Can someone break down the different Splawn models for me?

[braintheory]

^Correct. I think it was @PDC who was saying the mid-cut will scoop some of that out and make it more Nitro like? Not sure what you play but that Nitro clip I can find for you was riteous.


You mean something other than V30s?



Man, I respect all of your opinions on all the amps you talk about. You obviously have a lot of experience. Far more than myself. I get that you don't like them and I am sure there are better amps out there no doubt but it is funny how you can't resist taking a piss on any Splawn thread that pops up. You are certainly entitled to your opinion of course so carry on my friend - no attack on you intended, just an observation

I understand how it can seem that way, but that’s not my intention. I actually stay out of most Splawn threads, but when I read posts that go against my experience in any piece of gear (like it punching like a Wizard/hiwatt/superlead) or have something that may be informative to the discussion I chime in. It’s not just Splawn, but also the Uber Ultra, Fortin, Friedman and a few others. I probably seem more like a UU hater than a Splawn hater sometimes lol, but it’s just my opinion based on comparisons. There’s a few other products I can be tempted to give those same honest thoughts, but sometimes I have to draw a politically correct line somewhere even for me

What I actually rip on most on here that also probably offends more guys is poly finish guitars and many guitars guys here are into simply because I judge guitars by sound (you know how I judge other musical instruments) rather than looks and the many other factors that have nothing to do with sound or who plays them or how immaculate their fit and finish is and other details. Anyway, rant over, sorry for the tangent

 

[braintheory]

It's been almost 20 years since I had it but I don't remember the weird mids thing. I wonder if the mid cut switch on the new one takes that frequency out...

I’d be skeptical on that. Maybe it could subdue it enough to mask it, but the Nitro I remember having that characteristic too (just more subdued). It’s not to me about how present the frequency is, but more their inherent character in that area that is IME independent of how an amp is dialed in with eq. For example, you do what you can to get more mids out of a Hiwatt and it will still never have midrange growl like a good ‘70’s Marshall JMP2203/4 and likewise the Marshall’s don’t get lows like the Hiwatt’s

 

[311splawndude]

I understand how it can seem that way, but that’s not my intention. I actually stay out of most Splawn threads, but when I read posts that go against my experience in any piece of gear (like it punching like a Wizard/hiwatt/superlead) or have something that may be informative to the discussion I chime in. It’s not just Splawn, but also the Uber Ultra, Fortin, Friedman and a few others. I probably seem more like a UU hater than a Splawn hater sometimes lol, but it’s just my opinion based on comparisons. There’s a few other products I can be tempted to give those same honest thoughts, but sometimes I have to draw a politically correct line somewhere even for me

What I actually rip on most on here that also probably offends more guys is poly finish guitars and many guitars guys here are into simply because I judge guitars by sound (you know how I judge other musical instruments) rather than looks and the many other factors that have nothing to do with sound or who plays them or how immaculate their fit and finish is and other details. Anyway, rant over, sorry for the tangent

Totally cool man. You have played more Splawn's than I have and you have a lot of experience with a lot of amps and EQ'ng etc etc. I think your advice would resonate better, (like a guitar without poly) in a "What amp" type thread where someone is asking about a Splawn vs a Hiwatt vs a Wizard vs a Friedman, etc

This guy (@Soundstorm), said he already owned one and liked it (as many do), and wanted a breakdown of the models (which I provided).

There are plenty of dudes (@Racerxrated, @DanTravis62, @MadAsAHatter I think) who don't care for the Splawn mids so it is not for everyone. I agree they can get quacky. My clips prove that. I think those mids probably become more important in a live loud gigging situation

 

[braintheory]

Totally cool man. You have played more Splawn's than I have and you have a lot of experience with a lot of amps and EQ'ng etc etc. I think your advice would resonate better, (like a guitar without poly) in a "What amp" type thread where someone is asking about a Splawn vs a Hiwatt vs a Wizard vs a Friedman, etc

This guy (@Soundstorm), said he already owned one and liked it (as many do), and wanted a breakdown of the models (which I provided).

There are plenty of dudes (@Racerxrated, @DanTravis62, @MadAsAHatter I think) who don't care for the Splawn mids so it is not for everyone. I agree they can get quacky. My clips prove that. I think those mids probably become more important in a live loud gigging situation

Fair point. I’ve never seen that type of thread made yet though lol. Someone do it!

