Bogner 3534. What’s the deal?

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marshallmel
marshallmel
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Seems like there are a ton of these on the used market. I did hear a few guys were having loop problems if I’m not mistaken. Watched the Michael Nielsen comparison video with the 3534 and the 3534 50 watt version. I preferred the 35 watt based on his demonstration.

Anyone here have any experience with the original 35 watt version?
 
Had one...few times 😀 Form factor and layout is great. The loop is an issue if You playing at low volume. The amp itself has to be turned little bit to give good sound. It has better voicing of the green and red channel than big XTC but doesn't have growl like big one on blue channel.
It has its place if You looking for versatile Marshall/butique amp with great clean channel.
 
I owned the 3534 for a while, never gigged it. Loop was noisy AF. Played the 50 watt version and would consider buying one at the right price. The other amp to strongly consider in that small format realm is the Suhr PT15 IR. I've got 15 or so gigs on mine and its pretty freaking cool. It won't replace my Wizard MC25 but you can get one used for $1500 - 1800, serious bang for the buck.
 
I had the 3534 for a bit. Sounded good but not great to me. Probably because I like more of the Marshally cut and kerrang, and I was trying to do something with the 3534 that it wasn't designed to do. If the 50w version popped up at the right price, I would give it a shot though. From what I have read, they tweaked it a little more in the direction that I might like.
 
Had one for a bit, the loop was fine, a little noisy but not unmanageable. I played it live probably at 100 shows and it was always a good sounding amp. My only issue was the boost being controlled with a midi controller wasn't 100% reliable cuz it would activate half the time I needed it to and I would have to fumble with the amp to get it to work mid song, not sure if it was the midi switcher or the amp or im stupid but something was up. I changed the tubes to 6ca7's and got rid of the JJ tubes and it sounded a lot better than stock. Wish I didn't sell it to be honest. The 50 watter is intriguing but I have gotten my hands on one yet.
 
I had one for a bit ................ let it go after 6 months or so .....once the honey moon phase was over .... eh .... wasn't for me .

and the loop is known to give some setups some problems as mentioned .......I didn't experience this ...
 
I have never tried this amp, but it has always seemed interesting to me. That said, everyone seems to sell after 6 months to a year. Never a good sign.
 
Had one at the same time as my 101B. Thought it would be more convenient for practice, light travel, and night time playing. It's probably my fastest test-to-sale amp out of the 60+ amps I've owned. It just didn't have the goods imho.
 
The loop was addressed and fixed. I'm not sure when, but I want to say 2023-ish? That updated loop is what comes with the 50 watt. I had the 50, the FX loop, and loop master was fantastic. I would highly recommend the 50. I loved it. No issues whatsoever, and it's more Vintage voiced. Hard to find used though. Not many out there.
 
I like my 35 a lot (and I owned a 101B for ten years). My only playing 'out' these days is garage jams and my cab has a lot of low end, but the 35 has plenty volume and lows for me.

The 35 Blue is more like the 20th XTC, it will not do that smooth Vai tone the 101B Blue does, but I get a very good crunch from it, with that Bogner low-mids growl. Like the tone at the start of the second solo in Working Man when he's shredding on the low strings. Through Creamback 65s. The 35 Red IMO sounds like 101B Red crossed with 20th Red. I get saturated 80s metal tone on that channel easy.

The 35 has way too much gain IMO. I run Blue and Red gain at 9-10 o'clock. I played a 50 for a while; its gain structure was much more usable, but the gain tone had a smoothness or roundness in the lows that I didn't like, not the growl and bite in the 35 lows. I prefer the 35 tone, even though the 50 features were better.

IIRC the 35 FX loop issues were on the first ones made. The early ones also had a little knob by one of the transformers for external adjustment of the bias. So if you're shopping, maybe one without the bias knob also won't have the loop issues.
 
napalmdeath pretty much nailed it! I had the 35 two different times it was fine but just was not great. The 50 was better in every aspect I regret getting rid of the one I had but I could not play it in my current living situation like I like.
 
I had a 25 from Indonesia? Have had the 35 watt since first released. I really like it, and at the same time could live without it, only because the synergy module is really good in my syn30 head. It has one of the best master volumes on a low wattage, big tube head, like period (important to me). Mine currently sits atop my soldano 2x12, with the Astro 20 on top of it. Any time I want a "Marshallish" sound, I plug it in...
 
IMO that was a dirty low down move releasing an "improved" 50w model 6mos after gen 1...

There have been 3 up for sale locally for months. It's a $1200 amp at best sorry to say
 
I've owned one for a few years now. To me it's a fair comparison to what you'd think a stripped down XTC would sound like. Better at lower volumes, easier to carry around, but lacks the big boy balls the 101b has.

My loop isn't really an issue, but I have discovered - by reading the manual - that cables do make a huge difference. Some of my cheaper cables make the loop noisy, and other cables make it quiet. Never had this issue with any other amp I've owned over the last couple decades so it's certainly a unique issue.

Voicing is good. REALLY good. Gain is what puzzles me. Blue could use just a touch more gain, and Red is way too much. Lifting a cap (forget which one off the top of my head) does reduce gain, but also reduces feel. Better to leave it stock.

Overall I'd definitely keep mine only until I decide to save up for an older mid/late 90s 101b
 
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