Soldano SLO-100 Post Master Volume Effects Level Loop Mod $

JLB BCM

New member
Hey guys,

Lynn Burke here, Blues City Music owner. Mike just finished the very first production SLO-100 with this new post master volume effects level loop mod for a good friend and customer, SK. It freaking rocks. I recently shot a video in Seattle with Mike Soldano and Mike Araiza about this loop if you like. You can find this online at the normal locations. Here is the information straight from Mike himself.


Soldano Custom Amplification Post Master Volume Effects Loop Mod

Fabulous news!!!

The Soldano Custom Amplification, Super Lead Overdrive (SLO-100) post master volume effects loop mod is now available. You can have it installed on your new amp during the build process for an additional ($500.00), or you can have it added to your existing amp for an additional ($600.00).

Mike Soldano personally hand wires this mod, and it takes almost all day long to do so. No one knows this amp better than Mike; so don’t take any chances damaging your amp, or voiding your life long transferable warranty with others trying to modify this loop. Let the master do it.

For those who are familiar with the Soldano Hot Rod 25 and its post master volume effects loop, this is where I came up with the idea of making this type loop available for all SLO-100 customers. Mike has done a few SLO-100 effects loop “one off’” builds for customers in the past, but none have been designed from scratch and built like this new production mod.

As the name implies, the effects loop is now located after the Master Volume controls with the EFFECTS RETURN going directly into the power amp. (FYI, current build +4db serial line level effects loop SLO-100’s have the loop located before the tone stack.) There is an EFFECTS LOOP RETURN LEVEL control located on the back of the chassis right next to the effects loop jacks. This control adjusts the power amp’s sensitivity to the signal level coming from the output of the effect device (s). More simply put, it is the volume control for the power amp.

The Master Volume controls on the front of the amp now act as EFFECTS LOOP SEND LEVEL controls. They will adjust the level of the signal going into the input of the effects device (s). This configuration allows both send and return levels to be adjusted to accommodate virtually any type of effect device (s).

An added bonus is that you can now use your SLO-100 as a power amp if you wish. Simply plug any signal source into the EFFECTS LOOP RETURN jack and use the EFFECTS LOOP RETURN LEVEL control as an overall master volume control.

When nothing is plugged into the effects loop, the EFFECTS LOOP RETURN LEVEL control is still active and acts as an overall master volume control. Mike recommends setting this control at around the 3 o’clock position when there is nothing plugged into the effects loop. You can then use the Master Volume controls on the front of the amp as you normally would.

You asked for it, and we asked Mike Soldano. You now have the option of having this new effects loop installed on your SLO-100, have Mike adjust the current +4db serial line level loop to be more pedal friendly, or just go with the tried and true +4db loop that Mike designed and still builds 31 years later.

If you have any questions, please let us know ASAP.

Lynn Burke
BCM owner
 
I just hope he kept the original loop circuitry in place.

I’ve build a few clones with O’Netics iron and tried bypassing the Send Buffer and Return Driver and it didn’t sound the same. The dual Cathode Followers and drivers and unique and key to the SLO sound. Ask anyone who has played a HR100+. It’s not a SLO and it’s not just the iron that’s the difference.

Now I know this is Mike we’re talking about and he’ll do it right, I’m just curious to see how this will be implemented.

Is the loop tube or solid state?
 
Luca79":17dqc53m said:
Footswithcable dual master?
This is easily done with the stock loop as is by using a passive volume cut pedal. Throw a 10k pot, a stomp switch, and a few jacks into a project box. Mike will even make you one for some $, but it's way cheaper to home brew. If you want variable volume control instead of toggling between two preset volumes levels, use the Ernie Ball 25k volume pedal in the loop.
 
Key info is whether the stock loop stays in place and just isn’t used? Or is it removed, which changes the tone? And yeah, solid state loop, I assume?

Doesn’t sound inexpensive...
 
