DSL100HR has too much gain... whaddya mean??

[Caca_Spaniel_123]

I've read countless comments on various forums about how fizzy and overly distorted the DSL100HR's OD2 is but I really don't get this. The way I hear it OD2 is basically OD1 with more gain, period. No different voicing as far am I am concerned. 12 o'clock on both mvs and gain btw. Pretty loud.

To me this amp defo does not have too much gain, to get into proper chug territory I need a boost and set the amp's gain around half way. Yes I know distorted guitar tracks appears to be massive because theu are quad tracked and all, but still man.

I can't be the only one thinking theres nothing wrong woth this amp..

Other than the poweramp saturating after playing loud for about four hours non stop but this was way louder and longer than most gigs people would normally play for. Might get a choke & OT upgrade nevertheless.

 

[PowerTube44]

The proper method is to just run pedals across the clean channel anyway. I never use the drive channel on my JCM 2000 DSL 100 head. There's no need to.

 

[Mitchell Pearrow]

I run my Dsl40c’s on the ultra red 2 channel, gain at 3, but I did put a 12at7 in V2. and a 5751 in V4.. love the way they sound. And I am using my SD1 in front of the amp.. as a clean boost.

Cheers
Mitch

 

[Neptical]

I run my Dsl40c’s on the ultra red 2 channel, gain at 3, but I did put a 12at7 in V2. and a 5751 in V4.. love the way they sound. And I am using my SD1 in front of the amp.. as a clean boost.

Cheers
Mitch

Pretty identical with how I run my DSL 50 and DSL 100 heads. I'm a BIG fan of the Red Channel, just has to be set up right. Of course, the SD-1 just buttons it all up to perfection.

The Green Channel has some SUPER nice Bassman-ish type spank. I can rock my Fender BF combos all day and although a different shade of clean, come back to the Green Channel impressed. Using all my maple neck Strats and everything fits like a glove.

 

[Caca_Spaniel_123]

I run my Dsl40c’s on the ultra red 2 channel, gain at 3, but I did put a 12at7 in V2. and a 5751 in V4.. love the way they sound. And I am using my SD1 in front of the amp.. as a clean boost.

Cheers
Mitch

What kind of music do yall play? Am I really the weird guy here

 

[Leonard Neemoil]

I'm like Mitch, red channel gain 3+/- but I use 12ax7 tubes and don't use a boost.

I play anything from early AC/DC, Zep, Sabbath to early 90s Megadeth type of stuff. I just use the guitar controls to adjust gain or tone. Ymmv of course.

 

[scozz]

…..,,,,,l can't be the only one thinking theres nothing wrong woth this amp.. ……..,,,,,

Bring it to a certified Marshall tech if you think something is wrong.

 

[Mitchell Pearrow]

What kind of music do yall play? Am I really the weird guy here

I play with a early Priest vibe, and a Sabbath type influence.
I have clips of my sloppy playing in the
Show me your riffs thread here in the Cellar.

Cheers

 

[Mitchell Pearrow]

What kind of music do yall play? Am I really the weird guy here

Here is a recent example

 

[mcblink]

Right? What do they mean by that??

It's controlled by a knob, not a switch....

Too much?? Fizz?
Turn the F'kn knob counter clockwise a hair, ffs! Maybe 2 hairs if you're particular!

This isn't difficult.....really; it's not.

But people tend to be about as sharp as the spoon in the shed, and wtf is there a spoon in the shed for in the first place??!

 

[Back to Marshall]

I must be missing something. I'm waiting patiently for a DSL100HR to get back in stock so I can finally get a high gain Marshall. I play Classic Skynyrd, Dire Straits, Van Halen, etc. My only previous Marshall valve amp was a JMP 100 watt head from the late 70's?? Don't know because none of the pictures that I have of it are zoomed in crystal clear. Anyway, why would anyone get this kind of amp and play it on the clean channel and get overdrive from a pedal?? I can see if you only own a one channel clean amp and want Van Halen overdrive, but...
I'm not an idiot, been playing about 40 years. Just don't understand why some people don't use the amp settings and pickups/guitar controls to get more of the tone they want.

 

[Back to Marshall]

I must be missing something. I'm waiting patiently for a DSL100HR to get back in stock so I can finally get a high gain Marshall. I play Classic Skynyrd, Dire Straits, Van Halen, etc. My only previous Marshall valve amp was a JMP 100 watt head from the late 70's?? Don't know because none of the pictures that I have of it are zoomed in crystal clear. Anyway, why would anyone get this kind of amp and play it on the clean channel and get overdrive from a pedal?? I can see if you only own a one channel clean amp and want Van Halen overdrive, but...
I'm not an idiot, been playing about 40 years. Just don't understand why some people don't use the amp settings and pickups/guitar controls to get more of the tone they want.

