Bogner Love - An Appreciation Thread

[1973Marshall]

I have no agenda here... I love Divided by 13, Two Rock, Diezel, VHT, Fender, Marshall etc etc and they are all fine amps...

but the Shiva has personally filled that desert island slot for me (a desert island with electricity lol). I found one amp I can take anywhere on a moment's notice. With a cheapo Boss Pedal board, maybe a Fulltone OCD, FD2, Keeley TS9, or Line 6 DL4 here and there, I can get any sound I need. Adding a TC G Major gives you channel switching, MIDI, and tons more sounds.

There are shortcomings in that you do not get liquid gain, or a great FX loop, or a third channel. Regardless, the tone is timeless, it takes pedals well, it works with cheap tubes, and ubiquitous speakers (V30s), has clear/harmonically rich/big tones, and ALWAYS cuts thru the mix of bands from hard rock to R&B and jazz. It's been a wonder in the studio, and made sound engineer's lives easier. I can't say that for many amps I have played or owned. This rig allows me to have a single rig that I can bond with and use everywhere - even small and low volume places.

I knew my commitment to the amp was complete when I finally just bought all the accessories - 4x12 Straight Cab, 2x12 Combo Shell, OS 2x12, and Head Shell. It was all done piecemeal, and I got great deals - but I knew its where I wanna be. My ONLY gripe is I wish Bogner had a more midpriced line for people who lack the $$$.

I still keep Fenders/Marshalls - but this one amp can keep me happy, and saved me from constant shopping.

I have to also add that I know 2 - 3 guys at Bogner and they are GREAT people, who really care.

[oxtone]

I just heard a guy trying a new Shiva at Willie's in St. Paul, MN today, and it sounded GREAT through a Marshall 4x12 with Greenbacks!

[TNJ]

I have the new version Shiva 112 combo, EL34 w/ verb.
Of all the amps in my stable, it is the most versatile and has one of the finest all around cleans as well.

Congrats!
S.
j

[Steve Snider]

big bogner fan here!

[analogwarmth]

Originally Posted by oxtone

I just heard a guy trying a new Shiva at Willie's in St. Paul, MN today, and it sounded GREAT throught a Marshall 4x12 with Greenbacks!

bogner cabs are even better! alex lifeson said they are the best cabs he has ever played.

[Steve Snider]

Originally Posted by analogwarmth

bogner cabs are even better! alex lifeson said they are the best cabs he has ever played.

I agree. Diezel and others use the same builder (Victor) and not even similar though very close in size, worlds apart in tone. Bogner has a deal where his cabs cannot be duplicated by the builder for any other mfg. That includes the grill cloth.

Great cabs. I have a 4X12, 2X12 oversized and love the cube.

Another guy who is making great cabs is Chad from Limited Resistance. Amazing stuff as well.

[analogwarmth]

Originally Posted by bilbal

That's pretty. I'm excited for your 335, I cannot imagine how you feel lol!!! What is the mod next to your master volume? I seem to remember seeing it on the Bogner forum. I don't go there very much anymore. I posted 5 question/comments and heard absolutely nothing so I don't hang there at all anymore. This place is much better and I feel welcome here. I didn't there!!

Oh well... Anyway, the mod?

b

well its a 355 for what thats worth. anal i guess. there is a difference between all the es-3xx guitars out there, and feel it important to know the differance. nothing like the time i called North dallas guitar center, where they have the "platinum room" no less; and the guy says
"wait it's a 335?"
"no man a 355, do you have any in stock?"
"ok ok. lets try this....who makes it?"
"do you have a manager?"
"why?"
"because i have something to ask him."
------put on hold----
"hello this is manager so-and-so how can i help you?"
"yea do you have anybody there that knows anything about guitars."
"i have two guys right here let me get one for you"
"no i just spoke to them and they didn't know there was any other 335 modeled guitar, then he ask who made it! are you fing kidding?"
"well those are hard to come by. i can order one if you would like."
"no i prefer to shop where the people actually know wtf the are selling, and love the gear so much they know more than i do."
click
and if you think i am playing, we haven't met yet.

with all that bilbal no offense. you love gear or you wouldn't be here. and thanks for the comment. that guitar is a dream, and the bogner took years of waiting and i sold a 67 dodge (hindsight is 2020) to buy it.

the mod is he solo boost mod, i think it comes standard now as a big knob, but when i ordered mine a couple of years ago it was an add on. it allows me to boost solo's just a bit or a lot instead of the preset boost. i can go from whisper to HSWTF was that with a click. my nieghbors love my amp and the guy behind me across the alley says there are times when it sounds like i am in the next room.:AOK

a friend of mine has the XTC101b. its a killer rig but too revealing for my taste. i thought my amp was loud! he played an outdoor gig where the sound man was a picker. the sound man said "is that as loud as you are going to play?" well by the end of the night he was running full tilt, and when they stopped at a store on the way home to gas up he over heard this....

"so you guys played that show down the road?"
"yea!? you could hear us from hear? it's like six miles and down in that hole!"
"i could hear the whole band, but not very much. mostly just the guitar. whoever he was was good, but man he was loud!"

he said he just smiled, bought his twinkies and walked out.

[frankencat]

For me it's a toss up between the TopHat Emplexador and the Bogner Shiva. Besides the channel switching they are subtly different and each has strengths where the other is weak IMHO. It sure would be nice to have both

[Josh O]

Absolutely lovin my Bogner Duende experience. What a great freakin' amp. Of course I'm running it through a Mesa Recto 2x12 and the post above saying how awesome Bogner cabs are is making me drool again!

[Marty McFly]

Another Bogner Duende fan here! I run the Duende head through a shiva-sized open back Bogner 2x12 cabinet.

[kram21]

shiva 6l6 thru greenbacks does it for me

[bard2dbone]

I have to chime in here. I am mostly a bass player, and I don't think my guitar technique is good enough to rate a really good amp. While my Bedrock is sick I'm doing fine with a Crate V32 Palomino for now.

But I got to play my guitar players Epiphone Casino through a Bogner Shiva this weekend and can only say "HOLY **** ! This thing sounds GOOD!!!"

I really thought an amp that shows as much detail as the Bogner would only expose the weaknesses in my technique, but MAN! That thing was SWEET.

Um...I mean...I found it to be a very satisfyting experience. The amp had many very impressive tones. I especially liked dialing it in to the very edge of feeding back and then varying the volume level with a foot pedal to have varying intensity. I also discovered that just a little Chorus is a situation like that is awesome.

What can I say. I am now a Bogner fan.

[Dakinetx]

[coxswain]

Originally Posted by Dakinetx

MMMMM I want a cube so bad!

My Bogner 4x12 cab rocks! Always jonesing for a SHIVA, XTC, Metropolis, Duende, and UBer...I love all their amps!

Bogner really seems to be doing their best to serve every type of player which is a beautiful thing.

The new Duende with dual power sections and 2x8 inch speakers on the side definatly looks revolutionary.

Chase

[phoenix 7]

I've had my Shiva EL-34 and 2x12 Shiva cab for about 6 years now. Lots of guitars and amps have come and gone during that time. I can't imagine selling the Bogner stuff.