Marshall 30th Anniversary Series thread (6100 / 6101)

[Nik73]

I fired up my 6100LM for the first time in a few weeks and good lord this thing is incredible. I've said it before and I'lll say it again.......... Best amp I've ever heard.
I was thinking about getting one of the silver jubilee issues, but that GAS has been passed. The 6100 might not do a silver jubilee tone, but it does everything else I want. SO versatile and so far ahead of it's time. Marshall should do a reissue of this bad boy instead. Every time I just hit a G chord on any channel I get that face....

The £1k I had bookmarked for the Jubillee is now in the Gibson R8 fund!

 

[RickyLee]

I completely agree with you on this. I could not bond with the DSL no matter what I did with it mods and all. I fail to see the love for this amp either. I think maybe that most of the DSL lovers have never played a 6100. I love the 6100 and it really can cover just about any style of Marshall amp out there.

This is a great statement, as it is coming from someone with an awesome collection of Marshall amp models.

It is very odd to me, that the UK DSL100 amps seem to have a big variance of tone from amp to amp right out of the factory.

My first one is from '05. I had traded my '99 TSL122 for it to a guy that plays metal. He bonded with my TSL122 instantly and just did not get on with the DSL100. I had just scored that '98 TSL100, so the trade was good for me. He even gave me a whole extra new retube set as well as $100.

But that DSL100 I got there was not too bad, except for this strange plasticy fizz overtone it had. Was on both channels and somewhat cleared up if the amp was cranked. But could not always play it that loud for gigs. Amp was basically still new as he was the first owner as well. So I ended up going beserk on the DSL mods as that was that period of time around here everyone was doing Joey's DSL mods. I did not do all of those DSL mods. as I did a few of my own tweaks as well. But in the end, I got that DSL to sound very impressive.

So to get back to factory stock DSL's sounding a bit different from each other, I later picked up a non working '98 DSL100 for dirt cheap. Got the amp working and was blown away how good this was tonally being all stock. Did not have the fizz character that my '05 had. Even with the Red channel a bit brighter than the Green, it was not that much of a difference there like the '05 was. This DSL's Red channel was the highlight of the amp.

 

[RickyLee]

I fired up my 6100LM for the first time in a few weeks and good lord this thing is incredible. I've said it before and I'lll say it again.......... Best amp I've ever heard.
I was thinking about getting one of the silver jubilee issues, but that GAS has been passed. The 6100 might not do a silver jubilee tone, but it does everything else I want . . . .

Try CH 3 with the CONTOUR on and roll back the Treble to get a somewhat darker top end. Dial in for slightly less mids and a sizzling gain setting and you will be in the Jubilee ballpark. Yeah, there's no solid state clipping circuit in the 6100, but there are plenty of Boost pedals that can give you that clipping flavor as well.

 

[RickyLee]

Different cab, obviously, my 6101 - LM? It's a blue 92, EL34
ch3 gain 7-8, boost on,
treble5 -6,
mid 5-7,
bass about 7-8,
low comp on, master presence only about 3, I find the ch 2 to be very bright on this combo. Damn, I wish I could get to a venue where I could run things that high, Ricky! This year should get an outside show, might take the 6101 w 6912 cab and run it up good and proper. Or the 2558.

What speaker model is in your combo and ext cab?

Man, getting some volume up with this amp yields an incredible midrange enhanced distortion voicing. When I was playing "Jailbreak", I was getting goosebumps. No it did not sound like the original as I had a much meaner distortion voicing with CH3 Gain 6 Boost on and Mid at 7.

My TSL100 Crunch channel does that too when you can get the volume up a bit. I did do a few minor tweaks to my TSL though. Actually, those tweaks were only on the Lead channel tone shaping circuit and treble peaker and bright cap.

