Can I get a decent clean tone from a JCM 2000 TSL or DSL?

robinbowes

I'm depping in a Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band on Sunday, at a festival in Great Yarmouth.

I'm taking a pedal board but backbone is provided:

"4 x Marshall JCM 2000 Guitar Heads (2x TSL + 2 x DSL)
4 x Marshall 4x12 Cabs"

There will also be:

"2x Marshall JCM 800/900 Heads
1 x Marshall 4x12 Cab"

I normally use a blackfaced Fender Bandmaster (1 x 15), or a Traynor YRM-1SC (4 x 10).

Am I going to be able to get a decent clean sound from any of the Marshalls?

R.

Cabicular

My advice would be to take a decent clean boost pedal and go through the FX loops and have the fx boost control the overall vol
when in doing that kind of thing I run the Helix in stereo but I have done the same using a Kingsley Jester at the end of the chain and using the boost section to control it
if it's lunar skynard though the crunch channel on the dsl s is decent and cleans up with volume
forget trying to use them as two channel amps
if you Eq the clean to sound nice the drive is awful and vice versa

robinbowes

I'm planning to try and get a clean sound reasonably similar to my usual sound and use my normal drive pedals. 

professorben

I'd suggest that your not going to struggle getting a 'usable' clean out of the 800 or DSL, steer clear of the TSL. 

Its not going to be be as spanky or Fender like as you are used too, but as long as you don't hammer the front end too much with input volume and scoop the mids slightly I reckon it will do. 

Marshall cleans are pretty underrated. 

professorben

The speaker choices are going to be a change for you regardless of the amps themselves. 

professorben

Cabicular said:

My advice would be to take a decent clean boost pedal and go through the FX loops and have the fx boost control the overall vol
when in doing that kind of thing I run the Helix in stereo but I have done the same using a Kingsley Jester at the end of the chain and using the boost section to control it
if it's lunar skynard though the crunch channel on the dsl s is decent and cleans up with volume
forget trying to use them as two channel amps
if you Eq the clean to sound nice the drive is awful and vice versa

Yes the crunch on the dsl is FAR better than the TSL. 

but get there early and nab the 800!!!

ICBM

Yes. At least until it breaks down.

(Speaking as a TSL owner .)


You'll get a "better" - ie more Fender-like - clean from the TSL than any of the others.

If there are two TSLs, set the second one up exactly the same as the first before you start, it will save time if you need to swap mid-set .

If you're a Skynyrd tribute band I assume you have three guitarists, so each of you can do the same, with one of the others using the DSLs and the third with the 800s.

GoldenEraGuitars

I've owned a few DSL Marshalls over the years. Happy to say that it's a fantastic crunchy amp imo. It'll do good enough cleans, the TSL doesn't come close in any respect again... that's my opinion. 

Moltisanti

the TSL has the worst, stiffest, most lifeless clean of any valve amp i've ever played.

I would go for the 800, use the low input and push the gain up high, on 10 if you have single coils. It will be nice and warm and punchy and will take drive pedals like a champ

professorben

Moltisanti said:

the TSL has the worst, stiffest, most lifeless clean of any valve amp i've ever played.

I would go for the 800, use the low input and push the gain up high, on 10 if you have single coils. It will be nice and warm and punchy and will take drive pedals like a champ

This. 

robinbowes

Thanks for all advice.

On re-reading the spec sheet, I noticed this:

"Guitarists may also use their own amp heads but please be aware of the short changeover time available to you."

So, I have a Traynor YRM-1 (head version of the YRM-1SC 4x10 combo) which I think I'll take down and play through a 4x12 cab.

Regardless of which amp I use, I built a board which should get me a reasonable sound into any half-decent amp:




Signal path: G70 -> wah -> Cali76 -> Tumnus -> Tonebone -> Simble -> Juansolo Tubescreamer -> 30ms -> ABY

The ABY is for when I use either two amps (clean/dirty) or my Bandmaster head which has a tweed channel and a Blackface channel.

Looking forward to the gig!

R.

ICBM

Moltisanti said:

the TSL has the worst, stiffest, most lifeless clean of any valve amp i've ever played.

Mine isn't too bad. I can think of at least two Marshalls which are worse - the Split-Channel JCM800s and the JCM900s - let alone other many amps.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think it's brilliant - I didn't exactly choose to own mine on purpose, and I have modded it a bit - but it isn't *that* bad. (When it's working… ) It's slightly more Fendery than the DSL clean too, which is why I would recommend it as the first choice if you only have those three options.

If the 800 is a 2203/4 that would be much better though.

professorben

robinbowes said:

Thanks for all advice.

On re-reading the spec sheet, I noticed this:

"Guitarists may also use their own amp heads but please be aware of the short changeover time available to you."

So, I have a Traynor YRM-1 (head version of the YRM-1SC 4x10 combo) which I think I'll take down and play through a 4x12 cab.

Regardless of which amp I use, I built a board which should get me a reasonable sound into any half-decent amp:




Signal path: G70 -> wah -> Cali76 -> Tumnus -> Tonebone -> Simble -> Juansolo Tubescreamer -> 30ms -> ABY

The ABY is for when I use either two amps (clean/dirty) or my Bandmaster head which has a tweed channel and a Blackface channel.

Looking forward to the gig!

R.

Wot no MT-2????

carl999pop

Hi I've used a TSL for years and it has worked like clockwork for me. Channel 1 has got a decent clean sound,  not particular sterile imho but not a fender pristine clean either. Keep the gain low, max the master volume and work the mid and treble controls and you should get a good sound from it. Tubesceeamers got a lot of midrange so I'd dial back mids on the amp a tad otherwise you'll get a lot of mid. What guitar are you using? Have a great gig!

Gassage

Your best hope is that the sound engineers mic you up with an iPhone....

robinbowes

Well, that went well.

I took my YRM-1 head and plugged into a 4x12.

Got a great sound, probably due to lack of iPhone.

R.

professorben

robinbowes said:

Well, that went well.

I took my YRM-1 head and plugged into a 4x12.

Got a great sound, probably due to lack of iPhone.

R.

Android?

robinbowes

professorben said:

robinbowes said:

Well, that went well.

I took my YRM-1 head and plugged into a 4x12.

Got a great sound, probably due to lack of iPhone.

R.

Android?

In-joke.

professorben

robinbowes said:

professorben said:

robinbowes said:

Well, that went well.

I took my YRM-1 head and plugged into a 4x12.

Got a great sound, probably due to lack of iPhone.

R.

Android?

In-joke.

Do tell. 

DrJazzTap

I had to have a compressor on at all times to try and get some warmth into the clean channel. Good luck.