Soldano Decatone

I bought this in aug-99 2k from "musician's friend".Three cannel 100 watt,with decatrol foot swith. In cabinet with 2-12 soldano speakers. Built solid as a brick. A bit tippy on its weels. two side handles make it easy to handle.

Mex-tele with reo grand tall boys, also guild archtop with humbukers.
I've found the sound produced by my old fender-mex picups was very poor sounding,and I changed pickups to the reo grands.
This amp is very fussy about what set up (guitar,pickups,etc.) you run through it, I've tried several guitars on it,and finding the rightsound is difficult-even thought hard about returning it. I was expecting no hum and dissapointed with a hum at higher volumns. Even
so, I've kept the amp.-on the positive side it is voiced to sound surprisingly good on stage, and I'll probably buy gear that the amp
'likes'.



set up sounds good thru it

I expect reliability.

unknown

This amp could be the cornerstone of a exciting sound, but I'm not exactly sure how to get to there from here. My old GallenKruger amp.
(all transistor,with 2-8" speakers) is much more forgiving, and sounds hot, even with inexpensive gear.

This amp was the biggest disappointment I have ever had in all my years of amp purchases. low end flubby, to no guts at all in the headroom department. I would never suggest this amp to anyone!

No head room on the clean channel. 2 channel is typical marshall sound. 3 channel is noisy and has brutal high end sizzle with flubby low end.

Who knows I dumped the piece of #$@! after 1 month.

Never used them, other than to get the feeling that the transformers are not the same ones used in the SLO. No more DeYoung trans only cheap who knows were transformers.

Would not keep one unless is was moded to fix the output and overall sound of the amp. Don't buy it if you think you are going to get a incredible amp!

3 Channels of pure soldano madness!!! nothing, and i mean nothing, sounds as cool as the decatone. i thought my HR-50 was the coolest amp ever, but that was BEFORE i got a decatone! For 2000$, believe me, i shopped around. i tried out EVERY mesa boogie, rivera, fender, marshall, bogner, you name it! i bought a soldano. the other guys might as well give up!

I use it with a PRS mccarty, and every tone you've ever wanted is in this amp, trust me. i play rock, funk, different stuff. this amp sounds awesome!

Soldano has a reputation for being bullet proof. ive had the decatone for 3 monthes now, and no problems yet. i had a soldano HR50 for 3 years, and it was bulletproof. one time i blew a tube, but that was my own fault.

Ive called them a few times. they are very, very nice, friendly, and very helpful. I give them a 9, because it took them 2 monthes to build my head. :)

i could go on and on about how cool this amp is, but instead, ill just tell you. if you play rock, funk, metal, blues, anything except for country, go check one out. cause what do you care what i think about it? its cool. trust me.

Decatone is a 100W all Tube 3 Channel Head With Effects Loop that includes a Wet/Dry Mix Knob. Switchable between 4-8-16 Ohms and of course as with all Classy Soldano Products it is Hand Made in The USA. Each Channel has a Volume and Pre-Amp Knob with a Bright switch. All three channels use the same EQ chain. BUT LISTEN! This is definately not a PROBLEM. As another person said in his post, each channel is voiced so well that there is no large upper end or lower end sound differance when you switch from one channel to another. I have owned the BOGNER Ecstasy 101B and this amp is just as Nice. There are more bells & whistles on the Bogner but ask any player how many times do they reach back in the middle of thier gigs and tweak knobs, buttons or switches???? OF cousre the decatrol fooswitch is also coolc, cause its thier pedal with a standard MIDI cable, if cables gets worn, no prob, just get a new cable not the whoe thing.

