Marshall JCM-2000 TSL 100

Marshall 100W JCM2000 TSL100 tube head made in 1999. With its 3 independent channels (clean,crunch,lead), 2 effect loops, reverb, direct out and lots of more amazing features this amp is one of the most versatile tube amps I've ever seen. For me this amp has it all.

The sound of this amp depends very much on the guitar (or pickups) you use. My main guitar is a Gibson ES135 (with Classic 57 humbuckers), but I also use an old (1972) Ibanez Custom Les Paul (with Gibson 498T and 490R) and a Charvel Model 2a (with a DiMarzio Super Distortion 3). I play in two bands modern rock and hardcore/punk, have done 3 complete albums and do a lot of studio work.
I first tried out this amp with my Gibson ES135. The clean sound was the best and most versatile of any Marshall (built past 1980) I've ever heared before. It is really rich and warm and you can even feel the notes while you're playing (even clean at high volumes).
Then I switched to the crunch channel and noticed that it was a bit muddy, like a fuzz, the same with the lead channel. That was the point I changed guitars and with my Ibanez Les Paul the crunch and lead channel just sings - this sound is pure rock, not brutal distortion (like my 5150), but great punch and a superb note definition (same with my Charvel). Well, I guess you need some pickups with hi-output to get a good sound out of the crunch and lead channel.
Before I bought this Marshall I used a Peavey 5150 for my distorted, a Peavey Classic 50 410 for the clean and a Marshall JCM800 for distorted solo sounds. Now I need only one amp in a live situation (with my modern rock band, for heavier stuff in my punk/hardcore band I still use the Peavey 5150). The TSL100 has a better clean sound than the Peavey Classic and the same big Marshall solo sound like my Marshall JCM800.
I won't sell my other amps, because it's always helpful to have some good sounding amps at the studio.
All Marshall tube heads I owned were very noisy at high gain settings, that's why I use a Behriger Guitar Denoiser in the effect loop of the crunch/lead channel - this gives you a very clear distorted sound with a lot of power, great definition and doesn't kill the sound like most noise gates do.
If you play rock/blues/hard rock and if you like this big Marshall rock sound - this is the amp for you. If you are into hardcore, speed metal, death metal,.... look for a real high gain amp (like VHT Pitbull, Peavey 5150).

Haven't had a problem, yet - but made the experience that Marshall isn't that good in building amps like a tank. I won't gig without a backup.

I never dealt with them.

I play rock and classic guitar for about 15 years now and this is my favorite amp.
I love soloing with this amp because of the soustain and the note definition. This amp is 3 amps in one, extreme versatile. You can get lots of different good sounds out of it, a real advantage compared to my Peavey 5150, which has only 1 great sound.
I tried different (versatile) amps before buying it. Bogner Ecstasy 101 - too expensive, but great, too, Engl Savage - power (!!!) but doesn't suit my style, Line 6 HD - nice try and O.K. if you do pop covers. I own a Line6 POD which is very good for studio work but in my opinion the Line6 HD (300W head) has no heart and soul for rock.
Mesa Boogie TOV - great amp, but playing the TSL100 made me feel better, Mesa Triaxis with Mesa 90/90 - maybe the best distorted sounds but I was dissapointed by the clean sounds. That's why I bought the TSL100.
If it were stolen I would buy it again in a heartbeat. I love it and playing with that thing makes me simply feel good - without using tons of effects.

1999 Marshall TSL100 100 Watt head. Made in the USA. 3 Channels: Clean, Crunch, and Lead, all footswitchable by a huge 5 button footswitch. 3 band EQ + presence/reverb for each channel. Virtual Power Reduction, which emulates a 75% cut in wattage. Output Mute to well... mute the output for direct recording without a cabinet. There is really no features that this amp is missing. Maybe a 1/4" jack instead of an XLR for the Direct Out, but still, it has just about everything. Oh yea, its all tube as well.

