JCM 900 SLX 2500, JCM2000 DSL50, why the shear hatred?

[gregr]

I didn’t know these amps hated shears.

 

[Adrian R]

I owned most of all the models Marshall had ever made, that is 50 and 100w amps. I love my 2204 with the HM2, but for gigging, hands down the JCM 2000 DSL 100... With a few changes (although not necessary) the right tubes...bias... it's the best sounding, more versatile amp Marshall has ever made.... It's not quite as clear and punchy as a JMP 2203, but man for the added the flexibility, it's a superior amp. It HONESTLY produces authentic Marshall tone...

Those haters never heard and played though one working correctly, or they're just deaf, or have no idea what *proper* Marshall tone is. The DSL nails it.

 

[Sapient]

Who cares what anyone else thinks. If you like an amp, and it does what you want, their opinions mean shit. I have a 50w SL-X, and it's a cool amp (IMO). They do, however have a reputation for needing BR3 replaced with a higher current part, which might give tech's a reason to bash.

Wow, you actually have these amps?






Jest kiddin'. I have no issue with any of them.

 

[Kutt]

I didn’t know these amps hated shears.

 

[marshallmellowed]

Wow, you actually have these amps?






Jest kiddin'. I have no issue with any of them.

Yeah, afraid so. Every time I sell one, I end up getting another, so I gave up.

 

[Scream And Fly]

The SLX is a killer head. I’m looking to buy one, actually.

 

[Clifdawg]

Anytime someone wants to argue with you that your Marshall amp isn’t a real Marshall, just turn the volume up until you can no longer hear them

 

[abkeller1]

I've been very fortune to own them both. The 2500 SL-X i got 24 years ago and the 2000 DSL50, about 22 years ago. They never gave me a bit of problems until recently, the DSL had some issues that required going off to a tech but one hiccup in 2 decades is pretty good in my opinion

I have a JCM 2000 DSL 50, I just bought an SL-X 2500 off Guitar Centers webiste. What are the differences in both amps tone wise, may I ask. I've never jelled with the DSL after owning an 800 2204. Thanks.

 

[abkeller1]

Nope me neither. Just pointing out a difference between the sl-x and the other 900s.

The clipping diode argument is usally brought up by Guys with giant pedal boards with hundreds of solid state components contained in them...including tube screamers, sd1s and other clipping devices.

If it sounds good to you and makes you want to play, play it. Who cares what it is and what cut and paste expert doesn't like it.

I have an SL-X and I use a pedal for lead solos and not all the time. Never for rhythm. I’ve played too many DR’s to know it’s sounds nothing like an SL-X or feels like an SL-X.

 

[abkeller1]

If you do a Google search on JCM900 MKIII vs SL-X ,...70% would take an MKIII over an SL-X , mixed reviews on the SL-X with some saying that it has a squishy not tight enough sound compared to the MKIII.

My tech installed some KT77's in my MKIII and changed the 2.2K screen grid resistors for 1K and oh my , what a diffference ,.....the amp sounds more open closer to an 2203.

I've had all three models of 900's ,.....the SL-X I didn't care for because of the blurry gain with no difenition if that makes any sense .
The MKIII,... I had a 50 watt and a 100 watt and I prefered the 100 over the 50 because it had more balls an attitude.
You guy's won't believe this but the one that had the most 800 growl closer to an 2204-2203 was the Dual Reverb I had with the Gravenmade mod aka @tschrama done to it ,.....this amp after the mod was just amazing and fun to play ,...the kind of tone you can't put the guitar down from great Bluesy cleans to awesome crunch !......The amp died after I asked a speudo tech to do a Deep mod on it and when he gave it back the me ,...the thrill was gone !...he messed it up.......RIP Dual Reverb !

you must have had a bad SL-X if you don’t use too much gain it’s very tight low end

 

[abkeller1]

Yeah I actually decided to revisit the SLX2500 and it is PHENOMENAL if you dial it in right. Lots of people crank both the gain sensitivity AND the Preamp Gain to the max and it can indeed become fuzzy and muddled. However! If you roll the preamp gain down to around 3-4 and take the gain sensitivity to around 17, it is absolutely pure classic Marshall tone.

