Bogner Ecstacy History

FourT6and2

FourT6and2

Well-known member
You know... this is one amp I've never played. I owned an Uber and played an EL34 Shiva w/reverb. Can y'all give me a simple bullet point rundown of all the XTC models and what sets each one apart? 100A, 101B, 20th, 101S, blah blah blah I can't keep track of it all.
 
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A is 6L6. B is EL34.

100s we're first and rare, so of course they are the best, right? Supposedly less compressed etc.

101 white chassis was next. Lots of features, like cabinet switching. Supposed to not sound so great.

101 black chassis next. You're more common XTC. There was a change at some point for more gain in the red channel.

101 chrome chassis (Classic) supposed to be closer to the 100.

20th is supposed to have the ability to cop them all.
 
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I have older 100Bs (Reinhold only made around 100 of the 100A/100B models. He hand wound the transformers in the first bunch.)
…. but I’d really like to try a 20th anniversary at some point, some guys I talk with say they are real good…
But of course, they’ve never played through a 100B so who knows🤔

The white chassis 101 B with cabinet switching; I owned one and sent it back because It sounded terrible, Joey Brasler (from makin music CA), replaced it with another one, same model, it too sounded horrible… I returned it for a refund.

My cousin bought one at the same time and his sounded terrible, he sold it,
Shortly after this, Reinhold quit making the cabinet (tone suck) switching option.
This is why they are in fact ‘so rare’, LOL

I chuckle every time one pops up on REVERB for sale listed as some kind of incredible ‘rare treasure’…😂

But if you think about it, how many guys actually get to compare their own Bogner with someone else’s? I bet it’s very rare, so therefore, it’s kinda natural for humans to think they got ‘the good one’.

Apart from the cabinet switching model, they all sound pretty darn good when you crank them up around 4 or so on the Master, but they do need volume in my opinion. The classic is a real sleeper, it sounds fantastic in my opinion, very close to the 100B but a little brighter and more stiff because of the added filtering, but it has less gain than the all other models so, of course, that’s a downfall because everyone wants more more more gain, even at the cost of tone.
 
Don't you guys think it's weird how every single amp manufacturer gets it right the first time when a model comes out and they subsequently ruin the amp with each revision? If the original model is so good, why don't they just keep making it the same? Or better still, make it even better? :dunno:
 
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I own a 101b made in 2007. Love it. I don't have a ton of experience with other versions though. I've read multiple opinions of people who own XTC 101b's and XTC 20th Anniversary heads who say that the 20th head has a more modern and tighter sounding Red channel than the 101b, but a slightly more anemic, thinner sounding Blue channel. I haven't owned a 20th Anniversary but I have A/B'd a recent 101b and 20th anniversary head through the same cab and generally agree with that.

Also, there are two versions of the 20th Anniversary head, a 6L6 and EL34 version. I compared the 101b with an EL34 20th Anniversary head, fyi.

With the XTC's model name, 101A vs 101B, etc., the A stands for "American" (6L6 power section) and the B stands for "British" (EL34 power section).

ZEEGLER said:
Don't you guys think it's weird how every single amp manufacturer gets it right the first time when a model comes out and they subsequently ruin the amp with each revision? If the original model is so good, why don't they just keep making it the same? Or better still, make it even better? :dunno:
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"Shit they're onto me!" - The guy who gets excited and preorders everything so he always gets 1st editions, but never likes them so he tries to recoup his lost cash by starting rumors about how the 1st runs of everything sound the best. before he sells them.
 
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Sounds like the 100A/B is the one I want to try. And if I can't find one, maybe a 20th.

I just found some clips of a 100A on the 'Tube and man... gorgeous sounding. The XTC seems like a very complicated amp, though. So many switches and options. I tend to get overloaded with stuff like that and I wind up fiddling with the amp more than playing.
 
SQUAREHEAD said:
I have older 100Bs (Reinhold only made around 100 of the 100A/100B models. He hand wound the transformers in the first bunch.)
…. but I’d really like to try a 20th anniversary at some point, some guys I talk with say they are real good…
But of course, they’ve never played through a 100B so who knows🤔

The white chassis 101 B with cabinet switching; I owned one and sent it back because It sounded terrible, Joey Brasler (from makin music CA), replaced it with another one, same model, it too sounded horrible… I returned it for a refund.

