Bogner Amps

[Ben]

Hey,
    Just wanted to ask what people think of these amps...I hear so much good stuff about them. I think I have to try one properly...I think maybe the Ecstasy but keep hearing that the Uberschall is great as well.

[Wade Laycook]

I played a Shiva with the EVH Frankenstrat ($25,000!), and it sounded great! Very organic, open tones, with just enough distortion. Jerry Cantrell is using them with Alice in Chains now, and his tone is very heavy.I have not tried an Ecstasy, but I really want to.I tried the Uberschall and was not impressed. It was too "fizzy" and not articulate enough for my tastes. IF I were getting a high-gain amp, I would much rather have an ENGL Powerball v2.

[Ben]

Hi Wade,           Thanks for that...Engl loaned me a Powerball when I was on tour a couple of years ago...it was a nice amp, although imo it does sound in the same realm as a Mesa. Don't get me wrong I really like the gain from both the Engl and Mesa but it is a nice clean to go with the gain I am looking for. After reading several other comments on the Uberschall I don't think that is the tone I want...but I am interested in trying the Ecstasy.

[Wade Laycook]

I'm insterested in the Ecstasy, specifically the 101B, as well. I'm in the market for a Marshall voiced hot rod amp. I tried the Splawn Quickrod EL34 and absolutely LOVED it, but every clip I've heard of the Ecstasy sounds utterly breathtaking as well. I want to try one and then make my decision between the two. The Splawn is much cheaper though, so I'll probably go with it.

[1Patrice Vigier]

Ben you can PM Michel Sigwalt, he knows these amps very wellMichel S. is his pseudo

[Michel Sigwalt]

I'm insterested in the Ecstasy, specifically the 101B, as well. I'm in the market for a Marshall voiced hot rod amp. I tried the Splawn Quickrod EL34 and absolutely LOVED it, but every clip I've heard of the Ecstasy sounds utterly breathtaking as well. I want to try one and then make my decision between the two. The Splawn is much cheaper though, so I'll probably go with it.

 The 101B is just one of the best " ultra hot roded Marshall type " amp head there is .  I got mine through a friend of Reinhold Bogner in 1996 and write " one of " and not " the best " as, of course, I didn't try every amp of that kind available on the planet. But it's just fantastic ! ( I specify the year as I don't know if the model is exactly the same today.)  You can read about it here :  => http://www.vigier.fr/forum/message.php?id_question=664&page=2  [ I try a translation: ]  If you know Steve Vai's " Alien Love Secrets " album, that's how the 101B's sounds. S.V. also used some other machines to track it, but describing the Bogner's sound that way is the best possible r?sum?, IMHO, with " Tender Surrender " a great demonstration of all 3 channels through the build up of the piece ( " 1 "' / "yellow" / clean, " 2 " / "blue" / creamy , " 3 " / "red" / distorsion ).  Also, you can listen to another of the first models on Dokken's " Dysfunctional " album - but take care here, there are two masters available, and one of them " sucks " (as they say in the US). This is the correct one : => http://www.dokken.net/albums/dok.html ( this is the one to forget : http://www.dokken.net/albums/dys.html, as least as to our concern of the Bogner sound )  More infos from George Lynch himself:  =>  http://www.georgelynch.com/rigs/studiorigs/dysfunctionalstudio.html  Now, this head sounds that way. And only that way. You'll never get a Class A sound like the one of a Matchless HC30, or the ultra-creamy one of a Dumble type Two-Rock Custom Reverb Signature.  Best regards  MS

[Michel Sigwalt]

Ben you can PM Michel Sigwalt, he knows these amps very wellMichel S. is his pseudo

 Oups ...  Sorry Patrice : I changed the pseudo to my full name today ( it's more logical, isn't it ? ).  Last time we played on it, we put the tubes on fire, remember ? ( of course    ! )  MS / " Mitch "

[Ben]

Thanks Michel,                 Thank for your reply, I am still no closer to making a decision on which amp I should get - I am also keen on the Diamond amps as well...guitars for me is simple, Vigier, Vigier, Vigier!! Amps is a different story though, it is much more difficult to find exactly what I am looking for.

[Michel Sigwalt]

Thanks Michel

   You're welcome .

 Thank for your reply, I am still no closer to making a decision on which amp I should get - I am also keen on the Diamond amps as well...

 I've not played on one of those yet. So I I won't be very helpful here. But listening to the samples on Diamond Amps home site, yes they seem to be loaded with killer tones !

 guitars for me is simple, Vigier, Vigier, Vigier!!

   Hum... ... I think I've read about those guitars somewhere ...

Amps is a different story though, it is much more difficult to find exactly what I am looking for.

 It can be a frustrating or a fascinating or/and an entrancing quest.  As you know, the fact is: we won't get every imaginable sounds with only one amp. Once convinced by this, this quest will more easily come to an end.   The good news: there really are some fabulous amps " out there " !   The bad news: cost ! ( One amp for a first palette of sound, later a second one, ... )   Best regards   MS

[Ben]

Well, I use a Mesa Dual Rec head n cab, and a Mesa F50 combo...also a Marshall JCM 'Slash' head as well as a Fender Bassman head and Marshall 2x12 + 4x12 cabs....What I want is an amp that has the high gain of the Mesa, the crunch of the Marshall and clean of the Fender...all in one box - the Diamond does have the clean and it is one or other of the gain sounds but not both...ah, I dont think one amp will do all this for me, but I will keep looking!

