Borrowed my mates DSL50 to try out

[hunter]

Back in the days when I still had amp gas, I was also longing for a DSL100.

But Tom, your GH50 is great, why would you wanna give that up? I can understand that you look for something new because you're bored, but I'm sure you'd always wanna have it back if you sold it.

[_tom_]

Yeah I'm going to keep the Laney anyway since my dad bought it, maybe if I get a JCM800 I could use them both and the Laney set for cleans, the 800 for distortion :twisted:

I know its a great amp but compared to the DSL, I just prefer the proper Marshall voicing for rock, the Laney sounds much looser and fizzier. Someone on HC reckons there might be something wrong with the Laney but it sounds the same to me as its always sounded.

[hamfist]

Yeah.. will a JCM800 sound similar to a DSL but with less gain? I had the gain on that clip at just above 9:00 on the ultra gain channel, which is just about right for me I think, do 800s do that without a boost or are they more of an ACDC level of gain? The crunch channel sounds great with a Rat in front of it as well :)

  The general tonality of an 800 is similar to the DSL clip you recorded.
 
But the DSL and your GH50L have noticeably more gain than a JCM800. This is not surprising as they both have more gain stages than an 800.
   With an 800, the amount of distortion depends a LOT on how much you are including the PI and power tubes in the equation. At lower (read as "sane") volumes, all the drive is coming from the first two pre-amp tubes only (as the MV is situated between V2 and the PI (V3)).  Once you turn the master up, you can get a LOT more drive from the PI and power tubes. The problem with this is that the amp is f@#$*n loud by then.
  Alternatively an attenuator will let you survive. However, I hated a Hotplate when I tried it with my 800 clone.    I haven't had the 800 long, and I haven't been anywhere to be able to crank up the master anywhere near the sweet zone yet.   I'll be able to let you know more, and do some clips when my new Ultimate Attenuator arrives (bargain on ebay today !!).

[_tom_]

I'd probably be better off with a DSL or something then, I was getting good tones and enough gain at low volume with this.

I want to have a go on a Vintage Modern as well :)

[SG Thrasher]

Ever since I borrowed my mates JCM800 I've been toying with the idea of getting rid of my GH and getting an '800. When you get the volumes up i preferred my mates JCM, it was a lot less harsh and sounded much better with the V30's in my 2x12.

[_tom_]

Yeah, how loud does the 800 need to be to have the same sort of gain levels as a GH with the drive on 6-7 and gain boost on about 4?

I cant even justify getting another amp right now, I wont buy anything til next summer, why am I even getting so interested? :lol: :roll:

[SG Thrasher]

well my mates JCM was the 2205, 50 watt, dual channel. It was much more reasonable with volume, E.G. I could get it to half master without feeling sick(Which is what usually happens with the GH100L :lol:) I can't remember how loud I had to have it but I was running my bad monkey and it was the perfect amount of gain, it's a very different type of gain to the GH in my opinion so it's a little hard to compare.

[gwEm]

I'd play a JCM900 or a DSL if I had to. People diss them, but the ones I've tried have been totally fine. Lacking the 'balls' and 'urge' maybe, but nothing wrong with them. Decent gig amps - just what they were designed for. I guess the default G12-75T speakers let them down a bit too.

Will and I have the same amp - the 2204 circuit in the JMP case style, 80s sound, 70s looks, best of both worlds :)

[hamfist]

It was much more reasonable with volume, E.G. I could get it to half master without feeling sick(Which is what usually happens with the GH100L :lol:)

Halfway on the master - I'm impressed !!   I chicken out at about 1 at home.  At gigs I've done so far with it, I think the master has been at about 1.5 - band mates start moaning after that etc.

It's 2204 BTW.

[hunter]

I want to have a go on a Vintage Modern as well :)

The VM is a winner! If you can, get a 100, as it has a tad more punch and you have more clean headroom, it does a good clean tone in fact. Ideally you'd have two VMs, one set for clean, one for drive. It's an amazing amp and has a real addictive tone.

Takes some time to get used to and dial in, but kicks ass x 10.

[_tom_]

I couldnt go for a 100w since I only have a 60w cab and dont really plan on changing that..

[TomW]

I'd go for a jcm800 or a vintage modern if I was you. My jcm800 just sounds so much thicker and less harsh and fizzy than my dsl100. When I tried out a vintage modern I preferred that to my dsl100 aswell. You can probably get a much wider range of tones from the VM but there is just nothing better than a jcm800 being boosted by a good overdrive pedal for a ballsy rock tone imo.

Yeah, how loud does the 800 need to be to have the same sort of gain levels as a GH with the drive on 6-7 and gain boost on about 4?

With an overdrive pedal to boost it and a thd hotplate I can get quite high gain tones from the jcm800 at bedroom level.

[gwEm]

With an overdrive pedal to boost it and a thd hotplate I can get quite high gain tones from the jcm800 at bedroom level.

or even without the hotplate. the 2203/4 takes boosters very well, as is its famous reputation. i have a selection which i choose depending on the guitar i'm using. my hilbourne treble booster is great for vintage voiced pickups, i take an RC booster for vintage hot pickups, and a crunch box with high gain pickups. you can go high gain with the right pedal and still keep the amp's character - early metallica levels easily, maybe more. i like boosting it with a boss EQ pedal too, though thats fallen out of favour a bit lately. but i might well use that eq again soon. i was looking at pics of lynch's rig - and his ge7 turned out to be set to the exact same settings as mine, obviously its something that works and i'm not crazy ;)

master volume/slx model jcm900s are meant to be better than the dual reverb ones, perhaps i'd look for one of those. or a jmp type master volume (like I own now) - real sleeper amps, or a dsl as you say. i also liked jonothan's split reverb jcm800 when he had it, though they are starting to appreciate. likewise silver jubilees aren't the bargains they once were. i agree with everyone that those vintage moderns are awesome, but they're still a bit expensive being new amps and all.

pentode/triode split feature is a total waste of time. it does lower the volume appreciable, but it sucks all the balls out the amp. i'd rather leave it on pentode and turn down the master volume a bit.

[gwEm]

oh! try this: swap the preamp valves between the marshall and the laney to see if it improves the laney any.

edit: mmm, unusualy for me i now have amp GAS from thinking about all these marshalls ;)

[MDV]

You'll get more high mids and attack out of the laney if you put JJs in there. Their 12AX7s are bright and sharp sounding.