I have a 1997 model of this one. I think the speaker inside is the weak point. The amp itself is great. For example, when I use the amp by itself, it can get flubby at higher volumes, but when I use the Line Out straight into my DI, it sounds fantastic even at higher volumes. But just using the built in speaker, I never turn it up past 3 o'clock. It's very crisp and clear below that, but breaks up in a hurry past that. So if I 'm ever going to use anything other than the Line Out, I'm thinking of replacing the speaker with a Vintage 30 or something.
I have one of these and it has phenomenal tone for a small and cheap amp. Picked it up for like $50 from a guy on Facebook in mint condition. The contour knob is really nice for getting an even tone and with the right settings can go from very heavy distortion to mild overdrive to bright and poppy cleans.
I've had one like this, though probably a different model, and have a larger version of this one vs65r i think. The gain channel on most valvestates can be used to get those great tones that are slightly dirty, or just warmer cleanish tones, and that sweet spot where it's just barely beginning to break up. You just have to turn the gain nearly all the way down and adjust the volume on the amp and guitar. Also the reverb i usually actually pretty damn good. Dont know what went wrong with this one.
I just scored one off FB, market place for $140AUD. No floor switch though or power lead. He wanted $160. Looks like I paid too much lol... Everything works well on it(made in England)
Some more single note or lead style picking would have been helpful, but helpful nonetheless. Mix this together with a tube amp for recording and KABAM! Looking forward to doing that because.... I just found one in my basement (not a finished basement either). I blew the dust off with my air compressor and she works! No crackling either! And Brother, that reverb isn’t working. Mine works great and it’s pretty deep and sinewy. You have to play it right after you play a good tube amp to hear it’s shortcomings. Awesome amp!
I had one in the 90’s. Remember it sounding good. Was going to try and track one down but not sure it’s as good as I remember. Thanks for the demo though.
I'm just about to pick one up for $50 AUD. The seller says he turned it on one day and it screeched...and doesn't stop. A few years ago I bought a mint VS100 on Ebay and when it arrived, it did the same thing...I fixed it for $6. Oh, and that's a 'Gold Back' series (".)
Great amp for the price, but is it just me or does the reverb option not change anything really? I tried with a lot of different combos for that and it sounds like it doesnt do anything
You might have a broken reverb. It has an Accutronics tank inside. When I was younger and dumber I used to have fun kicking it to get those surf sounds...
I own a VS30R and have to say I never liked the dry cough overdrive on it. I like a chunkier crunch. The reverb is alright but it doesn't excite me. I think the headphone output is the most used feature by me in this amp. Paid $100 for it used in mint condition (with all paperwork) back in 2005. Yep, made in England. I believe mine has a Marshall branded speaker, not a Celestion. I took it apart once and was disappointed in finding no valves, even though it's called "Valvestate" implying a tube preamp and transistor power amp. The distortion clipping diodes are red LEDs, which do glow when there's signal, nothing wrong there again, just wish it sounded better. I was surprised to see that the reverb in this all-solid state amp is spring-type, not digital. I guess they didn't do simulated effects back in the 90s. My cousin's MG-series combo, which was the contemporary equivalent of mine, from early 2000s has the simulated digital reverb. Overall I'd recommend building a Marshall 18-watt replica kit instead.
Please help! I just bought this amp second hand and any time I switch channels it just cracks and screams and doesn’t even hear the guitar. What should I do?
Does it work on one channel? If it does, I would try cleaning out the potentiometers in the channel that doesn't work with some lubricating contact cleaner. Clean the channel switch too while you're at it. Another thing to check is that the solder joints aren't loose and the shorting jack is clean on the foot switch jack. This amp had both really dirty pots and some loose jacks when I got it, as well as a loose filter cap. Seems the solder on these wasn't all that well applied. Try moving around all the knobs in the channel that doesn't work and see if you can find good spots where it works well. That is definitely a sign of a dirty pot.
@@gp85hkgTranslation: A friend of mine has one of these and I even like his sound! So something went wrong with the microphone pickup, the mixer, or the guitar or the player ...
I have a 1997 model of this one. I think the speaker inside is the weak point. The amp itself is great. For example, when I use the amp by itself, it can get flubby at higher volumes, but when I use the Line Out straight into my DI, it sounds fantastic even at higher volumes. But just using the built in speaker, I never turn it up past 3 o'clock. It's very crisp and clear below that, but breaks up in a hurry past that. So if I 'm ever going to use anything other than the Line Out, I'm thinking of replacing the speaker with a Vintage 30 or something.
I have one of these and it has phenomenal tone for a small and cheap amp. Picked it up for like $50 from a guy on Facebook in mint condition. The contour knob is really nice for getting an even tone and with the right settings can go from very heavy distortion to mild overdrive to bright and poppy cleans.
