I used to have a VS265 and it was super heavy, but the chorus tones were better than any pedal I have ever played thorugh.
Old Marshall Valvestates:
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gball
Ambassador of Boogie
The old VS amps were so cool. I had a little 1x10 one and it kicked butt for practice.
Agreed that onboard chorus always sounds better than a pedal. The best chorus pedal I have ever heard is the Boss CE-2W, and even it doesn't compare to the chorus in a Jazz Chorus amp
Agreed that onboard chorus always sounds better than a pedal. The best chorus pedal I have ever heard is the Boss CE-2W, and even it doesn't compare to the chorus in a Jazz Chorus amp
OP
Agreed!!!!!
chilipeppermaniac
Ambassador of Decibels
Gball, I learned about JAzz Chorus combos while at a Music Go Round in Cockeysville. A black fella came in to sell it or trade in gear and I heard good comments from him or the store people. So I researched it to find out the skinny. Great reputations for sure. My Princeton Chorus has a nice chorus too.
chilipeppermaniac
Ambassador of Decibels
Gball, etc. My other question is about the VS amps. How long ago did VS start being made?
I seem to remember that when my buddy Steve and I went to Gordon Miller Music in Towson/Parkville, I tried various Marshalls with some Strats and LP's they had. What were the combos Marshall had around 1981/82? Memory is cloudy if they could have been VS or even JCM 800/900's or all the above. I still remember some of the Marshall ad brochures I took home to ogle.
I seem to remember that when my buddy Steve and I went to Gordon Miller Music in Towson/Parkville, I tried various Marshalls with some Strats and LP's they had. What were the combos Marshall had around 1981/82? Memory is cloudy if they could have been VS or even JCM 800/900's or all the above. I still remember some of the Marshall ad brochures I took home to ogle.
OP
OP
eSGEe
Ferengi Ambassador of Trade
old VS marshalls FOOGIN SLAY -- period-- they make AMAZING tones as does the Marshall Master Lead 12
of which I am a VERY HAPPY owner 
Made in Britania ....Mosfet tech.... glorious tones
eSGEe
Ferengi Ambassador of Trade
I had one of these for years........ went to one of our TTR brothers -- @SIx String Chef --- its STUPID good for the $
OP
The chorus function is by far the best feature. I've never heard chorus like these!!!!!
Amp Mad Scientist
Ambassador of Heresy
The old VS sounded pretty good but the tube amp is admittedly way louder.
Some of those valve states did have a preamp tube inside the chassis if I remember correctly.
Even one of those JCM 900 was a valve state really I think it was 4500 dual reverb wasn't it? The preamp was solid state and the power amp was tube.
The mode four is a valve state it has a couple preamp tubes doesn't it? I think at least one. It's like SS eq section, SS power amp, and it has basic effects built in too.
I think mode four SS 300 watts = Plexi 100 watts, in loudness. About the same loudness.
OP
I had a VS65 that was as loud as I ever needed it to be. I could match my bandmates 100 watt Carvin stack and never get past 8 on the volume knob.
chilipeppermaniac
Ambassador of Decibels
It definitely was not Valvestate for me in 82 83. It was JCM 800 Combos
chilipeppermaniac
Ambassador of Decibels
I can still vividly feel the feelings of my first adventures into music stores as a kid and being in awe. To get my first USED Les Paul and AMP was a really big deal.
Clockworkmike
Ambassador of STACKS in WV SHACKS
Yeah, the Mode Four has 2 ECC83s which is one tube per each of its two independent preamp sections. Basically, the same design of the standard Valvestate which usually has just one ECC83, now just doubled up into 2 amps in 1.
Power Amp wise, its Solidstate like you mentioned and rated at 350w. Depending on who you ask, its equal to somewhere between 100-120w in terms of a valved Marshall's loudness.
Now there was also the Valvestates spiritual predecessor around that era you mentioned, while still being in the same vein of the 800s simultaneously with the Lead Mosfet series. They were full SS but looked just like the 800s, while delivering a very faithful sound to their valved counterparts. @Mitch Pearrow SJMP has a couple of these in the 3210 Lead series, that he uses.
An even less seen one is the early 80s Artist series ( not to be confused with the early Marshall Artiste of the 70s) which was a hybrid design like the Valvestate/ModeFour but in reverse: Valved Power and SS Preamp. They were kinda cool too as seen here
OP
I still dislike the "dry" amps, the JCM 800's in particular and I never loved those amps, although they were popular because they were seen on every TV show and video.
In 1983, I was playing a Traynor YBA-1 with an DOD FX-50/FX-90 through a Ampeg 8x10 cabinet...borrowed from Mom's bass player.
OP
I had an old VS265 Stereo Chorus Combo. It was a great amp, but nothing like the Bi-Chorus Valvestates.
The one that I really would love to find someday is the 8200 Bi-Chorus Head, or the 8220 or 8280 2x12 Combo.
The chorus feature in these amps is simply amazing. It totally kills any pedal I've used.
The VS also produces more gain in the amp itself than any other amp with a Tube Screamer in front of it.
The tone stack and tone shift eliminate the need for a primary EQ pedal.
These things were ahead of their time...
chilipeppermaniac
Ambassador of Decibels
Did the VS Heads have Chorus too? I have seen a VS100 locally with a VS 4x12 cab. He wants almost new prices for it though.
OP
Some VS models have chorus, but it's not as dynamic as the rare Bi-Chorus models.
gball
Ambassador of Boogie
Dunno exactly. I had mine in the late '90s. It was cool sounding and surprisingly loud, but these things completely disappear in the mix if you try to use them in a band setting. Typical for SS.