Tom as I've written before,you are the one person I like to go to when I want a true unbiased review of a product. You are clear and concise with your demos and you really show what the products can and should not do. I've been considering getting one of these amps,but no had quite done an in depth review and demo of this amp. Again you've done a really great job!! Thank You again!
I've been playing the 50w head heavily for a about three months now and cannot complain one bit. The clean channel is a perfect blend of a Blackface Fender and an AC30 depending on how you use the the master/gain. The gain channel is a bit tricky to dial in, but is very similar to a JCM800 as far as sound goes. Lots of midrange to be heard in a mix and with the independent brights/reverb you can really fine tune each channel to your liking. This amp is a very simple amp, but it is not simple to dial in the least though. You have to learn the EQ and how the master plays into overall tone. The power section is not like most master volume amps. It has character and depending on where you set it you can change the entire sound of the amp. This amp is also not for the home player. The clean channel can get decent results at lower volumes, but the gain channel needs to be loud to sound full. Otherwise it'll be fizzy and treble heavy.
Ive been listening to amp demos for ages right now N i can just say that this the best clean tone guitar amp that ever come across (of course im not a metal dude) I love its jazzy dark mid range tone ...absolutely incredible... i will use it in a stereo rig with a DV Mark Jazz 212 with two separate effect loops + a ABY switcher pedal
Just bought one over on Reverb for 475 us dollar..mint...just the head....such an underrated amp...who cares if it is made on china...looks good to me...many PRS amps are underrated..the custom H custom C Dallas....Grissom amp...MDT are great amps..I wish I can afford them all...this is my second Prs amp..I have the original Archon 100....the Archon is one of my fav amp..
wow this amp is awesome but im having a hard time choosing between this amp and a fender hot rod deluxe 3. Feel free to leave your opinions below.I would really appreciate it you guys.
Hey. I recently had a similar quandary. I had 3 amps next to one another in my local shop... The Sonzera 50, the Fender HR Deluxe (iV) and the Orange Crush Pro CR120. The Sonzera for me stood hands and fists above the others for it's clarity and for holding an even punch to the tone all the way up the neck. I used to find, playing Marshall, that the notes would thin out towards the top strings, but not with this beasty.... My only real concern with this is that it is too loud. I wonder should I have gone for the 20.
How much is that guitar and that amp? I really like them. Also Tom I hear blues,rock,hard rock and jazz in your playing. I guess it would be fusion. How do I learn to play like that? I can play all the styles somewhat,just can't seem to pit it together. I do have some knowledge of theory. I guess I'm saying I want to lean more towards fusion. Where is a good place to start at a beginner level? I don't mind learning from the beginning.
Ok here is an update to whomever is interested. After close to 1 month of shows, I noticed speaker pop on channel 2, in addition to losing reverb on channel 1. Amp was still playable however, any type of movement or pressure on top of amp would cause the tubes or circuitry, unsure what to cause loud crackling and shorting out. I called a very good company who I bought the amp from and they overnighted a new amp, just in time for a big show. I tested the amp briefly, all good. After set up and during soundcheck, I went to Dirty sound, POP, Lost 90 percent of volume. Strumming guitar it would come in and out sporadically, absolutely useable! This was the second BRAND NEW prs sonzera amp 50 with similar issues. Needless to say I personally will not be using any PRS amps. This may be bad luck, bad batch, who knows, however I cannot afford the unreliability of this amp. My set up is an Array Schmidt Pedal Board, similar setup to Pete thorns on slightly smaller scale. I play with Suhr Classic Pro and Fender Custom Strat. Top of the line stuff, very disappointed in the quality of this amp .
I've listened to this amp in person and it sounds really bright and, sometimes, ear piercing. The clean channel is nice, however the dirty channel not so much
Great tones. But, is the amp a regular, stock amp, what a customer would receive, or is this an amp PRS sent to you for demoing, and not for sale to the public. I know companies do this, cause a high end home audio dealer I know has told me that almost all hi-fi products he receives for review are tweaked, modded versions, not at all the same as the public receives.
Tom as I've written before,you are the one person I like to go to when I want a true unbiased review of a product. You are clear and concise with your demos and you really show what the products can and should not do. I've been considering getting one of these amps,but no had quite done an in depth review and demo of this amp. Again you've done a really great job!! Thank You again!
I've been playing the 50w head heavily for a about three months now and cannot complain one bit. The clean channel is a perfect blend of a Blackface Fender and an AC30 depending on how you use the the master/gain. The gain channel is a bit tricky to dial in, but is very similar to a JCM800 as far as sound goes. Lots of midrange to be heard in a mix and with the independent brights/reverb you can really fine tune each channel to your liking.
