Marshall VS30R

i bought it used around 1999 at a music store about half an hour from ft. campbell for 100 dollars exactly. they said someone sold it to them as down payment or something for a new amp (the handles were broken when they received it, i bought it after they had fixed it). i didn't have a foot-switch for it for about two years.

its got the basic two-channel jobber, a real amp-kicking spring reverb (i break into bouts of "miserlou" on this amp for some reason...) i'm rooted in jazz/blues types of stuff and i mean no disrespect when i say that i've been told me my tone is very grant green or wes montgomery tinged. i of course disagree. for some reason i get an extremely gutsy low-end with the clean channel with my es-335 the clean is like

i've used this amp for recording quite a bit. when i bought it i was using an ibanez rg-270 and a fender standard telecaster. for fun, i was playing a lot of "grind-core," "power-violence," metal, and all that stuff with friends and mostly recording 4-track demos with these bands. the majourity of this amp's use has been in drummer+guitar jam situations and solo performances and in these situations proved to be more than usefull.

i don't think i'd use it over anything other something smaller or any crate combo. i used to have trouble hearing this amp when i'd bring it to rehearsals. it'd seem fine until the drummer started playing. haha

anyways- the amp gives me plenty of punch and its surprised people on tape many times.

using your ears: it sounds very nice but the clean distorts extremely easily and can prove a problem especially if you're recording direct (it goes from the green to hot in like half-a-notch). it also lacks a mid knob on the clean but my guitar tends to make up for it. i get a lot of low-end on it when i get the volume at about 6 or 7 and my point of reference (normal amp) is a vintage ampeg bass-amp (4x12).

the distortion channel is a little thin if you're trying to play quietly. i've been known to use a big muff in combination with the amp's OD. i also tend to use a dod-yjm2000 in combination with the OD (most of the time i use the big muff and the yjm-2000 together, respectively with a wah in between, i get no kick out of effects, really)

the reverb is extremely obnoxious past 3!

i'll just say i play jazz. regardless of what guitar/amp for whatever style i'm playing, i've always appreciated the stereotypical "jazz-tone" over twang. i never use the bridge with clean and never use the neck with distortion (i usually leave it in the middle for clean though) and none of the amps i've owned or used have really changed this bit of eccentricity.

i get a nice jazz sounds out of it. i might go as far as to say that i agree with the grant green comparison i've received from people who listen to my tapes. when it comes to e.q. i cut before i boost and never go past 6 really. so that should give a nice scale (once again i use an es-335, humbuckers, flatwounds (the 1st and 2nd strings on my guitar are 17 and 18, respectively)

this amp is quieter than a guitar center during school hours. i've picked up an AM station (imagine a "solo-guitar" type "piece" interrupted with "PURRRROOOOO MEXIIIICOOOO!" or two a total of three times that i can recall.


the distortion is what i guess you could classify as "the status quo"

i would never use this amp for a gig unless i had to or if it was a recital (think christmas family talent show situations or some shit like that)


i think i'm gonna have to bring it in soon because the clean has been acting up. i've crushed a footswitch once i really didn't see an urgency to replace it but it was easy to do so.

i have no idea what the people at marshall are like- i heard they're english, though. (just kidddinnng)

i've been playing about 9 years and some straws. i'm a minimalist when it comes to gear- i use one rack-mount effect (a bbe sonic maximizer), an electro-harmonix big muff, a dod-yjm2000, a morley wah-wah, and i have an ibanez flanger that keeps papers down pretty well.

i really wish the eq was more complete (i don't like the contour and i never use it), the electronics could have been set with a bit more care (the reverb problem, the volume instabilities)

This amp has a lot of really good useful features. It has two footswitchable channels, reverb, and a lot of knobs on the overdrive channel to shape the sound.

The only thing that prevents me from giving this amplifier a 10 on the sounds is that the clean channel could use a bit of improvement. That being said, I never really use the clean channel on this amp. The dirty channel sounds amazing. It's excellent for recording. I just set in at a moderate volume, mic it from about 6 inches away and it sounds amazing every time.

This is a very reliable amp. I've played around twenty gigs with it, toted it back and forth to practices and recording sessions, and it still looks and sounds great. It's a little dusty, and the plastic covers over the metal clips that hold the handle on have disappeared, but it has held up amazingly well.

