Bogner
Encyclopedia
Bogner is an American guitar amplifier
manufacturing company founded by Reinhold Bogner in 1989 in Los Angeles, California
, best known for the Shiva, Ecstasy, and Überschall guitar amplifiers.
This three channel amp came in two versions: 100A and 100B. "A" = American which used 6L6
power tubes, and "B" = British which used EL34
power tubes. The earliest Ecstasy 100A and 100B series amplifiers included a white powder-coated chassis and exclusive options never before seen on any guitar amplifier. These options included a selectable on-board "Variac" power option, "New/Old" sound select, "Power Amp Mute", and an automatically activated dummy-load should the speaker become disconnected form the amp. The 100A/B "Variac" option gives the player the ability to achieve the fabled "brown-sound" made famous by guitarist Edward Van Halen.
The early 101A/B amplifiers (like the 100A/B) can be readily identified by its white powder-coated chassis. Options included a "Power Attenuator Loop" that is assignable to the individual channels, a "Series/Parallel Effects Loop" with individual line-level select, "Class A/AB" select, "New/Old" sound select, and "Full/Half Power" select. Its most unique feature is the a "Dual Speaker Select" w/dual-impedance select. This unique feature allows the user to connect any 4-8-16 Ohm cabinet into output #1, and any 4-8-16 Ohm cabinet into output #2. The cabinets can then be assigned to any of the three amplifier channels, with user channel/cabinet select capabilities. These early era Ecstasy amplifiers were limited to a production run of 150 x 100A/B and 100 x 101A/B models. These early models are coveted by players around the world, and are considered to be among the finest sounding vacuum-tube guitar amplifiers ever built.
The first 12 x 100B (and a few later 100B) models were fitted output transformers that were hand-wound by Reinhold Bogner. These output transformers can be identified by their coverless design and black painted exterior. It is said that Reinhold Bogner's personal collection of 3 x 100B amplifiers are fitted with these output transformers. The 101B models were initially constructed with its "Class A" resistor/heat-sink assembly mounted directly to the top of the chassis. Due to internal temperature issues - the resistor/heat-sink assembly was repositioned to an elevated position above the chassis to promote proper cooling.
Bogner Amplification is continually evolving in terms of product development in a quest for the best tone possible. In an effort to maximize functionality of the standard features, in 1997 Bogner dropped some options. These included the integrated "Variac" option on the 100A/B, "Dual-Speaker Select" and "Attenuator Loop" on the early 101A/B models. The 1997 and later 101A/B amplifiers became the standardized Ecstasy design with the exception of a gain modification to all 2004 and later Ecstasy models.
(German for "Super-Sonic;" Two channels.) 120 watt EL 34 power section. 6 12ax7 preamp tube. Tube buffered effects loop. Three versions of this amp have been made to date: the original version, first revision, revision blue. The original version of the amplifier has a rubber handle, while the second version has a leather one. The revision blue has actual digits for serial numbers while the previous versions have symbols. The revisions dealt with issues pertaining to the gain taper of the high gain channel and discrepancies in the volume levels of the clean and gain channels. The revision blue contains the most significant updates to the amp. Currently the amplifier is only available as a head. The only option available on the head is a metal grille or a cloth grille.
(Two channels. A Fender like clean to a hot rodded JCM 800 sound.)
(Two channels. The channels can be used individually, one at a time, or combined together and played simultaneously. 15-watt amp with reverb and tremolo and two 6V6 output tubes).
(Two channels, six position Schizo knob which changes the EQ of the amp. Made in limited release in the mid 1990s. Some say "Mojo" on the back. The Mojo was an amp Bogner had intended to make, but never made it to production. They ended up using the chassis they had made for the Mojo for some of the Caveman amps. There are two known prototype Mojo amps.)
(Rare 4-channel all-tube preamp. Only 250 in existence.) Recently reissued for a limited run by the Bogner custom shop in California.
(Rare 2-space, 3-channel all-tube preamp. The First true Bogner product, only 25 produced. The design was licensed to Hafler, hence the Bogner/Hafler Triple Giant that followed.)
/ (forward slash) = 1
^ = 2
Triangle = 3
+ = 4
asterisk = 5
o (or dot) = 6
Square = 7
V = 8
Lightning Bolt = 9
- = 0
P = Prototype
Guitar amplifier
A guitar amplifier is an electronic amplifier designed to make the signal of an electric or acoustic guitar louder so that it will produce sound through a loudspeaker...
manufacturing company founded by Reinhold Bogner in 1989 in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, best known for the Shiva, Ecstasy, and Überschall guitar amplifiers.
