ibanez4life SZ! « The King of the Uberschalls! »
Published on 04/07/11 at 00:42This is a simple amplifier from Bogner, offering few features, but A LOT of tone
-100 watt all tube with 4 EL-34s and 5 12AX7s
-Revision 2 (Green)
-2 channels with independent EQ
-Tube driven effects loop
-¼” latch switching jacks to control channel and effects loop
It is also worth mentioning that a Revision 2 is set apart by:
-Larger Green pilot light
-Leather Handle
-No send level on the effects loop
-No external bias points
UTILIZATION
Dialing this amplifier in is quite simple due to its minimal features. Because of this, it is also not nearly as versatile as others heads in its price range; you either love the tone it puts out, or you look elsewhere. The dials are quite interactive, especially with the presence knob, and its effects on the other frequencies, but more on this in the ‘sound’ section. I have found that the Bogner power amp (accessed by plugging into the effects return) works GREAT for external units such as preamps- MUCH better than other amplifiers I’ve tried this with.
SOUNDS
As described by the name itself, the Uberschall was designed for sonic destruction, undoubtedly influenced by the popularity of Mesa’s Rectifier series. Reinhold Bogner took this sound, and molded it into his own. The Rev. 2 features what is, in my opinion, a very nice clean channel for your typical high gain amplifier. Some complain of it not having enough volume to compete with channel 2, but when dialed properly (and even using some unorthodox settings), the channel can definitely hold its own, and put out a nice clean. Channel 2 is where all the hype of the amplifier comes from. Take the depth and grunt of a rectifier, smooth it out, refine it, and add the beautiful twist of that unique Bogner midrange, and you have the Uberschall. When combined with the correct speaker cabinet (the Bogner cab is one), the low end is monstrous, yes fairly tight for an amplifier with this much gain. Did I say gain? Watch out…at noon, you will already be seeing more than enough, and it only keeps going from there. The Rev. 2 specifically is often noted as the ‘biggest’ and most ‘3-D’ sounding of the iterations. The presence knob is quite unique, and helps in tailoring the migrange response on the amplifier. Dial it down, and you are in scoop central. Dial it up, and you will be hearing a lot of ‘Marshall-like’ characteristics come into the amplifier. There is a lot of range in between to help build your sound. When dialed properly, the amp also does an amazing job with leads, which is quite unique for an amplifier that is usually dialed as a high gain rhythm machine.
OVERALL OPINION
Bogner didn’t reinvent the wheel with the Uberschall, but put his twist on a very popular sound. The Rev. 2 Uberschall stands tall in high gain territory as one of the BIGGEST sounding amps I’ve had the pleasure of owning. Obtaining this with so much gain, AND holding back the muddiness is a real accomplishment. The Rev. 2’s are getting harder and harder to find, and for good reason. The amplifier is essentially a one trick pony, but it does this trick in spades!
-100 watt all tube with 4 EL-34s and 5 12AX7s
-Revision 2 (Green)
-2 channels with independent EQ
-Tube driven effects loop
-¼” latch switching jacks to control channel and effects loop
It is also worth mentioning that a Revision 2 is set apart by:
-Larger Green pilot light
-Leather Handle
-No send level on the effects loop
-No external bias points
UTILIZATION
Dialing this amplifier in is quite simple due to its minimal features. Because of this, it is also not nearly as versatile as others heads in its price range; you either love the tone it puts out, or you look elsewhere. The dials are quite interactive, especially with the presence knob, and its effects on the other frequencies, but more on this in the ‘sound’ section. I have found that the Bogner power amp (accessed by plugging into the effects return) works GREAT for external units such as preamps- MUCH better than other amplifiers I’ve tried this with.
SOUNDS
As described by the name itself, the Uberschall was designed for sonic destruction, undoubtedly influenced by the popularity of Mesa’s Rectifier series. Reinhold Bogner took this sound, and molded it into his own. The Rev. 2 features what is, in my opinion, a very nice clean channel for your typical high gain amplifier. Some complain of it not having enough volume to compete with channel 2, but when dialed properly (and even using some unorthodox settings), the channel can definitely hold its own, and put out a nice clean. Channel 2 is where all the hype of the amplifier comes from. Take the depth and grunt of a rectifier, smooth it out, refine it, and add the beautiful twist of that unique Bogner midrange, and you have the Uberschall. When combined with the correct speaker cabinet (the Bogner cab is one), the low end is monstrous, yes fairly tight for an amplifier with this much gain. Did I say gain? Watch out…at noon, you will already be seeing more than enough, and it only keeps going from there. The Rev. 2 specifically is often noted as the ‘biggest’ and most ‘3-D’ sounding of the iterations. The presence knob is quite unique, and helps in tailoring the migrange response on the amplifier. Dial it down, and you are in scoop central. Dial it up, and you will be hearing a lot of ‘Marshall-like’ characteristics come into the amplifier. There is a lot of range in between to help build your sound. When dialed properly, the amp also does an amazing job with leads, which is quite unique for an amplifier that is usually dialed as a high gain rhythm machine.
OVERALL OPINION
Bogner didn’t reinvent the wheel with the Uberschall, but put his twist on a very popular sound. The Rev. 2 Uberschall stands tall in high gain territory as one of the BIGGEST sounding amps I’ve had the pleasure of owning. Obtaining this with so much gain, AND holding back the muddiness is a real accomplishment. The Rev. 2’s are getting harder and harder to find, and for good reason. The amplifier is essentially a one trick pony, but it does this trick in spades!