Bad Cat Black Cat Reverb 212 Combo

Everyone has put enough info about the specifics. 2 channels. One with Vol, bass, treb.... the other with vol, 5 way tone switch. Universal Cut, reverb and defeatable master.

No FX loops

half power switch (very nice)
Speaker Phase
2 Old School Power outlets (pretty Nifty I think, I Use them to power my pedal power when the situation requires. I usually try to avoid this though)

hmmmm thats about it off the top of my head, but I may have missed something. Mine is actually a 1X12 combo model.

This is a versitle amp, but you need a few pedals to push it. I love it with my clean boost. I say its a 10 because it sounds exactily how you fingers sound. It really brings out your mistakes and habbits, but it makes you a better player in the long run.

Here is where I have mixed opinions.

First, I bought this amp from a guy who was hard up for money. So I got away with a BRAND NEW Black cat 1X12 for 1500 cash (Im lucky I know). So the one issue I have with this cat is totally worth the money Ive spent, If that makes sense. Even though I have a complaint, it is a fantastic amp for the money that I paid. However If I would have paid full price, like most of you will, I would be a little more disgruntled. Anyways here we go.

I discovered that my particular amp has a nasty "HONK" in certain frequencies and notes. This only happens when the volume is passed 12 o clock. For example, I can bend the G string on the 5th fret up a half step and it will "HONK" like crazy. As well as when I bend the A string on the 14th fret. This can get VERY annoying and I havent took it to a dealer yet to figure out exactily whats wrong. It may be "natural" for this sort of thing to happen, but I would figure as awesome as bad cat is, this wouldnt be acceptable.

I realize that It may be a speaker issue or whatnot, but Im just saying this piece was in like new condition when I bought it and everything else was a 10, I am getting ready to get it checked out professionally.

SO for all of you people out there getting ready to buy this bad boy, please CHECK this honking thing out. Hopefully it isnt the case for all black cats!!

Other than that, this amp is sooooooo great. I LOVE the 1st channel with the master disengaged. I would have bought this amp for the 1st channel alone.

The second channel is pretty cool. The Rotary tone switch is pretty weak in my opinion, there isnt a big TONAL sweep to my ears, but perhaps that could be just my particular amp (like I said I need to get it checked out by a professional, maybe this and the "honking" is the reason why I bought it for 1500 ????) I find this channel is much DARKER than the first channel. I tend to like bright amps since I am primarily a lead player, but channel 2 is nice for my ES-335, very groovy.

The reverb is way cool. Just the right amount. Even when its dimed it is still really musical. Overall the reverb is very classy, and sounds great on any setting. There is a BIG difference between how the reverb sounds on channel 1 and channel 2. Its much more "present" on channel 2. (Again, this could be my amp) Overall great reaverb!!

Cut knob is very nice. It tweaks the treble a bit and changes the feel, very nice.

The master is a nice option to have, it does however SUCK THE TONE a bit. Even with the master engaged this thing has more tone than most. Its a nice thing when you want to get a litte more distortion at lower volume. It comes in handy when you need a heavy rock sound (like I do from time to time). Most of the time however I do channel 1 with master off, volume around 11 and Im in heaven~!!

To recap, These problems may be with my particular amp (Honking, Tone knob on channel 2, and difference in reverb). Those are the three things I am going to have checked out. I am totally satisfied with the price I paid (1500), but would be upset if I paid full price!

So far so good. Its been to about 5 gigs in the back of the trailer with just a padded tuki cover.. No issues yet.

So far so good. I called bad cat about some questions I had and they were great!!!! Great Customer Service

Like I said, Overall a great amp. For those of you reading this trying to figure out if this amp is "right for you" listen:

I am in a christian Rock band that has a variety of sounds. My other guitarist plays primarily a Dual Rectifier Roadster (very heavy distortion). My bad cat is Cannot compete with it in terms of bone crushing distortion (but isnt meant too). However it contrasts very nicely because it has an AC30/Marshally tone when I use my Fulldrive and clean boost. They suprisingly complement each other well. I use about 7 pedals in front of it (I kinda with it had an FX loop, but its okay without). It takes pedals great, just make sure you have a boost because long cabling KILLS your tone.

In my spare time I play at a blues bar when Im at college. This thing is by far the best amp that has ever came through that joint. All the players complement my tone and it sounds great (its a jam, so i get to listen to the other players play on it). So if you are in the market for a great blues / classic rock amp, this is PERFECT for you and will probably be your last amp. It is a BEAST with a fulldrive 2 and a clean boost!

Basically this amp is GOOD for my ROCK band and GREAT for my blues hobby! It would probably be GOOD for Country and GOOD for jazz, but it has VERY sexy natural overdrive.

Blues= GREAT
Modern Rock= GOOD
Classic Rock= GREAT
Country= Probably great
Jazz= Probably Good

2006. I play rock, jazz, etc. 2 channels, no footswitch. Awesome amp!

This amp is amazing!!! I don't find the words to describe the sound... It's not really a high gain amp. It's beautiful.

Don't know yet, but I think it's built like a tank.

Yeah man. That's the thing...I had to wait for almost a year this amp. And they didn't really answer too quickly when we asked if it's coming or not...

I've been playing 20 years. Work as a professional musician&producer. This amp is really something!!!! I will never sell this!

I bought this CAT on Ebay, used..and from the day I got it I have been amazed at the tone of this beast. It seems to just sing a very clean to distorted tone that simply is very high end. I have over 35 years playing experiance and whatever guitar I plug into the rig, it sound great ! The tone controls are quite excellent, though there is a learning curve on how to get the ideal sound from the rig.
I play blues, rock, country, and pop...the amp is ideal for these styles...I really like the half power setting for recording, great breakup at lower volumes...never has this amp been over 8, for my styles of music.

