Bad Cat Mini Cat w/Highway One Texas Tele

[oprahdidntdie4ursins]

ok. so what do you think about using this in a church setting, miked? is it worth the money? should I save my money? I really want a badcat but I cringe at the thought of spending over 1,000 for one. Am I stupid for even asking such a question? lol

[selfexplanitorymark]

@oprahdidntdie4ursins I actually play a Mini Cat in church every week. It's a great amp. I play one through a custom 2x12 cab that is just off stage, mic'd, facing away from the stage. You can get fantastic tone out of the amp at decent volume, but I'm still "too loud" sometimes (volume and master both around 12:00...) However, what they consider too loud is about the same volume I use in the bedroom, I guess it just carries in there.

[selfexplanitorymark]

@selfexplanitorymark I would highly suggest buying a Mini Cat 1, and replacing the 10" jensen with at least something a bit beefier (vintage 10, G10M, G10 Gold, Red Fang 10, etc... just something with a bigger magnet that will handle some drive without sounding fizzy). You can usually find used Mini Cat 1's on ebay for the $500 range. Is it expensive, yes. But it delivers great tones, and takes pedals like a champ. FYI, It seems to prefer single coils in a church setting

[oprahdidntdie4ursins]

@selfexplanitorymark hahaha I have the same problem too with volume. #worshipteamproblems *sigh* lol but ok thanks! I'm considering picking one up some time.

[RingOfFire79]

why is there no integrated reverb is such expensive tube amps?!?! I wanted one, but vox ac15 costs the same and has reverb, never tried the mini cat though, which one is better?

[selfexplanitorymark]

@RingOfFire79 The AC15 is a good amp for the money, however, the CUB II is more comparable to an AC15, an AC15HW in fact, since the CUB II is completely hand wired and built like a tank. Did I mention it's made in the USA too, not China... that has to account for some of the cost difference. The CUB II can be had with Reverb and Tremolo like an AC15, but they cost about $3000 when equipped like that. The Mini Cat is like an uber AC4TV, but again, built like a tank.

[selfexplanitorymark]

@selfexplanitorymark The Mini Cat isn't really comparable to an AC15 in any way, other than a used Mini Cat can cost about the same as a new or barely used AC15. The Mini Cat is a great grab and go amp, that can be used through larger cabinets to get some really great tones. It takes pedals extremely well, and is unbelieveably reliable. I've had 6 Bad Cat amps, and have never had a single issue with any of them. Are they the best bang for the buck amp, NO. Are they great amps?? Definitely.

[TheMrRedroom]

dude i say "lol, play like me" and then you play better half and i feel so rare...this video are good for that song! haha cheers

[twelvemeister]

they;ve some damn nerve charging all that for a wee valve amp . my laney cub 10 sounds similar got that for 120 quid .

[Frontierblues]

sounds cool.a little boxy though,lose the stock speaker and it will sound less solid state

[selfexplanitorymark]

@Frontierblues I did. I replaced the Jenson P10Q with an Eminence Red Fang. I put a video up of it about a year ago. You can find it if you search my other videos.

[selfexplanitorymark]

@Frontierblues It is a little boxy sounding, as anything will with that small of a cabinet. I put a Red Fang in it, and that helped a lot, but it still sounds boxy compared to a BJR with a V30 in it. However, when played through an extension cab, the Mini sounds huge, and you really can tell there's a lot more Harmonic content to the sound. It's almost like a completely different amp, which makes it a great grab and go amp that can double as a head when you want more volume/bigger sound.

[aachafin]

some hillsong, sweet, how well does this thing work with pedals, I do a lot of delay, and volume swells, and I have fender hot rod deluxe, and for some reason doesn't handle the volume swells to well. thanks

[selfexplanitorymark]

@aachafin These Bad Cat amps are beyond pedal friendly. I've stacked three overdrive pedals, two delays, a tremolo, and reverb pedal in front of My Mini, Cub II, and Lil' 15, all with the same result... Awesome. They just eat pedals.

