Bogner Alchemist Series

[Andrew Lamprecht]

I have been looking into buying my first tube amp. These look very interesting but I have heard they are known to break down etc. and the customer support isn't very good.

Any one have any info about the amps or customer service?

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Bogner Alchemist Series

I know little to nothing about the Alchemist but Bogner is a great company and I haven't heard of many issues with the Alchemist series.

Where did you hear these negative reviews??

 

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: Bogner Alchemist Series

Many places. Harmony Central, Forums Searchs on other forums etc. Just in general.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Bogner Alchemist Series

Interesting, "Bogner" and "break down" are 2 things you almost never hear in the same sentence....

Bogner, like other boutique manufacturers, lives and dies with it´s product quality and customer service, so hearing such statements about Bogner, VHT, Dumble, Splawn or any other manufacturer is not only rare but should somehow be verified when the experience of thousands over the past decades speaks a different story....

I don´t know what forums you read it on other than HC reviews, but specifically the HC reviews are something I´d take with more than just one grain of salt.

I essentially can´t offer any actual experience with this particular amp, but the accusations as such highly interest me due to their unusual nature.

 

[speed2dirt]

Re: Bogner Alchemist Series

I love the amp. I've had no issues with it and bought it pre-owned. However, Customer Service is handled by Line 6. Here's a quote from the owner's manual:

"Bogner has enlisted Line 6 to provide the warranty, service and support for your amp."

Hopefully that doesn't scare you away as they can be found used for $700-800 (combos & heads).

 

[man-in-moon]

Re: Bogner Alchemist Series

i owned one for a few weeks when they came out. i liked the tone of the amp. but it started having problems. the eq knobs stopped working and there was alot of noise. i have owned a few bogners and they were great amps just not for me. the one thing to look at is they say bogner on them and he designed them but they are made by line6. so if you can live with that i would give one a try.

 

[tc]

Re: Bogner Alchemist Series

Two things about Alchemists....

a) Despite the flak they get on the internet, specially on the Gear Page, I think it sounds like a pretty tasty channel switcher that's pretty versatile. Nice gain tones, nice clean, not crazy about the effects but if they're off they are off the circuit which is a good thing.

b) Customer service IS NOT COVERED BY BOGNER....it's covered by Line 6 just like the Spider Valves. So I'm not saying Line 6 customer service is bad, I'm just saying it's not the guys at Bogner that deal with your amps.

Source for a: My own ears.
Source for b: People at the store that sells them.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Bogner Alchemist Series

I love the amp. I've had no issues with it and bought it pre-owned. However, Customer Service is handled by Line 6. Here's a quote from the owner's manual:

"Bogner has enlisted Line 6 to provide the warranty, service and support for your amp."
...

Ah, interesting.. not necessarily good or bad, as I´ve had no need to use customer service for my Toneport, but good to know...

I assume however that this is a more recent development?

 

[cakire82]

Re: Bogner Alchemist Series

I have tried an alchemist 1x12 combo in a GC store. It has great cleans and a nice crunch channel. If you are looking for some high gain you might want use a overdrive pedal or look somewhere else.

 

[Binnerscot]

Re: Bogner Alchemist Series

Ah, interesting.. not necessarily good or bad, as I´ve had no need to use customer service for my Toneport, but good to know...

I assume however that this is a more recent development?

I don't think so. The current wording gives you the impression that it is a Bogner (but made in China and supported by Line 6).

It is really a Line 6 using Bogner's designs for the tube side, and the Bogner named stamped on it.

 

[Uk Ant]

Re: Bogner Alchemist Series

My problem with the Alchemist is that, although cheap for a bogner, it's a bit pricy for chinese made all tube amp.
It's the sort of money that can get you assorted british made all tube amps and I'm very sceptical about the the abilities of the chinese to make anything of quality... which is what you want for that sort of cash.
Not sure what the prices are like in the states but they're far from cheap over here in the uk... but they have come down in price from when they first came out.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Bogner Alchemist Series

I was very impressed by the tone of the ones Ive played. I feared the reliability, but the only bad report Ive heard is the one in this post.

 

[Iron Horse]

Re: Bogner Alchemist Series

My problem with the Alchemist is that, although cheap for a bogner, it's a bit pricy for chinese made all tube amp.
It's the sort of money that can get you assorted british made all tube amps and I'm very sceptical about the the abilities of the chinese to make anything of quality... which is what you want for that sort of cash.
Not sure what the prices are like in the states but they're far from cheap over here in the uk... but they have come down in price from when they first came out.

The Chinese can build anything with just as good quality as yanks, japs or brits. The fact that the cheapest gear comes from China doesn't mean that all gear from China is bad. The reason why Chinese labor is used is the fact that they work with lower wages than Europeans or Americans - doesn't mean that they're worse. It's kinda dumb that while nowadays it's commonly accepted that Japanese can build great guitars (and have built since the 70s) but Chinese products are all crap. In some time the Chinese guitars are considered legendary for their quality and they'll be sought after just as some old Grecos etc.

Now don't read this as 'BUY CHINESE', I'm just saying that they're not all crap. OTOH, I'd rather pay a bit more for supporting the local economy and workers.

