both sound like glorious amps! I may consider getting a hot rod 50, they are more affordable and still seem to deliver some mighty tone. Thanks for the demo!
I have both amps. They differ quite a bit in sound to me. The HR50 has these wonderful squishy mids but very little bottom end. It is a bright amp, no doubt. My SLO is kinda similar but much bigger and tougher sounding. Much more ballsy and more gain. They are both great but they do sound different.
Granted I’m listening through my car stereo but they sound incredibly similar. Just picked up an hr50 and couldn’t be happier- don’t see myself spending 3x more for the slo any time soon!
Try your "Best of Both Worlds" riff on the SLO's Crunch Channel with the pre at 9. That's how I have my astroverb set. I think you'll like it- its not overly saturated.
I love my Soldano Hot Rod 50!!! I bought it new in 1997 and play though a Fryette 4 X 12 slant cabinet with 2 Vintage 30's on the bottom and 2 Legend V12's on top, This amp smokes!!!! cleans up really good with the volume pot on the guitar, I would absolutely never part with this amp!!!
Interesting! Does the Legend have the same volume as the V30 or is it a little louder? I understand that the Legend has less highs than the V30... Is the Legend a gritty almost fuzzy speaker or is that only before it is broken in? If you have time to respond, Thank you! I have an astroverb combo with a G12H30 in it, but I leave it unplugged and am currently running through a 2x12 with a V30 and a WGS Retro 30.
Try some j j's 12 aux 7's in the pre amp....it will thicken the amp up and take away a great deal of the brightness that can be unpleasant. Did it to my soldano and sounds really good now.Or if jj's are in there now,bias the amp a little hotter,will give you the same result cheers mate.
To me, its not that close. The SLO sounds so hifi, complex, glassy and huge. The HR has similar gain but it’s not nearly as complex and hifi. When you get used to playing an SLO, everything else feels dull. It’s not for everyone though.
From memory yes, its just a generic amp switcher box (might be a Laney). IU switched it from the clean to the lead/overdrive just cause its very loud & a little noisy
After first gain stage slo uses a 470k with a .0022cap and a 500k pot the hot rod uses a 1meg with a .001 cap and a 1 meg pot, if u are familiar with ohm's law u will see that they both yeild the exact same tonal slope and voltage divider. The differences come from other aspects of the amp's.
Thanks, I'm doing a build but a bit new to this circuit. Your comment confirmed my suspicion. I'm still sort of wondering why the 500K pots, and resistor? I installed them anyway because of the way it looks balanced/ symmetrical. I realize this is an old post, and you may have moved on to studying other designs. I don't know who else would have insight on this. I can see that later in the circuit, some of the components have different values. Thanks.
@@qua7771 I'm retired, got time, you said wondering about 500k and resistor, if you elaborate I'll try to help. My original post referred to the res./cap, network ahead of the OD gain pot. a 470k parallel with a .002 ahead of a 500k pot yields the same tone slope and signal level as a 1meg paralleled with a .001 ahead of a 1meg pot. Never got a definitive answer from Mike as to the difference. The SLO uses one, most all his other amps use the other. The JCA amps I have use the Hot Rod design. I never felt it necessary to change that. I played a SLO and a HR25 at his shop and personally liked the 25 better.
@@bradt.3555 Nice to hear from you, and thanks for the reply. Okay. I purchased a Jet city JCA22H because of the way it lends itself well as a modification platform. As a former Navy avionics tech, I understand circuitry, but when I started, I wasn't so well versed in guitar amp circuitry tone shaping. The learning curve turned out to be bigger than I originally though. Over the last month or so I crammed in a lot of information. When I started I thought I knew more than I actually did. I followed the SLO schematic, and replaced the 1M Gain pots with 500K, and the voltage divider/ attenuatior, and grid stopper resistors to 470K as per the SLO schematic. I guess That is what I meant by symmetry. Upon further deliberation I started thinking that I prefer a more classic hot-rodded Marshall JCM 800 tone. In other words, I like the Soldano Hot Rod better than the SLO. If all things are equal in the first gain stage, I want to leave it as is, unless there is a reason not to.
@@qua7771 If you meant tone pots as in the tone controls, that part of the circuit is the same as a Marshal except for the slope resistor,(33k vs 47k). The crunch channel actually (to me) is more like a hot rodded Marshal than the OD channel. Because of the 39k bias resistor on the one gain stage it gives the OD a very compressed tone, Mainly because it is very compressed. I use it for some leads only. Mostly I use the Crunch channel. Why the diff in the gain pots and associated tone shaping I don't know, as I said they yield pretty much identical results. There are some diff plate resistors in the cathode follower stages giving the SLO more overall gain to drive the output stage. And everyone say's the de-young output tranny has a big effect on the SLO's tone. Just be careful of claims made on the net. The placebo effect is just as strong with guitar stuff as hi fi stuff. Things like "orange drop caps are really no diff than any good cap, it all has to do with it's value not it's brand. Just better tolerances.
