Marshall JCM-2000 TSL 100

plenty of power for any gig. only missing feature is a direct slave out, will have to use effect in loop with stereo out to get right levels. xlr out is too hot. also a small fan on the power transformer would be a good idea for those of us who actually turn the vol up for extended use.

strat is ok but lp classic sounds much better, gain does not need to be turned up as much and amp sounds more natural. this tsl 100 will easily cover jazz, classic rock and hard 80's rock with ease. first step is to use mullard pre-amp tubes. 2nd step is new nos el-34 made in germany, biased with o-scope i found the true m volt reading varies alot from quad to quad so if you are not using o-scope to bias and just using the 80-90 ballpark m volt you are compromising sound and tube life. power tranformer also runs cooler when bias is properly set, which is rarely the case with cheap bastards not willing to give their amp the "presidential treatment". with $250 of nos tubes this amp sounds alot better, if you put these crappy stock tubes in a vintage plexi it too would sound stiff and brittle. a/b testing with restored 1974 4-input 100 watt hiwatt vs. tsl 100 on clean channel : tsl 100 sounds warmer and less harsh than my prized hiwatt so i sold the hiwatt for twice what i paid for my tsl 100. this amp also sounds warmer than jcm 800 2203 and 2204 on the yellow channel. kills my 72 jmp 50, once again warmer with more detail. before the extra $250 in nos tubes and o-scope bias i did this amp WAS LACKING smooth tone and i'd give it a 6 with cheap tubes. this amp sounds better than my hiwatt custom 100 i sold and i also sold my 72 marshall for a nice profit. $peakers and cab are critical as is everything, i believe most people are not willing to tweek this amp to near it's potential. marshall 1960a 4x12 cab is required to to achieve rockstar tone. i tried stock 75 watt, greenbacks, vin 30, 70th anniv g1230 celestions as well as weber blue,silver, 1230 ceramics and silver and blue alnicos and they all have their own distinctive tone(none of these do it all for me ). i'm not saying what speakers i have loaded in my marshall 1960a 4x12 cab, this is a trade secret. all the pros say they use what they endorse$$$ the yellow channel will clean up better than a jcm 800 with my lp vol control and has much more range and needs no distortion,od or booster pedals to "help" it along. the red channel is one more reason i sold several pedals, i get better sounds straight in amp than i did with those pricey pedals. reverb is ok, not spectacular. i believe the reverb is all solid state. i'm giving this rating an 8 here. the only way to further improve this great sounding amp would be output transformer r/r and upgraded components which i may do in the future since this is my main amp and i want it to sound better than everyone else's. to give an amp a 9 requires a lap dance feeling and a 10 would require an orgasm. so an 8 is not a low score since 10 is the perfect situation i do not think any amp will ever be "perfect".

i bought used and noticed the reverb on yellow and red channel is %100 no matter where the knob is turned, if i gently pull up on knob it once again works correctly. probably a dry solder joint. there is way too much stuff packed in this chassis to rely on it without a backup. this is the price we pay for having 3 independant channels. i will not do a gig without a backup, that's just for gamblers. i'd like to see a small fan installed on power transformer but i'll have to do that mod myself. ever heard of a reliable 3 channel amp with 8 tubes and stacked circuit boards? there is a trade off here.

korg usa does not have toll-free #, they put you on hold indefinately and they charge an egyptian fortune for parts. this is not customer support it is customer rape pure & simple.

this tsl 100 allowed me to sell 2 vintage amps and put some cash back into my empty wallet. if this amp was made in the 80's it would be a classic today. this amp sounds alot better than 2205 2210 jcm 800 channel switchers and it uses cheap looking undersize transformers. aint technonogy something ? no amp can do it all but this one does alot and it is great for live (real) use where all you have is one take and need spankin' clean and then blast into cutting overdrive with the push of the marshall 5-button footswitch. this amp fails to sound exactly like a vintage amp and thats fine with me since i need a flexable studio quiet amp that i can rely on to take me where ever i feel like going to. my replex delay never sounded better than in it's new home, my tsl 100's effects loop.

Lots of features. Very well thought out it my view. EQ as well as volume and gain for each of the three channels. VPR power reduction button (makes it less noisy also for low volumes, that is good). You can put one set of pedals in the effects loop for the clean channel and another set in for the effects loop for the dirty channnels, and use those pedals when on those channels. OR you can put all your pedals in the main effects loop, not use the dirty channels effects loop, and the pedals will be there for all three channels. Very clever. Pedals in the effects loop let you run just a guitar cable to the amp, and when pedals not in use there is nothing between your guitar and the amp! Nice. Three channels, reverb for the channel you are on, and effects all controllable with the supplied 5 button footswitch, which I swear people, won't break if you don't break it. Just go easy on it.

With all the features, I give it a 10, not much left out that I would use. Has other features I haven't addressed, read the other reviews or look at Marshalls website. All the features seem usable to me.

Clean channel sounds great with both my Gibsons and my Strat. A little darker and not quite as bright as the DSL. I think the clean outshines most of the older Marshall heads. Clean is very good. Has its own volume gain and EQ.

The Crunch channel is classic Marshall overdrive. Sounds best with Humbuckers. Has its own volume and gain as well as EQ.

The Lead channel is more modern sounding, but usable for even a classic rocker like me. Has it's own volume and gain and EQ.

Roll your tone knobs back to 0, and turn the gain up and it makes nice chuncky sounding chords on both the crunch and lead channels.

