Genz Benz El Diablo Head

Not as many features as i in my old amp, but alot for a tube amp.

I use a prs custom 24 brizilian limited with vitage bass pick and
hfs treble.

i just got this amp not to long ago. before i used a vetta 2
witch is a great amp, but this thing is even better
i use a line 6 vetta 4x12 cab puts out tons of highs and lows

I play mostly metal/metalcore/hardcore/ lots of blues and some punk
it can do any sound i want from trashy treble to
heavey f***ing metal and the clean is freaking awsome
i like more than fender amps lot of bass and lush

i just got this amp not to long ago. befor i used a vetta 2
witch is a great amp, but this thing is even better

the distortion is like marshall but better

it fell once i thought it would be messed up for shure .
I pluged it up stil worked fine

bottom line its the best amp ive ever played
ive played mesa ,mrashall,krank,peavey jsx,line 6 vetta 2,
line 6 hd 147,and rolland

All been listed before

I'm using this head with an Ibanez artist, gordon smith gs1 custom and a fender tc90 thinline. Most of the music i play is melodic rock / post hardcore and for that type of music this amp is really good. The head is put through a standard marshall jcm800 cabinet and the sounds i'm acheiving are wider than vanessa feltz. The sound is somewhere between a mesa and a marshall with a bit of 5150 thrown in for the bottom end, although it does have plenty of its own charactor to experiment with. I dont really do a great deal of cahnnel switching, so most of my stuff is on the drive channel, the clean channel sounds very good though and opens out nicely with a bit of reverb.

Brilliant build quality and the layout of the pre-amp valves surely means almost solid state style reliability.

Customer support is very good.

Its a bloody brill amp, so much better than the marshalls, mesas and peaveys that i have been using. I tried out so many amps before i got this one, i was all set on getting the engl powerball but this head blew it away with its more versatile controls and that valuable half power switch. I'd recommend this amp to anyone whos playing up-tempo rock, its got a vast array of sounds and its a bit different to all the mesas. Its a great amp, hear it at www.myspace.com/thefirst

Anyone who has read the other reviews or looked at the amp already knows its a two channel (plus "global attack" volume boost) high gain head with a number of special features - vintage gain boost on warm channel, hot and compressed switches on the hot channel. Individual channel and global effects loops. And as before mentioned the sexy blue LEDS inside the head.
I've had this amp for about 6 months and I play in a frequently gigging cover band that does 30 years of covers - so versatility is a must for me. It needs to be noted that I had to add two different stomp boxes to the front of this amp in order to get the variety of gain tones that I require. While the amp is capable of 5 different switchable sounds, not including the global attack, these sounds affect the presentation of the gain structure VERY little. The vintage gain is an extension of the warm channel top end, and both options on the hot channel take you from Genz Benz gain to Genz Benz gain-ier - as where the gain switch options on a Dual Recto head actually change the gain presentation.
Just don't be fooled, as good as the amp sounds, it is a one trick pony. I'm somewhat confused by other reviews stating that it is quite versatile?

A very important note on this amp is that its enviroment, the instrument plugged into it, the use of the effects loop, pedals in the signal path, even the cables you use WILL affect the tonal pallet of the amp. I've owned MANY amplifiers (marshalls, boogies, peaveys, etc) and I've NEVER seen an amp change so very completely from guitar to guitar. If going to the store to try one out, take YOUR guitar - or you will be dissapointed.
The overall feel of the amp is a hot-rod Marshall. There's no mistake that its in the EL34 family. The gain structure is not tight and compressed but rather brown and clumsy. Your technique will NOT be clouded by the gain - you will hear everything that you do clearly through the distortion. The amp is extremely quiet at the same time, no need for a noise gate here unless you use effects that make racket. The clean channel will break up (ala Plexi) when its cranked. I wouldn't recommend the amp for any kind of metal players - the gain structure is too muddy to give your mutes any definition. But for rock, blues, jazz - this amp is killer.

Genz Benz has had some reliability issues in the past. I own the head (current review) as well as the 112 60 watt combo. I havent had any problems with the head yet but the combo did shed a tube the first month I owned it.

Genz Benz IS one of the best amp companies you will deal with. It is not uncommon for Jeff Genzler to answer the phone (owner). I wanted to try some different preamp tube configurations and Jeff gladly sent me some different tubes that he keeps at Genz Benz to try out. Good people.

At heart I think I'm a Boogie man and in the future I will probably go that way again - but if you're into creamy tones and an excellent quality amp - this amp will work very well for you.

