And we're back where we began... (Marshall content)

[Red_Label]

In light of the "Marshall worthiness" thread...

So I've been focused on my acoustic projects lately, and had whittled my amp stable down to a single Egnater Rebel 20 and an Eleven Rack. Gone are the Bogner XTC Classic and VHT Pittbull UL, and the Bogner Shiva, H&K Triamp and others before that.

My buddy just traded into a Marshall DSL50 and needed an Eleven Rack for the worship deal. He's got a Bogner XTC 101B, Elmwood M60, Aiken something or other, brand new Splawn on the way, and other rigs. So he had traded me the Marshall for my 11R even before he took delivery of it. Once he'd had a couple of hours with it (before I picked it up) he'd started to remember what he'd been missing since he last owned a Marshall (he does still own the JMP-1 preamp and 9000 series rack power amp). He was quite taken with the DSL and when I took it home last night I became quite taken with it in short order. Especially after putting it through its paces at loud volumes for a few hours today.

It's just got that certain Marshall high-mid roar that Marshall does so well. I played through everything from early EVH, to Armored Saint, to AIC, to other iconic classic metal bands. I could not be happier... whether using my OCD or PlexiTone to hit the front end of the classic channel, or just using the hi-gain channel by itself. My XTC certainly stayed tighter for the deep, low tones. But for the crunchy, roaring mids that Marshall has always done so well, this DSL does them just as well as anything I've ever owned.

Anyways... Just wanted to salute "the sound of rock" with this NAD thread and put forth my opinion that even the "lowly" DSL (which seems to be completely dismissed on many gear forums) is an awesome tool and in the hands of a capable guitarist... is PLENTY potent for creating awesome tones and music. If it's good enough for the likes of Iron Maiden and Gary Moore... it's good enough for me...

[Chickenwings]

Re: And we're back where we began... (Marshall content)

DSL's are great...plenty of love for them around here!

[Edgecrusher]

Re: And we're back where we began... (Marshall content)

Not sure if agree with the "Lowly DSL" statement. If you were talking about a JCM900 4100 or an Artiste or what were the half tube mongrels they had in the late 80's (not the valvestates the ones im thinking of had tube poweramps and a half solid state preamp) I think the lowly moniker might fit. But the DSL even when current was regarded as one of the best designs they had put out in a long time. It might not reach legendary Plexi or JCM800 status but its far from bottom run either.

[d1dsj]

Re: And we're back where we began... (Marshall content)

Nice one, DSL's are some badass amps.... enjoy!

[Inkstained]

Re: And we're back where we began... (Marshall content)

It's just got that certain Marshall high-mid roar that Marshall does so well ...

.

Well said. Putting tone into words is always perilous, but with Marshall, there's always something "alive" in the mids that I don't hear with any other amp, especially when you let the thing sing. Even turned down, though, Marshall cleans are just tougher than anyone else's -- to my ears anyway.

Rawk on.

[That90'sGuy]

Re: And we're back where we began... (Marshall content)

I know what you mean, there's nothing quite like that high mid crunch that they have going on.

[Bludave]

Re: And we're back where we began... (Marshall content)

I need a Marshall, but a lower wattage one. I ave a Marshall 4 10" with 4 15W celestions in it that I would really like to use, but I am afraid of blowing these 40+ year old speakers. I am looking in the 20 to 30W range!

[Red_Label]

Re: And we're back where we began... (Marshall content)

Not sure if agree with the "Lowly DSL" statement. If you were talking about a JCM900 4100 or an Artiste or what were the half tube mongrels they had in the late 80's (not the valvestates the ones im thinking of had tube poweramps and a half solid state preamp) I think the lowly moniker might fit. But the DSL even when current was regarded as one of the best designs they had put out in a long time. It might not reach legendary Plexi or JCM800 status but its far from bottom run either.

.

I hear you... I was mainly referring to the fact that many gear forums just dismiss anything that's not a plexi or JCM800. In fact, I was just reading-up on the DSL on a few forums last week (including the Marshall forum) and there were guys saying that the DSL was crap. I think that some of these guys need to get out of the basement more. The true turning point on my attitude about the DSLs was a while back when I learned that Gary Moore and the guys from Iron Maiden did indeed use the DSLs on some of their tours. And the tone they were getting was great. When I plug-in and play old ACDC, or AIC, or whatever... this beasty kicks some major ass. I will say that the reissue JCM800 that I plugged into a few weeks ago had WAY more bottom end and HUGE balls than this DSL50 seems to have thus far. But I'm not feeling like I'm missing anything with the DSL.

[Red_Label]

Re: And we're back where we began... (Marshall content)

I need a Marshall, but a lower wattage one. I ave a Marshall 4 10" with 4 15W celestions in it that I would really like to use, but I am afraid of blowing these 40+ year old speakers. I am looking in the 20 to 30W range!

Could always go with the Class 5 head. But it certainly doesn't have the OD tones in it that the DSL has.

I had a Studio 15 combo back in the 80s or 90s. It was awesome and I wish I still had it. Wish they'd reissue that in a head!

[mwalluk]

Re: And we're back where we began... (Marshall content)

Wait a minute...........

Where have you been?!?!?!

What the Hell happened to your awesome stable of amps?!?!?!??!

You had a Bogner, VHT, etc.....

WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mwalluk]

Re: And we're back where we began... (Marshall content)

BUt back OT.....

The DSL is a solid amp. Anyone who disagrees either never ACTUALLY played one, Never spent time with it or it was the wrong amp for their style (someone buying a KRANK to play Jazz).

It truly is a solid, good amp. Nothing great, nothing special, just solid.

