Guitar Center's Blues Masters 2013 with Joe Bonamassa: Marshall DSL40C Demo 

"You can make friends--and enemies--in any small club" cracked me up.

Anyone else notice those awesome stairs?

Regardless of what people say this is now one of the best selling combos in its price range. It is fizzy but a speaker change takes the fiz away. For the price it's a good amp and very well made.

"Distortion scares me." Hahahahaha! The world couldn't handle Joe playing metal.

Everything works great on 10....oh yeah!

Joe is a real dude. Love hearing what he has to say and love his playing.

Best demo--EVER. Now an even bigger fan of Bonamassa.

Its a tube Marshall, sounds good.

Great little amp! I have the Cream Back speaker in mine, and it makes a great difference! The clean channel takes my pedal board really well! No complaints on this amp, Ive owned Mesa Boogies, several fender amps, and this amp has a sound of its own!

Played one of the limited edition models of this today, super good amp but I can't even fathom how loud it'd be on 10. I accidentally pushed the volume on the ultra gain setting up thinking it was the treble knob and I almost had a heart attack!

Joe and Marshall true blues legends

Got this amp about a month ago, been jamming with it since. Great sound from an affordable amp. My budget for gear isn't too big, but getting a great all tube Marshall for under $600 is badass. This video is very true to how this thing jams.

"These go to 11."

"Everything on 10!" That should be the new guitarists' mantra.

I didnt know what to think about Joe when he first appeared on the scene, but I think hes a really cool dude.. and genuine!

Go read the reviews on this combo anywhere on line and you'll know for yourself that this is one solid great sounding amp ' don't listen to the tone deaf trolls on here that think they know more than the thousands of reviewers that has given this amp 4 and 5 star rating.

that boy always makes me smile , he plays like him and he uses what sounds good to him he slogs along working hard smiling and being nice we need more like Joe and less like well whoever .. keep it going Joe i will see you live 1 day

DAMN. I have this amp & if I turned the gain & volume up to 10 it'd blow the windows out of our living room AND the neighbors would call the cops. I put a Dr. Z air brake lite attenuator on mine and the amp much more useable in a "home" situation now.

Just one thing, that final sound when he dimes everything on 10 is with the scooped mids button engaged. So it's not quite the midrange Marshall signature sound that you expect to hear on this amp. I have one of these and I love the amp, lots of different textures and classic marshall sounds!

This is a 40 watt all-tub amp. It has a switch to cut the power to 20 watts if needed, which is a great feature on this amp. If you look closely, Joe has the reverb all the way off and the Presence and Resonance knobs turned way down. So that may explain some of the sound quality (or lack thereof). And look at where he's playing. They probably set up an impromptu demonstration in a setting not designed to get the full benefit of the amp's sound and tone. I own this amp and it's a great buy for the money. Lastly, I saw Joe Bonamassa live in concert. He is a GREAT guitarist and very dedicated to the blues genre. But to each his own.

"In the heat of battle... Everything works great on 10... My recommended settings: 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, aand 10." 2:59 & 3:19 pure gold

I think it's funny how people are bashing Bonamassa by the way he dresses and plays. My immediate thought is He's a #1 Billboard artist what have you accomplished? In my opinion the amp sounded great i have played a few dsl's they're amazing.

I owned one of these for about 2 months. I changed the speaker to a Celestion V30, not because the stock speaker was terrible but because if you’re trying to play all out Metal (which in fairness isn’t how your supposed to use the amp) then the distortion can sound fizzy at extreme levels. It is seriously one of the best sounding amps I’ve ever owned, that and a Fender Supersonic 60watt 212 combo. I’m bummed I sold it, I needed money. I’ll definitely buy another one down the road. I have the DSL 1 watt head and it sounds great too. These Marshall DSL amps are really great. Don’t know how he could sit that close to it with everything on 10 though. He must be partially deaf from years of gigging just like my drummer uncle.

" distortion scares me " and then he dimes the amp. That's class

I am a beginner trying to learn and bought myself a Marshall MG 100HFX and love it.Just cant wait til I learn how to play the guitar so that I can crank it up..Marshall amps rock..

That guy is a pretty good player. Hope he makes it big one day. That amp is alright too. I'm sure it will find it's niche.

