Egnater Rebel 20 - OMG!

[Deville2Rocket]

This amp came in last week, and I can't think of a time in my life when I've played my guitar so much... just for the heck of it.

The tone of this amp is, in a word... Inspiring!

I've owned or played a Deville, a 64 Super Reverb, Ampeg Reverberocket, AC30, and a Twin. None of them (with the exception of maybe the Super Reverb... but it had to be cranked) can compare to sound of this thing.

My guitar has never breathed with such life, tonal complexity and character. The 6V6 / EL84 mix control, coupled with the adjustable wattage and the "tight" switch makes for one Hell of a versatile tone machine. And the gain on tap is truly amazing. It's useful all the way up, too.

As you can see from my list above, I normally go for cleaner amps. But I've been moving in a new direction as of late. I bought a bunch of pedals to satisfy my new gain fetish, and to be honest, I was really happy with my overall dirty tone. Then I heard the gain cranked up on the Egnater. All the way up, it's everything the OCD wishes it was, but isn't. At 12:00, it sounds like my old Super Reverb on 6... trying to be clean, but breaking up slightly under its own power. Freakin' beautiful.

On a whim, I sold my Ampeg Reverberocket and a Carvin bass, and bought the Egnater. I have never been happier with an amp purchase.

I can't believe how well it takes pedals, too. OD/Dist pedals like Eternity, OCD, & TOD just sing through this amp. My Option 5 Destination Rotation and Mojo Hand Luna sound HOT, too.

Boutique tone in a small, lightweight package. Buy this amp NOW!!!

 

[FJTurner]

D,
Thanks for the review. Lots of positive comments regarding this amp.
Think it's time to go check one out...

 

[Gasp100]

Even though I just sold mine I have to agree. It hangs tough with both my Valvetech VAC (6v6) and even my Valvetech Hayseed... they are both more complex, more 3D and very "deep", but this little sucker can come pretty damn close. I actually thought the gain was a little rough, but if you can goose it with the MV and then a little boost it's really organic and raw, earthy.
I think with some high quality tubes this thing would be right in the ballpark of some MUCH more expensive amps.
Good stuff and for the price, versatility, size, etc... no brainer.
Takes pedal like a champ and also sounds great at low volumes.

 

[rog951]

Wow...enthusiatic review!!! I love this amp too...my back is especially happy!

I have two Rebel 20 heads here; one stock and one that had its preamp tubes upgraded by the previous owner (I think they're JJs?). I agree with Gasp100 that quality tubes can make a big difference in this amp. The head with stock GTs sounds a little harsh to my ears when compared to the one with JJs. I need to sit down and do a side-by-side comparison using both heads with the same cab to be sure though.

Hmmm, my wife will be spending a week with the in-laws soon so I'll have to spend some of my "bachelor time" messing around with different tubes and speaker combinations. So far, I haven't found a cab I like better with the Rebel than the stock Egnater 1x12, but my experimentation has been pretty random. I've been using this thing for band practice and it's holding its own quite well in a room with drums and bass. I have a bad back so the fact that the whole rig weighs less than 50 lbs is awesome. I'd probably use it even if it didn't sound this great!

 

[Deville2Rocket]

All the sites on the net say the Rebel 20 comes with Groove Tubes, but mine came stock with JJ's.
Anybody else encounter this?

 

[Iceman8.6]

All the sites on the net say the Rebel 20 comes with Groove Tubes, but mine came stock with JJ's.
Anybody else encounter this?

Power or preamp tubes? Unless Egnater has started to installing JJ preamp tubes at the factory in the last 6 weeks they are actually Enater branded Sovteks and I got that info straight from Jeff @ Egnater when I called them awhile back. They could have switched since then though. The power tubes are JJ's.

 

[rog951]

The stock tubes in both my Rebels have been silkscreened with both the Groove Tube logo AND the Egnater logo. That's for power and preamp tubes.

 

[Iceman8.6]

Thats how my preamps look and on the opposite side in light print it says 7025/12AX7WA MADE IN RUSSIA SOVTEK.

 

[marshall2288]

This lil thing rules. Its lightweight is a major plus! I was surprised at all its bite.

 

[Deville2Rocket]

Power or preamp tubes? Unless Egnater has started to installing JJ preamp tubes at the factory in the last 6 weeks they are actually Enater branded Sovteks and I got that info straight from Jeff @ Egnater when I called them awhile back. They could have switched since then though. The power tubes are JJ's.

I haven't opened it up, so I don't know about the preamp tubes. But both sets of power tubes are JJ's. Since they are, I guess I just assumed that the preamp tubes were too.

Funny part is that with any other amp I've ever owned, performing a check like this would be the first thing I did when I got home. But with this amp, I just wanna play it. I'm in freakin' love!

 

[pitner]

Must fight rebel gas must fight

 

[Peeb]

There's a rebel 30 combo on the way (2-channel with onboard [digital] reverb).

 

[hilly1212]

Power section is JJ's with either GT Egnater in the early runs or now just Egnater. Early runs were JJ pre amp with again the GT labeling. Now they are Sovteks with Egnater labeling.

 

[monkmiles]

I hear you, Deville2Rocket. I've had my Rebel 20 for only about 2 weeks or so and it has just been inspiring to play.

I'm liking it most for its cleans. At 20 watts, it can't do a high volume, high headroom clean, but it gets a super warm clean that has more than enough headroom for me, especially if you keep the watts and master volume knobs up. Then you can dial in the gain to get those pushed cleans with a touch of breakup. And I find keeping it on the 6V6 side, gets Fender-esque Princeton type tone...ummm.

 

[sikrogh]

yep, I love mine as well...great little amp, and keeps up with the band np!

 

[clay49]

I had one of these for a few days...great amp, but I'm not a EL84/6v6 fan...gotta have firm low-end crunch that only EL34s can give...that's why I am stoked about the Renegade 50 with its compliment of EL34s and 6L6GC tubes...now that's a blend I can jam with. Supposedly coming out in May sometime....

 

[rog951]

I had one of these for a few days...great amp, but I'm not a EL84/6v6 fan...gotta have firm low-end crunch that only EL34s can give...that's why I am stoked about the Renegade 50 with its compliment of EL34s and 6L6GC tubes...now that's a blend I can jam with. Supposedly coming out in May sometime....

I'm in the same boat man; I'm really never 100% thrilled unless I'm using EL-34s and crunching away. I'll be watching with great interest when the Renegade hits.

 

[jimmyohio75]

I'm in the same boat man; I'm really never 100% thrilled unless I'm using EL-34s and crunching away. I'll be watching with great interest when the Renegade hits.

+1.....another anxious Renegade 50 fan.

This amp should kick all kinds of ass!

 

[scott58]

I've got a couple hundred saved already for the Rebel 20. Figured i'd set it up with tung sol's in the preamp and jj's in the power section. These tubes work great in my Vj. Nice amp for the price.

 

[monkmiles]

I've got a couple hundred saved already for the Rebel 20. Figured i'd set it up with tung sol's in the preamp and jj's in the power section. These tubes work great in my Vj. Nice amp for the price.

I replaced the preamp with Tung Sols and am pleased. They come with JJs in the power amp section already.