BadCat-AS

koss59

I was tempted to buy it back to be honest! I shouldn't have sold that or the 30 really but they don't suite my live playing sound at the moment. I might pick up a Lightning one day for something different but my Rambler will probably get most of my gigs still.

andyoz

I've got the 40w head...controls are a bit strange/reversed...runs toasty hot...

It begs to be gigged.

I'll keep up the practice!

DrJazzTap

Congratulations, these look like fantastic amps.  I tried out a Matchless DC30 in World Guitars and I was smitten out of my reach atm

wellsyboy

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/79885/sampson-era-bad-cat-black-cat-30-non-reverb-price-drop#latest ;

stickyfiddle

So on to the important questions - are there any specific pedals and attenuators that work particularly nicely with these amps?

I've already had a lot of fun with my Rats and Liquid Sunshine, and the Hotcake will be plugged in at some point this evening, but I'm keen to hear if anyone's got any other favourites?

And attenuators? I'd assume something simple would be fine (Dr Z, Jettenuator etc) would work nicely but have heard the Unleash is meant to be fantastic.

ThePrettyDamned

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.

I felt the same when I got the ac15 that @4114Effects built. It's an ef86 channel with 12ax7 boost though, so not the same as the badcat but perhaps similar in ways. 

Happy nad! 

stickyfiddle

@ThePrettyDamned  - could be a very similar gain structure. As I understand it the EF86 in the BadCat is only a single V1 valve with the rest of the channel still running 12AX7s for boost, reverb etc.

wellsyboy

my choice would be tone king ironman 2 mini for the attenuator - unlease acts as an amp too so may be more versatile but then costs more pennies

slacker

stickyfiddle said:

So on to the important questions - are there any specific pedals and attenuators that work particularly nicely with these amps?

I've already had a lot of fun with my Rats and Liquid Sunshine, and the Hotcake will be plugged in at some point this evening, but I'm keen to hear if anyone's got any other favourites?

And attenuators? I'd assume something simple would be fine (Dr Z, Jettenuator etc) would work nicely but have heard the Unleash is meant to be fantastic.

I've got the black version of the V1 unleash. It's ok but I prefer to keep the amp clean(ish) and use pedals. IMHO the Klon(e) works well (I've got an early Black Cat 30 and a Matchless Lightning. I've also got a KOT and FD2 which work well.

If you want more gain, I've borrowed the Bearfoot H and ref fuzz-they work really well at low volumes.