This is my second CAT....no need to go into the merits of CLASS A ,but once you try a Cat you will never use another amp.
The clean sound is awesome, and the distortion is just the right amount of breakup to give that great sustain we love.
My main axe is a custom telecaster, but I have many guitars and all sound great through the CAT. The unit does seem to pick up some hum with light dimmers around, but the cut control helps, as noted prior.
Most gigs I use it at the half power setting, and its got lots of power, no need for a 100 watt head here....Metal players probally would not like this amp, as the distortion is more vintage vibe.
The two channels can be cascaded together for an evey fuller sound if needed.

As noted prior, this is my second CAT. There is plenty of power in this rig for 95% of my gigs which are club venues. The only caveat is that the power tubes need to be replaced on a regular basis.
I carry a spare set of tubes, just in case.
Both my Bad Cats have never gone out in a gig....they are built like a tank, even better. And how can you even rate that cool logo that lights..just like a matchless.
I carry a back up amp, but have nerver needed to use it. The amp is one great rig !

Ah, here is the only sore spot. Customer service is NOT speedy, and should you need a replacement part, be prepared for a WAIT.
( They qouted me 4 months once on a part)....so thank god the unit is reliable.

As stated prior, I have played for over 35 years..I also own a FENDER SUPER REVERB, A MESA BOOGIE, and a TWO ROCK. The only close amp is the TWO ROCK, but the reliabiltiy of the two rock is a lot to be desired. The only down side to this amp is the weight of it...this beast is not light. You will need a dolly to move it every night if you are working a lot. There is a slight aggravation of hum with light dimmers, which can be anoying, but by use of the cut control you can attempt to minimize this. By far this is the best overall rig I have ever owned, and would buy another if I needed it.

Price of the CATS are not cheap, you will cry a bit if you buy a new one..just close your eyes and write the check....but the tone is worth it...

this is a 1x12 combo with reverb .its a two channel amp that you can use each at the same time , or one at a time .channel one has volume-bass- and treble knobs . channel two has volume - and a five position tone knob . fist one is a thinner tone , as you go clockwise it gets thicker .it also has a reverb , cut , and a bypassable master .it is a versatile amp . i played a few gig where we were doing all around music . it worked great for that . but , i did a few gigs with my normal band ( which is blues / rock )and it just didnt had the soul that my fender super reverb has .dont know why , but when you are really getting in to it just doesnt respond like my super does .the 30 watts is LOUD .the half power switch on the back doesnt help much . im giving it a nine just because of the lack of "soul" . ( as i call it )

like i said before . this is a great amp .it does not do the heavy stuff . but if you want a great clean tone , even a loud clean tone , its got it .its also got a great dirty tone .like zz top type stuff .i used a 54 reissue strat with texas specials and a 72 fender tele with emg's . i think it sounded better with the tele with the emg's. dont know why .this is an amp that you need to fine tune . when i first pluged in i wasnt sure i made the right chioce , but after messing with it , i got some good tone out of it . the tone knobs are very interactive .

i allways had my super in the trailer at gig's . thats just because thats where i keep it . but i never needed it or went and got it. ( i once got it out in the middle of a gig when i was trying out a mesa boogie tremoverb , it ( tremoverb )just didnt cut it for me )i only had this amp for a couple of months , but i would gig with it , without a backup .its all ways good to have a backup or at least some extra tubes , in case something goes wrong .

i never dealt with them .. sorry

its a good amp .if you are looking at one to buy , jump on it .at the blues / rock gig it didnt sound as good as my super , but thats my thoughts .at the all around gig , it did great .i hate that they cost so much . but you get what you pay for ..

This amp is HEAVY! It was made in 2003, has the reverb and 2x12 speakers (that I changed out for Celestion Blues). It has the features I need, as 'versatile' as can be expected for a pure class 'A' tube amp (master volume gives you tons of options). This amp has more than enough power for any gig situation (mic'd through a PA and play stadiums...). the reverb is rather weak, not really prominent in the mix, even when cranked, not really needed though once you start playing it gets lost in the 'complex' sound. I am rating a '10' because it does what I want it to do!

This amp produces a good amount of 'hiss' as any AC30 type amp will. Even when I changed to all NOS Mullard tubes it's still noisy. Reducing the 'cut' and treble gain significantly reduces the hiss but it also reduces the high end coolness you want from this type of amp. The Celestion Blues I put in causes the amp to lean more to the vintage AC30 sound but more complex and...yep...3-D sounding (sometimes I could swear this was a stereo amp) I use a Budda wah, Fulltone OCD, a Budda Zenman, a Foxrox Paradox flanger, a Maxon AD900, a T-Rex Replica into the Bad Cat Black Cat 30R. I don't care much for modulation pedals and use the flange only for psycho effects...I like different 'shades' of gain and distortion as well as different layers of echo. This amp is perfect for smooth toneful sounds in both channels, absolutely professional in every way. I am disappointed in the amount of hiss it produces even at low levels (maybe needs some filter caps replaced???) it is a new amp so...because it is so expensive, I had to change out the tubes to create better tone, and it is noisy I am giving it a '9'. Sound-wise it is the best sounding amp I have played including Matchless DC30 and Lightning 15 amps (which were quieter yet not as good sounding)countless vintage amps Marshall, Boogie, Budda, Guytron, Carr, Fender, Soldano etc...(I am adding '1' point because I don't want to jack-up this amps perfect score and once you are up and playing beyond the noise it is simply magic!!! it does sound 'AWESOME'!)

built like the proverbial 'tank'. Output tubes are the 'food' this thing will certainly eat.

