JCM 2000 TSL 100 Head

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zepplin490

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Ive been looking for a Marshall to fill a void in my amp collection, over on the Marshall forum i posted my requirements and what I came up with was a JCM 2k TSL 100, I need separate EQ's for each channel, a decent clean channel and at least 3 channels, I looked at the JVM's but they are a little out of my price range and alot more than what im looking for. Ive pretty much made up my mind on a TSL100 head and Ive gotten an offer for one at $700 shipped with a transformer upgrade. Its a 2006 and from what ive read and been told the later models of the JCM 2000's have far less issues than the early models.. I am planning on using it for 80's hard rock and modern rock but I want to be able to cover some metal territory such as randay rhoads stuff, Metallica (early), GnR, and some newer ozzy (wylde era) (Im no averse to using a clean boost to do some of the heavy stuff) and possibly some decent blues tones on the middle channel. The TSL100 also has the Built in EPA for the 25 watt mode which seems very useful to me as my guitar and amp room is not very large. Whatta you all think?
-mp-
 
Years back I was planning on buying a TSL100. I ended up trying the TSL60 and thought it was a better sounding amplifier.
 
Yeah I looked at those but for almost the same money I can get a Full 3 real channels rather than shared EQ's which I can deal with as long as there are some options on the channels like my old b52 at-100 had independent channel volumes, independent gains and a mid knob that let you select a mid scoop for either or both gain channels.. that was a great amp but it was just taking up space so i sold it... I have not looked at the knob layouts for the TSL 60's but I know that I really want full control of each channel as I have now with my 4,3 and 2 channel MTS heads.. I really want to set it up with a nice clean, a rich mid/low high gain channel and a somewhat scooped out heavy 3rd channel..
-mp-
 
I looked at the 5153.. Kinda stuck on a Marshall, it is true that the 5153 has the features I want I believe? Its 3 channels correct with seperate Eq's for each channel? .. Hmmm Ill have to check out some clips and youtube vids of it.. its a little out of my price range..
-mp-
 
My worthless $.02... but pretty much NO ONE lists the TSL amps as their favorite tone machines. From the JCM2000 era, the DSLs seem to be much preferred. I just recently re-acquired my old DSL50 and she's a sweetie for rock. I've had a few pretty sweet boutique heads... and the DSL is good enough that I'm not in agony over not having them any more (though I certainly won't say it's "better" than they were). And the DSL was good enough for the likes of Gary Moore and Iron Maiden to tour with.

Anyways... I know that you're looking for a 3-channel head. I just wanted to throw-out the fact that in general, you just don't see a lot of love for the TSL out there. I would definitely be keeping other options open if it were me.

One more thing... regarding 3-channel heads: I used to always look for and covet them (had a Bogner XTC, H&K Triamp, Engl Powerball2, VHT Pitbull, and a few others). Probably because I played a wide variety of material live (from country, to rock, to metal). But what I've learned over the years is that it's damn hard to create three channel heads that sound as pure as one or two channel heads. Too much circuitry in there. I find that the tone is more compressed and less "pure" with all of those channels and knobs. Of course, everything is a trade-off, so you get less tonal options with simpler heads. But then again, for most of us who came-up in the 80s... a Marshall JCM800 with a TS9 in front of it will always be the quintessential rock tone anyways.
 
Thanks Red_Label.. I hear you Im not looking for something that is pretty much a high gain only amp such as the 5153 I mean thats pretty much what it was designed for, I want something that can do some high gain but can get great tones no matter what the gain settings are. Ive heard from quite a few people that the 3rd channel can get pretty gainy and since Im getting a Hardwire CM-2 sometime soon here to boost my MTS stuff I can probably boost the TSL just as well.. another thing i like about the TSL is that the loops are footswitchable, On almost every amp ive ever owned unless im running something in the loop I always jumper them and being footswitchable jumping the loop provides a boost thats built in + increased volume and tightness.. I wish all my amps had a footswitchable loop..
Yeah $1500 is about $600 over my limit unless someone on here wants to sell me a 5150 III 100 watt head for $900 .. what nobody??!!! Big suprise!
-mp-
 
