my jcm 2000 kills . it's a monster and gets great vintage tone as well. imo it's the best amp they ever made. it's got a great saturation that is just Marshall all the way.
My JCM 2000 does the same crackling/popping. I’ve done quite a bit of research on this... it’s a problem called runaway biasing. Apparently, this is a flaw with the main circuit board being wired incorrectly or some circuit boards were defective. The main issue is that too much power is allowed to flow through the circuits instead of being properly suppressed by the resistors. It can cause overheating and damage to various transistors and even the pre amp and power amp valves. I’ve blown many power valves over the years thinking I was misusing my amp. It sounds great when you have fresh properly matched valves but over time the runaway biasing damages the valves, dramatically reducing their lifespan. Marshall did correct the problem and you can purchase a corrected circuit board and have a technician install it. Overall, it’s cheaper than buying a new amp. I’m looking into doing this now that I know what the issues is. I have a JCM 900 as back up until I can get this done. I recognized the crackling in the video immediately, as this is how the problem starts out but it eventually gets nasty and renders your amp next to unusable.
That's AMAZING! I bought a JCM800 2205 and I haven't been able to come remotely close to the sound that you get out of that one, not even counting the boost with the SD-1. Great video!
Great review! I don't think the DSL gets enough credit as a mainstay and iconic amp. I always loved them, and the few I have played have been wonderful amps to work with. They have an awesome sonic range. I never understand why people (aka tone seekers) often overlook them.
I have an early 2000’s JCM2000, running through a 1960Vintage with Greenbacks (yes, I swapped the speakers) and my buddy who’s played for 30 years and our local amp tech who services the touring bands’ gear both say it’s the best sounding Marshall they’ve played. Maybe I got lucky, maybe they’re just that good. I also have good tubes in it (Tung-sol and Svetlana) and it just rips with incredible warmth and overtones. Love love love that amp. Currently playing a 2014 Gibson Les Paul Custom and Charvel Pro Mod San Dimas. Give the 2000 a look. There are lemons out there buy some are absolute gems.
I HAVE A JCM2000 AND SWITCHED OUT THE SPEAKERS TO THE REAL MADE IN ENGLAND GREEN BACKS. IT GOES FROM AC/DC TO METALLICA NO PROBLEM. WHEN WE PUT SHOWS ON IN CHICAGO, ALL THE BANDS PLAYING WOULD ASK US TO SULPLY 2 JCM200 50 WATTS FOR ALL THE SHOWS.
The JCM800 2203 sounds particularly good through a 4x12 with G12-65's. They take a bit of the fizz out of the top end. The amp also sounds best with the master volume opened up a bit. Whole different sound.
I still have mine I bought new in 1999 . They are kick ass amps . As good as any Marshall . The thing that throws people off is that the bias slips faster on them. But once biased right boom it’s king
@@ronniethomas6335 it means the required voltage, that the tubes need to operate correctly, loses stability, and becomes uncontrolled, causing failure.
@@Nightingale1887 I'm pretty sure he meant to type DSL not ds1 Probably an auto correct error. He also said he used his dsl with a boss EQ which can have the same effect as an overdrive when put before the amp like a TS9 or an SD-1. I personally prefer eq in the loop with a TS9 up front. I build my own pedals and nothing is same from my mods. With that said I've never owned an SD1. But since the TS9 is so similar I wonder if the sd1 would get much use. I'll probably build an SD1 on Vero soon cause I have an extra enclosure that would work well for an SD1.
@@michaelinglis8516 But he said he used since late 80's..i don't know when DSL line was launched...but what i said in the first post is JCM800 with Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive pedal as a boost in front of the amp....and that is killer. Some people have using the TS9 , that is a good option too. Eq pedal in the loop i never used , just effects pedals...Eq in the loop is good ?
I wouldn't call it a one trick pony. You can get an ok clean out of it and with a couple of different boost pedals and an EQ and you can do quite a bit.
I think they have quite a few tricks. The 2203/4 is essentially a JMP circuit so you really have zeppelin/ ACDC up through slayer and punk. It’s got that jimmy clean in it too I think. The Dolomite record by Scott Henderson is just an old 2203
My favorite setup with the JCM800 was the give and take" setup i call it. Jcm800 cabs Gt12-75s . Also ran a Bogner bottom for a few yrs. V30S AND G12-75S. Sound dispersement. Nice big room or iso booth for recording. 1981 JCM800. 4 SIEMENS NOS EL34 medium size quad power tubes. Ran old mullard 12ax7 in V1 and a pair of Sylvania military grade 12ax7s in 2 and 3 slots. My BOSS OD 1 was another distinct tone shaper for the end result. I used it as a clean boost most of the time. Again your taste in music. . My 72 Les Paul Custom. Used WCR pups med. Output. 7.4 7.6... Gain between 6. to 8. Volume minimum 4+. 6 Mid 5.1 to 6.1 Treble 3.1 to 4.0 Bass 7-8. Your taste in the end. very pedal friendly amp. JCM800. 300 yr old wood from the Paul. So on. Yea ran that setupnfrom thev80s on up. Used a GP10000 Metaltronix in the front door and a quadraverb for a bit.
Great video, I really like more the JCM800 ... have one from the early eighties with the SIR39 Mod and sounds crazy, but yeah, it is insanely loud .... with the SD1 and a G12-75 loaded cab is the tone of an era. The JCM2000 is fine but for that high gain / versatility purpose I prefer the JVM. Marshall forever!
