TSL 122 vs DSL 40CR

[Lukas]

Love my DSL 40CR but saw a used TSL 122 at my local guitar store yesterday for $600. I rented a TSL 100 Watt head years ago and loved it so this used combo is kinda tempting to maybe trade my DSL for….. or is that a dumbass idea? If it’s comparable with 2 speakers I’d really consider it. I like a V30 but have never played a Heritage Celestion which is the second speaker in the 122 combo. It’s in great shape no tears or anything just dusty. Thing is I know what I have in my DSL40CR. I bought it new like 5 years ago and has been flawless and I also changed the speaker in it to suite my needs better. I don’t wanna trade for something that’s going to be a piece of shit and from what I’ve read these are like a 2000-2005 Vintage? Can anyone give any input on a TSL 122 combo that’s maybe played both amps I’m comparing? I play mainly Thrash metal but I love a beautiful clean tone also.
Thanks

 

[Dogs of Doom]

aesthetically, it can be perfect, but, internally, it can be trouble...

 

[Lukas]

aesthetically, it can be perfect, but, internally, it can be trouble...

We’ll that’s what I’ve read but then some people say the problems people have with the TSL’s are BS and overrated?

 

[Lukas]

I should see if they sell some kind of used warranty with it…. If they don’t yeah could be a bad idea

 

[Kuga]

The TSL 100/122 it's a better amp than a DSL40CR IMHO. But It can be a pain in your ass If it's had not fixed properly or it's made after 2004. A warranty on It it's a MUST. Also a working footswitch. Ask what year was made. If it's made before 2004, do It have a new mother board?

 

[Lukas]

The TSL 100/122 it's a better amp than a DSL40CR IMHO. But It can be a pain in your ass If it's had not fixed properly or it's made after 2004. A warranty on It it's a MUST. Also a working footswitch. Ask what year was made. If it's made before 2004, do It have a new mother board?

Better how? Elaborate

 

[Kuga]

Better how? Elaborate

In all of It. You know my English level it's poor. But If I could explain myself properly I will elaborate a Big answer. My best tip it's try a good one. Then make you an opinion on It.

 

[Lukas]

Your English seems great

 

[Jethro Rocker]

It has 3 full channels with separate gain, volume and EQ for each. Different tonally, less fizzy sounding than a DSL but lower gain than DSL OD2 so you may want to boost the front with an OD pedal. I love mine, zero issues, if it had the main board replaced then rock n roll!! It is a very heavy beast.
Warranty? Try it, I say. If it's Long n McQuade it can be returned one can check the bias easily as it has outside bias points and check to see if bias drifts. If no drift... see how you like it.
Remember too it is like 20+ years old and your CR is fairly new.

 

[Lukas]

It has 3 full channels with separate gain, volume and EQ for each. Different tonally, less fizzy sounding than a DSL but lower gain than DSL OD2 so you may want to boost the front with an OD pedal. I love mine, zero issues, if it had the main board replaced then rock n roll!! It is a very heavy beast.
Warranty? Try it, I say. If it's Long n McQuade it can be returned one can check the bias easily as it has outside bias points and check to see if bias drifts. If no drift... see how you like it.
Remember too it is like 20+ years old and your CR is fairly new.

Well that’s the thing it’s old… it’s a 1999 I just called Long and Mcquade. They give you 90 days Warranty and can purchase another year on top of that for $87.

 

[Lukas]

Boosting isn’t an issue I have a TS9 I use in my DSL 40. Only thing I asked him is I wanna pull that Heritage speaker out of it and install the G12T 75 out of my DSL if I do the trade. Put the Heritage in the DSL. He sounded baffled and didn’t know if they could do that and is calling back. If they won’t do that it’s a no go for me.

 

[Lukas]

The V30 which is one of the speakers in there I’m pretty sure sounds killer with a G12T and that’s what I’d want. Pulled that shrill V type out of my DSL & replaced it with a G12T sounds way better and that’s what I’d want in that JCM combo with the Vintage 30

 

[Jethro Rocker]

Boosting isn’t an issue I have a TS9 I use in my DSL 40. Only thing I asked him is I wanna pull that Heritage speaker out of it and install the G12T 75 out of my DSL if I do the trade. Put the Heritage in the DSL. He sounded baffled and didn’t know if they could do that and is calling back. If they won’t do that it’s a no go for me.

