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 from 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 their white powder-coated chassis. Options included a "Power Attenuator Loop" that is assignable to the individual channels, a "Series/Parallel Effects Loop", "Line-Out", "Class A/AB", "New/Old" sound, "Full/Half Power", and "Dual Speaker Cabinet Select". The dual-cabinet option allows the user to connect any 4-8-16 Ohm cabinet into output #1, and any 4-8-16 Ohm cabinet into output #2. Either one of the 2 x cabinets can be assigned to any of the three amplifier channels. This option also includes dual-impedance settings for both cabinet outputs. Note that only 1 x cabinet can be utilized per channel at a time.
These early era "white-chassis" Bogner Ecstasy amplifiers were limited to a strict production run of 150 x 100A/B and only 100 x 101A/B models. They are coveted by players around the world for their "boutique" tone which leans heavily toward Marshall (JMP era) Super-Lead amplifiers with increased emphasis in the lower-mid tonal spectrum. Due to their limited production and high demand, these early model Bogner amplifiers are known to command a premium price on the vintage resale market. They 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 100B amplifiers are fitted with these limited production transformers. The 101B models were initially constructed with their class A resistor/heat-sink assembly mounted directly to the top of the chassis. Due to internal temperature issues, the resistor/heat-sink assemblies were 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 Cabinet 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
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P = Prototype