Budda Super Drive 18 112 Combo

Already covered in other sections.

The SD18 really suffers from not having seperate controls for the clean channel and not having a presence knob. It also needs a reverb.

Amp has a serial loop and it sucks tone. Bubba needs to make the loop series/parallel and add a blend knob. More amp makers are realizing this (Marshall JVMs) is the way to go.

I owned this amp for 6 months and had two other amps in house to compare it to. I used both humbucker and single coil guitars with it.
Here is a list of strengths and weaknesses:

Strengths:
- Pick attack is wonderful. It really just picks well. This is a pickers amp if you are a picker.

- Gain channel has a wonderful sweet tone that is great for blues and single coil type playing. The EL84 tubes add the extra chime to this amp and this is probably its greatest feature. Few amps can match this amp for its natural chime.

- Clean channel is also nice if you tweak the knobs. It sounds best if you set it for the cleanest tone.

-Amp is very light and portable.

-It's fun to play and responds well to volume adjustments on your guitar.

-Does well with OD type pedals which help brighten it up some.


Weaknesses (sit down Budda lovers).

-The amp is dark. It just needs to be brighter and is seriously missing a presence knob. Some people love the darker amps, but for most types of rock, darker amps cannot keep up or play some of that music well. Compared to my Marshall Plexi or Rivera, the SD18 had a sweeter tone but no balls. This is not a great rock amp. There are better amps for rock with more drive, sustain, low end and top end for the same price or less.

-The stock Phat speaker is one of the worst I've ever heard. It is mostly mid-range and sounds honky next to some other classic types like a Greenback or Vintange 30. I've read posts where lots of people have complained about the speaker. I can only assume Budda was looking for a certain sound with this speaker, but it is baffling why they match a mid-heavy speaker with an amp that is already struggling with weak lows and highs.

-The amp lacks low end. Adding bassier speakers does not really help much with this amp since the low end is not really tight to start with if you play higher gain.

-The lack of separate controls for cleans/gain really hurts this amp. If you use the modern pull on the gain channel, the clean channel sounds thin since the low end does not match the gain channel.

-The efx loop sucks tone. I tried all kinds of high end cables, buffers, efx devices with their own pre-amps and none of the fixed the tone loss problem that happens when you plug something into the loop. With a loop that cannot be used, you are limited in the ability to boost or tweak the amps front panel shortcomings.

-Use the 2nd output jack in the back, and the amp changes the tone as well. Simply baffling that this amp does this. All of my other amps have no changes in tone at all by using the 2nd jack. Use only one jack, and you're Ok. You can even plug just a simple cable into the jack and the tone degrades...what?

-The lack of reverb & usable efx loop limits this amp if you like reverb/delays in your sound.

It is a shame since this is an amp that could be killer with a few more additions & fixes like:

-Add presence knob
-Add blend knob for efx loop or make it parallel
-Add seperate tone & vol. knobs for gain/clean channels
-Add EL34 version for a more beefier sound
-Use GB or V-30 type speaker and get rid of the Phats

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mine is the newer series II version. i don't believe in doing reviews until WELL after the honeymoon. i'm really digging it so far, but i HAD to come on here just to say- DAMN!!!! this is a LOUD, LOUD, 18 watts. holy ****! i'll be back in a few months w/my complete take on this loud tone monster.

The amp is made in 2006. I play anything from heavy blues to heavy rock. A little bit of metal. Two usable versatile channels.

It has everything I need, very simple to use. I use it in my bedroom and in small gigs. It has more than enough volume and power for me.

I play a US Fender Stratocaster Floyd Rose Classic. DiMarzio Paf Pro bridge humbucker and 2 Fender single coils.

This amp is the most versatile amp I've ever seen. It can do anything from soft blues to heavy rock. The only type of music this amp is NOT built for is heavy metal. You can try to use an OD on the drive channel and see what happens... I never did that, and I don't think I ever will, because he drive tones by itself are nothing short of spectacular.

Clean channel is awesome. It has the Vox AC30 chime and great Marshall Plexi crunch. I use this channel to get some great AC/DC and blues tones. If you can crank the master volume and leave the preamp quite low, this channel NAILS Angus Young's tone, if you are into that. The clean headroom is not amazing, it's an 18watter but I don't use clean that much. Let that not scare you, with a loud drummer I was able to jam using clean guitar. I would say, you wouldn't get crystal clean in a large club setting.

This is a high-gain amp. I would describe the drive channel as a Marshall JMP on steroids. Yet I find it much more smoother. Drive goes from heavy blues to very heavy rock. I keep the drive at noon-2pm, with an attenuator I keep the master volume around noon. Drive tones from this amp are harmonically rich, smooth and articulate. For decent lead guitar work, I can't think of a better amp.

You would never be disappointed with this amp.

It's built like a rock. It was never broken so far.

Jeff at Budda is always very helpful. He always mails detailed responses and takes his time to explain things. I'm very happy with Budda's customer support.

