Budda Superdrive 30 1x12 Combo

2 Channels 30 watts, effects loop, pull bright switch, vintage modern tone pull. Great amp. Very good for clean and driving rock sounds. Loud enough to gig but you can also turn it down and play at home but probably not in an apartment. Quad EL 84s produce a good clean and rock sound although it's not quite a marshall but you do gain more sound capability. Walked into Sam Ash and saw it under a Managers Special Sale for a phenominal price. Could not resist.

Sounds great with a Les Paul or Strat. Amp seems to really "breath well" and plays as hard or soft as you need. Only had it for less than one month so I have not had a chance to really crank it full blast at a practice yet. Great for clean strat tones or old ZZ Top sounds. The funny thing is I was building a pedal board with at least 3 OD's and distortion pedals on it. I really don't need more than a tube screamer or boast to drive this amp. It produces a great rock sound on the OD channel all by itself! I did find the best sounds were to split my board and run the OD straight in the front and the delay and reverb into the loop. The loop does not have any volume adjustments and takes some time to get the blend and volume levels right. Run your OD pedals straight in and everything else throught the loop.

Everything was working great until today when I turned it on and there was no volume. I checked the tubes and eventually the amp started working again. After about 20 minutes the volume died and the power to the amp went - blown fuse. I called Jeff at Budda and he was very helpful in diagnosing the problem. He is sending out a new rectifier tube and fuse ASAP. Great service! I hope that this is the only issue I run into as this is a great amp overall. This amp does run pretty hot so it will probably eat a lot of tubes.

The Best! Jeff answers your emails and phone calls himself! Walked me through a problem and sent out new tubes. I hope that this fixes my problem as I really love the amp. This guy stands behind his products! I did buy the extended warranty so if I did happen to get a lemon I should be covered. I am in sales myself and know when someone is just out to close the sale and move on. Jeff at Budda cares about his customers. We just need more Budda amps out there in the marketplace.

Playing over 20 years. Finally found the amp that if I had to I would sell my Marshall and Fender and keep this one. Would buy it again no questions asked. Great sound and feel to it. I told my wife that a tube amp is almost like a living thing...she thought I was crazy but it's true! Not as tight sounding as my Marshall JCM 800 but much smoother and less shrill. Will experiment with different brands of tubes as times goes by.

2 years old. Like my 18 watt Budda it only weighs 5 more pounds at 47 I think. My review of the 18 watter was basically...sold all my Boogies (owned 8 over years), Feneder, many others over 45 years as the Budda sounds like my Boggie is supposed to. Of course more headroom especially clean, but for most gigs..dance band..vintage rock R&B, blues reggae, jazz..same band 14 years. personally I love the effects loop with TC GSystem and other time based effects. Plenty power for our gigs (weddings,parties small and very large occasionally...very few clubs thank God! Know this: 30 Budda watts is like 60 on other amps.
*** I just learned that one great feature is switching to 18 watts by jerking 2 center tubes and replacing the rectifier tube with $25 5Y3 tube. I can run stereo at home with my 18 watter and BAM! what a huge sound at low volume! awesome wife lets me wail and I have never wanted to play so much in my life...(that would be woodshedding/practice for all the Guitar Gods out there) Just make sure you are a clean player with Budda, unlike Line 6, all sounds are clearly heard especialy unmuted strings.

'53 Tele my dad bought new, 84' PRS I bought new, PRS Hbody 2, strats,

Buddas take exactly what you put in..from 53 Fralin rewound single coil to PRS 'buckers, and deliver in spades EXACTLY what the guitar is supposed to sound like...even Epi Casino P90's..spot on what goes in comes out ecpecially clean channel one... chicken Pickin' is scary in how awesome it sounds. Channel 2 also likes any pickup but really blasts with 'buckers.
Clean channel has planty of blues gain and sustain. Single coils shine here and strats are as persussive..snappy sounding as they are supposed to be. It has more headroom than any amp I have ever played. and is very dynamic. The 30 watter gets 10 just as the 18 watter did as it gets almost any sound you have ever heard style wise from, spanky plank funk/country,to Jazz, to SRV, to heavy vintage rock.
Distortion channel can get pretty hot and has the marshall K'rang cold! But neck position PRS is Santana-land for sure. Most will need no more than 30 watter...freakin' loud when you need it. I prefer the 18 watter as most gigs are small 200 to 300 people and the harder tubes breath the better the sound IMUO. A Lot of HIGH end stomps are not getting used much anymore...they suck more tone than most are willing to even investigate much less admit too.

18 watter for 2 years has no problems whatsoever.

Jeff and the guys always answer emails promptly and extremely knowledgeable.
No repairs yet but looks great

45 years of playing..10.5 as a drummer..Too much gear to list in terms of amps, stomp boxes and effects..it's rediculous but a very good wife!
Buy another asap.
I LOVE the tone and dynamics, but especially it speaks your guitar's resonance & pickup language..PERIOD!
Like others I wish the loop was foot switchable. Reverb was an issue, but the tone is so amazing I find myself going straight in..Direct Inject...besides on closer inspection most find they are tone suckers anyway despite what they may say about "true bypass--my a**"..still suck tone off...a few do not but rare. I am a tone fanatic..so..

Ok the players and vocalist are seasoned versatile top shelf performers (myself excluded) so I listen to their opinions as unbiased as they truly are..They say "sell the rest and bring the Buddas"!

Made in 2007.

The amp has a very versatile clean channel that I would describe as "elastic", it is very easy on the fingers, and it can do laid back jazz, raunchy blues and funky spank. Bright pull on the volume gives a more open tone.

The drive channel has a dirty plexi character, and is really versatile as all its gain ranges are useable, brightness increases with gain up and you have a mid pull modern function which is kinda like a loudness button.

The serial FX loop is OK. It's pedal level, and the level changes with different master settings. On any tube amp I wish for a bypasseable loop with a remote switch, but only few have it. The loop in the SDII30 is OK but not fantastic.

It also has a slave out which I don't use.

Cabinet quality is very high standards.

Tube sockets are cheap plastic which is very annoying.