The sunburst on that 335 though........ GORGEOUS

I have had mine for years and I love it. Awesome amp for the stuff I play.

I have this amp and love it. I play it through a JD Newell 212 cab. If you think it sounds shitty....its not the amp

"Distortion scares me" 10 seconds later: "Let's turn all knobs to 11" XD

Ive had my DSL100HR since the month they launched and i feel the same way. Its my last amp ill ever want or need (as long as this whole vacuum tube issue is resolved). i put a Hammond filter choke in it last year and it made the amp even better. It sounds fuller and more "solid" and "immediate" with the choke. I put a heavy duty switch on the chassis inside the amp that switches between the choke and the 220 ohm resistor that is stock. That way i can switch back and forth between stock and the modded choke. Each sound is good but i really do prefer it with the choke. Anyways they are such great amps. Ive biased my power tubes as cool as possible ever since i found out about the war in Ukraine tube issue. Im really trying not to play the amp as often which really brakes my heart cause every time i play it i cant get over how great it sounds and i just want to keep playing for hours. In the meantime i picked up a Hotone British invasion nano legacy that ill use for practice so im not putting as much mileage on the power tubes in the Marshall (i have one quad of used but still working EH EL34's if the set in the amp currently has any failures but after that im screwed). I plan on building a larger class AB power amp probably around 100watts that i can use to power the Hotone with so i can get up to gig volume with it. I build guitars, guitar pedals and do amp, guitar and pedal mods constantly so a simple SS class ab power amp should be no problem.

Several factors. Yes the main amp I use is a 5W Blackstar HT5, valve is usually louder or seems so, but the BIG factor is speaker efficiency! The more efficient, the more dB per watt it can put out. The speaker(s) I use have a 98dB @ 1W efficiency, so are pretty loud! So @ 5 W you're looking at about 102-3 dB!

I don't think Joe is trying to tell you "hey this is how I get my tone" he is is just showing you the amp. Last week I had the chance to sit down for an hour and compare a Mesa Stiletto, a Vox AC15, a orange rocker, a blackstar HT20 and this Marshall. Tried them clean, dirty clean, crunch and heavy distortion. Marshall won in all categories but heavy distortion, very responsive amp, you can change the color of your playing (least responsive was Orange, it just sounds one way). It is a great amp and very versatile. I would recommend changing the speaker, it makes a HUGE difference and to be honest the seventy 80 is not the greatest out there.

technically all amps are put out more more than what there rated this may sound confusing but the 100 watt rating is the highest possible wattage before breakup, it really all has to do with headroom, a 5 watt amp clean channel will go into breakup muc h earlier than a 100 watt but in the end the volume spl will be about 5 db difference ran through the same speakers

Speaker efficiency is a major reason why SS amps are thought to be much quieter than tube amps. Also, the wattage rating of a tube amp refers to the peak while running clean. The amp actually produces more when being pushed into overdrive. Though the volume doesn't really increase once being overdriven due to the fact that the signal is being clipped. A 100 watt amp being driven hard is probably producing 150 watts or so. This is why you wouldn't want to only use 100 watts worth of speakers

I got 5W one and it's blasting even in a 1W switch when I crank it up on 10. I'm pretty sure my neighbours would want me kicked out of the building if I would do that on 5W mode.

"My recommended setting is 10...10...10..." lol

Yep, the DSL2000 is a highly underrated amp IMO. You don't need any pedals for a great blues-rock lead tone IMO. I just run it through a good attenuator, use the lead 1 channel, and crank the gain to 9 or 10 and volume to 7 1/2.

Best demo/review Marshall could ever had

Anyone who's never tried a Laney amp should do. Awesome sound.

Amazing player !!!!!!

Joe is a Genius for Sure

Even knocking it down to 50 watts isn't going to drop your volume a lot, especially perceptually. A 10 watt amp is half as loud as a 100 watt. I use a Weber MASS 150 attenuator. I can run the attenuator at about 4 out of 10, with the amp settings I listed before, without pissing any of the neighbors off. It still certainly fills the entire house. I can set the attenuator at about 2 without real significant tone loss. I supplement it with my tube screamer if I need to keep it real quiet.

I love my DSL 40. I use a pair of Hughes and kettner TM112's with it and get my amp driving three speakers.

