Bogner Alchemist owner question

[desertbluesman]

Ok you have had your Alchemists for a while now. What do you think of the amp?

Here are my needs, I want 40-50 Watts in a head or 1-12 version, I want a decent on board reverb, I want channel switching and a decent old school Fender sound, not the bright Fender amps like the Twin, Super, etc. more like the older brown ones, or like the old 40 watt black face Bassman. As far as I can tell, the Alchemist does these things pretty well with modern features.

Thanks

 

[desertbluesman]

bumpity bump bump

 

[NFB]

Just played one again tonight......and would have to agree.

 

[waini001]

The Alchemist is good, but when I was reading your desc. of the type of amp you want, I couldn't help but think Shiva...give it a shot, great amp IMHO

 

[desertbluesman]

Is this my old pal Harv? :BEER

How much you looking to spend, Harv...because a Rivera combo of sorts may be a good choice for what you're looking for...about the same price as a new Alchemist.

To be honest I haven't seen the Alchemist clean channel described as "Fender" Blackface/Tweed cleans.

Izzat you Lance? Man do we miss you at the Bert Cave (successor to the Watering Hole) I have been seriously looking at the Rivera combos. I have downloaded all the manuals I could find and all of them look pretty cool. I am waiting for the Egnater Renegade to come out then I go to Guitar Center and do a shootout on the Alchemist, the Renegade, and the Rivera Combo's.

Hows things going down there?

 

[desertbluesman]

The Alchemist is good, but when I was reading your desc. of the type of amp you want, I couldn't help but think Shiva...give it a shot, great amp IMHO

I would love a Bogner Custom amp, these days at 66 years old I am not gigging, so I cannot justify the bread it would take to get the Shiva. Thanks for the suggestion however.

 

[Jack Dotson]

Over the years I've owned a little bit of everything, including another Bogner, the Shiva. IMO the Alchemist is the best bang for the buck and most versatile of any that I've owned. I can pretty much dial in any sound I want, clean and distortion.

I played around with some different tube combinations, but actually went back to the stock set-up. This amp is built in China and allot of people dismiss it because of this, but the build quality on mine is excellent.

The reverb and delay are decent, but not great. Not a Fender reverb for sure, but usable. I've been able to dial it in, but I don't use much reverb to start with as I'm a delay nut, so it works for me, but YMMV. They missed the boat by not putting a tap for the delay on the foot switch IMO. You have to set it at the amp, so I just use my TC Nova delay and turn the one on the amp off most of the time.

Keep in mind my observations are based on home use only as I do not play out. And to be honest, I use my little Roland JC-77 90% of the time (I love this amp). The Alchemist is actually over kill for my needs, and I'll probably end up moving it, but like I said, that's just because the Roland is enough for my needs.

A very good amp at a very good price. You can't go wrong IMO.

 

[ejecta]

Over the years I've owned a little bit of everything, including another Bogner, the Shiva. IMO the Alchemist is the best bang for the buck and most versatile of any that I've owned.

Ive done the same and I agree with this.


To the OP: given your discription, Im not sure that its a Fender clone but to my ears which likes the Fender Bassman cranked sound the Alchemist does great for me with the cleans and pushed cleans area. Ive gigged, rehersed and jammed at home with it. I dig it every time Ive play it and I dont plan on replacing it anytime soon.

Best advice is get one from a place you can return it so that you can try it your enviroment.

 

[desertbluesman]

Thanks for the replies on the Alchemist. It is number one so far on my list although I am not above spending more, I will probably only use it at home. But just in case I do go out I want something that will hold up to a drummer.