I've been playing for 15 years. If this amp is stolen, I would definitely get another one. When I was on the market for an amp, I was between buying an Orange Rocker 30, a Vox AC15 Heritage, a Marshall Vintage Modern and a Mesa Stiletto ACE. This amp smokes them all. Rocker lacked an FX loop, AC15 lacked a master volume, Vintage Modern sounded a bit weak, Stiletto ACE was WAY too bright for my taste. Budda has everything I need and has one of the best drive channels in the market. I think it has a great price for this quality.

A built in attenuator would be great, but that's asking too much.

Great effects loop, and GREAT shared EQ knobs. I never feel like I wish each channel had separate EQ.

Can't say enough about the sound quality. Absolutely beautiful. It has become my all time favorite amp. The highest compliment I can give it, is that it has me doing something I haven't done in long time: playing without pedals! Just guitar>cord>amp>awesome!

No problems so far...don't anticipate any.

Absolutely the best customer support. Top notch.

Budda is the sleeper of the century. Absolutely awesome amps.

Fairly recent ( Bought brand New ) Budda Superdrive SDII 18 watt 1x12 combo. Had it for about six months now and have gigged it extensively ( it replaced a mesa lone star that was just too damn heavey to lug around and sounded a bit sterile ) Manufactured in late 2006 or 2007 perhaps. Very simple and straight forward EL84 based amp. Clean and dirty channel....effects loop. No reverb, but thats ok..I usually use outboard reverb anyway. Very loud for 18 watts with more headroom than you realize at first....

I'll give it an eight because it has no reverb or trem...

I'm a professional musician in my 40's ( ok - I have a day job as well- but I gig 2 to 4 times a week so I consider myself a professional ).

I play in a classic rock,Top 40, R&B, Dance Variety, Country and Jazz Standard band - I consider us a GB band with an edge !. My point is we do a bit of everyting. If your wondering - I assure you the SD 18 1x12 is a very versatile amp.

Great loud cleans, Wonderful cleans with a bit of hair on them when you want...and overdriven tones that can be very classic and bluesy or very modern and molten lava sounding.

On some gigs we bring in keys, horns, violins, whatever we need...and not once have I felt that the 18 watts is not enough...I'm always heard authoritatively and sit in the mix well. I sometimes lean the amp back with a standback amp stand ( great product by the way )if things get really crazy on stage and direct the sound a bit more towards my ears and I do mic the amp with a senhieser e609 at 99% percent of gigs... but the bottom line is these are 18 VERY LOUD WATTS with more headroom than you think you might get out of 18 watts.

I think some think of these Budda's as a " modern metal " amp...and they can certainley be used for that...but I'm here to tell you they are very, very versatile and can be used wonderfully in more classic genre's as well as I described earlier ( R&B, Classic Rock, Jazz, Blues, country etc. )

I've used countless amps over the years, fender, music man, marshal,Dr Z and many different boogies....and I've found my amp in this little black and purple cool looking combo...

IT sort got a Voxey,chimey, fenderish vibe in the clean channel...and a hot rodded marshall tone in the dirty channel it sounds tight yet elastic and forgiving at the same time ( it's hard to articulate )...but as mentioned previously, turn down the drive...and it's a classic blues/classic rock machine. Also, you will never get a flubby, farty bass note out of a budda.. when i play mesa's now it amazes me how flubby and loose the bass sounds on the lead channels compared to these.

I run a few effects out front including an analogman KOT ( works great on the clean channel - between this and the amps lead od channel I'm in heaven ! ). Also, have a few things in the loop including an eventide timefactor.

Effects sounds fantastic in front of the amp, and the loop is excellent as well. It seems to accept anything you throw in there, stopmboxes, rack stuff, and they just sound and work right. Whether I use the loop or not use the loop the volume is the same...some amps there is a volume drop when your start plugging stuff in the loop, not with this amp.

Over all a great sounding amp.

I've owned it about six months gigging 2- 4 times a week and have had no trouble except for a power tube that started getting a bit noisy. I just replaced both tubes with el-84's of equal rating. The amp is self biasing by the way. Just put in matched tubes and your all set...

I did buy a padded clam shell cover soon after I purchased it from studio slips. These come with no slip cover ! So whenever I'm getting to a gig it's protected pretty well. So far so good.

I did call them about a slip cover and they recommended studio slips. Very prompt and friendly getting back to me via email. I get the feeling if I had a problem they would be on it like white on rice...

A light ( 45 lbs or so ) easy to transport, versatile kick *** combo...

I think it's a great amp, I really do...and it can be classic sounding but very contemporary sounding as well...and I dig that.

If you think these are only for hard rock and or modern rock think again and give one a spin...

Made 2007..great clean and the distirtion channel KILLS any Boogie I have owned ( bunch Mar4, tri-axis, ADA mp1 rack days, Dc-10, still have rectoverb but it is brittle. Budda is S M O O T H overdrive from Santana to marshall grind..2 channels, has very nice slave send with volume, gigging for 40 years, drummer for 10, guitar longer.