My main axe is a Jackson Kelly KE-3 with all new pickups (TB-12 bridge, 57 Classic neck). I play rythm/little bit of lead guitar in my band, Nameless Fear (http://namelessfear.dhs.org). After playing through terrible amps for 5 years (Sovtek MIG100H, Fender RocPro100, Fender Princeton, Fender Bullet Reverb), I finally said to myself, "Self, I think its about time you bought a Marshall TSL100". So I went out and bought one. I brought it home after showing it off to my singer and watched him drool and try to hump the amp and I hooked it up to my cab that has 4 Celestion Vintage 30's. I turned the amp on, let the tubes cook for a little while, fixed the EQ, and turned it on. I started with the clean channel. My singer/guitarist has a VS100 head, which is a great amp, but the clean is very band, so I figured clean sounds werent Marshall's forte, but lo and behold!!! The TSL100 has an AMAZING clean sound! The reverb really helped beef it up too. Im not a big fan of IN YOUR FACE clean stuff, so the Mid Shift is never touched. Then I went to the Crunch channel. GOD DAMN! You could take out the lead channel and i would survive in my metal band situation perfectly with the Crunch channel. Big, thick, and responsive distortion is all that dripped out. I cranked the reverb up and I was doing MacAlpine sweeps in a heartbeat with violin-like tone. Then BAM! I kicked in the LEAD channel. Holy hot damn! It was amazing. Tingly waves of smooth distortion rung through the house. Not a bad tone in this machine. It sounds great, and sounds better the louder you play it.

I've only had it for a little bit. I plan on doing MANY MANY MANY shows with it, since my band plays out a LOT. Steves VS100 has never failed him and Valvestates are Marshalls "budget line", so my TSL100 better withstand anything.

5 year warranty on parts. Sounds good to me.

I have been playing since I was 11 and I am 16 now. After playing all that aforementioned crap, I am very happy with the TSL100. I would recommend this amp to anyone who wants an extremely versatile, responsive head that can handle just about anything you want to play. I love the fact it has TONS of features, SO MANY BUTTONS TO PUSH AND ADJUST!! I was going to buy a DSL100 instead, but im glad i got this. Marshall flat-out beats anything. If it were stolen I would find whoever stole it and put thier head up to my speaker cab and crank the TSL to 10 and let him die slowly.

This is the first truly versatile 3-channel amp that Marshall has produced, blowing away their previous attempt with the aniversary series. The clean channel takes you anywhere from country twang, to extra dark jazz chords, to the Fender "blackface" sound. The two drive channels (crunch and lead) are pretty much classic Marshall with plenty of punch and power. This amp is "knobs and buttons galore" with 2 effects loops, 5 way footswitchable everything and "deep" and "tone-shift" butons for each respectable channel. tons of features. However, the TSL , like any Marshall, can only cover so much of the tonal spectrum, so not enough for a 10, but good enough for me.

Unlke most Marshalls, the TSL was capable of creating many sounds suitable to a lot of different varieties of music and players needs. Imagine a Marshall with a decent clean channel! Warm and punchy and more verstile tan meets he eye. Playing with the gain on the clean setting with the mid-shift activated, gives you the cool plexi sound and so much more. Between the two drive channels on this amp, you can get everything from an old plexi, to the JCM-800 crunch, to over the top distorted fury. The tone shift buttons on each distortion channel provide an aggressive "scooped mid" sound for the punk/metal thing and all the features made things easy to dial up, but the best thing about the amps sound is that, you can realy hear the sound of the guitar too. I found that as usual, humbucker equipped guitars worked best to coax out the goods with this amp, as with most from the Marshall amps throughout their history. It realy picks up the nuances of your playing style and attack, which is pleasing with any tube amp. Overall sounds greeat!

Marshall has always made road-worthy products, but obviously that declines as a manufacturer grows like this company has. But its still built really tough as expected. Ive used it at some pretty wild live shows and even let a guy in another band use it for their set too. Its never failed to deliver yet. The amp is a rock, the footswitch, however is a whole other story. So far Ive gone through one, and I'm waiting on the rapairs of the second one. The jack for it resembles that of a MIDI plug but with less pins. Its a great footswitch for features, but I've heard nothing but complaints on its durability. I unfortunatly, experienced it first hand. The amp is great, the footswitch could be better, and as with any tube amplifier, things can always go wrong, so far other than the switch, I'm doing ok.

I went through an authorized Marshall dealer to by it and for my fotswitch problem. They've been most helpful, but repairs on this type of thing just takes too long! I'm not sure what to say for this one. The story is still unfolding.

I've played a lot of amps, but this is definatly in the top 5 of all for me. It has tons of features, and just sounds good when I need it too and thats all the really needs to be said. It happens to make a geat match with the guitars I own so I've been fortunate to find some great sounds with it so far. At this point I couldn't live without my TSL and its fiery tube disortion.