Models
- Ecstasy 100A and 100B:
This three channel amp came in two versions: 100A and 100B. "A" = American which used 6L6
6L6
6L6 is the designator for a vacuum tube introduced by Radio Corporation of America in July 1936. At the time Philips had already developed and patented power pentode designs, which were fast replacing power triodes due to their greater efficiency...
power tubes, and "B" = British which used EL34
EL34
The EL34 is a thermionic valve or vacuum tube of the power pentode type. It has an international octal base and is found mainly in the final output stages of audio amplification circuits and was designed to be suitable as a series regulator by virtue of its high permissible voltage between heater...
power tubes. The earliest Ecstasy 100A and 100B series amplifiers included a white powder-coated chassis and exclusive options never before seen on any guitar amplifier. These options included a selectable on-board "Variac" power option, "New/Old" sound select, "Power Amp Mute", and an automatically activated dummy-load should the speaker become disconnected form the amp. The 100A/B "Variac" option gives the player the ability to achieve the fabled "brown-sound" made famous by guitarist Edward Van Halen.
- Ecstasy 101A and 101B (early edition 1995 to 1997):
The early 101A/B amplifiers (like the 100A/B) can be readily identified by its white powder-coated chassis. Options included a "Power Attenuator Loop" that is assignable to the individual channels, a "Series/Parallel Effects Loop" with individual line-level select, "Class A/AB" select, "New/Old" sound select, and "Full/Half Power" select. Its most unique feature is the a "Dual Speaker Select" w/dual-impedance select. This unique feature allows the user to connect any 4-8-16 Ohm cabinet into output #1, and any 4-8-16 Ohm cabinet into output #2. The cabinets can then be assigned to any of the three amplifier channels, with user channel/cabinet select capabilities. These early era Ecstasy amplifiers were limited to a production run of 150 x 100A/B and 100 x 101A/B models. These early models are coveted by players around the world, and are considered to be among the finest sounding vacuum-tube guitar amplifiers ever built.
- Variations
The first 12 x 100B (and a few later 100B) models were fitted output transformers that were hand-wound by Reinhold Bogner. These output transformers can be identified by their coverless design and black painted exterior. It is said that Reinhold Bogner's personal collection of 3 x 100B amplifiers are fitted with these output transformers. The 101B models were initially constructed with its "Class A" resistor/heat-sink assembly mounted directly to the top of the chassis. Due to internal temperature issues - the resistor/heat-sink assembly was repositioned to an elevated position above the chassis to promote proper cooling.
- Ecstasy 101A and 101B (1997 and beyond...)
Bogner Amplification is continually evolving in terms of product development in a quest for the best tone possible. In an effort to maximize functionality of the standard features, in 1997 Bogner dropped some options. These included the integrated "Variac" option on the 100A/B, "Dual-Speaker Select" and "Attenuator Loop" on the early 101A/B models. The 1997 and later 101A/B amplifiers became the standardized Ecstasy design with the exception of a gain modification to all 2004 and later Ecstasy models.
- Überschall
(German for "Super-Sonic;" Two channels.) 120 watt EL 34 power section. 6 12ax7 preamp tube. Tube buffered effects loop. Three versions of this amp have been made to date: the original version, first revision, revision blue. The original version of the amplifier has a rubber handle, while the second version has a leather one. The revision blue has actual digits for serial numbers while the previous versions have symbols. The revisions dealt with issues pertaining to the gain taper of the high gain channel and discrepancies in the volume levels of the clean and gain channels. The revision blue contains the most significant updates to the amp. Currently the amplifier is only available as a head. The only option available on the head is a metal grille or a cloth grille.
- Metropolis - (Class A amplifier, medium-gain blues amp)
- Shiva
(Two channels. A Fender like clean to a hot rodded JCM 800 sound.)
- Duende
(Two channels. The channels can be used individually, one at a time, or combined together and played simultaneously. 15-watt amp with reverb and tremolo and two 6V6 output tubes).
- Caveman
(Two channels, six position Schizo knob which changes the EQ of the amp. Made in limited release in the mid 1990s. Some say "Mojo" on the back. The Mojo was an amp Bogner had intended to make, but never made it to production. They ended up using the chassis they had made for the Mojo for some of the Caveman amps. There are two known prototype Mojo amps.)
- Fish
(Rare 4-channel all-tube preamp. Only 250 in existence.) Recently reissued for a limited run by the Bogner custom shop in California.
- Triple Giant
(Rare 2-space, 3-channel all-tube preamp. The First true Bogner product, only 25 produced. The design was licensed to Hafler, hence the Bogner/Hafler Triple Giant that followed.)
- Alchemist - A two channel Bogner amp made in China. It's warranty is serviced by Line 6
- Early serial number legend:
/ (forward slash) = 1
^ = 2
Triangle = 3
+ = 4
asterisk = 5
o (or dot) = 6
Square = 7
V = 8
Lightning Bolt = 9
- = 0
P = Prototype