I Freakin LOVE this amp I depend on my band buddies (13 years together) AND THE love THIS AMP. The effects loop is great for my TC G-SySTEM and others

PRSHB2, ;87PRS I bought new, '53 tele my Dad bought new, strat & others.
Vintage rock and R&b dance/ wedding/ club gigs suits style excellent,
In fact this amp responds to Volume and especially Tone knob better than anything I have played in 40 years. The gain channel will decay into 2nd and 3rd order harmonics in a heartbeat. DEAD QUIET !!! from small weddings to 25,000 sq ft Convertion Center it does it. LOUD LOUD and loud..almost as loud as my recto Boogie 50 watter, gain channel is as loud. Boogie is for sale..

"THIS IS WHAT BOOGIE"S ARE supposed TO SOUND LIKE" wrote another reviewer and I know exactly what he means. Notes you can sustain for days DROP DEAD NAILS Gary Moore's "Still Got The Blues Fo YOU"..
THIS IS THE SOUND IN MY HEAD ALL THESE YEARS Most of my stomp boxes are no longer on my board..CMATMOD compressor, wah peadal, and OCD but I haven't used the OCD..Back off volume perfect rock rythm..crank the volume and your fingers will sing!! yep the holy grail guys with the guitar volume knob..
As good as it gets.

So far so good..3 months I drove 6 hours to play this little monster
30 watter? not for me I like tubes breathing very hard for tone.

Emails answered the same or next day..usually same day..spoke to Jeff very first phone call about tube preference...had a tube go out..12ax7...that's today's tubes. In fact I am going to buy another 18 watter for stereo at home and huge gigs.

Playing 40 years, I play with some other Physicians as well all layed in college. I own too much gear to list
I'd order another tomorrow if stolen.
I Love that unlike Boogie, you don't have to tweak their "Interactice EQ" for days to get your sound..set all at 12:00 and that is close with the PRS or TELE...yes go figure..pull mids is way cool..very simple...plug and play..I've compared it to everything I have owned in 40 years..lost count 16+ amps easy. Carrs are great but that is a home amp for me...can't tweak that much at a gig. This amo sounds good in any environment I have seen..outsied, small clubs, huge weddings inside..high $ gigs.

I depend heavily on the great talented players in my band. Their opinion is "Bring the Budda and sell the rest." For this kind of overdrive tone I would have paid twice as much..yes I have played Bgner and fuchs..no thanks..good amps..just less than a Budda.

I did a review a week ago ..not posted yet..I just have to ad a few things..

This amp has a VERY RARE RARE Feature after about 15 amps playing for 40 years. The Volume knob cleans up the dirt so well I can't believe it. Tha TONE knob and pickup select has more effect than any amp I have ever played. Cover Gig this past weekend, I used one Keeley BD2 stomp and a CMAT MOD compressor. The rest of the pedals sat there as all the tones I needed in a cover band came from the amp and PRS knobs. The CMATMOD SIGNA COMP is a keeper for life!!

IF YOU ARE AN EXPERIENCED PLAYER YOU KNOW HOW MUCH EASIER THIS MAKES it easy to relax & just play your guitar..awesome. ONE EQ WORKS FOR BOTH CHANNELS and I have never had an amp do it this well!!

VERY VERSATILE from country clean to vintage rock..CLEAN LOUD may breakup at extreme levels although this outdoor gig it stayed loud and clean at about 5..this last weekend's gig was with PLAYER"S players (myself excluded) and what they think of the sound counts a ton with me. They were absolutely stunned with the focus and smoothness of clean and mean!! It sits in the live mix so good. I don't think I have ever played better...I felt I was playing way "over my head"..so hard to explain..the tone was so ME..that I just cut loose and didn't fall off too often.
PRS Hb2..'53 tele (real one my Dad bought new)..87' PRS I bought new.. strat...this amp makes all these guitars sound like themselves.
I was paired with a great guitar player with boogie recto which is what I have been playing...it is for sale NOW! It fit so well with the Boogie but it weighs 27.1 pounds accor. to budda literature! I have finally found the sound in my head all these years..clean and very nasty but "singing sustain" for days with notes that decay into harmonics that will last as long as you hold them in the sweet spots (B&G string 10th fret are sweetest) Cleans even harmonic feedback if close..but sweet overtones..not sqeeling..I am actually speachless..when I was called to solo I just laid my head back and sang with my fingers..you guys know that playing licks and playing melodically only happens when tone is what you really love..sorry for the gushing..I would have payed much more for this amp..much more!!

No clue
no problems yet

heard good things don't know

Playing 40 years and this review may follow the one I did already..sorry I just had to weigh in again after this gig with a lot of different styles. I'd drive and buy another asap
I more than love the sound..I have only heard it in my head
It blows away Boogie my mark 4 mark 2 dc-10, triaxis, ADA MP1 was close..Fenders..forget it blows away my dad's 65 Twin and new supersonic. and the 3 I now own are for sale...
L O U D A M P at 18 watts but I am buying a 30 watter for outdoor gigs andclean stereo at home & bcakup. I won't play anther gig without this amp.
ONE THING..I am leaning on the ears of my band, other musicians, my wife..she was even blown away..but most of all I have never felt so connected from pick to sound and inspired to play and woodshed (that's means practice for you Metal guys)...Yes I am an older player but over 500 gigs counts for experience..and now for all the young players that have arrived at GUITAR GOD STATUS..guess what?..you never learn it all but this amp makes one want to try and learn so much more. GO PLAY ONE ASAP

2 channels..switching..el84 voiced. If you have heard a blues junior cranked, at low volumes channel 1, this is a fat way way huge B Junior on steroinds just the clean channel. Such a huge sound a bedroom volumes..real wife pleaser not to mention your hearing health. Channel 2 should be another review..TOP SHELF If you like singing that sustains forever this is the amp.

