Splawn Quickrod - What do you guys think?

[Kapo_Polenton]

I've had numerous Splawns and there are much better amps for those sounds IMO. Just my opinion.

You've got good ears and similar tastes, what amps fit the bill better in your experience? I too was looking at the competition, seems to do what I want and I also have to say that the Splawn pricepoints are where they should be! Definitely an affordable amp for what you get.

 

[Rev]

I loved the QR amps that I owned. I loved how aggressive it sounds and the price and construction are remarkable.

 

[thenine]

why not grab a JCM800, run the gain about 1:00 and add a few pedals?

 

[ibenhad]

Ben will build you a two channel amp. In fact he would probably build whatever you want. I think the "epic" had one channel of the olde 800 and one of his blackbird. Ben is a top notch builder and I put his stuff up there with the best. I have owned a Fargen VOS and Bastage both for about 6 years now and they are awesome amps. I had a Blackbird but I didn't play much clean stuff at the time so I offed it. I have a Splawn Competition (single channel QR) in its also a very nice sounding amp and will give you more or less what your looking for.

 

['63-Strat]

This is definitely a fear of mine, but I have no way of trying one first hand, so I'm kind of stuck. Like you said, on paper, it fits the bill. The Fargen sounds fantastic in the Fargen demos, but at the end of the day it's a single channel amp and I need at least two. The Quickrod has three and a solo boost. It's perfect for gigging if it'll get those classic Marshall tones or thereabouts.

I understand completely, I've bought "blind" many times myself in the past and still do on occasion.

It's the only way to try many of the non-mainstream amps talked about on forums quite often.

Looking for a consensus has little value though, just imo.

At the end of the day there is still some risk but you can reduce it. Reading opinions and listening to clips is a start but can be very misleading and easy to have a different result when you actually plug in.

Buy carefully with the assumption you may flip it, and the price differential (if at all) is the "rent" to try the amp out to see if it's for you.

Also if you buy used consider if the amp's tone or features have changed since the build date of the used amp. With Splawn's there are certain year markers where new features were introduced and the tone changed.

Good luck.

This ^

Forum opinions can be great to give you an idea of amps that fit what you're looking for but it's all nearly meaningless imo until you can play it yourself with your gear. Splawns, like bogners and many other boutique marshall type amps have guys that love 'em and guys that hate 'em. Really comes down to you but if you're buying used the risk isn't that bad imo.

 

[stratotone]

Just my opinion, but the Splawn Quick Rod I have is a great amp and does an angry Marshall thing very well. Other night at band practice I played through it and other guitarist in my band played through my Bogner Ecstasy - it hung well and the two amps sounded huge together. Bogner sounded a little softer and compressed, the Splawn sounded pissed off and harder edged. I could gig with either of them with no problem.

 

[magh8]

I played thru a new Qr non B+ option and it absolutely slayed. I owned a 2006 Qr and liked it a lot but these new ones have some much improved tone and are capable of do much more styles of music.
I was actually considering ditching my nitro for one.

 

[shane159]

I love my Quick Rod. It took a few times playing it to get used to the tightness, and the eq, but now I absolutely love it.