Soldano Avenger Head

It's simplicity is what sold me on it, and good control over your instruments volume knob cuts the gain back to a light growl for a great live clean tone in a pinch. Fortunatly I run a fender bassman for clean, but lately the Soldano has been holding it's own to cut down on weight while touring. I currently play punk rock, but with a simple switch of a patch cable from the high to low input this amp can play any genre you throw at it from metal to blues. Every guitar sounds dynamically different with this amp, whether you find this a pro or con I will leave that up to. All I know is that it is nice having my strat sound like a strat and my les paul sound like a les paul.

Some noise at high volume, but what high gain tube amp doesn't. Currently running groove tubes... love em. American strat with a Duncan JB junior, American Tele with a single coil, Les Paul with a Duncan Screamin Demon, Godin with a Duncan passive / active switchable. Every guitar has it's own unique sound with this amp. There is no blending of tones ever, and sound guys are tellng me that the amp is very easy to mix, but yet punches when you want it to without having to switch channels.

Not a problem yet, not sure what the future may bring, but not to worried either.

The joys of simplicity, why would you need customer support?

I hate to rave on something because nothing is perfect, but this amp fits me and my playing style very well. It may not be for you, but in my opinion it serves every purpose I need it to serve. If your looking for effects loops or other channels, than buy an amp with those things. The people bashing this amp for being so simple are failing to see how versatile Soldano made such a simple amp. If your looking for bells and whistles buy a Mesa, if you are a serious musician that understands bells and whistles don't make a musician, their music does... than this is the amp for you.

This amp is amazing. It doesn't have very many features, but it is also not a do it all amp. That is not what it was made for. It is one of the best amps I have ever heard with respect to its intended purpose.

Absolutely the best I have ever heard. Remember that this amp was made for anger. It is not a clean amp. If you want a clean amp then buy a Twin. This is for sonic brutality and it sets the bar for that.

Amp is built to withstand the rigors of war.

Very helpful. I have talked to them several times with different questions about different amps. I have sent e-mails plenty of times and I always get a quick and helpful response.

Crazy cool amp. I have owned just about everything and its pretty cool that the grail came onto the scene before I die. Now I can go to my grave knowing that I have played the best.
The guy below is probably a Jazz Player.

this is a 2008 model 50 watts with the effects loop. Not very versatile only one channel. It has plenty of volume for 50 watts. There is distortion aplenty but not very musical at all.

The sound quality is awful on this amp. It does not sound like the slo circuitry everyone is saying. Ive tried every setting imaginable and it always sounds terrible. Like an amp with a cheap fuzz pedal plugged in to it. I have top grade guitars,cables,and fx but none of these makes a difference...you cant fix what isnt there. The ditortion is brutal for sure but just as surface noise.not musical at all.do not buy into the hype over this amp.....play one first before you buy

I will have to say this amp is well built. immaculate wiring and all on the inside is well done. I would say that it would be dependable

This is where Soldano falls the shortest..there is no customer support. I tried to get help from them on just simple suggestions on how I could make this amp better......and no answers at all..no response.I guess I wasnt important enough. There are other amp companies that are far superior.

I would give this amp an overall low rating. Its for the most part useless. It is well built but what good is it if it sounds bad. I would not buy it again.or any other soldano product simply because they dont care about the people who buy their amps

One channel high gain tube amp.No effects loop.No channel switching...no bs pure signal path. I dont know why some people complain that it dosent have enough features...Duh! Thats what its sold as...a one channel no fx loop amp.Anyone that WANTS and or uses an FX loop for any FX other than a noise gate or maybe a small EQ for a boost knows nothing about tone....especially with a soldano. The outpute circiuit (with 5881 tubes) is designed to compress and distort at even moderate volumes 4-up. If you run time based fx through a loop in a head like this (or the slo,hr+) it will muddy them up.It amazes me when people are like "yeah, i have been touring for 20 years...blah,blah, and i run my rack/pedals in the FX loop"???Sure...The best way to run time based FX is to load down the outpute (like with a plamer ss) run the line signal into your fx/fx mixer then into a CLEAN tube power amp or mosfet/solid state power amp then yr cabs.Thats the only way to do it. I love this amp the way it is. I dont need reverb-delay ect and i use my volume knob to clean it up. Simple is better...especially in tube amps. Those 3-4 channel bells and wisle amps suck...more wires,less tone. The added feature that i dont use alot is the depth presence. It adds low end. This amp dosent really need low end....its kinda voiced that way.

