Tech 21 SansAmp Classic

I think it probably has all ready been covered but you do have to fiddle the knobs and switches a bit to enable a good sound.
But when you find that sound - what a sound.
The dynamics and subtleties shine and you would be hard pressed to tell that is doesn't have glowing glass inside of it.

Here's my setup:
Tele - Strat - Les Paul to Classic and into Hughes & Kettner Edition Tube.
This is my second pedal as I foolishly saw dollar value in the sale of my previous and then spent a bloody long time trying to find another at a reasonable cost. The sounds live up to the expectation set by Tech 21 and from other reviews. Classic Marshall sounds....Mesa is fantastic and thick and the Fender setting is great with a bit of reverb in the mix.

It's as rugged as hell......especially cos you can't get the toe of your boot on the slider switches so you'll never be kicking it too hard to get other sounds. All finger operation really except for the on off switch.

These dudes are awesome. Questions - no matter how stupid, and they have been - all answered promptly.

I play all genres.

I found the Sansamp Classic to be pretty straightforward and easy to use. The manual explains all of the knobs and switches but really isn't needed. One of the reviews said the three preamp sounds (Fender, Mesa, Marshall) were hard to find but on mine they are clearly labeled bass, normal, lead - not hard to figure out. Also has four knobs - amplifier drive (power amp distortion), presence drive (upper mid-range frequencies), high (balanced final eq), and output. There are also 8 tiny dip switches that are also clearly labeled. Notice I said tiny - this is where points are taken off. I know this was made for recording, and the manual explains they were kept small so the price and size would be smaller, but these things are really a pain in the ass to change.

I have seen mixed reviews on the sound of the Sansamp Classic. In my opinion this is one of the best distortion sounds I have heard. 100% analog and handmade. Has eight dip switches to fine tune your sound - 2 mid boosts, low end, clean, bright, vintage tubes, speaker edge, and close miking. I learned about this reading about K. Cobains equipment as I really like the no B.S. raw power chord sound and this is perfect for it. I have a Fender Deluxe and this sounds really good with a Fender Strat and the great fender clean sound the deluxe has on the normal (mesa boogie preamp)setting. This has plenty of low end and a great crunchy/warm overdriven sound that I was quite impressed with. I also like Sublime and softer stuff like the Beatles and the blues and this can do that good as well. With the presence and high knobs used with clean and vintage tubes switches this can take all the muddiness out. I also have a POS Peavey 8 in" amp that was my first amp, and out of curiosity took it out of the closet and tested the Sansamp on it as well - the best it ever sounded hands down. If a solid state amp could ever sound anywhere near a tube amp this will get you there, although I still will never go back from tubes. If you are into eddie van halen high end heavy metal type stuff this may not be the one for you, but pretty much anything else I think this could pull off with the right amp/guitar. All in all very warm and crunchy - will never get rid of it.

Haven't had any problems yet, but I do not gig and as this was not technically made as a stompbox. I would set it out of the way. Seems solid enough but wouldn't stomp on it like a bug - it is pretty expensive. And every time I change the dip switches I feel like they are gonna pop right out. Can't rate this because I have only had it for a month but I think it will be around for a long time.

No experience with customer support.

I play mostly Sublime, Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam, blues. I think this can really can do all of those and more. Put a tube emulator in front of a tube amp and you get a really nice warm crunchy overdriven sound. I also have a boss ds-1 and a digitech 100a guitar modeling pedal. This is in another league. For the price it does far less than the digitech, but I think it was worth it just for the distortion sound I couldn't find with the other two. I wish it was less expensive and those damn dip swithces were bigger but you can't have everything.

Awsome easy and just killer sound

mesa 50/50 marshal 4/12 cab and mesa pre amp.
the sans amp makes this rig sing. I will never need another booster or
pre amp again.

sustain distortion crunch harmonics grit its all killer
and its all so real and earthy not that fake plastic sound u get from
amp modeling.
I have been rounf the houses with pedals amps and tone

this bit of kit is worth ever penny

nirvana to the foos to rage to hendrix to SRV its all here

my bass player now uses it to its the only dist on bass i ever heard that dosnt take away
any bass from the signal

I can depend on it 100% but dont have the cash for 2

no other pedal comes close and i tried them all

my bass playar would be lost without it too

N/A

Rage Nirvana Radiate Foos Korn Feeder
I would replace this kit if it were lost
I would recomend it before any other stomp box dist or overdrive
I love its sustain its grit and power
so many choices in one booster.
The dip switches are small but its no big deal

I would probably buy a second one just to make sure i had a spare and
to have a clean one and dirty

It's not too hard to use if you sit down with it and try to understand what's going on. Essentially the dip switches each represents an EQ preset. Different combinations create different sounds and all of the controls are very interactive. It's kind of like the difference between a Mini-Moog and a preset synth. The Mini-Moog isn't fast but it enables you to create truly unique, individual sounds you'd never find on the preset synth.

