Framus Cobra Top Head

german hand made machine,i like the control of the deep bass,i like that its midi already no need for getting some special made box to switch channels to midi.built for the road

reminds me of my vht pitbull that did not have any ass to it,but the cobra does,and again controllable.i still love my mesa triple recto but this has a very pure tone to it.i like tones like tremonti,disturbed,godsmack...yes they are all mesa but,listen to tracii guns (laguns waking the dead)or brides of destruction,his tone was always very tight,also bill leverty from firehouse awesome tone,esp live.

i really am surprised at its toneal flexability its like have several good amps in one all beefed up.im glad i bought this,thanks tracii guns!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've owned this amp for over a year now so i think i know it well enough to give an unbiased review.
2004 model (i think), 100 watt all valve 3 channel high gain head with MIDI control and parallel FX loop, though it is not switchable. I'll go into this issue more later.
All channels have the familliar Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble and volume controls and also has a presence control to adjust the amount of high end freqeuncies going to the power amp. Bright switch on the clean channel and "Notch" mid cut switches on the Crunch and Lead channels. The master section consists of master 1 and 2 volumes, FX mix level and "Deep" control to adjuct the amount of low end frequencies going to the power amp.

I use the amp on tour and in the studio and it pretty much gives me everything i need. Plenty of volume and very flexible in tones and intergration with other gear.

The lack of aswitchable FX loop stops the amp from getting top marks

I play mainly ESP guitars with EMG's, usually 81 in the bridge and either 85/60/SAV in the neck. I play metalcore in my band but at home i like to play anything and everything from rock to ambient and experimental. I run it with a TC Electronic G Major in the loop and out through a Marshall 1960A cab (though i have a Framus Dragon cab on order) and control it all with a Behringer 1010 controler.
For the metalcore side of things the amp is superb, there's plenty of gain on tap and it's top notch. Not buzzy or fizzy sounding like a Mesa or a 5150 but very deep and full.
The clean channel is one of the best i've heard and is even more impressive considering this is a high gain head. You can get a very nice ringing tone from the controls and its pretty hard to get the channel to break up, you pretty much have to have the gain way up before that happens, which is good as it gives more options for tone shaping like having the pre gain way low and the post gain very high, and vice versa. The bright switch adds a fair amount of mid/high mid to the sound and definatley gives the channel more bite and cut. I prefere the switch off as its a little too bright for my liking.
The crunch channel has a good amount of "Sensible" gain from a mellow crunch like AC/DC to pretty thick distortion like GNR and Deftones. Again the tone controls work well and the sound is clear and precise while still being nicely distorted. The "Notch" switch, which is more or less the same as the "Scoop" swtich on Marshall's, takes out a good section from the mid frequencies. This leaves you with a very buzz-saw sound which is popular for some styles, or for hi-fi kind of sounds for dynamics. However you do loose quite a bit of volume with the notch engaged so a good bit of volume makeup is required.
The lead channel is pure molten metal, more than enough gain for anyone and cuts through brilliantly. We're talking severe amounts of gain here, think of Nile, MOP era Metallica, Slayer etc. Once again the tone controls are doing they're very best and you can get a good range of tones. I usually run the gain at 3/4 full and have bass at 11 o'clock, mid at 10 o'clock and treble at 2/3 o'clock. This is my usual stage sound and it is fucking heavy for want of a better description. I dont like to cut the mids too much as this is where the fundamentals of the guitar sound are, pinch harmonics come pelting out with this setting and sound awesome. People always compliment me on my squeelies and this amp really lets them fly out when set up well. Now for the notch switch on this channel, flip this on and we're talking classic death metal tone. Take the crunch channel with notch on and times it by 4. Pantera and Bleeding Through type tones are well within reach now, very direct and sharp sounding. Though again you loose a fair bit of volume so a quick channel volume adjust is needed.

