Amp review: Engl Straight 1X12 combo

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burnyIII

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May 26, 2007
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Germany, southwest
Hi,

here's a review of my main amp.

Brand: Engl
Model Straight 50 combo (type 403)
Produced in: Germany
made: 1980s/90s (don't know exactly, bought it 2nd hand)
Speaker: one Celestion G12H 100 (don't know whether it is the original speaker)
Tubes: pre 4 X 12AX7,power tubes 2 X EL34, one driver tube (AX127)
effect loop: seriell
Chanels: 2 (lead chanel offers lead boost)
reverb: accutronic spring reverb

Special features: frequ. shift, bright shift, treble shift on cleanchanel, lead boost, mid shift,treble boost and bypass on lead chanell.

Sound:

The clean chanel is really clean. Even at clean preamp on 10 there is no distortion, not even with higher output humbuckers. Crunch sounds are not possible (with the exception of overdriving the power amp).
Frequency shift lifts the basses and lower mids, bright the upper mids and treble the high end.
The clean chanel sounds very acurate, no tubelike compression or some thingl ike that. Garbage in, garbage out, not like some amps that fastly add some tube compression to your playing.
The clean chanell can be very brilliant and has lots of bass and lower mids. It sounds 'clean', it lacks a bit the tubelike warmth some other good tube amps have.
To me the clean chanel sounds very 'neutral', the sound of your guitar isn't changed at all. Some may like that, others will hate that. With a good overdrive pedal you can addnice crunchy sounds to the clean chanel.
I think the clean chanel is usable, but i have heard better clean tones.

The stronger side of the eEngl is the lead chanel.
As described above it has many features.
Bypass turns off the eq (with the exception of mid boost and treble boost). The lead chanel inbypass mode sounds very middy and warm (but notmuddy or mushy), thats why i call the bypass shift the "blues-button".

Without bypass you have a great variety of tone. The eq works very well. Although its an openback 1X12 combo, there is lots of bass, if you use a guitar that has good bass (like a good Les Paul).
The sound at lower gainsettings is not what i like, it needs some drive to find its strenght. I use drive levels between 11 and 14 o'clock. This offers you a very dynamic rock sound.
The character of the distortion is unique. It doesn't sound like a marshall, boogie or vox. Hard to describe, but i think it is more usefull for rock and metal than for blues or blues rock. With the exception of the 'blues-button' what adds a very bluesy tone. The lead chanel sounds rather good without gain boost or pedals, but it sounds even better with some pedals (set to low distortion, e.g. a tube screamer with drive at 8/9 o'clock).
If you press the gain boost shift, distortion rises (the lower the preamp control, the more effect gainboost will have).
Gain boost adds basses and mids, ideal for powerful solos.
Or for driving metal rhythm guitar.
With gainboost on, the available gain should be enough even for death or thrash metal.
And the Engl sounds really great with gain boost on. Fat, warm, the right amount of compression (not too much, still very dynamic, but enough for solo work).
Scooped new metal sounds are possible, but i think the Engl sounds much better with mid boost on. That gives you really good distorted sounds for rock, classic rock, 80s metal (think Judas 'Painkiller').
The Engl is really quiet with good preamp tubes, nearly no hiss or hum. Very quiet for a tube amp with such an lots of gain!
As mentioned befor, the amp is versatile: bluesy with bypass, rockingwithout gain boost, really a power metal machine with gain boost on.
What it does not deliver: 70s AC/DC-like crunch sounds. If you like marshal-like tones, you have to use a good pedal like Marshalls drive master or zvex box of rock or menatone King of the Britains.
The Straight combines very good with overdrive pedals, but with gain boost on you have to take care, or too much gain will make your sound muddy and over-compressed. But, with gain boost on nearly no-one needs drive pedals :)

The Engl Straigh isn't produced any more, but on german eBay you often find one for about 500 Euros (about 650 US$).
What is a rather good price for such a high class and versatile tube amp, i think.
The Straight was available as 50 or 100 watts head or 1x12 combo, afaik.

Thats it. If you have any questions, just ask.
I hope this review was helpful.

pic:
http://www.gwebspace.de/burny/engl_0019.jpg

See Yah
Burny

Btw: excuse my bad english
 
I would like to try one out but I never see them in Australia.
Ritchie Blackmore uses a Engl.
 
Where in Aust are you Jappo?
Coz you could try either Smithy's or Jacksons if you're in Sydney.
 
I know someone with an Engl Screamer, I have played it and it is a very versatile amp. Easily goes from a heavy chugging drop tuning sound to a plucky jazz clean with a few twizzles of the knobs. Can sound a bit scooped at times though, but the screamer is a more modern sounding amp anyway so its kinda expected.
 

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