Egnater Rebel 30 with distortion/OD pedals

[C1-ocaster]

Hi Guys.

I've had my Rebel 30 for about a 1.5 months.
I LOVE the clean tones of this amp, that's what go me to buy it.
The gain channel has a light crunch to it, but it only goes to about early AC/DC and nothing more.

I figured I would just get a pedal for the hard and heavy and metal sounds.
I just picked up a used Boss Metal Core just to check out how the amp does with a pedal.
Not too impressed. In fact, quite disappointed.
The Metal Core is not the best pedal out there, but it still puts out a good bit of gain.
Plugged into the Reb30 it still sounds like just high gain crunch, nothing like a high gain channel on an amp.

I have a B52 AT100 half stack and with that amp I don't need a pedal at all and it gets some very cool and brutal gain whenever I want it. I'm trying to get that sound and feel.

I also ordered a new BlackStar HT dual tube pedal to see if that will work any better.
I don't have high hopes.
Seems that maybe the Reb30 just doesn't like too much gain at the front end.
I match the volume of the pedal to the amp so that when the pedal is on or off the volume from the amp is the same.
Then, I crank the gain knob to max.
There are great harmonics coming from the amp, but the overall tone sounds like an over driven channel with chopped square waves.
Almost wooden and dull, not very rich and bouncy.

I tried the BlackStar HT40 Club for a couple of weeks and didn't really like it, it only has 1 "tone" control for the clean channel.
The gain channel has more gain than the Reb30, but it too needs a pedal.

So, now I'm thinking either a Egnater Renegade, used Genz Benz Diablo 60 combo, or used Bogner Alchemist.

Any of you tried those and can give me some insight as to which ones need a pedal and how they react, and which ones don't need a pedal at all.
If anyone has any suggestions on the Reb30 and pedals please post.
TIA.

 

[Schaf]

Hi Guys.
I've had my Rebel 30 for about a 1.5 months.
I LOVE the clean tones of this amp, that's what go me to buy it.
The gain channel has a light crunch to it, but it only goes to about early AC/DC and nothing more.

I figured I would just get a pedal for the hard and heavy and metal sounds.
I just picked up a used Boss Metal Core just to check out how the amp does with a pedal.
Not too impressed. In fact, quite disappointed.
The Metal Core is not the best pedal out there, but it still puts out a good bit of gain.
Plugged into the Reb30 it still sounds like just high gain crunch, nothing like a high gain channel on an amp.

I have a B52 AT100 half stack and with that amp I don't need a pedal at all and it gets some very cool and brutal gain whenever I want it. I'm trying to get that sound and feel.

I also ordered a new BlackStar HT dual tube pedal to see if that will work any better.
I don't have high hopes.
Seems that maybe the Reb30 just doesn't like too much gain at the front end.
I match the volume of the pedal to the amp so that when the pedal is on or off the volume from the amp is the same.
Then, I crank the gain knob to max.
There are great harmonics coming from the amp, but the overall tone sounds like an over driven channel with chopped square waves.
Almost wooden and dull, not very rich and bouncy.

I tried the BlackStar HT40 Club for a couple of weeks and didn't really like it, it only has 1 "tone" control for the clean channel.
The gain channel has more gain than the Reb30, but it too needs a pedal.

So, now I'm thinking either a Egnater Renegade, used Genz Benz Diablo 60 combo, or used Bogner Alchemist.

Any of you tried those and can give me some insight as to which ones need a pedal and how they react, and which ones don't need a pedal at all.
If anyone has any suggestions on the Reb30 and pedals please post.
TIA.

My buddy has a Rebal thirty and the gain channel has way more gain than AC/DC level. It's not that great but has way more gain. Anyway, he runs a suhr riot though the clean. and gets good 80's rock type tone. It just depends on what sound you're going for, what kind of speakers you have, is it a combo? It's definately not going to sound like a Recto at full tilt. Not sure about the gain channel but the clean channel takes gain pedals well. If you're looking for a pedal to do over the top Recto type gain, check out the Wampler Triple wreck. But honestly, if that's the style of music that you play, I'd save my cash and get a Peavey 5150. You're not going to get that kind of thump out of a small amp like that. You can get one easily in the 400-600 range.