For the other ambient and experimental stuff i like to play, i really dont have any trouble getting a sound i want. The key point here is that all the channels have alot of range within them. The clean channel is very clean for when you want that sterile kind of tone and can also be very mellow which sounds awesome with a healthy does of reverb, delay and phase for some spacey fun. The crunch can go from just a light smattering of gain for a bitey sound up to a good rhythm sound. And the lead channel will take you anywhere else you want to go. Very flexible amp.

It is only noisy on the Lead channel, which is to be expected. The clean channel and the Crunch channel, depending on the gain setting, are very quiet indeed.

Now for what is really my only gripe, the FX loop. Since it is a line level set loop designed to be used with rack equipment you cant stick your favourite stomp boxes into the loop since they run a different signal level, also like for modulation fx you'd need the loop mix on full which does sap a bit of power. While i've managed to get the amp to run well with my TC unit since its all midi controlled and all channel and patch settings change together and in time, i really think it would of been better to have a switchable series loop. With all the FX boxes and processors on the market today they are all felxible enough to have their own level controls to set the effect rather than having to run it more or less on full mix then using the amp mix control to bring the sound in. It just seems limiting and silly to have essentially 2 mix level's, one on the effect and one on the amp. Plus the fact that the processor is always in the signal chain even if you have it bypassed or are not using it for for any sounds. I would like to see an updated cobra with a switchable loop or maybe dual loops for pre and post gain effects. In my mind this would make it the ultimate amp for flexibility and overal intergration of FX since you could have all stomp box and other FX that are best run in front of the amp, like EQ, Phaser, Flanger and so on and still have rack quality FX for Reverb, Delay, Chorus after the preamp. This would be a truly phenominal setup.

I'll give it 9 because, FX loop aside since it doesnt actually produce any tone, the sounds available from the amp are superb and wide ranging.

Well i've had it out on tour for over a year and its never once crapped out on me. I thought it did once cos it kept turning on and off all the time, but we found out it was a dodgy power socket at the venue.

One issue i was having for a while was alot of breakup in the clean channel, no matter how lightly i played or how low the gain was it would still do it, it was driving me mad. So after asking about on the HC boards i was advised to try removing the clean channel tube and re-seating it. Hey presto problem solved and all i had was a pure clean channel :o)

Never had to deal with Framus

I've been playing for nearly 13 years and have owned many amps over the years including the Triple XXX, 5150II, Marshall JMP-1 with EL34 100/100 amp, Trace Elliot and some other's. Since i've owned a good couple of the typical metal amps i can fairly judge them all against each other. The 5150II is a great amp for the price and gets a very nice tone. The Triple XXX was nice but i found to be a bit fizzy and underpowered compared to the 510 for some reason. The Marshall setup was probably my second favourite after the Cobra, that too was a flexible amp and was only changed for the Cobra due to its weight and large size since it needed to be flight cased.

If it were stolen i think i would get another one.

I love the wide range of tones available in it but as i said before the lack of a switch for the loop does annoy me sometimes. Im telling you Framus, come up with a Cobra Plus or a new model called the Python or something and give it dual FX loop's for post and pre amp FX and you will be laughing very hard.

Ragazzi, leggo un sacco di opinioni al riguardo...
Ho comprato la testata ieri e mi sono catapultato a lasciare un commento qui. La testata non e versatile, DI PIU'!!! Non solo e la piu bella testata per il rock, ma molto buona per sonorita in ambito di blues contemporaneo, fusion, jazz, nu-metal... Insomma una bomba!!!! Ha tre canali, con tre switching ciascuna... bright per il clean, e scooped (notch) per gli altri due (crunch e lead). Inoltre ha due volumi indipendenti generali da assegnar ad ogni canale!!!
Poi il pot per il deep(bassi) il MIDI... un sogno!!!!
P.S. Anche esteticamente e stupenda e progettata benissimo... veramente bella anche per i leds rossi che splendono internamente quando accesa!!!

