Epiphone So Cal 50 Watt Head

Update: Using this alot! Great sounds at gigs and now I use it with a POD X3 live. Takes effects well and I love the cleans, setup right it is an outstanding amp! I changed the tubes to JJ's all around, vast improvement!

Great!

Good so far, gigged regularly

Hope I dfon't have to find out

Love it use it, great amp

If you've read this far, you know what it is. Inexpensive, well-built and good basic design.

I use an early-1980's Fernandes "the revival" blackguard Tele replica, with a nice fat V-neck, recently upgraded with Barden PU's. I play mostly a blues-jazz-funk-reggae stew, with occasional forays into twang.
When I first got this amp, I briefly A/B'd it with a Marshall Slash head, both through the Marshall 4x12. Initial impression, verified by the owner of the Marshall, was that the clean channel was much warmer, cleaner and 3-D sounding than the Marshall.
I built my own "detuned" 1x12 cab with a Jensen MOD 50 12". After 6 months of use including recording, I'm pretty happy with the sound. It's versatile, using an MXR supercomp and a TS in front gives a lot of variation in available gain. I set the OD channel with gain at about 9.00 o'clock, contour around 2.00 to 4.00. The reverb sounds nice up to around 8.30-9.00, but after that it's too dark and too long.
To sum up, if you spend a bit of tweaking time you can get good tones. The EL 34's are EH, I haven't bothered to see what 12AX7's are in it.

No problems so far. It appears well-built and the basic design is sound.

No idea. Bought used off Ebay.

Been playing for a living 33 years. Have owned Vox AC 30 top boost 1966, Orange OR 120 '70's, Fender SF Bassman with Dumble-type mods (stolen) Mesa SOB 60-watt combo (which I never should have sold!) and various cheap SS Peaveys. I bought this amp mainly on price, and it's as good as many big-name units at 2-3 times the cost.
A versatile and musical tool for those who're not hung up on cork-sniffing tone snobbery.

You know the run down of what it offers by now.

Simple to use and get good tones

I use it for Country, Rock, Blues, Southern Rock..... about anything you wanna play. I would recommend a distortion pedal for heavier stuff, but I use a couple OD pedals and they work great with this amp.

I don't find the amp noisy, but the crap preamp tubes need to be replaced immediately! I use Teles, Strats, Pauls, Firebirds, all sound good thru it. I think they were trying for an old 50watt Marshall sound, and it comes close, close enough for the crowd. I like it on it's own and use the reverb, and the interactive controls. I LOVE THE CLEAN CHANNEL! Set it up right and you great beautiful cleans, I can do Floyd's DSOTM to The Wall with one amp, just using pedals, great inexpensive amp

Have been gigging with it for a year now, no problems. I never do anything without some type of backup

Don't know, don't care. Something happens, I'll fix it

For what I paid, and the tones that I get out of it, it's an easy 10.

You gotta think Old School on this one, no effects loop, no tone controls for both channels. Yeah, they did a few things modern, channel switching, reverb, but over all, a nice inexpensive, 60's style, 50 watt
Head

Has two channels and reverb - a good deal for the price - though would like an effects loop

I use Gibson Les Pauls, Kramers and a Strat copy. My main amp is a custom built Marshall copy that can switch between 1987 (ie Plexi)/JCM800/JCM2000. My favourite style is bluesy hard rock (GNR, ACDC, Van Halen, ZZ Top, Aerosmith). This amp sounds very bad - I made the mistake of buying without trying cause I figured its an all valve amp so should be okay. The clean is very dull (no valve chime), the distortion sounds like someone passing wind. The reverb tails for far too long. If Mike Soldano designed this amp he was very drunk and having to judge a swimsuit competition at the same time. I'll change all the valves and do some mods and it'll sound good at the end of the day - but my time is valuable and if I charged out someone else to do the same value would be debatable (plus the OT will probably prevent it from sounding fantastic)... Either I got a lemon or some of these reviews are from the manufacturer/salesmen...

Solidly enough built haven't run for long enough to know whether there are any issues

Company seems good was happy to provide schematic promptly

Its an extremely cheap all valve amp with reverb - if you are competent at electronics its probably not a bad buy but if you aren't don't bother.

Made in 2006.

Amp is very versatile. I get some really nice clean tones and superb crunch on the OD channel.

2 channels with channel switching.

Wish mine had the footpedal for switching channels but I got mine used for a really good price. Not sure if they come stock with one or not.

For a straight forward, flexible amp with both wonderful clean and OD channels I'm cool with not asking for more. Seems like the more you ask of an amp the more you're going miss the mark on something important, like TONE.

I've got a Boogie 5:50 express, which is a wonderful amp. Tons and tons of options for dialing in nuances and tones...but this amp really kicks the Boogie's @ss for pure crunch. Don't mad at me for making that comment. I was truly not expecting this amp to kick so much butt.

This uses 2 El34 power tubes and has 5 pre amps tubes (12AX7).

I use a variety of guitars: ESP Jake E Lee, Jackson Dinky, Ibanez S540, Gibson LP and 335. All sound as they should through this amp and each maintains its own personality which is very important.