This is a great amp for practice, recording, home use and small (less than 30 people) venues. I wish it had come with a footswitch. I will never get rid of this amp. It's loveable.

I bought this amp for the dirty channel but I like having the clean side available too. Would've liked a mid EQ on the clean side though.

The sound is good given the price. The clean side leaves a little to be desired. I mostly play an old Fender Duo-Sonic II through it. I think the overdrive sounds great. I keep reading comments that this amp isn't loud enough. Please! Want ear-bleeding Marshall stack sound? Buy a Marshall stack already. This little thing is loud for its size. Yes, it's probably best for home but I play small alt club shows with it all the time and not a complaint yet. If you're a metal head you don't gig with a 30W combo anyway, so why even go there? I use a tube pre/DI box with this amp and I can get pretty big sounds. Lots of amps sound better with a tube pre anyway (and they're coming down in price) so go get yourself one and you will find a new appreciation for this amp. One last thing. I like this one for recording. Lots of big sounding records have been made with little amps (think vintage Fender Champ) and the VS30r is well suited to this application.

Don't like the pressed-wood housing. If I had the motivation I would build a better box for it. Haven't had any tech problems with it yet.

Haven't needed it yet.

I've been playing 17 years. And I drive amps harder now than when I was 16. I really like this amp for the value. I don't buy expensive gear for playing bars/clubs. In my circuit, if you can't spill beer on it you shouldn't own it. Unlike many of the reviewers on this site I would not "kick the guy's ass" who stole it, but thanks for sharing. I would however try to find another VS30.

2 Channels Clean/Overdrive 30W solid state Amp with reverb, 10" (or 12", I don't know how many centimeters make an inch...damn Americans :-P). Has controls for treble and bass - no middle - and contour in the overdrive channel. High impedance input for guitar, footswitch, low impedance line output and headphone. No effect loop... too bad.
Since it is only 30W, I expect it to be a practice amp.

I'm using a really bad guitar on it, an old Samick bought used, and my pickups really suck big time. Anyway, my feeling is that the clean channel on this amp is useless, because it's very quiet. And when you push the potentiometer further than half the volume, you can hear distortion, so ... Anyway, you can have a better clean sound on the overdrive channel by putting the gain control on about 1/4 and the sound is great !! The distortion sound is Marshall like, I love it ! So if you like big distortion (Ok you can't compare this with a tube amp) to play in your room, go for it !

I've had this amp for some days only, it works perfectly ...

Never had to contact them. Don't know the warranty, since I bought it used.

This is my first guitar amp. Since now I plugged my guitar in my PC (using Amplitube, which is a digital tube simulator) and I can say this amp is great for beginners like me (I've only been playing the guitar for 6 months), especially for the price I've paid. But since I don't have all the effects I had on my computer, I'm going to build some pedal effects :-).

This is 30watts Solid state
and is great competitor to the Marshall MG30CDR
the difference is the distortion is heavier and the amps 30watts are a lot louder i think this has 1 12" speaker
the amplifier is much louder
and is ideal for garage band scenarios
which most people recommend 40-50watt solid state throught a 12"
it has real Spring Reverb
over all mong better solid state amplifiers

The distortion is among the most decent solid state distortion
this amp is for Alternitave Rock,Grunge,Punk even to metal to a cerain degree ,the clean is good enough for blues jazz,classic rock ect. This amp doesn't buzz
for a MG30DFX/or CDR solid state amp it deserves a 8
in comparison to the new valvestate 2000 avt20 it deserves a 6
so i'll give it 7

this isn't a gigging amp
but it is loud for its size
it can compete with an Crate BX80 80watts or bass man 60
and a drummer with moderate hitting stile
in a room with good resonating acoustics ie; 1/2 car garage
small basement

customer support for a most guitar companies are shit
its better to rely on places you buy it from
disregard the warranty

I've been playing for a while now
this amp is a great bedroo practice
these amps aren't made new
but sell for 130-150
and are well worth it if your looking for a good amp for jamming with a drummer
there better than competing Frontman 25Rs from fender
Crate GX30/GFX30, and Marshall MG30CDR/DFX, Ibanez Toneblaster 25R,
which are all in similiar price range

Im sure many other people have listed features, but basically, it has 2 channels (clean and overdrive) (footswitchable), reverb, headphones out, line out, 30 solid-state watts, which is great for me in my bedroom, but i have never jammed with it. For a bedroom/practice/occasional garage jam amp, it performs well.