The main problem is that some only use it as a one channel amp and just focus on the green/orange channel. While others who use it as a 2 channel amp (like myself) hated the shared eq, the volume differences between channels and the lack of a pushed/deepswitch footswitchable option.


Let me say this, the green channel pushed (orange) with a KEeley DS1 or any good OD slamming the front end is tonal bliss.

[Red_Label]

Re: And we're back where we began... (Marshall content)

Wait a minute...........

Where have you been?!?!?!

What the Hell happened to your awesome stable of amps?!?!?!??!

You had a Bogner, VHT, etc.....

WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Been focusing on writing, recording, and now performing my own original instrumental steel string acoustic and also flamenco-jazz tunes. My last rock band folded in January and after feeling kind of lost, I felt that some major changes were in order. I'd always wanted to do some sort of flamenco thing in my area (cause NO one else has ever even thought about it), so I rolled forward with that full-speed-ahead. Sold my XTC, Uberkab and VHT UL and bought a Breedlove Masterclass Bossa Nova nylon string (and later a Breedlove American C25 steel string).

I've always been "go big or go home" kind of guy. So I'm always all-in when I choose a new direction. I figure that worst case scenario... I get bored with my new direction, I can always sell my acoustics and re-buy some nice amps. I tend to get bored with gear and need new gear for inspiration anyways. So it's doubtful I would have kept my Bogner and VHTs forever. The big thing there is that I don't like expensive gear just sitting around and being wasted. If I'm not using something and it's nice, then it's quickly sold for something that I will use. I have no regrets there, it's just my style. In fact, if I were to ever get back into the high-end amp world... I'd either try a 20th Anni Shiva, or if I wanted to do metal... I'd try a Deizel Hagan I'm thinking. I really enjoying trying all kinds of things and have a hard time being "monogamous" when it comes to guitars, amps, and other gear.

I gotta say though... I am digging this DSL50 a lot and unless/until I decide to swing back to rock as my primary, I don't see why it won't last quite a while. I had a Traynor YCS100H head for almost five years until I sold it to the other guitar player in my band last Fall. (Had two of them for a while!) So hopefully, the Marshall will become my new main squeeze for a while...


P.S. My first gig with my new solo flamenco-jazz project is this Friday at the local art museum. Been really "cramming" so I can feel relaxed for that. I've played hundreds (if not thousands) of rock, metal, and country gigs over the past 26 years. But this whole new, "naked" acoustic direction is definitely more apt to make me nervous because it's all just ME out there. I will be playing to my own backing tracks, but still... I've got no loud amps, drummer, bass player and singer to hide behind any more. [scary]

[Red_Label]

Re: And we're back where we began... (Marshall content)

BUt back OT.....

The DSL is a solid amp. Anyone who disagrees either never ACTUALLY played one, Never spent time with it or it was the wrong amp for their style (someone buying a KRANK to play Jazz).

It truly is a solid, good amp. Nothing great, nothing special, just solid.

The main problem is that some only use it as a one channel amp and just focus on the green/orange channel. While others who use it as a 2 channel amp (like myself) hated the shared eq, the volume differences between channels and the lack of a pushed/deepswitch footswitchable option.


Let me say this, the green channel pushed (orange) with a KEeley DS1 or any good OD slamming the front end is tonal bliss.

I agree that the shared EQ and the volume/"bigness" change that one experiences when switching between the classic and hi-gain channels is very frustrating. I'm hoping that maybe I can find someone who can mod the amp to give the hi-gain channel more balls like the crunch channel has.

And yeah... the classic channel with either my OCD or Plexitone pushing it is HUGE and BALLSY and does remind me a lot of the tone I was getting out of the reissue JCM800 2203X that I played a few weeks ago.

[Mattr4president]

Re: And we're back where we began... (Marshall content)

I really like your description of the DSL. My opinion of it is evolving and im becoming dsl curious.. I know a lot if bands that still use them live and I haven't spent a lot of time with one, but I usually have 1 of two reactions. They either know how to dial it in and they sound GREAT... or they sound like absolute crap. Its just my observation that you need to know how to work a Marshall where a 6505 or something a long those lines requires less work.. maybe if one came ny way at the right price I'd think about it.

[Red_Label]

Re: And we're back where we began... (Marshall content)

I really like your description of the DSL. My opinion of it is evolving and im becoming dsl curious.. I know a lot if bands that still use them live and I haven't spent a lot of time with one, but I usually have 1 of two reactions. They either know how to dial it in and they sound GREAT... or they sound like absolute crap. Its just my observation that you need to know how to work a Marshall where a 6505 or something a long those lines requires less work.. maybe if one came ny way at the right price I'd think about it.

The buddy who traded it to me texted me yesterday and told me that if he hadn't already done the deal with me, he'd have kept it. And this guy's got a room full of boutique amps! So it's definitely a great amp. I'm very satisfied with it after spending two days of 2+ hour sessions with it. As far as ease of dialing-in, I would say that it was fairly quick to dial-in for my tastes, as well as give it a spin and see what all tones were in there. My Shiva was the same way. Whereas the XTC and VHT UL took a while to really get the tones I was looking for. I think that the old addage about Marshalls really holds true with this amp... just roll all the tone controls to noonish and then tweak to taste. Hard to go wrong with a Marshall tube amp.

P.S. I was really nailing the classic Marshall tones that I grew-up with yesterday. ACDC's "Back in Black" album, Def Leppard's "High & Dry" album, April Wine, and one of my favorites -- Paul Dean's rippin tone on Loverboy's "Turn Me Loose".