes in a chord clearly. I use it with an EL34-100/100. The clean sounds are nice, I give it that.

Reliability: N/A
Never had a problem

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: N/A
I've been playing for years. I've got a valestate 100wat combo amp which has a much better distorted sound (clear, lots of gain and good harmonics) unfortunately this doesn't come close.

Submitted by Anonymous at 02/11/2002 20:13

Price Paid: 750 euro

Features: 9
I play metal for 10 years ( I'm italian and my speak is not perfect!!!) and in all this years I try many models of amps ecc,ecc..but when I buy the Jmp1 the sound are very good!Very easy to use and versatyle.

Sound Quality: 9
In this moment I use a Marshall el 34 power amp, a Korg tunner and mIDIVERB 4 MULTIEFFECT, and my guitar is a Jackson with SH5 seymour duncan pick up in the bridge.
The sound of the od2 is very perfect for my guitar style...the clean is very brigt and clear.The jmp1 have a lot of feedback ( forse troppo! ) and fovolous attak and dynamic at high distorsion.

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A
I haven't no problem with this jmp1.Marshall is very hard!!

Overall Rating: N/A

Submitted by Tachy at 02/08/2002 09:36

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: 10
very very very easy to use! that s intuitive

Sound Quality: 5
In clear sound, that s a perfection!
If you add distortion (gain), it become very noisy. I don t like that at all.
So I use it in clear sound only!

Reliability: 10
no comment on this. I never had a problem.

Customer Support: N/A
don t know

Overall Rating: 10
In fact I use it as a DI box for clear sound.
In this situation that s perfect.

Submitted by bidouille at 01/30/2002 05:07

Price Paid: US $400 used

Features: N/A
4 channels, stereo fx loop see other reviews for features. Pretty much standard for a preamp.

Sound Quality: 8
I am using it with an 80's Ibanez Artist with DiMarzio Pickups
Norton (bridge) and fred (neck) I play Tool, rage, primer 55, anything with Ozzy, stuff like that. This isn't the god of all preamps but it will do the job.

clean 2 is a fuller version of clean 1. od1 good classic rock sound. od2 good metal sounds (Deftones and Papa Roach) as well as Ozzy and the older metal. Will not sound like a Mesa so don't even think about it. The eq as mentioned before, is very limited. It's very quiet. Like I said you won't get a good Mesa sound from it but, it has killer sustain. And half the cost of a triaxis

Reliability: N/A
So far so good, I got mine used and the fx loop didn't work. Besides that,nothing has went wrong.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
I've been playing for 11 years, I've owned lots for gear including a Fender twin reverb, TSL100 (don't buy it), a lawsuit Ibanez destroyer, an original phase 90 among other things. Right now my setup is this:

Ibanez Artist
Digitech Whammy 4
Boss TU-2
Dunlop 535
Marshall jmp-1
GCX switcher
Uni-Vibe
Boss Bass EQ
TC Electronics G-Major
BBE Sonic Maximizer 264
Mesa 20/20 power amp

The best setup I've ever owned. I do wish that the preamp was more versital. But, for the price, I can't complain. I can't really compare it to the triaxis because I've never heard it. Overall a good value.

Submitted by Anonymous at 01/19/2002 10:49

Price Paid: 400 (euro) used

Features: 9
Ok, let's keep it simple: 4 channels; 2 clean, 2 distortion.
You can make any sound. But my problem is: I use it at home,
and everybody knows a tube (pre)amplifier doesn't sound good at low volumes. So I bought the wrong amp, although I use a solid state (valvestate) power amp.
It has enough features: effects loop, headphone jack, it is stereo,
it is midi compatible, everything is ok.
I don't miss a thing.
A 9 because nothing is perfect.

Sound Quality: 7
I use an Ibanez jem 555 with it, sounds ok, but:
and this problem I have with all marshalls I've played
(including TSL!) they just miss the amount of distortion.
I don't want to crank the amp cause it's way too loud,
although it's the only way too get heavy sounds out of it.
But when I use Overdrive channel 2, it has enough drive for rhythm
playing, but for solo's (a la Vai etc.) you can't get away without
using compression or a distortion pedal in front of it.

The jmp-1 is not noisy, not even when the gain is cranked all the way up. That's a +. Because everybody hates the hiss tube amps can make.

The variety of sounds is good. You can make warm, bassy cleans on channel 1, and crispy trebly cleans on channel 2.
Drive channel 1 sounds like an old Super lead, good tone, not that much drive, and drive channel 2 sounds like the newer JCM's , the 900 i suppose. For the heavier stuff.

Last thing I am going to say about the sound:
if you are into hardrock/metal, and like tight, metal like distortions, this is not the amp. A marshall will always sound a bit muddy, unless you crank the power amp section, take out the mids and add some compression.
I would like to have a rectifier but it's way too expensive.
But, the marshall does a good job. It just lacks some distortion.

Reliability: 9
I don't know, I've owned 4 marshalls (valvestate 40 watt, valvestate 100 watt head, JTM-30 and JCM 2000 tsl combo) and never a problem!

Customer Support: N/A
Never needed them
read above

Overall Rating: 7
Enough said. Go listen and have your own opinion.
If you like metallica, Korn, Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, buy a Boogie.
If you like AC/DC, Guns 'n roses, whatever, if you like the Marshall
go buy it. Remember you always have to crank the bitch to get a good sound. That's the only -

Submitted by Frank at 01/16/2002 03:42

Price Paid: £140 used

Features: 5
Well described below - would add that EQ range is very narrow.

Sound Quality: 2
I've had this unit for just over a year and run it through a Marshall 8008 power amp, the return socket of a Laney AOR 50 head (2xEL34), the return of a Laney AOR 30 (2x6V6), a Marshall 1922 with one stock speaker and one Vintage 30 and the return of a Valvestate VS65R. Whatever the setup, the amp will give various degrees of fuzz, but it doesn't sound, feel or respond like a valve amp. The clean channels are flat and sterile, and at no time will this unit make your strings sing and bounce. It does not articulate well, and does not give the player a sense of relaxation. Play this and then plug into a Marshall JCM 900 or Laney AOR50 and see how good a British valve amp can sound. Valve/silicon hybrid is not the problem either - Marshall got it right with the Valvestate range; shame they didn't apply similar technique to this. Despite its fuzz tones, this amp is no good for blues - it will not do subtle breakup.

Reliability: 8
It's solid and reliable.

Customer Support: 8
Marshall support in England is top.

Overall Rating: 2
Get a 50-watt head and cab.

Submitted by Anonymous at 01/14/2002 16:36

Price Paid: US $400

Features: 8
If you know the JMP-1, then you know the features.

Sound Quality: 8
I use two American strats, with Seamour Duncan JB Jr's in the neck and bridge and a little 59 in the middle in one, and Silver Lace Sensors in the other. I primarily play classic rock, some blues, some southern rock. Since I hate the midi thing, I opted for the MPM4E four button footswitch which gives me access to four patches which is enough for me. Those four patches are: clean, crunch, a heavier distortion and a searing lead distortion. To me, this is an excellent preamp. I combine it with a Peavey 50/50 and a 1x12 Boogie wedge cab. The sounds are very good and usable, also extremely tweakable to your liking. The preamp does take some fidding around with, but it is very easy to dial in the sound you want, then save it in whatever user patch number you want to. A breeze. The only thing about this preamp I do not like is the effects loop. Since you must assign a particular value of effect to mix in with the original signal, the original signal gets far too affected. As well, you can't really run a volume pedal through the effects loop because of the loop's assignable characteristics, forcing you to put it after the main outputs which creates a very small swell distance in the volume pedal. So small that I literally have to push the volume pedal almost all the way down to get the sound I want, but back it off even an 1/8th inch and the sound deteriorates dramatically. I have a Boogie Studio Preamp with an effects loop that is much better than the JMP-1, which is why I'm using the JMP-1 only as a backup now. But, the emulated outs are very good. I run out the JMP-1's emulated outs to a Mackie 808S into two Sonic T15's for the smaller gigs. Very, very good sound. It's the kind of sound that only two people in the building would know the difference with. You know what I mean. But beware: if you set up your sounds in a small room with the JMP-1, the sound becomes much thinner in larger rooms. Give your crunch and distortion channels a little more gain if you set them up in a smaller room if you plan to play out live.

Reliability: 9
Built like a tank. Makes my rack heavier than it's ever been.

Customer Support: 4
We all know Marshall sucks in this area, but I've never had to deal with them regarding the JMP-1.

Overall Rating: 7
If it were lost, I would not replace it. I would instead opt for a combo of some kind. For the money, it competes very well with the Mesa Triaxis. Bottom line, if you like the Marshall sound, you can dial in pretty much whatever Marshall sound you want. If it weren't for the stupid effects loop, I might still be playing it.

Submitted by Eric at 12/21/2001 11:31

Price Paid: 190 (UKP) used

Features: 8
The Data Dial also scrolls through the patches .
It would be better to have a seperate dial for the patches .

Sound Quality: 3
Clean sounds are no big deal .
Overdrive channels are very noisey , and thin . The distortion is pretty glassey ( harsh ) . There isn't enough tone control on the pre-amp itself to recover from it's own rather thin sound . Main problem is the noise though . It just keeps on returning on the OD patches . Disappointing .

Reliability: N/A
Haven't had it long . Will probably resell anyway .

Customer Support: N/A
Don't know .

Overall Rating: 3
I've been playing 30 years .

Submitted by Chris James at 12/17/2001 23:22

Price Paid: 495ukp (uk)

Ease of Use: 10
Piece of P*ss to use! Don't bo yourseld down with mapping the patches, theres 100 of them- enuff

Sound Quality: 9
Quality- its the marshall sound. Ace for DI recording, though a little high end reduction may help some people

Reliability: 8
So far so good, though mine has developed a dry joint on 'R' output
changed memory battery after 8 years just in case!

Customer Support: 3
Wanted to know the sysex ins and outs, poor help from marshall

Overall Rating: 7
from dance to rock to blues to jazz, this fits me!

Submitted by Anonymous at 12/08/2001 02:04

Price Paid: US $600

Features: N/A
Decent tone, but you'll need a hush for the hiss. I have one, so it sounds great. Very heavy tones can be had from the this preamp, but it requires some post EQ and and the effects loop mostly in with a quit processor. It is no noisier than the triaxis I had.

Sound Quality: N/A
From clean to mean this ones got it. The tone palette isn't highly flexible, so again you can use post preamp EQing to enhance the tone quite considerably.

Reliability: N/A
Great, so far.

Customer Support: N/A
N/A

Overall Rating: 8
8.5

Submitted by kevin at 11/04/2001 16:12

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 1
Marshalls LAME attempt to emulate a real tube preamp(which this is NOT).
They crammed 2 preamp tubes(12ax7s) into this thing but under the hood is a GIANT bridged transistor that is giving this unit all its overdrive and distortion.
Its a MIDI unit that is very "anemic" in the tone and BALLS dept.It has an effects loop that sucks,headphone out that works ok,and a speaker/cabinet/direct recording feature that is the nicest feature on it.The rest of the package really sucks my ass!
Wish it was REAL tube Preamp(thats what I wish)Used it several times and then saved up LOTSA $$$$ for a Bradshaw 3+SE Preamp....smart move on my part.
It's basically a solid state preamp with tubes to give "warmth" to the overdrive...as I mentioned above-Very Lame attempt.
It sucks Period!Very limited is what it is!

Sound Quality: 1
No matter what you use(pick-ups/guitar/EQ-outboard/Inboard...I'm Bored!)This unit is NOT worth the $ marshall wants or what the users who are selling em for on H/C.
This thing hisses like an arab on crack!It is Noisy and very annoying in any high gain setting.Shrill,Thin,and very "hissy".Sounds like a Desert Sandstorm.
The ONLY thing brutal is Marshalls attempt to make this thing sound real.(in answer to the silly question from the review questionaire.)

Reliability: 1
I depend on Myself to play good....you CANT get thru a gig with this unit unless you are tone deaf.
Marshall is a Joke nowadays,and I defy ANYONE to give me a REAL world scenario in which they aren't.

Customer Support: 1
Customer support...? Watta JOKE! Marshalls Heirarchy are all worthless and weak.So is the Marshall product line.So is ANY Marshall made after 1968.
Get a real amplifier(BOGNER,VHT,BRADSHAW,EGNATER,BUDDA,MESA~BOOGIE,
KOMET,DIEZEL,SAVAGE,KOCH,MATCHLESS,FUCHS,TWO-ROCK,etc......

Overall Rating: 1
I will NEVER buy another Marshall product...I'm ashamed to even putmy name in print for this review.

Submitted by Anonymous at 10/27/2001 14:25

Price Paid: US $600

Ease of Use: 10
If yuo cant get a good sound you have more problems than just guitar tones. If yuo read over the manual once you are good to go.

Sound Quality: 10
I use a schecter C-1 plus, Marshal EL34 100watt amp per side, BBE 482 maximizer, Rocktron muti valve, and Marchal JCM cabs. Everything together sounds great, it is by far the best rig for so hevey tones.

Reliability: 10
it is deffenatlly PRO gear you can know when you plug your rack in it is ready to go.

Customer Support: 9
Ive sent back an old amp JCM900 and I had no problems with the poeple from Marshall.

Overall Rating: 10
If you like sweet tones that will make any other rock bands guitarist cry deffenatlly get one. I play in TEST THE MODEL and we are a signed band, and I dont ever have to buy anything else it have all the versitility I will need

Submitted by Gavin at 10/17/2001 13:02

Price Paid: US $499

Features: 9
4 channel 1U rack mounted preamp using 2 12ax7 tubes. 4 channels include 2 clean & 2 OD. Digital switching and midi compatible. 100 user presets. I/O includes 1/4" stereo outs and recording outs with speaker emulation as well as stereo effects loop. Also has a headphone jack on front panel. The amp is very versitle...each channel is voiced differently for a wide array of sounds from warm clean to tight distortion. Each channel includes volume, gain, bass w/boost, mid, treble, pres, and effect mix 0-100%parameters. The amp is plenty loud and works well on stage as well as in a studio.

Sound Quality: 9
Used with an Ibanez S-470 guitar and running thru a mesa 20/20 power amp and marshall 1922 2x12 cab. It really is your basic marshall tube amp sound so if you are a big marshall fan and like the idea of a rack setup this is a great unit. The clean 2 channel is crystal clear and bright...and the OD 2 channel delivers nice tight gain for metal sounds...tons of distortion!!! For people who like the mesa sound though this unit will not deliver that rectified high gain sound. OD 1 gives more of a vintage crunch sound reminiscent of the vintage plexis at lower gain settings to a dirty grunge sound at higher gain settings. Combined with a nice tube power amp this thing give biting, loud in your face distortion but again this is within the marshall library of sound. In the studio the speaker emulated recording outs dont really provide a true speaker cab sound as things were mostly overly bright and tinty. I would suggest using an effect processor that has speaker simulation effect. I am not big on the idea that great tone is locked up in an certain piece of equipment but rather it is a product of your playing, but if I did have one minor complaint about the unit it is that I never could get rid of some minor high end harmonic buzzing but it was only most noticible when running direct in my home studio. Overall the unit does sound great, the cleans really shine and go from warm jazzy to bright and airy. The OD channels can take you from the vintage plexis to modern metal...no problem!!! And this is the real deal too...no amp modeling!!!

Reliability: 10
Great. I've never had a problem in three years but it also mostly stays in my home studio. The tubes may be hard to replace though as they are buried inside the unit.

Customer Support: N/A
Never needed it.

Overall Rating: 9
Ive been playing for 15 years...anything from blues, jazz, to hard rock, but more recently progressive rock. Personally I am a little more partial to the Mesa sound but I will not discount this unit for providing true Marshall tones. Compared to other products such as the triaxis it is right there for a better price. But if you are looking for a wider array of tone you may want to look into the amp modeling movement.

Submitted by Ryan at 10/09/2001 08:04

Price Paid: N/A used

Features: 10
was es so alles gibt steht sicher schon bei allen anderen beitragen, deshalb nur näheres zu den anderen punkten.

Sound Quality: 9
Der sound ist einwandfrei. Ist mir egal, ob es jetzt die röhren sind, die zerren, oder eine gut gemachte dioden-schaltung, hauptsache es klingt gut und das ist der fall. Alles von absolut brilliant clean bis zum härtesten--im vorstufen-sinn gesprochen.Natürlich kann man jetzt wieder ankommen und sagen, ja, aber mein Marshall Turm klingt härter und besser und ... aber jungs: es ist ein PREAMP! und was die endstufe zum sound beiträgt muß ich wohl keinem sagen, oder?
Das ding klingt sauber und gut, wie es sein soll. absolut einfache bedienung, bühnentauglich und vielseitig. brauchbare speakersimulation und stereo effekt-loop. das einzige was noch besser zu machen wäre: xlr-outputs! Etwas blöd ist auch der Stecker für den 4fach fußschalter. ich denke ein normaler dinstecker (der viel billiger wäre) täte es auch. so erhöht es die kosten für einen fußschalter-selbsbau, und die dinger sind nicht soooo einfach zu bekommen (es ist ein stecker aus der video-technik!)

Reliability: 10

Customer Support: 9
noch nix mit zu tun gehabt, aber die bedienungsanleitung gibts übers web, und das finde ich schon mal immer sehr sympatisch.

Overall Rating: 10
Ich nutze das ding mit einem Rocktron Intellifex & Compressor 300G und einem Ibanez 1031EQ. dann gehts ab in einen Vox V15, Fender Bandmaster, Bassman oder Marshall EL84 20/20. Bei allen setups beste ergebnisse, kein übermäßiges rauschen, gute abschirmung, alles tadellos

Submitted by Falk Schuch at 09/07/2001 05:13

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 10
Plenty of features. I won't cover them in detail. Others have. I wanted to like it based in part on the fx loop adjustment per individual preset.

Sound Quality: 3
I used a charvel model 375(?). At first it sounded very marshally. Then the more I used it and the more setups I tried to put it with the more sterile and one dimensional it began sounding. I tried plugging it in to a 2x12 cab with V30s in it via a solid state power amp. Yes, I agree that a tube power amp would probably sound better, but I don't have one and Marshall wouldn't say, "Hey this preamp sounds great if you amplify it with a tube amp." No, they would say that it sounds great in all situations. Well in that situation every tube combo I had blew it away!
Then I tried it in fx loops of my various amps. Sounds shitty.
Lastly, I tried it direct into the board and mixed it with my favorite pre-recorded band cd. Again, nothing but flat, sterile sounds. This became more apparent when I recorded a track using my pod 2.0. The pod sounds a lot more round and realistic even though it, too, sounds a bit artificial to me at times. The marshall jmp-1 began to remind me, as the night went on, of my boss guitar driver which, I believe, is a rack mountable compilation of various boss od or dist pedals. Very solid state sounding when plugged in direct. Quite a drag. I was looking forward to a single rack space with lots of marshall goodies. Alas, if it seems to good to be true...

Reliability: N/A
n/a

Customer Support: N/A
n/a

Overall Rating: 5
I've been playing since 1976. Yeah, that's 25 years. I've owned lots of different amps and preamps. Some good some bad. Some ss some tube. In searching for the tone of a lifetime occasionally I've been suckered into trying/buying things that sometimes common sense says won't work. As a result I tried ADA MP-1. Liked it lots until one day I happend to plug into a real tube combo. WOW! The sound was much more honest, immediate, warm, round, real, and natural. So, I tried a few amps, gigged with 'em then got tired of gigging with idiots, quit gigging and just taught for the last 5 years. In that time I got hooked on the pod concept. Bought one and the DG Stomp. Then plugged into a real amp again. Suffice to say that nothing beats the real thing!! Fortunately, I won't eat the jmp-1. I have another 2 days in which to return it. It goes back tomorrow. Finally, I would like to say that my comments only reflect my opinion. I'm not saying that this is a bad unit. It just didn't work for my ears and sensibilities. I'm sure that there are plenty of people out there that, with their gear, experience, and personality can make great sounds with it. It just aint for me. Viva la difference!!

Submitted by Shawn at 09/03/2001 00:50

Price Paid: US $100 used

Ease of Use: 10
This unit is designed exactly the way guitar rack gear should be-plug and play. Dialing in your tone is as easy as turning the knobs on any amp out there. For those still having trouble finding killer tones at this point, either quit playing or just go to Marshalls website for the manual.

Sound Quality: 10
Nothing I have ever played on has given me the pallet of tones this setup has. Endlessly singing sustain, Loads of gain, Crystal clean tones (especially through the Lexicon) and more Balls than any other rig I have seen(this seems to be the opinion of all who hear it too, so I guess it isn't me). I would put it up against ANY Mesa. The tones available cover it all.
One point often overlooked though: A large amount of your tone is in your fingers. No two players will sound identical through the same rig.

Reliability: 10
Let me see, I got it used in 1996. I am just now replacing the two stock ECC83 tubes 6 years later. It never shut down or complained. What would you say about that?

Customer Support: N/A
I have heard the horror stories, but have not had any problems as of yet.

Overall Rating: 10
The set up is as follows:
Guitars: Ibanez Universe777BK (tuned to dropped-A)
PRS Custom 22
Fender Custom Shop Floyd Rose Strat
Steinbergers
EFX: Lexicon MPX 500
BBE 482 Sonic Maximizer
PowerAmp:Marshall 9200 (100 watt x 2, all tube)
Cabinet: 1993 Marshall Valvestate (rewired for stereo)
This is the best rig I have ever used. I have played all style for years and this covers it all. The only thing I would recommend is the use of a BBE between the JMP-1 and your poweramp to really define the tone. But I would recommend this for any preamp as well. With a good guitar, decent effects unit and some talent you can't go wrong here.

Submitted by Rob at 08/15/2001 10:32

Price Paid: US $350 used

Ease of Use: 10
Ridiculously easy. Manual is simple.

Sound Quality: 10
My rig- 90s Gibson Les Paul Studio, 2000 Les Paul Classic --> Marshall JMP-1 --> Marshall JFX-1 --> Marshall 9200 Power Amp --> Marshall JCM 900 1960A. Everything is stock. I don't know, look at this list, how could it not sound good? I play a clean, strummed and fingerpicked chords to all out hesh death grind core hell metal (and just about everything in between). I can get any sound I want. I ran my rack through a 1960TV cab, it sounded even better than my 1960A. I can see how this unit would sound crappy if you ran it through a solid state power section (viz. 8008), but through my tube 9200, it's simply amazing. The presets are pretty good, but I think each preset needs to be tweaked to maximize your rig. I've tweaked them all, and my system is pure TITS. I'd put my setup against any Mesa, any day.

Reliability: 10
No problems, changed the tubes after 4 years of usage for shits and giggles, keeps on tickin...

Customer Support: N/A
Never had to contact them

Overall Rating: 10
I'm really hesitant to give any piece of gear a 10, but this one deserves it. Yah, it might sound shitty if you run it through a Crate head or an 8008, and it might suck really bad if you aren't willing to tweak the parameters to suit your system, BUT if you spend some time with it, and use it with other quality gear, it's the SHIT. Current eBay prices are around $350-$450, and I would definitely buy it again for that amount.

Submitted by carne gobbler at 08/06/2001 03:18

Price Paid: US $360 used

Features: 8
Everybody already knows what the preamp features, Im just writing to give my completely unbiased opinion about the sound preoduced out of the marshall jmp-1 preamp. Oh well, just for fun - here goes:
Solid state preamp "warmed up" by the presence of 12ax7 tubes
Full midi implimentation
Volume_Gain_B_M_T_Pres_Effect blend controls for each patch
2 Clean modes and 2 distortion channels

Sound Quality: 9
I run a 60's reissue stratocaster with a Dimarzio chopper at the bridge position into an Art Equalizer through the JMP-1 into
either 1)my mixer or 2)the power amp section of a Fender stage 160 solid state combo amp.
To hear the sound achieved email me, Ive got sample mp 3's. Any old way,I found the jmp-1 to work best plugged direct from the cabinet emulated outputs to the board. Other owners seem to agree. The sound I get with no outboard EQ is thick and rich but a little dry, naturally. The sound is greater defined and focused by the EQ set in between guitar and amp, but a little noise tends to creep out. Personally, I love the way this thing makes my guitar spew sonic molten lava through the board with the greatest of ease.
To my ears, the sound is best suited for big heavy riff playing and chunky palm mute stuff. And thats just OD1. OD2 is granier and not as warm as OD1, but exhibits more gain. The clean tones arent bad sounding, but are kind of middle of the road - generic sounding.
The preceding was heard just through the board. Through the Fender solid state power amp and 2 Celestian 100 watt speakers, the sound was great at low volumes and became a little unpleasent and brittle at high volume settings. Ahhh the magic of solid state technology. Any body wanna give me a damn tube amp?

Reliability: 10
It made it to me in one piece, and has stayed in one piece ever since.

Customer Support: N/A
Do not know

Overall Rating: N/A

Submitted by D at 07/25/2001 22:22

Price Paid: 7500 (Dk)

Ease of Use: 10
With the JMP-1 it is very easy edit the hundred patches, because you just push on the fx bass button and then you turn up or down with the edit wheel.
In 5 min. you got your sound.

Sound Quality: 10
I´m using a Hamer guitar with Floyd Rose and EMG pickups (81 and 85)and it is plugged directly in my JMP-1 in my rack, where I have an alesis reverb and a korg tuner. I use two amplifiers a Marshall JCM 900 with a JCM 900 1960a speaker, and the other amp is a Peavey Bandit 112.

