I love Soldanos and Oranges because they both get that crisp snap that a lot of high gain amps are missing. It's just so enjoying to play this kind of amp. Mike Soldano got the SLO concept right the first time, and I love this variation, especially since I prefer lower wattage amps. There is no half-assed tone compromise with Soldanos, like a lot of companies do.
Love that they didn't skimp on or dumb down the lower wattage version. All the same features, still has big bottles, exact same circuit, just lower wattage. Have a Soldano Avenger 100 which is amazing, but just one channel, still want one of these though!
Robert, thanks for keeping 70's Classic Rock and 80's Hard Rock alive and well! The best era of music ever! Just my subjective, humble opinion, of course. :-)
Everyone always says “first” and assume it actually means something, I just want to say thank you to Robert for making these videos for us all the time, same goes to Austin from the Trogly’s Guitar Show. These videos are 10-20 minutes long which is effort, but keep up the hard work and thank you for what you have already done
I feel like it's high time for hair metal to come back and be cool again. I mean that lead guitar 80's rock/glam stuff is dope af! It never wasn't not uncool!!
Awesome vid... you had me at the intro with your MIJ Charvel with that Seymour in it. Please clean or replace that pot on that Charvel, she deserves it... lol. Damn I just love my old school Charvels but I need one of those Freidman Cali like you have too. Grover is just the best. Wow that 30 watt SLO just sounds amazing and is awesome and overflowing with TONE and mojo!!! Great job Rob... now I need one of those too. \m/
One of my favorite guitar tones ever is "the aunch" sound of Degarmo/Wilton on Queensryche's "Empire" album which was done on a Soldano (and many other secret tricks).
I’ve been interested in the Soldano’s since Mark Knopfler and Eric Clapton started playing them in about late 1987-88. The 100w versions through Marshall 4x12’s were amazing on the last Dire Straits tour.
@@angusorvid8840 I was thinking the exact opposite....... yeah this guy thinks its an 80s hair metal amp,GEY. Henning with Mike Soldano speaking on how it CAN CHUG and play rock fusion was way better than this hippie playing shitty dad riffs.
As much as it made me chuckle, the chattahoochee part really does help show what a versatile amp the SLO is. Brent to Warren is about as much territory as anyone could need to cover.
My 2 cents...for $2700 I hate hate hate that it shares an EQ. I use a totally different EQ for my dirt channel vs. my clean channel. A stacked, concentric set of EQ controls would have been way more useful. Just sayin'.
I snagged that sweet 8 course bundle deal last night! Looking forward to combining that with the R&R boot camp course I already had \m/ keep up the great work sir!
Definitely killer 80s tones! I use mine in my blues/rock power trio as well, and it does the Gary Moore/Warren Haynes thing equally well! They’re super versatile! Greetings from the Cincinnati area! ✌🏼
@@gitarman666 well based on what I know about the tones players get that use the 100 watter, I’d say it’s basically identical. I think that’s mostly because they actually use 6L6s (5881s), unlike other companies that use EL84s in their lower powered versions of bigger amps. I’ve never owned the 100, but I’ve studied the sounds of lots of players that use them, and it does all that very well. I just personally don’t have the need for a 100 watt amp, unfortunately!
How does this amp do at low volumes? I’ve owned a Hot Rod 50 and it was ripping loud and completely unusable at the home. I’ve read Mike has lowered the plate voltage some to allow for the amp to open up at lower volumes. But curious if it’s still way to loud to be used in a home setting
Just got your 8 course pack, looking forward to digging in! Someday I'll get a real Soldano, for now my Jet City gets me really close. Looks like I have it dialed in a lot like you do there. And yes, awesome 80s tones!
