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Marshall VBA400

bassvi

bassvi

Jul 12, 2005
856
90
Iowa
#1
New addition to the family. I must say I am very impressed with the amp. Some nice surprises- it's not really that heavy to lift, the handles are well placed on the sides. It also sounds good at relatively low volume through my GB212 cab, which means it's going to see stage time in both my bands. Of course, it just sounds better and better as you turn it up. What an amp. I can't wait to try it through my NV610. :bassist:
 

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#3
craig.p said:
It's too big physically for the GB212 cab. You need a second GB212 so the amp doesn't slide off. Try to break the news easy to the wife/gf.
Click to expand...

LOL, I have another one already. I plan to stack the two cabs on their sides and stick the VBA on top for a 4x12 rig of doom.

BTW, it's her birthday today, we're going car shopping....:D
 
#4
bassvi said:
New addition to the family. I must say I am very impressed with the amp. Some nice surprises- it's not really that heavy to lift, the handles are well placed on the sides. It also sounds good at relatively low volume through my GB212 cab, which means it's going to see stage time in both my bands. Of course, it just sounds better and better as you turn it up. What an amp. I can't wait to try it through my NV610. :bassist:
Click to expand...

Are those your actual EQ settings in the first pic? What year is yours? I'm really digging my VBA 400! :D

Cheers!
:bassist::bassist::bassist:
 
#5
I was fooling around with different settings last night, that one I was trying out based on The Bill Fitzmaurice thread - setting the eq flat with the bass off then slowly bringing the bass up to a desireable point. I'm not sure the treble and mid control at noon is flat, though. It did sound quite good like this to me though.

I also fooled around with full gain and bringing the master up slowly. Beautiful creamy distortion. Engaged the bright switch and dug in with a pick. Nice.....

Only played on it about 45 minutes total so far, still learning. I am really, really happy with it so far!!!!
 
#9
bassvi said:
New addition to the family. I must say I am very impressed with the amp. Some nice surprises- it's not really that heavy to lift, the handles are well placed on the sides. It also sounds good at relatively low volume through my GB212 cab, which means it's going to see stage time in both my bands. Of course, it just sounds better and better as you turn it up. What an amp. I can't wait to try it through my NV610. :bassist:
Click to expand...

Off topic, but did anyone get curious about that short early '70s Sunn cab back there on the right in the right photo? I mean, dude!
 
#11
bassvi said:
I was fooling around with different settings last night, that one I was trying out based on The Bill Fitzmaurice thread - setting the eq flat with the bass off then slowly bringing the bass up to a desireable point. I'm not sure the treble and mid control at noon is flat, though. It did sound quite good like this to me though.

I also fooled around with full gain and bringing the master up slowly. Beautiful creamy distortion. Engaged the bright switch and dug in with a pick. Nice.....

Only played on it about 45 minutes total so far, still learning. I am really, really happy with it so far!!!!
Click to expand...


I run mine pretty much flat, which on a Marshall tone stack is with the bass and treble at just under 1, and the mid at 10. If you want more info on this you can download an app called tonestack calculator (v1.3) which can plot adjustable freq graphs of various tone stacks.

Anyways this might be a good starting point to tweak from.

Have fun with it:bassist:

Mike
 
#12
chadds said:
Off topic, but did anyone get curious about that short early '70s Sunn cab back there on the right in the right photo? I mean, dude!
Click to expand...

It's a Sunn Coliseum 1x18" cab. I used to have two of them, sold the other one many years ago. It definitely can put out some low end. I bought the pair from a Keyboard player back in the 70's who was using them in his rig.
 
#13
chadds said:
Off topic, but did anyone get curious about that short early '70s Sunn cab back there on the right in the right photo? I mean, dude!
Click to expand...

PunkRocker33133 said:
How distorted can it get, and how fast does it do so?
Click to expand...

When I crank the gain it starts to break up pretty nicely around 1-2 o'clock. Full on and it's very growly. When I engaged the treble boost with the gain full up and played with a pick it was nice and gritty, but maybe not so much distorted as my V4BH or Bugera heads get at the same setting..... the quality of the distorted tone just sounds more creamy on the VBA to me and less harsh, however that could have to do with EQ settings. The extra power in this amp I think also contributes to the richer tone. I'm still learning how to use it, but I am super impressed with the power and also the versatility of this amp.
 

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