My application is probably different from most people's. I play a hollowbody Gibson through the SansAmp into a mixing board with reverb and straight out to the PA. The sound quality is fantastic, I can go from jazz to blues to rock and roll with just subtle changes on the pedal (I keep it next to the mixer, it's always on). The SansAmp doesn't cut the bottom off my guitar like practically everything else out there and since I play solo the PA gives me all the volume I need. I'm able to gig without hauling a tube amp around. Very convenient. My settings are pretty close to the Fender Bassman in the manual.

I just bought a new one last week, but owned one 10 years ago that was beat to hell. I bought it used and the guy before me really abused it. I got it cheap and had it serviced once and it worked like a charm for years. I sold it on eBay as a fixer-upper last year because it had sat in my closet for so long the pots had gone and needed to be replaced. I'm sure the guy who bought it from me did what I did -- had it serviced and is using it regularly. These things are built like tanks, I have no concerns about gigging with it without a backup.

Never needed to contact Tech21 for anything, can't rate.

After years of playing with digital modelling preamps (Pod, Yamaha, Vox, etc.) and rack gear I was looking to keep my setup simple but get good sound quality so I came back to the SansAmp pedal. At this point these things have been around so long they are no longer revolutionary or sexy, but damn they sound good! Really glad I came back to it. If this one were to disappear I would definitely replace it. I agree with the poster who said this pedal is as much a classic as a Marshall amp or a Fender Strat. Well, at least as much as a Tube Screamer anyway! :-)

I use it on a 1979 135 watt Fender Twin Reverb. These ultralinear beasts are not yet appreciated, but enough on the amp. The Sans Amp classic (original) paired with the super clean, big wide sound of the Fender Twin Reverb 135 is really stunning. It's a very thick overdrive tone that cleans up with the guitar volume well. It sounds and acts more like a vintage cranked tube amp than my Mesa MK3 head. The tone reminds me of an old 1950's Gibson GA30 I had with a single 15" and the tone and volume cranked all the way up. A dark heavy overdrive with lots of touch. The kind that while very heavy, smolders around the note in a thick clean sort of way. Not a fuzzy, crunchy or an 80's metal type of grind. More of a blues on steroids type, like Billy Gibbons in the mid 70's. With the guitar volume down, in the middle-bridge on a strat it cleans up to a hard Fender tweed growl, and a very convincing SRV in the neck. I have noticed that this does not come across on other amps like the Marshall DSL or Mesa MK3 because they don't have the clean headroom or flat frequency response of the ultralinear Twin Reverb. I have a Tech21 GT2 and it doesn't get the same tone that the classic does either. I have had good results using the classic with a Gallien Krueger 250 ML on the clean channel with a 2-12 but not as good as the Twin or nearly as loud.

It's one of the first Sans Amps sold. I got it for $89 new, shortly after it's introduction at the NAMM show in Chicago. I was impressed, the guy was a killer player plugged into a small PA head and speakers. No effects at all and it was cool. Needless to say, it's been used since then for lots of applications and it's still going strong.
Big Plus; BATTERIES LAST FOR MONTHS of steady use!

Never needed any with the two Tech21 products I use.

I don't read or give 1's or 10's. Anyone that gives these marks is destroying the purpose of this forum. Be more descriptive and don't give these exaggerated marks!

At first this pedal can seem a bit complicated. There are 4 knobs, 8 mini switches and a three way switch. However the manual explains each one of these very well and after a little bit of experimentation with the pedal it is easy to learn how each knob/switch affects the overall sound. The manual also includes some sample settings to get you started.
One thing I would point out is that it wouldn't be easy to change the mini switches quickly during a live set, only because they are quite small(hence the name)...but then its not designed to be as versatile as a multi effects pedal.
The sansamp is designed to be plugged straight into a PA system (and so eliminate the need for mics and guitar amps) as well as being used as a stompbox between the guitar and amp.

The sansmp classic makes my guitar sound like it is being played through a tube amp more than any other pedal/stompbox/solid state amp(including half valve half transistor amps) I have ever heard. I play a mexican fat strat with a marshall mg100dfx. Perhaps not a great setup but not everyone's made of money either. The sound quality from this pedal is excellent and will sound great live. Tube amp purists might complain that it doesnt sound exactly like a tube amp but it is close enough to still impress your audience. There is a huge range of sytles obtainable from it. The sample settings allow you to achieve van halen, acdc, bb king, clapton and others. I play blues, rock, indie and metal and i can achieve great sounds for any of these styles.

I bought is used from the US as it is hard to find anywhere else. It was in good condition when i received it and I have had no problems with is since.

N/A

I have been playing now for about 6 years and play a big range of styles. The sansamp classic accomodates them all. It is quite pricey compared to other similar pedals on the market but i would say this one is the best in its category. The range and quality of sounds obtainable is quite surprising. I would recomend this pedal to anyone.

