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Opinions on the Soldano SP-77 preamp?

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  • Opinions on the Soldano SP-77 preamp?

    Never really had a chance to play one but I do hear plenty of positive ravs about this baby. How is it compared to say a JMP1?

    How is the clean channel as well?

  • #2
    The clean channel on these is very usable. They also sound good with a pedal in front of it. Depending on what power section you use these can be really great. Comparing it to a JMP1 I would say it is not relly apples to apples because it is not programable but the Soldano unit is more known for the high gain channel. Are you looking for a preamp with a great hi gain channel or just for a preamp that does cleans? You Might be better off finding an old ADA MP1 or MP2. Those have great clean channels and are programmable. Very nice chorus in the ADA too.

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    • #3
      Prices on SP-77's seem to have doubled in the past few years. If you think you will ever want one, buy it ASAP.

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      • #4
        i'd rather have an X88r.
        Widow - "We have songs"

        http://jameslugo.com/johnewooteniv.shtml

        http://ultimateguitarsound.com

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        • #5
          A guy I know is concidering selling his Soldano Caswell preamp, I think it's an X-99.. I thought he'd never sell it but now he is, to afford the custom guitar of his dreams, which I guess is understandable.. Maybe if I sell my amp and a guitar I can afford the preamp, but I still wouldn't have a poweramp.. I'm actually sitting here thinking about selling all my stuff to get that preamp.. Even if I know that means not being able to afford new gear in a few months.. Ain't that crazy.. But, it really sounds that good, to me.. Fuggums..
          "This ain't no Arsenio Hall show, destroy something!"

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          • #6
            Weren't there 2 versions of this? A Silver one and a Purple anodized one if I remem correctly.
            Was one version better or is this a case of just a new look and nothing else?
            I've heard alot of good things about Soldano, and I was actually gonna buy one, but I got a good deal on my Engl, otherwise I'd have the Purple version in my rack right now.
            'Howling in shadows
            Living in a lunar spell
            He finds his heaven
            Spewing from the mouth of hell'

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            • #7
              I'll give it to you in a nutshell. I owned 2 of these for a few years.

              Clean is very nice providing you have a powerful poweramp. IMHO.. you need at least 100w.
              Gain channel is slightly similar sounding to an SLO. To me.. it sounds more like the Atomic 16 or the Astroverb. Here are the differences...
              It doesn't have nearly as much gain as an SLO. I would say if you put an SLO100 gain on 3 it would be the same as the SP77 dimed out.
              If you are going to play metal you will need a gain boost.
              The purple faced SP77's are made in the USA.
              Its EXTREMELY important to choose the correct power amp and more importantly.. the correct speaker cabs and speakers.
              The reason that people sell the SP77 is because they think they are going to get the same voicing and gain as the SLO or they think they are getting the non-motorized version of the XR99. In both cases.. they would be wrong.

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              • #8
                That makes sense to me. What tubes do these have in them?
                'Howling in shadows
                Living in a lunar spell
                He finds his heaven
                Spewing from the mouth of hell'

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                • #9
                  i had a purple one, and john is dead on. the gain is weak. i thought my astroverb had more gain. i had an SLO and it killed the SP-77. aeons ago i had an X-88R and it KILLED the SLO. the SP-77 was run through a peavey classic 50/50. the X-88R was run through a rivera hammer 120.
                  GEAR:

                  some guitars...WITH STRINGS!!!! most of them have those sticks like on guitar hero....AWESOME!!!!

                  some amps...they have some glowing bottle like things in them...i think my amps do that modelling thing....COOL, huh?!?!?!

                  and finally....

                  i have those little plastic "chips" used to hit the strings...WHOA!!!!

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                  • #10
                    If you're looking for an "all-in-one" SP-77, just buy a Yamaha T-series amp. I sold my SP-77, because I couldn't really tell the difference between the two.

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                    • #11
                      I had a purple one and a Yamaha t50. I didn't feel they were the same, but they are similiar. It would depend what power amp you couple it with. I would only suggest it if you can get it cheap, since it is pretty limited and there are a lot of good choices available these days with more options and great tones.

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by markD View Post
                        i had a purple one, and john is dead on. the gain is weak. i thought my astroverb had more gain. i had an SLO and it killed the SP-77. aeons ago i had an X-88R and it KILLED the SLO. the SP-77 was run through a peavey classic 50/50. the X-88R was run through a rivera hammer 120.
                        "Killed" meaning you preferred it over an SLO? Cuz NOTHING kills an SLO, unless it is suffering from bad tubes, etc...and I'm sure that preamp was based real heavily on the ultimate Soldano preamp of the flagship SLO. Perhaps the power amp was more to your liking and what you were after compared to the power section of the SLO? Or did you mean that the preamp had even more gain? I'd imagine it is hard to really describe a preamp to someone because there is an endless list of power amps one might be using. Whereas with a head , it's all in one,,,,ignoring speakers of course.
                        Last edited by lynchfan6; 09-29-2008, 03:18 PM.

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                        • #13
                          When you mean "killed" do you mean gain or just overall tone in general?
                          "Bill, Smoke a Bowl and Crank Van Halen I, Life is better when I do that"
                          Donnie Swanstrom 01/25/06..miss ya!

                          "Well, your friend would have Bell's Palsy, which is a facial paralysis, not "Balls Pelsy" like we're joking about here." Toejam's attempt at sensitivity.

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                          • #14
                            Exactly....cuz everyone has preferences, and you could say that something kills a Crate G60....but when referring to well respected high end amps or preamps, it's not applicable or very useful. More of an explanation of "the personal and subtle concept of sonic preference and interpretation" is required
                            Last edited by lynchfan6; 09-29-2008, 03:41 PM.

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