TWENTY SEVEN.FIVE POUNDS!! very light.. the 30 watter is only 31.5!!
I felt the 30 watt was a tad too much for our gigs. After 35 years of gigging I like smaller wattage as the tubes breath harder..TONE!!
This amp will get LOUD!!!!.....LOUD!!!

I HAVE LOOKED FOR AN AMP WITH THIS VOICING ALL MY LIFE!!

I see "YOU JUST HAVE TO PLAY, FEEL, AND HEAR THIS AMP TO BELIEVE IT". ..IT'S all true!! we are a Vintage rock, R&B dance band..14 years..drummer for 11 years in college and youth.

Touch sensitivity is so far beyond my rectoverb Boogie AND THE OTHER 15 AMPS i'VE OWNED (mostly Boogies) it's truly inspiring. I can't put my guitar down. .easy to dial in..so far all eq at 12'o'clock is working. great UNREAL fat singing tone with NO brittle overtones or ''hash' at all..just georgeous harmonic overtones that I have never heard...maybe on Satriani albums. The "volume knob heaven" is all true. Role back to 6 or 7 and spanky dynamic clean..role up to 10 with pinky and it just blasts out a HUGE totaly tube natural rock overdrive that pedals can never do. EL-84's are awsome. The lead channel..OMYGOD
PRS HB2..'87 PRS I bought new..'53 tele my Dad bought new..several others..ALL sound like themselves. In fact my high end stomp boxes will be stripped way way down.
I rated my Boogie a 10 so this is a 12 easy! I have never had an amp to motivate my woodshedding like this.

No idea

read and heard great things!

I ralely see other band members mentioned here and to me their opinions are very important especially the lead vocalist, as he listens to the band mix..not just an amp.The guys in my band will be the true judges as they are player's players..(unlike myself)
The first gig he said "Don't ever bring any other amp but that one from now on as you have never sounded better in 14 years!" "Still got the Blues" by Gary Moore was eary spot on..(The tone anyway)
THIS IS ONE TRULY PROFESSIONAL SOUNDING AMP..VERY HIGH END REFINED VOICE COMPLEX SOUND.

Sell everything but the toothbrush and....
GO BUY ONE!!!

Amp made probably in 2006( bought it used but like never used looking for $1150.
Best amp I have owned so far since 1983 JCM 800 50W.
Great 2 channels, the only thing "missing" would be probably one more switch to add volume for solos.
I have so much stuff and don't want to bring home another baby, but if alleged 18Watts isn't enough, I'll try to run it through me Rivera 100 212.

No comment! What else do you really need? That little bastard will roll you sock off.

Time will show. Read my customer support part.

The amp howled at me after playing it for about 20 minutes since I brought it home! I took it to my amp tech, who replaced one preamp tube(made in China, by the way) and said that it was a great amp. I took it to its first gig the following day and it went silent in the middle of the first song!! Disappointment undescribable, man. So I called Budda and from hearing the guitar while waiting to talking to Jeff Bober to getting the amp back I have nothing else to say than 'Thank you'. The patience, knowledge, friendliness and overall professionality stunned me. And when I mentioned that the only missing piece of papework was the warranty card so I didn't know whether I was eligible for any warranty, there was no answer on the other side of the wire. My amp got back home in abot 10 days with all new preamp sockets FREE OF CHARGE!

I've been playing over 30 years, owne lot of good and really bad stuff, still have an old Mesa Rockett 44 head, Peavey Delta blues, Rivera 100 212 and Thirty 12, Marshall 410 cab and Mesa 212 cab. My wife is against me selling any of those pieces since I dearly loved all of them since coming to America in 2000, but despite the fact that one garage wall is partially covered, I would buy another Budda, probably the 45W head one.
I play a '59 gold top Les Paul, '93 PRS, pretty good Strat and some acoustic guitars and still love it thanks to guys like Jeff Bober.

Made in 2006. This is absoultel THE best amp I've ever played/owned - and I've owned most Fenders, Marshalls, zillions of Boogies, Top Hat, Peavey, Winfield-Thomas - rivera, Gibson and probablly more. Whether or not this is a true 2 channel amp is insignificant as the tone from both the clean overdrive ie exceptional. In relation to other reviews, the is an easily performed mod to balance the two modes (channel balance mod) the Budda will do or an experienced tech person. - Inexpensive and problem solved!! The clean goes from squeaky clean to pretty darned good crunch - the distortion takes off where the lead ends and just gains forever!! This is what mesa's SHOULD sound like. Smooth, articulate, aggressive, and the 18 watts ar freakin' LOUD - loud enough for most situations. The speaker sounds great - lots of bass response. I guess if you know how to play guitar, this cam can do it all - if not most.