At first I was a little sketchy about the lack of a lead channel, that was until I clicked on the global attack. It really sends you above and beyond for that perfect solo sound. AND THE HANDLES!!!! None of the rubber handle crap across the top of the head, this has metal handles built right in. its nice carrying your head around, not depending upon a piece of rubber and two screws.

Some people have been mentioning not really getting bottom end, my other guitarist uses a B-52 which produce serious amounts of bottom end and this amp will rumble back to where it came from. Maybe its the your cabinets. I play through the B-52 cabinet because of the low end it is able to produce. I do agree it is touchy about the types of pickups you use. I'm getting a dimebucker for better pinch harmonic definition along with a pair of celestions to fine tune the cabinet. All in all the head is pretty much ready to go, but you may need to make a few changes to perfect your overall tone.

I can't really say yet, because everything is 100% reliable until it malfunctions for the first time. so far no trouble at all.

no experience.

This amp is the best thing to have ever happend to my guitar and if someone stole it, I'd strap them to a chair, hook up 2 4x12 cabs and crank the amp to ten, turn the lows all the way down and the highs all the way up, and play the 24th fret on the high e string until there head burst.

When I tryed out this amp in the shop it was amazing - the sound was more appealing than a mesa.
HOWEVER, I took it home and tryed it out again, and it sounded like SHIT.
I think the guitar/pickups you use with the amp will make a HUGE impact on the sound its going to give you.
I tryed it out with a John Petrucci Music Man in the shop, and it gave me the most awesome solo sound, but when i played it with my ibanez rg570 (with evolutions), the distortion wasnt clear - it just sounded like fuzz - it was realy rough, dirty and very buzzy - also very mid range and not much presence. It sounded so awefull i couldnt play it.

make sure you try out the guitar/pickups your going to use with the genz benz before you buy it.

this amp was made in 04, it doesent have the bias adj. pot outside the chassis like the new ones.( a much needed feature for me.

my music style is van halen to late 20th century rock,this amp is a killer amp, very unique tones as well as hod rodded marshall EVH and recto, mark 1v as well, it is very loud. 2 channels + the add to switchs on the hot channel. IT GLOWS BLUE-----SOO COOL

GEAR 3 olp evh musicmans tone zones bridge air nortons neck
oh yea, with floyds x3.
one of the best, its no noisier than other hi watt heads
can even do a hot rodded ac30tb killer overdrive like brian may on hammer to fall or one vision.
its own tone very special can be very warm and brown with tons of sustain at more tha level 2 on volume.
can be very hot recto.
very marshall as well
you can hear your strings and not buzzy

talked tom jeff personally today, the owner Mr Jeff Genzler, i advised him on my concern on there was no bias adj pot. he advised to have store order another one and swap them and if there was a issue he would make it happen cant get any better

been playing 20 + years have had the best........ these rock i give them 11 in every catagory .............and did i mention it glows blue........

If you have read the previous reviews, you probably already know, but anyway:

2 channels: warm(clean to mild overdrive with "vintage" switch)and hot which follows from where the warm channel leaves off.Also has a global channel which contains the master volume and reverb and volume level of the volume boost.

Effects loop for each channel

50/100 watt power switch

Last but not least, the very sexy blue lights inside the head.

I use this amp with an Epiphone Les Paul Standard, a G&L Legacy,and a Gibson Blueshawk, all of which are completely stock.The sound quality is phenomenal.Though I mostly use it for blues and classic rock styles (Led Zep,Jimi,SRV,Cream,Stones etc.) it can definately handle metal. I typically run the hot channel with the gain on about 5, sometimes more sometimes less as I am still trying to find all the possible sounds I can pull out of this thing. This amp can pretty well nail any tone from any amp, whether it is a twin or and old SUPERLEAD OR JCM800.The high gain and compression settings add even more to all the possible settings.

I have only owned it about a month, but it seems it is very well built. Sure looks like it could handle some road abuse. No problems yet(knock on wood).

Though i havent had any problems yet, I have come in contact with Genz Benz. All i needed was an owners manual and the warranty cards for the head and matching G-FLEX cab that my local store owner forgot to give me. They told me they would send me what I needed and sure enough it arrived about five days later. They even threw in a Genz Benz bumper sticker, which was pretty cool. If you are in need of just a manual however, you can just print it from their website.

