Anyone use a JCM 2000 DSL?

charlieb9

I recently got my first tube amp - a Marshall JCM 2000 DSL 100, combined with a 1936v cab (v30 speakers). So far, I'm really enjoying it, the cleans are great and the reverb is great. My only issue is I'm struggling to find a GREAT tone out of the drive channel. I've only been able to use it in my bedroom so that's obviously limiting it.

Fellow JCM users, is there any settings you suggest for getting a good drive sound out of it? And also, in general, what pedals have you found work well with it? 

Thanks

Dan_Halen

Gary Moore used them a lot so I believe and I love his tone.

However, It's a 100w fire breathing Marshall and you're going to struggle getting to drive channel sounding great at bedroom levels. You can crank the gain but, like most tube amps, you need the power section working as well as the speakers moving some serious air to get the best from it. If it's bedroom only at the moment then the right flavour of pedal would probably get you a (I hesitate to say...) 'better' drive tone. 

siraxeman

I have a DSL50 - the clean channel with the crunch/boost button engaged with a Bad Monkey or TS type OD  (Or an SD-1) in front is a superb sound.

teh rules.

#1 Marshall valve amps ALWAYS sound a lot betterer at gig + volumes. Bedroom levels won't do it - not even close to showing the amps true sonic capabilities.

#2. See rule #1

#3. See rule #1

I quilte like the drive channel anyway - but still use it with an OD in front....makes it even betterer. Use less gain that you think - espesh with an OD pushing it. But it still needs to be loud to shine. It can be harsh if you don't tame the top end - so watch with the treble and presence controls.

As well a Moore there's loads of other famous players used the DSL - Beck and Sambora being 2 others off the top of my head.

clarkefan

Either a volume pedal or a pedal with a volume control in the loop allows you to crank the amp's vol and gain controls for a lot more kick at a low volume coming out of the speakers.   I do this with my DSL 50, cheap non-invasive master volume and lots of fun

Cranking all the eq knobs and work backwards until you like what you hear is also fun

I'm guessing you're new here? Prepare yourself, not a lot of fans of that amp here  But there are some, like me

rico

I have used my DSL401 for about 12 years now and although it had the classic rectifier issue I really enjoy playing through it (I have changed the speaker to a Classic Lead 80). I use the clean channel with gain at about 9/10 o'clock, treble at about 10 o'clock, middle at 3 o'clock and bass at 2 o'clock. Master is pretty much cranked. I back off the volume on the guitar and it cleans up well. I use an OCD for heavy rhythm and then an EP boost for a solo lift. 

I'm half considering rehousing the chassis so I can use it with bigger cabs!

charlieb9

Dan_Halen said:

Gary Moore used them a lot so I believe and I love his tone.

However, It's a 100w fire breathing Marshall and you're going to struggle getting to drive channel sounding great at bedroom levels. You can crank the gain but, like most tube amps, you need the power section working as well as the speakers moving some serious air to get the best from it. If it's bedroom only at the moment then the right flavour of pedal would probably get you a (I hesitate to say...) 'better' drive tone. 

Do you have any recommendations on that right flavour of pedal? 

charlieb9

siraxeman said:

I have a DSL50 - the clean channel with the crunch/boost button engaged with a Bad Monkey or TS type OD  (Or an SD-1) in front is a superb sound.

teh rules.

#1 Marshall valve amps ALWAYS sound a lot betterer at gig + volumes. Bedroom levels won't do it - not even close to showing the amps true sonic capabilities.

#2. See rule #1

#3. See rule #1

I quilte like the drive channel anyway - but still use it with an OD in front....makes it even betterer. Use less gain that you think - espesh with an OD pushing it. But it still needs to be loud to shine. It can be harsh if you don't tame the top end - so watch with the treble and presence controls.

As well a Moore there's loads of other famous players used the DSL - Beck and Sambora being 2 others off the top of my head.

Love the rules aha. What OD pedal do you use personally with it? 

charlieb9

clarkefan said:

Either a volume pedal or a pedal with a volume control in the loop allows you to crank the amp's vol and gain controls for a lot more kick at a low volume coming out of the speakers.   I do this with my DSL 50, cheap non-invasive master volume and lots of fun

Cranking all the eq knobs and work backwards until you like what you hear is also fun

I'm guessing you're new here? Prepare yourself, not a lot of fans of that amp here  But there are some, like me

Yep I'm new, and that's surprising as I'd say its a great amp for the money. Thanks for the tips!

charlieb9

rico said:

I have used my DSL401 for about 12 years now and although it had the classic rectifier issue I really enjoy playing through it (I have changed the speaker to a Classic Lead 80). I use the clean channel with gain at about 9/10 o'clock, treble at about 10 o'clock, middle at 3 o'clock and bass at 2 o'clock. Master is pretty much cranked. I back off the volume on the guitar and it cleans up well. I use an OCD for heavy rhythm and then an EP boost for a solo lift. 