Robert, Would that one do Classic Rock, well, in your opinion? Friedman is awesome for classic rock. That Soldano is the Ultimate 80's Amp, of all Amps. I talked to Mike Soldano over the phone a while back. At that time, he was getting ready to close shop. So happy he didn't. Nicest Man that you could ever talk too. I didn't want to waste alot of his time, so I told him that I have highly considered one, but at the moment, don't have the cash for it. Mr. Soldano is so nice, he still probably talked to me for like 30 minutes. Potential Customers, Always Remember, How well they were treated..Not that Mike needs word of mouth advertising 😂😂😂, but it's still good for business, and word of mouth gets around very fast, and brings in even more money, for people that have never heard a Soldano. (I know they are few and far between lol), but some of those people do exist though. 👽 👽 👽.... We had talked about Washington State, Bainbridge Island, to be exact. I've been visiting it my whole life, lived there for sometime, and will eventually, most likely, move back to live there, for the rest of my life. Mike, was very familiar with Bainbridge Island, Washington, which is only a 30 minute ferryboat ride from Seattle, across Puget Sound to get there. Gotta Love Those Italians. (Throwing my hands in the air)...Vito Bratta is a Guitar God! Hope you and your family are well Robert. Love your shows. Stay Safe..I can't wait until January! 😉😁😂😎😎...From Sonny in New Orleans, La.
At 1:48 is the sound that says GET THE LES PAUL! Billy Gibbons sound with hot sauce. I REALLY wanted to hear the Les Paul matched with that type of sound. Unfortunately we did not get to hear that, but It is a great sounding amp and the best demo of this amp that I have seen. The best amp demos are like this. I just want to hear the settings that the guitarist thinks are the best that the amp delivers.
That sounds great Robert. What an iconic amp! I wonder how many recordings we have heard with the SLO man. Seems pretty versatile also. I think Clapton played one in the late 80`s as well.
@@GearZenChannel guitar already peaked in the 70s as far as I'm concerned, with Holdsworth, Zappa, Van Halen, Akkerman, the list is neverending. I'm the biggest fan of the 80s thrash and heavy, NWOBHM is excellent. But I don't think it can hold a candle to the fusion style of the 70s. Altho who knows
Yes. Its expensive. But worth every bit. For a different bracket. Don't need other bells and whistles like built in attenuaters or IRs. Plug in turn up and play!
Thanks Rob , love what you do. i have owned a slo and i loved it, but it needs to be said that i think they missed the mark on the marketing for this amp. first off, its a pc board amp , with a price tag approaching the hand wired realm. $2700 . im not saying a pc board amp is inherently bad, they can be great if built properly. the problem is most manufactures use the cheapest components they can get there hands on. ( Fender , Mesa etc ) i make no claims on the slo 30 build quality, i don't know, i would hope its exceptional for the price you pay. End of the day, im going to pass on this amp. If it were $1700 like the Friedman runt 20 , I would buy them both. Best regards
He kiind of does at the 9:45 mark for a few minutes but it isnt gonna sound like a marshall. It's not supposed to. He plays a zep riff, ac/ dc and some other lower gain blues rock stuff, but it's a decidedly different amp.
@@rowdyjohnson6026 Of course it can sound a lot like a Marshall and of course it's supposed to because that's what it's based on (with extra gain stages in the pre-amp). You do know what SLO stands for right?! Super Lead Overdrive...as in a Marshall Super Lead with more drive. Mike started out as an amplifier technician in L.A. hot rodding Marshalls (mostly Plexi Super Leads and JCM800's) before he started building his own amps.
@@rowdyjohnson6026 Is there something else that you want me to read? You'll have to be specific. I read your comment thoroughly, which is why I responded. I would politely suggest that you read my response as many times as is necessary for you to understand it.
Great video as always thanks man! Doing a little research on the SLO30 vs. the SLO100. I did notice a good amount of hum with the Charvel.......the SLO itself, the HO Pickups or the effects in the loop? Thanks!
Nothing is better than crisp 80s Heavy Metal and power ballads.
It sounds almost exactly like DeMartinis tone on "Detonator"! Amazing man. Wish i had the cash for a soldano. Great playing btw.
