A Return to Marshall’s JTM Roots
Marshall’s Studio series has long served as a Sweetwater favorite, as it perfectly packs many of the company’s iconic amplifier models down into compact, gig-and-studio-ready combos and heads. From the Super Lead to the Silver Jubilee, the Studio series encompasses almost the entirety of Marshall’s long history — with the ST20H Studio JTM, it reaches all the way back to the beginning. This 20-watt amplifier head precisely replicates the creamy highs, loose lows, and smoky overdriven tone of the original Marshall 2245 — the platform that arguably defined the biting sound of British blues rock while setting the stage for Marshall’s later amplifier creations. Plus, while it’s certainly a vintage throwback, the ST20H Studio JTM comes equipped with all the Studio series’ usual bells and whistles, including a 5-watt power scaling mode, effects loop, and speaker-emulated DI output. Complete with vintage-inspired touches from the metal “coffin”-style logo to the levant front covering, the UK-built ST20H Studio JTM is a top-tier tonal tribute to the model that began the Marshall legend.
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A tonal tribute to Marshall’s famed 2245/JTM 45
More than just an aesthetic tribute to Marshall’s early days, the ST20H Studio JTM’s dual 5881 power tubes and trio of ECC83 preamp and phase inverter tubes match the original 2245. In comparison to the later EL34-equipped Marshall models that would define hard rock in the 1970s, the ST20H Studio JTM’s tone harkens back to the birth of British blues-rock, perfectly capturing the loose bass, rounder response, and compelling natural compression of its JTM inspiration. Overall, the ST20H Studio JTM supplies an extraordinarily versatile tube tone that can take you from stadium-ready power-chord rhythms to dark, moody blues lines without breaking a sweat. And if you’re after just a touch more control, Sweetwater guitarists recommend trying out the time-tested trick of patching both channels together and blending their tones.
Loaded with all the player-friendly features you need
Consider yourself lucky, because the Marshall ST20H Studio JTM sports plenty of onboard features not found on the original 2245. An onboard effects loop makes integrating your pedals and external processors a breeze. Attaining cranked tones at listenable volumes is a breeze thanks to a power reduction circuit. You also get a speaker-emulated DI output for easy recording or routing to a PA. You’ll value the ST20H Studio JTM's modern flexibility almost as much as you appreciate its classic tone.
Early-era Marshall aesthetics
Far from the later Plexi-equipped, script-logo Marshalls that we all know and love, the Studio JTM series reaches back to an earlier time in the Marshall legend — when Marshall amps still wore their American influence on their sleeve. This amp’s levant front covering, gold piping/beading, and handsome metal Marshall “coffin” logo look as though they rolled right out of Jim Marshall’s workshop, beaming with early 1960s style. And perhaps best of all, the ST20H Studio JTM boasts a high-end enclosure crafted from finger-jointed plywood for a lighter weight and superior sound.
Marshall ST20H Studio JTM Features:
- 2-ch, 20W tube amp head inspired by Marshall’s early 2245 model
- 2 x 5881 power tubes, 2 ECC83 preamp tubes, and an ECC83 phase splitter capture the creamy highs, loose lows, and exceptionally dynamic overdrive of the original JTM
- High Treble and Normal channels can be patched together for endless tonal experimentation
- 3-band EQ and Presence knob dial in your sound to perfection
- Speaker-emulated DI output for easy recording and straight-to-PA gigging
- FX loop makes it a breeze to integrate your favorite time-based and modulation pedals
- JTM-inspired aesthetics, including levant front covering, a metal “coffin” logo, gold piping, and fawn fret
- Premium finger-jointed plywood enclosure
- Handbuilt in the UK Marshall factory
