Bogner 101b vs SLO100

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I gigged with a 101b for years. Now I own an SLO100. Love them both. I wonder how close an SLO can get to the Plexi mode of the 101b?
I think I need another 101b, just because.

Which one do you prefer?
 
The SLO crunch channel is like a 2203, so that would be where to find plexi sounds.

I never played a real 101b myself, but I tried a good plugin version of it (mercuriall). I think I prefer a SLO, but it’s a close call.
 
The crunch on the SLO will be about as close as it will get. It's been a long time since I've had a 101B but that Plexi mode and the blue channel was all I ever used. That's why I got rid of it. Seemed like a waste.
 
Big difference is in the lowend. The Soldano is not a "tight" amp. It has more of a loose and fuzzy kind of lowend compared to an XTC. With that being said the Soldano has an impressive ballsy punch to it, it is brighter , thicker and more in your face sounding. It has more of a WoW factor to it when cranking up the volume. The Bogner can be smoother, darker and more compressed especially on the red channel.
 
itsgoodnow said:
I have owned both. The blue channel of the 101b was really the only thing I liked about the amp. But I agree with Dan here that a boost on the crunch channel is a banger.
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They both have their upsides and downsides, and they're both great sounding amps IMO

I prefer the SLO, but I know lots of people who get great blue channel tones

As far as bogner stuff goes, the Helios is my favorite
 
Between the SLO and 101B, I'll take the 101B all day long, even for the heavier stuff. All it takes is a bass cut at the input and the 101B can get as tight as any other high gain amp.

But I'll also agree with @DanTravis62 that the Helios is the best Bogner currently in production imo.
 
I always found the 101b to have a truck load of low end. Made my Helios sound small. The Helios is just a Marshall. Same upper mid bite and brightness. I don't think the SLO can match the chewiness of the Bogner Blue. But the Bogner can't really match the liquid fire of the Overdrive on the SLO.

I could justify both.
 
Had both, still have my '96 101b. Both modern classics for good reason and I think each can do things the other can't.

SLO with volume has this massive, 3D thing going on with clarity across all strings. It is bigger, brighter and punchier than a 101b. Downsides are, I found is its usable gain range on the lead channel is small. It goes to 11, but much after 2 0'clock gets pretty loose and fuzzy. Crunch channel is underrated on that amp, but I didn't really get Plexi vibes from it.

The 101b is a super versatile 3 channel beast. The crown jewel being the blue channel. It is also going to feel/respond alot more like a vintage amp than an SLO, which is stiffer feeling by comparison. When I go for Plexi-ish sounds with my 101b, I just use the blue channel: highest bright switch setting, presence ~ 2, Treble dimed, mids ~ 3, bass ~ 11 or so. Still doesn't have that top end/upper mid kerrang like my old man's Plexi, but it's in the ballpark.
 
Killcrop said:
I always found the 101b to have a truck load of low end. Made my Helios sound small. The Helios is just a Marshall. Same upper mid bite and brightness. I don't think the SLO can match the chewiness of the Bogner Blue. But the Bogner can't really match the liquid fire of the Overdrive on the SLO.

I could justify both.
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Agreed on all. The Helios isn’t the biggest sounding amp, but size isn’t everything and very few non-vintage amps I’ve tried can rival the Helios in terms of having a tone that is raw, organic & nuanced. There are lots of current made amps that sound huge with bad tone, but very few made now with actually good tone like that, so that gets my respect much more
 
Killcrop said:
I always found the 101b to have a truck load of low end. Made my Helios sound small. The Helios is just a Marshall. Same upper mid bite and brightness. I don't think the SLO can match the chewiness of the Bogner Blue. But the Bogner can't really match the liquid fire of the Overdrive on the SLO.

I could justify both.
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Disagree with the Helios part, agree that you could definitely justify both. They are definitely different enough animals, to where there's only a bit of overlap.

braintheory said:
Agreed on all. The Helios isn’t the biggest sounding amp, but size isn’t everything and very few non-vintage amps I’ve tried can rival the Helios in terms of having a tone that is raw, organic & nuanced. There are lots of current made amps that sound huge with bad tone, but very few made now with actually good tone like that, so that gets my respect much more
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While the low end thing is true, I think the Helios is by far bogners best offering - as you say, it's got a lot of nuance and mojo.

