Budda Superdrive 30 1x12 Combo

My amp is a 2001 Superdrive, from the last point-to-point hand-wired series. 4 EL84's, 3 12AX7's, and one 5U4G. It is a 30-watt (extremely loud) two channel amp, switchable by a push/pull master volume knob, or the included footswitch. The footswitch also allows you to switch cabinets, which is a great feature. The knobs are very basic: master volume, bass, mid, treble, drive, and rhythm volume (w/ a push/pull brite switch). It also has a real nice effects loop. Despite the basic controls, the amp is extremely versatile, from pristine clean to heavy modern rock. It is very easy to dial in unbelievable tone with this baby. The two features that would make this amp perfect would be the addition of reverb, as well as a lighted footswitch (the included one has no lights).

I am playing through this amp with a David Thomas McNaught Phoenix. I play anything from jazz to heavy modern rock, and this amp performs perfectly throughout the spectrum. What really sets the Superdrive apart from all other amps is that your notes retain their clarity, even with heavily distorted open chording. The tone is absolutely unbelievable, with very harmonically rich sounds that cut through the mix very nicely, with lots of headroom. Break up is perfect. The tone can be described as a vintage Vox AC-30 meets a vintage Marshall Plexi. It is dead quiet, and very sensitive to picking and volume nuances. Every detail of your playing shines through with this amp. There is nothing better.

Scott and Jeff are dedicated to their work. Eveyrthing is of the highest quality, and every detail has been paid attention to. I am gigging without a backup, and the amp is wonderful. No problems whatsoever. I wouldn't trust any other amp more.

This is where Budda really blew me away. These guys are truly the ultimate in customer support. You can always get Scot and Jeff on the phone, and they will talk with you to answer all of your questions. They also respond to all of your e-mails, usually the same day. These are the same guys who design and build the amps - unheard of!

I have been playing for 5 years, and have searched through many amps to find my tone. The Superdrive has very unique voicing, and when I first heard it, I knew it was the amp for me. I would buy another one without blinking an eye if anything were to happen to it. Maybe this amp isn't for you, but if you are still searching for perfect tone, you defintely owe it to yourself to try out a Budda. As they say, "Man with bad tone laughs alone".

Recent vintage Budda Super Drive 30. Two channels. Versatile enough for what I'm currently playing, which is a lot of casual gigging with Rockford, Illinois' Prime Time. Anything from hard rock to Celine Dion. It's all tube with 3 12AX7s, a tube rectifier, and a quartet of EL84s. All Sovtek. Two channels with the usual setup, clean vs. dirty. A serial effect loop. I play in clubs, bowling alleys and country clubs, and it's plenty powerful for what I'm doing. It's also plenty versatile.

Using it with a number of different instruments: PRS, Reverend, Fender, Parker, G&L. I'm beginning to use my guitar volume and tone controls far more than in the past, and with a Fuller Fat Boost to kick up my volume for leads this amp works great. Very low noise. Fat, Marshally distortion that also sings with the right instruments. The clean channel has plenty of headroom at high volume.

Appears to be very dependable, although the footswitch didn't work out of the box. Scot at Budda did a great job coordinating the return and repair for me. I've owned it for a month or so and have had no problems whatsoever.

Referencing the above category: Quick and courteous replies to verbal and email queries on the status of the switch. Scot even commented that the Rev-Budda combination sounded like it would be terrific. Scot is ex-Mesa, so it's no surprise that these guys are serious about support. Gotta love a company in which one of the honchos is picking up the phones for you.

Playing for 28 years now; I own the above mentioned guitars, a pair of Mesa Mark IIIs, a Rivera Jake, and a Duncan 84-50. If the Budda were stolen I'd certainly try to replace it, although I got a better than fair deal on this piece. I do wish that there were discrete sets of controls for each channel, because it can be tricky to dial in a great sound for both channels. I played a Fender Tele '52 Reissue through this in the store and fell in love with the clean tone... a first for me. I've used Mesa gear since '88 and flirted with Paulie's amps since '99 and the Budda had a dimension that the other two didn't have. Not necessarily better, just a different and very useful vibe. Nothing else occurred to me. Great build quality + great tone + excellent customer service + a good price = a fine, fine acquisition.

2000 Budda Super Drive 30 1 12 high gain combo, push/pull channel switching, master volume, drive control, push/pull rhythm volume for the bright side, 3 band eq, tube driven effects loop, cabinet switching, all the basics plus some. Very versitile amp to say the least, although reverb would be a welcome feature.

The sound is amazing! The clean side is great and doesn't break up at low volume. The gain side has a great sound also, you can get anything you want out of it from a high gain distortion to the slightest of overdrive, and every thing in between. It makes all of my guitars sound differen (unlike my Fender Blues Jr.). The main guitar used with the Budda is a Fender Califonia strat with "Holy Grail '54's" Lace Sensors. The band I'm in does alot of U2 style stuff, and this IS the ultimate clean sound, it gets even better when ran through a good analog phaser and a compressor(I use a mid 70's MXR Phase 100 and a Boss compressor). I use many guitars with this amp, a 77 Fender Strat, 83 Gibson Les Paul, Epiphone DOT, Fender Strat with EMG 81's, Fender Tele with Vintage noiseless p/u's, it takes everything but the Paul very well(It has a Seymour Duncan '59 that some nutbar tried to rewind, both of the p/u's will be replaced with Lindy Fralin PAF's)

My reason for buying this amp was to get a modern sound, I'm 16, and I'm not a punk or a Stevie Ray wanna be. Stevie was great, and a great influence on me, but quit ripping the man off! Every where I go I see some kid playing his "ol' number one" Squire with a TS9 playing some white boy wersion of Pride and Joy (I will say better to be like Stevie than Korn). I think Fender feeds on these poor kids, by making "all tube amps with that Texas sizzle" and skimping on all the parts. Budda is a breath of fresh air in a world of over used tones.