[Michel Sigwalt]

   Ben ... IMHO you won't find such an "all in one" amp as the Mashall sound type uses EL34 tubes at the output stage and the Fender 6L6 tubes.  ( That essential difference is History : a Marshall amp is a modified Bassman, preamp and output tubes, creating the "bristish sound style" : => http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_Amplification .)  MS

[Ben]

 

 Ben ... IMHO you won't find such an "all in one"

 MS

Yes, this is true...but I can only dream!

[Michel Sigwalt]

   It's probably not the amp you're looking for - they are pure class A - but, as you're in the UK, did you ever try a Jackson amp ?  => http://www.jacksonampworks.com/  Regards  MS

[Rain]

Hey Ben, I think it just depends on what kind of tone you want. I've played with all the amps mentioned above,XTC,UBER,SHIVA,LEGACY,ENGL.... The XTC and some multiple channel Engls are more versatile, well,the XTC is more musical that has more breath in whole bandwidth, imagine a high gain marshall tone with added saturation and liquid.That's the mid period of Steve Vai tone. The Engls are colder, less harmonic complex than XTC,but very good orderly tone for heavier music. Same difference with their cleans that both nice. The Shiva is more like a earthy traditional Marshall style distortion and Fender style clean, super big headroom!!! It's very good for traditional rock, but you have to crank the volume up enough to get a smooth saturated solo tone. That's the problem for me cause I can't play too loud here, so XTC and Engls are better on this issue. The Carvin Legacy is nice too, sound like Shiva a little bit, big headroom,earthy,but less defination. It doesn't has that shimmering high and beautiful liquid mid like early Vai tone, but the notes are bigger than before. I feel it's too cold, should do something with the tubes. The Uber is designed just for Heavy, you won't feel the magic before you crank the volume up or if you are not using a qualified cab, it's a monster!! The clean sound does not sound good at all by itself cause it's design for hi-gain pedals plug in. A little suggestion from my personal thinking..      

[Ben]

          Thank you for the advice, I am still unsure...for now I stay with my Mesa Dual Rec stack but once I am certain on a new amp I will get that. The Diamond Spec Op amp is a favourite right now as well as the Bognor and I am yet to try some of the Divided by 13 amps as they seem to have good things said about them.

[Ben]

I ended up going for a Marshall Vintage Modern 2266 50-watt head. This will sit along side my Marshall JCM 2555SL Silver Jubilee Slash head - I am using the JCM2555SL for clean/crunch and the Vintage Modern for crunch/high. I am using a Lehle A/B box to switch between them. The JCM2555SL is going into a Marshall 4x12 1960BV cab (* with Vintage 30 speakers) and the Vintage Modern is going into a Marshall 4x12 425B (* with Greenback 25 speakers). For me this set up is It nailed the sounds I was looking for right now and is very versatile. The only downside is it is not possible to transport around easily, so the hunt for a good combo or reasonable 2 channel head and 2x12 still goes on!! 

[Ben]

I think it is time I updated this thread as I have been using a Bogner Ecstasy 101B for nearly two years now - would not change it for the world; it is the sound of amps from my dreams!! I have both a Bogner 4x12" straight cab and the oversize 2x12" cab to use with my Ecstasy 101B... ahhhhhhh, happy times!! Here is a photo from the studio last summer while tracking guitars for Jet Pack, Invicta!'s 'We Stole the Show' E.P. 

[stevie axeman]

Ben - I can only agree - although I use a Classic - rather than a 101BThe only thing better than an Ecstasy ....is 2 of them !

[Ben]

The only thing better than an Ecstasy ....is 2 of them !

Absolutely!!!!

[blackgul]

The Shiva is more like a earthy traditional Marshall style distortion and Fender style clean, super big headroom!!! It's very good for traditional rock, but you have to crank the volume up enough to get a smooth saturated solo tone. That's the problem for me cause I can't play too loud here, so XTC and Engls are better on this issue.

The Carvin Legacy is nice too, sound like Shiva a little bit, big headroom,earthy,but less defination. It doesn't has that shimmering high and beautiful liquid mid like early Vai tone, but the notes are bigger than before. I feel it's too cold, should do something with the tubes.

The Uber is designed just for Heavy, you won't feel the magic before you crank the volume up or if you are not using a qualified cab, it's a monster!! The clean sound does not sound good at all by itself cause it's design for hi-gain pedals plug in.

 

 

 

 

 

[satur9]

The Shiva is more like a earthy traditional Marshall style distortion and Fender style clean, super big headroom!!! It's very good for traditional rock, but you have to crank the volume up enough to get a smooth saturated solo tone. That's the problem for me cause I can't play too loud here, so XTC and Engls are better on this issue.

I completely agree, I love the Shiva for its warm, organic, dark, British voicing.  It is the best possible evolution of a Marshall.  I give it more credit than you do as a metal machine, though.  It can be really brutal with the right effects.  The fact that it takes pedals so well makes it a really great platform.  If I were playing metal, I would actually prefer a Shiva to a Mesa or 6505 (controversial statement, I know) just because I hate tight and fizzy, I need a warm openness and I value that more than a percussive low end.

[Ben]

Agree - to go with my Ecstasy I now have a Shiva 20th anniversary 1x12 combo - stunning and can cover high-gain with a breeze as well as taking pedals very well.