Bad Cat Couger combo....GrrrrrrrrOOOOOw

Re: Bad Cat Couger combo....GrrrrrrrrOOOOOw

Mine came yesterday. It seems well built to me. Jacks feel solid. Knobs feel solid and smooth. Not the biggest fan of the chicken head knobs but the white on black arrangement certainly helps these aging eyes tell what's what. The clean channel is worth the price of admission alone. The gain channel has off the hook amounts of distortion...too much in my opinion. I'm going to try a lower gain tube like Jeremy. I think I've got some old ones in a drawer in the attic. Trying to get a low grind sound made the dirt channel sound sort of anemic. So I hope a weaker tube will help in this regard. Not a huge fan of the reverb and I'm a reverb freak. It serviceable but nothing more. I was also bummed it didn't ship with a footswitch. Why do manufactures do this? OF COURSE I WANT THE FOOTSWITCH! I have a two banger f/s from an old marshall buried deep in a box-o-many-things that I hope will work.
 
Re: Bad Cat Couger combo....GrrrrrrrrOOOOOw

From the manual, it's just a TRS foot switch arrangement. Should be pretty simple.
 
Re: Bad Cat Couger combo....GrrrrrrrrOOOOOw

I have a strong desire to try out this amp now, damn you guys for giving me gas
 
Re: Bad Cat Couger combo....GrrrrrrrrOOOOOw

Anyhoo...a bit more info.

First off this thing really wants to protect the tubes and keep your grubby mitts off 'em. I don't mind having to remove the back panel of an amp to get to the goodies but this thing puts up a struggle. First off, the back panel wedges in so tightly that the four screws holding it firm are hardly necessary! But after a few good tugs it came loose. Now onto the real challenge!

BC_cage_zpszuemd1nr.jpg


That's a serious cage around the big bottles and what I'm assuming is the PI tube. Does somebody think the tubes are going to escape and run off? Oh yeah...that one kinda naked pre-amp tube...the retainer had fallen off in the process of removing the amp from the chassis. I hate those things though I have drawer full of 'em.

The only way to get at any of the tubes is to pull the amp out of the chassis. So on we go. Four machine screws do the job but be careful as the wires to the reverb tank attach via a connector on the big circuit board. So balance the amp while unhooking the wire. But wait...gotta lose a zip tie first. Ok so now it's free. Have a look...

BC_inside1_zps3e20mrle.jpg


Note two fuses. (edit...three fuses!) Replacing fuses like this myself over the years has saved at least the cost of this amp in bench fees. No user serviceable parts my fanny!

BC_inside2_zpslk6ccrc7.jpg


BCtubes_zpshsjt44m9.jpg


I had a few lower gain pre-amp tubes and experimented for a bit but in the end I liked the stock tubes better so for now it's back as it shipped. Well minus the tube retainers and the cage. I put the retainers and screws in a baggy. Put the baggy in the cage and wrapped the cage with cling wrap. The whole thing will end up in a box-o-many-things for safe keeping.

BC_rear_zps0swgvm3a.jpg


At least now with the back panel removed it's a relativly simple job to swap out a tube if need be.

Final parting shot.

BC_rear_panel_zpsszrpkwqt.jpg
 
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Re: Bad Cat Couger combo....GrrrrrrrrOOOOOw

Did you see a bias pot in there?

Like you, I save all the stuff I don't need in case I do need it someday.
I just realized I have a heavy duty road case I bought at Coco Montoya's garage sale 15 years ago. It was for a Matchless head.....and voila, it fits this head!
 
Re: Bad Cat Couger combo....GrrrrrrrrOOOOOw

RE bias pot. I wasn't looking for one to be honest. Would have been a good idea.

RE Matchless...Am I right or wrong that Bad Cat has a Matchless heritage...
 
Re: Bad Cat Couger combo....GrrrrrrrrOOOOOw

I'll take a peek tonight on mine. Going to strip the tube cover and all that...
 
Re: Bad Cat Couger combo....GrrrrrrrrOOOOOw

I've gotta say, I am loving this amplifier more and more. The combo sounds so good, I haven't even unpacked the new head that came yesterday yet! I ran it in stereo with my Valveking today, and oh goodness, did it sound awesome. Had the Bad Cat set more modern sounding and the Valveking more classic and the mix was great. This weekend, I'll unpack the head and replace the Valveking in that mix. I'm sure two Bad Cats are going to sound heads and tails above a Bad Cat and a Valveking! Any ideas on how to hook up two amps with one footswitch so you can switch clean to gain at the same time, lol. God, the clean channels together were badass. Played Stairway and it sounded huge. A little Broon's Bain and The Trees...WOW! The gain channel...I swear, I can get nearly any sound out of it I want. That mid control switch almost makes this four completely different amps. It's nuts. Again, the first combo I ever had that...to me...sounds as full and rich as a halfstack or good 2x12. Of course, I've never had a good quality 112 before so...but this baby is the shiznit. I don't know why I jumped on the Gearjoneser bandwagon for this amp, but I'm really glad I did.
 
