Hot Rodding a DSL40C???

I got quite a few recommendations for the 5751, which is why I tried it in the first place, but I am going to pick up a new set of standard 12AX7's for the amp from Amplified parts...
 
Robert Herndon said:
And from Marshall in England:

Hi Robert,

The 5751 is nothing more than a low noise, avionics grade 12AX7. It works well in the phase inverter position of some amps when a smoother, less brittle tone is desirable.
It will work fine in the DSL40C.

Cordially,

Colin

Marshall Amplification - Bletchley Repair HQ
Denbigh Road Milton Keynes MK1 1DQ United Kingdom
Tel: 01908 375411
Email: contact@marshallamps.com
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Colin has given you the clues: smoother and less brittle is kind of the opposite of the chug you are looking for.
 
gball said:
Colin has given you the clues: smoother and less brittle is kind of the opposite of the chug you are looking for.
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What I found was the smoother output could be driven harder and remain clear. When I had 12AX7's in all 4 positions, I percieved the amp to be somewhat "fizzy" if that makes sense???

I really have to say the TS-9 has an amazing effect on this amp.
 
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Robert Herndon said:
What I found was the smoother output could be driven harder and remain clear. When I had 12AX7's in all 4 positions, I percieved the amp to be somewhat "fizzy" if that makes sense???

I really have to say the TS-9 has an amazing effect on this amp.
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That's the best thing about a good overdrive to me. You can back off the amp gain to keep it tighter and more dynamic, then slam the front end. Not necessarily for more "distortion" but to make the sound bigger and crunchier. A TS-9 is the best thing that ever happened to a Marshall. Even more so than the 808 in my opinion.
 
gball said:
That's the best thing about a good overdrive to me. You can back off the amp gain to keep it tighter and more dynamic, then slam the front end. Not necessarily for more "distortion" but to make the sound bigger and crunchier. A TS-9 is the best thing that ever happened to a Marshall. Even more so than the 808 in my opinion.
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I've never had a 'TS' of any kind. But you hit the nail on the head....drop amp gain and crank the TS-9 level.

It's not really "gainy" as you say...it just sounds HUGE
 
Robert Herndon said:
I've never had a 'TS' of any kind. But you hit the nail on the head....drop amp gain and crank the TS-9 level.

It's not really "gainy" as you say...it just sounds HUGE
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They've been the secret sauce since 1982, haha.

Really, I think a lot of players' don't pay attention to how much gain/distortion they are hearing on recordings. It's pretty much always less than people think, and some of the "heaviest" tones I've heard were ones with the gain dialed back but that sound enormous nonetheless.

I normally have my Mark 5 somewhere between 11:30 and 12:00 on the gain, but I use a Blues Driver (as great as a TS-9 is with a Marshall, they can be a bid too mid-heavy with a Mesa) set with the gain very low and the level very high to slam it, then control everything with the guitar volume. It sounds way more huge than just turning up the amp gain and this method gives me a lot more control over dynamics.
 
gball said:
They've been the secret sauce since 1982, haha.

Really, I think a lot of players' don't pay attention to how much gain/distortion they are hearing on recordings. It's pretty much always less than people think, and some of the "heaviest" tones I've heard were ones with the gain dialed back but that sound enormous nonetheless.

I normally have my Mark 5 somewhere between 11:30 and 12:00 on the gain, but I use a Blues Driver (as great as a TS-9 is with a Marshall, they can be a bid too mid-heavy with a Mesa) set with the gain very low and the level very high to slam it, then control everything with the guitar volume. It sounds way more huge than just turning up the amp gain and this method gives me a lot more control over dynamics.
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I think you are right.

If you listen to 'Pyromania' by Def Leppard, Mutt Lange directed very low gain levels because Mutt felt it made the guitars sound bigger.
 
Robert Herndon said:
I think you are right.

If you listen to 'Pyromania' by Def Leppard, Mutt Lange directed very low gain levels because Mutt felt it made the guitars sound bigger.
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That may be the case, but then why did he thin their sound out so much with all the spatial and modulation effects? The guitar sound on that record is like clapback mud to me, I can barely make out what's going on but on their previous album, which he also produced, the guitar sound is HUUUUGE and quite dry (sorry for the pun). I dunno if it's because Pete Willis was still involved in the early stages or something else but sonically High 'n' Dry crushes all their other albums for guitar tone (and strength of songwriting). Come to think of it, Phil Collen is the 4th best guitar player that's been in that band so maybe he's to blame?
 
gball said:
That may be the case, but then why did he thin their sound out so much with all the spatial and modulation effects? The guitar sound on that record is like clapback mud to me, I can barely make out what's going on but on their previous album, which he also produced, the guitar sound is HUUUUGE and quite dry (sorry for the pun). I dunno if it's because Pete Willis was still involved in the early stages or something else but sonically High 'n' Dry crushes all their other albums for guitar tone (and strength of songwriting). Come to think of it, Phil Collen is the 4th best guitar player that's been in that band so maybe he's to blame?
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I'm not certain!
 
I have the last word on tubes in the DSL40C's.

I have been incredibly impressed with the B759/ECC83S/ECC83MG/5751 combination.

The tone is just huge, but somehow very smooth. I can move pictures on the wall with palm mutes, but I wanted to see if I could improve upon it.

Today I borrowed a huge assortment of tubes from a musical chum and I tried every combination I could drum up.

Clearly, the Russian made Genelex B759 Gold Lion is the best sounding, smoothest and yet highest gain producer - hands down - in V1.

NOTHING sounded better.

I tried all 12AX7, 12AX7LPS, 12AU7, 12AT7, 7025, ECC83MG, 5751's ECC801, ECC823 in V1....you name it...and nothing beat the original combination.

I can't really explain each and every effect in detail, and some combos were not too bad, just different.

Now, running all stock Marshall ECC83's gave more gain, but imparted a 'fizzy' and 'trebly' quality that I really didn't like and it was a DRAMATIC change.

I have a product called Super Slick Stuff that doesn't attract dirt and leaves no residue. I used little of this (applied with a Q tip) on the tube pins and it made them slip in and out really easy with as little stress on the board as possible.

I'm done with tubing...

Very pleased!!!
 
Also...many complain about the DSL40C's digital reverb....but it's really very clever. I can induce a resonant feedback with a spring tank, but not on this digital reverb, no matter how hard I push things.
 
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