Soldano - Hot Rod 25 With Mike Araiza & Mike Soldano

Mike Arazia and Jeff Sandoval pay a visit to Soldano Amps to check out the new Hot Rod 25 with Mike Soldano.

[@AntiLazarus]

Mike seems cool as shit. Hard to believe how down-to-earth and modest he is, considering how many people have completely ripped off his designs and sold a lot more amps than him.

[@shakeyjonez]

I think he was more about the quality instead of quantity.

[@KD-nb3mp]

They did rip him off but nothing came close to the real deal. The jet city amps that were designed by mike soldano came close but the quality wasnt quiet there. All the other brands are far from the real soldanos.

[@TobyKBTY]

Lord, that sounds amazing. Even just through the camera mic. And sounding good at low volumes is a MASSIVE bonus.

[@Podcastage]

I've been looking for a replacement for my Rockerverb 100, and this amp may be the one. Can't bring myself to sell the RVERB though, so time to start saving! What a beautiful piece of engineering! Great work Mike!

[@EricMakingWaves]

I found you here! Love the channel dude. Did you ever buy this amp??

[@WolfStatic]

While the Hot Rod 25 is great for recording and practice - this amp was clearly built to be rocked at stage levels and it'll tear through the back line like a bat out of hell!

[@Nobody92421]

OMG... This is solid gold... Soldano is THE MAN. Even his Jet City stuff is AMAZING. I would love to have a beer with him and talk some serious shop. He is clearly the next evolution beyond Leo and Jim. If not totally school them...

[@KD-nb3mp]

Yeah! I just got one of his Jet City amps and its incredible. A little muddier and not as tight as the real soldanos but that doesnt bother me for the price at all. Its amazing. Mike is a genuis.

[@chadwickwright2833]

Jet City stuff is kinda shit.

[@AlvinMartell]

Looks like you hit another one out of the park Mike! Congrats!!! PS...I still have the Astroverb 16 "Prototype #1" that you built for me back in the day. It gets a lot of use and it still sounds amazing!!!

[@DANTHETUBEMAN]

What a great idea on this amp, power tube interaction is so fun for guitarists.

[@vikdeleon4238]

Hey Mike. It's Vik in Fort Collins Colorado. You never cease to amaze me. I am blessed to have your gear and until this day no one can touch my tone.....I mean your tone. You are the KING of sound brother.

[@TheIIIMK]

25 watts of bit hen tone. Buying my Slo was the best investment I've made regarding equipment. No idea why I waited so long.

[@JymeBale]

Country guitar is not distorted at all, it's very, very clean, Tele sounding. Yes, I know Keith Urban plays country with Marshalls and Hiwatts and distortion, a Marshall JTM 45 will get the very clean country sound, I own one, it can sound just like a Fender Twin........the Soldano sounded great, loved it, this is just my opinion, nothing more.

[@JB54379]

After owning this amp for over 3 years now, it sounds better now than it ever has. I have never been one to consider break in on a amp but this Hot Rod 25 just sounds better and better. Just a amazing amp.

[@ep9229]

If you can't play metal on a Soldano, it's not the amp's fault ;-). It definitely has the gain and tone to handle it.

[@Splittail01]

All i can honestly say is that this video inspired me to get one which is on its way :)

[@aussie_philosopher8079]

Would have been cool to chuck a surf box on it , that would have people drooling

[@chrisjohnston3077]

This has to be the best head to pipe into a load box and re-amp with ddl and verb in stereo!

[@fabiol.9161]

Very proud of that italian stripe tolex

[@slag5150]

Greatest story ever

[@TheSLOgriff]

Great video! Really seems to show what that amp can do! Definitely makes you want to buy one! Cool story about EVH at the end as well!

[@BillDerBerg]

No more long black hair☹️

[@derrotamundial4554]

Hi from Spain...what is the best noise gate for Soldano amps because the effects loop of my soldano is + 4db?.....thank you

[@Mykkus]

FUUUUK that thing sounds great.

[@davidhorvath6785]

That's a sales video..you even said it..lets just shut up and play guitar and you can actually play so that was a bonus lol..you just cleared up my next amp purchase thanks!!

[@devlinavocado6274]

On the normal channel, if you set preamp 10, gain 0, master 10, playing through a single coil neck pickup, will you get a decent funky clean over drums?

[@ShotGunRoleModel]

I have one of these. And I do, literally, sit there, having a conversation with a friend, or watch TV and jam out through this or, another fantastic amp, my Suhr Badger. Really fun stuff.

[@IohanReyes]

Wow, that amp sounds great! Great job on the video and the interview with Mr. Soldano!

[@aussie_philosopher8079]

I'd pay any ridiculous figure to have Mike make me one . Been my dream amp for years.

[@JB54379]

This amp is amazing!! Baby SLO it is!! It is expensive but it's far from any 25 watt amp I've ever played through and the price isn't that horrible compared to similar amps from other makers like Friedman, Bogner, etc... It does not sound like a 25 watt amp. It shocked me. It easily has the low end of a 50 watt amp and the tone is just INCREDIBLE. Sounds killer at any volume also and when pushed some it really shines. You can gig with this amp just as well as any 100 watt amp. It is that good and sounds that awesome.

[@spamnegg.1798]

How much in the UK. I'm sick of wanting and waiting for that day when I got the cash for one.I'll have to rent my missus out and sell stuff I don't have.I have played through a hundred amps in the stores but Soldano amps sound incredible and so musical to my ears. One day i will own one even If I have to do robbery...