I contacted them and received no reply :(

I bought it 'used' from some 'Rock Star' that had it in storage as a back-up...it is essentially new so...sounds awesome, works great, kinda noisy for an expensive handmade amp, reverb is weak, weighs a New York ton. For rock, pop, jazz, and blues...not really for heavy metal per se. Oh, BTW, this amp will fill alot of space in the mix, live or recording.

After "the long search" I found the 2x12 with "blue sparkle finish", A nice custom pick. From channel 1 - 2 using a morley stereo pedal, has givin me all the range from blues to rock. I opp'ed for no reverb due to it's wide sounding tone. Seems to weight alot but I port mine around in a road case. Also- love the front BadCat logo that lights up, looks sweet on stage, from the comments from the people...

I burn threw a 74 Fender Strat, 90 Gibson LesPaul, and both sound great. The reality of the clean tones, I would of never thought possible until I heard it myself. The gain on the BadCat, I can tell you I've gotten a lot of rockin head nods. The gain is smooth and rich, not over the the top. The tones this amp produces is priceless.

This amp has the option of tube or solidstate, no need for backup...

The only beef I have is it took 7 monthes after ordering to get it, the company had cabinet making problems, which they did not keep in contact with the store that I ordered from. Inwhich made me a pest, calling every 2 monthes...

I played in a band inwhich the other guitar player played a dc Matchless and Vox, very in your face amps. I noted that he had problems with low stage volume, in the Badcat it seems it doesnt have that challenge, sounds great at lower volumes. Ill have to say again ,that this amp is priceless, and has become a legend of its own, hats off to Mark Sampson and crew...

I wont even waste my time as everyone else has put theres down and its pretty easily accesible. If this amp doesnt have enough features you really shouldn't buy it because it has everything one should need to play any music save for metal although i recently bought an xtreme tone pedal and I can get that sound if I wanted ot. One thing I will note is that my amp is a 1x12 custom ordered option and does not have reverb. I really don't think that this amp needs any subtle type reverb effects because the sound is so three dimmensional that it pretty much makes your sound big enough if you know what i mean. I also want to make a note that I recently sold a matchless dc30 which is basically the same amp but there are subtle differences which I will mention to help anyone out.

To put it mildly this is the best sounding type of amp I have ever heard (note the dc30 purchase) and I would never play through anything else. I mainly use two guitars. A prs singlecut and a telecaster japan. I use a bluesdriver the xtreme tone and the dl4 and mm4 from line 6. I can pretty much get a wide variety of tones from this setup and without any degration of tone. The tone is simply amazing. It shimmers at any volume level where the tubes are actually recieveing the correct voltage and it only gets better as you turn it up. Although I wouldnt say it is a vox ac30 exactly I would say it is better. Dont get me wrong I love vox amps but they have the vintage inconsitancies that make their tone. Just consider this one a reliable and more correct version of a vox. Its pretty much what vox would make if they started making amps today. Also the right channel gets very into marshall plexi territory. I haven't tried this but I was thinking of a+b+y to mmix the two channels. It works elecetronically as far as I can tell but dont quote me. Also tubes make a big difference especially in the break up of the amp. tubes can give you way more clean headroom or make the tubes break up more. I would just mess around with different tube settingsfor what fits your style but it will always sound good. up against the matchless it sounds pretty much the same except I can tell this is a tad bit darker. Also I can tell a slight difference by only having one speaker because you dont get that mismatched break up sound. I dont miss it enough to buy an extension cab and plus I just wanted a lighter version of this amp to tote around

Hmmm. Unlike everyone else it seems I always gig without a back up and dont care. Ive never had an amp go out on me and I would wonder what I did wrong if this one broke for some reason. Bad cat amps are solidly built and you shouldnt have a problem. to get an idea my matchless actually burned out a set of tubes and I didnt even know it because it kept working and sounding great. Thats what I call reliability

They answered a couple questions I had which is good enough for me.

If you have any questions about buying this amp just go and buy it if you can find one. The amp is tonealy an amazing piece of artwork and like I said i consider every other type of amp a piece of crap now. seriously I feel almost sad like I was spoiled cause now I consider everything that doesnt cost as much as this a piece of junk. It will spoil you or in a sense pop your cherry in a good way. As for the matchless bad cat debate I would pick which ever one is cheaper because they sounded the same and reacted the same way with me. The bad cats tone controls are more variable i would say but generally a person will just find the tone they want and never change it. Like I said the bad cat is only slightly darker than the matchless and if you want the true matchless bad cat tone I would still go for 2x12 even though the 1x12 is a heck of alot easier to carry around. funny suggestion but im thinking about buying another of this amp or a matchless sc30 to run in stereo but then put the mismatched speaker in that one. Expensive as hell but if its your job and your the only guitar player in your band the stereo effects like a leslie or ping pong delay could be absolutely astonishing with that kind of setuo. Just a thougt.

Pretty well summed up by other reviewers. Mine is a 1x12" version, and I have 2 5U4 rectifier tubes in, for a swampier, warmer sound.

I owned a Matchless SC-30, which I sold to buy this amp...the SC-30 was everything I ever wanted, except for reverb; the Black Car 30R truly is PERFECT for me.

I use a Gibson Blueshawk, G&L ASAT Bluesboy solidbody, and an Ovation CS257 Deluxe with this amp, usually with a Rt.66 pedal in front for boost, and ocassionally an old Digitech RP-10 processor for crazy effects (purely a toy for me).

