Tsl 100

[Twitch]

Picked one up about 2 weeks ago and so far Im ok with it(already dropped some tracks in the studio and played a gig with it) So, you know the usual, I immediately went to researching some schematics and other peoples mods and ran across some scary shit.

Everything from crappy PC board construction(the green board its self), run away bias settings due to heat over time resulting in fried caps tranys and tubes, foot switch jacks and cables breaking, badly temp sensitive resistors in the OP bias circuit(values change due to heat) etc. Scaaaaary shit to hear now that I own the thing.

Has anyone here encountered these problems?

Man, I really need to do my research prospectively and not after the fact.

[Trussrod]

Man, I really need to do my research prospectively and not after the fact.

You always learn so much more the way you're doing it--lol. Can you sell it for what you have in it? From my experience some models with a bad rep can work trouble free for years especially if the unit in question has been fine up to this point.

[Cygnus X1]

Everything including the kitchen sink.

Looks good on paper!

Truss posted at...10:20 PM.
I agree, don't toss it around like a used up wh*re and it might hold up just fine.

[EvilOdin]

if it makes you feel any better, my bandmate has owned, gigged and recorded with one for a few years now, and aside from the reverb crapping out for some reason, its still trucking along just fine with the the OG tubes still in it. for some reaoson, most of the marshalls i've played on have always had some problem with the reverb just ending up non existant after a period of time, it maybe just be a strange coincidence though, who knows.

[Twitch]

You always learn so much more the way you're doing it--lol. Can you sell it for what you have in it? From my experience some models with a bad rep can work trouble free for years especially if the unit in question has been fine up to this point.

Yeah Im seriously considering trading it for one of my old 900s that I never finished spec-ing out to my liking. Ive still got components from planned mods that I never started(up-ed PI coupling caps and "plugging the holes" in the grid drains on a couple preamp gain stages). The TSL in question is a 2001 or 02, Im not sure what the S/N said at the moment and Im too lazy to run up stairs and look. It still has the original "winged c" EL34s in it but the sound does change after its been on for around an hour of use. So, if it does have some bias drift, which it seems to, it hasnt been bad enough in its 10 year life span to hurt the stock tubes. Its definently been around the block, its filthy inside behind the back plate and reeks of tabacco smoke.

[lynchfan6]

I gigged heavily with a TSL100 head for several years, nearly every weekend, four hours + a night. I NEVER had a problem outside of the footswitch
jack getting loose and needing to be resoldered. I'm a Soldano player now, and sold the TSL, but not because of reliability. I think it depends on the luck
of the draw,,,,,,that amp can treat you like mine did, and never fail you.

[lynchfan6]

I forgot to add,,,,the reverb was repaired with footswitch jack, but it was also a minor situation of a reverb spring crack or something. I think the
whole repair bill was like $35,,,,,and this was just before I sold it, so it had been through many shows. This was a top 40 band , too, so I was constantly
changing channels, etc. I'd say it held up really nice, I just was after something different in the gain department.

[Dreamland_Rebel]

Don't sell it. you've got one that was made while they were still allowed to use lead solder. those things sound great! if it ever needs preamp tubes, go EH. do not ever put JJ's in there. and stick with the winged =c= 's for powertubes.

[Trussrod]

Twitch, I'm sure you'll land on your feet no matter what happens in this situation.

Truss posted at...10:20 PM.

Cyg, Hmmm...

[Twitch]

Don't sell it. you've got one that was made while they were still allowed to use lead solder. those things sound great! if it ever needs preamp tubes, go EH. do not ever put JJ's in there. and stick with the winged =c= 's for powertubes.

Yeah Ive already swapped the pre's with some EHs I had laying around, though Ive put a set of GT EL34R's in the OP section, the winged Cs bases were a little discolored. I wasnt aware that there was a mandate on lead solder, other than silver I wasnt aware there was any other kind.

[jgcable]

They are fine amps. I gigged with a DSL 100 for years. So did my bandmate. No issues at all. EVER. I also had a TSL 100 and a TSL 50 and I had no problems with either of them.

[GodWentPUNK]

I gigged with my TSL100 for about 3 years, twice a month. The only problems I had was the pots on the footswitch breaking. Had tons of problems with the footswitch due to me just abusing it. I'd hit the switch too hard causing them to break. Fought with guitar-center for about a month before they replaced it.

joe...

[Twitch]

So, Ive been jammin on the TSL tonight and tweekin the controls and am really starting to fall in love with it. I took the bias pots down to nil and with a little guess work and by ear (still havent replaced my multi meter from the Carvin biasing mishap)took the pots up symmetrically about 190 degrees of a turn each. I got the amp sounding very good and it dissipates little heat (a good sign to my earlier fear) and the tone was steady, no real changes in tone over time other than the normal 5 min warm up. So, now Im totally thinkin if I shouldnt go all Marshall again and get my 900 back in lieu of the X100B. I like the X100B but love the roar the 900 had too. Decisions decisions.

[bratfink]

I have had the footswitch jack failure on mine. Fixed easy and cheap.

A preivous owner clearly didn't know what they were doing since it had a new output transformer fitted before I got it (probably left the speaker jack out whilst amp was turned on).

My reverb hasn't failed yet, but I have just killed a tube so I am going to get it gone through again just to make sure everything is ok. This time I am trying JJ E34L's to see how they differ to the EH EL34's.

Edit: Just spotted your location. The man to talk to round these parts about Marshalls is Uncle Alberts. http://www.unclealberts.com/

[bratfink]

Talk about putting the kaibosh on something...

The day after I posted this my reverb failed! Uncle Alberts is working on it as we speak...