I love Soldanos and Oranges because they both get that crisp snap that a lot of high gain amps are missing. It's just so enjoying to play this kind of amp. Mike Soldano got the SLO concept right the first time, and I love this variation, especially since I prefer lower wattage amps. There is no half-assed tone compromise with Soldanos, like a lot of companies do.
Holy Crap! That intro was SICK! I'm always blown away by your creative, melodic phrasing Robert. Well, done!
The Crunch on SLO's is often overlooked. It is extremely articulate and and really lets each note sing. Oh, the Wanton Song BTW.
All the tones in this video were good, but the Les Paul with the crunch was the big one for me. Killer, killer tone.
Just picked up your boot camp course, can’t wait to get started
Dude thank you!
Sounds so good! Love the finish on the Charvel too! Definitely hope I can grab a Soldano of my own someday!
Thanks Robert! Would love to see a 80s style type of course if that thought ever crept into your head.
Oh don't you worry I have one set to release in November :)
Robert Baker I would love an email list that we could sign up for to notify us when the course is released 😀
Robert Baker Great,would love to learn some of those metal licks.
Try guitar 1988 by Guitar MAX
The Wanton Song. 10:58-11:07 "Who can name that song? ' Some of my favorite Jimmy and of course Bonham's playing. Love it, Robert
Love that they didn't skimp on or dumb down the lower wattage version. All the same features, still has big bottles, exact same circuit, just lower wattage. Have a Soldano Avenger 100 which is amazing, but just one channel, still want one of these though!
SOLDANO amps are so nice. Just about perfect in tone and playability
Yes!!!! Sick vid my dude!
hank you my dude!
Robert, thanks for keeping 70's Classic Rock and 80's Hard Rock alive and well! The best era of music ever! Just my subjective, humble opinion, of course. :-)
I can't stop playing this riff! The TONE.... its bliss.
Absolutely love your 80s metal mondays! Please keep em coming.
Holy shit. That tone is unbelievable. And I just put one on reserve. Thank you Robert.
Everyone always says “first” and assume it actually means something, I just want to say thank you to Robert for making these videos for us all the time, same goes to Austin from the Trogly’s Guitar Show. These videos are 10-20 minutes long which is effort, but keep up the hard work and thank you for what you have already done
I love how you have a lot of focus on 80s sounds and 80s riffs and leads. Keep it up friend!
I feel like it's high time for hair metal to come back and be cool again. I mean that lead guitar 80's rock/glam stuff is dope af! It never wasn't not uncool!!
“It never wasn’t not uncool” really put me through the mental ringer. 😂😊
Robert.....The into videos are SIC Dude!! I just love them...and I love the way you piece the different parts / guitars together...Genius!
I just got a custom order SLO 30 and it's amazing. It shows off the voice and character of the guitar. I love it.
Awesome..nice riffing!! Got this riff stuck in my head now every time i think about the slo30
That sounds really good! Especially the crunch.
The intro is always gold
Awesome vid... you had me at the intro with your MIJ Charvel with that Seymour in it. Please clean or replace that pot on that Charvel, she deserves it... lol. Damn I just love my old school Charvels but I need one of those Freidman Cali like you have too. Grover is just the best. Wow that 30 watt SLO just sounds amazing and is awesome and overflowing with TONE and mojo!!! Great job Rob... now I need one of those too. \m/
One of my favorite guitar tones ever is "the aunch" sound of Degarmo/Wilton on Queensryche's "Empire" album which was done on a Soldano (and many other secret tricks).
It was done with different preamp/Poweramp combinations and a silver jubilee but the SLO definitely gets into that ballpark or empire!
@@Guitarplayer7253 Lynch used a soldano on "wicked sensation" and Gary moore on "still got the blues". Thats all i need to know.😁
I’ve been interested in the Soldano’s since Mark Knopfler and Eric Clapton started playing them in about late 1987-88. The 100w versions through Marshall 4x12’s were amazing on the last Dire Straits tour.