The sound is amazing. On the first channel, I get everything I ever loved about the Vox AC15: warmth, glassy sparkle, and breaking up into a smooth overdrive when the preamp and guitar volume are up. The amount of warmth is really increadible, but won't get muddy even with an acoustic plugged in. The second channel is more edgy...less glassy and more chimy, with more midrange thickness. With a bit of compression to smooth out dynamics, it can do almost a smooth heavy-sustain fuzz.

The main thing about BadCat, and its Matchless predecessors, is the power of playing dynamics. No matter what the amp controls are set at, you can clean up the signal by tweaking the volume and playing lightly...conversely even on a clean setting you can dig in and make the amp bark. This is not a beginner's amp, but it definitely calls upon the player to continually hone technique, because it responds powerfully to the slightests change in picking pressure.

Single coils are sweet singing glass through this amp, with a palpable underlying warmth. The piezo on my Ovation is warm and thick, and yet all strings in a chord are individually defined. Humbuckers and P90s definitely bring out a whole other side here...instead of glassy top end, they emphasize the thickness of the midrange and bring out an aggressive angle, especially from the EF86 channel--not even close to a Mesa sound, but something closer to a superlead Marshall with much more smoothness and character.

The reverb is silky and dark, spacious enough for most playing styles, but can't do the tiny, hollow surf thing (wouldn't want to, anyway). Rather, the reverb just helps add a bit more dimension to what is far and away the most multi-dimensional sound out there.

Built like a tank. And weighs as much as a tank. Only reason it doesn't get a 10 is that I'd never move it, because I'd be afraid of damaging the beautiful tolex job.

Never dealt with them, although I have corresponded with Mark a couple of times over the years about my Matchless SC30 and RV1 units. He's responded promptly, with friednly advice, and I have no doubt that he and BadCat will stand behind this refinement of his earlier design 100%.

The best amp ever, at any price (except maybe the $4K Vox Anniversary Edition AC30). Since I first heard a Vox amp, I was in love, and this is everything great about a Vox, and a whole second and at least equally usable channel to boot.

So much warmth that it is almost tangible, a glassy chime and sparkle in the treble, and power amp dynamics that continually force me to better my technique to maximize on the responsiveness of the amp to my picking styles.

Not only is it always thrilling to hear my guitar coming through this amp, but it forces me to be a better player. What more could anyone ask?

Made in June 2004. I opted for the 2x12 combo in Sparkle Blue (which obviously makes it sound better!!). It has just the features I need: A half power switch which takes it down to 15 watts, speaker outs with ohm selector, two extra 110 plugs, two channels, and reverb. I score it a 10 for keeping it straight up and simple, yet effective.

My initial review can be summed up with two words.............very cool! This thing reeks of that classic Class A el84 tone. Channel 1 is tight and clean, but can be pushed, while channel 2 puts out a fat edgy chime that is perfect for roots rock, country (which is what I play for a living), or most anything else. This channel is most effective (to me) with the master engaged at a lower setting with the preamp volume opened up about 75%. I also found that with a little tweaking, you can have fun with pedals out front to open up your options. I've tried a Sparkle Drive, a Keeley modded TS9, and a Tonebone Hot British. With one or two if these out front, I can cover virtually anything. I should mention that so far I've only tried my Will Ray ASAT with the Z3 pickups. I'll break out some other guitars after I type this. Anyway, I can see why this model is so well liked. I'd be happy to a whole night with the guitar straight in and let the volume knob do the work.

This thing is built like a tank and I do not forsee any issues.

I know that James and his team stand up behind their products and will go beyond themselves to make things right should there be an issue. This is based on my personal history as I've owned other Bad Cats.

I 've been at it for 23 years and play in a well known band with radio credits. I also own a 1996 Matchless Lightning 2x10, a mint 68 Super Reveb, and a few other nice toys and so far, this one will take the cake. The others are very nice, but this just has "the tone"! If it was stolen, I could only pray that the SOB that took it never crosses my path because I'll be walking with one shoe while the other is deeply inserted up his.......well you know!

same as everybody else says: 2 channels, no FX loop, no nothing. mine's a 1x12 non-reverb model. I've been using a divided by 13 switchazel with it, which could have been made for this amp: a / b / a+b / boost / tuner out. a match made in heaven. I can get about 300 different sounds out of this thing with all the switch / boost combos. a 10 with the switchazel -- and an 8 or so without.

nicest sounding amp in the world, according to me.

it's got that nice SoCal hotrod stripped-down esthetic, like the motor of a dragster or something: clean, overbuilt, heavy, apparently bombproof. no complaints here.

don't know -- bought used -- had a question once and it was answered within 24 hours, though.

I've had this amp for a year now -- I've avoided reviewing it till now because I wanted to avoid the gee-whiz honeymoon review syndrome -- but I can say with a straight face that this is the best-sounding amp I've ever played through, to my ear. I keep finding new tricks that it does. It weights like a boat anchor and is priced like Tiffany's but who cares? I've been playing since the Nixon administration and this is the first amp I've ever felt this kind of affection for. I'd replace it in a heartbeat if it was gone.

BlackCat Reverb 1x12 special order, usually comes 2x12.30watt tube class A.Two channels, each one is excellent on its own, but no channel switching. You can use an A/B box to switch between them, but I have a hard time balancing the volume going from clean to overdrive.
The best use is to turn up the gain to what you want, set the master vol and role back the volume on your guitar to clean it up. A nice feature is on the back it has 2 electrical sockets for what ever you need to plug in.Has plenty of power and you can attach an extension cab to it. Just be sure to adjust the ohms setting.Is more than enough power for most gigs but I would use an extension cab to push a little more sound around, of course you can mic it.The logo lights up which is kind of cool.Not a lot of features but its all about the sound and tone.