I have only played my ash body home made (all parts,warmoth) super strat through it.(marshall 1960a cab 75watt skrs) I am using a SD 59'r paf pup. It sounds perffect through it. I dont use the gain cranked all the way up (between 5-6). I used to own an slo and an hr 100 ( both sold due to money problems) and i would use a Dimarzio super distortion in my strat through them. Gain on 10! I thought it sounded good at the time but i was going through some rehersal tapes and man!!! MUD! With some buzz.Tons of sustain but i would rather sacrifice some sustain and gain for better harmonics with a lower output pickup. The sound is just pure articulation with great sustain and harmonics...i emphasize the upper mids with the eq settings. More of an early van halen, matthias jabs,lynch tone. Its perfect.

All i can say is this is the third soldano i have owned and i never EVER had problems with them. They do chew through output tubes a little quicker than other high gain amps but it has to do with the output circuitry...its normal.I have talked to mike and staff just for basic questions (tube life,biasing) and they have ALWAYS been cool and helpfull.

Soldano is probably the best in customer service. Bad reviews are probably from other manufactures that dont like the competition. soldano INVENTED the first comercially available "hot rod amp" and they are ALL hand built in the US...other companys cant always say the same.

I have owned a TON of high end amps. If you like van halen,matthias jabs,george lynch, erric clapton,warren haynes, players that need sustain purity and articulation in their tone...this is the amp for you. It will do harder newmetal as well but its better for more bluesy based sustained riffing(listen to man on a mission by VH, tease me please me/alien nation by scorpions,in my dreams by dokken)....not really an AC/DC classic rock open style playing amp.Its also not an amp for begginers!!! It will expose poor teqnique in a hurry!! But hey, you will get better quicker if you own it.Soldano amps are just great and have always been...have a great resale value too....that bailed me out a few times so its kinda an investment....hey, im a starving musician.

100watt single channel hi gain head. thats all. no more no less. no fx loop.

was good when it worked. MY amp died after using it for 2 weeks just like the reviewer below

since it only worked for two weeks i returned it to the dealer who 'fixed' it only they sent it back with some bolts replaced with rusty ones, badly badly matched power tubes, preamp tubes that kept falling out the sockets, high levels of noise a low frequency hum even with the gain and master controls at 2

accused me of being an idiot. soldano where marginally better than the dealer

i wont buy anything off them ever again. SLO's might be ok but these are garbage

Newer 100watt model with open grill. I play in a hardcore band and do more at home. amp is single channel with hi and low inputs. no fx loop. basic, simple. wish it had a slave out.

using a les paul custom with bareknuckle emeralds. suits the style. gain fuzzes up when you crank it not a bad thing. just different. needs playing loud. not noisey at all. not compared to a 5150. low input is horrible.

mine was terrible.
had it two weeks before the output transformer died while playing live. would ALWAYS take a backup if going away.

The tech's used by the dealer (sounds great, uk) delayed the repair of the head. Then themselves / bill at soldano accussed me of using an attenuator in an incorrect fashion leading to the breakdown of the transformer. now im being refused a refund and im probably going to have to take the amp back and sell it on loosing a few hundred pounds in the process.
I probably have bad luck. but i wont own another soldano unless its an SLO and i wouldnt get anything through the dealer i used again.

wouldnt replace it if it was stolen.
id look at something else. maybe try a cornford. whatever.
loved it when it was loud. compared it to a lot of other heads. it was next level. in a good way. but since it only worked for 2 weeks and i feel like ive been treated badly when trying to sort it out, ive lost my confidence in Soldano.