One thing about me you should know: I am a gear head, an amp whore and a GASofanatic. So don't take for 100% what I am saying, as people like me dream about capacitor values, phantasize about speaker types while driving and should overall not be taken too serious.

Having said that, I own 4 tube amps at the moment, and I buy and sell a lot. The Budda is most likely to stay, and here is why:

CLEAN: If the amp is turned up, due to its construction, you cannot expect the biggest headroom ever, it's got its strength more on the thick and compressed cleans, with a bit of hair - which is perfect in my opinion. I mostly play it with Humbucker guitars and bright switch on. As said before, due to its tube rectifier construction it's an elastic response which is very easy to play, even with a very bright and clear tone.

DRIVE: I mostly play in modern mode, with varying settings, but prefer gain around noon, as the amp feels louder and more direct in a band context with less gain. At home I might wiggle gain up to even full, just for the fun. I prefer the modern mode, as it makes the whole amp much more interesting sounding to me. This channel, as the clean, is very versatile. It can do a very convincing 60s ,70s ,80s or 90s/00s rock, and doesn't need a decade switch for that. It really has many many useable settings, unlike most other amps that only have a few sweet spots. But don't be mistaken, it's not a tone tweaker amp, usually I switch it on, take 1 minute to dial in and then I suddenly realise 2h have passed without me touching it again.

The serial FX loop is OK. It's pedal level, and the level changes with different master settings. On any tube amp I wish for a bypasseable loop with a remote switch, but only few have it. The loop in the SDII30 is OK but not fantastic.

Please note that the amp gets VERY hot, and it eats tubes for dinner. A new quad of EL84s should be within your budget every 6 months. It's worth it!

I have been happy right away, but meanwhile changed the following things:
-Replaced the Budda Phat by a Celestion G12-65 Heritage (gives more of an 80s upper mid Marshall crunch)
-Replaced the output tubes by EL84CZ ("bigger" and less fizzy than the GTs)

It's addictive to play, and very pleasing to listen to. Highly responsive to what you put it. A great great amp indeed!!

I had issues with the cheap tube sockets. The amount of heat could long term stress the components. It's not a 10...

Was in contact with Jeff via email. He even forwarded my clips links to the whole team. Very nice company!

I am 37 and been playing since 20 years. My other amps are a Bogner Shiva, a Marshall Vintage Modern, a Vox AC30.

If all my gear was stolen, I would cry a lot for sure, but then it would be this amp I would buy again in an instant. Or I would try the whole Budda range and get a 30, a 45 or an 80.

When I compare this amp to my Bogner Shiva, then the Shiva has more volume and more "oomph", it is also a very "grown up" amp. But when I listen to my heart and how much fun I have playing the Budda, I prefer this 30W beast.

Like on all amps, I wish I could remote switch the loop on and off.

Buddas are very hard to find in Europe. They should improve their distributor network as many people are missing out on a great product.

Basic and clean:

Series effects loop
Two channel
Shared Eq
Slave Out
Selectable OHM

All you need...

It gets a 10 because I knew what it had and didn't before I bought it...comparing this amp to an amp with 3 channels, independent Eq's, silent recording, etc...is really unreasonable.

Versatility and sweet tone.

Whatever you want to play...this box will do it.

Whatever guitar you use...it sounds like that guitar.

Dynamics are clearly articulated.

Overtones are intoxicating.

Scared senseless of this amp...

The first one didn't work when I bought it from an online (M@@@@@@@'s F@@@@d) retailer...they said it worked perfectly...I sent it to Budda...they fixed it (or so I thought)...after a couple of weeks it exhibited the same behavior --- my 45-day guarantee had expired because all of this took awhile...called Budda...they didn't know what it was...sent it to Budda --- they replaced the entire chassis for a new one... - I thought that one would work flawlessly...well it didn't...after a couple of months of LIGHT use...it began to go downhill again...sent it back to Budda...it was a bad wire on the effects loop.

This amp has me worried about what is next...anything that is similar to what has occurred already makes me jumpy. And, I really don't need to hear about - it could be the tubes...well, it could always be the tubes then...

Reliability --- 2

It's a boutique amp...I expect near 100% functionality all the time.

Jeff and Brandon are both extremely helpful...and they stand behind their product. And, they handled me well...

Played many amps over 15 years of semi-pro and professional playing. This is the ONLY tube amp that has ever given me any issues --- the ONLY one...if it didn't sound exactly like I've always wanted --- I mean...this thing is extraordinary...

It's not always a tube issue...that means anytime anything occurs it could be a tube...well, I've had amps with '84s '34s 6l6's, with and without rectifier tubes...and a glowing row of preamp tubes (don't you just love tube glow...???)...and this is the ONLY amp that has ever given me reliability issues.

The early problems really have me jumpy...I'd love to hand Budda another 3-4000 for another SD30 and an SD18...but, I'm hesitant.

I'll give it a 5...because I'm just unsure how often this thing will function near 100%.

Already listed...

Really, everybody knows what they are buying before they lay the cash down...so, it gets a 10. Why buy something when you want other features that aren't offered on one particular amp or another.

Everything that is needed...nothing that is not.

Absolutely spiritual...cleans through monstrous overdrive. Budda has an animal in this one...

I recently had an audition in Nashville with a new rising artist...he and the band were simply blown away by the tone I can coax out of this little box.

So, blues, country, jazz, rock, nu-rock...whatever you need...it's there...and with plenty of mojo.

Can I give this thing a 12 instead of a 10...???

Here is the only problem...

I've had two now...through no fault of my own.

First one they fixed...it came back to me and broke down again...I sent it back and they replaced the entire chassis. This one worked for a few weeks/couple of months and - BAM! - it didn't work...a faulty wire on the effects loop...sent it back...not my fault...they fixed this one...now, every time something is strange it makes me worry. When in Nashville, like a bonehead...I forgot to take spare tubes...never needed a spare set with my Mesas, my Fenders, or my Marshalls...NEVER...they NEVER gave me one single problem...so, I just didn't think about it --- never again...called them up...said I should have had a spare set...too soon to the audition for a trip out to get some...so I popped one tube out, put it back in and the problems went away...call it divine intervention --- BUT, it's worth the problems for the tone...this thing is absolutely a brilliant design. And, when you have top pro's tell you how awesome the tone is...it should give you all the confidence to keep using the product. I'm selling my Rectoverb and a practice 6505 (got it on a trade up, if you can believe that) and buying another SD 30 1x12 for a backup.

