Soldano Hot Rod 50

This is an addition to an earlier review I did on 11/15/2002. (It should be below the review that is below this review.)

This amp comes stock with Sovtek 5881's and sovtek 12ax7s. That was a little too much gain, not enough warmth for me. So I bought some Sovtek 6l6s (a little sharper, higher output). For preamp tubes, I have from left to right 2 Electro Harmonix 12ax7s, a Groove Tubes 12at7 (lower output, took down the gain to a reasonable level, so it didn't have the overwhelming preamp driven sound), and another Electro Harmonix 12ax7. I recommend this setting to any of you who want to warm the amp up and get rid of a little bit of excess gain, I still run the preamp between 4 and 6 MAX, but it sounds better now. ALSO - Soldano tends to have the amps biased relatively cold, so I put the bias in the higher end of the proper bracket. Sounds WAY warmer, smoother, and better. Do this if you haven't already. That is all.

I called Soldano, talked to the first guy to answer the phone, and he gave me all the tube recommendations and info I could have wanted. They're awesome.

1993 Hot Rod 50.

To expannd on my review from a while back.
I would like to mention that the Hot Rod 50's clean tone is also very nice.It can be glassy or full or just plain ffatt.The EQ section is, as mentioned, very versitile thanks to Soldano's attention to tonal details.The treble and presence are probably the more extreem shapers while the bass and mids are more like older amp style Eq.IE; they don't change much on their own but their interaction with the other settings is what gives these setting their magic.
The preamp settings also change the EQing in that as you roll the preamp towards 11 the bass and mids fill out nicely as the signal compresses.This can all be changed slightly with the use of different preamp tubes.

As I said before, I love this amp and I am truely happy with all the tones I get.I have done a lot of experimentation with EQ, preamp, power amp tube types and brands. As it is out of the box it can do most anything but by changing the preamp tubes you can tame this thing down a bit and by changing the power amp tubes you can alter the voicing/clipping.It wont do Fender of Vox to a tee but it will get close.What it does best is the hallowed vintage Marshall and ofcoarse the Soldano super gain is there at it's best.
As mentioned in an earlier review, don't do mods to this amp if your not completely competent at amp build and design.Mike Soldano and his team of elite amp guru's have done a impeccable job with this and all their amps and such.Talk to them first before doing any and all mods.
I use the Soldano Supercharger GTO in conjuntion with this amp as a second channel.
I read a interview with Soldano that mentioned that the GTO was more like the Hot Rod 50's preamp than the SLO.Then again the Hot Rod is based on the SLO.Either way it mates up with the preamp circuit perfectly, sounding more like an integral part of the amp rather than a floor effect.

Not sure what year the amp was made. Early to mid 90s, I don't know. This is amp is perfect for me. I believe in the unparalleled excellence of single channel amps. No extra crap or components you don't need like new JCMs. For a single channel amp, it's perfect. Preamp, Bass, Mid, Treble, Master, Presence. Boom.

I use a 1978 Gibson "The Paul" or any other Les Paul I can get my hands on. I use a Classic 57+ Plus (PAF) in the bridge and some stock gibson in the neck. This thing is awesome. I still have to screw around with some tubes: I've got Svetlana 6l6's and some 12at7s in there now. Trying to get some new tubes that will warm it up a little more and take down the ridiculous amounts of gain you can get if you want. I keep my preamp between four and five generally on this amp, where as on a jcm 800 2204 I'd have it around 7 for the same sound.

Anyways, what I really like about this amp's sound is its articulation and smoothness. It's the most articulate, clear amp I've ever played. It is silent when I'm not playing. It's an extremely warm sound as well (only to be made better with different/new tubes). You hear every note from top to bottom at all times, and you can really dial up a great mid rangey crunch sound, as well as any other rock and roll sound you'd want.

This amp rocks.
And it's friggin' stylish.

So far no problems. I have read many, many things describing it's EXTREMELY good construction. I have never heard anybody say otherwise, and I have had no problems whatsoever to report.

I am going to call Mike Soldano to ask him what he recommends for tubes to warm it up and take down the gain, as I've said I'd like to do. Rumor has it that speaking to him is not only possible, but that he's very friendly. My understanding is that Soldano's customer support is nearly legendary.

I've been playing for about 5 years now. I love guitar amplifiers. I also love this amp. I have played many Marshall JCM 800s (2204s and 2203s only!), a few oranges, a few boogies, and this amp is and should be included in the list with these excellent amplifiers. I would advocate that if you are reading this, you buy the Soldano Hot Rod 50. They're an extremely economical purchase considering the great tone you get. The amp really sings, it's quite warm, it's quite versatile, it's nice looking, and it's quiet.

What the hell else do you want?

I wish it was two channel, but I can cope.