Thank you so much for posting this highly useful video. I used to own a JCM800 2x12 combo and had to get rid because, like you said, it's just way too loud and just sounds thin at the level of volume that many of us get to play. Our singer used to moan like hell if I took it anywhere near 2! I sold it and bought a TSL100 but haven't been able to dial in that sound I loved. So I've just bought a used DSL50 on eBay for £350 after watching your videos. Thanks again. P.s. TSL100 for sale ;)
Awesome vid Leon 👍 As a 2000 dsl100 owner (year 2001) i can relate to the posters talking about bias issues popping cracking etc my one does that only until warmed up (which does not take long) I run it thru a marshall 1960A cab 4x12 gt12-75s very hard to get a tone you don't like on any channel. Just requires some slight tweakage between volume and gain. Similar to you i like the clean channels boosted. I use a good old tube screamer ts808 and to my ears the tone is golden. Pure Marshall rock. Thanks again Leon for all your content (especially anything jcm 2000 dsl100 related! ) 🤘
It would have been nice to share the final settings on each amp. Plus, it would have made more sense to set the JCM800 and then match the DSL2000's tone, rather than continue to make adjustments to the JCM800's EQ, making it somewhat of a moving target.
Liking the video but must day that Vivian Campbell was doing the SD1 into a JCM800 waayyy before Zakk. Pretty much recorded the entire Holy Diver with a Les Paul, SD1 and an 800.
@@christophergregory1205 A real key to Zakk's tone is he used 2 4x12's loaded with EVM 12L 200 watt speakers split in stereo with a chorus pedal. But don't go crazy with the chorus or it will sounds too processed.
Generally I prefer the JCM 800s but I have a 50 watt JCM 2000 I had modded by a guy that did a few amps for Lynch. Tightened up the low end and gave it more clarity. It definitely kicks ass now.
Do you know what mods he did? I'm doing a lot to mine, many that are not even found on the internet, but I'm always looking for new ideas. It sounds like he did the output transformer and the choke mod. do you know what else he did?
Ok I’m stupid. I just realized you’re the guitarist for Rag doll. Goddamn great band. I’ve been listening to you guys for a while and never put the two together. Cheers.
Killer playing and super helpful video! There’s a very affordable 2000 DSL for sale that I’ve been strongly considering, and this gave me exactly what I needed to know
The JCM 800 reminds me of the Diezel of Marshalls ;). I have a DSL 50 and love it, really think it is going to be a vintage piece soon, if it isn’t already. Also looking at the Kerry King JCM 800 to get that master volume ;). Wonder how different it would sound up against a 2203. You rock dude, thanks for the video!! 🤘🏻
Both sound good. The DSL is gratifyingly similar. I remember the first time I played one it was the sound I'd always heard in my head. Ended up being more into Plexis, but 800s and DSLs are close runner ups.
My buddy has JCM 2000, and it has a very good clean channel but I found it a bit wanting on the gain channel. It was more mid scooped than my 1987x Plexi or JVM 205H, and felt less responsive in the eq. Of course cranked, they all sound good… Great video! 👍🏻
That 800 had a bit more bite but the smoothness of the 2000 is nice as well. I have an old Crate Stealth 50 that actually sounds a lot like that 800. Except with 2 channels. Before anyone out there freaks out, that Crate Stealth line was designed by Lee Jackson who also designed some of the best Marshall amps. It's pretty much a Marshall with a Crate logo on it.
Very confusing. I wish the captions had continued throughout the entire video. I lost which one was which after awhile. I could hear a little more compression on the 2000, but it was close and the guitar player played so many different things it became hard to tell. I guess I'd get the 2000 because he says it's more versatile.
That was the idea with the captions, I wanted to see if anyone could actually pick which amp was which so that I could demonstrate that they're closer than a lot of people would have you believe. Thanks for taking the time to check it out.
I have 2 of the jcm2000s , they’re both fantastic. I had a 2204 for a few years-also sounded great. Got it cheap and wound up selling it and making some good money on it. Dialing them all in right I feel like they’ll all sound great-plus using greenbacks or a GB cab sim is 90% of the tone right there. Killer video and having both amps you just want to play both! Thanks for great demos Leon
Gary Richrath, REO, Marshall JTM/JMP 50W, Les Paul/PAF to me is the signature Marshall tone. Early Rush. Styx. The 800 and the amps that followed are great too, more modern, Ratt. They sound incredible. 45lbs (the 800). Don't ever change, Leon.
My 02 JCM 2000 TSL 60 / 4x12 still sounds new after almost 20 years. One suggestion, replace the power tubes with the -C- Svetlana winged C power tubes it came with. Nothing else comes close.
Agreed! I just bought a old Boss SD-1 made in 1983..Been playing since the late 80's and never had one til now. Can't believe how it adds that natural 3d- sounding distortion to a tube amp. I'm using with a Laney GH50l and it sounds completely killer!
@@andrewgarcia3136 2204 way too loud and no FX Loop was not good. Sold it and never looked back, have the 2000, just a different amp with way more gain on tap.
@@guitarexpert2245 the jcm2000 amps are a lot more usuable, I've actually been thinking about grabbing a used dsl50, or maybe even a dsl1 to use at home. They're good amps. The old jcm 800s have bigger iron, though. No comparison in terms of volume and punch, closer to an old hiwatt than most new Marshalls
I have an original JCM 2000 DSL 100 and wanted to know if anyone here has had one and experienced the faulty main board issue. Apparently after many hours of play time(years for me) the main board becomes conductive and you cannot stop the bias voltage from rising, causing tubes to fail. I was constantly changing tubes due to this issue until I finally had to stop using the amp live. I just ordered a new main board, issue #20, the last revision of the board, that is supposed to correct the bias problem. I hope so because that amp had the best tone I’ve ever had using a Les Paul. The tone was incredible and I’ve missed that sound ever since.
I did the same thing at a Guitar Center years ago and reached the same conclusion. They sound very similar but not exactly the same. Man I'd like to hear you do a review on the JVM 410.
