This Darned DSL20CR.......

[Gene Ballzz]

This DSL20CR just keeps blowing me away. Besides upgrading the speaker (when used as a combo) to a 1969 Pre Rola, 25 watt 75hz greenback, I've swapped the EL34 power tubes for JJ 6V6S. I generally run with between -7db and -10.5db attenuation through a @JohnH attenuator, but the sound & response is exactly the same as unattenuated! I mostly live on the Classic Channel, with gain and volume cranked and only go to the Ultra for silly pleasures. All members of the Holy Trinity happily give up their own unique, characteristic blessings, with all the same amp settings. Only caveat is the need for a boost/stomp/pedal/foot/thingie for certain things with an SSS Strat!

The 6V6s brought a Fender Deluxe Reverb type of clean clarity while still retaining the Marshall tonal character and mid range grunt! Then when I use it through either my '72 Greenback, 1960B, 4x12 or my 1965B, 4x10 it gets pretty huge.

Though I've not yet had a preamp tube rolling session, it already seems to be riding that glorious crossover zone between the most killer tones of the best of Marshall and Fender amp goodness! I'm also betting that if I measured the output, it would currently be at between 12 and 15 watts. And while I dearly love my 5E3 Tweed Deluxe, this darned DSL20CR sure gives it a good run for the money! The Reverb is also pretty nice, though I leave it off and do any reverbs through my Lexicon MX300, allong with massive tap tempo delay through the loop. I'm an absolut echo/delay junkie!

I'm guessing that a pair of 6L6s would bring the wattage back up closer to 20, and sound even a little closer to the character of a Deluxe Reverb. I'll likely give the 6L6s a try and report back, but won't likely keep them in. The thing is, I don't need those extra watts and the 6V6s are pretty dang sweet and smooth! I think the 6L6s will make it sound a tad more percussive and harsh.

I think as more folks become familiar with what can be accomplished with this amp model, it will become the most loved darling of the whole DSL series, in years to come. Once schematics become available, they will likely be fairly straight forward to keep maintained/repaired and even probably modded. Though I don't see a lot of mods needed, except maybe to correct (as with all DSLs) the slight loss of bottom end BEEF when switching to the Ultra Channel from a fantastic sounding Classic Channel setting.

Just Lovin' My Rig!
Gene

 

[paul-e-mann]

6V6 interesting....

 

[miyaru]

I know that feeling, I have it with my DSL1CR - unmodded yet, but who knows what's to come.............

And yes 6v6? didn't you mean 6L6?

 

[Gene Ballzz]

6V6 interesting....

FYI, in any cathode bias amp intended for EL34s, at least 6V6 and maybe even 6L6 are just fine. There's certainly safe enough current available in the power transformer. Now tyring to put EL34s in an amp designed for 6V6, that's a different and likely sad story, due to heater current draw! You could easily try those 6V6s in your Studio Series (is yours the SC or SV?) to bring a bit of the Fender style clarity (not clean ness) and character to the table for you. My main tonal goal is to be able to ride that line between the best of classic Fender and Marshall and ultimately be able to effortlessly slide to one side or the other of that line right from the guitar and my hands! The really great Tweed (not Bassman) tones and response and those of the early Marshalls are so similar, yet subtly different that I believe my goal to be achievable. One trick is to not confuse clean-ness with clarity. A full blown distortion sound can still have clarity witout actually being clean, if you catch my drift.

My next build is planned to be a 4 hole Plexi style preamp, driving into the cathodyne phase inverter and subsequent cathode bias power section of a 5E3 Deluxe. It should be glorious, if I can get the preamp voltages up high enough while keeping the 6V6s in their "happy" voltage spot! I'll likely need to layout too separate, parallel droppings strings.

And hey, let us all know if you try some 6V6s in your Studio?

Thanks My Friend!
Gene

 

[Gene Ballzz]

I know that feeling, I have it with my DSL1CR - unmodded yet, but who knows what's to come.............

And yes 6v6? didn't you mean 6L6?

Nope! I meant 6V6, just like in a cathode bias Tweed Deluxe. The 6L6 may be good also?

Just Sayin'
Gene

 

[Musicmaniac]

Sounds like you're happy as I am with my little DSL20HR. Haven't tried the 6v6 but if it sounds anything like my old Studio 15 I bet it's a keeper!

 

[purpleplexi]

Sometimes I think I would have been just as happy with a 20, an uprated speaker and a pedal. Better portabilty and truth is I don't need the extra versatility of the 40 really though I thought I did at the time. Interestingly I took the 40CR to the jam last night which is in a pretty big venue. Kept it on the 20 setting which was plenty. Got told to turn it down.... First time plugged straight in because I didn't have time to set up pedals. It was fine but second time I got up I used the ethos and it blew my mind. Not just the sound but the playabilty is so much better. I used to be a straight into the amp guy but the right pedal into a 20 is plenty. And that rhymes.