Reverb sounds good, though not quite as good as the DSL. Footswitch it on and off as you desire.

Push the VPR button and you get almost no noise, nice amp for practice as well as for a large room

I have the 1960 slant cab with the Celestions. A 4x12 cab is mandatory for these big Marshall heads. It sounds so FULL. Even at low volumes the big cab makes it sound better. Small cabs and combos sound boxy to me after playing my Marshall through a Marshall cab. Get a 4x12 Marshall cab!

Most of the music is in the hands, heart and head anyway. Give some of these guys a stick and rubberband and they'd make music. But if you want a great amp, this is one.

Marshall 100 watt head is LOUD AS HELL!

I dunno. No problems so far, but I haven't owned it long. Sort of a complex amp for a tube amp. Has circuit boards. The signal path is ALL TUBE though. Don't let anyone tell you any different. The transistors and diodes on the board are for the channel switching, muting and direct out functions. The 8 tubes handle the main tone signal.

Since if it does break, the techs aren't going to be able to repair much except probably replace the circuit board and such, I'll knock it down to a 9. Its a Marshall so parts will be available. If they can see an obvious burned out resistor or something, they might be able to solder in a new one. The techs are complaining about the difficulty servicing this thing, but I think after a while, they will learn how. It doesn't break often.

If you want ease of repairability get point to point amp, but you wont find them with channel switching. As soon as you get channels, things get too complex for point to point. Anyone can repair a point to point amp. Just take it apart and look for the bad joint or burned component. All generic parts, no proprietary circuit boards.

Easy to set the bias, there are test points. All you need is an ampere meter.

Like any equipment related to gigging, if you start moving it around, you will beat it up more. If you leave it in one place it will last forever.

I don't know. I'm in the USA. I called Marshall USA (korg) and everyone was in LA for NAMM. They sent me a free catalog though. I think Marshall uses local techs for their warranty work. Hope I don't need it.

I've actually been playing quite a while, since I was young, but only seriously in the last year. I'm no rock star, just a yuppie with a guitar really. But I can play. I have some nice equipment, Strat, SG, Johnny A., Fender amp. It sounds good with all my guitars. I think Marshall and Humbuckers go together but my Strat sounds great on the clean channel. I'm not into the Mesa Recto sound, or metal. Other than that, it will cover most stuff. It might cover the metal and Mesa, I dunno. Do your own research elsewhere if you want it for metal or Mesa chunk.

I have a pretty good ear for sound and am an EE.

If you are trying to decide whether to get this or the DSL, I'll tell you , if you want footswitchable channels, this is the one to get. The DSL has good, and maybe even slightly better tone though. It is a "go up to the amp and tweak" channel switcher, not a footswitcher.

I give it a 10. Sounds like a Marshall because it is a Marshall. It is so good it boggles the mind. If you want a Marshall, you have to get a Marshall. They make great amps. I could have afforded a Bogner or a Hughes and Kettner, but frankly, they are a bit much. I show up with one of those and everyone will think I'm a snob. I guess if you're REALLY good, get one of those. I played through a Bogner and it sounded great. Hard to find, expensive, and a bit over the top image wise. Marshall is good enough for me. I've only read about the Hughs and Kettner triamp. It is good too I am sure. Consider one of those, but no one has one for me to demo anywhere I looked.

The other Marshalls are good too, but if you want the footswitchable channels this is one. It may have the best clean sound of all the Marshalls as well, though I hear the JTM has good cleans. Another one I couldn't find to demo. Seems like they just carry these Marshall heads. They have to order everything else.

The small handwired Marshalls look great, but they aren't really available (undetermined delivery time, just go on the waiting list). No demoing those anywhere. How can I order an amp I've never even heard? Whole idea to me is go into the store, play it and then you know.

So, I bought a Marshall JCM-2000 TSL 100. It ROCKS!

The features have been explained, here are what I think are the highlights and drawbacks. Highlights are the crunch channel, reverbs, FX loops, clean channel tone, mid and bass switches. Bummer is the VPR, DI output and clean channel volume level.

I use it with 1980 Les Paul standards, both stock and with SD's. I play americana roots rock and classic rock. Songs with solos and melody where tone is holy. I primarily use the crunch channel set with the power amp sizzling and the preamp not much over 2 or 3. Ends up being a nice cleanish crunch with excellent harmonics, lively and dynamic. I know it cooks tubes, but if you want the tone, you can't be afraid of retubing regularly.

Here's my chain. Les Paul-->Shure wireless-->Cry Baby Wah-->Boss GE7 EQ-->Zinky True Grit Overdrive-->Carl Martin Compressor-->Ernie Ball Volume Pedal-->amp.

In my FX loop (I use one for all channels)I have a 31 band eq, EH deluxe memory man, BBE-332.

I have a Power Brake, but it too is a tone sucker. I don't use it or recommend it.

I have a 1960A cab with the 75 watters and a 1960TV with 25w greenbacks. I typically use the TV.

The crunch channel freakin' sounds beautiful when set as described and eq'd to taste. I usually use my volume knob to clean things up if needed. Think Aerosmith, AC/DC, CCR, Thin Lizzy, Beatles, The Refreshments, etc. With a decent overdrive pedal and prudent use, this channel covers alot of sonic ground. The Zinky True Grit is incredible with this amp.

