Marshall valvestate 8080

midlifecrisis

picked this up at a bargain price as a spare amp. Actually very nice solid state with a single pre amp valve. The clean  channel has a crunch button that gives a rather pleasant creamy distortion, nicer than the gain channel imho. The pots were all a bit scratchy but Kontact cleaner has mostly sorted it out. The reverb tank doesnt work but it seems a simple and cheap to replace. Gigged it on saturday, very pleased with it.

ICBM

midlifecrisis said:

The reverb tank doesnt work but it seems a simple and cheap to replace.

Check it is actually the tank before you buy a new one - the driver IC also sometimes fails on these.

If you don't have a multimeter to test it, you can do it with the amp... first identify which of the leads is the return - it should be the red cable connected to the output of the tank, but isn't always if someone has been at it already - and touch the tip while carefully turning up the reverb, it will buzz loudly.  Once you're sure which is the return connect that to the output end of the tank and shake the tank - if you get the usual reverb crash, the output is working. Then connect it to the input end and shake again - if that also crashes (quieter) then the input end is also OK. If one end doesn't work (usually the output) they can sometimes be repaired fairly easily, but replacements aren't that expensive.

midlifecrisis

I will have a proper look when I'm back from my holiday. I probably wouldn't use the reverb anyway but I'm a bit ocd about having everything working that should.i gues if it's the driver ic that's a bit more tricky?

ICBM

midlifecrisis said:

i gues if it's the driver ic that's a bit more tricky?

No, easy. And cheaper!

normula1

I fixed one earlier this year and one of the leads connecting to the transducers in the tank had broken off.

rockmonster

I had one new back in the day. I liked it!

fretmeister

I gigged one of those for years back in the early 1990s when they were brand new.

It was excellent. Way better than the following Valvestate models.

Crazed_Fandango

rockmonster said:

I had one new back in the day. I liked it!

Same here.  It was my 1st half-decent amp.

midlifecrisis

oh well, ordered a new tank, should arrive today. Just thought id check the leads again that actually attach to the amp pcb. On close inspection it seems that the outer wire on the red lead wasnt attached properly to the tiny post on the board, have resoldered it and lo and behold it works ( why i didnt check this before ordering a new tank doh). oh well i will try the new tank when it arrives and if better will use it , if not keep as spare (was only £23)

Barquentine

I had one when they first came out and gigged it quite happily for a couple of years. I'd love to play one again to see if it sounds like I think I remember it.

midlifecrisis

ive gigged mine twice in the last couple of weeks. once in a medium size pub and then on NYE in a social club. we dont mic up but the amp was plenty loud enough.  Years ago i had a JVM 2 by 12 combo that was always too loud ( and monstrously heavy). This valvestate  seems perfect for my needs. For the last few years ive been regularly gigging a Katana 100 so some might say my sonic taste isnt too fussy anyway lol.