Amp is an early model, labeled 093. It has one channel so no need for channel switching. The amp covers hard rock and metal, the full spectrum. It probably needs a reverb, but I can do without a clean channel. It's 100 watts so plenty of power. All tube.

This amp is great for metal. It is capable of a very dense, heavy tone, and is still good for leads. I find the neck pickup sounds better for single notes, as on the bridge pickup single notes can get kind of grainy (I played a Gibson SG Supreme with Iommis and a Jackson 7 with Duncan Invaders through it so far).

It is a great, affordable amp for any metalhead. Used ones are going for about $900 now - a steal, considering it's a hand built USA made amp, and it sounds this good.

The only problem is it doesn't have as much identity as I'd like to hear. You don't hear it and say "Soldano Avenger!" as you would with something like a VHT. I think you could get either a 5150, a Marshall, or even a Mesa to sound something like this with the right tweaking.

It does make a little bit of hum, and it needs a lower gain preamp tube in the first position. There is no shielding on the preamp tubes.

I would gig without a backup. Top quality.

No experience with them.

I've been playing for awhile and have tried out plenty of amps. This one's a keeper. If it looks like it gets a low rating it's only because it doesn't have an original tone. It's kind of anonymous, but it's an anonymous sound that screams METAL! and it has a great presence that can be a little unforgiving. Ever note is clear and in your face, no matter how high or low you have the presence, or gain.

I have a the newer exposed grill version of the Avenger, which is cool because I like seeing the tubes light up. Gives me the feeling this amp is alive. Well it's a 100w single channel super high gain amp that cleans up better than any other high gain channels I've ever heard. I wish it had an effects loop and a switch to go from a 100w to 50w, maybe in the future. Have had it for 2 weeks now.

My setup is simple: 2 guitars (but I only use 1) a Gibson Les Paul 57 VOS Goldtop, my baby, and a Schecter 7-sting with EMG's. My cab is the Marshall 1960A Lead, and now the Soldano Avenger, as well as a few Monster studio pro 1000 cables. Before I had the Avenger I was pushing my sound through a Line 6 150w Spider III, which is a very decent head amp for only $400. But no matter how much I turned it up, and no matter how I adjusted the tone I couldn't get that great scoop sound you hear in early Metallica albums. Think Damage Inc., Disposable Hero's, etc. Plus the mids were lacking for classic Iron Maiden to the creamy rich overdrive of Randy Rhoads. I originally tried out a Soldano awhile ago but my ear wasn't as tuned as it is now. I found it lacking punchieness I said, which is laughable when I think back to it. I tried it about 4 months later and caught the Soldano bug like everybody else does. Afterwords is was one of those obsesive compulsive things, I had to have on! I defidently wanted the Avenger, even though I had never played it, but I wanted to be safe and get a versitile amp for all my needs. I heard the Avenger doesn't clean up too well it that kinda scared me off. My orginal plan was to get a Hot Rod 50+ and was dead set on it till I played the Avenger. A guy at Guitar Center I had talked to serveral times demoed the Avengers versitility to me. The guy was playing some great heavy metal chugg rythems and then switching to some fantastic cleans by just switching to the neck pick up and having the guitar vol at about 2 1/2. This amp just responds so well to guitar vol and pick attack. The only thing that has dissappointed me about his amp is it does get muddy with gain at 11, at least for palm muting. Good for fretboard tapping though. I can get what ever I need without pushing the pre-amp past 7 1/2.

Haven't had it long enough to comment.

They haven't answered the phone everytime I cal them, but they're ran a Mom & Pop store: Very curtious and helpful with any question, no matter how retarded it was. I don't look forward to having to call them, but it relives me that when I will have to I'll be in good hands.

There's just something about Soldano's that is almost magical. An amp+guitar shouldn't sound this good all by themselves with no studio behind them, but somehow Soldano never dissapoints me.

Soldano Avenger head. 100 really loud watts. 4-5881 power tubes, and 4-12AX7 preamp tubes. One awesome channel with two different input modes. No loops, or anything to get in the way of the tone, although I do miss using my TC 2290 in my rig sometimes. If you want one REALLY good rock sound, this is it. I've owned it for two years, and feel it deserves a good review.