Its not so much as needing a 3 channel head but a clean channel and a gain channel with independent Eq's I would have bought a 50 watt DSL or a 60 watt TSL if they had independent EQ's
-mp-
 
Unless i can find one for 7-800$ im not gonna be getting one of those... Im on disability at the moment and in order to get any new gear ive gotta sell off a bunch of gear and put some of the money i get towards it so its a tight budget...
-mp-
 
I had a tsl 60 for a long time. I even had it modified. It was ok.after it was modded, but nothin spectacular. I sold it a few months ago and bought a used jvm410h - couldn't be happier. Just save the money - for years if you have to lol - the tsl won't be much better/different than what you already have.
 
if u find the right tsl they are perfect i owned 3 and kept the golden fag as i call it :rock: if u get one do this ..........all sovtek pres(the ones that always look dead when they burn)........groove tubes in power stage :rock:
 
Thanks for the advice, I think I have found the right TSL its a 2006 with a transformer upgrade and the guy who is selling it is willing to let me make payments on it. Ive got $300 for a payment to hold it for me and then I plan on Paying $100-$200 a week so I should have it relatively soon as its only $700 shipped.. by far the best deal ive run into for one of these amps, its gonna have to run through either my randall cab with V30's or my b52 cab with "120 watt custom" speakers. Im gonna probably try to get a 1960a cab or possible a mesa cab as long as i can get something with v30's ill be happy...
-mp-
 
Among the most consistantly bad Marshalls ever to carry Jims name.
I had 2 of them and could not get rid of them fast enough. :doh:
 
JTyson":3trtko3g said:
Among the most consistantly bad Marshalls ever to carry Jims name.
I had 2 of them and could not get rid of them fast enough. :doh:
Click to expand...

Couldn't agree more. I had a TSL 60 and it was total and utter garbage. Avoid like the plague.

There are so many better amps in that price range too. As someone mentioned, a 5153 would work or a Blackstar.

-C
 
Well...i wouldn't really say a tsl is "totall garbage"...to be honest it had a pretty good lead tone - and would sustain - smooth creamy feedback sustain - endlessly. And it was easy to make it do that. But then again - mine was modded. With a mercury magnetics OT and choke AND circuit mods at fja mods. It had some good tones in it. It could also.be dialed in to sound crappy pretty easily lol...i had mine.for quite a few years and found the best tones with the presence DOWN to about 1...lol...the shift button off, and the gain down under half on the crunch channel and.on about 3 on the lead channel and push it with volume. Deep shift button on or off to taste and bass set accordingly so it doesn't have too much. I found small adjustments on the knobs made quite a difference when you step back and listen to it for a bit.
Anyways....presence down, gain down, shift off, volume up is where your best tones are with a tsl lol. I prefered the crunch channel. More "classic rockish"
Also - i wouldn't recommend all 4 V30's with one as they're kind of "bright" sounding amps. At least mix them with some other speaker in an X pattern - i noticed an improvement in mine when i swapped 2 weber legacy large H 55 hz into my vintage cab. ....and i also had jjkt77 power tubes. They were my favorite in that amp. Tung sol pre amp tubes were too bright. The original sovteks actually sounded the best. Maybe mix in a few jj ecc83
 
Ive got 1 v30 cab and another b52 cab with the mysterious "custom 120watt speakers" the b52 cab sounds great and has alot more low end than the v30 cab. The transformer has been upgraded in the 2006 model im buying, So hopefully Ill meld with this amp, I have always wanted a Marshall but never pulled the trigger on one so the TSL will be a welcome addition to my rigs..
-mp-
 
zepplin490":139mpej4 said:
Unless i can find one for 7-800$ im not gonna be getting one of those... Im on disability at the moment and in order to get any new gear ive gotta sell off a bunch of gear and put some of the money i get towards it so its a tight budget...
-mp-
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205's can go in the $800 range.
 
I'm probably one of the few people who actually own the 5153 that didn't buy it to do "metal." I'm a straight up rock guy. The 5153 will more than cover your needs.
 
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