But, the early issues give me pause...with this particular amp I own - not all Buddas.

How good are they?

Fantastic!!! An easy 10 here...

7 because of the reliability with this particular amp.

If this was based on tone alone...there isn't a high enough mark.

Two channels/shared Eq/Serial Effects Loop/2 Speaker Outs - selectable Ohm...we all know what we were buying - a two-channel amp without any bells and whistles...going for tone - not a bunch of lights.

It gets a 10 because if I needed more, I would have bought a different amp. If you need more, then buy a different amp.

This thing is spiritual...you can coax any tone you want from this amp...from chimey clean to pure tube saturation. Very sensitive to your playing...a very organic amp - it responds perfectly.

I use a variety of Fenders with Dimarzio p-ups. The Tone Zone seems to work very well with my setup...the Fast Track I and Cruiser p-ups work well in the Neck position.

I give Jeff a 10+ for the design.

Here's the issue:

First amp...they replaced the chassis and gave me a new one.

The second lasted a few months and then a faulty wire on the effects loop sent it back to the shop...it's fixed and working quite well.

I'm a bit hesitant about using it without a backup...but, Brandon and Jeff @ Budda are fantastic...I have no problem using the amp or buying another one because of their commitment to get me an amp that is reliable. I thank them...

However, I give it a 4 for reliability...I'll update this in a year to an 8 if this last fix gives me a year of uninterrupted service.

Perfect...wonderful...the best!!!

The should be commended...

I give it a 7 because of the reliability issues...if I see the year of good use...I'll easily give it a 10+.

One other thing...I plan on purchasing another 30 and an 18 over the next year. I think I just have a couple of amps that are completely atypical for the company.

This is a series 2 with a printed circut board, not point 2 point. Amp is said to be lacking on features, but I think it has all that are needed without having, "too much". Two Channels: Clean & Hi-Gain, which are footswitchable. 30 watts, but extremely loud!!! Amp will cover any moderate size club gig. Slave out, with slave level. Effects loop. 4 el84's, 3 12ax's, 1 au4 rectafier. Push/Pull Vintage or Modern Distortion. Push/Pull Brite Swith. Clean volume, drive level, and master volume knobs. It does have a shared EQ b/t channels, which I have heard numerous complaints about. However, i don't think it's a big problom, my settings b/t clean and dirty channels haven't differed that much on seperately EQ'd amps i've owned in the past, and be honest, neither have yours;). I'm giving this an 8 for you, "features freaks" out there b/c it does'nt have a built in compressor, ring modulator, or microwave. But in my heart it's a 10.

I already put the rating @ a 10 b/f I wrote this sentence. I've had the amp for around 1 1/2 months, so i've had time to experiment some. This amp can pull off almost any sound with absoulute perfection. This is by far the best sounding amp i've ever owned.

Clean channel: Nice and warm, but not muddy. However with a pull of the bright swithch, you can let the chime ring; even with humbuckers. When pushed, this amp will give off an awesome vintage overdrive sound. This is all done with just a roll of the volume knob; THIS AMP IS EXTREMELY PLAYER SENSATIVE!!! Channel has a volume knob so you can keep in step with dirty channel.

Hi-Gain channel: PERFECTION. Crisp bass, slathery midrange, defined top end PERFECTION. Can cover country to metal. Awesome response from this amp; you can feel the sound coming from your fingers. Nice tight sound overall, not sloppy as with some amps I have owned in the past. Amp is not noisy; obviously some hiss will appear @ high volumes, but it's not overbearing. Brings out pedals remarkably; chorus sounds sweeter, delay is more pronounced, nothing gets muddy. Best sounding distortion in the biz, it will fit your taste no matter what it is.

I bought the amp used. When I got it, the amp was cutting out @ times. After looking @ tubes when this happened I saw that when the amp cut out, some of the output tubes had no fire. I called Budda directly, and he said I needed to change the output tubes. Since then, amp workes fine. I feel the amp is reliable, It is put together very cleanly. I gig with no backup. I will admit, any probloms make a fella a little leary, even if it is just a routine maintenance issue. I wanna give it a 10, but i'm gonna be stubborn and show a 9 for this catagory.

The best ever!!!! Owners/designers answer the phone directly. When I had called about the aforementioned tube issue, the "Budda Guys" were there to explain the problom, and talked with me about numerous other questions i was able to come up with as well. I know they're busy, so I try not to bother em', but they're there when you need em' fo' sho'! They also reply to e-mails same day on any I sent, amazing. Overall extremely helpful and informative.

I've been playing guitar for about 5-6 years. I have a Frankenstien strat with a Gibson classic in the neck and a Seymour Duncan in the bridge -> Budda -> Guyatone SV-2 -> Boss TU 2 -> Boss PS 5 -> Boss CE 5 -> Boss DD 3. If this amp were stolen, i'd cry and then buy another one(well, after a little while, these baby's are'nt free). I compared this to an Orange AD-30 when I bought this. This amp suited my style(s) best. If I have to say one thing I wish this amp had, it would be rubber feet on the bottom ( which I bought some adhesive ones form Wmart and applied for $1.79) b/c the metal ones make my heart skip when I set this down on concrete;)

I think it depends on what you define as features - which is why I gave it a seven. 2 channel, all tube (including the rectifier), effects loop, shared eq, bright switch for the clean channel. Can switch cabinets for a lead channel. I do this and haven't seen anyone write about it, so I thought it may be helpful to add my 2 cents.

I have a PTP Superdrive 30 rackmount. I was told it was the last PTP made (those sales people...) loved the tone and had to get it (It's very cool living across the street from GC!).

I wish the footswitch had a light and the volume was more pronounced when switching to the lead channel. I always wondered if there was a problem with the amp. If anyone knows, please let me know. It has never really bothered me, but I've always been curious.

