Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: TwilightOdyssey on December 02, 2005, 03:33:40 AM
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My Splawn Quick Rod arrived via FedEx today! I didn't have a guitar at work today, strangely enough, so I will be bringing one in tomorrow. I also didn't have time to even put the valves into the amp or even turn it on. Tomorrow I will get around to doing the most basic assessment and will report back.
What can I tell you about the amp?
First of all, it was packed magnificently. The amp itself was wrapped in shrinkwrap with all the corners and edges protected by styrafoam or thick cardboard. This was placed in a thick cardboard box. That entire box was floated inside another outer box. The entire thing arrived in mint condition however, without even a scuff mark on the outer box.
The amp itself looks A M A Z I N G!!! Build quality is phenomenal!
This is a stock photo of the amp:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v723/TwilightOdyssey/quickrod05rsun.jpg)
The front panel, from left to right has the power and standby switches, which are these industrial toggles like you would see on a Roccaforte, not rocker switches. Next to that are all the controls for the gain channel: EQ, gain, channel volume, and boost. (More on the boost in a moment) All of the knobs are black vintage against white plexiglass. Next comes the 3 position voicing switch, labeled First Gear, Second Gear and Third Gear. The clean channel has it's own EQ. On the far right are the master volume and single input.
The fit and finish on the amp are INSANE! The tolex is beautifully wrapped, accented with white piping. The grille area is a large piece of white plexiglass with the Rising Sun graphic. The chasis is topped off with a leather strap handle with chrome (or stainless steel) ends. Class!
The back of the chasis has a wire mesh over the top portion where you can see the valves and the massive transformers. (The amp weighs about 60 lbs). The valves are packed seperately inside the tube cage. The rear panel has two inputs for the footswitch, two outputs for loudspeaker attachments, a DI out, FX loop, 1/2 power switch, and IEC mains jack.
Packed seperately is the metal footwitch, which has an elegant curved top, which is then covered with a white plate that matches the panel on the amp. Again: CLASS! There are 3 switches on it: Clean, OD, and Boost.
The boost is a pure volume boost for the OD channel, not another gain stage. So, all you do is set your rhythm volume, dial in the amount of boost you want for your solos, and voila! You are done! No more running a boost pedal through the FX loop!
Scott Splawn promised me the amp in 4 weeks, and he delivered it in 4 weeks to the day. Everything about the amp just screams quality and attention to detail.
Tomorrow: Pics and the first run through! Watch this space for details!
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that amp looks so badass with the Rising Sun!
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This thread is useless without CLIPS!
I really want to hear this amp in action, I need to get over to the State to try out some of these lovely amps! (I still need to try out a Matamp too!)
Andy!
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I'd love to have one of those. Especially because they seem to be betterthan the the Roccafortes.
Can't wait for the clips.
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(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v723/TwilightOdyssey/Front1.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v723/TwilightOdyssey/Front2.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v723/TwilightOdyssey/FrontCleanChannel.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v723/TwilightOdyssey/FrontODChannel.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v723/TwilightOdyssey/RearClose.jpg)
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the last pic is blurry. now you must send the amp to me so i can shoot a better picture
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the last pic is blurry. now you must send the amp to me so i can shoot a better picture
:lol: :lol: :lol:
+1!
It might take some time to make a proper picture tho. Waiting for that special piece of sunlight that would make the picture perfect. :twisted:
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Nice amp!
But...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v723/TwilightOdyssey/FrontODChannel.jpg)
Hypothetically speaking, would it be possible to have the 'Middle' at 9 o clock and the 'Treble' at 3 o clock for instance, or do the chickenhead knobs bang into each other? :?
Looks like a really nice amp though, bet it sounds as nice as well!
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sweet!
we need clips damnit.... :wink:
something VERY cheesey and 80s 8)
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I'd be happy to make some soundclips with that amp. :wink:
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Willo brings up a valid point - I'd guess that theres no problem though! if theres was it'd be disgraceful
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Hypothetically speaking, would it be possible to have the 'Middle' at 9 o clock and the 'Treble' at 3 o clock for instance, or do the chickenhead knobs bang into each other? :?
Just checked that. The answer is no, they all fit fine.
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That amp looks really nice! Congrats! 8) What does the Solo knob do? Is it the Boost you wrote about?
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ooooo I'm so excited about clips!!!! :lol: its gonna kick assssssssss :wink:
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That amp looks really nice! Congrats! 8) What does the Solo knob do? Is it the Boost you wrote about?
Yes, that's the solo boost.
