D
drspearing
Member
I don't normally do gear reviews. If I like an amp, I keep it and if I don't like it, I sell it. I'll ask questions on forums but I know my opinions only mean something to me so they pretty much stay with me as far as forums go. However, I'm pretty excited about a recent purchase of a Landry LS100 so I thought I'd share.
A few things before I start.
1. I paid full price for my LS100 (+ $50 for mods + shipping). This isn't an obligatory review as a result of a discount.
2. I'm going to try and not give any negative opinions on the amps I've tried.
3. If you own a Landry amp, as great as it is, you might want to talk to Bill Landry and discuss his latest updates (see below)
It's a great time to be a guitarist as there is a ton of great gear to be had to allow each musician to find their voice. My voice for a long time has been the Bogner Ecstacy 100B. So much so that I owned 3 of them. For the last few years I have been looking for a little different voice with the same quality of sound that I feel the Bogner 100B has. Just a little truer to the Marshall tone (more upper midrange voiced). I was really wanting a channel switcher with a loop. Preferably 3 channels or 2 with a boost as I need 3 levels of gain. I don't want to boost with a pedal (even though I tried some amps with pedals too). Through the process I realized that pedals for gain just don't work for me. Amps that I have owned or tried extensively include other Bogners (Shiva, Goldfinger 45), Soldano (SLO, Decatone), Rhodes Colosus, Friedman BE100, Komet Concorde, PWE EH 3, Carol Ann (OD2, Tucana 2, Triptik), Custom Audio (CAE OD 50, OD100, PT100), Elmwood 3100, VHT, Splawn modified Marshall, Marshall Plexi HW RI, Reinhart (Titan, Storm 50), Divided By 13 AMW 39, Boogie (Mark III, Mark IV and a number of Rectifiers), Dr. Z and there are probably a few more that I can't remember. As you can see, I've tried a diverse array of amps and combinations in my search. Although I stepped into the hype on some of these amps, none of these really did it for me enough to justify keeping them. Some were so disappointing that it left me scratching my head wondering what all the fuss was about. These amps are obviously great for some people but not what I was looking for (at this time). That's all I'm going to say about that.
Enter Bill Landry. All of the videos I saw and heard sounded great but I had been there before. I called Bill and talked with him for a long time. I asked him if I could demo an amp as I didn't want to buy an amp without a return option. Been there too. He is a small shop and builds to order so that wasn't really possible. But, he offered to drive to my house and bring me a couple amps and let me play them for a while... on Easter Sunday. Thing is, I live over 7 hours away from Bill. However, he drove down, dropped the amps off and went and got a cup of coffee. Unbelievable!!
He brought me an LS100 (his personal amp) and an LS100M prototype. I preferred the LS100 as it is more open and more in the Marshall camp like I was looking for. This review is of the LS100.
Some of the other amps that I had purchased/tried were a pretty big let down. However, the LS100 exceeded my expectations and right out of the box and sounded better to me than the other amps I had tried. Not buzzy or woofy and had the perfect Marshall voicing that I was looking for. We talked for a bit and Bill agreed to investigate a few tweaks I wanted made (bias points, more gain on the dirty channel, pull pot bright switch on the dirty channel and a switch able volume control on the back to allow me to get different volume levels between the crunch and lead boost). After I was able to sell one of the above mentioned amps, I ordered an LS100. It was a risk buying from a small builder. However, the amp was built well and being a point to point amp Bill could help me fine tune it if needed.
I got the amp in about 3 weeks or so and Bill had incorporated the mods I asked for. They worked great. The LS100 is different than the Bogner 100B. Same sound quality, but just different in its midrange voicing. After playing the amp for a few weeks I asked Bill about a few other tweaks. He would try out the mods on his personal amp to see what it sounded like first before telling me about them. Then he would send me a picture of the turret board with notes on what to do. Just simple changes. This turned a great amp into an amp that can deliver the tone I have in my head and have never been able to achieve after a lot of searching. This amp sounds incredible!!!