 

[Milerky2]

The Rebel 30 likes to be boosted by TS style OD's. The one I used also liked the Rust Booster by HAO. Also, if this is the combo, try plugging it into a closed back cab, the combo itself does not really support the low end needed for metal tones.

 

[C1-ocaster]

The Rebel 30 likes to be boosted by TS style OD's. The one I used also liked the Rust Booster by HAO. Also, if this is the combo, try plugging it into a closed back cab, the combo itself does not really support the low end needed for metal tones.

Thanks.

It's not the low end that I'm looking for. Actually, the low end from where I have the amp sitting, close to a wall, is giving plenty of low end.
I'm looking into getting a high gain sensitivity, and that high gain "growl", despite the speaker and cab.

I have a Digitech RP255 pedal that can mimic some really good high gain amps and pedals, and through headphones it sounds great for playing for fun. I'm just trying to get something like those tones through the amp.
As I said, the issue is that even at moderate volume it seems like the amp flattens dynamically as if a hard knee compressor kicks in.

You're right on the gain TS style. It responds nicely to that.
But even without that this amp does clean and gritty blues just fine on it's own.
It's a great amp for those tones, and it's what sold me.
But, I like to play a wider range of styles and it seems this amp is designed more for a certain type of style and tone, and it excels at that.
That's why I'm looking into a different amp.

I have a B52 AT-100 half stack and I LOVE that amp. It has great clean tone with wonderful tube coloration.
Up the gain an it does gritty and dirty blues with aplomb. Go high on the 2nd gain channel and it turns downright brutal with excellent harmonics, and great clear sustain, along with great feeling chunk and palm muted riffs.
I'm looking for that in a combo. B52 made a 1x12 combo of that amp at 60 watts instead of 100, and only the highest gain channel along with the clean channel.
It would have been perfect, but B52 doesn't make them anymore and it's very tough to find used.

I've heard great things about the Alchemist and Diablo 60 in that they too can do that.

 

[C1-ocaster]

My buddy has a Rebal thirty and the gain channel has way more gain than AC/DC level. It's not that great but has way more gain. Anyway, he runs a suhr riot though the clean. and gets good 80's rock type tone. It just depends on what sound you're going for, what kind of speakers you have, is it a combo? It's definately not going to sound like a Recto at full tilt. Not sure about the gain channel but the clean channel takes gain pedals well. If you're looking for a pedal to do over the top Recto type gain, check out the Wampler Triple wreck. But honestly, if that's the style of music that you play, I'd save my cash and get a Peavey 5150. You're not going to get that kind of thump out of a small amp like that. You can get one easily in the 400-600 range.

I've heard some youtube vids where the Rebel30 head sounds like it has a bit more gain.
But, I can't confirm that with Egnaters info.
From everything I've read the head and combo are the same amp, with the amp turned upside down in the combo.

From mine I can get that AC/DC crunch and not much more, far from "way more gain". Maybe there is something wrong with mine?
I'm running a Boss Metal Core pedal and can get decent gain from it. But that amp doesn't sound nor feel like it likes it very much.
Plus, the clean channel doesn't have a mid control and that's a big let down for any "metal" type sound where mid control is important.
The bright switch engaged gives the tone a raspy edge that isn't pleasant. Engaging the 'tight' gives a bit more control over the low end yet nothing much for the mid.

I don't have high hopes, but I ordered a Blackstar HT dual pedal in hopes of better sound and feel, especially since that pedal has a full eq stack.

I haven't tried the 5150, but I just played the 6505+. It's decent, but nothing great. It's also got a limited tonal range, geared more for the heavy rock and metal player. Even it's tone controls live in a limited range. Clean tones are not to my liking on that amp.
No reason to save up the change. The 6505+ 1x12 combo is a good bit less money than the Rebel 30 combo.
I'm willing to spend up to $1100-$1200 for a new 1x12 combo that can do clean and high gain without needing pedals.
The Bogner Alchemist and Genz Benz Diablo 60 are the closest to fitting that role, except, neither amp is currently available new.
I've seen them used at a GREAT savings though, might go that route.

