• From: Canterbury
  • Registered: 2010-05-27
  • Posts: 310

Topic: Marshall VM 2266

Does anyone own one? How does it sound for a typical Eric Johnson/Joe B sound?

I was looking at getting a new Gibby, but amp GAS has hit hard.

  • From: York, PA
  • Registered: 2010-08-27
  • Posts: 1,749

Re: Marshall VM 2266

I've owned a 2266 for a couple years.  I really like it but it won't give you the tone you're looking for right out of the box.  You can get a good bit of distortion out of them but think more rhaspy like Guns N Roses for example.  Otherwise they do have a nice mild older breakup sound.  I would suggest a simple Tube Overdrive (CM-2) maxed out gain, set at unity volume with the amp and tweak the lows and mids to where you like them.  The KT66's are more fuzz sounding, very fizzy and cool but not so much Joe B tone.  I currently run my settings at: Presence 9 o'clock, Bass off, Mid at 2 o'clock, Treb at a hair past 9 o'clock, and the Detail a hair past 1 o'clock, Body 10 o'clock.  Low dynamic Range with the Mid boost on I think.  Give one a try if you have the means. -Seth

  • From: Missoula, Montana
  • Registered: 2008-08-18
  • Posts: 308

Re: Marshall VM 2266

I have one as well. I love the KT66 sound. This amp is a bit different that others that I have owned particularly with the Body and Detail, the mid-boost and dynamic range. I agree that you will need an overdrive pedal. I use the MXR Zakk Wylde and it works well. I also added a DD-3 for a bit of depth.

Great, unique amp. I highly recommend it.

#275 JB LP

tmcguire's Website

  • From: Canterbury
  • Registered: 2010-05-27
  • Posts: 310

Re: Marshall VM 2266

Aarghhh!!!

The VM is a no-go.

I was talking to a neighbor earlier today and he complimented me on my guitar playing.

A 15W Hybrid on 3. and a 5W Tube on full....

50W? Uh uh.

  • From: Florida, USA
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,420

Re: Marshall VM 2266

AndreS wrote:

How does it sound for a typical Eric Johnson/Joe B sound?

To me, Eric and Joe's tones are far from typical but...

I guess it's do-able if you use the right pedals and eq the amp properly.  I hear more of EJ in Joe's playing style more-so than his tone.  Eric's tone is warmer overall and smoother sounding.  Joe uses more midrange and reverb.  Also EJ plays more Strats than Gibsons whereas Joe is almost strictly a Gibson guy.  All that said I agree that the VM has a raspier gain and bite to it which works well for rock.  It's a good amp for JB stuff, especially with a good OD slammin' the front end like a tubescreamer.  NOTHING works better for the EJ tone than a plexi Marshall (SLP100, 1987, or JTM45).  You can also cop a very good Joe tone from a plexi too so I'd probably recommend one of those over the VM.

Here's the recipe: non True-Bypass wah, Tube Driver, Echoplex (any echo will do fine), Reverb, Plexi Marshall.  Sub the Tube Driver for your favorite tubescreamer, OCD, Fulldrive, or overdrive and add more treble for the Joe tone.

I've lately gotten away from most amps with lots of built in gain....they sound so hard and harsh to my ears.  I like to set my amps loud and hit them with my favorite pedals for the OD tones.  Good luck quenching your amp GAS dude!

'67 and '74 Fender Twin Reverbs, '74 Marshall 1987 lead mkII, Metro Superlead 100. Pedals from TC Electronic, Ibanez, Dunlop, BK Butler, Electro-Harmonix, Fulltone, Maestro/Gibson, Loopmaster switching, VoodooLab, Boss. Gibson and Fender guitars, Dimarzio pickups.