The clean channel sounds big, punchy and full. Single coils pop and purr. Humbuckers are thicker, as you would expect, but punch well and are not muddy. Unlike some channel switchers, the clean channel has its own preamp tube that is not shared with the distortion channel. No compromise here. The channel can nicely break up a bit. With a 12ax7, this channel can break up a good bit so it has a great range of distortion if you want it. However, I like a clean channel that is pretty clean with just a little hair on it to give it a little punch and musical compression. I changed the 12ax7 to a 12at7 (not because I needed to but because I experimented and thought I liked it a little better with a 12at7 tube in it).Even through a 4x12 cab this clean channel sounds as good, if not better than many of the clean channels in the amps I have owned/tried in the past. I would say that the clean in my amp is kind of a big and bold Marshall plexi clean with a little Fender on top. It's very familiar and musical in the best possible way for me. I really LOVE this clean channel. And to have it on a channel switcher is icing on the cake. I usually have to roll the volume down on a dirty channel to get a clean I like but I actually use this clean channel.
The distortion channel is where I mostly live. Even with the great clean channel that the LS100 has, the distortion has to be great. And it is. I've been looking for a Marshall voiced amp that has a musical upper mid push that isn't buzzy, has a bold low end that's punchy and not woofy, is open and organic sounding but still a hard rocking amp that can sing. Some amps have a big woofy low end that requires you to crank the presence and treble to compensate which makes the distortion thin, raspy or fizzy. Or, you can't get the low mids to be defined enough. My LS 100 isn't like that at all. It's articulate without being buzzy or harsh. I had Bill install a pull pot switch for the bright cap. I usually play the amp with the bright cap disengaged, however, if I want a little more of an aggressive sound I'll engage it. The distortion channel responds really well to pick attack and cleans up great when you roll the volume knob down on the guitar. Through a Marshall 4x12 with greenbacks the tone is punchy, woody, musical and responsive. I wanted to be able to get an open, percussive George Lynch "Wicked Sensation" tone and this is the closest I've ever been able to get with the guitars and speakers that I have. Throaty, snarly and punchy yet clear with nice string definition. Sounds great with my other 2x12s where I have V30s in one and Scumback J75s in the other. And all my guitars sound great with this amp. Humbuckers and single coils both sound musical and as they should. Different guitars sound different, as they should. This amp doesn't favor one or the other like some amps do. I truly feel I can get any Marshall or hot rodded Marshall tone out of this amp. From AC/DC to 80's shred to more aggressive Marshall type tones.
The lead boost works great. I asked Bill to give me a second master for the lead boost. Basically he put a control on the back that when maxed out is the standard configuration where the distortion channel and the lead boost are at pretty much the same volume. Rolling it back attenuates the distortion channel and it doesn't effect the lead boost volume. If you want the lead boost louder, dial back the knob on the back of the amp and turn up the distortion channel volume on the front. Easy and greasy without effecting the tone at all. I can easily get the right mix of gain and volume for rhythm work and solos.
When I first played the amp I thought it needed a little more gain. So Bill experimented and gave me an amp with more gain. Then we made a couple tweaks and the gain increased even more. I originally had to run the gain at 3:00 and now I run it at 1:00. Even with this gain setting the pinch harmonics are thick and jump off the fret board. It really is a lot of fun to play. It's the best true Marshall type amp I have ever played to date. It has a lot of gain but it isn't overly saturated. There is no diode clipping in this amp either. The amp is pretty quiet for the amount of gain it has.
NOTE: Those of you that have an older LS100 might benefit from adding some of these changes to your amp. Or, if there is anything you would like that your amp isn't quite giving you, call Bill and he will be able to make your amp just what you are wanting. I think all of the things we came up with are going into his production amps.
A lot of amps that are in the hot rodded Marshall camp "have their own thing going on". That "thing" makes them unique but may take them too far away from the Marshall sound or feel. Some amps may sound good in the room but not in a mix or vice versa. The LS100 doesn't really have it's own thing going on. It's just a great sounding, versatile, channel switching Marshall voiced amp with a loop and reverb. Sounds great in the room AND in a band mix.
