I hate my DSL40C

[DirtySteve]

Not being able to get the sound you want and saying the amp sounds like shit are two different things.

The DSL40C is not a shitty sounding amp. Maybe not what you want but if you can't get classic rock tones out of it, maybe its your playing.

DS I quoted you but my comment is more directed at the OP.

I didn't mean to imply that the amp sucks, I meant the situation sucks. If you've read my posts in my own threads I never said the amp sucks. I've only said that it's not for me. :cool2:

 

[MaxFrames]

It does not matter how you play, you should just post a clip of your guitar into your amp. Play some basic stuff, you know, some power chord, some standard sequence. Clean to crunch to overdriven. Let us hear the sound, maybe someone will be able to narrow the problem to some specific cause. We want to rule out a speaker/bias/tubes problem while the amp is still new.

 

[Sournote]

I didn't mean to imply that the amp sucks, I meant the situation sucks. If you've read my posts in my own threads I never said the amp sucks. I've only said that it's not for me. :cool2:

Agreed.

That's why I edited to clarify.

In retrospect I think I was a bit harsh on the OP as well.

 

[Dogs of Doom]

Most classic rock (Led Zep - AC/DC) has less distortion than people think. If you crank the pre-amp gain, you should not expect classic sound. If you also add a distortion/boost pedal, you compound things... Classic rock will look more like having the guitar straight into the amp, setting the preamp gain to around 5 & the power amp to around 5. Maybe even 4 (pre) & 6 (power). Also, if you scoop the EQ, you will not get a classic sound either... (edit) if you can't get a good sound direct, adding noise isn't going to help.

 

[Georgiatec]

Such a shame this amp seems to be a step backwards from the old DSL. There was a "meh" review of the range in the latest "Guitarist" magazine. None of the range got a "Choice" recommend from the mag. Irony is it scored the lowest for "value for money"...which is what Marshall were trying to achieve by moving production to Vietnam.

 

[Billyblades]

Damn,,, another one? Seems these new amps arent cutting it?

 

[SonVolt]

My nephew has been playing for 3 months. His Line Six sound better.

This is a major red flag. This leads me to believe you haven't been playing long and/or this is your first tube amp and your ears haven't acclimated away from digital yet. Are any one of the above true?

 

[cecil1]

You guys are starting to piss me off. I KNOW when something sounds good, and when is doesn't. The damn things sounds muffled and mudddy, and any other changes I make to clean it up give it a tinty sound. I mean Jesus Christ, get off I haven't been playing long, ears adjusting to tube amp, etc. The things sounds like shit. Period!

 

[rmlevasseur]

Well look bud if you are going to reject everyone's attempt to help then you must have just come here to bitch. Sell it, get a new amp, move on...OR consider the alternatives that are being suggested here.

 

[MaxFrames]

OK, Sir, you're on your own then.
I just asked you to post a clip, because when it comes to sound, _hearing_ the damn thing is a prerequisite to give any kind of opinion or advice.
_Describing_ a sound is a notorious pitfall, it's just too dependant on one's sensibility.
Posting a clip _may_ have given expert ears a hint about what may be wrong.
But as it is... good luck and good bye.

 

[cecil1]

Wow, just wow. I am not rejecting anyones help. It's the reason I came here. But just read some of the post's again. People telling me It's how I play, I have not been playing long, not used to the tube amp. Christ, how would you feel? I know when something sounds right and when it doesn't. If I was more tech savy I would post something, but that isn't the case. It seems everyone is bashing my ears and capabilites. If you play guitar, I sure as hell hope you know good sound and bad. So the 3 other players I know that tried to tune the amp, can't play, haven't been playing long enough, not used to a tube amp?

 

[brp]

To be fair, OP did not ask for advice or troubleshooting suggestions.

If you play guitar, I sure as hell hope you know good sound and bad.

Well you can hope all you want but here it's proven to not be the case often.

Is this amp not cathode biased?

 

[FennRx]

just sell it and buy something else. you really dont need a forum to tell you that. When you eat a sammich and dont like it, do you get on a food forum to ask for advice?

 

[big dooley]

To be fair, OP did not ask for advice or troubleshooting suggestions.



Well you can hope all you want but here it's proven to not be the case often.

Is this amp not cathode biased?

nope... fixed bias

 

[brp]

thanks. For some reason I assumed otherwise

 

[eastwood6]

Here's the thing. Modern Marshall's are voiced pretty differently than the classic sound many of us prefer. For example, it's pretty much impossible to get a classic Marshall crunch sound from an MG series amp. You have to have the gain set at less than "1". Not 1 o'clock, 1 on the dial. I haven't played a DSL40C yet but I suspect that's part of the issue. The new amps just have way too much gain and are voiced for more modern tones.

If you are interested in '70s and '80s tones you will have a hard time with most of the current production Marshall line, best I can tell, with the possible exception of the Class 5 or the big iron reissues (SLP, 800, 900). My 2.5 inflation-adjusted cents.

Good luck.

 

[Sournote]

Most classic rock (Led Zep - AC/DC) has less distortion than people think. If you crank the pre-amp gain, you should not expect classic sound. If you also add a distortion/boost pedal, you compound things... Classic rock will look more like having the guitar straight into the amp, setting the preamp gain to around 5 & the power amp to around 5. Maybe even 4 (pre) & 6 (power). Also, if you scoop the EQ, you will not get a classic sound either... (edit) if you can't get a good sound direct, adding noise isn't going to help.

Exactly. Classic rock tone on the DSL is found on crunch mode of the clean channel. I get good 70's metal tone on lead 1, but the volume needs to be louder than I would like to get the sound where I really like it. I knew that was a risk when I chose a 40/20 watt amp though.

 

[krabby5]

I agree
I think they sound like crap too
After about 30 minutes with one in G.C. I walked away shaking my head

Same here....and I wanted to like it..

 

[SonVolt]

just sell it and buy something else. you really dont need a forum to tell you that. When you eat a sammich and dont like it, do you get on a food forum to ask for advice?

I post over on eGullet, one of the larger food forums on the net. There's a topic today on the best way to warm you dinner plates. Apparently people fill their sink up with hot water, submerge their plate for 5 minutes and then dry it off.

 

[Steve P]

I had this amp for 5 weeks now. My first tube amp. Was super excited to get it. I for the life on me cannot get the sound I like. I have spent countless hours adjusting, and readjusting. I keep hearing about Marshall tones, great sound, etc. Well it isn't coming from this amp. I just can't seem to get rid of the muddy, muffled sound. Go the other way, and I get the hated tinty sound. I had 3 different people try to adjust this thing and we are all scratching our heads. Bought a Metal Muff pedal, hoping this would help. Nope. My nephews damn Line Six sounds better than this Marsahll. I play a Gibson Les Paul and like classic rock. Shouldn't be that hard to come up with the sound I like. Well it is.

What pickups are in your Les Paul?