Bad Cat amps - worth the price?

[2B]

Originally posted by MRscratch one day i did this. i used a tonebone head bone, and a/b between the s.l.o and the badcat, then i used a morley a/b/y box to switch between the two amps/cab stacks. and remember that the badcat was running with a matchless hot box in the clean chanel and the slo is also a two chanel amp, i had sooo many buttons to push on, i said fukit!! it wass fun, but impractical for me!

..

 

Hi, sounds like a killer set-up!

Yes I noticed Your SLO. Running the SLO and the HC-100 together is like getting the best of both worlds.

 

I've tried other two-amp setups with the SLO as well. Old Dual-and Triple Rects, Bogner Uber, and old Marshalls.

 

The "winner" is the HC-100 on par with an old Marshall.

Both killer tone, but somwhat different. Depends on the "mood" I guess.

Try the line-out of the SLO into the front of an old great-sound non-master volume Marshalls. (I guess You've tried it already). It's like adding the Marshall mojo to the SLO, cool.

 

I'm planning to get the VoodooLabs amp-switcher, which seems to be a great unit. Less step-dancing.

 

[zadiqof]

 

Originally posted by EL34SRULE Bleh. For the money, my new Marshall 1959HW buries Bad Cat:p

 

 

 

Originally posted by garfight +1 on the pittbull 45. its damn close to the badcats i've played and goes for ALOT less money.

 

 

 

You two have to be kidding.

[2B]

Originally posted by EL34SRULE Bleh. For the money, my new Marshall 1959HW buries Bad Cat:p

.

 

Hehe.

In pure volume it might do. Not many amps can beat that beast on full blast.

Talking about "tone", a BadCat HC-100 might get You REAL surprised compared to the Marshall HW.

My old Marshalls are more or less used as "slaves" with the SLO's.

This combination is killer (PTP Marshalls incl Plexi).

 

Given a choice to drag "one" amp along, the SLO or the HC-100 would be an easy pick.

One reason is that I do not use any fx's. Then the old Marshalls are just to loud when cranked.

 

Anyway, all is matter of personal taste, as always.

 

ROCK!!!

[rockon1000]

Originally posted by snakum That's something that really rips my ass about St. Louis Musical Instrument Co. I had a VC50 with three tens back in the 90s and that thing RAWKED! It was simply gorgeous toneage ... clean or dirty. Fender sparkle and Marshall clank, sorta' like a poorman's VHT Pitbull ... the total package. Why do I no longer own it, you may ask? Because mine was in the shop multiple times in the first month, as was EVERY SINGLE FRIEND'S VC COMBO WHO BOUGHT ONE! Now I'm already reading/hearing stories about reliability issues with the new VC series 50 and 30 watt combos, and I heard on here last year that the problems may be heat-related, iirc. Crate builds awesome-sounding tube amps with probably a 75% failure rate within six months, yet their goddamn solid state stuff is built like Peavey's amps ... can't fucking kill 'em if you tried. Whazzup wid dat? Who the flying fuck is designing and spec'ing tube amps at SLM? Sorry for the thread hi-jack .... Bad Cat worth it? It's worth three grand if you really gotta have one, I guess. I'm glad I ain't really gotta have one. I'd take a Pitbull 45 combo over Bad Cat any day ... even if someone else was buying.

 

 

Ive got 3 Crates from the 90's-they definately rock. The Stealth 50 is amazing for searing,singing lead tones and over the top crunch. The VC50 head's sounds very Marshall thru my G12H-30 cabs. No issues with reliability(knock on wood) but Ive got cheap insurance for all 3 of them.

[maz_master]

Well, like many have already said, Bad Cat amps are expensive, but nothing else sounds like them. So, if you dig the tone, they're worth the price. But, it's funny, because my girlfriend and bandmates keep telling me they slightly prefer the tone of the Maz 18 Jr NR with pedals for distortion tones and the Hot Cat 30R for cleans. So, just this week, I started running both amps via true-bypass A/B. The HC30R is tapped for cleans only and the Maz 18 is driven fairly hard with the A/B-looped FD2s for all shades of dirt.

 

[Rufus Leaking]

So how well does the master volume work on the Hotcats? I know every tube amp sounds better when cranked up a bit but I've found the MV's on Bogners, Soldanos, Diezels etc...to work great at low voumes. Does the Hotcat compare?

[maz_master]

 

Originally posted by Rufus Leaking So how well does the master volume work on the Hotcats? I know every tube amp sounds better when cranked up a bit but I've found the MV's on Bogners, Soldanos, Diezels etc...to work great at low voumes. Does the Hotcat compare?

 

 

It works well, but I found you have to change the EQ to suit the lower output level, more so than I had to on the Shiva, for example.

[Guttermouth]

Originally posted by zadiqof You two have to be kidding.