You can get a pretty good AC/DC style crunchy, rocky style sound from this amp. I get a better clean tone from the overdrive channel rather than the clean channel, just by winding the gain back a bit. I do this as the clean channel sounds a bit thin, but it sounds great to beginners or people not to fussed about great tone.

This amp has been great to me, never stuffed up or anything and always works. no problems here

This amp is great for practice, for beginners or for people wanting another amp for stuffing around with

It would be nice if it had middle frequency control knob in the clean chanell, but what the hell, you can't ask for much more on a cheap amp like this one.

I have two Ibanez, one rg-270 (my first guitar) and one s-470 sol. I've also been using an Epiphone es335 (hollow body) which belongs to my brother. I like blues, rock and fusion.
I got this amp 5 years ago and i've come to the conclusion that i don't like it that much. The clean channel distorts at high volumes, but it's acceptable for practicing at home or for small (and i mean small) rehearsals. The od channel can give you a suitable sound for heavier music, but if you're looking for a decent blues/rock distortion, forget it. I can't understand those 10's and 9's you guys state for sound quality. You must be nutheads.

Like i sad, i've had this for five years. It went dead a year ago, and i spent 60 euro repairing it. I don't know about the rest of you, but, well, 60 euro spent in five years isn't that bad.

Ok

If you're looking for a practice amp, this one is probably a good amp for you. But for this price, i would advise anyone to gather a few more coins and buy something better, especially if you are thinking about using it for rehearsals and gigs. Buy tubes instead of solid state.

Not sure of the year of manufacture, but I've had it for a year or so now.

Two channels, one clean, one overdrive, push button to switch between with an optional foot switch. The foot switch really should have been included in the package, but cost so little extra I hardly noticed. Clean channel has volume, bass and treble controls, channel 2 has gain, bass, contour, treble and volume. Both channels share the reverb.

No effects loop, but it does have a headphone jack. Also has a line out (though I've never used it).

This is a practice amp, pure and simple. It sits on a shelf in my
study, and rarely moves from there. I don't currently play in a band, but I have done in the past - doesn't really have the power for anything outside the garage, even then at a push.

I'm basing my rating on what this amp was intended for - a practice amp. That's what it is, that's what I use it for.

I'm in a fairly temporary living situation at the moment, so am keeping my hardware outlay to a bare minimum - to that end, I'm using a Washburn Mercury series MG 740 that I bought second hand for relatively cheap. Stock pickups, humbuckers at the bridge and neck and a single coil in between.

I play all kinds of stuff, but mostly rock / metal (older stuff).

Because I keep it at lower volumes, I couldn't really comment on the noise factor. At those levels (sub 4) it's fine in both channels.

The clean channel is a little flat, lacks brighness, but if you want that buy a Fender Tweed. It's no secret that Marshall has never been known for its clean sound. The overdrive channel has a fabulous sound, and offers good range for the limited controls provided. Love the contour control. My only criticism is that it lacks bottom end depth, but remember folks, this is a solid state practice amp so it really isn't fair to compare it to a JCM 900 or a rectifier. For the money and for what it is, the sound is great - would find it difficult to beat. I find that I'm using the neck pickup much more than I used to though, trying to promote the depth. The reverb is a little overdone, but the simple solution is to keep it turned down low.

If you're going to use headphones, invest in a good quality pair. Pretty obvious when you think about it, but some folks forget that when you use headphones you're not using the speaker, and the speaker and cabinet help shape the sound.

As a practice amp sitting on my shelf in my study, I can depend on it just fine. I would *never* gig with it though - plastic nuts on all jacks are a dead giveaway that this amp is not intended for heavy use. The lack of bottom end depth in channel 2 is also less than ideal, and I can imagine would only get worse at volume. Despite the particle board construction I haven't noticed any of the build faults other contributors have noted. Only complaints would be that the little plastic covers on the handle fall off way too easily, and it's very obviously built with cheaper components. Despite that, it feels well put together to me, very sturdy. I bought mine in the UK, perhaps that's where the difference lies? The foot switch is a little tank, very strong, well put together. The lead lacks adequate reinforcement on both ends so you need to be a little careful, but is nice and long - 4 or 5 metres.

