WTB: Something Soldano

CHrisP86

Have a bit of a Soldano itch at the moment.

The ideal would be a Hot Rod 25 but knowing they are thin on the ground even by Soldano standards, a 50W Avenger or Hot Rod would be good, but I'm open to suggestions if anyone has a different Soldano they would consider selling?

Only really looking to spend about £1,000 (would stretch to more for a HR25) or I have a Bogner Uberschall that I would be willing to trade/part ex.

Thanks

Chris

digitalscream

I can't help you much, except to say that...

a) Don't get a Decatone. I did, after lusting after one for a decade, and it nearly ruined my life.
b) This guy makes clones which are pretty excellent. I've got the X88R, and it sounds amazing. $1300 for the 50W SLO.

AlexHunter

Didn’t you have an HR25 and an Astroverb already?

tekbow

@digitalscream, what went down with the decatone? they so seem to get railed on a lot for being such a flexible amp by soldano standards.

CHrisP86

Thanks @digitalscream  The Decatone would be fairly low on my list as seems to get quite mixed reviews.  Those clones do sound really good, pretty much identical!

Yes @AlexHunter I have had both of those and am stupid for letting them go, although the HR25 kept blowing fuses. I really liked the Astroverb!

digitalscream

tekbow said:

@digitalscream, what went down with the decatone? they so seem to get railed on a lot for being such a flexible amp by soldano standards.

It's because they're actually not a very flexible amp at all. It's essentially impossible to set the shared EQ such that you get a great sound out of all three channels simultaneously.

It didn't help that even after a revalve, my Jet City JCA50H simply sounded better by default than the Decatone did at any setting on any channel.

tekbow

@digitalscream, ah ok, I was under the incorrect impression that it had independent EQ, that explains a lot.

richardhomer

I remember trying a Lucky 13 head some years ago. The best driven sound I’ve ever heard from an amp....

digitalscream

tekbow said:

@digitalscream, ah ok, I was under the incorrect impression that it had independent EQ, that explains a lot.

The only units in the Soldano range with independent EQ, to my knowledge, are the Lucky 13 heads and the X88R and X99 Caswell preamps. As well as the weird custom stuff he did for uber-rich folk, of course.

tekbow

SP77 also

Funnily enough, in my search for an SLO, I saw an X99 for £1500 in Italy.

I was tempted, but motorised pots and midi etc just seems like too much trouble if summat went wrong.

I hear the lucky 13 OD channel can be modded up to SLO-ish spec. It's certainly something they've done on request.