Suono con due tipi di chitarre:
- Brian Moore MC/1 senza piezo
- Music Man Petrucci - JP6 con il piezo
Suono prevalentemente Rock-Fusion, ma mi piace avere il suono giusto per ogni 'eventualita'.
E' la testata Hi-Gain piu silenziosa che abbia mai sentito e ho provato e avuto... Laney, Marshall, Hughes and Kettner, Mesa Boogie, Soldano, ecc...
I Vari canali:

1-Clean: Il migliore pulito del mondo!!! Una sorta di mix tra il pulito vox ac30,marshall plexi(panciuto-medioso) e il fender blackface(piu cristallino) ma con una originalita che non ha eguali e che a differenza di altre testate non distorge se non lo vuoi (vedi volume a 5,6,7 in su)!!!

2-Crunch: Che c'e da dire... Puoi ottenere tutte le sonorita che hanno reso famoso questo stupendo strumento (complice anche il nocht switch) dal suono dei vecchi plexi ai triple rectifire al fender tweed!!! Incredibile.

3-Lead: Anche qui si sfiora il capolavoro... Non ho mai provato il canale 3 della Diezel Vh4 ma dagli artisti che la utilizzano (es. Richard Hallebeek)la Cobra non ha niente da invidiare alla suddetta testata!!! Per le altre in commercio (Soldano SLO100 e Mesa Boogie MkIIc++ comprese, anche se stupende!!) mi dispiace ma non c'e proprio confronto (Bogner in primis). La distorsione e progressiva ma naturale e con una dinamica che spaventa!! Suono meraviglioso!!

In Italia si trova tranquillamente... Ottimo!!! ;-D

Non so ancora perche la testata l'ho acquistata ieri e la Framus e una giovane marca!!!Ma la warwick so essere una grande compagnia professionale... E la testata e un carroarmato (magari un po' pesantina (18,5 Kg) ma a vista sembra indistruttibile!!!

E' la piu bella testata che abbia mai sentito con una versatilita (bias compreso) e dei suoni senza precedenti!!
Preferisco combinarla con una Cassa 4x12 Soldano con dei Vintage 30 dentro. Ultimamente per versatilita (ma non per suono, lontano dalla 'vivacita' di una testata) avevo un triaxis con il 2:90 della Mesa Boogie ma questa testata me lo ha fatto riporre in soffitta!!! Che dire di piu!! La Framus ha FATTO CENTRO! OTTIMO prezzo(La meta della maggior parte delle altre testate)! OTTIMI componenti! OTTIMI suoni! OTTIMA costruzione! Veramente NOISELESS!! Cosa si vuole di PIU'?! A+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

ok after literally months of research and downloading sound clips i decided to go with framus over bogner,vht,soldano etc.its a 2005 model and i also bought a matching cabinet.now that the amp is in good working condition[i will explain later]i feel like i can give an honest review.this is a very versatile amp with alot of features and all are very very sensitive,if you turn the knob you get results.effects loop is awesome with an adjustment knob.make no mistake about this amp its incredibaly loud so if you are looking for power dont worry you got it.i play metal and i play loud.i give the features a 10 because this is a very giggable amp,just make sure you get the footswitch[i got mine thrown in with the deal,$2350 for the half stack]3 channels with 2 volumes all footswitchable.also the crunch and lead channels have knotch switches which scoop your mids and the clean channel has a bright switch.the amp also has a universal deep swith which helps control the bass response.

i play a gibson les paul special with an emg 81 in the bridge[i dont use the neck pick up at all]

clean:incredible clean channel,even though i dont play alot of clean stuff this thing makes me wanna use it more,very warm sounding and quiet.i give the clean channel a 10

crunch:this is the channel i use the most and to be honest i can not get the sound i want without using a ts 808 tube screamer and an eq through the effects loop.but with those 2 combined it will make you wanna smack your mama.without the pedals the amp is just too bright for me[i also tried it through my friends marshall 1960av with vintage 30's and it was still too bright]just so you will know my ideal rhythem sound is in the line of shadows fall,zakk wylde,killswitch engage,which i can get but not without the effects.the notch switch is not for me,it just doesnt cut through like i like it.its really fat and trebly with it on[i like more growl]
i did change all the tubes and had it rebiased to 30ma which made a huge difference before that it was too much fizz,sounded like a really good dual rectifier,but for the money this thing was suppose to kill right outta the box,and it didnt.i bought this amp without trying 1 out as well so take it from me try 1 out b4 you buy.i did try out a bogner ubershall,vht and both kranks[i have no idea why the krank amps are so expensive,i would rather play a solid state crate,they really sound horrible]the only reason i didnt buy a bogner was the features,you cant adjust the volume levels and there is no lead boost,but that thing has the most unreal brutal distortion i have ever heard and if i had to do it over again i would probably save my money for another year and get it.bogner is a 10 ,framus is a 9 with effects and a high 7 without on this channel.