[@ApriliaRacer14]

Same here. I've drooled over His amps since the 80's.

[@spamnegg.1798]

Ducati Drew I must get the schematics for the HT 25 and try to build my own. How hard can it be? I'm wondering how much it would cost for the same components and build it as and when I can afford.

[@bobbyberetta4206]

Spam'n'egg. You ever build that amp after all? If so would like to hear about the details.

[@KD-nb3mp]

@@spamnegg.1798 Buy a Jet City JCA50h thats a soldano circuit and its designed by mike soldano. Just with cheaper components and made in asia instead of the US. Sound wise they are the closest you will ever get to a normal soldano.

[@Shadowsreach1]

sweet sounding amp man!

[@goldensunspiral]

Yeah, that thing sounds great. Even through this shitty mic

[@Filterbear]

Hi I play stuff like Alter Bridge, staind, stuck mojo ... and do you think it coule do the job for rock /métal style? Is the fx loop ok? Thanks

[@phallystorm]

I have a Soldano Modified Jet City 50 Un FUCKING Believable. Sold my MESA Stiletto Deuce II head. That good

[@InGrindWeCrust2010]

What's that indigo blue Les Paul?

[@WolfStatic]

Awesome! Please share how the experience goes!... Speaking of Splawn the QuickRod's one of my all time faves - one badass amp!

[@AndyK.23]

Very cool! Love the brown sound via low plate voltage idea!

[@josephmonaco4503]

Why make a sales video when Mike is closing his doors on the whole country of guitarists? Why did you stop making and selling Soldano 100 watt amps?????????????????? Just when I had enough money to buy one, I find out that he's closing up shop. What a joke.

[@acegibson9533]

quit whining. Mike doesn't owe you a fucking thing.

[@BIGBADDOGPRODUCTIONS]

This was made in 2013.

[@InGrindWeCrust2010]

Besides this video being 6 years old, it sounds like some updated models, such as an SLO Mark II and a Hot Rod 30 will be designed by Mike and manufactured by Boutique Amp Distribution going forward, so I'd keep an eye out. Always proud to have Soldano in Seattle and love the amps, but some updates to the models and production would be a great thing.

[@drock3913]

He didnt stop making them. There is no reason to make them for mass production. Mike will make you anything you want with mods if you got pockets big enough......

[@sweetwillyp]

I love watching Mikes Face analyzing the Tone.. A true legend and Humble guy

[@Filterbear]

I love really but is the clean sound can stay clean?

[@TheJasonEstes]

Nice demo! Loved the VH story in the middle.

[@ReeceNTI]

God Bless you Mike for making my sound !!!

[@richardleerodgers5303]

Michael you are a true master

[@Imoutanames]

I want one! Too Kool Mike!!

[@foggyblues13]

WANT

[@yoquese1877]

The video would be nice if not there were a deaf player

[@crazyjoe1540]

So all you need to do is replace a transformer and you have a 50 watt amp?

[@JB54379]

No need for that. The amp sounds amazing like it is. It's 25 watts but plenty loud for any gig and the way it's made makes it pretty killer. If you want a 50 watt Hot Rod they make those. The Hot Rod 25's IMO do not sound like the other Soldano Hot Rods though. They sound more like a SLO at 25 watts.

[@crazyjoe1540]

i wasn't concerned about volume so much, the only reason id wanna do that is for more headroom, but in a smaller format than the 50. out of my budget anyway, but one can dream!

[@JB54379]

Maybe keep an eye out on the used market. Believe me, they are worth every penny IMO. I got a great deal on my new one and playing it side by side with a SLO and Hot Rod 100 I had to have it. To me personally it sounded better than both the others.

[@christophermcburney6478]

I build amps. Yes...only a transformer set change...and addl power amp tubes of course.

[@mrdigitydigity]

25 watt amp 1800.00 get outa here, I better get some surf and turf with that and I don't mean surf or turf she betta be shaved. I do really absolutely LOVE the tone of Soldano amplifiers!!!!!! I am a big fan but I need a coupon. I am rebuilding now that the remodeling is picking up but I can't feed my 7 kids with guitar strings. Reach out ;-)

[@MichaelDespairs]

Is there a difference in tone between using a variac and using an attenuator? Whether you're clipping at 7 or 2 on the master volume is any real difference using the variac?

[@Filterbear]

ok,but i never tried one but it sound very nice,organic and grainy. and 25 W is ok but i have a doubt for the clean thanks

[@josephmonaco4503]

That's alright, I'll just buy a nice old late 60's Marshall Plexi or a 100 watt master Volume.

[@drock3913]

And some ear plugs

[@_kunkle]

I dont think eddies was a plexi

[@mohamedalimechri2762]

Mike is a pure genius

[@07989074102]

Want this, currently using a splawn nitro which has the best clean sound I've heard from any high gain amp, which it has a ton of ! but my question is, is spending 2k on 25 watt head gonna cut through my back line in band ? or is it gonna be lost? if this is just a glorified practice amp then its far too much money crazy intact, but shit it sounds good !

[@drock3913]

If u get lost in the mix, just add some mids or smash on a pedal

[@07989074102]

well I'm trying one on sat, so we will see, see we will ha. spawn will take some beating, but if this does both quiet volume with tone then i could be REALLY tempted!