Right now I'm mostly playing a LP studio I bought a few months back. Sounds awesome!! I have used the usual axes into this amp and it always delivers awesome tones! You can get pristine clean sounds to some pretty heavy tones too. It may take a while to "learn how to play" this amp. For me, the amp really is a new intsrument I had to spend some time with and experiment to get the sound I want. I used it in cover bands playing everything from Pink Floyd to Metallica and this amp always delivered. It truly is the sound in my head. I use Bag End birch cabs for the main speakers and Bag End Red Rocks for the extension cabs. It is a very unique sound and cuts through everything! Before I bought the Red Rocks cabs, this baby hung right in there with a Mark IV and a Bogner Shiva (no BS) - I'll bet w/ the extension cabs it will smoke it!!!! I'll have to hook up with somebody that has one and see.

Everybody gives my rig a double-take... until they hear it. I would say 90% of the people that hear it are blown away! The other 10% love the modelers - enough said.

I feel that I can depend on this amp, but I always gig with a back-up (It just makes good sense). When I bought this amp I heard a rattle in the amp when I played a low E with the neck PU. Read more about this later. Besides that, I haven't had any problems.

I called Jeff and told him about the rattle in the amp. I took it to his shop and dropped it off. He called me and said that the amp rattled against the rackmount chassis and repalced it with a new one (newer version) free of charge. I didn't think to keep the old one. What was I thinking!? I've also emailed the company and gotten a response from Jeff the very next day.

I'd say their customer service is right up there with Peavey. If you've dealt with Peavey, you know what I mean. Jeff is very cool and really takes care of his customers. I'd say they should get an 11.

This is my favorite amp, and I've played several: Fender, Marshall, Vox, Bogner, Mesa, etc. I also own a Mesa DC-5 (great amp). I would definitely get another if something happened to it (assuming I could afford one now). The cabinet switching is a great feature. I originally had a 12x10 cab and switched speakers this way (amazing tone). I traded it for the Bag End cabs after 1 gig because I just didn't have alot of room in my car and it was hard on my back. If you can swing it get a 12x10 cab. It really adds to the versatility of the amp. This amp is definitely worth the money and I may get the 18 watt version when I have the extra cash. If you are looking for a new amp, you should definitely give these a try. Quality all the way.

This is a PTP series one I got. Serial# less than 100.
Has the channel switching and cabinet switching feature. Cab switching is cool may never use it though, we'll see. I wish it had a boost fswitch and maybe a "modern" footswitch.

Plenty of gain. Play hard and you can get metal. One of the most touch responsive amps out there. Very responsive to pickup output. My Lp with a duncan 59 sounds way more tame than a san dimas explorer with a dimarzio distortion. I would put it in the same class as the Bogner Shiva which is also very sensitive to touch and guitar pickup output. This is more sweet sounding than the Bogner so in that respect I liek it better.
I compare it to making a guitar sound like a piano. The notes are well defined in chords. It's like the antithesis of a Mesa Boogie.
Very quiet overall. Clean is great sounds cool when cranked, kind of like the Budda twinmaster.

I've owned practically one of everything Budda ever made. There stuff doesn't need backing up.

One of the best in the business.

I been at it almost 20 years. I have an old JMP head. I switch most of m y gear up alot but this is a keeper (the Budda not the Marshall). I owned a higher watt superdrive from the PCB series, the 80, it sounded great but only at high volumes. I took a guess that I just needed the same amp but with a lower watt rating and I was right. This amp sounds awesome at low volumes. I would say this is my favorite amp now and the Shiva is number two.

2 channel(clean & dirty) 30 watt jobby that sounds like 100 watts. It is really loud. It's simple. Plug it in and play it won't sound bad I promise! I see a lot of folks wish it had a presence control. I don't miss it. That's my 2 cents. If I had one wish I wish it had seperate volume controls. I love running the clean channel at around 9 and the dirt around 3. But there's a volume difference. I'll live just fine with it!

Sound?! I've never heard anything better! Honestly it took me a little while to figure out how the tone controls complemented each other. Don't just turn it on and dime everything! It is so versitle and just unbelievable sounding. I'm running the clean and dirty channel around 3 or 4 depending on my mood. But I find myself using the guitar volume to get my tone. People who have played this amp can't believe how responsive the volume control on the guitar plays off the amp. I can go from stupid clean to brutal distortion by turning up my guitar volume. It's freeking tone heaven!!!! It's a sooped up fender vibroverb on channel one and a totally modded marshall(think early Van Halen)on the 2 channel. I can't wait for my wife to leave the house so I can crank this thing up!!! If I could trade this for anything I would keep this. I've played the Dr Z's, Bogners, Mesa's, Marshalls, Fenders, etc etc. They're all really great amps but the Budda is better

I want to say 10 but I can't. I got the first one and had a problem with it. It had a rattle, sounded like in the transformer but I returned it and got another one. The second one I got had a problem with the volume issues but The Budda guys sent me new tubes and it's been great ever since. I waited 3 months before posting just to feel better about the amp. Bottom line I now trust it. I've played out with it a few times no problem. It's been great since. I'll post an update in 6 months. Damn thing is built like a tank as far as construction is concerned

These guys are great. They care of thier customers. They went above and beyond. I appreciate that. I don't question spending the money I did on this product

I've been playing for 30 years. I've owned about 30 different amps. All of them were good for what I needed at that time. A few were great. None approach the sound of this amp. My G&L Legacy deluxe through my Budda is the best guitar sound I ever made. I can't really describe it. It's just that good. I thought when I first got this amp I wasn't going to like it like I had hoped. You have to learn how to use it. It's easy but you still have to experiment a bit. Plus the initial problems didn't help either. But once the smoke cleared I'm left with an absolutely incredible amp. One I can't see ever getting rid of. It's small, loud and kicks all sorts of ass. My only concern is the reliability which I'm getting more comfortable with every day. Thanks Budda!

2 channel (shared eq), all tube, tone monster. It has controls for gain(lead channel) bass, middle (pull mid cut), treble, rhythm volume (pull bright), master volume. It has an effects loop, and a line out, with level control. 2 speaker outputs with a 4-8-16 Ohm selector switch. A couple more features than the basic amp, a lot less than, say, a Marshall TSL, or Boogie Roadking. The features it has are usable, not cluttered by unnecessary BS. The only thing I wish it had was a presence control, it is bright enough, but I've had one on every amp I've owned since 1982.