 

[dreyn77]

I got that bad mid scoop thing happening with the 1959RR when it was brand new.
the only way I could describe the sound of a mahogany SG was 'blue'.
after a little burning time the amps sound radically changed. I think it was about 3 days of 'blue' tone and after that the marshall sound came out of the speakers.
the speakers were 'new' but they were old stock on the shop floor or returns. so THey'd been used before. My amp could have been a return as well, and the shop sales guys (6 of them) were all telling lies about the amp being
'new'. I wouldn't be supprised if it was returned because of the NON marshall sound.
If you keeped playing that blue 6100 it would have changed tone.

I don't doubt that the 6100 was made for an awesome sound.
made in the 'good ol way' too.

I don't like to 'compare' to other marshalls cause they're made with different ideas in mind.

maybe its time i plonked down the cash on one of these amps.

just to enjoy some thing which was okay'd by the man himself.

I have found that with most things that the latest generation is actually more suited to heavy metal playing techniques.

maybe the latest guitar and this amp is an incredible thrash metal setup. who knows?

 

[HOT TUBES 70]

I got that bad mid scoop thing happening with the 1959RR when it was brand new.
the only way I could describe the sound of a mahogany SG was 'blue'.
after a little burning time the amps sound radically changed. I think it was about 3 days of 'blue' tone and after that the marshall sound came out of the speakers.
the speakers were 'new' but they were old stock on the shop floor or returns. so THey'd been used before. My amp could have been a return as well, and the shop sales guys (6 of them) were all telling lies about the amp being
'new'. I wouldn't be supprised if it was returned because of the NON marshall sound.
If you keeped playing that blue 6100 it would have changed tone.

I don't doubt that the 6100 was made for an awesome sound .

I don't like to 'compare' to other marshalls cause they're made with different ideas in mind.

maybe its time i plonked down the cash on one of these amps.

just to enjoy some thing which was okay'd by the man himself.

I have found that with most things that the latest generation is actually more suited to heavy metal playing techniques.

maybe the latest guitar and this amp is an incredible thrash metal setup. who knows?

I wish i had kept an accurate count of how many guys that the 6100 Darkside thread chased away from the standard DSL , TSL , VM , 900 , and even the mighty 800 players over to the 6100 , and in the end a lot of them admitted that the 6100 blew their mind , and was indeed the best Marshall they have heard !!

Again , i came from a long line of owning some of the best & legendary amps that Marshall ever made , until i heard a 6100 , and it was over but the crying .... and i've never looked back !!!

 

[Jethro Rocker]

What speaker model is in your combo and ext cab?

Man, getting some volume up with this amp yields an incredible midrange enhanced distortion voicing. When I was playing "Jailbreak", I was getting goosebumps. No it did not sound like the original as I had a much meaner distortion voicing with CH3 Gain 6 Boost on and Mid at 7.

My TSL100 Crunch channel does that too when you can get the volume up a bit. I did do a few minor tweaks to my TSL though. Actually, those tweaks were only on the Lead channel tone shaping circuit and treble peaker and bright cap.

I guess it's different from the US version, both have Celestion S303 200 w (!) In each! I want to try running the outout to the Mesa V30 closed back and listen to the difference. I believe the US models use a 150W Eminince if I recall. Such a cool little mini stack!!

 

[RickyLee]

I guess it's different from the US version, both have Celestion S303 200 w (!) In each! I want to try running the outout to the Mesa V30 closed back and listen to the difference. I believe the US models use a 150W Eminince if I recall. Such a cool little mini stack!!

Do you think those speakers are in the blue 4x12 cabs as well?

 

[RickyLee]

Dreyn's idea of an amp being broken in when new I can see. But regarding that blue 6100 halfstack, I can not verify if that amp was new. That experience was back in '05 and the amp was from '92. That means the amp was 13 years old at that point. Had it been sitting in Guitar Center for most of its life? Was it traded in? I can't answer that one.

 

[HOT TUBES 70]

Dreyn's idea of an amp being broken in when new I can see. But regarding that blue 6100 halfstack, I can not verify if that amp was new. That experience was back in '05 and the amp was from '92. That means the amp was 13 years old at that point. Had it been sitting in Guitar Center for most of its life? Was it traded in? I can't answer that one.

