# Marshall Dsl 401



## ibanezlezbian (Mar 15, 2007)

So basicly I just got a Marshall Dsl 401 and an Ibanez TS9dx. The thing is I cant really get a good tone because im new to tube amps and before this I was basicly just using a crappy line 6 spider II 15w.

Im really into people like Petrucci, Vai , and Stariani so anything similair to any of their tones would be fine (if you can I prefer something similair to Petrucci's Heavy ryhthm tone)

I basicly just need somewhere to start and develop my own tones.
Any help would be appreciated.


Thanks.


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## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

ibanezlezbian said:


> So basicly I just got a Marshall Dsl 401 and an Ibanez TS9dx. The thing is I cant really get a good tone because im new to tube amps and before this I was basicly just using a crappy line 6 spider II 15w.
> 
> Im really into people like Petrucci, Vai , and Stariani so anything similair to any of their tones would be fine (if you can I prefer something similair to Petrucci's Heavy ryhthm tone)
> 
> ...


The Peavey JSX combo is suppose to sound pretty good. Even James Peter's didn't mind it and he's not a combo guy.


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## ibanezlezbian (Mar 15, 2007)

dude im not looking for another amp


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## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

ibanezlezbian said:


> dude im not looking for another amp


You said you couldn't get good tone so assumed you weren't happy with it.

I had a DSL401 for a while and couldn't get good tone either. I no longer have it.

Are you looking for pedals, amp setting what?


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## zdogma (Mar 21, 2006)

A couple of things.

General principles: 

Turn off the verb. Take any pedals that you aren't using out of the chain. Turn up the master past noon to get some output distortion and sustain, then crank up the preamp gain until you get a bit of crunch. Turn the TS 9 volume to about noon, adjust the drive to taste for a fluid lead sound.

Tube screamers sound good into already overdriven amps, not so good into quiet tube amps. 

They also are a bit midrange heavy, I know a lot of people prefer a distortion or overdrive with less mids. Vai uses a Boss DS1, you might want to try one if that's the sound you're looking for.

A speaker swap can help. For about a hundred bucks you can change the tone dramatically. I relly like the eminence speakers, try a Wizard in that Marshall and I think you'll like what you hear.

If it still sucks, check your tubes. If they are old do a full change to JJ's ecc 83 in the pre and try a set of the new KT 77's for the output tubes (you will need to rebias)

If you do all that and its still lousy, you better save your money and get one of those JSX amps.


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## JamesPeters (Feb 2, 2006)

Jeff Flowerday said:


> The Peavey JSX combo is suppose to sound pretty good. Even James Peter's didn't mind it and he's not a combo guy.


That's' tru'e Jef'f.



My recommendation: try a lot of different settings. If that doesn't help, try using the amp with other cabinets, tubes (and get the amp biased), speakers, guitars, pickups. Since the DSL is either going to generally sound the way you want or not though, I can't make specific recommendations to make it sound very different, especially since you didn't give any indication of what settings/guitars/etc. you already tried with the amp.


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## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

JamesPeters said:


> That's' tru'e Jef'f.


A typo jab, I see! I think I'm going to call you James Peter's for life now. :tongue:


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## chesterb (May 28, 2006)

you might want to try a higher gain distortion box. Petrucci uses Boogies which are a long way from a Marshall.

Also some amps just need to be tweaked with. I remember when I got my prosonic I hated it but after a while of tweaking and trying things I love it. You have gone from a solid state modeling amp to tubes. Thats a big jump so be patient and ...:rockon2:


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## JamesPeters (Feb 2, 2006)

Jeff Flowerday said:


> A typo jab, I see! I think I'm going to call you James Peter's for life now. :tongue:


Using an apostrophe where one isn't needed doesn't seem like a typo. 

Yeah you wouldn't be the first to do that, or to refer to me as "Peter", etc.


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## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

JamesPeters said:


> Using an apostrophe where one isn't needed doesn't seem like a typo.
> 
> Yeah you wouldn't be the first to do that, or to refer to me as "Peter", etc.


Dude I know your last name, I tell you my fingers have a mind of their own. I'm constantly typing wrong words and other crap. That's what I get for being a software engineer, you don't use the english language but still have to be able to type at mach 10.

:smile:

PS) Sorry OP, I find my disease embarrassing at times, and figured I'd explain myself at your expense. Now back to your regular programming, the DSL 401.


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## Big White Tele (Feb 10, 2007)

ibanezlezbian said:


> dude im not looking for another amp


Glad you like it. I tried a few and they weren't for me. Not a classic marshall tone to be had in the ones I tried.


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## zdogma (Mar 21, 2006)

Big White Tele said:


> Glad you like it. I tried a few and they weren't for me. Not a classic marshall tone to be had in the ones I tried.


Agreed. They aren't bad amps, but they don't sound like the old Marshalls I remember. Hard to get those old ACDC tones from a DSL/TSL, I find.


