My First Marshall

[zepplin490]

Hi all im quite new around here and i think this is actually my first post. I am a Randall MTS guy, ive got many thousands invested into 4 MTS amps and about a dozen custom modules.. One of these modules is the jaded faith 1959rr which is basically a do it all marshall clone. Its has 4 switches that enable you to alter the tone stack from JMP to JCM switch, a vintage/modern switch a haze switch and a 2/3 gain stage switch. This module can give me a very close approximation of about every marhsall ever built (except the jubilee but there a module for that too). But back to my point as great as the sound i get out of my current rig I have been smitten with the "Real Marshall" bug, I have been listening to countless clips and youtube video reviews of various Marshalls from the entire spectrum of marshall goodness.

If i had the money I would hands down buy an AFD100, this is my favorite tone of all time and IMHO the best hard rock tone ever to grace this planet, But my budget will not allow this so ive been looking at jcm 2000's both the DSL and paticularly the TSL, my basic needs are a clean channel that stays clean at pretty high volume but has a gain knob so it can be overdriven if wanted, I require a high gain channel because in my current band i play mostly metal so a very gainy sound with a possible boost is a need as well. This is why i am gravitating towards the TSL from what ive read its got a clean channel, a dirty mid to high gain and an over the top high gain channel.. just what i was looking for, I have read that some of the early jcm 2000's were a bit unreliable so what year did they change the design and improve reliability? Is this the amp I seek? (no i dont want a JVM) and whats a fair price for one of these today? from what ive been seeing on ebay they are going for $650 to $900 so whats the deal boys and girls should I pull the trigger?
-mp-

 

[Lowlife]

Since you don't want a JVM...which would have been my recommandation after your gain speech, I'd go for the DSL. There are a LOT more fanatic fans of that amp in here...and I'm sure they can't all be wrong.

 

[clutch71]

The MTS stuff is cool but at the end of the day, it's another manufacture trying to replicate another amp. Guitar geeks like me could tell the difference between the modules and the real thing(I used Rectifiers for years and tried a the Tread plate....I liked it but there was a difference), but the average listener in a bar...no.

With that in mind, I'm a firm believer in getting what you want. If you want an AFD, get one. With a 4 amps and a dozen modules...start pairing down your gear and you should get close. I'm willing to bet dollars to donuts that there are 3 maybe 4 that get the most playing time.

As a known DSL user and abuser, Obviously I would point you to the DSL but based on what you said about the AFD, I would hate to point you in that direction only to have the AFD always be in the back of your mind.

Best of luck and welcome to the forum.

 

[Söulcaster]

If i had the money I would hands down buy an AFD100, this is my favorite tone of all time and IMHO the best hard rock tone ever to grace this planet

You are obviously a man of impeccable style and taste.....

Welcome to the dark side...,,

Peace

 

[blues_n_cues]

ebay seems rather inflated lately.I'd try Music Go Round or CL first.
$500-$600 avg.

 

[MonstersOfTheMidway]

You could probably score a DSL50 head, or TSL60 head for about $500-600 in most markets (assuming you were looking for a head). You also didn't specify 100 watts, 50 watts, 25 watts, 1 watt, etc.

You could get yourself a good DSL100 or TSL100 head starting at $600 or $650 and ending around $700 or $750. You might be able to find one for less than $600 or low ball 'em to a little less, but it depends on the condition of the tubes, the condition of the amp, etc.

Both the DSL and TSL head have a dedicated clean channel and are, ofcourse, channel switching. I think that the TSL would be a little easier to work with as far as dialing the EQ for your (all 3 channels have their own EQ network on the TSL).

So for your current band, I'd say TSL100 will give you plenty of headroom to hang in there with a loud band.

 

[zepplin490]

The only thing about the 60 watt TSL that i dont like is that each channel does not have a seperate EQ i forgot to mention that in my original post. I believe that the 100 watt TSL and DSL's both have seperate EQ's for all their channels and yes 50-100 watts is what im looking for a 50 watter is all i really need but if i cant have a seperate eq for each channel ill gladly take a 100 watt head.
thanks for the feedback guys!
-mp-
Monstersofthemidway nailed it I think a TSL100 is in my future now ive gotta get rid of my randall rm50 combo and my b52 at-100 head and that should cover the cost of a decent used TSL100 Im excited ive only ever owned line 6's and then got into the randalls with a Red Bear 120 watt head that i bought when I was 17...

