Recommendations on marshall all tube combos

[greendy123]

Which all tube marshall combos would you guys recommend me getting? I looking for high gain and nice mid sounds for stuff like weezer, mxpx and green day. Im looking probably at getting something at 50watts at most. Im trying for a budget under $700

 

[gtg10k]

Re: Recommendations on marshall all tube combos

dsl 40 is your best bet. look on ebay

 

[fenderiarhs]

Re: Recommendations on marshall all tube combos

From what i know there are various reliability issues with the dsl combo range(not with the heads though). I would say you'd better look at the TSL's

 

[Jimbojsr]

Re: Recommendations on marshall all tube combos

I'd go for DSL. Very nearly bought one myself, but I liked my v-amp too much. If I was gonna get a tube amp to use in pub gigs, etc. I'd probably get a DSL 40, or maybe a TSL 60 (but TSL costs more, so maybe not)

 

[greendy123]

Re: Recommendations on marshall all tube combos

Are you sure about the dsl 40 cause I read about reliability issue with that amp due to heat issues. But I read that marshall had that problem fixed in the newer amps of that type.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Recommendations on marshall all tube combos

Look for an early 80's JCM-800. 1982 or so. Vertical inputs...NOT side by side inputs. GREAT AMPS!

 

[jimpmiller]

Re: Recommendations on marshall all tube combos

if it has to be a marshall tube i would say a jcm-800...if not i towuld say fender ultimate chorus dsp..solid state, but near tube sound and more watts. nice gain and has plenty of effects and a mid booster.

 

[mrfjones]

Re: Recommendations on marshall all tube combos

Look for an early 80's JCM-800. 1982 or so. Vertical inputs...NOT side by side inputs. GREAT AMPS!

that is the first thing i thought of when i read your post. great recommendation lew

 

[jmh151]

Re: Recommendations on marshall all tube combos

I have a DSL40 that I bought used. As recommended by other people on the internet, I installed a fan from Radio Shack to cool it down. Later on I replaced all the tubes and biased the amp, and the amp ran alot cooler. It still gets warm, but I don't need to use the fan anymore.

However, I bought the DSL 401 a few years after the valvestate vs100 combo. I prefer the harsh tone of the Valvestate- it's alot better for hard rock and metal.

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Recommendations on marshall all tube combos

There are a lot better value for the money out there than the DSL combo's. JCM 800's can be had in your price range. I am a bigger fan of the channel switching models than some of the guys here. I like having a clean channel and a dirty channel. There are some great mods available to the 2 channel JCM's for not a lot of money that can get you Fender type cleans and great Marshall distortion.

For stock Marshalls, look for a JCM 600, or a JTM60. VERY underated amps. I owned the JCM 600 for a while, and am very sorry I sold it. It had the best stock cleans I have ever heard from a Marshall, and the OD was very solid. The JTM60 is essentially the same amp. You can often find these for under $500.

I would even consider the new Traynor Blue amp before the DLS40. That Traynor is supposed to do great Fender / Marshall tones....and is under $700 brand new. I think for your $700 budget you can do a lot better than the DSL40.

 

[Jimbojsr]

Re: Recommendations on marshall all tube combos

bear in mind that if u don't like 80's guitar tones, a JTM800 ain't gonna be that good...

 

[greendy123]

Re: Recommendations on marshall all tube combos

Which of the amps you guys list would best suit the tones I am looking for?

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Recommendations on marshall all tube combos

Look for an early 80's JCM-800. 1982 or so. Vertical inputs...NOT side by side inputs. GREAT AMPS!

Hello buddy...

Lew I just finished doing a 100 watt side input 800 that had some problems for one of our forum members..I then redid the board and did a few cool mods...The amp sounds strong,tight,crunchy,and just outstanding....What is the deal with vetical input vs side by side input 800s,other than the side by side having the pots on the circuit board? I've worked on both types and I Owned an 83 50 watter that had the vertical inputs...Just curious brother? The one pictured was completed yesterday and it totally rocks! Ear plugs are a requirement! :dance:

I feel that the side by side board is easier to work on,simply because all the pots remain on the board and there's no dangling wires to fight with....The vertical board 800s have the boards mounted more in the center of the chassis and it is harder to get under those boards for soldering and removing old components.....You have wires on both sides of this board and you don't have the manueverability with these boards also...

John

 

[drp555]

Re: Recommendations on marshall all tube combos

Hello buddy...

Lew I just finished doing a 100 watt side input 800 that had some problems for one of our forum members..I then redid the board and did a few cool mods...The amp sounds strong,tight,crunchy,and just outstanding....What is the deal with vetical input vs side by side input 800s,other than the side by side having the pots on the circuit board? I've worked on both types and I Owned an 83 50 watter that had the vertical inputs...Just curious brother? The one pictured was completed yesterday and it totally rocks! Ear plugs are a requirement! :dance:

John

Hey John...... I found this http://www.legendarytones.com/marshall2c.htm
big paragraph in the middle....

that Marshall looks familiar....

