Soldano Avenger Head

I have one of the newer Avengers with the exposed Metal grill. Frankly I like this look over the older models. I wish it had a loop and a clean channel. Oh well guess one day I may get an SLO or a second amp and an ABY box lol. I figured I would conribute a review for the detuner Metal players as I am one of them. I play C tuned stuff in the style of Fear Factory, Soilwork, KSE, etc. I found this baby used at my local GC and fell in love.

At the Guitar Center there were this amp, a Diezel VH4, a Framus Cobra, and a Uberschall all lined up. Tried them all and hated the VH4 (too round sounding), didn't like the Cobra (fuzzy as heck), kinda liked the sheer brutality of the Uber, but it was a tad too stiff on solos. The Soldano slayed me with it's punchiness, aggresive tone, liquid leads. I push all my amps typically with various Overdrives (depending on my mood) Keeley SD-1, Jeckyll Hyde, and a Maxon OD-808. The amp takes to them very very well........running the preamp gain about 4 and then pushing it with an OD pedal with the gain on 9 o'clock and the level cranked sets the Avenger on fire. I also use EMG's for tight clear fast attack. I recorded with thing and wow! Super clear pissed off and aggresive. It definitely gets wicked angry tones but also sings for leads....very musical amp. I had a Single Recto sitting with it, but after 2 weeks much to my surprised the old fave Recto is sold. I couldn't stand the buzz of it any more. Did I mention that I LOVE this amp?! :)

No clue on reliability.....it's a little noisy and I need to go through it's tubes and check for microphonics. I've already had the misfortune of gig break downs with other amps in the past. So I ALWAYS bring a backup......although Soldano's reputation for reliability is good.

Never dealt with them but hear they are awesome.

Been playing for 25 years. Had a ton of gear: Peaveys XXX, 5150, 5150 II, ENGL Powerball, Fireball, Randall RM 100, Rack setups, Rivera KH-II, Randall Cyclone (yuck), Orange Tiny Terror, Laney GH50L, Line 6 HD-147, Mesa Dual and Single Rectos. Famous last words I know (haha) but this is the greatest tone I've ever heard from an amp. I spend hours and hours playing it with a smile on my face. Simply amazing. I'm real curious about the SLO and the Hot Rods now that I have the Soldano bug. I would definitely get this amp or anther Soldano for sure. Nothing like it out there. Amazing!!

This a follow up to my review on my 50 Watt yes I said 50 Watt Avenger head. This EARSPLITTINLOUDENBOOMER FRIGGINMONSTER of an amp just keeps getting better. I have owned it 3 months now. Play 4- 5 hrs a day and feel I still havn't touched on everything this amp is capable of. Kudos Mike

For all you humbucker players out there that want this amp to clean up try a strat style. Dial in about 5 in gain and smile when you hear the sweet clean tones that happen when you turn the guitars volume down. My Humbucker guitar of course drives all the time and wil clean to crunch when turned down BUT MY G&L Legacy just cleans up so sweeeeeet Also for the clown that reviewed this amp and said his only complaint is that there isn't a clean channel GET A LIFE. The greatest rock in the world has always been created on single channel amps. Why do you think the Plexi and 800 series are such hot sellers. hell Blackmore, Beck, Pagemust know something.
Tool

hey 3 months of hard drivin and no problems. I've owned shit that didn't get from the store to my house and they were crappin out. I love ownin a tank

Hey a 9 here. I have asked Soldano in 2 emails why there website sucks so badly. I want to buy a new cab soon and I'm sure I'd by a Soldano if I could see what they have to offer.
They get a 9 cause they did answer me on a mod right away.

You want to sound like everyone else buy a cybertwin or some other piece of crap. You want to rock and discover what and why you play guitar check this one out.