Here we go (hold on!)
The tones on this thing are awesome, the cleans are a blend of vox chime, and fender warmth. The tone is very 3 dimensional, filling your senses. The overdrive has more sustain than any amp i've ever played, even at lower gain settings. The tone is still really full at bedroom volumes, and only gets better as it is cranked up. You can hear every note in the chords, and single note lines...awesome. This amp goes from Santana, to Alice in Chains, and gets a real good Gov't Mule Warren Haynes sound. Again, it's 3-D, full, thick, articulate, with a sweet top end. I've owned this amp for a year and a half now, after waiting 7 months for delivery..talk about frustration! All was forgiven once I started playing it. The Budda Fat 12 speaker was a little brittle at first, but once it got broke in...sounds awesome, the amp really sings through a 4x12 cab with vin 30's...sweet.

So far so good, Their reputation precedes them, hope it stays that way

I don't think I should rate it until after 5 years or so.

Excellant customer service, I called and asked a few questions regarding tube funtions, possibility of using a SS rectifier among other things, very friendly and courteous. Answer emails quickly.

I started playing when I was 15, I'm 42 now. I call myself a reformed shredder, but you know how it is, once you get into it....got to let loose! Have been a marshall freak since day 1, I like all amps, as they have their own character. I've played boogies, VHT's, soldano's, Orange, hiwatt... This amp has so much character and tone, it makes you play better. The tone is so good, it makes me slow down, and finesse the notes a little more, as it is so touch sensative. Like a horny woman, you know when you are touching it correctly. I would take this out for all my gigs if I weren't so paranoid. I got this before the price increase and simply could not afford to replace it. I have been looking a lot on ebay lately, as I would like to find a head. I would buy this again, and as I said, looking for another one now. I would not say fantastic value, but this is one of the best sounding amps out there, I don't care that it is not PTP, it is build like a tank, and sounds from the heavens!

This is a followup to my initial post 21/2 years ago. I wanted to say that unlike others here, I have not encountered any sort of pedal unfriendliness in this amp. While my chain is not a massive one,the usual suspects such as Fulldrive IIs, Banzai Fireballs, Analog Man BiComps and Budda or Teese wahs work fine with this amp for me. Although I run the dirty channel's drive a little lower now than I did then, even balls-out distortion sounds fine with some Fulldrive or Fireball in front of it: little of the goofy super saturation that can happen with many amps.

Noise free. Distortion not brutal as much as it is refined and singing. This is a marvelous amp for fusion playing or Santana types of music requiring liquid sustain at any volume. Never tried to make it sound like ACDC or Michael Schenker, but it strikes me as having a much more subtle voice than a Marshall or even a Mesa.

Have had a few problems over 2 1/2 years, and Budda has responded well. Had a short in the effects loop that somehow caused the controls to have limited effect on the amp's sound. I sent it to Budda, they found the problem and repaired free of charge. Several years ago, an hour prior to a gig, I couldn't get the amp to fire up. While checking the tubes for tight fits in their sockets the rectifier bottle pulled loose from its base. Yup. The glass pulled loose from the base. I now carry a solid state replacement just in case, one I luckily found before hitting the stage that afternoon, and again, Budda immediately shipped me a replacement when notified. These were odd events, but after over 10 years of steady gigging with a Mesa Mark III and no problems whatsoever, I occasionally feel a twingge of "What's next?"

Exquisite customer support.

this post is in addition to my previous post. I just took my Budda into the studio, and I've posted the demo online so you can hear the Budda in action for yourself. All the guitar tracks were recorded with the Budda Superdrive 30, 1x12 combo, recorded pretty dry so u can hear pure Budda tone, used two sm57 mics.

My guitars: main guitar: 89 strat plus, with tom anderson humbuckers
second guitar: 2000 american strat, stock

Download these songs from www.edchung.com and let me know what u think, email: edchung1@yahoo.com

track1: Something From Nothing

intro: my main guitar(middle position) > boss super phaser > Budda clean, bright switch on

clean rhtyhm: main guitar(middle position) > straight into Budda, bright on

distortion rhtyhm: main guitar(bridge PU) > straight into Budda, gain set at 1:00-2:00

solo: main guitar(bridge PU) > dunlop orig crybaby > Budda, gain set at 3:00


track 2: Alone

chorus: main guitar(neck PU) > Voodoo Lab SParkle Drive > Boss Super Phaser > Budda, clean channel, bright on

bridge: clean rhythm, 2000 american strat(neck PU) > straight into Budda, bright on


track 3: Love and Affection

main guitar(neck PU) > straight into Budda, distortion channel, gain set at around 12:00

doubled choruses and ending with same setting, except bridge PU

solo: main guitar(bridge PU) > Budda, dist channel, gain at 2:00

I am totally satisfied with the tone out of this amp. very articulate, and has this "darkness" to it, i love it.

30 W 2 channel cmbo clean and drive with 1x12 speaker made by Eminence, Year 2000 (?), Point-to-Point (PTP) in an alu box, handmade the old traditional way, solid pine cabinet, speaker remote switching to switch between the built-in speaker and another cabinet - different Ohm settings to compensate, slave out with vol.

Reminds me of a cross between a Vox and a Bluesbreaker. Clean can get dirty especially with humbuckers, but can stay clean at amazingly loud volumes for 30 W. Has 4 EL84 (mini-EL34) that are cathode biased, which means you don?t have to rebias the amp when you change tubes, just use matched pairs. How easy is that? Great features all along.
Great drive, the distortion cleans up very well when you turn down your guitar volume - Amazing!! Very rare! I play entire songs from arpeggios to dirty full chord rhythm to Rock?n?Roll to Van Halen Rhythm and then solos with the same drive channel by using my guit vol !!!
The sound cuts throught the whole band - drummers who use a lot of cymbals cannot cover this beast. I always hear me and the others never complain about me beeing too loud because the sound is not ear-piercing but round and warm, yet has the right amount of bite to play with expression - ha, I love this amp. Never felt so satisfied with a piece of equipment.
Palm-muting - no problem ;;>>>
Don?t get fooled into thinking the amp sounds the way it sounds when you play alone in front of it. It gets to its full potential with a band.

