Engl Savage 120 tone in a mix: Can't understand the hate for this amp!

[nightlight]

Apparently, this is one of the most hated amps on the forum, but I really like it a lot. And that's despite my poor mixing skills and playing.



So what's wrong with the tone? Would love to get some constructive feedback on what sucks about this amp.

 

[Zado]

Honestly never heard a bad thing about the Savage, I guess it's the most liked ENGL out there. The Invader and the Powerball MKI are another story tho

 

[Techdeth]

I love Engls.

 

[JackBootedThug]

I would love to have one.

 

[glpg80]

I think the problem with Engl isn’t that they sound bad, but are horrible to repair with little support from ESP in the USA whereas overseas they’re as common as mesas are in the USA.

Sonically they also sound thinner than some other options after import price adjustments compared to other options which backs up their use of small iron and board mounted everything.

I’d love an Engl but not at the prices they go for.

Great riff recording btw

 

[Bardagh]

Honestly never heard a bad thing about the Savage, I guess it's the most liked ENGL out there. The Invader and the Powerball MKI are another story tho

I know over the years I’ve seen claims the Savage doesn’t cut well in a band mix, although you never see people say that about amps that are based on it like the Blackmore/Artist.

 

[Bardagh]

I think the problem with Engl isn’t that they sound bad, but are horrible to repair with little support from ESP in the USA whereas overseas they’re as common as mesas are in the USA.

Sonically they also sound thinner than some other options after import price adjustments compared to other options which backs up their use of small iron and board mounted everything.

I’d love an Engl but not at the prices they go for.

Great riff recording btw

A friend of mine has had an original Powerball forever. It was very reliable until he accidentally managed to stick a power tube in incorrectly. It was a JJ and I myself have noticed in recent times the bumpout on the guide pin on JJ’s seem to have gotten smaller, making it easier to accidentally insert them wrong. In any case, he didn’t realize it until it was too late and now the amp is sitting with a tech. He sent me pictures of the inside of the amp and almost nothing is accessible or even visible without disassembly.

 

[SFW]

I think they are overpriced for what they are. But then I think most amps are. They have a sound. Either you like it, or you don't. If you dig it, that's all that matters.

 

[RaceU4her]

never really hear much bad about the Savage, sounds good!

 

[TheGreatGreen]

The Savage 120 is an awesome amp.

I think when most people talk about not liking “the ENGL sound,” they’re talking about most ENGL amps except the Savage 120, lol. It’s certainly unique amongst the ENGL amp lineup.

Besides, I think anybody who likes heavy guitar music and would say Dimmu Borgir’s PEM album “doesn’t have good tone” doesn’t have an opinion worth listening to.

 

[napalmdeath]

A friend of mine has had an original Powerball forever. It was very reliable until he accidentally managed to stick a power tube in incorrectly. It was a JJ and I myself have noticed in recent times the bumpout on the guide pin on JJ’s seem to have gotten smaller, making it easier to accidentally insert them wrong. In any case, he didn’t realize it until it was too late and now the amp is sitting with a tech. He sent me pictures of the inside of the amp and almost nothing is accessible or even visible without disassembly.

Easy fix. Replace tubes and fuse, and that's that. Did that in a Quick Rod once. Learned to pay more attention, for sure but no need for a tech.

 

[Bardagh]

Easy fix. Replace tubes and fuse, and that's that. Did that in a Quick Rod once. Learned to pay more attention, for sure but no need for a tech.

Unfortunately that was not the case for him. He cooked something in there, there was a little smoke and a burned smell. Probably burned up a resistor. I told him he might be able to see what burned up if he pulled the chassis, but you can’t see a lot in there due to how they mount the pcb’s.

 

[ZEN Amps]

The Savage 120 is an awesome amp.

I think when most people talk about not liking “the ENGL sound,” they’re talking about most ENGL amps except the Savage 120

Agreed. Had a Blackmore, Fireball and Powerball - none lasted.

 

[angelspade]

I acquired a Poweball back when ENGL was first becoming a thing...it was so impossibly bad, I couldn't conceive of ever touching that brand again.

 

[Bram576]

I think ENGL as a whole just sound very synthetic, almost modeler like. But if that’s the sound you’re going for it’s great. Demon burger has one of my favorite albums of all time.

 

[PurityS.L.G]

I think the problem with Engl isn’t that they sound bad, but are horrible to repair with little support from ESP in the USA whereas overseas they’re as common as mesas are in the USA.

Sonically they also sound thinner than some other options after import price adjustments compared to other options which backs up their use of small iron and board mounted everything.

I’d love an Engl but not at the prices they go for.

Great riff recording btw

I think ENGL as a whole just sound very synthetic, almost modeler like. But if that’s the sound you’re going for it’s great. Demon burger has one of my favorite albums of all time.

I'd say these 2 quotes right here are enough to sum it up without being redundant on these points.

Every ENGL I got my hands on pre 2012 I was super impressed with playing alone at the studio lockout at LOUD volume or in the bedroom at low to not to crazy loud volume, they sounded awesome and crushing....UNTIL....I played them in a band setting with another guitarist with great gear and you would see just how small, anemic and gutless they truly were. The Savage MK1 and the Fireball MK1 were the only ones that could sort of keep up. I'll never forget how pissed off I was when I took the SE EL34 to band practice. Thank god I got it used and it was fairly easy to re-sell.

I mention pre 2012 because I have not owned any Engl amp since but I've played the Smolski sig and the Savage MKII and again, that was alone and at a store that go around. Doesn't mean shit to me.

Nice video by the way. Play what you enjoy and what sounds good to your ears. If you're mostly a home recording/bedroom player, those amps record very well and sound great.

 

[Speeddemon]

As others already mentioned, there really is no 'hate' on the forums when it comes to the Savage!

For every thread you could dig up with someone slagging the Savage, I can find you 10 with pure praise. Now, also as others have mentioned, the Powerball mkI is a different story. Clinical, processed, sterile, doesn't cut in a band-mix, etc.

But if you can't cut it in a band mix with a Savage, your ears are the problem, not the amp.
And sure, production wise some of the OT and PTs are on the smaller side and lots of ribbon cables and pcb's inside....

 

[Tone Monster]

Some ENGL models sound good. Build quality is so laughable, I’ll never own another one. Hello house fire.

 

[rottingcorpse]

I went thru a bunch of ENGL heads starting with the OG Powerball. Loved the Savage SE I had, kinda wish I still had it. Stopped trying new models when I got the Extreme Aggression Kreator model. Still have it and still love it.

 

[MadAsAHatter]

From what I've seen there appears to be 2 ENGL camps; Savage & Invader. People who like the Savage usually hate the Invader and those who like the Invader hate the Savage. That usually extends to other ENGL amps based on either of those two.