Re: no longer a Bogner Fan
when did the stones use 5150s? -I'm not doubting you but I'd like to know when that was.
I've plugged into the Penta. I thought it was pretty average. George Lynch also must have thought it was average, as he bailed on the design (it was going to be his sig amp).
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On reliability: my understanding talking to local techs is that Peaveys are as common as any other mass produced amp in terms of repairs. And techs HATE them, as they are terrible to work on, due to issues with layout. My tech always jokes about putting 'NO PEAVEYS' on his business card. Just retubing the pre section of the 5150 and feeling the board flex gives me the craps.
[editing quote cuz the text I entered is too long]
Ah, there you are, perfect timing, as I'm just now taking a break from A/B'ing these amps for the 3rd night in a row, at all volumes. My ears are ringing because I was just playing them LOUD. Uber dirty volume and master both on 7, 6505+ post on 5. Yeah, exactly. That's loud, kids.
Let me get the niceties out of the way, then on with the crazies.
I was watching VH1's Top 40 Stupid Celebrity Quotes the other night (swept by Jessica Simpson and Paris Hilton) and there was one from Mick Jagger, and really his wasn't that dumb. They showed the Stones on stage playing and I saw a 5150. As I type this I realize I could be mistaken; it might have been one of the times Mick went solo, not the Stones, except I thought I saw Keef. Bit of a factoid stretch, not documented data. Sue me.
Wasn't it the XXX that was supposed to be the Lynch sig, not the Penta?
"Just retubing the pre section of the 5150 and feeling the board flex gives me the craps." :lmao: I needed that laugh.
Okay, here we go.
Holy crap
Holy crap
Holy crap
Holy crap
Holy crap
Holy crap
Holy crap
Did the power tubes just need breaking in? Because the Uber sounds sooo much better tonight. The "clicking" sound on the clean channel is gone. A lot of the buzz on the dirty channel is gone. The more you turn it up, the better it sounds. The lead sounds are fantastic. It seems to play easier. Still shy on harmonics; the Peavey pops and squeals with ease when I pinch 'em. The Uber's mid gain settings are throaty and snappy again. The cleans are rich and pleasing again.
Dagnabit, just W in TF ?
It's still a bit boomy, and bassy, even with the bass knob on 3.
Man I'm so torn on returning it or not. Here's exactly what happened.
I had a '93 white chassis Ecstasy. It had the greatest distortion, the most balls, the most fantastic cleans, just--it was the best amp ever. And I hauled it everywhere to play it and use it and had no problems. Cut to now. Newer Ecstasys don't have the same mojo to me, and I really just chase 2 tones: clean, and hard rock/metal. Trying to do something new, not recreate anything vintage. Don't need all the switches and plexi modes and A/AB and pentode/triode really. No disrespect, it's just not what I need, and all the bands I've been in I've always just needed 2 tones and the volume knob on the guitar, same with my studio. I liked the Ubers a bit more, cuz they are more evil, and the knobs have wide ranges in them, and it seemed very flexible for doing the tone chasing for those 2 things. A bit cheaper.
Brought it home, blew a fuse. Replaced it and a microphonic V1 with another Sovtek LPS, but the sound degraded intermittently, and it gradually got worse. Many wouldn't have noticed until it was hard not to notice. Really boomy but anemic in the mids, super buzzy even with the gain knob set low. New power tubes didn't help, nor did moving around preamp tubes. Sent it to Bogner, they said a capacitor was fried, and something "non-functional" next to the power light was melted so they replaced it and "moved" it. New power tubes. Got it back Wednesday. Sounded awful.
Now I'm kinda diggin' it again. The 6505+'s distortion is almost as nice tonight, but it's such a more reliable amp. Sounds the same every time. Plus, it has that crunch mode if I do want the Plexisms.
I'm thinking the new tubes just needed breaking in, but I'm terrified it will start sounding like crap again. I guess you can't live like that, in fear, but I traded half my studio to get this because I don't have any money and I wasn't happy with what I had (just the Uberkab would have solved most of that problem, in hindsight). If I return it, I get a lot of stuff back, mostly mediocre stuff I can live without I suppose, but also one really cool guitar that I miss.
So forget the rant and the anti-Bogner retaliation and my questionable decisions and just give me advice. I've got everyone's amp opinions.
I'm kinda stressin'.