Played it for the last couple years with no problem. Always performed flawlessly. Built to last - you know, like the old Plexis and Vox.

They stand behind their products. Were willing to reply to any mail I sent. Instantly.

A perfect 10? I don?t know, there is always something better out there. But has any amp served me better? No, definately no! I use it with a few pedals, wah, Overdrive, Fuzz, Microvibe and it responds nicely. What else would I want? Oh yes, either a roadie or a built-in engine to drive it from one place to another. Just kidding, it is not heavy for such an amp thanks to an aluminium chassis and a solid pine cab, much lighter than steel and plywood.

I have had the folloing equipment (sold everything except my pedals): Fender Twin, Marshall Plexi Reissue, Marshall JTM45 reissue, real Plexi, real vox AC30, Soldano Hotrod 50+, Marhall JCM800 head.
Never felt happier since buying the SD30.

One of the first PtP models, 1x12 Budda speaker made by Eminence (similar to Vintage 30), aluminium chassis, solid pine cabinet, 2 channels clean to dirt and overdrive to distortion, cabinet switching feature on the rear, slave out with vol adjust, multiple impedance switches, 3 12AX7, 1 5U4G, 4 EL84, shared eq controls, but seperate gain/vol controls for both channels, series loop.

Amazing, but you have to get used to it. At first it sounds much darker than your usual amps: Marshall, Fender, Rivera, Soldano, VHT, etc. But then you can get fat tones at any volume (set the master at least on 9:30 that is). It is a very loud 30 W amp, easily cuts thru the mix, even with a loud drummer and a keyboarder who uses a lot of sound layers - if you know what I mean. Your tone is always there - not too harsh, not too muddy, lots of mids that supports your guitar tone!!! Has chunky rhythm sound. You really have to experience this amp in a band context, that?s how it has been designed. The mids are very solid, no scooped sound here. But there is enough chime on both channels to make up for.
I have owned the following amps/preamps/poweramps (since the 70s): Fender Twin Silverpanel with JBL, Princeton II, Acoustic combo (Boogie clone), Marshall DSL50, DSL401, EL84 2020, JMP1, JCM800 4010 combo and head, JCM800 4210, modded Plexi reissue, Tech21 PSA1, Trademark 60, Mesa/Boogie Studio 22+, Triaxis, DC2, VTwin, 50/50, Soldano X99 (LOL a lot of gear during my search - the SD30 made me calm down). I was never totally satisfied and now I feel confident everytime I play with my band.
I played or listened to the following (during rehearsals and in shops): various Riveras, various Marshall JCM 900, Marshall Slash signature model, Peavey Classic 50 2x12, Fender the Twin, a real Marshall Plexi with 60s cab, Fender Hotrod series, Marshall Valvestates, Soldano Reverb-o-sonic. Some were crap (or jokes), some were only average.
The best amps were: real Marshall Plexi, Marshall Slash sig model, Soldano X99.
The SD30 reminds me of an old Plexi a buddy of mine played in the 70s.
I use both a Custom Shop Relic Strat and a Gibson LP Std, and the differences are very audible. You cannot hide behind this amp. With the SD30 everything gets thru. Also, I recently retubed the entire amp and went thru different brands. What a difference that made. I think as it is a very simple and effective tone circuit, what you put through it will be heard. This lets the tubes do almost all the work like it was originally intended. Everything will make a difference: the tubes, the type of guitar, the pickups, your playing style, etc. There is not a jungle of circuit to hide the tubes or anything else for that matter, like on modern designs where certain electronic parts make up for a feeble circuit design. If something happens to this amp I know any amp tech will be able to fix it. It is basically a Plexi type of setup, or Vox, or JTM45. Pure organic tone - nothing artificial here.

Lasted for two years without trouble. Always use a backup, the tubes could go south. I opened it and saw a very neatly built tone circuit, with quality parts. Should last at least as long as those coveted amps from the 60?s that are still around when people knew how to build amps or were willing to build tube amps the way they should be built.

Superb. Always respond to emails the same day or the day after. There is always the feeling they stand behind their product and will treat you as if your next gig would depend on it.

Everything superb. For certains songs I use the clean channel with a TS9 for additional grind. For other songs I use the drive channel with a booster for solos. This way I seem to have two different setups.

2000 Budda Superdrive 30 combo, probably the best amp I'll ever own or hear. Two channels, one clean, one dirty. They are both very versitile on both channels, its a bit like having a Vox AC-30 for clean and a dialed-in marshall for the dorty side, very thick!

I use this amp for evey gig I play, from country, rock, blues, jazz, and any kind of tone you could ever need, you can bring out of this amp. I would like another volume for the clean side so it's a little easier to balance the channels out, but bedies that it's fine on features

Like I said every tone you could ever want or need you can get with this amp. The tones are thick and smooth, sometimes a little to smooth, but I like it thick and smooth. It's nit noisy at all, even with the gain all the way up it's no where near a Marshall or Mesa niose.

This is where I have had a small problem, I had this odd sound going on for about 3 months, it would run fine then start to pop, despite turning the volume off or even up, the popping stayed the same volume. I re-tubed the entire amp, and still the sound stayed, then I took it to my amp tech and he said it was built great and he found that the main ground was SQUEEZED on by a WINGNUT, no wire ties, no soldier. After he fixed that and put a few gaskets to keep things still, and I haven't had a problem since. Beside that the amp has been pretty dependable, but I do get a little nervious when I dont have a back up.

Pretty good, I haven't talked to them in a long time, but about a year ago I called and got a guy who was nice and meaningful, but he did know to much about the amp. My other times calling or e-mail, they are good, but I wound't send it back to them for the fact that the amp's ground was retained by a wingnut I could by at Ace Hardwear.