Small twiddly dip switches for "character" makes changes to settings not so easy.

Otherwise ok for at home (where I use it) or studio work. Ease of use is not a must for me, I am a sound-twiddler :-)

Manual is short and clear with lots of settings.

Used a Strat clone (Career) with (below-average) stock pickups and a PRS Tremonto SE (changed to Duncan Jazz and Duncan Jeff Back, both splittable) with it. Amp is a cheap noname 30W transistor with a tube preamp, only clean channel used. Amp sounds very good even at low volume with both guitars (on the clean channel).

Unit works very well with the Strat in nearly all settings. Gives a lot of tonal options.

With the SE its a different game. The Jazz pickup on the bridge offers nice tones immediately, too. The JB on the bridge in all combinations (even splitted) is so powerful that it overdrives even the "clean amp" with ease.

JB and drive settings over 50% lead to kind of "transistor"-like distortion unless the guitar volume is used. Especially the attack sounds are harsh. Have to use volume and tone pots on the SE to get good sound. The Strat is easier to combine with the Sansamp, works with more settings.

Maybe I do something wrong or my amp is at fault. I will continue to experiment with the box. A compressor could be a good idea to dampen the attack sounds for the high output humbuckers.

The unit is at least 15 years old, got beaten somewhat. I fixed all the loosend screns (especially at the pots) and it works 100% ok. Not even scratching noises from the pots and they were used a lot as I can tell from the marks on them.

Compare that to my PRS SE: both volume pots were scratchy from the beginning (but what did I expect from a 399$ guitar?) Otherwise the SE is rocksoldily built, everythings really fine except the pots and I changed them all.

Got no manual as I bought it on the fleamarket. Mailed tech21 and got a PDF with the extended manual in 1 day! Thumbs up.

I would say: the unit is extremely versatile and matches the guitars of its time (low to medium output pickups). By then they didnt have humbuckers with 16K or more output like the Jeff Beck. Very good choice with a single coil guitar.

With high power humbuckers you even get some metal-alike tones. But I compared it to my Marshall Shredmaster (not a real great box, but it does its job) and the Sansamp cant get that metal type mid-lacking sounds.

But it can get close to nearly every sound with its incredibly versatile settings. This is the main thing about the unit, it does what a modeling amp does - but in analog and with more presence and punch. It is somehow in-between tube amps and modeling-amps in terms of sound quality. Better than almost any modeled sound but not 100% the sound of a specialized tube amp. But for that price!

With "modern" rock style guitars either I need to learn how to use it properly or it is just not really matching for them.

For 50 EUR / 60 US$ this was a real bargain and I would by 10 for that price (if only I could find them). Look at the prices of the original CLASSIC units on Ebay!

Very easy to experiment sounds with it

I'm using the setup of a Fender Twin Reverb it can emulate it perfectly. Zero noise and zero signal lose, ofcourse if you turn up the amp drive this will generate noise. The effect is very strong and i am using it with a Marshall jcm 900.

Very robust, dont worry to have a backup.

You *could* spend ages reading the manual and getting to know what sort of thing each dip switch does and how they affect the sound, then design a sound from scratch; alternatively dial up the sample settings given in the manual and then you can get tweaking to get the precise sound you want. All pretty simple really! I have to admit that having all the parameters written on the casing helps immensely.

My guitar is a self-built / constructed eBay special - all the bits were bought off eBay and I then slung them together. It's a Strat shape (right handed) played left handed (but strung right-handed - it's a long story...) The single pickup is a Kent Armstrong-designed single coil sized humbucker hotrails thing, quite high output.
I've tried a whole bunch of amp simulators recently (including models from Digitech, Behringer and Zoom). This is by far the most outstanding sonically.
I mainly use quite heavy distortion sounds in my music with the odd clean chorused part thrown in. The distortion available from this box just sounds way more "organic" and real than any of the digital modellers I've used - certainly more like the ideal sound that I've been carrying round in my head for years!
Noise wise, it's not bad, but then a little bit of hiss can contribute to the realism, I reckon!

This thing is built like a tank. I cannot envisage it breaking down ever... I would certainly gig with it.

Tech 21's website is OK I guess - all the information is there.

If you are looking for tube amp modelling without the complication, with a real hands-on feel and with a whole lot of "feel", then check this pedal out. If it were stolen or lost I'd definitely buy one - the sounds I get out of it are nearer to my ideal sounds than any other pedal I've tried. I wish it had a gizmo to make my guitar playing better, but hey you can't have everything! If you can find one of these units second hand then give it a whirl - you can always sell it on afterwards if you don't like it - but I reckon that you'll keep hold of it and sell your other distortion units / amp modellers first!!

It's easy to use if you don't mind twiddling and tweaking and using your imagination and your ears.