Year Made: 1999 (I assume since it was shipped in May of 99)
Versatility: Amazingly versatile. Everything from clean jazz tones to "woman tone" blues with a harsh aggressive heaviness factor on the distortion channels.
Channels: 3; clean, crunch, and lead. The included 5-way footswitch (footswitchable for each of the three channels, with one for reverb, and one for effects loop) also has about twenty-six feet of chord, so you aren't bound to the amp. There are two effects loops which can be configured to have different loops for the clean and crunch/lead channels. Loop A is the master, but you can utilize LoopB to have different effects for the distortion channels which makes LoopA available to the clean channel only. The clean channel has a Mid Boost switch which disengages the Mid control from the circuit and reconfigures the way the Treble and Bass controls work. Enabling this switch and cranking the gain (Yes, the clean channel has gain) and the volume gives a really awesome blues "woman tone" especially when playing on the neck pickup with 0 or very low tone control on the guitar. There is also a separate deep switch for the clean and crunch/lead channels. The deep switch adds a little more low end resonance to either channel setting at all volumes. There are separate treble, mid, and bass controls for each individual channel. Meanwhile, the clean and crunch/lead channels have their own Presence, FX Mix, and Reverb controls. The crunch and lead channels also have their own tone shift switch which gives more of a "scooped mids" sound for heavier metal riffage, as well as some other chunkified variations of tone. Top it all off with a Virtual Power Reduction Switch (for use in smaller rooms which cuts the amp down to about 25 watts) and a n output mute switch to bypass the output tubes when using the DI output for silent recording. And it works like a champ too. The speaker emulation of the DI output works really well for those late night recording sessions when you don't want to give the neighbors a reason to call the cops on you.
With four 12AX7's for preamp tubes and 4 EL34 Svetlana's on the output end this amp has no shortage of tubeage. Throw in Accutronics Spring Reverb and you have a master-crafted powerhouse lurking in your music room. Mine has nearly knocked the dishes out of the china cabinet on several occassions. That is until the misses comes in to disturb my vicarious travel to other dimensions with demented guitar work.

Guitar: Gibson SG Special with dual Humbuckers
This amp totally suits just about any style that I choose to play. And I delve into my wanna-be jazz motifs, and then some Satriani-ish things, as well as some clapton-like ideas, not to mention the complete amount of power-riffage ala Korn, Coal Chamber, and Slipknot. Not to mention those weak Metalliqueers, it can play that kind of crap too. This amp can pretty much power any idea you have in your head.
Noise Factor: The only time I notice any noise from the amplifier is when I am working with it on Guitar Studio on my computer. I believe that the reason for this is that my computer is a little exposed at the moment due to the fact that I spend all of my time playing guitar. I haven't had the urge to remedy the situation yet since I can't put my guitar down long enough to think about it. BTW, I also have a BOSS ME-X expandable effects unit which I am currently running on LoopA. I made a patch which I currently have on Bank Two Patch Two which makes this amplifier break it chains and come off sounding 10 times heavier with an attitude. The best word I can think of to describe it is monstrous.

I haven't had a problem with this head since I got it home. And that is after several bumpy rides to various gigs, friend's abodes, and into band practice. I would definitely always have a backup, just because you never know what might happen. I just don't think the backup would be needed very often.

I haven't had need for support as of yet, and with the abuse this thing has taken, I don't plan on it.

I have been playing only for abotu 3 or 4 years now. This was my first real amplifier. I bought with the intentions of not having to buy another amp pretty much ever again. My other amps are a simple 8 inch 20 watt (or some other small wattage) Crate practice amp (which I mostly use for the headphone jack when the neighbors have finally CALLED the cops on me!). I also had an old Fender Stage Lead Solid-State Pile that my uncle was loaning me, and of course the gain knob was busted. I compared this amp to the Mesa Boogie Triple Rectofier. This thing smoked it. I think part of it was due to the salesman's lack of knowledge about the Boogie, but the Boogie has no reverb. As soon as I plugged my SG into the Marshall, I knew I was sold. I just had to battle the salesman for a more reasonable price. I currently only use it with one 1960 angled cabinet Marshall cabinet, but as soon as I move into a bigger place I am putting a 1960B under it. Overall, this amp really kicks butt. It took me some time to familarize myself with it's tonal abilities, but the learning curve is pretty short. My philosophy is just to play for hours and mess with the knobs religiously. Only then can you truly appreciate the wide range of sounds that this amplifier can bring to your fingertips. And once you get some effects going, the whole process begins again...