I can get a nice crunch out of the clean channel if need be. The distortion is just the best out there!!! - It loves both single and 'buckers. I play most styles of blues, rock and country. Will this do grunge? I don't know - I don't listen to that stuff.

It's built like a brick shit house. NOT PTP, but on a very thick circuit board with components neatly laid out. Repairs if needed are as easy as PTP. Never broken down in almost 2 years of weekend bar gigging. Budda has THE BEST customer service out of any of the amp companies I mentioned previously! Jeff Bober is great.

Jeff and his crew are very friendly, knowledgable and quick to answer any and all questions. Sent me a COMPLETE new set of tubes when the amp was new just becaise there might have bee a bad tube somewhere, and I didn't have to beg and plead with them - just TRY and get that elsewhere?? Good luck.

I'm 54 and have been playing over 45 years - I've shared the stage swith Billy Joel, Leslie West, Brian Setzer, Jack Bruce, Kim simmonds, Bill Kerchen and more. I won all kinds of guitars - gibson, PRS, Fender, G&L, Epi, Martin, Peavey and only 2 amps - the budda and a Fender concert. Don't need any others.

Budda Superdrive 18 1X12; made in 2006; bought at MusicToyz in Maine in August 2006; about $1,500 + new. I also picked up a 1X2 Budda cab, 1/2 open back.
Two EL 84s and 4 12 ax7s (I think, I thned to play more than tinker with electrical components).
Two gigs with this amp and at least 20 rehersals.
Plenty of features for me: drive and clean channels, mid contour, footswitch included for channel switching, "volume" is the key to the amp, just keep moving it up and the gets better, clean or driven; has speaker out and 8, 4 ohm switch, standby switch and, dig it, effects send and return, meaning you plug straight into the amp and still use effects (not a bid deal for many, but I usually play vintage Fenders, so this is a major technological bonus).
I do wish it had a light to show when you're in drive mode; a nice feature, not a biggie.
Used it a mid-sized clubs, say 150 or so people in a big-ish room at once. Folks, as you may have read int the guitar mags, this thing gets loud. Really loud. it's great for soft procatice to, since the drive and clean controls are set-up nicely to deliver at low volume. But, may last gig (past weekend) I was at 11.00 o'clock and the thing howled.

I'll be unoriginal here but the right term for the sound is "aggressive rock n roll." You can think of this a Vox AC 15 or old Marshall 18/20 watt, but really the thing rips more than those amps. You can get a decent bottom (all I need, since Buddy guy is my hero) but it's the mids and highs that just scream.
Clarity fo the clean channel - Good or bad, and it's good for me, as you crank the volume up the clean channel gets gnarly and barks; kind of Keef sounds. So you won't do loud jazz gigs with it.
With the drive channel on, it's a very thick mid-high sound, it grinds and it crunches, depending on your guitar tome and volume controls. And that is a joy.
It's not a noisy to me, by my fave amps are pre CBS Fender Deluxe and Super, so I'm used to a little hiss and don't think it matters at all.
The amp suits me because we usually do stright bar gigs where we play mostly dance music,"classic" rock, motown, Knarles B., Jet and Killers. It will do it all, it stays clean enough for the motown, but is thick. In a 3 piece band (with horns and keys sitinng in sometimes) you usually want thick sounds. I can get the thing to a pretty "brutal", ugly distortion with just the Klon, but I don't play that style, so it's not relevant to me. For the metal players, however, I don't think the 18 watt has the bottom you'll want, even with a 1X12 extension cab.
Oh, it handales all effects I use perfectly: trem, chorus, Sparkledrive and Klon.

I depend on the Budda. I do not ever gig without a back-up; always bring an old Tremelux head (never needed it, fortunately).
When I got it one 12 ax7 was blown, whiteish. The Budda guys, who answer their phone! said it was probably brokern in shipping and offered to send a new ax7. I just replaced it myself and it's been perfect since, about 60 - 65 hours of use or so.

Excellent. They answer the phone and they'll make it right.

playing 30 + years, primarily rock. We do a lot of country-rock originals, but that's only a few times a year. rest of the time we do dance music (above). A quick equiptment overview, which i suppose gives an indication that I take sound seriously (by don't spend stupidly): several old Fenders, KJL, Dr Z MAZ 18, '70 strat, EJ Strat, '57 CS Goldtop (Brazilian, 2003), '60 Jazzmaster and a PRS Hollowbody 1 (magogany and maple). You should hear the wonderful Santana tones for the Paul and the PRS, esp the PRS on the fron pu. Bliss; smooth thick and sustain forever.
I'll giv it 10 because when can you find a truly wonderful amp that'll do anyting you want a rock amp to do for $1,500? Yes, ther are some good ones at $1,000, but they dopn't come close to the Budda.
I'd replace it and I'd pay full retail for it.

