In 1993, when Bogner was quick changing into the hippest identify on the high-gain-amp scene, star guitarists have been clamoring for that sizzling new tone. One who missed out lately introduced “his” amplifier dwelling.

Whether or not it was Fender’s tweed creations, early Marshalls, or the primary technology of Mesa/Boogies, most revolutionary new amp designs have discovered stars lining up for a style of the newest sound on the block. Issues have been no completely different within the late ’80s, when Reinhold Bogner packed up his soldering iron and left his native Germany for the rock-infested waters of Los Angeles.

Bogner established his popularity modifying and hot-rodding amps on the L.A. scene. In 1989, he developed a three-channel, rack-mounted tube preamp on the request of Joey Brasler, a session guitarist, solo artist, and sideman who toured with Bob Welch, Boz Scaggs, Steve Lukather, the Seaside Boys, and others. Dubbed the Triple Large, 25 have been in-built ’89-’90. Segueing by way of different initiatives, Bogner and his new companions, Greg Bayles and Jorg Dorschner, introduced the Fish preamp to market and bought about 250 models earlier than transferring into full-on amp manufacturing in ’93 with the 100-watt Ecstasy 100B head. And for a time, it appeared each guitar slinger on the town was angling to get one.

Thought of by some to be the best high-gain channel-switching head ever made, the Ecstasy 100B generates 100 watts from 4 EL34 output tubes (within the “B” model, for British, versus 4 6L6s within the “A” for American model), with six 12AX7 preamp tubes for cascading acquire levels, EQ, and part inverter. Its three channels use 14 front-panel knobs to ship the participant’s desired clear, crunch, and saturated lead tones, alongside myriad voicing switches. The rear carries two additional options that have an effect on the amp’s really feel as a lot as its sound – a Sound Type change for New/Outdated, and a Variac On/Off to drop voltage, enabling the fabled “brown sound.”

Residence base for Bogner Amplifier gross sales was the L.A. department of the Chicago-based Make’n Music, which had opened that yr. Brasler wanted a day job when he wasn’t on the highway, so he jumped in to assist.

“We examined each 100B as they got here by way of and paid shut consideration to nuances in tone, contact, frequency variations, pot efficiency – sensitivity and linearity – and total tonal variations from amp to amp,” Brasler recollects. “As well as, pedals have been positioned pre-input, rack results within the loop, and cupboards of various impedances have been related. Plus, we listened for microphonic tubes, scratchy pots, and intermittent noises. It was a rigorous routine.

“Whereas they have been very constant, after testing quite a lot of models, I found one which was an exception with a really magical ‘one thing extra’ occurring. I needed to have that amp, so I set it apart and commenced making funds.”

A number of days later, Brasler returned from a lunch break to listen to a participant within the testing room, “…doing a fairly respectable Eric Johnson impersonation.” He requested a colleague who it was, solely to be informed it was certainly Johnson. Brasler launched himself to the acclaimed guitarist, who mentioned he was on the lookout for a brand new amp to tackle tour with B.B. King that summer season. He then fetched “his” Bogner 100B for Johnson to attempt.

“He began ripping and didn’t cease for an hour, after which he known as me in and mentioned ‘I’ll take it’ – as if there have been an opportunity he wouldn’t. It turned E.J.’s soiled sound on that tour. I used to be grateful I’d put the amp apart in order to introduce the Bogner sound to Eric. With a tear in my eye, I started my seek for a brand new Ecstasy.”

A pair months later, after testing one other 25 or so and concluding that lightning wouldn’t strike twice, it did.

“One other angel emerged,” says Brasler. “I didn’t assume it was attainable for an Ecstasy to face that far out from the litter, however there it was. I hid it away and commenced making funds – once more. I swore to myself that I’d preserve it a secret. Then, Walter Becker walked in.”

Whereas most musicians liked and revered Becker’s work and the music of Steely Dan, Brasler nearly worshiped the man. He hadn’t met Becker beforehand, however he tells us Becker was pleasant, saying he was on the hunt for brand new gear previous to a reunited Steely Dan getting again out on the highway.

“Walter got here proper as much as me and mentioned, ‘So, what’s new?’ With no second’s hesitation, I pulled out my beloved Ecstasy and mentioned, ‘This.’ I put Walter and my child in a room collectively, realizing what was about to occur.

“He noodled for 2 hours, got here out and mentioned ‘I’ll take it!’ Feebly, I mentioned ‘Okay, I’ll get you one.’ And he mentioned, ‘No, that one.’ So, I bought him that tremendous Ecstasy, serial quantity / ∆ +, and a Bogner 4×12″ slant cab with Celestion Classic 30s. He performed that head on Steely Dan’s first tour after 20 years off the highway.”

One quirk of early Bogner manufacturing was the usage of symbols as a substitute of conventional serial numbers – a numerical system was launched in 2005. Although Becker purchased different Ecstasy heads as backups, serial / ∆ + remained his primary till his loss of life 24 years later.

As unhappy as he was at his hero’s passing, Becker’s loss of life provided Brasler an opportunity to reacquire that ’93 100B when it got here up in an public sale of Becker’s gear in October, 2019 – but even then he got here alarmingly near dropping it.

“A minimum of one individual was bidding towards me, possibly extra, which is the way it rapidly rose. After I bid $3,000, bidding stopped; the auctioneer was stalling, one thing I hadn’t seen him do all morning. He’d been closing bids in a short time as a result of he had a 595-page e-book of things to promote. Regardless of, after a while he closed bidding, and I received.”

The following day, Brasler known as his good good friend/former Make’n Music colleague Jamie Kime, Grammy-winning guitarist from Zappa Performs Zappa and former Dr. John sideman to inform of his luck. Kime additionally had a narrative concerning the amp. He associated that his Baked Potato Membership bandmate Danny Carey, additionally the drummer for Device, had requested his recommendation on objects to bid on within the Becker public sale, and was hotly pursuing the Bogner. Kime was on the telephone with Carey all through the public sale and suggested him to bid as much as $5,000, telling him, “This was Walter’s first Ecstasy and his primary amp.”

However shortly after Ecstasy Serial quantity / ∆ + got here up, the tour bus ferrying Carey dwelling after a Device tour hit a cell-service useless zone and he misplaced connection.

“The auctioneer had stalled as a result of he was ready for Danny to come back again on-line,” Brasler relates. “Nevertheless it was taking too lengthy, and he needed to drop the hammer in my favor.”

After an $840 purchaser’s premium and $364.80 in California gross sales tax, Brasler paid $4,204.80.

Whereas planning the picture shoot with acclaimed photographer Gene Kirkland, Brasler invited Reinhold Bogner to see the amp.

“On the shoot, Reinhold seen a modification on the circuit board. He didn’t keep in mind precisely when it was put in, however mentioned it up to date the clear channel to 101B spec, which provides a 3rd acquire stage, making it attainable to run the clear channel slightly hotter. So, the recent bought hotter, and / ∆ + was lastly dwelling.

This text initially appeared in VG’s March 2024 challenge. All copyrights are by the creator and Classic Guitar journal. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.