It is a valve preamp and thats what any other preamp should be.
It has four channels to distortions and to claens.
You can make all sounds from jazz an blues to hevey and death metal!!! :)
I mostely use it for making a sound like kirk hammets, and thatis not difficult because he use the JMP-1 to.
It has a lot of tone and that´s what like.

Reliability: 10

Customer Support: 10

Overall Rating: 10
IT is a perfect preamp, nothing more to say.

Submitted by Anonymous at 07/01/2001 11:04

Price Paid: 6500,- (dkr)

Ease of Use: 9
Its not hard to use at all. The most "tricky" part is the FINE adjustment of bass/middle/treble/presence to use at rehearsals. But sounds versatile to me..

Sound Quality: 10
This is what i love about it. I've been through various pedals like Marshalls, Boss and Boss pedalboards etc, trying to find MY overdrive sound. I like my overdrive to sound like a JCM-800/Super lead plexi. I tried that Jackhammer pedal but that was VERY metallic sounding. I would like this JCM-800 2555 sound if possible, and i believe i can get pretty damn close to it with JMP-1. I'm into experimental/rock/hard-rock etc. so this suits me PERFECTLY. However for metal-heads i wouldn't recommend this..

Reliability: N/A
dont know yet.. this rather new to me, but no problems so far :) ..

Customer Support: N/A
dont know

Overall Rating: 10
I feel that i have FINALLY (after years of searching) found the overdrive sound thats me. Its VERY me :), so naturally i love it, and i will give it a 10 .. (however if you use a booster to raise gain level, be sure to use a noise gate too!)

Submitted by Peter at 06/16/2001 04:29

Price Paid: US $350 used

Features: 8
You all know what the features of this amp are. 4 channels - two clean, two overdrive. Very easy to edit, great interface. MIDI is awesome. Very easy to control. Not very versatile but it does what it does very well. Cabinet emulator is AWESOME. One of the best features.

Sound Quality: 10
OK, now for all of you people who really want to know what this thing sounds like, LOOK HERE. I'm not overbashing or overpraising. The cleans are OK. They are totally usable, but they are by no means Vox or Fender. That's ok though because I use a fender as well... If this thing had the JCM 2000's clean it would be unbeatable... The distortion is where this thing really kicks major ass!! OD2 is great for solos - midrangey. OD1 is simply the most awesome heavy distortion I have ever heard. When run through a tube poweramp that is... Whoever said it lacks gain is crazy. This thing sustains for days! Not muddy but not shrill. Just full and warm and HEAVY. Great for bluesy solos too. If you play hard rock or metal you need this preamp. Buy a fender or a POD pro emulating a fender or vox for your cleans. You'll be in heaven.

Reliability: 10
Like a tank. Good thing too because Korg's service sucks.

Customer Support: 2
See above.

Overall Rating: 10
Great preamp. Costs a crapload less than a TriAxis, which is also awesome, just different. I prefer the distortion on this unit a lot more. Use a different amp for cleans. Can't beat it for the price, and it's reliable. Just be sure to use a tube power amp.

Submitted by Alex at 05/21/2001 17:06

Price Paid: US $699

Features: 8
Purchased New May 2001. Many posts already describe the features of this baby so I'm just giving a little lesson on it. I get really sick and tired of people giving uninformed reviews based on their opinions of what they think is awesome or crap. Tone is such an individual taste first of all, and second of all, most gear when used in the right application can give you the so called lost tone that your ears have been searching for. It's obvious to me that a lot of people either don't have a clue how to work a piece of equipment and are so impatient that they don't take the time to learn. The negative reviews on the Marshall JMP-1 are perfect and obvious examples of this. This unit can produce some excellent tone both clean or high gain if used correctly. I see a lot of reviews stating that the unit sounds like a solid state piece of crap, however, in most of these same reviews the antagonist is running it through a solid state power amp. Well, no shit dick tracy! Duhhh! The most important factor in getting a good warm harmonic overdrive is to always use a Tube power amp. Another important factor is what type of eqipment is in the signal path. If you are using rack equipment or footpedals they affect the tone good or bad depending on their placement, settings and quality also. Then comes the speaker type, load, number of speakers etc. In short there are a lot of things to consider when building your system. I replaced my stereo boogie combo setup with this unit so I could simplify my rig a little more, and yes it did take some tweaking to dial in all the patches I liked but I did it and the results are breathtaking. I suggest that anyone who knows what good tone is yet is unsure how to dial in what they are looking for quit worrying about brand name or tube vs. solid state, and do spend your time learning the function and importance of e.q. For some reason the boys at marshall preset this thing with really shrill highs. I personally don't care for that and if you don't either go to any of the high gain presets and dial the treble back to about -4. This will start you off. Getting a good tone from this unit is all about e.q. Experiment heavily and to the extreme. If you have a certain preconception about where e.q. should be set you need to let it go and just experiment. Another thing is, too many gain heads always push the damn thing to the max and this is not what gain is all about. First of all the higher the volumes you play at, the more you need to dial back the gain on this or any other system. Otherwise you just get a big pile of shit frequencies interfereing with one another. I have and still use numerous brands, styles, and qualities of gear and I like them all. Not because Dude Cool is using it with this months flavor of the week but because I have spent the time learning how to use each piece and for what application it works best. If you are intent on finding a rackmount midi capable preamp the JMP-1 is a good choice as long as you do the research to find out what else you need in the chain to get the sound you are looking for, and learn how to use it! Just for the record, the mesa triaxis is an excellent unit also but is not any better or any worse than the JMP-1. It costs twice as much not including the additional expense for an additional three tubes. If you are hell bent on the triaxis, then don't buy the marshall. Just a word of advice, make sure you save enough to get the 90:90 Boogie power amp to go with it. They were engineered to work together for maximum results.
In this arena size doesn't mean shit. It definitely is how you use it.

Sound Quality: 10
Awesome if you take the time to learn how to use it. For live application it mikes very well and cuts through the mix with awesome tone. Have yet to try it in the studio.

Reliability: N/A
No complaints so far.

Customer Support: N/A
Never Dealt with them.

Overall Rating: 10
Been playing over twenty some odd years. Own all kinds of equipment and guitars. Currently use the JMP-1 with the EL34 100/100, Rocktron intellifex online or t.c. G-force and PRS Custom 22's. Play mostly harder edge pop rock, classic rock, 80's big hair music etc.

Submitted by Professional Guitarist at 05/08/2001 14:29

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: 10
a monkey could edit with theis thing.
The manual is simple and written in lamens terms.

Sound Quality: 10
I use a prs custom 24 into the jmp-1,into a rocktron intellifex,to a fender hot rod deluxe into the clean channel, then into a boogie 4x12 cab. It is capable of a very warm,solid distortion. Running straight into a power amp is not the best way to make this unit shine.It is noisy , but anyone who knows anything about rack gear knows a noise suppresor of some kind is unavoidable. The od 1 setting is perfect for old school plexi like tones. Use it with an Ibanez tube screamer, or a compressor and it will give you a bit more grind and chunk. Your pick up quality is essential to getting this unit to sound good. Stock pickups in crappy japanese and mexican guitars will sound like crap. Crap in, crap out.

Reliability: N/A
I use it on gigs without a backup and have no worries. I have a Mesa boogie mark Iv that Ive shelved because this rig sounds better, more versatile, and much smoother over all.

Customer Support: N/A
none yet.

Overall Rating: N/A
Im a hard rock player. I like a tone similar to John Petrucci from Dream Theater. This Marshall sounds closer to his tone than my boogie ever did, and I can make the Marshall sound like anything I want. I also like ty tabor of Kings X' tone and this is also capable of that.
I cant think of anything I dont like about it and I would replace it if it were stolen. Anybody who cant get a decent sound out of this unit should probably sell their guitar and buy a bass anyway.

Submitted by Anonymous at 05/08/2001 14:22

Price Paid: 17500 (Belgian francs) used

Features: 7
I've just bought myself a second-hand one of these, because my Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp was lacking MIDI control, and it was cheap enough to give it a shot.
For features: a 7. This is not a feature-beast. It's a pre-amp, and really just a pre-amp. Nothing more. Three-band EQ plus presence, four voicings, separate volume/master volume and gain. Basically all the front-panel controls of most Marshall combos, plus MIDI.

Sound Quality: 9
Guitar: Jackson Kelly STD, stock pickups. Kramer Striker Seven-string, stock pickups.
Amps: Digitech Twintube through JMP-1 FX loop, BBE 362 Sonic Maximizer, Mesa/Boogie 50/50 poweramp, two Marshall 1912 cabs.

My music style: mostly progmetal. That means I want something versatile enough to give me a palette of sounds, and with enough balls to plaster me to the wall at the same time.

Is it noisy? Well it is when I want it to be! Some noise on higher gain settings, but who cares, really. My Digitech's noise gate handles it fine.

Sounds: Sparkly clean, warm clean, warm distorted, deathly cold steamroller gain.
This is THE gain sound I've been looking for. Roll the gain back a bit and all the notes are there. Turn it to maximum and grind that low B-string on the Kramer. Roarrrrr. Even my girlfriend likes it, and she just uses her ears to judge the sound, not her wallet. This was money very, VERY well-spent.

Reliability: 8
Solid as a rock, came through the mail and didn't even get scratched.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
I've been playing for longer than I can remember. I've got half a digital recording studio at home, including Boss BR-8, phantom power condenser mics and a CuBase workstation. My other pride and joy is a Takamine classical guitar with pre-amp, and I've finally put it down now that I have this JMP-1. It feels good to be playing electric with a sound that I actually LIKE!
It sounds better than the Studio Preamp, it sounds WAYYY better than the gain sounds on the TwinTube (which I now use for stereo fx only). I lurve it. Even the way EVERY function is easily accessible from the front panel without any nasty scrolling and switching.

The only thing I can say is: I wish I had bought it sooner :)

Submitted by Anonymous at 04/17/2001 04:58

Price Paid: US $700

Features: 10
The JMP-1 is a 100 channel tube pre-amp with 4 voicing choices (two clean, two overdrive). A four band eq (bass, middle, treble, presence), gain, volume, effects mix, and voicing choice make up the parameters for each channel. A master volume controls the master outs. A mono send, and stereo return make up the effects loop. There are speaker emulated direct outs as well. A midi in, out, and thru provide for full midi control. A four button footswitch is available that will call up the first four channels. I run it through a solid state Alesis RA-100, with an Alesis quadraverb in the effects loop, through a peavy 4x12 with celestion 75 watt speakers, in stereo.

Sound Quality: 9
This is a marshall, and as such the distortions sounds are very much in that mold. The clean sounds are also characteristically marshall. However the sound are probably a bit wider than the typical marshall palate. The clean sounds are much better than some the other reviews let on, but it isn't a fender, and why should it be? The distortion is very good and can be very diverse. I think the secret is in the settings. I have a wide selection of settings, warm cleans, crystaline cleans, warm lo and medium gain tones, fat hi-gain, scooped hi-gain, etc. Pairing the pre-amp with a effects processor allows you to have a 100 different tones programed. I have warm, bright tones with a little reverb to cop a fendery sound (not exact but close enough). I have more crystinaline delayed tones for U2/Edge tones. I have a Shred heavy processed sound, and a balls out AC/DC tone. And best of all, I can get my tone, that is I can get very unique individual tones as well. 9 because the huge spectrum does not include every color there is but there are a whole lot of great tones.

Reliability: 9
I have used it on a gig with out a back up, and don't see any reason to (famous last words, right). It's pretty solid, but it is tube based. After a few years the battery will need to be changed by a qualified tech, but aside from that it needs no maintaining.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 10
I've had this for about 6 years, used it live and in the studio, and I am very happy with it. Now there are boxes with modeling and effects and a bunch of new stuff, but one of these (especially used for about $300) is a great sonic tool and a solid beginning to a rig. It isn't everything to everyone, but it is a versitille utilitarian pre-amp. I have a midi footswitch and arrange my tones in banks of ten, with the zero patch on each (0,10,20,30 etc) is a bypass, each bank with a theme, or reason for grouping. I played everything from Goth-Industrial to Christian Rock, Metallica and Wes Montgomery with it, used Strats, Pauls, Ibanezes, and Hollowbodies and they all sound great used with good sounding channel. I would only replace this with a Roland VG-88 based system. I see that box as the next generation of guitar processing, but the JMP-1 is simple but exceptionally versitile. It is hard to beat if you lean to the flavors presented.

Submitted by Jonathan Stout at 04/14/2001 20:59

Price Paid: £135 (Sterling) used

Features: 7
It's a MIDI preamp with two 12AX7s for power. It has two clean channels and two overdrive channels and allows storage of 100 individal settings of channel, gain, volume, EQ and effects level. It has a stereo effects loop, stereo master outputs and speaker-emulated outputs. Poor EQ range keeps this at a 7.

Sound Quality: 5
I'm using a Patrick Eggle Berlin with humbuckers, probably Kent Armstrongs. The JMP-1 is run into a Marshall 8008 and one channel of that into a Marshall 1912 cabinet. At first the 1912 was stock with the standard 150-watt speaker, but I found the sound so grey and heavy I changed to a Celestion Vintage 30. This gave the JMP-1's O/D channels a much livelier sound, with good harmonics and not too much bass, though I miss that in some applications. The clean channels though are the real disappointment in this rig. They're capable of Fenderish warmth, but the mid-range is overwhelming, even with the midrange EQ backed right off. What ever the setting, there's a resonant woolliness in the sound that makes complex chords indistinct. Despite extensive experimentation with the EQ (the treble range is extremely small, by the way), I've been unable to remove the small, boxy, veiled sound of the cleans. To properly articulate chords like 7b5 or 13b9, I find the Roland Jazz Chorus, Boss GX-700 and Valvestate 65R excellent, but this unit will not cut it. It's a shame because the distortions are very good, though less so in the mild breakup area. Maxed gain on clean channels produces a light but woolly fuzz, not a satisfyingly edgy crunch. The one-dimensional clean sounds bring this category rating down to 5.

Reliability: N/A
Seems fine in the three weeks I've had this used unit.

Customer Support: 9
Marshall support in UK is excellent.

Overall Rating: 5
I'd heard a lot about this unit and wanted to try one. I'm glad I didn't buy one full price years ago, and glad I didn't pay more than £135 for this one, in excellent condition. I won't junk it yet: maybe I can find a way to improve its clean character and the distortions can be a lot of fun.

Submitted by Anonymous at 04/13/2001 15:53

Price Paid: US $350 used

Features: 9
im sure, since you're reading htese reviews, that you know what the jmp1 is. the the main features are. 100 user programmable channels. 4 different sounds (2 clean, 2 overdriven) it has a headphones, master and speaker emulated out(which are very good, and can be run at the same time as the msaters, unlike the POD) it has a setero effects loop, not switchable perse, but you can program the effects mix for different patches, so you can get around the not swichable bit. this is the LOUDEST preamp i have ever used, and even is you put it up to 10, there is virtualyl no noise (except fort he sound of my ear drums spewing blood and puss). you can buy a 4 channel footswitch for it, or use a middi controller. it has full midi in/out mapping. (ie. you can send midi in 3, have it switch to patch 6, and then send midi 8) i gave it a nine cuz it doesnt have a switchable effects loop.

Sound Quality: 10
i use to play loud rock music. it kix ass. i switched to it from a pod, and trust me, the jmp is better. it can pump out tons of gain, or you can set up it up for a metal hyper clean. the emulated outs sound like a mic'd amp. it is no noisier than any other high gain amp. the eq is very versatile, you can go from rock crunch to metal smoothness with a simple turn of the mid knob. it can sound like my friends 100watt slx, but can go so many other places that a normal head can't.

Reliability: 8
haven't had it long. but as long as you dont through it at things ti should work fine. my only beef is that when i got it (i bought it used) the CLD didn't work (the rest ofhte preamp did) i opened it up and it turns out that a connecter was loose. it took me 2 seconds to put it back in. other than that it all works good

Customer Support: N/A
never delt with them , but i heard they suck in canada. as long as their shit doesn't break, i couldnt care less. you can get manuals on the website. www.marshallamps.com

Overall Rating: 9
it's better than the pod, and is more versatile than any marshall head you can buy. if it were stolen i would probably buy another one. i gets the job done.

Submitted by Dave DiUbaldo at 04/13/2001 14:06

Price Paid: US $350 used

Features: 8
All of the features you could want in a midi controllable pre-amp with the exception of tube distortion. I know that the marketing hype is "tube" but it is not tube and it sounds like solid state. If Marshall would make a midi controllable pre-amp that had the "guts" from their 6100 LM anniversary series head it would be a real winner, but this is not it.

Sound Quality: 5
The tone seems nasal (alot of midrange) and it benefits a lot from a sonic maximizer. In fact the sonic maximizer is a must in my opinion. The clean sounds are typical Marshall (i.e.. a little weak) and the overdriven sounds are are not smooth like a real tube Marshall is.

Reliability: 10
I owned it for a year and had no problems. In general I have found Marshall products to be reliable.

Customer Support: N/A
Never dealt with them.

Overall Rating: 5
I have played for 20 years and I have owned almost every type of head/combo/rack type amp out there. I would not buy the JMP-1 nor would I recommend it.

Submitted by Anonymous at 04/10/2001 10:48

Price Paid: US $1200

Ease of Use: 9
It is really easy to get started with it, principally if you want clean or not much saturated sounds.
You´ll have to tweak a bit more to get more heavier sounds from the JMP-1.
The manual works just fine.

Sound Quality: 6
The sound quality is an issue with this preamp, because the clean channels sound superbly well, and so do the overdriven channels al low gains. The problem arises when you push the gain over 15 (max = 20). At this point the preamp starts beeing really noisy.
I look for sounds ala Judas Priest´s Painkiller and Rammmstein, and I have to preset a clean patch in every bank of my pedalboard (MIDI Mitigator RFC8 - great!!) in order to have silence between songs when playing alive or calm down the noise when rehearsing.
I am not prone to use pedal overdrives, but I think I'll try some.

Reliability: 9
It is reliable, you can use it on a gig being confident that it will be allways "behind you".

Customer Support: 4
I live in Argentina, so I have to deal with the representative. I have not had really good service, but we have to live with this because this is the only contact with the manufacturers.

Overall Rating: 8
I use it with a Marshall 2100 Stereo Power amp and a Korg A2 multieffect unit, and it works good. I hate the hiss at high gain, but anyway, I think it is a great piece of equipment.

Submitted by Ariel Wary at 04/09/2001 13:02

Price Paid: N/A

Features: N/A
For those of you who still haven't got it yet...

JMP1 + MESA 90/90 w/Deep & Modern modes engaged = "One freaking kick ass, tight, versatile "Organic" sounding tone monster"... (intllifex optional)!!!

P.S. This Tube/Solid State "debate" thing is a bunch of B.S.
I don't care if there is a hamster running on a wheel inside this preamp in order for it to work...!!! Properly dialed in on "OD2" I get people always & constantly coveting my tone !!! and I play the Brutal tuned down shred stuff... the only other amp worth mentioning is the 5150 II... everything else is OVER PRICED & OVER "Whimp Biscut/Korn Hole" RATED...

Sound Quality: N/A

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: N/A

Submitted by gman at 04/09/2001 09:51

Price Paid: 200 (GBP) used

Ease of Use: N/A
basic. spend some time with the tone controls ... i've found them to be very flexible.

Sound Quality: 9
there's a lot of misinformation about the JMP1 on this page. more than one person has implied that the valves/tubes are only used for the clean channels. let's get one thing straight - that is completely wrong. i spent quite a while swapping tubes in and out, and i can assure you that all four channels use the tubes. there are two little ECC83s in there. clean 1 uses one valve solely, OD2 the other solely.
clean 2 and OD1 use a combination of the two. i am guessing that OD1 is pure valve clipping, whereas OD2 employs an element of semiconductor clipping. people turn up their noses at that, but wake up and smell the coffee - it's about the only way to get those high-gain, modern sounds. mesa's have switchable rectifiers (valve/semi) after all. i'll tell you what else - the speaker emulated outputs on this unit are fantastic. sounds great straight to disk/tape. i AB'ed them and i swear it sounds a lot better than the line6 POD approximation.

Reliability: N/A
this thing is built like a tank. very impressive. inspires complete confidence.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
the JMP1 goes for about 200 GBP on the 2nd hand market. for this money i'd say it was a steal. i use it in the studio and straight to desk when we play live, coupled with a decent reverb/chorus (i'd recommend the JFX1) i can get a wall of sound out of this thing. wide and fat. lovely. absolute bargain. and totally flexible.

Submitted by matt at 03/29/2001 05:14

Price Paid: US $610

Features: 10
2 12AX7A tubes, 4 modes: Clean 1, Clean 2, OD 1, OD2; Midi programable, bass notch, etc... all the things a really good preamp should have.

Sound Quality: 9
This thing sounds amazing! I don't understand why people are having a problem with gain... it's go plenty of gain!!! OD-1 is just fat. There's no other way of describing it. Balls for days! I only use OD-2 for solos- because of the voicing, but I'm sure I could find a good use for rhythm sounds if I wanted to. I was scared at first, because everyone here says that the cleans suck. But I actually like them. I mean this is a rack unit, not a damn fender combo. The clean sounds are very usable.

My rig is as follows: ESP Horizon (JB in the bridge, Alnico II Pro in the neck) to the JMP-1. In the FX loop I have an Alesis Midiverb IV. From the Marshall's main outs I go to an ADA MicroTube 100. All feeding a Marshall 1936 2x12 cab.

Most of the people who have reviewed this unit, I have noticed, are using the WRONG setup. This is not a stomp box. Buy a damn poweramp!!! You're missing the point otherwise. And you're also doing this unit an unjustice.

Reliability: N/A
I have owned Marshall products in the past. They have all held up just fine. I see no reason why this unit shouldn't follow in their path. But I've only had it for three weeks so I'll with hold my rating for a while.

Customer Support: N/A
Never had to deal with them...

Overall Rating: 10
I am very pleased with the JMP-1. It is a very musicial preamp. I have been searching for a new preamp for the past year (I figured I should finally give the MP-1 a rest) and it has been a hell of a search. I've tried the Triaxis- over rated and over priced. I found the Marshall easier to use and it sounds better. The boogie was just way to loose in the bottom end for my liking. I like the bass to be big, but not muddy.I've been playing for the past ten years. This is one of the nicest amps I've owned. I've noticed several people say that this thing won't do the Deftones sound... HELLO!!! The guy from the Deftones uses a JMP-1!!!!!!! Wake up and spend some time with the unit. It will blow your mind if you let it. I would buy it again in a heart beat. Marshall really nailed it with this peice.

Submitted by Joel at 03/20/2001 18:55

Price Paid: US $650

Ease of Use: 10
Very easy to use.

Sound Quality: 9
Very nice distortion. Excellent tone. I do recommend getting a BBE Sonic Maximizer for this unit though. The BBE Sonic Maximizer is a must! Without the Maximizer the unit sounds a little flat and has too much mids. The distortion, gain, and tone are amazing! Clean tone is alright for being Marshall.

Reliability: 7
I had one problem with this preamp. My effects loop shit the bed.
It doesn't send anymore. So now I have the main outputs running into my processor. That works fine too. I think the effects loop may have shit the bed as a result of too much output from a digitech processor I once made the mistake of buying and using with my Marshall.

Customer Support: N/A
Never called them.

Overall Rating: 10
I play Rock music. I can get the Zakk Wylde sound wich beats ass!
I have use the JMP-1 preamp going through the BBE Sonic Maximizer and from there to my 100x100 Marshall power amp. I use the Marshall JFX-1 processor for effects.(Wich you should buy!. Im using the Marshall JCM900 Lead-1060 4x12 Cab (But I heard the vintage cab is must better)

I would buy this preamp again. A matter of fact im going to replace this one because the effects loop shit the bed.
With the combination I stated above you can get just about any sound you want/need.

I would recommend this preamp to anyone.

Submitted by Nick at 03/03/2001 13:14

Price Paid: US $380 used

Ease of Use: 9
This thing is really easy to use as far as adjusting the sound and editing patches. Anyone could figure it out in less than a minute. The manual wasn't all that detailed but you really don't need a detail manual for this.

Sound Quality: 7
I use the jmp-1 into a bgw 7000 power amp into 4-12 cabinet. I also am starting to use the Marsahll jfx-1 unit with it as well since the jmp-1 is kind of dry all by itself. It has the exact sound as my other marshall amp (marshall 80280) which has a rich distortion -good for grunge/punk type stuff. I'm giving it a 7 since it really doesn't sound that great by itself but if you have another fx proccessor with it it sounds great.

Reliability: 6
Yeah, the thing is pretty damn reliable. I have never had a huge problem with it. Hoever, sometimes when I am adjusting with the data knob it skips numbers which kind of sucks.

Customer Support: 1
Marshall has very poor support from my experience. I guess korg/vox owen marshall now and I've contacted them many times. They never return emails and when I get a hold of them on the phone they've provided little help. There is only one marshall dealer in my town and they just went out of business so support is about zero.

Overall Rating: 7
I play usually rock and roll and sometimes buble gum type punk. It has a good sound for this type of music. I have been playing for 6 or so years and I think I am going to stick with the jmp-1 as my pre. I just wish it had reverb, and or chorus built in.

