SC20C or H: what am I getting for the ticket price?

[Calebz]

Yes in that case loop is left ON all the time. Turn up volume a touch. Not an issue unless you switch loop off and on between songs. Not footswitchable. So just leave it on like I do.
And boost in loop.

When I'm playing live, I make a point to crawl around through the backline between each song to engage/disengage the loop.

How else would I find something to bitch to marshall about?

 

[pedecamp]

Maybe not what you asked for, but anyhow: If you have to pay $ 1750 for SC20H, or $ 1950 for SC20C, in the US, why not buy the 100W 2203 JCM 800 from Europe for $ 1550 (it's got a mains switch)?

Music Store might still sell Marshall to the US: https://www.musicstore.com/en_US/USD/Marshall-2203-JCM-800-Reissue-Head-100-Watts/art-GIT0004239-000

Pretty amazing I bought mine for $1100 new in the US just 3 years ago!

 

[pedecamp]

Nope, not for $2K. Deal breaker right there. I use the FX loop to boost solo volumes, so that's counter-productive.

It doesn't affect the functionality its just there, and you being a nitpicker might bother you like it did me (cuz I'm a nitpicker).

 

[Justin Whitstine]

Maybe not what you asked for, but anyhow: If you have to pay $ 1750 for SC20H, or $ 1950 for SC20C, in the US, why not buy the 100W 2203 JCM 800 from Europe for $ 1550 (it's got a mains switch)?

Music Store might still sell Marshall to the US: https://www.musicstore.com/en_US/USD/Marshall-2203-JCM-800-Reissue-Head-100-Watts/art-GIT0004239-000

I wanted to do this but was afraid I would get hit with import taxes/duty. And wasn't sure what the amount of that would be.

 

[kisschicken]

Save your money and get a DSL40CR. Sounds just as good as is even more versatile.

 

[Mjh36]

I wanted to do this but was afraid I would get hit with import taxes/duty. And wasn't sure what the amount of that would be.

I've contacted a few places in Europe recently, including Musicstore.com, to buy a Marshall 4x12 shipped to the USA and it's a no-go. They all seem to have contracts that they can't sell Marshall stuff to the USA.

 

[BlueX]

I've contacted a few places in Europe recently, including Musicstore.com, to buy a Marshall 4x12 shipped to the USA and it's a no-go. They all seem to have contracts that they can't sell Marshall stuff to the USA.

So they closed that possibility. That's a pity.

 

[Vinsanitizer]

Save your money and get a DSL40CR. Sounds just as good as is even more versatile.

I had that amp and sold it. I've had the two DSL401's, a DSL, TSL, JVM... something about all the post 90's DSL's/JVM's never sounded right to me. Plus, the 40CR was a beast to carry. I even have a 5 watt Slash SL5, and I can't carry that thing, it's like 60 lbs, or might as well be. But, I can certainly see why you would suggest that model, it's very popular.

 

[Vinsanitizer]

My understanding was always that the entire reason Marshalls are so much more expensive in the US than the UK is because of the shipping costs to the US. Which is probably overly obvious for me to point out.

I was looking at current Marshall gear at Sweetwater.com recently. I paid $900 for a new 1960AV 4x12 A cab in 2006. Today the retail price is $1,900. For anyone who has plenty of gear pre-inflation, it's hard to pay the prices on really anything now, it all just seems like a waste of money at this point. I can't see how new players can afford a good guitar and amp, let alone intermediates who want to upgrade to something like a Les Paul, Marshall half stack and a pedalboard.

 

[GregM]

My understanding was always that the entire reason Marshalls are so much more expensive in the US than the UK is because of the shipping costs to the US. Which is probably overly obvious for me to point out.

I was looking at current Marshall gear at Sweetwater.com recently. I paid $900 for a new 1960AV 4x12 A cab in 2006. Today the retail price is $1,900. For anyone who has plenty of gear pre-inflation, it's hard to pay the prices on really anything now, it all just seems like a waste of money at this point. I can't see how new players can afford a good guitar and amp, let alone intermediates who want to upgrade to something like a Les Paul, Marshall half stack and a pedalboard.

Probably because alot of new players are gen xers who picked it up , or repicked it up at the start of the pandemic ...

 

[SuperFleeky]

If I go with this, what exactly am I getting? I know it's not hand wired, but am I getting the equivalent of a DSL40 type combo with a Dell motherboard inside? I want better quality than that, but I don't know what that would be. But I also don't want another [email protected] computer amp.

Tnx.