The clean channel is beautiful sounding, I love it, but my music rarely calls for pure clean. If so, the rhythm player straps on an acoustic. If you are a jazzer or surf guy, you'll love the clean tone and preamp characteristics. Drawback to the clean is that it seriously lacks power amp headroom. (NOTE: Lacks headroom in comparison to the lead and crunch channels, for most any gig, it would usually be more than ample.) Seriously thought it was a problem specific to my amp, surprised Marshall let that slip by.

The lead channel is to gainy for my personal tastes. It can competently cover hi-gain 80's hair metal to the new low-tuned metal. (Note: Use the 1960A for low-tuned stuff. The 1960TV doesn't have the bottom or tightness for this style.) I played a brief stint in a new metal band useing the 1960A cab. The other guitar player had a Mesa dual Recto. After the second rehearsal and some experimenting with the tone switches, I finally had a tone dialed in for that music. Hands down, the marshall smoked the boogie. The boogie guy was stunned, thought Marshalls were only capable of classic tones and textures. Kept insisiting it must have been modded.

If more of the reviewers here had a firmer grip on gain structures, I think they'd be more satisfied with the output and options available on this amp.

On all channels the built in compression installed by Marshall as compensation circuits for both volume and tone is excessive. I prefer to control compression (other than natural tube) myself, so that the amp breathes better. The end result can be an "overly tight" feeling while playing. This usually occurs at low volumes or when the tone switching is deployed. It'd be great if some techy comes up with a mod to bypass this.

Power transformer is generic and weak also. Will be geting this mod performed soon.

I've gigged with it solid for 2 or 3 years with zero problems. Haven't experienced the dreaded footswitch issue here that many have. I'm ordering a spare per the 73 billion recommendations here! I change my tubes regularly and don't usually bring a back-up head. I play a stereo rig (other amp is a JTM 60 2x12 combo), so I inherently have a backup of sorts anyhow.

Run the power amp (volume)hot, 7-10 on the crunch channel. Use the gain knob to adjust your actual listening volume. change your tubes every few months. You'll be surprised, it sings and makes you want to play better. I play so much better and enjoy playing so much better with sweet tone.

Never have and I don't want to from the looks of Marshalls (korgs) support. That's quite a shame, that'll catch up to 'em. Poor business practice. I value customer service and response highly in this field where a hobby can easily cost a person 5k for a decent set-up. So I'm gonna support my fellow musicians who have dealt with Marshall and give 'em a nick for that.

I've been playing 20+ years. I got too much gear to list. Mainly a Marshall/Les Paul player.

If it were stolen or lost, I'd try a Zinky amp. This amp has more features than I need, thought I'd use channel switching more, but the crunch channel is so sweet, it's hard to step on the other 2. Bruce Zinky makes a couple pedals and handmade amps. Never tried his amps but I do use his pedals. The few issues I had with them resulted in a phone call and Bruce himself on the line explaining things and then fixing the pedal for free. Fenders old engineer and a gem of a person. As I said, customer service is everything when it comes to earning my brand loyalty.

So my low rating isn't a reflection of the amp, more of the fact that I bought more amp than I needed.

Bought in March 2005. Amp was built in 2005 also.

The knobs and buttons have been described many times in previous postings. However, after owning this amp for 2 months and experimenting with the controls I have found that the features allow you to adjust to a wide variety of tones. One feature that is not mentioned often is flexibility. Marshall has improved the clean channel. The crunch channel can provide tones from singing vintage to high gain tones sometimes described as "fizzy". You have to work with this amp. If you want a "plug and chug" then look elsewere. Maybe a modeling (ie. "digital") amp. Otherwise work the controls. The amp is part of the instrument. All settings really affect the tone. I am not using any effects right now. All previously used effects were used to obtain a "Marshall" sound, however you wish to define it (Page, Clapton, Hendrix ... etc).

If you are looking for the "heavy mid-crunch" sound of many "modern" bands you may want to try a Mesa Boogie or other for that "recto" sound. This amp is about Rock and Roll. I use a Les Paul Studio and 4x12 1969 A Vintage with V-30s. I really like the very blusey sound I can get with the crunch channel volume at 3-7 with the gain set low. You can bring the gain up to get more pre-amp distortion, referred to by some as the "fizzy" sound. This is a good observation and the tone can be controlled by backing off the treble to low levels.

I backoff the bridge pickup tone control to 5 or 6 to mellow the otherwise punishing high frequency output of the rig when in crunch mode. Again, high volume low gain can provide some great sounds and working with the eq settings you can tame the amp for practice. However, this is not a bedroom amplifier even when using the VPR unless you have a relatively sub-dued 1X12 (or less) cab. However, I intend to try a THD hotplate or power brake at some point. (any openions?).

The sound you get depends on the amp, guitar, speaker and effects. I don't use effects other than the built in reverb at this point. The TSL100 with the 1960 AV cab gives me all the tones I am looking for.

I bought this amp for several reasons:

1. I wanted an all tube guitar amp.

2. Has an excellent clean channel, crunch channel and I really like the gain channel. For me, the sound of the gain channel really provided a third tone to work with. Again, all controls should be dialed in for all channels and this takes time.

3. The reverb often gets compared to those with Fender amps but it sounds fine and has enough depth for my tastes.

I have had fun so far finding different tones from this amp. There maybe many approaches to finding your tone. A couple of examples are:

1. Modeling amps.

2. Use of a solid state or tube amp with effects pedals or processors.

3. Use amplifier control sound.

4. A mix.

The TSL100 with a good cab provides alot of tone flexibility. I have not needed effects other than the spring reverb.