I think I just picked the wrong amp to cover a wider variety of tones.
The Reb30 is a great amp for what it does. But at $900 I was hoping for more. I don't mind having to add a pedal or two, but it's just not responding well to gain.
As I said, maybe there is something wrong with it. With the Metal Core pedal once I turn the amp volume up the dynamics go flat and it sounds like an overdriven input where the input's limits have been exceeded and a hard signal compression kicks in.

Thanks for the input.
My hunt for the amp for me goes on.

 

[C1-ocaster]

Well, I now think there IS something wrong with my Rebel 30 amp.
Did some experimenting today with the Reb and an old Mosvalve 2100 1x12 combo that I've had since 1990.

I used the Boss Metal Core pedal and plugged straight into the Rebel.
Connected the pedal and turned the distortion level way down and turned the level/out to around 12 o'clock, using it more like a boost pedal.
The sound/tone was very nice, a kind of heavier blues SRV type sound.
And of course with the Reb's great clean tone the sound was really very good.

Then I flipped on the amps "bright" switch and it sounded like crap. Overly aggressive treble with a nasty "bite" that was not pleasant, and the amps treble was only set to the 10 o'clock position, so it was on the low side.
I turned the bright off.
Then I added distortion gain from the pedal and it was ok, not great. Cranked the gain/distortion up to full and there was that odd tone again, that sounds like there is just too much signal for the pre input on the amp to handle.
I did some aggressive palm muted A string riffs and there was this flubby tone like the speaker was blown, and no dynamics just dull.
That's NOT good, and shows there is something wrong.

To verify I plugged the pedal into my Mosvalve and set it to the clean channel. I set the pedal as a boost and the sound was very nice.
It wasn't as rich and harmonic as the Rebel cause the Mosvalve is a solid state power amp with a multi stage tube pre-amp.
It uses 12ax7 tubes. I think there is 1 for the clean channel and 2 for the dirty channel, which also has 2 drive/gain sections.
The 2nd gain control is called a "stack", basically "stacking" gain stages.

I cranked the pedals gain/distortion to max and the sound was very clean in terms of handling the signal.
The distortion was rich and thick with great sensitivity. Palm muted chunky riffs sound very good and non of that flubby torn speaker sound like the Rebel with the same pedal and settings.
The overall sound and tone was actually pretty good, better than I expected. And the sensitivity to string pick and attack was amazingly good.

I actually really liked the over all tone and sound coming from the Mosvalve, but as I said, it's a solid state power amp and there is something "missing" in tonal character compared to a tube power amp section.
Plus, this is an old amp that sat for a long time, and every single knob results in a LOT of scratching as every knob needs extensive cleaning.
I think I'm going to open up the Mosvalve and give it a thorough cleaning.

So, it's confirmed that there is something not right with my Egnater on the clean channel when using a distortion pedal.
It just can't handle the signal gain for whatever reason. And the ugly sound when engaging the "bright" switch may also be part of whatever the problem is.
Most every review I've read about Egnater's and Rebel's in particular say that the amps handle pedals very well.
Yet mine does not.

I'm not going to get it fixed or get another one. I'm just going to return it to Guitar Center.
The Rebel is a great sounding amp, but it has limited range, and the clean channel only has bass and treble, which won't work great for distortion pedals. High gain and distortion needs a great mid tone adjustment and it's just not there on the Rebel.

I'm going to order a good condition Bogner Alchemist 1x12 that I found on the web.
Judging from youtube demo's the Bogner has greater range of sounds, gain, and tonal adjustments.
Not as rich and sweet on the cleans as the Rebel, but still plenty great for a practice amp.

Thanks for the input, and I hope someone can use my experience in the future if they encounter this same kind of problem with their amp.

 

[Ricardoucr]

I bought mine with 4 tubes in bad state. I put new jj's in clean and inverter. A Mullard in v1 and a tungsol in the overdrive and it sounds completely different. A lot of gain now even with single coils.

 

[maynardo]

Didn't they made a 2nd version of the Rebel 30 with more gain?

 

[bumrush101]

Have you tried the Renegade? I keep hearing GREAT things about that model..