Marshall TSL100, or JCM800 (50 or 100watt) head? please help

shreddervai · #1 11-30-2003, 07:31 PM

hey im wondering if anyone can give me sum pros/cons on each and help me decide. I like the tone of like steve vai, satch, and shredders like yngwie and jason becker. I want tone that can fit those guys tone, but also have nice clean, and real screaming leads. and yes i looked at the amp guide, it just didnt help me that much.

THANKS!

Drew · #2 12-01-2003, 04:52 AM

drunken response:

The TSL does JCM-800 much better than the JCM-800 does TSL. The "crunch" channel basically IS an 800. That said., most of those guys use overdrives anyway.

-D

shreddervai · #3 12-01-2003, 05:53 PM

thanks for the advice. hmm still pondering

Gresh · #4 12-01-2003, 09:07 PM

The TSL is going to give you the best clean tone of any marshall...it is shockingly good. Drew's right on the crunch channel, very 800 sounding but with more gain on tap, very focused in the mids. THe lead channel is nearly identical with more gain and more low end. The TSL is incredibly loud though, so make sure you know what you're getting into and they don't sound really fantastic until your eardrums start to bleed. New tubes with a fresh bias tweak will help.

There's loads of discussions about modding these amps so do a search.

shreddervai · #5 12-01-2003, 11:12 PM

i couldnt really find any topics that helped me, could u direct me to a few? i also wanted to ask is it true that the tsl100 only sounds good when its cranked? thanks

Jeff · #6 12-02-2003, 01:09 AM

I have a JCM 800 and it rocks when it's cranked. Whatever people say about Marshalls not having gain haven't heard one turned up to 10.

Gresh · #7 12-02-2003, 10:41 AM

Now I'm only speaking from my experience and there are others who feel differently about the low volume tone. I thought it was pretty poor, even after having it modded. THe mods helped a good bit on the low volume tone but the amp still only really sang when it got pushed hard. If you play loud then don't worry about it, this amp rocks....if you're looking for a basement amp/practice set up, my advice would be to look elsewhere.

If I had it all to do over again, I would have gone with a lower wattage amp right off the bat. 30 watts is more than enough for most any situation and it allows you to run the power section harder which usually leads to a better overall sound anyway. The problem is that most amp makers don't put high gain circuits in low wattage amplifiers. Notable exceptions being the Cornford Hellcat, Mesa Boogie Nomad 45 (out of production!!!), and some other boutique builders.

Throwing another option at you, Rivera amps sound much better at lower volumes than marshalls...I also think they sound better at any volume. The trouble is in finding one. I used to have an M-100 and it just screamed, fantastic amplifier...and more power options than you can even think of. It had full power and half power switches as well as Pentode and triode switches...I think in half power triode mode the output drops down to like 25 watts or something close to that. The gain was much more musical and fat and very similar to a modded marshall type sound. Cleans are the best in the business...why this guy doesn't sell more amps is beyond me. Oh yeah, and they're a little steep but check evilbay every now and again. I think there's a knucklehead reverb head out there now.

Probably more than you wanted to read, but it's morning and I'm jacked up on caffeine.

JerryP · #8 12-02-2003, 11:01 AM

I know you said Marshall but the 5150 can get those kind of tones too. The 5150's can be had a lot cheaper than Marshalls these days. I have a bunch of clips on my sound clip page of 5150's and a modded Marshall JCM800.
Jerry

mike777 · #9 12-02-2003, 01:42 PM

Exactly which JCM800 are we referring to? The reason why I ask is that a lot of people think titles like 'JCM800', 'JCM900', and 'JCM2000' are model names as they are actually series names.

Are we talking about the current JCM800 reissue(model 2203X) or an available other pre-owned model?

The JCM800 2203 was Marshall's best-selling amp when it was in regular production I believe. It's possible that this title is now held by the DSL100 these days but I'm not positive. I've read that the DSL's were based on their JCM800 predecessors but tweaked for the current markets.

The JCM800's were and still are cherished for their basic tone. I remember when I worked in a music store, people were constantly looking for used ones. The 2203 is one channel with a master volume and two inputs. Many of the ones that came to the US had tubes other than EL34's when they were first produced (which explains the 2203ZW limited edition last year). The current reissue (2203X) has EL34's and a true-bypass effects loop.

I'm interested in the 2203X myself but I have a feeling that the TSL100 is more your bag between the two. The TSL100 has a lot of great features and flexibility but I don't find it to be too much at all. It's easy to operate as all of the controls are logically laid out. You owe it to yourself to give them both a good try. If you like the simplicity of the 2203X and the flexibilty of the TSL, I would also check out the DSL100 and the TSL60 models. IMO, fom experience, the JCM2000 series also sound better than any other tube amp at low to moderate volume levels (as well as cranked).

Mike Haug

EnigmaUV7 · #10 12-03-2003, 12:43 PM

The JCM800s have all-time classic tone. However, you will probably be evicted or kicked out of your own neighborhood if you crank it like it should be for ideal tone. They really need an Ibanez Tube Screamer or EQ pedal for a boost at lower volumes at least. Plus the clean channel is nothing to write home about. The JCM2000 is definitely a leap forward IMO and still has the trademark Marshall grind and presence that makes most other amps sound dull. If you do a lot of recording at home and don't spend most of your time at high volume, you would probably be much happier with the JCM2000.

Drew · #11 12-03-2003, 02:10 PM

Yeah, Gresh, I was the one who disagreed with you on the low-volume thing. The 100-watt mode sounds like crap until you begin to push it, but I actually LIKE how the TSL dampens the hgihs noticeably in VPR mode... It feels a little smoother to me, somehow, and is closer to the tone I'm looking for- this is a large part about why I'm considering going back to mesa.

Incidentally, the lead mode, turned up a bit, in full power mode is absolutely FERAL- aggresive as hell.

-D

shreddervai · #12 12-03-2003, 06:04 PM

yea thanks all, i think im gona go with the tsl100, mainly because im buying it used on ebay, so at least i know what its going to sound like. and also it may still have a warrenty which is important to me.

BTW.... if im playing in my garage and crank the amp, will people in my neighborhood really hear it?!

sheeet!

oh, and does anyone know why my post count keeps going down, i have deffinetly posted more than 13-14 times..

Kev Brigden · #13 12-04-2003, 07:52 AM

Where was this amp guide you mentioned?

shreddervai · #14 12-04-2003, 05:42 PM

kev, http://www.jemsite.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=22867

Kev Brigden · #15 12-04-2003, 06:34 PM

merci beaucoup