Can someone break down the different Splawn models for me?

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Soundstorm
Soundstorm
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Quickrod, Street Rod, Pro Mod, Nitro, Competition, Super Comp, Super Sport, Pro Stock, etc...

No real description on their website aside from what tubes the power section has.

I owned a Quickrod a long time ago and remember really liking it, but I sold it because I got a deal on a IIC+. Who's got some Splawn info? Anyone still rocking theirs?
 
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.
 
Soundstorm said:
Thanks, that makes more sense! So it’s only the Nitro or Quickrod circuits in different configurations then.
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Pretty much, do you want a clean channel or not in either model. If you get the quickrod get the fully loaded with the b+ sag option, mid cut for nitroesque type tones and new old mode for the newer or older splawn tone.
 
Racerxrated said:
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.
Click to expand...
The older ones were noticeably louder too. The 2005 Quick Rod pre-volume loop, (and I believe was 3 preamp), was god-awful loud. Having ordered a new one around 2019, there was a noticeable difference in tone. Scott actually added the 3 gears on the 2005 as a "mod", so it wasn't even a stock feature yet. That amp was much more Plexi in gear one. I couldn't stop playing AC/DC on that thing. Gear 2 was much different as well.. In a very good way.. I guess that's why he offers new/old switch. I can without a doubt say "old" was where it was at.
 
Get a Quick Rod again if you remember liking it. You can often find great deals on them. I have an older 2006 3 preamp one.
 
I think most customers who buy new ones are communicating to get exactly what they want during the process, but it would be nice if their website was a little more clear on current models & offered some basic info on discontinued ones.
 
Soundstorm said:
Thanks, that makes more sense! So it’s only the Nitro or Quickrod circuits in different configurations then.
Click to expand...
Correct

I have a 4 pre 2008 version. The clean channel is super clean and great for pedals but there is some channel bleed over and the clean channel is somewhat hard to dial in parity volume wise to OD channel.

I posted a FB link to a Pro Stock (OD version QR only) w match 4x12 for $1800 in Arkansas in the Crazy Deals thread a week or so ago. Someone here, posted some great clips of the Nitro doing all kinds genres not too long ago either. Mine is going up at some point this year probably because I've determined I'm more of a Recto guy and I'm trying to get down to just 1 or 2 amps.

ke9iS8i.jpg
 
Racerxrated said:
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.
Click to expand...
I got to AB once in the room a QR from 2005, 2012, 2018, a Nitro, Bogner Helios, Boogie Mark III and Germino. The 2005 was better, but the difference to me vs the other 2 wasn’t as big as I was expecting. The 2012 was the worst of the bunch, but I really didn’t like any of them and vs those other amps in the room they paled in comparison imo. The 2005 was good for a Splawn, but not comparable to the power of a Wizard/superlead/Hiwatt and although the feel of the 2005 was better I honestly thought it was still quite bad vs the Mark III and Helios in the room. 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. The Nitro was my least favorite

I guess OP, try them to see what you think, but just my opinions. I really don’t like Splawn’s and the worst part for me is how they quack with weird notches rather than growl with rich harmonics on powerchords. Some call it weird mids, I just call it a sound I dislike
 
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311splawndude said:
Correct

I have a 4 pre 2008 version. The clean channel is super clean and great for pedals but there is some channel bleed over and the clean channel is somewhat hard to dial in parity volume wise to OD channel.

I posted a FB link to a Pro Stock (OD version QR only) w match 4x12 for $1800 in Arkansas in the Crazy Deals thread a week or so ago. Someone here, posted some great clips of the Nitro doing all kinds genres not too long ago either. Mine is going up at some point this year probably because I've determined I'm more of a Recto guy and I'm trying to get down to just 1 or 2 amps.

ke9iS8i.jpg
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SACRILEDGE!!!!!!!

Say it isn't so.....o_Oo_O
 
I’ve owned 4 Splawns over the years: a 100 Watt Nitro and QR - both 4 preamp tube versions, but before the New/Old and Mid/Cut switch options.

I sold both of those when the Old/New - Mid/Cut options came out and bough a brand new, made to order 50 watt fully loaded Nitro and QR.

According to Scott, 3rd Gear on the QR with ‘new’ voicing and the mids ‘cut’ literally IS the Nitro Circuit - just without the ‘resonance’ control. FWIW, I found that Splawns have so much solid low/mid ‘thump’ that the resonance control on the Nitro was overkill. I always had my resonance on 0.

There was some ‘Mojo’ in the older 100 wat Nitro that the newer 50 watt Nitro never quite delivered. Not sure how to describe it other than that.