Amp number 516.
Basically this is the same as the avenger 100 in a 50 watt version.
It's a single channel bare bones amp. No effects loop. No line out. Nuthin but an old school rock amp.
I have a few amps in the arsenol. A Vox, Rivera, and a boogie f-50 that I actually traded for this beast. I bought the bogie a while back and left a good review here for it but after awhile the lack of bottom end and the overall gritty top end began to get on my nerves.I don't know why every Boogie I try Ilike at first then they begin to sound like shyte.
I tried out the 100 watt but found it was just too much power for my needs. I've always had a great fondness for 50 watt heads anyways.
I've been playing for 30 years plus and I was looking for an amp that was like the old days where you had to rely on your hands and not your feet to get your tone. I think I've found it in spades in this baby.

I play classic rock and blues predominatly. I use a G&L legacy with a seymor stacked in the bridge position and a Peavy hp signature us model. I also own a Les Paul special and a ES-135.
The Legacy just purrs or screams through this amp. I want clean I turn the guitar down, I want lead up she goes. I've always been a huge fan of Trower and Marino and after opening for Trower and watching his style and grace with 1 channel amps I was hooked on the need to go back to basics.
This amp is so versatile I really don't know why some reviews of the hundred say there is no clean. There is it's in your hands and settings. Also the fact that there is no tonal change when I turn her up is way cool.
I really find this amp at it's best with the gain between 4 and 7 depending on the tune. The bass at 6-7, The mids at 4, the treble at 5, the presence at 4 and the depth at 6.
The amp really compresses with the gain above 7 and doesn't suite my style. It also becomes noisy with the presence up.
My only effects to date are a Voodoo lab analog chorus and a Vox wah.
It is the absolute best Trower sound I've ever had. Nails it to say the least.
The harmonics just hang there which is awesome. I just love an amp that when you hang a note or chord you get that harmonic overtone. Never fails to send a shiver up the spine and a smile on the face.

I've never had to have service yet. Besides good old Long and Mcquades here in Canada fix everything in houseIf it ever does break.

My head came wth the roughed in effects loop on the back panel and before the purchase I contacted Soldano to see if it was there for hook-up later if I wanted it. They responded within 24 hrs.
Apparently all their back panels for this amp are die cast with the rough ins but it isn't practical to do it as they say it requires a diferent chassis. I'm sure a good tech could get around that if needed as it was a $600.00 cdn. option to order it I choose to go with it as is. So far I'm happy I did. I just need to find a delay that the effect doesn't become overpowering when injected through the front panel. Again trial and error will find a way. I'm going to explore Tonebones effect loop pedal and see if that does it.

As noteh above I've been playing a long time and use various guitars. They all sound great through my Avenger 50. I would definatley grab another one if stolen.
I love the fact that it is all in my hands what I sound like. I play aggressive and it rocks I play soft or bluesy and it purrs.
I compared it to a lot of amps. Actually my friend just bought a Marshall JTM 45 hand wired head and the 100 cab. We jammed the other night and though his amp sounded great also he had to rely on a distortion pedal of which he has 3 to choose from, a Tone Bone, A voodoo Lab Sparkle drive and a vintage Ratt, to get it up over the edge at which time you could here a definate tone change and depending on the pedal he used the squeel could be hurtful. I was smiling for sure when alls I had to do was turn the guitar up and Wham full tilt boogie. He was quite impressed also as his amp also is a 1 channel design. In fact I think he paid quite a bit more for his lol.

Not much. Single channel, 100 watts, mines been factory modded for EL34's, hi and low inputs, depth knob, NO efx loop, no extra buttons or switches to add eq or extra gain, blah, blah, blah. Just plug in a prepare to rock.

I uses mainly humbucker equipped guitars through the Avenger, but my Telesonic sounds surprisingly awesome through this amp too. This is just a super great, straight-ahead hard rock amp that's great for metal too. It reminds me of a JCM800 either boosted or modded that's thicker and fatter, with plenty of gain and nice articulation. It's not as bright as I would have imagined, great midrange punch and a tight bottom end. The Depth knob dials in extra sub lowend but you have to be careful with it, too much covers/muddies up the tone. It's best to set the Bass knob up first and adjust the Depth knob according to what guitar, cab and speaker combo you use. This amp has replace my Tremoverb, and I love my Tremoverb,...that's how much I like this amp. I no longer have a clean channel but I can roll back on the vol knob and get some good gritty cleans that are very usable, especially on the neck pup. It's not a very versatile amp but what it does it does very well. The low input darkens up the tone and lowers the gain (second gain stage is skipped) and sounds really nice with single coil guitars. The Avenger gets a solid 9 in my book!