This amp has three independent channels, each with dedicated eq and gain controls. The clean channel has a mid boost switch, while the crunch and lead channel have tone shift switches (basically a mid scoop that adds some bass). The amp has two seperate sets of presence, fx mix, and reverb controls for the clean and dirty channels. There are also independent deep (ie bass boost) switches here as well. There is also a VPR switch. There is some confusion about this switch, basically it causes the amp to behave like a fully saturated lower wattage amp. It does not drop the power from 100 watts to 25 watts. There is also a output mute on the front as well. On the back you get two fx loops with loop level switches for the clean and dirty side of the amp. A emulated di out also resides here. The foot switch jack is here as well. Finally, you have a 16 ohm speaker jack that when plugged in shuts off the 8/4 ohm jacks. 8/4 ohm jacks are dependent on 8/4 ohm switch for the selected ohm load.

Allright, first thing if you do not like Marshall distortion forget about it. That said, this amp has a distinct voice, while clearly Marshall it is different. It has the ability to get you close to a jcm 800 or 1959 but it doesn't nail them. Personally, I feel if you want the tone an 800 produces go find a jcm 800 and shut up. The dirty sounds are super flexible and cover alot of ground. The crunch channel in my opinion is the best of the two. The lead channel is very chainsaw like. I find that I tend to turn the treble and presence way down on these channels. Then again I like it really dark. The mid shifts need to be in if you want a metal tone but otherwise keep them out. Being the bass freak I am the deep switch is always in. The distortion sounds like a Marshall (fairly mid rangey) and I think that is a good thing. The kicker to this amp though is the clean channel. Generally, Marshalls blow for clean but this not the case here. This channel is the best clean tone since the Twin. While several other amps try to fake Fender clean tone (usually with poor results) Marshall finally developed some thing new. The clean tone is not Fenderesque but much more midrangey. Typically more mid range equals breakup but not here. Kudos to Marshall for this channel. This channels sounds great, period! You can push the clean channel to break up if you run the gain up but it seems kind of pointless. The mid boost switch is the don't switch of the amp. This swicth pretty munch makes the amp really farty and nasty.

Ok, here is the deal, I work for a music shop and for those of you who think Marshall makes crap while others like Boogie don't are just wrong. I have had more Boogie heads die than Marshall by far. That said here are the potential trouble spots on a TSL 1) the footswitch sometimes has problems. First thng to do is check it when you buy it and try to get a back up. Also be kind to the footswitch jack while they have improved it. it may be a point of trouble if abused 2)I have heard that if you run the amp really hard for a really long time the transformer may go, however of the roughly thirty I have sold, mine included, no problems 3)It does eat tubes and be prepared to have change them but this is true of all high gain amps I deal with. I think that if is going to crap out it will do it right off, other wise you should be fine if you treat it with some love. Oh yeah check the reverb out , they do vary from fairly deep to kinda wimpy with it cranked. Everybody uses those acutronics tanks and they vary a whole lot. I like the ones with the deeper Reverb because you can always back it off if you chose. Finally, you will hear a slight delay when switching to the clean channel form the dirty channel. This is normal and is the nature of the relay switch that must be used to navigate three channels. If you don't like it get a single or dual channel amp.

If you buy the amp in the US forget about any support from Korg (Marshall's US distributor) They are useless! (even to me as dealer) Basically, you are going to end up relying on your dealer or qualified tech to fix problems. Good dealer or tech equals good service on your amp. As long as there is a authorized Marshall service center your warranty is good as gold which is 5 yrs and 90 days on tubes .
If your out side of the US, I can't say.

This amp is for the guy who needs flexibilty and likes the Marshall tone. This amp works for me because I need the options it has, while the tone is not perfect I think it is far beyond others. Basically at this price point your only other 3 channel amp is the Boogie nomad, which is good but I have some reservations about. The TSL definelty works for my setup which depends on a clean, dirty, and hyperdrive settings. If you hate to rely on pedals for gain sounds but need more than one from an amp check the TSL out.

The TSL is a 3-channel amp featuring clean, crunch and lead channel. All controls, which I don't wanna descripe in detail, are usefull.The only thing I'm missing is a master volume for all three channels, cause you have to adapt the distict volumes seperatly if you change the venue your playing. Especially the two FX-loops are a very intelligent feature.

Compared to the sound of older Marshalls the TSL sounds not so "brutal" as many people were used to. Fender-like cleansound, very bluesy if you use the mid-boost, good crunch sound and singing lead sounds, which tend a little bit to the Mesa/Boogie direction, thats what my ears hear. Interesstingly, if you use the lead channel with low gain settings, you'll got a strong 1959 Plexi-sound. What you have definetly to do when you use this amp is to spent some time to check different gain/volume setting in combination with the pesence controll and the deep switches. If you spend this time, you'll have definatlly a sound machine which will satisfy your requests. Nevertheless, check out for example the crunch channel on medium gain setting in combination with a good overdrive pedal, e.g. Fulltone 2.
Even with a Strat you'll get an absolutly singing lead sound.