I have tried many things, including POD, other Line 6 amps, and I'm a regular Roland VG-8 user, but for getting a personal, sculpted, unique sound, I have returned to tweaking this pedal and recording direct with a Radial D.I. It takes some work, but it's fun to build in subtle nuances... I have lost the manual so I have no idea what "amp" I'm simulating. I just know when it hits the sweet spot.

It's built like a tank and has survived for a decade.

Tech21nyc.com is OK, but lacks some documentation. But since I've never had a problem, I can only expect that they would be helpful.

I have just recently rediscovered the SansAmp Classic and am so happy I didn't sell it back when I had the chance. I will never let it go!

DIP switches are a little fiddly (use a pick to adjust). Very easy to get a wide range of sounds from clean to crunch. Start with the sample settings to get used to what the DIP switches and knobs do, then go for it! Great SRV tones here! ;)

I cannot believe that anyone would say that they could not coax a sound out of this unit that they did not like. I have used mine for a whole variety of sounds and I still amaze the onlookers (has it for over 10 years now). I would give it a 10, but I have found that there is some noise at some of the more extreme settings (but that is to be expected...)

Had it for 10 years without a problem. Solid contruction and footswitch. NB Make sure you use fresh batteries! I thought mine had given up the ghost...duh (LED was bright, sound broke up and faded out).

Written to Tech 21 in the early days (before e-mail!) and heard back within days.First rate as I live in the UK. Sent me a manual and a whole bunch of extra settings!

Tech 21! Get manuals and settings PDFs on your website NOW!

I would cry if it was stolen or went wrong, then I would buy another without hesitation (albeit after saving my pennies cost it is a little on the expensive side). Fortunatley I got mine second-hand for a song.

Amazingly excellent for ALL types of music, live or recording. If you do DI into a desk or multi-track, a little reverb helps to give it some 'air'

For all you second-hand users, PDF can be downloaded from
http://www.btinternet.com/~too.loud/manuals/sansampclassic.pdf
(took me AGES to find..!)

Incredibly easy to use. Just grow those nails for the switches! AAAARGH! I gotta fiddle with the switches t get the right ones I want...Don't bother with that manual. It's OK, but you don't need it unless you want to figure out what some other guy is playing out of.

I feel that the Amp Drive provides a very heavy CRUNNNCH 'specially if you use switches 1 & 2 and the amp drive turned to about 5 o'clock. Vocals are KILLER if you use the normal setting and low amp drive.Has great reverb as well. Try it with a bunch of instruments and your voice direct through a mixer. I loved all the sounds I used for my voice and git. I have a Mesa .22, and well, of course the Mesa has enough tweaker's joy to it, but this guy gives it the boost it needs for my rhythm playing.

I'd use it for recording without a doubt. Had a POD before this, and I was told by a friend not to even think about dealing with THAT, but I did (OOPS). Say the least, this guy has come through for more tracks than the kidney bean did. Digital ain't bad, but it's better to find the tone yourself. I had to WORK with this to find my real tone. And although mine was used, it's a tank. The previous owner basically returned it the day he bought it, I reckon.

Well I'm from NYC,likethe manufacturer, and I shouldn't HAVE to ask 'em how to use it or fix it unless they broke it when I got it. (NY thinkin' here)

I am a singer/ songwriter/ who plays guitar (I'd like to think). Been playing off and on for 20 years. (The love/hate relationship that happens with music) heavy shit (METALLICA) to jazz (Charlie Christian). All I can say is that to each his own. The SansAmp Classic should've been my first buy, because my friend who recommended it to me said "You can find yourself in this thing": which I believe is the case. Granted, if you're looking for SERIOUS vintage sounds, get the amps they sample in the manual. But to me, those are the most BORING aspects of the SA Classic. Twiddle with it. Use it while you practice at home w/ headphones. It's fuckin' a pain in the ass to get what you want right away, and if you're looking for Hetfield or Cobain: LOOK AT WHAT THEY USE(D). This is a musician's TOOL. I don't like some of the sounds I culled from it, and I have to work w/ what I've got: MM Silhouette SpecialHSS, Mesa .22, Mackie mixer...and my voice. The POD was a complete disappointment. Can't use that fucker live (Get a rack) and the model changed too often.TRADED that white elephant for this. Still satisfied 1 yr. later, my friends. USE IT LIVE by all means to figure out what settings make you sound the way you want. It will be a ballbuster at first, but you'll love it in time...

