RSA 23 has landed

[GAT]

Fed Ex just dropped off my new RSA23 head with matching 4x12 cab! Full report tomorrow, too bad I need to work today!

 

[MightyGuru]

Awesome. What an intriguing amp. I wish there was a way I could hear/play one of these d/13 gems.

 

[Rock Fella]

Originally posted by GAT
Fed Ex just dropped off my new RSA23 head with matching 4x12 cab! Full report tomorrow, too bad I need to work today!

obligatory clips from clean to driven please TAG, we have been waiting to hear RSA23 and RSA31 material.

 

[CBeeper]

I'm waiting with baited breath!!!

 

[cr8z4life]

Since recieving mine it has become my amp of choice!!!!

 

[Rock Fella]

Originally posted by cr8z4life
Since recieving mine it has become my amp of choice!!!!

and where is YOUR clippage ?

 

[GAT]

Did someone just call me TAG?!?

 

[Kinkirsi]

Originally posted by GAT
Did someone just call me TAG?!?

Simple dyslexia!

 

[Dennis E.]

Hi all,

I just finished up some home recording ... demos for the band ... and I have a clip of an old CCR tune that I could email to you if you want to hear the RSA 23.

The clip is 3 megs ... so you'll need a fast connection.

I'm not going to get into the hosting thing, so if you want to hear this clip, please just pm me and I'll mail it to you.

I must say that I love the amp, but am not perfectly happy with the recording. There's some splattiness (not to demean Mr. Torn), that's coming across that is more a product of my recording skills and setup than the amp.

Anyway, the tune still somehow manages to sound alright.

PM me if you want it.

And I'm still mixing more tunes, so I'll have more clips soon. Hopefully, I'll be able to figure out better mic placement.


Thanks,
Dennis E.

 

[steve10358]

I am so convinced this is the amp I am buying after my C+ sells. How much was the matching cab? I want a matching 4x12... even though I already have 3 marshalls.

 

[Lerxst2112]

PM sent.

 

[GAT]

Okay, spent about an hour playing the amp and comparing it to the Connie and a Sex Amp. All ran into a 1969 Marshall 4x12 cab with 30 watters in it. I didn't have time to load the matching cab with the Celestion heritage G12H30s that I have for it. No effects.

First the RSA23: Very good clean channel, similar to the FTR37 but with more mids, still need to cut the bass a bit but very sparkly and fat. Good Robben Ford type of clean sound with the Baker and Grosh Set Neck, though never a sterile clean. Strats sound fat and chimey. Don't miss the reverb one bit.

Click channel: Had some squealing with the Baker for some reason but not the other guitars. The Baker has a Goodwood bridge pickup. I think the amp has a lot of energy and is very sensitive on the click channel. Very fat lead tone with a nice bite, although I wish I could dial out a bit of the bite since I go for a more flutey type of lead tone, but it is an excellent rock and roll tone.

Compared to the Connie, they are virtually the same volume, the Connie is a bit less "rock and roll" sounding, more polished and smooth. The RSA is a bit more British and in your face with a high end chime always present. The Connie cleans up better, though the RSA is pretty good at it. They both have excellent sustain and feedback very musically.

The Sex Amp has a more spanky clean sound, tweedy with a Marshall-type of thick lead sound, though extreme volumes can over saturate a bit. It is the loudest of the three but not by much.

I find that I like the Connie for the Grosh strats, more of a Bramhall II/Bonamassa type of sound, thick with a bit of chime.

I really like the RSA23 for the humbucker/P90 guitars. Preset channel one for cleaner things and switch to the click channel for lead tones.

Tomorrow I'll try it out with my pedal board and some od pedals, a Landgraff, Klon, Zen Drive and a new Fulldrive Mosfet.

Overall, I like it better than the FTR37 I had, more stout mids which makes the tone fatter. I really like the amp, although I probably like the Connies a bit better for my style but I haven't spent enough time with the RSA yet to really make the call. They are both incredible amps at a volume that is perfect for most clubs. I have a Komet airbrake and an Ultimate attenuator that I'll plug into to check how they work with the RSA.

 

[Kinkirsi]

Great review, thanks.

 

[shallbe]

Gilbert, thanks for the review. One day I'll play one of Fred's amps.

 

[cr8z4life]

Try the lower gain input on the click channel- I think you might liike that cranked up a bit....I think it will give you more of the fluty gain your looking for.....let me know what you thnk.

 

[MightyGuru]

Thanks for the clip Dennis. The tone was really fat and greasy. Reminded me of some classic overdriven Billy G tones. Complex and harmonic overtones poppin' all over the place yet still very focused and dynamic. The chords are so fat....jeez. What a cool sounding amp.

 

[Tag]

Originally posted by Rock Fella
obligatory clips from clean to driven please TAG, we have been waiting to hear RSA23 and RSA31 material.

I am NOT GAT.

(Nothing personal GAT)

 

[Dennis E.]

Originally posted by MightyGuru
Thanks for the clip Dennis. The tone was really fat and greasy. Reminded me of some classic overdriven Billy G tones. Complex and harmonic overtones poppin' all over the place yet still very focused and dynamic. The chords are so fat....jeez. What a cool sounding amp.

You're welcome.

You described the tone of the 23 better than I!

The main thing for me is that it's a FUN amp to play ... one of those amps where you actually turn around during a gig, smile and think, "Do I really sound like that?"

Dang!

Have fun,
Dennis E.

 

[GAT]

Yeah, the low gain input on the click channel is much fatter, I like it much better for humbuckers.

 

[Dennis E.]

Hi GAT,

I had a tough time with the 23 when I first got it ... especially the Click channel. It was sooo agressive. I thought maybe it had too much gain, and I was looking for ways to tame it some.

But after about 3-4 weeks, the amp settled in. Over that time it really warmed up a bit.

Now I can all of my guitars with the 23, and I enjoy them equally well.

Anyway, my point is that my 23 changed over the first month ... and in a very good way.

Have fun,
Dennis E.