Soldano SLO 100 - yay or nay for modern high gain?

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nightlight

nightlight

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I have a chance to pick up an older Soldano SLO 100 with the original DeYoung transformers and was wondering whether the amp is still “all that” in 2023?

For example, I know that the 5150 piggybacked on the SLO design. But would I be better off getting a 5150 for metal tones or would the SLO be a cut above?

Similarly, a lot of other modern amps are said to have borrowed design elements from the SLO. Anyone have a list of said amps? Also, is it a case of the successors surpassing the performance of the “godfather” of high gain amps?

I’ve been watching a lot of YouTube reviews, and most are glowing. The tones I’m hearing though are a mixed bag. I also feel (as always) that those guys have an agenda to push so that more amp manufacturers send them gear to review.

Even the artists list on the Soldano page was a bit thin on high gain acts. I mean, I didn’t really see any of my favourite heavy acts using one.

One reason I haven’t already pulled the trigger is the price. It’s really expensive. And I would essentially be buying this without trying, as it’s overseas.

Talk me into or out of this, please.
 
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If I was you I’d get an EVH Stealth or another 5150. I loved the SLO but for the extra money I kept the the evh . I went though this before . I was playing metal as well , so it was for metal
 
Techdeth said:
If I was you I’d get an EVH Stealth or another 5150. I loved the SLO but for the extra money I kept the the evh . I went though this before . I was playing metal as well , so it was for metal
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The SLO shits on every version 5150 in clarity, punch, feel…..but it’s not as tight even boosted. For me it’s tight enough with a boost but I’m not a metal player. Try one, boost it with different pedals and you may find it works. If not, move it on…
 
Racerxrated said:
The SLO shits on every version 5150 in clarity, punch, feel…..but it’s not as tight even boosted. For me it’s tight enough with a boost but I’m not a metal player. Try one, boost it with different pedals and you may find it works. If not, move it on…
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I liked it but it just didn’t justify the price for difference for me . I don’t play with as much satisfaction and sag as most .for rock it was definitely better though . For tight chunky metal I preferred 5150s . But it’s a great amp for sure
 
Racerxrated said:
The SLO shits on every version 5150 in clarity, punch, feel…..but it’s not as tight even boosted. For me it’s tight enough with a boost but I’m not a metal player. Try one, boost it with different pedals and you may find it works. If not, move it on…
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I think it depends on the version and/or mods it has. The SLO I had was older and completely stock. It seriously lacked in the low end, so I had my tech add the depth mod, which worked nicely. It had more clarity than my 5150, for sure, but I wouldn't say it had more punch. It was a very good lead amp, but also very smooth, a very refined sound. For me, the 5150 was much more aggressive, tighter and in your face. If I was a shredder, I'd have picked the SLO, but for modern heavy riffs, the 5150 was the better choice IMO. That said, the new BAD amps are much more aggressive sounding and might be a better match.
 
What kind of material are you trying to play on it? The SLO is a great amp, but if you’re trying to play the brutz there’s WAY better stuff out there.
 
I wouldn't get a Soldano for primarily metal, although it can do a decent job.

A 5150 may share some DNA with an SLO, but it doesn't amount to much. They sound very different, which is all that matters. I like the 5150 II over the original, but both are classics in that realm for a reason.
 
I can only speak for the newer version of the SLO. The one thing I noticed is how much weight and girth it has. Its a ballsy sounding amp.
Not a modern sounding high gainer, but more like a modern sounding Marshall which much better EQ control.
There is a lot of hype revolving around the SLO, and for good reason.
However, just with any amp, it can’t do everything.
But what it does, it does with flying colors.
 
SLO‘s (at least the early ones) are imo top tier amps for all things rock and old school metal, but I wouldn’t really choose it much for metal beyond that. It has a rounder attack and not the tightest amp, making it not as natural a fit for metal

The quality of tone, detail and clarity of the SLO is undeniably superior to the peavey or stealth 5150’s, but very different flavors. The 6505’s/5150’s have the needed tightness, attack and extra growl that makes them work more naturally for metal, but the quality of tone itself imo is decent at best (yes even at volumes 4 and above), so I would still ultimately choose other amps myself for metal too
 
Thanks for the inputs.

