Rocktron Vendetta Tube Head

Designed by Bruce Egnater

It's time to Rock your Tron! Thanks to the fine folks at Rocktron for submitting the Vendetta head. This pup is designed by Bruce Egnater, exclusively for Rocktron. Most of you are familiar with some of the earlier Egnater Amps that definitely assisted in defining the word TONE. This bad boy sports four channels with a 100 watt power section driven by four EL34's, and five 12 ax7's in the pre amp section. I've been a fan of the Egnater designed amps; so needless to say, I am really looking forward to squeezin' the tone meter with the Rocktron Vendetta...

The Check Out...
First of all, just looking at the Vendetta somewhat sports an "I'm gonna kick your ass!" look with it's stainless steel metal grill and polished chrome face plate. It just looks mean! Full size head that houses four channels under the hood. Channels I & II feature gain, bass, middle, treble and presence. As in channels III & IV, the Vendetta is set up that each group of two channels share a common EQ section as well as a common presence control. Each channel also has a 'bright' switch and a master "voicing" switch (more about that later). There is a master front panel "global" section for main level, effects, presence & density. Front panel channel switch for manual channel selection, one 1/4 input and rocker style on-off and standby switches. The back panel boasts some very impressive features, such as: both a series and parallel effects loops, a slave out, two speaker outputs, a three position impendence selection switch for 4, 8, or 16 ohm cabinet selection. A way cool selection for power tube test points actually measure the idle current in the power tubes without having to disassemble the unit and digging out your amp meter. A bias adjustment switch for those of you who might prefer 6L6's over the standard quartet of EL-34's, midi in and out (7 pin), fuse holder with a voXltage adjustment section and finally detachable power cord input. The Vendetta is topped off with classy looking polished chrome corner covers, and the front panel is lined with a white elastic rope type trim, topped off with Rocktron Logo in stainless steel...

Rock the Tron...
For testing purposes I will be utilizing a Marshall Straight Faced Cabinet, loaded with vintage 30's. This is what Rocktron has selected as standard speakers for their Vendetta 4x12 cab. I love Vintage 30's for their notorious growl and cutting midrange. I am utilizing two guitars, a Flametop Les Paul classic with '57 Re-issue pickups, as well as an 80's American Standard Strat that is all stock...

Channels I & II...
The way the Vendetta is designed, the four channels are set up in a "gain stacking" arrangement. Channels I & II are lower gain channels that provide a "clean" (Channel 1) and "crunch" (Channel 2). We start with Channel 1 and utilizing a Les Paul Classic. After a few riffs, I have an EQ setting on this channel with the bass on 10, mid on 4, treble on 6 and presence on 6. My gain for this channel is on 5. Master channel volume on 4. As I mentioned earlier, the Vendetta also has a cool density control that adds low-end "fatness" control for the low-end response on 8, master effects (use with the parallel fx loop) and master volume. With these settings, the Vendetta produces an absolute British type clean tone that spanks! Each channel also has a bright rocker style switch. I found the best tone with the bright switch off. Each section of two channels (1 & 2, 3 & 4) share a common "voicing switch", which basically acts as a mid sweep control. You can set this for vintage or modern, I'm imploring the "modern" mode, which does not scoop the mids. This is my kind of tone, almost "plexi" sounding. In further tweaking with the gain control, you can add subtle crunch over tones that still retain ample clean headroom. Using a Strat with channel 1 retains the sweet spankin' tone with just enough of the twang thang going on. I was even able to dial in a great chickin pickin tone with gain setting on about four and increasing channel volume to about seven.

Over the hill and through the woods we go, to channel 2. Accessed via front panel channel switch, that can manually run channel selection in sequence. As you probably suspect, channel 2 adds another gain stage beyond channel 1. With the gain at 7, voicing switch to Vintage, no other changes to EQ, other than the bright switch which is to the "on" position, this is one sweet, warm, crunch tone. By no means over the top, but enough gain to produce a "blues" or "SRV" type of tone. This channel is warm with a cool tight low end, and a really vintage crunch type of vibe. Allman Brothers? I'm tellin ya it's there. Great rhythm channel, and leads are just raunchy enough to be sassy.

Channels III & IV...
A couple of pretzels and two beers later, we are ready to explore the higher gain structure of channels 3 & 4. Channel 3 settings: Bass-cranked, mid-5, treble-6, presence-6, voicing-"modern", bright switch-on, gain-71/2. Not to compare but to me this has the characteristics of a cool old JCM 800 type of vibe. Throaty mids that cut, with enough gain to throw down the "Bad Company", "Can't get enough of your Love" vibe! The Les Paul is sweet and warm and a Strat cuts with deliberation. I'm diggin' this vibe...
Channel IV... With the gain all the way up and everything else the same, this to me sounds like a hot rodded Marshall, and who doesn't salivate over that tone? Cutting in the mids so leads attack your ass, but yet warm and creamy. The Vendetta, although in my opinion cups a Marshall type of cut, retains it's own personality. "Highway to Hell"? We're on the same road! In experimenting with the voicing switch, you can dial in a "vintage" scooped mids metal tone that any Metallica fan would stand up and salute. The Vendetta sports a big set of balls that is not so far gone with overdrive that it's ridiculous. Good tight low end without being waffly. Personally, this is my type of tone...WAY, WAY, cool...

Loop-init...
The Vendetta is supplied with both series, as well as a parallel effect loop. Nice option. I experimented with both, and personally used the series mode more. However, a parallel loop is a way cool option that provides you with tons of control over wet-dry mix. In a parallel mode, the direct signal is always present and the processed signal is mixed via the front panel "effects" knob. Keep in mind, whenever using a parallel loop, that you need to set you processor to 100% wet, not allowing any "dry" signal to pass through the processor. I found the series to be clean and pristine to provide lush choruses and singing delays.

Final Mojo...
Cutting to the chase, the Rocktron Vendetta is a kick ass amplifier! Offering up tons of flexibility and tonal options. Four channels of sweet gain stacking tone. From chickin pickin to full out shred, the Vendetta offers up all, consistently. Fully "midi" friendly and a gamut of high-end features not normally found on an amp of this price point. Designed by Bruce Egnater, and believe me, you hear it! The Vendetta is built like a tank, ensuring holding up on the demands of gig to gig. Tube outputs sockets are mounted to the Chassis and power transformers are incredibly large. I started the review by saying, " The Vendetta just looks like it's gonna kick your ass!"... and that's exactly what it did. List price of $1,499.00 the Vendetta is more than reasonable, it's almost a steal!!!

Info:
Rocktron
2813 Wilber Ave
Battle Creek, MI 49015
800-388-4447
www.rocktron.com