Marshall JCM-1H, JCM-1C Owner`s Manual

OWNER’S MANUAL

JCM-1H and JCM-1C

Limited Edition, 50th Anniversary, all-valve 1-Watt Head and Combo

commemorating the 1980s decade of Marshall

Overview

From “the Guv’nor” Jim Marshall

Congratulations on purchasing one of our Limited Edition series
of 1-Watt heads and combos that celebrate Marshall’s
50th Anniversary. Each one is made in England with pride and
commemorates the distinctive tonal character, features and
iconic appearance of a specifi c decade – ’60s, ’70s, ’80s,’90s
and present day. The JCM-1H head and JCM-1C combo are
the third pair in the series and pay tribute to the Marshall amps
that literally dominated the sound of hard rock and heavy metal
in the ‘80s...

The 1980s was a huge, game changing, decade for guitar
music. A more aggressive sound was being sought by the
emerging rock and metal bands of the era, with many fi nding
the tone of the newly released JCM800 Series, especially the
100-Watt, 2203 head, exactly what they were looking for. The
innovation of Marshall’s Master Volume technology also meant
that the overdriven sound of these new Marshalls could now be
played at any volume.

The 1-Watt amp you now own pays homage to both the tone
and look of that all-important third decade and does so at a
very “studio” or “home friendly” volume. The front panel of
your amp is very simple, but extremely effective, and I’m sure
that its touch responsive, easily-overdriven tones will give you
countless hours of playing pleasure.

Welcome to the Marshall family!

Yours Sincerely,

Jim Marshall

The JCM-1H head and JCM1-C combo are
1-Watt valve amplifi ers voiced to emulate the
Marshall tones that dominated the ’80s, but at a
controllable, home-friendly volume.

away. The Boost switch adjusts
the pre-amp between classic
Master Volume and later Split Channel voicings.
Controls for both Master and Pre-Amp (Gain)
Volume govern the JCM-1’s overall output and

In 1981, Marshall introduced the now iconic

overdrive respectively.
JCM800 range and once again redefi ned the rock
guitar sound. The aggressive, biting sound of the
2203/2204 amplifi ers became the “must have”
sound of the NWOBHM (New Wave of British
Heavy Metal) and also the “hair metal” movement
that was exploding on LA’s infamous Sunset Strip.
That said, it was also adopted by many other
genres. The late ’80s saw the introduction of the
split-channel amplifi ers and the revered Jubilee

Internally, the pre-amp is driven by two ECC83

(12AX7) valves with one ECC82 (12AU7) valve

in the power amp. The power-stage is confi gured

as a ‘push pull’ amplifi er, just like the famous

JCM800 amplifi ers of the period, delivering that

classic bark and growl with a surprising amount

of “thump” for an amp of the JCM-1’s diminutive

stature.
Series. These upped the ante with clipping circuits
to increase the overdrive. Now those classic
Master Volume sounds have been captured in the
JCM-1 H and JCM-1C, with a little extra “split­channel” gain available for good measure.

The JCM-1 combo is fi tted with a 10" 16Ω

Celestion speaker, specially voiced to give the

best balance between a compact size and a full

sound. Both the combo and the head can drive

an external speaker cabinet of either 16Ω or 8Ω at
The 3-band EQ section of Bass, Middle and
Treble allow for both fi ne tonal tuning and extreme
sonic shaping – rich, full-bodied crunch and
scooped metal tones are just a few dial turns

full power via the corresponding speaker output

sockets on the rear panel. Both amplifi ers are very

happy driving a full 4x12" cabinet for the ultimate

in mini Marshall ’80s tone.

Follow all instructions and heed all warnings.

KEEP THESE INSTRUCTIONS.

Warning:

Before going any further, make sure that your amplifi er is compatible with your electrical supply. If you have any doubt, please seek help from
a qualifi ed technician – your Marshall dealer can help you in this respect.

Mains Input & Fuse:

Your amplifi er is provided with either a detachable mains (power) lead which should be connected to the mains input socket on the rear panel
of the amplifi er or a fi xed mains (power) lead attached to the rear of the amplifi er.
The specifi c mains input voltage rating that your amplifi er has been manufactured for is indicated on the rear panel of the amplifi er.
The correct value and type of mains fuse for valve amplifi ers is specifi ed on the rear panel of the amplifi er.
NEVER attempt to bypass the fuse or fi t one of the incorrect value or type.

Transporting your equipment:

Please ensure that your amplifi er is switched off and unplugged from the mains electricity supply and that all removable cables have been
disconnected from your equipment before attempting to move it.

Important set up information:

1. Make sure that the cabinet(s)/speakers, where appropriate, are connected to the correct impedance LOUDSPEAKER jack(s) on the

rear panel of the amplifi er. See the Speaker Output guides in this handbook, if applicable, for specifi c information regarding impedance
matching. When using an extension cabinet make sure that you are using a proper speaker cable. Never use a screened (shielded) guitar
cable for this purpose.

WARNING! Failure to do any of the above may damage your amplifi er.

2. Ensure that the VOLUME controls on the front panel are set to zero.

3. For amplifi ers provided with a detachable mains (power) lead, connect the supplied mains (power) lead into the MAINS INPUT on the rear

panel fi rst and then into an electrical outlet

4. Plug your guitar into the INPUT jack socket on the front panel.

5. Turn the front panel POWER switch on and, if a valve amplifi er, wait a couple of minutes before going to point 6.

6. Turn the volumes up to your preferred level and your amp is ready to play.

EUROPE ONLY – Note:
(Environments E1, E2, and E3 EN 55103-1/2) and the Low Voltage Directive in the E.U.