Hi Leon, I play guitar for UK/DC and have recently bought a 2000. Finding the rhythm sound was easy enough but when I roll up the guitar vol for solos it seems to fall on its ass. I'm running crunch, gain varies between 3 o'clock and max and volume tends to be somewhere between 4 and 5, eq give or take around noon but I've tried various. Sound needs to remain dry, a touch reverb is all (Awful rev on the 2000). It's just lacking that bit if bite. I'd say I'm 80% happy, but it's missing a bit of attack. Adding the OD pedal is too meaty for AC/DC, perhaps a boss DS1 would give it enough of a kick or better reverb to help it ring out just a touch. No pedal boards or footswitches, plug and play. What's your thoughts? Thanks, Mike.
I’ve had a dsl 50, a 2203 from late 80’s and now i own a 2204 from 1982 with the vertical input. Man. She kills everything. Pull the master up and you’ll have beautiful clean tones. Thanks for the vid! Marshalls are one trick but it’s the best trick you’ll ever see. If you want real Marshall sound buy a plexi or an old 800 imho. Rock out! (Probably wear plugs or put that attenuator in between)😉
I played a JCM 800 for 20 years live. Only 50 watts with the 4 channel jumper but loud enough to make your ears bleed. I used to spin the cabinet towards the wall because it would kill anyone near the front of the stage.
Actually Zakk runs his SD-1’s ….level & gain both at 1:00…..tone at noon. Have you considered putting a 57 on a 4x12….and A’B -ing it to a greenback ir ? Even possibly adding a condenser mic a few feet away from the 4x12…..? I’d really be interested in hearing that….🤟🏼
I've had a dsl for 15 years and I love it! We were in the studio last month and we had an original jcm800 and my dsl100. Played the same riff on both. Considering that the jcm800 has God-like status and the 2000 is often considered the "meh" amp, they're pretty dam close! Except, an original 800 (or a reissue) is gonna cost about £1000+ when you can get a 2000 for less than £400!
Hi Leon. Gary from Tasmania. I really like your playing. You sound like the Brooster brothers from the Angels. I'm a huge fan of Marshall amps I own two of them. Keep the videos coming. I enjoy the sounds. This is the type of music that I grew up with. Take care.
Awesome! I ended picking up an old 1998 DSL after watching your videos! Which channel do you have the DSL on? Looks like the red channel... is it Lead 1 or 2?
So you dont Need a 2nd chanell. Easy going for Shows. No stress at all. I´m envious. Since 15 jears i´m searching for the perfect rig and it will never come. But Marshalls will be the base for it!
I mix my jcm 2000 with my vintage modern. I set up the 2000 with lots of mids, then the vm with highs and l Iows together they sound huge. You should try that leon!! Shout form Albuquerque new Mexico the nuke city love your channel btw
Hi Leon ; Great video here. I have an old Tube Works amp an man does that Amp really crank too. I use normally two full stacks Marshall AVT 2000's and i gotta say maybe i'm one of the few people that actually love them!
Really enjoyable sounds all round but I can't help wondering what an original 2203 vs reissue sounds like. And it would have been great to know which amp was playing after I alt-tabbed somewhere and lost track most of the time!
It's hard but I like to hear a guitar straight into the amp...maybe an overdrive to pop on and off but no fractals or any help from mixers or computers I just want to hear the amp with as much drive as it will do...When I record I put it in a room and everything goes to eleven...
Fair play dude!! that is a really fair assessment of the DSL!! Lots of people hate on it. I have a DSL100 from 1997 and later bought an 800, JVM410 and and a Jubilee 2555x then an AFD100 thinking they where mystically better but to be fair the DSL with a bit of EQ and a choke mod, I really don't think the listener can hear the difference, if anything the DSL is better at lower volumes as it has quite a bit more low end push. All great amps. Nice to see a review not slate the DSL. I suppose now the DSL is almost vintage pmsl, people will love it now yeah!! haha
Ive heard the only difference between the JCM800 and the JCM2000 was how they were marketed. They are basically the same Amp! I think I am more in love with the Marshall "logo", than the sound.
I cant speak for the circuit but the insides share nothing. A classic 800 has that old school build quality that was meant to last. the 2000s have a lot of printed circuit boards and the tubes also sit on a circuit board and it they run mega hot.
They made both amps for a long time. They are both great amps. They have been reissuing the JCM800s for years because they are great. The JCM2000s were their best selling tube amps of all time. They are basically still making them as the DSL series because they sold so well and are great amps. Owning both would be the best idea. I have had the DSL and still own a TSL. They are both great amps but it is nice to have the extra channel on the TSL. They both sound really similar otherwise.
I will really like to see a comparison with JCM900. I love my 900, a great amp, but always wondered how far the A channel is far from the older 800 brother.
I also loved my 900. I do feel like people get hung up on micro differences. I actually wish someone would just assign me gear. Then I’d just spend my time making music with whatever I’ve got.
Hey dude! My band is thinking of buying a JCM 2000 DSL 50. We heard that they often need repairs. Can you lend any advice or reasoning for this, like what kind of repairs are typically needed, and how costly? And what's the advantage of going with the DSL 100 vs 50? Any help you can give would be great. Love your channel!
I have the DSL 2000 (2006) I believe. The other guitarist in my band has a 1987 JCM 800. Both sound great. I got my DSL for $550 used about 4 years ago. I will never sell it. It's also cool that you can safely bias it yourself.
Been trying to do some research on Dave Mustaine's gear from 1986 since I love the raunchy crunch that just edges into old-school metal territory. This video pretty much confirmed my hypothesis: 2203 with maxed out gain into a Greenback cab. Been told he didn't use an ooverdrive and I'm glad that's true
I don't know if you all know this but if you add another master to a JCM 800 it will sound like the 2000 and you don't have to crank the stack, turn the bridge pup up to full or almost and get the same effect, I use this all the time and I keep getting asked what the am I doing, I know electronics kinda, but may be you all know this info, great rock on aall.