I’m with you - I loved Mark’s late DS tone. Unfortunately most SLO demo’s are chug chug chug rather than any actual musical Knopfler style playing.
@@guitardave i hate that chug crap
chug chug ALL THE chug chug chug chug AWESOMENESS chug chug OF THE chug chug 80's chug chug IN ONE chug chug PLACE!
That intro was incredible
Finally! a proper demo of this SLO! Not just chugging and shit!
Exactly!
Chug is life
agree this is the best demo so far of the amp. Love the tones but not the price tag or lack of studio friendly features.
I couldn't agree more. None of that detuning to B crap. I love the clarity of the Soldano. I may be buying one soon.
@@angusorvid8840 I was thinking the exact opposite....... yeah this guy thinks its an 80s hair metal amp,GEY. Henning with Mike Soldano speaking on how it CAN CHUG and play rock fusion was way better than this hippie playing shitty dad riffs.
It's got wonderful chewy overdrive and lead tone, a kind of thing that's now coming back into fashion as djent farts out.
Great demo. Thanks for showing all the versatility of this amp. Some of the best cleans and slight overdrive I've heard. Buying this now.
Wow amazing tones especially the Les Paul and Strat! The amp is awesome but you are too!
It really shines with the 80's crunch, but I was surprised with the strat on the just breaking up area. It felt really warm, not to bright or tinny.
You're Killin your opening riffs lately!
As much as it made me chuckle, the chattahoochee part really does help show what a versatile amp the SLO is. Brent to Warren is about as much territory as anyone could need to cover.
Great demo Robert. Sounds very good to me. I like the fact that use demo the amp dry then add echo or verb as you go.
Damnn Robert your intro jams just keep getting better and better!!
I just loved this amp!
More than I used to.
Nice sounds from all those great guitars.
Regards from Rio.
Take care and stay safe, Rob
Sounds like a really organic sounding Marshall actually.
And for that “organic” I paid 4 grand. 10/10 would do it again.
Yngwie said the same thing 'sounds good it is good'...he was talking more about not getting hung up on theory...but u get the drift...rock on.
Watching your videos always gets me excited to get back to my guitar after a long day. Thanks for these sweet videos. Keep on rocking brother
You picked up 30 extra views just from me coming back again again for that intro song. Love it!
Sounds great, would love to see it side by side an Evh 50 watt or maybe the Friedman
Wow! Great vid. Always a pleasure watching your vids. You make anything sound so good.
My 2 cents...for $2700 I hate hate hate that it shares an EQ. I use a totally different EQ for my dirt channel vs. my clean channel. A stacked, concentric set of EQ controls would have been way more useful. Just sayin'.
Just buy 2 heads and an ampete switcher. Simples.
You’re welcome!
I have one, you don’t need to adjust the eq. Always sounds good :)
I snagged that sweet 8 course bundle deal last night! Looking forward to combining that with the R&R boot camp course I already had \m/ keep up the great work sir!
Perfect 80s amp, killer tones !
Tho tone though man! I love it. Especially with the beginning riffing. Keep shredding bro!
Definitely killer 80s tones! I use mine in my blues/rock power trio as well, and it does the Gary Moore/Warren Haynes thing equally well! They’re super versatile!
Greetings from the Cincinnati area! ✌🏼
How does it stand up against the
slo100 for general tone
@@gitarman666 well based on what I know about the tones players get that use the 100 watter, I’d say it’s basically identical. I think that’s mostly because they actually use 6L6s (5881s), unlike other companies that use EL84s in their lower powered versions of bigger amps. I’ve never owned the 100, but I’ve studied the sounds of lots of players that use them, and it does all that very well. I just personally don’t have the need for a 100 watt amp, unfortunately!
Intros are really awesome now a days....love love love.
