Bad Cat Hot Cat 112 Combo

2002 Model Unbelievable smoking distortion! Will peel the paint off of the walls if you are not careful. So many tones from this amp it will suit almost any playing style. 2 channels, one for fat juicy clean and the other from Stevie Ray blues to Hendrix wailings. If Eddie Van Halen is looking for what happened to his tone I have the answer. The hotcat is swimming with the tone from "chained" The amp is heavy but not unmanegeable like the 2X12. Great for club work.

Tone controls are straightforward but the secret is the edge control. You control the tone of your gain and you can go from zz top dirt to the nastiest heavy metal in this land. Amp is quiet until you stoke it with a few licks from your favorite plank. I am using a modified closet classic strat with Lindy Fralin pickups and this baby rocks. By far my favorite amp

No problems in 4 months

Have not dealt with the company.

Been playing for 10 years. I was using a Dr Z Route 66 and some pedals. I sold the 66 about a month after I got the badcat and chunked the pedal board. Now it is just guitar and amp. I played this amp in a store in NC and had to have it. Looked at all of the name brands and this had the best tone by far.

Features are kind of slim here. 30 watts, 2 x EL34 (Ruby rebranded Svetlanas), 3 x 12AX7 (Ruby relabeled Chinese), one 5AR4 tube rectifier (which you can change to any tube rectifier you wish). You have two speaker outs, 8 or 4 ohm switch, solid state or tube rectifier, two inputs (clean and high gain) and a bunch of knobs. The controls are kind of weird at first, and somewhat limiting. Volume (clean only); Gain (gain only); Edge (gain only); Level (gain only); Bass (gain only); Treble (gain only); Brilliance (both); Master (gain only). Both the clean and the gain inputs use the same pre-amp, but all but two knobs are disabled when in the clean. Kind of weird. From this it would seem somewhat limited in at least the clean tone area, but it's not true.

I had some serious doubts about this amp before I got it. I wasn't too sure how much gain it would have, how it would react with Gibson guitars (since I heard the amps favored single coils and Gibsons are all that I play), or how clean the clean would be. Well forget about all that. This is the best amp I've ever played (I've owned two Bogners, 3 Riveras, Mesa, Marshall, etc.) The clean is so deep and sparkles so nice. The best I've ever heard. Tone controls for the clean? Who needs them! You use the Brilliance knob to control the amount of high end. It's voiced so well you don't need anything else! After you hear that you assume the gain "channel" must be weak. The gain is not only beautiful, but brutal. Turned to 3:00 with the bass at 2:00 you get that low thumpy brutally thick Mesa/VHT/Bogner Uberschall sound except you can actually HEAR the notes! Plus you have the choice of with or without the buzz (or sizzle if you prefer)! The tone on both the clean and gain inputs are robust and the bass response is tight but huge, lush, and never muddy. Humbuckers? Sounds great!

This is the best built amp I've ever seen. Wiring is second best to only Harry Joyce's Hiwatts. Everything is clean, and over done. The only thing I question are the Chinese pre-amp tubes, but it sound so incredible I don't want to screw with it.

I've talked to them on the phone and via email. Always quick to respond and nice to talk to.

Many people question the idea of a buying a $2000+ amp saying there isn't that much (sometimes $2000) difference in tone or workmanship. I've gone through my fair share of "boutique" amps and this is far above the tone and quality of build the PCB Bogners types out there. This is the first boutique amp I've played or owned that I'd say is actually worth the money and is that much better than your stock Fender, Marshall, or Mesa. Construction is higher than Matchless, and the tone is different, but I'd say better. I like it so much I requested a 100 watt head version and Bad Cat will be making it as a standard product. Watch out!

OK.. this is just an add on to my review i did before.. obviously im the only one to ever try this thing out.. they dont even have it up on the website... i stand by all of my ratings from previous with the exception of the added customer service.. anyways.. there are some added features after test driving this amp some more.. it has a level knob for the gain input.. it works kinda like a second gain knob.. also. about half the knobs work for one input and the others work for the other.. the clean input (bottom) you have a volume, treble, bass, and presence(that work for the clean).. on the gain input.. the first volume doesnt work for it, but the gain, edge, level, treble, bass, presence and master volume all work for just the gain.. also.. i mentioned this thing might be just 40 lbs.. i was wrong.. its more along the lines of about 65 or around there somewheres.. but it is a LOT lighter than the black cat.. after emailing the company about the solid state and tube rectifier switch in the back.. they said when its on SS is less compressed more airy.. and Tube was more compressed a little different.. (just another way to fine tune your tone)

