# Marshall SL5 - Worth Getting?



## colchar (May 22, 2010)

I can pick up a Marshall SL5 for $500, which is apparently a decent price.

I don't know much about them, except for having tried one for 90 seconds back when they were new in stores. Is it worth picking one up?

I currently own a DSL40CR (jury is still out on that one) and a Traynor YCV50 Blue. I am not sure if the SL5 will give me anything the other two don't, and don't really need more than one amp, but I am still thinking of picking this one up.

I would appreciate hearing anyone's thoughts on these and whether it is worth getting, or if I should pass.


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## Latole (Aug 11, 2020)

Specifications of the Marshall SL5 Slash Signature amp:

5W Combo
1 x EL34 Power Tubes
3 x ECC83 Preamp Tubes
1 Jack Input
EQ (Presence, Bass, Middle, Treble)
Presence Control
Digital Reverb
High/Low Sensitivity Inputs
2 Custom Voiced Footswitchable Channels
5W/1W Switch Function
Celestion Vintage 30 Speaker
Speaker Output: 8 ohm, 16 ohm






Marshall SL5 Slash Signature | Combo amp


Slash Paradise - This is a page about Marshall SL5 Slash Signature head which is a combo amp: photos, videos and specifications.




www.slashparadise.com





Marshall SL5 - post honeymoon phase review;









Marshall SL5 - post honeymoon phase review


I've had this amp a little over 3 months. The honeymoon phase didn't really begin until a few days after bringing it home after I really figured out...




www.marshallforum.com


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

It will give you a unique distortion tone you don't get from the big Traynors. There is magic in a dimed Class A tube amp.


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## tomee2 (Feb 27, 2017)

$500 more gets you the 80s vintage Studio 15 in the classifieds..


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## PBGas (Jan 14, 2017)

I had one of these and liked it a lot. If you are using it at home then it is fine. If you are using it live to play with a band, it isn't loud enough at all. I tried it and it was not able to keep up. If you need to run an FX loop, then you also are out of luck with it being absent of that feature. The 34 mod sounds good on it.


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

tomee2 said:


> $500 more gets you the 80s vintage Studio 15 in the classifieds..



That is sold, pending payment.


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

I have one. Fantastic amp. 5w with a 12" speaker. Sounds great at low volume and is a good pedal platform. Price is very good.


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## morepowder (Apr 30, 2020)

I will echo what Fretzel just said. I also have one and love it. I paid $800 for mine last year in NIB condition, so I think for that price you are stealing it.

worst case if you decide you don’t like it, it is an instant flip and put $250 in your jeans. Kind of a no brainer to me.


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

I spoke to a friend who works at my local L&M earlier today and asked him about the SL5s while we were chatting. He looked it up, and the cheapest any used ones ever sold for anywhere in the chain was $399. Once taxes are added in, that is $450 so yeah, $500 seems like a good price.

Heading down to snag it tonight.


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

Good score. Has a 1w setting as well. I just leave it on 5 as it still sounds good at low volume.


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## Verne (Dec 29, 2018)

Good plan not mentioning the location of the amp. Sounds like quite a steal. I'd never heard of it, now I'm intrigued. Had one Marshall tube amp, but was too loud for my room. Been wanting to replace with under 15w Marshall to compliment my AC15. Now I can keep my eyes open.

That wasn't intended as I would've gone to grab it.


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

I picked it up earlier this evening.

Cosmetically it is fine, except that the silver insert has come off one of the knobs. I'll have to find a replacement.

I haven't had a chance to play the amp yet, but will do so shortly.


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## Johnnyko5 (Feb 25, 2021)

Had one and didn't like it at all. That was many moons ago though. Some amps sound good with lots of power tube distortion and some don't. This one was very meh for me.

That being said $500 is a fantastic price for what I've seen them for and you should be able to try it out "rent free" maybe it will be just what you wanted.


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

Johnnyko5 said:


> Had one and didn't like it at all. That was many moons ago though. Some amps sound good with lots of power tube distortion and some don't. This one was very meh for me.
> 
> That being said $500 is a fantastic price for what I've seen them for and you should be able to try it out "rent free" maybe it will be just what you wanted.