Submitted by Bean at 02/18/2001 18:47

Price Paid: N/A

Features: N/A

Sound Quality: N/A

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: N/A
This preamp is a pile of crap. the valves are only for the (piss poor) clean channels. this little waste of rack space only has transistor distortion, and billy corgan swapped this unit for valvestate. says it all really. just think about how serious you are about it all, and then find the cheapest tube preamp you can find. all this crap about not getting a marshall sound out of a mesa etc is bollocks. if there is a tube in there, then with eq, any amp sound is possible. ive been a sound engineer for 13 years, and ive turned a mesa v-twin into a vox ac30 with just a 5 band eq. easy. if you want simple 3 channel, go for the mesa v-twin. its all valve, its indestructable, then at the other end of the scale, youve got the triaxis, capable of virtually any sound, but you pay the price. marshall have gone downhill, and the jmp1 is a cornerstone of it. a band i produced 2 years ago, had so much trouble with shit marshalls, that they got invited to the marshall factory, taken for dinner, and they drove home with loadsa free amps. then they sold them all and got mesa rectifiers. i hate to slag marshall being british myself, but i hate seeing people wasting money on this crap, these things are barely shifting for £100 a piece in the uk, and thats usually to cannibalise them into other amps. also, forget the marshall hype (and even mesa) about tube amps. its crap. as long as you have a tube preamp, just pick up a stereo (for stereo fx) trannie amp for less than £200 and run it into celestion vintage 30 drivers, and you'll never tell the difference.

Submitted by Anonymous at 02/14/2001 16:45

Price Paid: US $300 used

Ease of Use: 9
This unit is plug & play. Editing is a breeze. THere is a manual for all you eggheads out there. This is the best sounding pre amp I could find. It was between the JMP-1 and the Roktron Piranha. The one (and only) niggle one can have about this unit is the pot is tricky with the led as it is jumpy. A pure sound.

Sound Quality: 10
I was using an Ibanez FGM at the time and Mr. Gambale himself was using a JMP-1 and told me that it is the one. He was right, but not
only for the Ibanez. My Strat & Les Paul Standard are SWEET through this baby. Try it, you'll like it!

Reliability: 8
This thing has NEVER failed.

Customer Support: N/A
NA

Overall Rating: 10
Here is the Recipe you fools:
1 part power conditioner
1 part Jmp-1
1 part Rocktron Replifex
1 part Stewart World 225 Power amp
Rivera Stereo vert-2X12 with Fane Medusa 100s
all controlled by ground control & 50ft.cord (Phantom pwr)

Submitted by J-away at 02/09/2001 08:14

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: N/A
After reading many of your reviews, I feel compelled to respond to some of them complaining about the lack of ability to get enough gain out of the Jmp-1. Marshalls, as many of us who have a number of years playing experience are aware of, are not, have not been, and probably never will be, Hi gain, full saturation amplifiers.Another factor that plys heavily is that you will never/rarely get a guitar tone that sounds like the one on your favorite records AND have it work while mic'd up through a triamped p.a. system. The guitar sound that is recorded vs. the tone you hear on the cd is very different. Most rhythm guitar parts on cd's you buy are double if not triple tracked. This makes the sound much thicker and beefy. If you have all that gain coming out of your speakers it will sound thin and whispy when Mic'd with your band. Youll be pushing the same frequencies that the kick drum and bass guitar are and youll get lost in the mix. It is not possible to get dimebags tone through a club pa. Marshalls have a nasal midrange because those are the frequencys a guitar is supposed to cater to. If you listen to" And justice for all" you'll know what im talking about. There is so much low end in the guitar that it washes out the bass. Bob Rock finally fixed this for them on the "black" Album. The guitar tone is still pissed, but its open enough to let the bass breathe a bit. I hope this has shed some light on getting a tone for some of you. Now go practice!!!!

Sound Quality: N/A

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: N/A

Submitted by bt at 02/08/2001 19:02

Price Paid: US $400

Ease of Use: 10
I swaped my Zoom-9150DSP and $200 for this baby. And I think it was a very good choice, since I wanted some good, old, solid distortion.

Those of you who have this unit know how wasy it is to use. Two clean cghannel, two OD's, bass shift and EQ. Then midi mapping, channel select and volume. That's about it. Couldn't be easier. Patches are really simple to program.

It comes with the 4-channel footswitch, but if you wanna grab the whole flexibility, use it with a midi pedalboard.

Tha manual is simple and the tone is great. True Marshall tone can get on your nerves and it is very dangerous to crank it up. It has the simple Marshall equation: the more you turn the volume up, the more gain you get.

Excellent.

Sound Quality: 9
I use the a Furman PL-Plus, the JMP-1, a Rocktron Hush IIB, a Rocktron Velocity 120 amp and a Marshall 150W, 1x12 cabinet, model 1912. I wanted a little set up with lotsa volume so I can carry this anywhere.

And I got it. Excellent sound. I just need to get a reverb unit to run it through the FX loop and that's about it. I don't use any other FX. Maybe a chorus could help, for the clean tones, but I think that it has the best tone.

Soon I am going to test a M/B Tri-Axis a friend bought, so I would have another piece of equipment to compare the JMP-1 to. But this and the "Definition" knob in my Velocity make this little rig scream.

The OD channels make some hiss, but this is no problem if you have a Hush, or any other nosie reduction system. I don't try to sound like my favorite guitarists. Too numerous to mention and too many trade-mark sounds to think of. I am trying to get my own sound, a heavy, yet clean distortion.

Sound quality is great. True tone to scream out. Lots of sustain and the clean channels are really good. Warm and crispy. Definitevely, a great pre-amp.

Reliability: 8
Sure I would gig without a back up using this beauty. No need for any other thing, cause the JMP-1 rocks!

I know that a tube change is recommended every year. But since this unit was the demo model in the music store I worked at, it has been standing there for a year or two, so I don't think of changing the tubes yet. Very, very reliable.

Customer Support: N/A
Well, I just bought it, so I haven't deal with Marshall (and wish I won't have to). But since I worked there and they are the authorized dealers for my country, I know that Marshall has a really good customer service.

I've seen Marshall send you a factory sealed amp, if the one you bought does not work properly.

But this has not happen to me, so I can't rate it.

Overall Rating: 9
I play heavy metal. I want a good distortion and I think I hit the nail in the head with the JMP-1. I am 26 and I've been playing since 1990.

I use my rig with an Ibanez S470LTD with Dimarzio Steve's Special(b), Air Norton(n) and HS-2(m). I also have an Ibanez 7420 Saber 7-string and a Parker Fly Deluxe with Vibrato. Any of these guitars sound awesome through this unit.

If my JMP-1 get stolen, I'd surely buy another (and if I could afford it, I'd maybe buy a M/B Tri-Axis, but I haven't hear it yet).

I really like the OD's. Lotsa gain on OD2, then a warmer OD1. Clean channels are crisp and warm. The only thing I don't like is the hiss from the OD channels, but it is acceptable, since you are running tubes and you know how noisy they get sometimes.

It surely helps me when I want to crank out some chords or leads. Solid distortion. That was what I was looking for. It sounds way better than my previous pre-amp, a Zoom-9150DSP. The FX on my old unit where ok, but the distortion lacked the warm crunch you can get form the JMP-1.

If anyone out there has been looking for a good distortion, solid sound, and some good clean channels, with the easiest display in the market, go out and buy a JMP-1. It is well worth it. Match it up with any rig. It will sound good.

I am looking forward to buy a Marshall 9100 power amp, just in case I want some more gain, but since this would add a lot of weight and tone to my rig, but less money in my pocket, I think I'll stay with my little screaming "no limits" rig.

Remember what wise Yoda said: Size matters not!

Submitted by Alfonso at 01/09/2001 15:26

Price Paid: US $370 used

Features: 10

Sound Quality: 10
I'm using a fender 70's strat(soon to have lace sensors),a power house strat,and a gibson les paul special with p90s.if you have the new big muff and you think it sux plug it into the input of the jmp-1.i use the jmp-1 for the smashing pumpkins mellon collie tone. the only way to get the preamp to distort that much is to crank the amp.it sucks if it's on low. if anyone was wondering Billy Corgan uses this preamp like this.. jmp-1 > 2 mesa boogie strategy 500 power amps(ouch) > speaker cab.

Reliability: 10
never had any trouble.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 10
i'm 16 and have been playing 4 1/2 years. my marshall died (needs tubes) so i'm running the preamp through a fender princeton amp :(
it really gives the fender amp a good sound though.it's well worth 400 bucks on ebay :)

Submitted by BJ at 12/10/2000 03:46

Price Paid: N/A used

Ease of Use: 7
Utilisation très facile pour ceux qui ont déjà manipulé un rack d'effets ou une pédale programmable.
La mise en mémoire est très intinctive autant que le choix des paramètres. Néanmoins, confusion entre les paramètres effet/présence.
Jamais réussi à faire fonctionner en MIDI (pas trop cherché non plus!)
Manuel d'utilisation plutôt obscure

Sound Quality: 6
On les sent!
Les 2 tubes à l'intérieur. Le simulateur HP est un modèle du genre. Dommage qu'il n'y a pas de noise gate car ça souffle beaucoup.
La qualité du son est certaine mais le grain, bien particulier et -apparement- cher à Marshall, est parfois un peu trop envahissant.
Les sons clair sont assez moyen
L'Overdrive 2 (OD2) est vraiment excellent

Reliability: 6
Moyen.
Tubes changés au bout d'un an, et dernièrement son clair "distordu" à l'attaque (il est cependant vrai que mes doubles sont très puissants).

Customer Support: 6
Envoi en réparation chez Marshall : Pas grand chose mais 1 mois de délai !

Overall Rating: 7
Excellent préampli pour ceux qui recherchent le son Marshall. Il l'a!
Par contre, moi je sature un peu et me tourne vers un Carvin QuadXamp

Submitted by Xavier Chambon at 11/28/2000 11:37

Price Paid: US $325 used

Features: 8
This is a rackmount (1-space) valve (brit for tube) preamp from Marshall. It is very versatile (which is why I converted to rack gear)4 channels 1 warm clean, 2 bright clean, 3 OD1 (low to moderate gain settings)4 OD2 (high gain,smooth sustain) This is a great preamp, especially when you want that "Marshall sound", lots of low end. This unit IS ALL TUBE, despite whatever you read below or above. The dynamic variation and warmth that it has CANNOT be generated by solid state..I have an ear for this. the Eq does not dramatically effect the sound (as in all marshalls) so it has an 8.. You're not gonna get a Mesa sound out of it..but it's a MARSHALL - that's what it does, and very well

Sound Quality: 10
I play mostly an Ibanez S470 thru the JMP-1, directly into my Digitech 2120 Artist (which has great distortions itself, but I am partial to that Marshall sound) with the distortions bypassed, starting with the tube EQ section (this is important, and gives me ability to shape the JMP-1's sound, that I otherwise wouldn't have.. I recommend using some kind of tube EQ with it) The JMP-1 sounds great, and fit almost effortlessly into my rack.. it has a mapping facility, which allows me to control both the digitech and the JMP-1 simultaneously via my stage board. Great at high volumes. Really only 4 sounds but it's QUALITY, not quantity. BOTH THE CLEAN CHANNELS are much better sounding than any Marshall head I have played...with great dynamics. there is some noise on the high gain settings, but that's to be expected...this is also why i run it straight into the 2120, to utilize the 2120's noise gate...problem solved. I play lead for a prog-metal band (www.profaneoath.com) and so I need versatility and tone... I get the tone from the JMP-1. The distortions are very crunchy, and lots of sustain on OD2. GREAT cab emulator for going direct, by the way

Reliability: 10
only used it at a couple gigs, never failed me. I have the 2120 as a backup for distortions, but haven't needed it.

Customer Support: 5
never dealt with em, yet...but I am a bit pissed that their site doesn't have an email contact...I need to know if I can bypass it on certain presets...

Overall Rating: 10
Great peice of gear, used by TONS of pros.. If you want Marshall sound without getting locked into the sonic trap of the single-sound, head/cab world...this is the way to go.

Submitted by Spencer Morgan at 11/16/2000 15:20

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 10
Die Features dürften aufgrund der andern Berichte bekannt sein. Daher möchte ich hier nicht näher drauf eingehen

Sound Quality: 9
Ich spiele hauptsächlich eine MusicMan Luke mit EMGs. Das Signal wird über ein Nady-System zunächst in einen Korg-Racktuner übertragen. Von da geht´s dann in den JMP1. Ein Rocktron Intellifex ist eingeschliffen. Als Endstufe die Marshall 2x50 Watt.

UNd jetzt mal an alle, die irgendeinen "Pumkins" -oder "Slash" -oder "Hanswurst"-Sound oder eben DEN Marshall-Sound suchen: Was soll das??? Spielt das Ding, und wenn es klingt, ist es doch in Ordnung, oder? Und dann ist es letztendlich völlig egal, wie dieser Sound entsteht!!! Es ist eben ein Marshallamp mehr, und wenn einer denkt, er könnte all die tollen Marshall-Modelle in einem Teil bekommen, der sollte mal mit seinem Arzt sprechen!!!! Ich kann nur sagen: Ich werde immer wieder auf meinen Sound angesprochen und in den meisten Fällen positiv!!!

Gut, es gibt Amps, die für die Schellfuddler und Flitzefinger unter den Gitarristen höhere Gain-Reserven zum Vertuschen von unsauberen Spiel bereithalten - mir reicht auf jeden Fall die JMP1-Ausbeute völlig!! Vom erdigen Pfund, Crunsh, BLues, bis Heavy kann ich alles bekommen - in 99 Variationen!! Clean?? Gut, ein Fender Twin klingt Clean sicher brillianter und klarer. Trotzdem bin ich auch hier bestens bedient. Es braucht halt seine Zeit, bis man den gesuchten Sound hinbekommt.!!
Die Speakersimmulation ist wie bei ALLEN anderen Teilen, die ich bisher gehört habe bescheiden und sollte als nicht brauchbar angesehen werden. Im Studio klang es bei mir auf jeden Fall schwer nach Ohrentoast!!!!

Reliability: 10
Ich spiele den JMP1 seit ca. 6 Jahren oder so und er hat mich nie verlassen!! Von daher Bestnoten!!!

Customer Support: 10
Ich habe mich immer direkt an den deutschen Vertrieb gewendet, wenn ich Fragen hatte. Und die haben da einen Typen - Junge, der hatte Ahnung!!!!! Also Top!!!!

Overall Rating: 10
Also, im Vergleich zu anderen MiDi-Vorstufen kann ich sagen: Der JMP1 ist am leichtesten zu Bedienen!! Im Prinzip ist alles wie bei herrkömmlichen Amps, eben nur nicht als Poti sondern als Taster.
Mega-Vielseitiger Amp!! Sollte aber unbedingt mit einer Röhren-Endstufe betrieben werden. Bester und übersichtlichster MiDi-PreAmp den ich kenne!!!

Submitted by Stappi at 10/13/2000 02:31

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 1
midi controllable,mega pre-set,4-mode,bass boost pile 'o crap!

Sound Quality: N/A
it wouldnt really matter cause any thing above medium volume it sounds like crate solid state (and they sound alright for what they are!)There is not one marshall sound in here,unless this is a modelling amp that used digital samples of Jim Marshall farting for the sounds.

Reliability: N/A
does it really matter? When was the last time you saw ur own turd go down the tube and ponder "how reliable was that piece of s**t?!!"

Customer Support: 10
well thank u sukah, thanks fer buyin' one of our polished turds!Needs work? no prob we will have ur turd up and polished again in no time! and yes it will be done!

Overall Rating: 10
yes the previous reviewer got it right.If I ever pissed u-off the best way to get back at me to set it up that I had only a JMP-1 to play local gigs with for a month!AAAAAARRRRGGGGHHH NOOO NOOO
So dont shell out any peanuts for this baby cause it has them in it!

Submitted by Has at 09/27/2000 02:05

Price Paid: US $900. used

Features: 8
The fabled JMP1 rackmount MIDI preamp. It's got all the features a fool who thinks he's getting a ton of Marshalls in one box, could need.

Sound Quality: 1
Now who the heck is stupid enough to think he's going to spend $900.-ish and get all the glory of a plethora of Marshall amps? ME!!! It's quiet, it's midi, it's got all you'd need....if you like fake approximations! Heck, I get more gain when I squeeze my cat! In my opinion the sound is worse than the whole Valvestate concept. It sounds like the 12AX7 preamp tube is trying its damnedest to warm up what really is nothing more than tone circuitry, meaning, that every program is just a tone chip, and that the tube really has nothing to do with the sound. "A 12AX7 does not a Marshall make".

Reliability: N/A
Whelp, I once dropped a 4x12 cab down a flight of stairs and it was fine. I doubt this preamp could handle the same!

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 1
This is the biggest piece of crap Marshall ever put on the market. Anyone with an ear for that real Marshall tone, in any of it's incarnations, is bound to agree. I spent three entire evenings playing with this thing, trying to convince myself that it was MY ear that sucked, thinking Marshall couldn't possibly make such crap. Turns out Marshall made suckdom history! Think about it; if a real Marshall stack can cost roughly $1500 or more, what makes us think they'll give us ALL the Marshalls of the past and present in one box for so little? Good thing my local music shop had a 7 day return policy or I'da been screwed outa almost a grand!!!

Submitted by Vince at 09/24/2000 20:15

Price Paid: 350.00 (canadian) used

Ease of Use: N/A

Sound Quality: N/A

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A
support in Canada is the most disgracfull of any manufacturer I have had to deal with to date. All I want is that damn plastic nut-washer on the input jack. Korg USA will not ship to Canada, the two distributors that have been in Canada don't give a shit about aftermarket sevice, (once you buy it, you are on your own!), Even the biggest retailer in Canada can't get the part. If someone out there can find me that part, or lead me to the maker of that input jack, please e-mail me!

Overall Rating: N/A

Submitted by jay butler at 08/16/2000 16:52

Price Paid: US Traded ADA MP1 and about $400

Features: 9
Fully-featured preamp - no continuous controller support, but hey, it don't cost $1500 bucks either!

Sound Quality: 9
I'm giving it a 9 - I use it with full distortion on ONLY. I'm playing duncan-loaded Charvel Model 6 thru JMP1 > Rocktron ProQ > Alesis Quadraverb4 > Marshall 9100 > (2) Marshall 4x12's (pretty decent rig, eh?). The JMP1 just kicks ass at the modern Marshall overcranked tone. Don't expect it to sound good without a BBE sonic maximizer or some type of outboard eq (ProQ is a killer piece - like a programmable BBE). Also, it MUST be used with a quality TUBE poweramp. (It amazes me to read some of these guys giving a piece a shitty review, then seeing they're plugging a junk guitar into it, and plugging the piece into some bullshit amp!) One more gripe, and then I'll stop - this ongoing debate about the JMP1 "being tube" vs. "being transistor"... HEY! Just plug the fucking thing in and play! Now - if you like what you hear, buy it, if not, don't buy it! I (and 99% of those who hear my rig) happen to really like the sound. I guess what I'm saying is, I've been able to get MONSTER tone out of the JMP1, and really don't care if it's the tubes OR the transistors doing it. In fact, if it really IS all transistor, then you get killer tone AND solid state reliability - I'm all for that. Also, I agree - the clean sounds pretty much suck... But..., do you buy a MARSHALL preamp/poweramp/cabs to get clean sounds?!?!?!
Wow, the cleans suck... hey, you know what else? Ferrari's get shitty gas mileage, and Pamela Anderson probably can't cook for shit! You just don't buy a Marshall amplifier for clean tones, never have, and hopefully never will. Think about it.

Reliability: 9
Bought new, never had any problems.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 8
My bottom line - this is a GREAT value. I also own the M/B Triaxis, I'm not gonna go into a big comparison thing here - it's not fair to the Marshall. There are other pre's that do more sounds, do clean sounds well, do whatever, BUT, this thing (when paired-up and set-up well) is the ONLY pre I've heard that really does the miked Marshall thing convincingly. I wouldn't hesitate to buy again. For those thinking about getting one, just use a little intelligence in the rest of your setup, and you're gonna be rewarded with great tone.

Submitted by Anonymous at 07/28/2000 13:09

Price Paid: US $450.00 used

Ease of Use: 9
Very simple to use... you don't really needto go through the book to see how it works.

Sound Quality: 8
I have this sucker going through a tc electronics g-force, and then into a marshall 100/100 power amp.. really my feelings towards all marshall gear is a love/hate deal, you really can't adjust marshalls that much, really you can get only one or two types of sounds... thats why they suck in that respect, but on the other side, its got that marshall sound! really, the best way for a rack setup is a seperate guitar preamp, then another processor for effects, etc... whats good about the jmp-1 is you can add other stuff to it to get your own sound... you have to with it, because by itself its pretty boring. if you play hard rock or metal, definately need some boosting from something else... but on the bright side, when you get dialed in, it really kicks ass... at high volume it'll nail ya too the wall. I've owned about everything thats come around the corner... it always comes back to the basics... I've never ran into an all in one unit that I kept for very long, but I've been using this one for about 7 years.. before thinking about other guitar processors, best to turn off all the effects and just listen to the flat distortion, and how much it can be adjusted... most you'll find are flat & weak.. this is the only one besides an actual head that I feel keeps the large sound. effects loop sucks, so I don't really use it.. it messes with the sound too much. clean sound is ok, not very good by itself, but once again, if you have another processor that does most of the work on the sound, then your ok.

Reliability: 9
never had a problem with it..

Customer Support: N/A
never called them yet..

Overall Rating: 9
If your looking for something easy to use and works well with other gear, this is a good answer to a rig.. got your marshall sound, and not much headaches... a little boost to the imput will definately help it scream more for the heavier music.. cuts through at higher volume, good clarity... I would buy it again. I looked around recently for the hell of it if anything on its level was out there, but still no... didn't like the sound of the other processors... most too pretty, I feel you need a little roughness to keep it all 'human' you know?

Submitted by Anonymous at 07/15/2000 12:29

Price Paid: N/A

Features: N/A
Everyone else has mentioned the features so I won't bother. The EQ is a bit limited though (-6 thru +6)

Sound Quality: 8
Firstly, I am using the JMP1 with a Mashall EL34 100/100 and a Rocktron Intellifex Online for effects (not that I use many at all). I have a cheap guitar that I have put EMG-81 pickups in (there is a long story behind this guitar, I like it even though it was really cheap. I play Hardcore punk/metal stuff, but its very metal based (dropped-D, lots of muting etc).

At first I didn't really like it at all (I was using a Peavey Classic 50/50 poweramp) because it lacked a alot of gain and punchyness. After a bit of tweaking I was starting to get more of the sound that I was after. At one stage I tried to but it through a BOSS e.q pedal but this sucked all of the tone out of it even though it improved the gain - it started sounding too much like a metal zone which I don't like cause they really lack tone. If you want a punchy sound on the JMP1 than you need to pair it up with a good poweramp. The louder you crank it the better it gets so if you are planning to use this in your bedroom or something than I wouldn't recommend it. I give it an 8 becasue the tone is amazing, and I've had many people comment about how good it sounds. It is good for what I want to use it for, I am not after a korn or deftones sound - too compressed for my liking. It does need a bit more gain and it is not as tight as it could be.

I like the clean sounds, you can get a good range from really dry to a nice warm saturated sound. I use two clean sounds and one distortion. I can't remember what my distortion setting are, originaly I had the Gain on 20, bass on 6 treble on 6 and mids on -6 then I think I made some adjustments. It will take you a while to get "your" sound as with any amp, but it is very basic and a bit limited

Reliability: N/A
As yet I havn't had any problems. Yes it does skip patches when using the knob but I alway use the foot controller anyway so that doesn't really bother me

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 8
I'mm 22, I've been playing since I was about 18 (so thats not very long), I've been playing in this band for about 2 years and have had this the JMP1 for about 8 months. If it was lost/stolen I probably wouldn't replace it, I think I would move away from rack gear and get myself a head and a few decent pedals. I have mixed fealings about the sound, sometimes it amazes me, as I said the tone really makes this thing stand out, if it wasn't for that than I would have sold it and got something with more gain and response. If anyone knows how I could get more gain from it let me know (please email me). I want to try using a blackjack pedal from rocktron with it which is a gain booster. I have thought about changing the tube but I don't know how effective this would be and I wouldn't wan't to alter the tone too much.

The other night a guitarist from another hardcore band used it and ended up using my guitar aswell. This was the first time I was actually able to hear it for myself. I was stoked that it was my rig because I alway thought that it sounded a bit week but it was pure power, sounded aweseome.

Submitted by ben at 06/28/2000 21:02

Price Paid: 1250 (NLG (dutch guilder; $1 = NLG 2.30)) used

Ease of Use: 9
This unit is a walk in the park to operate. The manual is concise but supplies more than enough to get everything to work. The JMP-1 comes from MIDI pre-amps' juvenile days so the mapping is a bit primitive but doesn't give any problems.

Sound Quality: 7
I use this unit on a 3-way backline that includes H&K Attax tube pre-amp and TC G-Force, on Peavey Classic 50/50 and mono 120 tube power amps, on 4 Celestion Vintage 30 monitors. I play PRS swamp ash, Blade R4, Gibson SG and Ibanez JS 1000. I apply my setup on gigs, studio sessions and rehearsals. The sound is Marshall all the way for me. To be honest, it's my back-up unit to the Attax tube pre-amp (nothing beats the heavy OD in that unit for me and believe me, I tried every pre-amp I could find in the field including Digitech, Rocktron, Line 6, ADA etc. but the Attax is IT) and an addition to it in the studio whenever the 'Marshall sound' is needed on a session. I don't have to sound like my heroes, I just keep tweaking till I get the sound I want or need. This unit delivers within the scopes of Marshall.

Reliability: 9
No problems so far. The dial knob skips a few recalls every now and again. I don't need a backup for it coz it is one itself for me (see above).

Customer Support: N/A
Never needed them.