I don't use the effects loop, at least yet, and can't comment on that.

Not sure yet. If you are using this amp in a professional band then I suggest you baby it. Use a case for transport. Be extremely careful with the footswitch, cable and input jack on the amp. Make sure the amp is properly ventilated. Don't place anything on top of it. Use high quality speaker cable.

All tube amps are less reliable than thier solid state counterparts. Also, they are more difficult to repair than, say, a modeling amp in which you can just "shotgun" another circuit board out.

You will have to baby this amp. Its not Military Spec by any means but non of them are.

This is one sour point so far. I called Korg USA to hopefully get a schematic. They promised one but I never got it. However I believe they will honor the 5 year warrenty and perform repairs if necessary. There are several Marshall repair centers here in Arizona.

I have heard good stories and horror stories of customer support from all the mainstream amp makers. So I can't say they would be any better or worse than say Fender.

But they should have sent the schematic because I can work on amps. I think its more a problem with Korg than Marshall.

Biasing the amp is very very easy though, which shows some forethough. You really don't have to pay an amp tech to re-bias if you want to change tubes. You can do it in about 10 minuets total.

I could give the amp a 10 but the footswitch and other problems other people have experienced worries me a bit. However I baby may amp and understand that you have to worry about such details as the type of cable between amp and speaker, coolin the amp, biasing... etc.

My biggest gripe is the cost of this amp. You have to want that Marshall sound or the price isn't worth it. Put this with a suitable 2X12 or 4X12 and you need to have a good job or work alot of hours to but this beast. The price is a real turn-off but I really wanted the tone.

However, this amp does deliver if you work with it as part of your instrument.

This amplifier head was made in March 2005 at the Marshall factory in England. The amplifier as you probably already know is an all tube head which runs on four Svetlana EL34 power tubes, and four ECC83 (12AX7) Preamp Tubes and has three channels aptly labeled Clean, Crunch, and Lead respectively. Total power output is 120 watts.

This amp has some really nifty features that other amps in its price range do not offer, and if those other amps do offer these options I have found them to be rather lackluster in many respects.

Some of these features are things like the Mid Boost on the Clean channel. It works so well and just does not play with the overall tone of the amp by way of degrading it, the tone shift buttons on both gain channels do the exact opposite of the Mid Boost on the clean channel as they scoop the mids BUT, unlike some of these other amps out there I have played where you have the ability to scoop the mids or even if you try doing it with an external EQ, the end result is that your sound just gets too fizzy like a buzz saw and won't cut through your bands overall sound mix. The folks at Marshall got it "JUST RIGHT" to the point where the scoop is tailored perfect. It's right where it needs to be on this amplifier and not overdone or minimal at all. I have no need to use any external EQ with this amplifier and that's a real positive thing in my book.
Another major plus is the fact that the amp has not one but two discreet effect loops with loop gain boost buttons on each loop. If you use loop A, it is only for the Clean Channel only and if you use Loop B it is for all three channels. You can also use all three which is nice. Like, lets say you have a Delay that you own that you think sounds really pristine for your clean tones but just plain awful on your gain channels, and also the same with respect to modulation effects. Well, you can actually configure two seperate effect situations on this amp, one for clean tones and one for gain tones.
Although I probably won't use this feature as extensively as this I think it adds a real special touch. I personally like to run my Modulation effects off my wireless to the front of the amp and any delay or reverb through the loop as the time based effects just sound smoother in the loop.
You also have another button out front of the amp call V.P.R. which is Virtual Power Reduction and when you push it in, it reduces the power of your amp from 120 watts to 25 watts without killing your tubes or the output transformer. Now you can get that cranked tube tone at bedroom levels and not disturb anyone within earshot.
Another great feature is the Output Mute. When used with the direct out option on the back of the amp, you can kill all sound levels EXCEPT what you record directly to a mixing consloe or recording apparatus in a recording studio or home studio. The emulated line out which makes this happen I have used and sounds nothing short of stellar. In fact it sounds just like what you hear from the amp normally.
Each channel has an effects mix knob on the front panel of the amp and not the back so that you can adjust the mix on the fly without putting your guitar down in the middle of a show or having to live with an unstellar effects mix through any particular song. I could never understand why other amp companies put things like this on the rear of the amplifier as in my opinion it just does not make sense.

On each channel, another great option is the Deep buttons. These buttons when pushed on to active status give a really resonant tone by interacting with the low frequencies of the speakers you use. It gives you a great helping of bottom end at low volumes and a more resonant and controlled growl at higher volumes.
There is discreet Reverb for both channels as well with the ability to have two different Reverb mixes.
Each channel has its own EQ section and dedicated Presence knob as well.
On the back of the amp you have the ability to use cabinets rated at

Right now I am using the followeing guitars with this amplifier....