Being an owner of a Custom Audio OD-100 SH, it's hard to like any other amp. However, this amp sounds VERY similar on the high gain channel to the OD-100. If anyone's truly played them side by side, there would be no arguement here. There is no doubt that the OD-100 is more touch sensitive, and is the best channel switching amp around, but they both have a similar feel in the high gain mode. The Avenger doesn't clean up very well, but has tons of sustain, overdrive, punch, and TONS of bottom end, especially with the Soldano cab. It's almost too much, even at low settings. It stays super tight, but has that bit of a saggy feel that makes the amp awesome to play. The EQ is very sensitive on this amp.

The low gain setting is much more usable for versatility. You can get more bluesy on this mode, and still go into hard rock territory if you want to. It doesn't clean up very well, but it still gets cleaner than most amps. Pedals work VERY well in this mode. I don't use this mode much on this amp. The high input is what this amp is all about.

This amp is definitely voiced for rock and hard rock. You can for sure do metal, but this amp doesn't sound good with the mids scooped like a Mesa Mark 4 would. If you like the 80's hair metal sound, like Dokken, Ratt, or Winger stuff, you'll love this amp. Even Zakk Wylde fans would love this. Harmonics jump off the fingerboard with little effort, even with the gain only set on 4.

Soldano's are built better than almost any amp on the market. I'm a touring musician that is out on the road about nine months out of the year. I've owned a Decatone for many years now, and have never had a hiccup or anything. Just regular tube changes every six months or so. I'm very confident that these amps will hold up on the road and during a show.

In the top 5 for sure. The guys at Soldano have always been willing to help, even with silly questions. They usually get back to you within a day or so.

I own several amps from old Marshall's, a couple of Mesa Mark series amps, two Custom Audio OD-100 SH heads, a Diezel Einstein, Soldano Decatone, and a Boogie Triaxis rack setup. I've been a full time touring musician for over 10 years now, and have learned over time what amps work best for me, and for the road. Even with good cases, amps get messed up pretty bad from all of the vibration during traveling, and from handled repeatedly. Soldano's are great. I've used my OD-100's for almost two years now, and they've held up great, but they're really heavy. If I have a smaller gig, and just need the one channel, the Avenger is awesome, and MUCH lighter in weight.

Overall, it has killer tone, and plenty of volume for any gig. Do yourself a favor and spend a little extra money on quality.

1 awesome channel. High and low inputs make it more versatile. Works best in a two-amp setup though if you need instant sound options. I was very surprised at the wide range of tones I have been able to get just from using the different inputs. It can actually get kinda' bluesy. But c'mon! Its a gain MACHINE! I think it was made in 2002 or 03. It has an excellent amount of power. You should really experience it in real life.

This amp sounds perfect for what it is made for and that is high gain. Don't buy this amp for clean tones. I use guitars with humbucking pickups. A les paul with a duncan full shred in the bridge and an explorer with original gibson 500t and I guess the 498t in the neck. The saturation is unlimited. The notes cut through very well and I would say that lead lines have a lot of character. Not the typical harshness you get from some high gain amps.

Have always gigged without a backup and it has never broken down. It is built like a rock.

Never dealt with them due to its reliability.

I've been playing for 12 years. I also own an 80s jcm800 that I love. I would buy it again if I were gigging in a hard rock band were it lost or stolen. I love its sound, I hate that I don't have 2 of them. I compared it to the mesa dual rectifier and marshall jcm2000. I chose this one because it is in a league of its own. I wish it had reverb.

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.

The features of this amp remind me of a Marshall JCM 800 with a depth knob added. Very simple, no reverb, no channel-switching, no effects loop, in other words no junk added to the pure tube pathway. Just a few knobs, two inputs and tone for days...If you're looking for lots of versatility look somewhere along the lines of a Mesa or a rack system. This is a no BS kind of amp. Just what I wanted.