I actually have ordered some new tubes for this amp and am going to rebias it, as I noticed one EL34 has burn marks inside, which would point to it running too high. I'm also going to change V2 to a 12AU7 to roll off just a Lil of the heavy gain and open it up to more headroom.

This thing is still an unbelievable tank after nearly 24 years and am falling back in love with it

I just got a 2500 sl-x have a JCM 200 dsl 50 I think the Al-x sounds and feels way better has more classic tone and feels great

 

[abkeller1]

I owned most of all the models Marshall had ever made, that is 50 and 100w amps. I love my 2204 with the HM2, but for gigging, hands down the JCM 2000 DSL 100... With a few changes (although not necessary) the right tubes...bias... it's the best sounding, more versatile amp Marshall has ever made.... It's not quite as clear and punchy as a JMP 2203, but man for the added the flexibility, it's a superior amp. It HONESTLY produces authentic Marshall tone...

Those haters never heard and played though one working correctly, or they're just deaf, or have no idea what *proper* Marshall tone is. The DSL nails it.

I dont see that. Ive had my JCM 2000 dsl 50 for 3 years after I sold my 2204. It feels nothing like it. It doesn’t sound anything like. It’s sounds good but Ive never jived with it. I just picked up JCM 900 SL-X. It’s what I’ve missed since my 2204. Touch sensitive has that classic Marshall grind . I don’t think there is any comparison

 

[mrjones2004x]

Got a 2501 mk3 and only amp I never sold. Owned and sold loads of other brands and a few other Marshalls. just something about my modded 900 that is so thick and raw. 9 years on still don’t see the point of the 2 channels really but I’d never sell it.

Just dropped it off today at Marshalls service department and the guy said wow haven’t seen a mk3 for ages. Said it’s like an 800 on roids. Said they service a lot of older 800s and a fair few dual reverbs all from 80-90s and he thought it was a lost gem of an amp.

I agree with earlier statements needs a service and clean every now and then and a bit of love but it’s 30 years old and was still 80% as good since last service.

 

[Silverdome]

I have a loose formula but I believe if you have a discontinued amp and you add roughly 20 years time it suddenly becomes a sought after 'classic'. I'm old enough to remember when the Marshall made Vox amps in the 90's and 00's were considered complete pieces of junk and now I see all sorts of praise for them. Good news for me is I own an SLX so it's nice to see a piece of gear in my collection appreciate in value.

 

[WellBurnTheSky]

Some of the best live rock/metal tones I've heard (in the room/crowd): Chris Caffery (Savatage) with a SLX, Michael Schenker and John Norum (with 2205s) and Reb Beach (on my own DSL100, at that, I was also running FoH on that gig, he REQUIRES a DSL100 on his tech rider, anything else is subject to approval).
All of them could play pretty much any amp on the face of the Earth, but chose that particular one. Sooo...yeah.

I've said it before and I'll say (well, type) it again: if you can't stellar tones out of these amps, the issue's not with the amp. And more often than not, it is with the player.

 

[Neptical]

The old JCM 2000 DSLs ( I own a DSL 50 and DSL 100) were the PERFECT amps coming from years of playing older Mark III Boogies ( still have both to compare to my Marshalls). It was the best transition in to Marshalls as the old DSLs have such a nice compression but still have reaaally nice Marshall grit. Not even talking Green channels as I've always kept them super spankin' Bassman type clean. I love experimental rock, jazz, 50s, etc so I need that Green Channel for what it's worth. I'm also a big fan of the Red Channel, which set up right will even keep up with my Boogies ( pending cab/speakers).