lead channel:again without effects it just doesnt cut it,not enouh sustain and too bright.

ok here is what im not sure about.this was a brand new right out of the box framus cobra.i have been playing for about 18 years and i could tell something wasnt quite right with it,so i took it to a pro amp repair guy who hand makes and repairs tube amps,to get it rebiased and change the crappy eh tubes.he immediatly told me that he couldnt get a read on the number 1 power tube and the other 3 was at 59 ma[and he showed me on the scope or what ever that thing was]i called the store i bought it from and he told me to call the distibuter.more below

when i called the tech department i did get somebody on the phone[i was still at the amp shop]he ask me what was wrong and i told him that the repair guy couldnt get a reading on the number 1 power tube.he told me dont worry about it that he could still bias it off the other 3 tubes.he said that he had run across many with that problem because the wire wasn't hooked up,but you could still bias it.i ask my repair guy to talk to him cause i really didnt understand what he was talking about.my repair guy told him that the amp wasnt right and he couldnt bias it in its condition bvecause he couldnt get a reading.the framus distributer told him to tell me to send it to repair and he would have it looked at.[bottom line he wasnt going to authorize any money or refund,i was irate]i called the store i bought it from and he said he would send me another 1 or i could let my guy fix it and he would pay for it.i got my guy to fix it and retube it.the problem was a loose screw rattling around inside and was causing shorts.2 day old head cost $290.00 to fix.if the store i dealt with hadnt picked up the tab i really believe i would have been screwed.i would have to pay for shipping to and from california and then wait on them to fix it[about 3-4 weeks]if you buy 1 beware of this because my amp wasnt the first 1 with this problem.

now that my technical problems with this amp is over,i am going to give this amp an overall rating of 8[if it doesnt blow up]i have owned rectifiers,5150 II,crate blue voo doo,carvin legacy and line 6 and this amp is better than any of those]if it were stolen or lost i wouldnt buy another 1 only because of the warranty and the troubles i had.if money wasnt a problem i would get a bogner uber for the dirt and a line 6 for the clean and a a/b box.my guess is these amps are getting more and more popular and they are probably shipping them out too quickly to keep up with the demand.take my advice on this,only buy the exact amp you try out,dont try 1 at a store then go to a catalougue and get 1 shipped to you it might save you some trouble and money.my overall rating is based on it now not before repairs.oh yeh it has tung sol tubes.

This is the older model without the external bias. Great versatility, 3 channels with three independent EQs, deep knob, midi control which is killer.

I've owned this amp for a year now so I think I've had some time to let its sound sink in, and can submit a genuine review. Amps Ive owned in the past are: 73 fender super reverb, mesa tremoverb 100 watt dual rec head, marshall mode four head, marshall JMP-1 with 9200 marshall monoblock power amp, and finally the cobra. All heads played through a 4x12 marshall with greenbacks, and a f-in les paul standard with a 498t in the bridge instead of the burstbucker.

The sound took a little getting used to since all I've ever owned were 6L6 or 5881 powered heads. I really never got used to the EH 12AX7preamp sound on this amp. The clean with these tubes was out of this world, but the distortion was not to my liking. Hard to explain, both the lead and crunch had a low-midrange quality that was hard for me to dial in. It just didn't have the clarity/tone I wanted. I play technical jazz metal ala the fucking champs, dysrythmia, dazzling killmen, keelhaul, etc. I need a sound with balls, yet with a great well rounded tone. One day I bought the groove tube reissue of the original mullard preamp tubes to give them a try. Pretty much got the distortion sounding exactly as i wanted; tight, edgy, and clear with hella low end punch. Just the right amount of breakup, not the fizz.