The breakdown (I guess others already said it) is pretty simple with the Splawn amps. Just variations of the QR and Nitro platforms and I guess Splawn says his latest QR can also sound like the Nitro

Yeah I never argued Splawn’s wouldn’t be good at cutting through and there’s plenty of clips showing them working very well in a mix, but I still in those hear the qualities in their sound that I don’t care for. I’d personally rather just work a little harder to make an amp I like work well in a mix or choose another amp that also naturally works well in a mix like a good Marshall, SLO or Naylor. I don’t know about live, but surprisingly the last Triple Rev F Recto I had worked really well in the mix on some of my friend’s recording. I was not expecting that. I’d imagine the Rev C or F Dual would work even better

 

[TotallyRadGuitars]

Aside from the models, it's absolutely CRITICAL to know what YEAR the amp is that you're getting, or that you liked if you are trying to get that sound again. There have been a number of changes over the years and the amps sound very different from each other even if they are all the same model.

I've made it a bit of a personal mission to try them all out. I've had, in the same room with the same speaker cabinets:

• 2003 Modded 1987X. Upgraded MM OT, single channel but has footswitchable rhythm/lead (both quite gainy, and share the same preamp gain control) and solo boost. This is an original deal from back when Splawn was just a guitar shop that also modded amps in the back at customer request. It's very focused in the mids - super forward and you can't dial it out, and very gainy and punchy in the palm mutes.
• 2005 ProMod. No gears, high and low inputs, comes in a Marshall 1959X box and 4-hole chassis. ProMod was the quad KT88 amp before the Nitro existed, but it's effectively identical to the QuickRod of the same year other than the power tubes. Clean channel is simply a single volume knob. Classic Tone transformers. Much more open sounding than the 2003, not quite as gainy. Kinda like a more traditional, modded 2203 type sound, just a hair more gain and darker than than a 2003. Honestly a really really great amp.
• 2006 QuickRod. Has gears, 3-preamp tubes, offset input jack. Clean channel has 3-band EQ but it is heavily affected by the gain you set on the drive channel. I absolutely adore this amp on 3rd gear with the gain up for metal, but do that and you're restricted to dirty cleans at best. Heyboers.
• 2008 and 2009 QuickRods. Has gears, but 4 preamp tubes, Heyboers. Clean channel has only 2-band EQ but adds a gain control as well as volume, and stays clean regardless of overdrive channel settings unlike the previous model. The overdrive tone on these 2008-2012 amps probably colored the opinion of thousands of players that don't like Splawns. They are MUCH darker, less open sounding. These are the amps that put the words "weird mids" into everyone's mind and Splawn has struggled to shake this reputation forever. These amps sound closer to my 2003 Splawn modded Marshall actually. Nitro came out during this time and was similarly darker/middier sounding, but more gain and resonance make it bassier too.
• 2015 Nitro. Essentially a Quickrod if it were always in "4th gear," gives up gears for a resonance control. Super saturated, super high gain, sounds great to my ear, very open and cutting. Very different from early Nitros which were much darker and felt more compressed to me. Back to Classic Tone transformers.
• 2018 StreetRod. Basically a baby Quickrod in a combo amp form. Clean channel loses the gain control. Nice and open sounding unlike the 2008-2012 models.

Some I haven't had:
-2005 Quickrod/Promod without gears, but with the 3-band EQ clean channel. There was a VERY short time that these amps existed, in between the high/low input model and the 3-pre gears version.
-Recent QR with the B+/Mid Cut/Old-New switches. I would really like to hear the differences between these switches especially compared to the "real thing" since I have one of the 2006 QR's that supposedly the "old" mode is modeled after.

Here's the short version of my advice: If you buy a Splawn of any model between 2007-2012, expect it to be darker and very middy. If you buy anything earlier than that, you really need to know what you're looking at or play it first because there's a lot of variations. Anything after 2012 is likely the best for most people and has the widest appeal, plenty of gain but more open and clear sounding. If you play a 4-pre 2007-2012 and hate it, I'd really encourage you to try another year because despite the brand name and controls, they may as well be completely different amps. The models are all extremely similar with only minor differences, the year is important.

 

[Soundstorm]

Aside from the models, it's absolutely CRITICAL to know what YEAR the amp is that you're getting, or that you liked if you are trying to get that sound again. There have been a number of changes over the years and the amps sound very different from each other even if they are all the same model.

