Vintage Modern

Bludave

New member
Well I was considering buying a Marshall 900 MKIII that I found in my area, but it sold before I had a chance to see it.

So I took a ride over to GC for a new strap and it was there. the 2466 Marshall Vintage Modern: Full stack.
The tolex is a dark purple and it has purple lights...... Pretty cool looking.

I always have problems playing guitars in a music store. They are usually set up with very low action (I like the strings up a little) and I play with 11's and they usually have 9's on them. So I grab a Les Paul and plug in to this thing. It took me a few minutes to figure out the controls but its pretty simple. A single channel amp with 3 volume settings Master, detail and body. The Master volume works best when you adjust the overall volume to the room you are playing in. The Detail and body are basically adjusting the preamp gains. The Detail is adjusting the "vintage" tones of a MArshall and the body takes it to the modern sound. The Modern sound is a lot better than a lot of other modern amps I have played. It does not have that bnuzzy type of tone, very clear and defined and thick, just what you would expect from a Marshall. Then the rest is Reverb, Presence, treble and bass.

This amp sounded amazing. Even the cleans were very Plexi sounding. Once the volume in the preamps were set to push the tubes it really came alive. The Neck pickup produced a very warm yet thick tone, the Bridge kicked in a nasty bite to the tone but in a good way. The amp responded well to pick attack and my touch quite nicely.

Then I picked a Strat........... It was hard finding one set up well enough to play, but the singles to on a whole different character. I could hear Jimi all thru the tones without really trying.

This amp is powered with KT66 power tubes and the pres are Ecc83. Marshall has also made a new cabinet/speaker to go with this. Its basically a new version of the Greenback speakers. Overall I was very impressed with this............... to the point I had to leave before I bought it. I probably will buy one before the end of the year, but not right now. It is pricey. The 100W 2466 was 1499, and the matching cabinets are around 900. The 50Watter is the way I will go. I would really recommend anyone who is looking for a new MArshall to go play thru one of these, its a hell of an amp! I have to go play thru it a few more times, but I think I am going to get one!
 
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Re: Vintage Modern

Sorry the MkIII sold first. You would've like that one. But at least you got to play the new VM. Nice little review. It sounds like a winner from what you're saying. The 3 volumes sounds similar to the MkIII setup, which has the 2 preamp levels plus the master. I have to try one out myself.
 
Re: Vintage Modern

Sorry the MkIII sold first. You would've like that one. But at least you got to play the new VM. Nice little review. It sounds like a winner from what you're saying. The 3 volumes sounds similar to the MkIII setup, which has the 2 preamp levels plus the master. I have to try one out myself.


After I read your info on your website I think this is setup very similar. The preamp volumes are where you are getting the voice and volume. The master is controlling what level actually hits the speakers. All in all I liked this quite a bit.
 
Re: Vintage Modern

After I read your info on your website I think this is setup very similar. The preamp volumes are where you are getting the voice and volume. The master is controlling what level actually hits the speakers. All in all I liked this quite a bit.

Sweet. That sounds like my kind of amp. The GAS is building and I haven't even played one yet...LOL.
 
Re: Vintage Modern

Dave,

Nice review buddy! I've got to get over to GC. I knew the stacks were going to be $$, but the combo is going for just under $1700, which isn't terrible. I'm dying to play one of those:smokin:

Jeff
 
Re: Vintage Modern

Dave,

Nice review buddy! I've got to get over to GC. I knew the stacks were going to be $$, but the combo is going for just under $1700, which isn't terrible. I'm dying to play one of those:smokin:

Jeff

You know as long as I have been playing I never owned a head/Cab. Played thru a boat load, so I thought if I was going to buy a new amp I'm going for the head this time. I have a 900 DR 50W combo and I like it quite a bit. The cleans on it are not very Marshall like, but the gain channel works well. This VM is a real Beast though. I could really get used to this.:fingersx:

You know I need another amp like I need another ear(then again 3 ears would be pretty cool) I now have a 68 Super Reverb, a 67 Deluxe Reverb, the Marshall 900, and the Bogner Shiva. This would just round everything out quite nicely.
 
Re: Vintage Modern

you didn't tell me it was purple when we talked about it....GO BUY IT!! just because it's purple it gets my vote hehehehe.

-Mike
 
Re: Vintage Modern

Well I was considering buying a Marshall 900 MKIII that I found in my area, but it sold before I had a chance to see it.

So I took a ride over to GC for a new strap and it was there. the 2466 Marshall Vintage Modern: Full stack.
The tolex is a dark purple and it has purple lights...... Pretty cool looking.

I always have problems playing guitars in a music store. They are usually set up with very low action (I like the strings up a little) and I play with 11's and they usually have 9's on them. So I grab a Les Paul and plug in to this thing. It took me a few minutes to figure out the controls but its pretty simple. A single channel amp with 3 volume settings Master, detail and body. The Master volume works best when you adjust the overall volume to the room you are playing in. The Detail and body are basically adjusting the preamp gains. The Detail is adjusting the "vintage" tones of a MArshall and the body takes it to the modern sound. The Modern sound is a lot better than a lot of other modern amps I have played. It does not have that bnuzzy type of tone, very clear and defined and thick, just what you would expect from a Marshall. Then the rest is Reverb, Presence, treble and bass.

