NAD!
- Thread starter Gearhog
- Start date
I freakin love this head. I have about six hours into it today and this thing is just a riot to play. The strings are really percussive and its got the massive Jose crunch and growl, and just sounds huge. I cranked it through a cab with scum H75s, a vintage 30s cab. A late seventies cab with G12-80s. One with blackback 25W Ms, and a cab with G12-65s. With a little adjustment of the edge and the gain knob, I was able to dial in killer tones out of every cab.
I have owned a Bogner 100b, an SLO100. Tens of Marshall super leads and JMPs. Five HG Jose's, and one original Jose LG and two original Jose modded HG. One based off one he did for Metallica, and one based of one of Joe Holmes Jose heads. I currently have a Marsha and a bunch of old Marshalls. My Atomica sounds like a fantastic Jose modded Marshall, but has quite a bit more gain than my HG Jose. Best taper on the master volume of any head I have ever owned. I set up the controls like Mark Day has his set. I am using some edge with my M speakers, but no edge with my H speakers. I am really liking both the highest and the middle setting on the gain switch.
I have no use for the low gain input
but I plugged in and dialed up the gain and the clipping, and found a very usable 70s hard rock tone. My go to guitar is a 79 LP standard with a duncan custom. I also used a 78 LP custom with T-tops, and a Warren Demartini Charvel with a duncan distortion. All of them sounded great. I aso ran a PCM42 in the loop, and it worked out great.
I really like Loudness, Back for the attack, Ratt, Whitesnake, and also old priest tones. This head is all over it. I am excited to get 40 or so hours on this thing to break in all the signal caps and other components to see what its going to sound like then.
I would like to thank everyone involved with making these available.
You guys kicked ass on this one. With all the heads I have owned, I had really really high expectations, and the Atomica delivered. Even the black cloth front is starting to grow on me. Steven.
I have owned a Bogner 100b, an SLO100. Tens of Marshall super leads and JMPs. Five HG Jose's, and one original Jose LG and two original Jose modded HG. One based off one he did for Metallica, and one based of one of Joe Holmes Jose heads. I currently have a Marsha and a bunch of old Marshalls. My Atomica sounds like a fantastic Jose modded Marshall, but has quite a bit more gain than my HG Jose. Best taper on the master volume of any head I have ever owned. I set up the controls like Mark Day has his set. I am using some edge with my M speakers, but no edge with my H speakers. I am really liking both the highest and the middle setting on the gain switch.
I have no use for the low gain input
but I plugged in and dialed up the gain and the clipping, and found a very usable 70s hard rock tone. My go to guitar is a 79 LP standard with a duncan custom. I also used a 78 LP custom with T-tops, and a Warren Demartini Charvel with a duncan distortion. All of them sounded great. I aso ran a PCM42 in the loop, and it worked out great. I really like Loudness, Back for the attack, Ratt, Whitesnake, and also old priest tones. This head is all over it. I am excited to get 40 or so hours on this thing to break in all the signal caps and other components to see what its going to sound like then.
I would like to thank everyone involved with making these available.
You guys kicked ass on this one. With all the heads I have owned, I had really really high expectations, and the Atomica delivered. Even the black cloth front is starting to grow on me.
Steven.slogriff ... i was just able to play one earlier today and was totally impressed. if i owned one i couldn't see letting it go. i would suggest keeping it if i were you, but then again that's something everyone has to decide for themselves.
to the OP .... that red tolex is awesome dude !
to the OP .... that red tolex is awesome dude !
Glad you dig it Steve!
bonedarrell
Active member
SLOgriff":2fuuaeou said:Congrats! That RED sure does look good! You're right about the tones....maybe I should just hang on to mine!
Now you're thinking straight!!!!!
SLOgriff
Well-known member
bonedarrell":2r9ovhwf said:SLOgriff":2r9ovhwf said:Congrats! That RED sure does look good! You're right about the tones....maybe I should just hang on to mine!
Now you're thinking straight!!!!!
.....the Atomica does sound better with more instant gratification when you plug it in! Doesn't take much tweaking of the knobs to dial in a great tone! I'm constantly tweaking my other 2 amps whenever I play thru them!
metalmaniac93
Active member
I just played this amp at Tone Merchants today and all I can say is WOW!!!! This amp delivers for sure. 
One of the best amps I have ever heard along with the CCV and the Friedman Stevens Prototype and the BE/HBE; both of which I played today!!!
One of the best amps I have ever heard along with the CCV and the Friedman Stevens Prototype and the BE/HBE; both of which I played today!!! 
Thanks bud. Ya it really is a riot to play. The strings are really percussive, and it just sounds huge. Really easy to play. Right in the pocket for the tone I like. Just enough cut without getting icepicky. Not to smooth. I had the best Back for the attack and Loudness tones I have ever had. Originals sound great. Put everything on six and it just smokes. I'm still totally syked. I have really high expectations, I'm really picky about what I like. I'm really happy about how this amp turned out. I like to mod just about everything I have. I wouldn't change a thing on the Atomica. He nailed it!
Not to smooth. I had the best Back for the attack and Loudness tones I have ever had. Originals sound great. Put everything on six and it just smokes. I'm still totally syked. I have really high expectations, I'm really picky about what I like. I'm really happy about how this amp turned out. I like to mod just about everything I have. I wouldn't change a thing on the Atomica. He nailed it!
guitarmike
Well-known member
Gearhog":1e3gjn4b said:Thanks bud. Ya it really is a riot to play. The strings are really percussive, and it just sounds huge. Really easy to play. Right in the pocket for the tone I like. Just enough cut without getting icepicky.
Gearhog,
I 100% agree with you, this amp is really good. I have been playing 1-2 hrs more per day than usual just because it sounds so good. The only thing I have noticed in comparing it to my Friedman's is that is is more picky about the speakers you use it with. I did not like it with Vintage 30's (I don't like any amp through them), and 75 watt celestions don't sound all that good either. It absolutely kills with my greenback cabinet.
If original cameron modded Marshalls sound this good I can see why people get big $$ for them.
metalmaniac93
Active member
guitarmike":22326k3m said:Gearhog":22326k3m said:Thanks bud. Ya it really is a riot to play. The strings are really percussive, and it just sounds huge. Really easy to play. Right in the pocket for the tone I like. Just enough cut without getting icepicky.
Gearhog,
I 100% agree with you, this amp is really good. I have been playing 1-2 hrs more per day than usual just because it sounds so good. The only thing I have noticed in comparing it to my Friedman's is that is is more picky about the speakers you use it with. I did not like it with Vintage 30's (I don't like any amp through them), and 75 watt celestions don't sound all that good either. It absolutely kills with my greenback cabinet.
If original cameron modded Marshalls sound this good I can see why people get big $$ for them.
This amp is awesome and real fun to play!!! I did try it through a 4X12 cab loaded with 2 Greenbacks and 2 V30 at Tone Merchants and it sounded awesome!!!