I dont play the lead channel to much, it has a more dark tone, but i can see how some bands might like it. Can get a serious low end for down tune or whatever.

Crunch channel is where its at. Keep the gain from 12-2 oclock and this channel smokes any amp out there.

The clean isn't as clear as when it had the electro harmonix tubes, but its still stellar.

All in all the tone on this amp is hard to beat. My other guitarist plays a Marshall TSL 60, and that amp sounded pretty damn good believe it or not, but with the framus and the GT mullards, its eating dust. I also played it against a triple rec. The clarity of this amp really highlighted the fizzyness in the mesa.

I give it a nine since I'm sure a high dollar amp like bogner or diezel would beat it.

No probs yet, seems way sturdy and good fabrication. 9 since its only been a year. Never bring backups to gigs.

Never needed them. I think they offer a 6 month warranty.

I'm 28, and I've been playing since I was 5. I've owned a butt-load of equip and have played blues and metal. If it were stolen I'd buy another one, and make the same mod with the tubes. I always get asked about it, and the midi control opens doors if you use midi effects. Its a damn good amp, without the outrageous price tag like engls, bogners, and diezels. Don't be a mesa/marshall clone. Go framus and smoke em.

Propably 2002 made, bought it used. Can do anything from jazz to metal. Crunch channel is a trash metal heaven! 3 channels, parallel effects loop, line out, bright switch on clean, notch switches on crunch & lead, bass boost on the output amplifier, 2 master volumes. Reverb would be great, although the clean channel is incredible already. The notch swithes aren't that useful to me, I just love the mids. The external bias would be nice. The eq in this thing is great, you can get it to sound just the way you want.

I use 7-strings tuned G and Bb for metal, and this amp delivers so much gain that I don't even need any boost pedals in front of it. The amp is extremely quiet, even at high gain. The clean channel sounds just perfect for those Opeth-style riffs that our band uses. The crunch channel is perfect for articulate trash-metal mayhem! Lead channel is great for leads, and you can use it for some Tool-styled riffage with the gain set at about noon.

The only thing I didn't like was the fizzy high end from the EH tubes, changed them to JJ E34L. They seem to make a nice pair, the JJ:s mellow out the fizzyness of the EH pre's and now the amp is PERFECT! I seriously recommend to put the bias at 30-35mA, it really brings out the beast of this amp.

Bought it used (6 months old) and seems pretty solid built. No probs.

Never had a need to deal with them.

I've been playing for about 10 years now, and at the moment this is my only amp. I used to play through a PodXT coupled with a 400W power amp, sounded nice, but I wanted something more. And with this I got it. And more. And more. I just simply love this amp, it's cleans are so smooth and the amount of gain that I'm getting is just incredible. There's really no need to put the gain on the crunch channel further that 2 o'clock. Changed the power tubes to JJ E34L and biased them at 33mA. Took away the fizzy highs and made the amp a CRUSHING METAL MACHINE!

This is just a follow-up review to the one I wrote directly below. I had problems using my Boss GT-3 multi-effects unit with the Cobra because the Cobra's loop needs a line-level input from a multi-FX unit. The GT-3 only outputs at amp-level so I ditched it for a Line 6 PODXT Live, which has a switch for line or amp-level output. Now everything is working fine, all my time-based stuff (delay, chorus, flanger etc.) sounds incredible going through the Cobra and with the POD's noise-gate turned on, it's dead-silent when you're not playing, even with the Cobra's volume and gain cranked. So this is just a warning to anyone who wants to use a multi-FX pedal that outputs at amp-level with the Cobra, DON'T! Instead try the Line 6 stuff or rack gear, like a G-Major.