very hard at first if you are not used to hearing differences between ss and valve when your adjusting the dips...i recommend u use the knobs first and turn off the dips and slowly integrate them one by one till you know what each one does...the manual is okay as a referrence especially when describing the dipswitches and that helps a lot.it definitely upgraded my sound for what it can do and for its price

lp standard tech 21 trademark60 which is annoying me coz it isnt reliable only had it for 18 months with no gigging experience and its startin to die out on high volumes...anyway it sounds very good when i practice with it even when plugged thru a fender 100watt ss kbx amp...it is just hard when i gig on have to go direct thru the mixer which this puppy should really shine but alas.I was unable to get the sound i want in coz i could not practice tweaking it thru the mixer before or did not enough have time or experience on how to get it to sound the way i want it.I havent givin up on it yet coz next time im in that situation ill turn off all the bass,mid and treble and just set the volume of the mixer in unison with the d.i. unit and tweak everything accordingly from the small switches.Its a bit noisy when you have the pres.knob beyond 1130 but i like using the cleam amp with the marshall/mesa amp char.on the side and then have a second od unit preferably a carl martin hot drive mk2 but right know i just use a BD-2 with the tone set at 9 level at 12 and drive as desired then i amp happy.....for now

No...maybe i got a lemon.Im happy with what it can do soundwise but when i gig it acts as a filter coz its the last unit on my chain b4 the amp hence it is always on and set to clean coz sometimes i step on the damn thing it gives me inconsistent volumes even though the unit lights up to show its engaged and i correct this by turning it off and step on it again until i hear the soundlevel i set it for.I have tried fresh batts. and wallwarts and it still happens... not all the time but enough to not use it as a footswitch hence it is going in for repairs....DAMN

okay i guess coz they asked TOM LEE MUSIC in honkong to take care of me but i hate them coz there is just no service with these people and i have no choice...i was willin to ship mine back to new york and wait for it to come back..

very good and happy with sound i think it is just not designed to be a stompbox but a tool for recording....i love tech21..i have the amp...GT2...Acoustic D.I. and this...but the 2 is to 2 ratio of satisfied with not satisfied is ridiculous

Turn it on and a good sound comes out of it. DIP switches a bit fiddly: don't try and change them onstage. Manual's Ok but who needs manuals? : )

Every guitarist should have one. I mean it, it's that good. Nuf said.
I use an adaptor with it and get even more sounds out of it by running it at several set voltages less than 9: 7.5, 6.0, etc. Don't try it at more than 9 whatever you do. The lower the voltage the more distortion and softness you get. I find the 'normal'setting with all the DIPs off and all the knobs facing 12 o'clock gets my favourite sound. Actually, the best sound is on a battery, but I expect no one other than another perfectionist guitar player would notice. A battery smooths off the attack in a tube like way to my ears.

Always works

You name the situation and this box will cover it for you. Sure, there are tube amps which sound better on one particular setting but with this thing you can go from glassy shimmer to massive crunch at the flick of a switch and both sounds score more than 9 out of ten. I would buy a new one the same day that I lost this one. For recording you might as well throw away all your expensive mikes and boutique amps 'cos this will do even better. For live work just add a bit of eq and reverb and that's it. As far as I'm concerned this thing sets the standard, for amp simulators, equally as groundbreaking as the Strat or Marshall amp. I mean it, however over the top that may sound.I've tried digital simulators but the Sansamp is way better. Buy one. I dont work for Tech 21!

Super easy to use, the controls are a bit tiny for some functions, but for a unit with no manual, it doesn't take any effort to get sounds out of this unit.

This thing sounds very cool through my amp(Egnater TOL50). I always thought I'd like a little more crunch out of my amp and the Sansamp Classic does a beautiful job. The clean function of the Sansamp is pretty good too but I was already getting really nice clean sounds. I'm not sure how this unit would sound with a solid state amp, probably not nearly as good but I'm pretty sure the Sansamp Classic would improve anybody's sound who is looking for a lot of bark and bit, from Marshall to Mesa and in beween. Awesome sound!

No problems, thus far!

Haven't needed any support so far.

Great unit, great sounds, makes me want to try a PSA-1 just for the fact it would be alot easier to have presets for a live situation, but I sing. Guitar is for my own amusement! I'd buy another if it were lost. I love the crunch of it. I wish it had presets but I can't whine because I knew it didn't when I bought it! Great unit, like I said, for Rock(especially), and probably any style.

Its very easy to use, I bought it used so there was no manual. I like to have the distortion a lot louder than clean sound and it gets really loud! There is alot of options wich can change the sound completley!

I use a jag-stang with Seymour Duncan Jeff Beck(JB) model, into a mesa/boogie sudio preamp into a marshall 8008 power amp into a 4x12 marshall 1960 cab.


I play most rock or grunge as somebody call it, I like Nirvana and i can get the In utero sound...

I bought this used, and it seemed to be quite old, I havent had any trouble with it at all!! I would use it on a gig without backup, yes!

I havent dealt with the company

I play punk, grunge rock style and I love the sound of it, If it were stolen I would def get another one! I really Like the clean distortion sound you can get when you are playing loud! Its a bit expensive but compared to other expensive things Its worth it!!!

Dead easy to use , I can get good valve clean and Filth straight to tape with the minimum of fuss. Micro switches are a bit of a pain but I am being over critical

'62 strat with A Jeff Beck junior in the bridge can have the creamiest ,smoothest lead tone without sounding muddy and losing tje characteristics of the guitar

It has not gone down in 6 years 'nuff said

I play in a blues band and in a Bon Jovi tribute band and the sansamp does what I need

It's easy to use. Flip the switches, it says what they do on them. Very obvious.