Owned the dsl2000 and yes, I loved that amp. Did have some heating issues and other stuff but I do love that clean channel. The overdrive channel was nice for punk and Indy rock, classic rock at its highest setting.

10 is the sweet spot for sure guitar 🎸 🤙🏼

Nice Nice Nice!!! I like to hear this kind of sound

The goat. Prolly the most underrated guitarist in the world. He can play anything, anywhere. Not to mention his technical knowledge.

I have this amp but with the creamback speaker and I love it. Couldn't be more pleased.

So, this is the guy that has a signature model of everything on every brand.

Love the amp, hate the original soaker. I replaced mine with a celestion Neo creamback, it sounds freaking awesome now. That's celestion 70 80 had some really bad tone on the top end, it was just way too harsh on the high end.

I bought one of these online on a whim, and must say I'm pretty impressed. One downside is its kinda hard to carry around, so I use a trolley to save myself the trouble. Though the reverb is great, clean channel is beautiful and can go into hard rock territory, and there's some okay sounding metal tones in there too if that's your thing, picture early Metallica.

Very icing, cold! Where is the warmth of a marshall tube!?

I bought a DSL15c, and within one year it had crapped out on me twice. I got my money back for it and bought a Blackstar HT Club 40. I suggest you do too! The voicings are a lot better.

The audio has been treated with editing software because when he puts all controls at 10 there isn't any hum, buzz, or whitenoise ... that's just hard to believe. So the sound has been played with.

Please go to see the 12 year old Dustin Tomsen playing and sing Joe Bonamassa's song Blue and Evil. Included guitar solo. He reminds me a lot of the young Bonamassa

While not an *OLD* Marshall tone, the DSL40c is by far the best out of this line to come out. What is it really? A 40 (or 20 - which I prefer because of power stage overdrive) watt house amplifier. The tones are very good (especially for the price) for jamming and writing. Are you going to use it at a show? You *could* if you have a small/quietish combo (or blues with medium volume). If you are in a rock band though, leave this home and bring something more appropriate to destroying everyone in the building. Just my opinion of course. You could always get a Twin and an assortment of pedals. Cheers!

I've owned this amp for about 2 years now. I really like it, but I was kinda on the fence at first. After a tube swap with some old military NOS pre-tubes and some JJ power tubes, V30 speaker, and some other small mods, I can easily dial in most any sound I like. I do like the reverb and clean channel. Put a little into it and you'll get a lot out of it.

Fun to watch.. it's cool to listen to Joe Bonamassa regardless of the amp!

I need to learn how to pick that fast going up and down the scale. Awesome

You know, the sound wasn't THAT bad. I was skeptical, but when he dimed everything, I was surprised at what I heard. I think the DSL 40c is alright from what I've heard, but I feel that when it gets pushed too hard with the Lead 2 in the Ultra channel, that's when it really starts to sound fizzy, Nike a nest of angry wasps. I love the sound of the PRS Archon 25, but might consider one of these Marshalls with the Creamback upgrade...

Just bought this amp because of you Joe

everything on 10!!! That was awesome!

The 10 over the dials is how EVH had his rigs on amps in the old days. Just run his hand over dials full blast 👌 RIP EVH

I just bought this amp. I found it to be fizzy and harsh, so I replaced cap C19 with a 68pF (replacing the 470pF stock value) and replaced the speaker with an Eminence GB128 (greenback clone). Holy cats, do I love it now. Green channel (clean/crunch) transitions nicely to Red channel (hi gain) for blues & rock. If you don't mind spending a few extra bucks for mods, this is a great gigging amp. And loud as heck, if you want loud.

That's because he is usually running at least 2 amps at the same time through at least 4 12 inch speakers. He's just running a 1x12 here.

Unless you got it on ten it has a loose bottom end which is my gripe. Tubescreamer sorts that out but also thins the treble and mids.

I just bought one of these and I love it!

Joe is such a nice dude. I would love to play guitar with him

I heard a lot of people reporting fizz from the speaker...really it seems to lack grain and output quality of sound. Replace the speaker with another Celestion like the G12H30 or a WGS Speaker which has assembled in the U.S. speakers that are basically replica speakers that are designed to be improved upon and are half the price.

yeah true, speakers make a huge difference. im personally a fan of celestion g12h30s. i personally wouldn't spend much time with the dsl series. ive played them in music shops and they all have that fizzy distortion, even if i plug in a high end les paul. but i do agree, speakers are a huge part. theres a lot of great combo amps out there. you just have to do your research.

