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I'm tired of my busted up Marshall Valvestate 80V Model 8080

casper leblanccasper leblanc Posts: 1,246
edited October 2003 in Musicians and Gearheads
Can't seem to get a decent tone out of it

(tired of a lot of stuff these days...)
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments

  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    the word "valvestate" is the source of your woes.
  • casper leblanccasper leblanc Posts: 1,246
    Originally posted by exhausted
    the word "valvestate" is the source of your woes.

    How's that? Lamps are better I know, is that what you mean?
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    trade it for a DSL or TSL. If you can sell it. Check out the Mesa


    F30 that's close to your price range. I think it's an amp you will like.

    Also look on Ebay or elsewhere for an old Yamaha T100 combo or head they run about 2 or 300 (dollars or euros) used and they are essentially Soldano's in Yamaha clothing Mike Soldano still does maintence.

    It blows away the VS.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    Originally posted by pearlwax
    How's that? Lamps are better I know, is that what you mean?

    despite the tube, you're still dealing with a solid state amp.
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    Yeah, one tube doesn't save the whole ship. Power tubes are the key (look at Music Man amps; solid state pres and tube power section). All-Tube, it's the only way to go (unless you want DSP, like a Line 6). I recommend the Fender DeVille series. Sound great, and loud as fuck!
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • casper leblanccasper leblanc Posts: 1,246
    That Mesa seams to be something (exhausted's sig says it all). Does this have an entire name, so I can look it up? Thanks. Otyher suggestions are welcome (full names, Paco, otherwise I don't have a clue)

    thanks
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    http://www.mesaboogie.com you'll find what you seek there. If not I'll find you another site.

    Also check out http://www.THDelectronics.com
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • #9onTen#9onTen Posts: 4
    If you like the Marshall sound, say the heck with a messy booger amp, and get a Marshall jcm 800, you could get the classic 1983 model, the 2230, or you could get a combo, like a 4210, which I own, and love, man does that thing sound like heaven, plus they are both tubed, so it's all good.

    P.S. Oh, and to all of you mesa people out there, its not that I don't like mesa or anything, I just happen to like Marshall crunch more, so its nothing personal.
    Learn as if you will live forever, live as if you will die tomorrow.
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    Hey! I've got a Marshall JCM 800 model 4210! Except mine had a near-death experience recently, and has been in intensive care for longer than I can remember. Needs new transformers badly, and then tubes and a biasing job. Maybe someday I'll have her back.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    mesa has a lot more pre gain distortion than does Marshall more gain and more presence. I like the more power tube oriented (British sounding) amps. I'm more of a marshall man myself but more of the JMP's Plexi's and amps of that Era I just don't have a place to turn it up so the EL-34's had to take a back seat to the 84's in my Orange.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    Originally posted by Pacomc79
    I like the more power tube oriented (British sounding) amps.


    Definitely... power tube saturation is the holy grail. Mesas have great pre's (for that sound, anyways) but a Marshall Plexi on max output is a thing unto itself. Same for Hiwatt, same for Orange, same for Vox, same for Trace Elliot...

    I'm still a fan of the Fender DeVille for a good, consistent, modern, all-tube amp. Especially for people looking for good tone to start with... you could get a Marshall Plexi, spend ungodly sums of money on the head and a cabinet, and then decide you want a Rivera. Get the well-priced DeVille, set the tone the way you want it, then pay attention to other amps that have the sound you want. Eventually, you'll find the high-priced amp of your dreams, and you won't have to buy ten amps to find that out.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    hiwatts are fairly cheap (mullards are heavenly)


    I am a big fan of fenders modern and classic. The 6L6 is a glassy super clean tube but push the front end and they become monsters.

    Fenders esp blackfaces and tweeds are my favorites.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    Originally posted by Pacomc79
    I am a big fan of fenders modern and classic.

    Fenders esp blackfaces and tweeds are my favorites.

    Tell me about it... Fender Twin Reverb for cleans, Fender '59 Bassman for dirty. Blackface and Tweed right there.

    A Fender Deluxe with a Tubescreamer would be the econo package and/or club rig... (for me, at least)
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • dannyschmannydannyschmanny Posts: 72
    if you want somethin good for a cheaper price range. serious look into line 6. ive been playing guitars for about 8 years now...and i have been a firm supporter of line 6 for the past 3 or 4 years. awesome company and especially with their most recent releases they are getting so close with their modeling ...you will be hardpressed to tell the difference between the original amps and their model...unless you put them up right next to each other. and if you are a rack person and have a tube power amp...you DEFINITLEY cant tell its not a tube amp.
    i remember you...i was gonna vote for you one time...but voting isn't cool so i stayed home and got trashed on listerine.
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    McCready. I feel you. My club rig would be a vibrolux with a tube screamer and maybe a booster.