Seems very well built, but I've only owned it for 6 months so we'll see how she holds up over time. Soldano has a great reputation for quality and customer service.

I just sent them an email today so we'll see how fast they get back to me. I've heard nothing but good things though.

Been playing for several years. I've owned too many guitars and amps over the years to list, but some other amps I own right now are: TopHat Emplexador, Tremoverb and a Stiletto. The Avenger is currently my "go to" for the band I'm in. It's a solid, great sounding high gain hard rock amp that makes me smile every time I plug in.

This is a follow up to the review I did recently on a brand new Avenger.Unfortunately the amp died about 2 weeks after I had it .They repaired it but the repair was faulty so they gave me a new head.It sounded great for another two weeks and then it lost most of it's power when only 3 output sockets would fire up.So that one went back and I took a full refund.It was great when it worked but unfortunately Soldano must have quality control issues because 2 out of 2 amps dieng is not a good % !!!

Sounds awesome when working but turns to fizzy mush in two weeks!

Both broke down without any rugged use whatsoever!

Emailed got an answer but it didn't relate too much to the actual problem!

Wouldn't go near anything Soldano ever!Pretty expensive and you get no value.For the money this should never happen!

Brand new #164.This amp has 1 channel and that's all I wanted because that one channel is super versatile.The controls only need to be tweeke slightly to get a different sound.Depending on the guitar and pickups you use this amp doesn't overcolor them and the differences in necks-pickups-body shape and woods is articulated very well.Lots of power and sustain.Alltube-although the stock Sovtek power tubes it comes with are garbage and should be replaced ASAP-with NOS Jan Phillips or winged Svetlanas.Also change out the preamps with nos Jan Phillips 12ax7's and the one 12at7.

I'm using a Les Paul Classic Goldtop with Seynour Duncan SH-4 (bridge) and SH-2 (neck)/2003 USA Strat with Seymour SBJB/Duckbucker/Little 59/2000 Strat with SSS-l Vintage Staggered(Seymour)/2002 Tele with STL-l and STR-1.My music style is very versatile and mixes and fuses qlot of different sounds and techniques and can also be standard blues and modern country to very heavy blues and rock.It is not noisy and can do pretty well whatever you want depending on the venue.it can do jazz all the way to metal at bedroom settings to hall concerts plus.

You don't need a backup as this has a military build quality to it-unless you are in a habit of bouncing it on the floor repeatedly then I would suggest a backup.It's a basic design with class although for the price they should be suppling grade AAA tube swith it .

N/A so far.

plying for years -own Mesa Mark1 and Heartbreaker head-Marshall 1960 A cab with 4 g12h's(Smooth as butter).If it was stolen I would go out and by the same amp-I tried some Mesa Rect's,Dr Z's,Orange's,Reissues of this and that,Tophat's,Rivera's,etc. and this was the only amp that non chalantly put the music out -it's like the best Marshall thet was ever built suddenly appearing as a Soldano.

Davey of Perish www.myspace.com/perishrock

The idea behind this amp I feel is to give it's all to the one channel. I wouldn't buy a multi effects pedal because it would mean that each effect is only going to give about 20%, and so it goes for the Avenger. If you play hard music or lead this amp is ideal. The tone is incredible. It really brings out everything you are playing, with tons of beef, yet stays so clear. I would however, have liked to see a clean channel on it. It is perfect for any kind of show you might be playing, wether your doing big time touring, or small time gigs. The crocodile skin, and 11 level knobs are such a great touch. No hassle at all as far as weight goes, I won't be cramping up my hands setting up before a show.

