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I picked up a Valvestate 8100


Ultrahighgain

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Originally posted by JiroJan



expand please!


ive been thinking about getting one as a backup amp.


if possible list the cons as well


thanks alot!

 

 

Well this one has a couple problems which I'm discussing with the guy that sold it to me. The input jack is flakey and the reverb doesn't work, but I think I can fix those myself. In fact the guy is being a real standup fellow and is offering me compensation.

 

Anyway the clean sounds are quite decent and the high gain sounds are quite nice for metal. I've not really played around with it that much since I've only had it since Monday. It totally will give you Chuck Schuldiner tone with the contour knob all the way clockwise, but I run it around 2 o'clock. I guess it has a 12ax7 preamp tube, so it's a bit warmer than you might expect.

 

I admit that there are some things about solid state amps that I really dig, namely the attack speed and tightness. The tone is a bit cold when compared to a say a tube Marshall or Fender, or my Classic 30, but that's the compromise. I've noticed that even when dialing in a tube amp (I have a Triple XXX, Sound City 120 mark 4, 5150, and a Classic 30) when you dial for tightness, you compromise some warmth, and the reverse is true also. You can't dial in a big, warm, fat tone that leads itself to bluesy leads and expect it to have the razor sharp precision that a lot of metal demands. This amp leans very well towards metal tones. It's got midrange to spare. I don't scoop my mids. In fact, I'm probably going to use an Boss EQ to goose the lower mids somewhat. I've not really tried in-between sounds, but I would probably use my C30 for that anyway. I got this amp for punk/hardcore/metal and for that the tone and respose is surprisingly good. In fact I can't think of a better value. These things are definitly a hidden gem.

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They're good sleeper amps. They seem to be ultra unrealiable, and seem to sound bad when cranked, so I don't think I would use them as a back up, or even live. Mine doesn't really even work anymore. The main thing they excel at its fast attack stuff. When you hear bands like meshuggah on choasphere, or morbid angel, thats what the 8100 is about (morbid angel used a marshall artist, but they sound alot like the 8100).

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Originally posted by Unstrung

Ah, you're the one asking about old Marshalls in the other thread.


Chuck Schuldiner is a huge influence on me. That sole reason is enough for me to have gassed for a while now for one of these heads...

 

 

Both Chuck and Tommy Victor always got sounds that I thought were excellent.

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Originally posted by JiroJan

have you tried the old randalls like the rg-100es???


how do they compare???

 

 

Never tried a Randall. I'd love to sometime though.

 

Dimebag used a Furman parametric and few other gadgets, so you're not just going to plug in and get his sound. RIP

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Originally posted by Ultrahighgain



Never tried a Randall. I'd love to sometime though.


Dimebag used a Furman parametric and few other gadgets, so you're not just going to plug in and get his sound. RIP

 

 

i get very close with a mxr-10 in the loop. im going to try out a metal zone in front soon, as ive been told that combo makes a kickass metal tone(kirk from crowbar)

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Originally posted by fancynapkin

They're good sleeper amps. They seem to be ultra unrealiable, and seem to sound bad when cranked, so I don't think I would use them as a back up, or even live. Mine doesn't really even work anymore. The main thing they excel at its fast attack stuff. When you hear bands like meshuggah on choasphere, or morbid angel, thats what the 8100 is about (morbid angel used a marshall artist, but they sound alot like the 8100).

 

 

You must have a lemon. Mine is very reliable, I've used it at several gigs and it sounds fine thru my 1936 2x12 cranked, not thin or lifeless at all. In fact, it gets a very decent crunch if you set it up right and not just go for the "scooped metal" sound. I run mine in OD1 with slight gain & lots of volume, bass @ 3, mids @ noon, and treble dimed, contour just below noon. The clean channel with the crunch button engaged is very nice, a good punchy sound. I put a GT12AX7 Mullard in it and it woke it up a lot! Looks good as a 1/4 stack:

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Originally posted by fancynapkin

They're good sleeper amps. .......The main thing they excel at its fast attack stuff.

 

 

 

 

 

You literally took the words out of my mouth. I was going to post that almost verbatem until I read through the posts.

 

 

+1:D

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i actually own one...was my first real amp...got it 10 yrs ago and i had to service it once....other than that i have fell back in love w/ the thing....u can get some really good metal tones out of it IMO....and yes schuldiner used it...was actually on the video for the philosopher...and i believe tommy victor of prong used it as well on cleansing...i have to admit...it is not too bad for a ss....check my sig...is the only amp i have now....but....got another amp comin in the big brown truck today...reviews to follow...' btw i got the matching 4x12 cab

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Originally posted by FLYING V 83



You must have a lemon. Mine is very reliable, I've used it at several gigs and it sounds fine thru my 1936 2x12 cranked, not thin or lifeless at all. In fact, it gets a very decent crunch if you set it up right and not just go for the "scooped metal" sound. I run mine in OD1 with slight gain & lots of volume, bass @ 3, mids @ noon, and treble dimed, contour just below noon. The clean channel with the crunch button engaged is very nice, a good punchy sound. I put a GT12AX7 Mullard in it and it woke it up a lot! Looks good as a 1/4 stack:

 

 

i need to put a new 12ax7 in mine im sure...did the mullard make it sound just hella better?

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Originally posted by anubae_obscura



i need to put a new 12ax7 in mine im sure...did the mullard make it sound just hella better?

 

 

The Mullard gave it more bottom end than it had before I put it in. BTW, I got mine used for $200 and it still had the original Marshall ECC83 in it which still works, but the Mullard just has more "oomph" to it. Great amp, but still nowhere near as loud as my Laney AOR Pro Tube Lead 50. Still, a great backup amp.

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