I'm half considering rehousing the chassis so I can use it with bigger cabs!

Your EQ settings seem to differ from what most people are saying, perhaps the 401 has less top end. How do you like the OCD with it, as that was probably the pedal I was considering buying most. 

siraxeman

charlieb9 said:

 Love the rules aha. What OD pedal do you use personally with it? 

I've used a few and it seems to like 'em all really - Digitech Bad Monkey/SD-1/OD-3/Dano TOD (mk1)

IMC1980

I used to have one of these, played in through a 4x12 with greenbacks, loved that amp! My settings were:

Red channel Lead 1
Volume 5.5
Gain 6.5

Green channel Clean
Volume 7
Gain 4

EQ
Bass 6
Mids 7
Treble 4.5/5 depending on what mood the amp was in.

Tone shift and deep switch were out/off
No reverb

Around 5.5 on the volume got the amp cooking!

charlieb9

IMC1980 said:

I used to have one of these, played in through a 4x12 with greenbacks, loved that amp! My settings were:

Red channel Lead 1
Volume 5.5
Gain 6.5

Green channel Clean
Volume 7
Gain 4

EQ
Bass 6
Mids 7
Treble 4.5/5 depending on what mood the amp was in.

Tone shift and deep switch were out/off
No reverb

Around 5.5 on the volume got the amp cooking!

Thanks that's really useful  were there any pedals that you felt worked really well with it? Cheers

Dan_Halen

charlieb9 said:

Dan_Halen said:

Gary Moore used them a lot so I believe and I love his tone.

However, It's a 100w fire breathing Marshall and you're going to struggle getting to drive channel sounding great at bedroom levels. You can crank the gain but, like most tube amps, you need the power section working as well as the speakers moving some serious air to get the best from it. If it's bedroom only at the moment then the right flavour of pedal would probably get you a (I hesitate to say...) 'better' drive tone. 

Do you have any recommendations on that right flavour of pedal? 

If you can get a crunch you're happy with then any sort of tube screamer type pedal would tighten things up and give it a kick in the right direction. The Bad Monkey is a good one, Boss SD-1, Green Rhino, any of the Ibanez classics to name but a few.

If you're using the amp clean, then something with more gain would be needed and there are a few depending on budget. Suhr Riot, Wampler Plextortion, Marvel Drive, Catalinbread DLS, SL Drive, Plexitone, Angry Charlie, Mad Professor Mighty Red (to name literally a handful of the top of my head from dozens available) do various Marshall flavours from low to higher gain very well but are a bit pricy new.

The MI Crunch Box, Boss ST-2, Marshall Guvnor (the silver re-issue) or Tone City Model M are more pocket friendly but still great pedals that will get you in the right postcode.

It's a pretty well catered area of the market and youtube would give you a good idea of roughly what to expect from any of them.

You'd genuinely struggle to go too far wrong with many modern pedals unless you've got a really specific tone in your head that you're seeking. It's something many are guilty of - saying a pedal is crap because it doesn't hit their 'vision' or isn't voiced like they expect.

IMC1980

charlieb9 said:

IMC1980 said:

I used to have one of these, played in through a 4x12 with greenbacks, loved that amp! My settings were:

Red channel Lead 1
Volume 5.5
Gain 6.5

Green channel Clean
Volume 7
Gain 4

EQ
Bass 6
Mids 7
Treble 4.5/5 depending on what mood the amp was in.

Tone shift and deep switch were out/off
No reverb

Around 5.5 on the volume got the amp cooking!

Thanks that's really useful  were there any pedals that you felt worked really well with it? Cheers

No worries, I didn't use any pedals with it.

sgosden

Ignoring e reliability issues, I loved my DSL100.

It really needed to be 4/10 or above to start sounding right for gain.

definitely agree that a TS / mid hump style pedal is amazing for the tone.

I'll always sing the praises of the EQD palisades as a tunable TS pedal!

charlieb9

sgosden said:

Ignoring e reliability issues, I loved my DSL100.

It really needed to be 4/10 or above to start sounding right for gain.

definitely agree that a TS / mid hump style pedal is amazing for the tone.

I'll always sing the praises of the EQD palisades as a tunable TS pedal!

I was thinking of buying an OCD, would you happen to know how that would work with a DSL?

Lestratcaster

I used to own a DSL50, it was good for what I needed it for back in the day, rock bands with drop c#/c tuning. Using a TS9 in front really gave it some balls.

Now I play in heavier bands (drop b) I found it lacked a bit of saturation and modern gain so I sold it and got a Peavey 6505+ which does the trick. I do miss the JCM2000 though, the crunch channel was very nice and I wish I kept it so I could A/B the Marshall's green with the crunch button pushed in with a bit of gain as breakup for my "clean" and the red channel on 6505+ for my "dirty" sound.