Bad Cat - The Paw - Ultimate lunch box head.

dean111music

wow!

I was very tempted to buy the tonemaster fender deluxe but this has potentially taken over!

My needs...

I'm a teacher so i need something that is portable that i can cart from school to school, work in both live band scenario and recording situations. 

I have got a helix floor which is a great utility product. You can get any tone you need but i can't take that around with a speaker cab to my lessons. 

So my plan is to sell the Helix and get something more portable with a speaker. In the band we play or used to play with in ears and have as silent stage as possible. I like you have both options with both these products.

What do you think tone wise? The Paw sounds great in these clips and is basically a Cub which after listening to the andertons video the cub sounded awesome! 

The Paw wins against the tone master as its Valve with the K master, Aux in and headphone. You can use stereo effects through its 2x 6" speakers, Attach 2 cabs for west dry too! 

What do you think would be best for pedals etc?

What do you guys thinks. Im excited by this product. I'm loving the vox/mashall tones from the Paw. 

Jason

I’ve had one on order for weeks with Andertons, delivery date keeps being pushed back, it’s quite frustrating as I really think that this would be perfect for me. 

dean111music

Jason said:

I’ve had one on order for weeks with Andertons, delivery date keeps being pushed back, it’s quite frustrating as I really think that this would be perfect for me. 

it looks amazing! I'm so tempted to put an order in. When did you first order it?

Jason

dean111music said:

Jason said:

I’ve had one on order for weeks with Andertons, delivery date keeps being pushed back, it’s quite frustrating as I really think that this would be perfect for me. 

it looks amazing! I'm so tempted to put an order in. When did you first order it?

About a month ago. Pushed back today to the 9th. It’s pretty poor really, surely they know if they’ve been dispatched but yesterday they were still saying today, I thought the email I got earlier was to say it was on it’s way, alas just another delay. 

Danny1969

If they had made it with a little 10 watt valve power amp in it then it would be the perfect amp for me. Looks like it's got a class D power amp in it, so no idea why they are using one of the valves as a phase inverter @ICBM ?

keir

I’m hoping to use this as my only amp, internal speakers at home and then with a 1x12 or 2x12 for gigs 

gatheredinsong

keir said:

I’m hoping to use this as my only amp, internal speakers at home and then with a 1x12 or 2x12 for gigs 

Could even use two 1x12s for stereo. I wish these were available and there were a few more reviews. They certainly sound great in theory and in the official demo video!

menamestom

Danny1969 said:

If they had made it with a little 10 watt valve power amp in it then it would be the perfect amp for me. Looks like it's got a class D power amp in it, so no idea why they are using one of the valves as a phase inverter @ICBM ?

I think they said although class D doesn’t need one they somehow incorporated it into the circuit to make a hybrid class D / valve power stage.  Technically I’ve no idea what they are doing though.

Looks a cool amp.  It’s been due for months but I guess covid has slowed things down.

designerseye88

These look really nice, I've been thinking about a bad cat combo for gigging and home use but with covid theirs no gigs happening any time soon and this amp could be pretty ideal for me. Handy for jamming in the evening when the little ones in bed and then when we get practicing again i don't have to keep lugging my Marshall combo - my back will be thanking me! 
Will be interested to hear reviews on here when they finally get delivered. 

stickyfiddle

I love my Cub so very keen to try this. 

dean111music

They are also releasing the Double Drive low/mid gain pedal. Very similar to the Siamese pedal but with more clean headroom and clearer sound. Top mounted jacks.

always like matching an overdrive pedal with an amp by the same company. They obviously voice the pedal to there own amps so normally it’s a great match.

https://www.badcatamps.com/bad-cat-effects-pedals/

vid on their Instagram.

should work great with the The Paw

dean111music

stickyfiddle said:

I love my Cub so very keen to try this. 

Nice! Which version did you get? I’m new to the bad cat amps but they sound great. They do a hand wired version too don’t they? Difference in tone? 

djspecialist

I've also suddenly become very interested in this!

keir said:

I’m hoping to use this as my only amp, internal speakers at home and then with a 1x12 or 2x12 for gigs 

ditto

ennspek

Looks awesome. I wonder how loud it is.

stickyfiddle

dean111music said:

stickyfiddle said:

I love my Cub so very keen to try this. 