Re: Bad Cat Couger combo....GrrrrrrrrOOOOOw

yeah, its a great amp. i left the 1st preamp tube the same (chinese 12ax7b) but changed the 2nd to a british 12au7. seems like it only effected the gain channel which is what i was hoping. instead of running the gain at 9 o'clock i run it at 3 and get about the same drive with a very similar tone but it cleans up soo much better.

bad cat usa was started by one of the matchless guys but these chinese made bad cats share only the name

you could make the footswitch do both amps, youd have to open it up and basically wire another cable/stereo jack to the same switches
 
Re: Bad Cat Couger combo....GrrrrrrrrOOOOOw

jeremy said:
bad cat usa was started by one of the matchless guys but these chinese made bad cats share only the name

you could make the footswitch do both amps, youd have to open it up and basically wire another cable/stereo jack to the same switches
Click to expand...

I was wondering about doing that, or getting splitter or a Y cable, if they make such a thing for that. The footswitch is not "hard wired" so to speak. You have to plug the cable into it, and it looks like it is just a regular guitar cable.
 
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Re: Bad Cat Couger combo....GrrrrrrrrOOOOOw

jeremy said:
yeah, its a great amp. i left the 1st preamp tube the same (chinese 12ax7b) but changed the 2nd to a british 12au7. seems like it only effected the gain channel which is what i was hoping. instead of running the gain at 9 o'clock i run it at 3 and get about the same drive with a very similar tone but it cleans up soo much better.
Click to expand...

I need to try this. I may also Email the designer, James Brown, and see if there's a simple way to change the level of gain, so 1 - 5 has more range.

Other than that, I like everything about the amp. It sounds great from super low volume all the way to ground shaking volume. Most importantly, I like the tone of both channels. I'm glad it's a 50W EL-34 amp.

I'm also glad they made them look just like US models. Unless you know the story, you'd just assume it's a $2500 Bad Cat.

I sure wish they'd knock the Cougar 15 combo down in price. Before any of these went on sale, I was initially interested in that one.
 
Re: Bad Cat Couger combo....GrrrrrrrrOOOOOw

that piqued my interest too but i have three amps in that power range already so really dont need another single channel 1x12 15w amp. i havent had a channel switcher or el34 amp in a long time so the 50 was a perfect find for me, especially at that price!

this all started, at least for me, cause someone here said mf was blowing out amps. whoever it was... i own em a beer or four.

joe, if you do email him see if you can get a schematic.
 
Re: Bad Cat Couger combo....GrrrrrrrrOOOOOw

Demanic said:
I would try an EL34L.
Click to expand...

If there's a bias pot, I'll throw some JJ E-34L's in there. But honestly, the amp is so loud that I don't see a reason for more headroom. The stock tubes really sound just fine.

Before you consider any cheap Bugera, forget that idea and grab one of these Cougar 50's before they're gone. For $429, it's a no brainer. This head on a 412 is pretty much the Jerry Cantrell sound at a bargain basement price.
 
Re: Bad Cat Couger combo....GrrrrrrrrOOOOOw

So how's it going with those Bad Cat purchases? I've seen Trevorus had to return his, and I feel bad for that. Anyone else? I've had my combo for a few weeks now, and the head for a week, and I've come to the conclusion that Les Paul + Brobucker + some cool effects + Bad Cat Cougar 50 combo = pure heaven. I mean for me, the sound is perfect. Just perfect. Whether by my lonesome or in the band mix, that little sucker just rocks and rocks and won't stop. One thing I've noticed is that whether its the head or cabinet, this amp really loves the Vintage 30, and does not get along as well with my Greenback loaded 4X12 or Splawn small block loaded 2X12. But my V30/G12H30 X pattern rocks with these amps. Again though, the combo by itself with its lil' old 1x12 nearly sounds as darn big and full as a half stack, which still amazes me.
 
Re: Bad Cat Couger combo....GrrrrrrrrOOOOOw

I wish it had worked out. It was the only open box at the time. I probably shouldn't have spent the money anyway. I really did like its tight, modern drive.
 
Re: Bad Cat Couger combo....GrrrrrrrrOOOOOw

trevorus said:
I wish it had worked out. It was the only open box at the time. I probably shouldn't have spent the money anyway. I really did like its tight, modern drive.
Click to expand...

I'm not seeing where you said what was wrong
 
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