This is a 2 channel amp. Very good for rock and brown type tones. It is a 2 EL84 amp, and can be plenty loud for normal context. I liked that this amp was well built, solid and yet not too heavy. Maybe it is 45 pounds.

Channel one, the clean channel is simple, and offers a balanced clean tone for a rock player. Channel two, the gain channel is very brown, scooped and chewy. With humbuckers, this channel rips if turned up loud enough. At bedroom volumes, its a bit overly compressed. Louder the better for this amp.

Very good build quality. I only wish more 2 EL84 dual channel amps were this solid and portable. I gigged with this thing for a few months. Very high quality rock amp.

I talked with the amp designer at Namm (Brian?) I can't recall his name. He was great and very humble. I think from my limited experience that these are good people and easy to work with.

I have been playing 20 years. Largely a rack mount, Mesa player. For the last year or so I have been going through the combo amp route. This Budda is a very good rock n roll/ blues amp. I simply am on quest for a less gainy, more chimey clean amp.

Same features as everyone else's. Superdrive 18 II with 1x12. Not a lot of gadgets. It is exactly what I was looking for. A low power, two channel amp that I can play at reasonable levels.

I am currently playing the amp using my gibson SG with '57s. It sounds great. On the clean channel, I can get a nice bluesy tone with the neck, and the bridge will give me a good, crisp, clean tone. Even more so with the brite switch engaged. Almost country twang, nothing close to my tele of course. The drive channel gives me a nice smooth distortion with the master cranked up and little drive tuned in, to a very good hard rock tone. Not mesa distortion mind you, but very good and usable. The drive channel does has some noise to it, but nothing out of the ordinary.

Here's where i had my problems with the amp. I purchased it new in the box and when I plugged it in and tuned in some drive, i got a very loud buzzing and nice squeal. I figured the tubes were damaged in shipping. A new preamp tube solved that, and i haven't had any other issues.

This is where I really became a fan of Budda. As mentioned under the reliability, I received the amp running less than optimally. I sent an email to cust. support at budda on a sat after i got the amp. I was out of town, but checked my email monday. I had received not one, but two responses from Budda.First one from Jeff Bober stating the problem was probably just the preamp tube like I suspected. The second email was from Kevin Parker, telling me a new sovtek 12ax7 was on the way. I received the tube on Thurs and everything has worked since. This is the kind of service I love. They did everything to make me happy in a prompt fashion with no questions asked. Never once did i have to plea for support or have to deal with warranty issues. They were even willing to cover sending the amp back so they could look at it, if the new tube didn't cure it. A+

I've been playing now for about 6 years and have owned a few amps, Peavey, Sunn, Soldano, Mesa, Gibson, so far this amp is ahead of them all. It is the amp I've been looking for. I play primarily at home, so these low power combos are perfect for me. I hate spending the big money, but so far I think it has been worth it. I would definitely purchase this amp or larger variants from Budda again if I had to.

This is the Superdrive II with a "circuit board".....ooooohhh scary. Well, guess what!!! It sounds so damn good that a point to point should probably be illegal! I just mean to say that it matters not one bit because this amp just freaking rocks. PERIOD! Mine does have twin twelves and it has some tone benefits from that fact I'm sure. If you like the sound of el84's lit-up like a 747 on take off, then you will pee yourself when you hear this amp. Cut the crap! and if you want one....GET IT!!! I cannot imagine you would ever be unhappy.....unless you play the damn thing to the point where you need a hearing aid like me. Really...watch your hearing kids!

It runs nice with a EH12AX7 in the #1 position. 2 and 3 are stock sovteks, Power el84's are Rubys' NOT to SHABBY !!! Could it run a lil' better?? Maybe....a 5AR4 will speed things up a bit....but the stock sag and brown are very sweet. These guys knew what they were doing. Why muck it up?

Nicely put together. Can rattle a bit at certain freq's. Might do well with power tube clips- they are pretty loose. The boys are helpful and answer their e-mail. Overall, IT is a good product with decent support at this time.

see above huh?

VOX on STEROIDS with a dash of Plexi. Sometimes it just makes me want to weep that I didn't have an amp like this when I started playing. Hell! my playing might have been worth a crap now if I had.

The superdrive 18 is an all tube design, with two footswitchable channels, a pull brite, independant power amp volumes for each channel and 18 watts of the sickest tone I've heard in some time. it comes with an effects loop, but I didn't play around with that. my experience with that amp is a store test, so I haven't used it in a gig. there are no effects on the amp, but the sound of the amp makes effects seem almost silly. it had nothing I wouldn't use, and nothing more that I would have wanted. anyone that plays with a lot of effects generally has their own desired boxes anyway, so who wants built in? although the cost is high, for the sound you get out of it, if you ask me it's the best deal you can find.

