Used TSL combo vs JVM combo

[noise5150]

I am thinking about replacing my MG combo with either a used TSL601/602 or newer JVM215C/JVM205C. My brother has a JVM so I am familiar with how they operate. I was wondering what a good used condition TSL goes for (not interested in a head) and even though tone is subjective, how you guys who have used both, would compare them.

*as a side note, I am also very curious about a Vintage Modern combo but I am concerned about it not having a separate clean channel

[Wildone]

That 60 watt TSL is a nice combo, heard that one many times. Sounds really good with the open back in a 2x12. Not much experience with the JVM.

[longfxukxnhair]

I have owned a TSL and I own a JVM410 now. I really just didnt care for the TSL. I prefer the DSL over the TSL. Both are on the cheap right now no matter what platform you buy.
Never used any other JVM but have heard many good things about them. For me hands down, its the JVM.

[Will55555]

I have a TSL601 combo and it sounds great right after you ditch the internal speaker. It sounded too muffled.
I use it with a 2x12 cab with Celestion Vintage 30's and the difference is night and day, It comes alive. I've not tried the JVM so cannot compare but I have only heard good things about them too.
Either way whichever you get I'm sure you will enjoy it. Good luck on your tone quest! :)

[lono]

Hi noise 5150. I'm new to this forum, but I saw your post and thought I might be able to help. I have a TSl122 combo and the matching 2x12 extention cab that I got about five years ago. I just got a JVM410H and a 1960AV cab.
When I first got the tsl, I thought it was kind of wimpy sounding, especially at low volumes. The overdrive sounded thin, fizzy and brittle, and if I raised the bass or decreased the treble or presence to thicken the high end, the low notes turned to mud, and the fizz was still there to some extent. I cranked it through a hotplate to get power tube overdrive, and that helped a lot, but then I started having all the problems these amps seem to be famous for, like drifting bias and overheating, frying power tubes etc...
Eventually, after researching it as much as I could, I sent it to Trace Davis at Voodoo Amps. He fixed it and also did his "standard mod" package. Oh yeah, I had problems getting correct levels and good tone with the effects loop, and he modded that too.
Anyway, the thing sounds absolutley killer now: from warm beautiful cleans, to bluesy grit, classic rock crunch and punchy metal tones. Nice fat smooth leads and endless sustain, even with fairly low levels of gain. It's also been totally reliable for three years so far. If you can pick one of these up cheap and send it to Voodoo and spend two or three hundred bucks, you're golden.
Then I got the JVM. It's a great amp just as it ships. Lots of channels and modes to set up a variety of tones from jazz or country clean to the highest gain metal tones you could want. Awesome footswitch, MIDI controlable... except it has the same underlying fizzy, buzzy distortion tone... :(
I've dialed it all sorts of ways, checked out suggestions on the JVM forum...and I've had good results, but compared to my TSL, it's still lacking both tone and dynamics. I'm saving as I write this to send the JVM to the witch doctor (Trace) to get some voodoo... If he can (and from reviews I've read, he can) do what he did for my TSL, all will be good... I hope this was of some help. :)

[surlybastard]

If you want an idea what things cost on the used market I usually check this site:

www.searchtempest.com

Allows you to search every Craigslist within a certain radius. You might want to search 'marshall tsl' and go from there, you'll get all the heads too, but it shouldn't take long to find combos.

Hope that helps

[rineanna]

The Vintage Modern is a single channel amp but it has a "dynamic range" switch which is basically a gain switch. I think the VM is a good combo choice if you're looking for good classic rock tones up to about GN'R gain. If you want to have variation i'd say go with the JVM

[noise5150]

Hey thanks guys. I have been interested in replacing my MG100dfx combo for a while. I have gone back and forth between getting a nice tube combo and looking at another solid state combo. I dont gig but if I ever do, I may look at a TSL or even a JMD since I have the head and know what to expect. I may wait until the Blackstar ID series comes out and see how they are. Im really impressed with the features. At home, I use my JMD and DSL 90% of the time. One reason I am thinking solid state is that I want one amp that is 100% maintenance free and light weight etc.