I've made it a bit of a personal mission to try them all out. I've had, in the same room with the same speaker cabinets:

• 2003 Modded 1987X. Upgraded MM OT, single channel but has footswitchable rhythm/lead (both quite gainy, and share the same preamp gain control) and solo boost. This is an original deal from back when Splawn was just a guitar shop that also modded amps in the back at customer request. It's very focused in the mids - super forward and you can't dial it out, and very gainy and punchy in the palm mutes.
• 2005 ProMod. No gears, high and low inputs, comes in a Marshall 1959X box and 4-hole chassis. ProMod was the quad KT88 amp before the Nitro existed, but it's effectively identical to the QuickRod of the same year other than the power tubes. Clean channel is simply a single volume knob. Classic Tone transformers. Much more open sounding than the 2003, not quite as gainy. Kinda like a more traditional, modded 2203 type sound, just a hair more gain and darker than than a 2003. Honestly a really really great amp.
• 2006 QuickRod. Has gears, 3-preamp tubes, offset input jack. Clean channel has 3-band EQ but it is heavily affected by the gain you set on the drive channel. I absolutely adore this amp on 3rd gear with the gain up for metal, but do that and you're restricted to dirty cleans at best. Heyboers.
• 2008 and 2009 QuickRods. Has gears, but 4 preamp tubes, Heyboers. Clean channel has only 2-band EQ but adds a gain control as well as volume, and stays clean regardless of overdrive channel settings unlike the previous model. The overdrive tone on these 2008-2012 amps probably colored the opinion of thousands of players that don't like Splawns. They are MUCH darker, less open sounding. These are the amps that put the words "weird mids" into everyone's mind and Splawn has struggled to shake this reputation forever. These amps sound closer to my 2003 Splawn modded Marshall actually. Nitro came out during this time and was similarly darker/middier sounding, but more gain and resonance make it bassier too.
• 2015 Nitro. Essentially a Quickrod if it were always in "4th gear," gives up gears for a resonance control. Super saturated, super high gain, sounds great to my ear, very open and cutting. Very different from early Nitros which were much darker and felt more compressed to me. Back to Classic Tone transformers.
• 2018 StreetRod. Basically a baby Quickrod in a combo amp form. Clean channel loses the gain control. Nice and open sounding unlike the 2008-2012 models.

Some I haven't had:
-2005 Quickrod/Promod without gears, but with the 3-band EQ clean channel. There was a VERY short time that these amps existed, in between the high/low input model and the 3-pre gears version.
-Recent QR with the B+/Mid Cut/Old-New switches. I would really like to hear the differences between these switches especially compared to the "real thing" since I have one of the 2006 QR's that supposedly the "old" mode is modeled after.

Here's the short version of my advice: If you buy a Splawn of any model between 2007-2012, expect it to be darker and very middy. If you buy anything earlier than that, you really need to know what you're looking at or play it first because there's a lot of variations. Anything after 2012 is likely the best for most people and has the widest appeal, plenty of gain but more open and clear sounding. If you play a 4-pre 2007-2012 and hate it, I'd really encourage you to try another year because despite the brand name and controls, they may as well be completely different amps. The models are all extremely similar with only minor differences, the year is important.

Excellent write up, thanks! Mine must have been a 2006 because I'm pretty sure that was the year I owned it.

 

[Tone Monster]

I could never get into Splawn. Had a quickrod and nitro. There is just a bland character to the tone. The quickrod felt great but was just boring sounding.

 

[jabps]

Aside from the models, it's absolutely CRITICAL to know what YEAR the amp is that you're getting, or that you liked if you are trying to get that sound again. There have been a number of changes over the years and the amps sound very different from each other even if they are all the same model.

I've made it a bit of a personal mission to try them all out. I've had, in the same room with the same speaker cabinets:

• 2006 QuickRod. Has gears, 3-preamp tubes, offset input jack. Clean channel has 3-band EQ but it is heavily affected by the gain you set on the drive channel. I absolutely adore this amp on 3rd gear with the gain up for metal, but do that and you're restricted to dirty cleans at best. Heyboers.
• 2008 and 2009 QuickRods. Has gears, but 4 preamp tubes, Heyboers. Clean channel has only 2-band EQ but adds a gain control as well as volume, and stays clean regardless of overdrive channel settings unlike the previous model. The overdrive tone on these 2008-2012 amps probably colored the opinion of thousands of players that don't like Splawns. They are MUCH darker, less open sounding. These are the amps that put the words "weird mids" into everyone's mind and Splawn has struggled to shake this reputation forever. These amps sound closer to my 2003 Splawn modded Marshall actually. Nitro came out during this time and was similarly darker/middier sounding, but more gain and resonance make it bassier too.