@@bradt.3555 I apologize for my typo, saying tone caps, when I meant gain pots. However, the information you provided in your reply is useful. I noticed the tone stack slope resistor value as well. Using Duncan's tone stack calculator, I didn't see it making much of a difference either. I did add a choke, and Heyboer output transformer. I'm using Sprague Orange Drop 6PS polyester caps, just because I have them left over from previous projects, and it would cost me extra money to order anything cheaper. They are not that expensive anyway. My time, and effort in research is more of a concern than $20 in caps. I still test every component prior to installation. It's easier than troubleshooting later. I would rather error on the side of quality, and caution. My former experience was in aviation military work, and old habits die hard. My concerns were about the the 500K gain pots, and associated circuitry (SLO vs Hot Rod). I apologize again for the typo, and have edited my previous post. Since I have installed those components, I have decided against having the 39K Soldano cold clipper on V2B, in lieu of a more traditional 10K value. This amp shipped with a factory installed Epic S.I.R #36 mod, so it already had 10K cold clippers on V2A, and V2B cathodes. I liked the gain structure of this mod, but the highs were too over the top harsh for my taste, and there was a shrill high feedback that was out of control. This mod included extra treble peaker caps added to each gain stage, (bypass caps soldered over attenuator resistors). I removed them after V2B as this amp is bright enough stock. There was also a substantial amount of flub in the bass, so I replaced the first .022uf coupling cap with a .0047uf cap (C2). I will be installing the depth mod to make up for the bass later in the circuit. I'm hoping the choke will help tighten things up as well. Thank you again for taking the time to provide your input. Any advice you would like to add is more than welcome.
HR50 1:40
SLO 4:05
I’ve owned a couple of SLOs but never a HR. Very impressed with the HR, they sound nearly identical.
Thanks for taking the time to post the playing times. I had trouble finding it to hear the comparison.
both sound like glorious amps! I may consider getting a hot rod 50, they are more affordable and still seem to deliver some mighty tone. Thanks for the demo!
If he dropped over 4.2k on it, he can call it whatever the hell he wants.
I have both amps. They differ quite a bit in sound to me. The HR50 has these wonderful squishy mids but very little bottom end. It is a bright amp, no doubt. My SLO is kinda similar but much bigger and tougher sounding. Much more ballsy and more gain. They are both great but they do sound different.
Granted I’m listening through my car stereo but they sound incredibly similar. Just picked up an hr50 and couldn’t be happier- don’t see myself spending 3x more for the slo any time soon!
Try your "Best of Both Worlds" riff on the SLO's Crunch Channel with the pre at 9. That's how I have my astroverb set. I think you'll like it- its not overly saturated.
thanks for the tip
I have a hot rod 50+ and it sounds unreal
I love my Soldano Hot Rod 50!!! I bought it new in 1997 and play though a Fryette 4 X 12 slant cabinet with 2 Vintage 30's on the bottom and 2 Legend V12's on top, This amp smokes!!!! cleans up really good with the volume pot on the guitar, I would absolutely never part with this amp!!!
Interesting! Does the Legend have the same volume as the V30 or is it a little louder?
I understand that the Legend has less highs than the V30... Is the Legend a gritty almost fuzzy speaker or is that only before it is broken in? If you have time to respond, Thank you! I have an astroverb combo with a G12H30 in it, but I leave it unplugged and am currently running through a 2x12 with a V30 and a WGS Retro 30.
Try some j j's 12 aux 7's in the pre amp....it will thicken the amp up and take away a great deal of the brightness that can be unpleasant. Did it to my soldano and sounds really good now.Or if jj's are in there now,bias the amp a little hotter,will give you the same result cheers mate.
You have a Soldano Hot Rod and a SLO..In snakeskin....WOW
To me, its not that close. The SLO sounds so hifi, complex, glassy and huge. The HR has similar gain but it’s not nearly as complex and hifi.
When you get used to playing an SLO, everything else feels dull. It’s not for everyone though.
That is my experience as well. I played an HR50 for years. I bought an SLO 30 and the HR 50 sounds dull to me now.
That HR 50 is my dream tone 😭
What pedal do you step on there? Is that a Soldano channel switcher? 3:52
From memory yes, its just a generic amp switcher box (might be a Laney). IU switched it from the clean to the lead/overdrive just cause its very loud & a little noisy
Very nice sounding amps!
What speakers?
Not sure - what ever is in the standard Soldano cabs. I believe they are EV's
Soldano cabs have specially designed Eminence speakers in them
After first gain stage slo uses a 470k with a .0022cap and a 500k pot the hot rod uses a 1meg with a .001 cap and a 1 meg pot, if u are familiar with ohm's law u will see that they both yeild the exact same tonal slope and voltage divider. The differences come from other aspects of the amp's.