I had so far no problems within the 4 month I own the amp, but due to the short time I'll give just a 6.

After using a Digitech GSP 2101/Poweramp combination which had, regardless what Poweramp I used (Engl, Marshall, Peavy) always Problems with sounds, when no effects were involved, the TSL is a
fine amp for the use on stage. It's powerfull and due to it's two FX-loops very versatile if you like to use pedals, 9.5" or 19" systems. Furthermore, in Germany the price of a Marshall is half the price of a Mesa/Boogie or 30% the price of a Bogner, so it's real value for money what you get when you buy a TSL.

I'm sure most of you know what the features are. 3 channels, independant eq's, 2 effects loops, 100 / 25 watt power selection, reverb, 5 button footswitch, deep switch, mid sift. The only thing I could see adding is an overall master volume.

I've had this amp for about 6 months now, so I would like to update my last post. This amp just flat out rules. It took a while to find the right settings for my playing, but now the amp sings. I have a Les Paul studio, Strat Plus and a old Ibanez Flying V ('74 - '76). Each guitar's sounds great with this amp. The amp really lets the character of each guitar stand out. The thing that I really like about this amp is that it is really clean. Notes ring out nicely even if it is just a power chord. The clean channel can be as clean as you want it or a little pushed. The crunch channel is classic marshall all the way. The lead channel is just great. Plenty of sustain and gain to let any guitar sustain for at least a day! So far I am mainly using the amp with the virtual power reduction on (25 watt setting) since the amp is really loud (even at the 25 watt setting). I've only used it with full power for a few shows. All in all, you have everything from crystal clear clean to full on metal and everything in between. With a little bit of tweaking, you can just get about any Marshall tone you've ever heard.

Had it for 6 months. It's seen many gigs of many different sorts. Bars, clubs, outdoors, etc... It hasn't let me down yet. I don't have a backup, and don't feel like I need one. As with any other tube amp, a little care goes a long way. I still won't give it higher than a 7 because I really haven't had it for that long.

Haven't had to deal with them.

I've been playing for around 16 years. This amp is the best one I've had so far. It is my second marshall. Before this I had a 100 watt SL-x. I've also had a 5150, rack units, and solid state amps. This one kicks 'em all in the ass! If it were stolen, I'd have to beat the thief to a bloody pulp with my Les Paul. It's a fairly pricey amp, but worth every penny. I've read some bad reviews about it, but I can't see where they are coming from. To each there own! Try it out and decide for yourself.

This is a FINAL ammendment to the two previous posts I'd made immediately after I bought the amp, and I'd like to say something after having actually having used the amp in several different stage and studio situations. I have been playing for 33 years. I play many different styles of old-generation rock and blues. My strong hand is with the early Clapton (Cream period) style, and even more so the style of Jimi Hendrix. Amps I have owned over the years have included several vintage Fenders (including a 1959 3X10 tweed Bandmaster, many Voxes (liked the AC-50 and the Berkeley the best), Sunns, Kustoms, Hiwatt, Tweed Gretsch, etc, etc. Oh yes, and FOUR of the Super Lead 100 watts from the early 70's - the ones Marshall fans drool over, and a very rare 200W Super Bass. Out of ALL those amps, NOTHING has come even close to this TSL100 for tone and versatility. I don't care how many negative comments you read about it in these listings - you'll find negativity and complainers everywhere you look. These guys must be cracked, or have no ears. Not even my old Super Leads sounded this good. And one thing those amps vere definately NOT was versatile because, to me, the clean sound was flat and lackluster - you had to turn everything on 10 to get tone. The TSL has a great clean channel, but it also has a better (for me) clean sound that can be gotten in the Crunch channel that absolutely BRISTLES like a good old Vox withit's top end boost. For that, I run bass at 5, mid at 10, treble on 8, presence on 2, gain 2-4, Fender Strat with Texas Specials. The Lead sounds? What do you want? This amp has anything I would ever want to hear and more. And it makes me want to PLAY PLAY PLAY!! Undoubtedly, for my money (and it WAS a lot) the best amp I've ever owned in my life. I really don't see how it could be improved, sound-wise. Feature-wise, all I could suggest would be the ability to have seperate effects loop for the Crunch and Lead channels instead of one for the clean and a shared one for the Crunch and Lead - but that's a bone to pick. I predict that in 20 years, THIS will be the amp they measure all others against. Nothing else in it's catagory comes close. Any emails from others with this amp, or others with questions about it are welcome.