I've only had it for a week, but it's well made, you can tell. I've owned a few good amps, mainly Fenders and one Marshall(76 JMP),
and I would bet money it would out last any of those.

These guys are great! I must have E-mailed Scott five or six times asking questions, and he always replied the same day with a direct and indepth answer.

Overall it can't be beat, after compairing it to many amps (Fender Twin, Deluxe Reverb, Bassman, all the reissue's, Marshall JCM 2000, Fender Silverface twin reverb and super reverb, Mesa Boogie Blue Angel, Maverick, Mark IV, .50 cal, Heart Breaker, Vox reissue AC 30, and a few more) none of them come close. I love my Marshall JMP, but I can't use 100 watts in church! So the Budda fills it's shoes very well at a very comfortable volume.

30 watt/el-84's channel switching hi gain amp. Master Vol/ push pullknob, bass mid, treble, Drive, Rhythm vol/bright push pull. Effect loop tube driven of course, cabinet switching. Has a shitload of tubes including rectifier. Made in 2000. If this had the verb of the verbmaster, which I also own, this would be perfect. Styles of music this thing colud handle anything. Kickin studio amp, live it's a jaw dropper

Like I said ihave a verbmaster also(see my post) Each guitar sounds different. Brian May Guild sounds other worldly(Killer Queen), Axis rocks, I know quite a few EVH licks , and I sound like me, which is very cool, PRS, as Scot says JUICY!!! it is. Style ACDC to ZZTop, Country to Shred (think Eric J, not Vai) This amp is upto and beyond. As Eric says it's one of the most musical He's heard, Nuff said . ps IT'S PHAAAAATT

Held up so far. Had it for 6 months and quite a few live gigs no problems. The EL 84's get really hot...so does every other el84 driven tube amp. I use these amp, but try to baby them..yeah I'd say they handle the road..but I've gotta a back up, do it right or stay at home.

Alright here is where these guys are awsome. Yeah they make one of the top three amps out there. I'm allowing for different taste(i've bought 2). Scot and Jeff have been ultra helpful with questions and updates and i recieve an update nlt the next day. I know Scot is busy, but he'll chat about the gear. Super nice people

20 yrs on the Giut fiddle and these are the best i've played...If you find something that really works don't fix it. Lost or stolen..I'd be in prison for killin the guy, How do you lose an amp??? Hav not played the Bogners or Matchless or any of the Boutiques, and I'm sure there great..I'll probably will..for now Budda...This amp brings out the player...In a word it Breathes. For the price..Can't touch it. Try one and tell Scot I sent you, and maybe I can finally get a t-shirt:-)

This amp was built in 2000. This is a 30 watt tube amp with a master volume control. I play mostly blues and rock. The controls are very simple: master volume, bass, mid, treble, drive (for the overdrive channel), and volume (for the rhythm channel). You can pull out the rhythm volume to get a brighter sound. Channel switching is via a footswitch or push/pull on the master volume.

The amp supports multiple speaker impedance: 4, 8, 16. It has a slave out with its own volume control. You can also add a second set of speakers that can be turned on and off based on the channel or via a switch.

There is an effects loop, but there is no send or return volume. I believe the speaker is an emminance speaker specially designed for Budda. It sounds very nice, much like a Celestion Vintage 30.

This amp is a tone machine! When I received it, I plugged it in and plugged in my strat and it sounded awesome. You can go from a very clean and warm sound all the way to a long sustain kind of tone. You can get a nice blues tone, a vintage Van Halen, a Vox tone, a Marshall Plexi.

It is amazing the different tones that can be crated with just so few controls. I hate to overuse this cliche, but the amp is extremely articulate. Using the controls, the guitar volume control, and picking technique, you get a whole myriad of sounds. Before I bought this amp, I was told by others it is not a high gain amp. Well, its not a heavy metal Metalica kind of sound, but I can get just about anything else I want out of it -- without twiddling knobs for 20 minutes.

The speaker is awesome also. I was told that it is designed by Emminance for Budda. It reminds me of a Celestion Vintage 30 with a nice round, warm tone.

I've played a strat with EMGs, a Gibson SG with EMGs, a Tom Anderson strat, and a Les Paul with Seymour Duncan's. They all sound fantastic.

I've had this only for a couple of weeks. So far so good.

I must have called Scot a half a dozen times before buying the amp asking him all sorts of questions and he was extremely patient and helpful. The footswitch got damaged during shipping, and they promptly sent me a new one -- no questions asked. I've e-mailed Scot a couple of time with more questions and he's replied the same day.

I've been playing on and off for about 16 years. I played Fenders, Boogies, Marshalls,and Peaveys. I hate to say this, but I can't think of anything major wrong with this puppy. OK, it doesn't have a send/return volume and the chassis gets a little hot after a couple of hours of playing. If something were to happen to this amp, I'd get another one. I looked at Bogner Shiva, and I liked this one better and it was a lot cheaper. I looked at Rivera Chubster and liked the sound of the Budda better (Budda Better? :-)).

My favorate thing about this amp is how easy it is to get a nice tone out of it. Doesn't require too much fiddling. You play more and enjoy your playing more. Since I've gotten this amp, I feel a lot better about my playing. Even my wife said today "Boy, you sound good!"