My first Soldano! SLO30!

[GuitarJon]

Update: since I have both, let's compare the real deal to a Chinese clone and see how close they sound:



I never thought this day would actually come but I bought myself a Soldano SLO 30 for my birthday! I have a lot of amps already but most of them are much more affordable than something like this. I figured it would be a great amp to have for various reasons but of course it's also the goat for high gain tones.

I've had it for a couple of weeks now and my first impressions are really good! The overdrive channel is wonderful! Definitely not as loose as I thought it might be but also not mega tight (which I love tbh because it makes the amp more versatile). Cleans are nice, crunch is nice too! Love the bright switch and depth control as well. Who doesn't love a bit of thump?

It takes pedals well and the fx loop works like a charm too. So it's a winner! I want to try this amp with various guitars, tunings and pickups but I wanted to try it with my Les Paul Custom first in 4 styles, clean, crunch, rock and metal. So that's what I did for my initial demo/review, more to come! I'm also planning on comparing this amp to many other amps as well as digital emulations of Soldanos, should be fun!

Here's my first review and demo:



And some pics:

 

[Life Eats Life]

Is there a part in the video with just a speaker mice’ed and not the fs IR’s?

 

[GuitarJon]

Is there a part in the video with just a speaker mice’ed and not the fs IR’s?

Can't tell if you're serious or not

 

[Badonkey Kong]

That sounds awesome Jon. I would love to have one of these, but I'll have to settle for a synergy SLO module in the future instead.

 

[GuitarJon]

That sounds awesome Jon. I would love to have one of these, but I'll have to settle for a synergy SLO module in the future instead.

I have never tried any of the Synergy stuff but it seems really cool! It's a great way to try various brands and amps flavors.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Happy birthday Jon!

 

[Stone]

As always Jon totally awesome, but I have a feeling even if you'd be playing through a low end crate amp
You would still somehow sound awesome

 

[Lonely Rocker]

Video was great and that amp sounds awesome!!!!

 

[Badonkey Kong]

It really seems like it could be that one amp that does everything I need. Until i need 3 switchable channels I guess...

 

[JiveTurkey]

It really seems like it could be that one amp that does everything I need. Until i need 3 switchable channels I guess...

 

[ejecta]

Is there a part in the video with just a speaker mice’ed and not the fs IR’s?

Since its seems you’re not getting an answer…. it seems from what I’ve seen he doesn’t do real cabs mic’d in his demos. I can only assume it’s because he doesn’t have a space that allows for that.

 

[ejecta]

It really seems like it could be that one amp that does everything I need.

I think I’ve said this before but if I had to go to only owning one amp of the ones I own…. this is the one I’d keep.

 

[Elric]

I think I’ve said this before but if I had to go to only owning one amp of the ones I own…. this is the one I’d keep.

Ditto. It is up there for me, too.

 

[HotRats]

Great birthday present Jon!
That's an amp I'd love to own the price is insane

I admit I've spent more for some guitars, LOL.

 

[Whizzinby]

Throw a Deluxe Memory Man or Strymon Dig on it and revel in the….

CLEAN TONES



Disclaimer: I’m the weirdo with the SLO on my Mt Rushmore of clean amps.

 

[ejecta]

Throw a Deluxe Memory Man or Strymon Dig on it and revel in the….

CLEAN TONES



Disclaimer: I’m the weirdo with the SLO on my Mt Rushmore of clean amps.

The SLO sounds great clean. You’re not weird at all in that respect.

 

[Orvillain]

Just watched the video Jon.

The amp sounds really good.

Last October I went into the studio to record some hihats for work. We also took my Dual Rectifier and my mates SLO100, just to sorta shoot them out next to each other.

The SLO100 sounded FANTASTIC!!! I'd never played an SLO up until that point, coz they're just ridiculously expensive.

The 30-watter wouldn't really be a live amp for me I don't think. It would have to be 100-watt. But for home use, this looks like a really good amp.

 

[Achilles]

@GuitarJon

Have you had a chance to do any SLO-30 vs Astro-20 comparisons yet? Been waiting to hear your thoughts.

Thanks.

 

[GuitarJon]

@GuitarJon

Have you had a chance to do any SLO-30 vs Astro-20 comparisons yet? Been waiting to hear your thoughts.

Thanks.

Right now I'm working on the Astro 20 demo and review. I hope to compare them soon but I have another amp coming in first that I'll have to review so it will take a couple of weeks.

 

[cragginshred]

Since its seems you’re not getting an answer…. it seems from what I’ve seen he doesn’t do real cabs mic’d in his demos. I can only assume it’s because he doesn’t have a space that allows for that.

That's why in all of my videos I allow the listener to hear what the amp will both sound like live with a band and in the room. Adding IR's and thru DAWs is not what it will sound like thru your cab,

Congrats OP on stepping up your tonal pallet! Couple of tips from someone who has owned both the Slo 100 and 30 try turning your Depth down to bring out the mids more. I usually run it well below noon. All depth or thump type knobs are like salt -I don't like a bowl of salt just enough right? Unless your going for the chainsaw chugga tones then I got nothing lol