I play a USA Jackson through this amp and I play mostly metal but also rock, blues and jazz on the side. This is my only amp and my only guitar. My cabinet is a VHT Fatbottom 2x12 loaded with a Vintage 30 and a G12H30 which I think is a great combo. I plug straight in with no effects. I like it that way. When I want a cleaner sound, I just roll down my volume knob and switch to a different pickup. I had been playing a friend's SLO for a while and I loved it but couldn't shell out the money for one. I also had a JCM800 2204 and I loved the simplicity of that amp but it didn't have enough gain on its own. Suddenly Mike creates the perfect amp. The Avenger is basically the lead channel of the SLO (albeit with its own flavor) with the simplicity and look of the JCM800. My prayers had been answered. It's everything I wanted in a rock/metal amp and more. The distortion is more than enough and it's made me realize what a sloppy player I am. An amp like this will expose every nuance of your playing so you better be ready for it. It's forced me to really "clean up" my technique and I'm very grateful for that.

So far it's been really reliable and after taking a peek at the insides I'm sure it won't let me down. Built extremely well and the attention to detail is there in spades.

I e-mailed the company several times and got responses the following day. Bill Sundt is a great guy and I'm sure Mike is just the same. Great company, great product. What more could you ask for??

I bought this Avenger used and got a screamin' deal. I paid $800 for it and the amp was dead mint. I couldn't be happier and I know this amp will stay with me for a very, very long time. I've been playing around 10 years and have owned many amps (vintage Marshalls, vintage Fenders, Mesas and Bogners) and guitars (Fenders, Gibsons, Taylors, Yamaha, etc). My pedalboard weighed around 60lbs and was made up of all boutique pedals (Way Huge, SIB, Klon, Fulltone, Analogman, Keeley, etc.). I sold absolutely everything and just kept the Avenger, my VHT cab and my Jackson. Funny how that works. You spend so much money trying to find the perfect tone and you finally come to realize that one guitar and one amp is all you need (at least for me). A hard lesson learned but well worth it...

I'd like to see a 50 watt version of this amp since 100 watts seems overkill for everything except large stadiums and arenas. Thank-you Mike for making my dream amp a reality!!

2004 avenger 5881 3-12ax7 mv gain treble bass presence mid depth....no fx loop no slave no bells it dont open my garage door it just an amp..oh hi and lo gain inputs and 4 8 16 ohm dial for the cab of choice i rate it a 10 cause its all i need

i use gibsons with humbuckers morley volume-fulltone fulldrive(for licks)-strobo stomp tuner-head-mesa trad 4-12 cab and thats it..sound?...the best amp i ever played i had em all...rectos...marshall..sovteks..i got rid of the marshall and the recto to buy this baby..and im finally happy..i play hard rock/punk....not that pop puck crap..boohoo boy shit...real rock n roll..lol....but anyways...this amp just has that sound...distortion is heavy yet clear.which was my only beef with the recto..and is built like a tank..which was my beef with the marshall dsl..that thing was so rickety it scared me i returned it in a week...its single channel no clean ..but i dont play clean...ever...lol..when i want less gain i use the volume pedal..easy...the depth knob really helps this amp...use it sparingly...i use it at like 31/2 it just gives the bottom end a lil more umph...i cant stress how happy i am with this amp..it cuts thru the mix of a drummer loud bass and a recto the sound is very clear....the best amp i ever heard or played.

i only had it like 6 months...so whos to say...but its built pretty tough so i cant foresee any probs..but i never gig with out a back up.

seem like nice people

ive been playing almost 20 years..all heavy stuff ...what else can i say? if u dont need clean and u dont like tap dancing while playing and u like clear yet brutaly distorted tones then this is the best amp there is period

This is a 2004 model with 5881 tubes. It has a high & low input, One channel, no effects loop, Presence, and Depth control. This amp is a the case of less = more. It may be the fact that this amp has a direct signal path, but it just sounds incredible. The amp has huge volume with great headroom & dynamics. I think the simple layout of this amp is just perfect! I have black gator skin - looks amazing!!

