Tell me about the Budda Superdrive II 18 & 30

[napalmdeath]

Interested in a lower watt head, but want good, thick Marshall-type roar with good, tight rhythm tone, (with a boost), and an articulate lead tone.

The Buddas come up alot, but not many clips are around with heavier rock tones.

Want to be able to do Gary Moore-type stuff, to Aldrich tones, and heavier 80's thrash, ala Exodus/Testament, and Iced Earth kinda riffage.. Are the Buddas worth looking into? Can they be a TIGHT amp, with a good boost?

 

[Meathead]

With the right distortion pedal adding gain, while removing some low end, it could be possible. I'd go for a head and a closed backed cab for sure.
I think you are looking for a different amp though. It sounds like you are talking about a Cameron or something with more aggression and brightness.

 

[Mudder]

The Buddas are killer but a little squishy (in the best sort of way).

 

[Meathead]

The Buddas are killer but a little squishy (in the best sort of way).

I love 70's Marshall's because they are not as bright as the later 800 series. But with the right boost, guitar, cab they can scream...the Budda is like that. I think it can do any rock or hard rock style but you just need the right pedal...it's a great fat base tone start with.

 

[Mudder]

The Buddas are killer but a little squishy (in the best sort of way).

I love 70's Marshall's because they are not as bright as the later 800 series. But with the right boost, guitar, cab they can scream...the Budda is like that. I think it can do any rock or hard rock style but you just need the right pedal...it's a great fat base tone start with.

Right. There's a sort of chewy tone they have right from the box. When I say squishy it's like it has a sort of built in swinging tempo, rather than quick and abrupt. I'm sure with the right pedal it gets there. I have a Fender pro junior that is similarly squishy and I love it for that reason, it just swings.

 

[joepete77]

I always wanted a Sd 30 but never get the chance to try one out, I may pick one up if I see one cheap enough.

 

[CaseyCor]

Perhaps a Friedmen nodded Jet City is more up your alley. Jet City sells them direct on their website under the name "Jet Packs".

The Buddas are cool amps though, nothing against them. I've played some of their stuff and always enjoyed them.

 

[Vrad]

I don't think the Budda would be a good choice for the stuff you want to play. It's a hard rock amp. Yeah it can sound heavy if you dial it in a certain way, but it's not going to be this super-tight metal amp.

It will do Gary Moore and Doug Aldrich type tones fine, it's the more aggressive stuff I think you'd have a problem with.

 

[David_kessler]

Sounds more like you're looking for an SD45.

 

[ratter]

Buddas are some of my favorite amps of all time but they wouldn't be my first pick (or my 10th...) for thrash tones. Moore, Aldrich? Sure. Testament? No.

 

[napalmdeath]

The Buddas are killer but a little squishy (in the best sort of way).

I love 70's Marshall's because they are not as bright as the later 800 series. But with the right boost, guitar, cab they can scream...the Budda is like that. I think it can do any rock or hard rock style but you just need the right pedal...it's a great fat base tone start with.

I'm looking at using an MXR Wylde OD, and closed-back Randall cabinet with (2) 12" Eminence Swamp Thang 150-watters.

The Wylde OD is the most aggressive OD I've come across. Atleast in the $100 range! I'm REALLY into the 18-watter.

Oh, and a Gibson V with Duncan Distortions won't hurt either!

 

[napalmdeath]

bump.

 

[CaseyCor]

Did you check out my previous suggestion?

 

[jjhaller]

I have a series 1 SD-30 head (serial number 5!), it'll definitely cover the Moore/Aldrich tones with out question. The overdrive is pretty brown sounding. You can get really aggressive tones and even a little thump out of the EL84's by putting an EQ in the loop. The Fromel Shape EQ is perfect for this.

The stock tubes are really the best for the superdrive as well. Most others, especially other power tubes sound terrible and won;t last very long as the Budda runs HOT.

 

[fearhk213]

I've played the 30 before and really loved tones I was getting and the feel. I play mainly heavy stuff & remember thinking this amps would kill at probably most stuff other than metal & other quick paced thrashy rhythm type of stuff. What I liked about the voicing & the bouncey/squishy feel is typically not what is conducive to the tones & riffs from the bands you mentioned. The voicing isn't quite aggressive enough & the bounce/squish doesn't allow for the immediacy that those types of riffs thrive off. With the right pickups, boost, &/or eq you can maybe get there voicing wise. A boost may help with the bounce/squish, but I'd definitely try it out first if you can. I have found that boosting an already squishy amp can sometimes have some undesired side effects. What can happen is the boost will compress/squash out the bounce so your sound is "tighter", but it is even less immediate in response because of all the compression. I don't know if that makes sense or not, but I've experienced it before. It's almost like you're disconnected from what's coming out of the cab. I'm not saying it won't sound good, but depending on what you want it may totally kill the feel & immediacy you want for that type of riffage. My $.02 would be if those tones are vital I'd either try it out first to see if it does it for you or if not see what other contenders are out there.