Sounds like a great portable kick ass Marshall. The greatest valve amps ever.

This video feels like it was court ordered

He's right. Marshall's are meant to sound Best with every control Dimed. Tone, Marshall Roar, Violin like Sustain that does not end! My new DSL40C with the Sweetwater free Celestion G12M 16ohm speaker upgrade is Outstanding. I had for years a hot rodded Marshall JCM 900 and a Full stack of 1960A & B speaker cab's.

why does every one hate this amp i think it sounds pretty good unless your all about having a fender or something, to each his own i guess.....?

He sounded so much better when he used Marshall:)

I have this the reverb is not spring so it is very faint. Not a strong reverb if you love verb, so you may need to break out the Hily Grail if you want more verb, but the amp sounds great stock, and yeah. I crank everything to 10 too... Except the volume, I adjust that to suit my needs, so it's easy to tweak the knobs lol.. Actually adding an OCD to push the tubes harder at lower volumes, that should do the trick.

Holy shit i play with a drummer and another guitarist and ive never had to put the volume over 2! 3 nearly blows my eardrums hhahahah and he puts it to 10 damn

The clean/crunch channel sounds amazing. I've heard good sounds from the overdrive channel but they seem harder to get.

Yes ladies. The ten on this big letter dsl is 11😊

this amp is very thin sounding on their overdriven channel, but it sounds really good on the neck pickup for alot of bluesy stuff.

I have same amp and everything on ten really sounds great even on my vintage modern 100 watt full stack which is tube

I get the feeling that Joe's heart was not in this demo - that he secretly thinks this amp blows.

If it’s good enough for Joe then it’s damn well good enough for me.😎🎸👍🏼

Thanks Joe!

note: 1. in ultra gain 2 he just use gain only 2 and volume 6 2. while he demo classic gain he use gain 3 volume 8 3. all 10 at the final he's use classic gain with crunch mode and put tone shift on so he didn't test high gain from this amp.because classic gain just a crunch sound

Joe is such a trip... Love it !! Dime it out!!

Not sure the stock speaker on these are, but to me the whole DSL range (can't speak for the JCM2000's) sound better with a greenback type speaker.

I fucking love Joe. His the shit.

Bright, sharp sounding amp.

The Slash SL-5 doesn't have an effects loop; I'd rather have the Laney Tony Iommi combo. Fair point, though, not everyone is for making something their own (not an implied insult).

I don'town the amp personally but I've read elsewhere that a lot of people feel the same way. They said that if you change the speaker it will sound way better because the celestion seventy80 (I think its called) is known for harsh highs and weak lows. I would love to get this amp and put something like an Eminence GB128 because I love the simple controls and it switches between 40 and 20 watts, but you never really know until you try it :)

All settings on 10...love it

Yes, they CAN be deceptive! I tried my old Bugera V5 thru a quad box, and it was loud ! More speakers means more air being pushed over a greater surface area! Of course its going to be louder! LOL! I used to run it thru my 1X12 Lorantz cabinet and that speaker has a 98dB efficiency, it was LOUD, enough... I use my HT5 & that's loud. Not SUPER loud, but enough!

My Marshall DSL40CST sounds very good. I think you need to play the amp in person to actually hear how it sounds.

I bought mine yesterday. I'm impressed how loud and clear it is. Overdrive sounds amazing with EMG 81'S. I approve.

Love the guitar as well.....

My dsl40 kicks ass on crunch channel with no pedals. With my cheap bearings to800i rips. Tones easily replicated: page, rossington, Collins, Clapton, garcia, and a super clean. Never use high gain channel.

I'm not an electronics wizard, but the wattage ratings that companies give their amps can be misleading. Usually, they will give you the peak wattage, the most it can produce. A better rating is the watts RMS, which is basically the average wattage it puts out. The speaker efficiency also makes a HUGE difference in the volume. Just because an amp can produce 100 watts, doesn't mean it will be translated through the speakers.

As much as I respect Joe's great playing - he did not sell me on the DSL40C - which is disappointing because I have still to hear one convincing demo of this amp.