I use an ESP Viper with EMG pickups, and it sounds rediculous coming through this amp. The only thing I noticed noise whise was when I had the presence cranked to 11 (and yes I said 11, it really goes to that on the knobs) I heard some high frequency noises coming out of cab, so I turned it down to about 9 1/2 and it was fine. All of my leads cut through nicely, and carried much better than they did with my Triple Rectifier. It doesn't have as much crunch as I want, but I'm sure I'll eventually find the right EQ to get it doing a lot more. When I'm just strumming chords it sounds like freaking butter. Amazing. The deph knob is a nice touch for that woofing bass.

The way it was put together, the fact that it was hand made in America, and the size alone assure me that this amp is going to last. No complaints.

I haven't used this feature yet, and I'm not sure what the warranty is for, but from what I hear these guys are on there game with customer support.

Overall, I play very heavy, dark, and sometimes technical music with my band Perish. I wanted something to make my sound stand out a little more, and I wanted something to beat out or match up to a Triple Rectifier. This amp did just that. It's nice and simple, so I won't be tangled in chords when we start playing, and the entire amp is devoted to the one channel I use the entire time. I still wish it had a clean channel, for stage reasons (muting, last resort tuning, and diversity.) but whatever, I do have another guitarist with a dual rec, so he can take on any clean writing we do. Great amp I recommend it, and it definetly has it's own sound. Stands out from the crowd.

This is a 100 watt all tube head. There are not a lot of features on this amp. It is a pretty basic single channel amp. There are two inputs, an impedance selector for 4,8, or 16 ohms and no effects loop. This is a great amp for no frills rock and metal styles. It has a presence and depth control for the power section which can drastically alter the tone.

The quality of the sound is amazing. This amp is capable of extreme amounts of gain. The overdrive is so articulate and defined that it makes you play with better technique. This amp is capable of a lot of great sounds but it rules for rock and metal stuff. This amp is capable of some seriously heavy sounds if you so desire. Also great for straight ahead rock. I can't say enough about how much I like the overdrive sounds of this amp. It is unique and inspiring. I would have to say that the amp doesn't have a lot of color to the sound. You pretty much hear the kind of guitar you are using. For someone who wants the sound of the SLO overdrive but can't shell out the 3 grand for it, buy this amp for half the price. I compared this amp to the SLO back to back at a music store and this sounds so close that I couldn't tell a difference. This amp also has a depth control which allows you to boost the low end just like the presence does for the high end. Keep in mind that the more low end that you have the less defined the rest of the sound becomes though. I have a Marshall TSL 100, a Bedrock 1400, and a Fender Blues Junior plus this amp and I wouldn't want to get rid of it for anything. I play a PRS McCarty through everything.

I haven't had the amp long enough to say that it is dependable, but I would definitely not be afraid to gig without a backup. This amp is definitely built with pride and also appears to be very sturdy. Soldano amps have a reputation for being very roadworthy. I have never had any problems with it yet.

I emailed Soldano to ask some questions and received a reply the very same day. I wrote to Bill Sundt and he was very courteous and quickly responded. I bought the amp used so I don't know how long the warranty is/was. Great customer support.

I really like this amp. It is sturdy, looks great and even better sounds amazing. If you are into rock, hard rock, modern rock, metal, and like it simple this amp is hard to beat. I have other amps as I mentioned earlier and this one is a great and unique addition to my little collection. This is the purest overdrive that I have ever heard, and there is a ton of it in there. Not the most versatile thing in the world, but the sounds that it produces will inspire and delight. I would definitely get another one if this was lost or stolen or whatever.

Essentially a distortion only amp. Plenty of tone shaping options though. Mine has EL-34's.

I wanted to post a review simply because it seems a lot of guys are using this for harder/heavier music and I wanted to say that this amp is also capable of smoother, creamier, blusier stuff. If you love Warren Haynes tone and can't afford an SLO, pick up an Avenger. It is a little hissier than the SLO and doesn't have the SLO's lovely crunch tones or the SLO's build quality, but the lead tone is just as good as the SLO. In fact, the Avengers tone is much much thicker, and not as bright as an *unmodded* SLO. For an SLO to get these tones it would need to have the depth and Warren Haynes mods.