The Blue LE EL34 head was the first 6100 i heard .... it changed the way i have looked , listened and bought amps ever since !

 

[Tonton]

was thinking something weird today.
instead of the half power switch disabling two tubes, it should split the tubes to two output channels. The loop should also be stereo return of course
with my 6101 and 6912 a nice spread of stereo sounds would be possible

 

[Jethro Rocker]

Do you think those speakers are in the blue 4x12 cabs as well?

I cannot imagine they would put 800w of speakers in a 4c12. They're heavy buggers, too. Makes sense in a 1x12 with 100 watts if not a bit overkill. Will try my experiment tomorrow when the boss is at work!

 

[RickyLee]

was thinking something weird today.
instead of the half power switch disabling two tubes, it should split the tubes to two output channels. The loop should also be stereo return of course
with my 6101 and 6912 a nice spread of stereo sounds would be possible

A stereo head has been on my to do list. Would not be all that tough to do. Two output transformers of course.

But I have also thought about the switching ON/OFF of two power tubes as a boost. That switching of the power section stuff that some Mesa amps do is actually very impressive in my book. Being able to assign EL34 to one channel and 6L6 to another, or even mix in 6V6 in there.

 

[tazzboy]

I had a 6100 regrettably I trade it along with DSL 100 For a Fender American Stratocaster.

 

[HOT TUBES 70]

I had a 6100 regrettably I trade it along with DSL 100 For a Fender American Stratocaster.

say it's not so ...

 

[HOT TUBES 70]

My 6100 is now in the care of Anitoli ...
It's like sending your 1970 Hemi Cuda to Chip Foose for restoration ...

 

[rjohns1]

HotTubes, what are you getting done to it? Some days I miss mine, but I am done with big stacks. My back just can't take it anymore. I would love to come across a 6101 combo, but for now, the DSL40C I got fills the need for Marshall goodness. Gasp, I know, a former 6100 player now runs a DSL.

 

[RickyLee]

HotTubes, what are you getting done to it? Some days I miss mine, but I am done with big stacks. My back just can't take it anymore. I would love to come across a 6101 combo, but for now, the DSL40C I got fills the need for Marshall goodness. Gasp, I know, a former 6100 player now runs a DSL.

Ahh, nothing wrong with that at all. Just that you are missing some features that the 6100 had, But the DSL is a fine amp.

Did you do any mods on that DSL40C? My bud called me the other day asking about the 40C as he had a trade offer to pick one up. I told him to google and he should find anything he needs to know about them.

Is the 40C the same basically as the old DSL100/50 heads on the channel switching and modes options? That is what I told him to check into.

 

[rjohns1]

I just picked up the amp about 6 hours ago today. I ended up swapping the speaker for a greenback I had. The original is decent, but a little too bright. I've owned several DSL's in the past. I had jcm 2000 100 watt head, and 2 DSL 401's. The new one is great, I love that they replaced the deep switch with a resonance knob. On the combo, you can dial it in nicely. And the cabinet is big, and it is perfect for the 12. Does not sound like a small 1 12 combo at all. Big and full sounding. I like that the combo runs el34 tubes, the old 401's had el84s. This has that magic Marshall sound.

 

[RickyLee]

I just picked up the amp about 6 hours ago today. I ended up swapping the speaker for a greenback I had. The original is decent, but a little too bright. I've owned several DSL's in the past. I had jcm 2000 100 watt head, and 2 DSL 401's. The new one is great, I love that they replaced the deep switch with a resonance knob. On the combo, you can dial it in nicely. And the cabinet is big, and it is perfect for the 12. Does not sound like a small 1 12 combo at all. Big and full sounding. I like that the combo runs el34 tubes, the old 401's had el84s. This has that magic Marshall sound.

That is awesome. I am trying to remember all those threads ago when we were having all the DSL conversations. I am remembering you had done some sweet mods on your DSL100, am I correct?