Bye Bye Bogner

[Tooling]

So I'm packing my XTC 101B up to ship to Bogner today...I'm going to have the Class A option installed, the preamp section re-tubed, and a good overall inspection. I also told them ,(Sean), to spend some time listening and feel free to, "tweak" anything they feel necassary to maximize and perfect the designed tone...especially the gain channels...cleans are cool but GAIN is where it's at....I told them to bill me for any of that stuff. I tried to have Reinholdt personally do the, listening/tweaking, and even offered them twice their benchrate for it but I don't think that is going to happen. Nothing is wrong with the amp but I do want the Class A option and I bought the amp used, (although basically new), so I don't think it's a horrible idea to have it checked out by them personally plus it is one of two pieces of gear that will never go away...NEVER..there..I said it, (SLATQH is the other). When I was on the phone w/Sean I asked him about the idea of having an EL34/6L6 switch and he basically said they design and build the amps soley based and geared toward the tubes it is designed for and the addition of switching ability will take away from the end result....makes sense to me...but now I'm scared the Class A option will **** with the basic AB tone I've come to love [img]/images/graemlins/brow.gif[/img] Just FYI for anybody considering the same thing...Class A, preamp retubed, general checkup, and return shipping = $390.00..Now poor me has to live w/out my XTC for about three weeks...I don't know what I'll do...I guess I'll just HAVE to use that damned VHT UL that sits on top of it [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[jgcable]

Re: Bye Bye Bogner

Poor baby. Let us know how it sounds when you get it back.

[thenine]

Re: Bye Bye Bogner

Did you consider getting the Classic mod performed or no?

9

[Tooling]

Re: Bye Bye Bogner

Why **** with something you love....I love the sound of the 101B and while I've never heard a Classic....one thing I've learned...don't **** with a winner. I've had a boatload of gear..low end..high end...good ...bad...ok....Like I stated before the XTC and the SLATQH stay.<PERIOD...GoldTop will go...SL2H will probably go at some point...MK IV gone..DSL gone, TSL gone, Mesa cabs gone, Rectoverb gone, dual rec. gone, Ibanez's gone, Other Gibsons gone...get it? Change the character of my XTC...Those are fightin' words [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/baby.gif[/img]

[Tooling]

Re: Bye Bye Bogner

Quote, "I wish these were the days when you could challenge somebody to a duel"

[horns666]

Re: Bye Bye Bogner

I'd rather my Uber ran on 6L6s ...wouldn't mind a tube switch myself..

[slo100]

Re: Bye Bye Bogner

Tooling, you just posted you gave the Bogner guys carte blanche to "tweak" your amp. Then you say don't f- with a good thing! Hopefully they don't tweak it into something you don't like.

I have a Boogie MkIIC. I called Doug at Mesa about the "+" mod and the first thing he asked was if I liked the amp. I confirmed I did and he said don't mess with it! I think almost everyone else has had their non + models modded so I guess mine gets more rare every day.

Anyway, I am curious what you are expecting out of the Class A mod on the Ecstasy. What is this going to give you? (I have a loaded 100B BTW)

[Tooling]

Re: Bye Bye Bogner

When I gave them the green light to ,"tweak", I was clear and specific in saying that they can tweak to maximize the DESIGNED tone. For example if they felt the bass was a little loose for their intended design..work on it...if it had more/less sag than their intended design... work on it. Basically make it every bit of a 101B that they intended and I was trying to give them the message that I'll pay whatever it costs for them to ensure it is a stellar example of a 101B....whether my strategy works or not..?? Maybe I would LOVE a Classic but I can promise you if/when I find out...it will be another amp sitting atop my 101B. As for me wanting the Class A....it will only give a versatile amp another option. I'm hoping the Class A will only make bedroom volume playing even better still. While I have no intention of selling now or in the future...the $390.00 I'm paying will be given back to me if I ever sell it. I can play this amp for ten years and have full confidence I will be able to get every dime back at resale, essentially I can own this amp for as long as I'd like for free....this is the beauty of the high end gear and ebay. If you ever want rid of your 100B...give me a shout.

[slo100]

Re: Bye Bye Bogner

Sounds cool. I love my 100B. It is a great amp that I would be scared to do anything with mod-wise. It would be very hard to part with mine, too. Hopefully I'll never have to. I'd be surprised if they find anything to tweak on your amp. With the quality of components and workmanship they put into these things you should not have to worry about things drifting out of spec that they'd have to fix. Hopefully you get it back soon. I am using Svetlana EL34s and some NOS Raytheon 12AX7s. What tubes are using? Did you get yours at Chuck's?

