Bogner Ecstacy 100B

This is an update to the previosly published review of my Ecstasy 100 B Combo. I asked Bogner for some spare parts and came in contact to Jorg from Bogner. Three weeks after I received a small package with the items I asked for without charging me an Euro. Great support and thanx to Jorg from Bogner.

Three channels (green, blue, red, gain boosts on blue and red channels, effects loop, 6 x 12AX7, 4 x EL34, loose or tight speaker excursion, three way pre-EQ switches each channel, air, plexi channel option on red channel, power amp mute, old/new (triode/pentode) switch, variac, built in resistive load, line out, 5 button foot switch. Cab is 1/4 open and has been loaded with 2 x 12" Celestion Classic Lead 80 speakers, running on 8 Ohm resistance. Very versatile amp.

I'm using mainly a Fender Masterbuild Custom shop Tele with Texas Special SC (bridge) and Seymour Duncan '59 HB (neck). I play Classic Rock to Metal, e.g. Hendrix, Free, Black Label Society, Metallica.
Channel 1 (green) has Fender quality and stays clean no matter how much volume or gain you dial in.
Channel 2 (blue) displays Marshall quality and delivers sounds comparable to my vintage 50 W Marshall head from 1971.
Channel 3 (red) really burns and delivers searing lead sounds. Gain texture is very convenient and never harsh or artificial. Compared to the 101 B compression is lower. Due to the 1/4 open cab the combo is very three dimensional sounding and the Lead 80 speakers match perfectly.

It's build like a tank and despite I own it just a few days I suggest that it would be very reliable.

Asked the Bognern guys one day ago for some spare parts and I'm waiting for a response.

I started playing in 1969 and owned a truckload of gear in the meantime. Had a lot of amps which sounded great, but most of them had been one trick ponys. Basically a Marshall player, I always came back to my vintage 50 W Marshall head which had been modified to MV specs to keep it running without any floor equipment. Looking for a modern 3-channel amp I checked some recent gear like Mesa Roadking, Cornford MKII, Diezel VH4 and felt in love with a 101 B head. By chance I was able to win the auction for those 100 B combo who is soundwise on the same level like the newer 101 B. The only thing I'm missing is a Plexi switch for the blue channel.

06 model with el-34's.Feature's listed in past reveiw's.I do not own this amp.Im facinated with the sheer amount of option's and wonder if one can ever really settle on something without turning a knob after 5 minutes.I personally prefer designs like the shiva in this respect because it's quicker to get dialed in.It's not easy for me and I consider myself to be pretty adept with dialing things in.If your up to the learning curve then great!... have fun.

Two things that drew me to this head.1.I like the band rammstein and saw a bogner 4x12 cab being rolled off the stage post show in vegas but was'nt sure if it was connected to an extacy head.2.Heard one at a rehersal studio down a long hallway and had to find out what was generating that really nice thick lead tone.Turned out to be a 101b into a 2x12 bogner cab.The blue channel was in full force with the boost on.Eversince then,Iv'e demo'd a few heads but Im not able to connect to it.They 101b's all sounded pretty good in the lead but not as open as id like in for chords and I am splitting hairs here folk's because it is a great amp but while the gain stages make for searing thick leads,it seams a bit too thick and not as open sounding like certain older marshalls....I can't quite put my finger on it.If you can play venue's where you can open this up LOUD then mabie that's where the 101b shines but for now In not sure.Mabie there is another setting to tweek with.

Seems bullet proof.

dont know.

While Im sure this can do many tricks and yes it can and will sound like what you would hear on modern rock radio,...There is a learning curve that Im not totally down with.It's fairly easy to accidently have the amp on a setting that makes it sound odd and you would not know why or if somthing was wrong or if the tubes were bad.I recently purchased a Custom Audio Electronics "classic"model and Im still very happy with it.Im sure the 101b's all vary a bit as well... mabie I need to play a few before the"one" comes along.By all means Im not bashing the 101b.Iv'e heard great players make it sound great especially in the lead mode.More time is needed.

Made in 1993. Serial # -1- Same features as listed below. 3 channels. Extreemly versatile amp, takes a lot of dialing around to get sounds but they are all in there. Tested amp during last service it was putting out 130w. Did I say loud? The only thing I wish it had was an overall master volume. I still give it a 10.

Think EVH, Vai, Satriani, Eric Johnston, yeah it has tone. Thick orange pulp overdrive, woody. This amp will not hide half ass chops, you hear exactly what you play. Overall hevenly tone. I have never heard an amp that sounds close to this.

Ch 1 is dead clean it has 2x volume knobs, if you mix them up you get different brightness in the clean sounds, will not break up at all. Sounds fantastic cranked. I wish it had some crunch.