I use the dirty channel on this at the edge of breakup and use it as a pedal platform at low volumes. I've actually never played it wide open with lots of gain. 

I've been using a Mad Professor Loud n Proud, which is plexi style and it sounds glorious.


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

So I played the amp last night. I used my Les Paul, but cannot remember which input I was plugged in to. I liked the clean channel even though it had very little headroom. The drive channel was fine, but I need to figure out how to dial it in for the right amount of gain - edge of breakup gain that cleans up when you pick softer. I didn't play with the tone controls, and just set them all at noon. I didn't bother trying the reverb.

I have been of the opinion the last couple of years that big amps sound better at low volume than smaller amps do, but I was impressed with how full this amp sounded.

I think I liked it better than my DSL40CR, but perhaps that isn't a fair comaprison as that one is out being worked on as I think it had bad tubes. But the SL5 was definitely a lot less bassy than the DSL.

I played my Traynor YCV50 Blue right after the SL5 and couldn't decide which I liked more. There was definitely less noise with the Traynor when the gain was turned up, so that is a point in its favour. But I might also have a grounding issue with my LP. My friend the tech recently had Covid so I haven't had a chance to take it to him.

Tonight I think I'll try my Gretsch. If I stay up long enough I'll try my Tele too (it has four way switching so can get a bit humbuckery).


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## Johnnyko5 (Feb 25, 2021)

I'm a big fan of amps with higher wattage unless you are going for power tube distortion and as long as they have a good master volume. There's more full bass and a wider frequency range available. 

My Maz 8 is one of the lone exceptions that I've experienced.

Either way though you got a great deal and can see if it's your thing!


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

And its gone.

I decided to go to a head & cab setup so put my combos up for sale (SL5 and Traynor YCV50 Blue). The DSL40CR that I have will just be returned to L&M.

Anyway, I sold the SL5 in a day for $700.


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## MarkM (May 23, 2019)

@colchar 
Well that's quite an about face!

What head and cab are you going with?


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

MarkM said:


> @colchar
> Well that's quite an about face!
> 
> What head and cab are you going with?



The DSL100HR and a Marshall 1936 cab.

I am still waiting for my DSL40 to come back from Yorkville, but according to the Marshall forums there were noise issues with a bunch of the early ones. The noises they were describing were exactly what I was hearing from mine, so I decided to just get something else.

The cab has arrived at my local store, but the head won't arrive until next week as it was coming from Edmonton.

Edit - Correction, I just received the email telling me that the head has arrived. I have grass to cut, but I'll be heading over to pick them up later today.


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

MarkM said:


> @colchar
> Well that's quite an about face!
> 
> What head and cab are you going with?



It turns out that the DSL I ordered was an older model mistakenly listed under the new SKU. I returned it today and ordered a JVM210H for the same price ($899). Apparently it is a bit rough cosmetically but who cares, cosmetics can be fixed.


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

colchar said:


> Apparently it is a bit rough cosmetically but who cares, cosmetics can be fixed.


I recommend the tiger stripes!


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## MarkM (May 23, 2019)

Jesus that scared the crap out of me!


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## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

fretzel said:


> I recommend the tiger stripes!


Dude…


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

LOL


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

fretzel said:


> I recommend the tiger stripes!



Dafuq is _that_????


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## Verne (Dec 29, 2018)

@fretzel you and @butterknucket hang out on the same sites?!? SHIT!!! I'd run if I saw "that" coming my way.


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

Verne said:


> @fretzel you and @butterknucket hang out on the same sites?!? SHIT!!! I'd run if I saw "that" coming my way.


It was a play on @colchar, cosmetics can be fixed. Originally I was looking for plastic surgery fails. Then that showed up. LOL!


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## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)

Verne said:


> @fretzel you and @butterknucket hang out on the same sites?!? SHIT!!! I'd run if I saw "that" coming my way.


What is this in response to?


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

fretzel said:


> I recommend the tiger stripes!


This.
Colchar said its a bit rough cosmetically and I recommended tiger stripes.


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