[Tooling]

Re: Bye Bye Bogner

slo...don't get me wrong here...you have a valid and credible point...that is why in my earlier post I said I do have a little hesitation with doing it. I'm certainly not trying to discount your line of thinking on this.

[Tooling]

Re: Bye Bye Bogner

In my opinion ..Svetlanas are tops. I have tried NOS Mullards, GE, Raytheon, Sylvania and a few of the current stuff....with the Ecstasy I always end up back to the Chinese tubes in which the amp was designed around. To my ears they have the most neutral sound of all the tubes as far as bass etc. but more importantly...for me...fifth order harmonics up the wazoo....everything just sounds, "right" with them. I love compressed, saggy,squishy,harmonically lush overdrive...basically I've always loved the XTC...just didn't know it. It is my ,"base", amp that I play at home and practice etc. Playing live or with friends...I have come to believe the VHT UL is pretty tough to beat. It has an aggression and punch with clarity that has to be heard to be believed and just flattens anything I've heard and quite honestly I think it is a more versatile head than the XTC. The XTC has a vibe and feel that cannot be touched though. If you want to bring out the agression in the XTC's overdrive....drop a Mullard in V1...it's like a different amp but you do lose some of the sweetness in the top end. A friend of mine has a 100B that I've not played but he was telling me they were designed around German tubes??? Is that true? If so definately give me some recomendations to pass along because I don't think he has even turned his amp on for a year or two because as he says.."it needs tubes and I can't find them anymore".

[slo100]

Re: Bye Bye Bogner

When I got the amp I called about tubes and they said use Svetlanas. Your bud is probably thinking about Siemens EL34s which are supposed to be excellent. I think the Svets are tough enough and consistent enough to do just fine so that is what I've used. I use Chinese 12AX7's in every other amp I have and when these Raytheons die (hopefully never) I'll swap them out. I tend to let preamp tubes go until death. I think I'd take the German tube story with a grain of salt!

I had a very early VHT Pitbull I got from Veneman's when they first started carrying them in the early 90s. It was a great amp until I brought home my SLO100. The SLO is my all time favorite amp. I use the Bogner in my cover band because of verstility. When I go to jam with other bands doing straight hard rock or metal I take the SLO every time. The VHT was good but I did not have the clarity experience you are having with that amp. It was a heavy sound that was great by itself but did not cut it (literally) with bands or other guitar players.

The Bogner definitely has a nice tight compressed tone that is just raw enough for me to like. It is not as touch sensitive as the SLO nor does it "sing" like the SLO does if that makes any sense. I can't find an amp with better gain dynamics, clarity, and attack while retaining sensitivity. I think because it is so stripped down and the ultra-high spec component and transformer quality give it that crispness many amps don't have. It is also stupid simple with very little circuitry and I am a firm believe in keeping things simple with guitar tone!

A couple friends and I get together and go through all this stuff with our amps. Usually there are a couple Pitbulls, my 100B, a few SLO100s, and various Marshalls and Boogies.

Believe it or not a JCM800 2204 running dry with no overdrive or effects blew us all away last time. Funny how that happens with $3,000 amps in the room! Here's a pic.

[Tooling]

Re: Bye Bye Bogner

Cool rig. I have found with the UL that at bedroom volumes 6L6's are the way to go because of the earlier breakup. Crank it up and the 6L6's don't have the clarity or volume. Drop some KT88's in and crank. Deep Bass and high highs (kinda harsh by itself) and clarity, absolutely crushing metal tones. Take my opinion with a grain of salt because I haven't had the UL for that long and I've not tried out a SLO or a Uberschall. In fact I'd probably trade my UL for a Uberschall just to check it out. I didn't buy my XTC at Chucks..I picked it up used thanks to a tip from Tim Krueger here on the forum. I did play the XTC at Levins for the first time and that's what put me on an XTC mission after about one hour play time. I was going to buy the one they have in stock until Tim tipped me to one and ended up saving me about twelve/thirteen hundred bucks....thanks Tim. I've bought two Bogner 4x12's from them...still waiting on the straight cab...I'll have a full Bogner Stack...very cool. Last time I was there they didn't have a Uberschall in stock or an SLO for that matter....do they still sell Soldano..I don't remember seeing any. They had a Krank combo and said...you gotta try this...I turned it on, turned it up, dimed the gain, and abruptly turned it off whilst laughing and said...how about I try the Ecstasy.

[El Bastardo]

Re: Bye Bye Bogner

Cool man, what XTC have you got, the one with a black rear panel or a white rearpanel?