Bogner Shootout: Pandora, Uberschall Rev Green, Snorkler (78 JMP)

[mwc]

Created a shootout of what I consider the best Bogners. All amps running through Fryette Power Load IR with the same Mesa Traditional IR.

Amps: Bogner Pandora, Bogner Uberschall Rev Green (modded by Reinhold with a tight mod), Bogner Snorkler (1978 Marshall JMP modded by Reinhold)
Guitar: Manson Oryx 6 (BKP Polymath)

 

[Exo-metal]

so Sick bro!!

 

[Anje]

Cool video thanks for sharing.
Is that modded JMP a 50w or 100w? (I think I see a ventilation grill at the top of the head cab which would mean 100w?)

 

[EOengineer]

That’s a legit pile of amps.

 

[ChurchHill]

They all sound great, but that Snorkler, damn!

How would you compare the Shiva or the Helios to these? A lot of people seem to enjoy the Goldfinger, too.

 

[mwc]

Cool video thanks for sharing.
Is that modded JMP a 50w or 100w? (I think I see a ventilation grill at the top of the head cab which would mean 100w?)

Yeah it's a 78 JMP 2203 - 100W

 

[TX6Strings]

The XTC is way too dark and the Ub with the tight switch sounds close to the Snorkler

 

[angelspade]

I really dig the warmth, size and mid character of the XTC here.

 

[mwc]

They all sound great, but that Snorkler, damn!

How would you compare the Shiva or the Helios to these? A lot of people seem to enjoy the Goldfinger, too.

Shiva is even more mid forward than these 3 and is more loose in the bass. Helios is somewhere between an Ecstasy and a Uberschall and I would describe as more Marshall sounding. The Helios is also more loose in the bass versus these 3.

 

[rsm]

Snorkler I like but not the sounds I'd use. Why I went with a Helios Eclipse for it's distinct Marshall tone range and beyond.

 

[Rackman]

Pretty similar sounding honestly. Pandora downpicking was the only one that stood out to me.

 

[ChurchHill]

How would you compare the Pandora to a 101B or any other XTC revision?

I've got a 101B and I think it's capable of a lot more mids than in your video, but I'm sure that's just how I run mine and what cab I'm using. I also think it can get a lot flubbier than the others with the possible exception of the Helios, but again, that's just in Plexi mode.

I can see how the standard Shiva would be more mid-forward and looser. I've got a 20th Anni Shiva and, to me, it's an almost perfect '80s metal sound. It's more low-mid focused, but remains pretty tight.

The comparison of the Rev Green stock vs tight mod was great to hear! I've got a stock Rev Green, so am familiar with that sound.

Definitely agree that the Helios is more Marshall sounding. It's more upper-mid focused and can get loose but doesn't have to be. It's still got enough Bogner in it to sing almost as well as the XTC. I've often thought the Rev Green sounded more like a pissed off Marshall than a Mesa DR, so your comparison of the Helios being between the XTC and the Uber makes a lot of sense.

From your vid, I liked the Snorkler the best. I've got one of the new 50w and it sounds very similar, but not quite as big or mean as your 100w.

Great vid! I've watched it several times!

 

[mwc]

How would you compare the Pandora to a 101B or any other XTC revision?

I've got a 101B and I think it's capable of a lot more mids than in your video, but I'm sure that's just how I run mine and what cab I'm using. I also think it can get a lot flubbier than the others with the possible exception of the Helios, but again, that's just in Plexi mode.

I can see how the standard Shiva would be more mid-forward and looser. I've got a 20th Anni Shiva and, to me, it's an almost perfect '80s metal sound. It's more low-mid focused, but remains pretty tight.

The comparison of the Rev Green stock vs tight mod was great to hear! I've got a stock Rev Green, so am familiar with that sound.

Definitely agree that the Helios is more Marshall sounding. It's more upper-mid focused and can get loose but doesn't have to be. It's still got enough Bogner in it to sing almost as well as the XTC. I've often thought the Rev Green sounded more like a pissed off Marshall than a Mesa DR, so your comparison of the Helios being between the XTC and the Uber makes a lot of sense.

From your vid, I liked the Snorkler the best. I've got one of the new 50w and it sounds very similar, but not quite as big or mean as your 100w.

Great vid! I've watched it several times!

The Pandora is a lot tighter than the 2013 Ecstasy 101b that I had across the Blue and Red Channel. There is metric ton of switching on the Pandora as well. There's a 3 way Presence shift, 3 way Depth shift, Depth Knob (replaces Presence 2 pot), 3 way Schizo shift (voicing change), then there is Voicing switches on the back that allow you to go from 100, 101, Vintage, Classic, and BITE across Channel 2 and 3. The feel of the Pandora is almost closer to a Wizard in terms of clank and punch than what the original 101b was which was a bit squishier and a tad more loose in the low end.

Channel 1 Green is a lot different to my ears as well. It sounds like Reinhold took the Green channel from the 3534 and put it in the Pandora because you can get a very nice sparkly chime that I could never get from my 101b.


Adding the Pandora manual so you can see how many different settings it has.

 

[ChurchHill]

Looks like the Pandora is really versatile, not that the previous XTCs weren't, just more options. Have you had a chance to compare it to the new 104? If I didn't have a 101B, I'd be really interested in the 104, but since I already have a 101B, I haven't heard anything from the demos of the 104 to make me think I need one.

Sounds like you like the Pandora better than the 101B? What specific combination of settings are you using that weren't available on the 101B? I'm wondering if I'd just end up setting up pretty much like a 101B, or if the Ch3 100 voicing or Schizo TF setting are really special.

Ch1 Boost sounds interesting, too. My favorite Bogner clean currently comes from the Shiva 20th, but I don't really use any of these amps for clean unless it's the only amp I have with me.

 

[tonedog]

Thanks for posting that.I love Bogners and have owned every version of every model I think. Multiples of many. Currently have 8. I like the 104s GV and BV better than the Pandora. BV is closer to Pandora than the GV. I also dig the Uber Ultra more than all Ubers that came before it. Bogners Rock.

 

[mwc]

Thanks for posting that.I love Bogners and have owned every version of every model I think. Multiples of many. Currently have 8. I like the 104s GV and BV better than the Pandora. BV is closer to Pandora than the GV. I also dig the Uber Ultra more than all Ubers that came before it. Bogners Rock.

Wow cool to hear about the 104s, that's one of the only Bogners I haven't gotten to try. Post some chug videos of the GV there is basically 0 out there.

 

[TheGreatGreen]

They're all great amps but to me the Pandora sounds best here.

The Snorkler is more mid forward and focused, and the Uber has more gain, but the XTC sounds the biggest out of all of them and has more squish to it which probably feels awesome under the fingers, however despite the squish it still manages to have enough definition that it doesn't sound muddy.