The Vintage Modern Thread

[steelhorse]

Purple Power To The Rockers!

I just wanted to start this thread off by thanking coldsteal for his input and encouragement and everyone else here who's provided feedback on this great amp.

I also want to ask what power tubes etc. that you may have experimented with and fell in love with.

I hear good things about JJ's of course and Valve Art KT66's, so any input is greatly appreciated.

Overall my initial impression is that she's like a sophisticated woman who you have to really coax into giving up the love. It's definitely an amp that I can grow with as an artist and discover subtle nuances with over time.

 

[MKB]

I've had a 2466 for a few months now, and love it. You can think of it as basically a Super Lead with KT66's, with many of the standard custom tweaks already in, with a very well thought out boost section added (plus reverb and effects loop). It's one of those amps you can use with just a good guitar, no pedals, and have all you need to do most gigs. If you are leaning in the direction of getting a reissue Super Lead and modifying it, please try the VM as that is basically what it is.

It does take a bit of time to tweak it out, it has a tremendous amount of versatility being as simple as it is. If you are trying one out, and it sounds bad, be patient and keep twisting knobs as you can make it sound great with most any guitar. I've found it to be perfect for most any music style, from blues to hard rock, the only thing it might not do well is modern low tuned metal (and it may do that well with pedals).

The amp seems to like standard and lower output pickups. It is reported to be best with Strats, but I've used it almost exclusively with humbuckers and it LOVES those.

Best thing about it: you can get a very warm lead tone with the mysterious Marshall upper midrange sparkle, which is so hard to get without the amp getting too bright. You can get these tones without any overdrive pedals, just a guitar and cord.

Worst thing about it: the amp has a sweet spot with the master around 12 o'clock and higher, where the warmth really kicks in. It sounds good with the master lower than that, but can sound a little bright with some speakers. This is definitely manageable though, nothing to be scared of. Make sure you crank it that high while testing it before making a decision.

The only tube change I've done is to replace V4 with a RCA 7025, which was a big improvement over the stock tubes. The amp has a post phase inverter master volume, so most of the preamp clipping comes from V4. The RCA 7025 really helped the clarity and dynamics of the tone.

I've been very disappointed with Marshall in the last few years as they have gotten farther and farther away from what I want to hear in an amp. I tried out a TSL awhile back and hated it, too much gain and no dynamics. The VM is an extreme change in a different direction, and a very good one. It's probably going to be my last Marshall, I consider it that good.

 

[stock_hippie]

sounds like you dont like it??....i listen to the youtubes...you know HAWAIIII!!!it sounds pretty tight to me....g000d luck!!!

 

[steelhorse]

I hope you don't think I'd start a complete thread over an amp I don't like? Actually I love this amp. It's unique and really an amp all it's own in so many ways. You can't just plug in and go nuts though (at least imo you can't and sound really good) you have to work it and tweak it just as MKB suggested.

It live and breathes it's own vibe. It's a keeper!

 

[coldsteal2]

AWESOME AMP!!!

You need to join the Vintage Modern Forum the actual
designer and builder of the amp is a regular there!
Everything you wanted to know and then some about the
amp there
Marshall Vintage Modern :: Index

..

 

[steelhorse]

I joined the same day I sent you the PM from there!

 

[sojatriani]

AWESOME AMP!!!

You need to join the Vintage Modern Forum the actual
designer and builder of the amp is a regular there!
Everything you wanted to know and then some about the
amp there
Marshall Vintage Modern :: Index

..

I just bought a set of KT's from eurotubes and replaced the stockers. It is definantly it's own beast. I have to keep a notepad with my settings on it. Depending on the setlist ( I play in two bands, one Southern rock only, one old Rock and Roll and blues and some bop) this thing covers all the sounds no problem. We do split the setlist up a little so I can spin the knobs occasionally. My strats through this amp is the sound I have heard in my head all my life. Pure, clean, gritty, it has it all, the new tubes helped alot with the brightness mine had. Not bad bright , but not as smooth as I wanted, now it is perfect. I would say, play with the tubes and crank the knobs alot, it really is like three amps in one. This amp truely is just as good as the amp it is based on (super lead) with the modern stuff. One of the best new amps Marshall has made. My buddy bought a JVM back when they were all the rage and he is kicking himself now. Even with 4 channels and all the bells and whistles, it comes nowhere close to the VM for our style. Steelhorse, I bet you have this same amp 20 years from now, it's that good!!

 

[steelhorse]

I see what you guys mean, I love this amp:

I also picked up this little beast at Best Buy the other day:

I think I'm pretty set for amps for awhile! LOL

 

[stock_hippie]

i gottta get me oneeee1!!!!

 

[steelhorse]

But it doesn't do disco!

 

[sojatriani]

WOW, look at that treble knob, at 2 oclock. I bet it still sounds smooth!!! Poor TSL, it looks lonley over there....

 

[steelhorse]

The treble knob? It's 1600 hrs for me! The TSL was a little neglected today but look at where the DSL100 wound up and where the heck did the JSX half stack go?!

I'm still fooling with the knobs (a lot) but I'm dialing it in closer for that Slash tone!

Gotta change the tubes though, I'm considering doing the pre amp tubes and getting a balanced for the PI which should help smooth things out because overall it's pretty close.

 

[stock_hippie]

SOUND CLIPPPPPPppppppp
PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP
PPPPPPPppppppPPPPPPPPppppp1!!!!!!

 

[steelhorse]

In time young jedi, in time.

(I don't do no disco)

 

[steelhorse]

I was able to spend more time with it today and noticed for example playing Sweet Child O Mine, granted I was using my LP with EMG's, but it was a bit on the harsh side no matter how I dialed it in on both the guitar and amp whereas on other amps it smooths out fairly well.

So, I took the pre amp tubes originally intended for my DSL and stuck them in there and bam, it smoothed it right out!

It added more drive to the drive and more clean to the clean if that makes sense but without going over the top. NICE.

The neck pickup went from sounding slightly harsh to sounding smooth like a passive pickup almost.

This amp is best summed up so far as being very open and dynamic, it exposes all your weaknesses as a player and if your guitars and cables are bad I'm sure it would let you know, it's articulate, and with all that, it's fairly forgiving in a way. I dialed it up all over the place and got very usable tones everywhere.

This is an amp that you could spend years knowing and never really know fully because somewhere there will be some other tone or nuance that will be discovered.

This is the sound that's been lurking in my head and reminded me of a few that used to that I gave up on. I don't think this is strictly a blues type amp either. I think it has great crunch and I was able to dial up AC/DC, GNR, Velvet Revolver, and old school Zakk - Ozzy stuff.

Anyone waffling on getting one of these, don't hesitate, just get it!

 

[DragonSarc]

Anyone waffling on getting one of these, don't, get it.

^----- i didnt get this part, dont get the vintage modern?

 

[steelhorse]

don't waffle

(just) GET IT!

 

[coldsteal2]

I joined the same day I sent you the PM from there!

oh yea i 'member now

 

[steelhorse]

A pretty decent youtube clip by proguitarshop demo of the VM 2266 using a lot of different setting combination's and different guitars:

YouTube - Marshall Vintage Modern 2266

 

[DragonSarc]

don't waffle

(just) GET IT!

gots it, for some reason i wasent reading the full sentence right