Marshall JCM 2000 DLS 401 at $500

[CoolCat]

Is this a good deal? any inputs..
Marshall JCM 2000 for $500~... used

I liked the fact the 2000 can play quietly and loud.

this is for HR, no bar gigs, maybe some jamming. seemed pretty quiet too.

thinking layaway.

don't hold back....neg's are welcome too! pros, con's whatever..

 

[ZoSo58LP]

i dig the 2000 and thats a great price i believe...i always play my buddies in his studio when we jam, and it always sounds great. i wish i could get my hands on a nice cheap one with a cab!

 

[jonnyc]

That's a pretty average price but still a deal. I've actually been looking at a few of the same amps on craigslist. Good sounding amp if you can dial it in, it's kind of bitchy like the mesa recto's. It's a good addition to any home studio.

 

[CoolCat]

its the 2000 DSL 401...

smaller combo, not a stack. thanks for the inputs, its no big deal to me....but I been beating around the stores for an amp, and around and around....

and it'll be a tube amp this time, as I already have a SS and POD...

but then I thought, maybe get something a bit up a level, with some 2 channels and knobs etc..reverb... like this Marshal. Its medium level I'd think. Seemed to play nice at lower volumes too. And its simple. I'd kinbd iof like to have chorus on it?

but i'm in no hurry, so don't hold back if it sucks or if its $500 because its a pos model, I get confused there's so many amp's and Marshalls and Fenders that sucked too. This one seemed pretty decent but some reviews say its great some say it sucks???.

 

[jonnyc]

Don't worry about effects on tube amps, that's what pedals are for. There are very few tube amps that have built in effects. That dsl will be a nice start to a badass tube amp collection, if you've never recorded one you're in for a very addicting treat.

 

[ZoSo58LP]

oh man if i had 500 for a combo id rather do that..i dont want a stack rgiht now anyway, but id like a GOOD amp for once..get it!

 

[CoolCat]

That dsl will be a nice start to a badass tube amp collection, if you've never recorded one you're in for a very addicting treat.

yeah it had a really nice sound and was a simple plug and play. I love that. Like the simplicity of a guitar a chord and a G...bam, that simple pure tone heaven. I can add flangerchorusdelaywonk in the mixdown if its needed.

thru this amp maze, i found i prefer the Marshal distortion sound. Even their solid states have a od thats great.
I tend to like the Fender cleans and the Marshall overdrives.... the cleans seem to be much easier to capture as many say, I agree. I like the bang for the buck of the modelers, and the cost of the solid states (which usually have a good clean but distortions are usually not the best.)
Probably why I like MEsa really well, they kind of fit in the middle of the two.
But waaay out of my price range.

as far as "collection of tube amps"... this is my "one" amp I'm searchin for. I'm just a hr hobby, and I have one bass, one acoustic, one electric and, someday, one amp... just enough tools do the job is my interests (and finance).

My brothers recordings over the years, as we discussed my favorite guitar sound he got turned out to be an SG and Marshall.
Don't like the feel of SG's but apparently my ears like 'em. He's had numerous setups too, many POS and a few good ones sprinkled in.

The one thing with this Marshall is the size is over for my needs really, the cost is up there too, however a layway can be done... it seems like a very cool hi-end piece.

On to go hit the stores again... they have a Marshall Valvestate Stereo CHorus too, $250....I'm headin to go play some more.

Whats the word on the discrete/transistor amps? maybe thats a medium compromise, with analog technology...
Its never the Tube tones though is it, just physics of the tube device I guess, something the human loves about those tubes.

 

[CoolCat]

any input on the Valvestate Stereo Chorus is welcome too.

 

[jonnyc]

any input on the Valvestate Stereo Chorus is welcome too.

If you're going valvestate you may as well just look for the best solid state amp you can, it's the same thing really. Put the dsl on lay away and buy it. Chances are that amp will last you a lifetime and if you need different tones from it then get some high quality pedals. I've always found pedals to sound much more realistic when you're running them through a genuine tube amp.

 

[ZoSo58LP]

ive got a 95 valvestate 8040....its not bad, the distortion channel is tube but the clean is solid state so the clean channel sucks on it...idk its not a bad amp, wish i had a new marshall though

 

[jonnyc]

ive got a 95 valvestate 8040....its not bad, the distortion channel is tube but the clean is solid state so the clean channel sucks on it...idk its not a bad amp, wish i had a new marshall though

I'm not really sure you're correct with the dirty channel being tube and the clean solid state. Tube amps don't work like that, they have a preamp section(which is what valvestate tries to do) and then a power section. Also solid state cleans tend to be easier to work with and even can be nicer sounding than some tube clean sounds. If you have one tube(which is likey a 12ax7 or something like it) then you're probably incorrect regarding how your amp operates. I used to own an avt50 and it sounded very solid state even with the one 12ax7 in there.

 

[Sonic Rat]

I have a Marshall master lead combo that I paid a cpl bills for.has the origional celestion...Dosen't sound bad for a solid state...The guy I got it from hated it.......It works great for me tho.......one mans trash is another mans treasure......