I played a fender fat strat and a vintage gibson es-335 through it, and I have never been happier with an amp. because of the fairly low wattage you can crank this little beast all the way, and even if you wanted tons of volume, you get it. the loudest 18 ever. I've had experience playing everything from a bogner 150W full stack to a fender blues jr. on stage, and this is my favorite, and I don't even own one..... yet. the only noise was because of the guitar, although I wasn't in one of the neon lit clubs, but a store. the only complaint i could have is that the clean driven crunches a hair to early. if you want a sparkling clean you can get it, just not at the volume of the grinding hot mean crunch that you get when you crank it. nothing but pleasure here. but if you roll the volume on the guitar back just one notch, you get a smooth clean that doesn't have the attack of the barking fender clean, but is absolutely awesome for any legato clean riffs, leads or rythms you may have. and besides, if you do need the bark, just pull the bright switch. drive the hot channel and prepare for a treat. I know it's just a combo, but it is by far the tightest open back cab distortion I have played to date. (that's right, better than the blasting stack. strange? I think not. good craftsmanship) I'm less of a distortion player, but once it was on that's all I wanted. the sounds range from acdc to more than you can handle for distortion, and what more could any gigging musicain want but a great selection of choices?

I have no idea how reliable this amp is, because it's only a store test. I can say this though. I think that judgeing by the craftsmansip put into it (great sound, and if you look inside you will see very tidy handiwork. I tried finding a flaw and couldn't) it should be a reliable amp. but you may want to talk to an owner for this one.

I haven't been playing for the longest amount of time. a little over four years, but I've played in more clubs than I have digits on my hands and feet, and I don't mean once each place. I play a fender amp for the clean right now, and use a tonebone pedal giving me a good sounding combo. I've had experience with several other amps, have had many and used many more. and I've played some of the best. this is a great little amp. and it's small enough for any gig, but big enough for almost all gigging musicians. no, it's not as loud as a twin, but I don't know anyone personally who's succussfully used a twin to it's full potential, and this amp will shine every time in all settings. not big enough for you? check the sight, they have all sizes. for more on me, check out my bands website at www.mixednutzrock.com. hope you at least try one out.

This is the 2x12 Superdrive 18 II . Two channels clean and dirty , effects loop , bright pull switch on rythm channel and a pull switch that drops out the mids . What I wish it had was reverb , I`ve never had much luck using reverb effects . I`m using my Maxon delay through the effects loop and it gives the sound some nice ambience .

Currently I`m playing a Erine Ball Axis with Dimarzios Virtual PAF in the neck and Tone Zone in the bridge and also a hotrodded strat style with a single Seymour Duncan custom in the Bridge . I bought this amp mainly because I heard it could get the Van Halen brown sound and it comes very close . The clean sounds with the Axis on the neck pickup are beautiful but the Tone Zone pickup doesn`t sound that great so I`ll probably repalce it with Seymour Duncans Custom5 . The dirty/crunch sounds I`m getting with my Strat style are very nice and thick , great hard rock n roll sound . This is not a high gain amp though so if you want brutal distortion you`ll need a pedal . For only 18 watts this thing cranks and should have no problem playing over a drummer.

The only problem this amp gave me was when , like an idiot , I forced the rectifer tube in the wrong way and burnt out the transformer . I learned something with that bonehead mistake , I`d probably use a backup if I gigged , even the best gear breaks down . I`ve had it with the new transformer for only a month now so I really can`t give an opinion on reliability .

Great people at Budda . I had to deal with them about the problem mentioned above and they were very cool to talk to and deal with and they installed a new transformer .

I`m still waiting to plug my Wolfgang Special into it , I`m having new pickups installed in it . If your playing rock(VH ,Zeppelin ,Sabbath,AC/DC,Aerosmith)this is the amp to do it with but I think a high output pickup (like the Tone Zone) would sound to muddy with this amp , I`m gonna try and stay with med./high output pickups in the 14k range (the three Seymour Duncan custom models all fall in that range) . I did get to compare it with a 20 watt Marshall Dsl 201 and I`ll just that the Budda blows it away . The Marshall has more gain and is $500.00 cheaper but sounds paper thin compared to the Budda . I hope nothing happens to it because I can`t afford another one , it`s an expensive amp but you can hear where your extra dollars went .

1X12, all tube 18 watt combo. For a full list of features: http://www.budda.com/products/printed_circuit/product_super18_1x12.html
This is a LOUD 18 watts. Plenty of clean headroom. I play only at home, so I cannot say if this is loud enough for playing out, but it will definitely be loud enough to keep up with a drummer. I like that it has an extra speaker jack, I may add a 1x12 cab later. No reverb or headphone jack. But with the master volume you can get it pretty quiet, and I really don't miss the reverb (it is a big enclosure, so it may have some natural reverb in the tone). Well designed clean and lead channel (more below).

