Talk to me about the Budda Superdrive

[SFW]

I played a SD 30 combo a few years ago, and was impressed. How is the gain on the SD30 heads? I don't need modern metal, just som good hard rock tones. The clip below is hard to hear, but at around 52 seconds, it sounds like they crank the gain. And I really dig that tone he's getting.

 

[ericsabbath]

preamp circuit was designed by dave friedman and it's pretty much the same preamp of the naylor superdrive and the friedman naked amp, with small adjusts
3 gain stages + cathode follower, like most hot rodded JCM 800 based amps

loop is passive (pre out/power in)

 

[TIBrent]

I owned a superdrive 80. I really dug the amp, it was nice & smooth & got pretty heavy, but it was a really smooth heavy. Great amp.
-Brent

 

[Vrad]

It's got plenty of gain for what you described. If you throw a boost in front of it, it does 80's metal REALLY well. I love my SD80. Has just the right features in it.

 

[bigdaddyd]

You can hear it around 5:57. He gets a bunch of different tones just from riding the volume control on the guitar. Leslie West rules. There is another video where he plays some more. He uses the 30 and 45 watt I think.

 

[Even Bigger D]

I've got a SD80 and I love the gain sounds. But all the SD amps have one major issue: volume and gain are not independent between the clean channel and gain channel. I think they're basically unusable as a channel switching head on stage if you need both a true clean and high gain, even though the amp does both sounds well and has a foot switch. So mine's relegated to a studio-only amp.

 

[roodboy]

Great amp. I had a sd30 2x12 and sd45 head.
The volume issue cited above is its major downside, but there is a mod to fix it.
The 30 was smoother than the 45.
The 45 had a bit more attitiude.

 

[Even Bigger D]

Great amp. I had a sd30 2x12 and sd45 head.
The volume issue cited above is its major downside, but there is a mod to fix it.
The 30 was smoother than the 45.
The 45 had a bit more attitiude.

The problem is to do the mod right, you need space for an additional front panel knob, and there isn't any. The amp just needs a very modest re-design to an SLO-like control layout (but not circuit topology).

 

[Meathead]

...the SD amps have one major issue: volume and gain are not independent between the clean channel and gain channel. I think they're basically unusable as a channel switching head on stage if you need both a true clean and high gain, even though the amp does both sounds well and has a foot switch. So mine's relegated to a studio-only amp.

I use my SD18 no problem as a channel switcher. I have a clean tone and a gain tone set at the same volume, works fine.
I've read this before and I don't understand why people have a problem setting it up.

Is it because I have an SD18 II and you are talking about the originals?

 

[Vrad]

...the SD amps have one major issue: volume and gain are not independent between the clean channel and gain channel. I think they're basically unusable as a channel switching head on stage if you need both a true clean and high gain, even though the amp does both sounds well and has a foot switch. So mine's relegated to a studio-only amp.

I use my SD18 no problem as a channel switcher. I have a clean tone and a gain tone set at the same volume, works fine.
I've read this before and I don't understand why people have a problem setting it up.

Is it because I have an SD18 II and you are talking about the originals?

Yeah I don't have any issues with getting a clean sound either.
I was thinking the same thing... maybe it's Series I vs Series II?

 

[D-Rock]

I've got a series II SD80. Killer amp.
Smooth, dynamic and great throaty crunch. I typically boost mine and it can do alt-rock, hair and modern metal. One of my favourite things is the natural sustain and feedback from the amp. It just hangs there and sings when you hold an note.
The cleans are top notch, I keep my boost on and keep the clean level a bit low so I don't overload the input. Then I switch to the neck pickup and it's heaven.

 

[Lance-a-not]

-

 

[Even Bigger D]

...the SD amps have one major issue: volume and gain are not independent between the clean channel and gain channel. I think they're basically unusable as a channel switching head on stage if you need both a true clean and high gain, even though the amp does both sounds well and has a foot switch. So mine's relegated to a studio-only amp.

I use my SD18 no problem as a channel switcher. I have a clean tone and a gain tone set at the same volume, works fine.
I've read this before and I don't understand why people have a problem setting it up.

Is it because I have an SD18 II and you are talking about the originals?