Make no mistake this amp produces some BRUTAL DISTORTION, the best I have heard to date. I use early USA BC Rich & Dean guitars. I really like the sound of a Dimarzio super distortion through this head, I prefer it over an EMG. I play very aggressive metal and this amp is fantastic. This amp is can handle many styles, but it clearly is a very aggressive amp. I plug straight into this head and it sounds incredible. This amp is also very quiet, in terms of noise.

It is fairly new, I have had the Avenger for about a month now and it works perfectly. I am really impressed with the build quality of this amp, from the internal components like Mercury Magnetic Transformers to the steel reinforced corners on the outside. Still she is new, but so far so good.

I have called Soldano a few times to ask questions, they were always very helpful and very cool. They always took time out to answer all my questions. I picked this amp up from Ken @ Solidbodyguitars.com, he is a great guy and knows everything about Soldanos! I highly recommend his shop!

I have been playing for over 20 years. Besides the Avenger, I own a real nice modded Marshall Re-issue Plexi and just sold my CAE OD-100. I would buy this amp again in a heartbeat, in fact I love the sound so much, I would almost buy a second one now. I gave this amp straight 10s because it is the best I've heard. I have played Bogner, Diezel, Roccaforte, VHT, Bad Cat, you name it, this thing KILLS. I highly recommend playing one, there is a lot of amp hype out there, check this one out, it'll put a smile on your face!!!

This is a 2003 version with EL34's in place of the 5881's. Single channel that cleans up nicely when you roll off the volume. No efeects loop ( I've never in my entire life used an effects loop) A tad noisy at high gain levels (haven't had it past 4 yet) I inquired about a mute switch and Bill at Soldano said it's a easy mod. I use multiple amps and use this one as my balls to the walls amp. I also play larger venues so volume is important....IT HAS VOLUME!

I mainly use a PRS Custom 22 Artist series with a stop tail, I also use various othe Gibsons and Fenders. I play hard rock, not dropped D hard, just hard. I also play blues, the amp is well suited for both. Once again the distortion is BRUTAL.

Only had it a couple weeks. So far so good, I use it along with a Bogner XTC Classic.......works for me!

Bill Sundt at Soldano was very helpful to my question about a mute switch for the amp, in fact, I got same day response. Kudos

I've been playing 30 years, I own Marshalls (Plexi's only please!) I own a OLD Vox AC-30, a 62 Tweed Bassman, the XTC, and a hoard of other old amps. So far the "AVENGER" is a monster. I had a Hot Rod 50,it doesn't come close. For the money, this is one of the best amps I've seen. Thanks to Stu at Fat Sound Guitars for all the effort on this as well as the Bogner, if your gonna buy a amp via the inter net, Stu is the guy to look up.

It's a one channel amp. It does have a high and a low input. No FX loop, no push pull knobs, no fancy bells or whistles. Plug and play type amp. All knobs go to 11, so that's kinda cool for comedic's sake.

This thing is an absolute BEAST!!! If you want a no frills head whose only purpose is to put your dick in the dirt then get this one. Gobs of gain yet remains very articulate. This amp has a lot of low end. If you like alot of thump in your sound then you'll definately dig this amp. If you wanna play some cleaner stuff like classic rock or blues, then just plug into the low input. It sounds just as good in a lighter rock sort of manner. In a nutshell, this is the perfect amp for me. I also think it's very versatile for a one channel amp. It's not "footswitch" versatility but if you don't mind tweaking knobs there's plenty of different tones and voicings in there.

I would have given her a ten but she blew a fuse the second week I had her. Replaced the fuse and no probs since. Very reliable amp and, like all Soldanos, it's built like a brick shithouse.

If you've ever dealt with Soldano's customer service then you know that it's top notch. I've emailed them and gotten a reply the same day. Call em up on the phone and they are nothing but kind and very helpful and knowledgable.

Overall, I give this amp a 9. The lack of fx loop and clean channel make this a little less than perfect for some folks, so that's why I didn't give it a 10. Personally, for my needs in an amp, it gets a 10. Dont' need a clean channel and don't need an fx loop. I just need that awesome tone. This is one mean amp that's definately a keeper.