It's almost hard to get a bad sound out of this thing. I suspect that those that don't like the tones it produces are looking for something unconventional or are playing crappy guitars into crappy amps (don't do that). I use vintage Strats and vintage amps - ya, I know their expensive but I want a good tone. Some of the tones it produces are approximations of the real thing, but close enough. It produces a very good overdriven Fender tone when set up right - a tone I can't get out of most tube amps with a master vol. Use a decent Strat into a vintage tube Fender amp and you'll see what I mean. Don't match a crummy copy guitar with a lame solid state amp and expect a SansAmp to save you.

10 years and keeps on ticking. What else do you want? The little switches are lame though, and the silk screening that explains what they do is wearing off.

Never needed it.

I've been playing vintage gear for 20 years. I'd pay up for another SansAmp if I lost this one. The only other tone that compares to it is a Deluxe Reverb turned up to 9 and that doesn't always make sense in based on the venue. I've owned a few overrated Boogies too and sold them because they are so boring.

I've had the unit for almost 10 years so I know it pretty well by now but initially it will take patience. You will need to use the suggested sounds and tweak those to you're liking.

The sound is the best I've ever come across,better than the modeling amps. I'm using it with a Vox AC-30 and I can go from early Beatles to
a dead ringer Eric Johnson sound to an exact (and I mean exact) Stevie Ray Vaughn sound. It is pretty quiet too. Using it through a Fender Ultra (solid state) amp turned it into a great sounding tube amp. Of all the Sans Amp pedals, this is the only one that will give you that "very" smooth Marshall sound. I use it in conjunction with a Line 6 DDL-4 delay pedal and a Lexicon MPX 100.

I've been using it for 10 years without any problems, but I'm very careful with it as well as my other equipment.

I've called Tech 21 a few times over the years and they were very helpful, friendly and accomodating with every question.

This unit is a must for my set-up. If I had to I would replace it in a heartbeat. Modeling technology has not caught up with Tech 21 yet.

I bought this pedal 9 years ago that was when I first started some home recording. There wasn't much choice in the market. The tiny dip switches certainly not user friendly. AFter opening it I was even surprised that it had virtually no parts in it, just a 1"x1" piece of black " thing " with papaer thin flat pots connecting to it. Left me wondering if I paid too much for this pedal. It took me a look time to get a good tone out of it so I give it a 6 for Ease Of Use.

I have a no. of guitars but basically Gibson Les Paul and a Hamer Strat copy and I use it mainly for recording. I also have a Pod Line-6 and most of the time I use the Line 6 because it is easier to use. But the two units have very different sound. Once I need a Dire Strait sound and I could only get it with the sansamp. Just flip in the clean amp mode and dial in overdrive, add a lot of compression and I got that overdrive clean amp sound. Very covincing. But for really heavy distortion or metal sound, the Line 6 is better. So I wouldn't say which one is better, it's just the way you use it and believe me, it has a lot of good tones hiden in it. Without presets, it's just more differcult to discover the merits of it.

Rock Solid. Haven't really used it on stage as a pedal, but I suspect it will do some major damage if accidently stepon the DIP switches.

No experience yet.

The fact that it's still working after 11 years ( gee has it been that long? ) says a lot about it's built, and the fact that the sound is still pretty good compared to some new models ( forget about all the wimpy Japanese distorion box ). I wish they have built in effect and a couple of days ago I saw this tech21 amp in the local music store, sound very good too, it can also go direct to a mixing board for recording, that maybe my next buy.

The small thingies that you do the character changes with are no so easy to change if you have to do it "live". The knobs are straightforward and simple in use.

Real good sound. If you compare it to the GT2 it has more clean options. I've used it live straight through a PA and its works OK. It feels kind of strange though...

No problems, but then I've never really had that with any stompbox. I believe that people who have are stomping a little too hard on the things.

Bought it second hand and I've had no problems so I don't know.

It's NOT an amp and to me an amp still sounds better. Even some good solid state amps sound better than this, but the point is that this is not an amp. It's so much easier to carry and won't break down.

Very easy

The guys that gave it 1 or 2 probably use lausy guitars.
With my Strat Plus and de Luxe it sings nicely and
I can record miracles if I add Art Levelar (tube) compressor
in the chain - it sounds as ANY top amp you can imagine !
THE SOLUTION - sansamp with compression.
I can also use it as an overdrive for gigs but don't ...

I can depend on it but I have so much gear that I can choose anything: still all other people with little gear should record with
SansAmp and Levelar or ArtTube MP : great inexpensive solution ..

I do not use it for gigs as my amps sing and I have Marshall
overdrive BB-2 and Tube King from Ibanez etc ...

Don't need it.

