Re: Which new amp, Matchless, Bad Cat, Bogner?
Gearjoneser hit it dead on.
There is no sense in settling with something that isn't inspiring. I recommend playing these different amps before committing to anything. That was a mistake I made.
I've always been told that the Bad Cat Hot Cat is "this" and "that". It can do plexi, it is better sounding than an Ecstasy, people have sold their Shivas for it... blah blah blah. You really don't know what you're getting yourself into unless you hear an amp with your own two ears. I heard an amp that had cleans that resembled a Matchless Chieftain (one of the best clean tones I've ever heard respectfully) and the distortion was an articulate, thin, high gain tone. Not a lot of sustain, not very thick, but articulate.
Onto Bogner. The Shiva is a whole different beast. The cleans are blackface Fenderlike (not at all like the Bad Cat's EL84 structure), and the distortion is compressed, thick, full of sustain. If I hadn't discovered my Fargen, I'd probably have picked up this one.
It all depends on what you're hearing in your head. If you want "chime" and an almost midrange push get a Vox EL84 type amp (like Matchless). If you want an amp that is moderate gain, look for a Shiva or if you want something higher gain, get a Hot Cat. I've never tried the new Hot Cat "R" version though, so maybe that will have cured my problems with it (lack of midrange, different dials for the cleans etc.)
Also, purchase an amp that's based around your intentions for it. If you're playing in the bedroom or small gigs, do not get an amp louder than 50w. I've even contemplated getting an attenuator for my Fargen, even when it's switched down to 15w (while it doesn't seem like it, 15w is LOUD). I typically look for 30w amps or lower because I want to be able to get power tube tone at a decent level. Marshall Super Leads may sound like God when cranked, but the only time you'll EVER be able to do that is to play in an arena with no PA system whatsoever (and trust me, that amp "hurts" at high volumes).