You can fix the jcm800 'th8n at low volume' issue by putting a 100-220k resistor on the output of the master volume. There is a capacitor after the master volume so at low settings it forms a high pass filter, thus thin tone.
late to the party but I was looking at the DSL recently. When Gary Holt toured with Slayer, he used 3 DSLs as opposed to the JCM800s, which is why I was looking at them as possible heads to invest in for playing live with that sort of heavy gain saturation. the 800 needs a pedal in front of it to achieve metal territory sounds, but its an interesting bit of kit. nice to see a comparison
Congratulations man, best comparison video between amps ever, pretty interesting, you play pretty good too! Dont know why but the Dsl seems to sound a bit lower. Were the volumes the same? Cheers man!
What pedal did you use for the metal tone? I have a dsl 100 and in my opinion, mine sounds a little off. By that, I mean it sounds like neutral and a little too crunchy. When I boost the gain, I just can't achieve a metal tone.
Forget the Marshalls, that's one hell of a strong desk!
🤣
Haha!!!
I was thinking the same thing. Like. Why didn't he just leave the heads in a pickup bed to keep them mobile
Купил жцм900 комбо. Только с грелкой звучит как зверь )
Лампу можно раскачивать как угодно)
I have aJCM 2000 DSL and I freakin love it. I honestly think that in the future they will be soughted after like the JCM800 is today.
i have to agree with that on the modern DSL series, there’s something special with these amps
my jcm 2000 kills . it's a monster and gets great vintage tone as well. imo it's the best amp they ever made. it's got a great saturation that is just Marshall all the way.
What year is it?
@@SuperJiggawhat 1999
I certainly hope not. Then the prices will go up. LOL
Great video. The SD-1 is my favorite overdrive pedal to use for boosting.
I feel like a used JCM 2000 dual super lead might be one of the best deals eva for a versatile, workin man rock/metal amp..
I am an amphead and loves researching amps and preamps - and your channel has been a godsend to me! Don't stop! :)
So many amps, so little time!
@@LeonTodd More and more please! :D
Does anyone hear a crackly noise or something as the 2000 is being played? My ears might be fried from using 100 watt Marshalls all these years.
It's definitely not an amp artefact unless that particular amp is fried, but I doubt it because it sounds like digital clipping.
ya, same with 900 series. plastic brittle high end phony tone with cheap clipping. Awful stuff
I hear it too, definitely a clipping of some sort. My 2000 is now doing the ground cracking/popping.
My JCM 2000 does the same crackling/popping. I’ve done quite a bit of research on this... it’s a problem called runaway biasing. Apparently, this is a flaw with the main circuit board being wired incorrectly or some circuit boards were defective. The main issue is that too much power is allowed to flow through the circuits instead of being properly suppressed by the resistors. It can cause overheating and damage to various transistors and even the pre amp and power amp valves. I’ve blown many power valves over the years thinking I was misusing my amp. It sounds great when you have fresh properly matched valves but over time the runaway biasing damages the valves, dramatically reducing their lifespan.
Marshall did correct the problem and you can purchase a corrected circuit board and have a technician install it. Overall, it’s cheaper than buying a new amp. I’m looking into doing this now that I know what the issues is. I have a JCM 900 as back up until I can get this done. I recognized the crackling in the video immediately, as this is how the problem starts out but it eventually gets nasty and renders your amp next to unusable.
@@julianortiz4151 just got my 2000 back from the shop a month ago for runaway bias
That's AMAZING! I bought a JCM800 2205 and I haven't been able to come remotely close to the sound that you get out of that one, not even counting the boost with the SD-1. Great video!
Thanks so much for checking it out :)
He’s using a 2203 in the video.
Different circuit. 2205 uses diodes for distortion.
Marshall JCM 800 with 4x12 cab with Vintage 30’s and an Ibanez tube screamer to boost the distortion up a bit will sound killer
Great review! I don't think the DSL gets enough credit as a mainstay and iconic amp. I always loved them, and the few I have played have been wonderful amps to work with. They have an awesome sonic range. I never understand why people (aka tone seekers) often overlook them.
I have an early 2000’s JCM2000, running through a 1960Vintage with Greenbacks (yes, I swapped the speakers) and my buddy who’s played for 30 years and our local amp tech who services the touring bands’ gear both say it’s the best sounding Marshall they’ve played. Maybe I got lucky, maybe they’re just that good. I also have good tubes in it (Tung-sol and Svetlana) and it just rips with incredible warmth and overtones. Love love love that amp. Currently playing a 2014 Gibson Les Paul Custom and Charvel Pro Mod San Dimas. Give the 2000 a look. There are lemons out there buy some are absolute gems.
I'm yet to hear a bad one TBH (I also have two of the 100w heads kicking around here). It rules with greenbacks hey!
It's a great amp with the right speakers for sure!
I HAVE A JCM2000 AND SWITCHED OUT THE SPEAKERS TO THE REAL MADE IN ENGLAND GREEN BACKS. IT GOES FROM AC/DC TO METALLICA NO PROBLEM. WHEN WE PUT SHOWS ON IN CHICAGO, ALL THE BANDS PLAYING WOULD ASK US TO SULPLY 2 JCM200 50 WATTS FOR ALL THE SHOWS.
The JCM800 2203 sounds particularly good through a 4x12 with G12-65's. They take a bit of the fizz out of the top end. The amp also sounds best with the master volume opened up a bit. Whole different sound.
Great explanation! Love the tone from the JCM2000!
Love my JCM2000 TSL 100.
I still have mine I bought new in 1999 . They are kick ass amps . As good as any Marshall . The thing that throws people off is that the bias slips faster on them. But once biased right boom it’s king
First time I have ever seen the word LOVE and 100 used together
Mine as well!
Techdeath Hippie What does bias slips mean? Just curious.
@@ronniethomas6335 it means the required voltage, that the tubes need to operate correctly, loses stability, and becomes uncontrolled, causing failure.
JCM800 +Boss SD-1 = killer tone.