* ESP Eclipse II Standard with EMG Zakk Wylde Pickups
* Ernie Ball Music Man Axis Premium Custom Shop Custom Made
* Ibanez SZ 520 with PRS Mark Tremonti Signature Pickups
* (On Order) Ibanez AT 300 Andy Timmons Signature Model
* Ibanez Proline 1550 with EMG Pickups
* Custom Kramer/Charvel Style Eddie Van Halen 5150 Replica with a Duncan EVH pickup

My Speaker Cabinet is a 2005 Marshall 1960 A Lead 4/12 with Stereo Option loaded with Celestion G12T-75 Drivers

Effect wise, I am using a Boss DD6 Digital Delay and a Hughes & Kettner Replex in the effects loop, and from my Sennheiser G2 Evolution Wireless into the front of the amplifier I am running in no particular order a VHT Valvulator I Tube Buffer, an old 1978 MXR 117 Flanger, an MXR EVH Phase 90, a T.C. Electronics Chorus/Flanger pedal, a Boss PS3 Pitch Shifter for Chorus on gain channels only, a Dunlop Zakk Wylde Crybaby Wah Wah and two MXR Zakk Wylde Overdrive pedals which give me another drive option and solo drive option I can use in the clean channel, an MXR Micro Amp, and an MXR Dyna Comp, a Morley Little Alligator Volume Pedal, a BBE Sonic Maximizer Mono pedal, a Boss NS2 Noise Supressor, and a Peterson Strobo Stomp tuner.

This amplifer suits my musical style to perfection which is Rock and sometimes the harder edged rock. If I need more than what the actual amplifier provides regarding gain and I doubt I ever will, then that is why I use the Zakk Wylde Overdrive Pedals in the Clean Channel but really it just gives me more options with gain.

The amp can be a bit noisy on the lead channel when you really push the gain up or when I use my analog pedals and that is why I have to use the Noise Supressor. This amp can help you produce any sound imaginable and has as much variety with its options as anything I have ever tried out on the market today. The gain on this amp is unparalleled as far as I am concerned because when it comes right down to reality, this is an amplifier that gives you "USEABLE GAIN" from zero to ten on the gain knob whereas on other amps such as a Triple Rectifier which I just returned, anything past 12 o' clock on the gain knob results in nothing more than compressed mush that sounds like a buzzsaw.

Something that really surprised me on this amplifier was how incredible the clean channel sounds. Unlike any Marshall I have ever tried and honestly probably one of the most if not the most pristine clean tone I have heard in any non boutique amp period.

Also I feel this is an amplifier which can actually produce the tones of the different guitars you use. Once my amplifier is setup, every guitar I own sounds completely different once I plug in. The tone shows off the guitar and is not a one trick pony.

When it comes right down to it, I bought this amp for its features and its sound and I can honestly say that I now have finally got my personal holy grail and am very happy. People who purchase a Marshall usually do so from a strict tonal point and this amp delivers in spades! It is just too difficult to shy away from a perfect 10 in this category based soley on the wide tonal pallate I am provided.

I am quite sure I can depend on it without a backup. I have an old Marshall Combo amp that is 21 years old and has not lost a beat! Reliability is in the Marshall name. I cannot say that about alot of other amps out there. The only thing that concerns me as I said earlier is the footswitch plug in the back of the amp. I have only owned mine for two weeks but I am generally at ease knowing in the past as well as the history of Marshall amps their reliability is unprecidented.

Because it is this new it would not be fair to offer a number rating on its reliability. I will do this in six months to a year with a follow up.

I have never had to deal with Marshall at any time I have owned their products.

Because it is new it works just fine but my dealer gave me all the information at the time of purchase without my asking as to where the nearest Authorised Service Center is in case something dare go wrong with it. I know the service center (Triple S) very well and they do great work.

The warranty is for 5 years and is fully transferrable. That tells you something right there. That Marshall stands fully behind their products.

Because I cannot rate this category fully and only can do so on my opinions of the warranty I can only be fair and rate here a score of "6" respectively.

I am 35 years old and have been playing since I was 6 years old (29 years). Other than everything I have listed I currently only own a Taylor Acoustic guitar, and an E-MU 1820m DAW for home recording, a bunch of microphones for live and recording use and that is it.

If it were stolen or lost I would buy it again in a heartbeat without question.

This is an amplifier that I love everything about and find it hard to hate nothing except the footswitch solder on the rear of the amp.

This amp has everything and I cannot think of anything it needs. The fine folks at Marshall really used their heads developing this one.

When asked if I have compared it to other products, my answer is yes I have, and I have done so buy bringing competitor products home for 30 days and using them extensively under Guitar Centers 30 day exchange policy testing them in all knids of situations until I knew which amp would be my personal holy grail and this amplifier was it without question. I am very very picky when it comes to guitar tone overall so you all know.

I also used a Framus Cobra extensively and recently got rid of a Hughes & Kettner Triamp Mk II Head that I just bought used two months ago but it kept blowing up on me and was unreliable. The Framus was great but if anything happens to it it has to go overseas to get repaired to stay under warranty. I don't trust UPS that much!

The last amp I had for 30 days was a Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier, prior to that for 30 days a Dual Rectifier and although they are great amps in their own right, they are not in my honest opinion FULLY USEABLE and just had options that were not thought out too carefully and correctly in my opinion. I like an amp that sounds great from zero to ten on the knob and really this amp is the only one that accomplishes that. But be forewarned, if you are a sloppy player, it will also bring out your playing flaws as well as it responds to every little nuance of your playing.

Also you really have to sit down and say to yourself, "Geez I am about to spend roughly $1,800 dollars on a new amp." For that kind of money wouldn't you want an amp that has all its features carefully and intuitively thought out and that gives you a wide range of useable options and a great overall sound? I had to stop buying gear because my favorite players used it and bought this amp solely on my persoanl tastes and needs. I cannot tell you how much money I wasted over the years listening to other people tell me what sounded great and what was the new "IT" thing to have. And above and beyond all this consider the fact that outside of a Marshall, if you don't keep the amp forever, you will no doubt be selling a piece of gear off in the future that you no longer care for and will probably be lucky to only get 25 percent back on your inital investment when you purchased it new. Not the case with Marshall gear as it holds its value and most of the time increases in value as it gets older.
Not only does this then become a great sounding investment, but a smart investment overall!

