Marshall JCM900 4100 vs. Marshall DSL100

  • Thread starter Thread starter pan
  • Start date Start date
pan

pan

New member
Well, I decided to sell my Gibson LP Standard, since my R7 covers my LP needs and I was offered a JCM900 4100 Dual reverb in a partial trade for my Gibson (amp - mint condition + 850euros). I am probably not going to keep the amp in the long run (I am looking for a used JCM800 locally, but I had no luck finding one so far). I thought that it would be easier to sell the JCM 900 to fund a JCM 800, when one comes up, than my LP (mind, that my country, Slovenia, is very small and it is not always easy to sell higher priced items as fast as say USA). So I would like anyone who has played the JCM900 4100 to tell me about their experiences with this amp, how does it compare to DSL for example. Thanks!
 
I had a 900 back when they came out. I forget which model, but it was 50W w/ reverb.
I kept it a good 10 years. I liked it. It was great for rock and sounded great boosted. Not a metal machine though.
That said, 800's >>>> 900's :D
 
I had a JCM900 50W combo and hated it. I could not get an ounce of overdrive out of it. I literally had to have the thing dimed to 10 on everything to get any type of rock tone out of it. Unfortunately, I don't have an 800 or TSL/DSL to compare it to. I think most people considered the 900 a step in the wrong direction from the 800.
 
Truth be told I actually dig the 2100 and 2500 SL-X variants. I have been looking for one, actually, but they are tough to find for a fair price. I have played a dual reverb, (not sure which variant) and a 2500 MKIII, and did not care for either. Although to be fair, both SL-X's I played were EL34, and the others were not.

I have not played one recently enough to compare to a DSL, though. I can say with confidence that my old JCM800 2205 w/boost would easily kick the ass of any 900 :lol: :LOL:
 
The guitar player of Manic street preachers uses a 900, but on he clean channel with a pedal. I`ve used it myself, but mostly as a power amp for various preamps and a Pod. I boosted it with a Hot british with the gain set to minimum and the mids boosted to hell. That actually was pretty cool. I played Metallica-covers, and it made a passable job. I THINK I`d rather go for the 2000 myself though. Throw a ts-9 in front of the 2000, and I`m ready for anything :D
 
Good call.

I still have my 4100 that I had for years & it is distinctly average, even with a good retube. Never got on with the gain sound so used pedals for a distorted sound.

Hold out for an 800!
 
4100, ok amp, but diode clipping in the circuit path, has a noticable midrange "honk" that is just about impossible to dial out, High gain has a very noticable (imo) solid state feel to it
Sl-x, added tube gain stage, precurser design wise in some ways to the dsl/tsl line of amps (funny, if they had paid attention to what guys like lee jackson had been doing to 800's the 900's would have never exhisted)
dsl, much more organic sounding amp than the 4100, smoother. not the 'wasp in a jar' sound you get with the 900 amps.
 
Back
Top