Soldano Astro 20

[Achilles]

One other note on this - it's gotta be a fact that Soldano gets 100% of his voicing from the pre-amp.
There is no way in hell a pair of 6V6s are supposed to sound like this - Jebus!

 

[Elf]

One other note on this - it's gotta be a fact that Soldano gets 100% of his voicing from the pre-amp.
There is no way in hell a pair of 6V6s are supposed to sound like this - Jebus!

There is an interview with him and Dave Friedman and he talks about this specifically.

This amp sounds like a winner to me for home studios, I might start saving :)

 

[Whizzinby]

I’d love for this to undercut sales of the SLO30 and force a big price drop

 

[Mongillo19]

I’d love for this to undercut sales of the SLO30 and force a big price drop

Did you have the SLO30 at one point? Or maybe still do?

 

[Whizzinby]

Did you have the SLO30 at one point? Or maybe still do?

I did. Great amp. I wouldn’t mind owning it again.

 

[Achilles]

Head is bigger and more stout than I imagined.

Figure everyone is familiar with the size of a Friedman 20 watter by now.

Have to note a very cool aspect of the whole BAD umbrella. Both amps have the same rubber feet, handle, tolex, and lots of visible hardware. Gotta assume the enclosure wood is the same too.
Buying in bulk = decent MRSP pricing for us!

 

[Achilles]

Yeah I guess. I’d be looking for some traditional SLO’y knobs.

Found one place selling official Soldano knobs with the little cap on them.
The Astro has 11 = $60 + shipping....



Black Friedman knobs it is! I have one and the other 10 cost about $10.
Plus the style really works with a busy front panel. Dave F's no dummy.

 

[Mongillo19]

Found one place selling official Soldano knobs with the little cap on them.
The Astro has 11 knobs. $60 + shipping....



Black Friedman knobs it is! I have one and the other 10 cost about $10.
Plus the style really works with a busy front panel. Dave F's no dummy.

View attachment 16816

That's so much better lol

 

[paisleywookiee]

Played one yesterday at Sweetwater! Not much to add except A. It’s AMAZING and B. those knobs are STUPID!

@Achilles those new ones will be way better. Now having tried it, I can’t believe they made such a dumb decision.

 

[ejecta]

Played one yesterday at Sweetwater! Not much to add except A. It’s AMAZING and B. those knobs are STUPID!

@Achilles those new ones will be way better. Now having tried it, I can’t believe they made such a dumb decision.

View attachment 16847

Man….. I guess I’m going to have to try one.

 

[paisleywookiee]

Man….. I guess I’m going to have to try one.

I loved it.

 

[Achilles]

I loved it.

It's 100% a keeper here.

 

[ejecta]

You all are not making this easy.

 

[paisleywookiee]

You all are not making this easy.

 

[GTR37]

I did. Great amp. I wouldn’t mind owning it again.

Try the Astro , a few posts I have seen with people having both prefer the Astro , go
Figure

 

[FuzzyAce]

Played one yesterday at Sweetwater! Not much to add except A. It’s AMAZING and B. those knobs are STUPID!

@Achilles those new ones will be way better. Now having tried it, I can’t believe they made such a dumb decision.

View attachment 16847

Is that a shadow on the grill cloth, or did you mark your territory?

 

[Achilles]

Try the Astro , a few posts I have seen with people having both prefer the Astro , go
Figure

Have seen the same thing and in a couple cases the person saying it seemed honestly surprised at their own conclusion!

GREAT AMP but I can not f*king wait to ditch the knobs.

 

[GTR37]

Have seen the same thing and in a couple cases the person saying it seemed honestly surprised at their own conclusion!

View attachment 16987

GREAT AMP but I can not f*king wait to ditch the knobs.

Glad you are loving the amp!
Yep those knobs look like baby bottle nipples
WTF BAD

 

[Jkist7]

Nice little comparison of the Astro and both the SLO 30 and 100. To me the 30 sounds the most SLO with the way the mids respond to playing, and how forward they are. But the Astro sounds fantastic in its own right, no better or worse.

 

[Whizzinby]

I’ve got to stop watching Astro vids. I don’t know why it surprises me it hangs and has all the classic SLO character. lol

I kinda want a SLO again, but primarily for the clean channel. lol (The gainy stuff is just a bonus)