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Help me understand marshall amps


strat6866

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Your right about the D standing for dual.

 

I think the only Marshall combo in the 20-40 watt range is the DSL 401 (40 watt). I could be wrong. I have owned one in the past, and actually miss certain sounds that I was able to get with that amp. However, I think it is almost criminal that Marshall is asking more for a DSL 401 then Vox is asking for an AC30.

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Your right about the D standing for dual.


I think the only Marshall combo in the 20-40 watt range is the DSL 401 (40 watt). I could be wrong. I have owned one in the past, and actually miss certain sounds that I was able to get with that amp. However, I think it is almost criminal that Marshall is asking more for a DSL 401 then Vox is asking for an AC30.

 

 

Interesting you mention the AC30....i have never played one and was wondering if they had any similarities in tones with overdrive.

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Marshall used to make the DSL in a 20 watt combo. But it sounds different than the head version in that the 40 Watt and 20 Watt Combo use El84's rather than El34's.

 

If you're lucky you can sometimes find the 20 Watt on ebay for around 500-600.

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Remember, there are two different JTM lines. One is the vintage JTM45 which is like the classic model from years ago. The JTM 30 and JTM60 are more modern sounding amps. Not as well built, but they have some decent tones. They have dual channels and are pretty versatile.

 

The DSL is close to the classic marshall tones, but again, they have a modern take on things. The TSL is more modern with a ton of preamp gain available.

 

My experience tells me that the DSL and TSL combos are pretty versatile, but you have to learn the amp and find the EQ settings that get you what you want.

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Interesting you mention the AC30....i have never played one and was wondering if they had any similarities in tones with overdrive.

 

 

Well, I don't think the two amps are all that similar. I'm not very good at describing amp sounds. Besides, I think sound descriptions mean different things to different people. For instance, people often describe Fender Twins as having a "warm" clean sound. However, the Fender Twin clean sound doesn't match my idea of what it means to be "warm" at all. However, I will give some of my thoughts on the two amps.

 

Neither amp has what I would call a "crystalline" clean sound. I really like the clean tones you can get with a AC30. They are "chimey" with a bit of "hair" to them. The DSL 401 has a rather unspectacular clean sound in my opinion. The AC30 is also what I would call a "punchy" amp. Really surprising to me as my experience with Class A amps led me to believe that they were not "punchy," but the Vox AC30 is. The DSL 401 is not as "punchy."

 

The DSL 401 has a nice "crunch" channel that really gives that classic Marshall distortion sound. I personally have never cared much for Vox distortion. Neither amp does High Gain well at all. The "boost" on the Marshall DSL 401 is unusable in my opinion.

 

Both amps take pedals well with a slight edge going to the Vox.

 

You should be able to try both amps at a Local GC if there is one near you. You should demo both, even if you plan to by used.

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the best suggestion i can give about the modern marshall amps is to change the tubes once you buy one. You will literally be blown away with how much better they will sound. And yes, the DSL does kick some serious ass w/ the right set of tubes.

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Yeah, i have a Fender Deluxe Reverb Reissue for the nice cleans that i want. I am looking for an amp with good overdrive channel to rock with which i believe will wind up being the DSL401. I have the opportunity to pick up a JTM 30 cheap but i have heard alot about problems with them overheating and breaking down.

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Just my two cents. I used to own a DSL401, and while I liked the sound I got from it (both clean and overdriven), it was rather unreliable.

 

The problem was that it got too hot, resulting in cold solder joints on the circuit boards. To my understanding this was a common problem on this model, where some users installed fans and made other adjustments to fix the problem.

 

I had my amp in for service two times. After the second time I decided to sell it. To replace it I got a DSL50 head and a 1936 cab. This not only sounded better but has been nothing but reliable since I got it. A more expensive solution, but something to consider.

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Well i need to make a decision between a JTM 30 and a JCM DSL 401. I will only be using it at moderate volumes for jamming no more that 3 hours at a time.

I dont have the opportunity to play them side by side so ..............What is the general consensus?

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