I can't speak to the electronic components used between the DSLs and the SC20s, but I can tell you that the SC20H (I owned and sold the SC20C; just sounded really small on a stage, but fine for home/rehearsal use) sounds far tighter, punchier, and less fizzy than any of the DSLs. I had a DSL40 for years, and still have a DSL5 (for really quiet scenarios), and yeah... no question, the tones out of the SC20h are in a whole different league than anything I get out of DSLs. Totally worth it if you play them fairly loud (which I do on stage).

 

[BlueX]

My understanding was always that the entire reason Marshalls are so much more expensive in the US than the UK is because of the shipping costs to the US. Which is probably overly obvious for me to point out.

I was looking at current Marshall gear at Sweetwater.com recently. I paid $900 for a new 1960AV 4x12 A cab in 2006. Today the retail price is $1,900. For anyone who has plenty of gear pre-inflation, it's hard to pay the prices on really anything now, it all just seems like a waste of money at this point. I can't see how new players can afford a good guitar and amp, let alone intermediates who want to upgrade to something like a Les Paul, Marshall half stack and a pedalboard.

Off topic maybe, but this is what I see when I look for Gibson LP Standard 50's GT, (US made product):
US, $ 2699: https://www.guitarcenter.com/Gibson/Les-Paul-Standard-50s-Electric-Guitar-Gold-Top-1500000274112.gc
EU, $ 2035: https://www.thomannmusic.com/gibson_les_paul_standard_50s_gt.htm?reload=1

 

[WesChilton]

Its called price gouging. They have laws against that sort of thing in other countries... but not here.

 

[purpleplexi]

Thats crazy. When I wanted my first real Gibson I dreamed of paying US prices in the UK - Les Pauls were 60% of the UK prices and we had very little choice.

Off topic maybe, but this is what I see when I look for Gibson LP Standard 50's GT, (US made product):
US, $ 2699: https://www.guitarcenter.com/Gibson/Les-Paul-Standard-50s-Electric-Guitar-Gold-Top-1500000274112.gc
EU, $ 2035: https://www.thomannmusic.com/gibson_les_paul_standard_50s_gt.htm?reload=1

 

[scozz]

Pretty amazing I bought mine for $1100 new in the US just 3 years ago!

Yeah me too, $1100,… 3 years ago,…

 

[Calebz]

I've contacted a few places in Europe recently, including Musicstore.com, to buy a Marshall 4x12 shipped to the USA and it's a no-go. They all seem to have contracts that they can't sell Marshall stuff to the USA.

Sounds like I need to start a French 'second hand' marshall shop for my American friends

(My sc20 was about $950 - 5 months ago)

 

[Conghaille]

I’d say it’s about expectation. Ive owned both and didn’t like either. To me they are the kind of amps where you can see where they were going, but they missed by too much (if you are expecting Plexi or JCM800 Tones).

if it must say Marshall and you have a price ceiling, I agree that the DSL40C/R is the way to go. It’s overwhelmingly their most popular amp and I‘ve seen it on stages for years. As for negatives, the main problem is the speaker. that Seventy/80 is hot garbage. Swap in a creamback, etc and it’s a joy, or better still, run it into a 2x12 cab. as for the weight, I picked up a head cab for mine and turned the C into an H and ditched 25 lbs.

 

[Vinsanitizer]

 

[ken361]

I’d say it’s about expectation. Ive owned both and didn’t like either. To me they are the kind of amps where you can see where they were going, but they missed by too much (if you are expecting Plexi or JCM800 Tones).

if it must say Marshall and you have a price ceiling, I agree that the DSL40C/R is the way to go. It’s overwhelmingly their most popular amp and I‘ve seen it on stages for years. As for negatives, the main problem is the speaker. that Seventy/80 is hot garbage. Swap in a creamback, etc and it’s a joy, or better still, run it into a 2x12 cab. as for the weight, I picked up a head cab for mine and turned the C into an H and ditched 25 lbs.

Had a dsl the studios are better sounding. The classic sound.Still a cool amp it just has those highs that are kinda of a turn off.

 

[Conghaille]

Had a dsl the studios are better sounding. The classic sound.

For me, the SC isn't close enough to the real 800--too gainy and modern--and has no usable clean. The SV demands an attenuator to get its tonal range without blasting volume, and I've never played an attenuator that didn't darken the tone.

So for $2500 + $500+ (for an attenuator) you can get both for the functional range of that $700 DSL. Or not.

In any case, I owned my DSL long before the SC and SV, expecting they would replace my DSL, but after months of comparisons, those are gone and I've still got my DSL. It's actually become my baseline. Amp has to be better than that to me to be worth buying. A LOT have failed.