Shiva vs. Koch Multitone vs. Guytron vs..?

[CaptainCrunch]

For all of you tone wizards lucky enough to have played some or all of these amps, please share any insights and opinions.

I live in no-man's land as far as access to high end amps, had to drive 2 1/2 hours just to find a Bogner! So I played thru an EL34 Shiva and it was stunning.

It was almost a revelation. After years of playing through lower end amps, trying to apply different effects as "band-aids" to somehow conjure up a satisfying tone - well, it just never really happened. Went the digital route to no long-term satisfaction. Ya, the Bassman holds no mojo for me either. OK, so much for the confessional.

Also was able to play through a Rivera Chubster, a THD Univalve, a Traynor YCV40WR, and an Uberschall.

For me the Shiva was king and for the money, it should be. But the wonderful warm clean and the smooooth 2nd channel were just too much. OK, so buy the Shiva you say, and I might.

Well, since that was really the first boutique amp I've had the privilege to play, there might be others out there I might love even more. From my perusing of amp sites and the like on the web, I come away with the idea that the Multitone and the Guytron are also candidates. I hear the Koch is very versatile, has very smooth distortion and a great clean, and I like the 50/25 watt option. The Guytron reputedly is also very versatile, superb tone across a broad spectrum, and sounds great at lower volume.

I won't likely be playing in a room bigger than 200 seats, and at this point in my life, it is all about enjoyment and inspiration, and I gotta be satisfied with my tone for those 2 things to be happening. Some forum bro's have been kind enough to PM some feedback on the Koch to me, but in lieu of actually being able to hear the Koch and Guytron (and any other alternatives that sound like they might fit this bill, speak up!) I want to hear from you.

Also, where on the west coast will I have to go to have access to these other amps - I don't think Seattle (correct me if I'm wrong), maybe SF, anybody know? Hopefully not all the way to LA.

Thank you in advance.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Shiva vs. Koch Multitone vs. Guytron vs..?

Just buy the Bogner. I've played a lot of boutiques and vintage amps, and the Koch is alright, but still sounds midline. The Guytron is a great design and I like it, but at that price the Bogner still owns it. The Guytron has a great clean channel and the overdrive channel is great, but not as tight as the Bogner. I don't just say it because I own an Ecstasy, but really, last time I plugged into a Shiva 1-12 combo EL-34 w/reverb, the owner of the store ran out of his upstairs office and said "Jesus Christ, that sounds great.....oh it's the Bogner....shoulda known, nice playing too." That was the owner of Westwood Music in Los Angeles.

 

[Neeradj]

Re: Shiva vs. Koch Multitone vs. Guytron vs..?

A Koch midline? You have got to be kidding me, the Koch is a bit cheaper here in Holland because they're made here, but lots of people own the Koch and love it! The Shiva is a great amp if you dig the tone, but honest owners will tell you, you might not like it that much, or absolutely love it. Paul Reed Smith and Al Dimeola do, and I know I do. To me the Shiva and Koch aren't better than the other, just different (I know that isn't helpful, but it's the best I can do). Koch can do great clean ups to very high gain territory and everything in between, it's got more gain than the Shiva, but that isn't necesarilly better.

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Shiva vs. Koch Multitone vs. Guytron vs..?

I love the Shiva myself, but I didn't buy one because of the 80w the EL34 version puts out, just way too much power for any average musician. I've heard that amp has to be cranked a good amount to get it to sound great and I know I wouldn't be able to do that realistically. The scary thing is that the Bogner Shiva is cheap compared to other boutique amps on the market, especially for what you get. The compression might not fit some players idea of distortion, but for me it was what I was looking for.

Guytron's aren't cheap amps. The GT-100 isn't anything special, but the newer FV model is getting some rave reviews. There's lots of flexibility in that amp.

It's like I said in the previous thread "Ridiculous Amps", the Koch is a strange beast with some unique voicings; as a result some will love it and others will walk away wondering how it can be sold for such a high cost.

If you live in the UK, you owe it to yourself to pick up a high end amp like Diezel, ENGL, or Hughes & Kettner. These amps are much cheaper overseas and us US guys have to pay through the roof for them brand new.

 

[aleclee]

Re: Shiva vs. Koch Multitone vs. Guytron vs..?

I owned a 100W Multitone for a couple of years. When I got it I loved the clean and ultra-gain channels. The middle channel did the pushed Fender thing really well but that's not particularly my thing.

As time went on, my tastes changed. I found the cleans to be "too clean" (think JC120). Some folks might dig it but it stopped being my cup o' tea. Since I didn't particularly appreciate two of the three channels, I sold it last fall. Ironically, the guy who bought it sold me my Rivera Rake Reverb a few months before.

The Multitone is a very versatile amp with some very nice tones. Whether those tones are what you're looking for is a different matter altogether. If you love the clean and gain on the Shiva, I suspect that the Koch might not be your cup o' tea.

 

[Neeradj]

Re: Shiva vs. Koch Multitone vs. Guytron vs..?

If you live in the UK, you owe it to yourself to pick up a high end amp like Diezel, ENGL, or Hughes & Kettner. These amps are much cheaper overseas and us US guys have to pay through the roof for them brand new.

Well actually, those amps are the cheapest in Germany
But imagine having to pay big bucks for the other high end or boutique brands :smack: . Bogners, VHTs, Riveras, even Peaveys sometime (5150s are actually still being sold for about 950 euros second hand! that's ridiculous considering the USA pricing)