Marshall JCM2000 TSL100Head

2579 Views 24 Replies 12 Participants Last post by Chud, Nov 17, 2005

Chud

Discussion Starter · Nov 9, 2005

I've been hearing bad press about these amps from people saying that they don't sound good, so can anyone give me their opinions on it?

I ask because i'm thinking of buying a new amplifier head (100 watt~) and the TSL100 was one of the best options for me, pricewise and all.

Anyone else care to offer some amplifiers that are quite affordable like the TSL100H or can anyone give opinions on the amp?

Cheers,
C.

1 - 20 of 25 Posts

red5

· #2 · Nov 10, 2005

Yeah buy a used handwired Marshall from '69-'74. Or a JCM 800 (preferably a '81-'83 with vertical inputs) or a 900.

The 2000s are overpriced when you can buy a handwired with an aluminum panel that sounds much better for less. They are pretty fizzy sounding amps and the power section is not warm like older Marshalls.

I'd suggest looking for a DSL over a TSL to save a few bucks. The DSLs always seem to sound better, but all the decent tones from the amp come from the clean channel anyway so the TSL is not worth an extra $250 new or $50 used.

What kind of tone do you want? If it does not have to be a Marshall tone, try a JSX. You can also get an ENGL Powerball mint for less money than a new DSL or TSL and it will kill it.

megadeth

· #3 · Nov 10, 2005

red5 said:
JCM 800 (preferably a '81-'83 with vertical inputs)

i have one with horizontal inputs. any difference in sound? it's a Guitar Center limited edition reissue.

chopvai

· #4 · Nov 10, 2005

i have a tsl100.. and i got no complaint.. i get all the tones i want to get from this amp using it with a gmajor...

the end of the day, personal choice is what matters,

If your happy with it, then thats it!...

Shep

· #5 · Nov 10, 2005

I hav a Jcm 800 reissue it was the 2nd one in Australia...it's sound compared to the dsl and tsl just killed them ...it's more clean and warm and ballys ( if thats a word )lol

btw whats the other input avaiable for Jcm 800's apart for horizontal input's..

Thanks

adamcbest

· #6 · Nov 10, 2005

red5 said:
They are pretty fizzy sounding amps and the power section is not warm like older Marshalls.

What he just said is why i sold mine and bought a Mark IV

pace520

· #7 · Nov 10, 2005

Well, that's why I also sold my TSL and bought a Nomad

greggmetal

· #8 · Nov 11, 2005

I believe that the TSL is a great amp, I had one that I bought back in 2000, and stayed with me 5 years, loved the 3 channels, I just sold it this week.

For some guys the clean channel it's no so clean, and if you try to use it with pedals, it won't be transparent, it will be always sound like Marshally

, but for me that's obvious, so what the hell.

I used more the Crunch channel, since it gives more Satch like sounds, but let me tell you, the Lead channel it's also very good, loved the sound with Jackson guitars.

But again as I grew musically, my taste changed a little, and since I've always loved Stach's music, I'm changing my amp to JSX, I just got it today, still testing it.

So far I love the way it sound with Les Pauls and my JS guitars, the clean channel it's a lot better, the crunch channel it's really good as well as the Lead channel.

Don't get me wrong, I will never sound like Satriani or Vai, I try to play Satch, Vai, Gary Moore, SRV, classic rock, blues, and I like what I hear. I still get the TSL kind of sound, plus a lot more, I felt a little restricted with the TSL lately, but still it's a good amp.

See less See more

j.arledge

· #9 · Nov 11, 2005

Chud said:
I've been hearing bad press about these amps from people saying that they don't sound good, so can anyone give me their opinions on it?

I ask because i'm thinking of buying a new amplifier head (100 watt~) and the TSL100 was one of the best options for me, pricewise and all.

Anyone else care to offer some amplifiers that are quite affordable like the TSL100H or can anyone give opinions on the amp?

Cheers,
C.

i personally think you could do a lot better than a tsl for the price but your in England, and dont know much about the prices you pay compared to what we pay in the U.S. . I'd check out laney if i where you, supposedly they have better cleans and more gain than a marshall.

adamcbest

· #10 · Nov 11, 2005

jra2217 said:
i personally think you could do a lot better than a tsl for the price but your in England, and dont know much about the prices you pay compared to what we pay in the U.S. . I'd check out laney if i where you, supposedly they have better cleans and more gain than a marshall.

i agree with this statement. i've ever played one, but i've heard tons of good things about those laneys. stupid me. the store i buy from had tons of them in, but they stopped carrying them a few months ago.. i should have been trying them out. thats life i guess

red5

· #11 · Nov 12, 2005

megadeth said:
i have one with horizontal inputs. any difference in sound? it's a Guitar Center limited edition reissue.

Yes there is a pretty major difference in sound. First, the horizontal ones sound thinner. Second it's a reissue with a cheapo Dagnall transformer instead of a Drake or a good replica like a MM or OEI, and on cheaper circuit board than the originals. Third, the reissues with the stock tubes and biasing were incredibly dark sounding but that part can be fixed easily though!

red5

· #12 · Nov 12, 2005

adamcbest said:
What he just said is why i sold mine and bought a Mark IV

There you go. I'm not even a Mesa guy but if I had no amps and had to choose, I'd still go with Mesa. They are very tight sounding amps and at least have something going for them.

red5

· #13 · Nov 12, 2005

I've never played a new Laney. The old ones weren't all that shabby ;P

Chud

Discussion Starter · #14 · Nov 12, 2005

Haha well, nevermind, i went for it anyway

See less See more

Algiman

· #15 · Nov 12, 2005

Congrats. They are great amps, if that's the sound you are looking for, but that's true of any gear.
Do you have much of a drop out when you change channels? It seems that afflicts some but not all TSLs.

Dylan7620

· #16 · Nov 12, 2005

for the prices they go fir over there they are good amps. for the prices they charge for them in the US it's like they should be gold plated or something. and even though i may not prefer the sound, if you do... then it doesn't matter what i think

Chud

Discussion Starter · #17 · Nov 12, 2005

Algiman said:
Congrats. They are great amps, if that's the sound you are looking for, but that's true of any gear.
Do you have much of a drop out when you change channels? It seems that afflicts some but not all TSLs.

Yeah, there's a small drop out but it's not really that noticable.

The thing i do like about it is the distortion isn't over trebly/presency/fuzzy. It's a nice smooth distortion, but then i am backing down on the treble and all.

It sounds great though, i've set the channels so Clean is clean, Crunch is just a small step up - slightly dirty but not overly, and Lead is the beasty channel.

I gotta say, Lead channel sounds great with my bridge pickup, but crunch seems to love the single coil tones on my RG. It really sounds like a plexi/fender combo

C.

Algiman

· #18 · Nov 12, 2005

Glad you are enjoying it. Mine didn't have much of a drop out either, but I've played some when it was a real PITA.

I liked mine, but channel 2 always sounded a bit sterile to me (personal choice, it is neither good nor bad) so I moved on, but it was a good amp and served me well on many a gig. Now and again I think about getting another one.

Chud

Discussion Starter · #19 · Nov 13, 2005

I'm actually quite tempted to buy a Plexi reissue head now, or mabye a JCM800...
Dunno why, i'm on a bit of an impulse buy spree

C.

Chud

Discussion Starter · #20 · Nov 16, 2005

Okay, apparently the drop in output when switching from Lead to Clean channel or whatever is to stop the reverb from the channels bleeding into each other.

That's what a Marshall guy told me today :s

1 - 20 of 25 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.