Yeah man I have been using my ds1 since the late 80swith a boss eq.awsomeness
@@darenwobensmith4868 The SD-1 Super Over Drive is not a DS-1 Distortion.
@@Nightingale1887 I'm pretty sure he meant to type DSL not ds1
Probably an auto correct error. He also said he used his dsl with a boss EQ which can have the same effect as an overdrive when put before the amp like a TS9 or an SD-1. I personally prefer eq in the loop with a TS9 up front. I build my own pedals and nothing is same from my mods. With that said I've never owned an SD1. But since the TS9 is so similar I wonder if the sd1 would get much use. I'll probably build an SD1 on Vero soon cause I have an extra enclosure that would work well for an SD1.
Agreed. The SD-1may be a humble little dirt box but it just seems made for the JCM800. Makes the amp absolutely rage.
@@michaelinglis8516 But he said he used since late 80's..i don't know when DSL line was launched...but what i said in the first post is JCM800 with Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive pedal as a boost in front of the amp....and that is killer. Some people have using the TS9 , that is a good option too. Eq pedal in the loop i never used , just effects pedals...Eq in the loop is good ?
Thanks for your vids I just bought a DSL 50 and I’m so excited thanks to your vids : )
Great comparison! I have a JCM 2000 DSL 100w and love it!
Killer amps
Thanks for making this video. I got a DSL for like 700 USD where the 800s are at 2k+. I'm happy.
Nice! the JCM800 is a one trick pony, but man.. what a trick it is!
Very similar to the Soldano stuff in that regard. When you need that one sound, it's the best at what it does.
I wouldn't call it a one trick pony. You can get an ok clean out of it and with a couple of different boost pedals and an EQ and you can do quite a bit.
Roll off the volume on your guitar. Learn dynamics and nothing stays one trick
I think they have quite a few tricks. The 2203/4 is essentially a JMP circuit so you really have zeppelin/ ACDC up through slayer and punk. It’s got that jimmy clean in it too I think. The Dolomite record by Scott Henderson is just an old 2203
Exactly! People that call them a one trick are just wrong. You can literally nail 25 years of several genres with a 2203+ a couple pedals.
My favorite setup with the JCM800 was the give and take" setup i call it. Jcm800 cabs Gt12-75s . Also ran a Bogner bottom for a few yrs. V30S AND G12-75S.
Sound dispersement. Nice big room or iso booth for recording.
1981 JCM800.
4 SIEMENS NOS EL34 medium size quad power tubes.
Ran old mullard 12ax7 in V1 and a pair of Sylvania military grade 12ax7s in 2 and 3 slots.
My BOSS OD 1 was another distinct tone shaper for the end result.
I used it as a clean boost most of the time. Again your taste in music.
. My 72 Les Paul Custom. Used WCR pups med. Output. 7.4 7.6...
Gain between 6. to 8.
Volume minimum 4+. 6
Mid 5.1 to 6.1
Treble 3.1 to 4.0
Bass 7-8.
Your taste in the end. very pedal friendly amp. JCM800. 300 yr old wood from the Paul. So on. Yea ran that setupnfrom thev80s on up. Used a GP10000 Metaltronix in the front door and a quadraverb for a bit.
thats some super secret info your givin up.. Good stuff here if anyone is noticing.. who is this masked man?
Great video, I really like more the JCM800 ... have one from the early eighties with the SIR39 Mod and sounds crazy, but yeah, it is insanely loud .... with the SD1 and a G12-75 loaded cab is the tone of an era. The JCM2000 is fine but for that high gain / versatility purpose I prefer the JVM. Marshall forever!
Thank you so much for posting this highly useful video. I used to own a JCM800 2x12 combo and had to get rid because, like you said, it's just way too loud and just sounds thin at the level of volume that many of us get to play. Our singer used to moan like hell if I took it anywhere near 2! I sold it and bought a TSL100 but haven't been able to dial in that sound I loved. So I've just bought a used DSL50 on eBay for £350 after watching your videos. Thanks again. P.s. TSL100 for sale ;)
The TSL is an odd bird that is for sure
Awesome vid Leon 👍
As a 2000 dsl100 owner (year 2001) i can relate to the posters talking about bias issues popping cracking etc my one does that only until warmed up (which does not take long)
I run it thru a marshall 1960A cab 4x12 gt12-75s very hard to get a tone you don't like on any channel. Just requires some slight tweakage between volume and gain.
Similar to you i like the clean channels boosted. I use a good old tube screamer ts808 and to my ears the tone is golden. Pure Marshall rock.
Thanks again Leon for all your content (especially anything jcm 2000 dsl100 related! )
🤘
DSL and 1960a cab gets it done
The dsl's after 2003 don't have the bias drift problem anymore
You always sneak in Lay It Down, that riff is so good 👍
SO gooood!
I've had both. I loved my JCM2000. That was the winner for me.
Great tones from both Marshall's bro. Keep rocking
It would have been nice to share the final settings on each amp. Plus, it would have made more sense to set the JCM800 and then match the DSL2000's tone, rather than continue to make adjustments to the JCM800's EQ, making it somewhat of a moving target.
Basicaly everything sounds better with Greenbacks :D
I agree with this statement :)
Definitely. Much bigger difference than between the amps
g12-80!!
idk, I think I preferred the V30s.
I concur!
Liking the video but must day that Vivian Campbell was doing the SD1 into a JCM800 waayyy before Zakk. Pretty much recorded the entire Holy Diver with a Les Paul, SD1 and an 800.
Didn't realise that was an sd1 too, legendary tone.
Leon Todd. Yeah saw an interview where he said he only used that one guitar, pedal and amp for the album. Awesome sound from an awesome player.
Yeah, but the tone Zakk got with his modded 2203 on his first two Ozzy records is like the holy grail of tone for me!
@@christophergregory1205 A real key to Zakk's tone is he used 2 4x12's loaded with EVM 12L 200 watt speakers split in stereo with a chorus pedal. But don't go crazy with the chorus or it will sounds too processed.
