AFD 100 arrived today. Initial review!

[Vavoom]

Well, I paid and waited 4 months and it arrived today. Ahhhh....The AFD 100. Hey, if I don't like it, I can sell it on E-baby for 115% of its value eh?

My opinion after 2 hours of playing it at bedroom and low studio volume:
(The reason I state the low volume is, it is unlike the JVM and JMD. It is more in the realm of the VM....cranked = sehr gut.)

You have to CRANK this baby to hear it's full potential. You can easily hear this in the voicing of the amp the moment you turn it on. Low volumes are still fun and inspiring. My 59 LP RI sounded great through it, but at lower volumes with high gain settings, my Anderson Strat had more girth. After twiddling and oggling I noticed a few things unique to this amp. The presence knob was fairly normal except the last few notches, it then increased exponentially! Cool....I like that afterburner mentality.

Okay, I did succumb to breaking out a delay pedal in the loop and playing Welcome to the jungle intro/verse...yeah, it nails it. It REALLY nails it. No pedals (cept delay) that tone is there at about 12'oclock gain and mostly everything else at noon. This amp is high gain all the way. If you wanna do covers at a club, bring two amps. This amp won't do clean very well. But who cares. It does dirty very well.....so far.

PROS: Good dirty crunch. Think modded marshall with some vintage overtones to it. Cool attenuator....not as great as I thought it would be, but still not bad. Tone controls have good effect on overall sound sculpting. No problem on volume. Med to large clubs will make this amp shine the best.

Cons: Kind of a one trick amp. You will constantly be trying to tweak the volume on the amp/guitar to get a decent clean sound. A little brittle sounding at lower volumes.

OVERALL: Thumbs up. Hey it might be a one trick poney, but you maybe have to go this route to get an authentic awesome type sound.

I have owned maybe a dozen or so Marshalls, some modded like this one, and this one is very unique and has a tone that stands out. Notice I didn't say "in the mix," as I have not gigged with it yet. Since I do classic covers I would have to bring an amp that covers the clean stuff as this amp is just too gnarly to play Blue Bayou on. Heh........although a Slash version could be interesting.

[kissfanps]

Very cool. You're review is exactly what I have been expecting, a one trick pony for knock your socks off hard rock.

[surfnorthwest]

Good review. If I would have gone through and bought the AFD as I had planned (until the YJM came out) I would have slapped it onto my Amp switcher. Being as you say a one trick pony a Voodoo Labs amp switcher may be something you want to consider. It allows connect up to four amps to be ran at in any combination at one time.

The idea is to quit switching channels but rather switch amps. Currently I have the 2466, TSL/100 and JMD on the first three channels and waiting to add the YJM on the fourth.

I think a Amps switcher would allow you to put the AFD in your chain with your other amps to use for cleans and when you need the cranked AFD tone simply call it up. I look at it as a rather unconventional way of having a four channel amp, its just that I have four pretty frickin good amp channels.

http://www.voodoolab.com/ampselector.htm

[Mats A]

I don´t really agree here. I can get as good a clean sound on the AFD as on my Plexi reissue. And i play with gain on 8.

I see the plexi or YJM also as much of a one trick pony. It´s not like you can stomp on a switch and instantly get a clean sound.

[Beck-Ola]

Cool attenuator....not as great as I thought it would be, but still not bad.

OVERALL: Thumbs up. Hey it might be a one trick poney, but you maybe have to go this route to get an authentic awesome type sound.

So where does the power scaling fall short in your opinion? Does it change the sound too much? That's the only thing on this amp that interests me.

Overall I don't need this amp because my slightly modded JCM800 gives me a similar sound and it's also a one trick pony, but I will never get rid of it because it has a great articulate crunch. Anyway I don't care about Slash. Yngwie that's another story.

[Vavoom]

I don´t really agree here. I can get as good a clean sound on the AFD as on my Plexi reissue. And i play with gain on 8.

I see the plexi or YJM also as much of a one trick pony. It´s not like you can stomp on a switch and instantly get a clean sound.

I would like to A/B our AFD's. See what difference there is. To me, a Plexi (I've played through a few) is much, much cleaner. Night and day difference. You can dial down the gain to 3 on the AFD and the AFD still has more gain than a Plexi on 10. Having said that, you can put pedals in front of a Plexi. So far IMO any distortion pedal in front of the AFD would be mush overkill. Again, my opinion. I think a Plexi would be much more flexible because of the pedals you could throw in front of it.