I play a Peavey Wolfgang and Ernie Ball Music Man Axis. Both have humbuckers (though the Axis has some single coil sounds which are very nice). I play rock, nothing too fancy, just at home. The clean channel is very quiet. It has great headroom, and with the bright boost, I love turning it up and just playing some arpeggios or letting some open chords ring. Very pretty, glassy tones. Pushing the gain on the clean channel gives more bite and some breakup, more of a "crunch" type sound. Very warm, even with a lot of gain. The lead channel is what made me willing to put my name on a waiting list for this amp. If you pull on the "mid" knob, it like gives an eq boost for a more "modern" sound. I don't know how they figured this voicing out, but it sounds to me like Eddie Van Halen, or Slash (from Guns N Roses). By that I mean, it is a VERY articulate, SMOOTH distortion, that feels very responsive too. I give up trying to desvribe it. All I can say is I used to have a mesa/boogie combo, loved it, and was ready to but a Mesa Rectoverb, and then I tried this amp in the store (actually the 80 watt head with a 2x12 cab), and it did not compare. I tried Top Hat, Koch (nice combo, I recommend), Carr, and even a Bogner combo (great sound, but a bit confusing layout). They are all fine products, but I don't think you can find as good a combo of clean and lead channels. In my opinion, the only better clean channel was the Top Hat, and there was no better distortion (maybe I should have played the Bogner more, it was really good too). This amp makes me play better, just out of love of the tone it produces. The controls are all useful, and change the sound, but it is always goign to sound good. Mesa i like a lot, but I had to adjust things just right to get a great tone I felt. This one you can just plug in and play, which I HIGHLY suggest you do. I heard the sound samples on the budda.com website and they did not even come close to what the amp really offers. I think Budda is known for their "blues/clean" type tones, but The Superdrive series rocks.

I had a problem that probably occured in shipping. Ups just left it at my house when I was out, and I saw there was a hole in the side of the packaging, where it must have hit some corner or something. Musiciansfriend.com just shipped it in the Budda box, and when I opened it up, I found a tube rolling around the bottom of the amp. Not good. With some help (see below), I got the tube back in and was able to play it fine. Sounded great. Maybe a low hum on the dirty channle, but I crank the gain. There was a slight burning odor, and the tubes do get hot (see below). I have only had it 2 days (hope to have it many yearS), and have HEARD great things about this company (handmade, boutique, ex-Mesa guys etc.). However I knock my rating down 2 because I think they should do a better job protecting the tubes (bubble wrap was used on the solid steel footswithc, which came in box anyway. That wrap would have been much better served taped underneath and around the tubes, to protect them in shipping. UPS obviously screwed up, but at this price point (over $1000), I think some more care in packaging is required.

When I got the amp and saw the tube in the back of it, I pretty much immediately called the support number (the tube would not go back in). I talked to a guy, who I later realized must be the actual owner of the company (Scot). He suggested I talk to the internet site I bought it from, since it seemed to have been damaged in shipping. He also asked me more about the issue, and told me of a solution (bending the pins manually) that should work (I am not technical and don't want to mess with something I don't know). That solution worked, though I noticed a slight burning smell. I sent an email, asking about that burning smell, and some other questions I had about the product. I received a reply the next day itself, from Scot (the owner). He was informative and helpful and I have every expectation that they will stand behind their product. More than even the warm/fuzzy of hearing from the owner, I got the information I need, either right there on the phone, or in a day (for email).

I give this 18 watt combo a 10, it really is a fantastic value, though it is hard to say that for something in this price range. I have one warning (at the bottom). If I could have afforded the 80 watt head which is like $2000, I would call that a great value too (though not practical for one who plays at home only!). I also own a very nice Music Man axis guitar, which is damn pretty AND sounds great AND plays great. The budda is not that great looking (see for yourself), but sounds so good and is so fun to play. My music man was actually stolen a year ago, and I spent the $1300 and waited the 3 months to get another one. With the budda I would do the same. The only question would be if I would get a different configuration (18 watt or 30 watt head with 2x12 cab). I tried out Top Hat (great clean sound), Carr Slant 6V (good clean and dirty), Bogner Metropolis, Koch Twintone (european amp, good sound) I love Mesa stuff, but this is better. Mesa has some good tones, is fun to play, but this is just more so. I am a bit worried about the tubes--after that first burning smell they are fine, but they seem pretty delicate.
WARNING: My only warning is that I have heard (as of Dec. 02) that there is a 3 month wait on getting any new Budda amp/combo. The salesman I talked to said that there was a burst water main at the Factory, and it set back production. I lucked out into finding an internet site that had one left. I am very very happy. But I think if you spend in this price range, you may be willing to wait to get the amp you want. IN any case, I would tell anyone to try out the Superdrive series.

pretty basic setup, but thats the way i like it. two channels, both of them kill. one clean, one dirty. sometimes i wish i had separate master volumes. I also wish it had reverb.

i play mostly rock with a gibson les paul. it can cover a wide range of music with the range of distortion it gets. i love the distortion. its the best i've ever heard. even at low volumes it sounds good. thats one of the good things about its low wattage(18watts). you don't need to crank it, but you definitely can. i've played a few small gigs with it and it worked great. it is very quiet even at high volume levels.

It has never broken down, though i've only had it for a year. i haven't had to change the tubes yet.

i've been playing for 5 years and i'm 19. i would definitely recomend checking this amp out. if it was stolen, i would probably look at some of the other budda's. some of the higher wattage ones. maybe the SD 30 watt 2x12 combo or head.