Thoughts on the Bogner Alchemist?

[Variable]

Just curious what the U.S.A. Bogner owners have to say about this amp. There's a big thread on TGP about it, but it turned into a "You should only buy USA" bitchfest with little info about the actual amp

I'm specifically curious about how the 1x12 combo sounds. I'm liking my Mesa Nomad 1x12 for the combo/portability/versatility thing, but something about the Alchemist just looks sexy I'll probably just head to GC and try one out the next couple days, but I thought I'd see what everyone else has to say, too. I'm specifically interested in how similar the drive channel is to the XTC blue channel.

 

[guitar_god123456]

clips sound kinda cool

 

[bikerdude2]

Me to....Would love a grab and go in that vein

Just curious what the U.S.A. Bogner owners have to say about this amp. There's a big thread on TGP about it, but it turned into a "You should only buy USA" bitchfest with little info about the actual amp

I'm specifically curious about how the 1x12 combo sounds. I'm liking my Mesa Nomad 1x12 for the combo/portability/versatility thing, but something about the Alchemist just looks sexy I'll probably just head to GC and try one out the next couple days, but I thought I'd see what everyone else has to say, too. I'm specifically interested in how similar the drive channel is to the XTC blue channel.

 

[Audioholic]

The clips I have heard were very nice. Go To GC and try it out man! looks like a nice amp.

 

[Variable]

Anyone here actually drop coin on one? Use it with pedals (particularly boosts)?

 

[Meathead]

I tried on at GC. It was average at best. I basically used the lead channel, put the treble and bass on 10 and adjusted mids to taste. I didnt like it very much.

What amp sounds good with the treble and bass fully on 10? Is that the only way you tried it?
Just wondering...I'm curious about this amp to.

 

[ejecta]

I have an Alchemsit head and 2x12 and an XTC Classic with a Shiva 2x12. My thoughts are this. Im 100% sure the Classic has better components. Im not an amp tech so I dont know if the components that they decided to go the cheaper route make it les reliable amp. If what Ive heard is true from guys who worked with him in getting the Alchemist out is that hewouldnt skimp on some components and that was something they went back and forth on. Again if thats true or not I dont know. The one I have looks likes it well made for the price. The tolex work is good as any amp Ive had, Ive played up plenty loud loud for about a week so had tubes cooking on daily basis, flicked switches an knobs, havent taken it out on gig yet but soon will. NO issues so far but honestly that isnt a very good test of build durablity. It needs to be gigged for a good year with real shows to see if it will hold up IMHO. Again for the price point there is now way component wise it can be the same as my XTC so we'll see if it holds up.

Down to the tone.... here is where its interesting. First let me say you have to like the Bogner voicing in order to dig his amps. Some do some dont. Its that simple. That said the voicing is a bit different from my XTC to degree but I can get them in the same ballpark very easily. Id say voicing its a cross between the blue channel of the XTC with more gain available, so has a touch of the red, and the Shiva. The clean channel definately more like the Shiva. As far as "tonal quality" goes there isnt, retail price vs retail price, $2800 difference in tone between my XTC vs the Alchemist. The XTC may be a bit better but by no means $2800 different.. no way. Some can say there is but Im not deaf, Ive had too many amps to count, being playing in bands and have recorded for many years so I'd like to think Im not a complete idiot when it comes to amps and tone. Tone can be subjective but I think you can listen to a tone and judge whether whether its good or not and still not be your thing.

Im planning on doing a video recording with a good mic comparing the two this weekend just for fun that I may post on Youtube. We'll see. Im not that amazing of a player like alot of guys around here so the playing will be what it is but you should get an idea what it can do.

BTW there are good guys over at TGP but alot of them love thier boutique so they defend it to no end. I own both amps and I can tell you that I dont mind saying the boutique got real run for its money.

 

[ejecta]

I tried on at GC. It was average at best. I basically used the lead channel, put the treble and bass on 10 and adjusted mids to taste. I didnt like it very much.

IMHO thats huge mistake and is why you have to take some people's reviews with a grain of salt if they jsut did what you did. No offense but to just go in a store and do that is waste of time and by no means a way to really check out an amp.

What amp sounds good with the treble and bass fully on 10?

Really. Only amps I can think of is some Marshalls sound good that way and Im sure ther are some others but not most amps in my experience. Especially modern voiced amps where guys keep asking for more and more bass which IMHO really stupid thing to ask for and amp makers seem to give. Turns your tone to mud and you loose so much cut that way.

 

[stratotone]

I played one at GC and liked it... I prefer my Ecstasy (duh) but I thought the alchemist sounded really good. Try one out, it's not like they aren't everywhere

pete

 

[gravfed]

I've played one a couple of times @ Best Buy. I don't like it, I could never really get any sounds I was happy with. The cleans didn't shimmer like I wanted and the gain sounds all were too fuzzy and loose sounding for me. I realize this isn't a metal amp, but there just wasn't anything I particularly liked about it. I actually thought the spider valve sounded better sitting next to it.

 

[stratotone]

I tried on at GC. It was average at best. I basically used the lead channel, put the treble and bass on 10 and adjusted mids to taste. I didnt like it very much.

What amp sounds good with the treble and bass fully on 10? Is that the only way you tried it?
Just wondering...I'm curious about this amp to.

I should have explained a bit more. It sounded like crap until I put the treble and bass on 10. It was also hard to play...I was fighting it a lot. Come on, you guys know me better than that... I am not going to bash something for the heck of it. After all, I admitted that I liked the Bugera amps (for the money).

