DSL love?

[Rogue]

I'm jonesing for a Marshall again and the DSL has piqued my interest. I've never played one. I've heard some good clips and some bad clips. Marshalls aren't really known for their clean tone, but the DSLs cleans seems to get decent remarks from owners. I'm particularly interested in the clean channel in crunch mode. Does it clean up well with technique or guitar volume?

Is clipping the bright cap or changing its value a worthwhile effort like most newer Marshalls? Is the fx loop worth a crap? I also read somewhere someone had created a mod to be able to toggle the clean and crunch channel with a volume compensation, which seems would be a really nice feature to have assuming it works and doesn't mess the tone up. Anyone done this mod?

I'm just wanting to get some opinions and experiences with it. It seems like it can cover a lot of ground.

And clips....show me your favorite DSL clips that demonstrates what the amp can do. Clips are good.

 

[tweed]

DSL's are great amps and shine at louder than bedroom volumes. I have installed a choke and 95% of the Fortin mods on my DSL 50 and the thing is a beast now.

And the crunch channel boosted, without modding the amp, is heavenly!

 

[BenoA]

Happy DSL50 user here...

The DSL clean on the crunch channel can go from a lil' gritty (if you engaged the crunch switch) to a really decent clean if you use it as a clean channel, no Fender clean but very usuable.

Both channels (Lead and Crunch) react very well to the guitar volume. I use my DSL50 as a one channel amp on the lead channel. So, when I want clean, I just roll my guitar volume, volume maxed give me a good crunch tone and I add a lil' tubescreamer for more gain.

FX loop is serial. I use my Marshall with a Boss GT8 (4 cable methods letting me use the preamp of the Marshall with the FX of the GT8), works very well and was very easy to setup.

Some clips and a recent video on my band's web site will give ya a good idea. See below:

 

[bubbastain]

Owned a 50 and 100 watt DSL in the past. Good amps imo. I'll be honest and say my favorite clean tone of any amp I've ever played is the one I get from the DSLs. Love it.

 

[MARK1970]

I like the DSL and they can be scored very cheap. I like the green ch. I do noy care to much for the red ch. The cleans are cool at low volumes.

 

[Rogue]

DSL's are great amps and shine at louder than bedroom volumes. I have installed a choke and 95% of the Fortin mods on my DSL 50 and the thing is a beast now.

And the crunch channel boosted, without modding the amp, is heavenly!

Are you referring to these mods?

http://www.rig-talk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=40652&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

And how does a choke effect the tone?

I take it you are fond of the clean channel in crunch mode? I think I have a fair idea of the OD channel's sound, but I'm real interested in that crunch mode.

The clip posted by jasonP....is the clean tone he's getting in part due to the mods or is that the stock clean? Sounds nice.

Also, jchop posted something about a bias drift being a problem. Anyone else had that issue?

 

[Rogue]

Happy DSL50 user here...

The DSL clean on the crunch channel can go from a lil' gritty (if you engaged the crunch switch) to a really decent clean if you use it as a clean channel, no Fender clean but very usuable.

Both channels (Lead and Crunch) react very well to the guitar volume. I use my DSL50 as a one channel amp on the lead channel. So, when I want clean, I just roll my guitar volume, volume maxed give me a good crunch tone and I add a lil' tubescreamer for more gain.

FX loop is serial. I use my Marshall with a Boss GT8 (4 cable methods letting me use the preamp of the Marshall with the FX of the GT8), works very well and was very easy to setup.

Some clips and a recent video on my band's web site will give ya a good idea. See below:

So the loop is decent? A lot of complaints about Marshalls loops. I've only had one with a loop (a 2203 reissue) and wasn't particularly excited about it...but then again I was using a DM4 which colored the tone something awful.

What speakers are you using in the video on the website?

 

[Rogue]

I'm happy to hear that the people like the cleans channel.

 

[BenoA]

Loop is very decent. With the GT8 works fine. Remember that it is a "serial loop".

As for the speakers in the video, stock 1960A 4x12 cab with gt12-75.

 

[jerrydyer]

lots of problems.. ask some techs. I hate em.

