Bogner Helios 50 - 50-watt Handwired Tube Head Reviews

This amp is superb! Pretty simple to use and has tone for days. The Hot input is where it's at and both 70s and 80s mode are stellar. My SSS Strat sounds sweet through the 70s Hot input and I can sound like Jimi with my volume rolled off. My P90- and Humbucker-equipped guitars sound majestic on channel 2 Hot 70s/80s. I can get all the classic rock, hard rock, and metal tones (Jimi, Led Zep, Van Halen, Alice In Chains) I want from this thing. Honestly, I don't play through the Plexi channel much, but it does sound nice…I just prefer a bit of dirt (or a lot of it) afforded on the Hot side.

The master volume is super good, I can get bedroom level volume and killer tone at the same time. It does sound better when you turn it up though. The bass/mid/treble controls all make a big impact too.

It's a wild amp that just oozes character; a tad bit impolite in a great way. I am so glad I bought it.

Shout out to my SE, Nick Graham!

I've had this for about six months now I played a few gigs and it is my favorite amp I've ever used to date.
I have had Marshalls, 5150's,jet city , Fuchs ODS, I even have a Ecstasy 3545, but this Helios is the end all be all. My favorite is the 70's setting gain set pretty high and I just use my guitar volume knob to clean up. I usually buy and sell gear but this one is staying.

I'm in love with this amp. Like everyone else, I kind of hate the two inputs and the inability to switch between them, but I'm perfectly happy using the Plexi mode for the best tones, and adding a dirty boost for that over-the-top grind. This thing sounds just freaking awesome, I never want to stop playing it. Even the clean does a great Hendrix/Frusciante tone. Amazing.

I received this awesome amp on New Years Eve and felt I needed to put a review out there after just 1 day. I had this sound when I was playing as an early 20 year old player in Austin. Just like most things, I sold that amp and have been looking for the sound ever since. Well, my wait is over. This thing does the Plexi JTM 45 thing. It does the 70s and 80s thing. It even does the country chicken picking thing along with an incredible clean almost as good as my Tone King Imperial. I thought my Friedman BE was the only way I would get close to the sound I had as a young player 30 years ago. I love my Friedman; its just this amp nails the sound. I will have this amp for the rest of my life and I will haunt my sons from the grave if they sale it. Just a little sad no one has the 2/12 CH cab in stock. Will wait until it is in stock. For now, I am playing it through a Dr. Z Z-Best Cab. I love this cab as well.
You need to buy this one.

Hand wired by the man himself. Gets beautiful cleans but I rarely use them because I love gain.

I"ve owned amps from most boutique names I grew up with; Boogie, Fryette, Soldano, other Bogner"s, Orange, Marshall, etc...
The Helios 50 is the first amp I"ve ever played in a band setting and in a bedroom setting where I just plug straight in and don"t ask for anything else. The tone is tight and has a woody dryness to it that somehow, has enough content and tone that makes me feel satisfied. I don"t need the delay or reverb to cover the character any longer. The tone is perfect.

In my current band setting, this amp is competing for space between a PRS Archon and a GK bass stack. The Helios has no trouble being heard.

If you"re looking to find flexibility and pure tone to make your voice heard, pair Helios with a Bogner 212 and let "er rip!

Like many, I've tried amp after amp searching for that mythical tone in your head. I've owned about a dozen amps and played a dozen or more others, from the iconic brands to the boutiques. This Helios may be the best "out of the box" sound I've encountered. The 50 watt head, with its variac mode and the loop return volume can produce killer tones at bedroom levels, but this thing sings when pushed. My band's sets require everything from warm, sparkling cleans to near modern metal overdrive and I'm amazed at how this amp can do it all. I agree with other reviews I've seen about how it would be great it you could switch (or even A/B) the Plexi and Hot inputs, but my fix has been to go Plexi input in 80s mode (which most reviews seem to neglect) and to use a good OD pedal in front when you need more gain than the Plexi input Channel 2 produces. The amp takes pedals great, so I actually have a digital effects switcher running this (all through Plexi input) with Channel 1 by itself for a pure, warm clean; channel 1 with a transparent OD like a Timmy with low gain to push Channel 1 to a nice grind; Channel 2 by itself with Gain maxed will produce nearly all the gain you need, but when I need high gain (like that on tap using Hot input), just push Plexi mode Channel 2 with a good OD pedal and it's glorious. The various EQ options and toggles are very dynamic and can dial in whatever sonic tweak you want. It's just one of those amps that make you smile and not want to put the guitar down.

Stellar tones. Somewhat frustrating needing to switch jacks to move from the best clean to best dirty, but well worth it. Very configurable, and surprisingly fun to play with the guitar volume dialed back: cleans up in a cool way in 70s mode. Find myself jacked straight into it with an mxr carbon copy in the loop, just like the official demo. Played it live last week at a charity gig and used a Marshall 2061x for clean tones. Loved it.