The Heritage and Vintage are an excellent combination in that amp it's why they put em in there to begin with.

 

[Jethro Rocker]

The V30 which is one of the speakers in there I’m pretty sure sounds killer with a G12T and that’s what I’d want. Pulled that shrill V type out of my DSL & replaced it with a G12T sounds way better and that’s what I’d want in that JCM combo with the Vintage 30

Don't judge till you hear it! The Vintage in there is a different series I believe. You can't compare the V type with a Heritage.

 

[Dogs of Doom]

The TSL 100/122 it's a better amp than a DSL40CR IMHO. But It can be a pain in your ass If it's had not fixed properly or it's made after 2004. A warranty on It it's a MUST. Also a working footswitch. Ask what year was made. If it's made before 2004, do It have a new mother board?

I would not say that 2004 has any sort of magic fix...

They may have fixed some of the issues, but, the amp had inherent problems up until the day they discontinued it (& beyond).

For instance, they made 20+ re-issues of the main board. (IIRC, 2004 was ISS 7, out of 21) They also did some revisions of the other boards, but, good luck finding any...

Mine, is a 2006:



& it has it's had it's share of problems...

I bought it used, & played it, the guy had bought some new tubes, but hadn't installed them. I figured, I'd just install them, that's where my fun ride started. The amp spent the next 2 years unused, by me, because it needed fixes.

At this point, it may still need something w/ the footswitch fixed, because it blew a resistor on the output board. One that shouldn't blow, except for a short causing some stray voltage going through it...

While mine probably has a better quality pc board, which is not conductive, it is far from a bug-free amp, straight from the factory.

The 1999 mfgr units, like the OP is looking at, has ALL the problems...

make sure to scroll all the way through this page, to see what the TSL is capable of:

The Marshall TSL122 JCM2000 Repair/Mods Page

 

[Lukas]

So it would be a Dumb ass trade at the end of the day if my DSL has the speaker I want and tone and newer tubes that don’t drift! Noted thanks.

 

[Kuga]

Your English seems great

Thank you so much. But belive me just seems. I spend some time to answer anything. My pronunciation it's horrible. Many expresion I don't undestand. Google translation can't help me. I try my best.

 

[Kuga]

I would not say that 2004 has any sort of magic fix...

They may have fixed some of the issues, but, the amp had inherent problems up until the day they discontinued it (& beyond).

For instance, they made 20+ re-issues of the main board. (IIRC, 2004 was ISS 7, out of 21) They also did some revisions of the other boards, but, good luck finding any...

Mine, is a 2006:

View attachment 140830

& it has it's had it's share of problems...

I bought it used, & played it, the guy had bought some new tubes, but hadn't installed them. I figured, I'd just install them, that's where my fun ride started. The amp spent the next 2 years unused, by me, because it needed fixes.

At this point, it may still need something w/ the footswitch fixed, because it blew a resistor on the output board. One that shouldn't blow, except for a short causing some stray voltage going through it...

While mine probably has a better quality pc board, which is not conductive, it is far from a buggy amp, straight from the factory.

The 1999 mfgr units, like the OP is looking at, has ALL the problems...

make sure to scroll all the way through this page, to see what the TSL is capable of:

The Marshall TSL122 JCM2000 Repair/Mods Page

Mine it's from '98. I bought It new. It was my only Marshall amp many years. I giged with It a lot. About 2010 It had some noise. I replaced all boards with latest revision. Then a worn footswitch cable burned out footswitch fuses from rear board. But It never burn a HT fuse. It never stop working. I have some Marshall's amps I can't say same about them.

 

[JohnH]

I've heard TSL's and I think they sound great. But my impression is that they were going a bit too far with features and versatility, using 90's tech, and so all that complexity leads to too much that can go wrong. Also it'd have to be 20-25 years old or so? with potential issues that that can lead to. I'd rather move forward a few years to a JVM.

 

[Jethro Rocker]

I've heard TSL's and I think they sound great. But my impression is that they were going a bit too far with features and versatility, using 90's tech, and so all that complexity leads to too much that can go wrong. Also it'd have to be 20-25 years old or so? with potential issues that that can lead to. I'd rather move forward a few years to a JVM.

Yeah a JVM would kick i.t but wouldn't be $600