No, mine is a series II. The problem is that the post-volume is shared between channels. If you set the gain channel to high gain (using the modern pull and/or just by turning up the gain), and then turn the clean channel's pre-gain up to match it volume wise, the clean side breaks up.

So if you like a somewhat broken up clean, or don't want much gain on the channel 2, you're fine. But it's one knob short of working for lots of people.

 

[Lance-a-not]

-

 

[Meathead]

So if you like a somewhat broken up clean, or don't want much gain on the channel 2, you're fine. But it's one knob short of working for lots of people.

While it works for me I agree with this, it is definitely dependent on the way you want the channels to interact

Ya, my clean tone may have a little dirt and tube compression on it, just a little. I dig it like that.

But it sounds clean when I hear it with the band live and on recordings.

 

[bigangryguitar]

I will be the fourth to agree the Superdrive series II amps are EXCELLENT channel switchers. It's more of a Vox type clean where there is a touch of hair on it but it still has a really nice chime to it and as Randy said it sits perfectly in a band mix. Add that to imho one of the very best lead channels in the business, good effects loop and dead simple to use and you have what is my ideal amp. With a boost you can do any classic\80's metal stuff all day long and 90's AIC type metal without an issue. If you wanted to do anything more modern or thrashy you could on this amp but there are far better choices since it's a bit on the loose, chewy side as opposed to tight and articulate. I stumbled upon my Superdrive 30 Series II by accident a few months ago and have been wondering how I didn't try one of these years ago!

_Shane

 

[boost]

One of my favorite things is the natural sustain and feedback from the amp. It just hangs there and sings when you hold an note.

This. And I play with single coils. Tele neck pickup sounds like a sustainer sometimes. That pickup and guitar aren't exactly known for the LP singing sustain type of tones. The credit for that goes to the amp.

I don't normally use the clean channel, but when I do I like to use the EP Booster on it and back off the volume on the guitar. That helps get some of the hair back on my clean.

 

[D-Rock]

I will be the fourth to agree the Superdrive series II amps are EXCELLENT channel switchers. It's more of a Vox type clean where there is a touch of hair on it but it still has a really nice chime to it and as Randy said it sits perfectly in a band mix. Add that to imho one of the very best lead channels in the business, good effects loop and dead simple to use and you have what is my ideal amp. With a boost you can do any classic\80's metal stuff all day long and 90's AIC type metal without an issue. If you wanted to do anything more modern or thrashy you could on this amp but there are far better choices since it's a bit on the loose, chewy side as opposed to tight and articulate. I stumbled upon my Superdrive 30 Series II by accident a few months ago and have been wondering how I didn't try one of these years ago!

_Shane

Yeah this is pretty much bang on. Although I haven't platyed a SD30. The 6L6's in my SD80 may reduce some poweramp sag and breakup associated with the EL84's and offer some better modern tones...not sure. I'm planning on doing a video of my SD80 doing some heavy chug since those tones are a bit of an anomoly and not typically associated with this amp. But you are right in that there are better modern amps situated for those modern gain tones. But the SD80 does not dissapoint, it's just not 100% ideal. It's strength is definitely more geared towards that Vox chime/grit and Marshall hot rod lead tones.

 

[BrentSP]

Budda is the only amp company that have stopped me in my tracks on my ultimate tone search. Many of you know me from the past and I was a major amp whore and have played about all the mid to high gain amps out there and the Superdrive is where its at for me. I've owned my SD30 going on 5 years now and have not once wanted another amp. In fact just today I bought a Budda V20 which is in the SD series of amps. Occasionally I do get some Bogner G.A.S. but not enough to sell my Budda. SD30 with my Bogner 412 loaded with greenback..............pure tonal heaven.

Regarding the volume issue. I agree it would be nice to have a separate volume for each channel but honestly I keep my gain on my rhythm channel about 830-845 and its about perfect. Clean with a bit of grit depending on where you have your Master. I'm sure on the 45 and 80 you would have more headroom and less breakup. As already stated there is a mod for it that is very easy to do but its just not accessible to the outside of the amp once done, unless you ran a pot to one of the out puts or eliminated the slave level.