About my JCM 900 SL-X 2500, it is a complete different beast altogether. It's HOT, SIZZLIN' and RIPPIN'. Breath of fire ready to roar! Almost in the same realm of my Dual Rectifier Rev G. Tons more gain on tap from the get go. Add a clean boost ( SD-1) and tame it back and you have one of the absolute best Marshall tones I've ever heard. This amp would be great transition for dudes who own ( have already owned ) a JCM 800. Crushing tones either way!

Of course, I will always always rep an EQ through ANY amp which will put you leagues above no matter what amp you're using. Ultimate secret sauce.

 

[abkeller1]

I was being sarcastic....I guess it was lost in text... my point was that it seems people always look down on later versions of whatever musical equipment they are looking at. ... if an amp maker release an amp with black knobs then change the knobs six months into production and nothing else, people on the Internet will tell you how superior the black-knob amp is to later examples.... always.... and its a peculiarity of musical equipment I find.... no one is turning down a 2021 BMW for the "superior" 1976 model... it's a music equipment thing...
.. and for what it's worth...my jcm800 4010 won't be buried with me, that would be silly, but it's not going anywhere while I'm still around...

I had an 82 4010 and sold it 3 years ago. Biggest mistake I ever made regarding music equipment.

 

[abkeller1]

The old JCM 2000 DSLs ( I own a DSL 50 and DSL 100) were the PERFECT amps coming from years of playing older Mark III Boogies ( still have both to compare to my Marshalls). It was the best transition in to Marshalls as the old DSLs have such a nice compression but still have reaaally nice Marshall grit. Not even talking Green channels as I've always kept them super spankin' Bassman type clean. I love experimental rock, jazz, 50s, etc so I need that Green Channel for what it's worth. I'm also a big fan of the Red Channel, which set up right will even keep up with my Boogies ( pending cab/speakers).

About my JCM 900 SL-X 2500, it is a complete different beast altogether. It's HOT, SIZZLIN' and RIPPIN'. Breath of fire ready to roar! Almost in the same realm of my Dual Rectifier Rev G. Tons more gain on tap from the get go. Add a clean boost ( SD-1) and tame it back and you have one of the absolute best Marshall tones I've ever heard. This amp would be great transition for dudes who own ( have already owned ) a JCM 800. Crushing tones either way!

Of course, I will always always rep an EQ through ANY amp which will put you leagues above no matter what amp you're using. Ultimate secret sauce.

Yep, I concur 100%. The SL-X is the bomb!

 

[abkeller1]

I would love to have both a DSL50 and a SL-X 2500.

Old thread. I have both had the 2000 past 4 years got the SL-X last October. They are very different. SL-X has the classic Marshall grind with as much or litte gain as you want. The 2000 is more modern and much brighter on the red channel. The crunch needs a Tubesreamer or SD-1 has more of the classic grind but still more modern fizziness. The 2000 has a tight deep low end which the SL-X lacks.

 

[abkeller1]

I had a 50w SLX 2500 I liked it back 15+years ago. This was befor I knew about rolling preamp tubes I often wonder what I coulda got out of it by rolling tubes. Mine was reliable played allot of gigs on it. Only time it broke was a cold solder joint cause my drummer tossed it in the truck(it was heavy therefor it must be unbreakable)
The DSL I allways thought were pretty decent and I love my Baby Reissue 15 watter........But I have heard horror stories of JCM2000 ribbon wire problems and bad traces.
But I'm discovering through the years to say screw what people say use what inspires you to play. What one guy looks for in tone may not be for you.
Case in point the Silver Jubilee one of thee most beloved Marshalls EVER..........I HATE them. I owned one and thought it was HORRID played one in the studio(for 2 minutes befor I whined to use my own amp)and hated it. The JCM900 DR most bashed Marshall tube amp ever......repaired one for a freind and thought it was OK....not my FAV but decent and unique.
Use what YOU like.
EDIT: I gotta start reading post dates........

Had a Jubilee Mini for 2 years never jived with it then replaced it with the Sudio Classic 800 mini. Love it.