Amp Complications

[1994]

I recently posted that I was going to buy an Egnater Tweaker mini stack. However, before pulling the trigger I tried a MESA mini rectifier and really liked it, so thought I would wait and save the extra to get the MESA.

However, I would be keen to hear from anyone owns/has played a Soldano Astroverb 1x12" as price wise it sits between the other two. Here's the rub:

Egnater is £500
Astroverb is £1,100
MESA is £1,600 (ouch!)

Only downside is that I would have to order in the Astroverb from the only UK Soldano dealer who does not hold any combos in stock. So I'd be buying without trying, but Soldano's are very highly rated. It will be for home use only and I'm after a high gain rock sound - thanks all!

[jgcable]

The Astroverb isn't high gain. I owned 2 of them. Its good for classic and hard rock but not metal unless you put a pedal in front. Its a very bright amp with not alot of bottom end (if you get the combo). Also.. I am pretty sure it doesn't have an effects loop and that sucks.

[markD]

+1 on the astroverb. i had the head, like jg said - it was weak. i even put a soldano hotmod in mine and it still sounded weak. i was VERY unhappy with that amp....it didn't get a good "clean" sound, nor did it get dirty enough. no loop, from what i remember....

i have the egnater tweaker head, and it is bad-ass. i mainly play rivera amps, and the egnater hangs with my riveras, tone-wise. it is very versatile, has a loop and is loud enough to jam with a drummer. also, it does NOT have el84 tubes, which break up really quick and get super-compressed feeling. the tweaker comes with 6V6 tubes, which are a lot tighter sounding as you crank the amp. i have also put 6L6 and EL34 tubes in it and it has worked just fine. the ONLY downsided to the tweaker 15 head is that it is one channel. the new tweaker 40 is 2 channels.

i have been infintely pleased with my egnater. it has been great in every possible way. no matter what guitar i throw at it, it does what i want while letting the character of the guitar show through. the loop works great and pedals work well in front of it. hahaha, it will even do a nice "recto" sound on the AC/modern/bright/deep setting. shit, i can get it to sound like my riveras on the USA/vintage/bright/tight setting. i use mine through a variety of cabs ranging from 1x12, 2x10, 2x12, 4x12 - sounds great through all of them. i have even used it as a "power amp" for my POD in a rehearsal once (my main amp was getting its tune-up).

i would strongly recommend the tweaker 40 if you need two channels, but the tweaker 15 is killer too.