And finally, I guess what they say over at Marshall is true. That those who usually start out on a Marshall and who stray away eventually end up back on a Marshall. This is indeed the case with me.

I got my first amp in 1984, a Marshall Model 5002 Lead 20 Combo which I still have to this day. I went from that amp to a Metaltronix Lee Jackson Head and Cabinet in 1989 then a Peavey 5150 half stack in 1991. From there I went to a Peavey 5150 II head with the cabinet in 2000 and then sold that off and went digital to Line 6 owning several of their products from their inception in 2000 to just this year... an AX2 combo amp, a POD PRO / Mesa Power Amp combination rack setup, a Vetta Combo, a Vetta Head, another Vetta combo and just recently a POD XT PRO, Mesa Stereo Rectifier Power Amp, BBE Sonic Maximizer rack system etc...

I just sold that off to go back to a tube / pedal setup and tried the Mesa Dual and

i didnt buy this amp, but 4000 CAD was the price tag.
i tried this amp out for the longest time, at the guitar shop.

pretty good features, and fairly standard trims and pots. nice 3 channel, which is just plain ideal. clean, rhythm, and lead. played through a MF400 (the mode four cabinet) 100watts. hybrid preamp tubes inside. general stuff you ought to know already.

i tried out many guitars with this amp. gibson standard les paul, gibson les paul studio, ibanez js1000 sig, jackson rr1, fender 50th anniv, fender deluxe strat.
the amp is a bit hissy, but that is expected. most amps are the same (circuit noise)
i played this amp at my local guitar shop for about 2 and a half hours in total through many different guitars.
the clean is pretty good. depends on your settings, it can get very transparent, or a good warm, round, jazzy and bassy tone. i didnt try the trebly twangy country tone though, so im not gonna give it any merits for that. the distortion is brutal. by brutal. i mean in a really..really bad way.

here is where it's downfall is. the amp sounded very sterile to me, unfocused, very muddy, and the tone was bleeding all over the place. i even cut the scooped mids setting, using bridge pickups, and i still got the same results. melted tone that was far too spread out, and unfocused. this thing takes the prize for the most overpriced guitar head you can get, for such a poor quality lead tone. likewise for the rhythm tone. it was also the same result. believe me, i am not someone who just gives up on an amp immediately like that. i had a small lineup of people behind me, and i insisted to stand my ground and continue playing through that amp, hoping i could get a good distortion tone. i was disappointed to say the least. i told all my friends about it. they all laughed, and didnt believe me. one of them went to the shop with me the following week, and i proved it to him. he spent about 40 minutes in there, and he came out speechless. "wow, this thing totally blows". this is supposed to be a high prize item in the marshall lineup. i've heard that the JCM800/900 are supposed to be one of the best amps in their production. if they are anything like the JCM2000, i will laugh so hard, and boycott marshall forever.
dont tell me it was because i was playing too quietly. i had the volume up pretty damned high. the power amp is where the ballsy part of the tone comes from, and being a hybrid, this amp seriously lacked that. maybe if it had a really really cheap price tag, i'd pick this thing up....USED, and if i had never tried it.

i suppose though, it's because i believe there is such thing where you think something is top notch, until you've had a taste of something better.
i play through a marshall 20/20, and a triaxis 2.0 w/o fat mod, through a dbx266 compressor, hooked up to my rp8 power conditioner. i have 2 guitars, and both ibanez. RG570(stock), and a UV777BK loaded with air norton and tone zone 7 string pickups.

the jcm2000 is ridiculously overpriced, and overrated. poor tones, features are pretty standard, and i think you are definately paying much much more for the name, than the sound you're getting.

dont take my word for it. go ahead and buy it if you want, but i must urge you to at least play through the amp for a minimal of 1 hour to make your decision on whether this thing is worth it or not. i'd stay away from this thing. you can get SO much more for what this thing costs.

im being generous when i give it a 2. it deserves a 1, or even a 0, especially because of the purchase value. this thing is as sterile as it gets.

i've been playing guitar for about 6 years now. my gear has been around and about. i've tried many many guitars, and amps. if this was stolen, i'd collect my insurance, and point & laugh at this amp if i ever see it again. i hate the sound, almost completely..except cleans are pretty good. i compared it to a marshall MG100HDFX, and a well completed rack setup. overall, it is very very poor quality, and i would never even come near playing through this amp, ever again. if you ever think about buying this thing, i must highly recommend you pull for a rack setup (used), that im very happy with, instead. a mesa triaxis, mesa 20/20, and perhaps an avatar cab.

bought new in US, 2003.

i mostly use this amp for recording, i haven't gigged with it, so to me the breadth of features this amp offers means limitless possibilites. of course you're not going to make it sound like a fender or something, but within the high-gain marshall context, you can pull a huge array of tones out of it. the bottom line -- tons of useful features.

well you probably already know what to expect with a high-gain all tube head. what is surprising is that i've found many satisfying clean and mild-overdrive tones that are great for jazz-related guitar playing. because of all the channels and features, this is not just a rock/metal amp.

the amp is very reliable, very solid. the footswitch is also built like a tank, BUT the cable will absolutely definately eventually break. mine's had first class, only-used-in-a-studio treatment and the cable for the footswitch looks like it's ready to fall off. the amp itself is very reliable.