 

[acidvoodoo]

(no i dont want a JVM)

Whats holding you back from the JVM? Too modern? It sounds like it would be a great fit for you as it covers a lot of marshall flavors.

 

[Metalway]

Whats holding you back from the JVM? Too modern? It sounds like it would be a great fit for you as it covers a lot of marshall flavors.

I agree, it's a brilliant amp!

 

[Landshark]

The only thing about the 60 watt TSL that i dont like is that each channel does not have a seperate EQ i forgot to mention that in my original post. I believe that the 100 watt TSL and DSL's both have seperate EQ's for all their channels and yes 50-100 watts is what im looking for a 50 watter is all i really need but if i cant have a seperate eq for each channel ill gladly take a 100 watt head.
thanks for the feedback guys!
-mp-
Monstersofthemidway nailed it I think a TSL100 is in my future now ive gotta get rid of my randall rm50 combo and my b52 at-100 head and that should cover the cost of a decent used TSL100 Im excited ive only ever owned line 6's and then got into the randalls with a Red Bear 120 watt head that i bought when I was 17...

The DSLs have one eq for both channels, and the TSL has some awesome metal tones in it. Both are good amps but the TSL 100 has three separate eqs.

 

[paul-e-mann]

Don't be in a rush. Start stashing your money away and you will soon have an AFD before you know it. Don't sell yourself short from what you want.

 

[zepplin490]

Yeah I would love to get an AFD100 but the lack of a clean channel bothers me a bit, I would have to have another amp to cover just cleans. My lack of interest in the JVM is basically that the 4 channel older version is a little out of my price range and I dont need 4 channels or all of the extra features that it has. I run a basic setup an amp a footswitch to switch channels a hardwire reverb pedal and a boss NS-2 noise gate (and currently with my RM4 a BBE 882I sonic maximizer) I basically want 3 channels with fairly simple EQ's and no MIDI switching or extra tap dancing required. I want a classic 80's gain channel a clean and a modern slightly scooped channel for classic metallica,testament and newer heavy stuff.. Im pretty much set on finding a late model JCM 2000 TSL100. Does anyone know what the last couple years that they were were?
-mp-

 

[Force235]

my basic needs are a clean channel that stays clean at pretty high volume but has a gain knob so it can be overdriven if wanted,
-mp-

Although the AFD is cool and sounds great, it is very one dimensional, it doesn't have a clean channel at all, I had an AFD100 SCE #82, sold it for a few reasons, crazy price, low versatility, weighs about 80 lbs which is absolutely ridiculous and impractical to use and own.
One of the most versatile amps Marshall ever created is the 6100, the intention at the time was to capture all of the classic Marshall sounds up until the 30th anniversary, the JTM45, JMP, JCM800, JCM900. Marshall would never create this amp today (bad marketing - does too much), just look at the 50th anniv amps, 1 watters that represent each classic amp, but you have to buy them separately at $750 a pop. The 6100 can do it all and it sounds incredible, if that's not enough, it has 3 power settings, 25w, 50w, 100w, can't say enough about the 6100...

 

[zepplin490]

Been reading TSL100 reviews all morning 90% are giving ravingly great reviews the only negative things i have heard are reliability issues, I like the idea of on board reverb although i question the quality (someone please chime in here) Id love to get rid of the hardwire and just have the 5 button tsl footswitch and the NS-2 at my feet, The power reduction feature is a killer feature as I practice mostly in a medium sized bedroom. Looks like ill be getting one of these if i can find someone within driving distance that will let me jam on theirs for a half an hour or so or if one of the local music shops happens to get one in. Im going to reduce my randall mts collection down from 2 heads a preamp and a combo to 1 head and a preamp and sell off my b52 at-100 (which is a killer amp for the price) but im gonna keep the b52 cab as it sounds great..!
-mp-