I loved how you were rockin' out, then just went full on Alan Jackson lol great stuff, love the video
Hi Robert,great demo of a great amp,wondering what speakers/cabinet you're running it through?Thanks
Brought slo kemper pack yesterday, sounds frickin amazing! 80s hair metal heaven. Don't have a spare 2.5k for the real amp
great tone / playing + ric flair t-shirt = kickass video!! great job.
How does this amp do at low volumes? I’ve owned a Hot Rod 50 and it was ripping loud and completely unusable at the home. I’ve read Mike has lowered the plate voltage some to allow for the amp to open up at lower volumes. But curious if it’s still way to loud to be used in a home setting
So when does a cd of some of these awesome intros drop? You're an awesome guitarist!
SLO and Les Paul also screams Warren Haynes and Gov't Mule!!!
Yes. Always that SLO behind him. Haynes got it all imo: chops, awesome tone and a great voice.
Mark Knopfler too I believe.
@@svenzia did he use the crunch ch or the gain one?
Just got your 8 course pack, looking forward to digging in! Someday I'll get a real Soldano, for now my Jet City gets me really close. Looks like I have it dialed in a lot like you do there. And yes, awesome 80s tones!
What pickups do you have in the LP?
T-Tops i think the cream one
Beast amp. Perfection!
Gosh, that crackle Charvel is my dream guitar. Superb video!
Sounds like a classic SLO. Nice demo and kudos to Mike S and B.A.D!
Does this amp sound good at a low volume?,I can’t play loud where I live,sustain and distortion wise?
The leads flow like water so natural, articulate and smooth. Best amp ever.
Wanton Song! love that shizz, under appreciated album for sure, some of the best riffs of the catalog cuz they groove so hard!
This Amp is Awesome! Can I Ask what Cab you Used with Les Paul?
Robert, Would that one do Classic Rock, well, in your opinion? Friedman is awesome for classic rock. That Soldano is the Ultimate 80's Amp, of all Amps. I talked to Mike Soldano over the phone a while back. At that time, he was getting ready to close shop. So happy he didn't. Nicest Man that you could ever talk too. I didn't want to waste alot of his time, so I told him that I have highly considered one, but at the moment, don't have the cash for it. Mr. Soldano is so nice, he still probably talked to me for like 30 minutes. Potential Customers, Always Remember, How well they were treated..Not that Mike needs word of mouth advertising 😂😂😂, but it's still good for business, and word of mouth gets around very fast, and brings in even more money, for people that have never heard a Soldano. (I know they are few and far between lol), but some of those people do exist though. 👽 👽 👽.... We had talked about Washington State, Bainbridge Island, to be exact. I've been visiting it my whole life, lived there for sometime, and will eventually, most likely, move back to live there, for the rest of my life. Mike, was very familiar with Bainbridge Island, Washington, which is only a 30 minute ferryboat ride from Seattle, across Puget Sound to get there. Gotta Love Those Italians. (Throwing my hands in the air)...Vito Bratta is a Guitar God! Hope you and your family are well Robert. Love your shows. Stay Safe..I can't wait until January! 😉😁😂😎😎...From Sonny in New Orleans, La.
I’m expecting to hear a “Ooooohhh YeeeeaaaaHhhh!” Come in , in that intro. Love the tone man. I’ve heard good things about these amps.
At 1:48 is the sound that says GET THE LES PAUL! Billy Gibbons sound with hot sauce. I REALLY wanted to hear the Les Paul matched with that type of sound. Unfortunately we did not get to hear that, but It is a great sounding amp and the best demo of this amp that I have seen. The best amp demos are like this. I just want to hear the settings that the guitarist thinks are the best that the amp delivers.
beautiful tone man, awesome playing
crunch with the les paul sounds amazing
Hey Robert, where can I get the tabs for the intro? It was super super awesome...pure eargasms
What speakers are you using? Sounds great!!!
I like this demo. A lot of different guitars!
damn..great sound!!! also I recommend: A clean Plexi - and use in front a JHS AT+ pedal...I bet you will like that sound!