And now I know. No clue that is what happened. Excellent post.

Yep had the two era's and was taken aback by the difference. Loved my first QR. When I was transitioning through amps at that timeframe I really dug my Splawn through two Mojave 4x12's. In fact, I was making the change permanent, just a great huge crushing sound. Plenty of gain. Then sadly lost all three pieces in a rehearsal room fire. Bought another QR and two Splawn 4x12's later and sold all of it within a very short timeframe as in the interim of replacing the Splawn, the JVM and the SigX had became my main amps with the JVM ultimately winning in the end. Still my main amp.

So question, how does the newer fully loaded QR's stack up to the 2006 timeframe?

 

[Metlupass2]

 

[harddriver]

 

[RaceU4her]

damn, what a great player, had no idea he was that good.

 

[311splawndude]

These are some of my favorite Splawn clips:

 

[harddriver]

Scott Splawn rebuilt and modded my 1979 Marshall 2203 in 2003 just before he released his Quickrod design. He installed his basic mod which is like the current Promod today. A friend of mine bought a Quickrod not sure what year, (I'm guessing 2009) that I played through at jam sessions and I still prefer my modded Marshall.

Before the purist's grill me for modding a 79 2203, the amp started having intermittent issues that I took to every tech in the area that they could not fix, they kept saying it was fixed and the gremlins wold always return. Scott ended up replacing the power transformer with a newer stock Drake and Mercury Magnetics output transformer and installed one of his circuit boards and the amp has been perfect ever since and has alot more gain, gig usefull features and been reliable ever since the rebuild so I don't regret having him rebuild and mod it although it was a killer amp stock before it had issues, it was a sad day when it started having issues.

21 years later my Splawn Modded Marshall is still going strong and sounding great.

 

[braintheory]

Scott Splawn rebuilt and modded my 1979 Marshall 2203 in 2003 just before he released his Quickrod design. He installed his basic mod which is like the current Promod today. A friend of mine bought a Quickrod not sure what year, (I'm guessing 2009) that I played through at jam sessions and I still prefer my modded Marshall.

Before the purist's grill me for modding a 79 2203, the amp started having intermittent issues that I took to every tech in the area that they could not fix, they kept saying it was fixed and the gremlins wold always return. Scott ended up replacing the power transformer with a newer stock Drake and Mercury Magnetics output transformer and installed one of his circuit boards and the amp has been perfect ever since and has alot more gain, gig usefull features and been reliable ever since the rebuild so I don't regret having him rebuild and mod it although it was a killer amp stock before it had issues, it was a sad day when it started having issues.

21 years later my Splawn Modded Marshall is still going strong and sounding great.

I also usually seem to prefer these builders modded Marshall's to their actual amps of what I've had/tried: Cameron's, Monomyth's, Friedman's, Langner, Bogner (besides the Rev 1 Uberschall)

 

[lessarti]

Aside from the models, it's absolutely CRITICAL to know what YEAR the amp is that you're getting, or that you liked if you are trying to get that sound again. There have been a number of changes over the years and the amps sound very different from each other even if they are all the same model.

I've made it a bit of a personal mission to try them all out. I've had, in the same room with the same speaker cabinets:

• 2003 Modded 1987X. Upgraded MM OT, single channel but has footswitchable rhythm/lead (both quite gainy, and share the same preamp gain control) and solo boost. This is an original deal from back when Splawn was just a guitar shop that also modded amps in the back at customer request. It's very focused in the mids - super forward and you can't dial it out, and very gainy and punchy in the palm mutes.
• 2005 ProMod. No gears, high and low inputs, comes in a Marshall 1959X box and 4-hole chassis. ProMod was the quad KT88 amp before the Nitro existed, but it's effectively identical to the QuickRod of the same year other than the power tubes. Clean channel is simply a single volume knob. Classic Tone transformers. Much more open sounding than the 2003, not quite as gainy. Kinda like a more traditional, modded 2203 type sound, just a hair more gain and darker than than a 2003. Honestly a really really great amp.
• 2006 QuickRod. Has gears, 3-preamp tubes, offset input jack. Clean channel has 3-band EQ but it is heavily affected by the gain you set on the drive channel. I absolutely adore this amp on 3rd gear with the gain up for metal, but do that and you're restricted to dirty cleans at best. Heyboers.
• 2008 and 2009 QuickRods. Has gears, but 4 preamp tubes, Heyboers. Clean channel has only 2-band EQ but adds a gain control as well as volume, and stays clean regardless of overdrive channel settings unlike the previous model. The overdrive tone on these 2008-2012 amps probably colored the opinion of thousands of players that don't like Splawns. They are MUCH darker, less open sounding. These are the amps that put the words "weird mids" into everyone's mind and Splawn has struggled to shake this reputation forever. These amps sound closer to my 2003 Splawn modded Marshall actually. Nitro came out during this time and was similarly darker/middier sounding, but more gain and resonance make it bassier too.
• 2015 Nitro. Essentially a Quickrod if it were always in "4th gear," gives up gears for a resonance control. Super saturated, super high gain, sounds great to my ear, very open and cutting. Very different from early Nitros which were much darker and felt more compressed to me. Back to Classic Tone transformers.
• 2018 StreetRod. Basically a baby Quickrod in a combo amp form. Clean channel loses the gain control. Nice and open sounding unlike the 2008-2012 models.