[MrChopped84]

What chords are you playing from the time range of 1:24 to 2:00? I love how that sounds. Also is it just being played clean?

[kunoyuki83]

goodsound

[SpaceAceTX]

Thumbs up rating from Texas bro! Keep the faith!

[dosilegecko]

I'm building a clone of this (with way better parts), I'll have to post a video. If it sounds good its a testament to the design, although in the schematic the output tube (EL84) is being driven really hard.

[michaelgroenewald7]

is this the best 5 watt amp going round?

[BLACKSYNTH]

@michaelgroenewald7 I think it will be! I don't own the 5 watt I have the Hotcat 30r head but I'm shure the cleans are just as good on this. better even for Recording

[JoeRunaway]

how loud is that amp? Can it be heard when reharsing with a band?

And what does it cost?

Thanx, keep em' licks coming dude! :)

[selfexplanitorymark]

It can definitely be heard with a band, especially if you replace the speaker like I've done (put in an Eminence Red Fang... you can hear it of you look through my videos).

The amp is very loud now with the new speaker, well loud if you can stand some hair on the tone.

Paid about $500 used for it on eBay. Speaker was $150. So it's now @ $650. New they run $900 for the Mini II's which I do not like at all.

[oneskater113]

@selfexplanitorymark whats the difference with the mini ii?

[selfexplanitorymark]

@oneskater113 Apparently the mini II is a different circuit design, it has two 12AX7's where the original Mini only had One. It's also 4watts instead of the 5 of the original. All I know is that I did a side by side comparison with them through the Mesa 2x12 Cabinet that I had and the Mini II was definitely lacking in Bass, as in it had this weird thin feel that just wouldn't go away. Liked the old mini much better, which is why I kept it and changed the speaker.

[BLACKSYNTH]

All hail the BADCAT !!!

Nice tones & playing.

I got a BADCAT Hotcat 30R with matchin 2x12 cab.

I'd like one of these too!

[Lovebug1327]

Any compressor?

I have the same amp in silver sparkle, tele player and a tim and Timmy! I love your tone man .... It just sounds like a smooth compressor when you hit the chord..

Let me know your pedal chain...

[selfexplanitorymark]

The whole video is only the amp wit no pedals except for the last :30 when I kicked in a Tube Screamer. Now my pedal chain is Guitar>TIM>Lovepedal Kanji 9>Sub Decay Flying Tomato>Vp JR>TC Nova Delay>Memory Man Deluxe>Holy Grail Plus>Voodoo Vibe>Amp... no compressors, I don't really feel like I need one with these amps.

[bl8tmate]

@selfexplanitorymark The great thing about low wattage amps is the natural compression they will produce! I have a matchless clone that Mark Moser built for me and the compression comes from the lower watts smacking the el84s! It sure is a beautiful sound!

[djteleboy]

sounds good

[pierpontgangster]

First Get up Kids in an Amp demo ever- nice!

[selfexplanitorymark]

If you listen to some of my others there are bits of TGUK in a bunch of them...

[in2mu5ic]

love that low volume tone

[mattchurchill2]

Great vid! Great guitar playing.

[selfexplanitorymark]

I believe I used the tubescreamer and the texas tele in the other video, you'll love the texas tele, it's got a viscous bridge pickup, and you can get some great cleans from the neck pickup. It's by far my favorite guitar that I have.

[Amnesiac197]

Nice sound from that little amp. You should demo the Texas Tele through the 2x12 you have in the other videos with the TubeScreamer I notice in the bottom left here. I'm hoping to acquire a Highway One Texas by the end of the week and want to hear what it'll sound like with my ts. If you have a 4x10 tube amp that'd be even better.

[strat808]

very nice little amp! tele lover!

[timmonsisbest]

thank you. you have no idea how long i've been waiting to see someone demo this amp. you should throw some pedals in front it just to show how well it takes certain pedals.