Use 63 strat,60 ES345,91 strat and others.I play blues and classic rock.Not a noisy amp but the single coils can hum alot. The sound of this amp is second to none.The clean sounds are clear crisp and really brings out the sound of your guitar and pickups. Turn up the gain and the bluesy crunch sounds are someware between glassy and warm.Tons of great tone. I have a Marshall tsl602 as well and the this amp sounds so much sweeter.The distortion level is hot, but I wouldnt say its high gain. Its more of a heavey overdrive.I have the Marshall for some the harder driving supper gain suff and channel swithching.The tone this amp puts out is as good as it gets. It all depends on your style and application and budget.

Owned this amp for about 6 months. Has been very reliable.
One thing is the little lights that illuminate the logo burn out kind of quickly. I called them and they sent me some replacements right away.

They answer the phone and will talk with you and answer any questions.
Very nice people, small growing company.

I would buy another if stolen, but may consider the Hot Cat whichs I think has the bluesy overdrive and tone but more gain.
I would have to try it. BadCat amps are awsome and built to last.

I was told that this was one of the first amps shipped out after the NAMM debut. I took a look under the hood and was surprised to see all the caps were labeled "Matchless," so I guess it was made pretty early on. Here's some basic info; 2 channels, 2x12's wired at 8ohms, reverb, 30 loud watts, EL84 output tubes, half power switch, phase switch, and tone, tone, tone! The quality of this amp is really amazing, they really didn't skimp on anthing here. The cab is 13 ply birch, the input jacks, pots and hardware are all high quality, the workmanship inside and outside is second to none. Not a sloppy solder joint to be found. Everything down to the screws that hold the back panels on, is top notch.

This is the best sounding amp I've ever played, bar none! Granted, I haven't played everything out there, but I've played enough to know what I like. Other amps I own include a '66 Deluxe Reverb, '66 Pro Reverb, and a Polytone Mini-brute. For the type of music that I play mostly right now, jazz and funk, the Bad Cat kills them all. The midrange is very complex and really helps cut through the mix. This amp excells at live performances and recording. This is not a bedroom amp! With the volume at 9:00, and the tone knob on click 3 on the second channel (pentode), it's about as good as it gets. It's the biggest and fattest sound I've ever heard. It's right on the verge of break up so it stays clean until you dig in. It's very sensitive to dynamics and volume changes. I've gotten more comments on my tone since I purchased this amp than I ever have before. Even the saxophonist in my band remarked how much better this amp sounded than my others.

Guitars that I use include a ES-335, ES-175, '67 ES-330, '70 Telecaster, and a Telecaster Thinline II. Humbuckers and single coils both sound great but P-90's sound unreal through this amp.

When I received the amp I was having a problem with crackling and a loud humm that would fade in and out. It was tracked down to a bad set of reverb cables. After getting a new set from the factory, the problem has not come back. Bad Cat has since changed the style cables so this should no longer be a problem with newer amps. Other than some power tube quality issues, there's nothing else to mention. I still leave the polytone in the car, just in case.

When I called regarding the issue I was having, the person I spoke with was very helpful and willing to answer my questions. Not much more you could ask for I guess.

I'm a professional musician and need to have gear that sounds great and is reliable. The Black Cat does both and then some. The only drawback is it's weight. If there are stairs to climb, or if you have a bad back, you might want to consider another model. At nearly 100lbs it's not the most portable amp out there, but the tone really does make up for it. It's not the cheapest or lightest amp out there, but I can't imagine anything that is made better or sounds better. If it were stolen I'd buy another in a heartbeat.

I have had this amp about a year now, it is an early one. It is designed to be the ultimate tone machine. That is all the features needed!!!!! The reverb is voiced perfectly. I find Fender reverb just too much...to reverby. The Black Cat reverb is subtle, more dimensional and less twangy unless you dial in alot. Different tubes can greatly change the way the reverb sings in this amp. I find those tubes to be just as important in the tone department as the preamp, rectifier and output tubes.

I use this with a a multitude of guitars, both single coll and humbuckers. This amp is wisper quiet. The Black Cat is capable of a staggering array of tones with just the Vox type channel. Simply stunning! The 2nd channel is voiced so perfectly just dial in the amount of girth and sustain, trim the high end and you are off and running. It is not brutal Rectifier type distortion but I am capable of getting a very heavy sound out of it without external effects. This amp still delights and surprises me and takes me to Nirvana when I use it.

Ir is overbilt. Transformers look like they came from a power plant. Super heavy unit, almost 100lbs. Built even better than Matchless products and that's saying alot. I use on gigs with no backup just extra tubes.

I discovered Bad Cat on my tone quest. They let me audition several of their amps. I was floored!!! They are the best and are obsessed with providing staggering sound.

I have been playing 28 years. I own several vintage and new Class A amps and others. Compared to all of these the Black Cat just has that "thing". I use them all but I use the Black Cat the most. If it was stolen I would replace it. This amp is worth every penny. Actually, this is one of the few times I think I got much more "product" than I paid for.

This is an addition to my previous review.... I only had the amp for a few weeks when I reviewed the amp last, it's been a few months and I've had time to really explore what this amp can do, this amp is hands down the best amp I've ever had, and I've had a few, a true beauty, sure to put out an outstanding musical experience, no matter what guitar you play, if you fuzz with the controls a bit you can find the nirvana spot, I have never gotten so many complements on good sound as I've gotten after playing through this amp.