Overall, I still love the amp, it's sounds amazing, every sound man who has heard it loves it. If it where lost, I may not buy another one simply to try something different, but I would go with another one if I found one for the right price. I think this amp is good for the money when I bought it, now the price is a little more, maybe its still worth it? Im not sure, I haven't played one of the new ones. I have a love hate relationship with this amp after hearing about that ground wire, but if I sold it my tone would never be the same.

u already know the specs... wish it had a master volume. using this amp for live applications is gonna be a little tricky, esp if u change channels a lot. getting the volume and tone for each channel just right without a master volume and without separate EQs is the major drawback to this amp.

i am using an 89 fender strat plus with custom electronics setup: Tom Anderson H2+ humbucker in the bridge and an H1 humbucker in the neck. I play mostly heavy blues and rock, anything from chilli peppers to soundgarden to old school lenny kravitz.
this combo is pretty damn loud, and noise is pretty low. first the clean channel: the clean channel has a lot of headroom. don't expect fender warmth, different kind of clean. pretty close to a vox ac30, definitely has the compression tone to it. i really like how their is a bright boost, it's not top end harsh at all like i had expect, both clean tones are every usable, depending on what tone you're going for. definitely has some break up at higher volumes, especially with your guitar volume up all the way. awesome punchy clean blues tone with plenty of grit and slight dirt.
the distortion channel is punchy punchy punchy. exactly the tone i was looking for. the thing about this amp is that it's very input sensitive, everything from your pickup selection, picking style, to how new the strings are, etc. new strings will drastically change your tone through this amp, a huge difference, the difference is much more noticable with this budda than with other amps. least muddy overdrive channel i have yet to experience. not too tight, and not too warm, just nice punchy heavy tones. the bottom end will stay nice and articulate until you drive it to about 2:00 - 3:00. playing single notes sounds great, but the distortion really shines through when u pick multiple strings at once, so if you do lots of multiple string blues bends, you're gonna be in tone heaven. is there really an amp that gets a 10? if so, let me know where i can get one of those.

just got this amp. looks sturdy, but u never know about tube amps.

i bought this lil tone monster for $895 brand new in original factory box from Rudy's music in NYC off EBay. i think this amp is worth every penny spent. even for 1300, you can't go wrong with this tone. for recording purposes, i have absolutely no complaints. dialing in the exact tone during live gigs is gonna be quite a challenge. if you're looking for nice vintage clean tones and a punchy clear distortion, and an amp that's super sensitive to your playing, this is the amp for you. this amp is all tone. i'm still looking for that perfect amp that delivers unmatched tone and live user-friendliness. if budda would simply add a master volume, and separate EQs, than my search for the perfect amp would be over. go plug one in, it'll be worth a listen at the very least.

This is one of the original point-to-point wired models. The lack of separate tone controls for both channels--or presence control or reverb--is kind of a downer. However, this baby is very innovative and gets high marks for the cabinet-switching feature, complete with ohm selectors, etc. Slave out with volume control on back...excellent. Gotta be careful with the footswitch--do not use the front panel jack for the footswitch unless you're using the cabinet-switching feature, otherwise you could accidentally stomp on the wrong button and there will be no load--very bad!--but you can get around that by plugging the footswitch into the "channel" jack on back of the amp, no problem. Extremely good rear panel features on this amp, very simple to use, intelligently laid out, easily accessable. Definitely one of the high points. The amp is also reasonably light--just around 50 lbs--so it's feels easier to move around than the 112 Mesas and other well-built tube amps of this size.

The 4 EL84s are...loud! Terrific clean, distorted, and in-between tones. The heavy distortion is very reminiscent of the early Van Halen sounds--nice! Extremely musical, complex, warm. I use both single-coil axes (a Fender Tele and an Anderson Classic strat) and humbuckers (PRS McCarty), the amp sounds great with both. The clean is nice and Vox-y, and the Pull function on the rhythm channel volume gets you even more chime if you want it.

My main beef with this amp is the way in which it handles effects: it hates them! I have no problem with the Fulltone Choralflange and a small handful of other effects, but they tend to sound like crap with this amp. Could be the EL84's being finnicky, as is often the case I'm told. Well, the effects loop doesn't really help all that much--this is kind of a disappointment. All in all, I'm reduced to using this amp on those gigs where very few effects are required, and this keeps it from being my main gigging rig right now. For the effects-intensive shows, I grab either my Rivera or the Dr Z. I will probably give the Budda guys a call and see if they can offer any words of wisdom with regard to this. If this can be remedied somehow, I'd probably use this amp on the majority of my gigs. For the guy who posted that this amp eats tubes for breakfast, well...yeah, that's not uncommon when yer driving an EL84 amp really hard. This unit arrived with a Celestion Vintage 30...maybe not the absolute best speaker choice for this particular combo (kinda midrangy), but at least there are no surprises. Overall, it doesn't detract from the sound, and ya can always hook up a bunch of other cool cabinets and switch between them--terrific.

Again, the tone on this baby is really lovely, and it kicks ass at any volume, really. The Master Volume on this amp really works, so you can get some nice tones at practice volume level, too--no power attenuator necessary. I'd give it a 9, but because it is not very effect-friendly we gotta drop it down a notch. Doh!

Construction seems pretty darn good. Could probably hold up to some serious abuse. I will hold off on rating this area until I've had the amp on more than a year's worth of gigs. This is a used model in perfect condition, seems like it's holding up just fine. If there are any major setbacks, I'll post.

I've already called Budda a couple of times. Not only do they answer the phone, but they gave me some very useful information and were totally kind...very cool guys. They stand behind their products 100%

The amp has a great vibe--excellent cleans, smoking overdriven distortion which doesn't get muddy--very crisp. If you want a killer modded Marshall tone and a Vox-y chimey clean tone in a small combo, this is it. The cabinet-switching feature is way cool. I picked mine up used--if I were to buy a new Superdrive 30, I'd probably stick to the head version instead of the combo. Either way, for the $, it's a pretty good deal. The Budda products are very cool, I'd be interested in checking out the Superdrive 80 head with the 6L6's if I ever start playing larger venues again. I've been playing out for about 20 years, rock, funk, jammy stuff, metal back in the 80s, fusion, and jazz. I've owned numerous run-of-the-mill amps and boutique gear, Fenders, Boogies, and now Rivera and Dr Z. This Budda has the best modded Marshall tone in a small package. Definitely darker-sounding than say, a Bogner Shiva, but still very pleasing to the ear. While I do have some reservations about the Superdrive 30, overall it's still pretty impressive.