EUROPE ONLY – Note: The Peak Inrush current for the JCM-1H and the JCM-1C is 1.5A.

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the requirements of the EMC Directive

ENGLISH

1

Front panel*

Front panel continued

1

*NOTE: The JCM-1H front panel is illustrated. The

JCM-1C panel is identical but runs in the opposite
direction.

IMPORTANT: Read before powering-up
Before powering-up your Marshall JCM-1
amplifi er, you must ensure that an appropriate
speaker cabinet is connected to the
corresponding impedance matched loudspeaker
jack on the rear panel, (unless ‘low power’ mode
is selected). Failure to do so could result in
serious damage being caused to your amplifi er.
Always use an unshielded loudspeaker cable to
connect an amplifi er to a loudspeaker cabinet,
never use a screened (shielded) guitar cable.
After use, always allow the amp to cool down
before moving.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please refer to the Warning
plate on either the underside, or the rear of the
product

1. Illuminated Power Switch

This is the On/Off switch for the mains electricity
supply to the amplifi er which will light up
whenever the amp is plugged into the mains and
the Power Switch is on.

NOTE: Please allow a minute or so for the amp
to ‘warm-up’ after switching on. This is normal
with valve amplifi ers as valves need to reach their
‘working temperature’ to operate properly.

2. Bass

This control adjusts the amount of low frequencies
(bottom-end) in your sound. Higher settings
increase the ‘fullness’ of your tone, while lower
settings make the sound clearer and more
distinct.

3. Middle

This controls the mid-range of your sound.

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

8. Input Jack Socket

This is where you plug your guitar into the amp.
You must use a screened (shielded) guitar cable.
Never use an unscreened (unshielded) speaker
cable. The input to any guitar amplifi er is a very
sensitive part of the signal path and is very
sensitive to electrical interference, hence the need

Rear panel*

Turning this up will make your guitar sound fatter
and fuller. Turning this down will make the sound
more ‘scooped’.

4. Treble

This control determines the amount of high
frequency (top-end) that is present. Higher
settings increase the ‘brightness’ of your tone,
while lower settings make the sound softer and
less defi ned.

NOTE: The Treble, Middle and Bass controls
are highly interactive; adjusting one of them will
change the frequencies and range of the other
controls.

5. Boost Button

Pressing this button changes the pre-amp from
the classic ‘Master Volume’ voicing to the later
‘Split Channel’ boost sound. When active, the
sound is smoother and more distorted. With
the button out, the sound is more dynamic and
responsive to the guitar’s volume control. The
effect of this control is more apparent when the
Master Volume is at lower levels (less than 2
o’clock on the dial).

6. Master Volume

This control sets the overall output volume of the
amplifi er; it also lets you balance pre-amp and
power amp overdrive and so is often adjusted at
the same time as the Pre-Amp Volume control
(7). As the level is increased, the volume of the
amplifi er rises until the power amplifi er starts to
overdrive at which point the sound will thicken up.

7. Pre-Amp Volume

Adjusting this control changes the amount of gain
in the pre-amp. Low settings will give a clean
pre-amp and it will act as a volume control. Higher
settings will cause the pre-amp to overdrive.

*NOTE: The JCM-1H rear panel is illustrated. The
JCM-1C panel is identical but runs in the opposite
direction.

WARNING: Although your JCM-1 amplifi er has
2 extension speaker outputs, never attempt to
connect cabinets to both extension speaker
outputs simultaneously. Only use one speaker
output at a time.

1. Extension Speaker 8Ω

This is the output that connects to an 8Ω extension
cabinet.

2. Extension Speaker 16Ω

This is the output that connects to a 16Ω extension
cabinet.

3. Low Power switch

This switch activates the Low Power mode. The
amplifi er is connected to an internal dummy load
and a reduced level is fed to either internal speaker
(JCM-1C combo) or external load (both head and
combo). This level has been selected for personal
practice and is approximately 0.1-Watts.

JCM-1H and JCM-1C Technical Specifi cations

JCM-1H JCM-1C

Power (RMS) 1W 1W

Valves 1 x ECC82 + 2 x ECC83 1 x ECC82 + 2 x ECC83

Dimensions (mm) H , W, D 180 x 380 x 195 360 x 380 x 220

Weight (kgs) 5.2 9.4

2 3

1&2

3

for a screened guitar cable.
Your screened cable should be
of good quality. If you are in any
doubt regarding this, your Marshall dealer will be
more than happy to help and advise you.

ENGLISH

4

NOTE: With this button pressed, the amplifi er may

be operated without a speaker connected without

causing any damage.

4. Mains Input

Your amplifi er is provided with a detachable mains

(power) lead, which is connected here. The specifi c

mains input voltage rating that your amplifi er has

been built for is indicated on the back panel. Before

connecting for the fi rst time, please ensure that

your amplifi er is compatible with your electricity

supply. If you have any doubt, please ask the

advice of a qualifi ed technician. Your Marshall

dealer will help you in this respect.

The correct value of mains fuse located in the

small drawer at the bottom of the mains socket is

specifi ed on the rear panel of the amplifi er. The

drawer contains a space for a spare fuse.

NEVER attempt to bypass the fuse or fi t one of the

incorrect value!

NOTE: It is wise to carry spare fuses at all times.

Denbigh Road, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK1 1DQ England.

Tel : [phone] Fax : [phone]

www.marshallamps.com

Whilst the information contained herein is correct at the time of publication, due to our policy of constant improvement

and development, Marshall Amplification plc reserve the right to alter specifications without prior notice.

BOOK-00106-13 / 03 / 12-IS:4