This amp is a very simple amp, but it is not simple to dial in the least though. You have to learn the EQ and how the master plays into overall tone. The power section is not like most master volume amps. It has character and depending on where you set it you can change the entire sound of the amp.
This amp is also not for the home player. The clean channel can get decent results at lower volumes, but the gain channel needs to be loud to sound full. Otherwise it'll be fizzy and treble heavy.
Excellent video, the most informative on this amp I've found after watching too many. Finally somebody showing off the amp's voicings; really nice.
Thank you so much for this phenomenal Review!
I was 90% of the way toward buying this Amp but you pushed me to 150%!
Ive been listening to amp demos for ages right now N i can just say that this the best clean tone guitar amp that ever come across (of course im not a metal dude)
I love its jazzy dark mid range tone ...absolutely incredible... i will use it in a stereo rig with a DV Mark Jazz 212 with two separate effect loops + a ABY switcher pedal
hey, how it holding up one year later?
Nice sound of the PRS Sonzera amp. Not only that fits to PRS guitars, but also to Yamaha Revstar guitars, Fenders, & others.
Just bought one over on Reverb for 475 us dollar..mint...just the head....such an underrated amp...who cares if it is made on china...looks good to me...many PRS amps are underrated..the custom H custom C Dallas....Grissom amp...MDT are great amps..I wish I can afford them all...this is my second Prs amp..I have the original Archon 100....the Archon is one of my fav amp..
Your demo was amazing! I just ordered this same amp. I also have this same guitar... and a core 24...seems to sound good together...
nice chops, dude
Best review I've seen so far
wow this amp is awesome but im having a hard time choosing between this amp and a fender hot rod deluxe 3.
Feel free to leave your opinions below.I would really appreciate it you guys.
Hot road if this is your first real tube amp!
Hey. I recently had a similar quandary. I had 3 amps next to one another in my local shop... The Sonzera 50, the Fender HR Deluxe (iV) and the Orange Crush Pro CR120. The Sonzera for me stood hands and fists above the others for it's clarity and for holding an even punch to the tone all the way up the neck. I used to find, playing Marshall, that the notes would thin out towards the top strings, but not with this beasty.... My only real concern with this is that it is too loud. I wonder should I have gone for the 20.
Hell of a guitar player too!
How much is that guitar and that amp? I really like them. Also Tom I hear blues,rock,hard rock and jazz in your playing. I guess it would be fusion. How do I learn to play like that? I can play all the styles somewhat,just can't seem to pit it together. I do have some knowledge of theory. I guess I'm saying I want to lean more towards fusion. Where is a good place to start at a beginner level? I don't mind learning from the beginning.
Great presentation! Thank you
Ok here is an update to whomever is interested. After close to 1 month of shows, I noticed speaker pop on channel 2, in addition to losing reverb on channel 1. Amp was still playable however, any type of movement or pressure on top of amp would cause the tubes or circuitry, unsure what to cause loud crackling and shorting out. I called a very good company who I bought the amp from and they overnighted a new amp, just in time for a big show. I tested the amp briefly, all good. After set up and during soundcheck, I went to Dirty sound, POP, Lost 90 percent of volume. Strumming guitar it would come in and out sporadically, absolutely useable! This was the second BRAND NEW prs sonzera amp 50 with similar issues. Needless to say I personally will not be using any PRS amps. This may be bad luck, bad batch, who knows, however I cannot afford the unreliability of this amp. My set up is an Array Schmidt Pedal Board, similar setup to Pete thorns on slightly smaller scale. I play with Suhr Classic Pro and Fender Custom Strat. Top of the line stuff, very disappointed in the quality of this amp
.
Great sounding amp ! ...
This or the brunetti Tom?
Great review thanks. Still undecided. Need a new amp for home that son can use as well. Seems reasonably priced
I've listened to this amp in person and it sounds really bright and, sometimes, ear piercing. The clean channel is nice, however the dirty channel not so much
Good clean tone but this amps dirty doesnt touch the Archon at all. Probably why they discontinued it.
.....BUT.......why doesn't somebody demo this amp with a blues setup? That is the only unknown thing that stands between me and buying one of these.
Great tones. But, is the amp a regular, stock amp, what a customer would receive, or is this an amp PRS sent to you for demoing, and not for sale to the public. I know companies do this, cause a high end home audio dealer I know has told me that almost all hi-fi products he receives for review are tweaked, modded versions, not at all the same as the public receives.
Hi Bobby, this same amp is ready to try out and purchase in-store - we do not get sent gear to demo, so rest assured it is all our stock.
What's the point of this demo if you're not gonna crank the volume?
Sounds extremely noisey
prettdboy too bright for me