Some I haven't had:
-2005 Quickrod/Promod without gears, but with the 3-band EQ clean channel. There was a VERY short time that these amps existed, in between the high/low input model and the 3-pre gears version.
-Recent QR with the B+/Mid Cut/Old-New switches. I would really like to hear the differences between these switches especially compared to the "real thing" since I have one of the 2006 QR's that supposedly the "old" mode is modeled after.

Here's the short version of my advice: If you buy a Splawn of any model between 2007-2012, expect it to be darker and very middy. If you buy anything earlier than that, you really need to know what you're looking at or play it first because there's a lot of variations. Anything after 2012 is likely the best for most people and has the widest appeal, plenty of gain but more open and clear sounding. If you play a 4-pre 2007-2012 and hate it, I'd really encourage you to try another year because despite the brand name and controls, they may as well be completely different amps. The models are all extremely similar with only minor differences, the year is important.

I gotta chime in, this is very very true. I have a 2005 Quick rod 3 pre NO gears with Heyboer transformers. It SLAYS, and it destroys the 2009 4 preamp gear version quickrod i used to own WAY back.

Difference in sound for 2005 is more usable and not too crazy mid dominant vs 2009 is honky mids no matter how dialed in. 2005 is more organic and open sounding, very very fun sound.

Scott himself replied to my email about my amp (it was custom built for Godsmack guitarist Tony Rombola) is a stock quickrod 2005 which was based off what Scott wanted a JCM800 to sound like in his own head.

 

[tallcoolone]

One thing to mention is; the earlier 3 preamp tube QR configuration had high plate voltage, kinda stiff to play but were steamrollers in a Wizard/Superlead/HiWatt sense. No sag but huge punch.

Exactly the reason I have avoided getting a Wizard. I've heard this several times and while I love the tone of Splawn amps I detest the feel.

 

[Racerxrated]

Exactly the reason I have avoided getting a Wizard. I've heard this several times and while I love the tone of Splawn amps I detest the feel.

Except, with the 2 Wizards I've owned the feel was fantastic. Almost like a vintage amp. Very unique for a super high plate voltage amp, although my 72 Superlead has a PV over 500 like the Wizards, with good feel also.

 

[braintheory]

Exactly the reason I have avoided getting a Wizard. I've heard this several times and while I love the tone of Splawn amps I detest the feel.

It’s very possible wizards may not be your cup of tea, but their feel imo is nothing like Splawn’s IME

 

[TotallyRadGuitars]

So question, how does the newer fully loaded QR's stack up to the 2006 timeframe?

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.

---

Side note, Scott is indeed a hell of a player. That guy walks the walk

 

[harddriver]

I also usually seem to prefer these builders modded Marshall's to their actual amps of what I've had/tried: Cameron's, Monomyth's, Friedman's, Langner, Bogner (besides the Rev 1 Uberschall)

The only thing left of my original Marshall was the chassis, knobs, choke and the headshell........

I forgot they used Dagnalls for both power and output in the late 70's and Drake chokes. The Dagnalls had DE stickers on them and people including me thought that meant Drake Electronics......MY BAD.....

Looks like the JCM800 reissues had Dagnalls for most of the years since being reissued so I guess that's what I have in mine.

But at least it has a Dagnall Marshall power transformer, he asked me if I had an issue using a Marshall Dagnall taken out of a newer amp that one of his customers wanted a different PT..... I said no.... it has the same B+ my original 79 had, around 454DCV on the plates, I think it came out of a reissue so either a JCM800 or plexi is my guess......

https://reverb.com/item/23210583-dagnall-t4145-transformer-1977-1980-marshall-jmp-2203