The DSL Marshall combo 40 watt amp

Re: The DSL Marshall combo 40 watt amp

My other guitarist uses one. Swapped out the speaker for a cream back of some sort. Sounds really good, seems to take pedals well and hasn't had any issues over the last year or so he's had it. He bought it new at GC.
 
Re: The DSL Marshall combo 40 watt amp

I have played this amp numerous times. It is a simple amp with good tones. It's designed to be simple to operate and easy to get good tones with. The cleans are good for an el34 tube based amp. The rhythm and lead tones are good too. I noticed the cool thing this amp does well is to jack the tone to a heavy tone and back off your guitars volume to about 6 or 7. Use your guitar volume to cut in lead riffs at the full volume sound and you really won't need a distortion pedal to play it this way. Backing off the volume will give you a more pronounced amp clipping tone that is great for rhythm riffs or fat neck pickup solo's. Full guitar volume gives you the singing lead gain tones when using the amp this way. I like the half power switch in the back as well becouse you can then turn the amp volume up louder to produce more percussive note phrases like on single note riffs like .......feel your love tonight - by vanhalen or maybe somthing like ......round and round - by Rat. Driving the tubes fatens up the notes so solo's sound fuller without a bunch of noisy pedals. All you need to do is lose the speaker and shove in a creamback H g75 and your rollin. You could get by with your guitar, a compressor pedal set on low, and this amp. It's good how it is. It won't chuga chuga like a 4x12 cabinet but you can add an extension 1x12 cab for extra tone depth and you'll be fine. This is a simple bang for the buck amp. Its relatively inexpensive and simple to use. It's a great beater gig amp or band practice amp that can sound good at bedroom levels too. For the money you really can't lose.
 
Re: The DSL Marshall combo 40 watt amp

You guys who are replacing the stock speaker with a cream back: What differences do you hear? And is the overall difference incremental or night-and-day?
 
Re: The DSL Marshall combo 40 watt amp

Question for ya's is it ok to buy a demo model of the DSL 40 with a creamback 1 left for about 70-80 bucks cheaper?? Are they still good even though they are demos????? Just curious
 
Re: The DSL Marshall combo 40 watt amp

I heard that speaker sounds way nicer it tames the brightness of the 70-80 down a bit unless you like the bright sound. I prefer a darker warmer sound in my amps.
 
Re: The DSL Marshall combo 40 watt amp

the speaker my buddy put in definitely tamed some of the harsher tones, lot smoother without loosing guts. I'll see what speaker it is next rehearsal
 
Re: The DSL Marshall combo 40 watt amp

The creamback H g75 will give it a much better focused midrange tone. It also will enhance the amps gain in a more defined way meaning it will be more pronounced without all the ice picky upper treble frequency. It's just a much better speaker that gives that amp a much improved tone. Its an easy mod too. It's about all that amp needs. It's also a mod that can be done when you have extra cash down the road. The amp sounds ok now but with that speaker it sounds like a much more expensive Marshall amp. Get on UTube and have a listen if nothing else. I am shoving one in my evh 2x12 combo along with a Celestion cream speaker. The creamback H is just a great speaker. The cream celestions have a big round tone that adds upper highs and lows wile the Celestion H adds focused midrange that really cuts through in the most delicious way. Taisty tone baby. You'll be rockin. Then I predict you'll be tweaking your choice of pickups to enhance your amp tone. Enjoy
 
Re: The DSL Marshall combo 40 watt amp

Yeah already got SD JB in the bridge of a LP but with an Alnico rough 2 mag swap and the jazz in neck with an UOA5 in that very nice now :) I also play a Epi DOT STUDIO with Alnico pro II "Slash" P/U'S
 
Re: The DSL Marshall combo 40 watt amp

Ive got a 1923c (DSL 50 combo). Im pretty sure you cant swap the power tube types, but you can always get some KT77's or EL34B's for more 6L6ish tones. Just make sure there is clearance for bigger bottle tubes like 6ca7's. It can definitely do blues, classic rock, and takes pedals well. The clean tone is pretty nice too.

I also run a 2x12 ext cab with G12-65 like speakers this will help with the highs.

Speakers help. However I've found most of the b*$%#ing involved when criticizing these amps, and I admit to doing some of it, comes from users who aren't in the position to play these amps at the sound levels they were intended to be played at, which would be cranked.
 
Last edited:
Re: The DSL Marshall combo 40 watt amp

I can't agree more with this above comment:haha: you get people who go into guitar center and play somthing at less then 1 watt and claim it doesn't sound good and then you get someone like Joe Bonamassa who plays it and says.....man that's got a surprising good tone for an amp in its price range. I think the problem lies with the player more then the amp. It's not the most versatile Marshall out there. It's also not 2500 bucks either. It's just a real simple amp that's easy to get signature Marshall tones out of for a good price. So you replace the speaker down the road...big deal, everyone tweaks stuff don't we? Seymour Duncan built his business on tone tweakers, we're all guitar bums. We tweak, it's what we do.
 
Re: The DSL Marshall combo 40 watt amp

Mostly user errors! like some dudes on TGP lol, I cant get a good sound out of it lol. I replaced the preamp tubes right away and rocked it! it gave me some chills from the tones I was getting:) I always adjust my pickups a tad to sound the smoothest through a new amp, most can't comprehend that! like the guy the other day had the amp for 28 days and took it back, prb not even broken it yet. I know everyone wont like this amp but most do.

Your into that 80's rock you should like the red channel, greens awesome for low gain stuff and classic rock crunch easy!!
Lead 2 gain at 5 bass at 3 I get some thick type metal rock for days!
 
Re: The DSL Marshall combo 40 watt amp

I almost bought one of these. I bought an EVH instead. Honestly, other than maybe an EQ, a TS and a wah it's kinda good to go. I really liked it. I went EVH because I've already owned several Marshall amps and I wanted something different. The DSL 40 is a fine combo amp.
 
Re: The DSL Marshall combo 40 watt amp

I love this amp!! Beautiful tones and lots of options I use mainly the clean/crunch channel with a tad of clean boost from OD pedal and it adds a lot of depth to an already great tone.I have the Celestion Creamback in mine and WOW what a great speaker!!! I replaced the preamp tubes x4 to a TAD 7025 WA in V-1 it replaces the 12ax7 stcok JJ they had. Great sounding V-1 tube.In V-2 I have a Mullard RI 12ax7 cv4004.V-3 is a JJ and V-4(PI) I have a Sovtek 12ax7LPS in that position now my tone is even more incredible.I love this amp a lot. I am getting a back up pair of EL34'S Mullard. Overall I usually play rock blues/funk blues/southern rock/classic rock and even some Slash just on the crunch classic gain channel with a OD boost.
 
Back
Top