Overall Rating: 8
I play fusion jazz, bebop, hard rock and heavy metal. NO BLUES so that ties the realms of application down considerably coz it's Marshall. But I can still get good sounds out of it for me and what I do - which means something coz I couldn't get what I wanted from a Marshall stack. I build my own sounds though. Don't waste your time on this unit if you want to sound like Deftones or Pantera, that's not why Marshall was put on the face of this Earth.

Submitted by Alfred at 06/12/2000 15:18

Price Paid: US $350 used

Features: 10
Very easy to program. Preset patches aren't very useful, but it was a breeze making modifications to them.

Sound Quality: 8
I'm usin a Mesa 2:90 Simul Class Stereo power amp and I think they go hand in hand. The tube tone is amazing. I play an ESP Strat w/ Hot Rails pickups and it really cuts. I can get the saturated tones of Hum to some pretty rad metal tones. I really enjoy the versatility. I'm still searching for the perfect tone, so it doesn't get a 10 (that doesn't mean I can't find it w/ the JMP-1)

Reliability: 10
I bought it used. Condition was outstanding. I've had it for 4 months and have never had a problem with it. It's built like a tank.

Customer Support: N/A
haven't had a problem, never had to call Marshall

Overall Rating: 9
I've been playing for 6 years. I finally found something that gives the tube distortion tones that I desire. It really compliments my gear, looks rad and sounds great. My set up is: Mesa 2:90 Stereo Simul Class power amp, Rocktron Replifex effects processor, Behringer Intelligate, Rocktron Patch Mate, Korg Rack Tuner, Fuhrman Power Conditioner. I love it!!

Submitted by Jonathan at 05/05/2000 10:09

Price Paid: US $120 used

Ease of Use: 7
With some pushing around you will learn it fast.
You can always look in the manual if your not sure of something.
Its easy to get good sounds from it, but its so many buttons and stuff
so it will take while.
But you will sooner or later learn it and then it will go fast
editing the patches.

Sound Quality: 8
Im using a little bit different setup for this baby.
I use a BOSS NS-2 noise supressor because my jmp-1 is modificated and makes the distorted channels "hiss".
Thats the only thing I can think of thats really bad with it.
I suppose that only my unit that has that problem.
Heres my setup : Guitar > NS-2(Input), NS-2(Output) > Jmp-1(return), Jmp-1 (send) > Alesis microverb > NS-2 (Return), NS-2 (Send) > Jmp-1 (Input) and then from the Jmp-1 to a Marshall JCM 900 with a 4x12 cab.
With this setup the NS-2 are working in a better way than if it was putted in the fx-loop ,.. so all of you who think that your jmp-1 setup is "hissing" or something , get a NS-2 and use the setup above ,.. If you have any effects put them where my alesis microverb is in a chain,... The sound of the Jmp-1 is outstanding.
I can get everything from clean sounds (Then i really men CLEAN, its so clean that my guitar with EMG:s doesnt distort) to insane distortion to blues and its all programmable in 100 patches.
Its just pushing the buttons until you find what you want and then push the save button.
another great thing about the jmp-1 is the midi mapping.
I use a jmp-1 footcontroller and program the jmp-1 to jump to a desired patch when one of the four buttons is pushed on the controller.
then you can get the jmp-1 to controll the Alesis microverb.
So lets say that i push the first button on the footcontroller then i have programmed the jmp-1 so it will jump to patch nr.56 and the microverb will jump to patch nr.76.
In that way i dont have to run back to my guitar rig and starting to fiddle around with the microverb.

I give it a 8 because of the "hissing".

Reliability: 9
I can really depend on this unit.
And i would definetely gig without a backup.

Customer Support: N/A
Have never dealt with them.

Overall Rating: 9
I play Death metal and with this unit i can get the sound that i want.
I have been playing now for 7 years and all this time i have searching for a setup that will work live.
The scooped death thing never works live.
Trust me I know.
Ofcourse you can get that kind of sound to.
Its only in studios you use the scooped thing, not live.

Submitted by Anonymous at 04/24/2000 10:47

Price Paid: US $475 used

Features: 8
It's midi programmable so I rate high on features. It doesn't support midi continous controllers so that's the reason it doesn't get a 10. It very easy and quick to program, no sub-menus and all that crap to worry about. It has a speaker emulator, but it's so-so. But I haven't heard a direct recording sound I like yet, either, from any manufacturer.

Sound Quality: 9
This thing sounds best at OD2 with the gain all the way up. It REALLY added life to my DSL20. It sounds great when I mic it as well for recording. I used to have the MP1, and this gives you creamier marshall distortion. I also heard it through a friend's Fender and it gave it some major balls. I think this would be a good addition to any amp for those that want a heavier type sound. The clean settings are so-so, but my amp gets that done anyway, I needed this to make my amp go over the top, and this does just that!

Reliability: 10
I bought this used from a friend. He had it 2 years with no probs. I've had it 4 months and have had ZERO problems. Original tubes and all. I've heard only good things about it's reliability.

Customer Support: N/A
Never had to deal with them.

Overall Rating: 9
Now that I have it in my rig, I would definitely buy it again. It's to important to my recording tone now. This will make any amp scream. Even on my micro battery powered mashall amp, it sounds good. I won't give it a 10 because the clean channel is a little sterile, but that's a matter of opinion. I don't use clean sounds much anyway. This is definitely the best pre amp I have tried, and I've tried a lot!

Submitted by Krawdad at 04/21/2000 23:18

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 10
Valve Midi Pre-Amp. I don't have one but I notice that almost
all music produced in Guitar Techniques magazine, for the free CD,
use the JMP-1 (they even print the setting that they used). They
cover the gamit of sounds and styles and usually sound as good
(sometimes better) than the original. They cover songs from the
Blues (Gary Moore, B.B. King, etc), Rock (Deep Purple, Korn, Led
Zep., Thin Lizzy, Satriani, Malmsteem, Vai, Chuck Berry), Country, classic and folk - not all through the JMP-1, but it seems like
about 70% of the time they use JMP-1.

Sound Quality: 10
Guitar techniques use all sorts of guitars. Strats, Gibson Les Pauls
and PRS seem most popular though. Used with a wide variety of
styles and effects, although often with no additional effects or
perhaps 1 or less commonly 2 external effects pedals/units.

Reliability: 10
They have used it since I have been reading (~2 years)

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 10
If I needed a pre-amp -- I would definitely get this one.
Incredibly versatile. Professional quality sounds.
Emulate majority of top guitarists' sound.

Submitted by TY at 04/05/2000 22:59

Price Paid: US $415 used

Features: 9
2 clean 2 dirty channels,volume,gain,bass,treble,mid,effect and bass
shift options with midi capability. Headphone jack and speaker emulation for direct recording or master to a power amp. I recommend using speaker emulation out even into a power amp. Let your own ears decide

Sound Quality: 9
MIJ strat, mesaboogie 50/50 power amp, home speakers (with overload fuse, very simple cheap and important!!! saved my home speakers a few times. I like rock and rocken blues, Hendrix, Pumpkins, I also use and Digitech RP-7 for fun and experiments.

With the JMP-1 I have no problem dialing up any Marshall sound I am familiar with. Some Pumpkin sounds are not their, but I believe that is a function of cheap pickups and not the preamp. The amp is relatively quite, but will interfere if you stand closer than six feet while holding you Geektar.

Alone it is ot really suited for modern metal, Korn, Biscuit, Static X, but that is not my desire either. It may be I just don't know how to dial them in for that though. The clean channels sound smooth and very harmonious through the neck and middle for a strat

When paired through the RP-7 in the effects loop the possibilities seem limitless. I can get overwelmed developing patches so I try and stick to the basic sounds untill I get better.

Reliability: 7
Seems pretty sturdy, I have it in a SKB road case so I'm not really concerned. Occasionall when I dial in a new patch the numbers jump, but that is a non issue in my book.

Customer Support: 8
Bought it used off EBAY and have not had to deal with anybody at all
thanks be to God. I do have the booklet but Marshall has a pretty good site and I think you could download the manual there also so that gets some points.

Overall Rating: 9
I have only been practicing for two years and am thrilled with having anything beyond my practice amp. I researched a bunch of options and the JMP-1 provided the most quality bang for the buck especially when you factor in the music I like to try and play. The triaxis seemed more for wealthy metal virtuosos who knew exactly what they were doing and nobody seemed to be inlove with anything Crate has developed, plus I figure I could get close to what I paid for it if I did not like it. If it were stolen I would definitely look into getting another one or possibly replace it with the VS265 so I could have the whole thing in one box.

In summary it is a fairly priced preamp (used), that provides more than enough quality tone and features for any guitar player but remains insidiously easy to use. I'm an engineer by trade and trust in the paradox simple means smarter.

Submitted by Matt at 03/28/2000 18:16

Price Paid: US free(thank god)

Features: 1
made in 1999.versatile enough if thin processed solid state tone is your bag(it is not mine...i took the preamp as payment for a guitar repair)this unit has 2 12ax7 tubes in it and is heralded as a tube preamp...BUT the tubes only lend warmth to the clean(if you can call it that)channels. in between the tubes is a large bridged transistor that gives this unit all it's distortion.the tubes in this FAKE TUBE preamp do not contribute to the distortion at all. and the distortion SUCKS !!!!!!!128 channels of midi garbage are stuffed into this piece of junk unit.the features it has are pretty much useless...and this thing hisses like a desert sandstorm!marshall has never been an amp that myself or other real metal musicians of Talent use.buy a BOGNER, or a CUSTOM AUDIO AMPLIFIERS,or a VHT if you want real Tone,Girth,complexity,and QUALITY. these are all features the idiots at marshall have never put into the junk they have on the market.be advised and stay away from this clunker...unless you are one of the tone deaf brainwashed marshall wannabees.

Sound Quality: 1
no matter what good guitar you use w/this unit(Jackson u.s.a. customs,charvel san dimas,paul reed smith mcCarty,or any quality U.S.A. Guitar)this thing sucks...! a real smoke and mirrors blow -job on marshalls part...but what do you expect from them,quality? yeah right!this thing is noisy as hell and should come w/earplugs.all the sounds in this unit are mediocre at best.the only variety you can coax outta this box is mediocre,bad,badder,and terrible.you can believe all the hype and bullshit about big stars and signed guys using this unit ,but i'll tell you this ...take a peek at the racks they are using and you'll see bradshaws stuff(CUSTOM AUDIO ELECTRONICS)and alot of other REAL QUALITY GEAR.and the jmp is usually a back-up(cuase it's solid state and requires no maintenance. the speaker emulator is the only usefull thing in this unit.(thats why it's in most of the racks i mentioned before.)

Reliability: 1
who cares if it's reliable...the sound SUCKS...!

Customer Support: 1
the bozo's at marshall got real pissed off when i asked em about the bridged transistor providing the useless distortion...they tried every marketing lie and story theyhave been taught to get me to believe the unit is pure tube. the head tech got on the phone and tried to dissuade me into believing that the preamp is providing pure tube tone and that the bridged transistor is there for circuit reference...what a crock of british BULLSHIT.i am an electrical engineer and a certified technician who repairs and services VHT,SOLDANO,FENDER,BOOGIE and countless others so i am telling you the bottom line...this unit is a marketing ploy and a shitty one at that.if its got a warranty...better hope the idiots i talked to on the phone are not the ones fixing it(what a bunch of moronic liars)the dudes i spoke with were at the very most "idiots with soldering guns".and one guy there (i wont mention his name but he is an english guy,and a writer,and used to play in a band w/a silly name referring to death)was totally tryin to convince me that the unit was all tube...when i asked him some simple tube circuit questions that any 1st year electrical technician could answer he was dumbfounded and quickly gave the phone to an even bigger idiot,who could not walk and chew gum at the same time.whatta waste of time it was talking to those yo-yo's.

Overall Rating: 1
save your time and money.....you will regret paying money for this unit.alot of dudes think marshall's are fabulous.i think they are great BOAT ANCHORS...they sound MAGNIFICENT UNDER WATER.

Submitted by Anonymous at 02/17/2000 06:38

Price Paid: US $699

Features: 10
Four drive settings Clean1, Clean2, Overdrive1 and Overdrive2.
Channel volume, gain, treble, mid, bass, presence.
Bass Shift adds low end. 100 user patches available (comes with about
2 dozen factory presets). I use this item at home. For playing I use the JMP-1 with a Marshall JFX-1 singal processor (also excellent) in the effects loop. These go in stereo to a Marshall 9005 50w/side tube power amp with EL34's and then to an older Marshall 4x12 with 30 watt Celestions (originals, not the reissues). The Marshall cabinet is split to eight ohm per side. For direct recording to my PC multitrack recording program use the direct recording outputs of the JMP-1 - they're awesome! - sounds just like a mic'ed up Marshall stack. It is east to program and use.

Sound Quality: 8
I mostly play rock and use a Gibson Les Paul Standard. This amp rocks! It does an impressive job of creating most of the classic Marshall tones we know and love. As simple as it is to program, it took a little experimentation to get it dialed in just just right. The OD1 channel is fantastic - does a Marshall JMP/JCM tone so close you'd swear it was the real deal. The OD2 is kinda over the top gainwise and has a slightly nasal or midrangey voicing to it and I don't use it at all. The clean channels are usable and among the best I've ever heard in a Marshall product (only the JCM2000 is better) but this is not a Fender Twin. If your tone requires a lot of good clean sounds this may not be the best choice. Were the clean sounds better, it would get a 10 from me here.

Reliability: 10
I only use this at home but I've never had a problem.

Customer Support: N/A
Never had to deal with them.

Overall Rating: N/A
I will never part with this preamp and would replace it immediately if it were stolen or destroyed. I am a loyal tube amp player from way back... played the same Marshall JMP head for many years along with a rotating stable of other high end tube amps. I always liked the idea of a rack based system but never heard any preamp worth considering until the advent of the JMP-1. This one's a keeper.

Submitted by Peter Alerich at 02/12/2000 00:00

Price Paid: US $500

Ease of Use: 10
Editing of sounds is straight-forward with a well laid out, intuitive front panel. You hardly need the manual for programming but it works EXACTLY like the manual tells you. Main outs and speaker sim outs let you use it in a variety of settings.

Sound Quality: 10
I think the designers of this preamp envisioned it first and foremost as a premier piece of studio gear. And in that respect it excels. But like most people my gear has to do double duty in the real world also. I used to sit in my studio with my rack and headphones and get lost in the lush, fat, almost TOO perfect sounds that the JMP-1 is capable of producing. Then I would run it through my amp onstage and want to cry because none of those perfect sounds ever emerged from my rack in a live situation. I have a '68 fender Twin that has one of the best clean sounds attainable, but running the JMP-1 through it turned it into a lethal weapon. The tone was so sharp you could shave the nuts off a gnat at 50 paces. It was the same thing with my Marshall JCM heads (and yep I even tried the power amp inserts and effects returns).Then one day (while listening with headphones again) I finally realized that my rack had the sound I wanted and the only thing I needed to do onstage was make it louder. So instead of running my rack output through a guitar amp (pre-amp into preamp into power amp), I just ran it into a dedicated stereo power amp and then to a pair of 212 cabinets. Lo and behold THERE was the sound I had been listening to in my studio all along! The difference was absolutely amazing and now I can see why Billy Gibbons runs his JMP-1's through Valvestate 120/120's (lets face it .. the man can afford to use absolutely ANYTHING he wants). All you need with the JMP-1 is a power amp and a set of speakers. Running it through the input of a guitar amp is an exercise in utter futility. I currently use the JMP-1 and a Lexicon MPX-1 (for effects) onstage. I run the left and right outputs of the JMP-1 into the line inputs of the Lexicon and the outputs of the Lexicon into a Crown Power Amp. I control the whole rig with the Lexicon RP-1 foot controller and have one of the most awsome live sounds you have ever heard. And believe me I am a died-in-the-wool TUBE TONE man. I retired my '68 Blackface Fender Twin in favor of this setup (its lighter, louder, and more versatile) and I am happy that I am no longer putting hours on one of my best collector's pieces. To sum up: the JMP-1 doesn't work well live through a dedicated guitar amp - use a power amp and speakers instead. Not only do you end up with great STEREO sound, you don't have to bust a nut trying to haul around heavy, cumbersome, EXPENSIVE amps to do it. Anyone who has stood within 10 rows of the stage at a ZZ-TOP gig knows EXACTLY what I'm talking about.

Reliability: 10
Had mine for 5 years and still haven't made it whimper!

Customer Support: N/A
Don't know - never needed it

Overall Rating: 10
I have played every kind of music you are likely to hear in a night club in the US. I have at my disposal all of the amps that most of us grew up dreaming about (Marshall, Fender, Ampeg, Mesa, Rivera) and some that many of us were resigned to using when we young or poor (or both). I have always loved the JMP-1 in the studio but hated it onstage until I tried the power amp approach. If you've got the spare amps and speakers, the JMP-1 is also capable of giving a winning live performance.

Submitted by H.E.Gauldin at 02/03/2000 12:38

Price Paid: US I wouldnt buy new worth at most $300

Features: 8
lots of features see other reviews

Sound Quality: 5
I finally read a review on this product wich i agree with and care to further expand upon.This is not a live use product,studio only great in studio better if u buy it used.I rented a jmp on four seperate occasions determined that it was me who could not make it sound good at rehersal\gig volume-no micing.Try as idid with various wattage high end low end power amps or running into the return of other good amps,i could not change it from sounding thin and harsh almost solid state sounding crap.I had it for a week or month (different serial #'s)each time i rented them.The best match was their own 9200 poweramp at low to medium volumes but forget rock volumes.(also played with various new and older guitars with varying pick up configs)Check it out the preamp has its own bass boost works well with their boostless poweramp.All other highpower high end poweramps i used already have a form of bass control.Does processed ZZ top sounds no problem as a matter of fact this is what it sounds like it was designed for (guess who uses a ton of them for their gigs?)Excellent for home studio though,marshall sound (although compressed-perfect for trax at home)at a low volume.Dont bother changing the 12 ax7's to another type either i did that to no avail in tone.You wont find Gary Moore or Vanhalen raw tones here only ZZ top (and not their best ones either)just generic ZZ top tones

Reliability: N/A
who cares place it in your home studio where it belongs and it will never break if it does marshall is still here.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: N/A
The inside is I.C. city besides two 12ax7"s I'll tell u a secret the best sounding(not considering the mesa tri-axis-its a higher end product) especially at gig volumes midi preamp is the lowly ADA MP-1 preamp used and worth every penny!

Submitted by lovetone at 01/23/2000 22:22

Price Paid: 1100 Dutch guilders/$540 (Dutch Guilders)

Ease of Use: 8
Creating sounds isn't that much of a problem. The presets are a good starting point, but you'll wanna create your own sounds. No difficulty at all, since it's actually a normal amp, with one exception: 4 modes, Clean 1 & 2 and Overdrive 1 & 2.

Sound Quality: 9
I'm using the amp with a lot of stuff, but mainly with the Marshall 9200 power amp (2 x 100 Watts). In some occasions I'll take out 2 tubes on each side of the 9200 to create a 2 x 50 Watts. (NOTE: DON'T DO THIS AT YOURSELVES, ASK YOUR LOCAL MUSIC SHOP ON WHAT DIFFERENCES IT MAKES ON YOUR SPEAKERS ETC.) Guitarwise I mainly use a PRS CE22 w/maple top. Sounds great and fantastic with my other guitars as well, but the PRS is my main axe. An Intellifex Ltd. in the effects loop will do the rest. Also using it with a variety of stompboxes & pedals, but they are really for my other 2 amps (Sovtek 50 Watt head and a really old London City 100 Watt amp).
I don't really use the JMP-1 live a lot. You really have to crank it together with the power amp to get the perfect tone. I can do that in my practice room, but live, hey, I'm not a famous guitarist who plays in arenas. But let me tell you one thing. In small studio setups,THIS THING IS MADE FOR DIRECT RECORDING. When you want to do some studiothing very quickly, this is your amp!!!!

Reliability: 9
No probs

Customer Support: N/A
Never eealth with them, and that after 3 years of use.

Overall Rating: 8
Nowadays, these amps sell 2nd hand for almost nothing. Buy one.

Submitted by Wuls at 01/18/2000 00:48

Price Paid: US $400 used

Ease of Use: 10
Really easy to use- 4 channels gain, volume & eq. Store what your ear likes & you're there.
I like midi stuff; spend time programming at home & in rehearsal & then live =no tweaking
Data knob slips a bit, more an anoyance than a prob tho. Other reveiws mention this too.
Never read the manual.( who cares with something this simple)

Sound Quality: 7
I play funky pop- rock so I like a lightly distorted rhythm & a smooth sustaining lead, which this preamp does well thought it's not like "omigod this is the one" , more like "well I can deal & it's fine but if I had 5 grand it'd be gathering some dust!".
Clean sounds could have a little more presence. Main gripe is the thing is a little bass shy. Skinnier than I would like. I put it thru a quadreverb for fx & this has a bass boost which helps. Aside from that I see no need for additional eq. I use a souped up strat thing with Dimarzio humbuckers & a 8008 solid state preamp. I think the sound is worth the $400 I payed. If you like those death scooped tones this might NOT do it for ya.

Reliability: 7
Had it 6 months. no probs so far.

Customer Support: N/A
I never had to use them. But since they're so big I think theyre probably not that on it. The web site is not that friendly.

Overall Rating: 7
Gives nearer to the tones I want than I 've ever had. It's good for the money. Probably won't change your life but it'll do a reasonable job.

Submitted by camsan at 01/17/2000 15:03

Price Paid: 3200 (Norwegian Crowns (1 USD = 7,8 Nkr)) used

Features: 9
1u tall, four channels (two clean and two overdrive), 100 writeable memory locations, MIDI mappable, serial/parallell stereo fx loop (programmable), headphones output, stereo main and speaker emulating outputs. Nice gold anodized front.

Fairly easy to program, as it has buttons corresponding to all main functions respectively; for instance, just push the "bass" button and tweak the data knob to change the bass parameter value.

I usually put it through the input of a reissue Fender Twin, albeit with some additional eq, since it's designed to be plugged into a dedicated power amp. It's a part of my huge stage/studio rig, which includes both rack and stompbox units, and it has proven a very versatile piece of gear through the years. A better eq section would have made life easier though.

Sound Quality: 8
I use it with a Am. Std. Strat and a custom Tele with humbuckers with Norwegian leading alternative rock bands Violet Scene and High, but I play a wide variety of styles apart from that.

The JMP-1 excels in the high-gain domain; the OD 1-channel is fairly outstanding with gain at the max and exposed to a decent humbucker. OD 2 has enough gain to make single-coils sustain sufficiently, and has a fine tone with a nicely articulated pick attack and a lot of definition in the bass. It doesn't quite have the punchy low-end of my Boss DS-2 though. It's softer at the attack, but has more definition, if you get me right.

At lower gain levels the OD 1 manages a passable crunch - I wish it was wirier and more compressed, put it's definitely acceptable.

Clean 1 delivers; it's better than any clean sound I've come across in JCM heads and combos, but not as sweet as non-master volume Marshalls and certainly doesn't even come close to my Fender. In fact I'm planning to run the JMP-1 in a loop in a switcher and use it for overdrive/distortion only, using the Fender's clean sound. To put it this way: Clean 1 is good enough, but I can't stand using it instead of the Fender's clean sound. With the gain maxed out you get a nice compression and a hint of breakup though.

Clean 2 is brighter than Clean 1, which doesn't at all suit my tastes. It's useful for subtle crunch though, as it has a litlle more gain than Clean 1. With very powerful pickups you will get an unnatural squashy sound though, almost fuzzy in character.

The leap between Clean 2 and OD 1 is too great. I'd like the opportunity to get a really good clean/crunch, but as it stands i can only manage a passable compromise.

The hiss and background noise level is par for the course of high-gain preamps, but it seems to depend on the impedance of the signal: When you plug the guitar lead straight into the JMP-1's input it's actually quieter than it is when unplugged, and putting certain certain effects units inbetween guitar and preamp maintains the hiss.

I keep the bass shift on always to add some fullness to the lower mid-range, but un-eq'd the preamp has a rather annoying boomy/resonant peak around 200 Hz in all channels, regardless of the bass shift status, and that peak has to be eq'd out by an external eq.

The speaker emulation is good, but not as good as, say, the emulation in a Roland GP-100.

Reliability: 8
It's proven totally dependable, and I have never had it serviced, nor changed the tubes. In fact, this is my second JMP-1, and the former one never broke down on me either. On the other hand, that unit had a somtimes temperamental data knob (it would sometimes make the parameter values skip unpredictably), but that didn't have any consequences for live performances.

Customer Support: 10
I haven't dealt with Marshall themselves, but my local shop was very helpful when I received my second JMP-1, which I bought used, and the plastic input washer turned out to be broken - I got a new one for free.

Overall Rating: 8
I've been playing for 17 years, and I'm very particular about my gear. The JMP-1 stays in my rig by virtue of being 1) toneful and responsive sounding and 2) easy to use and incorporate in a rig of almost any size.

Submitted by Ralf Lofstad at 01/10/2000 15:04

Price Paid: US $400

Ease of Use: 10
Rather easy to use. Manual explaines everything you need to know but it should be easy to figure it out if you don't have the manual.

Sound Quality: 9
I recommend using a EQ with the jmp-1

Very good distortion. At first I didn't find the sound to be strong and dark enough for Rythem. I then ran it into a two channel eq. Cut the mids a bit and boost the lows. Great Rythem sound!! Great for Heavy Metal.

I have this unit running through the eq and JFX-1 Marshall processor through the effects loop. I use a JCM 900 1960 Lead Cab powered by the 9200 Marshall power amp.