I'd assume it'll end up structured just like the HR25, so move the input/output buffers after the master volumes and wire it in. I've heard repeatedly that the SLO sounds better with the loop buffers completely out of the circuit and how Mike prefers the sound with that setup.

I can't image it's solid state just because people will expect tubes at that price-point......even though personally I see no reason to use a tube for a unity gain driver for an effects loop buffer.

Of course that's all 100% speculation. I have no insider information or anything.
 
rstites":3qjxcjfv said:
I've heard repeatedly that the SLO sounds better with the loop buffers completely out of the circuit and how Mike prefers the sound with that setup.

Where have you heard this?

I can personally tell you that it took some of the magic away from the SLO. Yes it was a tone, but it was the SLO tone. Actually sounded more like a Hot Rod, which again is a tone but not what people look for when they buy the SLO.

I’m also curious where you’ve heard Mike say that he prefers this sound?
 
kdmay":1m13o27o said:
rstites":1m13o27o said:
I've heard repeatedly that the SLO sounds better with the loop buffers completely out of the circuit and how Mike prefers the sound with that setup.

Where have you heard this?

I can personally tell you that it took some of the magic away from the SLO. Yes it was a tone, but it was the SLO tone. Actually sounded more like a Hot Rod, which again is a tone but not what people look for when they buy the SLO.

I’m also curious where you’ve heard Mike say that he prefers this sound?

The SLO originally didn't have the loop. It was added later as a mod due to customer demand. It didn't become standard on the SLO until even later as a "standard mod" essentially. The amp definitely wasn't designed with the loop as part of it's intended sound.

If you're curious, Mike does actually discuss this in the recent Tone-Talk.

A fairly common mod that he'll do is to add a loop bypass switch that removed the entire loop circuitry from the circuit path with a dpdt switch mounted between the tubes - on top of the chassis. A number of guys have had it done and reported that the amp sounds more aggressive with the loop removed. Several of them have mentioned discussing it with Mike and how he's mentioned preferring the sound without the loop. My knowledge is all 2nd hand on both accounts. Mine is a '92 and the loop was standard by then, and I have no desire to mod it at this point - all stock.

It sounds like you agree with them that the loop circuitry affects the sound. It just sounds like you differ on whether it improves it or not.

I'd be curious to hear it removed and to hear it moved to the know loop, but I don't really want to pay the money to mod it for either situation. :)
 
^exactly right.. Mike always said he did not prefer the loop being added. Many SLO's made in the late 80's and early 90's didn't have the loop. I had a 1990 decades ago with no loop based on mikes recommendation.
 
OK - that actually makes a lot of sense.

Mike strarted out with his Hot Rod mod for JMPs and Master Volumes. This mod wouldn’t have had a loop. Then the SLO evolved from this. Later he made the Hot Rod series which doesn’t have that extra loop buffer and driver in the preamp because people wanted his Hot Rod mod and were wanting to buy amps just so he could mod, so he made one from scratch.

One of the amps I built did actually have this DPDT switch, so I could switch it in and out. You’re right in that it was more aggressive without the loop circuitry. The extra Cathode Follower smooths out the sound and gives it that trademark SLO compression (nice compression). I ended up removing the switch and keeping the original SLO sounds as I preferred it.

I do remember the discussion in the Tone Talk video, I just don’t remember Mike saying he preferred it. I’ll go back and have another listen. I don’t remember all 4 hours!!

It will be interesting to see whether the SLO Mk2 keeps the original tone or does the same thing as this mod. If it were me I would prefer to see the original SLO tone preserved and add an extra preamp tube for the loop buffer and driver. Of course this would require a new PCB, chassis etc, but if you’re making a new amp from scratch as opposed to modifying an existing layout etc, it would be possible.

rstites":1hc0l2g9 said:
kdmay":1hc0l2g9 said:
rstites":1hc0l2g9 said:
I've heard repeatedly that the SLO sounds better with the loop buffers completely out of the circuit and how Mike prefers the sound with that setup.