I have only been playing about three years, but i usually average 2-3 hours of playing a day, usually a little less when school is in session. I also once owned a TSL 602, which was a total waste of time and money. If it was stolen, i would probably hunt down the theif and well... you know(not that perverts). I wasnt exactly for the looks at first, but they have grown on me, especially the previously stated super sexy blue lights. I have to admit that I was saving for a Plexi reissue but I saw this on clearance and thought "what the hell, why not" so I played it and was instantly in love. Great job Genz Benz on a great sounding, well built,well priced amplifier!

made 2004-05. this amp, bottom-line kicks a**. i play a variety of mucic on an off and on 20+ yrs, finally an amp that does it all. cleans are great. the gain channels, in short, sell all marshalls, mesa boogers,etc. i use the amp at home to get the neighbors attention, ha!ha! the ruby tubes do a great job i usually swap for groove tubes, not this time. with a little tweeking with the dials, found the sound. can't ask for a better or more versitle amp. GREAT JOB for genz benz. rock on

i have 30 guitars, different types, from the great strat, to les paul re-issues, and eveything in between. stock single coils to seymour duncan heavy metal live-wires ( which eat up EMGs )which i also have. the amp is quiet on all settigs which i am happy about. no outrageous hummmmmm! bottomline, every setting on this el diablo works out fine. i took a chance buying it, without hearing it first. i'm glad i did.

i've only had the amp a week. its built like a tank. i work for guitar center, and i see amps and gear all day long. in my opinion, these genz benz amps and cabs, i have a 2x12 and 4x12, i think all others should be built to these standards.

haven't had to use yet. but i've called for a catalog, and it was sent out quickly. and the people on the phone very nice.

my overall on this super rig, el diablo 100 head, g-flex 4x12 and 2x12. doesn't get any better than this. everything about it, thumbs up. if it got stolen, i would hunt the theif down, and you can figure it out from there. i have a friend i jam with, that owns a marshall TSL100, he is aching to put each of our rigs head to head. the genz benz will eat his amp up. i just plan on using my 2x12 g-flex cab. i will update on that duel. bottomline if you dont own a genz benz, and are on the band wagon of marshall and mesa booger, come to reality, try one of these monsters out. you will change and get off the wagon. my marshalls are collecting dust.

All the features have been covered already. The 50w/100w power switch and bias switch is sweet. This amp has more than enough power for sure. It is loud, even at 50w!

The amount of sounds this amp puts out is amazing. I have only used EMG active pickups with it, so that is what the sound is based on. The clean (warm) is crystal clear, but you can increase the gain on it to get a different sound. The hot channel is just as good as the warm. It can cover anything from Hendrix to AC/DC to Metallica to Mudvayne. It is not noisey without a suppressor, but I do use one because of all the pedals I use. The clean breaks up nicely and the distortion is quite brutal, but not flubby. If you want flubby mess, get a messie boogie.

This thing is heavy and is built incredibly well. It's very solid and the handles are very nice on it. You feel very secure if you have to move it around.

It just simply does not get any better than Genz Benz in this area. Jeff is a very nice guy and will bend over backwards for his customers.

This is a great sounding amp. I don't see how anyone could rate this thing as low as some have and that's why I submitted this review. They are entitled to their opinion, but don't let those sway you when the majority say nothing but positive things. You can get any sound you want out of this amp, but at the same time it doesn't sound like everything else. I have owned Peavey, Mesas, Marshalls, etc and this is right up there with most of them and better than many of them. Oh and by the way, this is the best looking amp I've ever seen. When lit up, it puts a blue pattern on the wall...everyone I've shown this amp to comment on how cool it looks. Then they hear it and just smile. =)

Great features for a tube head, the attack and contour knobs are very useful. Seperate effects loops for each channel or one global loop. Amazingly clean channel switching, it is completely SILENT. And who can resist that awesome blue glow.

I run a Gibson SG Special with EMG 81s or an Ibanez SZ320, Shure UHF wireless, Genz Benz El Diablo 100 (BBE sonic Maximizer & Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor in Global FX Loop), split between a Peavey 5150 Straight 4x12 and a Genz Benz G-Flex 2x12. This amp is purely amazing, the cleans go to heaven and never distort, the gain is flippin' brutal, F the Rectos, this thing pull of the sound the right way. I play mostly Hardcore (comeback kid, bane, give up the ghost) and Grindcore (between the buried and me, bury your dead, modern life is war) and this amp does this sound right.

If you think Peavey builds tanks, you'd be hard pressed to bust this amp. The side handles are well designed, most people look at it as an inconveinence; but they're there to keep the amp from being banged in to shit that would snap the tubes out of their sockets.

Never dealt with them but I've heard great things

They just plain old did this one right. I've gone through a Fender head, a Peavey XXL, and a Peavey 5150 and they just didn't cut it, I can't emphasize how much you should gett one of these.