The tone controls do a lot on the LS100. They are in the right spot and make a noticeable difference when they are adjusted. If you want more or less of something you can pretty much get it. The clean and distortion channels have their own Gain, Treble, Middle, Bass and Volume. The lead boost has a gain control (with the other control on the back I mention above). Add to this a global Reverb and Presence and the over-all Master and the amp is quite flexible and controllable.
Bill has recently re-designed the series effects loop to make it work with pedals and rack effects. I use rack effects and I didn't have to adjust a single thing to make my rack work with the LS100. Switching is instant and quiet. The reverb is great even though I don't use it. I play dry at home or with my rack at gigs.
The master volume on this amp works great. It's nice to be able to adjust the overall level on the amp for all 3 levels with one knob. Does the amp sound the same at bedroom volumes as it does cranked? In my opinion, no amp does because speakers sound different at different volumes and that is just a fact of life. However, the LS 100 master is as good as you are going to get. I can get great tones no matter where I set the Master volume.
The Landry is different than the Bogner 100B. This is why I bought it. However, in my opinion, some of the other amps I have tried didn't have the quality of sound that the Bogner and Landry have. My Bogners aren't going anywhere as they are great in their own right for the kind of tone they do so well. The LS100 is in the same league as the Bogner and I had doubts that I would be able to say that about any amp after all the amps I have tried. It's really tough for me to put the guitar down and stop playing the LS100.
I've been told many times that I'm very picky and it's true. My wife asked me a while back when was I going to stop tweaking and experimenting with gear and start playing and recording. I'm finally there now (at least for the time being). My experience with Bill and the LS100 has been educational and fulfilling in the best possible way. I have learned a lot, got a great amp and made a new friend.
Here's a quote from Bill in an email exchange we had that I thought defined my experience.
"The whole thing is very personal to me. I don't just build amps to sell, I want to help guitar players get the right amp, and I get to learn from each guy I work with.
As a guitar player, I know all about having amps that don't quite get you there musically. We all learn to make do with the gear that we have, but my goal in building amps is to end the search for the right amp, at least for some players. I am very thankful to God to be able to do that."
Me too Bill.
IMHO, YMMV etc...
A few things before I start.
1. I paid full price for my LS100 (+ $50 for mods + shipping). This isn't an obligatory review as a result of a discount.
2. I'm going to try and not give any negative opinions on the amps I've tried.
3. If you own a Landry amp, as great as it is, you might want to talk to Bill Landry and discuss his latest updates (see below)
It's a great time to be a guitarist as there is a ton of great gear to be had to allow each musician to find their voice. My voice for a long time has been the Bogner Ecstacy 100B. So much so that I owned 3 of them. For the last few years I have been looking for a little different voice with the same quality of sound that I feel the Bogner 100B has. Just a little truer to the Marshall tone (more upper midrange voiced). I was really wanting a channel switcher with a loop. Preferably 3 channels or 2 with a boost as I need 3 levels of gain. I don't want to boost with a pedal (even though I tried some amps with pedals too). Through the process I realized that pedals for gain just don't work for me. Amps that I have owned or tried extensively include other Bogners (Shiva, Goldfinger 45), Soldano (SLO, Decatone), Rhodes Colosus, Friedman BE100, Komet Concorde, PWE EH 3, Carol Ann (OD2, Tucana 2, Triptik), Custom Audio (CAE OD 50, OD100, PT100), Elmwood 3100, VHT, Splawn modified Marshall, Marshall Plexi HW RI, Reinhart (Titan, Storm 50), Divided By 13 AMW 39, Boogie (Mark III, Mark IV and a number of Rectifiers), Dr. Z and there are probably a few more that I can't remember. As you can see, I've tried a diverse array of amps and combinations in my search. Although I stepped into the hype on some of these amps, none of these really did it for me enough to justify keeping them. Some were so disappointing that it left me scratching my head wondering what all the fuss was about. These amps are obviously great for some people but not what I was looking for (at this time). That's all I'm going to say about that.