Ended up selling the 50 watt ‘fully loaded’ Nitro and keeping the 50 watt ‘fully loaded’ QR. I found that 3rd Gear, ‘New’ voicing, mids ‘Cut’ got me deep into Nitro territory - since I wan’t really using the resonance control on the Nitro anyway.

The 50 watt ‘fully loaded’ QR is simply one of the absolute best sounding, best reacting, best amps I have ever owned. It’s a keeper. Period. From OD-1 on 1st Gear to OD-2 on 3rd Gear, you have 6 distinctly noticeable degrees of escalating gain and compression. I personally live on 1st Gear, OD-2 for a bit more ‘oomph’ but still retains that Plexi clarity. 2nd Gear (JCM-800 Voicing) OD-1 is perfect if you love your boost pedals, and OD-2 makes boost pedals purely optional. 3rd Gear (OD-1 or OD-2) just has so much gain and compression … shred / legato heaven.

Splawn amps can be finicky about speakers. Folks who hate ‘Splawn Mids’ likely didn’t experiment with enough speaker options. I find that the V-30 helps scoop out some of the ‘boxier’ mid frequencies that Splawn amps are known for. (I do think that the Splawn midrange that might be ‘noticeable’ in the bedroom or at the music store is the exact frequency range that lets your guitar sit on top of a live or recorded mix without getting buried by the kick drum and bass guitar…) I have a cab with a mix of Marshall branded V-30s and 65 Watt Creambacks and it is literally THE cabinet for my QR. I will also say that the Old/New and Mid/Cut switches allow the amp to play nice with a wider variety of speakers.
 
311splawndude said:
Correct

I have a 4 pre 2008 version. The clean channel is super clean and great for pedals but there is some channel bleed over and the clean channel is somewhat hard to dial in parity volume wise to OD channel.

I posted a FB link to a Pro Stock (OD version QR only) w match 4x12 for $1800 in Arkansas in the Crazy Deals thread a week or so ago. Someone here, posted some great clips of the Nitro doing all kinds genres not too long ago either. Mine is going up at some point this year probably because I've determined I'm more of a Recto guy and I'm trying to get down to just 1 or 2 amps.

ke9iS8i.jpg
Click to expand...
311rectodude just doesn’t have the same ring to it😂
 
braintheory said:
I got to AB once in the room a QR from 2005, 2012, 2018, a Nitro, Bogner Helios, Boogie Mark III and Germino. The 2005 was better, but the difference to me vs the other 2 wasn’t as big as I was expecting. The 2012 was the worst of the bunch, but I really didn’t like any of them and vs those other amps in the room they paled in comparison imo. The 2005 was good for a Splawn, but not comparable to the power of a Wizard/superlead/Hiwatt and although the feel of the 2005 was better I honestly thought it was still quite bad vs the Mark III and Helios in the room. 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. The Nitro was my least favorite

I guess OP, try them to see what you think, but just my opinions. I really don’t like Splawn’s and the worst part for me is how they quack with weird notches rather than growl with rich harmonics on powerchords. Some call it weird mids, I just call it a sound I dislike
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Because they’re shit.
 
Back when I was still on Harmony Central, people said I got one of the best "Brown" sounds from my Splawn Competition at bedroom levels.

There was a friend of mine (Phil K.) back in the day, that lived close to me and had a ton of amps and guitars, and we would just try out different ones, compare, etc. He had a Cameron and forget which Splawn but I believe it was a Quick Rod. Super loud but sounded amazing!

The weird mids thing never really bothered me but I definitely could hear it. I agree that V30s probably would have been a good way to tame that.
 
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...
 
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^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.

romanianreaper said:
I agree that V30s probably would have been a good way to tame that.
Click to expand...
You mean something other than V30s?


braintheory said:
I got to AB once in the room a QR from 2005, 2012, 2018, a Nitro, Bogner Helios, Boogie Mark III and Germino. The 2005 was better, but the difference to me vs the other 2 wasn’t as big as I was expecting. The 2012 was the worst of the bunch, but I really didn’t like any of them and vs those other amps in the room they paled in comparison imo. The 2005 was good for a Splawn, but not comparable to the power of a Wizard/superlead/Hiwatt and although the feel of the 2005 was better I honestly thought it was still quite bad vs the Mark III and Helios in the room. 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. The Nitro was my least favorite

I guess OP, try them to see what you think, but just my opinions. I really don’t like Splawn’s and the worst part for me is how they quack with weird notches rather than growl with rich harmonics on powerchords. Some call it weird mids, I just call it a sound I dislike
Click to expand...
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 :cheers:
 
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