The setup has very little noise. OD1 is great for blues sounds OD2 is great for Heavy Metal and most rock sounds. Between the Pre amp, processor, and EQ I can get just about any sound I want.

The back of this unit has a speaker emmulator output wich is GREAT for recording. Run these outputs directly to your recording device and it sounds great.

Ok here is the Drawback..... Clean tone. Marshall was never really known for their clean sounds. The clean sounds on this unit seem to be a little punchy and gritty. With help from the eq and processor you can doctor it up to get a good clean sound.

Reliability: 10
I have been using this unit for 4 years now withought any problems.
I changed the Valves once but the origional ones still seemed to be fine.

I have used it in gigs witought a backup. Mainly cause I can't afford a second preamp however I never worried about having any problems with it.

Customer Support: N/A
NA. I have never needed to contact Customer Support.

Overall Rating: 9
I play Rock/Heavy Metal. Also a bit of Progressive.
If I somehow lost this unit I would buy another one withought a doubt.

FEATURES: I would reccomend this pre amp to anyone. It has lots of features such as MIDI In, Through, and out. 2 distortions and 2 clean channeles. Bass, Mid, Treb, and presents control. Also a Bass shift feature wich makes the sound real strong sounding and more stero sounding. Stero effects loop is great wich you can mix the loop with the origional sound. Each output has a +4 or -20Db option wich is great for different setups. At home I leave it set to -20Db but when playing with a band hit that button and get a hell of a boost.

Would have given a 10 rating if the clean sound was a bit better.

Submitted by Nick at 01/09/2000 12:58

Price Paid: 500 (Canadian) used

Ease of Use: 8
The JMP-1 was designed to offer the user a quick change during use. Pre-setting the channels is fairly easy once you know what you are doing. The manual provided is short and to the point. A reference guide provided will give you a good idea of the type of sounds you will get with the suggested settings. If you take the time, this unit can produce just about any level of distortion and sustain you desire.

Sound Quality: 9
I run the JMP-1 through a Marshall Valvestate 8008 Amp and use a Peavey Deltafex Twin for effects. The main guitar used is a Epiphone Les Paul Standard fitted with Seymour Duncan pick-ups. This is sent to a Marshall 4x12 Cab. I was seeking a Gary Moore sound when I went for this set-up and I am in heaven now. I can recreate his sound perfectly. The 4x12 Cab is essential for this. The unit does a fairly good job on the clean settings but it is more for distortion than anything.

Reliability: 9
The unit can be depended upon under any conditions. It is advisable to use a fairly good rack case to protect your investment.

Customer Support: N/A
I have not had to use any customer support

Overall Rating: 8
I have been plating guitar for 3 years and I have several pedals and various effects units. I also love Rockman equipment as I love the old Boston tunes. I could find nothing that fit the bill for my desired tone(s) like the JMP-1 though. Again, it is essential that you run this untit through some decent speakers. I would search the world for another one if ever kicks out or is stolen.

Submitted by Anonymous at 12/04/1999 07:38

Price Paid: 821 (dutch guilders New!(about 400$) f 30 of that was shipping! )

Ease of Use: 10
Play/listen, push/dial, play/listen, push/d.... 'till you have the sound you want, STORE.
Doesn't get much easier that this.

Sound Quality: N/A
I use this box with an Ibanez RG 620, with Dimarzio's: X2N-B in the bridge and a Norton in the neck.(Nice combination btw!) and currently the JMP has a Boss GX-700 in the FX-loop(Wich WILL change!!!)these two go into a Bassman 100(Will change too, the thing's old, not mine and needs service! Hence when I get my 4U case: A poweramp!)

The Sound: 2 tubes -good start- tone controls are: Bass, Middle, Treble, Presence, A bass-shift function(wich gives palm-muted chords a little more "Oompf")and a Send/return effects control(from 0 to 12, i.e: 0 being off, 6 being 50% wet, 12 being 100% wet,..and all those in between)
4 channels:
2 clean, 1 dark: all in all the standard Marshall clean sound, dark and a rough edge if the gain is turned up, although with both cleans it's better not to turn the gain up to 20 (although all to your own taste,..once in a while I like to rattle the sounds a little this way)
1 bright: Marshall tries to give a more fender type sound here... (understandable "If ya can: DO!") but unfortunately you're able to make this sound similar to the first clean with ease, not as dark but as bright as the first one (sounds a little solid-state btw)

2 distortion, 1 "The neighbors don't need to hear every string being picked seperately" Clarity: great sound good response, got it turned up to 20 on all my rythms (my guitar can be turned down for less Gnarl, this Brit cleans up very well but a total clean is almost impossible in these settings..Oh, I would have to turn the gain down a little?? YEAH RIGHT!!!) Go to the neck PU, twist your toneknob to "Meltdown" and be the first to feel just the guitarist rumble the podium you're on.......eheh, niceeeeee!!!!
1 "The neighbors ask why their wall is vibrating!" This is the "Over the top" (maybe they incorporated the JCM type solid-state end-circuitry here?) sound, great lead sound, less reaction to different notes
Does it have enuff gain? NO!!!, gonna throw in some Wxt's when the time and money comes, But for most players it does, noise???: yeah at gain 15 and a maxed out EQ it starts to annoy you but with my EQ settings and gain at 20 i find it acceptable (Noisegates have lost my trust, they suck up your tone and choke your guitar when you want it to ring out and die beautifully!) No rating here, for sound it's each his own wish!

Reliability: 7
Hmm...only have it for a few months BUT......
as many: the dialswitch skips numbers often, Not so bad though, it doesn't mean your FC will do this too.
The Master volume mutes between 9 and 12???? what is this?? somekind of safeguard??
As for a backup: the GX 700 is my FX unit now, but it still has the old presets from when I used this unit as stand alone, so if a problem occurs I yank the GX back in standalone setup (Let's hope we don't have to!)

Customer Support: N/A
Sent an E-mail a week back, so far ZIP! Doesn't matter, not that important

Overall Rating: 9
I play HR/HM at a gain level usually used for thrash, I go from a Lead/rythm sound to a lead/tungsten carbide tone for solos (all this doesn't sound that extreme :->)so many G-players might have enuff with a gainlevel of 12 to 16. I bought this unit since the fact that a Piranha was WAY over my budget (they had one unit left at the dutch importer they would sell it to me for a friendly 1100 $$$$$!!!!!!!!!!!6 months on a shelf...BUY MY ASS!!!!!)so a little later on I came across this unit on the internet and ordered it, I could have done ALOT worse even if I payed full price, this unit is a standalone preamp and it does it's work beautifully, for the FX I'm thinking about a Replifex or JFX since the GX-700 is only transparant when all effectblocks are OFF, not much use for that and I only use chorus, delay and reverb (wich also sucks on the GX!) As for COSM and solid-state preamps:I first didn't care much for tubes, transistors were good enuff for me, but when you play on something like the GX 700(wich came AFTER the Roland GP-100!)for over a year, you realize that your preamp isn't giving you what you want, your guitar isn't giving his natural sound that he gives unplugged, or the distortions sounds lifeless and dull, you try the COSM sims but the Marshall sims give less gain then your homepractice combo (A cheap one!)And even a combination of distortion and amp-sim doesn't make ti better!I needed a TUBE-amp/preamp but a large head isn't something I like taking home after practice and as for MIDI: heh the 30 aniv. LM is taken out of production,...too bad! So I needed a 1U, maybe 2U space preamp with midicontrol, hence my want for a Piranha(and I still want!!!) but it became the JMP(1100 @*#$*@ dollars for a Piranha... BITE ME!)and the JMP-1 is,..well,..an experiment made by Marshall.
It shows designflaws plenty, not in layout (except for Jacks as speaker emulated output instead of XLR) but in control, EQ-setting only go from -6 to +6...well sorry boys, but that's really lousy, it hardly gives you control capability, being a 2 digit display you atleast could have gone from -9 to +9! the volume control over the FXloop is ok from 1 - 6 but once you've hit seven you're surrounded by your FX-unit(i.e. you get the idea you dialed it to 12!) and you need to adust it's volume to compensate, and why does it start at 00 instead of 01??? Not smart, I bet they didn't make these mistakes with the 30 aniv LM. I do hope they find a way to update these gripes coz in essence this is a good box, it has various different Marshalls in it's possesion and plenty of gain to go, if they were to update on those problems and release the "JMP-2" They will have a serious interested buyer in me.
If it were stolen or lost I'd buy it again (unless I'm rich, I'll buy the piranha!) It's no less marshall, it's no less professional, it's just a little less perfection and that's something we can work around!

Submitted by Jacky at 11/28/1999 21:27

Price Paid: 550 (UK pounds)

Ease of Use: 10
No problems at all. 5 mins out the box and I was an expert. I looked at the manual to check out the MIDI stuff, but you don't really need it - it's mosrtly self-explnatory

Sound Quality: 9
I'm using a '69 strat - custom wound neck pickup, and Seymor-Duncan hot rails at the bridge. I bought this unit with the 9100 valve mono-bloc amp, and it's fed into a 1960A 4x12.

The overall sound is awesome in every department. Although first time in a rehearsal it was very trebly - turned out the presence on the 9100 was way up. (Ooops). This thing sounds better than any other setup I've used, and I've been playing for 14 years so I've used quite a few setups.

I guess some folk won't like it, but it's perfect for what I need. But it only gets a 9 coz nothing can ever sound that good.

Reliability: 10
Not one problem in over 2 years.

I've used some shabby kit in the past, some stuff that has failed mid gig. This hasn't let me down once, and I trust it completely.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 10
If I lost this, I would definitely get another - there's no substitute.

Submitted by steve at 10/28/1999 07:43

Price Paid: 850 (canadian)

Features: 4
I play 80's shred metal(George Lynch, Vitto Bratta, Paul Gilbert) and some more modern metal (old Megadeth and Metallica). I need a huge scooped-mids metal rhythm sound with TONS of gain and a SCREAMING lead sound that cuts through.

The features of the preamp are well described below, so I won't go in too deep. Let's just say that having two distortion channels is nice, but it would be nicer to have only ONE that sounds at least decent!

It can do many styles, but it will always sound like a Marshall.

Overall, just a bunch of good features. Ohh yeah, the cab simulator sounds better than if I run it into a tube power amp and a cab. Also, I'd like to say that it's very VERY easy to use and even a drummer could figure out how to use it.

The reason I give it a 4, is that the EQ's are very LIMITED -6/+6 and I can't determine my mid frequency and stuff...the EQ's kill this thing and make it suck.

Sound Quality: 1
I'm using BcRich and ESP guitars with Duncan and Dimarzio pickups (I prefer Dimarzio by a long shot though!).

It doesn't suit me at all. The rhythm sounds I can get are very dark and muddy and/or they don't have enough gain. The addition of an EQ can't cure a thing, it's downright awful for rhythm sounds.

As far as lead sounds are concerned, it's just as awful and poor. The lead sounds are not focused, they're not tight and screaming. Maybe they scream a little, but if your tone is not focused, what can you do??

Clean sounds, believe it or not, are rich and tight!!! Some of the best dry clean sounds I've heard! Too bad I don't care about them!

If someone asks me how brutal is the distortion.....I would say it is very brutal, but it's not TIGHT! AND I HATE PLAYING IN AN AMP THAT'S NOT TIGHT!

Talk about tight, my Metal-Zone into my small peavey amp, THIS IS TIGHT...all the notes are heard and there's GOBS of pouring tight GAIN!!

Overall, I'd rather use my Metal-Zone that this preamp.....it sounds awful!

I use a Peavey classic 60/60 power amp (groove tubes and mesa-boogie tubes) and a Marshall 1936 2x12 cab with celestions.

I rate it 2 for clean sounds, but for distortion it's a big ZERO!

Reliability: 5
NO! The knob that is used to change parameters keeps skipping the damn presets. Also, the output level knob stops the output when it's halfway open!! IT STINKS ON ICE!

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 1
I've been playing for 5 years now and I have tried a shitload of stuff. The best sounds I heard are from a Marshall DSL 100 cranked. I thought the JMP-1 would sound EXACTLY like it...BUT IT IS NOT!

IMHO, the best midi preamps on the market are:

-ADA MP-1.....GREAT LEAD SOUNDS!!! GAINY AND SHREDDY! SCREAMS. It lacks a bit of tightness, but it is still GREAT.

-Rocktron PIRAHNA.....kickass scooped tight rhythm sounds!!

-Rocktron CHAMELEON and VOODOO VALVE.....probably the best I've tried overall! TIGHT GAIN!!

The JMP-1 tries to be a good preamp, but fails admirably.

I'm gonna throw it out of the window and get a used ADA MP-1 or a Rocktron preamp. Then I would have the GAIN and SHRED SOUNDS I need and crave!!

Don't be fooled into buying this thing....a real Marshall DSL/TSL sounds mucho better!

Submitted by Phil Baldwin at 10/17/1999 10:32

Price Paid: $1400 (Aus)

Ease of Use: 10
Point and shoot! This is just like setting up a real amp, except that there's only one dial. But some of the factory presets are good enough that you can get going instantly.

Sound Quality: 10
Wow! This baby EATS ADA for breakfast. It's perhaps not as comprehensive as the TRI-AXIS but for what it costs it's power to weight ratio is far more impressive. It's like compairing pontiac to a Dodge Viper! It's very noiseless for something with such high gain, but Marshall have all those years of experience up there sleeve..

Reliability: 10
Never had a problem. Very sturdy construction. Once again, experience counts.

Customer Support: N/A
Never had to worry about it.

Overall Rating: 10
I would and have recomended this unit to many people, and as a result Marshall have sold about 5 more of these. The only thing I wish it could do (which would simply be a ROM upgrade) is support MIDI Continuous Controllers for Volume, Gain, and maybe the tone controls.

Submitted by ben dennis at 09/28/1999 18:49

Price Paid: 350 (UKP) used

Features: 9
MIDI tube preamp. Basically four channels: warm and bright clean, classic and modern OD, which I need for the stuff I do (which ranges from folk to melodic HR). It's fully programmable: all settings can be saved in a patch.

I'm using it with a JFX-1 and a VS8008 stereo power amp, and a pair of 1912 1x12" cabs: great sound, more portable (mostly cause it breaks down into smaller bits) than my VS8080 combo.

One annoyance, perhaps: there isn't a duplicate input socket on the BACK: my rack wireless output is on the back, and I really don't want to be running cables through the rack to it.

Sound Quality: 9
I'm using it with a Squier HM3 (HSH/Floyd Rose), and a Tokai Les Paul. Suits my style perfectly, giving me a whole range oif sounds from a tock'n'roll jangle through to serious shred. You can push both clean channels into a nice gritty edge.

Noisewise, it does transmit a bunch of crud if you stand right on top of it, but I intend to be the other end of a 20' MIDI cable away, like most normal people. I dunno how much of that is that the HM3's pickups are noticeably icky, and the JMP-1 shows this up. The Les Paul sounds appreciably better through it: the Squier has a top-end fizz on the bridge pickup which wasn't noticeable on cheaper kit.

Soundwise, it'll give me just about anything: I'm still tweaking to find the perfect sustaining metal lead tone, but I'm sure it's there.

Reliability: N/A
Only had it a month. No problems yet. But, see below: I don't ecpect to have any problems with getting anything fixed.

Customer Support: 10
Awesome. Marshall cleary believe in creating 'raving fans' by their attitude. I bought this and a JFX-1 s/h with no manuals. Luke at Live Music called Marshall UK, there and then in the shop and asked if they could send out manuals: they arrived two days later. No charge.

Overall Rating: 9
I've been playing twenty years or so: other amps before this were a VS 8080 (used with a BOSS ME10) and a pair of Peavey Studio Pro 20s. I'd buy it again in a instant: I'm a thorough convert to the controllability of rack stuff for the music I play, though if I was just doing rock'n'roll or blues I'd probably get a JTM45 or a Fender and go back to basics.

Submitted by Mike Whitaker at 09/27/1999 04:16

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: N/A

Sound Quality: 9
A correction on my previous review: My brother's amp IS a solid state Marshall, but is NOT a Valvestate Marshall. So, My comparision to a Valvestate is not valid and, I have never even heard a Marshall Valvestate amp. Hope I haven't offended all you Vavlestate lovers out there!
Take it easy,
Rich

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: N/A

Submitted by Richg at 09/20/1999 19:00

Price Paid: US $350 used

Ease of Use: 10

Sound Quality: 9
This is just an update to my previous review of the unit. I wrote to Korg USA, and was told that the JMP-1 uses a solid state bridge rectifier to distort the signal. The rep there said that this method is also used on the JCM 900 series,JCM800 series,Slash, 25 anniversary, 2210 and 2205 among others. I was a little shocked to hear that the "king" of tube amps was using this method of amp building, but apparently (if you listen to the vintage-all tube- series) it's what you have to do to get that "high gain" sound. The vintage amps can get that creamy distortion, but can't get over the top. So, I guess you make your choice, buy a later design like the JMP-1 which, I guess, uses it's tubes to warm up the solid state distortion sound, or buy a vintage model Marshall, and put a pedal (probably solid state) in front of it if you want that modern sound. Probably sounds the same if you put the JMP-1 into a tube amp. I still love the way this unit sounds, but my eyes are open in regard to pre amps (boogie also makes one in the same manner). Boogie's triaxis uses all tubes, but they're pre-amp tubes, and I don't particularly like the Boogie overdriven pre amp sound which I alredy can get with my Mesa Mark II, and shun. So, If you want the Marshall sound, and you don't want the 60's-70's Cream type Marshall sound, I guess this IS the Marshall sound! Who would have guessed! I've also noted lately, playing with the JMP-1, that if the output gain (using the master out) isn't at least 3/4 of the way up, I get a thin lifeless distortion. Strange...just make sure it's up! All this being said, I still haven't found a better sounding Pre...it just messes with my head that it's not created by the tubes. Another of life's little curves!

Reliability: 9

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
By the way, I play a '75 SG, '78 SG, '73 Ovation Legend. With Gibson strings and play "ALT" rock music in the band The Aesthetics (www.theaesthetics.com)

Submitted by Richg at 09/15/1999 19:02

Price Paid: US 350 used

Ease of Use: 9
Easy to use. Manual is comprehensive. No trouble here. I'm giving it a 9 because , I guess, there might be a pre amp you can just throw at a wall and it works, but this one is about as easy as it gets.

Sound Quality: 10
This is, by far, the best pre amp I've heard (for what I'm looking for). I've read the previous reviews of this unit, with people complaining about limited usable sounds. Well, I've been playing and recording for about 17 years, and it's been my experience, that you're lucky if you can find an amp with ONE usable sound! I have a monster Mesa Boogie Mark 2 Colosseum amp that I've been fighting with for the last 10 years, and have never been able to get a nice nasty toneful overdrive sound out of. Plenty of warmth and roundness on the clean and partial overdrive blues type sounds, but the overdrive sounds are thin, harsh and refuse to fly. I picked up a Digitech Twin tube when they first came out and used it quite extensively. Over the years, I've been able to compare it to a few others (like the ADA MP-1) and thought it sounded the most interesting. The Marshall JMP-1 has gobs more tone, and most importantly, sounds and plays like a tube amp. Overdrive is nice and crunchy and the distortion is very natural sounding, varying instinctively with hand technique (no synthetic distortion sounds). The unit also has the most upfront sound I've heard in a overdriven pre amp. It does sound like an Marshall (my drummer say's "It sounds too 70's"), but with the tone controls, you can get a more modern sound without too much trouble. For my music, I think I'll be using the OD1 channel backed off to around 11-12 (nice tone with clear notes, but still plenty of growl). The clean sounds sound... well clean. Nothing wrong with them, but I use a rack of Rockman stuff to get my "clean" sounds. I'm not a fan of straight clean guitar with the kind of Rock music I play (My first amp was a small Fender Vibrochamp, and I still have nightmares about the "to the bone, chilling cleans from that amp!). My boogie's clean sounds are more rounded, but also more dark and thick.
To see how the JMP-1 would record, I ran it through a Neotek console into an ADAT straight out the speaker emulator, then recorded another track with the JMP-1 running into my Boogie head(from the master out - make sure your output gain is up)and into a 4 12 speaker cab (Peavy Black widows) then miked my speaker cab. The combination of the J-MP1 into the boogie sounded massive in the studio. The high gain Marshall tone combined with the brown, round balls of the Boogie to create pure guitar heaven! I miked the cab with an SM 57 and an MD421 and then went into the control room for a listen. The direct signal from the JMP-1 had more presence and clarity. The Miked cab sounded backed off by comparison, but had more color, roundness (those 6, 6L6's)and dimensionality (well, I was using two mikes). If I had to choose just one of the sounds, it would have been hard. I think in recording, I'll just split it off and use both signals. Playing live, I wouldn't have any problems with just using the JMP-1 direct. It's just going to lack the real low end balls without a power amp after it, but my bass player can handle those, and I won't have to haul my 2000 pound Boogie head to a gig.
I also wanted to sound in on the "Tube/not tube controversy". I don't really care if this amp is made of Pixistixs and old wool socks. I've fought with a tube amp for years and it never even came close to giving me the toneful flying distortion this pre gives me. Is the distortion generated by solid state diode clipping? I don't know. I will say this; it sounds like a tube amp, plays like a tube amp, and doesn't sound ANYTHING like any solid state amp I've ever heard (my brother has a Valvestate). There might be a better sounding pre out there for tone and distortion, but for my uses I haven't heard it yet... So I'm giving this guy a 10

Reliability: N/A
No trouble yet. Looks well made. Can you afford back up equipment? That would be nice!

Customer Support: N/A
Never delt with.

Overall Rating: 9
This pre is going to be with me for awhile, these things are just so convenient for me. I like them in the studio and playing live. Don't have to fight to get a sound, and if you need to punch a portion of a guitar track in two days later, it can be counted on to sound the same(knock on wood). I'm now looking to buy an older super lead, but I suspect, I'll wind up using the JMP-1 for most recording and playing. It's nice to be groovy and use a vintage amp, but when you have to work and get down to it, reliability of sound will win out over cool. Especially when the sound is this good. These units aren't the cheapest things in the world (but not nearly the most expensive either)Glad I found it! I'll reserve a 10 rating for when I get upstairs and play on what Jimi and John are playing on!

Submitted by Rich G at 09/12/1999 17:38

Price Paid: DM (german) 700 used

Ease of Use: 9
For a preamp it is quite easy to use cause it just creates distorted or clean sounds. No effects and no noise-gate.

Sound Quality: 8
It's very good for creamy Malmsteen leads, but for Metal rhythms I would use a Boss Metalzone. Clean sounds are quite shitty but what you really expect from a Marshall are the distortions. Like I pointed out before, it little bit lacks of gain.

Overall Rating: 8
It's a good match for me, cause I use it in combination with a METALZONE. The JMP-1 creates the leads, the METALZONE the rhythms.

Submitted by Manuel at 08/20/1999 13:19

Price Paid: US $600.00

Features: 10
This is just a quick review of the jmp-1. I won't go through all the features, everyone has already done that! I've had mine for about 2 years. I use it with a Boss GT-5, and I use it with a various amps, (heads, combo's, amps with loops, and amps without!)also power amps. Once again it's depends on what your looking for, I have found with the GT-5, and the JMP-1, there is not a sound I can't get! I also wanted something that was a compact system I could carry. I've done my years of carrying amps and decided this was the best way to go for me. Sure you can find other amps that do some things better, but there will always be something missing from whatever amp you are using! (not clean enough, not enough distortion, to much, etc.) This one pretty much covers all the base's.(as far as all in one unit) Personally, Marshall is the holy grail of amps period! Let me put it another way, If you play rock, Jimi Hendrix's sound is the godhead of all rock sound. People have been trying to get that sound for years! If that is the sound you are going for, then Marshall Is the only amp that will get there period. Hendrix used other amps, but none compared to his Marshall amps! If you use a boogie, to me it sounds like your using a boogie! That's not a bad thing, it's just a diffrent sound. If your an Eddie Van Halen fan, Jeff Beck, Clapton. (All in there on fire early years!)then hands down it's a Marshall! With JMP-1 I have a lot of options. If I want to use a como, just plug It into the effects loop. Any amp instant Marshall! this really comes In handy if you travel, and you have to use rented amps, or your gear gets lost or did not make it to wherever you are! If you need to play In a big place, or arena, just go through a power amp, or head with an effects loop, or the front end of an amp, and you can make your sound As big as you want! Or if your amp blows, just go through the P.A.! Everyone will think your using stacks of Marshalls! If you have your own P.A., or place the same place on a regular basis, And it has a great P.A., run it though the P.A. out front, and the Monitors on stage. Singers, and small clubs, and sound men well love You! Plus you don't have to carry around a ton of amps! Once again it's a matter of your ears. I seen guys with the best gear And still don't know how to get a great tone.(some are even great players!)I've also seen guys with the weirdest, cheap crap gear, blow Away players who had all the most expensive gear, because the knew there gear really well and had a great ear! Personally, if you use this through a great tube power amp It's the bomb! That, and 2 Marshall cabs you well see Jimi!

Sound Quality: 10
I use An Ernie Ball Luke strat with EMG's SWEET! I can't complain. I knew what I wanted, got it and it works fine! If you know what you are doing, this thing can hold it's own! I've used it with people who had Boogies, VHT's, you name it. (I've owned them all!, I always go back to Marshall's!) And they can't believe I only using a JMP-1!

Reliability: 10
Not a problem.

Customer Support: N/A
not a Problem! So I don't know?