Rating 9. Doubt if the perfect "10" will ever exist! A very versitile amp. It has two channels, 3 band eq, an effect loop, many nice features on the back panel allowing extension cabinets, proper ohm match to speakers, etc. There is also a cabinet switching device which could be nice...haven't had a chance to real experiment with this but will some day. If you have one of those fancy midi-signals switching pedal board thingys, this will handle it as there are separate input jacks on the back to handle the same duties (cab switching/channel switching) that the combination channel/cabinet footswitch jack on the front panel does....whew confused? Don't be. The amp also has a slave out...for a signal to another power amp. The manual says you can try going into a board with this output. You can, but the sound is sterile and brittle. It would need to go into a power amp or at least a cabinet simulator of some type first, not directly to a console in my opinion. Micing the amp is way better, again in my opinion.

I personally still wish it had a "presence" control...I know I would like a Marshall guy now, but if there was a wish list for things, that would be my only listing.

This amp is rated at 30 watts. Man is it loud. I've owned louder, but this is loud. I wish I would have choosen the 18 watter sometimes as the sound level can crush even in a modest club setting pretty easily. You're always trying to get (at least I am) that thick power tube thing going and this amp will deliver but the overall volume is pretty loud. I've tried a power soak with it but that just takes too much high end off for me too quickly so I just tweak and watch the bass player roll his eyes over the volume issues. If you only do studio recording, a little practicing here or there or an occassional small club only gig, this amp is more than sufficient and the 18 watter may actually suit you better. I was fortunate enought to play on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Stage in Cleveland last year. Its a big stage, at least 25 or 30 feet deep, 40 feet or more wide, no reflecting walls and I could hear myself decently as long as I didn't go completely over to the other side of the stage. So, being verbose...loud and secretly enjoying it!

Guitars I play:
1. Custom self built strat sytle with Kinmann noiseless pickups, a Callahm vintage style bridge, Stew Mac alder body and Warmoth maple/rosewood neck.
2. Custom self built strat with Frahlin pickups, Callahma (gold) vintage bridge and Warmoth ash body and maple/ebony neck.
3. Custom tele style self built with Ste Mac ash body (heavy), vintage three saddle bridge, Fender nosielss tele picksups - which sound really great, not like their strat noisless - and a "don't know the name" old maple tele style neck.

I play hard blues. Hendrix/Trower/Deep Purple style and many orignal tunes. Also have played in a softer Beatles sytle cover band with lots of clean stuff foing on. Like modern heavier music but don't play that as much as I'm an old fart and stick to what I know best. Don't think my set up is quite aggressive for that type of thing.

Clean channel is pristine clean, unless you really crank it. The distorion channel is not clean, even at low distorion there is grit. That no complaint either. Low distortion gives a 'vox like' mild grind. It makes for a pleasant departure for jangly rhythms that maybe you used to play clean but now want just a hint of grind...very cool. High settings are quite distorted but not way over like the new Marshalls. With my single coils, I always go for the addtional fuzz pedal to give me the total creamy lead tone. Can't quite get that from the amp alone. Now with humbuckers, the distortion is way over the top. You wouldn't need an additonal fuzz pedal to get there. The tone controls are great. You can tweak a little and listen and hone in your tone.

This amp is TONE. You can get so much tone from your guitar!! The way you play will dictate the tone as much as tweaking the controls does. Use your guitar's volume control and enjoy the pallet available from your picking style changes and volume swells...this am delivers the tone...........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One last note to former Marshall owners like me...this amp is not quite as bright. you don't get the brilliant rage of metal in the distorion. Its just a bit darker, but I am happy with the tone, its just different and takes the former Marshall owner a bit of getting used to.

I give a lower rating here, mostly cause this beast EATS tubes for breakfast fast! It runs HOT.. I play everyday, so this amp is on like 4 hours a day, at least 5-6 days a week. The longest the tubes lasted for me is 6 months. This summer was way hot, even in the Pittsburgh PA area and I had three outdoor gigs where the temp was near 100 degrees. The tubes lasted a couple months, I am sure the intense heat just broke them down. I've aimed one of those ugly dollar store fans on the back end of this thing since, maybe I'll get a real fan installed. Also my effects loop jack went bad and you have to run a small 1/4 to 1/4 cable across the jacks for the signal to continue. Not a big problem, just an inconvenience for now.

They seem pretty cool. I've e-mailed with two or three questions and have gotten response within a day or two every time. Have had no bigh repair problems though.

Pretty awesome! I doubt if the holy grail amp exists that delivers every tone you want in an easy to use reiable package, but this amp is great. Its best feature is it allows you playing style to come through and your tone is just that .."your tone".

It's a little pricy and the tubes get used up more quickly than other tube amps I've owned.

Very recommended and give it a chance...play with it a few weeks to get a feel for its subtleties...its great.

You've read the specs on the amp. Actually mine is the SD18. I would have started another category, but essentially it's the same as the SD30, minus the cabinet switching feature, and 2 EL84's. I give it a 5 for features b/c this isn't the amp's strength. It's very straightforward. All of the features are very useable, just what you need. My one criticism of this amp is the lack of a separate master volume for each channel. I have balance issues when switching channels. More on that to come.

Gorgeous. I've just recently had the chance to record with this amp, and let me say it really came through beautifully. I found that the two channels have very different distortion qualities, i.e. the lead set low doesn't sound like the rtm set high, and this provided a really nice range of crunches and lead sounds for recording. Very versatile. The eq section sounds particularly good as well. You can't get a bad sound out of this thing!

No probs so far, I've only owned it about 4 months though.

I called up Jeff at Budda East, telling him that I was having a balance issue with my channels. I explained the situation, and he said he would take care of it free of charge. Instead of shipping the amp to him, we arranged for me to drive it down on a particular day. He fixed it right in the shop. This is so above and beyond the call of duty, I have to give the guy a ten. The balance is much more friendly now, though still limiting b/c of the lack of a second master.

Overall, I'm incredibly happy with this amp. It replaced a fender hot rod (crap) and I compared to other similarly priced amps. In this range, it's kind of a question of taste. This amp just had a different tone that sounded more distintive and yet let me shine through as well. Great buy.

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!"