Ch 2 is very open sounding 3D, from near clean to thick saturation. retains clarity even with high gain settings, if you dial too much gain it will lose definition. Sounds as close to early EVH as I have ever heard.

Ch 3 sells this amp for me. It takes off from where ch 2 ends. Fat! Fat! Fat! Screaming! There is so much gain you need to be carefull not to dial up too much, or it will get compressed. Still there is more than enough gain at 12:00. No fizzy Recto sounds here. Next to a Tripple Recto. the Recto sounds like some cheap solid state Chineese piece of junk. Has to be heard, awesome.
The Plexi switch is awesome, I don't use it but it realy nails a vintage Marshall.

Cons -FX loop is noisy while engaged. Footswitch sometimes pops.

I hear that the Ecstacy Classic is based on this amp. Sounds best loud, like any valve amp. Even tough I wish ch 1 broke up and it has cons, i will still give it a 10 for ch 2-3

I have owned this amp for about 2 years and have replaced the ouput valves twice. It seems to rely on good valves. If think that it sounds thin, it is! It,s not my imagination, it needs valves. Once replaced the difference is chalk and cheese.

Never dealt with Bogner.

I Have been playing 30 years.
I also own a Soldano X99 pre amp and a Soldano SM 100 power amp (Which is a different beast.)
I Have owned countless Marshalls, Mesa Boogie, Vht, Slo 100,s, Decatone as well as rack pre amps. I forgot most, that,s how good they were.

This amp is not easy to dial in sounds. It takes months of tweaking. The controls are so sensative that a little turn here and there makes a huge difference. Not to mention the variac and old/new switch. Once you understand the dials it is a simple.

Made in the mid 90's..only 150 are in existence, 3 channels , boost, effects loop, variac, new/old style select switch, power amp mute, 5 button footswitch. Very versatile amp, requires a good ear and some patience to totally "dial it in". Can you say LOUD? Running 4 Electro Harmonix el 34's

Great amp, will not hide your mistakes, but delivers golden tone. Clean channel is great, just don't be looking for a half clean sound here..no distortion regardless of gain setting. Blue channel..WOW..tone great marshall type sound varying types of distortion all sound great with excellent clairty(providing you take time with the eq)..this isn't a rectifier, but then again it has many great sounds not just one. The red channel is supurb, clairity and balls no fizz tone. I had this amp next to a Soldano SLO 100 that had been modified by mike himself with the Warren Haynes mod and resonance features. They were the 2 best hi gain sounds I have heard in the same room, except the Bogner has a better clean and great 1/2 distorted sounds.

had it for 6 years..just retubed it twice...no problems

they know their stuff..haven't needed anything though.

ok i've owned:Mesa Caliber 50 +, Peavey classic 30, Yamaha soldano T100, Mesa mark IV, Mesa Dual Rectifier, Mesa Tremoverb, Marshall JCM 900, Mesa Triaxis/2:90, Fender Twin Reverb, Music Man RD210..I think that's it..Been playing 15 years. This amp is irreplacable..they make and Ecstacy Classic(it's like 3400$!!, sorry I'd buy a Diezel for 600$ more)..but if it were still made and it was south of 3 grand no doubt i'd buy another..I'd also like to try Bogner's Uberschall.

Three channels, gain boosts on blue and red channels, effects loop, 12AX7, EL34, loose or tight speaker excursion, three way pre-EQ switches each channel, air, plexi channel option on red channel, power amp mute, old/new, variac, built in resistive load, line out.

This amp is incredible. I have owned the 101B as well. Here are the differences to my ear. The 100B clean channel stays clean all the way up. The 101B clean channel will distort (in a nasty way, in my opinion) with the gain cranked. Otherwise they sound similar. The blue channels are more or less the same. The red channel on the 100B smokes the 101B, without question. The 100B is much more aggressive, a little more gain, and way less middy. I would say in general the 101B is more midrangey, and a touch fatter. The 100B is less midrangey, more aggressive and more shredding. The difference is not really subtle, you can tell right away. I wish Bogner still voiced the Ecstacy like the 100B. This amp doesn't need any extra midrange. In my experience, the Bogner has a stronger low midrange than a typical Marshall.

No major problems. The effects loop is poorly designed though. When you engage the loop there is a high frequency bleed through sound. You will hear it at low volumes, but at high volumes you can drown it out. This is a problem inherent with the circuit board layout. My 101B had this problem, too (in both series and parallel mode). No idea if Bogner ever got around to fixing this. By the way my 100B doesn't have any footswitch popping problems. Some 101Bs (including the one I had) will make a loud popping sound when switching channels. The amp sounds great but it isn't perfect and I think some of the supporting electronics weren't designed as well as they should have been.