This amp is about full on what I've been looking for. I've owned Marshall combos/heads, Peavey 5150, Fargen, H&K, etc. However, this amp truly gets the best freakin' Marshall crunch tones over any of my previous amps. I can't explain it. Classic AC/DC crunch to Telsa's Mechanical Resonance to UFO/Schenker. This amp delivers Cinder block crunch.

I'm also very happy with the Fendery clean tones. Only thing missing is a master volume on the clean channel. But not too much of a concern for me.

Its not noisy. This is not a high gain rectifier amp. So you'll need to look elsewhere or pedal up on the front end to get that face melting melta sound.

So far its been perfect for me. Tons of balls and will truly get freakin' loud like a real 50 watt amp should. Totally enough power for any large club.

Mine is used and only had it a couple weeks. No issues though. Looks as new. Have only replaced the tubes. No scratchy volume knobs or input jack. Seems like a truly solid amp...and it weighs 45lbs...

haven't ever called up Epi's customer service. no warranty since it's used but not really expecting any problems.

I've been playing 23 years. I'd definetly replace this amp. Hell I'm thinking I might not even need my Boogie anymore, but I'll keep it for now since I invested a $1000 to get it. Wish the amp was lighter and had a smaller foot print like a Fargen or Orange, that would make it easier to transfer to gigs/practice and to use with 1x12 cabs. And its easier to change tubes by removing the front grille instead of the back...small point, but not as convenient as leaving the back grille off.

Overall very happy with this amp and not sure what all the negative fuss is about with this one. Maybe I lucked out and just got a great head...not sure as this is only SoCal I've played or heard in person.

* Dual Power Operation: 50 or 25W AB
* DC Powered Filaments
* Dual EQ Modes- Independent/Interactive
* Ultra Quiet Operation
* Larger Tonal Palette
* Extreme Gain & Response Control
* Power: 50W/25W
* Type: 100% Tube
* Class: AB
* Rectifier - Solid State
* EQ - Two Modes-Independent and Interactive
* Channels: 2
* Inputs: Guitar
* Outputs: 4 Ohm (2), 8 ohm (2) & 16 Ohm

The clean channel sounded ok, good detail but really bright. Changing the power tubes helped this out.

The distortion channel is dreadful. The bottom end was mushy and useless. I thought I had a bad amp so I returned it and got another, and it didn't work at all. I went back for a third and the channel worked, but it was the same as the first amp, useless. I saw Nancy Wilson from Heart try to use the amp at a NAMN show and I felt sorry for her because hers sounded the same. I had really high hopes for this amp because it was designed by Mike Soldano.

Since I paid so little for it I decided to modify the amp to make it sound decent. It took me a while but now it is usable. I had to change the transformers and re-voice the amp but now it has tone. Anyone who wants to get some usable tone from this amp is more that welcome to contact me by e-mail or jump to my web site www.jctaudiodesigns@cox.net. I will have some clips up soon so you can hear what is possible. Of course the other alternative is to dump the amp on e-bay, but you are not going to get anything for it, and who ever buys it is just going to get mad.

Not great, read above, also I had problems with some of the tone controls.

I asked for the schematic to the amp and after a month I finally got it.

Since there where so many problems I will give this a low rating, but after the mod, I would put it back up to about and 7.4 or 8.

Well, it seems that everyone has mentioned it all. It's a rather simple amp. 2 channels. Interactive or dependent eq. Reverb.
2 EL34 power tube. 3 12ax7 preamp tubes, 1 12ax7 phase inverter and 1 12ax7 reverb tube.

I'm down with simplicity.

When I first got it, I was really excited. I plugged it in and it was good, but not what I had in mind. I finally got around to replacing the preamp tubes. I put a JANS-Philips 5751 in the first slot, a JANS-Philips 12au7 in second and JJ 12ax7s in the rest. Once I did that, holy crapsticks... it was beautiful. Those damn crapinese tubes. Just when I thought the amp opened up, I put in a pair of Svetlana Wing Cs EL34s in. Oh the sound is warm and full and very responsive. Basically, once you replace the tubes on this amp, it really sings.

I play an Gibson SG with a Duncan Jazz in the neck and a Duncan Phatcat in the bridge. I run some pedals in front of the amp and through a crate cab with vintage 30s. I rely on the amp for natural overdrive. I use the amp as a single channel amp, running on the dirty channel and backing off volume for cleans. I've also removed the reverb tank. The amp has wonderful breakup. I don't like a lot of distortion, so replacing the tubes with lower gain output let me crank the amp to get a sweet overdriven blues tone. I think it's quite similar to an overdriven fender bassman or a marshall. The contour knob really lets you have a pallet of tone. It cleans up well, but it's no vox or fender.

So far so good. A ton of shows and 1 tour and it's running wonderfully still.

I haven't had to deal with them.