I have used hundreds of guitar and pickup combinations through this little monster. I used to think it was great, and I played it in all tone and gain settings. I set it one way for a month after tweaking it for an hour, and then another way...you know. But eventually I got sick of the sound, and sold and got a Lucky 13.
Soldanos sometimes up and hum for no reason, because they are set up hot. Like it's name, it's a Hot Rod. It had tons of distortion which would compress to an unbearable degree if you maxed it. I set my gain at 4.

Great dependable amp.

I have been playing 20 years. If stolen, I'd miss it a little and then get something else. It was good for a year or two, but then I grew tired of it's tone. It was a tone upgrade from my Boogie, nah, it was about the same, only a little different.

The amp was build in 92. I bought in May 2002. It has a single channel, 50w. 4x 12ax7 and 2x6l6. It has no features such as channel switching.

I play a Vigier excalibur. Mostly I play lead solos. It isn't noisy at all. The sounds it produces are very hot and warm distorions. From low to high gain; this distortion is just what I need.

I have tesla 12ax7 tubes and svetlana 6l6 powertubes in it, which make it sound a little better. I have a little problem with the high input , sometimes it doesn't work. But I'm shure it can be fixed.

I play 12 years now. I use it with a Roland Jazz-chorus 160 to do the claen stuff. I would by it again if I lost. I like the sound of it, it enables me to play a lot better. I think I will buy a 2x12 soldano box also. It is the first tube amp that I have and I think I won't need any other. I like this amp, good construction, quality sound.

Made in 1995. Single-channel amp with a really responsive E.Q. section, considerably more tonally versatile than my Marshall JCM 800s and 900s. If you need a second channel, Soldano makes the "Plus" version of the Hot Rod. Being a single-channel amp, it is exactly that.

Yes, this amp delivers that famous Soldano overdrive tone. No disappointment! Clean tone is also very nice, but you'll probably need to run a reverb or chorus unit to make it sound superb.

The previous owner changed several capacitors and a resistor in this amp. BIG MISTAKE! I assure you that person was no where near the amp guru he/she would like to believe he/she is. ONCE RESTORED TO THE ORIGINAL SPECIFICATIONS (and yes, definitely use silver-mica caps), THIS AMP IS ONCE AGAIN A SOLDANO. This amp is built like a tank!

Soldano folks are truly responsive and customer friendly. May be the best in the business.

Very nice alternative to the SLO-100, if you don't need channel-switching and the full 100 watts. This amp is VERY loud and its tone is very consistent (once the volume is past "1").

I am giving a rating of "8" because, for a single-channel amp with no reverb, the HR50 allows me to dial up a remarkable array of tones. The EQ is quite effective, and with the slave/recording output I can get some nice sounds, even directly into a recording console.

Very nice. I rely on my effects board (an old Digitech RP-1) for switching between clean and driven sounds, reverb, and chorus... so, again, I don't mind the HR50's being a one-channel amp. Apparently, though, this amp didn't supply enough bottom end for the taste of some people, so there is an XL version available, too. I love a bottom-heavy sound, and this amp, combined with my Ampeg 4x12 cab, sounds HUGE!

I must admit, I don't like the sounds I get when I just plug my guitar straight into the amp with no effects. The distortion, when cranked, is not my style; then again, I feel like a cranked up Mesa sounds like a sterile piece of shyte, so take my opinion for what it's worth. (My dream tone is that of Zakk Wylde on Ozzy's 'No More Tears' album. With this amp and my RP-1, I can get any tone I want!)

The power tubes are battered and ancient; it squeals a bit when I am not playing. In spite of this, the amp delivers the sound I love. When I replace the tubes, the tones might just make me shit my pants.

I bought this amp on eBay from some kid who threw it into an ill-fitting cardboard box without any padding, then shipped it (via UPS, I might add - 'nuff said!) from Philadelphia to me. (I live on the west coast.) I have since then beaten the living crap out of it, hauling it to shows, dragging it up and down stairs, and loading/unloading it countless times into various car trunks and truck beds. It has been dropped on concrete from waist level, had drinks spilled on it, and been exposed to smoke, power and signal surges, and practically every sort of abuse you might possibly imagine. It is as solid as a safe.

Never dealt with Soldano...

If it were lost or stolen, I would probably go into shock and die.

It looks fucking cool.

The sound is ridiculous. (I mean that in a good way!)

I purchased this amp used, and when I contacted Soldano they told me that it was made on February 17th, 1998. Yes, they gave me the exact date. Before i got this amp I was using a JCM 900 100w Dual Hi-Gain head, and a JCM 900 50w SL-X head. I wanted something that had more gain and "chug" to it. I play in a skate-punk band and this amp delivers exactly what i want; pure, un-adultrated over-drive. It would be nice to be able to switch between channels, but it's not a huge concern for me. It's got a line out, and a slave level but i don't use any of it. I play lots of shows at bars, local clubs, and the odd outdoor show with my band and this amp always sounds good, and never lets me down as far as power goes.

