What do you guys think is the better head? The Marshall JCM 900 or the Mesa Boogie Mark IV? IF there's an amp that you think beats both, list that one too!

jcm900 is cool for solid crunch and a ok clean channel.

the mark 4 has many more bells and whistles and options. if you are a tweaker or very tone savy the mark 4 might be for you. I personally would rather have a jcm900 for the set it and forget kind of sound.

The Mark IV just plain destroys the JCM900. Sure it takes tweaking to get tones out of it, but it sounds awesome and full compared the JCM 900 which to my ears is pretty thin and lacks bass.

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Which is better at being a fruit - apples or oranges?

Personally, I'd take the Mark IV.

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Mesa Maverick, or GarageBand.
* BC Rich ST3 (SD Custom) -> Boogie Mark IIC+; 2 1x12 EV 12S's
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It's a matter of opinion but I'd have to agree, it's not even a contest in my book.

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Its like comparing apples and oranges, the JCM900 being a crabapple and the Mark IV being a big, juicy blood orange. Seriously, though, the Mark IV is much more versatile and has a fuller sound. The 900 is good at crunch, while the Mark IV is good for almost anything, if you tweak it long enough. The nice thing about JCM900s, though is that you can find the best tones in it in a few minutes, while on the Mark IV it can take months.

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The Mark IV is my dream amp, so I'm gonna have to go ahead and say the Mark IV.

The only thing is that it may take a week or 2 to find the exact tone you're looking for with a Mark IV (but the tone you're looking for IS there).

With a JCM 900, if you want the Marshall tone, you can get in about 5 mins. If that's not the sound you want, well, too bad.

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I'll be able to tell you in a few hours since theres gonna be a MarkIV on my door

They are totally different amps. Im 99% sure i'll like Mark IV more than the JCM 900 i checked out a year back but when it comes to amps, just try and hear them for yourself.

if you're willing to spend some time figuring it out, the mark IV is the better amp.

that said, the jcm900 isn't a bad amp. it's simpler and you'll know whether or not it's a keeper a hell of a lot sooner

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Mark iv every time. Jcm900s are IMO the worst marshall JCM. Brittle and harsh are words that spring to mind.

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Call me Tommy

That describes marshalls in general except for a few to my ears anyway.

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my rig

Hahaha! Ok, then the 900 seemed the MOST brittle and harsh marshall out of the jcm series!

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Call me Tommy

Maybe you should ask LnTh...

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Call me Tommy

mark IV

I was thinking the same thing- isn't that the "Marshall sound?"

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