Product: Soldano Astroverb 4x10 Combo
Price Paid: N/A
Submitted
11/30/1999
at
12:00am
by
Anonymous
Email: boomstick at medmanagement<dot>com
Features
:
10
This one was made in July 99. Straight forward lay out, no bells, just great sound with any guitar. Overbuild quality, paper wound transformers, 5 12AX7's, 2 EL84's, 3 spring reverb. If you know how to use your guitar's volume and your attack you can go from a clean full dynamic sound to an SRV overdrive to a Gary Moore saturation. Just with your guitar's volume knob. No pedals. My dream amp. What else could you ask for?
Sound Quality
:
10
I play mainly Les Paul type of guitars with 496, 500 and P100 pickups. I also use home made bolt on type hollow bodies with 3 humbuckers and no tremolo. I have owned most of the boutique stuff out there, and there are a lot of good amps, but this Soldano has the sound and feel of a great amp. I have been playing for 20 years from jazz to fusion to blues to industrial. The Astroverb can do it all. Just run the preamp at 8, the master at 10 (not 11) and the rest to taste and this amp does it. I can get a full clean sound between an AC30 and a Twin with my guitar volume at 3. From 5 to 7 it just begs for SRV and from 8 and up, depending on how hot your pickups are, you can get a very responsive distortion with tons of sustain. The Astroverb is loud too, dont let the size and the rating full you. I also have a Blue Angel which is supposed to be 38W but the Astro is louder, fuller, sweeter.
Reliability
:
10
I had owned an SLO 100 and a Reverb-O-Sonic for quite a few years and i never had a problem other than regular tube replacement. This one is overbuilt exactly like the above.
Customer Support
:
10
I have called Soldano many times for help on mods and other custom stuff and i am always amazed how responsive these guys are. And this time was no exception. They don't produce a top mount 4x10 Astroverb but the made me one at a reasonable price and timeframe.
Overall Rating
:
10
If you are looking for an amp that's loud enough to gig in a club without fighting the sound guy and still get the juice out of it, this is it. If you know how to use your guitar and a tube amp the old fashioned way, you will find it very versatile and great sounding. If you like 3 channels, effect loop run gadgets, artificial sounds and poor definition, look elsewhere.
