GASing for a Bogner

FourT6and2

FourT6and2

Well-known member
Years ago, I had an Uberschall and I liked it. I played a Shiva once or twice in a music store and I remember the clean channel being amazing but the overdrive channel being a little too round/soft and muddy. It was an EL34 combo w/reverb. I don't really need super mega ultra tight high-gain because I have that covered already. I've never played an XTC, though.

Wondering which one I should give a go. Shiva EL34 1x12 combo, 20th anniversary head, or an XTC of some sort. I guess the 101B is easiest to find.
 
FourT6and2 said:
Years ago, I had an Uberschall and I liked it. I played a Shiva once or twice in a music store and I remember the clean channel being amazing but the overdrive channel being a little too round/soft and muddy. It was an EL34 combo w/reverb. I don't really need super mega ultra tight high-gain because I have that covered already. I've never played an XTC, though.

Wondering which one I should give a go. Shiva EL34 1x12 combo, 20th anniversary head, or an XTC of some sort. I guess the 101B is easiest to find.
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Well, the XTC is the king if you have the cash and the space for a 100w head and cab.
 
I had hardcore Bogner GAS and bought a Shiva, XTC 101b, Uber Rev Blue, and a Fish, all at once just to shoot them out. The Shiva head (early numbers), reminded me of a slightly rounder/darker and slightly gainer JCM 800. The clean was fantastic. The 101b (I believe it was serialed in the low numbers--80s?), was very compressed, dark, and very unique to almost every other amp. Some people swear by it, but the compression and gain structure did not mesh with my taste and I spent most of my time on the blue channel--but felt there were other amps in a similar camp I enjoyed more. The Rev Blue was huge, but I wanted something a little tighter. None of the amps are really tight, all have a fair amount of sag and give--fairly spongy.

The 101B is easier to find but they have gone up in price. If you can find an XTC anniversary those are really awesome as well. If I could purchase one right now, I would do a Shiva Anniversary. For what its worth I kept the Fish, because it looks cool in a rack.
 
The 20th XTC is bad ass. So is the 20th shiva. The other shiva were hit or miss for me, some were awesome, and some were so/so. There is a shiva on Craigslist SF for 1200, at least there was a few days ago.
 
If you are into a lower wattage amp, check out an 18W Duende. They are overlooked, and surprisingly good! Great cleans and mid-crunch with Bogner voicing. I foolishly let mine go. In addition, I’ve had: 100B XTC, 101B Classic, Caveman Mojo, and Goldfinger 45. If you’re looking for higher output, of the ones I’ve owned, I would easily go back to either the 100B or GF45.
 
XTC is a bit like a mesa, you need to turn knobs with your ears not your eyes. As dialed in mine will bite your head off it’s so bright and the treble is almost off. You need to revisit it and understand the power of an XTC is in the presence knobs - they control the entire amplifier and small adjustments when cranked go a long way.
 
glpg80 said:
XTC is a bit like a mesa, you need to turn knobs with your ears not your eyes. As dialed in mine will bite your head off it’s so bright and the treble is almost off. You need to revisit it and understand the power of an XTC is in the presence knobs - they control the entire amplifier and small adjustments when cranked go a long way.
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I couldn't agree more about not using your eyes. I have an XTC 101b and Twin Jet - both sound pretty ordinary if you put everything at noon and pretend they're 'normal' amps.

Before I ever played an XTC I saw many comments online about how they tend to be dark, compressed, too lo-mid focused etc - lots of complaints. After spending some time with one it sounds absolutely awesome, and just needs time and an open mind to bring out its best.

The Uber is similar, you need to throw out conventional thoughts, like what a treble pot does!
 
I like em all for what they are. Only one in the lineup that isnt for me is the Helios 50 and 100 (havent tried eclipse). I really find Bogners to be inspiring creatively. Each of them are their own thing and for me - I don't play a bogner to try and cop some familiar tone you've heard on a million records. Friedman is better for that IMO.

Just got a 20th XTC and it's incredible -truly. Took me a few days to figure it out and understand what it's meant to do - but honeymooning right now for sure. 20th Shiva is unique and incredible. The most overlooked Bogner is the Goldfinger SL - that amp is one of, if not solely, my favorites of all time. It's more of as classic voicing and is not a metal amp of course, but good god it's insane how many great tones you can squeeze out of that thing. Sold mine to try other stuff and knew damn well while I was packing it up that I was making a mistake. That said, I have another being delivered today :LOL:
 
I just sold a 101b that I had for almost a year and tried to love. Definitely has its own voicing and takes awhile to dial in, but after a year of not finding tones I loved I moved it. To me the amp works best for leads but doesn’t stay together well enough for more complex or faster rhythm work. I had a green chassis Shiva for a few months and couldn’t get along with the lack of bottom end on the gain channel and it didn’t react well to boosts. The 20tg Shiva is cool with the extra boost but like all Bogners was slow reacting and overly spongy to me.
 
ZEN Amps said:
I couldn't agree more about not using your eyes. I have an XTC 101b and Twin Jet - both sound pretty ordinary if you put everything at noon and pretend they're 'normal' amps.

Before I ever played an XTC I saw many comments online about how they tend to be dark, compressed, too lo-mid focused etc - lots of complaints. After spending some time with one it sounds absolutely awesome, and just needs time and an open mind to bring out its best.

The Uber is similar, you need to throw out conventional thoughts, like what a treble pot does!
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Forget everything you think you know about dialing in an amp before you turn knobs on an Uber. :LOL:
 
Having had a few ecstasies (20th el34, classic) and shivas (6l6 combo, 20th kt88) an uber (blue) and other bogners (atma, new Yorker, barcelona), I'll share. Favorite clean tone was Shiva 6l6 combo. Favorite mid gain was plexi mode on 20th xtc el34. Favorite high gain was ecstasy classic for me. I'm targeting more of an cantrellish tone for my high gain preference, not exactly ultra high gain but pretty high...The Uber is great too for one thing but that wasn't exactly my thing, i enjoyed it more when blended with other amps. Best overall package for me was the 20th xtc it had to my ears the 2nd best clean of all bogners I've had, best mid gain, 2nd best high gain.
 
Sharing this video I recorded for a friend and fellow RT member to put fuel on the GAS and to show that all of the comments about it being dark/compressed and nothing but low mids are all specific to their setup and how they dial it in:



This was recorded at well above TV volumes. You HAVE to get the power side cooking on these to wake them up, they aren’t bedroom amps at all. It’s by far the loudest amp I own even over my 6550 loaded refreshed 1974 Marshall.
 
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