I like the idea of building a birch cab for it. To be honest, the idea of a solid wooden cab had occurred to me already. Think I'll look into doing that. See if we can shape that tone a little more. ;)

Never had to deal with them, and considering the way I use it I doubt I'll ever need to.

I've been playing for over 15 years, and in that time have played all kinds of guitars on all kinds of rigs.

If it were lost or stolen, I would consider buying another but would probably shop around a bit first to see what's come out in the past couple of years. I like it, but I wouldn't go out and blindly buy another right away. Having said that, I certainly don't regret my purchase.

I love channel two, albeit the lack of depth. I like the clean channel, still room for improvement though but you've got to keep in mind what this amp is and what it cost. I really don't like the quality of components they've used, I really would've expected better.

I haven't reviewed sound based on another product because I don't like doing that - I know the sound I'm after and I review based on that. For the money, this really does very, very well. Build quality I compared to older Marshall and Fender amps.

What do I wish it had? An effects loop would be nice. And Marshall really needs to consider the quality of their components.

I know some folks have rated this amp quite harshly. I think its important when you go shopping for an amp to think about what it is that you want, how you're going to use it, and have an idea of the sound you want to get out. If you want a gigging amp, this isn't for you. If you want an amp that you can turn waaaaay up loud and get a classic Marshall overdrive sound with masses of depth and tone, this probably won't suit you either. If you're after a nice overdriven sound with decent tone for practicing at home or with a few friends, you could do a *lot* worse than to buy this one. I think it's a great little amp.

Brand New VS30R, prob 2001 / 2. Has 2 Channels, Reverb, what more do you want for $200. Foot switch input.

This amp is SUPERB if you are wanting that classic Marshall Sound. Got it on sale at zzounds.com and it is the best small amp I ever bought. Only 28 pounds, looks small but is LOUD... Do Not be fooled by the 30 Watt rating.

The Clean sounds great, don't know what everyone is moaning about, my Les Paul never sounded better and I just traded in an 80 Watt Peavey for this thing.

The OD Channel is unreal, it sounds just like the big ones! Everything from crunch to that beautiful fuzz... This baby does it all.

Dunno, not had it long enough to know but 5 year warranty as standard says it should be pretty good.

Unknown.

Been playing 15 years. Use a Les Paul for my electric work and this little beaut.

Would definitly buy it again. Just wish it was bigger so it looked meaner!

Well, I don't use the reverb, it sucks, but I like the overdrive channel (and a footswitch..yay). I don't understand why ol' Jimmy Marshall would put a mid control on the OD but not on the bloddy CLEAN CHANNEL!

Here goes:
GUITAR: strat knockoff with two Fender '63 single coil pickups (neck and mid) and a DiMarzio PAF humbucker (bridge)
EFFECTS: Dunlop Crybaby, Danelectro flanger, boss flanger(sometimes), Digitech RP-300, Boss digital delay, DOD compressor
i practise everything on this amp, blues, jazz, rock, metal, punk, EVERYTHING, the only problem is, i can only practise on this with it still sounding good. When I play a gig I have to put it through a P.A., and I don't have the equiptment for that, nor the cash to buy it. but if you do have the right stuff it soudns pretty good if you mic it right (DISTANCE EQUALS DEPTH PEOPLE. the clean channel is pretty awful loud, im coverign it up with effects usually, but its pretty good on low volume. I really wish their was a mid control on the clean channel. This is supposed to sound like the old tube (valve to the birts, hence the name) amps, but it smells like a solid state to me, I'm gonna go buy another Marshall for gigs, with some dang tubes!

i got this sucker used and its really great.

never needed this, thank god. i dont like the marshall website (add that to the list with Korg and Boss)

Great amp, for practicing, if you wanna gig with this sucker youre gonna need a good P.A., or a really good processor (<cough>DigiTech<cough>) good overdrive, quiet and loud, clean = shit when cranked. if this was stolen i would repalce it with a marshall, a different marshall, on gigs i dont use it primarily, i borrow my friend's fender twin for those.