Nice! Which version did you get? I’m new to the bad cat amps but they sound great. They do a hand wired version too don’t they? Difference in tone? 

I have the Cub III 15R combo - one of the hand wired ones. Honestly I struggle with the VOX-style tone controls sometimes but when you get it set right it sounds properly amazing. 

The Player’s series is the same fundamental circuit.  IIRC it doesn’t have the switchable tone control and possibly has digital reverb instead of spring, but should be capable of exactly the same sounds. 

djspecialist

stickyfiddle said:

dean111music said:

stickyfiddle said:

I love my Cub so very keen to try this. 

Nice! Which version did you get? I’m new to the bad cat amps but they sound great. They do a hand wired version too don’t they? Difference in tone? 

I have the Cub III 15R combo - one of the hand wired ones. Honestly I struggle with the VOX-style tone controls sometimes but when you get it set right it sounds properly amazing. 

The Player’s series is the same fundamental circuit.  IIRC it doesn’t have the switchable tone control and possibly has digital reverb instead of spring, but should be capable of exactly the same sounds. 

Hi @stickyfiddle ;;,

I have a few questions about the Cub if you don't mind:

• How useful do you find the switchable V1? (Noting that the Paw only has the EF86)
• Does it take pedals well? (Particularly on the EF86 channel, for the same reason as above)
• Is your interest in the Paw mainly about convenience (small box; built-in DI + IRs), or do you find that the Cub is too loud for use at home (even with the K-master)?

dean111music

djspecialist said:

stickyfiddle said:

dean111music said:

stickyfiddle said:

I love my Cub so very keen to try this. 

Nice! Which version did you get? I’m new to the bad cat amps but they sound great. They do a hand wired version too don’t they? Difference in tone? 

I have the Cub III 15R combo - one of the hand wired ones. Honestly I struggle with the VOX-style tone controls sometimes but when you get it set right it sounds properly amazing. 

The Player’s series is the same fundamental circuit.  IIRC it doesn’t have the switchable tone control and possibly has digital reverb instead of spring, but should be capable of exactly the same sounds. 

Hi @stickyfiddle ;;,

I have a few questions about the Cub if you don't mind:

• How useful do you find the switchable V1? (Noting that the Paw only has the EF86)
• Does it take pedals well? (Particularly on the EF86 channel, for the same reason as above)
• Is your interest in the Paw mainly about convenience (small box; built-in DI + IRs), or do you find that the Cub is too loud for use at home (even with the K-master)?

very interested to here what @stickyfiddle says. Great questions.

Whats the weight of the combo? Did you try out the 40r too? I like the feature of turning the K master past 2 then you are into power tube distortion but that 40 must be so loud. 

Not sure if the Paw replicates power tube distortion in this setting

stickyfiddle

For background, I’m 100% playing at home these days, and plan to augment the Cub with a Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb at some point soon. 

On specifics:
1 - I love the EF86 and use it loads. Not so much with the foot switch, more just switching to that channel and leaving it there 
2 - I find it prefers some drive pedals over others, but that’s true of most amps so not any major issue
3 - it’s more about having something for the living room rather than to replace the Cub (though as a home player I’m aware I might end up with Paw + TMDR and sell the Cub, but that wouldn’t be Plan A). I use the Cub in an apartment quite happily - I’d love to turn it up more and I’m sure it would sound better louder but I’ve not had any complaints in the 4 years I’ve had it.

I haven’t tried a 40R as I already know 15-20 watts is my favoured ballpark and as I’m not gigging it the choice of 15R was more about home capability than gigging volumes

gatheredinsong

Interesting @stickyfiddle ;. What do you think you will get from the Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb that you won't get from the Paw? Just different tones?

Just trying to figure out if I have overlooked any features. 

dean111music

I was actually debating getting the tonemaster before the paw entered the equation. 

The Paw seems to tick all the boxes. 

djspecialist

Cheers @stickyfiddle . More GAS on the fire ...