Enter Bill Landry. All of the videos I saw and heard sounded great but I had been there before. I called Bill and talked with him for a long time. I asked him if I could demo an amp as I didn't want to buy an amp without a return option. Been there too. He is a small shop and builds to order so that wasn't really possible. But, he offered to drive to my house and bring me a couple amps and let me play them for a while... on Easter Sunday. Thing is, I live over 7 hours away from Bill. However, he drove down, dropped the amps off and went and got a cup of coffee. Unbelievable!!
He brought me an LS100 (his personal amp) and an LS100M prototype. I preferred the LS100 as it is more open and more in the Marshall camp like I was looking for. This review is of the LS100.
Some of the other amps that I had purchased/tried were a pretty big let down. However, the LS100 exceeded my expectations and right out of the box and sounded better to me than the other amps I had tried. Not buzzy or woofy and had the perfect Marshall voicing that I was looking for. We talked for a bit and Bill agreed to investigate a few tweaks I wanted made (bias points, more gain on the dirty channel, pull pot bright switch on the dirty channel and a switch able volume control on the back to allow me to get different volume levels between the crunch and lead boost). After I was able to sell one of the above mentioned amps, I ordered an LS100. It was a risk buying from a small builder. However, the amp was built well and being a point to point amp Bill could help me fine tune it if needed.
I got the amp in about 3 weeks or so and Bill had incorporated the mods I asked for. They worked great. The LS100 is different than the Bogner 100B. Same sound quality, but just different in its midrange voicing. After playing the amp for a few weeks I asked Bill about a few other tweaks. He would try out the mods on his personal amp to see what it sounded like first before telling me about them. Then he would send me a picture of the turret board with notes on what to do. Just simple changes. This turned a great amp into an amp that can deliver the tone I have in my head and have never been able to achieve after a lot of searching. This amp sounds incredible!!!
The clean channel sounds big, punchy and full. Single coils pop and purr. Humbuckers are thicker, as you would expect, but punch well and are not muddy. Unlike some channel switchers, the clean channel has its own preamp tube that is not shared with the distortion channel. No compromise here. The channel can nicely break up a bit. With a 12ax7, this channel can break up a good bit so it has a great range of distortion if you want it. However, I like a clean channel that is pretty clean with just a little hair on it to give it a little punch and musical compression. I changed the 12ax7 to a 12at7 (not because I needed to but because I experimented and thought I liked it a little better with a 12at7 tube in it).Even through a 4x12 cab this clean channel sounds as good, if not better than many of the clean channels in the amps I have owned/tried in the past. I would say that the clean in my amp is kind of a big and bold Marshall plexi clean with a little Fender on top. It's very familiar and musical in the best possible way for me. I really LOVE this clean channel. And to have it on a channel switcher is icing on the cake. I usually have to roll the volume down on a dirty channel to get a clean I like but I actually use this clean channel.
The distortion channel is where I mostly live. Even with the great clean channel that the LS100 has, the distortion has to be great. And it is. I've been looking for a Marshall voiced amp that has a musical upper mid push that isn't buzzy, has a bold low end that's punchy and not woofy, is open and organic sounding but still a hard rocking amp that can sing. Some amps have a big woofy low end that requires you to crank the presence and treble to compensate which makes the distortion thin, raspy or fizzy. Or, you can't get the low mids to be defined enough. My LS 100 isn't like that at all. It's articulate without being buzzy or harsh. I had Bill install a pull pot switch for the bright cap. I usually play the amp with the bright cap disengaged, however, if I want a little more of an aggressive sound I'll engage it. The distortion channel responds really well to pick attack and cleans up great when you roll the volume knob down on the guitar. Through a Marshall 4x12 with greenbacks the tone is punchy, woody, musical and responsive. I wanted to be able to get an open, percussive George Lynch "Wicked Sensation" tone and this is the closest I've ever been able to get with the guitars and speakers that I have. Throaty, snarly and punchy yet clear with nice string definition. Sounds great with my other 2x12s where I have V30s in one and Scumback J75s in the other. And all my guitars sound great with this amp. Humbuckers and single coils both sound musical and as they should. Different guitars sound different, as they should. This amp doesn't favor one or the other like some amps do. I truly feel I can get any Marshall or hot rodded Marshall tone out of this amp. From AC/DC to 80's shred to more aggressive Marshall type tones.