God damn man that song at the beginning kicks ass, you should do a video on that. Chord progression, rhythm, backing solo, et cetera
i honestly love how open rob is about stuff like affiliate links, this is honestly the kind of behaviour that makes me WANT to click affiliate links
Warren De, legend... great video brother 😎
That sounds great Robert. What an iconic amp! I wonder how many recordings we have heard with the SLO man. Seems pretty versatile also. I think Clapton played one in the late 80`s as well.
Super sick intro! Such great riffage and a tasty solo to boot! Love it:)
Awesome. EXPENSIVE though. Already got my 5150 block letter. I'm good.
Thank You for a Great Run Through. You Da Man!!!
Sounds freaking amazing, great playing too
You're killing me. This tone is awesome
all of a sudden 80's tone is in style and the guitars. in the 90's everyone made fun of it all, funny how it works
Because the 80's was peak guitar.
peak cheese
@@mj.l There was plenty of non cheese, but yes, lots of cheese. But it is really when the guitar hero became a thing.
They made fun of guitar solos too.
@@GearZenChannel guitar already peaked in the 70s as far as I'm concerned, with Holdsworth, Zappa, Van Halen, Akkerman, the list is neverending.
I'm the biggest fan of the 80s thrash and heavy, NWOBHM is excellent. But I don't think it can hold a candle to the fusion style of the 70s. Altho who knows
Yes. Its expensive. But worth every bit. For a different bracket. Don't need other bells and whistles like built in attenuaters or IRs. Plug in turn up and play!
Super cool intro! And always funny and informative 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
My mind blew with that intro🤘I can't wait to get my hands on your 80s rock guitar course your putting together.
Thanks Rob , love what you do. i have owned a slo and i loved it, but it needs to be said that i think they missed the mark on the marketing for this amp. first off, its a pc board amp , with a price tag approaching the hand wired realm. $2700 . im not saying a pc board amp is inherently bad, they can be great if built properly. the problem is most manufactures use the cheapest components they can get there hands on. ( Fender , Mesa etc ) i make no claims on the slo 30 build quality, i don't know, i would hope its exceptional for the price you pay. End of the day, im going to pass on this amp. If it were $1700 like the Friedman runt 20 , I would buy them both. Best regards
Nice! Do you remember what speaker you used?
Love to hear amp demos without effects and out of a song mix. Thank you for those bits 🤘🤘🤘
Killer! That first minute had me back in 1989 in an instant!!
Warren used his famous Super Lead on "Detonator". He would later use an SLO. Sounded great for his stuff!
Another awesome intro man, they just keep getting better and better 🤘
Beautiful demo!!
Robert, if you had to have one, would you choose the slo-30 or the JJ Jr.? You gave both high praise…
You should do a slash kinda tone, like a more classic rock n roll sound, loved the vid!
No
He kiind of does at the 9:45 mark for a few minutes but it isnt gonna sound like a marshall. It's not supposed to. He plays a zep riff, ac/ dc and some other lower gain blues rock stuff, but it's a decidedly different amp.
@@rowdyjohnson6026 Of course it can sound a lot like a Marshall and of course it's supposed to because that's what it's based on (with extra gain stages in the pre-amp). You do know what SLO stands for right?! Super Lead Overdrive...as in a Marshall Super Lead with more drive. Mike started out as an amplifier technician in L.A. hot rodding Marshalls (mostly Plexi Super Leads and JCM800's) before he started building his own amps.
@@GoogleEqualsEvil read before responding please.
@@rowdyjohnson6026 Is there something else that you want me to read? You'll have to be specific. I read your comment thoroughly, which is why I responded. I would politely suggest that you read my response as many times as is necessary for you to understand it.
If it had a reverb circuit, it would be perfect!
Great video as always thanks man! Doing a little research on the SLO30 vs. the SLO100. I did notice a good amount of hum with the Charvel.......the SLO itself, the HO Pickups or the effects in the loop? Thanks!