This amp sounded amazing. Even the cleans were very Plexi sounding. Once the volume in the preamps were set to push the tubes it really came alive. The Neck pickup produced a very warm yet thick tone, the Bridge kicked in a nasty bite to the tone but in a good way. The amp responded well to pick attack and my touch quite nicely.

Then I picked a Strat........... It was hard finding one set up well enough to play, but the singles to on a whole different character. I could hear Jimi all thru the tones without really trying.

This amp is powered with KT66 power tubes and the pres are Ecc83. Marshall has also made a new cabinet/speaker to go with this. Its basically a new version of the Greenback speakers. Overall I was very impressed with this............... to the point I had to leave before I bought it. I probably will buy one before the end of the year, but not right now. It is pricey. The 100W 2466 was 1499, and the matching cabinets are around 900. The 50Watter is the way I will go. I would really recommend anyone who is looking for a new MArshall to go play thru one of these, its a hell of an amp! I have to go play thru it a few more times, but I think I am going to get one!


I found the VM to be very bright, when I rolled out the high end I lost the crunch I associate with Marshalls. I was playing humbucker guitars (Les Pauls) and on the High Sensitivity channel all I could get was Appetite for Destruction tone, not a bad sound but not very versatile. The low sensitivity channel was warmer but not where my style lives. I also found the speakers to be loose and flabby in the low end, which probably goes with the whole Vintage theme but it is not my thing. When I plugged the head into a modern Marshall cab with higher wattage speakers the low end was tighter and more prominent, I could never get the amp to sound warm however.
 
Re: Vintage Modern

Awesome. I'm sure my local stores will sell them before they've sat on the floor for 3 hours. I've been looking forward to trying one of these, as we all have.

I wonder what the deal is with purple?.....maybe a limited number, and the rest will be black?

[edit] I just realized that this is a Marshall Anniversary year, so maybe the purple ones will be considered the 2007 45th Anniversaries. This also means my Jubilee stack just turned 20, so it just became an official 'vintage Anniversary Marshall.'
 
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Re: Vintage Modern

I tried one today- it might have been the cab but the body knob seemed to turn everything into instant flub, and the amp sounded constipated with the master volume down below 70%... It's definitely nicer sounding than the jcm 2000's but I was kinda disappointed overall.
 
Re: Vintage Modern

I found the VM to be very bright, when I rolled out the high end I lost the crunch I associate with Marshalls. I was playing humbucker guitars (Les Pauls) and on the High Sensitivity channel all I could get was Appetite for Destruction tone, not a bad sound but not very versatile. The low sensitivity channel was warmer but not where my style lives. I also found the speakers to be loose and flabby in the low end, which probably goes with the whole Vintage theme but it is not my thing. When I plugged the head into a modern Marshall cab with higher wattage speakers the low end was tighter and more prominent, I could never get the amp to sound warm however.

I didn't find that. I am a blues/ rock kind of player so I think this amp fits that style better. But I would probably go with a 1960 cab with vintage 30's. I really have to hear the 50W version threu these speakers before I decide. I thought the tones were very warm and articulate to my ears. Keep in mund I only played thru it for about 20 minutes so I think it could get better with a little more time to dial it in and to allow the tubes to warm up more.
 
Re: Vintage Modern

You know as long as I have been playing I never owned a head/Cab. Played thru a boat load, so I thought if I was going to buy a new amp I'm going for the head this time. I have a 900 DR 50W combo and I like it quite a bit. The cleans on it are not very Marshall like, but the gain channel works well. This VM is a real Beast though. I could really get used to this.:fingersx:

You know I need another amp like I need another ear(then again 3 ears would be pretty cool) I now have a 68 Super Reverb, a 67 Deluxe Reverb, the Marshall 900, and the Bogner Shiva. This would just round everything out quite nicely.


Dave,

The Bogner was what you brought to the last LI Jam right? It was sweet, for sure.

Jeff

p.s. Go for the new Marshall. It's calling to you :banana:
 
Re: Vintage Modern

Nice review! These seem like very interesting and versatile amps... and they seem to get much more appreciation that the last new releases from Marshall. Which is nice to hear!
 
Re: Vintage Modern

Funny, I put up a review on TGP

I was ok with the amp, I found it a tad mushy, though I never got to crank it. It had some JCM800 mojo in the gain, a bit glassy.

The thing that shocked me was 2 salesman, one whom I know and owns a Plexi, were very unimpressed, if not doubtful on this amp. You'd think salesmen would rave, but rather they gave me a very honest opinion.

I think the amp is fine, but I still might prefer JCM800s etc. I have a thing for late 70s 2204/s lately
 
Re: Vintage Modern

Ahh Dave you know you want it, go for it!

Not sure yet. Its a lot of cash. The Head (50W) is about 1400 and the matching cab is another grand. If I'm going to spend that kind of cash I may go another way. I've been looking at the Voodoo Vplex. I think the tones I am after are a cranked Plexi, but with the ability to use it at normal volumes. I might even consider a 1987 RI and a master volume mod. decision, decisions.:laugh2:

Then again I have a Bogner Shiva that is pretty awesome.
 
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