NAD! (Bogner XTC & custom footswitch content)

[sjk]

Also mine came to me like that. Last night I opened mine up and soldered in the marvel mod 3 way toggle switch. Can be set for pre 2004 gain as it was before I installed, or post 2004 gain mod which added alot more compression and seemingly more gain (which I don't care for at all unless the boost is off then it is ok I guess) or the 3rd position is a cameron mod that adds more punch and a little more compression. I've only had one day with this on but am liking the cameron position. But I still think the pre 2004 gain is the best position. I'm having fun with it though.

 

[Lublin]

I'm thinking it's an unmolested pre 2004 model. The seller I bought it from never modded it. Sounds fantastic so far. Might just leave it!

 

[sjk]

I'm thinking it's an unmolested pre 2004 model. The seller I bought it from never modded it. Sounds fantastic so far. Might just leave it!

Just leave it, perfect as is imo. Great amp, a classic for sure, enjoy your honeymoon

 

[rcm78]

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.

I brought mine up to SommaTone for Jimmy to go through it. I thought the cleans were a little week and the amp had a very low hum going on. Turned out the V1 preamp tube was bad, and one of the =c= power tubes was way out.

Jimmy installed and biased Ruby Power tubes, and replaced the bad pre with a ruby. I'm pretty sure the Ruby's are chinese. All the other Pre's are Tung Sol.

When I picked it up the amp was dead silent and the cleans were full and rich. The blue and red channels had much better harmonics and upper end chime. It's tough to put into words. The amp just came alive. Had that "fill the room with sound" thing going on...

It's about a year later. I should probably retube it soon...

 

[_actual time_]

or post 2004 gain mod which added alot more compression and seemingly more gain (which I don't care for at all unless the boost is off then it is ok I guess)

that's what i do, for heavier sounds--post-2004 gain but no boost, and the gain knob only at 11 o'clock. more compression, and tighter in the low end. then for more rawk sounds, pre-2004 gain and boost if nec.

 

[Lublin]

or post 2004 gain mod which added alot more compression and seemingly more gain (which I don't care for at all unless the boost is off then it is ok I guess)

that's what i do, for heavier sounds--post-2004 gain but no boost, and the gain knob only at 11 o'clock. more compression, and tighter in the low end. then for more rawk sounds, pre-2004 gain and boost if nec.

Right on. I honestly think that this thing is as heavy (or heavier) than I will ever need! It literally covers every spectrum of music.

Thanks, Reinhold!

 

[Hard&Heavy]

Congrats

 

[Lublin]

Congrats

Thanks!

Just ordered some fresh Sino 12AX7 and Sovtek 12AX7 LPS preamp tubes for it, as I'm not fond of the mixed tubes in there which seemed thrown together. Going to keep the Tung Sol EL34's in there for now.

 

[Ventura]

Preamps for the XTC have been and I believe are still recommended to be Chinese/Shuguang HG 12AX7 in every socket. Just what I remember from talking with Charlie and the crew a couple years back. I've gone this route, it's cheap, consistent, and reliable - and the sound stays bang on. FWIW.

 

[Lublin]

I'll be going:

V1: Sino 12AX7
V2: Sino 12AX7
V3: Sino 12AX7
V4: Sovtek 12AX7 LPS
V5: Sovtek 12AX7 LPS
V6: Sino 12AX7

Output tubes are balanced (30Ma) Tung Sol EL34L's.

 

[Setneck]

I'm thinking it's an unmolested pre 2004 model. The seller I bought it from never modded it. Sounds fantastic so far. Might just leave it!

Congrats Mate, great amp! .

Red channel has never been modded as there's no sign of soldering anything to R12. Which is good news , first mod I did to my amp was removing factory gain mod. Actually I installed Marvel Mod shortly after, but I barely used other setting than pre2004 and finally got rid of it.

Also, Your amp may be even older than 2004, as You have green Wima FKP caps (later red), NOS carbon comp plate resistors (later carbon film) and C2 electrolytic 2.2uF Structure bypass cap (in later models Bogner switched to tantalum 1.5uF here).

Regards, Andy

 

[Lublin]

Also, Your amp may be even older than 2004, as You have green Wima FKP caps (later red), NOS carbon comp plate resistors (later carbon film) and C2 electrolytic 2.2uF Structure bypass cap (in later models Bogner switched to tantalum 1.5uF here).

Regards, Andy

Well that's exciting! Any way to find out the actual year of manufacture?

 

[Setneck]

Sure. Send Your serial number to Bogner and they'll tell You whatr year is Your amp

 

[Lublin]

Sure. Send Your serial number to Bogner and they'll tell You whatr year is Your amp

Email dispatched. Will post up when I know. Thanks!

 

[Lution]

Preamps for the XTC have been and I believe are still recommended to be Chinese/Shuguang HG 12AX7 in every socket. Just what I remember from talking with Charlie and the crew a couple years back. I've gone this route, it's cheap, consistent, and reliable - and the sound stays bang on. FWIW.

I'll second this. When I owned my 101b I tried all kinds of preamp tubes in it and it ALWAYS came back to the Chinese/Shuguang 12ax7 tubes in all sockets sounding the best.

 

[Lublin]

My XTC is #523 made on 5/25/99



I started machining the custom XTC switches as well as one Shiva switch today. I drilled 3 Hammond 1590DD's and then took a .010" skim cut off of the faces to be sure that I have a nice flat surface for engraving when the time comes. I then deburred and glass beaded them.

All of my machines are busy with jobs at the moment, but when one frees up I'll start with the engraving. The engravings should pop nicely when cut into the matte glass beaded surfaces. Unfortunately, the Hammond enclosures are cast aluminum and can't be anodized. I would have loved to black anodize them and engrave them afterwards. That would be the ultimate pop.

Here's a rough Mastercam rendering of the XTC engraving:

 

['63-Strat]

That's cool you guys are making those small ones. I don't usually use mine as I've got my g system set up to switch channels and boosts but still cool.

 

[Lublin]

That's cool you guys are making those small ones. I don't usually use mine as I've got my g system set up to switch channels and boosts but still cool.

How do you like the G system with the XTC? Heard the loops can be finicky.

 

[Red_Label]

That's cool you guys are making those small ones. I don't usually use mine as I've got my g system set up to switch channels and boosts but still cool.

How do you like the G system with the XTC? Heard the loops can be finicky.

G-System worked fine on my XTC Classic when using the standard 2-cable method for the loop. 4-cable method resulted in some weird phasing issues and I had to use the dry-kill feature on the G-Sys, which in turn caused some FX not to sound their best. So I just used it via the 2-cable method after I couldn't conquer that issue.

 

[Lublin]

Here's a finished XTC footswitch which I just finished engraving on my CNC. Turns out that anodizing cast aluminum turns out terrible, so these will be electroless nickel plated instead.