Overall Rating: 10
Been playing, 10-15 years, Had every amp at one time or another! This has it all! My only wish is that it had another effects loop. Other then that no problem.

Submitted by Ron at 07/12/1999 16:28

Price Paid: Canada 825.00

Features: N/A
Lot's of kewel easy-to-use stuff !!!

Sound Quality: 10
This is an update to my earlier review... I was plugging my JMP-1 straight into the front of a small 50 watt plex-reissue head, because i'm not a stereo freak, and beefy sounding tube rackmount power amps are heavey and expensive to haul around... Well I broke down and got an EL-34 50/50, and aside from the fact it's a heavey beast, my tone is simply killer !!! (you can run mono by only using the only the "A" input of the power amp, this will send a mono signal to both sides of the amp(left & right)...so you can run four 4x12's in mono !!! too bad boogie's 90/90 don't work that way !!! I know cause i had one...hehe) lot's of tight crunch & chub when palm muting... I'm useing Ibanez guitars now, RG-7 string w/no trem, RG 520QS, and a PGM500... all kick ass through this setup !!! I also recently bought a mesa recto-verb rectifier head cause I'M STUPID !!! (best boogies are/were MarK III simuclass head and the old 295 power amps w/EL34's)... The thing sounded like a big bassey, fuzzy, spongey anal fart when I palm muted !!!, I'm an extreme metal/punk/hardcore head and palm muting is my freakin life !!! my 7 string sounded like crap through that pile of mesa-blowme rectumfire head !!! after 3 weeks of trying to like that freaking over priced, over rated piece of dung...(maybe that' why "Korn-hole" uses them) I traded it for more Marshall stuff, and I can now sleep at night...!!! With my JMP-1 I get Megadeth meets Machine Head !!! and I can totaly cop the tone from Pennywise Full Circle (They kick butt !) I'll admit Marshall stuff has been kinda cheesy (900 series and the valve-pile stuff) but the JMP-1 is just smokin' for the price and has the kewel marshall toneage !!! lots of DEFINITION !!! when I blow a solo... EVERY FREAKING NOTE IS THERE, that mesa rectum-fire head was a pile of fuzz and fart PPPFFFHHHTTTTT*** !!! Ya baby !!! the Marshall "JCM 2000" stuff ain't as bad as some are saying either ya gotta just crank those suckers up to rip and use a guitar with decent pickups !!!... ya sure, go pay a ga-zillion bucks for a tri-axis and spend hours trying to dial it in... big stinkin deal...!!! Try these settings on the JMP-1... OD2=on, bass=plus4, mid=minus3, treb=plus4, presence=0, bass shift = off and be floored and amazed !!!, hordes of people are always amazed and crowed around when I go into the local music store and plugin to the JMP-1 on the floor and use these settings and shred away !... the bottom line is...if you don't like the tone of the JMP1 or can't get a good tone from one...
1. Your a Boy George/George Michal/Deepeche Mode fan !! 2. Your Clueless and inexperienced !! 3. Give up playnig Guitar and take up basket weaving !!!

Reliability: N/A
no probs...

Customer Support: N/A
I had pre-sales questions on their power amps and had a good and prompt response... (*Korg Canada)

Overall Rating: 9
9 cause there is no perfect amp/preamp !!! been plaing since 1980, do the math !!! The only thing I like as much as the JMP-1 for over all rocking tone and supurb definition is a the Sodano Decatone !!! they cost 3,000 in Canada! no thanks...!!!

Submitted by Jamin' Giles at 06/29/1999 09:03

Price Paid: Australian 800 used

Features: 9
With 4 channels (2-clean, 2-overdrive), volume, gain, 3 band EQ, presence, bass boost that can be programmed into 100 patches, it has a lot of versatility. One clean is crystal clear, the other will start crunching as you push it for a more bluesy sound. The 2 overdrives are classic rock and more modern metal. You can get a variety of sounds out of it. It doesn't have any other features like reverb or chorus, that is left totally up to effects units. But if you're buying a rack pre-amp then you'd expect to have an effects unit to go with it most likely anyway. Let's face it, you wouldn't get much more versatile. That's why you buy this type of thing, the ability to set up patches exactly how you want them, all linked in to your foot controller and effects unit is the reason for these babies. And you wouldn't really expect much more in the way of features in one of these. So it scores pretty good here.

Sound Quality: 7
I have to be truthful, if I could afford a Mesa/Boogie TriAxis then this wouldn't have a place in my rack. It definitely has it's superiors when it comes to tone. But while I say that, I've managed to get much better tone out of it than any other Marshall amplifier I have tried. Even though I am only running it through a solid state power amp. I use a guitar with DiMarzio evolution pickups, and alder body. I feel that Marshalls work better with more Les Paul style guitars with really full, rich, mahogany tones. But it does the job. I don't spend all that much time fiddling with sounds either, so it tends to stick with just a few. Don't get me wrong, it does sound good. If you don't have the money to spend on a TriAxis then this is definitely the next best thing. Not the best around, but still very good, and a lot cheaper than the best around.

Reliability: 10
I've currently had it for a little over a year and haven't had any trouble with it at all so far.

Customer Support: N/A
Haven't had to deal with them in any way

Overall Rating: 8
Very good versatile unit. For the price it is the best thing on the market. But if I had the money I'd upgrade to a TriAxis. (And may do sometime in the not too distant future!)

Submitted by Chris Kettlewell at 06/23/1999 19:35

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 10
Tube MIDI preamp. I have no clue on the year. It has 100 preset spaces (25 factory presets, 75 user). Basically 4 channels: clean 1, clean 2, overdrive 1, overdrive 2. Gain goes to 20 (more than enough for Nigel, eh?), volume to 20. Bass, Mid, Treble, and Presence go -6 or +6 (0 is neutral, + is boost, - is cut). Selectable effects loop (0-12, 0 is no effected signal, 12 is total effected signal). has l/r outputs, l/r DI (recording out), Stereo effects loop, headphone outputs. MIDI In/Out/Thru. Footswitch jack (no footswitch included) .2 ECC83 Preamp tubes. I like the active tone controls, the cut/boost deal is very very nice. Reverb could help, but I don't know if that can be built into preamps. Oh well, perfect score anyways.

Sound Quality: 8
I use a Jackson Rhoads RR-1 with EMG pickups (81/85)s. The left output goes to a Peavey Ultra Plus, the right output to a Marshall JCM900 4500 head. Both of the outputs are running into the heads' RETURN loop, so that the preamps are bypassed completely. My effects (delay, EQ, chorus, compressor, noise reduction) go into the FX loop so I have it on both amps, running S*T*E*R*E*O. This preamp is noisy when you're close to your rack. Why the hell are you standing next to your fucking rack?! MOVE, IDIOT if the noise is a problem. The clean on this preamp isn't great. It works for me okay, but if you need pristine, Fender-cleans, this ain't your box. The distortions, however, are fuckin' awesome. CRANIUM CRUNCHING to SWEET, it does it for me. I play heavy metal (True heavy metal will always live, fuck KORN and LIMP BISKIT) The factory presets BLOW, however. Edit your own.. I've set up a few crunches (from barely distorted to my normal crushing rhythm tone), and an incredible lead tone (LOUD, distorted, singing). BRUTAL TO HELL AND BACK. You know the JUDAS PRIEST tone from PAINKILLER or JUGULATOR? This is IT, brothers (and sisters)!!!

Reliability: N/A
So far, so good, but my JCM900 ain't been too great on reliablity, so I'm not giving a rating. I'll be back, fukkers.

Customer Support: N/A
I never felt like dealing with them.

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing a long time, I have too much gear though. NOT. You can't. My rig is nice and complex, i get nearly every sound I need. I might rig up an a/b box into a roland jazz chorus, though, so I can get my PRISTINE CLEAN tones. Between my rack, effects (not many, just for clean or solos), and my axe (JACKSON) i can do anything I need. POWER POWER POWER POWER POWER. METAL METAL METAL METAL METAL. The boogie triaxis, what the hell is the buzz over that thing?! It sounds like every boogie in the world, which is okay, but SHIT, who'd want a boogie sound when you can have the ultimate in metal crunch: THE MARSHALL!! I want to get a 50/50 EL34 Marshall poweramp to run this in stereo, though.. screw the damn heads! ARGGHHHH METAL UP YOUR ASS....

Submitted by Anonymous at 06/17/1999 21:43

Price Paid: US $629

Features: 6
This is a 4 channel Midi pre-amp.It is advertised as a tube amp,however,I have had it apart and there are two EC83 pre amp tubes which I switched out for Sovtek 12AX7WXTs.There are also transisters in the signal path,so in my book this is a hybrid.The tubes do effect the sound because there was a noticable difference when I switched tubes.As far as the front panel controls go,I find it hard to adjust the tone controls because the one data knob is very sensitive.I would of prefered the old analog controls like on the Marshall Amps.

Sound Quality: 3
As far as the sound of this unit goes,I have owened many Marshall tube amplifiers and also I had the misfortune of owning a valvestate unit and this JMP-1 sounds like the valvestate units but that should be no surprise since there are transisters in this unit.I have tried this unit with a number of different solid state and tube power amplifiers.I own a peavey 50/50 tube power amplifier but I also tried this unit with a mesa power amp also and no matter what you do this unit still sounds like valvestate.the distorted sound is ok but does not have the guts and low end of an all tube amp.The clean sound is very solid state,no warmth at all.I use a Gibson Les Paul Custom with EMG pickups and And a 70s BC Rich Mockingbird with EMGS also.This amp is good for heavy metal only.Not good for blues,fair for classic rock.I have a mesa studio pre amp also and that blows this unit away espicially if you change the 12AX&s to the Sovteks.I play mostly originall music but it is off the classic rock style and this unit does not do it for me.

Reliability: 10
Never had a problem with it.If I liked the sounds I would trust it without a back up on a gig.

Customer Support: 10
I did deal with customer support but not with this unit.I called them to get info on my valvestate amp that smoked.They were very helpfull and shipped me the output transisters in a couple of days.

Overall Rating: 4
I have been playing for 20 years.I own a mesa pre amp that I prefer over this unit.I also own a 5150 amp.I have not been able to get a full sound out of a rack set up like I do out of an amp.I would not by this unit again if it were lost or stolen becuase it is not my type of sound.if you play heavy metal it is a good choice but a 5150 is even a better choice.easier to get the sound I am looking for out of the 5150.

Submitted by Jeff at 06/17/1999 17:27

Price Paid: US $200 used

Features: 9
I bought this unit used for $200. It was reconditioned by my friend who is an amp tech.The amp is quite versatile with my setup. I use many of the factory presets and this is perhaps the only midi gear I like right from the factory. I usually change factory parameters on all my midi stuff but I find the JMP presets awesome. I use it for my band and home use.The other reviews listed the features.I wish it was capable of changing parameters via midi; ex. volume,gain,etc.

Sound Quality: 9
I have a Fender Deluxe Strat, G&L S500 and Gibson Les Paul Standard. I find the Les Paul sounds the best thru the JMP. Les Pauls and Marshalls are so compatible. Although I am a Strat player I still prefer the Les Paul with this unit.I find the unit noisy but I am running an Art sgx2000 thru the effects loop of the JMP and I use a noise gate.It works real well with the JMP and it's quiet.I play anything from Garth Brooks to Live and Michael Schenker and I am able to get the sounds I like. Since I use the Art I programmed the Art via midi so I can reaaly get some nice clean sounds. I use some eq and reverb plus delay. I have an Art x 15 midi controller so I can do just about anything. I am able to change channels on both the JMP1 and the Art so it works well.The distortion is typical Marshall. Not brutal like a Boogie dual rectifier. But I owned a Trem o verb and I favor the Marshall tone over the Boogie sound. Just my preferance. I know Boogies are built a lot better and have more tone and gain than Marshalls but the Marshall tone is what I like.

Reliability: 10
The amp never gave me problems and I owned it for a year.My friend can always fix it if it ever broke so I am not worried.

Customer Support: 10
I called korg many times and Ryan is real helpful. I could actually get in touch with him easily and it is a local call so even if I am on hold I don't mind. Boogie's keep you on hold for ever and you only reach their voice mail. You have to wait for days to hear from them and when you do your never home. I am kinda down on Boogies.Marshall has always been great. I spent a lot of time talking to Ryan about a suitable speaker cab. He recomended the 1960A cab and I was able to get one used for $200. I am in Marhall heaven right now.

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing for 17 years. I play the JMP 1 thru a Marshall 9100 power amp. It's a 50/50 watt stereo amp with 6L6 s. I hear the EL34s are better but I am happy. The rig I have is totally Marhall. It's like having 25 different Marshall amps in one package minus the EL34s.I also have a Boogie V Twin that I like for recording. I prefer the V twin over the JMP1 for recording. The Vtwin is cleaner and more beefier in the bottom end when recording.However when I gotta get that Marshall crunch I have it at my fingertips.I have a Carvin MTS 3212 combo that I think is the best combo I have owned. I love my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe as well.I wish the JMP1 had more bottom end and more midi capabilities.From what I have heard the JMP1 may not be as organic sounding as a Plexi or the DSL series. But for the price I paid for the whole rack I would say I have my Marhall needs pretty satisfied. If you're looking for the Marshall tone and you're into midi rack stuff you will be very satisfied with this unit.

Submitted by Greg Lucarelli at 05/19/1999 21:42

Price Paid: Dfl 1250 used

Ease of Use: 9
It's very easy of use. At marshall they abviously spent some time in making things SIMPLE. A thing which can't be said about other manufacturers. When you've spent about two hours with it, you'll know exactly how it works. the only thing I find annoying is that the midi-mapping starts at 0, while my pedal and effectsrack start at 1. So 1 from the pedal is acknowledged by the JMP-1 as 0. So when changing this, I have to remember that, cause else it messes the presets up. I bought this one second hand, unfortunately there was no manual anymore. But the unit doesn't really require a manual. It's easy enough.

Sound Quality: 9
I've had this unit now for about four years. I've doen lots of shows with it, and recorded two CD's. This translates to that I've been able to compare it with A LOT of other devices, such as Sansamp psa-1, nearly all rocktron units, Mesa dual rectifier, triaxis, Soldano lead super 60, Misc. Marshall heads, Digitech etc.. But for the music I play (Rush up to Slayer) I found that none equals the JMP-1. When I put a little time in it, in combination with my Rocktron Replifex, I can reach nearly any sound I want. One exception though, with the mesa triaxis you have more control over the parameters, but the crunch sounds are not better than on the JMP-1, they're also not worse. But the Triaxis sounds better clean. BUT, over here in holland, you can buy three JMP-1's for the price of one triaxis, So you'd be better of with a spare JMP-1 then one triaxis.

Reliability: 10
I've had it for four years, and even bought it second hand. I never had a problem with it. I do not use a backup.

Customer Support: N/A
Never had to use em, so I don't know

Overall Rating: 9
If it breaks down, I'd buy it again. If I had the money, I'd buy a Triaxis

Submitted by Leon at 04/23/1999 02:14

Price Paid: Dfl 1250 used

Features: 9
I bought this unit used for $200. It was reconditioned by my friend who is an amp tech.The amp is quite versatile with my setup. I use many of the factory presets and this is perhaps the only midi gear I like right from the factory. I usually change factory parameters on all my midi stuff but I find the JMP presets awesome. I use it for my band and home use.The other reviews listed the features.I wish it was capable of changing parameters via midi; ex. volume,gain,etc.

Ease of Use: 9
It's very easy of use. At marshall they abviously spent some time in making things SIMPLE. A thing which can't be said about other manufacturers. When you've spent about two hours with it, you'll know exactly how it works. the only thing I find annoying is that the midi-mapping starts at 0, while my pedal and effectsrack start at 1. So 1 from the pedal is acknowledged by the JMP-1 as 0. So when changing this, I have to remember that, cause else it messes the presets up. I bought this one second hand, unfortunately there was no manual anymore. But the unit doesn't really require a manual. It's easy enough.

Sound Quality: 9
I've had this unit now for about four years. I've doen lots of shows with it, and recorded two CD's. This translates to that I've been able to compare it with A LOT of other devices, such as Sansamp psa-1, nearly all rocktron units, Mesa dual rectifier, triaxis, Soldano lead super 60, Misc. Marshall heads, Digitech etc.. But for the music I play (Rush up to Slayer) I found that none equals the JMP-1. When I put a little time in it, in combination with my Rocktron Replifex, I can reach nearly any sound I want. One exception though, with the mesa triaxis you have more control over the parameters, but the crunch sounds are not better than on the JMP-1, they're also not worse. But the Triaxis sounds better clean. BUT, over here in holland, you can buy three JMP-1's for the price of one triaxis, So you'd be better of with a spare JMP-1 then one triaxis.

Reliability: 10
I've had it for four years, and even bought it second hand. I never had a problem with it. I do not use a backup.

Customer Support: N/A
Never had to use em, so I don't know

Overall Rating: 9
If it breaks down, I'd buy it again. If I had the money, I'd buy a Triaxis

Submitted by Leon at 04/23/1999 02:14

Price Paid: new at an auction $400Cdn

Ease of Use: 8
Hard to believe everyone is reviewing the same piece of gear........With such varied opinions it becomes really important to test the JMP1 thoroughly before you buy. I didn't and if I hadn't made a good deal at purchase time I would have been really miffed. It's long gone but I saw the reviews here and just had to offer an "objective" opinion. Yes, it's attractivley easy to use but a patch naming feature would be an improvement. The controls are simple, effective and up front. You don't get to control every nuance of your sound but this saves a lot of wear on your nerves and your band's patience. It does a good job of letting you use what it can do.

Sound Quality: N/A
The sound cannot be rated above 3 however; one good clean sound and 2 interesting distortions. The death of this unit for me is the total lack of light crunch. The clean channels are hideous, clippy, and shrill when overdriven. UGLY! It's the kind of distortion that gives transistors the bad rep that they have earned in this sort of service. The OD channels are dull, lifeless and unresponsive when underdriven. Straight clean is OK, in fact, good. OD channels are way too top-endy, harmonically harsh. It sounds like a fuzz with an exciter added on. It's really noticeable on the phones output or direct for recording, speaker sim or not. This is not classic tube style distortion. It can be entertaining for certain applications. You can really nail down a late 80's ZZ Top "Heads in Mississippi" sort of tone right from the appropriate preset (a DOD Death Metal pedal can do much the same), and a cranked version of old Bad Company tone is to be had. So, if "harmonically rich" (i.e. buzzy-fuzzy ) is your thing this could be the ticket. Remember, no blues, no Stones, real clean or impressively fuzzy.

Reliability: 8
Didn't have it long but the build quality looked good. Nice inside too.

Customer Support: N/A
Really don't know.

Overall Rating: 5
If you like to tread the edge of clean/crunch this ain't it. Maybe I got a bad one????.... Hmmm, probably NOT. Big sounding fizz is here though, but if you use that for most of your playing where do you go for lead when the bottom falls out of your band sound while you play relatively thin sounding single note lines?

Submitted by Anonymous at 03/17/1999 20:59

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 8

Sound Quality: 10
******RESPONSE TO RECENT REVIEWS, MY HUMBLE APPEAL******
This Is in response to those of you have been mislead into thinking that this is a solid state preamp. This pre amp is far and away an ALL TUBE preamp, as some of you have also figured out. My tech has done work for the band Boston, worked with Roger Fisher of Heart, as well as several other Name acts/artists. He and I went through this unit the first day I got it, and it is without a question a TUBE preamp. As far as your opinions, it all depends on what gear you play it with/through, and also on your ears as well. i have several old and new marshall heads (JCM 900, JCM 800, JMP 50 watt,.... the 9005 EL34 powered power amp, and 2 JMP1's, 6 cabs, some vintage, some newer, etc...) and this preamp, when setup with a tube power amp, preferably Marshall with EL34's lacks about as much punch as a Mack truck going through your head at 100 MPH. Is it the highest gain preamp out there? No. But it has a ton of gain, great clean tones, and an authentic guitar amp sound because it is a guitar amp, not a cheesey simulator. Sound is subjective, but please don't try to tell me that your Rocktron Pirahna sounds better. I've tried it (I've tried them all) and the Pirahna is utterly and completely brittle, and lacks true amp sound, IMHO.

Reliability: 10
I have 2, neither have ever had a problem.

Overall Rating: 10
Try for yourself and decide. But My Mesa Boogie has given me no problems AS A PAPER WEIGHT ever since I got these JMP 1 pre amps.
Again, no offense intended by this, just my own humble opinion. But the TUBES are a fact!!!!!!!!!

Submitted by D. at 02/24/1999 12:59

Price Paid: US $400 used

Features: 8
Comparitively this isn't a very featured out preamp. It has 2 overdrive channels (one modernly voiced, one "vintage" voicing) and 2 clean channels (one smooth, one spanky). Every channel or patch can be used with the Bass Boost function which is quite nice. It has some MIDI channels on it which I haven't figured out how to use. The MIDI control over it could be a lot more, but it's limited to changing patches. Some continuous control over volume, gain & EQ would have been cool. It has a setting that lets you dial in the amount of effected signal from the preamp's effects loop if you want any at all, but I reccomend against using the preamp's effects loop, and just sticking any effects loop effects directly inline between this preamp and the poweramp. It comes with a lot of presets that are horrible and seriously unusable in my opinion. There are a lot of outputs for stereo use, and direct outs, and all the other things I don't ever use. They have decibal switches too. The thing doesn't display names of patches, just numbers which is obnoxious sometimes. It also starts at 00 in the MIDI line, and my MIDI controler (Rocktron MIDImate) starts at 01, so patch 28 on my controler is 27 on the Preamp. I thought this would be a problem, but it's really not. I just look at the button on the floor and know which sound it calls up. I don't even bother with patch numbers. There are 120 patches that you can store, but honestly, who would use all 120 of them!? That's insane. It came with Marshall ECC83 tubes, and I switched them out for Sovtek 12AX7WXT+ premium select tubes because I wanted more gain. Much more gain. Who ever said this preamp is solid state and the tubes aren't really in the signal path & don't really effect the tone is mistaken, because there was a significant gain increase when I added new tubes, and the tone became much darker and more brooding when I added the Sovteks (exactly the tone I was after).

Sound Quality: 8
I'm using this preamp with a G&L Legacy with Fender Lace Sensors in it, and a Mesa Strategy 500 stereo power amp with it, a Crybaby, a vintage Fender fuzz pedal (which I only use for a few leads) a boss reverb, and another Boss delay all into a Marshall 1936 2x12 cab. Both of the overdrive channels (which aren't really overdrive anymore with the Sovteks, they're more like face melt one and face melt two). First I'll talk about the clean channels. The first one is the one I use all the time. It's very round and smooth sounding with a lot of edge in it. It's also very dark (due to my 12AX7WXT+ tubes) and clear sounding. The second one is way too bright and brittle sounding for me. Not wet sounding enough for my use, so I never play with it. It's got too much "spank" I guess. The distortion channels are great. I play smashing pumpkins stuff, and this is exactly the preamp they use, so I get a very similar sound if you've ever heard them before. It's intense high gain. Very bassy with a lot of clarity in the highs, and plenty of drive. I like it for low gain settings too. It does a nice low gain, but I don't usually use it. The low gain has lots of drive and cut. The vintage channel does the low gain a lot better than the modern one. The distortion channels hiss a bit at loud settings, but it's not as bad as my old JCM 900. It's actually quiet comparitively speaking. I actually wish it had even more gain than it has now, but I'm insane.

Reliability: N/A
I haven't had any problems with it, but I haven't had it for very long.

Customer Support: 10
I called Korg (Marshall deals thru them in the US) to ask for a manual and for instructions to get it apart so I could replace those tubes, and they were very nice to me. The guy I talked to photocopied his own instruction manual & mailed it to me & I had it in a couple days. He was also very nice & helpful when he instructed me in how to get it open (it was a bit of a pain).

Overall Rating: 9
I've been playing for a few years now, and I've owned a Peavey Delta Blues amp, a Marshall JCM 900 4100, and this probably isn't my last amp, but it'll be around for a while I'm guessing. I'm pretty happy with it, but I'm thinking about buying a second one to use along with the first for even more distortion because as I said, I'm insane.

Submitted by Adam at 02/06/1999 21:33

Price Paid: US $800

Ease of Use: 10
It is easy to use , you select the parameters on painel such:gain,volume,treble,middle,bass,presence,OD1,OD2,CL1,CL2 and Bass Shifter . Before choise the Program and Channel must be in zero to work with somme footswitch Midi .All these are ajustable by Data.Continuous Controler not avalaible .Use a Volume Pedal in its send return to make especial effects .

Sound Quality: 10
I was using the OD2 to all (rhythm and lead) and OD1 was stoped because its sound is to play Blues ,very soft. About these inconvenient my brother make a modification and convert OD1 with more gain and Crunch,the OD2 too but more compress both are news distortions.Now I use it to all . Maybe the noise increase but with a good Noise Gate is enough .These modification is avaliable in my E-mail ,to this sendme a pre-amp schematics (like Bogner ,Custom ,Soldano ,etc.)by e-mail .The sound before the Mod 7 and 10 now .

Reliability: 8
Change the 2 tubes for 7025 Groove to give best sound and gain .

Customer Support: N/A
At the present moment (since 1995)is work fine ,I don't use this service yet.

