Is my Marshall TSL100 head running REALLY hot or is this just normal?

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pisces7378

pisces7378

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Hey Gang!

I just bought a Marshall TSL100 head off eBay for $900. It looks great and it sound GREAT!!! And this is the first tube amp I have ever owned. I am just trying to find out if it is supposed to run as hot as it does or if there could be something wrong with it. I mean, we had a two hour practice with it last night and by the end of that practice, the top of the head was fucking HOT!!! I mean, you couldn't light a cogarette off it or anything, but it was significantly hotter than any other amp I have ever had.

I was running it set in the 8 Ohms position through an 8 Ohms PA speaker.... my cabinet is on it's way from the music store. so maybe this has something to do with it. But I can't imagine why it would. I have ordered a 1936 2x12" cabinet that I KNOW is designed to work with this head. (I e-mailed Marshall). Do you think that the 1x12" PA speaker that I ran the TSL100 head through is the problem, or do you just think that it is normal and I should just shut up and enjoy the Marshall warmth literally and figuratively?

Thanks guys!

Mike
 
Congrats on the new head! Sweet
Tube amps produce a LOT more heat than an equivalent solid state. Playing thru a PA cabinet of the correct impedance should not produce any more heat than using a guitar cab, unless the speakers are inefficient, causing you to turn it up louder.
The power consumption (not speaker output) of a 100 watt amp is somewhere around 300 watts, that rating would be when running the amp at full power. Thats the amount of power the amp uses from the 110 volt outlet to produce the 100 watts of speaker output. Imagine 3 100 watt light bulbs in a box the size of that head, left on for a couple hours....
Any amp will produce more heat when being played loud - did you order earplugs too ? :D A tube amp will benefit from a cooling fan - if your TSL gets really hot, you might think about installing one, it will extend the life of various components (including tubes), and increase reliability.
 
I would say you amp is sending too much power to the tube. In a short while the tubes will explode. (Don't worry, it won't be a big explosion. ...well, kind of...) This will cause unheeded power to surge reclessly out of control. This amp will more than likely catch fire (if not from the explosion), melting all the important circuitry immediatly, and if not exstinguish, burn the amp to the ground, and if still not exstinguish, well, your whole house. But you said you have an apartment if I remember correctly, so, the homes of many people:D

Don't worry....just blame it on the English because they forgot to wire the voltage correctly. Your neighbors will forgive you.
 
Keep dust out of it also. I had a head actually start smoking because it had sat around too long, too much dust buildup and then played too hard. We also retrofitted it with a computer cooling fan, kept it nice and cool from then on.
 
TSL 100

Hi matey!


Ive been gigging a tsl 100 head for about the last year, i bought it second hand and have since replaced all the valves once.

The head runs very hot, but valve amps are i believe designed to run like this. The other guitarist in my band has a jcm800 valve head which also runs very hot, we have just lately been forced to install air conditioning in our practice room due to a lack of breathable air from all the heat being developed!!!!!!!!

I like the idea of installing a fan though, never heard of that before, but i think ill look into it!!!

cheers
max
 
Cool (or warm I guess I should say)

It is good to hear that I will burst into flames in some Spinal-Tap-esque concert moment. I guess it is just normal.

Does anyone have a photo of how and/pr where they installed a computer type fan into/onto a Marshall amp? This I gotta see.

But I thought that cooling the tubes down would sort of be counter productive. It might extend their life, but hindr the warmed up tube sound. Am I right or...?

THanks guys!

Mike
 
I've been recording with a Vox AC30 lately and it gets so hot you can barely touch the metal plate under the knobs. I wouldn't worry about cooling it unless you are playing in rooms with poor ventilation and air conditioning. Probably anything over 85F would be time to be carefull. Just get a small desktop or clip on fan and have it blow some air onto the back.
 
I think there is something that gets overlooked by many people. And since you have an amp that gets very hot.....

DO NOT MOVE THE AMP UNTIL THE TUBES HAVE COOLED OFF.

You will save many a trip to GC for replacements.
 
I mean, I cannot light a cigarette on the side of the amp, and no it does not raise a burn blister if I touch the top of the head after two hours. I am getting the picture from everyone that this is to be expected.

Thanks guys!
 
Outlaws said:
I would say you amp is sending too much power to the tube. In a short while the tubes will explode. (Don't worry, it won't be a big explosion. ...well, kind of...) This will cause unheeded power to surge reclessly out of control. This amp will more than likely catch fire (if not from the explosion), melting all the important circuitry immediatly, and if not exstinguish, burn the amp to the ground, and if still not exstinguish, well, your whole house. But you said you have an apartment if I remember correctly, so, the homes of many people:D

Don't worry....just blame it on the English because they forgot to wire the voltage correctly. Your neighbors will forgive you.
Click to expand...
:cool:

ROFLWTIME!!! :eek: :D :D

CR ><>
 
pisces7378 said:
I mean, I cannot light a cigarette on the side of the amp, and no it does not raise a burn blister if I touch the top of the head after two hours. I am getting the picture from everyone that this is to be expected.

Thanks guys!
Click to expand...
Yep! Congrats on the new Head, Bro!!!

CR ><>
 
Outlaws said:
I think there is something that gets overlooked by many people. And since you have an amp that gets very hot.....

DO NOT MOVE THE AMP UNTIL THE TUBES HAVE COOLED OFF.

You will save many a trip to GC for replacements.
Click to expand...
A_____________men!!!

CR ><>
 
TexRoadkill said:
I've been recording with a Vox AC30 lately and it gets so hot you can barely touch the metal plate under the knobs. .
Click to expand...
The Brits always have to have a place to brew the tea man! An AC30 is an excellent hotplate. :D

CR ><>
 
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