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overall, i love marshall and other high-gain amps. since my style has changed dramatically from metal to jazz, i still can't say i'd trade or sell this amp. the features allow you to do so much that i can't imagine going back. if it were stolen i'd buy another one (maybe the 50 watt version instead). if you want an amp that can confortably handle a high-gain solo or riff followed by a sparkly jazz progression, this is it.

This is an update on my earlier review. I'm the guy who had a TSL-60, then bought a TSL-100. So I have experience of both.

I think the 3 channels being independant has let me get a wider array of tones.

My only real issue is the FX loop. The TSL60 seems to have a much more transparent loop. When I switch this in it does'nt sound quite as good.

Other than that having a bigger powerstage has been fine. VPR is a godsend & I have found myself backing off the prescence controls compared to the TSL-60. But I am getting great tones.

Again I'm using a Gibson Les Paul Classic/SG standard/ Yamaha SG's

Not gigged yet, but have gigged the TSL-60 without problems for 3 Years.

The footswitch issue is one I can live with as I said before I keep 1 spare & they are cheap enough to buy in the UK

Marshalls UK customer service has always been spot on. No idea about rest of the world.

I've been playing 23 years.

If it were stolen I'd buy another one

My only niggles are the footswitch & FX loop, other than that its perfect for my needs.

I notice this strange conspiracy that the only good Marshalls are old ones which is a load of bollocks. In my 23 years of playing I've played.....

Various Plexis ( Great, but you need powersoak or maximum volume to get tone)
JCM800 ( as above)
Jubilee 25/50 ( amazing, but limited features, FX loop crap)
Artiste Combo ( Incredible headroom, good with pedals but no low end)
JMP-1 preamp ( great, but rest of rack system was'nt)
JCM900SLX, like a DSL but preamp was fizzy.

As someone who's best mate & brother both own DSL-50. I've a fair experience with the JCM2000 range & I don't get why people slag them off....Its like you 'purists out there will accept a modern amp from Peavey or Boogie, but not Marshall. Weird eh?

Brand new, fresh, out of the box 2005 Marshall TSL 100. As much diversity as you can get from a tube head. 3 channel- Seperate EQ's/Reverb, 2 effects loops, etc. One area improvement- Would love to see this head midi compatible as I run a TC Electronics G-Major thru the effects loop of this amp. To avoid tap dancing on stage (hitting midi then channel switching)- I had to purchase a CFX4 from Axess Electronics to combine the head's channel switching with the midi controlled G-Major- This will allow the entire setup to be run by one midi foot controller.

I use two Gibson V's and a Jackson KE1. The Gibsons are stock, and the KE1 has an SD (just one humbucker). I am a recording artist in a metal band and this amp, combined with the V's give me the dark, evil punchy tone needed for complex metal. We have 2 guitarists- both using full stack TSL's and I can't begin to tell you how much tighter the whole band sound with these. The amp can cut through any mix and with the right EQ (IMPORTANT!), the mix is incredible.This amp is for those who can actually play their instruments and not hide behind a ton of mushy distortion. Yes, the head can give you that gain, even with just the crunch channel (I did have to swap out the stock preamp tubes to some Boogie 12AX7R's. Made a big difference and gave me more attack)- but is all of that gain useable in live setting? Not if you are playing complex passages or leads. - If you are looking for accurate, ballsy, articulation of your notes....This is your amp. Period.......

If you want to play new style Metal, with lots of grainy distortion, down tuning and open chords, it can do that too- Just not my style.

As far as noise goes- No more noise than any other amp. I use the noise gate in the G-Major so it's a mute point. Killer clean channel with a great "mid boost" feature that cuts through the mix real nice.... Reverb is ok but does not even compare to the G-Major's reverbs.

Can't comment- Only in use approx 6 weeks. So far, so good.

Heard a lot crap about the footswitch but since I have the CFX4, I don't even use it. The whole rig is controlled via midi.

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I've been playing for 20 years- Always been in Metal and I think this head can actually cover many more styles besides ours. I would say this is an amp that could cover most anything- Even though it seems well made, I do always keep a backup (currently a Peavey XXX) because these are tube amps and well....things just happen. If it were stolen or lost, I'd kick someone's ass.........

i believe my amp is a 2001 (and has the old angled on/off switchs, as opposed to my other guitarists tsl100 head with curved buttons, like a valvestate, his is a 2003), and IT MAY OR MAY NOT be like a first issue and his may be a second, as were both convinced they do not sound IDENTICAL.