I'm guessing the amps vary widely in tone/quality then, because the one I played was very smooth and easy to play - and I thought it sounded fine with the EQ set towards the middle.

Some guys rave about Yamaha T-50 Soldanos, and the one I had sounded like SHIT. Probably just the difference between different amps I guess and the lack of really good QC.

Pete

 

[ejecta]

I tried on at GC. It was average at best. I basically used the lead channel, put the treble and bass on 10 and adjusted mids to taste. I didnt like it very much.

What amp sounds good with the treble and bass fully on 10? Is that the only way you tried it?
Just wondering...I'm curious about this amp to.

I should have explained a bit more. It sounded like crap until I put the treble and bass on 10. It was also hard to play...I was fighting it a lot. Come on, you guys know me better than that... I am not going to bash something for the heck of it. After all, I admitted that I liked the Bugera amps (for the money).

Sorry I misunderstood your post.

 

[Variable]

I tried on at GC. It was average at best. I basically used the lead channel, put the treble and bass on 10 and adjusted mids to taste. I didnt like it very much.

What amp sounds good with the treble and bass fully on 10? Is that the only way you tried it?
Just wondering...I'm curious about this amp to.

I should have explained a bit more. It sounded like crap until I put the treble and bass on 10. It was also hard to play...I was fighting it a lot. Come on, you guys know me better than that... I am not going to bash something for the heck of it. After all, I admitted that I liked the Bugera amps (for the money).

I wonder if maybe there are some quality inconsistencies. I see some people who absolutely love it (including U.S.A. Bogner owners like ejecta), and others who say it sounds like butt. Honestly, if you had to crank the bass and treble to 10 for it to sound passable, I'm wondering if maybe there wasn't a bad preamp/poweramp tube in there somewhere...?

 

[Variable]

BTW there are good guys over at TGP but alot of them love thier boutique so they defend it to no end. I own both amps and I can tell you that I dont mind saying the boutique got real run for its money.

Oh, don't get me wrong... there are some awesome, knowledgeable folks over at TGP. It's just that sometimes--specifically when anything "Chinese" or "Foreign" comes up--it's like watching a bunch of nerds fight over which comic book is the best.

 

[skoora]

I thought the one I played had a real nice clean tone and the drive side sounded good for leads but was too dark/wooly for hard rhythm work (Gibson anyway). I thought the built in delay and reverb sounded very good. I take it it's a Line 6 delay and reverb? Overall not for me as it doesn't have the top end spank/sparkle I need for rhythm stuff but I could see a lot of people liking it, especialy if they go from clean to singing lead/melody playing a lot. In-between dirty sounds were average at best.

 

[romanianreaper]

I was pleasantly surprised when I played one. I wanted to hate it and was expecting it to sound like a LINE 6 Spidervalve.

Unlike the Spidervalve, this amp sounds like a "real" tube amp. I think I played for about 10-15 minutes and actually got some great tone. I'd have to play with it for longer to truly know all the highs and lows but I was surprised at how it sounded.

 

[King Crimson]

Just curious what the U.S.A. Bogner owners have to say about this amp. There's a big thread on TGP about it, but it turned into a "You should only buy USA" bitchfest with little info about the actual amp

I'm specifically curious about how the 1x12 combo sounds. I'm liking my Mesa Nomad 1x12 for the combo/portability/versatility thing, but something about the Alchemist just looks sexy I'll probably just head to GC and try one out the next couple days, but I thought I'd see what everyone else has to say, too. I'm specifically interested in how similar the drive channel is to the XTC blue channel.

I played the combo and the head not too long ago at GC here in La Mesa. Both switchable between 20 & 40 watts.

The delay was shoddy as was the reverb. If you want a rice burner go for it...

 

[stratotone]

Just curious what the U.S.A. Bogner owners have to say about this amp. There's a big thread on TGP about it, but it turned into a "You should only buy USA" bitchfest with little info about the actual amp

I'm specifically curious about how the 1x12 combo sounds. I'm liking my Mesa Nomad 1x12 for the combo/portability/versatility thing, but something about the Alchemist just looks sexy I'll probably just head to GC and try one out the next couple days, but I thought I'd see what everyone else has to say, too. I'm specifically interested in how similar the drive channel is to the XTC blue channel.

I played the combo and the head not too long ago at GC here in La Mesa. Both switchable between 20 & 40 watts.

The delay was shoddy as was the reverb. If you want a rice burner go for it...

I'll take a Bogner designed and Chinese built amp over an amp designed by you and built in the USA every time.

 

[ejecta]

BTW there are good guys over at TGP but alot of them love thier boutique so they defend it to no end. I own both amps and I can tell you that I dont mind saying the boutique got real run for its money.

Oh, don't get me wrong... there are some awesome, knowledgeable folks over at TGP. It's just that sometimes--specifically when anything "Chinese" or "Foreign" comes up--it's like watching a bunch of nerds fight over which comic book is the best.

 

[Variable]

I wonder if maybe there are some quality inconsistencies. I see some people who absolutely love it (including U.S.A. Bogner owners like ejecta), and others who say it sounds like butt. Honestly, if you had to crank the bass and treble to 10 for it to sound passable, I'm wondering if maybe there wasn't a bad preamp/poweramp tube in there somewhere...?

I would have to assume so since we are all reporting different opinions. Maybe they are biased differently or have really crappy tubes...

Now that you mention it, maybe they are biased inconsistently. Anyone know if there is an adjustment pot on the circuit board? Wrong bias can make any amp sound like cheesy ass.