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Recommendations on marshall all tube combos

Hey John...... I found this http://www.legendarytones.com/marshall2c.htm
big paragraph in the middle....

that Marshall looks familiar....

Hello Jeff........ :wink:

Jeff.....That was a great read and your amp would benefit more(Maybe?) by the replacement of all 50/50 can caps,but your amp in no way sounds thin and grainy(Probably due to much upgrading)....Your amp is loud,powerful,tight,and has good strong lows...The losses are due to the open back cabinet and the 75 watt Celestions,but the amp sounds amazing to my ears!

 

[drp555]

Re: Recommendations on marshall all tube combos

Hello Jeff........ :wink:

Jeff.....That was a great read and your amp would benefit more(Maybe?) by the replacement of all 50/50 can caps,but your amp in no way sounds thin and grainy(Probably due to much upgrading)....Your amp is loud,powerful,tight,and has good strong lows...The losses are due to the open back cabinet and the 75 watt Celestions,but the amp sounds amazing to my ears!

hey man....yeah, apparently horizontal input 800s with 5 filter caps like mine are still ok...the ones with 3 filter caps are the culprits ....believe me, those 75 watt celestions will be gone as soon as I muster up the $$$ for some Vintage 30s

 

[Xeromus]

Re: Recommendations on marshall all tube combos

I have a Crate VFX5112 which I compared directly to a marshall dsl401 when I purchased it at Guitar Center. It blew the marshall away in every aspect. More/better gain, better clean, and lower price.

The Traynor 50Blue will also blow the doors off any marshall combo easily. And again, cheaper. Ask SocalSteve

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Recommendations on marshall all tube combos

Hello buddy...

Lew I just finished doing a 100 watt side input 800 that had some problems for one of our forum members..I then redid the board and did a few cool mods...The amp sounds strong,tight,crunchy,and just outstanding....What is the deal with vetical input vs side by side input 800s,other than the side by side having the pots on the circuit board? I've worked on both types and I Owned an 83 50 watter that had the vertical inputs...Just curious brother? The one pictured was completed yesterday and it totally rocks! Ear plugs are a requirement! :dance:

Hi John, Well I've owned both. The '82 version just sounds better. Ballsier.

It's a differant circuit board in the two and it could be the layout of the circuit board that contributes to the difference in tone. The voltages were also differant tho, with the '86 version having higher voltages on the pre amp tubes. And there are some minor parts differences too, though I'd have to dig out my notes to remember exactly what. One had a choke and one had a resistor, I remember that. The guy I sold my '86 side by side input 50 watt JCM-800 combo to loved it...but I didn't offer to let him compare it to my '82. I'm no fool! :laugh2:

Seriously, I spent alot of time tweaking my '86 (lowered the plate voltage on the preamp tubes to match my '82, etc.) to try and get it to sound as warm, full and ballsy as my '82, and though I was able to accomplish alot, it never did sound as nice, even with the same tubes and played through the same speakers. Didn't sound bad...just not as nice.

I'm not the only one who has noticed the diff between the two years when the two amps are played side by side.

Lew

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Recommendations on marshall all tube combos

Hi John, Well I've owned both. The '82 version just sounds better. Ballsier.

It's a differant circuit board in the two and it could be the layout of the circuit board that contributes to the difference in tone. The voltages were also differant tho, with the '86 version having higher voltages on the pre amp tubes. And there are some minor parts differences too, though I'd have to dig out my notes to remember exactly what. One had a choke and one had a resistor, I remember that. The guy I sold my '86 side by side input 50 watt JCM-800 combo to loved it...but I didn't offer to let him compare it to my '82. I'm no fool! :laugh2:

Seriously, I spent alot of time tweaking my '86 (lowered the plate voltage on the preamp tubes to match my '82, etc.) to try and get it to sound as warm, full and ballsy as my '82, and though I was able to accomplish alot, it never did sound as nice, even with the same tubes and played through the same speakers. Didn't sound bad...just not as nice.

I'm not the only one who has noticed the diff between the two years when the two amps are played side by side.

Lew

I normally do some mods on the 800s and I'm sure that's why I don't hear any differences....I normally get the 50 watters to mod and so I've not done a side by side comparison of the 100 watters....I will say that Jeff's 800 sounds really good...It doesn't possess any thin or harsh tones,but again,there are several little mods that I Like to do on the 800 series... :wink:

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Recommendations on marshall all tube combos

I normally do some mods on the 800s and I'm sure that's why I don't hear any differences....I normally get the 50 watters to mod and so I've not done a side by side comparison of the 100 watters....I will say that Jeff's 800 sounds really good...It doesn't possess any thin or harsh tones,but again,there are several little mods that I Like to do on the 800 series... :wink:

The two JCM 800 combo amps I owned were single channel master volume 50 watters too. The only 100 watt JCM 800 I've owned was a a two channel with reverb and channel switching...it was fun for a while. I liked the distortion channel better than the clean channel and the reverb was OK, but not great.