Jazzmaster, Telecaster, 1958 reissue Les Paul, ES 330, all sound great in one way or another, you will find a sweet spot for any guitar with this amp, very vesatile yet simple in it's layout, pure quality all the way. The breakup that this amp delivers is like no other, closest thing being a vintage JMI Vox AC30 or AC15, (you can switch between 15 or 30 watts). It also has an outstanding clean sound with a very musical reverb that comes in after the notes.

Could not be Better

Awesome folks at Bad Cat, very personable and responsive.

Matchless DC 30 improved!!! by the original designer, what else do you need to know?, these things are the Ferrari of amps. you know the saying "You pay for what you get" , and in this case, you get the best amp money can buy.

Suede covered Black Cat 30R, purchased June 2002. I got this amp for the sound primarly, but the suede thang is pretty nice. Features have been described below as well as on Matchless DC30 reviews, essentially a DC30 with reverb. For such a simple layout, this amp delivers fantastic rocking tone, very versatile for finding good sounds with both single coil or humbuckers. This amp is about straight up, awesome pure class A tone and not about a multitude of options.

I have to say I expected this thing to knock me off my seat, and it did but only after I replaced the preamp tubes with NOS tubes, and the Ruby rectifier with a Mullard GZ34. I traded in an old Vox amp for this Bad Cat and I was a little scared at first that I might have made a mistake, with the cheap tubes it sounded somewhat unrefined and harsh to my hears, at least for what I was expecting to hear from it, but with the NOS tubes it is sounding just like I hoped it would or better, like an old Vox AC30 with big balls.
The reverb is OK, don't expect it to sound ike a Fender, I don't think a class A, El84 powered amp needs Reverb anyway, yet the reverb is very musical and adds a nice dimension to the sound.
The half power switch is very usefull, you get a nice crunch at lower volumes with both channels, perfect for recording down in the basement without waking up the kids. When the amps is in full power mode, you get increased headroom, and a loud balsy sound.
I use a 1960 Gibson ES-330 with P-90's, a 1958 reissue Les Paul and a Chandler Tele. Like I said before, it's hard to get a bad guitar match for this amp, the controls are extremly effective and sensitive, so if you fuzz with them a bit you can set it for any guitar, I would say however that the P-90's are my favourite to play with this amp.

Built like a tank, you'll hear that over and over about his things and it's true, top quality construction all the way.
I wish tubes were better these days, I do recommend seeking some NOS tubes for this Cat, although they are not cheap, the sound improvement is worth it.

Very nice folks at Bad Cat, I e-mailed them a question about tubes and got a response the next day.
5 year warranty, Again I expect no problems.

Been playing for 17 years, I've owned all kinds of amps, I love the old class A Vox sound, this Cat nails it with the added benefit of reliability and a beautful voice of it's own, this is a top quailty built and sounding instrument.
They are not cheap, and are heavy as hell, but if you are a purist for good sound, this thing will not dissapoint.

This amp was made in 2001. Very straight forward construction, this amp has two non-switchable channels, Volume, bass and treble control for the clean channel, volume and cut (basically presence) for the crunch channel, and that's it. No fx loops, only Class A tone of it's best. Both channels are perfectly voiced, there is no need for additional controls. A built in power soak would be nice. I use this amp for pop/rock and bought it primarily for studio usage, since 3 months I take this (extremely heavy) piece of gear out for live shows also, 'cause of it's incredible tone.

I use Fender Telecasters (52), a Morgaine Strat with Lindy Fralin Single Coils and a Musicman Axis with humbuckers. It is impossible to get a bad sound of this amp. I use this tree guitars to get different sounds, but I would also play a whole gig only with the Tele; this is the greatest sound. The badcat is a very loud, but quite unit. A half power switch allows to degrade the output, but it affects the sound a bit (less distortion). I rather use a power soak and run the master at 7. It's great. The clean channel allows a wide range form warm but sparkling clean to a beautiful transparent crunch, like adding a bit of dirt. I slave a TC. FX Rack (1210, 2290, G-Major) via a switcher directly to the input 1. The crunch channel two picks up where channel one ends and provides a very defined spectrum of distortion sounds. I run channel 2 dry, for certain sounds I switch both channels (clean with effects, crunch dry) together. Very nice, I get an optimal rythm crunch sound. Channel two works also very well for lead sounds, it's a nice, not much compressed and very open sound. In live situations, I have a Ibanez TS-9 tube screamer added to the signal chain to avoid tweaking the volume. I can't compare this sound; it comes close to a my vintage AC-30 or the Matchless Chieftain, but I definitely prefer the badcat.

I own the amp for a year now, never had a problem. I have an emergency backup in my rack (preamp/power amp), but never had to use it. It's very dependable, and very well built.

Perfect customer care. The company respond within 24 hours to an inquiry and was always of big help so far. Their website is very good, providing also technical information. The 5 year limited warranty doesn't scare me; it's a tank

I play for more than 25 years. I am a gear-aholic and own many of other amps (Brunetti XL Heads, Diezel VH-4 Head, Naylor Super Drive 60 (which I like very much), Vox AC-30, Matchless, Marshalls). I have owned many other amps in the past,like Hughes & Kettner, Soldano, Boogies and so on. My opinion is that nearly every amp on todays market does sound good, but for people which are interested to develop their tone, there are only a couple of excellent amps out there. The Blackcat is one of them.

I bought the amp new in Oct, 2001. The features have been described accurately in earlier reviews, so I'll try not to repeat what's already been said.

It is quite versatile in the respect that it will sound great in a variety of musical settings: pop, jazz, r&b, blues, pop, hard-industrial rock and even contemporary country. It is not versatile in the way that many popular amps are with lots of bells and whistles.