 

[Landshark]

Yeah I would love to get an AFD100 but the lack of a clean channel bothers me a bit, I would have to have another amp to cover just cleans. My lack of interest in the JVM is basically that the 4 channel older version is a little out of my price range and I dont need 4 channels or all of the extra features that it has. I run a basic setup an amp a footswitch to switch channels a hardwire reverb pedal and a boss NS-2 noise gate (and currently with my RM4 a BBE 882I sonic maximizer) I basically want 3 channels with fairly simple EQ's and no MIDI switching or extra tap dancing required. I want a classic 80's gain channel a clean and a modern slightly scooped channel for classic metallica,testament and newer heavy stuff.. Im pretty much set on finding a late model JCM 2000 TSL100. Does anyone know what the last couple years that they were were?
-mp-

Not sure exactly what the last production year was, but my TSL100 is a 2006 model.

Been reading TSL100 reviews all morning 90% are giving ravingly great reviews the only negative things i have heard are reliability issues, I like the idea of on board reverb although i question the quality (someone please chime in here) Id love to get rid of the hardwire and just have the 5 button tsl footswitch and the NS-2 at my feet, The power reduction feature is a killer feature as I practice mostly in a medium sized bedroom. Looks like ill be getting one of these if i can find someone within driving distance that will let me jam on theirs for a half an hour or so or if one of the local music shops happens to get one in. Im going to reduce my randall mts collection down from 2 heads a preamp and a combo to 1 head and a preamp and sell off my b52 at-100 (which is a killer amp for the price) but im gonna keep the b52 cab as it sounds great..!
-mp-

The reverb is ok... you may find you like your hardwire better just because its what you're used to hearing, or depending on the model it may just be able to do more.



I hope you find what you're looking for man. These amps are monsters.

 

[XxIPxX]

I got a Haze 40 combo off guitar center used for $198, might want to check there also

 

[zepplin490]

I checked GC's website and all that they have for used jcm 2k's are DSL's and DSL401's. Ive been watching ebay and while there are a few TSL100's that look pretty good they are all 8-900$ which i will pay but its not what im looking to pay. There are also some of the TSL 60 watt combo's for around $500 but once again shared EQ
-mp-

 

[zepplin490]

Ok guys another review read and another question.. From looking at pictures of the JCM 2000 TSL 122 100 watt combo it appears as though it has the separate Eq's for all 3 channels while the TSL602 60 watt combo has the shared eq on the gain channels and the 60 watt tsl head also has shared eq for the gain channels.. I may actually bend a little and accept the shared gain eq's as I can set my b52 AT-100 for 2 very different sounding gain channels that share an eq but the B52 has a contour knob that is assignable to either channel and has gain and volume for both...
-mp-

 

[paul-e-mann]

I checked GC's website and all that they have for used jcm 2k's are DSL's and DSL401's. Ive been watching ebay and while there are a few TSL100's that look pretty good they are all 8-900$ which i will pay but its not what im looking to pay. There are also some of the TSL 60 watt combo's for around $500 but once again shared EQ
-mp-

Ebay has a notification system that will send you a message when ever a TSL is listed. Just sit back and wait for the emails!

 

[zepplin490]

Cool thanks for that little bit of info!
All i can say is "Woooaaahh Im Halfway there" got $500 for my randall RM50 Combo... and Just got in a NOS Randall RM50 Head with EL84's Just getting a very old (1986) Usa Charvel Superstrat fixed up and when I sell it one of those nicer looking TSL 100 Heads is going to be inbound.. BTW Does anyone know what the exact years were that the Jcm 2000 TSL 100's were produced? Ive heard from a couple posts that the later models were vastly superior to the early models in reliability.. So I want to know what years i should be looking for so i can ask some of the sellers on ebay.. I havent been able to find a TSL100 anywhere else than Ebay guitar center has a bunch of jcm 2000's but they are all DSL's.
-mp-
One more quick question what are there out there for two channel marshall heads with 2 seperate EQ's that will give me a nice high gain sound? and still be able to be dialed in for classic rock and 80's (GnR) style hard rock?