Which in my opinion makes it have a lot more "personality" than some of their other amps.

If I had unlimited money to spend on gear, that's probably the one bogner I would want to have around. Henrik from Evergrey gets some really sick tones out of it on recording, too.

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with the few ecstasies I've played, but there's no denying the blue channel is killer. I think it's just a more "lead tone" oriented amp, and that isn't for me.
 
DanTravis62 said:
Disagree with the Helios part, agree that you could definitely justify both. They are definitely different enough animals, to where there's only a bit of overlap.



While the low end thing is true, I think the Helios is by far bogners best offering - as you say, it's got a lot of nuance and mojo.

Which in my opinion makes it have a lot more "personality" than some of their other amps.

If I had unlimited money to spend on gear, that's probably the one bogner I would want to have around. Henrik from Evergrey gets some really sick tones out of it on recording, too.

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with the few ecstasies I've played, but there's no denying the blue channel is killer. I think it's just a more "lead tone" oriented amp, and that isn't for me.
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Yes, I feel the Helios & Telos are the 2 best Bogner’s they’ve made in terms of quality of tone & nuance and this is coming from someone who only owns an Uber myself lol (original version). Those 2 imo don’t even really sound or feel like Bogner’s, but more like a good modded Marshall. I only sold my Helios because I still preferred some of the Cameron modded Marshall’s I had the time, but I was very impressed with how the Helios & Telos are for non-vintage amps. I wish Bogner made more amps with that quality vs the more homogeneous sound/feel their other amps have

For me the XTC’s can be pretty good (depending which version) & very good for leads like you said, but I just think other amps I’ve got or tried do what they do even better, so they’re off my list
 
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braintheory said:
For me the XTC’s can be pretty good (depending which version) & very good for leads like you said, but I just think other amps I’ve got or tried do what they do even better, so they’re off my list
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Absolutely on the same page with you

At least for me, there's other stuff that appeals more for that type of sound

I definitely understand why people dig them though, that blue channel does sound great, especially for lead stuff.

I can totally see how an xtc would work great for someone gigging who needed a whole palette of different tones.

I am pretty spoiled as far as the "multi channel amp with marshall DNA" stuff goes, though 😂
 
I have never played a 101B, but I love my Bogner Blue pedal into my bassman and I have to imagine the real thing sounds that much better.
 
japetus said:
I have never played a 101B, but I love my Bogner Blue pedal into my bassman and I have to imagine the real thing sounds that much better.
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Honestly wouldn’t surprise me if you may even coax a sound that is in some ways better with that setup you’ve got. If anything, it should at least sound more raw with that vintage bassman as a platform, but I’ve not tried the blue pedal, just the amps and some of Bogner’s other overdrive and distortion pedals
 
braintheory said:
Honestly wouldn’t surprise me if you may even coax a sound that is in some ways better with that setup you’ve got. If anything, it should at least sound more raw with that vintage bassman as a platform, but I’ve not tried the blue pedal, just the amps and some of Bogner’s other overdrive and distortion pedals
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I would like to compare the 2 for sure. It sounds pretty raw for sure.
 
braintheory said:
Honestly wouldn’t surprise me if you may even coax a sound that is in some ways better with that setup you’ve got. If anything, it should at least sound more raw with that vintage bassman as a platform, but I’ve not tried the blue pedal, just the amps and some of Bogner’s other overdrive and distortion pedals
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The blue pedal is a really great dirt pedal IMO

I used to rock one with my 68 bandmaster

The red and the Uber pedals, not so much

A vintage bassman circuit, to me, is the holy grail as far as clean pedal platforms for dirt pedals.

Especially cranked up a bit - with my LPD 68 and a normal od like an 808 or SD1 it absolutely screamed

Once the bassman starts getting broken up it starts "glueing" the pedal drive together, it's a really cool thing
 
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