This is a brand-new, 2005 model with the external bias features. The features have been amply covered in other reviews so I'm not going to go over them all. This is a pretty versatile amp with an excellent clean sound, a variety of good mid-gain sounds and INSANE high-gain stuff. I'd say an amp like the Hughes & Kettner Triamp is more versatile but for heavy music this thing KILLS! My favorite features are the "deep" knob and the fact that the amp has 2 master volumes, which comes in handy for solos. I absolutely love this amp, but for features I'm only giving it a 7 because of the effects-loop, more on that further down the page.

This amp is definitely all it's cracked up to be. The clean channel is the best I've heard from any high-gain amp other than a Rivera Knucklehead, very sparkly. The Framus has the Knucklehead beat as far as overdriven sounds IMO, which is what I use 95% of the time. There are a variety of good mid-gain sounds available, similar to anything from a Vox to a Plexi to a JCM800, although nothing at all similar to a Fender Blackface kind-of sound. As far as high-gain settings, it's just crazy! I can dial up an incredible early-Metallica, Mesa MarkIIC+ kind-of sound but with more massive, tighter low-end and more clarity and definition. Imagine the best sounds of the Mesa Mark series combined with Marshall Jubilee kind-of tones and you have the Cobra.

Some of the reviews say that the lead channel is only good for just that, leads, but I disagree. When dialed up properly it's great for heavy rhythm playing as well, I play rhythm parts on both the crunch and lead channels about equally, depending on what the song calls for. The way I have those channels set up is for a JCM800 type-of sound on the crunch channel and a Dual-Rect sound on Lead, only this amp sounds better than Marshall or Mesa ever dreamed of. For solos I switch to the lead channel on volume master 2, up a little louder than master 1. As far as noise goes, it's incredibly quiet, even with the volume and gain cranked. With the volume of the guitar down, it puts out almost no hiss at all, amazing for a high-gain amp. This does NOT hold true if you are using effects through the front of the amp though, then there can be considerable hiss depending on what you are using. The only thing I dislike so far is the effects loop. I use a Boss GT-3 for most of my effects and it sounds like crap through the loop. The GT-3's effects sound good going in through the front of the amp but this adds alot of noise. Right now, I switch over to the clean channel between songs to keep the noise down but I may take the amp to my tech and see if he can do a loop-mod so that the GT-3 works better through it. I've been told by other Cobra owners that the effects-loop on this amp is only designed for rack gear, which is a bummer. I like my GT-3 (for time-based stuff only), and it is also a midi controller, which allows me to program certain patches on it to switch channels on the amp. You'd think that for almost 2 grand they would include a loop that is at least as good as the one on my 450-dollar Ampeg.

It's OK though, I'll work around the loop issue because the friggin thing sounds like GOD!!! I've played or owned a ton of amps and I can't imagine what could be better for heavy music than the Cobra. Maybe a Diezel is, I've never tried one but they are over twice the price. This amp just has killer, massive tone and sits perfectly in the mix of a band situation, I can hear myself perfectly without having to turn up too loud or drowning out the other instruments. The power, bite, clarity and definition of this amp just destroys any Mesa or Marshall I've ever played, and it looks way cool onstage with the red LED's. I'm in a working band that plays heavy music and I use either an Ibanez Jem or a Gibson Les Paul Custom, a Dunlop ZW-45 Zakk Wylde wah (awesome!), the GT-3 into the Cobra and out to a Marshall 1960AV 4x12 cab w/Celestion Vintage 30's.

Haven't had it long but it seems solid enough. German engineering.

Never dealt with them.

The Cobra could be used for a number of different styles of music but make no mistake, it's designed for the heavy stuff. Despite having EL-34 tubes in the power section like a Marshall, it's voiced for a more modern high-gain sound. I'd guess it's target demographic is Dual-Rect users. Price-wise, you are not paying THAT much more than you would for a new Recto and I think it's well worth the extra cash. You get even more gain and low-end with better clarity and definition and the Cobra is MUCH better for lead work that any Rectifier in my opinion. Before buying this amp I considered a Mesa Mark IV, Bogner Uberschall, H & K Triamp, VHT Pittbull and various Soldano's but the Cobra was the perfect fit for me. These are hard to come by in most U.S. cities but if you see one, try it out, you won't be dissappointed.

