Vintage Modern 100W...opinions?

[Chief_CrazyTalk]

I've been perfectly happy with my JCM800 4210 for nearly 10 years now...nothing has tempted me until now. I could buy a 100W VM head locally for a reasonable price and am considering it.

My question is, what do y'all think of them? Are they really as good as they're made out to? Anyone own, or has owned one...and issues with these?

I'm a bedroom player, for one. I don't gig, this would only be used at home, where I've been lucky enough to turn up pretty loud, and I have two greenback loaded Marshall cabs at the time.

I don't use effects other than a boost, and have no need for channel switching, or cleans for that matter. I'd prefer not to have to use an attenuator either.

What I'm looking for is more of the same that I have now...thick, loud, dynamic tone. Now that I have a great job I can afford to play around a little. I'll probably go for the VM, but have also considered a four-holer. I'm not crazy about the digital reverb, but don't need that. The KT88 tubes would be a change for me, but I'm willing to give it a try.

So...how about that VM?

[DonP]

I've messed with one. It might be a good companion to my DSL100, but would never replace it.

First off, I've only messed with them in stores.

These don't seem to get very good reviews. I thought it was ok, it has a lot of tweaking that can be done to get a variety of tones. I'm just not sure if I could hit a tone I loved with it.

[J_A / 540s]

Bases on your post I'd say give it a try.

Ive had the 100 watt for awhile until i was able to sell it & make a few bucks & still have a 2266 50 watt i use pretty often. Being a bedroom player as you say the 50 may be better suited for you.. They do have a master volume so either would be ok as these amps are exceptionally dynamic.However, it does come into play at slightly lower volume with the 50 than the 100w. I'm thinking it may be a fun amp for you also since you mentoned the boost.. its got that by adding an extra 12ax7 you can switch on & off with the footswitch. Its does a lot of the plexi type sounds but also offers something a little more modern when ya kick in that extra preamp tube.

[Chief_CrazyTalk]

Thanks for the replies guys. I think I'll have to give it a try. I never suffered from GAS before but I get the feeling this will be the first of a few different amps to come.

[Dreamland_Rebel]

I think it sounds great! I'm recording a band right now and we're using the VM on one guitar and a DSL100 on the other. -both of which we are using the VM greeback loaded cab. the DSL is brighter and thinner and the VM is smooth and syrupy.

[chrisolson]

Being a bonified bedroom player myself, the only consideration on 50 vs. 100 watts I make is toward upkeep. The volume difference is negligible, and 100 watters just sound better to me. You never really get the power section working much at even LOUD bedroom levels anyway.

Go big or go home.

[petez0r]

+1

[Shibs]

The Vintage Moderns that I have played through were all awesome amps.... They were the older ones (Purple Tolex). The new ones come with Black Tolex, but as far as I know that is the only change that they made to the amp.... Lots of artists use these amps including one of my favs Doug Aldrich....(also uses JMP's). His tone is great.... it's a loud amp that doesn't need any help from any external tone sources! That is alot of amp for a bedroom! Have fun! If you find an original purple one... you'll want the matching cab too! lol

[chrisolson]

Doug's tone is great through a Crate.

[Chief_CrazyTalk]

Haha...well tomorrow is the big day. First new amp in about 10 years. It sounded great through a 212, can hardly wait to get it home. It is one of the purple ones, but alas, no matching cabs. I do have ax/bx cabs to use though....yeah!

[Chief_CrazyTalk]

Well, I picked up the amp a few days ago and didn't have much time to play with it until today. It's a purple head, in excellent condition, not a blemish I have seen. The footswitch was included, not that I've even used it yet...my first impression wasn't very good. I tried using the same guitar and boost, and cabinets, that I've always used with numerous Marshall amps, and could not find a good sound. I fiddled with it over the next few days with disappointing results.

Talk about buyer's regret. I'd already made a couple of calls to sell or trade today, and after playing the 800 a while tonight decided to play with the VM some more. This time straight into the amp. Well...this one's a keeper. I didn't get to turn it up much but I can see the problem was with my boost, a distortion pedal. This amp sounds very good and responsive. So far not a high gain amp at all, but I'm liking it. I may look into a cleaner boost to get it where the 800 is, but this one very big sounding amp. Way, way louder than I'll ever need, but the tone is there.

I've never used a Marshall amp that needed so much tweaking...this is quite a change for me. I may be looking into attenuators and playing with tubes. Nevertheless, as it is, I have to say, what a cool amp this is.

[chrisolson]

What are you using it to boost? My favorite with a Marshall is and always has been a Boss SD1. TS9's are pretty safe too. I also have an MXR/CAE MC-401 that was awesome with Mesa's, but I use tat in my loop on my Chupacabra now.

Good luck - hope it works out for ya!

[Chief_CrazyTalk]

I have a Metal Zone and a SD1. I've never had an amp not take to the MZ but this one doesn't...not even with the distortion all the way off. The SD1 works well, and sounds amazing with a strat. That pedal seems to be the trick...although going straight in sounds great too.

I've never played a Marshall that was so sensitive about its settings before. It's not quite where my 800 is tonewise, yet, but the tone and the feel is there.

I tried the LDR with boosts and it sounds good, but doesn't have the feel that the HDR does. All in all, I'm really liking this amp.

[J_A / 540s]

I use a fulltone GT-500 with mine.. mostly just the clean booster/ od side set pretty clean for a boost & sometimes the footswitch depending on what im playing or both. If you havn't already try using just the body & detail knobs to shape most of tone youre looking for & the actual tone controls just to fine tune from there. It may grow on ya.. I tried one a couple years before getting it & didnt like it much.. Once I got so spend a little time with it I found a lot of cool Marshall tones in there. I'm guessing youll notice its also more responsive to changes in how hard you play & the guitars volume knob position than the 800 too..

[chrisolson]

I've said this countless times - you can't go wrong with an SD1 hammering the front end of a Marshall. One of the best things going...period. I run the volume at 3:00 and the gain at about 8:30. Amazing defined. Pure sex.