Can someone break down the different Splawn models for me?

TotallyRadGuitars said:
That's the premiere question in my mind right now. I have a few things to settle but I absolutely plan on getting a new fully loaded QR to compare with my older models. Supposedly the "old" switch is based on the 2006 3-pre QR so I'd be really interested to know how close it actually is.

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Side note, Scott is indeed a hell of a player. That guy walks the walk
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I have a fully loaded 2020 QR. The mid cut makes it sound like a Friedman lol. More low mids, you lose that kerrang. Still sounds good for at home playing. The old switch is like a sat switch makes the amp thicker sounding, This amp is way better than a 2010 streetrod I owned with hey-boers. That thing was ungodly bright.
 
braintheory said:
They’re weird amps because they sound plenty tight, but somehow feel laggy/disconnected and they sound bright and brittle yet still somehow muffled at the same time.
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The muffled part is the only part I agree with you on. I loved my Splawns until I put them up against other "highe end" amps and they get quickly got exposed for their lack of clarity. The Nitro sounds like it packs an enormous punch but is actually softer compared to an older Mark series or JCM800. I still dig their voicings though.
 
PurityS.L.G said:
The muffled part is the only part I agree with you on. I loved my Splawns until I put them up against other "highe end" amps and they get quickly got exposed for their lack of clarity. The Nitro sounds like it packs an enormous punch but is actually softer compared to an older Mark series or JCM800. I still dig their voicings though.
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Yes exactly. I compared them in the same room to a mark iii, Bogner Helios and Germino (can’t remember which model), but at least amps in a Marshall-y ball park. Out of curiosity, which parts did you disagree with? The main thing I don’t like about them is the quacky quality on powerchords rather a growl with rich harmonics as I like to hear on a sustaining powerchord
 
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braintheory said:
Yes exactly. I compared them in the same room to a mark iii, Bogner Helios and Germino (can’t remember which model), but at least amps in a Marshall-y ball park. Out of curiosity, which parts did you disagree with? The main thing I don’t like about them is the quacky quality on powerchords rather a growl with rich harmonics as I like to hear on a sustaining powerchord
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The laggy disconnected feel mostly. I didn't feel that way at all and liked their immediacy compared to the JCM900MKIII I had at the time. Splawns made it sound toy-ish in a way. The '09 QR I had screamed and had plenty of harmonic content on OD1 especially boosted. Wasn't much of a fan of gear 3 though TBH. Always have hated OD2 on that amp and any other Marshall for that matter.

As for the quack, I can compromise and agree with you on for the Nitro boosted with an OD. That amp was picky as fuck with boosts. Its like it was only designed and tested with a TS/OD808 because thats about 1 of very few pedals it got along with. The rest of the numerous OD's I tried with it made the amp shrill and noisey. You want to talk about quack...a klon made it sound like Fran Drescher was getting a wine bottle shoved in her. The best example I can give is listen to KSE I Would Do Anything. Just horrible quacky tone. They recorded that album and were using the Nitros at the time. The amp without a boost sounds great but again, lacks clarity.
 
PurityS.L.G said:
The laggy disconnected feel mostly. I didn't feel that way at all and liked their immediacy compared to the JCM900MKIII I had at the time. Splawns made it sound toy-ish in a way. The '09 QR I had screamed and had plenty of harmonic content on OD1 especially boosted. Wasn't much of a fan of gear 3 though TBH. Always have hated OD2 on that amp and any other Marshall for that matter.

As for the quack, I can compromise and agree with you on for the Nitro boosted with an OD. That amp was picky as fuck with boosts. Its like it was only designed and tested with a TS/OD808 because thats about 1 of very few pedals it got along with. The rest of the numerous OD's I tried with it made the amp shrill and noisey. You want to talk about quack...a klon made it sound like Fran Drescher was getting a wine bottle shoved in her. The best example I can give is listen to KSE I Would Do Anything. Just horrible quacky tone. They recorded that album and were using the Nitros at the time. The amp without a boost sounds great but again, lacks clarity.
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I guess it depends what amps we’re comparing to. I don’t like those mkiii jcm900’s either, but at least vs the boogie mark iii, Helios and germino in the room all 4 Splawn’s felt very laggy vs those (yet still sounded tight and percussive) and I’d say toyish too vs them. I think something in the lows particular was laggy from what I remember and especially vs Helios I felt was severely lacking richness and growl in sound, sorta like it was from concentrate oj and the Helios was Tropicana (can’t quite give it higher lol). I’ve always been impressed how organic and raw the Helios sounds for a non-vintage amp

I haven’t tried any Splawn’s boosted, but I can totally see that lol given how quacky they sound unboosted let alone how I’d imagine boosted. I’ll have to check out that song. All the Splawn’s recordings I have heard show (for me at least) the same qualities I didn’t like in person (besides of course the bad feel), especially Zen’s videos. I’m not trying to be a hater, I just really didn’t enjoy any of the many Splawn’s I’ve tried
 
hammered said:
Scott posted a clip today of the Nitro SS 22 watt doing a Dokken song . Sounds pretty badass
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Sounds great to me. This guy can play and does, actually learns entire songs. Hmmm. He doesn’t just go through amps and plays chugga chugga stuff picking up on every nuisance and then moves onto something new. Ill take this guys recorded tones to make a decision. Oh and it’s a Splawn go figure.