@@danyeo I just saw a rig rundown with zakk and he said he never used chorus on the records he just double tracked.
Generally I prefer the JCM 800s but I have a 50 watt JCM 2000 I had modded by a guy that did a few amps for Lynch. Tightened up the low end and gave it more clarity. It definitely kicks ass now.
Do you know what mods he did? I'm doing a lot to mine, many that are not even found on the internet, but I'm always looking for new ideas. It sounds like he did the output transformer and the choke mod. do you know what else he did?
Ok I’m stupid. I just realized you’re the guitarist for Rag doll. Goddamn great band. I’ve been listening to you guys for a while and never put the two together. Cheers.
Killer playing and super helpful video! There’s a very affordable 2000 DSL for sale that I’ve been strongly considering, and this gave me exactly what I needed to know
Love the greenbacks... Thanks for a great quality demo and comparison.
My pleasure. Everything sounds good with greenbacks!
The JCM 800 reminds me of the Diezel of Marshalls ;). I have a DSL 50 and love it, really think it is going to be a vintage piece soon, if it isn’t already. Also looking at the Kerry King JCM 800 to get that master volume ;). Wonder how different it would sound up against a 2203.
You rock dude, thanks for the video!! 🤘🏻
Both sound good. The DSL is gratifyingly similar. I remember the first time I played one it was the sound I'd always heard in my head. Ended up being more into Plexis, but 800s and DSLs are close runner ups.
My buddy has JCM 2000, and it has a very good clean channel but I found it a bit wanting on the gain channel. It was more mid scooped than my 1987x Plexi or JVM 205H, and felt less responsive in the eq. Of course cranked, they all sound good… Great video! 👍🏻
Great video. Thank you. I just purchased the 2000 DSL. Can't wait to play it.
Congratulations it's a great amp
Funny that you have the amp, but posted on this video before you played on it. Go play with your amp lol
@@chadw8119 Dude this was 5 years ago. I said I purchased it. Not delivered yet at that time..
That 800 had a bit more bite but the smoothness of the 2000 is nice as well. I have an old Crate Stealth 50 that actually sounds a lot like that 800. Except with 2 channels.
Before anyone out there freaks out, that Crate Stealth line was designed by Lee Jackson who also designed some of the best Marshall amps. It's pretty much a Marshall with a Crate logo on it.
Yeah those Crate amps deserve a second chance
I second this about the Crate Stealth. I currently have a Stealth 100. Amazing amp
I have a JCM 800 and also a Lee Jackson XLS 1000. Just my opinion, but I love the Lee Jackson more and seem to be able to do a lot more with it.
I have a great little Crate Vintage Club amp. 20 watts with one 10" speaker. It's been my backup amp for years!
I played out of a Stealth for years..had the 50 with the 6v6 tubes if I remember right
Very confusing. I wish the captions had continued throughout the entire video. I lost which one was which after awhile. I could hear a little more compression on the 2000, but it was close and the guitar player played so many different things it became hard to tell. I guess I'd get the 2000 because he says it's more versatile.
That was the idea with the captions, I wanted to see if anyone could actually pick which amp was which so that I could demonstrate that they're closer than a lot of people would have you believe. Thanks for taking the time to check it out.
I have 2 of the jcm2000s , they’re both fantastic. I had a 2204 for a few years-also sounded great. Got it cheap and wound up selling it and making some good money on it.
Dialing them all in right I feel like they’ll all sound great-plus using greenbacks or a GB cab sim is 90% of the tone right there. Killer video and having both amps you just want to play both! Thanks for great demos Leon
Gary Richrath, REO, Marshall JTM/JMP 50W, Les Paul/PAF to me is the signature Marshall tone. Early Rush. Styx. The 800 and the amps that followed are great too, more modern, Ratt. They sound incredible. 45lbs (the 800). Don't ever change, Leon.
I too play a 1974 JMP 50...I used to have one with the small emblem on the front and sold it and Oh I wish I had that back...
Jim CatManDude, super lively little amplifiers! The little amp that could! 😜
My 02 JCM 2000 TSL 60 / 4x12 still sounds new after almost 20 years. One suggestion, replace the power tubes with the -C- Svetlana winged C power tubes it came with. Nothing else comes close.
JCM800's are what made mid to late 80's metal guitar, metal guitar! I think everybody used 'em! lol Well, almost everybody.
It's the sound of an era.
Agreed! I just bought a old Boss SD-1 made in 1983..Been playing since the late 80's and never had one til now. Can't believe how it adds that natural 3d- sounding distortion to a tube amp. I'm using with a Laney GH50l and it sounds completely killer!
I have one, it has a few tricks, but the loud marshall one is indeed the best
@@andrewgarcia3136 2204 way too loud and no FX Loop was not good. Sold it and never looked back, have the 2000, just a different amp with way more gain on tap.
@@guitarexpert2245 the jcm2000 amps are a lot more usuable, I've actually been thinking about grabbing a used dsl50, or maybe even a dsl1 to use at home. They're good amps. The old jcm 800s have bigger iron, though. No comparison in terms of volume and punch, closer to an old hiwatt than most new Marshalls
I have an original JCM 2000 DSL 100 and wanted to know if anyone here has had one and experienced the faulty main board issue. Apparently after many hours of play time(years for me) the main board becomes conductive and you cannot stop the bias voltage from rising, causing tubes to fail. I was constantly changing tubes due to this issue until I finally had to stop using the amp live. I just ordered a new main board, issue #20, the last revision of the board, that is supposed to correct the bias problem. I hope so because that amp had the best tone I’ve ever had using a Les Paul. The tone was incredible and I’ve missed that sound ever since.
I did the same thing at a Guitar Center years ago and reached the same conclusion. They sound very similar but not exactly the same. Man I'd like to hear you do a review on the JVM 410.