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Hypothetically speaking, would it be possible to have the 'Middle' at 9 o clock and the 'Treble' at 3 o clock for instance, or do the chickenhead knobs bang into each other? :?
Just checked that. The answer is no, they all fit fine.
great news!
It would have been a proper Homer Simpson moment if they didnt fit! :lol:
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TO got a new toy. it kicks ass. what's new?
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TO got a new toy. it kicks ass. what's new?
HA!
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^i haven't tried one, but one of the splawn quick rod clips on rocksolid amps was amazing!
good buy, TO!
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was does Quick rod mean?
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Cool amp Ben! How about using it at this gig you have coming up and plugging a mini disc or something into the mixer and posting a full band clip! 8) :twisted:
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That looks nice. Get some good clips for us!
Clean, medium gain and high gain!
We demand clips!
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Have you guys noticed how he always keeps us all hanging and we demand clips and he keeps us hanging and then he gives a review and ...well you get the idea. Seriously though, that rising sun looks cool. I wonder if a label from a good bottle Ardbeg would go there.
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Have you guys noticed how he always keeps us all hanging and we demand clips and he keeps us hanging and then he gives a review and ...well you get the idea. Seriously though, that rising sun looks cool. I wonder if a label from a good bottle Ardbeg would go there.
LOL
It's the art of anticipation! Actually, I hate to say 'oh this is great' before I'm 1,000% sure. If I stand behind a product, I do so to the hilt, but I'm gonna be reserved up to that point.
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Just played the amp for a couple of hours .... it's very versatile as far as the OD channel goes.
The tone is GODLY. It's not quite as high gain as the Roccaforte. It postively SMOKES the Diesel and VHT. Comparing it to the Rivera is like apples and oranges, b/c the Rivera has its own tone going on, but ... I'm gonna go on a huge limb here and say that the Splawn is better.
Pedal wise, the Splawn loves the CPR compressor pedal on the OD channel. Unless I'm going to be doing very specific tone-shaping, it doesn't even need the Big D overdrive pedal! The reason I love using an OD in front of the amp is because of the 3-dimensional sound you get. The Splawn has that right out of the gate. I'm going to continue experimenting with that combination, though. I haven't used my boost pedal with it yet.
I haven't put in enough time yet to make any definitive conclusions, but I can already tell it's a godly amp.
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^how much gain does the splawn have, out of interest? compared to amps i have tried: e.g. diezel vh4, engl powerball, marshall tsl, orange rockerverb, koch multitone, ones like that...
thanks, TO!
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^how much gain does the splawn have, out of interest? compared to amps i have tried: e.g. diezel vh4, engl powerball, marshall tsl, orange rockerverb, koch multitone, ones like that...
thanks, TO!
It has as much gain as all those amps, but the voicing is totally unique. 2nd Gear will get you the classic old school metal tone, and 3rd gear gives you a godly late-80s modded Marshall solo tone. I haven't put the gain past 5 yet ...
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thanks for giving me gas ...
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it doesn't even need the Big D overdrive pedal!
I'll have it :lol:
Dude i sooooo wanna get my '800 modded by splawn right now, it sucks!
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thanks for giving me gas ...
Yeah me too :lol: Cant wait for the clips of this.
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Quick clip I just did, just to give you all the basic flavour.
Guitar: VHII equippped Gajic/Strat
Pedals: HBE CPR compressor
Amp Settings: 2nd Gear, EQ dimed on both channels, 1/2 power, Gain at 12:00, volume on both channels at 12:00.
Mic: Shure SM57, on axis, close-mic
In homage to the Rising Sun Graphic, I threw down a very Loudness-inspired clip. I will something more thorough when the full review is complete.
http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=3168282&q=hi
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doesnt work for me :cry:
no player comes up, even when i click the link
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I had no problems. It's hard to tell through the PC, but I think I like it more then the Diezel. Just a shame he doesn't make low power amps!
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I had no problems. It's hard to tell through the PC, but I think I like it more then the Diezel.
Me, too.
Just a shame he doesn't make low power amps!
50W is low power ... to me! LOL
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Very Plexi. Sounds like that amp could do a wicked AC/DC too. Very 'open' sounding amp.
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I need to hear some Gilbertesque shred through that thing!
Very nice sounding, if a little bright (Ash guitar with a bridge humbucker though) but I definatley need to get something in that vein :)
Andy!
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argh i wish it'd work! lol
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Sounds pretty nice! I do prefer the clips I've heard of Engls though
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wow, that sounds really nice!
a little like a cornford hellcat, perhaps?