A Quick History Lesson (Because It’s Cool to Know)

The original JCM900 came out in 1990, and it was a monster—100W of pure Marshall power, two channels (clean/crunch and high-gain), and built tough for the road. It was a go-to for rock and metal players who wanted that aggressive edge. Fast forward to 2025, and the Studio JCM 900 shrinks that vibe down to 20W, adds power scaling and a DI output, and makes it perfect for home jams, studios, or small gigs. It’s like the JCM900’s chill younger cousin who still knows how to rock.

Marshall Studio JCM 900 Guitar Head (20W): The Flexible One

First up, the Marshall Studio JCM 900 Guitar Head (20W). This one’s for you if you’ve got a cab you love or just like tweaking your setup. Here’s what it’s packing:

• • Power and Scalability: 20W, but you can dial it down to 5W or 1W. That means you can get that full-on Marshall tone without blasting your eardrums—great for late-night practice.

• • Channels and Controls: Two channels, just like the original. Channel A goes from clean to crunchy—think rhythm riffs. Channel B is your high-gain beast for shredding leads. Each has its own volume, gain, and reverb knobs, plus a master volume and a 3-band EQ (bass, middle, treble) with a presence control to shape the highs.

• • Connectivity: It’s got a series effects loop for your pedals and a speaker-emulated DI output—perfect for recording or plugging straight into a PA.

• • Tubes: The Studio JCM 900 uses two 5881 power tubes and three 12AX7 preamp tubes. The 5881s give it a tight, punchy sound that’s true to the stock JCM900 vibe, with a bit less midrange push than EL34s.

• • Weight: Super portable at around 20 pounds. Pair it with any cab, and you’re ready to roll.

This head nails that 90s JCM900 aggression—Channel A for punchy rhythms, Channel B for soaring leads—all while letting you keep the volume in check with power scaling.

Marshall Studio JCM 900 Guitar Combo (1x12in, 20W): The All-in-One Package

Next, the Marshall Studio JCM 900 Guitar Combo (1x12in, 20W). Same guts as the head, but with a speaker built in. Here’s the deal:

• • Power and Scalability: Still 20W, scalable to 5W or 1W. Same awesome tone, just quieter when you need it.

• • Channels and Controls: Identical setup—Channel A for clean to crunch, Channel B for high-gain goodness. Same controls: volume, gain, and reverb per channel, plus the 3-band EQ and presence knob.

• • Connectivity: Series effects loop and that sweet DI output—ready for anything from bedroom jams to gigs.

• • Tubes: Again, two 5881 power tubes and three 12AX7 preamp tubes. Tight lows, punchy mids—classic Marshall, done right.

• • Speaker and Weight: Comes with a 1×12″ Celestion G12T-75 speaker, so it’s plug-and-play. A bit heavier than the head due to the speaker, but still easy to lug around.

Users say this combo delivers the same killer sound as the head, just with the convenience of a built-in speaker. No cab hunting required—just plug in and shred.

James Dean Bradfield Shreds with the Studio 900 Head

And now, a treat for us at Get My Guitar—our fave guitarist, James Dean Bradfield from Manic Street Preachers, takes the Marshall Studio JCM 900 Guitar Head (20W) for a spin in this video, the riff master behind Manics’ classics like “Motorcycle Emptiness,” is a total JCM900 fan. He stumbled into it years ago when a hire company sent him a 900 instead of an 800, and he loved its aggression and “glammy sustain.” He’s used it live with other amps for that extra punch.

In the video, he digs the Studio 900’s rich midrange—“bouquey,” he calls it—and responsive gain, even on the clean channel. It’s got that 90s JCM900 vibe he knows so well, just dialed in for today. Seeing one of our top picks geek out over this head? Awesome! Check it out below!