R.I.P. Ronnie James Dio

Ronnie James Dio (July 10, 1942 – May 16, 2010)



***thanks to Fr. 121 for the stunning memorial portrait










I am seriously numb right now... an era has come to an end. There will NEVER be another vocalist like Ronnie James Dio.

*horns up* Ronnie - we love you.

new Boogie Mark style combo amp: BUGERA MAGICIAN

Bugera does it again with their new Boogie Mark style 'Magician' 85-watt combo amplifier... they might not wanna come out and say "we do their amps our way, at cheaper prices" but let's call a spade a spade - it's what they do - and judging from their happy owners, they do it well. Yes, the naysayers keep crying "no reliability!", but that doesn't change the fact that most of their amps are SOLD OUT pretty much everywhere. People ARE buying them, and I've talked to a touring musician that has had his Bugera 6262(a Peavey 5150 clone - then again, the 5150 was a clone of a Soldano *wink*) on the road for 2 years without a hiccup...

If you can't afford a Mark IV/V, you might wanna look into the Magician: word is that they're gonna run a street price of $699.  When they're gonna be available, I have no idea yet...  Here's a pic & the specs:

• Hand-built 85-Watt guitar combo driven by 4 x 6L6 valves
• Original 12" BUGERA Neo-Vintage speaker for true vintage sound, high sensitivity and light weight
• 3-channel preamp design (Rhythm 1, Rhythm 2, Lead) featuring 4 x 12AX7 valves—everything from purring blues to mind-blowing crunch
• Multi-Class mode features either Class-A or combined Class-A/AB, blending Class-A purity with the raw power punch of Pentode Class-AB
• Varipower control allows the maximum power to be scaled down to produce a cranked amp sound at much lower volumes
• Integrated high-class reverb with dedicated Reverb control
• Dedicated Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble, Presence and Volume controls per channel for awesome sound shaping
• Multi-gain stage Lead channel with voicing switch (Mid Gain/Sparkle)
• Assignable 5-band graphic EQ for ultimate sound shaping
• Manual or auto-assignable FX Loop with independent Send and Return level controls
• Compensated recording output with switchable Recording Mute function plus Line output with dedicated Level control
• Multi-impedance output connectors (4 and 8 Ohms) to match virtually any speaker cabinet
• External Switching connectors for channel selection, Reverb, Graphic EQ and FX Loop for remote applications
• Heavy-duty 6-button footswitch for channel selection, Graphic EQ, Reverb and FX Loop function included--doubles as MIDI IN / THRU for complete MIDI remote switching

http://www.bugera-amps.com/EN/products/MAGICIAN.aspx

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Now before anyone gets their pretty pink panties in a bunch, I have no opinion either way on Bugera amplifiers - I don't own one, nor am I trying to 'convince' anyone of anything, just passing on information... make of it what you will.

Buy one or don't - it's none of my business, nor do I really give a shit. I ain't makin' no scratch off the deal...

FU MANCHU - "GODZILLA"

My next amplifier? It just may be so...

The Marshall Haze MHZ40C 40W 1x12 Tube Guitar Combo Amp

Marshall Haze MHZ40C 40W 1x12 Tube Guitar Combo Amp Features:

• Power: 40W
• Preamp Valves: 3x ECC83
• Power Amp Valves: 2x EL34
• Channels: 2 Normal/Overdrive
• Boost switch: Normal/Overdrive
• Bright switch: Global
• Reverb: Emulated Spring
• Effects: Echo, Vibrato, Chorus
• Speaker: 12" Celestion G12-66 Marquee
• Footswitchable: 2-way switch supplied (4-way switch optional )
• Tone EQ: Treble, Middle, Bass, Presence
• Effects Loop
• Emulated line out

(the language spoken by the demonstrator is German, but just listen to the amp, dammit!)



and here's Doug Aldrich(Whitesnake, Dio) putting the Haze 40 combo thru it's paces:

Lucifer's Friend - "Ride The Sky" (1970)

wow... how is it that I have never heard of this band until 2 days ago?!  THIS ROCKS!  If you like early Deep Purple, you'll dig this too. The singer John Lawton(who went on to join Uriah Heep) even looks abit like Ritchie Blackmore...