NAD! (Bogner XTC & custom footswitch content)

[Lublin]

Picked up this Ecstacy 101B off of a really nice fellow TGP forumite. It arrived yesterday and I got to run it through its paces for a bit before bed. I really preferred playing my Fender HR '52 Telecaster and Gibson Les Paul Junior BJA model through it over my Peavey Wolfgang. Guess I'm more a single coil man these days, anyway. I ran it through my Bogner-labeled Avatar 2x12 OS cab loaded with older Marshall-labeled Celestion V30's with 444 cones.

First off - I'm not sure how anyone can say that the XTC's cleans aren't good. The cleans this thing put out were on par with some finer Fender single channel models I've heard. Warm, chimey, sparkly - it's there. Just be sure to set the green channel's master high and work the gain knob for volume.

The blue channel might be the finest OD I've heard. It ranges from sweet break up to screaming lead tones. The ground it covers is extremely impressive. Very chewy, rockin' tones.

The red channel is most likely more gain than I'll ever need, but it's cool to have it as a last resort dump for an over the top solo. It's more compressed than the blue channel but very usable if that's what you're looking for.

All in all, very pleased with it. The footswitch is HUGE, so I've ordered up a Hammond 1590DD housing and will be custom CNC drilling and engraving my own, smaller footswitch with only the channel and boost switches.

Quick pic before bed.

 

[dfrattaroli]

Sweet. One of the amps I GAS over all the time.

 

[glassjaw7]

Congrats! Yeah the cleans on those are excellent and Blue is heavenly!

 

[rcm78]

Congrats man!!! I love my 101b Classic. Chewy is the only word I can use to describe this amp.

I also found the red channel a little too much for cover band use so I have the Plexi mode assigned to red all the time. Hit the plexi mode with a Koko boost and it's the finest lead tone I've ever had!!!

Good luck with your new amp!!!

 

[carlygtr]

Great amp I own as well! I agree the clean ch is fine. Love the amp and came to find a perfect setting that gives it the cut of my other amps.

 

[Lublin]

Thanks for the posts!

My power tubes are a matched quad (30Ma) of Tung Sol EL34L's.

My preamp tubes are a mixed and matches bunch:

V1: 12AX7 unknown
V2: 12AX7 Chinese
V3: 12AX7 Chinese
V4: 12AX7 =C=
V5: 12AX7 Mesa
V6: 12AX7 Mesa

Any recommendations on helping unleash the most of this beast? Not looking for brootulz, mainly gorgeous all around sounds.

 

[university81]

/jealous GAS =0

congrats, easily one of my favorite sounding amps that i've been able to test, that footswitch is indeed huge

 

[RockStarNick]

Adding to what Lublin said about the custom footswitch:

I've already made one similar to what he's describing. I used a Hammond 1590DD size box, and omitted the Standby and Loop switches. Used high quality Carling switches and crazy bright LEDs too. Functionally, it works perfect. Cosmetically, my beautiful graphics and paint job is already destroyed, and it hasn't left the house yet.

So we're teaming up to make some that are going to be super durable, AND look hot.

Here's a pic of my current one, before the paint started chipping:

 

[ratter]

Jealous!

 

[Red_Label]

Adding to what Lublin said about the custom footswitch:

I've already made one similar to what he's describing. I used a Hammond 1590DD size box, and omitted the Standby and Loop switches. Used high quality Carling switches and crazy bright LEDs too. Functionally, it works perfect. Cosmetically, my beautiful graphics and paint job is already destroyed, and it hasn't left the house yet.

So we're teaming up to make some that are going to be super durable, AND look hot.

Here's a pic of my current one, before the paint started chipping:

Nice job Nick! If I still had my XTC, I'd definitely be wanting one of those!

Now... if you could shrink the Z-9 SAC pedal for my Engl Powerball 2 like that...

 

[RockStarNick]

Thanks Red Label.

I wish that I would have researched the whole "baking the paint" process BEFORE I did this footswitch. I thought a ton of clear coats would be enough, but not so...

 

[Random Hero]

Is that a new footswitch design? I'm sure mine had "Loop" and "Standby" options?

 

[university81]

Is that a new footswitch design? I'm sure mine had "Loop" and "Standby" options?

the standard one does, they rehoused the footswitch basically

 

[Lublin]

Is that a new footswitch design? I'm sure mine had "Loop" and "Standby" options?

the standard one does, they rehoused the footswitch basically

We still have our old footswitches. We're building totally new ones without the loop and standby switches, which we don't need.

 

[TheMagicEight]

What year is it? In 2004 they started modding the red channel for more gain, but many (Bogner himself included) prefer the older revision (which IMO is a bigger, less fizzy, less compressed tone). It's extremely simple to revert back to....just clip the 2.7k / 1uF circuit at R12, leaving the 10k and you're set.

 

[Lublin]

What year is it? In 2004 they started modding the red channel for more gain, but many (Bogner himself included) prefer the older revision (which IMO is a bigger, less fizzy, less compressed tone). It's extremely simple to revert back to....just clip the 2.7k / 1uF circuit at R12, leaving the 10k and you're set.

I have no idea how to tell the year. Can you enlighten me as to how? Thanks!

 

[TheMagicEight]

What year is it? In 2004 they started modding the red channel for more gain, but many (Bogner himself included) prefer the older revision (which IMO is a bigger, less fizzy, less compressed tone). It's extremely simple to revert back to....just clip the 2.7k / 1uF circuit at R12, leaving the 10k and you're set.

I have no idea how to tell the year. Can you enlighten me as to how? Thanks!

I think you can tell by looking at one of the transformers (though those dates, I don't think, are particularly accurate...just a general range). Of course, if you call Bogner with the serial, they'll be able to tell you for sure.

Possibly simpler, the next time you have the amp out of the headshell for biasing or something, just take a look at R12.

 

[Shawn Lutz]

congratulations. I love my 101B...other than the intermittent footswitch issues where the boost doesnt work

Blue channel on these is worth the price of admission imho

 

[Lublin]

What year is it? In 2004 they started modding the red channel for more gain, but many (Bogner himself included) prefer the older revision (which IMO is a bigger, less fizzy, less compressed tone). It's extremely simple to revert back to....just clip the 2.7k / 1uF circuit at R12, leaving the 10k and you're set.

I have no idea how to tell the year. Can you enlighten me as to how? Thanks!

I think you can tell by looking at one of the transformers (though those dates, I don't think, are particularly accurate...just a general range). Of course, if you call Bogner with the serial, they'll be able to tell you for sure.

Possibly simpler, the next time you have the amp out of the headshell for biasing or something, just take a look at R12.

Pic of R12:

 

[sjk]

What year is it? In 2004 they started modding the red channel for more gain, but many (Bogner himself included) prefer the older revision (which IMO is a bigger, less fizzy, less compressed tone). It's extremely simple to revert back to....just clip the 2.7k / 1uF circuit at R12, leaving the 10k and you're set.

I have no idea how to tell the year. Can you enlighten me as to how? Thanks!

I think you can tell by looking at one of the transformers (though those dates, I don't think, are particularly accurate...just a general range). Of course, if you call Bogner with the serial, they'll be able to tell you for sure.

Possibly simpler, the next time you have the amp out of the headshell for biasing or something, just take a look at R12.

Pic of R12:

Based on your pic that is either older than 2004 or has had the factory post 2004 gain mod removed.