We play rock/metal, and we use a tsl each. this is just to clear something up. If youre one of these people that reckon you cannot get enough gain with this amp, youre a dork. gain aplenty. versatile enough to be YOUR ONLY amp live, and the fact that i lend my amp 4 times a month to a band that i also do live sound for, is a testiment to that.

features include 3 seperate footswitching channels, each with their own gain, volume and eq section (including mid scoops on the dirty channels, and a mid boost on the clean), then the rest is split up for the clean channel with its own settings, and both the dirty channels sharing. these setting as described above include a presnce knob, and deep switch(for extended low end), also a seperate clean/dirty reverb volumes, and 2 parallel fx loops that can be set up in a number of ways(so you can isolate what is in the fx loop for clean or dirty, if you only have 1 loop going). reverb and and fx loop is also footswitchable.

other features included, 16ohm, as well as 4 and 8, outputs, for a wider range of speaker options, and an xlr out that they call an emulated line out, which appears to be a line out with a high frequency rolloff at AROUND 8k. this does a particularly effective job of replicating a standard marshall 4x12 sound, as their 12 inch speakers do not output anything above the 8k frequency. this is a common cabnet emulation technique employed my line 6 on their pod units most prominently. and as a sound guy i can also tell you that it is VERY effective when used in a live sound environment, it not only allows the enginerr to get a di of the guitar to the desk without a dibox, it SOUNDS better. it also has an output mute (like standby, but doesnt cut the signal to the tubes, just cuts the signal to the power amp. and it also has a nifty litte feature called VPR, or virtual power reduction, a system of the signal bypassing 2 of the 4 power tubes (or someshit, im pretty rusty on how this one works but ive read someting that says it splits the load up anyway, so that tubes dont die quicker from using it.) this is a very useful feature, it really takes it down to a level that could be deemed... acceptable... (in terms of both tone and volume) and thats saying something for a 100w tube head.

i think thats it on the features. if i could wish for features, i would wish for a seperate deep and presence contolper channel, cause im like that, and like heaps of variation in my tones. a solo level button on the footswitch ala rectofier, VERY VERY useful, but you can just buy a boost pedal, and a bright switch on the clean channel to help reach its full potential (given how simple the wiring is for this, a switch, some wire and a capasitor, between the volume knob and said button, this is pretty disapointing, however a local amp doctor will install one for $50 australian.)

there are NO features on this amp that go unused, the least used feature personaly is mid scoops on dirty channels, i only use them to get a slightly more recto sound. and i usually use it WITH the deep switch.

This amp is actually too loud as all 100w TUBE heads are(solid state amps require about 3x as many watt to equal the decibel output due to the fact that you are not OVERDRIVING the amp to get distortion, like in a tube amp). i suggest a powerbrake if you are not as asshole. if you are, happy guitaring. youll see the fuzz pretty shortly. i WOULD suggest the jcm 2000 tsl60, but it doesnt have all the features, total let down. but hey play before you buy, always turn a product up to at least 7 in a store. and youll already know what youre getting into. mine doesnt crawl past 3. and thats cause the police regularly turn up at abou

right now im using a 97 sg special with a burstbucker pro in bridge and a p94 in neck, and a gibbo u2 (strat shaped thing from the 80s, long story) with ceramic dimarzios (dsonic, protracks).

suit any type of music you can throw at it. i shit you not. may not be "brutal" enough for 5150/death metal fans, only conecession. but then again, i think youre a dork. right now its handleing rock and metal(remember i play metal), and emo/rock/hardcore. ive seen it handle jazz on the clean channel with its eq shaping options. seen it do country, (would do better with a bright switch, but it does it fine with treble and presence), in respect to musical flexability i think it beats a recto(and every other amp i can think of bar a road king, and you can buy 4 of these or 1 of them, hahaha). where as a recto has more options ON AMP.

the amp has some noise, ill admit it. the hiss is present. i no longer even notice it, or my single coil pickup buzz. a recto has a sizzle instead of a hiss, who gives a ....

the sound it makes is a hot rodded jcm 800 inspired on the lead channel. IT IS essentially a jcm 800 on the crunch channel. and clean channel id liken to that of a fender... without quite as much treble bight. tough call that last one. but seriously, you gotta hear it, presence opens it right up. you can make ANY marshall sound youve ever heard on a recording in the last 20 years 99% faithfully (givin the right guitar and the knowhow), and older ones about 90 - 95% faithfully being completely realistic. and its great for the other stuff too. i would go as far as to say this is marshalls first metal amp. but its also their first all in 1 touring amp. amazing package.

NO COMPLAINTS

i have had this amp since may 2001, it is the end of march 2005. not a SINGLE problem with the HEAD to date. my mates needed a new fuse after 18 months or so, with no explaination. the footswitch however is another story, and if you are going to take this amp on the road, DO TAKE A 2nd Footswitch. and dont say i didnt warn you. im on my 3rd. good news is they always break within warranty :)

footswitch is propriaty, and no other footswitch or cable will work. this is the weak knee in the whole amp, and by far the most disapointing thing. this said, the footswitch itself is extremely well built, feels good to use, doesnt fall over or jump when you stamp it, will take a giant beating. HOWEVER the cable WILL NOT.

take care. have a space waiting. they are not expencive.

otherwise not a single problem. nothing, im even on my original tubes and fuses, remember this amp 4 times a month gigs in pubs and in between is played at my house.

footswitch return was no problem within the warranty.
think the warranty was 1 year.-

gets a 7. they did what they were meant to do. nothing more...

been playing for 7 years. own too much misc gear to list, but a few bits include a tech 21 nyc sansamp, and a randall rh100 (that inst mine, but lives here, gt6. etc.

definatly worth replacing. but i am currently looking for a 2nd amp. i want a soldano. for its differnt sounding distortion.

love everything about the head, hate the footswitch.

i compared this product to a dual rectofier, as it has the closet matching features(ie heaps). they are about 1.8x as expencive, and i still think the tsl is more musically versatile. - THE 3 channel amp.

PLEASE DO NOT HESISTATE TO EMAIL ME AND PESTER ME ABOUT THIS HEAD OR ANYTIHNG ELSE. i love talking about gear.