The two channels, cut control and the tone contorl on ch1 contribute to this versatility, as does the 30W switch on the back (giving you more headroom).

I do wish it had an effects loop. I do wish it had channel switching. I contacted the dealer and mfg about mods and both said: no-go. They believe the tone is degraded by these features. Hmmm. Perhaps, but I've played through a number of other incredible sounding amps that did have these features. But, I can live without...

I purchased a Whirlwind A/B/Both switch to do the channel switching and this has worked like a charm. In fact, playing through both channels has been great for certain types of solos!

The reverb is okay sounding. It's satisfactory but it doesn't knock my socks off.

The speakers have been accurately described earlier. I think they absolutely excellent!

I wish it didn't weigh as much as it does. It's a freakin back-breaker. I put retractable, spring loaded handles on the sides and removable casters on it as well, and this has helped very, VERY much! But man, on an amp that weighs over 90lbs and lists for 3500 bucks, why couldn't they do that at the factory??!!!

I'm playing several guitars with the Bad Cat. I think it sounds best with my H-S-H configured Anderson Drop Top. The single coil sounds when used with clean or crunch type amp settings are simply devastating! Crank ch1 to 1:00 or so, go to the nect pickup in SC mode and play Castles Made of Sand or Little Wing, and it'll send shivers down your back! So, incredibly responsive to your right hand technique and attack...whew!!!!

The high gain sounds out of ch2 sound best with the bridge pickup in humbucking mode. I've also found that my PRS Custom 22 Soapbar (3 P90s) sounds just fantastic through this amp.

Anyway, ch1 has more of the classic Vox AC-30 TB sound. Clear, smooth tone. Turn up the vol a bit and you get the incredible crushed-glass crunch.

Ch2 as noted in other review, has more of a modern sounding high gain sound; not a tricked up Marshall, but gets close. It is round, warm and very lush and smooth. It sounds particularly outstanding in the lower registers of the fretboard. I've been using a Boss GT-5 in front of it for some chorus reverb and delay. What I found was that if I add a little bit of the GT-5s clearest sounding overdrive to ch2, it really helps out during solos. The sound is really to die for. I've been searching for this tone for a long time and it's wonderful to have finally found it! I found that without a wee bit of overdrive, I got a spottier sustain/response in the upper registers of the fretboard. Anyway, whenever I turn the amp off after a rehearsal or gig, I find myself saying to myself, "I cannot BELIEVE the sound I'm getting!!!"

No problems. Did have on microphonic tube (EF86). Threw in an amprex bugle boy--man, what a difference!!

As I've experimented quite a bit with the tubes and done the mods mentioned above, I've had the chasis out numerous times. This thing is build like an absolute Sherman Tank!

I've only had it about 7 weeks so I can't really comment on its reliability over the long haul, but it is built amazingly well.

I have not had a problem getting support. I've found the Bad Cat folks to be pretty responsive to quesitons I've asked through email and over the phone; same with my dealer.

I've been playing for over 30 years. I've owned many amps over the years, including a JMI Vox AC30, Marshall JTM45, Fender tweeds, old Ampegs, Boogie (version 1). This is the overall best sounding amp I've owned. It is the most versatile of all the tube amps I've owned too (I own a Line 6, AX2 and nothing can beat that amp for overall versatility, except a Vetta!). But for my taste, the Class A amp has always provided the best overall tone. And this is like a Class A amp on steroids!

this amazing amp was built in March of 2001. It is basically an improved DC30. It is BIGGER sounding, clean is cleaner, and overdrive is more refined...it is also heavier...ie....Mark and the crew spared no expense when it came to the transformers......or anything else!!!!! It is built to gig around the world, and that they will...everything the other guys said I wholeheartedly agree with...It is the Dumble of Class A amps. I am from the Betts, Allman side of the tracks, and with a good player, a les paul , and this thing is scary .....dynamics, punch ...sweet...people in clubs look around and give you that,holy cow, howd you get that sound? expression on their face, and then a smile

the left ac30 channel is the clean side, but it also makes real warm distorted channel if you want...a real interactive tone pot...clean like tom petty, or get out of my way Jeff Beck....It is about playing with emotion,,,with your heart , and this amp is emotion.....actually, it is really the last part of the guitar system. the player, the guitar, the amp...screw those FX guys..save your F ... Fulltone money and by a great amp....it will show up sloppy playing, but when you have the connection...........watch out...Mark Samson has topped the top.....the reverb is really nice, and generally I do not even like reverb.....it comes in after the note
the only mod I did .so far.... was to change the speakers.....this is personal....the dissimilar Celestions sound quite good, but are very present....younger players will love these, but I dont play as loud as i used to, so i put in Weber Blues....it is lighter, and warmer, but still sparkely........../like ginger ale......I am kidding...it goes to 11..........

there is nothing in the 40 years i have been playing guitar including Orange Amps, that comes close to this tank like quality....Nothing...

5 year warranty....nothing goes wrong except a microphonic tube now and then......thats not the amps fault....thats shitty tubes

if it was stolen, i would replace it....i am embaressed how many amps I have owned over the past 40 years.......aaahhhh....but I knew I wasnt nuts.this amp grabs me, and people that hear me play, like nothing else I have ever owned....this is the first review I have evr done, cause I needed to tell my fellow guitarists about this...the amp that tears at your emotions.....duane allman would have loved bad cats...../

This amp was made in Feb 2001. There are two channels with channel one for clean blues tones and channel two with a bit more gain. One of the great features of this amp is the 5 position rotary switch that allows you to adjust the tone in conjunction with the cut switch. You can shape the sound depending on the pick-ups in your guitar (single coils vs humbuckers)

The matchless DC 30 sounded better than the Vox AC 30 and the Bad Cat is a beefier, meaner DC 30. Guitar Player magazine always raves over the DC 30 so expect the same or better reviews for this amp. The best amp money can buy hands down. I was reading the reviews for other hand made amps and noticed the name of Eric at Guitar Czar in Salt Lake City Utah kept popping up. I called him and you have a choice of either getting a Matchless, Bruno or Bad Cat or several other name brand amps. What a great guy. See note in section for customer support.