I use this amp with a PRS Custom 24, Humbucks of course. I play Classic Old Van Halen, Bowie, To Van Morrison, to Kings X. The amp can suit any range, but in my opinion is best suited for Hard Rock, Alternative, Metal, Blues. The Clean Channel sounds better than the Bogner, because it has a bit more mid range, stays clean. Push the Gain knob more towards 3:00 and you got nice broken Bluesy Feel. Channel 2 is like a Cranked Marshall, the NICEST THING ABOUT THIS AMP is that you can hear & feel the Tubes working NOT Just Crushing the Pre Amp Section. Bogner feels like its just preamp gain no power amp section tone quality or response. The amp is no more noisy than Boogies or Marshalls, My 30th Anniversay is Just as noisy, it is not annoying. Channel 3 Rocks Hard, with a bit more mid range. If you set channel 2 & 3 with the same settings, 3 will still comeout alive! Very Clear, each note is so articulate!! My personal ears give me the feelings that I'm played a HOT RODDED Marshell Super Lead, with Loads of More Character, no Flubbyness or High end squish out! According to Soldano the only Differance between this amp and the SLO are the Transformers, this is said to be the amp that surpasses all Soldano's in terms of its Sonic Variances, in other words the SLO is just a 1 trick Pony! The decatone sounds just as good in my opinion and the SLO! Someone said this amp was voiced to play with a band, No offence but thats a dumb statment. If your Gonna buy an amp your probably gonna play with a band, saying this amp sounds good with a band, says, its sound like crap other wise, and that is false. This amps sounds good at any volume, but as with any tube amp, when you get the power tubes working harder, it sounds that much more sweeter!!

Dont expect any prblems. Its built like a tank. I take it out anywhere with no prblems

Have talked to Sean and Bill they are both very informed guys in terms of the products they sell. Very Polite, Cordial. In fact talking to Sean and him answering my questions, pushed me over the hill to buy the head.

I have been playing since I was 8yrs Old, Iam now 35, have owned Mesa MKIV, Marshall JCM 800's, Marshall 30th Anniversay, Bogners Ecstacy 101b, Mesa MarkIIC+, Yamaha, Fender, Old and New This amp makes me feel like i never have to buy another Head again....Unless Soldano Comes out with another WINNER!

3 footswitchable channels, each with separate gain/master, shared eq. No reverb. Bright switches for each channel. A lot of people complain about not having separate EQ for each channel, but all the channels here are wonderfully balanced that it makes the amp easier to use. Variable effects loop, non-footswitchable. However, I'll give it a 9 because it lacks reverb.

I am playing an Am Std Strat with a DiMarzio Fast Track 2 in the bridge. I also use a Fender Floyd Rose Classic Strat with a Tone Zone in the bridge position. Both guitars sound great though this amp. I don't use any pedals with this amp. I play distorted Ramones-type stuff and this amp is the best thing I've ever played. The clean stays clean even at loud volumes. It sounds like a twin. The Crunch channel is by far the best sounding channel for what I play. It has more gain than any shredder would ever need. With the knobs all at 12:00, this channel has a pervasive mid-range honk. Metalheads/shredders may not like this, but I love it since I don't like metal anyway. You can probably turn down the mids, but I would never do that because I hate the scooped 'teen eq' sound. If you want to sound like that, then get a cheapo solid state amp and a metal zone. This amp is warm an silky. It doesn't screech, but it roars. The lead channel is voiced similarly to the crunch channel but with a little more bite and gain. I use it only for solos.

Too new to evaluate. I'll report back later. Looks sturdy enough though. I don't plan on abusing this thing. I just got an anvil road case for it.

I'll have to wait and see....I don't expect there to be any hassle if a problem should arise. Mike is very customer service oriented. He cares about his reputation.

This amp literally smokes anything I've ever played though, including the Mesa xxx-Rectifiers, and any Marshall. A lot more expensive, but you get what you pay for. This will be the last amp I will ever have to buy because it is truly the holy grail of tone. Kudos Mike Soldano!

The Decatone is 100 watts, three channels. Pretty bare, no bells and whistles. Single EQ stage shared by all three channels. Presence and Depth controls. Decatrol footswitch to switch between channels. Bright switches for each channel, and separate preamp volume controls for each channel. Extremely easy to use. I'd like to have some reverb, but I find I don't really miss it. Parallel FX loop and impedance selector on the back.

I use an Ernie Ball Axis and a '83 Strat. The Axis screams and has gobs of sustain. The Strat is a bit thinner as expected, but the amp has a good bluesy tone w/ the Strat. My cabinet has the 30W Soldano speakers. The clean channel sounds alot like my '65 Twin, but my twin gets lost in the crowd unless miked whereas the Decatone is out in front of everybody. Overdrive and crunch are powerful, but whats amazing is that you don't lose any frequency response, even when you go off into buzzbomb metal land. Overdrive the hell out of this thing and you can still hear the entire chord you are hitting. The amp is really quiet also, minimal circuit noise. The three channels complement each other well since they all go thru the same EQ.

