Time for another round of: Talk me out of this amp (boogie)

[jeremy]

nice score! the non reverb models are nice, but having verb on board makes it literally a grab and go amp.

[Mincer]

Done deal. Sounded super clear and clean. Still need to hook it up with the boogie cab I’ve got and some pedals. He threw in a pair of replacement tubes too. Ad text said presence but turns out it was the reverb model.

Awesome! You got the right one!

[DankStar]

Here’s a little snippet on contour mode. It’s bringing out some interesting riffs. It’s loud as sh!t so most of my videos I’ve done are clipping.

It’s got so many different sounds, it’s an impressive chameleon of sorts

https://youtu.be/LKzZWlbZXPg?si=yUJxuZ-UtyG_UKl_

[Ascension]

Owned both the Reverb later model and my early non reverb. I prefer the early amps as they are voiced slightly differently. Any Subway Rocket however that is in good shape is a real killer. Have gigged the one I own hard for over 20 years now without a single issue, these amps are built like a tank.
Here is a live recording from a week or so ago, running a Boss DD 7 delay and a Strymon Blue Sky in the loop with my 2008 Carvin SH 60. No PA and the only amplified instruments are my guitar and the internal speakers in the Casio keyboard. I have a WGS ET 10 in the amp, otherwise it stock and I am running nothing but amp and the verb and delay in the loop here. This amp always sounds great in live recordings. The best small grab and go amps I have ever found and are by far my favorite Boogies. I will never be without one of these little amps, and over the years have owned 3. This particular amp I have owned a little over 20 years now. Welcome to the club!

https://youtu.be/ghlrBV94iTA?si=qZqXJ_Q7tkBpK9Jj

[Ascension]

Done deal. Sounded super clear and clean. Still need to hook it up with the boogie cab I’ve got and some pedals. He threw in a pair of replacement tubes too. Ad text said presence but turns out it was the reverb model.

Very clean example, congrats.
The cleans are very nice, but these also can be real fire breathers at high gain
Couple clips with mine
At gain, miced with an SM 57 running just a little verb and delay in the loop and then kicking in the couture for the solo at super low stage volume.

https://youtu.be/CuRn3A3PpNg?si=wTJaeNrlcDcsU7Od

Unmiced clean country.for a little Christmas thing running only verb in teh loop and a BOSS CS 3 compressor in front playing my 93 KOA Carvin DC 127with a Hybrid bridge and sentient neck. Check the solo tones at 2:15 in particular.

https://youtu.be/MmQ5lOI1Fs8?si=7rkMv5YADay-kV_Q

. Another live clip at super low on stage volume miced with an SM 57 from a conference. A couple folks were kidding around and joking about my "little bitty amp" as we were setting up. They got shut up QUICK when our set started, and they first heard it out front LOL!!

https://youtu.be/bNb17_MtCxg?si=P4wbJ8i14AEX1vFf

.

[DankStar]

At gain, miced with an SM 57 running just a little verb and delay in the loop and then kicking in the couture for the solo at super low stage volume.

https://youtu.be/CuRn3A3PpNg?si=wTJaeNrlcDcsU7Od

.

cool, great clips

Questions:

1. Do (or did) yours have a little power outlet inside the bottom back panel? The amp plugs into a little power outlet hub with several outlets on it, and that hub has a cord that comes out of the amp to plug into the wall. The guy I bought it off of thought it was original but it seemed like a mod to me. If so, it's apparently well done and I'll leave it.

2. Is your pedal switcher attached to the inside of your cabinet with clips? I can unplug it, but I can't really remove the pedal from the amp without unscrewing the clips from the cab. Again, a neat little mod if someone else did it (prevents pressure on the jack if pulled to tight), but curious if it's original. I think it's odd that on the pedal side the cord is hardwired in. I'd rather have it be removable.

3. Are your power tubes slightly crooked? The metal wire brackets that help hold in the power tubes seem to want to bend them at a bit of an angle. I've gently put them as straight as I can but don't want to force things. Plus they work just fine so just an aesthetic thing at this point. I've considered not engaging the metal wire brackets but I could see the tubes coming out eventually with vibrations.

