Question regarding Bogner amps (Goldfinger/ Shiva/XTC/ Brix)

[Everyonesdarling]

Wondered if you could help me out here: Would love to buy me a Bogner amp but am not sure if one of his amps really fit the bill for my purposes. First of all i am basically a bedroom player and would use the amp for recording purposes. Well if the chance shows up that could change but the music scene where i live is rather scarce.
So basically i need an amp that can do everything from Stevie Ray Vaughn, David Gilmour, Malmsteen, Timmons to Satriani very well.
Here are my thoughts on the amps in question: Goldfinger: I think perfect in almost every sense. But maybe not enough gain. Has the amp a singing fat lead tone?
Here is about what i am looking for in a distorted lead tone:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQH_LLcGYEA

Shiva 20th : 80 Watts seem to be overkill for bedroom playing/ recording, otherwise i would guess the amp would fit the bill about 100%.
XTC: I would guess that the XTC has for the above mentioned purposes nothing to over that the Shiva couldn`t do and is even more overkill.
Brixton: Mmmhhh, don`t know too much about this amp. Enough gain. Good clean. I would guess it`s a good amp but not as good as the other amps.

 

[Nico]

The Ecstasy is pure overkill for bedroom playing. At 120w it needs to be turned up loud to deliver the goods.

If I were you I'd look into the Bogner Panama or other brands offering 5-20w heads....

 

[Everyonesdarling]

The Ecstasy is pure overkill for bedroom playing. At 120w it needs to be turned up loud to deliver the goods.

If I were you I'd look into the Bogner Panama or other brands offering 5-20w heads....

Thanks for answering!
Have tried several bedroom amps in the below 10 Watt category just to always come to the following conclusion: My Marshall 410 Head sounds much better at lower levels than these bedrooms amps. So principally i found a 100 Watt head with a good Master volume can sound quite good at lower volumes. And then you have the option to really turn it up once in a while . But i agree with you a 120 Watt XTC head can`t most likely be used to it`s full potential in a bedroom. Question is mainly how good the master volume really works and how good these amps sound at lower levels. When i am talking of lower levels/ bedroom levels i am thinking of a 3/4 cranked stereo. And the Goldfinger can as far as i understood downregulated to 9Watt, right?

 

[ttosh]

The Ecstasy is pure overkill for bedroom playing. At 120w it needs to be turned up loud to deliver the goods.

If I were you I'd look into the Bogner Panama or other brands offering 5-20w heads....

Thanks for answering!
Have tried several bedroom amps in the below 10 Watt category just to always come to the following conclusion: My Marshall 410 Head sounds much better at lower levels than these bedrooms amps. So principally i found a 100 Watt head with a good Master volume can sound quite good at lower volumes. And then you have the option to really turn it up once in a while . But i agree with you a 120 Watt XTC head can`t most likely be used to it`s full potential in a bedroom. Question is mainly how good the master volume really works and how good these amps sound at lower levels. When i am talking of lower levels/ bedroom levels i am thinking of a 3/4 cranked stereo. And the Goldfinger can as far as i understood downregulated to 9Watt, right?

The 20th XTC and Twin Jet can sound fine to great at very low levels, even lower than the 3/4 cranked stereo IMHO. They sound and breath when you get them to gig volumes, but I think either of these amps sound better than the low wattage amps at low volume, just opinion but the bedroom wattage amps lack that something you get out of a higher watt head. Also if you do take out to the music scene you are already prepared and have something that will work. Just my .02 cents. I have not heard the Shiva, but I cannot imagine it not being great as well.

 

[glassjaw7]

Can't the XTC be cut down to around 7 watts?

 

[sinestro]

I have a Shiva 20th and it's a blast to play at conversation level all the way up to hearing loss.

 

[SonicPulverizer]

For the needs that you have laid out the Goldfinger would probably serve you best. It does everything my 101b could and felt better doing it at nearly half the cost. The clean channel with the reverb on is ridiculous. Could easily keep pace with some very respectable designated clean amps. DO NOT expect a clean tone this gorgeous out of anything else in the Bogner line. You can get a sort of 3 channel functionality out of it by setting up the omega channel for "mid gain" and simply use the boost for more high gain content. For lead playing it's seriously in its own league. The "gain eq" knob is the key to escaping the "all vintage" stigma people have attached to this amp. Similar to a presence control, turning it up (clockwise) makes the tone "brighter" and makes for a more aggressive/modern sounding gain. Turning it counter-clockwise gets you a darker, more mellow sound (think bonamassa leads). That said, people who say this amp doesn't have enough gain are comedians. I played this next to a 20th xtc, a 20th shiva, as well as a uberschall (not a twin jet). There is a difference between useable gain and mush and this has more than enough useable gain.

As much of a bogner fanboy that I am, I would recommend that you at least try a boogie mark v. You can find them in most guitar centers these days and for the price it can do pretty much everything. Mind you, I didn't care too much for channel 2 on that amp but between the cleans and the high gain sounds you could cover a lot of ground for hardly any money (14-1700 used).

Heres a vid James Lugo did with Reinhold about the GF:

 

[SonicPulverizer]

Despite my previous rant about the GF, there is a guy in the classifieds section selling an xtc one for $2500

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=99639

Excellent deal for a 2010 model. It's the huge price gap that lead me to push the Goldfinger over it-- killer amp otherwise.

 

[Ventura]

Can't the XTC be cut down to around 7 watts?

Ace point

Provided it's loaded with the right features, you can bring it right down to next to nuthin' without sacrificing much at all in the tone department. As a happy and ridiculously satisfied owner of a 20thA XTC with a mondo matching 4x12, this thing could knock the glass out of a house - but when the SPL isn't needed - this thing can get knocked down nicely and sound soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo sweet.

By far one of the finest amps I've EVER had the pleasure of playing AND owning.

Smeariously...

Mojo

 

[Everyonesdarling]

Thanks for all the replies! Very much appreciated! And to SonicPulverizer: Yeah that was an interesting deal but unfortunately sold!!

 

[SonicPulverizer]

Thanks for all the replies! Very much appreciated! And to SonicPulverizer: Yeah that was an interesting deal but unfortunately sold!!

Darn, I tried to get that link to you as quick as possible. If your still looking-- try keeping an eye on the GC used section on their website. A 101b sold on there for $1999 not too long ago. You can find good really good deals on Diezels as well if you are remotely interested in those. Saw an Einstein head on there for 2200 recently.