I've had mine about three weeks now. No problems yet (Knock on Wood!!). Built like a tank. Craftsmanship is A1. Pricey, but you get what you pay for.

Soldano worked with me on a custom blue tolex which came out awesome. When they shipped the amp, a cable was missing. They sent it out the next day. They seem to be very customer service oriented. Small company, very responsive.

I've been playing 20 years. Also have a Twin and a Marshall (now up for sale). If I lost the amp I would definitely replace it. I'm sick of complicated amps - I will never trade versatility for ease of use again. You can't get a bad sound out of this amp!! I play straight thru it, just a little analog delay and wah, and I've never sounded better. The days of effects boxes are over!! I tried some of the Fender reissue stuff, and some bigger Marshalls. They're nice, but this amp has a different voice. It's more $$, but you can't put a price on a good time. And I'm having a good time. The part that really sucks is that you can't try this amp out in the store. It actually sounds run-of-the-mill at low volumes. You have to try it with a band behind you. If you're looking for a living room amp, go somewhere else. But if you play out on a regular basis with a band, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Amp has three channels,Effects loop etc..100 watts 4 5881 tubes. 5 12ax7's..All Sovtek.. Check other reviews for details..
The thing that I liked about the amp is that it had three channels,with volume controls for each. Also, it didn't have alot of gimmick options that get in the way.. I really like the Depth control that shapes the low end. Everything that's there is great.Very versatile for my needs.

I mainly play rock..but need a good clean sounds..I need versatility when my band does cover gigs and this amp delivers. For guitars; I use a Strat and PRS Custom 22
The clean channel is very good..I agree it is not as rich as a twin.but like a Twin it will stay clean at very high volumes..This was important for me because I like the clean to be very clean..Unlike most amps that stay clean at low volume and then break up at higher volumes..You can get that sound if you want it. I run the preamp at about 3.
Channel 2..This channel is the main sound of the amp.. All the adjecties you hear about Soldano apply..Very rich and full..It has alot of the balls and atack of a Marshall while having it's own sound.This amp projects great.It is very classy and lacks the thinness of may other high gain amps Some people complian about Soldano's being bright..I don't find that to be the case with this amp.. You can get that sound when using the bright switch on this channel.. It adds more of the slice I've heard other people get with Soldano's.
3; The lead channel takes of where channel 2 leaves off..I use channel3 as a lead boost. If you set the volumes on channels 2 and 3 the same, 3 will be boosted.. They did a great job with this one becasue I think of the Marshall 6100 where the lead channel is COMPLETLELY DIFFERENT than the rythym channel and I had a hard time balancing the two sound wise.
I agree with te other review that said this amp is made to be turned up. It is not incredibly loud for 100 watts but really shines on stage..Not what I would call a bedroom amp.. The amp is pretty quiet.A little bit of noise but what do you expect? Nothing a good noise gate (Like a Boss NS-2) won't fix.
A couple of small things that I don't like; You have to be careful from switching from clean to distrtion..There can be a loud click if you don't finess it a little bit..And I wish the imput for the footswitch was on the left instead of the right.. Who runs their pedalboard right to left? One note about the footswitch; It has an output for a midi cable instead of a cord attached..This is very cool..I HATE when compaines attach a cord to a footswitch..This makes it much easier to break and harder to replace.

I had a problem with first one I had..There was a bad part on the PC board and it went up in smoke.. This sucked becasue it was right before a gig the second day I had the amp.. This is a new model so things go wrong. Soldano's have a reputation for being really well built..I don't except it to be a problem again.

One thing I really like is when you call the company an actual PERSON answers the phone..Sean returned my calls, E-Mail etc and was helpful geting the amp to me.. They were also cool about getting a replacment out to me fast when my first one went up in smoke..Though I am still waiting for the $$ for shipping the first one I returned.

This is the best amp I've owned. I've been playing for 11 years and I've played through EVERYTHING and consider myself discriminating. For the last year, I'd been looking for one amp to use live and hadn't found anything that could cut it..I had a nice Plexi Marshall but couldn't gig with that one sound..Boogie's Trem-O-Verb was ok, Marshall's 6100 had one good sound, and Bogner was way over priced with too many gimmick options and average sound.I also tried the preamp route but never found anything I liked..Too many amps that sounded good at low volume and thined out live when it matters..
The Decatone is kind of pricey but if you care about your sound, who cares? I really feel like this amp makes me play better and plan on holding on to it for a long time.. I would buy another one in a second..

