BadCat-AS

stickyfiddle

@miserneil The K Master is what really pushed me over the edge on these. It seems excellent from my brief first impressions, and certainly lets me get that brilliant chime thing happening without it getting too raucous for the neighbours. (I'm in an apartment so that's a really important factor - thick walls but not-so-thick floors/ceilings. If I can find a way to stop some of the bass transferring straight through the floor that'll help. Maybe get it raised up to ear-level as well. But enough about flat-living logistics.)

The K-master is great. I'm not sure how much different it is to a regular master in reality, but it's certainly a very good master volume. I'm sure @ICBM can chime in here.. 

I also have to admit I don't like the tone very much with the volume high and master low, but I've never actually liked that raspy Vox-wound-up thing compared to clean + pedals, so it's about 99th on the list of what I wanted from an amp, and didn't even factor in the decision to buy this one.

I have to say I've been eyeing up Badcats ever since the guys in Oxford Guitar Gallery raved about them 10+ years ago. It's just in a different class from everything I've had before. 

pmg

miserneil said:

stickyfiddle said:

miserneil said:

Great score!

How does it sound??

Absolutely fantastic.  The EF86 "channel" is literally what I've been looking for with every single valve amp I've ever had.  

I don't know if you know the Cub III but I need to get my head around the way all the controls interact. The EF86/12AX7 switch is basically a "chime" button, then the switchable tone knob flips between a simple 5-way rotary tone knob and the super-interactive Vox-esque Bass/Treble knobs, then the cut control works on everything, I think!

But within about 10 minutes I had the sound in my head that I've always wanted. I bought one of the first Laney VC15s about 10 years ago and always said that once I had any money to spend on an amp I'd buy something that was basically a no-compromise version of the same thing. This is that and then some. 

It's the closest thing I've ever tried to an AC30 at that magic point where clean and chime and crunch all combine based on your pick attack, and it's by far the best amp I've ever had. 

Unquestionably a keeper.

Brilliant @stickyfiddle, sounds like it's a keeper!

I was really intrigued by the amount of switching options on the new CubIII's. I had a CubII years ago and it was horrible. I understand the new range are totally different though.

I've got a 'samson' Black Cat 30 2x12 with is the very basic DC30 style layout with the 2 totally separate channels and I've just picked up a 1x12 Black Cat 15R on here which is a 2014 model so interested to see how that compares.

I would have liked to have had one with the K Master as all i've spoke to rave about it, does it live up the the hype?

And, yes, I must also get a Hotcake!

Have you bought the one Al Groves was selling? 

IvisonGuitars

@pmg Yeah.....you're not going to tell me it's a dog are you?! ;-)

pmg

@miserneil

No, the 15s are great amps for rocking.  I had one for awhile but realised that I need the headroom of a 30w!  Saying that I've been experimenting with a lightning and have been getting good results.  I bet you got a bargain with that one!  It may even be my old one....

IvisonGuitars

pmg said:

@miserneil

No, the 15s are great amps for rocking.  I had one for awhile but realised that I need the headroom of a 30w!  Saying that I've been experimenting with a lightning and have been getting good results.  I bet you got a bargain with that one!  It may even be my old one....

Ah right. I've just started two new bands and one definitely doesn't lend itself to carrying my 2x12 Black Cat around so this one was up at a good price so I nabbed it.

Quite possibly is your old one, I think @lustycourtier may have been an owner too at one point? Seems to be in excellent nick though, picking up tomorrow.

thebreeze

Wow.  I'm trying so hard not to get amp gas but Badcat.......

stickyfiddle

thebreeze said:

Wow.  I'm trying so hard not to get amp gas but Badcat.......

They're seriously nice amps. The USA Player Series are even quite reasonably priced..!

pmg

miserneil said:

pmg said:

@miserneil

No, the 15s are great amps for rocking.  I had one for awhile but realised that I need the headroom of a 30w!  Saying that I've been experimenting with a lightning and have been getting good results.  I bet you got a bargain with that one!  It may even be my old one....

Ah right. I've just started two new bands and one definitely doesn't lend itself to carrying my 2x12 Black Cat around so this one was up at a good price so I nabbed it.

Quite possibly is your old one, I think @lustycourtier may have been an owner too at one point? Seems to be in excellent nick though, picking up tomorrow.

Yes.  He bought off me, I in turn bought it off koss.  It was mint when I had it and a fine amp.  It may be the same one as I think Al is based in Liverpool -motor museum I think- so within the north west

thebreeze

stickyfiddle said:

thebreeze said:

Wow.  I'm trying so hard not to get amp gas but Badcat.......

They're seriously nice amps. The USA Player Series are even quite reasonably priced..!

Oh man.....!

IvisonGuitars

pmg said:

miserneil said:

pmg said:

@miserneil

No, the 15s are great amps for rocking.  I had one for awhile but realised that I need the headroom of a 30w!  Saying that I've been experimenting with a lightning and have been getting good results.  I bet you got a bargain with that one!  It may even be my old one....

Ah right. I've just started two new bands and one definitely doesn't lend itself to carrying my 2x12 Black Cat around so this one was up at a good price so I nabbed it.