 
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Notwithstanding the previous comments, I love my 2011 Quickrod. I have put it up against other so-called high-end amps and I still prefer it to them.... I have used them live as well at loud volumes. No clarity issues in my experience...
They cut and sound awesome to my ears. No lag either as some described. I remember a metal gig I did with a close friend. He brought his No stripe MKIII rig that sounded really great until I started playing. After the gig he was really disappointed with the tone of his rig vs. mine... He thought I had modded my Splawn and i told him absolutely stock, no mods...

 
Yeah I had a Quick Rod twice. 2018 model. It sounded very good. Compared to things like 800s, SLO, other muscular rock amps I didn't feel like it was really lacking anything. I wound up just moving it along because I got it for an exceptional deal and, and then was offered a good return for it, that has continued to grow very positively in my favour.
 
Fusionbear said:
Notwithstanding the previous comments, I love my 2011 Quickrod. I have put it up against other so-called high-end amps and I still prefer it to them.... I have used them live as well at loud volumes. No clarity issues in my experience...
They cut and sound awesome to my ears. No lag either as some described. I remember a metal gig I did with a close friend. He brought his No stripe MKIII rig that sounded really great until I started playing. After the gig he was really disappointed with the tone of his rig vs. mine... He thought I had modded my Splawn and i told him absolutely stock, no mods...

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Sounds killer , I heard some Riff Raff in there
 
motorboy1 said:
Sounds great to me. This guy can play and does, actually learns entire songs. Hmmm. He doesn’t just go through amps and plays chugga chugga stuff picking up on every nuisance and then moves onto something new. Ill take this guys recorded tones to make a decision. Oh and it’s a Splawn go figure.

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I’m not sure I can post Scott Splawns Facebook clip here but I’ll give it a shot


 
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Fusionbear said:
Notwithstanding the previous comments, I love my 2011 Quickrod. I have put it up against other so-called high-end amps and I still prefer it to them.... I have used them live as well at loud volumes. No clarity issues in my experience...
They cut and sound awesome to my ears. No lag either as some described. I remember a metal gig I did with a close friend. He brought his No stripe MKIII rig that sounded really great until I started playing. After the gig he was really disappointed with the tone of his rig vs. mine... He thought I had modded my Splawn and i told him absolutely stock, no mods...

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And just like that............... Carl comes in with the Splawn hammer clip walking the walk......................:eek::yes:
 
Fusionbear said:
Notwithstanding the previous comments, I love my 2011 Quickrod. I have put it up against other so-called high-end amps and I still prefer it to them.... I have used them live as well at loud volumes. No clarity issues in my experience...
They cut and sound awesome to my ears. No lag either as some described. I remember a metal gig I did with a close friend. He brought his No stripe MKIII rig that sounded really great until I started playing. After the gig he was really disappointed with the tone of his rig vs. mine... He thought I had modded my Splawn and i told him absolutely stock, no mods...

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Great tone, I've seen a few of your clips before, I've been after a QR for a while......need to make it happen! Thanks for the clip dude!
 
Smash said:
I have thought this too. Some lose the magic when they dont have to color inside the lines
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Agreed. This thread actually inspired me to get the other day a Splawn modded 1979 Marshall JMP2204. It still has that Splawn flavor and feel that I don’t care for, but like those other examples it at least still sounds a hell of a lot better than I remember the actual amps being. I still hear the core vintage Marshall raw, organic flavor underneath, which is the part I really like. I may consider having my tech making it stock again
 
braintheory said:
Agreed. This thread actually inspired me to get the other day a Splawn modded 1979 Marshall JMP2204. It still has that Splawn flavor and feel that I don’t care for, but like those other examples it at least still sounds a hell of a lot better than I remember the actual amps being. I still hear the core vintage Marshall raw, organic flavor underneath, which is the part I really like. I may consider having my tech making it stock again
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Just goes to show why Baskin-Robbins has 31 flavors....

Some people just like what they like....

I've played some of the best sounding vintage amps from 1964 onward, and yes, they do sound and feel amazing, but ultimately, not what I want for my personal tone. I am very glad for Scott's contribution with the Quickrod. For me, it's one of my top 5 amps....
 
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