Bogner Helios Eclipse Replacement suggestions

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Panhead5

Well-known member
Thinking of cutting my Helios Eclipse loose but would like some suggestions on a very like/ kind tonewise suitable replacement. Now before you think I got ahold of some bad drugs -- I actually think the amp sounds great but I hate everything about the controls , cosmetics , cosmic graphics , Dip switches all the stupid shit this guy puts on the amp. I've owned this amp for awhile but never play it because I don't need 10,000 choices on a front panel I can't understand . I got rid of an early 101b and a Classic for the same thing . Sounds dumb but except for the headshell I can't stand this thing .

Tone should rule out everything but what ever happened to numbers and normal gradations on the panel ? Shouldn't be too hard of a question as It's Marshall based . I love this thing for 80's tones.
 
I haven’t owned an Eclipse, but I’ve owned an XTC and a Helios 50. I totally get what you are saying about cosmetics and ‘options.’ (I no longer own either amp…)

I also have not owned a new BE-100 Deluxe, but based on all the clips I’ve heard online, it sounds like it is at least in the same ‘territory’ as the Eclipse as far as high gain - and may have more versatility on lower gain tones as well?
 
Not easy to come by but Ceriatone Yeti or Chupacabra would be my choice. I've never played the eclipse but I played the standard Helios and its a smokin' amp no doubt but my chupa covers more ground IMO and sounds more Marshallesque if that is what you are going for.
 
Helios is pretty straightforward amp. Nobody force You to fiddle with switches. 70/80' ? Two different amps in one. Choose bright switch, set gain and ready to go.
One thing worth a mention...Eclipse is not better than original 100 and its strenghts on paper turn into disadvatage in real use. Clean channel ? ok, You have separate one but simple mod on 100 give you basically the same. Gain channel on Eclipse doesn't catch the sound on channel 2, it is less raw, more compressed. 3rd channel is too much gain for almost everything and loose definition really quick. I miss my 100 not so much Eclipse.
For alternatives there is Soldano Hot Rod 100+, Cornford, pricier choices like Wizard or SLO. Deliverance is great for money but I doesn't like it nearly as much as Helios.
 
I had an Eclipse and ended up selling. TBH, my JVM205 (set a certain way) got me the best of that Marshall sound. That along with a 1984 JCM800 I picked up before the prices went crazy was enough that I didn’t need the Eclipse and never used it. So I guess it was more redundant than anything.
 
I’ve owned a 101b and played the Helios eclipse. Sold my 101b. I like to set it and forget it. My most used M style amp right now is a Landry G3. If you want something a little darker you can always go with a Friedman JJ.
 
Great suggestions ! I actually got thinking how redundant my entire setup is . I have a cornford MK50II, JCM800 , Landry , JMP plus a bunch of Synergy modules that are all Marshall based . It's just that the Helios eclipse has a certain rawness to it the others don't quite have . Truthfully , I should pick one of the suggestions and get rid of the rest of these amps and just go with it Kinda Liking the Steve Steven's Friedman amp . The amps I play the most now are an SLO100 and a Synergy Dirty Shirley module .
 
Panhead5 said:
Great suggestions ! I actually got thinking how redundant my entire setup is . I have a cornford MK50II, JCM800 , Landry , JMP plus a bunch of Synergy modules that are all Marshall based . It's just that the Helios eclipse has a certain rawness to it the others don't quite have . Truthfully , I should pick one of the suggestions and get rid of the rest of these amps and just go with it Kinda Liking the Steve Steven's Friedman amp . The amps I play the most now are an SLO100 and a Synergy Dirty Shirley module .
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I know this is a couple of months old, but how would you compare the Soldano to the Eclipse? I've been thinking about getting one of them.
 
Wait for the next reiteration of the Helios. Bogner tends to redesign their most popular models over and over again...
 
Not flavor of the month or any month really but you should check out a Mesa Stiletto Deuce stage II. Great Marshall like amps but with a good clean channel and everything else. Don't need pedals but it takes pedals like a champ. An EQ in the loop can really tailor it as well.
 
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