ok.. ill go into this more, now that ive tried it with almost every guitar i could.. i played this amp with a george fullerton model, and ASAT hollow body G&L guitars.. the Fullerton sounded really good.. like a strat should.. with just enough midrange juice to shine through the mix of the music, and the ASAT.. well.. im picky about that guitar to start with .. but it sounded really woody but good through this amp.. i played various les pauls through it: Standard, Classic, les paul Jr. and my 75 les paul deluxe... out of all of them (of course i liked my les paul) the standard sounded best.. but that just because the pickups werent too too bright.. the classic sounded a bit harsh with the ceramic pickups in it.. the standard was smooth and had a lot of output which overdrove the clean section of the amp considerably.. the jr. well it sounded good.. but ive also got a friend with a original 55 that smoked it.. he he.. anyways.. the amp sounds really good with any guitar and still has loads of low end and punch

they are very helpfull and will work with anyone on something they may want as a "custom" idea.. it takes them a little while to get back to you.. usually about 2 days email.. but thats expected.. VERY helpfull guys

Brand spankin new design from Mr. Sampson... and i have to say.. this is one of the first 1x12 amps i would buy.. no havent bought one yet, but will be soon.. talk about versatile. so many features and SOO much tone.. just tried it out today at a local music store and spent about 30 minutes with it.. Starting with the versatility of the amp, there is two inputs.. the top is the all out gain "channel" and the bottom input or input 2 is the clean channel so wiring up an A/B footswitch to channel switch is a great idea.. this amp is just like a Bad Cat Black Cat on the clean side.. but then mean and meaty on the gain side.. There are plenty enough controls to critique your tone too.. and all of the controls are extremely active! if i can remember right: Clean Volume, Gain, Edge, Treble, Bass, Presence, and Master Volume control that is NOT push pull like the DC-30's and Bad Cat black cat and wild cat amps.. There is a speaker out to power up another cabinet plus the one 12 you have in the combo.. there is no reverb but you dont need it with such a 3 dimensional sound.. awsome tone!!! there is also a solid state and tube rectifier switch on the back for the gain section.. i think thats a nice touch.. and finally the cabinet is designed the right way.. big for more low end punch.. and man does it punch.. this thing sustains for days! and the 1 12 sounds really big.. it is also really loud!!! and its light.. it only weighs about 45 lbs? but vs. the 90 lb black cat.. i would take it anyday!

I used the amp with just a les paul standard and didnt have a chance to try it with any other guitars there.. it was not noisy at all when i tried it just had an all out gain or bad cat clean.. very cool.. this amp probably fits my musical style better than any other amp on the market right now except for maybe a Two Rock, or Bogner.. and why pay that much for something when you get this for 2400?? the clean channel on the amp does exactly what the matchless does at high volumes.. but does have a lot of headroom and is very loud! and even though it breaks up .. it blends with the music SO well that you really cant tell.. i just think it actually picks up your playing even better.. if you thought a Matchless DC-30 or Bad Cat Black Cat was versatile, try this thing out.. it will blow your mind! the gain section on the amp is very "clean".. very smooth and not "fuzzy" at all.. it doesnt sound like a big muff or fuzz face or stuff like that.. its the type of gain you would get from a cranked marshall.. very crisp and not muddy at all.. the gain on this thing will make you lose sleep at night.. so be carefull.. its one of the best sounding amps ive heard in a long time.. well.. in all the time ive played.. but ive tried everything in my 6 years.. and yes played dumble, Bad Cat, Matchless, Soldano, Mesa, vintage Marshalls, Fender, you name it.. ive played it.. go try one.. you wont regret it

SOLID AS A ROCK! its built just like any matchless or bad cat.. like ive said before and being so light it will be easier to handle and carry around so you wouldnt knock it up as much.. havent had one yet so i dont know how it would treat me, he he. the ONLY problem ive seen in a bad cat amp ever was a broken rectifier tube and that was replaced by the guys at Zeagler Music when it broke.. after that it was fine. i give my opinion because i would rely on this amp more than i would rely on my marshall or fender amps.

Wouldnt know.. dont know much about his support cuz ive never dealt with him.. but i have a friend who knows Sampson and I have heard nothing but good things about the guy. I do know that he is very friendly and will help if something comes up.

Ive been playing for 6 years now and its all ive done for the past 6 years besides go to school.. wouldnt give it up for the world, i own vintage Marshalls, Fenders, boutique pedals galore and have been through about 10 guitars before finding one that fit me the best. If i bought one and it were stolen i would freak and find the money to quickly replace it! Dont hate anything about it, and i compared it to everything ive ever heard before.. kicks everything in the posterior.. there is nothing else i wish it would have and i am perfectly happy with the design.. its the most versatile purist amp.. ha ha..