Sorry for the grainy pics, but here are two of my only previous Marshall valve amp. I bought it at least second hand back around 1984. I know it had no where near the overdrive of the current DSL's.

 

[scozz]

Sorry for the grainy pics, but here are two of my only previous Marshall valve amp. I bought it at least second hand back around 1984. I KNOW IT HAD NO WHERE NEAR THE OVERDRIVE OF THE CURRENT DSL’s.

That’s a great amp you owned back then man, what ever happened to it?

People love those vintage amps because they sound great, with or without pedals. You’re right that they’re not high gain amps, but they have plenty of gain for Classic Rock, and some heavier stuff.

I think lots of players prefer the tone and character of a Jmp, the same with 800s, (2203 and 2204), 1959, 1987, and Jtm’s.

They all have that vintage Marshall tone that many Classic Rock bands had back then, they’re some of the same amps they actually used.

 

[Mitchell Pearrow]

That’s a great amp you owned back then man, what ever happened to it?

People love those vintage amps because they sound great, with or without pedals. You’re right that they’re not high gain amps, but they have plenty of gain for Classic Rock, and some heavier stuff.

I think lots of players prefer the tone and character of a Jmp, the same with 800s, (2203 and 2204), 1959, 1987, and Jtm’s.

They all have that vintage Marshall tone that many Classic Rock bands had back then, they’re some of the same amps they actually used.

So true.. when I finally got my 2104.. I didn’t use anything but a crybaby wha

 

[SkyMonkey]

To me this amp defo does not have too much gain, to get into proper chug territory I need a boost and set the amp's gain around half way.

But you just said it there!
You only use the OD2 gain at halfway!

I have the DSL40CR (i.e., same amp, in a combo, 2 less power tubes).
If I use the OD2 channel gain at 10 it goes all squelchy and mushy.
This is supposedly due to the preamp boosting the bass frequencies too much (before the EQ gets hold).
So, I do as you have stated and run the channel gain to the edge of mush (7-ish) and boost out front with an OD.
For whatever reason this works far better than maxing the channel gain.

Oh, and Metallica, Slayer, S.O.D., etc.

(Plus, I did the ECC823 mod)

 

[PelliX]

Oh, and Metallica, Slayer, S.O.D., etc.

(Plus, I did the ECC823 mod)

Lol, so in other words, you're getting Metallica and Slayer tones after reducing the gain by putting in an ECC823 and not even diming the control itself. Sounds like it has gain a-plenty (and I'd agree, but I'm more on the low- to mid gain part of the spectrum anyway).

Other than the poweramp saturating after playing loud for about four hours non stop but this was way louder and longer than most gigs people would normally play for. Might get a choke & OT upgrade nevertheless.

That's not how it works. Once the valves have reached their nominal loaded operating temperature, nothing will change. That shouldn't really take more than maybe 10 - 15 minutes of hitting it hard - tops. What are you looking to achieve exactly by upgrading the OT? Depending on your goal, the choke might be exactly what you don't want.

 

[Maxbrothman]

If you want an amp with too much gain on tap then try an EvH 5150IIIs red channel.

 

[Trelwheen]

I've never understood when people say an amp has "too much gain" anyway, since there are those little KNOBS that turn stuff up and down.

I've got a few amps that make shitloads of gain (Mesa TC100 is Mesa's highest gain amp ever) but if I turn the KNOB I can get as little or as much gain as I need

 

[mcblink]

I've never understood when people say an amp has "too much gain" anyway, since there are those little KNOBS that turn stuff up and down.

I've got a few amps that make shitloads of gain (Mesa TC100 is Mesa's highest gain amp ever) but if I turn the KNOB I can get as little or as much gain as I need

Exactly.

 

[Maxbrothman]

I've never understood when people say an amp has "too much gain" anyway, since there are those little KNOBS that turn stuff up and down.

I've got a few amps that make shitloads of gain (Mesa TC100 is Mesa's highest gain amp ever) but if I turn the KNOB I can get as little or as much gain as I need

It means there is a false sense of range on the gain dial. Imagine if you had a Marshall and everything after 3 was potentially mud and definitely after 6. Wouldn't you sort of wonder why they didn't give you more room to tweak where you want to be, rather than a hairs breath?