I also agree totally with Surf regarding that many people try and get amps that have a bazillion channels and options that radically change the gain stages. In my opinion, most of these amps fall short, trying to be a jack of all amps, master of none. An amp switcher is for sure the hot way to go, if there is stage room.

-- Sat Mar 26, 2011 5:00 pm --

Cool attenuator....not as great as I thought it would be, but still not bad.

OVERALL: Thumbs up. Hey it might be a one trick poney, but you maybe have to go this route to get an authentic awesome type sound.

So where does the power scaling fall short in your opinion? Does it change the sound too much? That's the only thing on this amp that interests me.

Overall I don't need this amp because my slightly modded JCM800 gives me a similar sound and it's also a one trick pony, but I will never get rid of it because it has a great articulate crunch. Anyway I don't care about Slash. Yngwie that's another story.

Well, difference of opinion. I don't care much for Yngwie....but Slash is incredible. Yngwie is brilliant in his own way....just kind of wears on me after awhile.....kind of like all scales.....I'm sure I'll get some replies from that statement. Hee hee.....

To answer your question about the attenuator. I have an Air Brake and have tried this on all my amps and it behaves exactly the same way the Marshall to my ears. However, I don't think it operates on the same principle. The Airbrake operates on resistance and I believe the Marshsall my be more voltage regulated. Not quite sure. I read about the Marshall attenuator awhile back and was quite impressed by the article but to me, it sounds similar to using my Airbrake.

So it falls short IMO due to the fact that the stated technology is different than my Airbrake but the outcome is very similar, which isn't bad, but it does diminish the dynamics like my Airbrake. Nothing beats speaker excursion. To me it is very usable, but when I first dialed it down to bedroom level it was similar to just lowering a master volume. Again folks....my opinion. Keep in mind I have had the amp for 24 hours and I will continue to tweak and explore. Similar to you, I was thinking.....gee whiz, this attenuator might just kick ass on all the Airbrakes, Ultimate Attenuators, Hotplates out there....but I think they all achieve similar results.

[Beck-Ola]

Well, difference of opinion. I don't care much for Yngwie....but Slash is incredible. Yngwie is brilliant in his own way....just kind of wears on me after awhile.....kind of like all scales.....I'm sure I'll get some replies from that statement. Hee hee.....

To answer your question about the attenuator. I have an Air Brake and have tried this on all my amps and it behaves exactly the same way the Marshall to my ears. However, I don't think it operates on the same principle. The Airbrake operates on resistance and I believe the Marshsall my be more voltage regulated. Not quite sure. I read about the Marshall attenuator awhile back and was quite impressed by the article but to me, it sounds similar to using my Airbrake.

So it falls short IMO due to the fact that the stated technology is different than my Airbrake but the outcome is very similar, which isn't bad, but it does diminish the dynamics like my Airbrake. Nothing beats speaker excursion. To me it is very usable, but when I first dialed it down to bedroom level it was similar to just lowering a master volume. Again folks....my opinion. Keep in mind I have had the amp for 24 hours and I will continue to tweak and explore. Similar to you, I was thinking.....gee whiz, this attenuator might just kick ass on all the Airbrakes, Ultimate Attenuators, Hotplates out there....but I think they all achieve similar results.

Hmmm....interesting. As you say, you haven't had it very long so you may change some of your initial assessments. By all means the method of volume reduction in the AFD is not attenuation as in all those outboard boxes. Those "burn off" the power after it's been created whereas a power scaler limits the amount of power produced in the first place while retaining the tube's response. It shouldn't change the dynamics in the same way but at lower settings it's expected to introduce some change. Sure there is nothing like speaker excursion---but that's where the loudness comes from.

Oh, I don't listen to Yngwie that often either but I think he is an awesome player. I like classical music a lot so it's fun to hear some heavy guitarist play some of those scales. I get tired of hearing nothing but pentatonic stuff. Blackmore was the one that piqued my interests with those harmonic minor, etc. But to each his own!

As for Slash incredible? He's about #73 on the list of incredible guitarists, heh-heh. Wrong thread to say that, I suppose. I don't dislike him though. He's all right.