I use a Les Paul with a Gibson '57 Classic Plus pickup, and a Gibson SG, which has Gibson Alnico's in it, and it sounds extreamly tight. The Les Paul sounds a bit thicker than the SG, but that's the guitar, not the amp. All this stuff is running through a JCM 800 cab which was made in about 1984 I believe, and this set-up really rips. I had been trying out Mesa Triple Rectifiers and this amp's overdrive kicks the crap out of them. It's very raw sounding, and it's got a huge range. It can go from Marshall overdrive, to Mesa "chain-saw" overdrive. Like I said before, it's perfect for my band. I've discovered that this amp picks up a lot of background "hum", so I use a Boss Noise Supressor, which eliminates all background noise... but I've used it with all my heads since it just makes sense to use one.

I've kicked the crap out of this head, and I havn't had any problems with it at all. I've had my JCM's cut out on me at shows. The open grill design is awsome since the tubes are always cooling off, and I like how the transformer isn't attached to the "cab".

The few times that I've delt with Soldano they've been extreamly friendly and were very willing to help me out. I've havn't had to get the amp serviced at all yet. My only expierence is from calling up the company for some information regarding the amp.

I've been playing guitar for about six years, and I've been playing in bands for the last four years. I've had this head for about six months now and it is definatly worth every penny that I payed for it. It's got a lot more gain than my JCM's, and it sounds killer with my SG. I don't have any complaints about this head, I just wish it had a channel switching option. I just happened to find this at a low price ($1350 Canadian IS a low price for this amp) and i picked it up. I had been trying out Mesa Triple Rectifiers and JCM 2000 TSL's and neither of them have anything on this head. I chose the Hot-Rod over these heads because it had a much more natural sounding overdrive and Soldano is a much smaller company so I decided that it would probably be more reliable, and easier to get help with from the manufacturer. If this got lost or stolen I would definatly replace it right away. Other than the amp sounding awsome, it looks really cool too; the metal grill allows you to see the tubes (it looks really neat in the dark). The blue jewl light looks neat because almost every other amp's power light is red. And finally, all the knobs go up to 11... yes, that's right, 11. SPINAL TAP! Overall, this amp is the best that I've ever used.

Well-equipped single channel tube amp. Controls for preamp, bass, mid, treble, volume, presence. The back panel has line out, FX loop, speaker outs, 4/8/16 Ohm switch.

I was concerned about getting an attenuator for it. My HotPlate is an 8 ohm model and since the 4x12 is a 16 ohm cab, I'd need another attenuator if I wanted to avoid impedance mismatches. That concern turned out to be relatively unwarranted. This amp gets some nice tones at basement volumes (which is where my gear lives).
In my mind, Soldanos are best known for their headbanging users. When I think of Soldano, I think of Megadeth-style high-gain crunch. While my HR50 definitely delivers that kind of sound, I was pleasantly surprised at the warm, creamy saturation I could get by turning up the mids and backing off the treble and presence. Used with the neck pickup on my PRS CE22, it was fat city!
Even though it's a high-gain beast, backing off the guitar's volume down to 3-4 gave a reasonable clean sound. Nobody's going to confuse it with a fender at that setting but it works.
Not everything's hunky dory, though. The FX loop is designed for line-level effects, not stomp boxes. I think this might be why I lose a bunch of volume when engaging effects in the loop (they're L6 modelers so they're fully bypassed when not engaged) along with serious treble loss.

Haven't had the amp long but Soldano has a wonderful reputation for reliability.

I emailed Soldano with a question about the FX loop and they responded with a reasonalbe answer a couple hours later. Doesn't get much better than that.

I got this amp because it was a great deal and to back up my Koch. It would be nice if it had a second channel but it'll make a great backup and recording amp. If I were looking for a main gigging amp, I'd consider the channel switching HR50+ but this amp is great for what it's intended for. My only real beef is with the line-level FX loop but that has an easy work-around.

According to Soldano, my amp was made in 1998. It's not very versatile, it delivers one sound - but that's the reason why I bought it. It would be perfect if it had 2 channels. There is the "+"-Version, but I came along this one really cheap, so I picked it up. It has an effects loop, 2 inputs...

I use it with my JPM90HAM and, soon to come, with a custom shop guitar. I play mostly metal, but sometimes a little blues or classic rock. For this purpose it's a great amp. But it seems I can't get a metal tone out of it, but that's why I bought my rack system. The dynamics are absolutely incredible! You can use the guitar's volume to get a good clean sound, even at gain settings past 8! It has a lot of gain, enough for the purpose I bought it for.

It seems to be sturdy, but I don't overuse it. It has never broken down.

I dealt 2 times with their customer support. The first time I got an answer within 30 minutes (!!), the second time within 24 hours.

I was glad I came across this one. It was - and still is - in perfect condition, so the price was ok. Besides the HR50 I own a rack system containing a Mesa/Boogie TriAxis, an Engl poweramp, a TC g-major and a Korg racktuner. As said above, I use it with an Ibanez JPM90HAM. If it were lost I'd definitely buy another one or a Soldano preamp. I love this creamy, smooth sound.