That said at these prices I could buy a 20 without breaking the bank. Hmmmmm....

 

[paul-e-mann]

FYI, in any cathode bias amp intended for EL34s, at least 6V6 and maybe even 6L6 are just fine. There's certainly safe enough current available in the power transformer. Now tyring to put EL34s in an amp designed for 6V6, that's a different and likely sad story, due to heater current draw! You could easily try those 6V6s in your Studio Series (is yours the SC or SV?) to bring a bit of the Fender style clarity (not clean ness) and character to the table for you. My main tonal goal is to be able to ride that line between the best of classic Fender and Marshall and ultimately be able to effortlessly slide to one side or the other of that line right from the guitar and my hands! The really great Tweed (not Bassman) tones and response and those of the early Marshalls are so similar, yet subtly different that I believe my goal to be achievable. One trick is to not confuse clean-ness with clarity. A full blown distortion sound can still have clarity witout actually being clean, if you catch my drift.

My next build is planned to be a 4 hole Plexi style preamp, driving into the cathodyne phase inverter and subsequent cathode bias power section of a 5E3 Deluxe. It should be glorious, if I can get the preamp voltages up high enough while keeping the 6V6s in their "happy" voltage spot! I'll likely need to layout too separate, parallel droppings strings.

And hey, let us all know if you try some 6V6s in your Studio?

Thanks My Friend!
Gene

I thought the Fender Bassbreaker kind of rode the line between Fender and Marshall, what do you think?

 

[Gene Ballzz]

I thought the Fender Bassbreaker kind of rode the line between Fender and Marshall, what do you think?

Though I've not yet played any of them, I'm guessing it would depend on which of the four models, as they are all quite different from each other. And then there's the fact that the DSL20 is actually a Marshall!

Just Sayin'
Gene

 

[purpleplexi]

[QUOTE And then there's the fact that the DSL20 is actually a Marshall!

Just Sayin'
Gene[/QUOTE]

Yep.
Actually from what I've heard the bassbreaker (weird name for a guitar amp) sounds pretty good. Occasionally I play through a supersonic which I think is Fenders last attempt at doing something 'Marshally'. I suspect that amp has issues but it's a pig of an amp to get any half decent sounds out of. And it weighs more than my car. It does have rotating leg things on the side that let it be tilted back which is a good idea for a combo and worth copying Marshall. Please.

 

[What?]

The last breed of smaller DSL's definitely have a thing going on. Bright and chimey and crunchy. That sort of sound isn't for everyone and everything, but taking it for what it is, it sounds good. I really dislike that they got disfigured with digital reverb though. It's like finding a new coat that you really like, but then you notice that it has a big stain on it. Ehhhhh.

I don't like the sounds of the Bassbreakers There is something off with all of them to my ears, like they are being constricted or restrained. Fender should maybe stick to Fender.

Marshall and Fender and everyone else should step back from digital when it comes to analog amps. Save it for the modelers and the people who don't mind playing those things.

 

[What?]

I think I got fooled by a particular set of demos of these amps where the recording made them sound brighter but not harsh, more chimey, more crunchy. Listening to demos of other amps by the same guy, he is making other amps that I know don't sound so good in person sound better. All other demos of these newer DSL's sound similar to older DSL's to me.

 

[Commander Corndogg]

After reading this post in this forum over and over again I have decided to do the same with the 6V6 mod and have put a Eminence swamp thing speaker into my Marshall dsl20cr.

I wholeheartedly agree with Gene, this is my holy Grail I thought about messing with the cathode bias like Jean said but after a lengthy 6-hour jam session with my band including about 3 hours of playing all of our guitars through my newly modded Marshall, I have decided I don't need to just like what Gene said this amp really rides the line between like a Fender deluxe and a marshall Plexi on the classic channel.

We ran the gamut of guitars through this. several Les Paul's, several Fender American Strats and Teles, several SGS, casinos, evh guitars, Paul Reed Smiths, and ibanez's, they all sound stellar.

The best part is plugging a strat in the neck position on the classic channel and like Gene said turn all the knobs to 10 and it does that Jimi Hendrix super lead cleanish sound, where the bottom end is just barely breaking up and sounds so huge and the top end it's got this chimney, pleasantly polite but it's a little aggressive quality to it.

The Les Paul through the classic channel screams Jimmy Page. The Epiphone casino screams John Lennon.