I've always heard boogies (mainly rectifiers) playing nicely with tube screamers. I thought it was sort of overplayed until I used about 5 different OD pedals with the rocket and it loved my stupid behringer 808 clone the best. It may be an always-on kinda situation on the rhythm channel I liked it so much. My super OD made that channel sound slightly more Marshally, which was also fun.

[Ascension]

cool, great clips

Questions:

1. Do (or did) yours have a little power outlet inside the bottom back panel? The amp plugs into a little power outlet hub with several outlets on it, and that hub has a cord that comes out of the amp to plug into the wall. The guy I bought it off of thought it was original but it seemed like a mod to me. If so, it's apparently well done and I'll leave it.

2. Is your pedal switcher attached to the inside of your cabinet with clips? I can unplug it, but I can't really remove the pedal from the amp without unscrewing the clips from the cab. Again, a neat little mod if someone else did it (prevents pressure on the jack if pulled to tight), but curious if it's original. I think it's odd that on the pedal side the cord is hardwired in. I'd rather have it be removable.

3. Are your power tubes slightly crooked? The metal wire brackets that help hold in the power tubes seem to want to bend them at a bit of an angle. I've gently put them as straight as I can but don't want to force things. Plus they work just fine so just an aesthetic thing at this point. I've considered not engaging the metal wire brackets but I could see the tubes coming out eventually with vibrations.

I've always heard boogies (mainly rectifiers) playing nicely with tube screamers. I thought it was sort of overplayed until I used about 5 different OD pedals with the rocket and it loved my stupid behringer 808 clone the best. It may be an always-on kinda situation on the rhythm channel, I liked it so much. My super OD made that channel sound slightly more Marshally, which was also fun.

No on the power outlet it has to be something that was added.

The channel switch is attached to the Rockets with reverb. They plug in to the bottom of the chassis, and it's not easy to get to, I would leave it as it is personally it was done for a reason and is original. On the non reverb amps, they don't attach and have a little pouch inside the amp for storage, the pedal plugs in the front under the input jack with a normal 1/4 plug. Have owned both versions, they are killers.

The wire holders hold the power tubes in place but do let them move a little, so that's normal.

I greatly prefer a Nobles OD 1 or Wampler Belle to a Tube Screamer with mine. They also work well with a Klon clone, like a Wampler Tuminus. I personally didn't care for a screamer with mine, but only use a drive on the clean side at low gain for light breakup.

Also, I have a WGS ET 10 and it REALLY woke this amp up. Matches very well tonally with a Subway Rocket IMO.
You are aware these amps are almost 30 years old, are you not? Built from 96 to 98.

[DankStar]

You are aware these amps are almost 30 years old, are you not? Built from 96 to 98.

I do forget that it’s an “older” amp! It’s probably seen some battles. The contour channel sounds very modern even still. Thanks for the answers and insights.

i had fun yesterday with it and my extension cab (it’s old as dirt too, haha).

[Ascension]

I do forget that it’s an “older” amp! It’s probably seen some battles. The contour channel sounds very modern even still. Thanks for the answers and insights.

i had fun yesterday with it and my extension cab (it’s old as dirt too, haha).

Love those old Theil cabs! I have a modern Mesa wide body, I run at times under mine, these little amps pack a surprising punch don't they!.

[jeremy]

love that color! do no like that headstock though, do they have other options?

[Ascension]

love that color! do no like that headstock though, do they have other options?

Quite a number of options, in fact. I wish they still offered the old Carvin in line headstock, but they don't anymore, saying that this headstock looks much better in person than this photo shows. The way it's setting in the stand here makes it look different from what it looks in person. I don't recommend the angled pointy headstock without a lock nut in particular because of tunings stability even though they really look cool, but any of the others are very stable. Of what is now offered, I like this design on this more traditional body the best. Guitar is a real killer, glad I went with the Delos rather than the Shur standard I was also looking at. Would rank materials fit finish and workmanship on both as being very close but like this neck much better than the Shur neck. It's a 2023 Kiesel Delos. Here is a friend of mine from the Kiesel group with a very similar Delos in Pink with this headstock. Is also running the same pickups as mine.