They are helpful, I have spoken with Shaun, Reinhold, and Yorg at various times regarding biasing, tubes, servicing the power amp board, etc. They are very supportive of their product.

I love the Bogner 100B, especially for the red channel. It has no equal, not even the 101B. In addition to the Bogners I have owned several Marshall 30ths, some Marshall Jubilees, Custom Audio 3+SE, Mesa TriAxis, 5150, etc. I had the 100B and 101B side by side. I wanted to like the 101B for the features (Class A/AB, loose medium tight excursion, etc.) but in the end the choice was clear and I had to keep the 100B. I have not regretted my decision.

Amp was made in 1993. Purchased straight from Bogner. I have tried all the new amps Bogner has made and I still wished he wouldn't have changed it because it seems to have lost some tone. It has all the features, back then there were no options, everything was included.I am very proud to have purchased this amp.

3 different strats w/ EMG pickups
It suits my style very well, from rock to jazz to metal.
Amp is noisy in 3rd channel.
Distortion is brutal.

I have gigged with since I bought it and not have had problems.
If you take care of an amp it should work fine,
unless you have an old Marshall.

No complaints, even got free emblems to make custom tweed grills for my head.

Been playing for 20 years, my friend turned me on to them who is from the Seattle area. I can't compare because there are so many great amps
out there, Soldano, Mesa, Diezel, ect. ect.

I HAVE ONE OF THE FIRST EVER MADE. SUPER VERSITILE YET HAS A SINGULAR CHARACTER.3 CHANNELS + 3 BOOSTS. EVERY SINGLE OPTION YOU COULD IMAGINE BUT IT'S THE TONE THAT GETS YA.EVERYTIME I HAD TO HOCK SOMETHING..I COULDN'T PART WITH IT. SO SICKLY VERSITILE IT'S STUPID.

OMG..THE MOST HEADROOM OF ANY CLEAN CHANNEL.NOT VINTAGE BY ANY MEANS..BUT I HAVE FENDERS AND MATCHLESS AMPS TO COVER THAT GROUND.IT IS THE BEST MARSHALLY SOUNDING AMP EVER..BETTER THAN MARSHALL'S EVEN!ONCE AGAIN SUPER VERSITILE..

NEVER BROKE IN 5 YEARS

REINHOLD IS DA MAN.

I OWN THIS PLUS OTHER AMPS..FENDERS MATCHLESSES..BOOGIES.THIS ALONG WITH MY MATCHLESS ARE NOT REPLACEABLE. IT HAS THE SOUND..THE CHARACTER..IT IS FAT BUT RETAINS DEFINITION.IT HAS THE COOLEST GREEN LIGHT AND IS LOUD AS @%$#. UNTOUCHABLE. AND NO THE MESA RECTIFIER DOESN'T COME CLOSE..IT SOUNDS LIKE A FAT INDISTICT ELEPHANT WHERE THE BOGNER IS A LEAN, MEAN,TIGHT MACHINE

Clean (amnber) Crunch (blue) Lead (red) effects loop, Low/High Gain switch, each channel has a boost for more gain (except clean) Plexi Mode, EL34s, Built In Variac (very cool) Pent/Triode Switch.
Pre EQ switchs for all channels, Presence Knob. Ohm Selector Switch.
Metal Grille. LOADS OF POWER! I give this a ten, (i have owned a 101b later on this.

My Ears tell me the 100B is More Vintage Marshall (blue channel 2) than the 101b, It is more aggressive. I feel the 101b has too much midrange? This is what my ears are telling me. The Clean channel is just as good as the 101b. I hear more Van Halen and AC/DC tones from the 100B (actually like a cranked 50w Plexi). The gain on the 100B channel 2 is More Focused, more clearly difined as you play notes and chords. The Red (channel 3) is or course more gained out with an emphasis on more "thump" than the 101b was. Again I feel the 101B has too much "Mid Range" Character. The Plexi Mode is I feel Identical to the 101b. Now, There are more features on the 101b, dual presence knobs,individual line outs, and another excersion switch, and you can assign plexi mode to channel 2 or 3, the plexi mode on the 100 is only usable on channel 3. Having said all that and using the 101b live and rehearsal, the features are great, but how often is a guitarist gonna reach back in the middle of a set and change the power output? Or Select another out for cabs? How many guys own different cabs any way?. In my opinion the 100b is filled with features that are more than sufficient. The clean channel (amber) is nice but doest have the additional boost of gain that the 101b has, but the tone is there! It is full blown Twin or showman tone, even a blone era bassman tone.