 

[ZoSo58LP]

ive asked 283483 people, especially on this forum, and they confirmed that on the 90's valvestate, the distortion was tubed somehow and the clean was solid state...its like a hybrid, that was its 'selling point'. i have no idea what section the tubes in, but there's one in there.

 

[CoolCat]

an amplifier day for a small HR place

to GC,checked on a sale, PV transtube + free guitar...it was 25 watts but it wasn't for me. GC also had a DLS 401 for $899 used. (they usually mark up trades about 60-100%, so thats about $400-500 they paid someone for it.)

Played the MG30EFX..it was cool, imo. $190 brand new. I've read some quality concerns (like most budget line do). Had fun with the MG30 it had decent effects and cleans imo. I'd think it would be a great small HR amp. Most nods I noted are for the Vox ADT30 in this same price group type around here it seems. PLayed a Fender STage160 loud MOFO!!, a Marshall Valvestate-blwon speakers and buzzing.... a couple others.

Finally, Re-visited the $500 used DLS 401 at my local shop. its so frkn nice...damn. like someone wrote, a cable, a guitar bam, your done. simple.
the sound is very pleasing to my ears. A bit pricey but do-able with patience/layaway.
Listened and checked all the knobs looked for tears, near mint but used.... $500 no lower. USED is a concern. but checkout looks really good.

Anything you think I should check out on this model???? Let me know! thanks.....

 

[CoolCat]

ive asked 283483 people, especially on this forum, and they confirmed that on the 90's valvestate, the distortion was tubed somehow and the clean was solid state...its like a hybrid, that was its 'selling point'. i have no idea what section the tubes in, but there's one in there.

I looked in the back of the Vox Adt30EFX and it had a tube...I looked at the one next ot it and it didn't but the tube socket was there? then I looked at the 15ADT and there wasn't a tube or s socket visible.,...then the 50ADT had a socket and no tube in it, but it powered up?

as #283484, I think the valvestate has a SS preamp section and tube output.

 

[ZoSo58LP]

hahaha well that sounds right, i think? im not sure, oh well wahtever i just got my guvnor pedal so i use that now too lol

 

[jonnyc]

ive asked 283483 people, especially on this forum, and they confirmed that on the 90's valvestate, the distortion was tubed somehow and the clean was solid state...its like a hybrid, that was its 'selling point'. i have no idea what section the tubes in, but there's one in there.

OK I did some research and see why you're confused. Back then the hybrid amps only had a tube on the distortion part of the pcb board. Yes there's a tube in there(as I said earlier 12ax7)but it does not have the same electronics as a tube amplifier. It's still a gimmick or as you said a "selling point". It's still a solid state amp with a tube thrown in the make the buyer feel a little better about their purchase. Go here http://www.marshallamps.com/heritage/valvestate_i/valvestate_i_01.asp and carefully read, you'll see the words emulate,in reference to how a tube amp breaks up, and that's what a solid state amp does, it emulates. It's not real tube distortion. If you don't think there's a difference go get a cheaper tube amp with a similar overdrive and record both, you'll hear the difference. I sure did.

 

[CoolCat]

I'm no conisuerr and I could definately hear a difference between the valvestate and the tube401 today and played them back and forth several times.

personally I kind of liked both of them, but with the tube amp there was more a compressed tone, it was frkn really nice imo. simple and very easy on the ears and easy to get. reminded me of the mesa boogie sounds i like.

the valvestate had its pro's too especially the chorus. of course the ss benefits- no hassle of tube replacements. and it's 50% the cost.
it's distortions and sounds were waay past what i can get from old PV.

in a completed mixed tune maybe very subtle differences, or in a live band, if tweaked in right..maybe very very very subtle.

playing in a quiet environment....very noticeable difference, imo.

 

[jonnyc]

in a completed mixed tune maybe very subtle differences

Actually this is probably where you'd hear the biggest differences. I used to spend ass loads of time getting my avt50 to sit well in a mix. One day a friend dropped off a Mesa DC3, asked if I wanted to buy it for 200 bucks, I did. The very next day I had a session with a band and the difference in sound was mind blowing. We ended up retracking every song through the mesa. Since, I've owned nothing but tube amps and have managed to convert a few kids into tube lovers. It's funny because one particular kid(he wouldn't even borrow my mesa for a show because he thought his Marshall mg100 was so bad ass)finally took my advice and bought a really good tube amp and he'll come in to help me mix sometimes. He can instantly pick out when a band comes in with solidstate amps.

 

[Lt. Bob]

as #283484, I think the valvestate has a SS preamp section and tube output.

I've never seen that in any amp I can think of. Hybrids are always tubed preamp and SS output.
Someone may come along and point out that the 'mega-mondo 2500' was like that but if so, it's an extreme rarity. Once you have a tubed output there's no reason to use a SS pre since the expensive and hard parts of designing a tube amp have been done e.g. the power supply.