Thanks, I'm doing a build but a bit new to this circuit. Your comment confirmed my suspicion. I'm still sort of wondering why the 500K pots, and resistor? I installed them anyway because of the way it looks balanced/ symmetrical.
I realize this is an old post, and you may have moved on to studying other designs. I don't know who else would have insight on this. I can see that later in the circuit, some of the components have different values.
Thanks.
@@qua7771 I'm retired, got time, you said wondering about 500k and resistor, if you elaborate I'll try to help. My original post referred to the res./cap, network ahead of the OD gain pot. a 470k parallel with a .002 ahead of a 500k pot yields the same tone slope and signal level as a 1meg paralleled with a .001 ahead of a 1meg pot. Never got a definitive answer from Mike as to the difference. The SLO uses one, most all his other amps use the other. The JCA amps I have use the Hot Rod design. I never felt it necessary to change that. I played a SLO and a HR25 at his shop and personally liked the 25 better.
@@bradt.3555 Nice to hear from you, and thanks for the reply.
Okay. I purchased a Jet city JCA22H because of the way it lends itself well as a modification platform. As a former Navy avionics tech, I understand circuitry, but when I started, I wasn't so well versed in guitar amp circuitry tone shaping. The learning curve turned out to be bigger than I originally though. Over the last month or so I crammed in a lot of information. When I started I thought I knew more than I actually did. I followed the SLO schematic, and replaced the 1M Gain pots with 500K, and the voltage divider/ attenuatior, and grid stopper resistors to 470K as per the SLO schematic. I guess That is what I meant by symmetry.
Upon further deliberation I started thinking that I prefer a more classic hot-rodded Marshall JCM 800 tone. In other words, I like the Soldano Hot Rod better than the SLO. If all things are equal in the first gain stage, I want to leave it as is, unless there is a reason not to.
@@qua7771 If you meant tone pots as in the tone controls, that part of the circuit is the same as a Marshal except for the slope resistor,(33k vs 47k). The crunch channel actually (to me) is more like a hot rodded Marshal than the OD channel. Because of the 39k bias resistor on the one gain stage it gives the OD a very compressed tone, Mainly because it is very compressed. I use it for some leads only. Mostly I use the Crunch channel. Why the diff in the gain pots and associated tone shaping I don't know, as I said they yield pretty much identical results. There are some diff plate resistors in the cathode follower stages giving the SLO more overall gain to drive the output stage. And everyone say's the de-young output tranny has a big effect on the SLO's tone. Just be careful of claims made on the net. The placebo effect is just as strong with guitar stuff as hi fi stuff. Things like "orange drop caps are really no diff than any good cap, it all has to do with it's value not it's brand. Just better tolerances.
@@bradt.3555 I apologize for my typo, saying tone caps, when I meant gain pots. However, the information you provided in your reply is useful. I noticed the tone stack slope resistor value as well. Using Duncan's tone stack calculator, I didn't see it making much of a difference either. I did add a choke, and Heyboer output transformer. I'm using Sprague Orange Drop 6PS polyester caps, just because I have them left over from previous projects, and it would cost me extra money to order anything cheaper. They are not that expensive anyway. My time, and effort in research is more of a concern than $20 in caps. I still test every component prior to installation. It's easier than troubleshooting later. I would rather error on the side of quality, and caution. My former experience was in aviation military work, and old habits die hard.
My concerns were about the the 500K gain pots, and associated circuitry (SLO vs Hot Rod). I apologize again for the typo, and have edited my previous post. Since I have installed those components, I have decided against having the 39K Soldano cold clipper on V2B, in lieu of a more traditional 10K value. This amp shipped with a factory installed Epic S.I.R #36 mod, so it already had 10K cold clippers on V2A, and V2B cathodes. I liked the gain structure of this mod, but the highs were too over the top harsh for my taste, and there was a shrill high feedback that was out of control. This mod included extra treble peaker caps added to each gain stage, (bypass caps soldered over attenuator resistors). I removed them after V2B as this amp is bright enough stock. There was also a substantial amount of flub in the bass, so I replaced the first .022uf coupling cap with a .0047uf cap (C2). I will be installing the depth mod to make up for the bass later in the circuit. I'm hoping the choke will help tighten things up as well.
Thank you again for taking the time to provide your input.
Any advice you would like to add is more than welcome.
S L O , not SLOW
+Zack yeah the brits are strange with words! they also say PAF pickups as a word and not P.A.F! LOL
Guitarz 5150 he's Aussie.
And I literally know no-one what's says "Paf" rather than PAF.
No SOUND?
No damn sound m8
+Cody kholeson The sound works fine guys - check your PC & speakers
Turned out my volume was all the way down my cat must have payed on the keyboard lol