I was messing around with my Axe FXIII's Soldano Lead channel model and the amp sounds great, especially boosted with a pedal like the Horizon Precision Drive in front.

Sounded as good as my favourite patch, which is a boosted Dual Recto.

Of course, that is a modeller, so I'm wondering whether the real amp would actually sound better or worse. In my experience though, the real thing us always better in the room, even if I struggle with getting a good recorded tone out of it.
 
I can’t think of too many heavier albums with SLO’s but this is one of my favourite guitar sounds from any amp:



But I don’t really buy into the argument that any amp categorically sounds better than another, build quality, method and quality components add cost, but don’t necessarily guarantee better tone. Marshalls/5150’s/Recto’s end up on tons of records and they sound great. A Soldano is just another tool with its own sound. And it’s built to a much nicer standard.
 
Just went and saw Warren Haynes play one at the Kodak Theater last Sunday night.
He's an Ambassador of Tone!
 
There are better options for modern metal. I bought one of the newer versions and returned it. It is too thick sounding and not tight enough in my opinion. Good rock tone but not for modern metal.
 
I reckon it does ok, but you have to boost it hard and keep the gain dialed back to the bright cap is doing a lot to tighten and thin out the mids a bit. A TC integrated preamp or one of the myriad of clones does a pretty good job of boosting a SLO into modern metal territory with the gain dial down around 3.
 
Back in the 90's I had the OG 5150, been playing it a few years. Finally got my dream amp the SLO 100 with the depth mod. Long story short, I kept the 5150, sold the SLO. Several friends thought I was crazy as the SLO was top of the heap...the standard. Years later the 5150's would be the standard as well.

Both great amps, nobody will debate the build quality of the SLO but in the end, it's about what feels and sounds right to you the player. In my experience, I just much preferred the high gain tones of the OG 5150. It was everything I wanted in an amp at that time. I was spoiled with that amp for about 10 years.

The SLO is big and ballsy, sorta round in it's tone (to me) and to get that tighter high gain sound you're gonna have to run an OD. Back in the day I didn't even run an OD with the 5150, I could dial in my tone with the amp only. Btw/ I still don't run an OD into my amps, just not my thing. Personally, I'd go 6505's or the EVH's but that said, I'm a firm believer in trying something for yourself, that's really the only way to find out. Maybe you have that option, I don't know.

Good luck.
 
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Anyone who can, should probably own the SLO at some point. I've had two of them, as well as trying the 30 watt version as well. After some time, I sold or traded each one. They were very cool to try, but they did not ultimately stand the test of time for me, even after multiple chances. I had zero trouble moving them when I had made the decision to do so.
 
Nay. In person, they don't quite sound like they do in recordings. Bogners seem to suffer from this phenomena as well.
 
SLO with a marshall 1960av cab is decently tight, but you probably still need to boost it to get it metal tight.

On the older SLOs they don't have a depth control, which would come in handy. You could add it pretty easily.

Lastly they have ear piercing icy high content at high volume. So if that bothers you, don't do it
 
Rayneman said:
Anyone who can, should probably own the SLO at some point. I've had two of them, as well as trying the 30 watt version as well. After some time, I sold or traded each one. They were very cool to try, but they did not ultimately stand the test of time for me, even after multiple chances. I had zero trouble moving them when I had made the decision to do so.
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I don't disagree. I certainly don't regret owning one and it scratched that itch years ago. Sometimes you just gotta go down the path and see what sticks, at least you'll know. Like I said above, I'm a firm believer in trying things because we can give opinions all day long but it's still just our opinion. Last amp I had that itch, the Mezzabarba Trinity, I had to scratch. Flipped that thing faster than a pancake but now I know it doesn't work for me.
 
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