Quite possibly is your old one, I think @lustycourtier may have been an owner too at one point? Seems to be in excellent nick though, picking up tomorrow.

Yes.  He bought off me, I in turn bought it off koss.  It was mint when I had it and a fine amp.  It may be the same one as I think Al is based in Liverpool -motor museum I think- so within the north west

Oh no, I haven't bought the forum slag have I?!! ;-)

Previous owners are all fine gents and fine players too, hope I don't find lacking whatever you/they did though?....we'll see...

HoraceB

@thebreeze  Steve, the strat now goes through a Bat Cat 30r and it sounds wonderful I can also tell you the Goldtop sounded stunning through it as well, hope that helps  

lustycourtier

miserneil said:

pmg said:

miserneil said:

pmg said:

@miserneil

No, the 15s are great amps for rocking.  I had one for awhile but realised that I need the headroom of a 30w!  Saying that I've been experimenting with a lightning and have been getting good results.  I bet you got a bargain with that one!  It may even be my old one....

Ah right. I've just started two new bands and one definitely doesn't lend itself to carrying my 2x12 Black Cat around so this one was up at a good price so I nabbed it.

Quite possibly is your old one, I think @lustycourtier may have been an owner too at one point? Seems to be in excellent nick though, picking up tomorrow.

Yes.  He bought off me, I in turn bought it off koss.  It was mint when I had it and a fine amp.  It may be the same one as I think Al is based in Liverpool -motor museum I think- so within the north west

Oh no, I haven't bought the forum slag have I?!! ;-)

Previous owners are all fine gents and fine players too, hope I don't find lacking whatever you/they did though?....we'll see...

My one went up to Scotland I think. A wonderful amp I sold as I didn't realise it was a god awful boss space echo that was killing my tone and I blamed the amp. Such a shame 

algroves1

It is indeed my amp that @miserneil has bought, which I picked up from @pmg not too long ago. My favourite amp out of all them, and only selling as I needed one in head format for logistical reasons in my studio (I don't gig at all). It's been replaced by @koss59's ;Cub iii head, which sounds identical, and as I'm not gigging I can live without the split channel advantages of the Black Cat. I hope it does you proud @miserneil!

pmg

algroves1 said:

It is indeed my amp that @miserneil has bought, which I picked up from @pmg not too long ago. My favourite amp out of all them, and only selling as I needed one in head format for logistical reasons in my studio (I don't gig at all). It's been replaced by @koss59's ;Cub iii head, which sounds identical, and as I'm not gigging I can live without the split channel advantages of the Black Cat. I hope it does you proud @miserneil!

And I bought it off @koss59 -its a great amp.  I did think about buying it back but i took a matchless lightning reverb earlier this year instead.  The Black Cat is more versatile though, great score!

IvisonGuitars

algroves1 said:

It is indeed my amp that @miserneil has bought, which I picked up from @pmg not too long ago. My favourite amp out of all them, and only selling as I needed one in head format for logistical reasons in my studio (I don't gig at all). It's been replaced by @koss59's ;Cub iii head, which sounds identical, and as I'm not gigging I can live without the split channel advantages of the Black Cat. I hope it does you proud @miserneil!

@algroves1 Will mail you mate but just got it home and it's superb! Sounds stellar and SO much lighter in weight than my 2x12 Black Cat. Thanks for a great, easy deal Al!

And top marks to @koss59, ;@pmg & Al for keeping it in such great condition, it's like brand new!

pmg

Time to sell those lazy j's?!

IvisonGuitars

pmg said:

algroves1 said:

It is indeed my amp that @miserneil has bought, which I picked up from @pmg not too long ago. My favourite amp out of all them, and only selling as I needed one in head format for logistical reasons in my studio (I don't gig at all). It's been replaced by @koss59's ;Cub iii head, which sounds identical, and as I'm not gigging I can live without the split channel advantages of the Black Cat. I hope it does you proud @miserneil!

And I bought it off @koss59 -its a great amp.  I did think about buying it back but i took a matchless lightning reverb earlier this year instead.  The Black Cat is more versatile though, great score!

Funnily enough, I was thinking about a Lightening too as, i've never been a fan of the EF86 channel on this style of amp, but the 12ax7 is beautiful and certainly doesn't disappoint here either. I'd happily never use the EF86 channel. Reverb is lush too.

The jury is still out on the headroom of the 15w though. Need to try it in a band context. It's going to be no trouble in New Band 1 as we are on in-ears but may struggle with the louder, rockier 2nd band. We'll see though....  

pmg

@miserneil  I'm the opposite, my main channel is the ef86 so it's quite odd I went for a lightning over a nighthawk.  15w always sound great for rocking out but it's extremely difficult to get a cleaner tone within my band.  I get closer with a matchless/badcat than a Vox but not quite 100% there

IvisonGuitars

pmg said:

Time to sell those lazy j's?!

Noooo, different tones. I like to have the options of a different 'sonic palette' if needed. Will certainly be interesting running the BadCat 15 and the J20 in stereo.

pmg

miserneil said:

pmg said:

Time to sell those lazy j's?!

Noooo, different tones. I like to have the options of a different 'sonic palette' if needed. Will certainly be interesting running the BadCat 15 and the J20 in stereo.

Haha, worth a try