The ultra channel with the gain at 3 and volume full leaves off where the classic ended. It's almost like putting a boost in front of the amp when you switch to the ultra channel when set up like this.

But it's not just a classic rock and roll amp like this either if I throw an ultra put it in full power mode crank the gain up to about 75%. I can pull out some extreme heavy metal and sound absolutely crushing.


Now for the part that is quite a bit different from what Gene's experience is.

I grew up playing guitar for about 16 years and happened upon a bass which I immediately fell in love with, it was a cheap $150 Ibanez with a precision pickup but it felt like home and every time I pick back up a guitar, something felt like it was missing.

Being a bass player really didn't appeal to me. And playing power chords on the low E string never truly felt intonated no matter how hard I tried. So I came up with a new tuning which I still have yet to see anyone else use which is awesome, it straddles the line between a guitar and a bass and is probably more similar to a eight or nine string guitar but without all the strings. But I use a bass to get there. It's tuned DDGC. Been using that tuning for about 12 years now on bass. Of course I have standard tuned basses and play guitar too.

And with my bass an Ibanez EHB 1500 headless bass it is absolutely crushing through the ultra channel and if I turn off the preamp on my bass and roll back the volume, I've got an absolutely stellar Ampeg sound.

Edit: my bass only works through this combo due to the Eminence Swamp Thang speaker I put in it, which has a bigger bass range going down to 70hz before the drop off rather than 90 or 80hz of a normal guitar speaker, and also has a little less highs which only results in taming the potential fizz of hi-gain preamps.

 

[Commander Corndogg]

Sorry not sorry, reviving this thread.

I made an account just to post here, plus more people should know about the power of a DSL20 with 6v6 tubes cranked.

 

[fitz]

Sorry not sorry, reviving this thread.

I made an account just to post here, plus more people should know about the power of a DSL20 with 6v6 tubes cranked.

to the forum.
No harm in resurrecting a necro thread if the content is on topic.
Post a thread in the introduce yourself page to share your gear info and music tastes if you want.
Introduce Yourself | MarshallForum.com

 

[Gene Ballzz]

@Commander Corndogg
First> to the forum!
I'm not sure I understand the benefit of the two lowest strings on a bass tuned to D? Are they an octave apart? Please elaborate a little bit?

And FWIW, I'm no longer using the 6V6 tubes in this amp (though their use has its place), but have instead migrated to Valve Art EL34s that sound way better cranked than the JJ EL34s that came stock in the amp.

Mmm-mmm, Corndogs!
Gene

 

[Commander Corndogg]

@Commander Corndogg
First> to the forum!
I'm not sure I understand the benefit of the two lowest strings on a bass tuned to D? Are they an octave apart? Please elaborate a little bit?

And FWIW, I'm no longer using the 6V6 tubes in this amp (though their use has its place), but have instead migrated to Valve Art EL34s that sound way better cranked than the JJ EL34s that came stock in the amp.

Mmm-mmm, Corndogs!
Gene

The D's are an octave apart.

I mainly intended on doing this mod as my favorite speaker the Swamp Thang wouldn't fit with the EL34s and I knew 6v6 were a suitable replacement in some cases and that they were short tubes.

I knew I loved 6v6s and am very glad I found this post as you gave me the confidence to just do it.

 

[scozz]

FYI, in any cathode bias amp intended for EL34s, at least 6V6 and maybe even 6L6 are just fine. There's certainly safe enough current available in the power transformer……….

That’s pretty interesting Gene, I hadn’t thought about trying those.

There were a couple of other tubes I was thinking about trying in my SC20, e34L and 6ca7.

Yeah, I think I might just take your suggestion and give 6L6s’ a go.

 

[paul-e-mann]

That’s pretty interesting Gene, I hadn’t thought about trying those.

There were a couple of other tubes I was thinking about trying in my SC20, e34L and 6ca7.

Yeah, I think I might just take your suggestion and give 6L6s’ a go.

Buddy just get the JJs out and anything will sound better.

 

[scozz]

Buddy just get the JJs out and anything will sound better.

I’m not running JJs anymore Pede, I put a matched set of Mullard New Production el34s, and 3 Tungsol 12ax7s months and months ago.

it’s just that lately I’ve been curious to try some different tubes, just to see what tones are available with other value tubes. I’ve also been thinking about trying a 12at7 in V1, just for the hell of it, to see what it sounds like.

It’s funny man, (as far as gear goes), sometimes I’ll say I want to try something, and I really do, but I never actually get around to doing it! Haha.

Lazy is the word I’m looking for.

Take care buddy!