 

how so?

he doesnt seem like he wants to shell out the dough for the bc and i was trying to suggest another amp that would get him in the same general ballpark for less money.i have played the badcat 30 watter and the pittbull and to my ears they were definitely in the same tonal ballpark.i'll try and be less helpful from now on though.

[carlygtr56]

 

Originally posted by maz_master It works well, but I found you have to change the EQ to suit the lower output level, more so than I had to on the Shiva, for example.

 

 

Dave, is that you? How did you wind up with a Bad Cat? You were the biggest anti-buzz guy around:D

Every clip, they sound like buzz city.

[maz_master]

Originally posted by carlygtr56 Dave, is that you? How did you wind up with a Bad Cat? You were the biggest anti-buzz guy around:D Every clip, they sound like buzz city.

 

Hey, Carl, what up?! Yeah, it's me.

 

The clips you've heard are probably the original version. The new 'R' version has a mid switch which has a setting that's quite smooth (but still aggressive). In any case, most folks tell me they like the distortion tones I get with FD2s and the Maz 18 better than the HC30R (everybody claims it sounds like EJ), so I'm experimenting with running both amps and using the Bad Cat for cleans.

 

[bscepter]

I looked at these, but went with a Valvetech Hayseed 30 instead.

 

Even with the addition of a Mercury Magnetics OT & choke, a switchable EF86 front end, switchable filtering and a Celestion Blue-loaded Avatar 2x12, my rig only came to around $1,800. And the thing just sounds fantastic.

[wsaracen]

what are you guys with the hot cat's using for your settings on the gain channel that smooths it out. im running the master up high and the level a lot lower and i feel its smoother with less gain than the other way around. anyone else experience this

[maz_master]

 

Originally posted by wsaracen what are you guys with the hot cat's using for your settings on the gain channel that smooths it out. im running the master up high and the level a lot lower and i feel its smoother with less gain than the other way around. anyone else experience this

 

 

I replaced the Bad Cat Vintage 30 with a Tone Tubby Hempcone H1E, the Chinese rectifier with a JJ and the Chinese 12AX7s with Tung-Sols. Each change resulted in smoother, richer tone. It's a different amp now. But, given my experience last night trying Svetlana 12AX7s in my Maz 18, I think switching to the Svets for the HC30R would be a great move.

 

But, messing with the balance of Level and Master can really affect the tone as well. I've been all over the map with those knobs, but am currently running the Level maxed out and the Master wherever the venue permits. I'm also running the Treble and Brilliance below noon and the Edge just above noon.

 

So, with these changes and settings, the amp's as smooth as anything I own, but it still retains that Hot Cat growl.

[Myles]

 

Originally posted by Argali I'm pricing out what will be my next amp. Bad Cat stuff keeps catching my eye as a really nice option. I had a chance to play a Trem Cat combo once and it was quite nice, but I balked at the price tag. Are they worth it? Are there similar amps out there that will get you the same tones for less?

 

 

 

Very nice amps, nicely built, very roadworthy too, will last a lifetime.

[2B]

Originally posted by carlygtr56 Every clip, they sound like buzz city.

.

 

Hi Carl.

They might sound like buzz city on clips....

 

The HotCat-100 has IMO NO buzz, it's a killer amp with great smooth, woody distorted tone.

Btw, I like this amp much better than any of the other BadCat's.

I've owned and used the HC-30, HC-30R and the Black Cat.

I've tried out the Cub's.....

The HC-100 (old version, first production) is just "it".

[mysticaxe]

The Hot Cat 30R combo I messed around with a while ago is one of the best sounding amps I've ever played. Incredible growl/bark. The price tag was definately steep, but the product is killer...

[maz_master]

Originally posted by 2B . Hi Carl. They might sound like buzz city on clips.... The HotCat-100 has IMO NO buzz, it's a killer amp with great smooth, woody distorted tone. Btw, I like this amp much better than any of the other BadCat's. I've owned and used the HC-30, HC-30R and the Black Cat. I've tried out the Cub's..... The HC-100 (old version, first production) is just "it".

 

2B,

 

Question for ya about the Black Cat. Is the master volume global or does it just affect the EF86 channel?

 

Thanks,

Dave

[2B]

Originally posted by maz_master 2B, Question for ya about the Black Cat. Is the master volume global or does it just affect the EF86 channel? Thanks, Dave

.

 

Hi Dave.

It is global. Works real good, btw.

 

But, if You plan to use the EF86-ch for leads and crank it up, You might find that it have slightly more (too much) volume compared to the other ch. This could be an issue if You do not use any pedals (like me). I found myself to crank both ch's, and use the guitar-volume for clean tones, this way the amp was great.

And the ch's were more even.

I think the master volume on the Black Cat is better than say, on a Matchless DC-30. It sounds good on lower volumes as well.

