Jcm 800 2204 or dsl 50?

[Petejax1234]

Hey guys, I’m sure this has been done before but I’m looking for advice. I have the option to buy either a 1983 jcm800 2204 vertical input or a 2001 jcm2000 dsl 50. What I’m really looking for is a real ballsy edge of break up clean and then il be running an od pedal to act as a 2nd channel. Playing punk/alternative etc The jcm800 is over double the price of the DSL50 but is it worth all that extra? Pretty sure the 800 could be a good future investment also. I’ve had a jcm800 2205 in the past and liked that but never owned a 2204.
Any advice greatly appreciated

thanks

 

[paul-e-mann]

Hey guys, I’m sure this has been done before but I’m looking for advice. I have the option to buy either a 1983 jcm800 2204 vertical input or a 2001 jcm2000 dsl 50. What I’m really looking for is a real ballsy edge of break up clean and then il be running an od pedal to act as a 2nd channel. Playing punk/alternative etc The jcm800 is over double the price of the DSL50 but is it worth all that extra? Pretty sure the 800 could be a good future investment also. I’ve had a jcm800 2205 in the past and liked that but never owned a 2204.
Any advice greatly appreciated

thanks

Get the 2204 without hesitation, its worth the extra money and values are always going up so you wont lose any money if you decide to sell it in the future. The way you describe is exactly how I run mine, I have a few OD pedals set at different levels depending how much gain I need.

 

[Petejax1234]

Get the 2204 without hesitation, its worth the extra money and values are always going up so you wont lose any money if you decide to sell it in the future. The way you describe is exactly how I run mine, I have a few OD pedals set at different levels depending how much gain I need.

Thanks appreciate it. Ye that’s what I’ll be doing atleast two od pedals for different levels of dirt. Are you running through the high or low input?

 

[Jethro Rocker]

I concur. The 2204 will have way less gain than the 2205 you played, if you are ok with that, the 2204 gets a decent crunch and has that mid raw growl. If you aren't really doing any higher gain or modern tones, then the 2204 all say long. No loop or second channel makes a solo boost a bit cumbersome but wasierif you neverplay high gain.
High input for me. Can still clean up with lower guitar volume.

 

[Adrian R]

Hey guys, I’m sure this has been done before but I’m looking for advice. I have the option to buy either a 1983 jcm800 2204 vertical input or a 2001 jcm2000 dsl 50. What I’m really looking for is a real ballsy edge of break up clean and then il be running an od pedal to act as a 2nd channel. Playing punk/alternative etc The jcm800 is over double the price of the DSL50 but is it worth all that extra? Pretty sure the 800 could be a good future investment also. I’ve had a jcm800 2205 in the past and liked that but never owned a 2204.
Any advice greatly appreciated

thanks

I have both, well, a 2204 and a DSL 100. I did have a DSL 50. Both are and were great amps. The 2204 is going to have more balls right out of the gate...it's louder... however, it is not as flexible. It really depends what you wish to do with the amp. A DSL for starters has two channels, and with two modes per channel. It has has reverb, an FX loop, and a deep switch to give the amp good dynamic low end at very low volumes. It's a GREAT practice amp too.... If you're playing metal you'll need a dirt pedal for the 2204..no problem... tried and true method...and great sound, however, again, the DSL needs none if you choose. It also has WAY more gain...and sustain..without a pedal...But you can boost the channels as well for more compression...works great! That's what I love about it...plug straight in if you want to. I use my DSLs gigging...I set up the red channel for solos...works outstandingly... I boost the green crunch channel with an OD pedal..and turn it off for clean parts.. and yet it can still get cleaner by switching to the green clean channel if need be. Then for a solo boost, I step on the red channel, and it dominates a band mix..big, fat, clear, sustaining and loud... You simply cannot do that with ANY single channel Marshall amp without an FX loop. You can get the DSL to sound *close* to the 2204 with a few minor mods...mostly getting the right tubes and biasing it correctly (most are NOT)... You can get it sound real close if you add a choke and upgrade the transformers, but in it's stock form with what I have mentioned it's pretty close. I also owned a Jube and a JVM, plus every 900 model made. The DSL is my favorite...that is giving you classic, 800 like organic tone with more flexibility.

2204s are great sounding amps...I love mine man...it nails that classic tone...but with my DSLs, especially the 100w with the mods I am right there with my 2204 but with far more flexibility and a killer solo channel. Keep in mind as well that the 800 as going to be at least 30 years old... many have been beat to crap, modded for more gain..etc.. however if you find one stock, unmodded, prepare to spend upwards to $1800.00. DSL 50s you can get...although they are becoming more rare, for around $800..

 

[JP2036]

IDK where you get your gear but JMP/800 2204's go $1400 to $1600 here and DSL's are $400 and up.
I guess if you are a Reverb shopper you can pay $1800/800+.
Both DSL 50 & 100 are not rare.

* 2 second search [not even trying hard] :
https://reverb.com/p/marshall-jcm-8...u2kmVRGXaLqj1VhKfbjDxTtYyh9OiGjRoCT5oQAvD_BwE

 

[Seanxk]

2204 no question, but does it still have original transformers?