 

[Rogue]

lots of problems.. ask some techs. I hate em.

What kinds of problems?

 

[mrp5150]

I owned a DSL401 combo and it was one of my favorite amps. Great clean channel and the gain channels sounded awesome with a boost in front.

 

[BenoA]

lots of problems.. ask some techs. I hate em.

What kinds of problems?

Got mine many years ago (I don't even remember when), it was a trade so the amp was used. The only issue on it is the reverb goes on and off but I don't use it, so I never bothered having it fixed. I don't play out very often but I did a few gigs with it and my DSL50 has always performed to my expectation.

 

[1big1]

i have a dsl 100 1998 with the version 1 motherboard. it has the aforementioned bias drift problem. i've tried the bias mod.. it still drifts. it's a good thing i have other amps to play because this one has been a pita. i do plan on having it repaired. once i do i will not be purchasing any new school marshalls. i'm done with amps that look like computer refugees.

 

[tweed]

lots of problems.. ask some techs. I hate em.

What kinds of problems?

One of the most common probs is the 16ohm jack going out and causing all sorts of trouble if not caught in time. It's easily fixed with a ground wire placed across the jacks though. Some of the older heads, pre2004 I think, had bias drift problems, other than that I don't remember.

 

[Rogue]

One of the most common probs is the 16ohm jack going out and causing all sorts of trouble if not caught in time. It's easily fixed with a ground wire placed across the jacks though. Some of the older heads, pre2004 I think, had bias drift problems, other than that I don't remember.

How does one tell which ones have the bias drift problem? Production number or date? What are the solutions for fixing the ones with the problem?

 

[nevusofota]

lots of problems.. ask some techs. I hate em.

DSL 100, 6 years, never had a problem, very versatile

 

[racerevlon]

Pick up a newer DSL100MLB with the Black piping and you'll be good to go--you should be able to get one easily for under $1000. I just let mine go to a deserving chap for $600 and it was brand new--played twice.

IMHO the DSL is all about YOU learning how to play IT. Like you mention, you can make it a pseudo-three-channel amp by setting the clean channel on crunch and then dialing back your volume or using picking dynamics. Cleans up very nicely, and the Gain channel had all the gain I ever needed--I never felt the need to boost it.

I also have a DSL401 and have never had a problem with it.

I say go for a DSL head, and avoid the TSL's like the plague.

Cheers,

 

[TX6Strings]

I've owned a DSL50 for a little over a year now and find it to be a pretty good amp. Got it in a trade and haven't had any bias drift problems with it but I'm not sure of the year.

The green channel in the clean mode is pretty good but can get a little too bass heavy if you run the amp as a two channel and need to turn the bass up for the red channel.

The green channel in cruch mode is pretty cool and cleans up well with the guitar volume depending upon where you set the gain. It works pretty well with my OCD but I haven't had the chance to run it with my TS.

The fx loop is ok...I'm running a DD-6, CE-5 and a Microvibe in the loop and can tell a drop in the high end when engaged. Another forum member on here I know complained of the same problem and slight volume loss when he had a DSL100.

I've heard rumors/wishful thinking of a mod to make the modes on both channels foot switchable but haven't seen any hard and fast evidence myself. Although it would be cool.

 

[tweed]

I've owned a DSL50 for a little over a year now and find it to be a pretty good amp. Got it in a trade and haven't had any bias drift problems with it but I'm not sure of the year.

The green channel in the clean mode is pretty good but can get a little too bass heavy if you run the amp as a two channel and need to turn the bass up for the red channel.

The green channel in cruch mode is pretty cool and cleans up well with the guitar volume depending upon where you set the gain. It works pretty well with my OCD but I haven't had the chance to run it with my TS.

The fx loop is ok...I'm running a DD-6, CE-5 and a Microvibe in the loop and can tell a drop in the high end when engaged. Another forum member on here I know complained of the same problem and slight volume loss when he had a DSL100.

I've heard rumors/wishful thinking of a mod to make the modes on both channels foot switchable but haven't seen any hard and fast evidence myself. Although it would be cool.

clean/crunch has been done
http://www.marshallforum.com/workbench/ ... -last.html