Damn, I dig the JCM 800 boosted with the SD-1! What a great tone!
Classic stuff
Hi Leon, I play guitar for UK/DC and have recently bought a 2000. Finding the rhythm sound was easy enough but when I roll up the guitar vol for solos it seems to fall on its ass. I'm running crunch, gain varies between 3 o'clock and max and volume tends to be somewhere between 4 and 5, eq give or take around noon but I've tried various. Sound needs to remain dry, a touch reverb is all (Awful rev on the 2000). It's just lacking that bit if bite. I'd say I'm 80% happy, but it's missing a bit of attack. Adding the OD pedal is too meaty for AC/DC, perhaps a boss DS1 would give it enough of a kick or better reverb to help it ring out just a touch. No pedal boards or footswitches, plug and play. What's your thoughts? Thanks, Mike.
I’ve had a dsl 50, a 2203 from late 80’s and now i own a 2204 from 1982 with the vertical input. Man. She kills everything. Pull the master up and you’ll have beautiful clean tones. Thanks for the vid! Marshalls are one trick but it’s the best trick you’ll ever see.
If you want real Marshall sound buy a plexi or an old 800 imho. Rock out! (Probably wear plugs or put that attenuator in between)😉
I played a JCM 800 for 20 years live. Only 50 watts with the 4 channel jumper but loud enough to make your ears bleed. I used to spin the cabinet towards the wall because it would kill anyone near the front of the stage.
Actually Zakk runs his SD-1’s ….level & gain both at 1:00…..tone at noon. Have you considered putting a 57 on a 4x12….and A’B -ing it to a greenback ir ? Even possibly adding a condenser mic a few feet away from the 4x12…..? I’d really be interested in hearing that….🤟🏼
I've had a dsl for 15 years and I love it!
We were in the studio last month and we had an original jcm800 and my dsl100. Played the same riff on both. Considering that the jcm800 has God-like status and the 2000 is often considered the "meh" amp, they're pretty dam close!
Except, an original 800 (or a reissue) is gonna cost about £1000+ when you can get a 2000 for less than £400!
Pretty similar to my experience, once I figured out the DSL could do the 800 thing and more I stuck with it.
Hi Leon. Gary from Tasmania. I really like your playing. You sound like the Brooster brothers from the Angels. I'm a huge fan of Marshall amps I own two of them. Keep the videos coming. I enjoy the sounds. This is the type of music that I grew up with. Take care.
Please can you tell me the difference between Marshall JCM 900 100w model 4100 dual gain and reverb amp head. And your Jcm 800 or 900 thank you
Awesome! I ended picking up an old 1998 DSL after watching your videos! Which channel do you have the DSL on? Looks like the red channel... is it Lead 1 or 2?
Lead 1. Green channel crunch is killer too!
Cool thanks!
Nothing sounds more raw and powerful than a Les Paul straight into a JCM800.
Love the JCM2000 also!
there is a jcm800 build into the jcm2000. The best Thing Marshall did in the 90th
Id like Marshall half stack. Problem is, im not a lead guitarist, only jam thrash & death rhythm. Feel like i don't rate. Lol
So you dont Need a 2nd chanell. Easy going for Shows. No stress at all. I´m envious. Since 15 jears i´m searching for the perfect rig and it will never come. But Marshalls will be the base for it!
I mix my jcm 2000 with my vintage modern. I set up the 2000 with lots of mids, then the vm with highs and l Iows together they sound huge. You should try that leon!! Shout form Albuquerque new Mexico the nuke city love your channel btw
How can I know when you're playing the 800 and when you're playing the JCM2000?
Hi Leon ; Great video here. I have an old Tube Works amp an man does that Amp really crank too. I use normally two full stacks Marshall AVT 2000's and i gotta say maybe i'm one of the few people that actually love them!
The AVT's are solid amps man!
yeah , i love the sound that comes out of them!
Really enjoyable sounds all round but I can't help wondering what an original 2203 vs reissue sounds like. And it would have been great to know which amp was playing after I alt-tabbed somewhere and lost track most of the time!
It's hard but I like to hear a guitar straight into the amp...maybe an overdrive to pop on and off but no fractals or any help from mixers or computers I just want to hear the amp with as much drive as it will do...When I record I put it in a room and everything goes to eleven...
I own 3 jcm2000s but my 2203 is just awesome. Cool video man
How much should I pay for a used one? I see a lot of ppl saying not to pay more than $600 but I cant find one for less than $700 if at all.
Fair play dude!! that is a really fair assessment of the DSL!! Lots of people hate on it. I have a DSL100 from 1997 and later bought an 800, JVM410 and and a Jubilee 2555x then an AFD100 thinking they where mystically better but to be fair the DSL with a bit of EQ and a choke mod, I really don't think the listener can hear the difference, if anything the DSL is better at lower volumes as it has quite a bit more low end push. All great amps. Nice to see a review not slate the DSL. I suppose now the DSL is almost vintage pmsl, people will love it now yeah!! haha
If you can't get a good tone out of a DSL, the problem isn't with the amp ;)
Great video brother! Love the channel! 😉✌
I enjoyed the guitar playing Leon. Both amps rock and greenback speakers always sound great, every single time! Awesome presentation too :)
Anyone else catch the “Lay it Down” lick by Ratt in there? Very nice.
What a riff!
Leon Todd Warren D is a god amongst men!
Personally ,I don't think I've ever heard these two amps sound so close vocally in a you tube video. Well done.
Much appreciated :) The DSL is criminally underrated.
I don't understand why you are connecting both inputs with the same red cable?
Ive heard the only difference between the JCM800 and the JCM2000 was how they were marketed.
They are basically the same Amp! I think I am more in love with the Marshall "logo", than the sound.
I cant speak for the circuit but the insides share nothing. A classic 800 has that old school build quality that was meant to last. the 2000s have a lot of printed circuit boards and the tubes also sit on a circuit board and it they run mega hot.
