Soldano Decatone love it or hate it?

[Jdub]

I love this amp. I have owned one many years ago that had Deyoung transformers and have had several SLO's. This amp is friggin killer. I have read mixed reviews, but I think many people just echo the sentiment that it is not an SLO. No it is not an SLO, it is different. It is darker but the three channels are all excellent.

The global master and individual channel gain and volume make it easy to control volume and conjure up a variety of tones. Clean is big and bold and will break up nicely if you crank the gain. Loves the Bogner wessex in front. The crunch channel is like a super muscular 800 with more gain, squish and note bloom and a bit rounder on the edges. The lead channel smokes but is a little darker and less hi fi that the SLO. Not better not worse, just different. It is a little more forgiving and has a little softer, chunkier feel. Love it!

Anyone have .02 to share?

 

[GOHOINC]

I dug mine while in had it. I ran it along side a diezel vh4 and my ecstasy classic. Had more upper mid bite and balanced out the bogner and diezel very well. I let it go stupid cheap so I could buy other stuff, would love to have it back. I never found any of the things people rag on it for to be a problem for me.

 

[Jdub]

I dug mine while in had it. I ran it along side a diezel vh4 and my ecstasy classic. Had more upper mid bite and balanced out the bogner and diezel very well. I let it go stupid cheap so I could buy other stuff, would love to have it back. I never found any of the things people rag on it for to be a problem for me.

I was thinking the same thing comparing it to the XTC. Have not owned a Diezel. The Deca is voiced a bit darker than traditonal HR/SLO voicing as per the times it was made. It is brighter and more cutting than the XTC but not as much as the SLO. It is a nice balance, although I never had a problem darkening up my SLO if I chose. That is still my # 1 but the Decatone is no slouch. Pros and cons to both.

I picked this up in a trade for my Mark V and am pretty darn impressed.

 

[kurtsstuff]

Brad Gillis uses em..I sold one to him years ago..Anyways..Great amps I thought at the time

 

[Rick Lee]

I had one and it was awesome. I only sold it because I got a near new SLO for about $1200 in a trade. I have a good buddy who's gigged with his Decatone every weekend for over 10 yrs. and still swears by it.

 

[Jdub]

Brad Gillis uses em..I sold one to him years ago..Anyways..Great amps I thought at the time

Hi Kurt!

Happy Holidays my PNW neighbor. I thought Brad Gillis tone was more boogie like. Funny thing is I literally just flashed on him as I was justifying my trade in my head. haha . Gillis was not my favorite. probably mostly just some knee-jerk resentment for the fact that he was hired to fill randys shoes. weird huh? Another weird one is many compare Soldanos to Mesas yet, I find them more like a Marshall than a Mesa. Cheers broham!

 

[Jdub]

I had one and it was awesome. I only sold it because I got a near new SLO for about $1200 in a trade. I have a good buddy who's gigged with his Decatone every weekend for over 10 yrs. and still swears by it.

Nice. Thanks for your input. I had one long ago but I sold it in favor of an 89 SLO that I got cheap too. Then came the 100b and the SLO was out the door but only temporarily. I am more comfortable with the Decatone than the Mark V that's for sure. The Mark 5, which i traded straight up for the Deca, had some good sounds but still it wasn't right for me so all i all I am happy with it.

 

[skoora]

Never got a decent cutting rock sound out of a Decatone. Always a little soft around the edges. Really lacked a good top end. No Kerang!

 

[Jdub]

Never got a decent cutting rock sound out of a Decatone. Always a little soft around the edges. Really lacked a good top end. No Kerang!

It is pretty dark and a bit soft on the edges. I wind up the presence and/or treble quite a bit to get some more bite.. I thing it has lots of Kerrang and muscle though. I find the amp to sound like a cross between an XTC and a SLO. More bite than the XTC but not as much as the SLO. Spongier than the SLO but not as soft as the XTC. I need to a/b it with some other amps again for a reference point, but that is what I am hearing right now.

 

[Deleted member 13074]

An amp I've always wondered about.
The one time I went to check one out in store, it wouldn't work.
There are precious few clips, so it remains elusive.
Anyone know of any recorded examples?

 

[supersonic]

Owned one briefly 10 years ago, I've owned a few SLOs' and have a 100B XTC. I loved the first two channels of the Decatone, really nice and crunchy, but felt the third channel lacked the mojo of the XTC or SLO. Felt somewhat flat.

 

[Jdub]

Owned one briefly 10 years ago, I've owned a few SLOs' and have a 100B XTC. I loved the first two channels of the Decatone, really nice and crunchy, but felt the third channel lacked the mojo of the XTC or SLO. Felt somewhat flat.

I found this comparison true when I had the same 3 amps. the 100b is awesome as is the SLO. Compared to those two, I can see how the Deca lead tone might fall short on the magic. I spoke with Mike the other day and he can mod the Deca to be more like the SLO. He made that amp darker on purpose as it reflected the music that was popular at the time ( 1997). It may not be the holy grail, but it definitely a very good amp and easy to dial in some real good tones..

 

[Jdub]

An amp I've always wondered about.
The one time I went to check one out in store, it wouldn't work.
There are precious few clips, so it remains elusive.
Anyone know of any recorded examples?

I know Martin Barre from Jethro Tull has been using one for many years. I will try to get around to making some clips.

 

[supersonic]

Owned one briefly 10 years ago, I've owned a few SLOs' and have a 100B XTC. I loved the first two channels of the Decatone, really nice and crunchy, but felt the third channel lacked the mojo of the XTC or SLO. Felt somewhat flat.

I found this comparison true when I had the same 3 amps. the 100b is awesome as is the SLO. Compared to those two, I can see how the Deca lead tone might fall short on the magic. I spoke with Mike the other day and he can mod the Deca to be more like the SLO. He made that amp darker on purpose as it reflected the music that was popular at the time ( 1997). It may not be the holy grail, but it definitely a very good amp and easy to dial in some real good tones..

I'm getting together with a mate who has a Decatone in the next couple of days for a jam. It will be interesting to play one again.

 

[Deleted member 13074]

I will try to get around to making some clips.

If you manage, you'll instantly own that bit of the internet.

 

[Ippon]

I will try to get around to making some clips.

If you manage, you'll instantly own that bit of the internet.

Agreed! Nice Deca clips are so rare.

Jdub, I'm glad you're enjoying the Decatone.