Anyway thanks for that feedback about the power scaler and the review!

[Mats A]

Well it works for me. I have the gain on 8 on both the AFD and the Plexi and just roll down the volume on the guitar to about 2 or 3 mostly on the rythm pickup. I don´t like distortion pedals so it´s all amp overdrive on both. I usually use like a preamp pedal my brother has built on the Plexi. Same with the Yngwie if you use the booster. You both have to turn that off and roll down the volume on the guitar. If you got more high output pickups like many do it´s much harder getting a clean sound like this.

According to the Output control i think it works great. I don´t think it changes the tone at all except for the speaker getting less signal and that will always affect the tone.

[gtrman]

Great review .. pretty much all your statements is similiar to my own experience after just a few days worth of playing & exploring.
I agree with the one trick pony view .. if you are in need of switchable cleans you will have a hard time getting that with this amp.
That is why I will continue using my Slash 2555 in my live cover band. That one delivers cleans, crunch and leads (using some pedals as well)

The attentuator does what I expected it to do. I havent had much experience with those due to lack of need.
The amp delivers tons of gain and crunch at bedroom levels. Great great sound.
Still obviously the amp shines at louder volume just like any tube amp does. That is as expected as more volume equals more thump and guts.

I also have been experimenting with some reverb & delay in the loop ... excellent results.

I have absolutely no regrets whatsoever ... now back to playing some more ... again

[Vavoom]

Well it works for me. I have the gain on 8 on both the AFD and the Plexi and just roll down the volume on the guitar to about 2 or 3 mostly on the rythm pickup. I don´t like distortion pedals so it´s all amp overdrive on both. I usually use like a preamp pedal my brother has built on the Plexi. Same with the Yngwie if you use the booster. You both have to turn that off and roll down the volume on the guitar. If you got more high output pickups like many do it´s much harder getting a clean sound like this.

According to the Output control i think it works great. I don´t think it changes the tone at all except for the speaker getting less signal and that will always affect the tone.

The only problem I have when trying to get a clean sound out of a high gain amp is if you turn down your guitar pass 5, you lose it's character and it sounds to thin. Same with the amp. You turn down the gain below 70 percent and you lose the amp AND the guitar character. This is what I mean by not able to do clean. Lastly, has anyone tried a single coil through the AFD? I did. Ouch. Humbuckers need only apply.
Still after a few more playing sessions, I'm pretty happy with this amp.

[Mats A]

My brother got a real nice blues tone on my AFD when using the neck pickup on his Strat.
I mostly use the neck pickup on my Les Paul for clean sounds. And if you turn down the volume on the guitar a bit further it´s like the treble comes back.

[Herbvis]

I usually use my neck pu for cleans. I roll the volume down between 1 and 4, then roll back my tone knob to taste. Results are usually pretty nice. Not fender clean, but nice

[Vavoom]

I would humbly like to retract a statement. I said that playing through the AFD, single coil pickups need not apply. However, I just played my Telecaster throught this. And it's a very bright Tele....I did not try a few of my other guitars (with single coils) through it. My Anderson Strat, the one with single coils sounded...actually, not bad. Kinda good. And I could get a kinda, sorta clean. Obviously not a Fender clean but nonetheless, a clean enough to play a slightly OD sound, instead of balls to the walls gain like most of the time you wanna do with this sucker...

I would like to try this amp through all green backs.

[gtrman]

I would like to try this amp through all green backs.

I do and it sounds absolutely wonderful.
My 1960AHW delivers a cool vintage bluesy sort of 80's rock sound.
I dont have my V30 cab at home right now so I can't do a A/B test but I really dig the greenbacks with it and I assume it will be my preferred cab with the AFD.

[noise5150]

Thanks for the review! I hope at some point I will be able to play through one but I doubt it unless my local Guitar Center has one. When I first heard about the AFD100 I was wondering about the flexibility as far as it not having a truly clean channel. I play alot of different types of music and one thing I like about my DSL and JMD is that they both have really pristine clean channels. I know some guys turn down the volumes on their guitars but that wont get you, for example, some Pink Floyd level clean tones. If you are playing in a bar, and you needed a really clean tone what would you do? I guess you may have have another amp but that could get inconvenient.