I can tell the difference only by watching you switch between them. Shame you don't have a comparo of Lane GH vs. JCM800 vs. Laney AOR......
I'd love to track down an AOR. The 800 vs the GH; watch this space.
Shame I live in Socal I have 5 different versions of the Pro-Tube amps. Also, what about a Bassbreaker 45 vs JTM45 vs, 2246?
I'll do my best to track down a bassbreaker as I have the other two.
That would be a sick video...…….. ;)
Hello I think I found an AOR down under for sale if you are still interested? I contacted you on fb.
I got both heads. They are both great amps for whatever tone you want to do.
They made both amps for a long time. They are both great amps. They have been reissuing the JCM800s for years because they are great. The JCM2000s were their best selling tube amps of all time. They are basically still making them as the DSL series because they sold so well and are great amps. Owning both would be the best idea. I have had the DSL and still own a TSL. They are both great amps but it is nice to have the extra channel on the TSL. They both sound really similar otherwise.
what is the tune at 3:18?
Lay it down by RATT
@@LeonTodd 🤘
Could you please do me a wonderful favor an see if the length an width of the chassis is the same?
I will really like to see a comparison with JCM900. I love my 900, a great amp, but always wondered how far the A channel is far from the older 800 brother.
I also loved my 900. I do feel like people get hung up on micro differences. I actually wish someone would just assign me gear. Then I’d just spend my time making music with whatever I’ve got.
The 900 is a great amp. The band Jet both used JCM 900s. Any time people slag on the 900, I always point them towards that tone.
Hey dude! My band is thinking of buying a JCM 2000 DSL 50. We heard that they often need repairs. Can you lend any advice or reasoning for this, like what kind of repairs are typically needed, and how costly? And what's the advantage of going with the DSL 100 vs 50? Any help you can give would be great. Love your channel!
My DSL 50 head has been going strong since I bought it new in 1998. Only ever needed one repair, a loose impedance selector switch last autumn.
I have the DSL 2000 (2006) I believe. The other guitarist in my band has a 1987 JCM 800. Both sound great. I got my DSL for $550 used about 4 years ago. I will never sell it. It's also cool that you can safely bias it yourself.
Vintage Leon!
Could you please do a Comparison between Marshal Vintage Modern and Marshall Origin
the new standard for gear demos. good job on these.
but would you metal with a jcm 2k? im about ready to get a megalith based on your vid of it
Been trying to do some research on Dave Mustaine's gear from 1986 since I love the raunchy crunch that just edges into old-school metal territory. This video pretty much confirmed my hypothesis: 2203 with maxed out gain into a Greenback cab. Been told he didn't use an ooverdrive and I'm glad that's true
That's rad, love his old tones
I think he recorded through a Rockman. His tone on those first albums has a certain flavor. I wonder if that's it.
I don't know if you all know this but if you add another master to a JCM 800 it will sound like the 2000 and you don't have to crank the stack, turn the bridge pup up to full or almost and get the same effect, I use this all the time and I keep getting asked what the am I doing, I know electronics kinda, but may be you all know this info, great rock on aall.
You see the dsl still in so many backlines. It looks the part and sounds it and doesn't cost thousands.
I miss my JCM 2000 DSL
Replaced the mainboard to make it perfect.... why the hell did i sell it?!
Ripper amps hey
@@LeonTodd definite fave, never liked my TSL100 i thought it sounded like a valvestate lol
Leon, I have a Marshall DSL100H and i just retubed it with JJ EL34 HP. What are your preferred tubes for that amp or any Marshall?
Attenuators are our friends. Hell I even have a weber mini mass on my PRS mt15, a rivera rock crusher I use on several amps.
Great comparison Leon. Would love to see the same thing with a jvm in place of the dsl.
I need to find out which one of my buddies has a JVM now!
Hi pal, were those celestion V30's at 0:41?
I loved my JCM2000 TSL through Mesa-Boogie 4×12. Recently swapped the Marshall for a BluGuitar Iridium.
Bro how you liking the iridium? I been listening to it on here but so far the sound is not convincing me at all
You can fix the jcm800 'th8n at low volume' issue by putting a 100-220k resistor on the output of the master volume. There is a capacitor after the master volume so at low settings it forms a high pass filter, thus thin tone.
That's very handy to know :)
Great vid. Man, that 2000 does a pretty great job.
More than holds its own!
late to the party but I was looking at the DSL recently. When Gary Holt toured with Slayer, he used 3 DSLs as opposed to the JCM800s, which is why I was looking at them as possible heads to invest in for playing live with that sort of heavy gain saturation. the 800 needs a pedal in front of it to achieve metal territory sounds, but its an interesting bit of kit. nice to see a comparison
That RATT riff
I still have my tsl 100 head. 1999 purchase. Had to change the board (as I’m sure you’ll know about the first batch) and it still sounds astonishing!
Oh man, I had to replace my foot pedal switch twice. Third time was the charm. I have the TSL. I love having the three channels
Great video brother
How does the Tsl compare to the dsl? I can get a cheap Tsl but if it's not worth it I'll wait.
I personally prefer the DSL but the TSL does some cool stuff. Clean channel is very clean but and the dirt channels cover some similar ground.
Congratulations man, best comparison video between amps ever, pretty interesting, you play pretty good too!
Dont know why but the Dsl seems to sound a bit lower. Were the volumes the same?
Cheers man!
i did my best to match the volumes but listening back the DSL is a tiny bit lower. Stoked you like the vid :)
I like to dime the gain on the classic channel on the dsl and boost it. I prefer that to the ultra channel.
What pedal did you use for the metal tone? I have a dsl 100 and in my opinion, mine sounds a little off. By that, I mean it sounds like neutral and a little too crunchy. When I boost the gain, I just can't achieve a metal tone.
Which model Radial Amp switcher are you using? IT sounds really transparent in terms of the load hitting each amp.