No problems yet. All of the tubes are board mounted, not sure if the potentiometers are. Given the price difference, I'm sure its not up to the quality of the SLO, but it not made poorly.

It's a 2004 Soldano Avenger head. Truth be told, it's not that versatile. I wanted something like a JCM 800 2203, and the Avenger was almost $200 less, better sounding, and better built than the JCM 800 re-ish.

I could have bought an original 800, but those are super hot amps right now. I would've only save a couple hundred bucks, and I would probably be buying somebody else's problem. No thanks.

One channels, two inputs (one high gain, one low gain). Seven knobs. That's about it, but that's all I need.

I use this amp for rehearsal, recording, and gigging. It's pefectly equipped for all those applications. I give it a 10. Your results may vary.

I use a Gibson SG Special and a Guild Starfire IV, two dual-humbucker guitars. I play indie, punk, and hardcore, and it sounds great for all of those styles. If I were to play some of the super clean, chimey indie rock, it might not cut it, but I don't do much of that. There are some decent cleans on the low channel, and it cleans up pretty well with the volume knob. Who the hell would buy a single channel Soldano for clean tones.

It gets a little noisy with the gain above 8, but I've never felt the need to push it above halfway, even for super br00tal black metal riffs. Quorthon would approve.

My settings:
Gain: 4
Bass: 5.5
Middle: 5.5
Treble: 5
Depth: 5
Presence: 5
Master: 2.5 - 4

Works for me. I think that if you need to turn any knob all the way up or down, you prolly bought the wrong amp, brah.

Cuts through perfectly for rehearsals and live works, and record beautifully.

One of the reasons I selected the Avenger is because a friends' band toured with two HR-100's regularily, and rarely needed anything more than a tube change. After some bad experiences with a Sovtek Mig-60 (great sounding amp with some particularily shoddy wiring) and '82 Marshall JMP 2204 (power tubes would arc like clockwork 90 days after each time I would get them fixed), this was extrememly attractive to me.

When my band was recording our last full-length, I used this amp, and it started making crazy Star Wars noises. Then it started farting out on the low notes. I was NOT pleased. We spent two hours (at $35/hr for studio time!) replacing tubes, fuses, and anything else we could think of trying to get the fucker to work properly. We finally got it to work by placing the head on a couch five feet away so it wouldn't pick up any vibrations from the cabinet and wedging a few picks in between the chassis and the wooden shell.

The culprit? One of the wires from the Depth knob was improperly soldered. Maybe my amp was made on Friday afternoon?

Since getting it repaired (three months ago) I have had no trouble with it. That one incident irked me just a little bit.

I taked with Bill Sundt at Soldano about bringing my amp in for repair under warranty. He was extrememly helpful. I brought it to the Soldano Warehouse in Seattle for repair and talked to Michael Soldano himself about the problem. He was very courteous and apologized profusely for the soldering defect. My Avenger was turned around for free in just over 24 hours. At the time, I lived less than two hours away from Soldano's Warehouse, so this was rather convenient.

Not sure how easily someone outside of the Seattle area could find a service center. They might have to ship it in, which'd kind of be a drag. Still, my experience with Bill and Mike was very pleasant. Soldano is a class act as far as customer service goes.

I've been playing guitar for 12 years. I've owned a fair bit of gear, but have scaled it back. If stolen or lost, I would likely purchase a Soldano product again. The sound and features perfectly complement my playing style, but might not work for someone else.

The other amps I was considering purchasing were the Marshall JCM 800 2203X (I consider the Avenger to be a slightly improved version of this amp), Mesa Dual Rectifier(too many knobs!), Mesa Mark 1 Re-ish(Local Mesa deal said it would take 6 weeks or more to get in!), and Orange AD-140 (Not enough gain).

I bought this amp sight unseen, but had borrowed a HR-100 for a gig in the past, and really liked it. The Avenger is very similar.