The lead boost works great. I asked Bill to give me a second master for the lead boost. Basically he put a control on the back that when maxed out is the standard configuration where the distortion channel and the lead boost are at pretty much the same volume. Rolling it back attenuates the distortion channel and it doesn't effect the lead boost volume. If you want the lead boost louder, dial back the knob on the back of the amp and turn up the distortion channel volume on the front. Easy and greasy without effecting the tone at all. I can easily get the right mix of gain and volume for rhythm work and solos.
When I first played the amp I thought it needed a little more gain. So Bill experimented and gave me an amp with more gain. Then we made a couple tweaks and the gain increased even more. I originally had to run the gain at 3:00 and now I run it at 1:00. Even with this gain setting the pinch harmonics are thick and jump off the fret board. It really is a lot of fun to play. It's the best true Marshall type amp I have ever played to date. It has a lot of gain but it isn't overly saturated. There is no diode clipping in this amp either. The amp is pretty quiet for the amount of gain it has.
NOTE: Those of you that have an older LS100 might benefit from adding some of these changes to your amp. Or, if there is anything you would like that your amp isn't quite giving you, call Bill and he will be able to make your amp just what you are wanting. I think all of the things we came up with are going into his production amps.
A lot of amps that are in the hot rodded Marshall camp "have their own thing going on". That "thing" makes them unique but may take them too far away from the Marshall sound or feel. Some amps may sound good in the room but not in a mix or vice versa. The LS100 doesn't really have it's own thing going on. It's just a great sounding, versatile, channel switching Marshall voiced amp with a loop and reverb. Sounds great in the room AND in a band mix.
The tone controls do a lot on the LS100. They are in the right spot and make a noticeable difference when they are adjusted. If you want more or less of something you can pretty much get it. The clean and distortion channels have their own Gain, Treble, Middle, Bass and Volume. The lead boost has a gain control (with the other control on the back I mention above). Add to this a global Reverb and Presence and the over-all Master and the amp is quite flexible and controllable.
Bill has recently re-designed the series effects loop to make it work with pedals and rack effects. I use rack effects and I didn't have to adjust a single thing to make my rack work with the LS100. Switching is instant and quiet. The reverb is great even though I don't use it. I play dry at home or with my rack at gigs.
The master volume on this amp works great. It's nice to be able to adjust the overall level on the amp for all 3 levels with one knob. Does the amp sound the same at bedroom volumes as it does cranked? In my opinion, no amp does because speakers sound different at different volumes and that is just a fact of life. However, the LS 100 master is as good as you are going to get. I can get great tones no matter where I set the Master volume.
The Landry is different than the Bogner 100B. This is why I bought it. However, in my opinion, some of the other amps I have tried didn't have the quality of sound that the Bogner and Landry have. My Bogners aren't going anywhere as they are great in their own right for the kind of tone they do so well. The LS100 is in the same league as the Bogner and I had doubts that I would be able to say that about any amp after all the amps I have tried. It's really tough for me to put the guitar down and stop playing the LS100.
I've been told many times that I'm very picky and it's true. My wife asked me a while back when was I going to stop tweaking and experimenting with gear and start playing and recording. I'm finally there now (at least for the time being). My experience with Bill and the LS100 has been educational and fulfilling in the best possible way. I have learned a lot, got a great amp and made a new friend.
Here's a quote from Bill in an email exchange we had that I thought defined my experience.
"The whole thing is very personal to me. I don't just build amps to sell, I want to help guitar players get the right amp, and I get to learn from each guy I work with.
As a guitar player, I know all about having amps that don't quite get you there musically. We all learn to make do with the gear that we have, but my goal in building amps is to end the search for the right amp, at least for some players. I am very thankful to God to be able to do that."
Me too Bill.
IMHO, YMMV etc...
How come we don't see more of these amps around? Those that have them, hold onto them or still not that many out there? Point to point hand made and for around $2500 brand new!? Sounds like a killer deal.
You got to be kidding. The Landry is barely, if ever even mentioned here. You want hype, look no further than the amp in your sig.