My cousin bought one at the same time and his sounded terrible, he sold it,
Shortly after this, Reinhold quit making the cabinet (tone suck) switching option.
This is why they are in fact ‘so rare’, LOL

I chuckle every time one pops up on REVERB for sale listed as some kind of incredible ‘rare treasure’…😂

But if you think about it, how many guys actually get to compare their own Bogner with someone else’s? I bet it’s very rare, so therefore, it’s kinda natural for humans to think they got ‘the good one’.

Apart from the cabinet switching model, they all sound pretty darn good when you crank them up around 4 or so on the Master, but they do need volume in my opinion. The classic is a real sleeper, it sounds fantastic in my opinion, very close to the 100B but a little brighter and more stiff because of the added filtering, but it has less gain than the all other models so, of course, that’s a downfall because everyone wants more more more gain, even at the cost of tone.
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How many 100Bs do you have?
 
ZEEGLER said:
Don't you guys think it's weird how every single amp manufacturer gets it right the first time when a model comes out and they subsequently ruin the amp with each revision? If the original model is so good, why don't they just keep making it the same? Or better still, make it even better? :dunno:
Click to expand...

Yeah, I've wondered the same shit when people talk about Rectos on here
 
I've had 2 100b's and 2 20th's (EL34).

The 20th doesnt sound like a 100b but the clean is much nicer. The loop is also better.

Yes, the 100b is most desirable for good reason. They simple have the 'it' factor on the blue/red channels.
 
FourT6and2 said:
You know... this is one amp I've never played. I owned an Uber and played an EL34 Shiva w/reverb. Can y'all give me a simple bullet point rundown of all the XTC models and what sets each one apart? 100A, 101B, 20th, 101S, blah blah blah I can't keep track of it all.
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Worth trying one for sure - they're quite different to the Uber and Shiva, unlike other brands where one model pretty much tells you about the rest (Friedman, Diezel etc).
 
ZEN Amps said:
Worth trying one for sure - they're quite different to the Uber and Shiva, unlike other brands where one model pretty much tells you about the rest (Friedman, Diezel etc).
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Not the case the case with the ‘90’s Diezel’s pre-silverface (like the Blueface and early prototypes), but otherwise I agree. In some ways it’s a good thing. Makes the quest simpler lol
 
SQUAREHEAD said:
I have older 100Bs (Reinhold only made around 100 of the 100A/100B models. He hand wound the transformers in the first bunch.)
…. but I’d really like to try a 20th anniversary at some point, some guys I talk with say they are real good…
But of course, they’ve never played through a 100B so who knows🤔

The white chassis 101 B with cabinet switching; I owned one and sent it back because It sounded terrible, Joey Brasler (from makin music CA), replaced it with another one, same model, it too sounded horrible… I returned it for a refund.

My cousin bought one at the same time and his sounded terrible, he sold it,
Shortly after this, Reinhold quit making the cabinet (tone suck) switching option.
This is why they are in fact ‘so rare’, LOL

I chuckle every time one pops up on REVERB for sale listed as some kind of incredible ‘rare treasure’…😂

But if you think about it, how many guys actually get to compare their own Bogner with someone else’s? I bet it’s very rare, so therefore, it’s kinda natural for humans to think they got ‘the good one’.

Apart from the cabinet switching model, they all sound pretty darn good when you crank them up around 4 or so on the Master, but they do need volume in my opinion. The classic is a real sleeper, it sounds fantastic in my opinion, very close to the 100B but a little brighter and more stiff because of the added filtering, but it has less gain than the all other models so, of course, that’s a downfall because everyone wants more more more gain, even at the cost of tone.
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Yeah there were a lot of amps I had crossed off my list only to realize many years later I just didn’t try the right version (Uber’s, Recto’s, VH4’s, SLO’s). Sometimes it can be a critical difference

I’ve tried all the version XTC’s except the 100B/A or any with 6L6’s. Even tried a Cameron modded XTC my friend has. I think I remember liking the classic most of what I tried and even that had for me lots of gain. The 2009 101B I had for a few years had stupid amounts even at 9 o clock on the red channel. All nice amps, but for my taste too smooth and like it’s always holding back. They have sorta this I wanna say smoky quality to their sound that I think is cool. Not the amps to get if you want something raw or very alive/responsive
 
had all the versions of 101b along with 20th el34 (twice) and 6l6
would love to get a 100b
the twentieth gets way more angry and modern than the 101b very versatile amp
but the 101b blue is its own thing
very unique tone less gainy than 20th but has this low mid open thing real nice
 
I like angry, pissed off amps. But with some sense of sweetness to their timbre. Bogner tends ot fall in that camp for me. All the clips I've heard of XTCs, regardless of model, have a really nice bounce, sag, and a sweetness to them. The Uberschall I had, albeit way overboard on the gain, even had that tonality to it.