I play anything except metal and this recent rubbish techno or shred ...

I wish it was with memory but PSA-1 has it ...

I could not get a good sound out of it so i would have to say that the ease of use was poor

When I first heard about the Sansamp I had to have one as my needs at the time were a lot of home recording. Being an amp repairer and seeing almost every amp under the sun (you no what I mean)I thought the idea of not having to use a guitar amp was great. So using a hot trat with a humbucker in the bridge I attempted to record some guitar tracks. I had zero luck and every sound from clean to wild was the worst transitorised sound I'd ever heard. I thought to myself it must be faulty. I opened the unit up to find that it was basically
non-serviceable and I marked the modules with a felt pen so that I could identify them later.I then sent it of for repair. I was charged a service fee. And the unit was sent back to America via the Queensland Australia importers. (who are the worst importers I have had to deal with PERIOD)IN short I recieved the unit back it still sounded like crap, and to make it worse when I opened it, yep you guested it my felt marks were still there and there was no work done to the unit. I will never buy a product from tech 21 again.

I tried every thing I even gave it to a friend to use and he saidit was a bag of shit. So wheres the reliability.

The importer in Queensland Australia Sucked, Tech 21 sucked. This is the first time that I have every bagged a company but they need it.

Some of the knobs are not really logical to use, but after a while you got used to it.

I use a Gibson SG through SansAmp into a Peavy Mark III bass-amplifier into a Marshall 4x12. I think that the sound really is free from unwanted noice. It took a while to get that dry ditortion I wanted to play octavechords the right way, but now it's just the way I want it...

Never had anyproblem as long as the batterys are fresh...

Havn't got any manual due to i bought it second hand, no pdf-s to upload on the tech21 website. ehhh not satisfied.

I play emo-core with emphasis on 2 lead-rythm shifting guitars in almost every bar of the songs.

the dip switches are labeled, and pretty much self-explanatory for anyone who isn't, well, a dip.

i can't believe the number of glowing reviews here for this box. i haven't owned one for quite some time, but i had it for a solid year and tinkered and tinkered with it to try to get good results, doing direct recording with guitar (its intended design). overdriven settings are a joke, with a sound like an overdriven mic solid state mic preamp, with lots of nasty gritties and no glow whatsoever. the "clean amp emulations" are nothing that one couldn't do with a little eq; i've made straight-to-the-board recordings that sounded far better (and i can't say i'm a big fan of *that* sound either). speaking of eq, this box was so treble-happy/lacking in bass that i took to putting a guitar eq pedal after it at all times, with the most ridiculous amount of low-end boost you can imagine. maybe i had a dog, but i can't help but think that anyone who even *tries* to compare this thing to a real live guitar amp of any sort is completely deluding themselves. i will say that i kind of miss it-- it sounded *great* for vocals. :)

with all the good press on the sans amp and its progeny, i spent a long time just thinking that i was doing something wrong. but i had a good axe, a good board, and a good clue how to use the thing (and how an amp should sound). it just doesn't work as advertised. not only does it not sound like a guitar amp, it sounds downright horrid with a guitar plugged into it. i finally gave up, sold it, and purchased an ada microcab and peavey rockmaster preamp with the money, which wasn't perfect, but gave me a *far* warmer and more realistic sound as an ampless recording rig for all the styles i play (imagine the gain knob going from 0-10 and everywhere in between). since then, we've seen a big resurgence in small tube amps, and i can't believe this thing is still on the market, let alone getting favorable reviews from guitarists. unless you can find one in a pawn shop for $50 or so, or want to use it for trendy 90's vocal distortion, it's best left alone.

The controls are really simple to use and well explained on the box itself. I bought it second hand so i didn't have any manuals for it , but I got good sounds out of it from the beginning. My only complaint about the controls is that Specific amp styles ( Fenders, Mesa, etc ) are not marked, so it takes a lot of knob fiddling to find what you want. ( and there's a lot of knobs : 4 pots, 8 dip switches and a 3-way preamp style switch!) Oh thats the other thing, the dip switches are a bit small.

This is a really amazing piece of gear. It's not perfect, but then what is ? I've never really used a tube amp live , so I can't compare from experience, but listening to CD recordings of Stacks and whatever else, you can't tell the difference. I'm playing through it with a Ibanez roadstar (strat type thing ) into a Fender deluxe 85 or more importantly I'm using it for direct to hard drive recording. On both counts it's great. Someone in an earlier review called it a bit muddy through an amp, well I play rhythm and I tune down a whole step and didn't find muddiness a problem, but thats my personal preference. I also use it for bass a bit , at which it does well , but not as well as the guitar settings . I find if you want a bit of low overdrive on the bass it takes quite a bit of knob twisting.
The only sound quibble I have is that on some settings, if you turn up the Presence drive to much, you get unnatural fuzz, but a quick turn solves this.
Overall, really good sounds , are all there , they just take a bit of time to tweak.