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## JamesPeters (Feb 2, 2006)

Jeff Flowerday said:


> Dude I know your last name, I tell you my fingers have a mind of their own. I'm constantly typing wrong words and other crap. That's what I get for being a software engineer, you don't use the english language but still have to be able to type at mach 10.
> 
> :smile:


Excuses, excuses.


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## EL34POWER (Jan 16, 2007)

ibanezlezbian said:


> So basicly I just got a Marshall Dsl 401 and an Ibanez TS9dx. The thing is I cant really get a good tone because im new to tube amps and before this I was basicly just using a crappy line 6 spider II 15w.
> 
> Im really into people like Petrucci, Vai , and Stariani so anything similair to any of their tones would be fine (if you can I prefer something similair to Petrucci's Heavy ryhthm tone)
> 
> ...


Well JP uses Mesa road kings last time i looked. IMO Mesa and Marshall have their own frequ. response. So maybe a scoopier mid section would be a good start. the TS9 would NOT be a good way to start
Somthing like an MI audio Tube zone is excelent to help get those mesa y tones.:food-smiley-004:


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

I'm not familiar with the 401 but it sounds like what you want is some settings that will get you close to the tones that you want. I'd try posting your question at Harmony Central or the Marshall Forum where you may find more users who have some ideas.


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## Emohawk (Feb 3, 2006)

I haven't heard a DSL401 in a while, but it does sound like you're looking for a different voice than that amp is likely to handle - especially if you're looking for something similar to Petrucci's tone.

I agree that a TS9 is not going to get you where you want to go - at least not without modifications and probably not by itself regardless. It is a middy pedal in that classic mid crunch sort of way. If it can be set for a clean boost without coloring the tone that might help by driving your pre-amp harder for more gain. Don't know if you can do that with a stock TS9.

You'll probably need to shift the focus of your mids somewhat. Marshalls in general tend to focus more in the upper mids while Boogies are more lower mids & bass. You could play with the Marshall's EQ, but they're notorious for not being overly responsive. They tend to have their voice with subtle nuances rather than drastic changes...the ones I've heard anyway.

I think your best bet (short of a different amp) would be to try an EQ in the loop (the 401 does have an FX loop, right? Been a while). I've tried that with my Laney (similar voice to some Marshalls) with good results.

Tubes and speakers will make a difference, but probably not make a Marshall sound Boogie-ish. Swapping output tubes may help however. The 401 comes stock with 4 EL84's while most Boogies (the recto-ish ones anyway) run 6L6's. Swapping it to 6V6's (the little brother of the 6L6) may get you closer to what you want. That may require modding the amp though. I don't know if it can be re-biased to 6V6's without internal changes. I'm not a tube guru or a tech, so some of our friends around here might comment on that suggestion.

Best of luck with it. Your first tube amp opens a whole new world for your playing. I know it did for me! 

Kirb


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## Warren (Mar 2, 2007)

I just posted how I got my approximate Pettrucci tone a few years back on another thread:

http://guitarscanada.com/Board/showthread.php?t=4692&page=2

I tryed the JSX at a local store, I liked it, nice clean channel.


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## Warren (Mar 2, 2007)

zdogma said:


> They also are a bit midrange heavy, I know a lot of people prefer a distortion or overdrive with less mids. Vai uses a Boss DS1, you might want to try one if that's the sound you're looking for.


Agreed,

I don't know that marshall, maybe others know it better, but Vai does use the DS1 and originally Marshalls and Satch used to use a marshall and an OD1 or OD2 (not sure which one).

Maybe try the newer versions of these with your marshall at a local music store. I have an old Roland GP8 which was DS1, CS1 and OD2 plus a couple others they're pretty cheap if you can find one and with my marshall it's pretty much the same sounds as earlier Vai and Satch.

Problem with trying to approximate JP's tone is $$$$$$, his rig has always been very sophisticated. And, as mentioned before, the Mesa scooped sound is pretty tough to get without the proper MESA.


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## Emohawk (Feb 3, 2006)

Emohawk said:


> Swapping output tubes may help however. The 401 comes stock with 4 EL84's while most Boogies (the recto-ish ones anyway) run 6L6's. Swapping it to 6V6's (the little brother of the 6L6) may get you closer to what you want. That may require modding the amp though. I don't know if it can be re-biased to 6V6's without internal changes. I'm not a tube guru or a tech, so some of our friends around here might comment on that suggestion.


Pretty bad - quoting myself today!

I was thinking about this a little bit last night, and 6V6's probably won't be a (simple) option. First, I think the sockets are different (EL84's are 9-pin, 6V6's 8-pin I think). Also, I think the 6V6's bottles are a little larger than EL84's. The problem with the DSL401 is things are a little cramped in there. Some EL84's with slightly larger than normal bottles aren't recommended for them.

Warren makes a good point about Petrucci's rig being rather intricate (and expensive). You should be able to get something similar with some experimentation, but you certainly won't nail it.


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