    Or maybe a deluxe for clean and my orange for dirty maybe.

    Line 6 stuff is better than it used to be. I don't think they get all that close to responding like a real tube amp (not enough even order harmonics) but I like the concept. The Duoverb (two amps at once in one box) is really tempting especially right there at $1,000 and all the control's are right there on the front. This is by far the best I've played. Their reps are cool (Spanky) here in the south at least. The Axis was a good concept but didn't sound that close to real. I'd still rather have one nice tube amp than one modelling amp with 50 amp models in it. Then again I'm playing a non reverb amp at the moment with only about 5 knobs, sure does sound good though.

    Line 6 is a God send in the small recording industry IE (Almost Famous) Hell a lot of Pro's love them too. Vetta's and Pod's give you so many direct options so you can have that virtual room full of amps and microphones in an apartment to maybe not get the exact tone you want but come damn close with out too much work and not near the amount of volume real one's would put out.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    i swear by my POD for recording.
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    I like PODs for stage work, when you want/need 5 different guitar tones for a gig but don't want to carry 5 amps with you at all times. But in the studio, unless you're in a cramped apartment and only have access to one amp, I prefer the real thing. Of course, I've pretty much gathered the things I need for my tone in any studio. My Vibro Champ with my Tubescreamer, Phase 90, and Delay. All I need to get MY tone in the studio. Add in my Marshall and my other Fender, I can get a wide variety of sounds the real way. Still can't do Boogie tone, but I've never needed it.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    yeah, i meant for a home studio.
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    ever tried Rivera amps McCready?

    Paul Rivera designed the excellent custom shop fender amps in the late 70's and 80's and became so popular he formed his own company. Based on 6L6 and EL-34 designs he really produces some nice stuff, Fender Blackface Clean Tweed boost. Marshall overdrive in one amp.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    screw it. i'm just going to get a little fender pro junior. two knobs. drive the shit out of it.
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    Originally posted by exhausted
    screw it. i'm just going to get a little fender pro junior. two knobs. drive the shit out of it.

    I love the Blues Junior and Pro Junior amps... They do break up nicely when you peg them at "12".

    I've heard of Rivera amps, but never really had a chance to play on them. I've heard good things, but I don't think I could turn my back on Fender. Even my Marshall is on probation. I've always wanted to jam on a Bad Cat or Top Hat or Savage, one of those not-quite AC30 clones. Remember Stone's Savage from back in the day? Ooo, I almost forgot I was gonna show you guys this:

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2562911399&category=38074

    Sure, it's way the hell out of my price range, but it sounds so beautiful I want to cry.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    yeah bassman. Lovely. Hey Ex. the Pro Jrs are cool but you may be able to find an old vibrochamp for the same price which is cool.

    That bassman just looks like it sounds good. I love laquered tweed.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    The 2 Webers with 2 Jensens, all handwired, cloth-covered wire, the woodworking... that is truly one of the two amps of my dreams.

    The old Champ Amps are pretty good, too. Of course, I'm a Vibro Champ fan... there's one in my local music store, a silverface, going for $350. I bought my '66 Blackface for $100!

    Go to ebay and the local pawn shop/used gear stores, look for an all-tube Champ or Vibro Champ. The Pro Junior and Blues Junior can wait as backups.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    this would be cool.

    http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2563200280&category=38074
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    exactly. Should end up at around 595 I would think.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    like i said. *would* be cool. :)
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    That's my amp!

    Another good thing (in my opinion) is the tube rectifier. The tremelo is amazing as well. It's a recording dream...
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    i can't see it being too different in tone to the vibrato channel on my deluxe reverb though.
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    Looking closer, that's not the original speaker. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. You can always get a Jensen P8R and swap that in there.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    a lot of people (VHT, Soldano, THD) knock tube rectifiers saying they can get the same sound by faking it. Sure it's more reliable but the compression you get from a real GZ-34 or 5AU4 gives an amp that "bounce" that old fenders and vox/orange/matamp etc is known for. I love a tube rectifier and to be honest I just love tubes period I am "biased" :)
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
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