Overall Rating: 8
This preamp is the axis to my sound .Various connections in and out from there such :porta studio ,multieffects and poweramp.Before the MOD , you don't need use somme pedal to increase the gain only a Wah-Wah and Noise Gate

Submitted by Hugo at 01/23/1999 09:32

Price Paid: N/A used

Features: 10
Well, this preamp is a 4-channel-preamp with two clean and two overdrive/distortion channels. Switching through all your presets is as easy as eating an ice. You can switch the presets via foot-controller or via midi-controller ( soooo easy !!!). It cotains a parallel effect-loop which you can set from 0( no effects) to 12 ( seriell - full effect). Marshall says that this amp is a tube-amp but it isn't. I asked Th. Reussenzehn ( a famous amp designer and tuner in Germany) and he said that this amp is a solid state with two "alibi" tubes.
Nevermind, the amp is fine and it has everything I need for my own guitar sound.

Sound Quality: 10
I play an Ibanez RBM 400 SOL guitar which has a DiMarzio-pickup called "Double Whammy" at the bridge. The most stuff I play is heavy, and so I need good distortion sounds. I turned the output-level-knob to the maximum and on the back side of the preamp I use the +4db-knob at the output section. This gives you a minimum of noise and a very punchy sound. For most stuff I use the OD1-sound and only for solos I switch to OD2-sound. OD1 gives you the typical marshall mids in the sound, so that you are heard even if the whole band plays. OD2 isn't as punchy as OD1 but gives you the warm sound I like when playing leads and solos. If I play clean stuff I use the Clean1-sound which is a little bit darker than Clean2 but Clean2 overdrives earlier than Clean1. When you play metal-stuff the Clean1-sound is enough Clean-sound for the parts you want to play clean. I give the preamp a 10 but I want to say that Marshall shouldn't lie. This amp is a solid state and not a tube amp ( I use a 2x35 watt Engl rack tube power amp).

Reliability: 8
No problems until now ( own this amp for 2,5 years). But I changed the tubes from Marshall tubes to Mesa/Boogie 12AX7 tubes to get a warmer sound. I would say that this change is a big one in getting a better sound.

Customer Support: N/A
Not yet dealt with marshall.

Overall Rating: 9
For me this one is the preamp. But if you don't need the sounds I use ( may be a lot of good different Fender clean sounds) take care and try out the amp. Together with the output-level on the front side and the +4db/-20db-knob on the back side you can get a lot of different sounds. If you have good presets, please mail me. I'm always on the run to improve my sounds and to get new ideas. To hear sounds from me just enter my band's homepage: http://avoid.home.pages.de

Submitted by Kilian Dembeck at 01/21/1999 06:02

Price Paid: US $499

Features: 6
The features of this unit have been thoroughly explained previously so I will not duplicate. My rating for features is based on the knowledge of when buying this preamp I knew what I was getting. If you try to compare this preamp to a preamp/processor - your performing an injustice to both categories.

Sound Quality: 7
Sounds wise this unit is excellent. I own Mesa/Boogie TriAxis, Mesa/Boogie Studio, Soldano SP77 Series II, Bogner FISH, Groove Tubes Trio and Rocktron Piranha preamps. All of these are just straight ahead tube preamps with the exception of reverb on the Mesa Studio. In comparison to these units I would state that the Marshall has one of the largest pallettes of sounds. I play primarily a PRS CE24 Maple top guitar with the preamp going into a BBE 362 sonic maximizer and the into a few different power amps then into two 4x12 cabinets with Celestion Vintage 30's. Utilizing the same power amp I would say that the Marshall is definetly the closet to nailing down the Marshall sound, yet it doesn't come accross with the umph or balls of a Marshall head(I have two JCM800 50 watt heads). I believe this to be related to the actual voltage the preamp tubes are running at. The Rocktron Piranha has much more punch and bell like tone to each note. When a preamp runs the tubes at low voltage it seems like the preamp is running with a govenor on it and if you throw alot of notes at it they seem to smear together. This may be the sound you are looking for so each to his own.

Reliability: 4
From the day I bought this unit I had a problem with unit. It would not change programs or the LED would just flash. I tried reseting the unit per Marshall instruction manual but no luck. I called Tech Support and spoke to John. He was great. The problem seemed that my unit obviously been sitting on a shelf for a few years and the back-up battery CR3032 was going dead. To change it out I would have to send it to Marshall for repair. Guitar Center had no more in stock so I couldn't exchange it. I figured that I would do this myself. Well let me tell you that they do not use a standard battery, it is a CR3032 but it has two legs/connectors soldered to it. It was a test of patience and cordination with a desolder and soldering iron. After about 1-1/2 hours and a trip to Radio shack I was in business. This is a key thing to remember because if you have you customized programs in this unit you better back them up or at least right them down so you can replace them when the battery dies your up the creek impaled on the paddle. I have used it on gig without back-up. The tube looks to be mounted in a very delicate manner, you can easy rip the tube socket right of the motherboard. The tube socket should have been molded to engage with circuitboard or chasis so the stress of the tube is not transmitted to the board. A similiar arrangement as to the lamp end sockets of a flourescent light fixture would work. I don't know if there is any telltale sign to when your battery is going to die so reliability is somewhat of an issue. Most preamps that are programmable at least you can dump in the factory programs via system reset and finish a gig, but not on the JMP-1.

Customer Support: 10
When I finally obtain the direct line to Marshall service in the US I was always given an answer promptly. I have two Marshall heads JCM800 2205 & 2204. Marshall 9200 power amp, Marshall 8004 power amp and the JMP-1 and I have called Marshall service at least 10 times. If you call Korg USA you will get put through the maze of voice mail and call transfers. Call 516-333-8737 for Tech Support. I have bought used gear and they even sent me owners manuals - but this was through customer service and not tech support.

Overall Rating: 7
It's a good sounding unit, adjusting the sounds are little menu intensive seeing that there is only one data wheel. I know there must be a million of these models out there and I haven't had anybody I personally know have that much negative things to say about it. I prefer a different preamp for gigging so I leave this olne in my home studio.

Submitted by Michael Willis at 01/13/1999 12:29

Price Paid: FIM =950USD 5000

Features: 10
You probably know whats in it I bought this one when the first ones came in finland I quess it was early nineties and since that i have been a happy owner of JMP-1, I do not know all of it yet, because it surprises me time to time, you have so many options to use all those different variations etc. so it keeps me awake to find that ultimate sound what I'm looking for my whole life

Sound Quality: 9
With PRS custom24 (-89)and alesis quodraverb and begribger edison you can do what ever you want, it is up to you how to get all out from that machine, you can use it all kind of music from waltzes to heavy, but those clean channels are not so different at all, i hoped that there was a bigge difference between those channels, but with alesis you can help the machine, OD-1 is pure marshall and OD-2 is something that you have to put hands on to get it not so overcome but alltogether it is all what I need for playin.

Reliability: 10
yes I can, it has been my main workin horse last years and nothing has happened, never broke down

Customer Support: 9
nothing to mentioned, only valves change, that's somethin what I recommend to everyone who owns that piece of equipment, it really improved the sound.

Overall Rating: 9
I have been playing over 20 years. I would buy it again for sure, it reliable and suits for me anyway ,it is up to user how to get all the stuff out from that machine, you can only blame yourself if you can't do that or have needed passion to study all the possibilities.

Submitted by arto at 01/08/1999 06:23

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 8
Already reviewed ad nauseum.

Sound Quality: 10
This is exactly what I've been searching for! I've read some reviews that say the clean tones are useless, however I think that may be due to the quality of tubes used in the unit as the clean tons in my unit are awesome. The distorted tones in the JMP-1 are simple perfection! All the glassiness and power you could want! I don't think many people consider the range of tones to have much variety, but I disagree. Even tweaking the volume alters character on each patch beautifully. I mainly use guitars with humbuckers, but single coils have that wonderful 'round' tone through this unit.

Reliability: N/A
So far so good.

Overall Rating: 10
I'd replace this unit in a heartbeat. I've played for 15 years and this is my favorite piece of equipment. I like the distortions much better than my Mesa Boogie, which is saying alot.
I also don't care if the distortion is created with transistors as long as I get that ass kicking sound.

Submitted by Anonymous at 12/19/1998 07:17

Price Paid: Australian $ $800 used

Features: 9
4 channels(2 clean, 2 dirty), MIDI compatible, stereo effects loop, speaker emulated outs (very good)etc.

Sound Quality: 7
I am playing a Jackson Randy Rhoads with a Semour-Duncan Screamin Demon pickup, through a Marshall valvestate combo at the moment. Only about two-thirds of the settings on this preamp are really useable, you can really dial in some crap sounds if you try. A touch noisy on high gain settings, clean sounds not very crisp.***Do not try to overdrive the clean channels...it sounds like crap***

Reliability: 10
Have gigged with it, no problems as yet. I can't afford a backup so I suppose I have to depend on it.

Customer Support: N/A
Haven't dealt with them, and I hope I don't need to.

Overall Rating: 9
I like the distortion channels a lot, especially OD1 when you crank the gain to 20. Speaker emulators are also very good, I would buy it again. There aren't too many other comparisons, except the Triaxis which costs heaps. I wish it had better cooling and possibly another distortion channel.

Submitted by Pie at 12/15/1998 03:01

Price Paid: Canadian 825.00

Features: 10
One Space Rack-mount stereo tube based pre-amp. Very cool features, programable fx-loop, 2 clean, 2 over-drive channels, midi, stereo, bass boost, etc. Compared to most rack stuff this baby is real simple to use and Sounds better than almost any rack stuff i have heard. Very very Marshall, Killer classic crunch and even better Modern hi-gain insanity !!! The tones from this amp should work for most distortion heads, cleans are not bad (i have a split switch on my rear humbucker), but the type of guitar and pickups that you have will "make or break" the clean tone dept. !!!

Sound Quality: 10
Well I have a California Fat Strat, and I also have a very cool Washburn Mercury II series, one piece neck w/24 frets and a flame maple top (I wish washburn hadn't stoped making these babys cause i have owned alot of guitars and i really like the feel, look and tone of this one...). Both sound great through this preamp. I use my rig live and for practice at home, and the JMP-1 sounds fab at any volume...I'm a Hi-Gain type of dude, and i play all types of Metal, Hardcore Punk, plus other more civilized styles of music as well. I like all the tones I can get with this preamp thick and tight !!! I also use an Intellifex for my fx unit... Like I said before, this baby is very Marshall sounding and you can get a broad spectrum of Marshall sounds from it... I use OD1 for classic punk stuff and it rips !...OD2 for that more tight modern metal sound...What will make the "TONAL" difference is "WHAT" you play this preamp through... When i bought it brand new i also got a new Meas 90/90 power amp... this thing is way killer and loud...!! but the 6L6 sound was a little cold for my taste and plus the fact that I perfer to play mono anyway... I searched for another soloution to my situation... and I bought a Marshall 1987x 50 watt plexi re-issue (white of course)...THIS THING KICKS TONAL ASS !! I just run the JMP-1 right into the front of the second channel (normal sounding one, the bright one is too bright sounding)and IT JUST BLOWS BABY !!! Heads sound more "real" than rack stuff...and since the 1987x plexi has NO GAIN to speak of (unless its on 10)...it makes a great power amp for the JMP-1 and it sounds BIG & LOUD !!! not to mention it has an extra set of tone knobs it has that the mesa didin't...so I can add more mid's and blow up the bass...!!! and for half the price too...!!! I was thinking about the Marshall rack power amps...very cool looking...but I don't run stereo...and they are way heavy and expensive...as far as i am concerned this is the way to go, cause i get a more "REAL" tone from using a head as a power amp, I am sure other people are doing this too...and when i feel like playing super clean i just run straight into the head...lot's of versitility too... The head as a power amp is lighter and has less tubes to replace...so it's economical too...and easy on yer back ! try this out if you get the chance... for me it's the best way to use the JMP-1 !!!

Reliability: 8
Had it a year or so...no probs yet

Customer Support: N/A
Marshall ??? they are in England ! haven't had to deal with them as of yet

Overall Rating: 10
Well it has been 17 years...and I have owned it all Marshall, Fender, Peavey, Mesa-boogie...and nothing out there is truly perfect...but i must say I Love the Hi-gain modern channel of this pre-amp...I have used heads before only to find my self wanting more flexibility... so I tried other types rack stuff and found it too freaking complicated and a hassle to use... but the JMP-1 and my 1987x 50watt plexi re-issue combination gives me the best of both worlds... the in yer face tone of a head and the midi features of rack stuff...and most of all KILLER and USEABLE TONE with lots of flexibility !!!

Submitted by Giles Marino at 12/02/1998 08:05

Price Paid: US $749 New 4 years ago

Ease of Use: 10
This preamp is very easy to use, and very amp like. Just touch the pushbutton for the parameter you want to change and turn the knob. Can't get much easier.

Sound Quality: 8
Here is the tradeoff!! This preamp gives me the best high gain Marshall sound I have heard, but the clean sounds and low gain sounds leave something to be desired. I have been using this preamp for about 4 years. I have just recently started running this unit through a tube power amp (Mesa Stereo Simul 2:90) and it greatly enhanced the sound versus when I was using a solid state amp. I would suggest anyone using this preamp to only use a tube power amp. My band plays rock in which I am using a high gain sound for approximately 80% of what we play. I recently tried a Mesa Triaxis for approximately 30 days to see if I could get a great gain sound, but also get better clean and mild gain sounds (the other 20%!!). I was hoping to replace the Marshall with a preamp that did everything well. The Mesa had fantastic clean and mild gain sounds. The high gain sounds were good (albeit different sounding than the Marshall), but I kept plugging the Marshall JMP 1 back in, amd to me that was it. The Mesa just didn't measure up to the Marshall in the high gain sound (maybe I'm just a Marshall guy). I've heard people rave about the Triaxis, and I liked it for certain things, but to me the one high gain sound on that Marshall outweighed all the good things about the Triaxis, so here I am still owning the JMP-1. I'm going to experiment with a better effects unit to try and enhance my clean sound. I give this unit a 10 for the high gain Marshall sound and a 6 for everything else.

Reliability: 8
I've used it without a back up for years, and it's never let me down. The output knob is a little touchy between 8 o'clock and 10 o'clock and the input jack loosens up once in a while, but so far neither has needed servicing.

Customer Support: N/A
Never dealt with them.

Overall Rating: 8
This preamp is great for a high gain Marshall sound, I have yet to hear a better preamp for this sound. However it does not deliver great clean or mild tones. For me, after trying out the Triaxis which does the clean and mild tones great I decided to stick with the Marshall. That one high gain sound outweighed all the other good things in the Triaxis for me (the Triaxis did have good high gain sounds, I just prefer the Marshall sound). I'll just have to deal with not having fantastic clean and mild sounds (although they are usable). Since I use that high gain sound for approximately 80% of what I play, it's not as big a deal to me. If you are looking for complete versatility, this may not be the best preamp. If you are looking for a GREAT high gain preamp and can live without having fantastic clean sounds, this is definately a great piece of gear. This would rate a 10 if the unit had better clean and mild tones.

Submitted by Jim Burdette at 10/26/1998 08:22

Price Paid: Canadian 900

Ease of Use: 8
Very easy to get excellent sounds up and running fast. Very intuitive. I wish it had knobs for instant tweaking, but editing is really quick and easy...no trouble at all tweaking yer tones. The manual is simple and to the point, and adequatly describes all the functions, etc.

Sound Quality: 10
A ton of Marshall's in a box! Great crunchy/rock sounds; the best I have ever heard in a MIDI tube pre-amp (have tried several over the years). There is a big volume/tone transition from 6 to 7 on the effects loop. 6 still is still meaty, but there is not enuf of the FX unit at this setting. After 6 the sound kinda thins out a bit. The balance is off, but still OK. I find the clean sounds simply unusable. They are VERY dark, and muddy. If you try to use the EQ to get a nice clean sound by removing the low end or boosting the top end it really sucks the life out of your sound (I use a '77 Strat with Evans pickups and a '77 Les Paul with a Duncan Antiquity humbucker). Trying to overdrive the clean channels doesn't produce very usable sounds at all. The OD1 channel sounds great tho. With my guitars however any gain setting less than 9 sounds real sucky and thin. This is my biggest complaint with the JMP-1: Trying to overdrive the clean channels or cleaning up the distorted channels doesn't work well at all. Getting the Pink Floyd tone (basically clean with just enuf dirt to make the guitar sing) is impossible. Also, I find that it doesn't work well with the guitar volume no-how. The sound will clean up, but becomes very dark; it isn't reacting like a normal amp at all (altho EVERY tube rack pre-amp I've tried behaves like this. No, I ain't gonna start playing with caps or the volume control values on the guitar). The OD1 channel for distorted rock stuff DOES sound really good tho; pure Marshall sound big time! The OD2 channel is great for leads and thick distorted metal type rhythems. I do find OD2 behaves wierdly in the mid part of the spectrum. I can't nail a creamy sound here; I feel that the mid control is lacking on it's own (mebbe a low mid/high mid setup would be in order, but what Marshall has that eheheh?). It either sounds scooped out, or too middy. Fine tuning the mid on this channel is difficult. The overall level between clean and dirty is hard to match well with an external FX device. If you balance the levels so the clean and dirt setting have the same sound level, the clean settings will clip the external FX device, whereas the dirt settings will barely drive it. Using a compressor will help the matching, but I found I must use an overall volume setting on the external FX unit to have the sound levels consistent and drive the external FX unit properly (I use a Replifex which handles this VERY well). One thing that REALLY improved the sound of the JMP-1 wuz changing the stock tubes to Sovtek 12AX7's. There wuz a dramatic change for the better after the switch. The unit warmed up greatly and had a much better overall sound.
The speaker simulator is suberb; it made me a believer that speaker sims could, ah, actually work. I miked my 4x12 with a 58 and patched the speaker sim output to a 4 track. There was almost NO difference in the sound at all. I mike up the cab live and give the spkr sim send to the PA as well for a real good live sound (soundmen like this flexability as well).
I find it a bit noisy on OD2 but tolerable (and much quieter than most tube preamps). I use a MOSVALVE 500 amp with it, and the JMP-1 translate touch and dynamics very well.
The unit sounds 'raw' and unrefined; pure rock all the way! Again, if you wanna ton of Marshall sounds, look no further.
I give it a 10 based on what it is designed to sound like, not an overall sound rating compared to other preamps. Awesome Marshall sound!!!

Reliability: 10
Broke the input jack slightly (tripped/pulled on cable...doh!)but not enuf to warrant replacement (wish it wuz metal) and the Patch button has lost it's mounting somehow on it's own (you can pull it out of the faceplate just less than 1/4". It still works fine tho). I know several others that have a JMP-1 and use it steady (for years now) without any problems at all. I feel you must take some care in replacing tubes; the 12AX7 PC board and it's mounting to the main PC board seems kinda fragile, and problems may turn up here if you don't use a gentle touch when replacing tubes.
I have gigged without a backup unit for four years without a problem (touch wood). I feel that with any computer based product you should use a power conditioner of some sort, otherwise when the big beer fridge at the bar kicks in you may have problems (this happened once to me without any conditioning and found I had all my presets scrambled!).

Customer Support: N/A
n/a

Overall Rating: 10
Have been playing for 15 years and own numerous tube amps (Fender Twin, a black face Showman, Marshall JCM-800, Marshall SuperLead 100, Gibson's, Supro's, etc.). I love each for their own particular sound but find them impractical (on their own) for live gigging. I want a million sounds at my disposal, so I have been into rack stuff for about 8 years. When I got my JMP-1 it wuz the only real contender on the block at that time; I didn't like the ADA and the Tri-Axis wuz too much. I also tried a TwinTube (mediocre sound, big pain to edit) and a SGX-2000 (crap) at the time so the JMP-1 came out a clear winner.
I feel this preamp is an excellent one if you need/like the Marshall sound only! The tone controls can alter the character of the sounds but it is still voiced for the Marshall sound, and you cannot get away from it (well, duh!). It is not very flexible with regards to getting a wide variety of sounds; it doesn't cover enuf bases for the styles I play (rock, blues, pop).
After playing with many tube racks over the years, I have come the the realization that these units are not gonna cut it for overall flexability and quality of sound. I have tried solid state/tube hybrids but haven't found any that sound all that great to my ears. I now am looking seriously at DSP preamps like the Yamaha DG-1000. I think that they sound and feel like a tube preamp (I wuz EXTREMELY skeptical of these amps till I tried some recently, and wuz, well, blown away). DSP amps have really shown me the limitations of tube preamps. They do everything that I wish the JMP-1 did. I am not completly sold on DSP amps yet tho. If I wuz to consider another tube preamp it would be the Rocktron Piranha hands down (they weren't out when I bought the JMP-1). They are MUCH more flexable than the JMP-1, and you can make a Piranha sound like a Marshall.
I give an overall rating of 10, again based on what Marshall set out to do with this unit.

Submitted by K.Paul Ashe at 07/14/1998 09:42

Price Paid: US $450 used

Features: 7
Well, the clean 2 channel smokes with anything single coil, like my strat with the gilmour EMG system, but humbuckers make the cleans sound woofy and undefined. As for clean 1, don't even bother unless you're playing jazz and want something woofy. OD1 does a really nice crunchy sound, but lacks the saturation on lower distortion settings. If you're looking for a more vintage sounding preamp, this may not be it. But if you want high gain, crunch, and Marshall tone, it's all in this one box. I also love the effects loop, as it has its own setting for each patch, not just on or off.

Sound Quality: 7
I play mostly my Jeff Beck strat with EMG's, nut sometimes a Hamer Mirage, (2hb's). The strat gives it all the glassiness you would expect from a Marshall. The hamer seems a bit lifeless, but I've never heard a guitar with more clarity than my strat, so it's excusable. I run the JMP-1 through a rocktron replifex and a Marshall 20/20 EL84 power amp (the best tube power amp I've EVER heard) and it seems to have the cut you'd expect from a Marshall stack.

Reliability: 9
Had it for over 2 years and the only thing that went wrong was a clip that came loose on the inside that made the display go out. Popped the top, and 10 seconds later it was fixed. I play 150 to 200 shows a year, and this is the most reliable piece I've owned.

Customer Support: N/A
On this piece, N/A. But on other Marshall stuff, there are authorized service people everywhere. As long as you've got your receipt, you're golden.

Overall Rating: 8
Been playing professionally (actually making a living at it) for five years. I investigate before I buy. No, it's not the greatest tone machine, but it's a 7 or 8 across the board. Would I buy another one? Yes, because although I've heard better, the other ones had horror stories about service and cost way more $. Besides, NOTHING sounds like a Marshall, and this baby nails hte tone.

Submitted by Sam at 07/13/1998 23:22

Price Paid: US $499 used

Features: 6
This pre-amp provides great "in-your-face" Marshall distortion, with 25 or so pre-set sounds, and 128 programs available overall (128 'cause its MIDI controlled). It also has stereo outputs for true stereo sound. A friend wired my Marshall cabinet in stereo, and I power the JMP with a stereo Marshall tube model 900 power amp. I have also plugged JMP to the input on my old Fender Twin when I didn't feel like lugging the 4x12 Marshall Cabinet around. I've linked this to an Alesis Quadraverb processor, and control them both with an ADA MIDI controller. It also has a speaker simulator, so it can be connected directly to a PA or recording unit. POOR FEATURE: adjusting the sound, volume, and EQ is a hassle, because FOR EACH SETTING you must 1) select each,individual paramter you want to tweak (e.g. treble), THEN 2) select a number value for that paramater (e.g. +3 is more treble than +2), and THEN 3)save that parameter tweak - - i.e. pain-in-the-ass. GOOD LUCK if your on stage and you need to adjust your sound in a hurry! Is this true of many, if not all, MIDI controlled preamps?

Sound Quality: 5
GREAT FEATURES: a variety of convincing Marshall screaming tones. LOUSY FEATURES:I have been only able to get decent tones when the settings are on full, balls-to-the wall distortion. 1) The clean rythem sounds are very limited. The pre-amp does provide a glass-like, ultra-clean tone that works well with chorus/delay,ect .. However, I have been unable to achieve a good rock or blues rythem sound. Essentially, the choice seems to be either a screaming Marshall distortion or a fairly lifeless, wimpy clean sound. 2) The blues distortion settings sound processed, and solid-state like. I have been unable to get a real singing tone that could compare to a cranked Boogie, Soldano, or Fender tube amp.

Reliability: N/A
I've had the unit for approximately 2 years, and I've played out maybe 10-15 times (I don't take it out except for hard,progressive rock gigs because of the lousy clean and blues sounds). No problems yet.

Overall Rating: 5
Great for a variety of screaming Marshall tones that can be accessed with a MIDI controller. Pretty decent direct sounds too- although not nearly as convincing as when driven in stereo through some Celestian's pumping air. Problem: rythem sounds are extremely limited and weak, and blues overdriven sounds are not too pleasant.

Submitted by guitar2 at 07/04/1998 02:47

Price Paid: US $499

Features: 9
I bought this because of the reviews posted herein and because it was on sale for $499.I also own a Mesa Boogie amp, as well as a Mesa Boogie V-Twin pedal. The JMP-1 is routed to a Fender 35 watt tube amp. After flipping through all the presets as well as playing with many of the parameters I was able to have this up & running and incorporated into my rig in no time. In fact using the MIDI option I control it via an ART X-15 foot controller and use the MIDI functions of the JMP-1 to control my Symmetrix 606 Delay which I route through the JMP-1's effect loop. I have never had an easier experience configuring MIDI routing. The ART footpedal toggles the presets on the JMP-1 which in turn sends MIDI control messages to the Symmetrix 606. In addition I like the fact that for each preset on the JMP-1 you can choose whether the effects loop is on or off. For any of the material that needs either distortion or gain the JMP-1 is fantastic, with a suitable amount of variation available. The only complaint I have is similiar to others expressed here, a concern about the ventilation as this baby does generate heat. However proper accommodation in a rack with space on top and bottom resolves this issue.