Three channel; clean, rhythm, lead; each has its own gain, but the eq is shared. Each channel has its own bright switch as well. All are foot- switchable. No reverb, which to me is a disappointment, but Soldano was willing to build a reverb into the amp for me :). The volume controls sound best when cranked, and the master for overall adjustment. The three footswitchable channels were what initially attracted me to this amp.

The clean is very nice; not as rich as maybe a boogie or a matchless, but still a silky, clean channel. This isn't so important to me, more important is the distortion; the rhythm channel has a brutal distortion, and you need to crank the amp to appreciate this. It does not sound good at bedroom level, IMHO. But with some volume this channel outdoes most other "rhythm" channels out there. It will not saturate like the 5150, but in return you get punch and clarity. Then, the lead channel goes beyond this for a full out distorted tone that is unlike any I've ever heard; it also does not saturate, but maintains a rich massive distortion that will cut thru your bass and drummer. It has to be heard to be appreciated; and again, you need the amp UP to fully appreciate it.

This is my first Soldano, but looking over the other reviews and after talking at length with Soldano, I believe this isnt much of a worry, this amp is probably as reliable as any out there.

This is the best amplifier company I have ever dealt with, period. Very friendly, willing to listen, returned my calls, etc.

I love this amp, it does it all; if stolen I will buy another without hesitation. I have been playing 25 years, and I have marshalls, mesas, peaveys, etc. They are fine amps, but if you want an amp to cover all the bases, cut through your band, and provide ultimate tonal firepower, look no more.

The Decatone is a three channel 100W all tube mean machine. It has a parralell F/X loop with mix control which doesn't interfer with your main tone. It comes with a footswitch with direct access to each channel. There is a single three band eq. for all three channel which I thought would be a problem, but the channels are voiced so beautifully with great balance that this was not an issue. I use this amp in the studio and live. Killer sound at any volume, but push it and it cranks. And by the way, my Decatone amp and cabs are in red snakeskin. Very cooool!

I play the Decatone though two 2x12 Soldano cabs with his own brand of speakers, but I also tried it through an old Marshall 4x12 with 25W greenbacks and two single 12 cabs with EV's and it's all good. I have some cutom made strat style guitars that I mostly use, but I also tried it with an Anderson classic strat, Gibson SG and Les Paul and all of these guitars sounded great though the Decatone. I placed a TCM2000 F/X in the loop and was very impressed with the way my main tone was not degraded in anyway. You can play anything with this amp,jazz,rock,metal,blues,fusion,country,polka,classical,funk,alternitive. You know what I mean, anything. The clean channel is smooth,warm and punchy. The crunch channel can go from the best cha-chang to balls to the walls chunk-chunk. The overdrive is to kill for. This amp is also quiet with very little background noise.

I havn't had it very long, but Soldano amps have one of the best reputations in the industry. They just don't break. The craftmanship is beautiful. The way these guys back there product, I feel I have no need to worry.

They are like talking to family on the phone(in a good way). Before I purchased the amp, I made some lengthy phone calls to them asking questions about this and that and never once did I feel like an outsider. They sound like they love the product the're selling. I wouldn't feel bad about calling them even with a dumb question.

I've been playing guitar for 26 years and I've played just about every guitar and amp made. The Decatone has changed my life. I've been searching for this sound for over 10 years. It's now my main amp. There is no substitute.

Three channels with adjustable volume and gain for each. Parallel effects loop that works with any floor pedal. (not a +4dbv loop). 100 watts.

If this amp doesn't blow you away. you must be dead.
The clean channel is just like a Fender. Really..I though I was playing a Twin.
The crunch channel has a very tight bass and is punchy just like a good Marshall..but it sounds like nothing like anything I have ever heard. I love the sound of it...Its like a 5150 without the chainsaw buzz. Don't get me wrong, I love my 5150...its a good sound too. This amp goes above with a clean channel that is very clean. You get three channels here also. This amp also sounds great with many speakers unlike the 5150 that has to have a 5150 cabinet to sound right.
This is the best sounding Soldano I have ever heard.
The lead channel has as much gain as a 5150, and still the bass does not flabb out.
Other than the price, this is the amp to have.
I just cannot see shelling out $1800, but then again, its as good as it gets.

The best...The way Mesa Boogie used to be.

If I had the green, I would have one..
Guy Matricciani