I've only had it a week so I going out on a limb a bit. The construction is rock solid , I think you could probably drive over the thing. My only concern is that the dip switches seem a bit flimsy, although the previous owner didn't have any problems with them.

I can't believe how helpful these guys are ! I emailed them requesting presets and things, expecting a week or so's turn around, and I had them the next day. Not only that, Sunny ZA is not the closest place to NYC, but they're mailing me an owners manual free of charge. Joe , Lloyd thank you once again you guys are great.

I would definately buy it again. For my purposes , as a general all round preamp, I haven't seen anything nearly as versatile or great sounding. Okay admittedly, I got one stormer of a deal on the thing ($160 !! ) and with the way the Rands going to the Dollar ( 6.3:1) I don't think I could afford to replace it if it was stolen, but if I could I would. The only other option I had in my price range was a Zoom 503 and to be honest, compared the the SA Classic , the Zooms sounds like trash. The SA Classic may be a bit pricey if you think of it as just a stompbox, but you really get what you pay for. Think of it more as $10000 dollars worth of Vintage gear . . . . .

It has some funky switches, and I wish I could change some stuff live, but I generally leave it alone. The only thing I change during a set is the voicing switch on the side.

Pretty damn remarkable. I've used a lot of distortion stomp boxes but one thing I've noticed is that they don't track very well - sometimes if you play a fast series of notes or a legato flurry notes get lost in the mess. This thing PROPELS your playing - it takes all that you give it and hands out more. The Bassman sound completely transforms your tone - the Mesa voice is the lead tone you've been looking for. The Marshall settings are just a little slicey for my taste.

I think it looks pretty tough. The only thing that worries me are the little bitty dip switches.

No experience as of yet - knock on wood.

This is the box I'd been looking for. Use it live as a virtual amp channel - record direct to tape for the sanity of your neighbors. It kicks the crap out of a Big Muff, TS-9, XXL, MP-1, R2D2, whatever. The temptation is to buy cheaper stuff. Avoid tempation and spend the bucks - this pedal's a KEEPER.

Easy of use is high. Eight DIP switches provide on/off control of certain amp characteristsics, and have labels like Vintage Tubes, Clean Amp, and Mid Boost. Four knobs labeled Amp Drive, Presence Drive, High and Output are all well-explained in the manual and do a lot. One three-position switch that allows you to select Bass (Fender), Normal (Mesa), and Lead (Marshall) preamp voicings. The suggested settings in the manual sounds pretty close to their names, and it's easy to find your own good sound by twiddling a bit. The DIP switches can be a minor annoyance when experimenting to get a sound, thus the 9 rating.

I use it for guitar (Carvin DC127 and PRS Swamp Ash Special) and bass (Carvin LB75) both. It sounds great. Fantastic amp simulation from clean to crunchy. The recorded sound is wonderful. Some folks claim a lack of dynamics, but I haven't had that problem.
Tip: don't use it live through guitar or bass cabs, but through a power amp and full-range stereo speakers. It's designed to emulate an entire amp, speakers included, and I've found that guitar and bass cabs muddy the sound a bit.

Built very solidly. Had this one for moe than a year and haven't had a single problem. I've only known one person who had oe with a problem, but it was fixed easily. I'd likely gig without a backup (if I was gigging these days).

I just got done with an email conversation with a Tech21 support guy, as I was asking about the specifics of the PSA-1. He was prompt, helpful, and knowledgeable.

I play blues, rock, and folks-influenced stuff, and this covers all of the bases. It is versatile and sounds great. I would definitely buy it again, especially for portable use. I'm looking to get a PSA-1 next for its ever greater versatility and presets. It definitely helps me make music, and especially when combined with my PRS and an effect or two, it gives me a sonic pallette so wide that I can always find the sound that's in my head.

This unit has 4 knobs, 8 DIP switches as well as a three postion switch. This unit has ALOT of options, but the manual makes it easy and after a few trials, dialing in your tones are easy.

This thing sounds VERY good! It gives you Fender, Boogie, and Marshall sounds in one convienent package. As good as it is, I have a few complaints. First, it doesn't react to player's dynamics as much as tubes, in fact, it doesn't react much at all. Also, rolling off the volume of the guitar doesn't clean up the sound as nicely as a tube amp either. Never-the-less, it kicks for recording. With a little reverb, you could fool just about everybody that it was a "real" amp.

The Classic comes with a 9V power supply. I wish it had a built-in power supply instead of the stupid wall wart. I've accidently pulled it out of the adaptor jack a few times. The case looks rugged, but since this was not made to be a stomp box, it probably won't be kicked around. just set it, and keep it out of harm's way

haven't had to deal with this. I've had it six months with no problems.

I really like the sounds. If I could get better dynamics (through a tube power amp live, or a tube direct box in the studio), It'd be super. Also, the addition of an internal power supply would increase the reliability emmensly.