 

[maz_master]

Originally posted by 2B . Hi Dave. It is global. Works real good, btw. But, if You plan to use the EF86-ch for leads and crank it up, You might find that it have slightly more (too much) volume compared to the other ch. This could be an issue if You do not use any pedals (like me). I found myself to crank both ch's, and use the guitar-volume for clean tones, this way the amp was great. And the ch's were more even. I think the master volume on the Black Cat is better than say, on a Matchless DC-30. It sounds good on lower volumes as well.

 

That's what I thought from their description, but it wasn't real clear. Their manual was more clear, but there's nothing like hearing it from a real owner! Thanks. My interest in the Black Cat came about from running pedals into the clean channel of my HC30R into my Jenkins cab with G12H-30s. WOW, what a freaking tone! The gain channel doesn't seem to like the G12H-30s, but the clean channel with pedals *loves* 'em! So, I began to think it'd be cool to run pedals into the EF86 channel of the Bad Cat and control its output level with the Master Volume, while running my guitar straight into the 12AX7 channel (via external A/B) for clean rhythms while controlling its output level with its own volume control. But that would only work for me if the EF86 channel had an independent master volume to allow me to get the "right" amount of preamp dirt to mix with the pedal dirt while knocking the output level back down with the master without affecting the 12AX7 channel output level.

[wsaracen]

thanks, i'll try that out. i just bought a bunch of preamp tubes so ill try moving them around. I have tung-sol preamp tubes, 1 gt 12ax7-m and a bunch of the 9th gen chinese. would you say the tone tubbies or the jj rectifier made a bigger difference in smoothing out the tone. ill try the settings you posted as well. i seem to love the tone but in the leads there seems to be a slight sizzle on the high end.

 

 

Originally posted by maz_master I replaced the Bad Cat Vintage 30 with a Tone Tubby Hempcone H1E, the Chinese rectifier with a JJ and the Chinese 12AX7s with Tung-Sols. Each change resulted in smoother, richer tone. It's a different amp now. But, given my experience last night trying Svetlana 12AX7s in my Maz 18, I think switching to the Svets for the HC30R would be a great move. But, messing with the balance of Level and Master can really affect the tone as well. I've been all over the map with those knobs, but am currently running the Level maxed out and the Master wherever the venue permits. I'm also running the Treble and Brilliance below noon and the Edge just above noon. So, with these changes and settings, the amp's as smooth as anything I own, but it still retains that Hot Cat growl.

 

[wsaracen]

 

Originally posted by maz_master That's what I thought from their description, but it wasn't real clear. Their manual was more clear, but there's nothing like hearing it from a real owner! Thanks. My interest in the Black Cat came about from running pedals into the clean channel of my HC30R into my Jenkins cab with G12H-30s. WOW, what a freaking tone! The gain channel doesn't seem to like the G12H-30s, but the clean channel with pedals *loves* 'em! So, I began to think it'd be cool to run pedals into the EF86 channel of the Bad Cat and control its output level with the Master Volume, while running my guitar straight into the 12AX7 channel (via external A/B) for clean rhythms while controlling its output level with its own volume control. But that would only work for me if the EF86 channel had an independent master volume to allow me to get the "right" amount of preamp dirt to mix with the pedal dirt while knocking the output level back down with the master without affecting the 12AX7 channel output level.

 

 

 

me thinks you need 2 of em!!!!

[maz_master]

 

Originally posted by wsaracen thanks, i'll try that out. i just bought a bunch of preamp tubes so ill try moving them around. I have tung-sol preamp tubes, 1 gt 12ax7-m and a bunch of the 9th gen chinese. would you say the tone tubbies or the jj rectifier made a bigger difference in smoothing out the tone. ill try the settings you posted as well. i seem to love the tone but in the leads there seems to be a slight sizzle on the high end.

 

 

The Tone Tubby probably made the biggest difference out of everything I did. But, I was surprised at how much of a difference the JJ rectifier made too. I was messing around with the Maz 18 and Hot Cat last night and was, once again, amazed at how great the Hot Cat sounds. One day, I like the Hot Cat better and the next, it's the Maz 18. Great amps...

[mysticaxe]

 

Originally posted by maz_master One day, I like the Hot Cat better and the next, it's the Maz 18. Great amps...

 

 

That's a nice boat to be in. 2 great amps, both can do what you need, just slightly differently. "Better" amp changes on a daily basis...

[maz_master]

Originally posted by mysticaxe That's a nice boat to be in. 2 great amps, both can do what you need, just slightly differently. "Better" amp changes on a daily basis...

 

Yeah, you got that right! But, there are four great amps to mess with these days!

 

[Argali]

Originally posted by maz_master Hey, Carl, what up?! Yeah, it's me. The clips you've heard are probably the original version. The new 'R' version has a mid switch which has a setting that's quite smooth (but still aggressive). In any case, most folks tell me they like the distortion tones I get with FD2s and the Maz 18 better than the HC30R (everybody claims it sounds like EJ), so I'm experimenting with running both amps and using the Bad Cat for cleans.

 

Just curious - how are you liking that THD head?