Seven months and no problems. No rattles, just pure class A tone.

Your dealer is the first place you go when you have a problem or a question. Obviously the other reviewer did not purchase his amp from some one that has alot of knowledge of amplifiers. Don't bug the manufacturer if you can help it. The right dealer support is the most critical element once you have decided on an amp and the price is the same.

Better than a Matchless DC 30

The Black Cat is basically a 30watt Class A, 4XEL84 based, point-to-point wired, two channel, Vox AC30/Matchless DC30 with reverb. I am an avid Matchless amp user and have been for quite some time so I figured I would try a Bad Cat since Mark Sampson and Rick Perotta have their hands in the company. Like the DC30 it has two unmatched celestion speakers, half power switch, 4,8,16 ohm taps, phase reverse switch, and two AC plugs. Mine came stock with a GZ34 rectifier tube but there is a slot for an additional rectifier if you desire a cleaner, less compressed tone. The control panel is separated into two channels, channel one controls include volume, bass, treble; channel two controls include volume and tone (5 position rotary switch). Both channels share the cut control, reverb, and defeatable master volume. My amp is covered in a blue sparkle vinyl with a grey clothe front. The Bad Cat logo lights up when the amp is on. Anything sound familiar DC30 owners? There are two inputs per channel to help with different pickup types and strengths. My amp does not have an effects loop or channel switching. There are plenty more controls on a Bogner Exstacy or a Line 6 so I can't give it a 10, right?

I must admit, I expected this amp to deliver. Its pedigree is extremely strong and I'm already sold on the Class A tone, so what did I have to lose. I should start with the one thing that is new on this amp that I've never had on any of my el84 based Matchless units - reverb. Most guitar players are at least somewhat familiar with the Fender reverb tone - be it a Deluxe reverb, Super reverb, or whatever. The Bad Cat does NOT sound like that however, it is an improvement over the much bemoaned Matchless Chieftain reverb. The Bad Cat reverb seems better suited as a subtle, spacial effect rather than a soup-y, surf thang. But it CAN get really deep too, I just don't think it sounds as musical as a Fender unit. I can live with it though. <br>The first thing I noticed when firing up the Black Cat was the great improvement of channel 1 over the original Matchless C30. It definitely sounds like a vintage AC30 - kind of like the Edge's tone on some of the new U2 stuff....really. I know that sounds silly, but it's true. The tone controls are effective and musical. Even with the single rectifier, there's a good amount of headroom on the channel. Add a little reverb and you've got a great blues, jazz, or R&B channel. Crank it up and you've got a sweet, gritty, raw class A tone that overflows with harmonic content. I am a Fender guitar nut so I couldn't even tell you what this thing sounds like with a Les Paul but it sounds wonderful with my old strat and tele. <br>Channel 2 is fantastic for overdriven tones. There is a lot less headroom on this channel, even with my single coil guitars, but I would imagine most wouldn't use this channel for anything other than medium overdrive to distortion anyway. Of course, the tone of this channel will immediately remind Matchless users of the C30 channel 2. The master Cut control is a vital tool in finding the right tone; the vari-switch adds gain and girth but the highs need to be adjusted with the cut control. I found channel 2 to be as musical and toneful as a C30 but with a bit more gain than I rememeber my DC30 having. Also, it seems to be a bit tighter on the bass end than the C30. I'd love to read other opinions on this. I primarily play pop and this amp really has a great tone for that application. I usually set the amp on channel 2 with just a little bit of dirt in the sound. I then use pedals for more distorted tones or back a little off the volume for cleaner sounds. This amp is very sensitive to touch so you can get a pretty good array of sounds from just your guitar. Somehow, the tone of this and similar amps seems to blend in a live and studio mix much better than other designs. I'm probably full of it but it just seems like it does. I get comments all the time on the tone of my class A amps (including Matchless stuff too). Who knows why, they just seem to sound better in a mix. <br>Oh, here's a gripe, if I didn't have a full-time job on the side I could have never afforded this amp. List price is currently $3500! Ouch! Another gripe, 95+ pounds! It's heavier than a DC30! I'm not even 30 years old and it breaks my back to load it in and out. By the way, get used to using the half-power switch unless you play large venue gigs. This amp is LOUD.

No problems yet and it appears to be mil spec in nearly every way. I'm pretty stupid and rarely gig with a backup.

I've tried to call them to get a tube chart for the amp and to inquire about getting a head box made for the chassis. No response via email or phone. Only a 5 year warranty - sounds like the lawyers told them not to go the lifetime warranty route.

I wrote a positive review on the DC30 a couple years ago because of the uniqueness of tone and quality of workmanship Matchless is known for. Bad Cat, in my mind, is the next logical step in Mark Sampson/Rick Perotta's brilliant amp design. The Black Cat Reverb incorporates new features desired by many original Matchless C30 owners such as reverb, a tighter bass, a better channel 1, etc. and keeps the features C30 players love like half power, cut control, great master volume, etc. Mark has tweaked the his classic C30 design without compromising tone and quality. I wouldn't suggest throwing out your Matchless gear because it is incredible stuff too but, if you're looking for the next step in Mark Sampson's ingenuity, Bad Cat is it.