Genz Benz El Diablo

Vegetta · 12-02-2007, 02:24 PM

I have some serious gas for the Genz Benz El Diablo - any of you guys ever have one or played one? Basically I'm looking for anything that would/could make this a no buy/ deal killer. (noisy, not reliable, etc...)

thadood · 12-02-2007, 02:54 PM

Mine's been extremely reliable and you can get some pretty sweet tones over a variety of genres. I've been using it for about three years, through numerous gigs and tour situations. It still looks great, too. They really do hold up. The knobs are extremely solid. The only thing showing its usage is the front panel's hex-screws. They're rusty. Other than that, the head's case is tough and hardly scratches and feels solid, too. The recessed side handles are a godsend.

It's pretty damn quiet, though you can get it to feed back fairly easily if you want to (more midrange = more chance of feeding back).

I'm currently running a quad of JJ KT77's. I think they work extremely well in it. It's a great mix of 6L6 and EL34. The EL34's are AWESOME for cleans with this amp, while the 6L6 are amazing for the high gain tones.

I'm selling mine, though. I got an Engl on the way.

Vegetta · 12-02-2007, 03:04 PM

ahhh Thanks Dood

Actually I was also considering an engl also but since so many people here have them i have a pretty good grasp about them so i didnt ask about them

budda · 12-02-2007, 09:38 PM

i played the combo, it was nothing to write home about. i expected it to smoke my traynor in the metal-tones high gain department, but it didnt.

i think there's better for the money. however if you've tried it and like it, take it home!

Apophis · 12-03-2007, 04:03 AM

^ I have the same feelings

noodles · 12-03-2007, 10:19 AM

With all due respect to thadood, I was completely underwhelmed by this amp. I've played several, and they were all thin, fizzy, and lifeless.

Honestly, in this price range, there is the 5150 and nothing else.

thadood · 12-03-2007, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noodles

With all due respect to thadood, I was completely underwhelmed by this amp. I've played several, and they were all thin, fizzy, and lifeless.

Honestly, in this price range, there is the 5150 and nothing else.

I guess it's how I tweak it and play it, as well as the tube combination. I get some pretty punchy and ballsy tones out of it. I'm mainly getting rid of it and moving on because I tend to change out my voicing every once in a while (I've had it for over three years, time to sample a new flavor!). There is some inherent fizz, but I've found it particularly easy to dial out by not using the attack feature.

In fact, my current settings are (in measurement to a clock face):
Bass: 3:30
Mids: 11:45
Treble: 12:00
Contour: 10:00
Gain: 3:30

Compression on, high gain off, and using my custom OD pedal. One of the differences with this amp is that the way the EQ section works is unique to most guitar amps (in bass amps, it's fairly common). With all EQ at noon, there is no added or removed EQing, meaning it's completely neutral and is the way your guitar naturally sounds. You don't have to push the EQ hard to shape your tone by much.

noodles · 12-03-2007, 12:22 PM

Wow, you need to crank the bass knob that high?

budda · 12-03-2007, 01:43 PM

thadood, if there's no shift in EQ with all the knobs at 12, you have an active EQ.

i'm with noodles, that's a lotta bass! and a lotta gain :P

thadood · 12-03-2007, 02:31 PM

You're right, I was off x=

I don't know what I was thinking when I was typing that out. I know that the mid/highs are correct, but the bass/gain would be more along the lines of 1:45. 3:30 is almost dimed on this amp, haha.

starsnuffer · 12-03-2007, 04:08 PM

It's a trap!

It just looks like an amp, instead of the tolexed turd it really is.

The other guitarist in my band has one as a backup, and I use it occasionally when I don't feel like dragging my own amp to rehearsals.

Friends don't let friends buy el diablos.

-W

Vegetta · 12-03-2007, 06:42 PM

ahh man thanks everyone for the feedback on it - I haven't actually had the chance to try one (I found a dealer kind of close to me...)

Bound · 12-03-2007, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noodles

With all due respect to thadood, I was completely underwhelmed by this amp. I've played several, and they were all thin, fizzy, and lifeless.

Honestly, in this price range, there is the 5150 and nothing else.

I used to own one and that was my sentiment exactly... and oddly enough when I sold it I was looking at used XXX's and 5150's....

LordOVchaoS · 12-03-2007, 08:58 PM

I tried one quite extensively and I was really impressed with its rock tones and really disappointed with the metal tones. It just don't do t3h br00talz. The amp is named after the ....ing devil

! It should be a firebreathing metal monster!

A year ago or so a developer at Genz Benz told me they were making an amp called El Grande that was supposed to be a high gain metal machine but I never heard any more about it.