Where have you heard this?

I can personally tell you that it took some of the magic away from the SLO. Yes it was a tone, but it was the SLO tone. Actually sounded more like a Hot Rod, which again is a tone but not what people look for when they buy the SLO.

I’m also curious where you’ve heard Mike say that he prefers this sound?

The SLO originally didn't have the loop. It was added later as a mod due to customer demand. It didn't become standard on the SLO until even later as a "standard mod" essentially. The amp definitely wasn't designed with the loop as part of it's intended sound.

If you're curious, Mike does actually discuss this in the recent Tone-Talk.

A fairly common mod that he'll do is to add a loop bypass switch that removed the entire loop circuitry from the circuit path with a dpdt switch mounted between the tubes - on top of the chassis. A number of guys have had it done and reported that the amp sounds more aggressive with the loop removed. Several of them have mentioned discussing it with Mike and how he's mentioned preferring the sound without the loop. My knowledge is all 2nd hand on both accounts. Mine is a '92 and the loop was standard by then, and I have no desire to mod it at this point - all stock.

It sounds like you agree with them that the loop circuitry affects the sound. It just sounds like you differ on whether it improves it or not.

I'd be curious to hear it removed and to hear it moved to the know loop, but I don't really want to pay the money to mod it for either situation. :)
 
rstites":3h4exs7k said:
A fairly common mod that he'll do is to add a loop bypass switch that removed the entire loop circuitry from the circuit path with a dpdt switch mounted between the tubes - on top of the chassis. A number of guys have had it done and reported that the amp sounds more aggressive with the loop removed.

A friend had an SLO with this mod. It sounded a lot better when the loop was completely taken out of the circuit. If I was to buy an SLO, I'd definitely want this mod.
 
My SLO has the switch to bypass the loop. Once I switched the loop off, I kept it off. I much prefer the tone. I loved the tone before but I found it to be even better with it off. Just my opinion but it’s a lot angrier.
 
You guys make me wanna put the switch back in!

I did it over 6 years ago and maybe my tone memory isn’t as good as I thought - LOL!
 
kdmay":1fo5a0m3 said:
I just hope he kept the original loop circuitry in place.

I’ve build a few clones with O’Netics iron and tried bypassing the Send Buffer and Return Driver and it didn’t sound the same. The dual Cathode Followers and drivers and unique and key to the SLO sound. Ask anyone who has played a HR100+. It’s not a SLO and it’s not just the iron that’s the difference.

Now I know this is Mike we’re talking about and he’ll do it right, I’m just curious to see how this will be implemented.

Is the loop tube or solid state?

Still tube driven.
 
Guys, I'm just the messenger trying to accommodate my customer requests and passing that info. on to you.

I had Mike offer the "effects loop bypass" switch as an option after a customer request many years ago. 2 of my 3 SLO's has the bypass. YES, to me it does sound more pure with the loop out of the circuit. I don't run anything through the loop except a Soldano Surf Box or a TC Flashback delay, otherwise, it is bypassed.

I've yet to find any builder that truly loves throwing a loop in his circuit other than Diezel. Only issue is you CAN'T add this new loop to an SLO WITH the effects loop bypass. He said too much going on and real estate is at risk.

Sure, you can toss a volume pedal in the loop. Mike's "Soundman Eliminator" pedal does the same type thing, but both are too woofy/mushy at low volumes and so far it's 50/50 with customers that have bought it from me. Most disregard this method, but if it works for you, keep rocking.

Yes, he said it took 8 hours to install. I was in the shop while he was building Steve K's amp. It is definitely busy. Shop rate is $100 bucks an hour. Same with my tech for my shop gear when Mike can't do it.

Costs what it cost like anything else. I had a lot of guys ask for it. If you dig it great, if not, don't buy it.

LB
BCM
 
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