Even clips of the Helios have that sweetness and sag to it that is appealing. But they aren't aggressive enough for me. However being turret board construction, would be easy enough to swap out a few parts to make them more angry and tighter for my taste. I might go that route if I can't find a 100A/B.
 
FourT6and2 said:
I like angry, pissed off amps. But with some sense of sweetness to their timbre. Bogner tends ot fall in that camp for me. All the clips I've heard of XTCs, regardless of model, have a really nice bounce, sag, and a sweetness to them. The Uberschall I had, albeit way overboard on the gain, even had that tonality to it.

Even clips of the Helios have that sweetness and sag to it that is appealing. But they aren't aggressive enough for me. However being turret board construction, would be easy enough to swap out a few parts to make them more angry and tighter for my taste. I might go that route if I can't find a 100A/B.
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That would be interesting if you could do some cool mods to the Helios. The Helios & Telos were the only Bogner’s I’ve tried that actually had a raw, organic tone with decent responsiveness to nuances in playing. I interpret the growl and grit they have over the smoother voicing of other Bogner’s to be in that regard a more aggressive sound, but I guess depends what one is looking for. I’m guessing you meant more the softer feel they have vs more modern voiced amps

I know what you mean about sweetness. The Wizards, as great as they can be, have zero of that. My ‘90's Protoype VH4 Purpleface has one the sweetest sounds of any amp I’ve had (high gain or not). It’s imo a real travesty that his amps took a completely different direction with his production amps with that cold, sterile type tone
 
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braintheory said:
That would be interesting if you could do some cool mods to the Helios. The Helios & Telos were the only Bogner’s I’ve tried that actually had a raw, organic tone with decent responsiveness to nuances in playing. I interpret the growl and grit they have over the smoother voicing of other Bogner’s to be in that regard a more aggressive sound, but I guess depends what one is looking for. I’m guessing you meant more the softer feel they have vs more modern voiced amps

I know what you mean about sweetness. The Wizards, as great as they can be, have zero of that. My ‘90 Protoype VH4 Purpleface has one the sweetest sounds of any amp I’ve had (high gain or not). It’s imo a real travesty that his amps took a completely different direction with his production amps with that cold, sterile type tone
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PM me about the Purpleface VH4. Haven't heard of those.

And yeah, I can mod a Helios easy. It's basically a Friedman BE circuit with a few tweaks. I mean... it's not a copy or anything; Bogner was doing the Jose thing back in the day for the LA hair metal scene all the same.
 
FourT6and2 said:
PM me about the Purpleface VH4. Haven't heard of those.

And yeah, I can mod a Helios easy. It's basically a Friedman BE circuit with a few tweaks. I mean... it's not a copy or anything; Bogner was doing the Jose thing back in the day for the LA hair metal scene all the same.
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It’s a one-off ptp Protoype. Never made it into production. Sound & feel wise nothing like a Diezel despite the name. More like a hybrid of like a SLO & Cameron modded Marshall. I’ll pm in a bit. Going to a classical guitar concert now. There was also a Blackface Protoype and a few others maybe. Not sure how those would compare

Not surprised to hear that. The Helios and BE’s sound & feel completely different to me, but seems to things that are on paper very close can be that way in being so different sounding
 
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I've had 3 100b's and a 100a. I've had friends with various generations and tried a few shiva's. One of the b's was modded by rheinhold. They were all great in different ways. The 100's are the rawest of the bunch. But even those are not like trying tame a cranked up old marshall. I found my home with a 100b and it's not going anywhere. I use it for a slicker, more refined super bass type sound. Mainly the blue or the red with no boost. It's definitely its own sound. I could see if you want raw aggression it not being the amp for you. I love it for what it does.
 
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