Sound Quality: 9
My only other disappointment with the JMP-1 is that I am having a hard time getting good clean sounds. This may be because I have not "diddled" with it enough, however none of the presets for clean are very pleasing to me. In comparision the Mesa Boogie V-Twin has a much nicer clean sound.That being said the distortion and high gain sounds are fantastic and make me realize why people craze that Marshall sound, and this preamp provides it! I also have a Roland VG-8 and having used that previously for some Marshall presets I can say the difference is night and day in terms of dynamics. I have used the JMP-1 with a Parker Fly with Dimarzio pickups and a Godin LGX with Seymour Duncan's. Oddly the band I played with complained about my sound being off when I used the Parker. Quite easily the best purchase I have made in a long time to add tone to my sound, and to make me enjoy playing even more! I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for that Marshall sound.

Reliability: 8
I have had it for only 5 months, however I have had nary a problem with it.

Customer Support: N/A
Never had to deal with them.

Overall Rating: 9
I have been playing for over 15 years and used many different amps, pedals, effects, etc.. and as I noted earlier this is one of the best purchases I have made for day in - day out usage. I would definately buy another if something happended to this one. Lastly just a reminder that you should try one before buying, because if you are looking for clean sounds as well then this might be suspect.

Submitted by Anonymous at 03/28/1998 11:03

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 9
I don't think you could find a MIDI controllable preamp that was easier to use... I've been using this unit for 4 years now, both studio and stage, and it's served me quite well. Speaker emulator, and the ease of programming are really nice.

Sound Quality: 10
This is what I love most about the JMP-1... It's a really basic unit, but the distortion is just what I was looking for. I play hard rock, and use a Ibanez Universe 7-string, and the tonal variations I can get out of just one setting on this preamp make it shine out among most of the rack units available. Distortion is VERY brutal, yet very controllable, and the clarity is very tasty.... I can go from peel-your-face-off distortion, to surf guitar heaven by simply adjusting the volume on my guitar... There's 100 presets, but I've found so much to explore in each one, I still haven't gotten past 20 of them used....

Reliability: 10
I've used this unit on numerous gigs, without backup, for 4 years now, and it has yet to let me down.

Customer Support: N/A
I've never had to deal with them, because I've had no problems at all. Personally, I like that much better than having to call them.

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing 17 years, and gigging for the last 11... I generally run this preamp with a Zoom 9120 effects processor (it's an odd model, very limited in effects, but high in effect quality) into a Peavey Classic 120/120 power amp, powering a Yamaha 4x12" with 70 watt Celestions..... I like preamp much better than the Digitech GSP-2101 it replaced. I've tried many other preamps over the years, and thought about upgrading the JMP to something newer many times, but I still have yet to find anything rack-mountable that comes anywhere near the tone this unit puts out. I love it, and if it were stolen, there would be a new one in my rack as soon as I could get my hands on one. This is THE preamp for me.....

Submitted by Anonymous at 02/05/1998 00:00

Price Paid: AUSTRALIAN DOLLARS 475 used

Features: 9
( I feel that nothing deserves a 10 or a 0 - no matter how good or bad it is mainly because there is ALWAYS room for improvement, and even if the unit only switched on, it deserves a 1 ) The features of this unit are more than adequate for what it's design purposes are. It is a pre-amp, not an effects processor, and the JMP-1 does it wonderfully. All the familiar Marshall settings are there, Bass, Middle, Treble, Presence, Gain and Volume. The Bass Shift function adds more bottom end tone. Also included is an effects loop, speaker simulator, and the whole unit is Midi controllable. The JMP-1 is very easy to use, and even the inexperienced user can work out how to set up the sounds within minutes. I like the fact that I can now record without miking up. Simply magic!

Sound Quality: 9
I often see critisism about "sound". However, sound is often a matter of opinion. Remember this point in any reviews you read. What will appeal to one may not appeal to another. If you want to know how it's going to sound for you, I recommend you take your axe, rig and cabinet to the place of purchase, and try it. You absolutely NEED to use your OWN gear to hear if the sound YOU like is being generated with YOUR gear. This is a must - because if I say it has good crunch and sustain, how do you interpret this? Impossible - again one person's perception / opinion is different to another's. Personally, I found the JMP-1 to be *THE* sound I always craved for. The sound I like could best be described as the "brown" distorted tone that is evident on the early Van Halen records. However, a wide range of tone can be created by adjusting the gain, EQ levels, and selecting between distortion modes (OD1 and OD2). For example, it was easy to replicate the tone of my Marshall JCM800 (2203) head. Thats the beauty of the JMP-1. You can reproduce many of the classic Marshall tones, and store them in one of the presets (there are 100 presets available). I have a feeling that those who whine about the tone of the JMP-1, simply don't know, or haven't taken the time to set it up properly. Remember, this is a pre-amp, not an effects processor. It has a specific task. For me, the JMP-1 is the LAST WORD in pre-amp tonal magic whether it be in rack, head, or combo format. Suddenly my distortion stomp boxes have been sent to the stomp-box retirement home.

Reliability: 9
I have known of others who have used the JMP-1 without a hitch for years. My JMP-1 has a minor problem with the Data Entry control knob. It seems stiff in places, and tends to jump skip numbers now and then. I think the shaft is bent slightly. Probably from previous owner abuse. This is a minor problem though. More an annoyance than a fault.

Customer Support: N/A
Don't know. However, I will know when I call the distributer to find out about a new Data Entry control switch.

Overall Rating: 9
I've used various amps over some 16 years now, and I must honestly say that the JMP-1 exeeds all expectations. I run my JMP-1 with a Rocktron Intellifex DSP. This combination is just mind blowing. Beautiful, noiseless tone. However, if any Marshall engineers read this, here are some suggestions: 1) Ventilation of the case in my opinion is not adequate, especially since it runs 2 valves inside. There are small ventilation slots on the top and bottom of the case. These are in a bad position because rising heat will only heat up the rack component above it, so I recommended that the JMP-1 is placed at the top position of your rack. The vetilation holes under the unit seem silly because the circuit board in the unit will inhibit proper flow through ventilation. It would have been nice to see one of those small computer fans installed somewhere in the unit. I would have been happy to pay an extra $20 (parts and labour) for this inclusion as standard. 2) It would have been nice for the patch display to read an name for the patch, as well as a number. With 100 presets, it's too hard to remember what patch 58 is. I'm sure guitarists don't want to have to carry a sound setting chart with descriptions around with them. I know that's extra cost to the manufacturer, but it would be a nice touch. Overall, I can't fault the JMP-1. I am often critical about most things, but in this case, my average vote of 9 for this product is very well deserved. In conjunction with the Rocktron Intellifex DSP, my search for the ultimate tone is over. Thank you Mr. Marshall.

Submitted by Tom Berger at 01/23/1998 17:57

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 9
Programmable midi stereo tube (transistor) preamp. Effects loop.

Sound Quality: 6
This is classic marshall sound but compared to a marshall amp head it sound a little lifeless. I had mine modified and now it sound more like a real (marshall) amp. The guy who did the modification (swedens Lee Jackson or something)said that the distortion was generated by transistors and the tubes only made the sound a little warmer. Also the tubes worked in paralell not in series. Said and done, Tommy Folkesson (amp guru) threw out the transistor bridge, made the tubes work in serie, changed the eq and did some other things and suddenly the JMP-1 came alive. What was marshall thinking of ? A tube preamp with transistor distortion ? As a transistor preamp (original) I give the JMP-1 a 6, as a tube preamp (modified) I give it a 8. The sound still isn't very versatile but it has a very good marshall sound. My friends Bogner Fish preamp I'd give a 10.

Reliability: N/A
Still works fine for me.

Overall Rating: 7
Kinda like the preamp anyway but I dont think I'd buy it again. Tired of rack gear.
Other Gear: Super strat w warmoth neck and Tom Anderson H/S/S. Marshall 8008 pwr amp (real tube pwr amp would be better). Marshall 4x12 w Vintage 30's.

Submitted by Rikard "Aazzy" Aasvold at 01/04/1998 11:23

Price Paid: Swedish Crowns 4000

Ease of Use: 9
I think that this pre-amp is really easy to use. You just push the buttons and you're on your way.

Sound Quality: 3
I have used this in a modified "Marshall JCM 900 4100" and a "Marshall Valvstate 8080". I think it sounds like shit. The clean channel is a bit too muddy and you can't get a really good distorsion out of it.
Besides this I think it is much to noisy too.
I would buy a Marshall head instead.

Reliability: 8
I think that you can really depend on this unit and shure I would use it on a gig without backup.

Overall Rating: 1
I play every kind of music and I would not recommend this unit if you're an allround player. I have been playing for 4 years.
Gear: Amp: Marshall JMP 100w (modified with 4 channels), Marshall JCM 900 100w Speaker: Marshall 1960A 300w, Marshall 1960AX 100w Guitars: Gibson Les Paul Standard '72, Jackson RR1, Ibanez RR2 Effects: Alesis Midiverb 4, Behringer Autocom MDX 1200, Digitech Mono28 Eq, Roland GP-8, Roland FC-100, Jimi Hendrix Wah, DOD Bi-Fet Pre-Amp
If it was stolen I would buy something else. I do not like it at all. The sound is terrible. It's easy to use

Submitted by Thomas Johansson at 11/23/1997 09:21

Price Paid: US $900

Ease of Use: 10

Sound Quality: 9

Reliability: 10

Overall Rating: 10
I have a suggestion to users who complain about the high hiss level of this preamp: try replacing the stock ECC-83 preamp tubes with Mesa Boogie SPAX7A tubes. I found that doing this not only cuts the hiss dramatically, but improves the overall tone and gives a slight gain increase.

Submitted by Juan Estrada at 09/27/1997 14:19

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 8
Very easy and intuitive to use. There is a separate button for every parameter and for selecting one of the four "channels". Has a midi mapping feature which permits each JMP-1 patch to be linked to another patch on an external processor. This means that it is not essential to have a midi pedal to control a simple rack system.
Unlike the Triaxis, continuous controllers are not supported. Therefore, it is not possible to alter the gain/volume etc.. with an expression pedal.

Sound Quality: N/A
This is a box of Marshalls. Although it obviously cannot replicate any single Marshall head it offers 80% of the tone of upwards of 10 historical Marshalls, all under midi control. Clean sounds are typical of Marshall; nice but a little muddy.

Reliability: N/A
This unit has had no problems.

Overall Rating: N/A
If I had the money, I would buy the Triaxis for its support of continuous controllers.

Submitted by Anonymous at 08/14/1997 10:27

Price Paid: US $650

Ease of Use: 9
Editing patches is cake. Manual simple, to-the-point. Sounds: Pure Marshall.

Sound Quality: 7
High gain is noisey. Note: You MUST use this with Tube power-amp. It just doesn't sound good with S.S. The FX loop sounds good in it's low mix "series" settings but as you increase the mix ( which is supposed to change the signal to "Parallel"), you lose the quality in the direct signal. way too much! Speaker simulator is great, it's just missing the tube power section compression that I like so I still recommend using a mic to record.

Reliability: 3
Not very dependable. I have had it in my live rack for 3 years and it has needed a new DATA wheel, volume knob, foot controller and input jack.

Customer Support: 1
I contacted Marshall about the foot controller and hit a brick wall. So I fixed it myself.

Overall Rating: 7
I would buy a used one now that you an find them for $350-$400. With all the trouble I have had with it, I must add that I have had a great guitar tone with it for years.

Submitted by Ron E. Marks at 06/03/1997 13:14

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 10
Marshall amps don't come with reverbs or choruses as a general rule but if you want it to it will give great clean sound and you can put on whatever effects you like. As with all Marshall gear it comes into it's own when you kick in one of the dirty channels. You can get pretty much any dirty sound you've everf heard ( short of the slightly extremm metal-zone from BOSS).
NOTE : Rhodes Piano sounds great through one of these!

Sound Quality: 10
Unless you're standing right beside it the JMP-1 is nice an quiet. Thw two clean channels are pretty similar thhe only difference being that one of them gives a crip high end that's nice for really compressed sounds. Drive channel 1 is gorgeous. It's very warm and can give great tone no matter how much gain you give it. Drive channel 2 is grittier but can give some animal sounds given the right EQ setting.

Reliability: 10
No problems yet.

Overall Rating: 10
I'd buy it again.The only compettitor is the Mesa/Boogie tri-axis. I think the tri-axis comes with 5 or 6 12ax7s but the difference in price is not reflected in sound quality. Another major factor would be the fact that the JMP-1 has just come down about #100. So go out and buy one !

Submitted by Anonymous at 04/17/1997 07:08

Price Paid: FIM Too much

Ease of Use: 10
Very easy to use. Just select a parameter to edit (each parameter like EQ, GAIN, VOLUME, etc. has own button in rear panel). Then you can choose the right value with rotary knob. I needed the manual only for MIDI-stuff.

Sound Quality: 9
Sounds very good. Contains no effects but with MIDI it's possible to control other effect processors (I think that's good: You have to pay only that kind of effects you want to use. Distortions are very fine. The only thing I'm troubled with is somekind of lack of treble. I am tried it with many cabinets but always the overall sound stays too dark. Emulation outputs are fine working; Enough to get good direct recording sound.

Reliability: N/A
Works well in live. Not like some plastic toys.

Overall Rating: 9
JMP-1 with a good-quality effect processor is maybe the best thing that musician can get.

Submitted by Anonymous at 01/17/1997 07:07

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: 10
The sound rules.. But I think that when you need a good shredding sound, Marshall is the best. I never had a problem in getting a good sound on it, Some people say that a marshall can only scream and that you can forget a clean sound, but not on the JMP-1. It's perfect. To edit a preset is very simple. You just select the thing you want to change and then change it with an easy turning knob.

Sound Quality: 10
On the high gain settings it is very noisy if you approach the unit with your guitar. But hey, when your playing live, who will be facing the amp instead of the crowd. Besides, it's nothing a noise gate can't fix. There are no effects on the unit, which is normal for Marshall I guess If you ever heard the distortion on this unit, you'll never want something else. I've had the chance to compare it with a ADA mp-1, Rocktron pro-gap, voodu valve, piranha and chameleon, Sansamp psa-1, Digitech gsp-2101, and more, which led me to the conclusion, that if I had to buy a pre-amp again I certainly would buy the JMP-1 again.

Reliability: 10
Had it for about two years, and used it in al the gigs played from then on. Never had a problem of whatsoever.

Customer Support: N/A
Had no use for customer support so I can't say anything about it.

Overall Rating: 10
Rules..

Submitted by Leon Pennings at 09/18/1996 02:12

Price Paid: US $680

Ease of Use: 9
The JMP1 is extremely easy to use, in fact the manual isn't really necessary except when you want to know detailed info about the difference between OD1 and OD2, etc... if your ears can't tell you. It's sound is very impressive, and is capable of sooooo many "classic Marshall" tones. However if you need to achieve several different amp sounds (Mesa Boogie, Fender, etc... you will want to look elsewhere). Bottom line on the sound is God like Marshall tone 100 times over!!! READ: Ampli-FIRE.

Sound Quality: 9
When you stand close to the unit (within 3 feet) on high gain settings, the noise can become very apparent. When you move away from it it becomes much less noticeable, especially for live (gigging) situations. For recording with mics-not direct- use a noise reduction unit and/or gate. I go through a Hush IICX 2 all the time and even on Super high gain settings the noise is non-existent. Although the unit does not come with effects itself, it does offer selectable input/output levels to accomodate as many different effects as possible. The stereo effects loop is programable (in/out as well as the mix of wet/dry level) by patch, which is a great feature to have.

Reliability: 10
I've had this unit for 3 years and have not had a problem yet. I own several amp heads, as well as other pre amps, which were my main pre amps before I bought the JMP1, and I always bring a backup....you never know, but I haven't had to rely on them. Ever.

Customer Support: N/A
I haven't had to deal with them, so I can't say.

Overall Rating: 9
I would definitely buy this unit again, without hesitaion. It's strong point is it's overdrive/distortion settings, although the clan sounds are fine also (no threat to a clean Fender amp, but they serve the purpose, and sound best with single coil pickups such as Dimarzio HS2's). I hate the fact that I spend hours and hours playing instead of eating, sleeping, etc... but the tone is the thing! I've used many other pre amps before this unit, including a Rocktron Pro GAP, a Boss GL-100, and an ADA MP1, although they offered more diverse sounds overall, the tone was lacking in comparison to the JMP1.

Submitted by David Beccia at 09/02/1996 12:00

Price Paid: US $750

Ease of Use: 10
Editing patches doesn't get any easier than this. Hit the front panel key for the parameter you want to adjust, then turn the data knob--it's that simple. Everything is explained quite well in the manual. The unit comes with 25 presets (which can be written over with user programs) and 75 user-programmable patches. The presets attempt to mimic classic Marshall amps (SuperLead, JTM-45, JCM 800 and 900, etc). Overall, I think the presets are great.

Sound Quality: 9
As a MIDI preamp designed to emulate the classic Marshall sounds this unit succeeds wonderfully. As you might expect, the clean sounds on the whole are weaker than the overdriven sounds--they are much grittier and don't have the punch and low-end of the Fender/Boogie clean sounds. However, you can coax a convincing Eric Johnson clean tone a la Trademark out of it when combining the neck pickup of a strat with preset #22. True SRV tones are difficult to get, but then again, great clean sounds have never been Marshall's forte. In order to get the best sounds out of the JMP1, however, you'll probably have to shell out the bucks for a high-quality all-tube poweramp and a Marshall speaker cabinet(s). Also, it is very, very noisy in both the overdrive modes, so if you plan to use it for recording you'll also need a good noise gate/expander. The speaker-emulated outputs are great: it would be hard to ask for a better DI sound out of just a preamp.

Reliability: 10
I've used the JMP1 for over three years now and never had any problems with. It has always worked perfectly on the road. Just make sure you change the tubes every once in a while because they are difficult to access (i.e. you don't want to have to change them at a gig!).

Customer Support: N/A
I've never had to use their customer support, so I don't know.

Overall Rating: 10
If you love the sound of Marshall amps (Hendrix, Van Halen, Page, etc) you'll love the JMP-1. The Boogie Triaxis and some other more expensive preamps are probably more versatile, but if you want that Marshall sound this is the only way to go!

Submitted by Trevor Hoyt at 07/10/1996 19:03

Price Paid: US $599

Ease of Use: 10
Very easy. The manual is neat; it has personality unlike the manuals you get with most American

Sound Quality: 10
I use the speaker cabinet emulator outputs and sound is awsome for recording which is all I do.
I notice that even with shielded pickups you shouldn't get too close to it with your guitar with your volume all the way up. There is so much high gain circuitry in this beast that it will hum; but stand back away from the unit and it is VERY quiet.
From the first time I tried one I saw the image of GOD on the wall behind it. That was REAL cool.

Reliability: N/A
Uhmmmm....I just bought it 2 days ago, and no problimo yet.

Overall Rating: N/A
I would buy one again. The tone blows Mesa Boogie out of the water. By the way, anyone want to buy my Mesa Boogie Quad pre amp?
I wish I had one of these when I was 18, I would have been a rock star by now.......

Submitted by Paul Davis at 03/13/1996 08:57

Price Paid: Pounds Sterling 495

Ease of Use: 10
Following my review of the DRP-1, I'll start by giving a layout of the front and back panels. Front we have Input and Stereo headphone jacks Output Level, LED Display, Data Switch, Patch and Store switches. Then Volume, Gain, 3band EQ, Presence and Effect Level. OD1 & 2, Clean1 & 2 Bass Boost, and midi assignment complete the front panel.
A Very comprehensive rear panel includes Midi In, Out and Thru, Effect send and stereo returns, footswitch (optional extra) and -4 +20db switches for effect and output (useful for home!!!) and master outputs.
Editing/creating patches is a breeze - use the rotary data switch to select the patch, hit the relevent button that you want to change e.g. Gain, then use the data switch to amend the value. Simple. To store just hit Store and either overwrite the original patch, or dial-up another patch and then press Store.
The manual is pretty basic, but covers most things that you'll need to know, unless you're like me and discover things just by playing with it for a few days before it goe into your rack. Most people should be able to have a quick look and forget about it!

Sound Quality: 10
Let's get one thing straight..if you've bought a Marshall you'll not be wanting to play 'Oh My Darling' at the local tea-dance! This amp is NOT designed to be everything to everyone, but ALL MARSHALLS to everyone. I'd say this is like having a Marshall museum in one room! Go in, pick your sound and use it. The OD1 channel is deceptive one. It doesn't have the bite of OD2, but play a humbucker shod guitar on the neck PU and it has a stunning lead tone, great for the Gary Moore/ Pete Green sort of thing. If you want more modern stuff, just switch onto OD2, scoop out the Mid to about -2 (yup!) leave the Bass and High on 3 or 4 and shred!!! There's 26 factory preset's one of which is bound to suit your basic sound (try preset 10!! - pure Rock!) and then modify it to taste! On the clean side (boo! hiss!) there's enough useful sounds but it's not where this amp's forte lies.
Even with a humbucker equipped guitar (Patrick Eggle Berlin Pro) this will still hum if you get a bit close to it at high gain settings, but as it's a rack why should it even be on the stage?

Reliability: N/A
I've never had any trouble with Marshall gear, but that's not to say I'm 100% sure of everything I use! I take a DRP-1 preamp with me just in case to rehearsal AND gigs (straight into the desk in emergencies!) I'd like to think the JMP-1 will be no different. It's very rugged, nothing sticks out too far and it looks well built. I'll keep you posted.

Customer Support: N/A
N/A

Overall Rating: 10
I've lusted after one of these for ages and I'm really pleased with it but it's what I wnated. The ADA didn't have quite the same sound, and the Boogie Triaxis was 3 times the price...not 2 times the amp. In my rig (9100 power amp and Rocktron Intellifex Ltd) it's the business. I'd like to get a spare but can't afford it. I wish that there was a rear input, so i don;t have to run a lead from my Nady into the front but that's a minor gripe. If you love Marshall, you've GOT to get one

Submitted by Rik Rayner at 02/22/1996 07:53

Price Paid: US $600

Ease of Use: 10
Extremely user friendly; the manual is fair, but one can really use the unit without it.

Sound Quality: 7
Overall comment is that this unit does not have too much bottom end. Starting with the clean channel 1 (the cleanest), one can never achieve the bass depth that a Fender Twin or a Boogie Mark I can offer. Similarly, the lead channels (OD 1 and OD 2) are not too bassy either; I actually found it easier Boogie sounds (i.e., midrange heavy) than mid-scooped sounds in the overdrive modes.
The difference between clean channels 1 and 2 is mild. Channel 2 is quite a bit brighter than one, but they break up in much the same way. So, I do not see too much use in having two different sounds is they're going to be so close to one another.
As far as the overdrive sounds go, they are good. OD 2 is the more aggressive of the two and it gives quite a bit of additional distortion and more trebble attack. One complaint in this department, at high gain setting this preamp hisses very loudly; of course, once a note is hot the hiss disappears in the mix, but it is A LOT noisier than a Boogie Triaxis at comparable levels.
Overall, this is a "one-sound-preamp", changing the settings will change the coloration of the sound, but not the nature of it. Other preamps do experience a change in character with different settings, but the JMP-1 is not one of them. If you dig the Marshall sound, you will like the JMP-1, but if you're looking for an array of sounds, think it over before getting one.

Reliability: 8
Reliability was 100% for me, however, the Q.A. at Marshall may not be so great. My first unit had a deffective rotary knob (which changes the patch numbers, or function parameters), such that it would skip numbers when turning it. I went back to the dealer, got a new JMP-1, and the knob worked great. However, one the push-buttons used to select trebble, bass, etc., was kind of sticky and would "almost get stuck" when pushed in. Another trip to the dealer and another JMP-1; eventually, my personal disatisfaction with the sound (as expressed above) caused me to sell the thing all together.

Customer Support: N/A
N/A

Overall Rating: 7
I would not buy it again because the sound didn't suit *my* taste for the money. Compared to other similarly priced units, the Marshall seems to be a good choice. But, and I repeat myself, the Triaxis would be worth the extra money in my opinion; however, I have come to believe that racks are a nuisance to carry around and that in the end, the best sounds I have ever gotten have come from amplifiers and not racks.

Submitted by Gil Ayan at 02/14/1996 12:50

Price Paid: N/A used

Features: 9
A MIDI programmable pre-amplifier IS versatile indeed. It has four different channels, and up to 99 different programs. It's very easy to program, and it has a very wide range of sounds, from the crytal cleaner to the thrashest dirtier. The only feature I would desire it's another effect loop, but this is only because the way my set is made; just one loop it should be OK for most players.

Sound Quality: 9
As I said before, all the sounds are there. There are two clean and two dirty channels, and the settings are infinite. It's perfect for me, because I was looking for an amp to get a few clean sounds, and also two or three distortions.

Reliability: 9
I have used this amp for over a year now, and it never had a problem. It seems to be very dependable.

Customer Support: 7
The documentation is something poor, even when it came a very good description of all the presets, the points from where you start up.

Overall Rating: 9
Sure I'd buy it again. The easiness of the features are the best in this unit. I don't know if there is another product to compare it, maybe the ADA MIDI pres, but I never tried one of these.

Submitted by Alejandro Sarco at 02/04/1996 02:39

Price Paid: UK pounds 495

Ease of Use: 9

Sound Quality: 9

Reliability: 7

Customer Support: 9

Overall Rating: N/A
8

Submitted by Anonymous at 06/12/1995 13:07