 

[tc]

Re: Bogner Alchemist Series

Ah, interesting.. not necessarily good or bad, as I´ve had no need to use customer service for my Toneport, but good to know...

I assume however that this is a more recent development?

They've always been Line 6 made that I know of.

The Chinese can build anything with just as good quality as yanks, japs or brits. The fact that the cheapest gear comes from China doesn't mean that all gear from China is bad.

Eastman is total evidence that this is true. They have top tier artists playing their archtops and they get rave reviews everywhere. From what I've read, it's almost 100% handmade stuff. Only it's in China. I tried one of their small hollowbodies (a la ES-339) and was floored. Turns out it was about $1000, entirely solid wood, etc etc. Serious stuff.

 

[everdrone]

Re: Bogner Alchemist Series

I heard really great tone when I plugged into one. Id be pretty teed tho if I spent all that dough and it broke on me

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: Bogner Alchemist Series

I am a big Bogner fan. I love their amplifiers especially the shiva and ecstasy anniversary models. No hesitation to buy if I could afford one. I wanted to embrace the Alchemist stuff but they dissapoint me. I honestly think the Marshall haze sounds better and better price tag.

They have effects and channel switching but they sound like poop. The cabs are too shallow for good projection. If you play Tool covers at home they can work for you. Better to buy a Line6 spider valve.

 

[B2D]

Re: Bogner Alchemist Series

I am a big Bogner fan. I love their amplifiers especially the shiva and ecstasy anniversary models. No hesitation to buy if I could afford one. I wanted to embrace the Alchemist stuff but they dissapoint me. I honestly think the Marshall haze sounds better and better price tag.

They have effects and channel switching but they sound like poop. The cabs are too shallow for good projection. If you play Tool covers at home they can work for you. Better to buy a Line6 spider valve.

Wow... that's interesting. Personally I thought the Haze was a letdown tonally and the Spider Valve amps were loud but not very pleasing, tonally.

I've spent some time with Alchemists and I wouldn't hesitate to buy the head version. Really lush clean sounds that you can push into blooming overdrive, and rock tones that can go from mild to nice and hot. It's not an amp for heavier rock styles or metal, but it'll satisfy for just about anything else. The reverb and delay are pretty good, too.

 

[Stef]

Re: Bogner Alchemist Series

vox (night train, AC15, AC30) = good chinese stuff!

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: Bogner Alchemist Series

Wow... that's interesting. Personally I thought the Haze was a letdown tonally and the Spider Valve amps were loud but not very pleasing, tonally.

I've spent some time with Alchemists and I wouldn't hesitate to buy the head version. Really lush clean sounds that you can push into blooming overdrive, and rock tones that can go from mild to nice and hot. It's not an amp for heavier rock styles or metal, but it'll satisfy for just about anything else. The reverb and delay are pretty good, too.

That is the thing about tone. Everyone hears it differently. I think Alchemists sound like poop but I was a previous Shiva owner so my opinion is biased to the real Bogners. I like the Haze a lot but I also like DSL and JCM800. Marshall people hate on those all the time but it is what I like.

I did not say the Spider valve sounded better. I think it is a better buy for the money because you get more effects and more sounds and it sounds passable if you can dial it in. Mostly for metal music.

Specifically what I dont like about the Alchemist has to do with a few things. I do not like the way it sounds when you dial it to cut through a mix. There are a couple of ways to cut through but the presence does not sound good. I do not like the delay. It sounds dirt cheap. Worse than Boss digital delay. The reverb is passable but not good. The cabs are narrow so do not project good. I tried the head with a 4x12 celestion v30 and it sounded bland.

Clean is ok but there are better. Marshall Haze clean has more snap and pop. Overdrive is way better on the Marshall. Haze 40 reminds me of a mix between DSL and JTM45.

An Alchemist is nearly as much as a Egnater. They blow away any Alchemist out there easy. I am in love with Egnater amps like crazy.

Opinions are like A holes. One man's garbage is another man's holy grail tone. Alchemist get pretty good reviews. They are not so bad. Better out there for the money.

 

[75lespaul]

Re: Bogner Alchemist Series

The Chinese can build anything with just as good quality as yanks, japs or brits. The fact that the cheapest gear comes from China doesn't mean that all gear from China is bad. The reason why Chinese labor is used is the fact that they work with lower wages than Europeans or Americans - doesn't mean that they're worse. It's kinda dumb that while nowadays it's commonly accepted that Japanese can build great guitars (and have built since the 70s) but Chinese products are all crap. In some time the Chinese guitars are considered legendary for their quality and they'll be sought after just as some old Grecos etc.

Now don't read this as 'BUY CHINESE', I'm just saying that they're not all crap. OTOH, I'd rather pay a bit more for supporting the local economy and workers.

I don't think he's saying that the Chinese don't have the ABILITY to make a great product, I think he's saying that they just don't. Whether it is because of the company itself trying to keep the costs low, or the quality control, it seems to be that Chinese made products are not as reliable as some other country's products. I believe that the quality put out by a company is usually a conscious decision, and some Chinese made products are going to be fantastic and some aren't, just like everywhere else. For now though, it seems more on the "aren't" side.