 

[Jethro Rocker]

I have both, well, a 2204 and a DSL 100. I did have a DSL 50. Both are and were great amps. The 2204 is going to have more balls right out of the gate...it's louder... however, it is not as flexible. It really depends what you wish to do with the amp. A DSL for starters has two channels, and with two modes more channel. It has has reverb, and FX loop, and a deep switch to give the amp good dynamic low end at very low volumes. If you're playing metal you'll need a dirt pedal for the 2204..no problem... tried and true method...and great sound, however, again, the DSL needs none if you choose. It also has WAY more gain...and sustain..without a pedal... That's what I love about it...plug straight in if you want to. I use my DSLs gigging...I set up the red channel for solos...works outstandingly... I boost the green crunch channel with a a OD pedal..and turn it off for clean parts.. and yet it can still get cleaner by switching to the green clean channel if need be. Then for a solo boost, I step on the red channel and it dominates a band mix. You simply cannot do that with ANY single channel Marshall amp without an FX loop. You can get the DSL to sound *close* to the 2204 with a few minor mods...mostly getting the right tubes and biasing it correctly (most area NOT)... You can get it sound real close if you add a choke and upgrade the transformers, but in it's stock form with what I have mentioned it's pretty close.

2204s are great sounding amps...I love mine man...it nails that classic tone...but with my DSLs, especially the 100w with the mods I am right there with my 2204 but with far more flexibility and a killer solo channel. Keep in mind as well that the 800 as going to be at least 30 years old... many have been beat the crap, modded for more gain..etc.. however if you find one stock, unmodded prepare to spend upwards to $1800.00. DSL 50s you can get...although they are becoming more rare, for around $800..

Yeah for flexibility the DSL wins. Sounds like OP isn't going to be playing as hardcore as ypu and I do making the 2204 cover all the bases. Not sure if he is playing in a band either.
Personally I like versatility overall.
Condition amd age of 2204 would be a concern.

 

[tce63]

2204 , fantastic amp

 

[Adrian R]

IDK where you get your gear but JMP/800 2204's go $1400 to $1600 here and DSL's are $400 and up.
I guess if you are a Reverb shopper you can pay $1800/800+.
Both DSL 50 & 100 are not rare.

* 2 second search [not even trying hard] :
https://reverb.com/p/marshall-jcm-8...u2kmVRGXaLqj1VhKfbjDxTtYyh9OiGjRoCT5oQAvD_BwE

Dude, that thing is beat... As a qualifier I meant stock and in good to mint condition..*upwards* to $1800 especially on Reverb or Ebay in where you pay shipping and sales tax. DSL 50s are *becoming* more rare... They didn't have some of the issues the 100w heads had and as such, command a higher price. They also stopped making them with the curtailment of the JCM 2000 line.

 

[Matthews Guitars]

I had a DSL100H and could never get a tone out of it that I liked much. I'd definitely go for a decent 2203 or 2204 instead. You can always add a boost pedal to an amp that sounds good to start with. The DSL100H just had, to my ears, a lack of particularly good tone and it wasn't a problem with how much gain and drive it had.

 

[paul-e-mann]

Thanks appreciate it. Ye that’s what I’ll be doing atleast two od pedals for different levels of dirt. Are you running through the high or low input?

High input has gain, low input is clean. I dial in an edge of breakup in the high input.

 

[JP2036]

Dude, that thing is beat... As a qualifier I meant stock and in good to mint condition..*upwards* to $1800 especially on Reverb or Ebay in where you pay shipping and sales tax. DSL 50s are *becoming* more rare... They didn't have some of the issues the 100w heads had and as such, command a higher price. They also stopped making them with the curtailment of the JCM 2000 line.

Whatever im not looking for an amp. There is a video with that $1150 2204 and sounds fine to me. You want to pay $2200 for a $1200 amp cuz the tolex is perfect be my guest.
Your first post suggested that 2204's are $1800+ and DSL's are $800+. Just not the case and im not far from where you live.
Alot of your posts are askew Bro.
Just going to block your posts because they're mostly full of ridiculous factoids.

 

[Adrian R]

Whatever im not looking for an amp. There is a video with that $1150 2204 and sounds fine to me. You want to pay $2200 for a $1200 amp cuz the tolex is perfect be my guest.
Your first post suggested that 2204's are $1800+ and DSL's are $800+. Just not the case and im not far from where you live.
Alot of your posts are askew Bro.
Just going to block your posts because they're mostly full of ridiculous factoids.

Didn't you say that last time Grunch? Lol

 

[JP2036]

40 yr old amps are not "perfect" and anyone that thinks they should be are not right in the head.

 

[Kim Lucky Day]

I can't speak of the DSL. I can tell you about my JMP2104 (precursor to the JCM, less organic gain). I crank my master to 8 or so, set the preamp to about 2 or 3 to get edge of breakup, and overdrive of choice to take it to sonic heaven. Granted I don't play metal but you can easily gain stack a couple of good overdrive and cover a lot of sonic territory. I'd vote for the 2204 (if I had a vote...), as long as you can hopefully have it checked out by a good tech before the sale is final.

 

[Petejax1234]

Thanks for all your help guys massively appreciate it.