Three Independent Channels (Clean / Crunch / Lead)
100 Watts all tube
Hand Wired
Comes stock with Electro-Harmonix EL34's
Seperate Gain, Volume, Bass, Middle, Treble & Prsesence for each channel
Bright Switch for Clean Channel, Notch (Mid-scoop)switch for Crunch & Lead
Master Volume 1 & 2 (Foot Swichable for a pre-set boost or cut)
Deep knob to control Bass in the Power Amp section (Very Cool)
MIDI interface (also Very Cool)
Paralelle FX Loop w/Mix knob on front panel (I prefer Series but it's not a huge deal)
Foot switch (included) for Channel switching & Masters 1 & 2 (would be nice if it also switched the FX Loop in & out)
This Amp was made in 2005 and has the external Bias controls (a big improvement over earlier models)
The Red LED's make the amp glow red when on & it looks Super!

My main guitar is a '92 PRS Custom 24. I also use a newer model PRS Swamp Ash Special as well as a USA Jackson Soloist SL2H and a Les Paul Special dual cutaway with P90's. All pick-ups on all guitars are stock. I use an old Marshall cab w/Vintage-30's. We play a lot of modern rock, punk and alternative covers and occaisionally throw in a classic rock tune but it's usually a kickin' tune (read: we're definately not your typical clasic rock cover band so a high gain amp capable of covering the newer sounds is essential).
The Clean channel is amazingly clean. I wouldn't say "solid state" clean as one other review suggested 'cuz it's much warmer. It is though the best clean sound I've heard from any of the high gain amps I've played. The Bright switch doesn't seem to make a huge difference so I don't use it. Don't need it. The Crunch channel is unbelievably brutal if you want to set it up that way. More brutal than, Yes!, a Dual Rectifier. This is probably the reason you buy this amp. You can also get some nice "vintage" or "Brown" sounds by rolling the gain back to around 11:00 or 12:00. The Notch switch makes a big difference (mid-scoop) in the sound. At fist I used it in this channel but have since decided I like the sound better without it. Especially when playing at band volume. The lead channel is also brutal and has a unique character of it's own. Not just the Crunch channel with more gain. Some incredible Liquid, Searing, Sustaining Lead tones here. I can't help laughing sometimes while I'm playing 'cuz it sounds so freakin' great. The amp is very quiet in both the Cruch & Lead modes. Much quieter than any of my Boogies. No audible hiss or noise of any type. Amazing for an amp with this much gain. Very versatile to boot. I'm so happy I bought this thing. I hope others don't catch on for a while 'cuz right now I have the best sounding rig in town.

This is my first Framus product and I haven't had to get inside the amp for any reason but, it does appear do be well made and at least as rugged as anything I've owned. No problems with the amp yet but I've only had it about a month. I never gig without a back-up set of power tubes and at least one pre-amp tube. I also bring my Rectifier along as a back-up just in case. That being said, I would probably pout the rest of the gig if this amp failed and I had to go back to the Dual Rectifier. Since I haven't had it long I'll give it an eight based on observation more so than experience.

Framus is represented in the USA by Dana B. Goods. I had to special order the amp through Guitar Center. Dana B was a lot more helpful than anyone at G.C. when it came to answering questions about delivery date and order status. Getting anyone at G.C. to make a phone call to check on the order was impossible. I contacted Dana B myself and, even though they're not set-up to help the end customer direct (computer system, etc.) they were very helpful and pleasant to deal with. They were prompt to return calls and knowledgable about the product. I found more info on the European web site than the USA version. Manuals, etc. and all available in English.