I've been playing for 10 or so years?
My setup right now is Gibson SG Duncan Jazz in the neck and Duncan Phatcat in the neck -> Boss Tremolo -> MXR Phase 90 -> Ibanez Tube Screamer -> Boss Tuner -> DIY Volume Cut Pedal -> Boss Giga Delay -> Epiphone SoCal.
I've played many amps from working at a guitar shop and I had a Crate Blue Voodoo. I'm very happy with this amp.
For the money, I'd purchase another one if it were lost or stolen. I plan to run another amp along with it for my cleans.

Slim James


This is a response to Slim Jame's review below.

Hey James,

You compare the EP to a marshall 18 watt copy, saying it blows the marshall plexi copy away. You also say the Marshall copy is a class A amp. I just wanted to correct you on both points. The 18 watter copy is based on the Marshall 1974X, it is not a "plexi" amp or based on a "plexi" amp. It is an entirely differnt circiut. In addition the Marshall 1974X (and it's many copies) is not a class A amp. It is a class A/B push/pull design.

Recently made 50 watt tube head. 2-EL34 power tubes, 5-12AX7 preamp tubes. 2 channels with shared EQ. Lots of cool features- a switch on the back to lower power to 25 watts, 5 speaker inputs to handle various ohm cabs, reverb, a contour knob to voice the amp for either a scooped metal sound or more traditional Marshall midrange sound. There's a button on the front to choose two voicings for the eq; I just leave it on the traditional setting. The clean channel has just a volume knob and plenty good headroom and does sound nice! For my stuff though, classic rock, I live on the other channel; with a gain knob and master this amp sounds great at all different volumes and compares to Soldano & Rivera!

I'm not into the metal thing, though this amp will do that. I like the Free & AC/DC sound- and I was blown away by how great this amp sounds. Marshall all the way. Very touch sensitive, guitar volume down for clean/crunch, up for lead. Super easy to just set and forget.

I haven't looked into the chassis, but the outside all exudes a quality feel- real wood cab, nice thick handle, solid feeling pots and switches. Seems built very well and solid. But Holy Mackeral who would gig any amp without a backup?

Never dealt with Epiphone.
If it breaks I'll take it to my local guy.

I've been playing 10+ years, I love the old school Marshall EL34 sound. This is just a great sounding amp! Liquid overdrive not buzzy.

Same features as all the other reviews. I needed an amp with good distortion, wanted tubes, and 50 watt's is way more than I need. So as far as features go, this head nailed it for me.

I play in a band (www.myspace.com/theblackoutdrunks) that plays straight forward rock i.e., Social Distortion, AC/DC (Bon Scott era), I just got this head today, and ran it through a custom built semi-open 2x12 Cab with Eminence red coat (celestion vintage 30's copies) and it floored me. I tried the amp with my Les Paul Jr Special, wich has 2 p-90's. The amp was quit when I wasn't playing, which is surprising with the p-90s. Right out of the box I got good tone. This Amp has a ton of bottom end but it's really smooth, especially at high volumes. The midrange is incrediably Marshall like. The tone controls are extremely responsive, the contour knob adds another dimension of tone, however, to much in either direction makes the amp sound cheap and "solid state-y". With the e.q. options, any tone is possible. My junior sounded clear, and articulate through the amp, however, I plugged in my Ibanez artcore semi-hollow body with humbuckers in, and it absolutely screamed. This amp shines at high volumes, and responded well to the humbuckers, and rolling the volume knob back on the guitar. Setting the gain all the way up, and rolling the volume knob on the guitar back, I was able to go from "Honkey Tonk Woman" at the low end of volume to "Whole Lotta Rosie" at mid volume on the guitar, and with the guitar volume all the way up, Zakk Wylde, Zakk Wylde, Zakk Wylde. My guitar tech is going to change the tubes to JJ's this weekend, and I'll update this review then, but as it sits, this amp is so articulate, I can't imagine it sounding better. I'd previously been playing through a custom built class a 18 watter, that I thought was amazing, but the epiphone blows the doors off of my plexi copy, and it does it for $600 less.

I can't wait to plug this amp into my 4x12. This amp sounds a ton like a GOOD JCM 800. Overall, this amp is exactly what I was looking for.
I don't use reverb, and I don't use the clean channel.

With the wire mesh style grill on the front and back, I'm a little worried about smoke and drink spillage, I'll just have to be carefull, or line it with barbed wire, to keep the butt holes away.

Never dealt with Epiphone.

I've been playing since I was 17 (11 years) and own(ed) a ton of amps, one of the main reasons I got this was so I can keep the JTM45 at home. Compared to many, many, many, tube amps on the market today, this is an amazing deal. I only wish it had a better case for more protection. I was thinking about getting another JCM 800 or an Orange Tiny Terror, but seeing the price of this amp, and the fact it has EL34's, I had to try it. My guitar tech guy told me that this amp will lend itself well to modding too. This amp blows the doors off of Marshall DSL's TSL's and a vast majority of stock JCM800's and JCM900's. I hope Epiphone keeps building this guy, because if they don't and it gets lost or stolen, I'm gonna be s.o.l., cause people are gonna start snatching these up.