Good deals to be had on a DSL 2000...what's the lowdown?

[dogfood]

What's the skinny on these?  Why so affordable?  One o'you knuckleheads was swearing that a DSL 2000 with Merc Mag transformers would scorch the earth.  What to the amp surgeons say about the guts and build?  A friend of mine gave me a cd to listen to and all the guitars were recorded with a DSL and other than a few spots that were right off a Guns and Roses recording the amp sounded good, old school, Marshall.  And the last time I saw the Fu boys live the twer rocking the DSL 2000s.  Can't say they sounded bad.

[Hemisaurus]

Anything after the JCM800 isn't a tube amp, it's a hybrid.

[bitter]

If you got one used for a good price, I'd say they're ok. Ch. switching and hybrid guts aside, you could prolly still run pedals thru it and have some flexible OD tones.

As for new (based on the pricing I saw online for 100w heads), I'd just pony up a bit more for a dunwichamp in the vain of a superlead, DR 103, or the Stonehenge.

[VOLVO)))]

I like 'em for what they do. I'd pick one up for cheap. They arent that loud...

[FullCustom]

They are basically a better JCM900. And yes the MM iron makes a huge difference as it is no joke double the size over the OEM. The DSL50 is my favorite from the JCM2000 line. 

[hayseed]

They are basically a better JCM900. And yes the MM iron makes a huge difference as it is no joke double the size over the OEM. The DSL50 is my favorite from the JCM2000 line. 

I agree with the DSL 50 watt...it is a very good sounding head. I have a TSL100 and I love it. I generally only use it at 25 watt for practice purposes but I think it sounds great. Is it an 800? No! Do I ever switch channels or need 3 channels/ NO! But I got a screaming deal on it and 2 JCM900 1960 cabs(A&B) and I have a killer stack that I paid under $1200 for. I like the DSLs better than the TSLs however. Not too sure on the major internal differences, other than the amount of channels, but the DSLs IMO sound better. As for issues, my TSL gets extremely hot! Buy a small fan for sure.

[FullCustom]

The DSL and TSL have the same main PCB. The TSL pretty much just has more knobs.

[AgentofOblivion]

What's the skinny on these?  Why so affordable?  One o'you knuckleheads was swearing that a DSL 2000 with Merc Mag transformers would scorch the earth.  What to the amp surgeons say about the guts and build?  A friend of mine gave me a cd to listen to and all the guitars were recorded with a DSL and other than a few spots that were right off a Guns and Roses recording the amp sounded good, old school, Marshall.  And the last time I saw the Fu boys live the twer rocking the DSL 2000s.  Can't say they sounded bad.

How much is affordable?  The question I would ask is:  can you get a better amp for the same amount of cash?

[Hemisaurus]

Given that a new set of MM iron alone for Marshall's is gonna come in at around $450, you probably could, unless your planning to buy a used one with the new iron in it.

Why not use Magnetic Components instead?

http://triodeelectronics.com/40-18055.html

[Jake]

I had one of those 60 watt JCM2000s for a hot minute years back. I think paid $600 and sold it for more. Not a bad sounding amp from what I remember. There was some sort of push button "vintage" switch or something that could do Marshall Plexi thing pretty convincingly, which was nice. But that was too loud and clean for me at the time. I'd buy it again for $600 (or less) prolly.

But buyer beware on that total piece of shit pedal that they come with. It's a big, dumb channel switcher thing that's made by Korg and notoriously crappy and fragile. Google it and you'll see just what I mean.

[moose23]

I had one of those 60 watt JCM2000s for a hot minute years back. I think paid $600 and sold it for more. Not a bad sounding amp from what I remember. There was some sort of push button "vintage" switch or something that could do Marshall Plexi thing pretty convincingly, which was nice. But that was too loud and clean for me at the time. I'd buy it again for $600 (or less) prolly.

But buyer beware on that total piece of shit pedal that they come with. It's a big, dumb channel switcher thing that's made by Korg and notoriously crappy and fragile. Google it and you'll see just what I mean.

The switch itself isn't that bad it's the cable that's shite. Replace that with a jack and use a regular guitar lead and it'll work fine.

[FullCustom]

Don't blame Korg Cliff UK made those pedals

[Hemisaurus]

So that's not one of those plastic bubble stomps? I kinda liked them. They seemed to handle a beating OK.

My overall feeling is, don't get anything later than a JCM800, it's a proper tube amp. Are the DSL's really that cheap now?

[Worthless Willie]

You can get damn good sounds out of DSLs and TSLs.

Never had on fail on me, either.

BUT, my go-to is my '81 800.

[Jake]

So that's not one of those plastic bubble stomps? I kinda liked them. They seemed to handle a beating OK.

Naw, it's this multi-pin turd:

[Jake]

You can get damn good sounds out of DSLs and TSLs.

Never had on fail on me, either.

BUT, my go-to is my '81 800.

I'm curious, and please don't take this the wrong way, but what can the 800 do sonically that the 2000 cannot? I know it's got a better reputation and perhaps more prestige under the hood, but their tone can get well within the same ballpark if not much closer, no? I wish I had my TSL the same time as my 800. I'd love to have A/B'ed them.

[moose23]

So that's not one of those plastic bubble stomps? I kinda liked them. They seemed to handle a beating OK.

Naw, it's this multi-pin turd:

That's only the TSL, the DSL isn't a multi pin.

[Worthless Willie]

I'm curious, and please don't take this the wrong way, but what can the 800 do sonically that the 2000 cannot? I know it's got a better reputation and perhaps more prestige under the hood, but their tone can get well within the same ballpark if not much closer, no? I wish I had my TSL the same time as my 800. I'd love to have A/B'ed them.

Well, I like to use amp gain instead of pedals, and the 800, to me, is less fizzy at high gain settings.  More organic sounding.  Plus, all my 2000s have/had el34s, and I think the 6550s in my 800 pack a more defined low end wallop.  I just like it better.  As I said though, I get great sounds from 2000s.  I don't understand all the bashing they get.

/my .02

[RacerX]

The 2000 TSLs sounded tits when the Fu hit my city last time.

[liquidsmoke]

Laney GH50L, $300 or so on ebay.

[FullCustom]

You can get damn good sounds out of DSLs and TSLs.

Never had on fail on me, either.

BUT, my go-to is my '81 800.

I'm curious, and please don't take this the wrong way, but what can the 800 do sonically that the 2000 cannot? I know it's got a better reputation and perhaps more prestige under the hood, but their tone can get well within the same ballpark if not much closer, no? I wish I had my TSL the same time as my 800. I'd love to have A/B'ed them.

The JCM800s can. The difference is the Iron. Which the whole reason for upgrade transformers.

[moose23]

The JCM800s can what?

[Hemisaurus]

The JCM800s can. The difference is the Iron. Which the whole reason for upgrade transformers.

It's not just the iron. The JCM800's were the last Marshalls to have a pure tube path and the standard FM tonestack. All the Marshalls since, that I've seen, and that's include both the 900's and 2000's do their tone-shaping, distortion and channel switching with solid-state devices. It's a hybrid design.

[justinhedrick]

Laney GH50L, $300 or so on ebay.

how do you find these? because I find them for about $500-$600.

[FullCustom]

The JCM800s can what?

They just have better fidelity. You really hear it at the extremes; low bass notes and top-end. But there is more clarity in the mids also.