Holy mother of tone Batman, this thing rocks. I've been a Boogie guy for over 15 years (been playing for over 20). Owned MKIII's IV's and Dual Recs. Even Marshalls and Fenders before that but I'm a Framus guy now. This thing totally blows away any of the Boogies I mentioned. I tried a Stilleto too but there was no comparison. The Deep knob is so cool. You get this thunderous low end (palm mute heaven) but the mids and highs stay tight and focussed. Never could do that with the Dual Rec. The Clean channel kills the Recto's so called Clean channel and, the Crunch & Lead channels do as well. When I first fired up the amp, the guys in the band were oohing & aahing at the red glow. Once I moved them out of the way and plugged in, they were blown away. Everyone was still talking about how bitchin' this amp sounded long after we finished playing. I even got a few emails the next day that carried on even more about it. If it were lost or stolen I'd deffinately buy another one.

Three Independent Channels: Clean, Crunch, Lead
100 Watts, (4) Electro-Harmonix EL34 come stock
Parallel Effects loop with mix control on the front panel
Dual Master Volume controls (footswitch-able) so one could be set higher for a boost.
Deep Knob: Controls the amount of low end in the power section.
Separate Presence and Volume control for each channel.
Bright Switch for the Clean channel
Separate Notch (mid scoop) switch for Crunch and Lead channels
Can be controlled with MIDI or included footswitch

The Clean channel sounds really clean and dry, more solid state sounding than tube to my ears. Like stated in other reviews, it?s hard to push into a gritty clean. It probably takes a massive pick attack with a high output pickup. I assume it?s possible by other?s accounts below.

The Crunch channel reminds me of a typically modified Marshall sound, just fuller. It has a nice, crunchy high end with tight lows that just begs for palm mutes. When you bring up the midrange it just gets fuller and crunchier. The notch switch is very effective and totally changes the character by scooping out the mids to where they?re almost absent. With it engaged, it reminds me of the sound you could get with the old Marshall Valve-state amps. I prefer the tone without the notch switch engaged, it just sounds so full and heavy. This channel alone is worth the price of the amp. It?s a metal rhythm player?s dream.

The Lead channel sounds more like a Mesa Rectifier than the Crunch channel. It?s not just a clone of the Crunch channel with additional gain; it definitely has a different character. With the gain rolled down under 12:00, there is a nice resonant woody chunk that I really love. But as you raise the gain it disappears and loses a little focus sorta like how a rectifier does. Even so, leads sound smooth and singing no matter where the gain is set, even at maximum. Leads definitely sound a lot better on this channel. This channel also has more low-end response than the Crunch channel, so rhythm work may be a little muddy with too much gain. But the Crunch channel is better suited for rhythm work to me anyway.

Another cool thing is the deep knob in the master control area. This determines the amount of low end in the power section of the amp. It?s a great feature because it doesn?t muddy the tone, and if your tone is muddy, just roll off the channel bass and bring up the deep knob and the mud is gone with all the low still there. And probably more ?clean? low end than any amp I?ve played, too.

I really hope this thing doesn?t break on me because who knows how hard it is to get parts for it. You can barely find a user?s manual for it, and their website doesn?t have much info on it. I?ve heard here and there that the Framus amps don?t ?cut it? on tour. I?m not sure what that means. I haven?t had problems yet, so I?m just going to take good care of mine and hopefully nothing will happen to it.

This amp is great, so far I love it. I?ve been playing for a little over 10 years and have owned mostly rack preamps and power-amps: Marshall JMP-1, Voodoo Labs, Mesa Studio, VHT GP3, Hafler Triple Giant, and Peavey Rock Master. The Cobra obviously tops all of those. There are some things certain preamps did better, like the Studio?s clean tone and the VHT?s ability to get that natural tube overdrive sound, but I haven?t tried anything that can touch the Cobra in the metal department. I?ve also played a Rivera Knucklehead, Mesa Triple Rectifier, JCM 800, 900, 2000, an Engl 530, 5150, and 5150II. All of these are great amps, but the Cobra seems to suit me a lot more. It?s simply the best metal amps I?ve ever played. I saw one in a store while looking for a Mesa Rectifier planning to spend no more than $1500. I plugged into the Cobra and 20 minutes later I walked out of the store with it, paying $500 over my budget. I just couldn?t buy another amp knowing that this thing exists. It?s just got that sound I want.