The Bogner has a reputation that supasses any "store bought amp" you cant drive down to the Marshall factory to have your plexi looked at, but you can do that with any bogner!!! IF you are looking for a bogner,save some cash if you can and pick up a 100B for less!! SAME SOUNDING AMP WITH 2 LESS FEATURES! I havent had any probs but have talked to Bogner a couple of times.

In talking with other Bogner owners, they are tops!!

Ive owned the Bogner 101B, Soldano Decatone, Marshall 30th (blue/gold) aniversary model, Mesa Boggie MKII, MKIIC+, MKIV, Marshall JCM800. The Bogner 100B Is underated!!! Get one and play!
If it were stolen, I'd hunt for another.

100 watt all tube head with 6 x 12Ax7's and 4-EL34's.Extremely versatile with 3 Channels. Channel 1 has a boost switch which accentuates Mids and Highs or just Highs. Bright, medium and dark pre-eq switches on Channel 2 and 3 which add a significant amount of gain depending on how they are set. CH2/3 Gain Boost switch. Excursion switch which allows for different variations of speaker damping (think loose bottom like a Bassman or tight and focused ala Marshall'esque type sounds). Assignable plexi-mode on Channel 3 which is the closest thing to a '69 plexi your gonna get shy of actually plugging into one. An "Air" switch kicks in some added bottom and mids when you select Channel 2 or 3. "New/Old" (triode/pentode) style sound switch on the rear panel. Built-in variac (lowers voltage by about 30 volts, squishy and smooth), line out (slave) with individual level controls for each channel. Effects loop with send and return level push/push switches for adjustment to rack or pedal type effects.
Built-in load resistor to to get that 'cranked' power-tube saturation fed to a rack/power amp setup. 5 Button foot controller. (Loop select, Gain Boost CH2/3, CH1 Select, CH2 Select, CH3 select).
I play mostly rock-hard rock-metal but dabble in a little country from time to time.
The only feature that this amp needs is Midi capability for all functions including the pre-eq switches, air switch and excursion controls etc. If it had total midi functionality it would turn this puppy into a 10-12 channel amp easily.When switching in the loop, I found the amp to make a slight 'popping' sound. Might be inherent to my amp or the model but I'll definitely get Bogner to check it out. Not a big deal right now since I am not a big fan of effects anyway.

I am using a Fender Strat Classic w/Floyd Rose original trem, maple neck/fretboard, Seymour Duncans (JB and SS1) and a Jackson Soloist - Hard Tail also with Seymours. I have been playing for 18 years and have owned a ton of gear in that time. I also own a Mesa MKIV Head, Soldano SLO-100 and a Marshall JCM800. I run the Ecstacy through Marshall 1960B Cabs loaded w/25 watt Greenback reissues.
Lets face it, the amp has the name "Ecstacy" for a reason it is pure tone heaven. There isn't a bad sound in the amp period. To compare it to the Boogie or Soldano is not a fair comparison as each amp is marvellous in their own right and sonically very different from each other. Now the low down...
If you are looking for a 'Fender' type lush clean sound from CH1, you won't find it here since the EL34's play a big part of the sound and are naturally more gritty than the 6L6's. However, if you are looking for the cleanest Marshall sound imaginable with plenty of headroom, look no further the Bogner does it and then some. CH2 is pure crunch mayhem akin to a modded out Jose Arrendondo (of EVH fame) Marshall, chunky, mean and harmonically rich in overdrive. Every note of even the most complex power chords ring through making the fur stand on end. If you are looking for Edward's infamous 'Brown' goo, you'll get it here and also in CH3 but with more gain. CH3 picks up where CH2 left off in the gain department ranging from a slight crunch to violin like sustain oozing with gobs of gain and distortion that retains its clarity and character...no mud! This amp doesn't just emulate the 'Brown' sound it IS the 'Brown' sound and I don't mean newer VH, I mean VH-1. You'll find Vai's tones from Alien Love Secrets here and Jerry Cantrell's sounds from Dirt. Anything and everything from here to Mars and back. This amp inspires creativity for anyone that plugs in.

There is a bit of noise as in a slight hum apparent in all three channels. As I mentioned above, the FX Loop makes a popping sound when kicked in and alters the tone of the amp slightly. I got the Ecstacy used so I'll probably send it to Bogner for a checkup. The amp is obviously made from top notch components and one look inside the chasis reveals some pretty serious craftmanship. I would not gig without not because of the reliability of the amp but because your dealing with tubes and they have the potential to fail and probably will at the worst possible time.

Supposed to have a lifetime warranty. Don't know if the warranty is transferrable to various owners but will find out when I send it in for a checkup.
I have heard very good things about Bogner in terms of Customer Support and that they will stand behind their products and ensure total Customer Satisfaction.

I like this amp so much, I'm going to buy the newer version...101B in the next few months!