Bad Cat Question

[destiny brandon]

To people who have played both extensively:

Can the HOT CAT do what the BLACK CAT does? Or vice versa? What similarities do they share? And whatbdo they not share?

We don't have a dealer here in WA so I'm limited on options. Heard a hot cat the other night and really liked it, but think I might like the black cat better (since I've heard and love a dc30)

Ps - I tried to search this but I think it can't do 3 letter words.. S searching "bad cat black cat hot cat" all it ended up searching was "black"

Let me know guys! Thanks!

[6AM]

I've owned a Hot Cat 30 1x12 combo, a Hot Cat 100, and a Hot Cat 100R and have played a Black Cat a bunch (and I've owned a Matchless HC-85 and a Phoenix). They're very different amps.

The Hot Cat is a high gain amp. It has a clean channel, which is Vox-like, but not near the quality of the Black Cat. The Black Cat is based on a Vox AC-30, but has it's own thing going on.

[MRscratch]

Originally Posted by destiny brandon

To people who have played both extensively:

Can the HOT CAT do what the BLACK CAT does? Or vice versa? What similarities do they share? And whatbdo they not share?

We don't have a dealer here in WA so I'm limited on options. Heard a hot cat the other night and really liked it, but think I might like the black cat better (since I've heard and love a dc30)

Ps - I tried to search this but I think it can't do 3 letter words.. S searching "bad cat black cat hot cat" all it ended up searching was "black"

Let me know guys! Thanks!

isnt emerald city guitars a badcat dealer?

[destiny brandon]

Unfortunately not. They do a lot of dr z but no bad cat. Bummer!

[FFTT]

The Hot Cat 100R is like a perfect big block Marshall meets AC100

Speakers make a tremendous difference.

[chillytc]

Black Cat = EL84 and a high mid kind of emphasis. It's cleans are forward and chimy and it's gainier tones are urgent with great bark in that high mid-range - classic Matchless kind of tone.

Hot Cat = EL34 with a more full spectrum tone. Its cleans are rounder (but still with that Matchless/Bad Cat chime) and it's gainier tones are more scooped sounding with singing harmonics and thump.

[melvins]

I own a Badcat Hot Cat 30 and a Matchless Sc30. From what I gather the Badcat black cat is their version of the Matchless HC30, SC30 and DC30 (different models = dif speaker confing's for Matchless), but i think they are near the same amp.

For me =
The Sc30 (blackcat in question) has alot of options! 2 channels with different pre amp sections. The 12xA7 channel is phenomenal sounding. Able to get very nice 3D shimmery tones that can cover a whole lot of classic rock tones that sound GREAT.
I've only played with the EF86 channel (click channel) a little bit, but i have noticed only recently that you can get some very VERY nice tones, especially lead tones.
This amp also has a defeatable master volume that works very well, as well as a 1/2 power switch which to me, makes the amp sound alot different when in use. Very cool.
THis amp can do alot, but i don't think it's suited for "high gain" at all. Maybe some stoner-rock-sludge, but not fine articulate heavy stuff.

The Hot Cat..
I've been trying to get it as near as possible to sounding like the Matchless/BLackcat.. but there is a big difference.
THe clean channel is very nice, shimmery and glassy, but not as 3D sounding as the Matchless/Blackcat. Just different. Not as fulfilling imop, but that's probably just me.

The Gain channel is a whole other animal, it can really do a whole lot. But it does take some getting used to being it has interactive controls and turning the bass or treble knob greatly changes the tone of everything. This channel has more gain than i know what to do with, can easily cop alot of metal tones as well as classic ones.
I've recently replaced the EL34's in it with KT77's and it totally changed the tone to more of a Marshall esq thing. I dig it alot.

Both amps are great.. imop the Blackcat would probably cover classic rock and modern rock tones better .But if you want something that is kind of near that but has more versaality as far as gain goes than a Hotcat is very nice.

Just my .2

[japanmoran]

BTW if you use the custom Google search you can find things with three letters ...
Like Bad Cat instead of BadCat...

FWIW.

[FFTT]

Here's my Hot Cat 100R in a few low fi camera clips.


I use my 8X10 with CTS AlNiCos as my favorite cab with this amp.

In both of these clips I only have the OD channel gain at about 9:30

Ibanez AF105NT OD Channel


'93 Strat Plus all Gold Lace Sensors also OD channel.
I get the cleans simply backing way off on the attack, no pedals.


Strat Plus Clean Channel pushed hard on the edge of clean to crunch.


Here, geez forgive me, '85 Les Paul Studio Std.
OD Channel through my 2X12.

[destiny brandon]

thanks guys for all of the responses! definitely what i needed to hear. i think the black cat is more what i'm looking for right now. now i just need to decide it i wanna go for the black cat or go down the matchless route and get a c30 (hc30, sc30, dc30).. hmm. decisions!

[vds5000]

Another option - the BadCat 'Tone Cat'.

It has the high gain preamp channel of the Hot Cat and the EF86 channel of the Black Cat, so you're getting the best of both worlds.

They are not easy to come by and can be expensive, but if you want your cake and eat it too - that amp may be the one for you.

I've owned a Hot Cat 30R - high gain channel was very rich and full sounding at medium to high volumes but sounded fizzy at low volumes.

I've owned a Tone Cat 30R - high gain channel sounded exactly the same as the Hot Cat 30R.

I've owned a Matchless DC30 - The cleans sounded good but I could not get any overdrive tones whatsoever at civilized volume levels. The tones did come across as a bit harsh to me.

[ellpolo]

Or what the heck: try the panther! ITs got a more "matchless esque" ef86 channel and a a crunchy 12ax7 channel, which are footswitchable and completely blendable! hmm!

[FFTT]

If you go for a Bad Cat or Matchless, I strongly recommend
separate heads and cabs.

These amp heads are very HEAVY and the number one reason
people re-sell their Bad Cat and Matchless combos is because of the weight
not because of their tone or build quality.

[MRscratch]

my hot cat 100 weighs in at 73 lbs. for a head. thats SVT territory.

[6AM]

I owned a Hot Cat 100 and 100 R and I've own a vintage SVT. The Hot Cat is a LOT lighter. 73 pounds doesn't sound right, unless it's a 2x12 combo or something.