I found one on the side of the road today on my way home from a meeting plugged it in played my guitars through it worked great
on the side of the road, as garbage? one day I found a soccer ball, and I was happy, not an amp, :(
I also found a artist 4203 on side of the road
Rebuilt vintage celestion replaced power tubes, new speaker cloth and marshall logo and Bam, baby jcm 800 tone for free
Just got one for $175 and it’s awesome!
I've had one like this, though probably a different model, and have a larger version of this one vs65r i think. The gain channel on most valvestates can be used to get those great tones that are slightly dirty, or just warmer cleanish tones, and that sweet spot where it's just barely beginning to break up. You just have to turn the gain nearly all the way down and adjust the volume on the amp and guitar. Also the reverb i usually actually pretty damn good. Dont know what went wrong with this one.
I just scored one off FB, market place for $140AUD. No floor switch though or power lead. He wanted $160. Looks like I paid too much lol... Everything works well on it(made in England)
Some more single note or lead style picking would have been helpful, but helpful nonetheless. Mix this together with a tube amp for recording and KABAM! Looking forward to doing that because.... I just found one in my basement (not a finished basement either). I blew the dust off with my air compressor and she works! No crackling either!
And Brother, that reverb isn’t working. Mine works great and it’s pretty deep and sinewy.
You have to play it right after you play a good tube amp to hear it’s shortcomings. Awesome amp!
I had one in the 90’s. Remember it sounding good. Was going to try and track one down but not sure it’s as good as I remember. Thanks for the demo though.
I have this amp and it's amazing
I'm just about to pick one up for $50 AUD. The seller says he turned it on one day and it screeched...and doesn't stop. A few years ago I bought a mint VS100 on Ebay and when it arrived, it did the same thing...I fixed it for $6. Oh, and that's a 'Gold Back' series (".)
Hi. Do you think Diezel VH4 2 works fine with this amp? I have a big question mark about this as this is a small amp.
Great amp for the price, but is it just me or does the reverb option not change anything really? I tried with a lot of different combos for that and it sounds like it doesnt do anything
You might have a broken reverb. It has an Accutronics tank inside. When I was younger and dumber I used to have fun kicking it to get those surf sounds...
I own a VS30R and have to say I never liked the dry cough overdrive on it. I like a chunkier crunch. The reverb is alright but it doesn't excite me. I think the headphone output is the most used feature by me in this amp. Paid $100 for it used in mint condition (with all paperwork) back in 2005. Yep, made in England. I believe mine has a Marshall branded speaker, not a Celestion. I took it apart once and was disappointed in finding no valves, even though it's called "Valvestate" implying a tube preamp and transistor power amp. The distortion clipping diodes are red LEDs, which do glow when there's signal, nothing wrong there again, just wish it sounded better. I was surprised to see that the reverb in this all-solid state amp is spring-type, not digital. I guess they didn't do simulated effects back in the 90s. My cousin's MG-series combo, which was the contemporary equivalent of mine, from early 2000s has the simulated digital reverb. Overall I'd recommend building a Marshall 18-watt replica kit instead.
This model was my first amp . Put a Metalzone on the clean channel , eventually buy an eq7 and you can get a really good tone.
It's my first amp too
I found boating super hard into the clean works surprisingly well as the od channel has a bad tone imo
How does compare to a AVT20 valvestate aside from the 10 W difference? same sound?
it does not sound too bad especially clean an heavily distorted, but why the mic is not closer to the speaker?
Any closer and my sound card clips when I pin the amp.
how much should i sell one of these from 1997-8 on good condition?
not much
Please help! I just bought this amp second hand and any time I switch channels it just cracks and screams and doesn’t even hear the guitar. What should I do?
Does it work on one channel? If it does, I would try cleaning out the potentiometers in the channel that doesn't work with some lubricating contact cleaner. Clean the channel switch too while you're at it. Another thing to check is that the solder joints aren't loose and the shorting jack is clean on the foot switch jack. This amp had both really dirty pots and some loose jacks when I got it, as well as a loose filter cap. Seems the solder on these wasn't all that well applied.
Try moving around all the knobs in the channel that doesn't work and see if you can find good spots where it works well. That is definitely a sign of a dirty pot.
got this amp new in 1996/7.... nothing to write home about.
can this plugged to computer or phone to use marshall amp softwares, anyone knows?
It's from the 90's. No it can not.
please can someone help me about that
horrible
Um amigo meu tem um destes e até gosto do som dele, agui algo correu mal com a captação ou a guitarra ou o tocador...
@@fmtfniuprog8029 huh..?
@@gp85hkgTranslation: A friend of mine has one of these and I even like his sound! So something went wrong with the microphone pickup, the mixer, or the guitar or the player ...
@@fmtfniuprog8029 Hey, I've only just seen your response... thanks 😁