They ARE built like tanks and will probably be left with the cockroaches if we ever have a nuclear war but if you're looking for good metal tones look elsewhere

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12-02-2007, 02:24 PM	#1
Vegetta SS.org Regular Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Near Morgantown WV Posts: 2,238 Thanked: 17 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Genz Benz El Diablo I have some serious gas for the Genz Benz El Diablo - any of you guys ever have one or played one? Basically I'm looking for anything that would/could make this a no buy/ deal killer. (noisy, not reliable, etc...) this space for rent

12-02-2007, 03:04 PM	#3
Vegetta SS.org Regular Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Near Morgantown WV Posts: 2,238 Thanked: 17 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	ahhh Thanks Dood Actually I was also considering an engl also but since so many people here have them i have a pretty good grasp about them so i didnt ask about them this space for rent

12-02-2007, 09:38 PM	#4
budda Guiterrorizer Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: London ONT Posts: 18,906 Thanked: 174 Feedback Score: 1 reviews	i played the combo, it was nothing to write home about. i expected it to smoke my traynor in the metal-tones high gain department, but it didnt. i think there's better for the money. however if you've tried it and like it, take it home! _______________________ J S Moore pickups: www.tonefordays.com Rock on!

12-03-2007, 10:19 AM	#6
noodles I'm your huckleberry Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Woodbridge, VA Posts: 17,910 Thanked: 303 Feedback Score: 7 reviews	With all due respect to thadood, I was completely underwhelmed by this amp. I've played several, and they were all thin, fizzy, and lifeless. Honestly, in this price range, there is the 5150 and nothing else. Noodles Division: American Metal without the suck. kxksales@gmail.com

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12-02-2007, 02:54 PM	#2
thadood 'Das brootal. Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 773 Thanked: 22 Feedback Score: 1 reviews	Mine's been extremely reliable and you can get some pretty sweet tones over a variety of genres. I've been using it for about three years, through numerous gigs and tour situations. It still looks great, too. They really do hold up. The knobs are extremely solid. The only thing showing its usage is the front panel's hex-screws. They're rusty. Other than that, the head's case is tough and hardly scratches and feels solid, too. The recessed side handles are a godsend. It's pretty damn quiet, though you can get it to feed back fairly easily if you want to (more midrange = more chance of feeding back). I'm currently running a quad of JJ KT77's. I think they work extremely well in it. It's a great mix of 6L6 and EL34. The EL34's are AWESOME for cleans with this amp, while the 6L6 are amazing for the high gain tones. I'm selling mine, though. I got an Engl on the way.

12-03-2007, 04:03 AM	#5
Apophis Banned Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Poland Posts: 18,280 Thanked: 71 Feedback Score: 1 reviews	^ I have the same feelings

12-03-2007, 12:22 PM	#8
noodles I'm your huckleberry Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Woodbridge, VA Posts: 17,910 Thanked: 303 Feedback Score: 7 reviews	Wow, you need to crank the bass knob that high? Noodles Division: American Metal without the suck. kxksales@gmail.com

12-03-2007, 01:43 PM	#9
budda Guiterrorizer Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: London ONT Posts: 18,906 Thanked: 174 Feedback Score: 1 reviews	thadood, if there's no shift in EQ with all the knobs at 12, you have an active EQ. i'm with noodles, that's a lotta bass! and a lotta gain :P _______________________ J S Moore pickups: www.tonefordays.com Rock on!

12-03-2007, 02:31 PM	#10
thadood 'Das brootal. Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 773 Thanked: 22 Feedback Score: 1 reviews	You're right, I was off x= I don't know what I was thinking when I was typing that out. I know that the mid/highs are correct, but the bass/gain would be more along the lines of 1:45. 3:30 is almost dimed on this amp, haha.

12-03-2007, 04:08 PM	#11
starsnuffer ss.org Regular Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bay Area, California Posts: 510 Thanked: 2 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	It's a trap! It just looks like an amp, instead of the tolexed turd it really is. The other guitarist in my band has one as a backup, and I use it occasionally when I don't feel like dragging my own amp to rehearsals. Friends don't let friends buy el diablos. -W

12-03-2007, 06:42 PM	#12
Vegetta SS.org Regular Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Near Morgantown WV Posts: 2,238 Thanked: 17 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	ahh man thanks everyone for the feedback on it - I haven't actually had the chance to try one (I found a dealer kind of close to me...) this space for rent

12-03-2007, 08:58 PM	#14
LordOVchaoS NUDE MAN! Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Warrensburg, MO Posts: 4,496 Thanked: 75 Feedback Score: 29 reviews	I tried one quite extensively and I was really impressed with its rock tones and really disappointed with the metal tones. It just don't do t3h br00talz. The amp is named after the ....ing devil ! It should be a firebreathing metal monster! A year ago or so a developer at Genz Benz told me they were making an amp called El Grande that was supposed to be a high gain metal machine but I never heard any more about it. They ARE built like tanks and will probably be left with the cockroaches if we ever have a nuclear war but if you're looking for good metal tones look elsewhere www.bodenhamer-electronics.com the official gain merchant of sevenstring.org.

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