I'm the guy who submitted the review below, after having had the amp for just a few days and only playing it at home. Now that I've had the chance to gig with it live, I'd like to share what I learned. At home, I played the amp with the VPR (power cut) switch on to keep the volume down. It sounded beautiful with the gains on the crunch channel and lead channel set at 12 o'clock and the volumes at about 1/4. The clean channel was set with the gain on full. BUT..... at the gig I felt it was better to play with the VPR switch OFF and the amp at it's normal power capability. Well, let me tell you, it was like playing through a totally different amp. It really threw me for the first two sets! I had to increase the gain to full for the tone I wanted, because believe it or not, the amp can be very clean (and that's a plus I think). Also, switching between the channels was very confusing and screwed me up a bit. But I did finally find the settings, and I decided that sticking with ONE channel was the best - doing it the old fashioned way, and controlling everything from the guitar. And I have to tell you, this amp sounds KILLER. It has just the right sound for me with power to spare. Using my Fender strat, here are the settings that I arrived at. Lead channel (the one I decided to stick with) Presence - OFF, Deep switch - OFF, Tone Shift - OFF, Bass - 5, Middle - 10, Treble - 5, Volume - between 4 and 5, Gain - 10, Reverb set high. This amp really sings! Aside from the enthusiastic encore, I actually did have people come up to me and compliment my sound (always good to hear!).

If you do't already know what features this amp has, go to http://www.marshallamps.com/ for the most comprehensive rundown you'll find. For my money, they have included everything I have always wished for in an amp and missed since 1965 when I started playing. There are also a couple of things that I don't use (deep switch and tone shift). For those, I wouldn't say they are bad (as some others here have said) just because they don't compliment my style(s). Maybe a jazz guitarist would be very happy for a deep switch for example. Remember, this amp was designed to be versatile.

I use an $1,800.00 American made Fender custom shop strat, a $250.00 Japanese Tokai "Strat" with Seymore Duncan vintage strat pickup in the front, same thing in the middle with reverse wrap/polarity (This is a KILLER guitar, my main one), '67 Guild Starfire VI, an Epiphone Dot which I disposed of the pickups as soon as I got it home and put in a Gibson Humbucker by the neck and a Bill Lawrence XL500 at the bridge (my second main guitar, etc. etc. My style has been influenced by a wide range of styles - from early Clapton, Hendrix, Pink Floyd, all the American as well as British blues, 60's British pop, 70's Heavy Metal, you name it. Almost everything except jazz or country. To me, an amp must have rich harmonic tone at the cleaner settings as well as the dirty settings... must have a nice natural tube compression and smooth sustain (NOT coarse or gritty)at the higher volumes without sagging out. It should also sound good for lead at the lower volumes without sounding like a freaking kazoo or wax paper on a comb. This amp sounds GREAT at low volumes! I have just bought it, so I can't speak yet about the higher volumes. But having owned Marshalls in the past, I really can't imaging a Marshall sounding anything other than BETTER as you turn it up.

Reliability?? We shall see. Too soon to say.

Again, I've been playing since 1965. (my web site htp://members.aol.com/bluesguit1/index.html) I've owned a lot of different amps (and guitars)in those 34 years, including Marshalls. I have two very fine amps in the low-watt catagory - an 18watt 1965 Vox Berkeley Super Reverb, and a (modern) 60 watt Fender Super Amp. I bought the Marshall for the same reason I bought my first Marshall back in '72 - I got tired of being buried volume-wise by the band! Plus, I'm doing the Hendrix-style thing again, and I really need a stack behind me to pull off all the subtle feedback stuff properly. I toyed around with getting another old Marshall, or even a reissue... but I remember having those back then and saying, "God, if ONLY they would do such and such . . . what a great amp it would be!" And do you want to know what kind of amp it would be? Something about like a JCM2000 TSL. The only thing I regret is that Marshall no longer has the switchable power transformer for playing in either America or Europe. I would like to end this review by saying that, no matter how great this amp is, those sonofabitches at Marshall should all be lined up and sumarily shot for having the total lack of cool to charge musicians that much money for an amp. NO amp is worth the kind of money they charge. Plus they charge you extra for the cover!(How greedy can these guys get????) So, ... the amp is GREAT, but Marshall REALLY sucks!